Albanian Language Media:

• “Vucic’s potential visit would be considered a provocation” (media)
• Specialist Chambers not obliged to make public dismissed charges (Express)
• Thaci: Montenegro Albanians should participate massively in elections (media)
• Pandemic Law published in Official Gazette (RTK)
• Six police officers suspended in Mitrovica North (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Two new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb areas, 25 persons recovered (Radio kontakt plus)
• Portal Nova published old news that Vucic goes to Gazivode Lake (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: We know our task (RTS, Radio KIM)
• Covic on Washington meeting: US President does not show up unless there is result (RTS)
• Special Court: We are not obliged to announce if indictment was confirmed or dismissed (Kosovo-online)
• Group of Serbian intellectuals filed criminal charges against President Vucic over Kosovo (N1)
• Vucic met with Republic of Srpska leadership, Dodik in Belgrade (N1)

International:

• Kosovo Political Parties Shun Campaign to Abolish Hague War Court (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kon: Situation in Serbia is no longer an emergency (B92)
• Serbian opposition party: How many Covid-19 victims weren’t registered? (N1)

   

Albanian Language Media

  “Vucic’s potential visit would be considered a provocation” (media)

Media reported during the day that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will be visiting Gazivoda Lake. 

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora said the Kosovo Liaison Office in Belgrade has not received any request for a visit to Kosovo.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla said that even if there was a request to allow Vucic's visit to Kosovo, it would be considered provocative and counterproductive and as such unfeasible.

"In the critical week when Kosovo makes efforts to build political and institutional unity for the trilateral meeting with Serbia in Washington, under the leadership of the White House, potential visits would be considered as a political and counterproductive provocation ahead of the serious and concrete initiative undertaken by international partners,", Haradinaj Stublla wrote. 

Specialist Chambers not obliged to make public dismissed charges (Express)

It has been six months since the President of the Specialized Chambers appointed the Pre-Trial Judge to deal with the first indictments which have been filed by the Specialized Prosecutor.

However, despite the fact that the legal deadline within which an indictment must be confirmed or dismissed has passed, the Special Court has not announced what happened to the first indictments that were filed.

This was confirmed for the Gazeta Express news portal by the assistant of the spokesperson of the Specialized Chambers, Michael Doyle.

"The Law on Specialized Chambers of Kosovo and the Regulation on Procedure and Evidence do not require any decision to dismiss charges in an indictment to be made public," Doyle said.

Doyle, among other things, said that so far no indictment has been made public and until an indictment is revealed it remains confidential along with the procedures related to its review. 

"Therefore, I am not able to tell you if an indictment has been confirmed, nor can I say exactly when that could happen," he said.

The first indictments were filed on 24 February, when the Specialized Chambers published the notice of appointment of the Pre-Trial Judge.

Thaci: Montenegro Albanians should  participate massively in elections (media)

The President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci called on Montenegrin Albanians to use their right to vote.

“The participation of Albanian community in the elections in #Montenegro is an important momentum for bolstering the Euro-Atlantic orientation of this friend & ally of #Kosovo. I call on Albanians to use their right to vote, as a contribution to peace & stability of the WB,” Thaci wrote in a Twitter post.  

Pandemic Law published in Official Gazette (RTK)

The law on the Pandemic that was recently voted in the Assembly of Kosovo and then decreed by President Hashim Thaci, has already been published in the Official Gazette.

This law already regulates fines for all those who do not comply with government decisions regarding the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The punitive measures defined by this law are already imposed by the Kosovo Police, as well as the Health Inspectorate, the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate, the Sanitary Inspectorate and the municipal inspectorates.

The person who does not respect the decision for restriction of movement will be fined with 500 euros.

Persons who do not put on a mask or do not respect physical distance will be fined 35 euros.

A person who comes from the quarantine area and does not implement the decision of the competent body for isolation or compulsory quarantine is punished with a fine of 150 euros, while the person who leaves the isolation or quarantine area determined by decision of the competent body, without the relevant permit, is punished with a fine of 150 euros.

A person who has the obligation to be isolated or quarantined for a period of time determined by the competent body as a preventive measure to prevent the spread of infection caused by COVID-19 and does not comply with orders issued by the competent authorities shall be punished by a fine: 1.1. A person placed in isolation or quarantine according to the decision of the competent body who does not follow the rules set during the stay in isolation / quarantine or tries to leave the isolation / quarantine is punished with a fine of five hundred (500) euros and return to isolation or quarantine; 1.2. The person who enters the quarantine zone of Kosovo and is not isolated or quarantined, as defined by the decision of the competent body, is punished with a fine of five hundred (500) euros ", it is stated in this law.

Six police officers suspended in Mitrovica North (media)

Six Kosovo Police officers including one with the rank of captain were suspended today under suspicion of not reacting and exercising their authority to maintain public peace and order. Members of the Kosovo Police in North Mitrovica reportedly failed to react in the case of a mass fight of five suspects on Tuesday at King Peter I Street. 

According to the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo, a preliminary investigation procedure has been initiated in coordination with the competent prosecutor’s office. 

   

Serbian Language Media

  Two new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb areas, 25 persons recovered (Radio kontakt plus)

According to the latest information two new cases of Covid-19 infection were registered in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, while 25 persons have recovered, epidemiologist Aleksandar Antonijevic said today in a press conference in Mitrovica North, Radio kontakt plus reports.

Out of 57 tested samples, two were positive, one case in Mitrovica North and one case in Leposavic, while in the Serb areas south of the Ibar River no new case was registered.

Total of 25 persons have recovered meanwhile, 21 in northern Kosovo including 11 in Mitrovica North, three in Zvecan, six in Leposavic and one person in Zubin Potok. Four persons living south of the Ibar River have also recovered, including two from Strpce, and one each in Gracanica and Kamenica.

Antonijevic also said that 83 patients are staying in house isolation, while 38 patients are being treated at the Clinical Hospital Center in Mitrovica North, one in Belgrade, one in Kragujevac and three in Nis.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, a total of 4.648 persons were tested, and 961 were positive.

At the moment there are 126 active cases, while 798 persons have recovered.

Up to date a total of 36 persons have passed away in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo due to Covid-19 complications.

Portal Nova published old news that Vucic goes to Gazivode Lake (Kosovo-online)

Kosovo-online portal based in northern Kosovo said that Belgrade-based portal Nova published today the old statement of the President Vucic that he “goes to Gazivode Lake tomorrow”. The news was picked up immediately by Sputnik portal, citing Nova, Tanjug reported.

Portal Nova afterwards removed the news from its website and apologized to the readers, saying that by technical mistake news published on Tanjug in 2018 was posted on their website, although the news was signed by the name of Nova journalist, Kosovo-online portal said.

Vucic: We know our task (RTS, Radio KIM)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told public broadcaster RTS preparations for the meeting with Pristina representatives in Washington are under way; adding he does not know what would be on the agenda of the meeting. He also said Belgrade is ready for all the options, and would make decisions wisely.

“We are working every day, we are getting prepared all day long,” Vucic said, adding that although he does not know what would be on the agenda precisely, economic topics were meant to be discussed.

However, as he said, possible attendance of Donald Trump tells that some other ideas were also possible.

“I can tell people in Serbia I have no doubt those would be sleepless, difficult nights for the delegation I lead and for all of us, but we know our task and how big the sanctity that we safeguard is”.

He also told people not to worry, because he is experienced and has met with the highest world leaders.

“This gives me the right to tell that we would make decisions wisely”, Vucic said, adding they won’t reject things for the sake of rejecting it, but won’t accept either what is bad or detrimental for the country.

He also noted that nobody offered exchange of territories or something similar.

“I am waiting to see what their proposals are”, he said, adding there is no doubt that President Trump is better for Serbia, than some other previous US presidents.

He also said the public would be informed about everything that happens and nothing would remain hidden. He concluded he won’t be guided by personal or political interests during the talks.

Covic on Washington meeting: US President does not show up unless there is result (RTS)

Former president of the Serbian Government Coordination Center for Kosovo and Metohija, Nebojsa Covic told RTS morning news edition he expects economic topics to be discussed in Washington, adding that a possible attendance of the US President Donald Trump brings a confusing element.

“US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brian, Richard Grenell, Jared Kushner would take part in the talks. What brings sligh confusing element is possible attendance of President Trump. The US President does not show up unless there is a result,” Covic said.

According to him, Trump’s constituency hardly knows where the Western Balkans is, let alone Kosovo.

“Trump can present himself as a man who creates agreements, there were good agreements, but they were laughed off in their public,” Covic opined.

He also commented on the media speculations how to refuse the US President if he asks something that crosses the line.

“Simply, politely and with arguments,” he said, adding that “we must take care of our national interests, Constitution, to stick to the Resolution 1244 which is not an ideal document but it is the only international document which contains the part that Kosovo and Metohija are integral part of Serbia. This is occupied territory at this moment”, Covic said.

Commenting on the expiration of a six-month deadline for the Special Court to confirm first indictments for the crimes committed by KLA in Kosovo, Covic said such a decision was expected given that Specialist Chambers of The Hague Court uses it occasionally to discipline Albanian politicians.

“You saw that in June ahead of the Washington meeting when they unexpectedly announced draft indictments against Thaci and this spoiled the meeting, respectively postponed it. There would be many games ahead and we should not get relaxed (…)”, Covid said.

He recalled that war crimes do not get obsolete, and justice is slow but reachable. “It is a bit in our mentality to want things to be done fast. This is about processes. Remember German Nazis, they were after them for 50 or 60 years. The war crimes do not get obsolete; therefore we need to patiently wait for the moment”, Covic concluded.

Special Court: We are not obliged to announce if indictment was confirmed or dismissed (Kosovo-online)

Based on the Law on Special Court and Rules of Procedures it is up to the pre-trial judge to decide whether to announce confirmed indictment publicly or keep it secret due to security reasons, or avoid interruption of the proceedings and it is also not necessary that decision on dismissed indictments are announced in the public, Kosovo-online portal reports citing Pristina-based Gazeta Express.

According to Pristina-based outlet assistant spokesperson of the Special Court Michael Doyle confirmed it, saying among others, that indictment remains confidential along with proceedings that relate to its re-examination.  

“Therefore I can neither tell you if any of the indictments has been confirmed nor I can say exactly when that could happen”, he said.

Kosovo-online portal recalled despite the gaps that enable keeping confirmed indictments secret, even after a six-month deadline, confirmed indictment is announced the latest after the initial appearance of the defendant before the court.

The first indictments were raised in February, at the times when Specialist Chambers on February 24 published information on appointing judges for pre-trial proceedings.

Group of Serbian intellectuals filed criminal charges against President Vucic over Kosovo (N1)

A group of Serbian intellectuals filed criminal charges against President Aleksandar Vucic alleging that he is endangering the country’s constitutional order and integrity by advocating separation of Serbia and its southern province of Kosovo in secret talks with Pristina, N1 reports.

The intellectuals, including several from Kosovo, said that the charges were filed against Vucic because of the constitutional significance of the president and possible harmful effects to the state and the population. 

They demanded an immediate reaction from the authorities to check their allegations and order an investigation. “The charges also cover the fact that Vucic, as head of state, has formulated his personal idea through a personal platform to resolve the Kosovo problem through an unconstitutional separation and exchange of territory. It has been offered in the form of a private deal to the illegal bodies in Pristina and (Kosovo President) Hashim Thaci in an obvious abuse of power”, they said. 

Meanwhile reacting to the charges Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Marko Djuric said that charges are a “cowardly attack” on Vucic and Serbia prior to the decisive stage of the battle for Kosovo. Djuric said the charges were filed by members of the former regime who did everything to hand over Kosovo and denied the claim in the charges that secret negotiations were under with Pristina.  

Vucic met with Republic of Srpska leadership, Dodik in Belgrade (N1)

In a meeting of Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Serb member Milorad Dodik, Republika Srpska (RS) President Zeljka Cvijanovic and RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic, President Aleksandar Vucic said Belgrade would continue to financially and economically help the Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, N1 reports.

"We have analyzed all our projects, and we will send additional financial support to RS before the end of the year and the beginning of 2021. We will inform the public about the amount of that aid, we will not hide anything", Vucic said following the meeting.

He added that "it's our moral obligation and significant for people living in RS to preserve … what their grandparents and great-grandparents left them". He said the discussion included the airport in Trebinje, which would be owned by Serbia, and announced that the first plane would take off by March 2022, but that he would do his best to do so before the end of 2021.

"We are sure we will have the full support of the RS Government. These are not small investments, but I believe that the project will be profitable, and of great interest to Serbia, our people in Herzegovina, part of Montenegro and the whole of Sarajevo-Romania area", Vucic said.

Milorad Dodik said there is no secret plan between him and President Aleksandar Vucic on secession of the Republic of Srpska, adding it is about respecting the Dayton Agreement and B&H Constitution.

He said after the meeting that he has asked President Vucic how come Kosovo has the right to self-determination while Republic of Srpska does not have it.

“Why some have that right and others not….If a status of the Republic of Srpska is not possible as per Dayton Agreement, we will think about some different status, not to raise the army, but in peace”, N1 quoted Dodik as saying.

Dodik also said he presented to President Vucic conclusions of the Republic of Srpska National Assembly on the violations of the Dayton Agreement, adding he would deliver those documents to Croatia and other relevant international stakeholders. 

   

International

  Kosovo Political Parties Shun Campaign to Abolish Hague War Court (Balkan Insight)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci posted a video message on Facebook this week urging lawmakers to support the extension of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers’ mandate.

“Politics should not interfere in justice and justice should not interfere in politics either,” Thaci said.

His statement may have appeared unusual because he himself could end up in the dock at the Hague-based war crimes court, which was set up to try wartime and post-war crimes committed by Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA fighters from 1998 to 2000.

Prosecutors announced in June they have filed a ten-count indictment to the Specialist Chambers asking the court to confirm charges against Thaci and nine other KLA ex-guerrillas including former parliament speaker Kadri Veseli.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/2QptiJ5    

Humanitarian/Development

  Kon: Situation in Serbia is no longer an emergency (B92)

Serbian epidemiologist and member of the Crisis Staff Predrag Kon stated yesterday afternoon that the current epidemiological situation cannot be defined as an emergency, B92 reports.

However, it is too early to say that every risk is over, he pointed out.

Kon said for RTS that although some local governments lifted the state of emergency, the measures that apply to the country still remain in those places.

“When it comes to opening cultural institutions, they will have to be ventilated regularly, disinfected at least once a day and the distance between visitors has to be at least 1.5 meters to the left, right, front and back. That’s 9 square meters per person“, Kon said.

He added that the members of the ensemble have to be thoroughly checked to make sure they are healthy, and performances that have the least participants will be chosen to play.

“If masks are not worn, it will come to closing again, which primarily refers to cinemas“.

Talking about going to school, Kon stated that we should keep in mind that we are in a specific pandemic situation, which happens extremely rarely and that there should be an indulgent attitude towards the demands of the parents. He pointed out that the decision on possible quarantine after returning from vacation cannot be made, as he said, hastily, but has to be well considered.

See at: https://bit.ly/3hynARc Serbian opposition party: How many Covid-19 victims weren’t registered? (N1)

Serbian opposition Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) said on Wednesday it doubted the data on the number of people who died from Covid-19 and asked the Government "how many people infected with the coronavirus died without being registered as such?", N1 reports.

SSP said in a statement that 10,028 people died in Serbia in July, 1,928 above the seven-year average and 1,278 more than in 2015, the statistically worst year when 8,752 people died.

“According to the Crisis Team data, 301 people died in Serbia this July due to Covid-19. It's difficult to believe that such a dramatic increase in mortality can be explained by anything else but with a sudden withdrawal of all anti-epidemic measures which (President) Aleksandar Vucic's regime opted for to hold false elections on June 21 this year", SSP said in the statement.

It asked the Government to say if the responsible institutions "lied about the number of the dead people again."

See at: https://bit.ly/2YRyTg3