Albanian Language Media:

• COVID–19: 267 new cases, one death (media)
• Vaccines Kosovo secured via Austria have not yet been approved (Koha)
• Zemaj signs manual for treating Covid patients with convalescent plasma (media)
• CEC seeks assistance of six institutions to carry out background checks on candidates (media)
• CEC reveals numbers used to phone Diaspora in verification process (media)
• LDK amends election ticket following AKR's reaction (Koha/Klan)
• Justice Ministry presents rule of law strategy (EO)
• S. Embassy hails finalisation of rule of law strategy (media)
• Pendarovski: Biden knows Balkans well, Kosovo an open issue (Lajmi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Rakic: Serbs in Kosovo must come under one flag (KiM radio, Vecernje Novosti)
• Three Serbian political entities to run in forthcoming elections (Radio KIM)
• War Crimes witness found dead in Kosovo (N1, KoSSev)
• The third anniversary of Oliver Ivanovic’s murder – separate commemorations held once again (KoSSev)
• Miroslav Ivanovic: Serbian List behind TV spot (Radio KIM)
• SL: Ivanovic and Radoicic are victims of Kosovo injustice and rigged trials (KoSSev)
• A million doses of Chinese vaccine arrive in Serbia (N1)
• Zaev: North Macedonia to receive 8.000 vaccines from Serbia (Kosovo-online)
• Tailings in Leposavic spilled into the Ibar after a rampart collapsed (KoSSev)
• Abbot Janjic met COM KFOR General Federici (Radio KIM)
• Jankovic: Kostic is a world-class scholar, but he is wrong about Kosovo (nova.rs, KoSSev)
• Ljajic: They did not allow me to enter Kosovo as a demonstration of their power, they make ad hoc decisions (Kosovo Online, TV Prva)

International:

• 2021 Early Elections in Kosovo: End of an Era (ifimes.org)
• Taboo-Busting Literature has ‘Liberating Potential’, Says Serbian Author (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• UNS wants Serbian journalists on priority vaccination list (N1, BETA, Radio konakt plus)

 

 

Albanian Language Media 

 

COVID–19: 267 new cases, one death (media)

267 new cases of COVID–19 and one death from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours by the Kosovo's National Institute for Public Health. 

163 persons recovered from the virus during this time.

Vaccines Kosovo secured via Austria have not yet been approved (Koha)

Koha reports that 600,000 vaccines that Kosovo health authorities say they have secured through Austria are manufactured by the German company CureVac which have not yet been approved for use.

In a reply to Koha, the Austrian Embassy in Pristina confirmed the ordering of the vaccines: "As part of its own order, Austria will place an order for Kosovo for 600,000 vaccine doses from the CureVac manufacturer."

The Embassy further said that the vaccine supplies will be done as soon as it is licensed for use by the European Medicines Agency. Meanwhile, representatives from the Kosovo's Health Ministry did not comment on the vaccine order made via Austria.

At the same time, outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti said that Kosovo has ordered 1.85 vaccines which he added are not from Russia and from safe manufacturers. "We have secured 40 million euros for vaccines that will arrive in February," he wrote on Facebook.

Zemaj signs manual for treating Covid patients with convalescent plasma (media)

Outgoing Minister of Health Armend Zemaj announced the signing of a manual for using convalescent plasma therapy for Covid patients. 

In a Facebook post, Zemaj said that the working group that prepared the guidelines used world best practices: "We hope that the Convalescent Plasma, as supporting therapy will help all those patients in need of such a treatment which will be implemented according to the manual signed today."

The treatment involves blood plasma being taken from people who have recovered from the disease - which contains antibodies to coronavirus - and transfused into seriously ill patients.

CEC seeks assistance of six institutions to carry out background checks on candidates (media)

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has requested assistance from six institutions in carrying out background checks on candidates running for election on February 14. 

CEC spokesperson Valmir Elezi said the requests were sent to the Kosovo Judicial Council, the Elections Complaints and Appeals Panel, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kosovo's Intelligence Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, and the Ministry of Defence. 

Elezi explained that according to the law, members of the intelligence agency, the police, and the Kosovo Security Force are not allowed to run for election. Furthermore, he said, diplomatic personnel can also not compete in elections.

"In line with constitutional and legal obligations for inter-institutional cooperation we have asked these institutions to reply to our requests for verification in the shortest time possible, no later than 20 January 2021, 12.00 hrs."

CEC reveals numbers used to phone Diaspora in verification process (media)

The Central Election Commission has revealed 25 numbers that its operators use to call members of the Kosovo Diaspora as part of the process for verification of voters. 

The CEC said it was continuing verification of voters and has opened a call centre for the purpose of phoning each applicant to confirm their identity.

Germin, a non-governmental organisation that focuses on the Kosovo Diaspora, criticised the CEC for calling the Diaspora members from withheld numbers. Germin said such a move is 'scandalous' and called on the CEC to stop the practice which the NGO said seriously undermines the right to vote. 

LDK amends election ticket following AKR's reaction (Koha/Klan)

The Democratic League of Kosovo has amended the positions of its candidates running for election on February 14 after its pre-election coalition partner, the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), complained over violation of their agreement.

AKR secretary, Vesel Makolli, said that in the new and amended ticket three candidates of the party - Islam Pacolli, Ibrahim Makolli, Flamur Sefaj - appear in higher positions than previously. The position of the AKR leader, Behgjet Pacolli, will meanwhile remain unchanged at 5. 

Justice Ministry presents rule of law strategy (EO)

Outgoing Minister of Justice, Selim Selimi, presented today at a news conference a draft strategy for the rule of law covering the period between 2021 to 2025.

Selimi said the document consists of four main objectives: strengthening the judiciary and the prosecutorial sectors,  criminal justice, access to justice, and the strengthening of anti-corruption fight.

He said the four-year strategy is a product of a long and detailed process of the functional review of the rule of law sector that was launched a few years back under the Ramush Haradinaj-led government. 

U.S. Embassy hails finalisation of rule of law strategy (media)

The United States Embassy in Kosovo has welcomed the finalisation of the rule of law strategy announced today by the Ministry of Justice, the Kosovo Judicial Council and the Prosecutorial Council saying it is an important milestone for strengthening the rule of law and the justice system in Kosovo.

"Through four governments and four ministers, the Embassy has been proud to support this massive undertaking. However, this is not the end of this process. We urge the new government, once formed, to adopt the final documents and for the relevant Kosovo institutions to fully embrace and implement all recommendations. This is not a political process, but one driven by Kosovo institutions. Justice reform will benefit all people in Kosovo," the Embassy said in a statement.

Pendarovski: Biden knows Balkans well, Kosovo an open issue (Lajmi)

President of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, said he expects the new U.S. administration under President Joe Biden to be more active in the Western Balkans. 

"Joe Biden also has a personal relationship with this region and during the last wars in the Balkans he came to the region for different international conferences, forums and many of us either met him or attended the same events," Pendarovski said as reported by the Skopje-based news agency MIA.

Pendarovski further noted that it is clear that problems in the Balkans are not over and that there are still some open issues like Kosovo. 

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

Rakic: Serbs in Kosovo must come under one flag (KiM radio, Vecernje Novosti)

The Serbian people know that the attitude of Kosovo institutions towards Serbs is inappropriate, "our actions within those institutions are a daily struggle in which there are no fair conditions or minimum respect for our people, but regardless of obstacles we have no alternative but to fight and work," said Goran Rakic, the president of the Serbian List, reported KiM radio. 

He told Vecernje Novosti daily that the Serbian list has had one goal since its founding, "that all Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, under one flag, together with the state of Serbia and President Aleksandar Vucic, fight to protect the interests of our people and other non-majority communities."

Rakic assessed that "it is better to fight the battle for the citizens within the institutions in Pristina, than on the bridge in Kosovska Mitrovica, or some other Serbian place."

"That work was not and will never be easy, but it is also an obligation for each of us to be a support and support to our people in difficult times," Rakic said, explaining the decision to participate in the early parliamentary elections in Kosovo, scheduled for February 14, quoted KiM radio.

Three Serbian political entities to run in forthcoming elections (Radio KIM)

Three Serbian political entities including Serbian List, Civic Initiative “For Freedom, Justice and Survival” and the Civic Initiative “Serbian Democratic Alliance” will run in the forthcoming Kosovo parliamentary elections, Radio KIM reports.

21 political parties, two coalitions and five civic initiatives with candidacy of 1079 candidates will run in the forthcoming elections competing for 120 MP seats at the Kosovo Assembly, spokesperson of the Central Election Commission Valmir Elezi told the media.

Radio KIM reported that the Civic Initiative “United Community – Adriana Hodzic” will also run in the elections. 

War Crimes witness found dead in Kosovo (N1, KoSSev)

A former Kosovo police officer who was due to appear as a witness to war crimes at the Specialist Chambers was found dead at the Badovac Lake outside Pristina on Friday, N1 reports citing Mitrovica North-based portal KoSSev.

The Kosovo police confirmed that Fadil Sileviqi’s body was found on the banks of the lake on Friday afternoon but gave no details about his death. Police Spokesman Bajram Krasniqi said that the police were called in around 2 pm and contacted the family after identifying the body and calling in a public prosecutor.

Sileviqi was summoned to appear before the Specialist Chambers as a witness. His name was released in a public indictment. Two Kosovo Albanians who were sentenced to prison terms for the murder of five members of an Albanian family accused Sileviqi of having framed them for the murders.

See at: https://bit.ly/3qwtq9K

The third anniversary of Oliver Ivanovic’s murder – separate commemorations held once again (KoSSev)

The three-year anniversary of the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic was marked on Saturday. The occasion was once again marked separately – both in Belgrade and North Mitrovica – by the family members and friends on one side, and government representatives – including Milena Popovic and Ksenija Bozovic, on the other. The Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic once again claimed that the Serbian authorities have had a complete picture of possible perpetrators for several months now.

''Mitrovica will never be free until we find out who killed Oliver Ivanovic.''

A former member of the SDP civic initiative, Marko Jaksic, together with Oliver Ivanovic’s ex-wife, Marina Ivanovic, Dejan Nedeljkovic, and dozens of friends, acquaintances, colleagues, gathered at 8:15 this morning at the site of Ivanovic’s murder to mark the anniversary of his death.

''We gathered this morning to remind the state of Serbia, the Pristina institutions, and the international community that three years after his murder, the perpetrators and instigators have still not been found,'' Dejan Nedeljkovic told the media.

''Mitrovica will never be a free town until we find out who killed and instigated the murder of Oliver Ivanovic,'' Nedeljkovic underlined.

Ivanovic’s former colleague, Marko Jaksic stressed that the citizens and Ivanovic’s family who gathered today would always strive to remind Belgrade and Pristina, and the international community, of this horrible murder.

We will continue to call for the complete truth about his murder – Jaksic added.

He, however, assessed that it is unlikely that the truth will ever be found out until the government in Serbia changes.

Bozovic: '' Sloppy investigation; it is horrifying and tragic''

Almost two hours later, members of Oliver Ivanovic’s party also gathered to light candles in Ivanovic’s honor.

''Three years later in the same place, while silence reigns in North Mitrovica, nothing has changed except that we have a sloppy investigation, three indictments and 12,000 pieces of evidence, and we return to the beginning – it is horrifying and tragic,'' Ksenija Bozovic from the SDP civic initiative said at the second commemoration of the three-year anniversary of the murder of Oliver Ivanovic held in North Mitrovica today.

''GI SDP once again calls on all competent institutions – Pristina, Belgrade, the international community, EULEX – what has been done, nothing, as to whether you will do something, we have our doubts,'' Bozovic said.

Oliver Ivanovic’s murderers must be brought to justice, she added.

Bozovic also announced that the former Serbian minister and Ivanovic’s longtime friend, Rasim Ljajic was supposed to attend the commemoration, but he was detained at the crossing because, as they were told from Pristina, Ljajic is still listed in the database as a minister in the Serbian government.

''They don’t know that he is no longer a minister, but that he comes as an ordinary citizen to light a candle and then he will leave Kosovo. They won’t let him do that, so much for their democracy,'' said Bozovic.

Vucic: Serb authorities have had a complete picture of possible killers for several months

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic also reacted this morning. He commented on the investigation of the Serbian authorities of the murder of Ivanovic.

„We have finished the complete picture of the persons who could be involved in this serious crime through our security agencies. Of course, the fact remains that we could not be present during the investigation and that we did not have direct evidence – but for that to happen some of the evidence would have to appear in our hands, or we would need the direct confession of one of the participants,“ he said.

Recalling that Serbia has not had „effective control in the field“ since 1999, Vucic added that Serbian services are working on the case and that Serbia will fight in every way to find the perpetrators of Ivanovic’s murder.

In the last three years, Vucic has repeatedly been announcing the end of the investigation, as well as providing several deadlines – none of which were met so far.

See at: https://bit.ly/35R1C86

Miroslav Ivanovic: Serbian List behind TV spot (Radio KIM)

Miroslav Ivanovic, a brother of assassinated leader of Civic Initiative Freedom, Democracy, Justice (SDP) Oliver Ivanovic said that Serbian List stands behind a TV spot against his brother, aired in days prior to his assassination, Radio KIM reports.

Speaking for “Utisak nedelje” (Impression of the Week) broadcast, Ivanovic said when it comes to a negative TV spot, aired among others on TV Pink as well, ahead of Kosovo elections in 2017 “it was not about name and surname, but rather about an interest group”.

“I would like someone to go out in public and say who made that spot. I know it, but I want them to tell me that…. The Serbian List, they did it. I do not dare, I won’t be categorical, but I would tell you one detail, and let them correct me, if I am wrong”, Ivanovic said.

He also said that in the first couple of days since the spot appeared “in the right corner, under 45 degrees angle, in white letters there was an inscription Serbian List”.

“On social media it later disappeared, due to understandable reasons it disappeared”, Ivanovic said, adding it was clear to him “that was drawing the target on Oliver”.

“When you think of the authors of this TV spot that was monstrous and at least can it be a part of some campaign, this is not (about) politics. We have tried people for such matters”, he also said.    

SL: Ivanovic and Radoicic are victims of Kosovo injustice and rigged trials (KoSSev)

What connects Oliver Ivanovic and Milan Radoicic is the fact that both are victims of Kosovo injustice and rigged trials aimed at discrediting and crushing the resistance of the Serb people to the onslaught from Pristina – Serbian List said in reaction to the third anniversary since Ivanovic’s murder and European Serb Movement from Kosovo leader Rada Trajkovic’s interview on N1 which stirred a strong reaction from the public, KoSSev portal reports.

In its reaction on the third anniversary of Ivanovic’s murder, Serbian List recalled that the instigators and perpetrators still remain unknown.

At the same time, they estimated that “Pristina’s persistent effort to use this crime for the political and physical elimination of the Vice-President of Serbian List, Milan Radoicic, has been going on for three years now, who is only guilty of being the first in the line of defense of northern Kosovo“.

They also assessed that Pristina’s efforts are supported by “their supporters among opposition politicians in Belgrade who cannot reconcile with the fact that the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija rejected them as their representatives“.

The largest Kosovo Serb party also commented on Rada Tajkovic, who said in an interview for N1 that progress in the process against the suspects in the murder of Oliver Ivanovic will be achieved when Zvonko Veselinovic, Milan Radoicic, and Zeljko Bojic are delivered to the court in Pristina. Trajkovic is “presenting nonsense and lies”, Serbian List assessed.

They also recalled that the Vice-President of Serbian List, Milan Radoicic filed a defamation lawsuit against Trajkovic concerning her public claims that Radoicic was involved in Ivanovic’s murder and that he was the leader of the mafia in northern Kosovo.

Speaking of the process led against the suspects in the murder of Ivanovic before the Pristina court, they state that the prosecution has no evidence, that it has “fabricated“ data, as well as that the indictment is “lacking and full of holes“, and that several accused Serbs unjustifiably remain in detention.

They called on international representatives to make aerial recordings available – at the request of the Serbian prosecutor’s office, of the places where Ivanovic was murdered, as well as recordings from “certain airports“, which would help in locating the instigators and perpetrators.

See more at: https://bit.ly/35Q2vxK

A million doses of Chinese vaccine arrive in Serbia (N1)

An airplane carrying 1 million doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine landed at Belgrade airport Nikola Tesla on Saturday, and it was welcomed by the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who said on that occasion he would receive this particular vaccine in the coming days, N1 reports.

The vaccines were delivered in 10 containers with 125,000 doses in each of them, Vucic said.

Apart from him, the vaccines were received by Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar, Head of Security and Intelligence Agency Bratislav Gasic and the Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo.

On this occasion, Vucic thanked Chinese President XI Jinping and the Chinese Ambassador for this extremely valuable shipment for Serbia.

The Chinese Sinopharm vaccine is the third vaccine to be used in this country, after Pfizer’s and the Russian Sputnik V vaccine.

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

Zaev: North Macedonia to receive 8.000 vaccines from Serbia (Kosovo-online)

North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said the country would receive 8.000 doses of Pfizer vaccines sent by Serbia, Kosovo-online reports citing the Infoplus portal.

“This is about a serious token of friendship. In an act of solidarity Serbia wishes to share with its southern neighbor part of the vaccines it has”, Zaev said. He also said he was in contact with the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

“Vucic wanted this to be a donation, but we agreed to pay the purchasing price for it”, Zaev said, adding this is good news; given the letters they also sent to other countries regarding the vaccines.  

Tailings in Leposavic spilled into the Ibar after a rampart collapsed (KoSSev)

A part of the Trepca tailings pond in Leposavic spilled into the Ibar river yesterday when a part of the rampart that separated the tailings pond from the river collapsed. The rampant has been fixed and an assessment of how much waste material spilled into the Ibar will be carried out today.

A temporary earth rampart around the tailings in Leposavic collapsed in the early afternoon yesterday. The locals who live near this industrial waste site reveal that tires and sand were used as a temporary solution and that representatives of the local self-government, including the environmental protection inspector, were present at the scene.

The director of Trepca, Jovan Dimkic said that it was a minor accident which has already been fixed with a new satisfactory rampant.

''There were floods in the Leposavic area as well. Nothing catastrophic happened, nothing terrible. By tomorrow, we will have a full solution. The problem has already been fixed,'' he told KoSSev.

''We are now working on compiling a report. I must underline that this goes beyond the competencies of the municipality. Specifically, in this case, Trepca receives the permission to exploit the ore from the competent institutions in Pristina, primarily the Agency for Ores and Minerals,'' Todic emphasized, adding that their inspector was also present on the scene.

The Agency for Ores and Minerals is also responsible for waste disposal, while the Kosovo Ministry of Environmental Protection is responsible for the terrain beyond the tailings.

''We expect an accurate assessment of how much waste material went into the Ibar River. No one is happy about what happened today, but these issues exceed our municipal competencies,'' Todic said in a statement for KoSSev.

On the other hand, both locals and experts reveal that they are not surprised that part of the tailings spilled into the Ibar. 

Wastewater from the Leposavic tailings, located only a few hundred meters from the town center, has been discharged into the Ibar River for a while now, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine in North Mitrovica, Aleksandar Corac confirmed in an interview with KoSSev last year. Corac warned that this is a large-scale ecological catastrophe and that all residents of the municipalities in the river basin are endangered.

See more at: https://bit.ly/35PqrRP

Abbot Janjic met COM KFOR General Federici (Radio KIM)

Abbot of the Serbian Orthodox Church Visoki Decani Monastery Sava Janjic wrote on Twitter that “KFOR is an significant guarantor of the stability in Kosovo”, Radio KIM reports.

During the meeting with COM KFOR Major General Franco Federci on Saturday, Abbot Janjic emphasized the role of KFOR in protection of Visoki Decani Monastery.

“Honored to welcome Gen. Franco Federici the new KFOR Commander. It was a pleasure to discuss the current situation. I took an opportunity to emphasize the importance of KFOR mission in #Kosovo especially the protection of Dečani Monastery. @NATO_KFOR @NATOJFCBS @SHAPE_NATO”, Abbot Janjic wrote on Twitter. 

Jankovic: Kostic is a world-class scholar, but he is wrong about Kosovo (nova.rs, KoSSev)

Former ambassador and professor, Vladeta Jankovic said during a guest appearance on the TV show ''Medju nama'' that the president of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU), Vladimir Kostic is a world-class scholar playing for a league like no other and that he is a great man. Jankovic, however, stated that Kostic’s statement on Kosovo is dangerous.

''He asked why his statement was incorrect. Kostic said that Kosovo does not belong to us de facto or de jure. The first part is acceptable. It de facto does not belong to us, and everyone can see that, but de jure, according to international law, it certainly belongs to us. We must not give that up. That is the property right,'' said Jankovic.

He stated that Serbia did sign something – such as the Brussels Agreement, but that it did not sign a legally binding agreement that would open the door for Kosovo to join the UN.

''Then we would de jure lose Kosovo. Both Europe and America, they were all upon us to admit it. If it is not ours de jure, why are they pressuring us?'' concluded Jankovic.

See at: https://bit.ly/3oV949K

Ljajic: They did not allow me to enter Kosovo as a demonstration of their power, they make ad hoc decisions (Kosovo Online, TV Prva)

Minister of Trade and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic commented on the fact that he was banned from entering Kosovo on Saturday. Ljajic planned to visit North Mitrovica to commemorate the anniversary of the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic. He said that officials at Jarinje crossing were surprised that there was no announcement of his arrival and that it was written in their system that he was still a minister, reported portal Kosovo Online. 

Ljajic told TV Prva that the police told him to wait, when he explained that he was no longer an official of the Government of Serbia and that he was traveling in a private car, but even after two hours they did not let him enter Kosovo, quoted the portal.

“After 10 minutes, a man came and told me to sign the decision that I would return and that I could not enter,” Ljajic said. 

He opined that there was no list for people who cannot enter the territory of Kosovo, but that those decisions were made ad hoc. 

“This is a very clear demonstration of the power, of their independence, statehood. We can make the decisions the way we want to and about whom we want to. I don’t believe that there is a system, but decisions are made on a case-by-case basis,” Ljajic said. 

Speaking about the murder of Ivanovic, he expressed disbelief that “despite having so many cameras, technological possibilities, we are in the same place we were on January 16, 2018”. 

“I am most surprised by the indolence of the international community, which would have to show a minimum of interest in moving this investigation from the deadlock. I did not expect too much from the institutions in Pristina, but I did expect it from the international community,” Ljajic said. 

 

 

International

 

2021 Early Elections in Kosovo: End of an Era (ifimes.org)

The International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1] from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyzes developments in the Middle East, the Balkans and around the world. IFIMES has analyzed the current political situation in Kosovo in the context of the early parliamentary elections, which are to take place on 14 February 2021. We bring the most important and interesting parts of the extensive analysis titled “2021 Early Elections in Kosovo: End of an Era.”

See more at: https://bit.ly/3bNELxQ

Taboo-Busting Literature has ‘Liberating Potential’, Says Serbian Author (Balkan Insight)

Sasa Ilic, whose recent award-winning novel addressed the enduring traumas caused by the Yugoslav conflicts, offers an alternative perspective to the nationalist narratives that still dominate Serbian society.

“Literature has a multi-faceted impact on societies like ours,” believes Serbian writer Sasa Ilic, whose most recent novel deals with the enduring traumas of the 1990s wars in a country where political leaders continue to deny the truth about what happened.

“Literature dealing with burning issues that are mostly taboo, such as Yugoslavia, the war, war trauma, war crimes, the abolition of freedom, the creation of a post-war profiteering class that originated in the 1990s and now affects the entire public sphere… of course such literature has liberating potential,” Ilic explained in an email interview with BIRN.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3qsdZiI

 

 

Humanitarian/Development

 

UNS wants Serbian journalists on priority vaccination list (N1, BETA, Radio kontakt plus)

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) on Friday called the authorities to put journalists and other media staff on the priority list for vaccination, BETA news agency reports.

“Countries across the world have realized that journalists and media staff are at higher risk of infection and have ranked them among priority groups for vaccination but in Serbia, journalists are not among the target groups under the Public Health Institute vaccination plan”, the UNS said in a statement.

According to the UNS, the vaccination of journalists and media staff in the United States has been scheduled for February and their counterparts in Russia and India are at the top of the priority list while British journalists have priority in getting tested.

Meanwhile, Radio kontakt plus reported that vaccination of journalists would start on Tuesday, since following initiative of the UNS they were included into priority groups for immunization.