Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 601 new cases, five new deaths (media)
• Vetevendosje’s Kurti says he has votes to form the government (RFE)
• Kurti replies to Netanyahu, Erdogan; no mention of embassy in Jerusalem (media)
• CEC likely to announce final election results today (Express)
• EUSR Lajcak’s visit to Kosovo: Dialogue will continue (media)
• Lajcak: Dialogue important for Kosovo and Serbia’s European aspirations (media)
• Abbott: UK shares views for well-prepared, principled dialogue (media)
• EU-facilitated dialogue with US support as soon as institutions are formed (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 33 Covid-19 cases in Serbian communities in Kosovo, one deceased (Kontakt plus radio)
• Gracanica: 10 new Covid-19 cases (KiM radio)
• Patriarch Porfirije: Kosovo not only a geopolitical issue for us, but also a question of identity (RTS, KiM radio, Kosovo Online)
• Freedom House: SNS erodes political, civil liberties in Serbia (N1, VoA)
• Germany honestly supports Western Balkans’ European perspective (Beta, N1)
• LVV publishes photos of Kurti and Lajcak – no Albanian flag (KoSSev)
• Lazic: An epidemic would be under control with 20,000 revaccinated, we are now halfway there (Kosovo Online)
• Bajrami: Dialogue cannot continue with the same discourse, reaching an agreement in a few months is unrealistic (KoSSev)

Humanitarian/Development:

• WHO: Serbia fourth in Europe by number of newly infected per 100,000 people (N1)

     

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID-19: 601 new cases, five new deaths (media)

601 new cases of COVID-19 and five deaths from the virus were recorded in Kosovo in the last 24 hours. 331 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 9,256 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Vetevendosje’s Kurti says he has votes to form the government (RFE/Koha)

Radio Free Europe reports that Vetevendosje Movement (VV) leader Albin Kurti said during a visit to Tirana today that he plans to form the new government of Kosovo with the votes of non-Serb communities, ruling out a coalition with Albanian parties or the Serbian List.

“We will have around 60 MPs. We will certainly have the MP from the Egyptian community, Elbert Krasniqi, the MP from the Bosniak community, Emilia Rexhepi, and we will have several others. We need 61 votes, and we will have more than 61. We don’t need to make compromises with exponents of the old regime because the people want the new. The people have made their decision and we don’t intend to violate the people’s will,” Kurti said.

Koha highlights Kurti’s remarks that after the changes that have been made in Kosovo, Albania needs changes too . “We will have the new government in Kosovo soon and Vetevendosje is more powerful than ever before there. If until 2020 we had growth with arithmetic progression, now it is geometrical. This is happening in Albania too where the organisation [Vetevendosje] is growing. This will be reflected in the new elections when the citizens of the republic will elect their representatives. Changes have been made in Kosovo; Albania needs changes too because Albanians deserve better,” Kurti said.

Kurti replies to Netanyahu, Erdogan; no mention of embassy in Jerusalem (media)

The Vetevendosje leader, Albin Kurti, has replied to letters he received last week from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulating him on winning the 14 February Kosovo election. In his letters Kurti has not mentioned opening of the Embassy in Jerusalem and accepted the invitation of Netanyahu to visit Israel.

Israel and Kosovo formally established diplomatic relations on 1 February with Kosovo recognizing Jerusalem as the Jewish state’s capital. But the move was criticised by Turkey and the European Union. On Monday, Kurti hosted Turkish Ambassador to Pristina and said that his future Government will reconsider the decision on opening the embassy in Jerusalem following checking of the documentation of the outgoing government.

In a letter that Netanyahu sent to Kurti published by the Vetevendosje party last week, the Israeli Prime Minister invited Kurti to visit Israel and inaugurate the Embassy in Jerusalem. “I attach much importance to Kosovo’s decision to open its embassy in Jerusalem and I look forward to hosting you in Israel for its inauguration,” Netanyahu concluded in his letter.

The Vetevendosje also published a letter of the Turkish President Erdogan who warned Kosovo that the move could damage future relations with his country. “I believe that it would be beneficial to avoid such a move that would cause great damage to Kosovo,” Erdogan said.

CEC likely to announce final election results today (Express)

The Central Elections Commission (CEC) may announce today, Wednesday, final election results held on 14 February.

The CEC spokesman, Valmir Elezi, said announcement of the final results is expected after mail-in ballots are counted. “If we manage that during the optimal time to conclude counting of the mail-in ballots, the CEC might announce final election results,” Elezi said.

On Tuesday, the CEC started counting of the in-mail votes received from diaspora as well as conditional ballots.

Based on the preliminary results of election the Vetevendosje movement led by Albin Kurti has marked a landslide victory in the early parliamentary election held on 14 February.

EUSR Lajcak’s visit to Kosovo: Dialogue will continue (media)

EU Special Representative for the Pristina-Belgrade Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, Miroslav Lajcak, concluded his three-day visit to Kosovo today.

Visiting Kosovo early after the recent parliamentary elections, Lajcak briefed the winner of the recent parliamentary elections, Vetvendosje President Albin Kurti, in detail on the progress made in the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue since its resumption in July 2020. They also discussed next steps going forward.

“Mr Kurti and I had a very honest and constructive conversation. While of course, I understand that Mr Kurti will need some time to make himself familiar with the Dialogue and its agreements, both the EU and the US expect the process on comprehensive normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia to continue soon. I am very pleased to hear that Mr Kurti understand the importance of the Dialogue,” Lajcak informed.

In Pristina, Special Representative Lajcak held meetings with Acting President Vjosa Osmani, Acting Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, and the leaders of political parties, including PDK, LDK, AAK and Srpska Lista to stress the importance of unity in the Dialogue across party lines. He also met with the representatives of the international community in Kosovo, spoke to the US Ambassador, and briefed the EU Member States on his conversations.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to meet with women political leaders, the Special Representative underlined the EU’s commitment in promoting women participation in all spheres of society, including politics. Lajcak welcomed their keen interest and their active role since the beginning of the Dialogue.

From Pristina, he continues to Belgrade and Podgorica as part of his visit to the region.

Lajcak: Dialogue important for Kosovo and Serbia’s European aspirations (media)

EU Special Representative for the Prishtina – Belgrade dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, said at the end of his three-day visit to Kosovo today he debriefed EU Member States about his visit. “We agreed that the Dialogue is of key importance for Kosovo’s and Serbia’s European aspirations and the EU expects its continuation,” Lajcak wrote on Twitter.

Abbott: UK shares Lajcak and Kurti views for well-prepared, principled dialogue (media)

The UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Nicholas Abbott took to Twitter today to say that he shares the views of EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak and Vetevendosje Movement leader Albin Kurti for a well-prepared and principled dialogue, coordinated between the European Union and the United States. “I was pleased to see that Miroslav Lajčák’s visit to discuss the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue has gone well. The UK shares his and Albin Kurti’s view that the dialogue is important and should be well-prepared, principled, and coordinated between the EU and US. The UK stands ready to support achieving a deal that supports the people of Kosovo and the region.

“EU-facilitated dialogue with US support as soon as institutions are formed” (media)

Italian Ambassador to Kosovo, Nicola Orlando, said in a Twitter post after meeting EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak today: “Good to hear from Miroslav Lajcak that he had very constructive meetings in Kosovo. Looking forward to swift restart of EU-facilitated dialogue with US support as soon as institutions are formed.”

     

Serbian Language Media

  33 Covid-19 cases in Serbian communities in Kosovo, one deceased (Kontakt plus radio)

The Crisis Staff of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica announced today that in Serbian communities in Kosovo, 33 new cases of coronavirus infection were registered, while one person died, reported Kontakt plus radio. 

Out of 60 processed samples, positive cases were recorded in the municipalities: North Mitrovica (15), Zvecan (8), Leposavic (6), Zubin Potok (2), Gracanica (1) and Priluzje (1).

There are currently 608 active cases.

Gracanica: 10 new Covid-19 cases (KiM radio)

Another 10 citizens from the territory of the municipality of Gracanica positive for coronavirus, the Crisis Staff announced.

Family members of the patients were given a measure of self-isolation.

The total number of positives for coronavirus in the municipality of Gracanica is 517.

Patriarch Porfirije: Kosovo not only a geopolitical issue for us, but also a question of identity (RTS, KiM radio, Kosovo Online)

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije told RTS that, after the enthronement, the first and dominant feeling that held him for several days and does not stop, is the feeling of fear of great challenges, but also the burden that, in principle, any patriarch bears, reported KiM radio

Serbian patriarch Porfirije in an exclusive interview for the RTS in the Show ''Upitnik'' stated that it will be his job to present on behalf of everyone what is good, what is good for people, church and state, but also for all members of church all over the planet.

Speaking about Kosovo, the Patriarch said that at this moment, physically, Serbian state is not present there in the full sense of the word, but that "Kosovo is essentially a part of Serbia."

"The referendum in Kosovo was held in 1389 on Vidovdan and Kosovo is simply for us, not only the cradle of our people, it is also the ark full of relics of saints. Kosovo is not just a geopolitical issue for us, but it is really the topic of our identity. I am absolutely sure that, regardless of the real-political circumstances that are not the least favorable to our people, our state is doing everything by diplomatic and strategic methods in order, above all, to preserve peace and to do as much as possible for the good of our people," the Serbian patriarch pointed out.

He added that he thinks that no one in a patriotic mood can think that Kosovo is not part of Serbia.

"For six centuries, Kosovo is a prayer story, a prayer topic for us Serbs, and after six centuries, we have remained in Kosovo and Kosovo has remained within Serbia. Therefore, to talk about living together, yes, but all beyond that, as far as the church is concerned, it would be a renunciation of our being," the Patriarch of Porfirije emphasized.

He recalled that he became a monk in Kosovo, in Decani.

"My first bishop was the blessed Patriarch Pavle, and he said that prayer is the strongest weapon against evil, and he added that if God is with us, then no one can do anything to us. I believe that God is with us, because when it comes to Kosovo, the truth is on our side completely," stated the patriarch.

Freedom House: SNS erodes political, civil liberties in Serbia (N1, VoA)

Serbia and the US are among 25 world countries where political and civil liberties record the most significant fall in the last decade, the Freedom House (FH) report 'Freedom in the World 2021 – Democracy Under Siege' said on Wednesday.

It added it found „that the annual gap between losses and gains widened in 2020, and fewer than a fifth of the world’s people now live in fully free countries. “

The report covers 195 state and 15 territories and records the 15-year-long global fall in political and civil liberties.

According to the report, Serbia scored 64 index points in 2020, two down from last year. That means that since 2010, Serbia fell for a total of 14 points and put the country in the ‘partly free’ category, the Voice of America (VOA) said.

At the same time, VOA added, the US has gone down 11 index points but is still categorized as a free country,

Besides Serbia, the other countries from the Western Balkans: Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and North Macedonia are also in the ‘partly free’ category.

Slovenia and Croatia, members of the European Union, are seen as free countries.

„Serbia is a parliamentary democracy with competitive multiparty elections, but in recent years the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has steadily eroded political rights and civil liberties, putting pressure on independent media, the political opposition, and civil society organisations. Despite these trends, the country has continued to move toward membership in the EU, “the report said.

See the full report at: https://bit.ly/3rh2cog Germany honestly supports Western Balkans’ European perspective (Beta, N1)

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Tuesday, a day before his Serbia's counterpart Nikola Selakovic's visit to Berlin, that united Europe did not end at the European Union's external borders.

He added the continent’s strategic sovereignty was unthinkable without close ties with the Western Balkans.

„Germany is honest regarding the Western Balkans’ EU perspective, “the country’s Foreign Ministry statement said, adding, „that’s the reason why that road, based on reforms, should be supported. “

Maas will have meetings with Selakovic, Albanian and BiH foreign ministers Olta Xhaçka and Bisera Turkovic, respectively, while foreign affairs State Secretary Michael Roth will pay a return visit to Podgorica after Montenegro’s Foreign Minister Djordje Radulovic was in Berlin earlier this year.

The statement recalled the existence of the ‘Berlin Process’ format’ which aimed to bring the Western Balkans and the EU closer together.

„Germany’s promise, our promise is there: the future of the Western Balkans is in the EU. Germany is and will remain a close partner of all Western Balkans’ countries… That and other main issues will be discussed in Maas’ and Roth’s meetings in the next two weeks, “the Ministry’s statement added.

See at: https://bit.ly/382LEcc LVV publishes photos of Kurti and Lajcak – no Albanian flag (KoSSev)

Some Kosovo media outlets recently published the news that the Albanian national flag was displayed in the background during a meeting between Lajcak and Albin Kurti – citing a remark of the advisor to former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, Adil Behramaj, who published a photo of the meeting, along with the inscription „Lajcak and Kurti were united by a neutral stance toward the flag of Kosovo.“ Self-Determination (LVV) soon published photos from the meeting as well. These photographs, however, did not contain any flags or other insignia.

Noting that the „future Prime Minister of Kosovo “expressed his gratitude over the congratulatory messages he received regarding the election results, LVV also stated:

“Mr. Kurti said that the dialogue with Serbia is an important process that will not be neglected. And bearing this in mind, it must be well prepared, and it must have a new approach. It must be transformational – based on principles and values, unlike the transactional one which is based on current interests. Secondly, it must have a transatlantic character in terms of coordination between the European Union and the United States, but also Western integration of both sides. Thirdly, it must be democratic and transparent, in the service of the people and citizens, and not the current governments or certain politicians. “

See more at: https://bit.ly/3kEB0NL Lazic: An epidemic would be under control with 20,000 revaccinated, we are now halfway there (Kosovo Online, RTS)

The director of the Clinical Hospital Center in Gracanica, Dr. Bratislav Lazic, says that the safest way to stop the coronavirus is vaccination and that with 20,000 revaccinated in Serbian areas in Kosovo, the epidemiological situation would be under control, RTS reported, quoted portal Kosovo Online. 

"I would call on the entire population, especially in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, to respond as widely as possible to the call for vaccination and approach the immunization. This is the best way to protect themselves, protect their loved ones and the entire community. The goal is to exceed the number of 20,000 vaccinated and revaccinated in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. It is estimated that with this sample of vaccinated and revaccinated we could reach a positive outcome and alleviate the current epidemiological situation caused by the Covid 19, which is worrying. We are halfway from the set goal and we should continue to reach collective immunity in the shortest possible time in order to achieve the maximum effect," Lazic told RTS.

He warned that the epidemiological situation is deteriorating, especially in the last three weeks, both in terms of the number of patients who come for the first examination, the number of infected people and the severity of the clinical picture.

"That is why we call once again on the population to become completely serious, apply protective measures and approach immunization. This is the most important way to solve this type of infectious disease. Thanks to President Aleksandar Vucic and the Government of Serbia, we have a sufficient number of vaccines available, and the office for Kosovo and Metohija organizes free transport for all those who are interested in getting vaccinated," Lazic pointed out.

Bajrami: Dialogue cannot continue with the same discourse, reaching an agreement in a few months is unrealistic (KoSSev)

Lajcak came to Pristina to take the pulse of the election winner Albin Kurti, but also to bring the message that the dialogue still has the support of the US and that there is good coordination between Brussels and Washington – Koha editor-in-chief, Agron Bajrami assessed the results of the two-day visit of the EU Special Envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak in a statement for KoSSev.

According to Bajrami, Lajcak’s visit to the region is part of the continuation of the dialogue process after the elections in Kosovo, but also after the arrival of the new Washington administration – which was one of the messages sent by Lajcak.

''After the process derailed during the past year, and a rift appeared in the EU and the US approaches, it seems that we now have good coordination between Brussels and Washington. It also seems that this visit should have opened a new page in the dialogue process,'' Bajrami assessed the change from the time when the US administration was led by Trump and when Richard Grenell served as the US envoy.

It was Grenell who was seen as the ''usual suspect'' for the fall of the previous, Albin Kurti-led government at this time last year.

''If I may say so, Lajcak came to Pristina to take the pulse of election winner Albin Kurti – who is expected to become the next prime minister. But also, to bring the message that this process still has US support and that Brussels and Washington have a common goal,'' he underlined.

When asked how realistic is Miroslav Lajcak’s assessment that the agreement in question can be reached during Kurti and Osmani’s mandate, Bajrami said that it is too early to make such assessments, adding that expecting results within a few months would be unrealistic.

''It remains to be seen how quickly the dialogue can continue, but it is clear that the process will not be able to continue with the same discourse and approach. It is still too early to say whether an agreement can be reached within the mandate of the next government of Albin Kurti. It is clear to me that reaching an agreement within several months would not be realistic,'' Bajrami estimated.

In his words, the dialogue should be clarified and based on certain principles. 

''Uncertainty and principles of the past have caused the conversation to turn in undesirable directions, as was the case with the opening of the topic of the partition of Kosovo or the exchange of territories,'' Bajrami concluded.

Lajcak began his official visit to Kosovo by visiting the headquarters of Self-Determination and Albin Kurti. He met with all major Kosovo parties, even female political representatives. Lajcak is staying in Belgrade today, where he is set to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic later in the day.

See at: https://bit.ly/386pEgu      

Humanitarian/Development

  WHO: Serbia fourth in Europe by number of newly infected per 100,000 people (N1)

Serbia is at fourth place in Europe by newly infected with the coronavirus per 100,000 people, Marjan Ivanusa, the World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Belgrade said on Wednesday.

He said the epidemic situation in Serbia was difficult and that it was significant to respect the anti-epidemic measures.

Speaking to the pro-government Politika daily, Ivanusa added that it was tough for everybody. Still, until the collective immunity was reached by immunisation, the only way to fight the virus was to respect the protective measures.

Besides the success in immunisation, the number of those who were not vaccinated is still high, and they can get infected and transfer the virus, Ivanusa added.

Ivanusa said the successful vaccination depended on public trust and that it should be offered credible information on the safety and benefits of the vaccine.

In the meantime, Serbia’s Crisis Team for curbing the epidemic considers stricter measures to contain the increasing number of newly infected.

Some doctors advocate even a total lockdown, including a curfew.

See at: https://bit.ly/385iI3a