Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 752 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• UNICEF: 76,800 doses of Covid vaccine expected by May (media)
• PM Kurti meets representatives of UN agencies in Kosovo (media)
• Abdixhiku: LDK will take part in president’s election session (media)
• Assembly presidency discusses division of parliamentary committees (media)
• CEC replaces 13 MPs with new ones (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 59 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Vaccination of people from region – signal we can move ahead together (RTS)
• Von der Leyen promises 650,000 Covid-19 vaccines for Western Balkan countries (N1)
• Gerxhaliu: Excavation of mortal remains on three locations in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Rakic: Houses for two families in Klokot municipality to be constructed soon (Radio kontakt plus)

International:

• Albania, Greece, Romania, Serbia Join Global Pandemic Treaty Call (Balkan Insight)
• EU move on vaccine exports puts Serbia’s leader on edge (The Financial Times)
• World leaders back treaty to prepare for next pandemic (DW)

Humanitarian/Development:

• ‘Nothing Like Home’ exhibition showcases Kosovo’s young artists (Prishtina Insight)
• Greece accepts all vaccines for Serbia’s tourists as of May 14 (N1)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID-19: 752 new cases, 14 deaths (media)

Kosovo's National Institute for Public Health announced that 752 new cases of coronavirus and 14 deaths have been recorded over the last 24 hours. 

Meanwhile, 665 patients have recovered during this period. UNICEF: 76,800 doses of Covid vaccine expected by May (media)

UNICEF Kosovo Programme announced that 76,800 additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be delivered to Kosovo through May 2021 as part of the COVAX vaccine initiative. 

At the same time, head of immunisation at the Kosovo's National Institute for Public Health, Edita Haxhiu, said for Koha that the vaccination of healthcare staff has begun and that according to the vaccination plan, 70 percent of the population are expected to be vaccinated by the end of the year. However, she noted that this will depend on the arrival of vaccines. 

Haxhiu also explained that the makeshift vaccination centre in Pristina can perform 760 vaccinations in a day while the medical staff at the Infectious Disease clinic will be vaccinated at their workplace. 

PM Kurti meets representatives of UN agencies in Kosovo (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti and Minister of Health Arben Vitia had a meeting today with representatives of United Nation agencies in Kosovo and thanked them for the support to Kosovo and for the delivery of the first Covid vaccines. 

A press release issued by the Government of Kosovo quotes Kurti as saying that on average, Kosovo is recording ten deaths a day due to COVID-19 and that the no patient is surviving coming out of respiratory equipment while Vitia said they hoped cooperation with UN agencies will continue in an effort to overcome the pandemic crisis.   

UN Development Coordinator Ulrika Richardson meanwhile said the new government cabinet could count on the help and support of agencies, but also said it expects cooperation and coordination with the government.

Abdixhiku: LDK will take part in president’s election session (media)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lumir Abdixhiku said the party MPs would be taking part in the Assembly session for election of Kosovo president. 

Speaking to reporters after meeting LDK's parliamentary group, Abdixhiku said that following an open discussion they agreed for LDK not to obstruct the process of the president's election and will therefore act in line with constitutional obligations and take part in the voting session.

""The Democratic League of Kosovo will take part in the vote without prejudging the decision of MPs. I have communicated this decision to MPs and I expect every one of them to respect the collective will of the majority and not hinder the new LDK course towards the original comeback," Abdixhiku said. "The vote represents the will of the citizens and any step to obstruct this will is nothing but opposition to our people, the citizens of this country," he continued. 

Abdixhiku said the LDK expects the president of Kosovo to serve as president for all and be a uniting, not a divisive figure and uphold the Constitution. 

Assembly presidency discusses division of parliamentary committees (media)

The Kosovo Assembly’s presidency met today and discussed the division of parliamentary committees among political parties. 

Vetevendosje's Mimoza Kusari-Lila said at the conclusion of the meeting that the party is expected to chair seven committees of a total of 14: the committee on budget, work and transfers, the committee on legislation, mandates, and immunities, the foreign affairs committee, that on education, science, technology and entrepreneurship, committee on agriculture, health committee and that on local governance.

Kusari-Lila also said that the next meeting of the Assembly presidency will take place on Friday when the committees will be voted and noted that the session for election of president was not discussed. 

CEC replaces 13 MPs with new ones (media)

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has decided in a meeting today to replace thirteen MPs, twelve of which took on government posts and one stepped down.

The majority of the MPs replaced, nine altogether, are from the Vetevendosje Movement ticket. 

   

Serbian Language Media

  59 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)

Out of 135 tested samples over the last 24 hours 59 were positive on Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced, KoSSev portal reports.

The number of active cases in the Serb-populated areas is 826.

The breakdown of the new cases is as follows: 14 in Zubin Potok, 12 in Mitrovica North, nine in Strpce, eight in Leposavic, four each in Gracanica and Priluzje, two in Kamenica and one in Gnjilane.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, a total of 129 people have died due to Covid-19 related complications in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo.

Vucic: Vaccination of people from region – signal we can move ahead together (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Happy TV last night that vaccination of people from an entire region which took place in Serbia’s cities last weekend was an important signal that the region can progress swiftly together.

He also announced additional financial aid to the pensioners in Serbia in a total amount of EUR 110 each. Vucic urged citizens of Serbia to understand that the fight against pandemic is hard, adding the epidemiological measures would be revoked as soon as the situation permits that.

Speaking about vaccination of the people from the region Vucic noted he was pleased Serbia could help.

“This was a small number of people. If we manage to preserve someone’s life, it is a great thing and I am happy for that. People are not divided based on their religious background, country where they live, but based on whether you can help, are they good or bad, and good people came (for vaccination)”, he said.

Vucic added vaccination demonstrated that joint possibilities were much higher than how we perceive them.

Commenting on the EP report on Serbia, he said the report was unfair regarding several topics, and underlined the part of the report relating to the condition of the health system in Serbia, which, as he said “hurts him”.

He noted that Serbia still has the lowest rate of mortality in the region, and is among better ones in Europe.  He also said Serbia tests a higher number of people (on Covid-19) than 80 percent of the EU states.

“What equipment do we lack? We have 570 ventilators in the stock…. Is it possible to include something like that in the report? It was not fair….”, he repeated.

Von der Leyen promises 650,000 Covid-19 vaccines for Western Balkan countries (N1)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed she spoke to the Western Balkan leaders this weekend and promised on this occasion EU's support of 650,000 vaccines against Covid-19 for the countries in the region. The Commission told N1 the exact delivery dates and other distribution details are still unknown but that talks with the suppliers are ongoing.

“The European Commission is working very hard to be able to deliver vaccines secured under the EU’s advanced purchase agreements to our Western Balkan partners as soon as possible, in particular to vaccinate medical workers and other vulnerable groups”, said the Commission, adding that this would complement the first deliveries through COVAX system.

“The Commission as you know adopted a package of EUR 70 million to cover the cost of early access to vaccines secured under the EU’s advanced purchase agreements in all our Western Balkan partners”, it added.

See at: https://bit.ly/2PjgAP5 Gerxhaliu: Excavation of mortal remains on three locations in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)

Director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Arsim Gerxhaliu announced that excavation of the mortal remains of persons suspected to have been killed during the conflict would start soon on three locations in Kosovo, Kosovo-online portal reports citing Pristina-based Ekonomija Online.

He added, excavation would also be done in the village of Stavlje, Sjenica municipality in Serbia.

“In the meantime, another location will be processed, we will not stop until we perform the necessary works and excavations", Gerdxhaliu said in an interview with Ekonomija Online.

Rakic: Houses for two families in Klokot municipality to be constructed soon (Radio kontakt plus)

Kosovo Minister for Communities and Return Goran Raki announced the beginning of the construction of houses for two socially vulnerable families in the municipality of Klokot, Radio kontakt plus reports.

As the statement said Rakic visited the five-member Nisic family and the seven-member Dimic family on Monday, in the village of Mogila (Klokot municipality).

“In my opinion, we must create adequate living conditions for both families and their children, because children are our future. I am glad that today I was able to inform both Nisic and Dimic families that they will get new houses, which will be fully equipped”, Rakic said.

Rakic added he “will personally strive to help as many vulnerable families as possible in this way”. 

   

International

  Albania, Greece, Romania, Serbia Join Global Pandemic Treaty Call (Balkan Insight)

Four south-east European countries joined leading EU states and the World Health Organization in an appeal for a new global treaty to deal with future health emergencies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The leaders of Albania, Greece, Romania and Serbia are among the backers of a high-level initiative launched on Tuesday to create a new treaty aimed at tackling global pandemics through international cooperation.

In a joint statement, they warned that “there will be other pandemics and other major health emergencies in the future”, and that “the question now is not whether it will happen, but when it will happen”.

“Therefore, we are committed to ensuring that safe, effective and affordable vaccines, drugs and diagnostic tools are equitably distributed in current and future pandemics. Immunisation is a global public welfare, and we must develop, produce and deploy vaccines as soon as possible,” the statement said.

A total of 19 other countries including Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Britain are backing the initiative as well the leaders of the four south-east European countries and the World Health Organisation.

See more at: https://bit.ly/31uZIqW EU move on vaccine exports puts Serbia’s leader on edge (The Financial Times)

President fears ‘ugly’ plan could hit mainland Europe’s fastest immunisation rollout.

As its EU neighbours squabble over scarce Covid-19 vaccine supplies and struggle to roll out even the doses they have as a third wave of the virus intensifies, Serbia is basking in the success of the highest per-capita inoculation rate in mainland Europe. The Balkan country of 7m has administered more than 2.1m doses of coronavirus vaccine.

See more at: https://on.ft.com/2QLtXb3 World leaders back treaty to prepare for next pandemic (DW)

Leaders from 23 countries, the World Health Organization and the EU called for a new international treaty to better prepare for future pandemics in an op-ed published on Tuesday.

The signatories of the op-ed — published in major newspapers worldwide — were global leaders from five continents and included Germany's Angela Merkel, Britain's Boris Johnson, France's Emmanuel Macron, South Korea's Moon Jae-in and South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa.

"We believe that nations should work together towards a new international treaty for pandemic preparedness and response," the op-ed said.

"Such a renewed collective commitment would be a milestone in stepping up pandemic preparedness at the highest political level."

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

Humanitarian/Development

  ‘Nothing Like Home’ exhibition showcases Kosovo’s young artists (Prishtina Insight)

Lambdalambdalambda, a small contemporary art space in Prishtina, is currently hosting a group exhibition titled ‘Nothing Like Home’ that features works by a new generation of Kosovo artists.

The exhibition is named after a painting by Brilant Milazimi, which takes up the majority of one of the gallery’s four walls. Two lurking, open-mouthed crocodiles dominating the centre of the painting create a sense of unease, in an apparent metaphor for those occupying power in Kosovo. 

Milazimi is one of the four co-founders of the Hap collective, who all have work on display at the exhibition. The collective formed during their studies at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Prishtina, with the aim of addressing social issues and responding to contemporary events in Kosovo.

Another of the collective’s founders, Valdrin Thaqi, is exhibiting his award winning work ‘Pondering’, an installation in which a mechanical hand slowly ‘counts’ Tespih beads, which are often used in Islamic rituals to glorify God.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3rB98Mq Greece accepts all vaccines for Serbia’s tourists as of May 14 (N1)

Haralampos Vrionis, a Thessaloniki's tourist agency owner, told N1 on Monday that along with tourists from the US, Israel and Russia, Serbia's nationals were the leading target group for his country's summer season and that they would be allowed to Greece if immunised by any vaccine or with negative PCR test on coronavirus.

The acceptance of all vaccines, including the Russian and Chinese along those verified in the European Union, was agreed in Monday’s meeting between Greek and Serbia’s tourism ministers Haris Teoharis and Tatjana Matic, respectively, as well as the kick-off of this year’s holiday season, would be on May 14.

“I welcome the deal. Serbia’s nationals who paid for the 2020 season will have a possibility to use that money this year“, Vrionis said.

He added that the fall in tourism in 2020 was 75 percent, while 95 percent fewer people from Serbia spent last year’s holiday in Greece. “In 2019, there were nearly one million tourists from Serbia, and with the 95 percent fall, it was like no one came last year“.

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