• Kosovo: 26 new cases of COVID-19, eight recoveries, two deaths (media)
• From his balcony, Kurti urges people to respect COVID-19 measures (media)
• Vitia speaks to region's ministers about fight against COVID-19 (media)
• U.S.: Cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia on Covid-19 encouraging (media)
• Osmani to meet parliamentary groups to harmonise COVID-19 legislation (Klan)
• LDK leaves the meeting of Assembly chairmanship (RTK)
• Abazi: Democracy cannot be stolen by abusing with Covid-19 situation (RTK)
• Veseli calls for more testing and for reducing quarantine period (media)
• Lajcak holds telephone conversations with Osmani, Haziri, Limaj (media)
• MEP Fajon supports efforts of Minister Vitia to fight COVID-19 (media)
• UN Women in Kosovo officials say domestic violence has increased (Koha)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Kosovo: 26 new cases of COVID-19, eight recoveries, two deaths (media)

National Institute for Public Health announced that out of 195 tests carried yesterday, 26 persons have tested positive for coronavirus.

At the same time, the Institute also announced that eight persons have been declared as having recovered from the virus, raising the number of recoveries to a total of 79 while during the day, two deaths were recorded. The number of deaths due to coronavirus is 13.

Acting Minister of Health Arben Vitia said the numbers of cases in the hospitals are becoming more serious and that the prevention measures are crucial at this stage. “The measures, although they may seen strict have only one goal: not to allow people turn into numbers,” Vitia said on Facebook.

At present, the number of COVID-19 cases in all municipalities of Kosovo stands at 485.

From his balcony, Kurti urges people to respect COVID-19 measures (media)

Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti recorded a video message from the balcony of his apartment calling on the people of Kosovo to respect the measures taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Kurti said the new measures are harsher because of the threat the virus poses to the health of everyone.

"To save Kosovo, to save our economy and save one another requires your cooperation by respecting and implementing measures and instructions. Staying at home is mandatory and whoever does not respect this damages the health of the elderly, of those who are sick and burdens our economy and hospitals. Prevention means life, waiting can mean death," Kurti said.

"I know it is not easy because it has been a month since we are staying in and the spring has come. To go out as soon as possible and enjoy the spring we need to be more patient and stay for a little while longer at home. If we go out the self-isolation may be prolonged."

"Let's not lose the match in the second half after winning the first half," Kurti said.

Vitia speaks to region's ministers about fight against COVID-19 (media)

Kosovo's Acting Minister of Health Arben Vitia spoke on the phone with health ministers from the region about the measures taken to fight the COVID-19 pandemics.

The Albian Minister Ogerta Manastirliu, Montenegro's Kenan Hrapovic, Serbia's Zlatibor Loncar, and Minister of North Macedonia Venko Filipce agreed that the situation needs to be tackled with utmost seriousness and that the assistance needs to be quick and mutual.

"The pandemic is a joint problem and all Balkans countries need to assist one another as much as they can with experience and professional help. Movement of goods, health personnel and medical equipment needs to be free," a statement issued by the Kosovo's Ministry of Health said.

U.S.: Cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia on Covid-19 encouraging (media)

The U.S. Ambassadors in Pristina and Belgrade praised through a video message cooperation of Kosovo’s and Serbia’s Health Ministers in the war against Covid-19.

“In this time of pandemic, it is encouraging to see health minister cooperating as neighbors, to serve and protect all communities in Kosovo and Serbia. We command the efforts of all health practitioners and others charged for keeping citizens of Serbia and Kosovo safe. We all do our own part to defeat the virus. Together, we can defeat Covid-19,” said the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett. 

The U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey said “Belgrade and Pristina are working together in concrete and practical ways to save lives during the pandemic, sharing equipment and the expertise. Our hope is that these confidence building measures will show the necessity of cooperation. We will only save lives if we work together. So, thank you to the government of Italy for hosting a video conference this week to bring about more communication. It is the smart thing to do, it will save lives.”

 Osmani to meet parliamentary groups to harmonise COVID-19 legislation (Klan)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Vjosa Osmani will meet heads of parliamentary parties in an effort to get support for three legislative initiatives tackling the current emergency health situation.

Osmani said that the Constitutional Court has emphasised that the Assembly plays the primary role in regulating the restriction of human rights and freedoms at a time of a pandemic and that in accordance to this, the Assembly needs to take action to address the situation.

LDK leaves the meeting of Assembly chairmanship (RTK)

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) left on Thursday the meeting of the Assembly chairmanship where it was planned to discuss three draft laws, for prevention of Covid-19, temporary measures to facilitate effect of the pandemic and finance management.

LDK’s caucus Arben Gashi said the Assembly cannot make any decision on these laws. According to him, these initiatives have to be undertaken by the government. “The Assembly can complete, change or reject them completely,” he said.

Gashi also spoke about the creation of the new government, saying that it is an obligation of the Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti. He added that if this does not happen, then the mandate should be given to someone else. “He has led the country to political crisis. His right is already an obligation. He should try creating a majority. If he does not want to create majority, this right should belong to someone else,” Gashi said.

Abazi: Democracy cannot be stolen by abusing with Covid-19 situation (RTK)

Acting Deputy Prime Minister Haki Abazi said requests of President Hashim Thaci to Vetevendosje to send the name of the candidate for Prime Minister and form the government, and that of the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) for this to happen as soon as possible, are an attempt to steal democracy and legitimacy. He further said that this is happening by abusing with Covid-19 situation. “Why did they fear elections?” he asked.

Veseli calls for more testing and for reducing quarantine period (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Kadri Veseli called on relevant institutions in Kosovo to carry out more coronavirus testing saying that the social isolation period will make no sense if not accompanied by massive testing.

"We urgently need a comprehensive testing campaign to identify as quickly as possible those that are infected and isolate them and adequately treat them. We have reiterated many times over the last month the need for more testing as a recommendation from the WHO but also as an experience from the countries that were successful in fighting the pandemics. The Government of Kosovo is still keeping a low level of testing compared to other countries in Europe. All this isolation period will make sense if used to massively test and identify asymptomatic cases. Any further delay with testing will cost us a great deal not only in human lives but in unimaginable economic loss," Veseli wrote on social media.

Lajcak holds telephone conversations with Osmani, Haziri, Limaj (media)

The EU Emissary for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak informed that he had a telephone conversation with Kosovo’s Assembly Speaker Vjosa Osmani, deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri, and leader of the Social-Democratic Initiative (NISMA) Fatmir Limaj. He informed through Twitter that they discussed preparations to resume dialogue and situation in Kosovo.

“Continuing my outreach to the region, I spoke to @VjosaOsmaniMP, @LutfiHaziri, @FatmirLimaj today. We had constructive and useful talks on preparations to resume the Dialogue and the situation in Kosovo. Looking forward to working together for the benefit of all people in the WB,” he wrote.

MEP Fajon supports efforts of Minister Vitia to fight COVID-19 (media)

European Parliament member Tanja Fajon said she spoke to Kosovo's acting Minister of Health Arben Vitia about measures taken to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I fully support his efforts in fight against the #COVID19 pandemic. In order to contain the disease people need to #StayAtHome. We agreed that all measures must be limited in time and in line with fundamental rights," Fajon wrote on Twitter.

UN Women in Kosovo officials say domestic violence has increased (Koha)

Vlora Tuzi-Nushi, head of UN Women Office in Kosovo, said that the cases of domestic violence in Kosovo have increased during the coronavirus pandemic. She said that compared to the last year's quarter, this year there are 93 more cases.

Tuzi-Nushi also said that there is concern that victims are not reporting the cases to the authorities thinking that the police is focused on managing the COVID-19 situation.

"We found support from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, Speaker Vjosa Osmani and Minister of Health. They will all record video messages offering institutional support," Tuzi-Nushi said. She added that a one student dorm building has been dedicated to serve as shelter for victims of domestic violence during this situation.