• COVID-19: 154 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Non-paper: Kosovo and Serbia to recognise each other’s sovereignty (Koha)
• U.S.: Speculation about border changes, unnecessary threat to stability (RFE)
• Osmani speaks with US Assistant Secretary of State Reeker (media)
• Kosovo government questions meeting with Serbia announced by EU (media)
• PDK MP: Vetevendosje will do everything it rejected while in opposition (KTV)
• Rama takes narrow lead in Albania’s slow election count (BIRN)

COVID-19: 154 new cases, 11 deaths (media)

154 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths have been recorded in Kosovo over the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 545 recoveries were confirmed during this period. There are currently 10,710 active COVID-19 infections in Kosovo.

Non-paper: Kosovo and Serbia to recognise each other’s sovereignty (Koha)

Koha Ditore daily newspaper claims to have received a copy of a non-paper reportedly prepared by Germany and France, as a joint initiative of these two countries to resume the dialogue and to conclude with a final settlement. The paper says it could not confirm the authenticity of the document, but several foreign diplomats confirmed that the points mentioned in the document are the ones that will be discussed in the dialogue. The efforts are reportedly supported by EU member states and the United States of America.

“The Dialogue for the Normalisation of Relations between both parties will be conducted based on the mandate of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/64/L65/Rev.1 that welcomes the readiness of the European Union to facilitate a process of dialogue between the parties. Resolution A/64/L65/Rev.1 does not include any other party as a facilitator of the Dialogue.”

“The reaching of such an agreement between the two parties is of strategic importance for the European Union. Both parties will be guided by the aims and principles laid down in the United Nations Charter.”

“The legally binding agreement should ensure the establishment of a new relationship in Kosovo and in the relations between Belgrade and Prishtina. The Parties shall respect each other as independent, sovereign, and equal States within their international borders/boundaries.”

“Each party shall respect in accordance with international law the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the other Party. The Parties confirm that they shall carry out the regulation of their borders and delineation through mutual agreement only, that they shall solve disputes by peaceful means and refrain from the threat or use of force in accordance with European spirit of resolving disputes through dialogue. Both Parties shall seek to foster mutual confidence, goodwill and tolerance and shall cooperate in promoting peace, stability, and development in the region. EU will on behalf of both parties hire an independent body to support the process of border delineation.”

“Both Parties will ensure the implementation of the Community of Serb Municipalities as a self-governing structure of municipalities with a Serb majority population in Kosovo as a result of the 2013 Brussels Agreement negotiated and concluded by the governments of Belgrade and Prishtina. In accordance with the competencies given by the European Charter of Local Self-Government and Kosovo law, the participating municipalities would be entitled to cooperate in exercising their powers collectively through the association. The association would have a full overview of the areas of economic development, education, health, urban and rural planning.”

“Both parties agree to the establishment of the Autonomous District of North Kosovo as a single administrative unit of regional self-government in Kosovo that has the right to enact legislation in the regional economy, finance, property, infrastructure, culture, education, health care, social welfare, judiciary, police service, housing, urban development, and European cooperation, in line with Kosovo’s constitution and local governance legislation”.

According to the non-paper, the district would include the territories of the towns of Zvecan with 35 villages, Leposavic with 72 villages, Mitrovica North, and the cadastral zone of Zubin Potok with 63 villages.

The document also proposes a special status for Serb Orthodox churches in Kosovo to ensure their “unobstructed activity”. It further notes that the Church and its internal organisation will have to be recognised as a self-governing party of the political and constitutional system of Kosovo.

The Parties would also establish an economic zone in Mitrovica as a catalyst for economic development on both sides of the border and in line with the concept of European regions.

The non-paper notes that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti will lead discussions to finalise the agreement on the normalisation of relations between the parties. “The process should conclude before the end of February 2022,” the document says.

The EU High Representative Josep Borrell will undertake a negotiating process and will organise, with the support of Germany and France, a meeting in Paris in June this year. “The EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borrell, after the reaching of the legally binding agreement, will report in September 2022 to the United Nations General Assembly, according to the mandate of Resolution A/64/L65, Rev.1.” the non-paper notes.

U.S.: Speculation about border changes, unnecessary threat to stability (RFE)

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday that the U.S. remain committed to support the countries of the Western Balkans in their path toward European integration and membership in key European and Atlantic institutions.

“We are engaged to help the countries of the Western Balkans to further their economic partnerships, to achieve climatic objectives, to resist energy manipulations by Russia by developing a various system of clean energy resources and to fight corruption and organised crime. We also want to help the region toward economic growth, all the while protecting its infrastructure and industries from China’s wrong-doing practices,” he said.

Price also said: “as we have seen, recent unnecessary speculation for border changes in the Balkans based on ethnic lines threaten to bring instability in the region and awaken the echoes of earlier tensions. A stable future for the Western Balkans must be based on good governance, the rule of law, a multiethnic democracy and respect for human rights and basic freedoms”.

Osmani speaks with US Assistant Secretary of State Reeker (media)

All media cover a press release issued by the Office of Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani conversation on Monday with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker.

Reeker stressed that the relations of the USA with Kosovo are based on democratic values and common goals. Further, Ambassador Reeker reaffirmed President Biden’s interest in supporting Kosovo towards developing and implementing the necessary reforms. Ambassador Reeker also stressed the US commitment to support the Western Balkan countries towards European Union membership.

Osmani underlined that the partnership with the USA is vital for the realization of the priorities of the institutions of Kosovo to ensure the vaccine against COVID-19 for the citizens of Kosovo, and also the implementation of internal reforms that would increase employment and fight corruption efficiently.

As for the dialogue with Serbia, Ambassador Reeker stressed that the USA encourage the parties to engage constructively towards reaching a legally binding agreement, which would result in mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia.

Osmani stressed the importance of qualitatively improving the dialogue process based on the inviolability of the territory of Kosovo and the unitary character of the state, which contributes to peace and prosperity in the region. President Osmani stressed that for Kosovo, the clearing up of the fate of the missing remains a priority that the institutions intend to push forward and for this she requested the support of the USA.

Kosovo government questions meeting with Serbia announced by EU (media)

Kosovo government spokesman Perparim Kryeziu said on Monday that Prime Minister Albin Kurti has not received an invitation for a meeting between Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels on May 11. EU High Representative Josep Borrell was quoted as saying in most local media on Monday that he expects a new round of talks between Kosovo and Serbia on May 11. Kryeziu however said in a Facebook post that the idea might have been discussed with Belgrade but not with the Kosovo government. Kryeziu also said that dates of meetings make sense when agreed mutually and not when they are imposed unilaterally.

PDK MP: Vetevendosje will do everything it rejected while in opposition (KTV)

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) MP Eliza Hoxha said in an interview with KTV on Monday that the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is a necessity and that the Kurti-led government is obliged to lead the dialogue, regardless of the fact that Prime Minister Kurti listed dialogue as its seventh priority.

“We are seeing that his first visit abroad will be about the dialogue. Dialogue is a necessity and it must resume where it stopped, with all the good and bad sides … The sooner the process is concluded, the more opportunities Kosovo will have, both in policymaking and in promoting internal processes. We have remained hostages of visa liberalisation and Serbia too cannot join the European Union. Dialogue is a necessity for both parties,” she said.

Hoxha also criticised Prime Minister Kurti and his government for lacking a platform on the dialogue with Serbia.

Rama takes narrow lead in Albania’s slow election count (BIRN)

With almost half of the ballots from Sunday's general elections counted, the ruling Socialist Party of Prime Minister Edi Rama is narrowly ahead in what is still a tight race to secure a majority in parliament.

With almost half of the ballot boxes counted – 2,244 out of 5,199 – Edi Rama’s governing Socialist Party, which has been in power for eight years since 2013, has taken a narrow lead with 49.29 per cent of the votes cast, though the opposition bloc is also close to this number.

The main centre-right opposition Democratic Party, DP, has won 38.9 per cent of the votes and the smaller Socialist Movement for Integration, SMI, has won 7.11 per cent. Although running separately, the two parties signed an agreement on post-election cooperation should they have a chance of forming a majority.

In a surprise move that slightly boosted Rama’s chance of forming the next government, the head of the small Social Democratic Party, SDP, Tom Doshi, resigned his parliamentary mandate early on Monday.

Blacklisted by the United States, his abrupt resignation opens the way for a possible alliance between his party and Rama’s Socialists.

The Social Democrats were running alone in this election but had been in coalition with Rama in the past.

Doshi was excluded from the Socialist Party in 2015 and US Ambassador to Tirana Yuri Kim had asked Rama not to collaborate with Doshi in this election over allegations of “significant corruption” from the US State Department. Doshi is banned from entering the US for the same reason.

Doshi, whose party has so far won 2.01 per cent of the votes and is projected to win two seats in parliament, confirmed that he had only resigned his parliamentary mandate, not his leadership of the Social Democrats, and planned a coalition with the Socialists.

“We are ready to form a coalition with the Socialist Party,” he said on Monday, adding that “he would never do a coalition with Basha”.

In such a tight race, this move could be decisive in forming the new government. The Central Election Commission said that it would review his resignation letter on Monday.

The counting process continues without incident, although slowly, as each party seems to prefer prioritising the ballot boxes from polling stations coming from localities when they feel they are in the leader, aiming to create a victorious atmosphere in public.

Opposition leader Basha declared that his Democratic Party was still in with a chance. “We are dealing with a deep loss of the Socialist Party and a victory, or increase in the number of votes, for the Democratic Party, for the Coalition for Change,” he said.

EU Ambassador to Albania Luigi Soreca sounded cautious. He would “not draw conclusions without finishing the vote counting”, he said.

The Central Electoral Commission said it expects to have complete preliminary results by Wednesday.