• Osmani authorises KSF deployment to assist Albania in extinguishing fires (media)
• Von Cramon expects progress Prishtina-Belgrade talks after elections (N1, media)
• Elezi: We have received 13 applications from political entities so far (media)
• War crimes judges should be disqualified over 'abuse of authority,' say UK lawyers (The Telegraph)
• Foreign experts expect parallel structures to be dissolved this year (Klan Kosova)
• Be the change you want to see; How Diaspora can contribute to cleaner Kosovo (Kosovo 2.0)
• Most Balkan countries cheer Olympic medal scores (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 263 new cases, no deaths (media)

Osmani authorises KSF deployment to assist Albania in extinguishing fires (media)

Following the decision of the government of Kosovo to provide assistance to the Republic of Albania in extinguishing fires, President Vjosa Osmani, in the capacity of supreme commander, in accordance with her competencies has signed the authorization to send KSF troops and equipment in a humanitarian operation and at the same time informed the Assembly of Kosovo about this action.

The troops and equipment of the KSF will be made available to the Albanian authorities in order to extinguish and control the fires.

Von Cramon expects progress Prishtina-Belgrade talks after elections (N1, media)

European Parliament Rapporteur for Kosovo Viola von Cramon told N1 on Monday the upcoming elections in Serbia and Kosovo would affect the Brussels dialogue, and that both leaders, Aleksandar Vucic and Albin Kurti, would be very careful in their moves towards voters until the end of the elections.

She adds it is a matter of negotiations, but that she hopes that there will be progress in the dialogue after the elections.

However, Von Cramon added she saw progress in meetings by the leaders, which she said could be seen as a success.

She added that she expected Vucic and Kurti to show leadership because they both had significant support in parliament and among voters.

The goal of the negotiations was not to set preconditions and say what was wanted and expected from someone but to look at individual steps and results, Von Cramon told N1 and added she hoped both leaders were committed to European integrations and that they knew that it was not easy, but it was possible and that it would lead to success.

Speaking about the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities, she said the tensions among the population were growing, and that it was why the participants in the dialogue and the EU should do more to reach people in northern Kosovo, not only Serbs, to make them feel integrated.

She recalled that Pristina had committed itself to create the Association but added that the institutions in the north of Kosovo should be integrated into the Kosovo system.

Elezi: We have received 13 applications from political entities so far (media)

The spokesperson Central Elections Commission (CEC) Valmir Elezi confirmed that they have received 13 applications for certification from political entities for the local elections that will take place on 17 October.

He explained that six out of 13 applications are civic initiatives, one political party, and six independent candidates. The overall number of candidates representing those political entities is 115 candidates for municipal assemblies and five candidates for mayors.

Political entity and candidate Certification for the local elections has started on 17.06.2021, and it ends on 16.08.2021. Political entities that have applied for certification until now are as follows:

1. Vatra Citizens Movement political party has applied for certification in mayoral and municipal assembly elections in Gjilan;

2. Kastriot Bushi, independent candidate, has applied for certification in mayoral elections in Kacanik;

3. Lista Guxo civic initiative has applied for certification in municipal assembly elections in Feriza;

4. Ne Mundemi civic initiative has applied for certification in municipal assembly elections in Ferizaj;

5. Agim Gjeli, independent candidate, has applied for certification in municipal assembly elections in Fushe Kosove;

6. Bashkë për Istogun civic initiative has applied for certification in mayoral and municipal assembly elections in Istog;

7. Civic initiative for Obiliq has applied for certification in municipal assembly and mayoral elections in Obiliq;

8. Together for Strpce civic initiative has applied for municipal assembly and mayoral elections in Strpce;

9. Civic initiative for Skenderaj has applied for certification in mayoral and municipal assembly elections;

10. Hajrush Stublla, independent candidate, has applied for certification in mayoral elections in Lipjan;

11. Rados Repanovic, independent candidate, has applied for certification in mayoral elections in Istog;

12. Bojan Saicic, independent candidate, has applied for certification in mayoral elections in Klina; and

13. Dragan Repanovic, independent candidate, has applied for certification in mayoral elections in Istog.

War crimes judges should be disqualified over 'abuse of authority,' say UK lawyers (The Telegraph)

Lawyers claim that the prosecution of Kosovan war veteran who leaked information is politically motivated.

British lawyers are seeking to have two senior war crimes judges disqualified from their posts for “abuse of authority” over the prosecution of a Kosovan whistleblower.

The lawyers representing Kosovan war veteran Nasin Haradinaj claim one of the judges briefed EU diplomats about his case in a way that undermined her independence and impartial judicial decision-making.

They allege the second judge has compromised his independence by putting political pressure on other judges and by suggesting that Brussels is pressuring them for convictions over alleged war crimes.

The case is being heard at the Kosovo chambers and special prosecutor’s office which was set up in The Hague to investigate alleged war crimes at an estimated annual running cost of more than £40 million a year.

Mr Haradinaj, vice president of the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans Association, has been indicted for leaking information which the prosecutors claim endangered potential witnesses to war crimes by releasing their names publicly.

His lawyers maintain he released the information - which was deposited in three separate box loads of documents on three separate occasions at his association offices - in the public interest and that he should be treated as a whistleblower.

Mr Haradinaj, along with other ethnic Kosovo Albanians, has openly criticised the prosecutors’ office as unfairly targeting the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and ignoring crimes allegedly committed by the Serbian military and paramilitary forces.

He has also attacked the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (“EULEX”), from which many of the judges in the prosecutors office are drawn, and called for everyone who committed war crimes during the Kosovo War to face prosecution, not just one side.

Mr Haradinaj who has been held in detention since being indicted told the court at his first appearance: “This prosecution is selective, political and biased.”

His lawyer, Toby Cadman, of Guernica 37, confirmed he was seeking the recusal or disqualification of Judge Ekterina Trendafilova, president of the court, and judge Charles L Smith, the vice-president.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3Ax0WBL

Foreign experts expect parallel structures to be dissolved this year (Klan Kosova)

Serbia spends almost half a billion Euros every year to finance its structures in Kosovo, said Dusan Janjic, head of the Belgrade-based Forum for Interethnic Relations. In an interview with Klan Kosova, Janjic commented on the Kosovo government’s request to Serbian authorities to dissolve all of its parallel structures in Kosovo before talks can start on the possible formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. “It is not convenient for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to open this topic because this is a powerful instrument. Nearly €500 million are allocated every year and these funds enter Kosovo and they [Serbian leaders] use these funds to tie people to themselves, and not only members of the Serb community but all those that have direct and indirect interests from this,” Janjic said.

Bodo Weber, German expert on the Balkans, said the most powerful countries must apply pressure on the Serbian President on this issue. “This year, Angela Merkel, the dominating figure in the dialogue and for enlargement will leave politics, and a new chancellor is expected to be elected by the end of the year. I believe that the new German government will work hard to revive the dialogue. I am confident that Berlin in cooperation with Washington and London can apply sufficient pressure on Serbia to finally dissolve its structures in Kosovo,” he said.

Be the change you want to see; How Diaspora can contribute to cleaner Kosovo (Kosovo 2.0)

Our home country is a beautiful place. Its beauty surrounds us, from the breathtaking nature to the friendly people. When our music is played it is easy to get carried away in a dance and when Albanian food and pastries are served, our inner child comes out. We are all part of what is worth cherishing in our country. However, we are also part of something far less beautiful.

Despite its many beauties, our home country faces challenges that jeopardize its future. Many of these are man-made, created by the same people who call this land home. Luckily, by acknowledging this, we can also become part of the solution. We can be the change.

Kosovo is one of the poorest countries in Europe and it is plagued by major environmental problems. The unemployment rate is increasing in the wake of the pandemic and solutions to pollution, littering and environmental degradation are receiving even less attention than previously. Addressing these pressing challenges will require a collective effort, from citizens, emigres and state institutions.

Air pollution poses one of the biggest health risk factors. The estimated economic cost associated with mortality from exposure to air pollution in Kosovo is between 160 and 310 million dollars, equivalent to 2.5 to 4.7% of the gross domestic product in 2016.

Another major environmental problem is waste management and littering. While it is true that Kosovo lacks proper waste management, the basic infrastructure for correct disposal of regular waste is accessible for the majority.

Despite this, few spaces in Kosovo have been spared from littering. As litter degrades, gas, chemicals and microparticles are released into the air, soil and water, negatively affecting both humans and animals, adding further to the health bill.

Read full story here: https://bit.ly/3fOK8hB

Most Balkan countries cheer Olympic medal scores (BIRN)

Several countries in the Balkans improved their Olympic scores or achieved even more notable successes at the Tokyo Games, with athletes responsible for the medals taking the centre stage in national celebrations.

The 13 countries of the region – Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Slovenia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Albania – took home a total of 53 gold, silver or bronze medals.

Turkey achieved its best-ever Olympic score in Tokyo, and won the most medals out of all the Balkan countries with 13 – two golds, two silvers and nine bronzes.

Archer Mete Gazoz and boxer Busenaz Surmeli brought home two golds. Turkish female athletes won five medals in total and had an important role in Turkey’s most successful games, winning the country’s first medals in women’s boxing and wrestling.

The Turkish assertive male wrestling team was more of a let-down, contrary to expectations, winning only two bronze medals. The female volleyball team was also a flop. It strived for much more but ultimately did not pass the quarter-finals.

Serbia also enjoyed considerable success in Tokyo, winning nine medals in total, a slight improvement on the eight it won in Rio in 2016. Three medals were gold, one silver and five bronze.

In team sports, Serbia’s male water polo team won a gold and so retained the position it gained at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

In individual sports, golds were won in taekwondo by Milica Mandic and in karate by Jovana Prekovic. Mandic’s neighbours in Belgrade gathered on Sunday to welcome her home, surprising her with a mural painted on her neighbourhood wall.

Read full story here: https://bit.ly/3xKV6Ln

COVID-19: 263 new cases, no deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded 263 new cases with COVID-19 and no deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours. Eight persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 2,271 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.