• COVID – 19: Eight deaths, 136 new cases (media)
• EU: Dialogue at level of experts to continue August 27 (RFE)
• Government changes possible if indictment against Thaci confirmed (KTV)
• Vucic on meeting in Washington: It will be a furious night (media)
• Selmanaj: Haradinaj’s assessments on dialogue, without substance (media)
• Konjufca: VV against a final deal without going to new elections (media)
• Hyseni meets Merkel’s advisor, calls for greater coordination (media)
• Phillips: Trump administration wants a quick solution (Zeri)
• Esch: Comprehensive agreement is Brussels’ responsibility (RFE)
• Rexhepi: Mustafa was wrong, he’ll pay the price in elections (KTV)

COVID – 19: Eight deaths, 136 new cases (media)

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health said in a statement today that eight deaths and 136 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded over the last 24 hours. 131 persons have recovered from the virus during this period. The highest number of new cases is from the municipality of Prishtina (51).

EU: Dialogue at level of experts to continue August 27 (RFE)

Sources in the European Union told the news website on Tuesday that the next EU-facilitated meeting between Kosovo and Serbia at the level of experts will be held on August 27.

EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali confirmed the meeting but did not disclose further details. “We can confirm that the next meeting will be held on August 27. We don’t comment on ongoing discussions,” she said.

Diplomatic sources in Brussels also said there could be another high-level meeting between Kosovo Prime Minister and Serbian President, Avdullah Hoti and Aleksandar Vucic, in early September. The same sources said that the pace of dialogue will be intensified in autumn with meetings between leaders twice a month and meetings between experts every week.

Government changes possible if indictment against Thaci confirmed (KTV)

One day after the meeting of leaders of the ruling coalition, Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Isa Mustafa said in a Facebook post that changes in the ruling coalition can happen at any time. The TV station learns that there are plans to reshuffle the government or change partners in the ruling coalition if the proposed indictments of the Specialist Chambers against President Thaci and PDK leader Veseli are confirmed. The LDK prefers to have the PDK in the ruling coalition.

Vucic on meeting in Washington: It will be a furious night (media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in an interview with the Radio Television of Serbia on Tuesday that there are ongoing preparations for the meeting in Washington on September 4 but that the agenda is not known yet.

Vucic said there are many people in Serbia that would scold the U.S. President but that he cannot do this “because I would be putting Serbia’s interests at risk”. “Especially because of the fact that this president is more in favor of Serbia than some other previous presidents,” he added.

Vucic said the meeting in Washington will focus on the economy and that the possible participation of President Trump means that several ideas are possible. “I can tell the people in Serbia that I have no doubt that it will be a furious and not an easy night, but we know our task,” he said.

Selmanaj: Haradinaj’s assessments on dialogue, without substance (media)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Driton Selmanaj, who comes from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said on Tuesday that AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj’s assessments about the dialogue with Serbia are without substance.

“Our assessment is that Haradinaj’s positions and assessments about the process of dialogue are without substance. They are artificial and therefore we have told him that we find this approach unacceptable,” Selmanaj said in an interview with RTK.

Konjufca: VV against a final deal without going to new elections (media)

Vetevendosje deputy leader and former Foreign Minister, Glauk Konjufca said on Tuesday that this party is against a final settlement between Kosovo and Serbia without going to new parliamentary elections first.

Konjufca said “there are two kinds of politicians, those in the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) who are in favor of the Association [Serb-majority municipalities] and those in PAN [PDK, AAK and NISMA] who are in favor of a territorial exchange and who want to go to negotiations with a puppet prime minister”. “The Vetevendosje Movement is against both projects because their final objective is the partitioning of Kosovo. The Vetevendosje Movement is also against any so-called final settlement with Serbia without organising new elections that will result in a government with full legitimacy to govern the country,” he added.

Hyseni meets Merkel’s advisor, calls for greater coordination (media)

Kosovo’s State Coordinator for the dialogue with Serbia, Skender Hyseni, after a visit to Paris, travelled to Berlin where he met Matthias Luttenberg, advisor to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Hyseni said after the meeting that he has called for greater coordination between Berlin, Paris and Washington, “because only the involvement of this troika can result in a comprehensive agreement on mutual recognition”.

Phillips: Trump administration wants a quick solution (Zeri)

David L. Phillips, Director of the Program on Peace-building and Human Rights at Columbia University, said in an interview for the paper that he doesn’t expect any surprises from the meeting between the Kosovo and Serbia delegations at the White House on September 4.

Phillips said it is good that Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will meet because it is a sign of good will but that the differences between the two countries are very big. “It will take to resolve the differences. Diplomacy is a process and not an event,” he said.

Phillips also said that the Trump Administration wants a quick solution for the Kosovo – Serbia dispute so that it can present it as a diplomatic victory on the eve of the U.S. presidential election.

“But there can be no quick solution for Serbia’s crimes. Peace can be reached only when there is a comprehensive agreement that includes holding people accountable for war crimes, compensation for stolen and destroyed property and shedding light on the fate of missing persons”.

Esch: Comprehensive agreement is Brussels’ responsibility (RFE)

Valeska Esch, Deputy Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Germany, said in an interview with the news agency that in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, the European Union is trying to move from technical issues to major political questions in order to gradually reach a comprehensive agreement.

Esch said the European Union and Special Envoy Miroslav Lajcak are in charge of facilitating the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and to reach a comprehensive and stable agreement and that they also have the support of the United States in the process.

Asked about visa liberalisation for Kosovo, Esch said she honestly hopes that a positive decision in the process will be made late this year.

Rexhepi: Mustafa was wrong, he’ll pay the price in elections (KTV)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) MP Fatmir Rexhepi said in an interview with the TV station that party leader Isa Mustafa was wrong to remove him and Vjosa Osmani from leading positions in the party and that he will pay the price in new elections.

“That was a terrible mistake and I have the utmost respect for him regardless of what has happened. But the decision came from him,” Rexhepi said.