• COVID-19: A record 36 deaths in last 24 hours (media)
• “Over 90 percent of victims in last 24 hours were not vaccinated” (RFE)
• Kurti: Impossible to have a long lockdown in the country (Koha/RFE)
• PDK leader: Another tragic day for Kosovo (media)
• LDK gives recommendations to government in fight against COVID-19 (media)
• First group of Afghan refugees arrive in Kosovo (media)
• Rama doubles down on Open Balkan, promises new approach with Kosovo (Exit News)
• Businesses eye boost, but also barriers, in ‘Open Balkan’ initiative (BIRN)

COVID-19: A record 36 deaths in last 24 hours (media)

36 people succumbed to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours in Kosovo, in what is the highest number of victims since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. 1,163 new cases were recorded in the last 24 hours. There are 26,575 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo. 816 persons recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours.

The new restrictive measures against COVID-19 will enter into force today. Curfew hours will be in place between 22.00 and 5.00. People entering the country are now required to present proof of vaccination or a negative PCR/antigen test in order to avoid 7 days of quarantine. Public sector employees will be required the same after September 13, when schools are expected to open after a two weeks postponement. Those who are not vaccinated or have no negative virus test, won’t be allowed to work. Outdoor bars and restaurants will remain open until 9.30pm.

Koha Ditore reports on its front page this morning that foreign media too are reporting about Kosovo turning into a hotbed of COVID-19 and that Swiss media reported that no restrictive measure against the virus was respected in the last two months in Kosovo in what was described as a celebratory atmosphere.

“Over 90 percent of victims in last 24 hours were not vaccinated” (RFE)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Health told the news website that over 90 percent of the 36 victims from COVID-19 on Sunday were not vaccinated against the virus. “Over 90 percent of the victims that were recorded were unfortunately not vaccinated,” a Ministry official said.

Kurti: Impossible to have a long lockdown in the country (Koha/RFE)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti summoned the National Security Council on Sunday after the country registered a new record of 36 fatalities from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. Following the meeting, Kurti, together with Health Minister Arben Vitia, gave a press conference, where he said that the lack of civic discipline also contributed to the deteriorating situation with the virus. “We will issue fines for anyone that fails to respect the measures. We will have more police officers on the ground, and inspectors will step up controls and monitor the implementation of measures in stores and trade centers. Members of the Kosovo Police will be on 12 working hour shifts,” Kurti said.

Koha Ditore also notes that at the press conference, Kurti did not talk about the restrictive measures but indirectly addressed the blame on previous governments for the small number of inspectors and expressed concern over the lack of caution by the people. Kurti also said that the country cannot go on a long lockdown because of the grave economic situation.

Several media outlets highlight that Health Minister Vitia implied in his remarks that Kosovo is facing a shortage of vaccines against COVID-19. Both Kurti and Vitia called on those that are vaccinated against the virus to be especially careful because they can spread the Delta variant to other people.

Radio Free Europe quotes Kurti as saying: “We are at a critical point. Those who are vaccinated, if they are not careful, they become super-spreaders of the virus. We who are vaccinated must be even more responsible than we were in the past”.

PDK leader: Another tragic day for Kosovo (media)

Memli Krasniqi, leader of the biggest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), said on Sunday that it was another tragic day for Kosovo as the country recorded 36 fatalities from COVID-19. “For days in a row, our breath is stopped short by this horrifying situation with alarming figures, where losses of people’s lives from the virus is regrettably being seen by the government only as figures … We are not waging a political war over the pandemic. But the government needs to immediately respond with a completely different approach, a concrete plan, with seriousness and maximal engagement to stop this devastating charge of the pandemic. It is unacceptable for this irresponsibility to go on,” Krasniqi wrote in a Facebook post.

LDK gives recommendations to government in fight against COVID-19 (media)

Lumir Abdixhiku, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said Sunday was a national tragedy with the 36 fatalities from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. In a Facebook post, Abdixhiku listed eight recommendations for the Kurti-led government which he said should be implemented immediately and without delay. He said vaccination should be offered seven days a week and that mobile vaccination centers must operate in all municipalities. Vaccines should be distributed to our citizens and the whole vaccination process must be simplified. The number of healthcare staff, he said, must be increased in order to help with the overloaded capacities and that all inspectors must be deployed in the field to monitor the implementation of restrictive measures. The government, according to Abdixhiku, must deal only with the pandemic and show leadership and save people’s lives.

First group of Afghan refugees arrive in Kosovo (media)

The first group of Afghan refugees – around 100 persons – who fled their country after the Taliban takeover, arrived in Kosovo on Sunday evening on a US Army plane. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, Prime Minister Albin Kurti and US Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett, welcomed the Afghan nationals at Prishtina Airport. Citing unconfirmed information, some news outlets report that the first group of Afghans will be sheltered near the US military camp Bondsteel in Ferizaj. The Kosovo Government recently said it will provide temporary shelter to around 2,000 Afghan refugees.

US Ambassador Kosnett wrote on Twitter: “Honored to join Kosovan leaders and Quint colleagues welcoming to Pristina the first group of NATO-affiliated Afghan evacuees. By temporarily hosting Afghans en route to permanent homes elsewhere, Kosovo is not only saving lives, but giving Afghans an opportunity to build new ones.”

President Osmani said: “We welcomed the first group of Afghan nationals who worked or were contractors of our allies, NATO, and who need protection more than ever before. We showed that we have opened both our doors and hearts because as victims of a genocidal regime we know well what it means to be forced to leave your home. This is why we are proud to stand alongside our partners and to contribute to a wide-ranging effort of our partners to alleviate this human tragedy and so that those that arrive in Kosovo can finally feel safe”.

Prime Minister Kurti said it was an honor for Kosovo and for him to help the Afghan refugees. He thanked NATO and the United States of America for close communication and coordination on the issue.

Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla told reporters that the majority of the first group of Afghans are children, women and elderly people. He also said that another group will be arriving in Kosovo on Monday.

Rama doubles down on Open Balkan, promises new approach with Kosovo (Exit News)

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama reaffirmed his commitment to the “Open Balkan” initiative and said he would seek a new approach to Albania’s relationship with Kosovo.

Rama made these remarks yesterday, during a meeting with his newly-elected parliamentary group. The meeting was convened to discuss Rama’s strategy for the Socialist Party’s third mandate.

Talking about his approach to Kosovo, he acknowledged that the “Open Balkan” initiative had played an undue role in souring relationships between the two countries.

Rama vowed to be more present in Prishtina and to strengthen ties with Kosovo’s government.

Nevertheless, Rama doubled down on his commitment to the “Open Balkan” initiative, calling it “a clear, right, and meaningful choice for the future of [Albania] and the region.”

The Open Balkan initiative is a project spearheaded by Rama, North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, and Serbian President Aleksander Vucic. It aims to create a free trade and movement zone within the Western Balkans, resembling the Schengen area.

However, their attempts have been stonewalled by the refusal of Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo to join in.

Kosovo PM Albin Kurti has been the initiative’s most vocal critic, arguing that any attempt at regional cooperation should happen under the supervision of the European Union.

Businesses eye boost, but also barriers, in ‘Open Balkan’ initiative (BIRN)

An initiative to scrap border controls in the Balkans is causing political waves, but for businesses it could be a boon.

When the leaders of North Macedonia, Serbia and Albania announced in July that they would abolish border controls between them by 2023, businesses in the Balkans were watching closely, startups in particular.

Originally dubbed ‘mini-Schengen’, the newly-named Open Balkan initiative aims to replicate the Schengen zone’s free flow of people, capital and goods, initially between the three countries but potentially across the entire region.

Its critics say the initiative risks becoming a replacement for European Union membership, which has become an increasingly distant prospect since Croatia became the last country to join the bloc in 2013.

But some businesses – their access to European markets limited – are licking their lips at the prospect of a single market of roughly 12 million people.

Nina Nikolich, co-founder of Startup Macedonia, which provides companies with consulting and mentoring services, said that while individual markets in the Balkans were good for testing a product or service, Startup Macedonia always encourages its clients “to think globally and focus on going to other markets as well.”

“An initiative like Open Balkan is something that will accelerate the process of getting faster market validation in these countries,” Nikolich told BIRN. “It will support collaboration between founders, organisations, investors, institutions.”

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