• COVID-19: 574 new cases, 13 deaths (media)
• Zemaj: Vaccines dedicated to Kosovo to be available from 17 March (Klan)
• Assembly's constitutive session called for 22 March (media)
• Kurti: Missing persons did not get due attention in dialogue with Serbia (media)
• "Opening of embassy in Jerusalem decreed by former President Thaci" (media)
• EU, Palestinians, Jordan condemn opening of Kosovo’s embassy in Jerusalem (media)
• Abdixhiku sends letter to Kurti, Osmani asking to meet Friday (media)
• Analysts: Kurti to hope on LDK for Osmani's election (Telegrafi)
• Serwer: Vucic is trying to create Milosevis’s Greater Serbia (VoA, RTK)
• Hoxhaj denies that PDK leadership will be dismissed (Kanal10, media)
• Daut Haradinaj gives up MP mandate (media)
• Presidency secretary dismissed in light of misuse of authorities charges (media)
• Haxhiu on the murdered woman case: Those who neglected the case, to leave (media)
• Kosovo Seeks ‘Reset’ of Decade-Old Dialogue with Serbia (BIRN)
• Kosovo’s Thaci Challenges War Crime Indictment at Hague Court (BIRN)
• US’ Palmer and Serbia’s Vucic discuss main topics and mutual differences (N1)

 

COVID-19: 574 new cases, 13 deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded 574 new cases of COVID-19 and 13 deaths in the last 24 hours. 394 persons have recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 12,027 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Zemaj: Vaccines dedicated to Kosovo to be available from 17 March (Klan)

Outgoing Minister of Health Armend Zemaj said that the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines will be ready for shipment from 17 March and it will be a matter of days before they reach Kosovo.

Zemaj said the initial delivery will include 33,600 doses and will later be followed by another one of 66,900 doses.

Zemaj also commented on the statement by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama offering vaccination against Covid to healthcare staff from Kosovo. Zemaj said the offer includes vaccines being administered to healthcare workers in Kukes, Albania. "As minister I have asked the Hospital, Clinic and University Service to prepare a list of doctors that want to go get vaccinated. The offered vaccines are for about 50 persons," he said.

Assembly's constitutive session called for 22 March (media)

Acting President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani announced 22 March as the date for the constitutive session of the Assembly.

“Acting President Vjosa Osmani, in conformity with the Constitution of Kosovo and in compliance with the legislation in force, after the certification of the results by the CEC, has scheduled for March 22nd (Monday) the constitutive session of the VIII-th Legislature of the Assembly of Kosovo, in lieu of the outcome of February 14th elections. The session will be held at 10:00, while the preparations will be carried out in accordance with the applicable procedures,” a statement issued by the presidency reads.

Kurti: Missing persons did not get due attention in dialogue with Serbia (media)

Leader of the Vetevendosje Movement Albin Kurti met yesterday a delegation from the Kosovo's Red Cross headed by its head, Agim Gashi.

In the meeting, Kurti vowed that the new government that is expected to be formed very soon will continue fruitful cooperation with the Red Cross. On the issue of missing persons, Kurti said it did not receive proper attention in the dialogue with Serbia. "He underlined that this will change with the new government and that dialogue will be well-prepared and principled," a statement issued by the Vetevendosje quotes Kurti as saying.

"Opening of embassy in Jerusalem decreed by former President Thaci" (media)

Bekim Kupina, advisor to acting President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, said the opening of the embassy in Jerusalem was done based on a decree signed by former President Hashim Thaci.

Kupina said the decree was signed on 27 October 2020 by Thaci on the request made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora. "The decree for opening of this embassy was signed before Vjosa Osmani took the post of acting president," he said.

EU, Palestinians, Jordan condemn opening of Kosovo’s embassy in Jerusalem (media)

The EU has reiterated position against Kosovo’s decision to open embassy in Jerusalem calling the move ‘regrettable’ noting that the final status of city is not yet settled.

An EU spokesperson is quoted as saying: "The position of the EU is well known and is in line with the UN Security Council resolution 478 of 1980 which called on all UN member states to withdraw their diplomatic missions to Israel from Jerusalem. All EU member states, including the EU delegation to Israel, are located in Tel Aviv."

At the same time, the Palestinians have condemned the opening of Kosovo's embassy in Jerusalem.  Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, slammed the move as being “in violation of international law."

Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has also condemned Kosovo's opening of embassy in Jerusalem, considering it a clear violation of international law. The ministry’s spokesperson, Dhaifallah Al-Fayez, said that any measures or decisions aimed at changing the status of the city of Jerusalem or its legal status are considered invalid, illegal, and without legal effect.

Abdixhiku sends letter to Kurti, Osmani asking to meet Friday (media)

New leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lumir Abdixhiku has sent a letter to the leader of the Vetevendosje Movement Albin Kurti and acting President Vjosa Osmani asking them to meet this Friday after he did not attend today's meeting Kurti and Osmani called with leaders of parliamentary parties.

After visiting the grave of the late leader of the LDK and Kosovo president Ibrahim Rugova, Abdixhiku said he was waiting for response from Kurti and Osmani.

Analysts: Kurti to hope on LDK for Osmani's election (Telegrafi)

Political analysts debating recent developments in Kosovo on RTV Dukagjini said the leader of the Vetevendosje Movement Albin Kurti can only hope on the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) to enable election of Vjosa Osmani president of Kosovo.

Commenting on yesterday's meetings Kurti and Osmani had with the leaders of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Vehbi Kajtazi said PDK's Enver Hoxhaj implied that his party MPs will not remain in the Assembly session when the president is voted. At the same time, "Mr. Haradinaj was very clear in this objection and it seems the president will truly 'pass through LDK offices'. However, I do not rule out the possibility of LDK also refusing to make the quorum for Osmani," he said.

Arton Demhasaj noted that it is likely the LDK will in fact make quorum for Osmani considering criticism the party faced when it enabled Hashim Thaci to become president.

Serwer: Vucic is trying to create Milosevis’s Greater Serbia (VoA, RTK)

Johns Hopkins University professor and expert on Balkans Daniel Sewer assessed that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is trying to build a Greater Serbia that Milosevic and Dobrica Cosic wanted. "It is a Serbian program, modernized for today's Balkans," he said.

While commenting election results in Niksic, Montenegro, Serwer told VoA in Serbian that he is concerned about the ambitions of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to take control of Serbs in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.

"However, I would not panic too much about it. I am very concerned about the role of Serbia and Russia, and especially President Vucic's ambition to take control of Serbs in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Vucic is trying to build a de facto Greater Serbia that Milosevic and Dobrica Cosic wanted. It is a Serbian program, modernized for today's Balkans," he said and added that the influence of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro is still evident.

Hoxhaj denies that PDK leadership will be dismissed (Kanal10, media)

The Steering Council of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) will meet on Wednesday to discuss their defeat on the February 14 elections, but also other current political topics. The news was confirmed by the acting leader of this political party, Enver Hoxhaj.

"I will talk about the election result of February 14, we will talk about our behavior as opposition, we will treat the issue of electing the president, I can have a clear personal opinion, but decisions must be made in the party, also about the steps and the reform, the opening and the change that needs to happen," he told Kanal 10.

Hoxhaj denied that the Steering Council will convene to dismiss the leadership of the party. He said that the election result will be debated, but that the conscience should also be followed.

"Our leader is in court and we will make the right decision at the right time. We can debate it, but I am talking about a party leader who is in court, there must be a debate, when it should happen, how it should happen, it should be done with the values of PDK, but we must also show political morality. The spirit to be led by others does not serve PDK," Hoxhaj said.

Daut Haradinaj gives up MP mandate (media)

Daut Haradinaj from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has given up his MP mandate enabling Shemsedin Dreshaj to gain a seat in the new Assembly.

Haradinaj said the decision was guided by the new circumstances and that his time will now be spent more in the municipalities for the fact that local elections are expected to take place this autumn.

Presidency secretary dismissed in light of misuse of authorities charges (media)

Driton Gashi, secretary at the Kosovo President’s Office, has been dismissed from post following allegations he overstepped his competencies in trying to open a safe in the office without authorisation.

Faton Peci, chief of staff to the acting President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, confirmed that a panel set up to look into allegations against Gashi has decided to dismiss him from service.

Gashi, former head of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, had been suspended after being accused of trying to open a safe soon after former President Hashim Thaci stepped down following indictment by the Specialist Chambers and that it was believed he tried to retrieve confidential information along with a man he presented as an intelligence officer.

Gashi is also facing criminal charges for his role while head of intelligence in the deportation of six Turkish nationals that authorities in Ankara alleged had ties with a terrorist organisation.

Haxhiu on the murdered woman case: Those who neglected the case, to leave (media)

Former Minister of Justice and member of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) Albulena Haxhiu has reacted after a woman was killed yesterday in Pristina by her husband.

She wrote that if the institutions acted in time in accordance with their responsibilities, a serious crime against the deceased could be prevented.

“How many more women have to be killed in order for the institutions to react to these criminal acts?” she asked.

"Negligence must be punished. It cannot be continued like this because domestic violence is NOT a private matter but a state responsibility,” Haxhiu wrote on Facebook.

"Those who neglect such cases must leave the security and justice system. There can be no place in the system for those who do not perform their duties," she added.

Kosovo Seeks ‘Reset’ of Decade-Old Dialogue with Serbia (BIRN)

March marks 10 years since the European Union began facilitating talks between Serbia and Kosovo with the goal of ‘normalising’ relations. Their relationship remains far from normal, and now Kosovo says it is time to take stock.

After a decade of talking and dozens of partially-fulfilled agreements, Kosovo’s new leadership says it wants a review and a ‘reset’ of the European Union-mediated dialogue with former master Serbia.

Launched in 2011 as an effort to resolve the myriad technical issues thrown up by the fact Serbia does not recognise its former southern province as independent, the ultimate aim of the Brussels talks is the ‘normalisation’ of relations between the Balkan neighbours, most likely in the form of mutual recognition.

Basking in the glow of a landslide election win on February 14, Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti, Kosovo’s likely next prime minister, said the dialogue would not be a priority of his government. The fight against corruption and the creation of new jobs were more important, he said.

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

Kosovo’s Thaci Challenges War Crime Indictment at Hague Court (BIRN)

Former president Hashim Thaci claimed his right to a fair trial is being violated and called for the dismissal of the indictment accusing him of committing war crimes when he was a Kosovo Liberation Army leader.

Hashim Thaci’s defence has filed a motion calling on the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague to dismiss the indictment charging him with committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, and claiming that the court has exceeded its jurisdiction.

“The prosecution of Hashim Thaci violates his right to a fair and impartial public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law…. It also violates his right to be presumed innocent,” said the motion, which was made public on Friday.

The defence argued that “the gravity and cumulative nature of these violations mean that such a legal impediment to jurisdiction exists, warranting a dismissal of the charges and release of Mr Thaci”.

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

US’ Palmer and Serbia’s Vucic discuss main topics and mutual differences (N1)

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic and Matthew Palmer, the US State Department special envoy for the Western Balkans, discussed on Monday the main issues related to the region, the reaction to coronavirus pandemic and those topics on which the two disagree.

Vucic’s cabinet quoted the President as describing the video link talks as “open and substantial as always.”

According to the cabinet’s statement, the discussion included the general situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery, the resumption of the Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on the normalisation of relations and the significance of media freedom in the region.

“We talked all important issues and all differences between us,” Vucic was quoted as saying.

See more at: https://bit.ly/2OU8dsH