• COVID-19: 709 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Kurti: First task of new government will be securing COVID-19 vaccines (media)
• Zemaj discusses Covid situation with Israeli counterpart (media)
• Lul Raka: The pandemic exposed Kosovo’s weak healthcare system (Prishtina Insight)
• Koha, Indeksonline reveal who they say will be members of new government
• PDK will not support Osmani for president (media)
• Abdixhiku: Osmani to clarify her position on LDK (Telegrafi)
• Abbott: Kosovo needs greater public debate on dialogue (Koha)
• Lajcak briefs EU ambassadors on Western Balkans visit (media)
• Serwer: U.S. to convince Russia on Kosovo joining UN (Klan)
• “Turkey's reaction over Kosovo's embassy, attempt to expand influence” (VOA/media)
• Hasani: Konjufca cannot mandate Kurti for Prime Minister (media)
• In addition to the Assembly, the government is expected to be voted on Monday (Koha)
• High number of deaths during the pandemic year in Kosovo (Koha)
• Kosovo, EU discuss energy, environment and other issues (Gazeta Express)
• Serbs Commemorate Dead on Anniversary of Kosovo Unrest (Balkan Insight)
• In Latest Award-Winning Kosovo Film, a Coming-of-Age Story (Balkan Insight)

 

COVID-19: 709 new cases, eight deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded 709 new cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths in the last 24 hours. 385 persons have recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 12,341 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Kurti: First task of new government will be securing COVID-19 vaccines (media)

Leader of the Vetevendosje Movement Albin Kurti said that the immediate task of his new government would be to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and secure vaccines in the shortest period of time possible.

In a meeting with Luxembourg's ambassador Natacha Gomes, Kurti said that Kosovo counts on the support from ally countries to secure the vaccine.

Kurti also listed employment and justice as two other top priorities underlining that progress in these areas is paramount for a sustainable and functional country.

Zemaj discusses Covid situation with Israeli counterpart (media)

Kosovo's outgoing Minister of Health Armend Zemaj spoke yesterday to his Israeli counterpart Yuli Edelstein about possibilities of securing Covid vaccines for the citizens of Kosovo.

Zemaj said the meeting focused on the pandemic situation and bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector. "Cooperation will be complete and I therefore expressed appreciation to Minister Yuli Edelstein for this readiness," he wrote on Facebook but provided no specifics about Kosovo securing vaccines through Israel.

Earlier, Kosovo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora issued a statement noting that Israel has expressed readiness to exhaust all options to help Kosovo securing necessary doses of the vaccine.

Lul Raka: The pandemic exposed Kosovo’s weak healthcare system (Prishtina Insight)

In an interview for BIRN set to air on Wednesday night, microbiologist Lul Raka said that the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the dire state of Kosovo’s healthcare system, which he blamed on a lack of investment.

“For 20 years there was no investment in the healthcare system,” Raka told BIRN’s Jeta Xharra, adding that politicians often failed to live up to promises made in this regard.

“When the budget was allocated, the health system was only given crumbs,” he went on. “Kosovo is the country with the lowest investment in healthcare per capita in Europe.”

The microbiologist, who was appointed as head of the Ministry of Health’s advisory board for the fight against COVID-19 in July 2020, also criticised Kosovo institutions’ handling of the pandemic, specifically citing a failure to build public trust.

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Koha, Indeksonline reveal who they say will be members of new government

Koha and Indeksonline are both quoting sources in revealing the names of persons expected to take ministerial posts in the new government of Kosovo led by the Vetevendosje Movement.

In addition to Vjosa Osmani President, Albin Kurti Prime Minister, and Glauk Konjufca Assembly Speaker, Besnik Bislimi is expected to be appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

Donika Gervalla is reported to be the candidate for Minister of Foreign Affairs, Xhelal Svecla - Minister of Internal Affairs, Arberie Nagavci - Minister of Eduation, Arben Vitia - Minister of Health, Hekuran Murati - Minister of Finances, Rozeta Hajdari - Minister of Trade, Hajrullah Ceku - Minister of Culture, Faton Peci - Minister of Agriculture, Liburn Aliu - Minister of Environment, Albulena Haxhiu - Minister of Justice.

Candidates for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Defence have not yet been determined, Indeksonline reports. Koha meanwhile says that there will be ministries that will be led by communities, two by the Serb community and one by non-Serb.

PDK will not support Osmani for president (media)

Acting leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Enver Hoxhaj said the party will not be supporting Vjosa Osmani's election as the new president of Kosovo.

The position was announced following the meetings of party’s leading mechanisms. "An important decision is that the Steering Council is unanimous against Vjosa Osmani's candidacy," Hoxhaj said.

Abdixhiku: Osmani to clarify her position on LDK (Telegrafi)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lumir Abdixhiku spoke to Tirana-based Syri TV about what relations he will have with acting President Vjosa Osmani saying it is up to her to clarify her position whereas the LDK will be open to all.

"Any candidate for president should clarify their position towards the LDK, whether be hateful, opposing, or neutral. The other side should clarify this issue," he said adding that Osmani's list is ideologically closer to LDK than to Albin Kurti's Vetevendosje Movement.

Abbott: Kosovo needs greater public debate on dialogue (Koha)

Nicholas Abbot, British Ambassador to Kosovo, said in an interview for KTV that Kosovo should be ready to make compromises on lower priorities in favour of higher ones. "To make sure Kosovo is prepared for negotiations, that it has, I think, a broader support than only within the Government, it needs to have a greater public debate," he said.

Dialogue, according to Abbott, is crucial and should resolve the issue of the missing persons and reiterated that land swap is not a good idea. "We don't think it is a good idea, in principle. We think it should be avoided. We don't think it would bring advantages some believed it would."

Commenting on Kosovo opening embassy in Jerusalem, Abbott said Kosovo should consider international element when taking decisions and that the view of the United Kingdom is that Jerusalem's status is to be negotiated between the Israeli and the Palestinians.

He encouraged Kosovo opposition parties to take part in the formation of new institutions. "I think in this moment it is time for all political parties in Kosovo to come together. It is time for unity," Abbott underlined.

Lajcak briefs EU ambassadors on Western Balkans visit (media)

The EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, briefed EU ambassadors about his recent visit to the Western Balkans.

Lajcak wrote on Twitter that in the meeting of the Political and Security Committee he spoke about his impressions and the way forward on the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue as well as EU-Western Balkans partnership.

Serwer: U.S. to convince Russia on Kosovo joining UN (Klan)

U.S. analyst from the Johns Hopkins University, Daniel Serwer, said that the U.S. Biden Administration should assist Kosovo in securing membership at the United Nations. He said this would be done by convincing Russia to allow the move.

Serwer said the U.S. and the EU should have meaningful cooperation on Kosovo. "European Union has three roles: to call the dialogue, secure carrots and sticks and be the final destination for Serbia and Kosovo. EU should also cooperate with the U.S. to ensure implementation of agreements stemming from the dialogue."

Serwer said he is against an Association of Serb-majority municipality that would undermine Kosovo's statehood and proposed Kosovo applied reciprocity by seeking the formation of such a mechanism for Albanian community in Serbia.

“Turkey's reaction over Kosovo's embassy, attempt to expand influence” (VOA/media)

U.S. analyst, David Philips, professor at the Columbia University, told Voice of America that Turkey's position on the local of Kosovo's embassy to Israel is part of its wider manipulation attempt.

"Kosovo can take its own decisions, it is not a colony of the U.S., the EU, or Turkey. It should act in its national interest. Honestly, Turkey couldn't care less about Kosovo and wants to use it for political and economic goals. This false polemic about the embassy's location is just a way for Turkey to project its influence and power and on this basis Kosovo should refuse Turkey's demands. Turkey does not act in Kosovo's national interest, it pursues an Islamic agenda and should be identified as such," Philips said.

Hasani: Konjufca cannot mandate Kurti for Prime Minister (media)

According to the media, Glauk Konjufca is expected to be nominated on the position of the Assembly Speaker of Kosovo, which automatically makes him acting President of Kosovo. On the very same day, Konjufca is expected to mandate Albin Kurti for the Prime Minister.

However, two former judges of the Constitutional Court Enver Hasani and Gjyljeta Mushkolaj have different opinions on the matter of nomination of the Prime Minister by the acting president.

The former head of the Constitutional Court, Enver Hasani, said that the political parties in the Kosovo should first proceed with the election of the President then the prime minister, since, according to him, the acting president cannot mandate someone to form the new government.

"The order of the main limbs of power represented by the respective bodies of power in a modern constitution, speaks a lot about the character of the political and constitutional system. In Kosovo, this ranking starts with the legislative and representative body (Assembly of Kosovo), continues with the head of state (President of the Republic), who is followed by the executive (government of Kosovo)," Hasani said.

On the other hand, former judge of the Constitutional Court Gjyljeta Mushkolaj told Gazeta express that no action should take place prior to constituting the Assembly.

“The new Assembly cannot act before being constituted. So, the Speaker and the chairmanship are to be elected. The new Speaker of the Assembly becomes acting (President) then the government is elected. Election of the President should take place within the deadline foreseen in the Constitution. So, no action should take place without the constitution of the Assembly. The new Speaker becomes the Acting President. The Acting President mandates the Prime Minister. Election of the President happens after,” Mushkolaj said.

In addition to the Assembly, the government is expected to be voted on Monday as well (Koha)

Except for the constitution of the Assembly, there is an intention to vote also the government on Monday. Although such scenario was not confirmed by the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), this was said by the non-majority communities.

‘All that I can assure you is that votes for the Prime Minister on 22^nd will be present,” said Erxhan Galushi from the Progressive Movement of Kosovo Roma.

Experts on the work of institutions claim that this is not difficult to be achieved. According to Eugen Cakolli from the Kosovo Democratic Institute, speedy formation of the institutions is necessary.

“Taking into consideration many challenges that the country is facing, especially in the economic aspect, developments with the pandemic, I believe that it is necessary for the government to take over the duty immediately after the constitution of the Assembly. And in this regard, there is a judgment of the Constitutional Court which requires that the issue of institution building be concluded as soon as possible and within a reasonable time in order to guarantee legal continuity of institutions," Cakolli said.

In addition to the endorsement of the government, the Vetevendosje Movement believes that the election of the president will be finalised next week.

"Given that the MPs who go to the executive, cannot be replaced immediately in one day, this will then depend on the Central Election Commission. It may take 2-3 days, because it depends on the CEC, but I believe that within the next week we will be able to finalize the issue of the president. It is good to do this, because we can start the work that awaits us," Albulena Haxhiu of the LVV said.

The session for the constitution of the Assembly will be held on Monday at 10 o'clock.

High number of deaths during the pandemic year in Kosovo (Koha)

Koha reports that in a recent opinion, Kosovo Ombudsperson highlighted what it said was an enormous increase of the number of deaths in Kosovo during 2020.

The reasons behind the trend are not provided in the report but compared to two previous years, Kosovo marked a sharp increase in deaths over the months of July, August, and September.

Kosovo, EU discuss energy, environment and other issues (Gazeta Express)

Officials from Kosovo and the European Commission held discussions about developments over the past year in the areas of energy, environment, climate, transport and regional Development, The EU Office in Kosovo said in a statement.

The discussion was held in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) which entered into force in April 2016. The reform topics covered by this meeting are directly relevant for the Kosovo economy as well as the well-being of citizens. It was agreed that strategies, action plans and legislation should be assessed to ensure coherence with the principles and priorities of the EU priority Green Deal initiative and Green Agenda for the Western Balkans to ensure coherence between relevant documents in each sector.

Serbs Commemorate Dead on Anniversary of Kosovo Unrest (Balkan Insight)

The anniversary of unrest that left 19 people dead in March 2004 and caused many Serbs to leave Kosovo was commemorated in Belgrade and various towns in Kosovo.

The 17th anniversary of ethnically-motivated violence against Serbs in Kosovo on March 17 and 18, 2004 was marked with a televised commemoration at the National Theatre in Belgrade on Wednesday.

The event, entitled ‘Remembrance Day on March 17, 2004 – Pogrom in Kosovo and Metohija’, was broadcast live and attended by just two people – President Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian Minister for Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, Darija Kisic Tepavcevic.

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In Latest Award-Winning Kosovo Film, a Coming-of-Age Story (Balkan Insight)

Looking for Venera explores the relationships between three generations of the same family via a teenage girl’s exploration of life and self.

Norika Sefa traces her passion for making movies to her father’s own habit of capturing family events on film when she was a child in Kosovo.

With an old 16 millimetre camera, “he filmed everything that happened at home – events, birthdays, simple things,” she said. When he handed her the raw material, Sefa edited what she calls a “hybrid documentary” that won her a place studying filmmaking in Denmark in 2012, aged 17.

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