• Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti’s interview for BBC’s Newsday (media)
• "Agreement needed for Serbian elections to take place in Kosovo" (media)
• State Department: Kosovo to not derail from KSF transition plan (RFE)
• Kurti waiting for new government in Montenegro to discuss demarcation (Kosovapress)
• EU Strategic Compass warns of frail stability of Western Balkans (N1)
• Kosovo's Defence Minister Mehaj visits Israel (media)
• Vetevendosje against idea of pension withdrawals (RTK)
• AJK condemns Kurti's aide remarks on news portals (media)
• Montenegro refuses Serbia's request to open voting polls (VOA/media)
• COVID-19: 26 new cases, no deaths (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti’s interview for BBC’s Newsday (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti commented on concerns that the crisis in Ukraine could spill over to the Western Balkans, namely Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Speaking to the BBC, Kurti said Serbia is the only country in the region that has not imposed sanctions on Russia and warned of militarisation of Serbia. "This is very worrisome because it is in the interest of Kremlin to spread conflict elsewhere, to outsource destabilisation and insecurity in the European continent," Kurti said, adding that what Russian President Putin wants is to have another Yalta conference where he would sit with the U.S. President Biden "in order to carve out Europe."

Kurti rejected allegations that there are Kosovo fighters in Ukraine. "They are saying all sorts of disinformation and false allegations because this is part of their hybrid war. Hybrid war is full of lies, false narratives and hybrid war turns into real war."

Listen to the interview at: https://bit.ly/3IrDzgn

"Agreement needed for Serbian elections to take place in Kosovo" (media)

Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Donika Gervalla held a virtual meeting with Kosovo's ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions. They discussed the situation in the region in light of events in Ukraine.

According to a readout of the meeting from the Government of Kosovo, Serbian elections were also discussed with PM Kurti noting that there needs to be an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in order for them to take place in the territory of Kosovo. He reiterated the stance that "we do not want to prevent the citizens of our Republic with dual citizenship the right to vote but at the same time we cannot act in violation to the legality and constitutionality of the country." He added that Kosovo will act responsibly and is in continuous contact with Quint countries.

State Department: Kosovo to not derail from KSF transition plan (RFE)

The United States welcomes Kosovo's aspirations for NATO membership, but membership requirements are complex and require a long-term and careful approach, a State Department spokesman told Radio Free Europe.

"Kosovo can best prove its readiness for responsibilities that NATO membership carries by continuing active implementation of the ten-year transition plan [of the Kosovo Security Force, adds RFE] and not derailing from it," the spokesman said, adding that the U.S. is committed to helping Kosovo secure its place alongside its neighbours in European and Euro-Atlantic institutions.

Kurti waiting for new government in Montenegro to discuss demarcation (Kosovapress)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said that the issue of border demarcation will be addressed with the new government of Montenegro, once confirmed. He said a discussion on the issue was not possible with the previous government of Montenegro, which he described as having had pro-Russian elements inside.

“We hope there will be conditions with the new Government, to address this issue, for which of course the fault and responsibility lies with the then Government which unjustly, mistakenly, very harmfully gave Montenegro 8,200 hectares of the territory of Kosovo,” Kurti said yesterday in Pristina.

EU Strategic Compass warns of frail stability of Western Balkans (N1)

European Union Foreign and Defense Ministers approved the Strategic Compass, a document which the Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said is an ambitious plan for action for a stronger EU security and defense for the next decade.

According to Borrell, Europe must learn to speak the language of power. “Over the next decade, we will make a quantum leap to become a more assertive and decisive security provider, better prepared to tackle present and future threats and challenges,“ he said of the document which provides for a rapid deployment force, enhanced military mobility and a cyber defense policy among other things.

The Strategic Compass warned that “Security and stability throughout the Western Balkans is still not a given, also due to increasing foreign interference, including information manipulation campaigns, as well as through potential spill over from the current deterioration of the European security situation. “In this regard, it is of particular interest to support the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, based on the principles of equality and non-discrimination of all citizens and constituent peoples as enshrined in the Bosnia and Herzegovina constitution, as well as the reform process on its European path and to take forward the EU-led Pristina-Belgrade dialogue”, it said and added that tangible progress on the rule of law and reforms based on European values, rules and standards needs to continue and the European perspective is a strategic choice, essential for all partners aspiring to EU membership.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3itccIq

Kosovo's Defence Minister Mehaj visits Israel (media)

Kosovo's Minister of Defence Armend Mehaj has travelled to Israel on the invitation of the country's authorities, media report quoting a statement from the Ministry of Defence. Mehaj is expected to attend Israel's Defense, HLS and Cyber Exhibition (ISDEF 2022) and will meet officials from the Israeli security and defence institutions.

Vetevendosje against idea of pension withdrawals (RTK)

The ruling Vetevendosje Movement will not support the initiative of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) enabling pension contributors to withdraw funds, said Mimoza Kusari-Lila, head of party's parliamentary group.

She noted that the concept of the pension trust is to preserve the wellbeing of citizens above the age of 65 when they complete their contributions to the pension fund. Kusari-Lila however said they are ready to discuss with opposition parties other modalities to help citizens.

AJK condemns Kurti's aide remarks on news portals (media)

Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) has reacted to a Facebook post by Luan Dalipi, chief of staff to Prime Minister Albin Kurti, saying that he "unprecedentedly attacked Kosovo’s media."

On Facebook Dalipi said that "using a media outlet to blackmail the government" is not a new concept and that "lies and traps and their placement in portals makes these outlets resemble criminalised enterprises whose business model relies on defamation and attempts to blackmail the government and/or manipulate the public." Dalipi alleged that in the past, former government officials paid news portals to be "silent" on certain matters and that "now when we finally have good governance and end to those damaging contracts, some portals are trying to get revenge." He further wrote that the current government of Kosovo has stopped and is continuing to stop practices that are harmful for the public budget and that it would be "healthy" for citizens to ignore malicious media outlets by simply unfollowing them on social media.

"AJK considers that such a public call by Prime Minister Kurti's closest ally in the Government is very dangerous, and an open call for denigrating language towards journalists," the Association of Journalists said.

Montenegro refuses Serbia's request to open voting polls (VOA/media)

The Government of Montenegro has refused request of Serbia for opening of three polling centres on its territory for the upcoming Serbian presidential and parliamentary elections. In a statement, the Government of Montenegro said that the decision was taken by Foreign Minister Djordje Radulovic without notifying the prime minister and the majority of the cabinet.

At the same time, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic warned of "broad consequences" if Montenegro did not open polls in three of its cities.

COVID-19: 26 new cases, no deaths (media)

26 new cases with COVID-19 have been confirmed in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 45 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 632 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.