• COVID-19: 71 new cases, one death (media)
• Thaci warns of danger from Thursday's meeting in Brussels (media)
• PM's advisor dismisses Thaci's warnings about Brussels meeting (Klan)
• Netanyahu to Kosovo people: I extend the hand of friendship (media)
• Haradinaj-Stublla accuses Vucic for breach of agreement (media)
• Osmani: Wrong for closed issues to be readdressed with Serbia (media)
• Konjufca: Serbia, not the U.S., drafted parts of Washington agreement (Klan)
• Kosovo conditions Serbia on Association: Implementation after recognition (RFE)
• Hoti to discuss Washington Agreement with civil society (RTK)
• Limaj requests from opposition to be part of dialogue with Serbia (RTK)
• Letters of intent signed in Washington for construction of new highway (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

COVID-19: 71 new cases, one death (media)

Kosovo's National Institute for Public Health announced that 608 samples were tested for coronavirus during a 24-hour period, of which 71 resulted positive.

Meanwhile, 199 recoveries and one death were recorded over the same timeframe.

The highest number of new infections (20) is in the municipality of Pristina.

Kosovo's Health Minister Armend Zemaj made an appeal to teachers and parents as the new school year began to respect protective measures in place against the COVID-19 pandemic. "Any negligence towards anti COVID recommendations endangers the general health and will not be tolerated," he said.

Thaci warns of danger from Thursday's meeting in Brussels (media)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci warned that the reopening of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities issue in Brussels on Thursday represents a setback for Kosovo and is “part of Serbia’s agenda.”

“Reopening of the association issue in Brussels, after a decade is a setback for Kosovo. It is a blow to Kosovo’s statehood, undermines its sovereignty and risks the creation of a ‘Serb Republic in Kosovo.’ I think the Assembly of Kosovo needs to be very careful about something like this,” Thaci told reporters following activities marking the Jewish New Year in Pristina.

He added that no one has the right to discuss and ‘let alone’ reach some type of new agreement on the Association saying that everything relating to the topic has been concluded years ago.

Thaci said that mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia can only happen in Washington. "I believe that if economic normalisation was achieved in Washington so will the mutual recognition between the state of Kosovo and Serbia."

Speaking about recognition of Kosovo from Israel, Thaci said it was of strategic importance for the whole world.

PM's advisor dismisses Thaci's warnings about Brussels meeting (Klan)

Xhavit Beqiri, political advisor to Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti, said there is no room for concern regarding the upcoming meeting between Kosovo and Serbia representatives in Brussels and that President Hashim Thaci's remarks are aimed to draw attention and make the Kosovo delegation more careful.

"The Government of Kosovo has entered the dialogue for mutual recognition between the two countries with clear idea and platform based on the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. Independence, integrity and internal constitutional arrangement are issues that will not be discussed," Beqiri said.

"There is no room for concern because the dialogue is being organised in full coordination by Brussels and Washington," he added.

Netanyahu to Kosovo people: I extend the hand of friendship (media)

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the people of Kosovo through a letter sent for the manifestation of the Jewish New Year, in Pristina.

 “In this New Year, I extend the hand of friendship to the people of Kosovo. Recent developments between Israel and Kosovo can be a start of a new era, from which populations of the two countries can benefit. I am optimistic that we can achieve so much by working together and it is my sincere hope that we will see this happen,” was written in his letter.

“I deeply appreciate continuous engagement of the Jewish community in Kosovo to get us closer,” he added.

Haradinaj-Stublla accuses Vucic for breach of agreement (media)

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla accused Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic of breaching the 4 September agreement reached at the White House.

“Kosovo follows with great concern destructive actions of Aleksandar Vucic breaching point 15 of the Washington Agreement brokered by POTUS.

Today he thanked Palestinian Ambassador Nabhan for the ‘principled stance on non-recognition of Kosovo.”

Unfortunately, Serbia remains an untrusted partner!” Haradinaj Stublla wrote on Twitter.

Osmani: Wrong for closed issues to be readdressed with Serbia (media)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Vjosa Osmani said in a meeting with Norway's envoy Arne Sannes Bjornstad that full transparency of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue is required throughout the process and that promises made before the Assembly to the citizens of Kosovo should be respected.

A statement issued by the Assembly after the meeting quotes Osmani as saying that while there is no alternative to dialogue, it would be a serious mistake to reopen issues that have already been closed that pertain to Kosovo's internal order and which have already been declared unconstitutional.

"Legitimacy, preparation, experience, and political unity are the only formula for success in dialogue," she underlined.

Konjufca: Serbia, not the U.S., drafted parts of Washington agreement (Klan)

Glauk Konjufca from the Vetevendosje Movement said that he is convinced that parts of the agreement on normalisation of economic relations signed in Washington have actually been drafted by Serbia not the United States. "These items exclusively relate to Serbia."

Konjufca said the good part of the agreement is recognition from Israel but other than that noted that for the first time Kosovo has agreed to negotiate on its own natural resources like the Trepca mine and Ujman/Gazivode Lake. He said that the part of the agreement where Kosovo pledges to suspend efforts to gain membership in international organisations is also "very negative."

Konjufca said that after the idea of territorial exchange between Kosovo and Serbia was rejected, that of the association of Serb-majority municipalities was opened. He said that the danger of the association is graves for Kosovo than that of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kosovo conditions Serbia on Association: Implementation after recognition (RFE)

The Association of the Serb-majority Municipalities will return in the focus of the the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue this Thursday. However, Kosovo authorities insist that this issue “will only be part of the comprehensive agreement for normalization of the relations between the two countries.”

Xhavit Beqiri, adviser to Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, told Radio Free Europe prior to Thursday’s meeting where they will discuss ‘arrangements for non-majority communities and settlement for mutual financial and property claims” that Kosovo will condition implementation of the Association of the Serb-majority Municipalities with mutual recognition.

“The official position of the Kosovo delegation and of the Prime Minister as well, is that no agreement, no matter how minor it is, on the issues that seem unimportant, cannot be reached, if the final, legally binding, comprehensive agreement where recognition is included, is not reached,” Beqiri said.

Hoti to discuss Washington Agreement with civil society (RTK)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti will participate today at the “Platform of the civil society for dialogue” roundtable, organized by the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI).

They will discuss the agreement reached at the White House as well as expectations from the process mediated by the European Union.

This discussion is organized within the project "Promotion of a well-informed process and participant in the final phase of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue" supported by the Swiss Embassy and the German Embassy in Kosovo.

Limaj requests from opposition to be part of dialogue with Serbia (RTK)

Fatmir Limaj, leader of the Social-Democratic Initiative (NISMA) said participation of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) in the dialogue is necessary.

“Opposition should be from now on part of the state delegation, as without a political consensus, it cannot be approved. It is crucial for the opposition to participate in the discussions for the final agreement,” he said.

He admitted there is an internal political battle in Kosovo, which he sees as a danger of losing the new momentum, which will lead to the comprehensive agreement for mutual recognition with Serbia.

Letters of intent signed in Washington for construction of new highway (media)

The United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has signed letters of intent with the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) to begin procedures for construction of the Pristina-Nis highway, referred to as the Peace Highway.

“The Peace Highway will drive economic development and regional integration by connecting Nis and Pristina. It will also serve as a powerful symbol of the new, transformative relationship between these neighboring countries,” said DFC CEO Adam Boehler. “DFC, in partnership with EXIM, is committed to advancing this peace process by investing in projects that create jobs and bring sustained economic benefit to both countries," a press release issued by DFC states.

Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti hailed the move as 'good news' towards implementation of the economic normalisation agreement.