Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 141 new cases, six deaths (media)
• Hoti: The government will not allow further degrading of Telekom (RTK)
• Ramosaj: Works at Decan-Plave road continue, did not discuss with Hoti (RTK)
• Government: Decision to interrupt works at Decan Monastery, still in power (media)
• KFOR claims they are first security responders for Decan Monastery (Insajderi)
• KDI: Work of the Assembly – hostage to lack of political consensus (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Hoti’s adviser: If works on Decani-Plav road continue, decision of government is violated (KoSSev)
• Abbot Janjic: Bypass road around special protective zone is solution (Radio KIM, SRNA)
• Ramosaj: Law banning Decani-Plav road discriminatory; Janjic: Law exists, institutions must protect it (KoSSev)
• Italians to guard Visoki Decani Monastery again (KoSSev, Kosovo-online)
• VOA: Why Vucic announces extraordinary elections already in 2022 (N1)
• Spiegel: NGOs, media dangerous to Serbian president under investigation (N1)
• Rakic, Milivojevic met Erik Grøndahl (TV Most)

International:

• Pandemic now driven by 20s, 30s, 40s group, many asymptomatic: WHO (Reuters)

Humanitarian/Development:

• 11th edition of Anibar kicks off online (Prishtina Insight)
• Serbian Health Minister says number of coronavirus patients dropping (BETA, N1)

   

Albanian Language Media

  COVID-19: 141 new cases, six deaths (media)

Kosovo's National Institute for Public Health announced in its daily report that 141 new cases of coronavirus and six deaths have been recorded in Kosovo over the last 24 hours. 

Meanwhile, 219 recoveries have been confirmed over the same time period. 

According to the National Institute for Public Health, the total number of recovered patients stands at 7,562 while there are currently 3,708 active cases. 

The highest number of new infections have been recorded in the municipality of Prishtina (54).

Hoti: The government will not allow further degrading of Telekom (RTK)

The Temporary Board of Telecom of Kosovo, appointed by Avdullah Hoti’s government, resigned today.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti received with concern the current actions of the temporary Board of the Kosovo Telekom, at a difficult financial situation of this public enterprise, of strategic importance for Kosovo.

“The government of Kosovo does not welcome at all this action of the Board of Telekom. The raised remarks by the Trade Union of Telekom are concerning for the government as a shareholder. The government is committed not to allow further degrading of this enterprise of strategic importance for the country. Therefore, as a shareholder, the government will undertake all the required institutional steps to stop such actions and provide conditions for the recovery of the Kosovo Telekom,” PM Hoti said.

Last night the PTK Trade Union Federation interrupted all the relations with the temporary board of Telekom, claiming they do not recognize them as a board. They informed that the decision was made due to the ‘irresponsible actions which harm the interests of Telekom.’ They requested from the government of Kosovo dismissal of the temporary board of directors and nomination of another temporary board. 

Ramosaj: Works at Decan-Plave road continue, did not discuss with Hoti (RTK)

Mayor of Decan municipality Bashkim Ramosaj, said the works at Decan-Plave road interrupted on Sunday, started yesterday and they are ongoing.

“Work started yesterday and they are continuing today,” he said.

Ramosaj, who addressed through a public letter the President, Prime Minister and Assembly Speaker, requesting to allow the municipality of Decan to continue building the road, said he has not had any communication with PM Avdullah Hoti on the matter.

“I did not have any communication, but it is expected to have a meeting tomorrow, if he results negative of course,” he said.

Works at Decan-Plave road were suspended on Sunday after the request of the Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti addressed the mayor of Decan municipality. 

Government: Decision to interrupt works at Decan Monastery, still in power (media)

The Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo reacted to the statement of the Decan mayor Bashkim Ramosaj, who claimed that works at Decan-Plave road are going on.

Xhavit Beqiri, media adviser at the Office of the Prime Minister, told Telegrafi that the decision of PM Avdullah Hoti to stop the works is still in power.

“Decan mayor should be aware of PM Hoti’s decision. Not even a comma is removed from that decision. We stand behind the announcement that we made,” Beqiri said.

“If they are continuing, then he has not respected the decision of the government,” Beqiri told Gazeta Express. 

KFOR claims they are first security responders for Decan Monastery (Insajderi)

KFOR Mission in Kosovo issued today an important announcement with regards to the security of the Decan Monastery. They informed that they are the first security responder for the Monastery in Decan.

“Italian Soldiers of KFOR Regional Command West relieve their Moldovan comrades at guard posts located inside the Special Protection Zone of Deçan/Decane.

The NATO led operation in Kosovo acts as first security responder for the Visoki-Decane Monastery site,” reads the announcement. 

KDI: Work of the Assembly – hostage to lack of political consensus (Koha)

Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) considers that work of the Assembly of Kosovo remains hostage to the lack of political consensus, respectively fragility of the new parliamentary majority, which in many cases failed to ensure even the minimal majority to vote at the Assembly.

Eugen Cakolli from KDI, revealed today at a press conference the findings of the monitoring and assessment of the work of the Assembly of Kosovo during the spring session, which was characterized by work in conditions of health emergency and political crisis that proceeded. He said closure of spring session works of the Assembly, at the time when the country is in the midst of an economic and health crisis and without proceeding some of the draft laws related to the management of the pandemic, was a wrong move.

According to him, activities of the Assembly during this session, especially during the March-May period, were minimal, while performance on exercising legislative, oversight and representative functions was poor. 

   

Serbian Language Media

  Hoti’s advisor: If works on Decani-Plav road continue, decision of government is violated (KoSSev)

The works on Decani-Plav road in the special protective zone of Visoki Decani Monastery continued this Monday despite a previous ban issued by the Kosovo Prime Minister Avduallah Hoti, KoSSev portal reports. Decani mayor insisted the works would not cease. “Should the works continue, then Ramosaj is disrespecting the decision of the government”, advisor of the Kosovo Prime Minister, Xhavit Beqiri said.

“If he says they continue (works), he did not respect the decision of the Government. The stance of the Prime Minister is that in a statement. Not a single comma was removed”, Beqiri told Gazeta Express.

Meanwhile, KoSSev portal reported on the statement of AAK MP Rasim Selmanaj who took it to Facebook saying the previous government of Albin Kurti removed from the budget funds for implementation of Decani-Plav project. He added if the funds were not removed, the Decani-Plav road would be completed by now. 

Abbot Janjic: Bypass road around special protective zone is solution (Radio KIM, SRNA)

Abbot of Serbian Orthodox Church Visoki Decani Monastery Father Sava Janjic stated that a bypass road around the special protective zone of the Monastery would enable continuation of the works on a Decani-Plav highway. The works on a section of the road passing through the special protective zone didn’t continue on Monday, as it was previously announced by Decani mayor, Radio KIM reports.

Father Sava posted on his Twitter profile a map of a bypass road around the special protective zone, saying that international representatives and the-then prime minister and now Kosovo President Hashim Thaci agreed to it in 2014.

The map can be seen at: https://bit.ly/317n2Mo

“Bypass road around the Protective zone would enable normal continuation of the Dečani-Plav road. The local road through the Protective zone would remain of local character w/restriction for heavy traffic, speed, etc. This was supported by Intl reps, Monastery & PM Thaci in 2014”, Father Sava wrote on Twitter.

He underlined this is the only solution within the framework of the existing Law on Special Protective Zone. Father Sava also stressed that the Visoki Decani Monastery was never against the road reconstruction but could not, along with the international representatives, consent to the violation of the Law on Special Protective Zones.

“Accusing the Monastery that the road reconstruction depends upon us is nonsense”, Father Sava wrote.

He pointed out it was about the law adopted by the Kosovo Assembly adding the local institutions should work on its implementation and not violate it.

Ramosaj: Law banning Decani-Plav road discriminatory; Janjic: Law exists, institutions must protect it (KoSSev)

In the midst of tensions over the construction of the Decani-Plav road, the mayor of Decani and the abbot of the Visoki Decani Monastery conducted two separate interviews yesterday for two different Pristina media outlets, KoSSev portal reports.

Bashkim Ramosaj gave an interview for Pristina based Epoka e re; while Sava Janjic gave an interview for Klan Kosova. 

The law on the protective zone is discriminatory, the road must be built, Ramosaj reiterated once again in the interview.

On the other hand, Janjic underlined that the monastery has nothing against the construction of the road, adding that the Law on Special Protection Zones clearly prohibits the construction of the main road in the protective zone.

In yesterday’s interview for Klan Kosova, the Abbot of Visoki Decani Monastery, Sava Janjic agreed with the allegations that the road has economic importance for this municipality, but also pointed out that the road would not present a problem if it is built outside the protective zone.

“In principle, I agree that the road from Decani to Plav is of economic importance, and the Kosovo government has found a solution by starting a side road on the other side of the hill that would connect Decani with Plav in Montenegro. That road was opened by (cf. the then) Prime Minister Thaci with the mayors of Decani and Plav in September 2014“, Janjic explained.

He added that only half of this road was built, as only two kilometers were paved. “I do not know why this project was shelved”, Janjic said.

“Continuing the works in the protective zone – it is prohibited by law. The European Union, the OSCE, the ambassadors of the Quint countries gave a clear message that this time it is unacceptable. In August 2018, some ambassadors sent a clear message to Prime Minister Haradinaj and the Minister of Infrastructure that such a road has no legal basis. That is the reason why we keep repeating that they are violating Kosovo laws here“, Janjic underlined.

According to Janjic, it is not up to the monastery to allow or forbid the construction, as this issue is regulated by law.

“Based on the law, highways, freeways are unacceptable and prohibited by law. But if we want a smaller local road, with a lower traffic frequency and speed, it can happen later, of course. But based on the current plan, such highways, I’m afraid, are against Kosovo law“, Janjic stressed.

See at: https://bit.ly/31411hl Italians to guard Visoki Decani Monastery again (KoSSev, Kosovo-online)

Italian KFOR soldiers from Regional Command West have replaced today their Moldavian colleagues at the guarding points in the special protective zone in Decani, KoSSev portal reports.

KoSSev also said the replacement comes amid the tensions related to the Decani-Plav road reconstruction, and a day after Decani mayor Bashkim Ramosaj in his letter to the government, proposed that KFOR which is currently securing the Visoki Decani Monastery be replaced by the Kosovo police.

KFOR also said that this Mission under the NATO’s leadership is the first responder for the security of the monastery.

Visoki Decani Monastery was placed under UNESCO protection in 2005, and at the same time it has been under strong protection of KFOR since 1999. The monastery was the target of four armed attacks, two including mortar shells in 2000 and 2004, attack by a grenade in 2007 and attempted terrorist attack.

The monastery during its recent history since 1999 nurtures special friendly relations with Italian KFOR members, as well as with officials and intellectuals from this country.  

Meanwhile, Kosovo-online portal reported citing Pristina-based Klan Kosova that “Italian KFOR soldiers from Regional Command West relieve their Moldovan comrades, while soldiers (guards) are placed in a special protective zone of Decani. The operation led by NATO in Kosovo represents a first security responder for the site of Visoki Decani Monastery”, the statement said.   

VOA: Why Vucic announces extraordinary elections already in 2022 (N1)

The Voice of America said on Tuesday that the recent election victory seems to have become a problem for the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and its leader President Aleksandar Vucic, adding that this was proved by last week’s announced that the next parliamentary elections could be held in 2022 along with the vote for the next president and the city elections in Belgrade, N1 reports. 

“We saw at the recent elections that Vucic can only get a political crisis and that was evident right after the vote… A large number of Serbians, more than turned out to vote, are not represented by anyone. A significant number of people voted and almost 20 percent of the vote was dissipated. There is a deep dissatisfaction in the country, existential uncertainty over the coronavirus and similar things, there are a number of unresolved issues and all that has dropped into Vucic’s lap now,” Vreme weekly editor Filip Svarm told the VOA.

Political analyst Djordje Vukadinovic said that he believes Vucic would trade a few dozen seats in parliament for some kind of opposition. “The government has not been formed and the next elections and government have been announced,” he said.

Vukadinovic explained that the story of fresh elections has two dimensions. “The internal aspect is linked to Vucic’s tendency towards delays and uncertainty as is the attempt to ease the effects of the (election) boycott and dissatisfaction of a large part of the public with the elections.

However much it seems that nothing has happened, the fact is that the boycott and the election atmosphere cast a shadow of illegitimacy and that shadow is being cast over the entire parliament and future government,” he said, adding that Vucic is trying to reduce the pressure which he thinks will inevitably come from both the opposition and the public.

See more at: https://bit.ly/2Q2e9gv

Spiegel: NGOs, media dangerous to Serbian president under investigation (N1)

German weekly Der Spiegel writes in its latest edition that investigations have been launched against independent journalists and others who are seen as a danger to the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who is not being criticized by the European Union which wants him as a partner in resolving the Kosovo issue, Belgrade-based N1 reports.

“Serbian President Vucic recently declared a triumphal victory after his right-national-conservative Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won three fourths of the seats in parliament at the late June elections but Vucic’s joy over the fantastic result did not last long since Serbia has not calmed down after those elections,” Deutsche Welle quoted the magazine as saying.

It recalled the partly-violent protests early in July. “The reason was a drastic increase in the number of people infected with the coronavirus and the president’s and government’s failure to manage the crisis. Thousands of doctors made an open appeal to protest the authorities' bad health policies and demand the resignation of the pandemic Crisis Staff,” it said. Spiegel added that the media revealed details of an arms for Armenia scandal which showed “all the dimensions of corruption and organized crime and pushed Serbia into a diplomatic conflict with Azerbaijan”. “Add to that the anger of part of the public over the elections: election rules were broken and attempts at falsifying results reported during the campaign and the vote and virtually all opposition parties boycotted the elections,” it said.

According to the German weekly, Vucic found himself in what it calls a delicate situation and “launched attacks against the remaining freedoms in Serbia”. “The Serbian authorities have been conducting investigations against almost 40 NGOs and independent media as well as some 20 individuals claiming suspicion of money laundering and possible terrorist links. No specific charges against them have been disclosed,” it said, adding that the organizations under investigation include two of the biggest NGOs – the Helsinki Committee in Serbia and Belgrade Center for Human Rights as well as the BIRN, CINS and Krik investigative news portals which have revealed a number of corruption and abuse of power affairs involving the Vucic’s regime.

See more at: https://bit.ly/2PYVsdE Rakic, Milivojevic met Erik Grøndahl (TV Most)

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government Administration (MLGA) Goran Rakic together with the Director of the Office for Communities in the Prime Minister’s Office Ivan Milojevic met today with the Ambassador of Norway in Pristina Jens Erik Grøndahl, TV Most reports.

In addition to the current situation regarding the coronavirus and economic recovery after the end of the pandemic, interlocutors discussed the continuation of cooperation between the ministry and the embassy, ​​which has been at a high level so far.

They also discussed future joint projects aimed at better life of all citizens in Kosovo, MLGA said in a statement. 

   

International

  Pandemic now driven by 20s, 30s, 40s group, many asymptomatic: WHO (Reuters)

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of which were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups.

WHO officials said this month the proportion of younger people among those infected had risen globally, putting at risk vulnerable sectors of the population worldwide, including the elderly and sick people in densely populated areas with weak health services.

“The epidemic is changing,” WHO Western Pacific regional director, Takeshi Kasai, told a virtual briefing. “People in their 20s, 30s and 40s are increasingly driving the spread. Many are unaware they are infected.”

See at: https://reut.rs/2EcCbTy    

Humanitarian/Development

  11th edition of Anibar kicks off online (Prishtina Insight)

Launching across online platforms on Monday evening, the Anibar International Animated Film Festival will begin its eleventh edition with films, workshops, discussions, masterclasses and presentations all to be streamed virtually for audiences over the next seven days.

The festival, which usually sees animation enthusiasts flocking to Peja each year, will screen around 150 selected films from 17 to 23 August, available for viewing through Anibar’s online platforms. 

This year, the festival’s theme is ‘Humans,’ focusing on civil rights and political activism. 

Vullnet Sanaja, Anibar’s director, told BIRN that the aim of the eleventh edition of the festival and its programme is to shine a light on the contributions made by people in Kosovo and internationally who are committed to “humanity and the planet” in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

See at: https://bit.ly/316i6XW Serbian Health Minister says number of coronavirus patients dropping (BETA, N1)

Serbian Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar said Tuesday that the number of patients in COVID hospitals is dropping but added that the number of people examined in small COVID surgeries is still high, BETA news agency reports.

Loncar added that some 1,500 to 1,600 people are examined daily in Belgrade alone. Speaking after a meeting with the heads of COVID hospitals, the minister said that the Zvezdara clinical center and Banjica Orthopedic hospital in Belgrade were stepping out of the COVID hospital system and would be taking in non-coronavirus patients as of next week. He recalled that two other Belgrade hospitals had gone back to their regular duties earlier.

Loncar said that the country’s health care system had increased its coronavirus testing capacities to accommodate both people who showed symptoms and others who want to get tested at their own request.