• Covid-19: 214 new cases, 4 deaths in last 24 hours (media)
• Government of Kosovo extends restrictive measures to the north (media)
• Hoti: Only Kosovo laws apply in northern municipalities (media)
• Covid-19: North Macedonia shuts border with Kosovo (media)
• Thaci to travel to The Hague for interview (media)
• Limaj commends Thaci's readiness to be interviewed in The Hague (media)
• Bislimi: Calls to undo specialist chambers to save one person not KLA (Koha)
• Hoti: Kosovo ready for dialogue on mutual recognition with Serbia (media)
• Borrell’s Office: Visa liberalisation to be treated urgently (net/RTK)
• Nagavci: SL's statement neither coincidental nor unintentional (Telegrafi)
• PDK to support all international financial agreements (media)
• KLA war veterans organize today protests in all Kosovo cities (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Covid-19: 214 new cases, 4 deaths in last 24 hours (media)

214 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the last 24 hours in Kosovo and four patients have died from the virus, the Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health announced in its daily updates. 60 persons have meanwhile recovered.

Majority of the new cases are from the municipality of Prishtina (68) and Ferizaj (55).

According to the Institute for Public Health, there are currently 1,951 active coronavirus cases in Kosovo.

Government of Kosovo extends restrictive measures to the north (media)

The Government of Kosovo has decided to extend restrictions to the northern municipalities in order to contain the spread of coronavirus.

In a statement, the Government said it approved the 8 July request of the Ministry of Health to limit the movement of people in the municipalities of Mitrovica North, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and Zvecan.

Koha highlights that after the crisis centre in the four municipalities announced movement restrictions, the same measures were announced a day later by the Government of Kosovo.

Hoti: Only Kosovo laws apply in northern municipalities (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti said that only Kosovo law is valid in the northern municipalities and that if necessary the Government of Kosovo will take decisions to restrict movement.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Hoti said that there are no quarantine measures in the north and that no one can impose them without prior decision of the Kosovo government.

Hoti said Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Goran Rakic, leader of Serbian List, is member of the Kosovo government. "I am responsible for the governing cabinet. Each member is subject to the Kosovo laws."

Covid-19: North Macedonia shuts border with Kosovo (media)

Media report that North Macedonia has decided to shut borders with several countries of the region, including Kosovo, as a preventive measure against coronavirus pandemic.

Gazeta Express learned that in order to cross Kosovo-North Macedonian border, citizens must present a Covid-19 test, which is not older than 72 hours.

Kosovo’s Minister of Health Armend Zemaj, said on Wednesday that North Macedonia’s decision is unjust.

Thaci to travel to The Hague for interview (media)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci announced via Facebook that he is to travel to The Hague this Monday on an invitation by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, to be interviewed.

Thaci said in a post addressed to the citizens of Kosovo published in Albanian and English that in the last two decades, many members of the Kosovo Liberation Army have faced international justice of UNMIK, ICTY, EULEX, and that of Kosovo.

“Kosovo, even though a victim, cooperated with international justice in dealing with allegations of war crimes,” Thaci wrote.

He called on the citizens to stand united in face of challenges ahead for Kosovo: “Civic unity, inter-ethnic coexistence, institutional stability, trust in the institutions, are necessary for Kosovo to make its vision to be part of NATO, of the European Union and to maintain eternal friendship with the United States of America, a reality.”

Limaj commends Thaci's readiness to be interviewed in The Hague (media)

Leader of the Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA) Fatmir Limaj has commended President Hashim Thaci for his readiness to travel to The Hague to be interviewed by the specialist prosecutors.

"This is the clearest indicator that Kosovo Liberation Army soldiers never avoided facing justice any time this was required and will continue to respond to any request that may come their way from the justice system," Limaj wrote on Facebook.

Bislimi: Calls to undo specialist chambers to save one person not KLA (Koha)

Deputy leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, Besnik Bislimi, said in an interview with KTV that the party would not support the abrogation of the Specialist Chambers as this is not being done to protect the Kosovo Liberation Army but to save one person.

"When the Specialist Chambers was approved in the parliament we were categorically against and we demonstrated this with votes and protests. This was because we considered the Specialist Chambers to be the biggest blow to the country and the KLA since 1999," Bislimi said.

He added that the political leadership in 2015 has reiterated that the Specialist Chambers would not damage the KLA war but in fact clarify it and that it would not deal with the KLA but with individuals.

"The only thing that it seems has changes since 2015 is that Thaci at that time hoped he would not be on the list and that's why he thought everything was fine," Bislimi said noting that calls to abrogate the court are not being made with the purpose of protecting the KLA but "for saving one person."

Hoti: Kosovo ready for dialogue on mutual recognition with Serbia (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti upon return from France spoke about his meeting with President Emmanuel Macron underlining Kosovo's readiness to resume dialogue with Serbia if the process leads to mutual recognition.

"Paris Summit will take place this Friday and in the meeting with Macron I presented clearly our positions regarding dialogue with Serbia. We are ready to enter the dialogue but it has to imply mutual recognition," Hoti told reporters yesterday.

Hoti said he believed there is understanding of all parties that only mutual recognition will contribute to peace and stability in the region and provides Euro-Atlantic perspective not only to Kosovo and Serbia but also the region.

"We decided to exchange information between the two governments, particularly between the two ministries of interior regarding the rule of law in order to show that Kosovo is a credible partner to the EU in the process of visa liberalisation," Hoti said.

Borrell’s Office: Visa liberalisation to be treated urgently (Lajmi.net/RTK)

Representatives from the Office of the EU High Representative Josep Borrell told Lajmi.net that liberalisation of visas for Kosovars continues to be their objective, as long as the European Commission assesses that Kosovo has fulfilled the standards for visa liberalisation.

In a response to the portal, they stressed that the proposal for visa liberalisation is pending at the Council, and added that the matter should be treated as urgent.

“We have publicly expressed our position on visa liberalisation on several occasions. Visa liberalisation continues to be our joint objective, while the Commission and EEAS assess that Kosovo has fulfilled all the required standards in the path of visa liberalisation. The proposal is pending at the Council, and it has to be treated as an urgent matter,” read the response from Borrell’s Office.

Nagavci: SL's statement neither coincidental nor unintentional (Telegrafi)

Deputy Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly and member of Vetevendosje, Arberie Nagavci, reacted to the Serbian List's statement pledging to respect epidemiological measures taken by authorities in Belgrade and to also support Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic "in the upcoming political and diplomatic fight for Kosovo and Metohija."

Nagavci said that the statement was not coincidental or unintentional. "Aware of the blackmailing power each of the ten Serb MPs have, knowing the ambitions of this governing coalition for power at any cost, Belgrade is, among other things, also sending political messages," Nagavci wrote.

She said the statement is another indicator of the danger "we face if the prime minister of this governing coalition, Mr. Hoti and his Government, are to continue process of talks with Belgrade."

PDK to support all international financial agreements (media)

Head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group Bedri Hamza said at a news conference yesterday that his party will vote in favour of all international financial agreements on the agenda of the Assembly today.

"We support these agreements unconditionally," said Hamza after a meeting of the PDK parliamentary group.

He also criticised the previous and the current government for, as he said, not finding legal ways to support Kosovo businesses and citizens during the pandemic crisis.

KLA war veterans organize today protests in all Kosovo cities (media)

The Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans Association organizes today protests in all Kosovo cities to object the accusations of the specialist prosecutor against former KLA leaders, Hashim Thaci and Kadri Veseli.

RTK reports that after the confirmation for participation of 20,000 people, war veterans decided to respect recommendations of the National Public Health Institute, and change their plan for the protest. They decided to gather 99 people in each Kosovo city and respect the social distance.  

The protests are synchronized in each municipality and will be held from 12:00 to 13:00 hours.