• COVID-19 report: Eight deaths, 334 new cases (media)
• KNIPH: We are trying to measure collective immunity in Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Vetevendosje calls Zemaj to report about pandemic situation (media)
• LDK requests Assembly session to vote on economic recovery bill (media)
• Specialist Prosecutor's Office confirms ongoing operations in Pristina (media)
• In Berlin, Kosovo's FM Haradinaj-Stublla meets Germany's Maas (media)
• EULEX chief submits comments on Specialist Chambers’ mandate (Zeri)
• Veliu: No indications of a possible terror attack in Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo forms new Stabilisation Association commission (Kosovapress/Koha)

 

COVID-19 report: Eight deaths, 334 new cases (media)

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health said in a statement yesterday that eight deaths and 334 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the last 24 hours. 81 patients have recovered from the virus during this time.

The highest number of new cases is from the municipality of Prishtina (157).

There are currently 4,917 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

KNIPH: We are trying to measure collective immunity in Kosovo (Telegrafi)

As the number of new COVID-19 cases increase, Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health confirms the situation has worsened and announces that testing capacities are expected to increase further.

"We are going to further expand the testing capacities. We are waiting for equipment from the World Bank to conduct seroepidemiologic testing. Apart from the current testing and contact tracing, we are also trying to measure the collective immunity in Kosovo to determine how much the Kosovo population is generally immune," said Director of the Institute, Naser Ramadani.

Microbiologist Donjeta Pllana also said the testing capacities have increased recently. "Even when it comes to equipment, we are faring better than the first time around. We have obtained additional equipment to help with the first part of the work and we are very well organised," she said.

At the same time, the Institute is also doing contact tracing. "Persons that test positive are called and informed about the result. Their epidemiological research is done by collecting information about where they were, whom they met, how they contracted the virus, the symptoms they experienced," said Dafina Gexha.

Vetevendosje calls Zemaj to report about pandemic situation (media)

The Vetevendosje Movement parliamentary group has invited Health Minister Armend Zemaj to report to Assembly about the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Kosovo following the recent spike in new infections.

Considering the pandemic to have ‘drastically deteriorated’, Vetevendosje said that the figures show that the measures taken by the Government of Kosovo are inadequate.

“It is important that the Assembly of Kosovo discusses the pandemic situation in the country and that Minister Zemaj reports to the MPs about the situation, the measures taken and what else needs to be done to protect the lives of citizens and the public health in general,” Vetevendosje said.

LDK requests Assembly session to vote on economic recovery bill (media)

The parliamentary group of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has submitted request for an extraordinary session of the Assembly to vote the second reading of the draft law on economic recovery.

Head of the LDK parliamentary group Arben Gashi said on social media that the session has been requested to take place on Friday.

Specialist Prosecutor's Office confirms ongoing operations in Pristina (media)

The Specialist Prosecutor's Office has confirmed it is conducting operations in Pristina.

"The operations of the SPO are being supported by the Kosovo Police and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). More information will follow in due course," it said in a statement to the press.

Online media are meanwhile reporting that EULEX forces were seen early this morning arriving at the house of Jakup Krasniqi, former spokesperson for the KLA and former Assembly Speaker. Krasniqi is also co-founder of the Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA).

In Berlin, Kosovo's FM Haradinaj-Stublla meets Germany's Maas (media)

Kosovo's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla met yesterday in Berlin the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

Haradinaj-Stublla said Germany remains an ally country for Kosovo and Berlin "our main European capital". "The strong relationship between Kosovo and Germany is built on the common values of freedom, democracy, and lasting peace," she said after the meeting.

"I expressed my deep gratitude to Minister Maas for the assistance provided by the German Government to Kosovo during the pandemic, and for his unwavering support for putting Visa Liberalisation on the agenda during the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union."

According to Haradinaj-Stublla, Maas on his part expressed Germany's commitment to keeping the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue active in finalising a comprehensive and legally binding agreement.

Haradinaj-Stublla meanwhile is reported to have underlined the 'urgent' need to define the dialogue in three key elements: duration, principles, and final objective, which she said must result in mutual recognition.

EULEX chief submits comments on Specialist Chambers’ mandate (Zeri)

Head of EULEX Lars-Gunnar Wigemark has submitted his comments regarding the mandate of the Specialist Chambers saying that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci neither consulted nor met him before proposing amendments to the Constitution of Kosovo.

Wigemark recalled that in 2014, the President of Kosovo undertook to consult with EU institutions in Kosovo, particularly EULEX, on any proposed amendments that could have an impact on the discharge of the EULEX mandate as well as judicial proceedings stemming from the Specialist Investigative Task Force (SITF) investigations while the Kosovo Assembly ratified the exchange of letters between the Kosovo President and EU High Representative confirming consent to consult EULEX.

"The Head of Mission notes that the Constitution of Kosovo is Kosovo's highest law and thus the obligations contained in the 2014 Exchange of Letters would apply equally to any amendments to the Constitution.

Veliu: No indications of a possible terror attack in Kosovo (media)

Kosovo's Interior Minister Agim Veliu said the authorities have no indication about the possibility of an imminent terrorist attack in Kosovo.

"I asked the Kosovo Police and other security institutions to carry out continuous assessments on the security level, any criminal activity threat, including of terrorism. At present there is no concrete indication or information about a possible terrorist attack in Kosovo but Kosovo cannot be considered immune," Veliu said in a Facebook post following a meeting he had with the Kosovo Police Director Samedin Mehmeti.

Kosovo forms new Stabilisation Association commission (Kosovapress/Koha)

Kosovo's European integration is the principle on which the work of elected representatives should be based on whereas the national plan for implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement is the immediate work awaiting the new EU-Kosovo Stabilisation Association Commission, the inaugural meeting of the commission heard yesterday.

Assembly Speaker Vjosa Osmani said the work of the commission is of great importance and noted that political differences need to be overcome by the members in order to make progress in the EU integration path.

The EU-Kosovo Stabilisation Association Commission will be chaired by Arben Gashi from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).