Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 296 new cases, five deaths (media)
• PM Hoti's Office issues statement on Government's work plan draft (media)
• Kosovo Government not to apply to join international organisations until 2023 (Koha)
• Kosovo authorities allowed to visit Maqastena in Prokuplje, Serbia (Koha)
• Kosovo and Serbia representatives clash at CEFTA's virtual meeting (media)
• Kurti writes to KSC judge to support Selimi's bail request (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• 52 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Vucic met Serbs from Kosovo, EMS and EPS directors – conclusions in two, three days (KoSSev)
• Serbia won’t impose sanctions on Moscow, says Vucic; Resolution 1244 the basis for every agreement, says Lavrov (Beta, N1)
• German State Secretary: EU and Germany supported process which resulted in KOSTT independence (KoSSev)
• Jeremic: “Albanian finger” on a power supply switch in northern Kosovo as of yesterday (Danas)
• Covic: I do not believe Albright would be in negotiations, Serwer completely irrelevant (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Who gave electricity to Pristina (Nova S)

International:

• Balkan States Race to Secure COVID-19 Vaccine Supplies (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo Politicians Divided Over How to Choose Next President (Balkan Insight)
• Europe set to approve COVID-19 vaccine in Christmas week (Reuters)
• Mini-Schengen, Regional Economic Area and Common Regional Market: What is what? (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Last Despatches: News Team Killed the Day After Kosovo War Ended (Balkan Insight)

   

Albanian Language Media 

  COVID-19: 296 new cases, five deaths (media)

Kosovo's National Institute for Public Health reported 296 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths in the last 24-hour period. 

319 persons have recovered from the virus during this timeframe. 

There are currently 12,784 active cases of coronavirus in Kosovo.

PM Hoti's Office issues statement on Government's work plan draft (media)

The Office of Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti issued a statement saying it wishes to clarify the information regarding the drafting of the Government's Work Plan (GWP) for the 2021-2023 period.

Stating that the work plan is the main document for planning and monitoring the implementation of activities, the PM's Office underlined that the drafting process is lengthy, contains many procedural steps and requires a high level of coordination.

"At the beginning of 2020, the drafting of the GWP has moved from a one-year to a three-year format, which includes the procedural steps that are supposed to be taken in the following years. This change has resulted in the appearance of some technical errors during the drafting process. One of them is the non inclusion of planned activities in the relevant sections. More specifically, the activities of the MFAD (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora) for 2022 have been incorrectly placed in the section of activities for 2023," the statement reads.

The PM's Office said the draft work plan is currently up for public consultation and will go through various steps of review before it is put up for approval by the government cabinet.

Kosovo Government not to apply to join international organisations until 2023 (Koha)

The Government of Kosovo led by Avdullah Hoti plans to prolong the moratorium for suspending bids to join international organisations beyond what has pledged in the Washington Agreement of 4 September, Koha reports quoting the information contained in the draft work plan of the Government which sets out the actions for the coming two years. 

After initially denying the existence of such a plan, officials in the Hoti's cabinet said the document is not yet final and that it will undergo review before being approved. "The Government's draft Work Plan for 2021 is a document prepared by the Office for Strategic Planning in the PMO (The Prime Minister's Office). At this stage, it has been submitted for public consultation by the Office for Good Governance (PMO)," said Antigona Baxhaku-Idrizi, media advisor to the Prime Minister. 

Kosovo authorities allowed to visit Maqastena in Prokuplje, Serbia (Koha)

Kosovo authorities are reported to have been issued permission by Serbia to visit Blerim Maqastena, member of the Municipal Assembly in Podujeve, at a detention facility in Prokuplje, days after he was arrested after wandering into the territory of Serbia due to heavy fog.

In a press release, Kosovo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, said authorities in Serbia have not been acting adequately in the case and accused them of "neglecting communication and failing to share information" in the case involving Maqastena.

"They are not taking into account the circumstances in which the border crossing was made whereby our two citizens, due to weather conditions, unintentionally entered the territory of the neighbouring country," Kosovo's ministry said. 

The ministry further noted that after submitting a formal request for visit, the head of Kosovo's liaison office in Serbia, Jetish Jashari, has been allowed to visit Maqastena today. “MFAD will provide all the necessary institutional support for this case and will continue to request the European Union, as a facilitator of the Brussels Dialogue, to influence the authorities in Serbia to release Mr. Maqastena and transfer the case to Kosovo authorities for further treatment.”

Maqastena was arrested along with his friend, Berat Mexhuani, over the weekend. Mexhuani has been subsequently released. 

Kosovo and Serbia representatives clash at CEFTA's virtual meeting (media)

Kosovo's Minister of Trade and Industry Vesel Krasniqi had an altercation with Serbia's State Secretary Olivera Jocic who during a virtual meeting of the Central Europe Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) opposed Kosovo being treated as a country.

Krasniqi responded saying Kosovo is an independent country. "It matters a little whether Serbia recognises us. We are trying to have good neighbourly relations. But you should know Kosovo is an independent and democratic country, recognised by the most powerful countries. Therefore, my requests as minister for Kosovo to be treated as such are legitimate and grounded," Krasniqi is quoted to have said.

In the meeting, Krasniqi also requested the "UNMIK-Kosovo" name tag be removed and used only "Republic of Kosovo" instead in reference to Kosovo. "I have made the request for dropping the UNMIK-Kosovo tag in meetings I had in Brussels at the CEFTA Secretariat and I am reiterating in this meeting that Kosovo is an independent country and should be treated as such by all CEFTA members."

Krasniqi called on members to respect CEFTA agreements, particularly Serbia which he accused of obstructing goods from Kosovo that pass through Serbia.

Kurti writes to KSC judge to support Selimi's bail request (Telegrafi)

Leader of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) Albin Kurti has written a letter to Nicolas Guillou, Specialist Chambers pre-trial judge, in support of the request for the interim release of Rexhep Selimi, member of LVV who is in detention in The Hague awaiting trial on war crimes charges. 

Kurti said in the letter that Selimi is a person with high human and moral integrity and his patriotic and professional activity has been characterised by full commitment, honour, and dignity. "Rexhep Selimi as a citizen and national of Kosovo has demonstrated utmost respect and has always acted in line with the laws and regulations of the Republic of Kosovo," he said.

Kurti said that concerns that if released on bail, Selimi could present a fleeing threat or that he could interfere in the administration of justice of the Specialist Chambers are 'ungrounded' and 'inconceivable'.

     

Serbian Language Media

  52 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)

Out of 148 tested samples, 52 cases were positive on Covid-19 in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced, KoSSev portal reports.

New cases were registered as follows: 43 in northern and nine in central Kosovo. This number includes 15 cases in Zvecan, 11 in Leposavic, nine in Zubin Potok, eight in Mitrovica North, three in Gnjilane, two in Kamenica and one each in Pec, Prizren, Priluzje and Strpce.

Meanwhile, 102 persons have completed a two-week isolation period.

A total of 69 persons have passed away since the outbreak of the pandemic in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo.

Up to date, 3.163 persons tested positive, out of 11.158 tested samples. 

Vucic met Serbs from Kosovo, EMS and EPS directors – conclusions in two, three days (KoSSev)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today political and institutional Serb leaders from Kosovo and Metohija, KoSSev portal reports. Media address announced yesterday was cancelled today, while the written statement issued after the meeting said conclusions would be announced in the coming 72 hours.

What is known so far is that these conclusions relate to “the joint acting in preserving all vital national interests in Kosovo and Metohija and the most important interests of the Republic of Serbia”, Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement.

Conclusions would be made public following additional consultations with Serb representatives but also the international community.

In addition to the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic, Serbian Energy and Mine Minister Zorana Mihajlovic, Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) Director Miodrag Grcic and Elektromreza Srbije (EMS) Director Jelena Matejic took part in a meeting.

KoSSev portal recalled that Serbian officials for a third day in a row do not comment the news confirmed by Kosovo, Albanian but also German officials on commencing the work of the Kosovo network operator (KOSTT) within a new regulatory block Kosovo-Albania and its departure from SMM block (Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia) which is coordinated by Elektromreza Srbije (EMS).

Serbia won’t impose sanctions on Moscow, says Vucic; Resolution 1244 the basis for every agreement, says Lavrov (Beta, N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at a press conference following Tuesday’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that they talked about the situation in Europe and everything related to Serbia. Vucic pointed out that he received some important information from Lavrov.

He said at the press conference after the meeting in Villa 'Mir' that Serbia, like Montenegro, will not impose sanctions on the Russian Federation. "We will not impose sanctions on the Russian Federation," Vucic said.

He said that they discussed fundamental issues in relations between the two countries. “We determined the strategic determination of the two countries to continue to develop and improve our relations if possible, on a friendly and respectful basis,” he said.

According to Vucic, Serbia will continue buying Russian gas because it comes at the best price. 

He said that every time the Americans asked him why Serbia did not take other gas but Russian one, he replied that he wanted to take cheaper gas but then they would tell him that there was not enough gas. “Is someone asking Serbia to buy more expensive gas for the sake of someone’s political interests?” he said.  

Vucic said that he expressed personal concern as president of Serbia for the situation in the region as well as the hope that everyone will have the reason and strength to resolve disputes peacefully which, he said, was Serbia’s commitment. He said that Serbia would maintain its military neutrality and thanked Russia for helping reinforce Serbia’s defense capabilities.

Vucic added that Serbia has a joint role with Russia in "defending the truth" about the Second World War and stated that there were "various attempts" to falsify that part of history and that the two countries would oppose it. He said that Serbia had made the decision to maintain military neutrality, that it would not be part of any military bloc and thanked for "significant support" in strengthening Serbia's defense capacities.

Lavrov: Resolution 1244 must be the basis of every agreement

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow supports a balanced policy of the Serbian leadership aimed at building mutually beneficial ties with all interested countries, because that principle was the foundation of Russian foreign policy.

"We welcomed Belgrade's commitment to military neutrality and the policy of not imposing sanctions on Russia. Serbia's policy of military neutrality helps to promote peace and stability in the Balkans and to oppose tendencies to increase confrontation in a region that has suffered a lot throughout history," Lavrov said.

Lavrov said that Russia confirmed "full commitment to all agreements" between the two countries reached at the highest level and added that the strategic partnership was developed "with full respect for the principles" of Serbia to build ties with all interested countries.

"A different approach is not appropriate and does not correspond to the reality of the modern world," Lavrov said.

He stated that he also talked with Vucic about the "unresolved problem of Kosovo" and reiterated that Russia was committed to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 being the basis of any eventual agreement between Belgrade and Pristina.

"Our position is unchanged, we are in favor of seeking a compromise on the basis of Resolution 1244, and we will only support the decision that will suit the Serbs," the head of Russian diplomacy stated.

Lavrov added that the EU "should realize the role of mediator in the dialogue impartially and overcome the open sabotage of Pristina", stating that the Pristina authorities "sabotage all agreements reached in previous years, including the obligation to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities".

He said that he had a "very substantial" conversation with Vucic, during which they "discussed a whole range of issues that are not becoming easier in Europe or in the world."

"We reaffirmed our commitment to the two countries' agreements on strengthening the strategic partnership in all areas, including the political dialogue, the economic dimension and military-technical co-operation," Lavrov said.

He stated that this year's participation of members of the Serbian Army in the ceremony in Moscow on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War was "evidence of non-acceptance of attempts to revise the history of that war, to justify Nazis and their supporters."

He added that today's solemn ceremony of lighting the Eternal Flame at the Cemetery of the Liberators of Belgrade, brought from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin, "once again showed the spiritual-historical unity" of the two peoples.

"We highly appreciate the traditionally friendly dialogue between the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches, and its foundation is the defense of the unity of the Orthodox world, of centuries-old spiritual principles," Lavrov said.

The head of Russian diplomacy said that he had talked with Vucic about the development of trade and economic ties and the fight against the coronavirus.

Lavrov stated that he conveyed to Vucic "the warmest greetings and best wishes" from the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

German State Secretary: EU and Germany supported process which resulted in KOSTT independence (KoSSev)

The State Secretary of the German Federal Foreign Office, Miguel Berger welcomed the Kosovo transmission system operator – KOSTT taking over full responsibility for the entire grid in Kosovo and turning on a high voltage link between Kosovo and Albania, KoSSev portal reports.

“Good news for Kosovo and good news for the stability of the European electricity grid”, Berger tweeted.

A new regulatory zone in Kosovo began operating yesterday, with KOSTT, which up to now belonged to the SMM (Serbia, Montenegro and Northern Macedonia) bloc coordinated by the Serbian EMS, leaving this bloc and forming a new – the Kosovo-Albania regulatory bloc.

Berger also stressed the EU support to this process, while Kosovo Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama had made no mention of the EU role in the process.

“The EU and Germany supported the ENTSO-E-lead process that resulted in KOSTT taking over responsibility for the entire grid in Kosovo”, Berger said.

KOSTT joining the new bloc and taking control of the entire grid in Kosovo, including the north, was made possible by a vote on the connection agreement between ENTSO-E and KOSTT which took place in April this year, prompting the Serbian side to announce arbitration.

Whether the arbitration came to be or what were its results has never been made public.

Speaking of the reaction of the Serbian side to this news, the only ones to react so far were the opposition parties, which criticized the government for handing over the energy sector and losing energy independence in the north. No other Serb officials have reacted yet.

So far, Serbian List and Office for Kosovo and Metohija merely issued statements criticizing opposition leaders who reportedly claimed that the energy supply would be cut off. They also did not deny that KOSTT started operating in the new regulatory zone throughout Kosovo.

See at: https://bit.ly/37nMMXZ Jeremic: “Albanian finger” on a power supply switch in northern Kosovo as of yesterday (Danas)

Leader of the opposition Peoples’ Party (NS) and former Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Vuk Jeremic told Danas daily that as of yesterday “an Albanian finger is on a electricity supply switch in northern Kosovo”. Jeremic assessed that this was yet another blow to the Serbian sovereignty over the territory of a province for which exclusive responsibility bear Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) rule.

“If there would be tensions in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, which is not unthinkable, and has happened many times in the past, then one of the elements to exert pressure could be making electricity supply difficult, given that as of today all consumers in the north of Kosovo belong to a joint system of self-declared Kosovo and Albania, and not to the system of Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS)”, Jeremic said.

“Control over electro-energy systems is one of the elements of sovereignty, same as telecommunications or air space control, (...). Almost all competencies of the (Serbian) state in the north of Kosovo have been handed over to Pristina over the last seven years, since the signing of the Brussels agreement, while the Serbian side got nothing in return”, Jeremic added.  

He also assessed it would be very difficult to return the situation into the previous state.

“There is no Community of Serb-majority Municipalities agreed upon seven years ago, but there is a handover of the electro-energy network to the Albanian hands, there is an international dialing phone code, the security, health and judicial systems which existed before the Brussels agreement have been disbanded”, Jeremic warned.

Commenting accusations against him voiced by the current Serbian authorities that he as a Foreign Affairs Minister “was responsible for the loss of Kosovo” Jeremic said that “over the last seven years all the power is in the hands of Aleksandar Vucic and Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), they control everything, including the manner in which negotiations with the Albanian side in Pristina are held and also how the agreements made in Brussels are implemented”.

“A signature to hand over the electro-energy system to Pristina and Tirana was not made by anyone who was in power by 2012, but rather by those who came to power that year by making promises to the international community they would do exactly that. Prior to 2012, the north of Kosovo was fully integrated into the Serbian state – the health, security, courts, dialing phone code, full presence of EPS and Telecom of Serbia”, Jeremic underlined.

“Today it is no longer the case, criminal gangs rule over north of Kosovo, and nominal sovereignty, including the electro-energy is in the hands of Pristina”, Jeremic concluded.  

Covic: I do not believe Albright would be in negotiations, Serwer completely irrelevant (KoSSev)

Former president of the Serbian Government Coordination Center for Kosovo and Metohija Nebojsa Covic told Novosti daily it was nice that Madeleine Albright knows Serbian language and that she lived in Serbia, however it made an opposite effect on her, adding  “if one would look today at all what she did in the past, it was not a plus in her case”, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Daniel Serwer professor at John Hopkins University told Belgrade-based TV N1 earlier that Albright would be involved in Belgrade-Pristina negotiations, adding, among other things “that she is someone who speaks Serbian and lived in Serbia.”

“I do not believe she would be involved in the negotiations. It is possible for someone from her establishment to be involved because she has her own firm, but it won’t be at a high level. She was a very high official, and for her this is a low level. Everything what we see now started from people who were in abstinence for four years and remained captured in the nineties (of the last century)”, Covic said.

Commenting on how much stances of Daniel Serwer could impact decision-making in Washington, Covic said that “Serwer is completely irrelevant. He is not in a position to exert pressure, and there would certainly be pressure. We know who he is. He emphasized himself he was against the bombing of Serbia. We thank him so much”, Covic said.  

   

Opinion

  Who gave electricity to Pristina (Nova S)

Political analyst Cvijetin Milivojevic told Nova S TV channel that after the director of the Office for KiM Petar Petkovic stated, in just 24 hours, that Serbia did not hand over the power system in the north of Kosovo to Albanians and then accused the Democratic Party (DS) of doing so back in the 2001,  he just continued a long-standing policy of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) where the responsibilities are being shifted to the former government.

Portal Nova S reminds that after the accusations of the President of the People's Party Vuk Jeremic that Serbia officially handed over the electricity system in Kosovo to Pristina, and that it will officially happen at midnight on December 13, Petkovic first stated that it was not true, and then only a day later accused the DS party of doing so back in 2001.

"Serbia has not signed any agreement or committed itself in any way to the surrender of the electricity system in the north of Kosovo and Metohija to self-proclaimed Kosovo, as some opposition leaders claim. During the rule of the Democratic Party, the management of the energy system in Kosovo and Metohija was handed over to UNMIK, and then to Pristina institutions," said Petkovic and added that some opposition politicians have been trying to bring disinformation to the Serbian people in Kosovo, by misinforming them that there will be no electricity in the north of Kosovo and that President Aleksandar Vucic and the Government of Serbia will allegedly hand over the electricity system in the north of Kosovo into the hands of Pristina.

"Serbia did not hand over anything today and those who talk about surrender are starting from themselves, because they have left a catastrophic situation in terms of energy since 2001," Petkovic said, showing the March 2001 agreement signed by the then Minister of Mining and Energy Goran Novakovic, who, as he stated, handed over the management of the electric power system in Kosovo to UNIMK.

The portal reports that by commenting on these inconsistent statements by the director of the Office for KiM, political analyst Cvijetin Milivojevic said that it was a serious task to interpret such ‘’a frivolous and unprincipled man’’.

"By the logic of Petar Petkovic and seeing how fast he prints these statements, I can conclude that he is actually right and that neither Vucic nor Dacic are to blame for the surrender of the power system in Kosovo and Metohija, but the culprit should be sought in the 1912, when Turkey was expelled from this part of the Balkans and when the Kingdom of Serbia did not regulate the relations between Kosovo and Serbia in the right way. The culprit might be in 1945, because at that time Serbia was the only republic that accepted the formation of two provinces on its territory, that is, states within a state," said Milivojevic.

It was important only, he added, that the responsibility be removed from the back of the current president of Serbia.

"Joking aside, but it really turns out that it is important for Petkovic only to remove the responsibility from his current president Aleksandar Vucic, even though he is actually blaming his previous president. It should not be forgotten that Petkovic was the striking fist of the DSS until 2015, one of the highest officials of this party during the time of Vojislav Kostunica, not to mention that Kostunica, as prime minister, was also part of the negotiations on energy in Kosovo and Metohija. He is right when he says that Novakovic's signature in 2001 was the beginning of this, but that cannot be compared to what the SNS did in 2013, when by signing the Brussels agreement it actually cemented that ownership of energy infrastructure in Kosovo, where it did not list Serbia as the owner, but some independent Kosovo," Milivojevic explained.

He believed that Petkovic was only continuing the long tradition of the current government in Serbia, to accuse the former government of everything that was wrong or did not work according to the law and in the interest of the citizens of Serbia.

Especially when it comes to Kosovo.

"For some things, I have to admit that they are right, such as moving the negotiations from the Security Council to the European Union, but even today it stands that the former regime, and with that obvious mistake, did much less in recognizing Kosovo's independence than the SNS has been doing in this nine years. They should explain, among other things, why they never called local elections in Kosovo. The democratic government did it properly, despite the opinion of the Albanians. Let them explain why they never raised the issue of property in Kosovo (of citizens, the state, the Serbian Orthodox Church) in the negotiations, when we know that for the Western world, even the EU, the property is the number one proof for everything. We also know that the Serbian Orthodox Church is the largest owner of property in Kosovo and Metohija and that the state of Serbia is the owner of many things, including the energy system we are talking about today, as something that was just handed over to the Albanians," Milivojevic concluded.

   

International

  Balkan States Race to Secure COVID-19 Vaccine Supplies (Balkan Insight)

With UK grandmother Margaret Keenan becoming the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as part of a mass vaccination programme on December 8, the countries of the Balkans are also stepping up preparations for a vaccine rollout.

But as states rush for their share of limited vaccine supplies, there are still many unknowns, not least how much it will cost and will there be enough.

Most countries in the region are part of the COVAX system, launched in April by the World Health Organisation, WHO, the European Commission and France to provide access to COVID-19 diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.

“Once a safe and effective vaccine(s) against COVID-19 will be available and licensed, we must ensure its fair distribution and access for all countries, irrespective of their income,” the WHO told BIRN.

See more at: https://bit.ly/2K7RkIU Kosovo Politicians Divided Over How to Choose Next President (Balkan Insight)

Kosovo’s political parties cannot agree about whether the next president should be chosen via negotiations or after new parliamentary elections following the resignation of Hashim Thaci to face war crimes charges.

Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti has repeatedly stated that consultations will be held with the country’s political parties to discuss choosing the next president after Hashim Thaci’s resignation, but his office told BIRN that the government has not yet set a date for talks.

“We still do not have a concrete date, as soon we do, we will inform you,” said Antigona Baxhaku-Idrizi, an adviser to Hoti.

After Thaci’s resignation on November 5 to face war crimes charges at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Hague, presidential duties have been handled by acting president Vjosa Osmani.

However, according to the constitution, an acting president can only occupy the position for six months.

A presidential candidate must receive a two-thirds majority vote at the Kosovo Assembly to be elected.

If no candidate receives two-thirds of the vote in two initial ballots, a third vote is triggered, in which case a majority of 61 votes is enough to secure the presidency.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3qZuEv7 Europe set to approve COVID-19 vaccine in Christmas week (Reuters)

BERLIN/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europeans are set to start getting coronavirus vaccines before the new year after the regional drug regulator accelerated its approval process following the launch of immunisation campaigns in the United States and Britain.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said an expert panel would convene on Monday Dec. 21 to evaluate the vaccine made by U.S. company Pfizer and German partner BioNTech. It had previously said the meeting could be as late as Dec 29.

While EMA’s mandate is to issue recommendations on new medical treatments, the European Commission has the final say on approval and typically follows EMA’s advice.

EMA said its expert meeting was brought forward after the companies had provided more data, as requested, and the EU Commission would fast-track its procedures to rule on approval “within days”.

See more at: https://reut.rs/3nryNpl Mini-Schengen, Regional Economic Area and Common Regional Market: What is what? (EWB)

BELGRADE – It has been a year since the main concerns in the Balkans regarding regional economic integration were – is mini-Schengen initiative just a substitute for the lack of commitment of the EU, is it a tool for creating a new Yugoslavia or is is just shifting the focus away from disappointment caused by the postponement of the opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. Some of the critics even went further to call this initiative “a cheap political trick that would only look good on paper.”

A year later, things became clearer and it could be said that nothing and everything has changed.

Why is “mini-Schengen” not fully endorsed by the WB6?

The idea of creating a “mini-Schengen” came in October 2019, as Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama and Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev, together with President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić met in Novi Sad and declared that this initiative is open to all of the countries of the region and that it will strive to achieve “four freedoms” in the Western Balkans.

To promote this idea as a truly regional one, Serbia insisted on attracting all of the WB six countries to join the initiative, even Kosovo, which it did not recognize. When asked about this, Vučić stated that recognition in this matter is irrelevant, as “it has nothing to do with the flow of goods, people, services and capital.”

On the other hand, Kosovo’s leaders were strongly opposing the idea, until the Washington agreement, which stated that “Belgrade and Pristina will join the ‘mini-Schengen’ zone, which Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia declared in October 2019, and will take full advantage of it.”

After praise coming from Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, for the decision to join the initiative, up until this date, Kosovo did not attend any of the meetings, nor did it sign a recent memorandum on the fight against COVID-19.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3nCKGct    

Humanitarian/Development

  Last Despatches: News Team Killed the Day After Kosovo War Ended (Balkan Insight)

BIRN’s series on media workers killed in the Yugoslav conflict tells the story of journalist Gabriel Gruener, photographer Volker Kraemer and interpreter Shenoll Aliti, who were shot dead by a Russian mercenary who had been fighting in the Kosovo war.

It was June 13, 1999, and Uli Reinhardt, a photojournalist from the German news magazine Stern was due to meet his colleague Gabriel Gruener at 6pm in the southern Kosovo city of Prizren.

But Gruener would never arrive for the meeting, and could not be contacted by mobile phone because Kosovo’s telecommunications system had been damaged in the war.

BIRN’s Last Despatches series documents some of over 150 reporters and other media workers who were killed during and after the 1990s wars in the Balkans – some of them foreigners who came to the region to cover the conflicts, but most of them citizens of the warring republics.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3r3Ord1