Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 290 new cases, three deaths (media)
• EU does not seek mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia (Express)
• Energy, environmental and agricultural issues in the spotlight (Prishtina Insight)
• Hoti: DFC Agreement opens a large window for private sector (media)
• Haradinaj to Vucic: Recognize Kosovo or we will unite with Albania (euronews.al)
• The man who represented 57 Islamic states, supports Hoxhaj for PM (RTK)
• Kurti presents 77 world academics who have supported him (Kallxo.com)
• Hoti: There is no place in Europe for people who tie red ribbons (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: The US wants Serbia to be humiliated; I told them what I think about it (KoSSev)
• Biden encourages mutual recognition in a letter congratulating Vucic on Serbian Statehood Day (KoSSev)
• Stefanovic: We will not allow any kind of pogrom against Serbs in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Selakovic: The US has its own position on Kosovo, which they insist on, and Serbia has its own (Kosovo Online, TV Happy)
• Petkovic: Kurti only privately can speak about the Constitution of Serbia, as a citizen of Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Haradinaj on unification with Albania again; Petkovic: He is in hopeless situation (RTS)
• Vucic: It is important for Serbs to go to polls and vote for Serbian List (TV Most) 
• Goran Rakic: Let Rasic go with Kurti, Serbs together with SL will be with Vucic (Kosovo-online) 
• Rasic: Arrival of new political current is inevitable; Kurti will be prime minister (Kosovo-online)
• Montenegrins from Kosovo invite their compatriots to vote for Serbian List at the upcoming elections (TV Most) 
• New contingent of 50.000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine to be delivered to Serbia soon (B92)
• Person suspected of writing “KLA – Kosovo” graffiti in Gorazdevac arrested (Radio kontakt plus)

Opinion:

• Elections 2021: Week 3 — What Did I Miss? (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Kosovo Guerrillas’ Stronghold Tense Ahead of Election Showdown (Balkan Insight)
• The Balkans face their #MeToo moment (DW)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Energy Community warns BiH, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Serbia over coal plant emissions (balkangreenenergynews.com)
• Serbia And Key International Sovereigns Lead With Data And AI To Become Vaccination Champions (forbes.com)
• Turned Back by Italy, Migrants Face Perilous Winter in Balkans (NYT)

     

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID – 19: 290 new cases, three deaths (media)

290 new cases of COVID – 19 and three deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 189 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 6,719 active cases of COVID – 19 in Kosovo.

EU does not seek mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia (Express)

Although the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, called on Serbia for mutual recognition with Kosovo, the European Union believes that only Pristina and Belgrade can reach the necessary compromise. 

European Union spokesman Peter Stano said that the main purpose of the dialogue is to reach a comprehensive agreement, while not mentioning mutual recognition.

Stano declined to comment directly on the letter Biden sent to Vucic, in which he stressed that mutual recognition is the only way to conclude the dialogue.

"The dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia helps the EU. Dialogue leads Serbia and Kosovo to a European future. In the end, Belgrade and Pristina will find the necessary compromise. The ultimate goal of this dialogue is to reach a comprehensive agreement, legally binding for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia," Stano said.

Energy, environmental and agricultural issues in the spotlight (Prishtina Insight)

Vetevendosje, LDK, and AAK officials discussed how to address problems with the hydropower industry, meet the needs of the energy market and support Kosovo’s agricultural sector in a BIRN electoral debate on Friday.

On Friday night, representatives from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, and Vetevendosje discussed issues relating to the environment, energy and agriculture, in another installment of BIRN’s pre-election DebatPernime (Debate For Real) series.

BIRN’s Jeta Xharra opened the programme by highlighting the degradation of the country’s rivers, criticising previous governments for allowing numerous companies to construct and operate hydropower plants that have damaged the environment, fauna and the lives of local residents.

Besnik Krasniqi, an AAK candidate for MP and an official at the Ministry of Environment and Economy, stated many of the issues are rooted in a lack of law enforcement. “Kosovo has problems with implementing the law, starting from corrupt inspectors,” said.

However, Hajrullah Ceku, who served as an MP for Vetevendosje in the previous mandate, argued that AAK does not have a good record in terms of protecting rivers. “We need to analyse all documents that these hydropower plants pretend they possess, and introduce a moratorium on constructing hydropower plants across Kosovo,” he said.

LDK’s outgoing Minister of Agriculture Besian Mustafa also stated that a government led by his party would also “review documents” related to this process, while the representatives from all three parties also pledged to increase the numbers of environmental inspectors in Kosovo in order to ensure the law was properly implemented.

However, the candidates were divided on the issue of the construction of a new power plant in Kosovo. A new coal-fired power plant, Kosova e Re, has been foreseen since 2005, however a contract to construct the plant signed between former prime minister Ramush Haradinaj and power generation company ContourGlobal looks in serious jeopardy.

AAK’s Krasniqi stated that Kosovo should push on with the construction of a coal-fired power plant in order to meet the country’s energy needs, but insisted that it should meet the highest ecological standards. Ceku and Mustafa on the other hand stated that the country should look to renewable energy and green alternatives to meet the needs of the energy market.

Turning to agricultural issues, Xharra stated that only 20,000 hectares of farmland in Kosovo are linked to the country’s irrigation system, adding that only 50 million euros of the 2.4 billion euro state budget is allocated to agriculture.

In response, Mustafa promised that under an LDK government the irrigation system would be extended, providing water to 40,000 hectares of land, while Ceku stated that the system should be extended to every municipality.

To avoid irregularities and help tackle corruption, AAK’s Krasniqi proposed that grants for farmers be distributed through an online application system. He added the party would provide large financial support to the food production system.

An invitation to this debate was also extended to the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, but was declined due to a dispute with the broadcaster. The Social Democratic Initiative, NISMA, also received an invitation, but the party’s representative failed to attend.

See more at: https://bit.ly/2YWK6eQ Hoti: DFC Agreement opens a large window for private sector (media)

The acting Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti, said that the investment promotion agreement with the US Corporation for International Financial Development (DFC) is the best opportunity Kosovo has had for economic development since 1999. This agreement for initial projects amounts to 1 billion euros, with a maturity of 25 years.

During a meeting with business representatives, he said that "only the sky is a limit for the private sector", because according to him, all that is needed is for the project to have business meaning.

Direct financing in the form of loans, which can be obtained by both the government and financial businesses, investing in companies' equity, guaranteeing investments, securing investment by covering losses related to political risk, reinsuring the project, financing various studies of feasibility are some of the instruments that DFC provides for businesses.

Hoti said that this is an extraordinary opportunity for the economic development of Kosovo. He told businesses that this agreement is the second most important for Kosovo's economy.

He stressed that during his governing, they have tried and were committed to stay close to the private sector.

"After the declaration of independence, I believe the largest agreement that Kosovo has signed is the 2015 SAA, which brings regular funding to the public sector [...] and this is the next most important agreement that now opens an exceptional perspective for the public and private sector. Regarding the public sector, we are clear about the projects that will be financed, which is the Durrës - Prishtina railway, the gas pipeline to Prishtina, the feasibility study and the financing of the project in Lake Ujman, which is the highway segment from Duhla in Lipjan, and other projects throughout Kosovo," he said.

He added that in order to receive this support from DFC, there are several criteria that must be met, which are the impact of the project on economic growth, innovation and inclusion.

He expressed gratitude to businesses for the commitment they had during the period with the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said they managed to maintain by maintaining employment and contributing to overcoming the economic crisis that Kosovo is going through.

Haradinaj to Vucic: Recognize Kosovo or we will unite with Albania (euronews.al)

National unification with Albania is mentioned often during electoral campaigns in Kosovo. Ramush Haradinaj, chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, sent a message to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic while asking him to recognize Kosovo’s independence.

Haradinaj has declared that if Vucic doesn’t do anything about this then the next step would be the “Unification of Albania”. This statement was given this weekend during the last electoral activity for the AAK.

“I ask your vote for a program that will revive the economy, for these people by my side that are doctors of science, economists, jurists, architects, engineers… I also ask your vote for the post of President, who is going to commit to working for Kosovo, accomplish international plans, and even deal with our issues with Serbia so that every citizen of this nation can feel proud,” – said Haradinaj.

AAK’s main moto is “Haradinaj for President” which means that its obvious purpose after these parliamentary elections on February 14, is to bring about a new political atmosphere where the president’s post, given up by Hashim Thaci, will automatically go to the leader of AAK.

“When I become President […] I greet Vucic and tell him to get ready to recognize Kosovo… don’t keep delaying it as we are not looking to wait. We have built a new army and a new judicial governance. We have our way, we can unite with Albania, so you don’t have any other way, you should recognize [Kosovo],” – said Haradinaj.

13 years ago, on February 17th Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia, which after the separation of Yugoslavia until 1999 had kept Kosovo under its own jurisdiction only giving it an autonomous status.

See more at: http://bit.ly/3oZmzoa The man who represented 57 Islamic states, supports Hoxhaj for PM (RTK)

The former secretary of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, through a video, has told the story of meetings and collaboration with the candidate of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) for prime minister, Enver Hoxhaj, who is also acting leader of the PDK.

Through a video, he wished Enver Hoxhaj success in these elections, mentioning the entire chronology of cooperation with Enver Hoxhaj, who was Minister of Education and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

He said that on the morning of February 18, 2008, he invited his colleagues to a special meeting where he told them that the Kosovo parliament had declared independence.

"Then we have to issue a strong statement of support which we drafted and issued immediately. It happened that this OBI statement was the first statement by any intergovernmental organization in the world," he added.

Finally, he gave strong support to Enver Hoxhaj's candidacy for prime minister, saying that it is Hoxhaj who will work in the service of the nation and state of Kosovo.

“Today I think that there is a need for a new and strong impetus to ensure the recognition of other OIC countries, as well as to set aside other diplomatic obstacles that stand as obstacles to Kosovo's progress. In this context, I wholeheartedly wish my dear friend Dr. Hoxhaj, success and good luck in the service of the nation and his country," Ihsanoglu said. 

Kurti presents 77 world academics who have supported him (Kallxo.com)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) candidate for prime minister Albin Kurti, has announced that 77 world academics have supported LVV in the February 14 elections.

“We as signatories express our support for the Vetevendosje Movement and for Kurti in the next election. We sincerely believe that his government will offer a new beginning in this difficult but necessary battle, despite the background of current events in the Republic of Kosovo," the academics' letter was quoted as saying.

It is further stated that the signatories of the letter of support have supported Albin Kurti and the Vetevendosje Movement on the grounds that this government will offer a new beginning in this difficult but necessary battle.

Hoti: There is no place in Europe for people who tie red ribbons (RTK)

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), held its second rally in Podujeva. LDK candidate for prime minister, Avdullah Hoti, spoke about his six months as Prime Minister.

"We took over the country during the pandemic, but even five months after the pandemic started, all that was done was to isolate the citizens at home. We had to deal with and successfully manage the pandemic. After a few weeks we received an invitation to the White House and it has been the honor of a lifetime to sign one of the most important agreements since independence. Summer is coming, good days are coming. On December 31, I signed a financial agreement with America, and told the businesses about hundreds of millions of euros to come. The agreement with Serbia will be reached with mutual recognition, we have been clear from the beginning. We have brought a new recognition after three years of blockade. Now we have a clear plan for the next term, a clear mandate that I do not find a counter-candidate to face me about this program. They are not ready to sit in front of the citizens in the TV studio. One speaks through a megaphone as in the time of communism, the other makes a video and says ‘this is what I was told.’ We have a clear plan for investment of four billion euros in the public sector, of which one billion euros is provided by the agreement in Washington. We also have a plan for healthcare. Today there is no doctor in Kosovo who is out of work, we have started specializations. We have reorganized the education system in the most difficult time. We massively tested teachers for Covid. We have the best program in the field of culture, youth and sports," he said. 

"People tying red ribbons have no place in Europe, there is no visa liberalization with them. What has been sown this year is social confrontation, not political competition, manipulating young people. We will stop this with a clear program, a normal and civilized government. I went to the parliamentary committees 100 times, they did not leave anything unsaid, now that the recognition of Israel has come, they do not speak," he said.

   

Serbian Language Media

 

Vucic: The US wants Serbia to be humiliated; I told them what I think about it (KoSSev)

“I told them once in the White House what I think about mutual recognition and my answer will not change“, the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic said yesterday after receiving a letter of congratulations from the new US president on the occasion of Statehood Day of Serbia. The letter in question underlined the need for “mutual recognition of Kosovo and Serbia”, KoSSev portal reports.

On the other hand, Vucic said that he will not participate in “the humiliation of his own people and destruction of his own state,“ adding that is what “the US wants.” The President also called on Kosovo Serbs to participate in the Kosovo parliamentary elections and cast their votes for Serbian List.

The President of Serbia thanked the new US President, Joe Biden for his letter of congratulations on the occasion of Statehood Day of Serbia during a press conference held in Pancevo yesterday.

Commenting on the part of the letter of congratulations referring to mutual recognition, Vucic said that this is not stated in any act, any world organization, or any resolution.

He explained that he understands that this is a “new American policy“, adding that attempts were made “to impose that phrase and term as something that we should have accepted as the final solution in Washington as well“.

“I told them once in the White House what I think about mutual recognition, and my answer will not change,“ Vucic stressed.

“It is now fully clear that it (cf. recognition) was an American idea from the beginning, that they did not want to discuss the model of the two Germanies, nor the mutual recognition of so-called governments, without the recognition of the states“, Vucic added, emphasizing that this is a clear indicator that “the US wants the total humiliation of Serbia.“

In his words, his job is to protect the interests of the Republic of Serbia, while the Statehood Day of Serbia is “much more important than Albanian and American wishes,“ adding however that he has “nothing against“ them as Serbia has its own wishes.

See at: https://bit.ly/2YSCSbJ Biden encourages mutual recognition in a letter congratulating Vucic on Serbian Statehood Day (KoSSev)

The US President, Joseph Biden sent a letter of congratulations on the occasion of Statehood Day of Serbia to his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic. In the letter, Biden noted that the US and Serbia are commemorating 140 years of partnership which is based on deep ties between the two peoples. He also encouraged Serbia to take “hard steps” toward European integration, including, as he wrote, a comprehensive normalization agreement with Kosovo centered on mutual recognition, KoSSev portal reports.

The portal published the US President’s letter of congratulations below:

“On behalf of the American people, I extend my sincere congratulations to you and your fellow citizens on the occasion of the Statehood Day of Serbia on February 15.

As we commemorate 140 years of partnership between our two countries, the United States maintains its enduring commitment to promoting economic cooperation, regional stability, and democratic values.

We remain steadfast in our support for Serbia’s goal of European integration and encourage you to continue taking the hard steps forward to reach that aim – including instituting necessary reforms and reaching a comprehensive normalization agreement with Kosovo centered on mutual recognition.

The strength of our relations is built on a deep history of people-to-people ties, fighting as allies in both World Wars, and we celebrate the great contributions Serbians have made to American society across many fields.

We also value our close cooperation in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic as we jointly confront this unprecedented global challenge.

I look forward to working with you to deepen the bonds of friendship between our countries and to strengthen the relationship between Serbia and the United States. I wish you and the people of Serbia a joyful celebration”.

The part of Joseph Biden’s letter of congratulations referring to mutual recognition has already stirred reactions, both in Belgrade and Pristina.

Vucic said that the Statehood Day of Serbia “is much more important than the Albanian and American wishes“ and that “the US wants the total humiliation of Serbia“. He underlined that he has already said what he thinks of it in the White House and that he will not agree to it.

See at: https://bit.ly/3rybEDy Stefanovic: We will not allow any kind of pogrom against Serbs in Kosovo (KoSSev)

The situation in Kosovo is becoming increasingly complicated. Above all, we want to preserve the security of the Serb population and analyze all the challenges they face, the National Security Council in Belgrade assessed, portal KoSSev reported. 

''We will not allow any kind of pogrom, expulsion, and crimes against the Serb population,''

Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said.

The Minister of Defense said that the situation in Kosovo was the first topic to be discussed during today’s session. The session was headed by the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic. It was held a day after the content of the letter of congratulations of the US President Joe Biden was revealed to the public. In the letter, in addition to congratulating Vucic on the occasion of Serbia Statehood Day, Biden also encouraged Serbia to recognize Kosovo.

Stefanovic revealed that they discussed a very complex situation in a political-security sense and about what the Serb state authorities are doing to ''preserve stability and security in the territory of the southern province''.

''Above all, we want to preserve the security of the Serb population and analyze all the challenges they face. The situation in Kosovo is becoming increasingly complicated,'' said Stefanovic.

In his words, there are ''new situations'' – such as ''the letter of congratulations on Statehood Day'', which some Kosovo politicians are ''looking forward to''. He added that Serbia also wants to continue to protect the stability and security of the Serb population in Kosovo in cooperation with KFOR.

''We will not allow any kind of pogrom, expulsion, and crimes against the Serb population,'' the Defense Minister emphasized.

The US president, Joseph Biden sent a letter to Vucic on the occasion of Statehood Day of Serbia. In the letter, Biden wrote: ''We remain steadfast in our support for Serbia’s goal of European integration and encourage you to continue taking the hard steps forward to reach that aim – including instituting necessary reforms and reaching a comprehensive normalization agreement with Kosovo centered on mutual recognition''.

See at: https://bit.ly/3tG0FKe Selakovic: The US has its own position on Kosovo, which they insist on, and Serbia has its own (Kosovo Online, TV Happy)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said that he was not surprised that the United States was seeking mutual recognition of Serbia and Kosovo, but he was surprised that US President Joseph Biden expressed such an aspiration in his congratulations on the occasion of Serbian Statehood Day, reported portal Kosovo Online.

Selakovic told TV Happy that this shows the position of American foreign policy.

"However, what is most important for us, both in the acts of international organizations and the EU itself, with which we are conducting negotiations on accession and membership, such things are not set as a condition. And even if they stand, our position is clear, that position is stated in one of the most important places in the world, and that is the White House, in September," Selakovic said.

As he said, Serbia as an internationally recognized state did not need recognition from "the so-called Kosovo".

Selakovic pointed out that Serbia has a position that it insists on, and the US also has a position that it insists on.

"That is not a reason for us to give up our position, but only a bigger and stronger incentive to be persistent, wise in that fight to represent our interests. That is one of the signals of this year, which was announced as the year in which great pressures and great temptations are waiting for us, in which we must persevere and endure to the end, "the minister said.

He stated that the great powers will not change their opinion on the issue of Kosovo, because many of them have sponsored it, and that they treat Kosovo as something of their own and defend it in every place.

"However, the great powers are not the same as 14 years ago, but Serbia is not the same and politics is not conducted in the same way. Will the new US administration talk about Kosovo and Metohija - yes, it will, will the talks be simple and easy - they certainly won't," said Selakovic.

Speaking about the visit of the President of Serbia to France, he said that French President Emanuel Macron initiated a new methodology of joining and that he was recognized in the EU as one of the most important leaders, someone who will ask questions and influence further developments in the EU.

"We did not hesitate about the new methodology. A new methodology suits us, which will show how much we have done. How much we have achieved and how much it has contributed to the standard of living," Selakovic stated.

Petkovic: Kurti only privately can speak about the Constitution of Serbia, as a citizen of Serbia (Kosovo Online)

''The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia recognizes the indisputable international legal fact that Kosovo and Metohija is part of Serbia, and the only ones invited to deal with the content of our highest constitutive act are the citizens of Serbia,'' said today the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic.

"In that sense, Albin Kurti, as a citizen of Serbia, has the authority to talk about it, but only as a private person, because his opinion is worth as much as his one vote, and the content of our Constitution will certainly not be the subject of any talks under foreign auspices,"  Petkovic said in a statement.

As Petkovic added, unlike the Serbian Constitution, which respects reality and is the highest legal document of an internationally recognized state, "what Kurti and his like-minded people call the Constitution of Kosovo is a temporary act and a kind of legal provisional, and it needs to be changed urgently, in order to implement everything that Pristina has committed itself to in the Brussels dialogue".

"In the days when we are approaching the celebration of the anniversary of the adoption of the Sretenje Constitution and the Statehood Day of our country, I remind Kurti that Serbia has been implementing the most modern and advanced constitutional and legal solutions since 1835, when its first Constitution was adopted. From then until today, the Serbian constitutions guaranteed maximum freedoms to all loyal citizens of Serbia, so when he becomes a loyal citizen of Serbia again, all personal and collective minority rights will be guaranteed to him, too," Petkovic said.

Haradinaj on unification with Albania again; Petkovic: He is in hopeless situation (RTS)

Leader of AAK Ramush Haradinaj repeated once again his statements on “unification of Kosovo with Albania”, while Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic responding to this statement said “it seems Haradinaj himself doesn’t believe in his own threats”, RTS reports.

“There are projects doomed to fail even before their realization formally commence, and so is the dream of Ramush Haradinaj to force Belgrade recognize so-called Kosovo, and so are the old delusions on creating the project of “Great Albania”, Petkovic said in a statement.

He recalled that only a few days ago Haradinaj conditioned NATO and the EU he would make “Great Albania” unless Kosovo gets fully-fledged membership in three years.   

Vucic: It is important for Serbs to go to polls and vote for Serbian List (TV Most) 

President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic urged Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija on Sunday to go to the polls and vote for the Serbian List in the upcoming elections in Kosovo, adding this was important because it was obvious that things were getting complicated, TV Most reports.

When asked by a TV Most journalist about the upcoming elections, President Vucic said that “all Serbs who are allowed to do so, ought to go to the polls on February 14”.

He once again called on all Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to give their vote to Serbian List.

He mentioned that 16,000 to 17,000 Serbs were removed from the voter’s list, thus depriving them of the right to vote for the Serbian List. “And it is important so that we would have one of the institutional representatives in the provisional authorities who could help our people and keep a strong connection with their Belgrade and Serbia”, he stressed. 

Goran Rakic: Let Rasic go with Kurti, Serbs together with SL will be with Vucic (Kosovo-online) 

President of Serbian List, Goran Rakic told Kosovo Online on Saturday that the President of Progressive Democratic Party (PDS) Nenad Rasic, could go along with the leader of Vetevendosje, Albin Kurti, but Serbs were firmly with the Serbian List and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, Kosovo-online portal reports.

When asked to comment on the fact that Kurti and Rasic were campaigning together in Strpce, Rakic underlined it was not for the first time that Rasic sought support of Albanian parties and voters, aware that he would not receive a single vote from Serbs.

“I believe that our people will react to this unification of Rasic with Kurti, who advocates the creation of a “Greater Albania”, with unanimity and united support for the Serbian List on February 14. Rasic should go with Kurti, Serbs gathered around the Serbian List will always be with Aleksandar Vucic”, he said.  

Rasic: Arrival of new political current is inevitable; Kurti will be prime minister (Kosovo-online)

President of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDS), Nenad Rasic, who officially supports the Civic Initiative “Freedom, Justice and Survival”, said Sunday that the upcoming elections would be elections of changes that would bring a new political current to the political scene in Kosovo, Kosovo-online portal reports.

He added he sees the leader of LVV, Albin Kurti, in the position of the future Prime Minister.

Rasic went on saying the first change that would happen after the formation of the new government would be an increase of minimum labour cost, which was established in 2008 when he was the head of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

“These elections will be elections of change. I say it because it was obvious that the research shows that a new current, which will be absolutely inevitable, will come to power. Knowing the program and plans of Kurti himself, I know that they are strong leftists in terms of support to social programs and support for the development of basic cells of society, such as the family. Therefore, I know that among the first things to happen, will be an increase of minimum wage, which was established back in 2008 when I was minister”, Rasic said.

Montenegrins from Kosovo invite their compatriots to vote for Serbian List at the upcoming elections (TV Most) 

TV Most reports on Monday that members of Montenegrin ethnic community that is not recognized by the Constitution of Kosovo and thus has no guaranteed seats in the Assembly of Kosovo, will go to the polls at the upcoming parliamentary elections. 

In this regard, on behalf of the Montenegrin community of KiM, Montenegrin Liberal Party and the Association of Kosovo Montenegrins “Matica” based in Kosovo Polje, invited their members, supporters, voters and friends, to all go to the polls at the upcoming parliamentary elections and vote for Serbian List, “as naturally and ideologically the closest subject to our party and our association”. 

“Our religion is the same, our Church is the same, and our goals with Serbian List are very similar. The provisional institutions of the system do not have an understanding for the problems of the Montenegrins of Kosovo and Metohija, but that is why the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has one, whose policy deserves every praise and gratitude from the Montenegrins of Kosovo”, it was said in the press release. 

New contingent of 50.000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine to be delivered to Serbia soon (B92)

Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, 50.000 doses of the Russian vaccine "Sputnik V" will be delivered to Serbia, Minister Nenad Popovic confirmed on Sunday, B92 reports.

"A few hours ago, we received information from our Russian partners from the Ministry of Industry and the Russian Direct Investment Fund that another 50.000 vaccines are ready for Serbia tomorrow. Those vaccines will be delivered tomorrow evening or the day after tomorrow by Air Serbia plane to Belgrade," Popovic told RTS.

He stated that the arrival of vaccines is the result of direct talks between President Aleksandar Vučić and Russian President Vladimir Putin from a few days ago, where they discussed the vaccination process, overall bilateral relations between Russia and Serbia and where both presidents pointed out that bilateral relations are at the highest possible level.

See at: https://bit.ly/2OcTOrb Person suspected of writing “KLA – Kosovo” graffiti in Gorazdevac arrested (Radio kontakt plus)

Kosovo police in Pec have arrested a person suspected of writing “KLA-Kosovo” graffiti on a wall of the Serb-family house in Gorazdevac village, Radio kontakt plus reports.

According to the police the case was reported on February 3 and on February 5 the police, following an investigation identified and arrested L.M. (1988) suspected of writing the graffiti.

Radio Gorazdevac citing police claims earlier reported the arrested person is of Albanian ethnicity.

   

Opinion

  Elections 2021: Week 3 — What Did I Miss? (Kosovo 2.0) By Tringë Sokoli, Jack Butcher From colorful language to diaspora dilemmas, all in one place. 

Following the news every day can be exhausting at the best of times, even when there isn’t a pandemic playing havoc with our lives. 

So as we approach yet another round of elections, we don’t blame you if you feel like switching all phone notifications off, shutting down your laptop and avoiding the 24/7 news headlines like… well, the plague.

But while it might all be a bit too much to follow along in real time with the familiar rollercoaster of promises, debates and scandals, it doesn’t mean you don’t want to stay informed. 

That’s why, each week until election day on February 14, we’re bringing you the “highlights” (and “lowlights”) of the past seven days. 

With the official election campaign having finally started on Wednesday (February 3) — after weeks of unofficial campaigning — election fever stepped up a notch this week…

See more at: https://bit.ly/2N6FQqa  

International

  Kosovo Guerrillas’ Stronghold Tense Ahead of Election Showdown (Balkan Insight)

For two decades, voters in the town of Skenderaj/Srbica in Kosovo’s Drenica Valley have been pledging their support to the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK and its former leader Hashim Thaci, the wartime political chief of the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA who went on to dominate politics in the country in the years after the conflict.

Skenderaj/Srbica is Thaci’s hometown and also the birthplace of Adem Jashari, one of the founders of the KLA, who was convicted in absentia of terrorism by a Yugoslav court in 1997 and then killed in a bloody three-day-long siege of his compound by Yugoslav forces in March 1998 together with 57 members of his extended family.

The incident is seen as a turning point in Kosovo’s struggle for independence from Belgrade’s rule, and in the main square in Skenderaj/Srbica, there is a huge statue of Jashari, while a giant banner of him, his father Shaban and his older brother Hamez hangs on a municipal building nearby.

See more at: https://bit.ly/2NalUTG The Balkans face their #MeToo moment (DW)

The new year started with a scandal in Serbia. Several women accused well-known acting teacher and director Miroslav Mika Aleksic of rape and sexual abuse. All of them were students at his acting school and at least one of them was underage when the alleged abuse happened.

Milena Radulovic, a successful 26-year-old Serbian actor, was the first to tell her story in public. In an interview for the Serbian magazine Blic published on January 16, she said Aleksic had raped her when she was a minor: "I was at Mika Aleksic's school for six years when he raped me. I was 17 years old. It did not happen once. It was repeated."

This event triggered an avalanche of reactions throughout the Western Balkans. Other women and victims of sexual harassment, not only in Serbia, but in Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, raised their voices against violence and many of them spoke out just like Radulovic.

See more at: https://bit.ly/39YIXtx    

Humanitarian/Development

  Energy Community warns BiH, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Serbia over coal plant emissions (balkangreenenergynews.com)

Four Energy Community contracting parties in the Western Balkans face the possibility of infringement procedures as they failed to bring emissions of SO2, NOx and PM from their coal power plants in compliance with international rules.

The Energy Community Secretariat said it sent warning letters to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia and Serbia to express concerns about the implementation of their national emission reduction plans. NERPs enable compliance with the Large Combustion Plants Directive, setting the limits for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter for facilities with a capacity of more than 50 MW.

In the case of the four contracting parties in the Western Balkans, almost all of the excessive air pollution in the segment originates in lignite-fired thermal power plants. The secretariat sends warning letters before the potential start of an enforcement procedure, officially called dispute settlement.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3q2hhJB Serbia And Key International Sovereigns Lead With Data And AI To Become Vaccination Champions (forbes.com)

2021 is a defining year in humanity, where government efforts towards vaccination will determine how we live our lives in the coming years. All over the world, countries have been working tirelessly on the distribution and administration of vaccines, attempting to halt the effects of ongoing mutations straight in their tracks. However, some nations have emerged as clear winners in this effort over others. By leveraging the power of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, nations like Serbia, Greece, the UAE and Israel have been able to set up an optimized and effective vaccine distribution framework. We will take a deep dive into what each of these countries is doing correctly, and identify key takeaways as to what laggard countries can do to replicate their success. 

See more at: https://bit.ly/39UVm1w

Turned Back by Italy, Migrants Face Perilous Winter in Balkans (NYT)

To escape persecution in his homeland, a 27-year-old Pakistani man walked over mountains and through woods on an arduous 18-month journey across Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia until he finally reached the Italian border.

A few hours later, Italian guards in the city of Trieste took him to a hill, counted to five, and told him to run back across the border into Slovenia, he recalled. The following day, he said, the Slovenian authorities handed him over to Croatian police at the border, who beat him with batons wrapped with barbed wire as he lay handcuffed before deporting him to neighboring Bosnia.

See more at: https://nyti.ms/3rCtAgl