UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 1, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
- COVID-19: 467 new cases, 9 deaths (media)
- VV: Revoking Radojicic arrest warrant, scandalous and dangerous (media)
- CDHRF: There should be protests against Lajcak’s visit (media)
- Albin Kurti’s crossroad between EU, US, Erdogan and Netanyahu (euronews.al)
- Hague Court schedules new status conference on Salih Mustafa’s case (Gazeta Express)
- Berisha: We will demand annulment of votes orchestrated by the Serbian List (Ekonomia)
- Simmons: I said and will say it again: Kosovo is a sovereign state (RTK)
- Director General of Kosovo Prosecutorial Council Secretariat, arrested (RTK)
Serbian Language Media:
- 86 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio konakt plus)
- Radojevic: Interethnic incidents have no place in our city (Radio kontakt plus)
- Lajcak: I am not coming to Belgrade with ultimatum, EU and US expect continuation of dialogue (Tanjug)
- Simic: We expect that Lajcak reminds Pristina of its unfulfilled obligations (Kosovo-online)
- Office for KiM: “Arilje” handball team banned from entering Kosovo (Radio KIM)
- Gathering to support detained youngsters in Gracanica held last night also (Radio KIM)
- Petkovic urges citizens from Kosovo to get vaccinated (Kosovo-online)
- Poll shows 75 percent of young Serbians want mandatory military service to resume (N1)
Opinion:
- Palokaj: A priority or not, the dialogue will last for many years (Koha)
- The far-reaching consequences of Kosovo’s failure to secure vaccines (Prishtina Insight)
International:
- Kosovo Revokes Arrest Warrant for Powerful Serb Businessman (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
- Additional doses of Sputnik V for revaccination have arrived to Serbia (B92)
- Additional doses of Pfizer’s vaccines arrived in Serbia (Kosovo-online)
Albanian Language Media
COVID-19: 467 new cases, 9 deaths (media)467 new cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 214 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 8,026 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.
VV: Revoking Radojicic arrest warrant, scandalous and dangerous (media)The Vetevendosje Movement (VV) reacted today to news that the Basic Court in Prishtina has revoked the arrest warrant against Milan Radojicic. VV said the court’s decision is both scandalous and dangerous and that whoever made this unexpected decision is believed to be repaying old debts or making way for conditions “for new underground and para-political agreements”. “The Special Prosecution and the Basic Court must tell the people of Kosovo why a criminal should not be arrested. We also call on the Prosecutorial and the Judicial Council to act on the matter … We also call on security and law enforcing mechanisms to be vigilant about this case,” the VV said in a reaction.
CDHRF: There should be protests against Lajcak’s visit (media)The Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) said in a statement today that there should be protests against the visit to Kosovo by EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak. The Council also said that Lajcak did not apologise for “games with maps depicting Kosovo as an integral part of Serbia” and that “the softest action by Kosovo politicians is to refuse every meeting with him until he publicly apologises and distances himself from that action”. The Council further argued that civil society representatives and the media too must ignore the visit by “a totally biased mediator who is damaging the process of talks”.
Albin Kurti’s crossroad between EU, US, Erdogan and Netanyahu (euronews.al)Apart from challenges regarding internal politics and the dialogue with Serbia, Kurti’s administration is faced with yet another issue that has positioned Kosovo in-between the US and EU, Turkey and other Arab countries. The issue at hand concerns Kosovo’s embassy in Jerusalem.
While the decision to establish Kosovo’s embassy in Jerusalem was applauded by the US, it was rejected by the EU, which continues to consider Jerusalem’s status unresolved. Turkey was also opposed to this, as was reiterated in Erdogan’s congratulating letter to VV’s leader, Albin Kurti after winning the general elections.
After commending him on his landslide win, Erdogan expressed his delight that Kurti’s administration wouldn’t agree to open an embassy in Jerusalem.
At the same time, Kurti received a letter from Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, inviting him in the possible inauguration of the Jerusalem embassy.
Kosovo’s future PM, Albin Kurti will have to choose the right approach in order to be able to get out of this crossroad.
Diplomatic ties between Kosovo and Israel were established on February 1st of this year, as part of the September 4th 2020 agreement, signed during a meeting in the White House with former-US president Donald Trump, which was considered historical by both countries.
Also part of the virtual signing ceremony was the US vice-Secretary of State, Matthew Palmer as well as both US ambassadors to Prishtina and Jerusalem.
In addition, 3 days ago, Kosovo’s ambassador Ines Demiri landed in Israel.
Hague Court schedules new status conference on Salih Mustafa’s case (Gazeta Express)The Kosovo Specialist Chambers based in The Hague announced in their court calendar that the next Status Conference in the case against Salih Mustafa is scheduled for 5 March at 11:00.
The indictment against Salih Mustafa was confirmed on 12 June 2020. He was arrested by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office on 24 September and transferred to the Detention Facilities of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague on the same day.
The indictment charges Salih Mustafa of individual criminal responsibility for Arbitrary Detention, Cruel Treatment, Torture and Murder, war crimes under international law.
Berisha: We will demand annulment of votes orchestrated by the Serbian List (Ekonomia)Former Kosovo Assembly MP from the Egyptian community Veton Berisha said that they will complain to all justice mechanisms ‘for the orchestration of votes by the Serbian List in the February 14 elections’.
He said that they will do this after the end of the vote counting process.
"We will address the relevant institutions in this case the ECAP, the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court… We hope a lot, and we strongly believe that we will receive the official confirmation in favor of justice from the first level in the ECAP, and that it will be really confirmed that there was an orchestration of votes," he said.
Berisha, who is the leader of the Egyptian Liberal Party (PLE), stated that they will seek the annulment of the votes.
"I have seen the good action of the civil society, an initiative of organizations, I have seen the reaction of 48 organizations from the Bosniak community, and others that are very professional and follow this process. I am glad that these organizations have organized such a protest and I certainly find it reasonable to be part of the protest because I am one of the main people who raised this issue from the beginning and I am glad that you the Albanian civil society and other communities, are seeing this too. I think that the protest will have its impact on the decision-making institutions," Berisha concluded.
According to the non-Serb communities, the Serbian List manipulated with their votes in the February 14 elections.
Such concern has been raised by non-governmental organizations dealing with the monitoring of the election process, which have also requested an investigation by the Prosecution.
The Civil Society has announced for Tuesday regarding the representation of communities in the Assembly.
Simmons: I said and will say it again: Kosovo is a sovereign state (RTK)Former President of the Assembly of Judges in the EULEX Mission for the Rule of Law in Kosovo, Malcolm Simmons, said on his Twitter account that Kosovo is a sovereign state and is responsible for its future.
“I've said it before and I'll say it again: Kosovo is a sovereign state. It is in charge of its own destiny. It is time the International Community started treating Kosovo as an equal partner,” Simmons wrote.
Simmons also addressed Miroslav Lajcak regarding his post on twitter where he was criticized for the EU map, stating that the EU has a "neutral status".
Is it possible for an organisation like the EU to be 'status neutral'? he asked and added that to be 'status neutral' suggests the EU could support an outcome that is not in the interests of Member States. Is that a reality?’
Director General of Kosovo Prosecutorial Council Secretariat, arrested (RTK)
The General Director of the Secretariat of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, Lavdim Krasniqi, as well as another official from the same institution, were escorted to the police on based on suspicion of abuse of official duty.
Kosovo Police spokesman, Baki Kelani said that the Kosovo Police, respectively the Directorate for Investigation of Economic Crimes and Corruption, by the order of the Basic Prosecution in Pristina, has escorted two people for interview.
Serbian Language Media
86 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio konakt plus)Out of 186 tested samples 86 were positive on Covid-19 in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, the Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced on Saturday.
Meanwhile, 39 persons have completed a two-week isolation period.
The breakdown of the cases is as follows: 35 in Mitrovica North, 20 in Zvecan, 13 in Leposavic, six in Zubin Potok, five each in Strpce and Gnjilane and two in Priluzje.
There are 545 active cases at the moment.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic a total of 107 persons have died in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo due to Covid-19 related complications.
Meanwhile, Gracanica Crisis Committee announced that 15 new cases of Covid-19 were registered in this area over the last weekend.
Currently 44 persons are hospitalized in Gracanica. Radojevic: Interethnic incidents have no place in our city (Radio kontakt plus)Mitrovica North mayor in strongest terms condemned the attack against the group of Serbian youngsters that took place on Saturday evening, near the Secondary School “Mihajlo Petrovic Alas” in which a young man was injured, Radio kontakt plus reports.
Radojevic said interethnic incidents and attacks against the Serbs have no place in this city, urged citizens to exercise restraint and police representatives to be more vigilant and act preventively.
“I am using this opportunity to thank police officials for swift action in which an attacker of Albanian ethnicity was brought in, but I also request the prosecutor to undertake all the measures within his authority, sanction such behavior and protect the citizens”, Radojevic said in a press statement.
He also urged representatives of the international community to condemn this incident.
“We urge representatives of the international community to clearly condemn this incident, clearly define it, an attack against the Serbs and send a clear message that they condemn such incidents, thus showing a zero tolerance for violence and attacks against the Serbs no matter where they live and regardless of the ethnic background of the attackers and social status of the victim”, Radojevic concluded.
Radio kontakt plus reported that a suspect A.S. (1997) attacked with a knife Serbian young man M.M. (1995) on Saturday evening, near the school in Mitrovica North, who was in a company of his two friends, M.N. (1987) and P.Dj. (1989).
The attacker was sent to 48-hour detention, while the prosecutor of duty assigned the case as “attempted murder”, police spokesperson for Mitrovica North region, Bratislav Radovic said.
Lajcak: I am not coming to Belgrade with ultimatum, EU and US expect continuation of dialogue (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks said he is not coming to Belgrade with an “ultimatum”, adding Serbia should not fear renewed cooperation between the EU and US on resolving the Kosovo issue, Tanjug news agency reports.
Lajcak also said he is convinced there is a room for Belgrade and Pristina to agree on their mutual relations.
He noted during the visits in Pristina and Belgrade, he would like to hear a response to a question when the dialogue in Brussels would continue.
“It is no secret that the EU expects continuation of dialogue and for both Belgrade and Pristina, the dialogue is inevitable on the EU’s path. The EU is here, we are ready to bring the two leaders to Brussels and the question is when it will happen. I would like to hear the response to it, during the visit”, Lajcak said.
Commenting on some Belgrade-based media reports that he brings some sort of an ultimatum to the Serbian authorities, Lajcak said that “speculations and great expectations” always appeared ahead of his visits to the region.
“The EU doesn’t work on the principle of ultimatum. We are here to help. The aim of the dialogue is support to Belgrade and Pristina and to bring European future for the entire region closer”, Lajcak said.
Asked to comment on the expectations when it comes to engagement and constructivism of new Pristina authorities, represented by Albin Kurti, Lajcak, as Tanjug reported, said Kurti knows well what is expected from him, and one should not dramatize his statements about the dialogue.
“He was elected because it was expected he can resolve some issues such as corruption, economy, social issues, the issue of judiciary and so on, and it is logical. At the same time he knows very well that the international community, the EU and US expect continuation of dialogue, and he is ready for that”, Lajcak said.
He also added we should not look for some conflict there. “Any government needs to resolve a number of issues, there is no government that deals with one issue only. And it is also slightly artificial as the conflict and one of the aims of my visit is to talk to Mr. Kurti in detail about all these issues”, Lajcak said.
“We had good, constructive cooperation with Mr. Kurti, first time when he was the prime minister, he lifted the tariffs, he enabled good and constructive cooperation of the health institutions, in the fight against Covid-19. He is a partner familiar to us, and as I said the cooperation was constructive”, Lajcak added.
Asked by Tanjug, how the EU as a main mediator in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue sees American insistence on “mutual recognition” between Serbia and Kosovo, Lajcak said the aim of the dialogue is normalization of relations, and Belgrade and Pristina are the parties that should agree “what is normalization and what is normal”.
“There is a room for normalization of relations and there is a room for reaching an agreement that would resolve all the open issues and accelerate the European path of Serbia and Kosovo. I am absolutely convinced in it”, he added.
Simic: We expect that Lajcak reminds Pristina of its unfulfilled obligations (Kosovo-online)Serbian List Deputy President Igor Simic told Kosovo-online portal they expect that the EU’s special envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks would remind Pristina of its unfulfilled obligations signed in Brussels.
Simic recalled that in addition to Pristina, the EU also has its share of responsibility as to why the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities has not been established eight years since the agreement was signed.
Office for KiM: “Arilje” handball team banned from entering Kosovo (Radio KIM)“Arilje” handball team players were not allowed to enter Kosovo at Jarinje crossing point yesterday.. They were on the way to play in an earlier scheduled game with “Trepca” team from Mitrovica North, Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced, Radio KIM reports.
The Office for KiM termed Pristina’s decision as “incomprehensible and inadmissible”.
“The explanation provided to the handball players from Arilje at the administrative crossing point – that no sportsmen from central Serbia can enter territory of Kosovo and Metohija unless they haven’t previously requested permission of the so-called Ministry of Sport in Pristina – is absurd and completely inaccurate”, the Office said in a statement.
It added “decision represents a brutal violation of the freedom of movement”, stressing “that not a single document stipulates obligation of the sportsmen from central Serbia to send any information or seek permission from Pristina to enter Kosovo and play sports matches there”.
Gathering to support detained youngsters in Gracanica held last night also (Radio KIM)Around 50 citizens, based on their own initiative as Radio KIM reports, gathered last night in front of a police station in Gracanica to extend support to the seven detained youngsters suspected of involvement in a fight in Laplje Selo.
They chanted slogans “Justice for arrested ones”. The gathering went peacefully.
Radio KIM recalled that the Basic Court in Gracanica assigned one-month detention to the seven youngsters who took part in a massive fight in Laplje Selo.
Their defense lawyers appealed the decision.
Petkovic urges citizens from Kosovo to get vaccinated (Kosovo-online)Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic appealed to the citizens in Kosovo to register for inoculation, warning that the number of Covid-19 cases in Kosovo is on rise, Kosovo-online portal reports.
Petkovic said it was necessary to contact the nearest health house or the health center in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo and the Office for KiM would organize transportation of interested citizens to Raska, Kursumlija or Bujanovac.
“Please use this opportunity given to you by the state of Serbia and get vaccinated. By doing so, you will demonstrate responsibility towards yourself, your own lives and your beloved ones. The state of Serbia is in first place when it comes to inoculation of its population in Europe and fifth one in the world. While other states in the region have no almost single vaccine, we have fourth at disposal and we are able to vaccinate also our people from the area of Kosovo and Metohija”, Petkovic said.
Poll shows 75 percent of young Serbians want mandatory military service to resume (N1)A poll showed that almost 75 percent of young Serbian men want to see mandatory military service resume, Belgrade daily Blic said quoting a House of Win agency poll, N1 reports.
The poll showed that 40 percent of young Serbian men would volunteer to go to war for Serbia.
Some 24 percent of the polled said that they do not want conscription to resume and just three percent said they had no thoughts on the issue. About 80 percent of the polled who want conscription to return said they would prefer to serve in uniform under arms.
See at: https://bit.ly/3uIhcO3Opinion
Palokaj: A priority or not, the dialogue will last for many years (Koha)Brussels-based correspondent Augustin Palokaj argues in an opinion piece that the European Union can claim that it is neutral in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, but it is not neutral toward Kosovo and Serbia because it considers Serbia a state and it does not see Kosovo the same. “Proof of this are ‘the official maps of the EU’ where the border between Kosovo and Serbia is not considered an inter-state border. The duration of the dialogue so far and claims that ‘there will be no artificial timelines’, prove that the dialogue is not a high priority for the EU either. And there is no pressure on Serbia to recognise Kosovo, at least not from the EU. This is why, a priority or not, the dialogue will last for many more years,” he writes.
According to Palokaj, “there was never any pressure on Serbia to recognise Kosovo. If there had been any pressure, perhaps Serbia would have recognised Kosovo more easily. They would say ‘we have no other choice’. But with the understanding toward it, Serbia feels very comfortable in opposing Kosovo and is encouraged to maintain this position. The non-recognising countries have given Serbia an even bigger argument. And many countries that recognised Kosovo said ‘they understand Serbia’s position’.”
“Expecting Serbia to recognise Kosovo, and then for other countries to follow suit, means giving Serbia the right of veto. In these circumstances, an agreement cannot be expected soon. And when an agreement is not expected within a short period of time, one cannot say that this issue is a priority, because something that is a priority would not have taken over 10 years,” Palokaj argues.
The far-reaching consequences of Kosovo’s failure to secure vaccines (Prishtina Insight)
By: Bujar Vitija
The Kosovo Government’s failure to attain even a single dose of any vaccine against COVID-19 leaves the country on the precipice of another crisis, which could inflict further damage to its ailing healthcare system and economy.
In early January, outgoing Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Minister of Health Armend Zemaj stated that vaccines against COVID-19 for 360,000 people would be secured through COVAX, a programme aiming for equitable access to vaccines run in part by the World Health Organisation.
Hoti and Zemaj also claimed that a deal would soon be finalised for more than 500,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19, which would be purchased directly from the company.
However, it was soon being reported in the Kosovar media that no deal had been concluded between Pfizer and the Kosovo Government, and claims made by Zemaj and Hoti that vaccination would begin in February, with 20,000 people receiving shots daily, have now proved unfounded. As of March 1, 2021, Kosovo is the only country in the region yet to receive even a single dose of any vaccine against COVID-19.
Meanwhile, COVAX has since published a report stating that Kosovo will receive just 100,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, only 15 percent of which is likely to be available in the first quarter of the year. Head of the National Institute of Public Health Naser Ramadani has stated that Kosovo is still waiting for the first contingent, but has not specified a date for their arrival.
See more at: https://bit.ly/3r5Q21fInternational
Kosovo Revokes Arrest Warrant for Powerful Serb Businessman (Balkan Insight)Pristina Basic Court said it has withdrawn the warrant for the arrest of powerful Belgrade-backed politician and businessman Milan Radoicic, a suspect in the murder of rival Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic.
Judge Valon Kurtaj told BIRN that Pristina Basic Court has withdrawn the warrant for the arrest of Milan Radoicic, who is wanted as the alleged leader of an organised criminal group responsible for the January 2018 murder of rival Kosovo Serb political party leader Oliver Ivanovic.
“The Special Prosecution requested the withdrawal of the warrant and the court, acting upon the request, has lifted it,” Kurtaj, the presiding judge in the Ivanovic murder case, told BIRN.
The prosecution declined to comment, saying that “this is an internal issue”.
See more at: https://bit.ly/3kxr9cq