• 77 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours (media)
• New measures put in place to prevent spread of Covid-19 (media)
• Macron to host Kosovo-Serbia summit on July 17 in Paris (Koha)
• Kosovo, Serbia to discuss agreement similar to mini-Schengen on June 27 (Koha)
• President Trump could guarantee agreement at The White House (Klan Kosova)
• Thaci: Kosovo, Serbia to lose if agreement is not reached in Washington (VOA)
• PM Hoti asked to report to the Assembly before U.S. trip (media)
• Hoti: We’ll form Association/Community in line with Constitution (media)
• U.S. Ambassador Philip Kosnett interview to Telegrafi
• German MP Peter Beyer: Kosovo must reject a dirty deal (Koha)
• Haxhiu: Unlawful government to leave and pave way for elections (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

77 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours (media)

All media reported on Wednesday evening that 77 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the last 24 hours. 21 new cases are from the municipality of Prishtina.

There are currently 833 active coronavirus cases in Kosovo.

New measures put in place to prevent spread of Covid-19 (media)

The Government of Kosovo has approved the request of the National Institute for Public Health in introducing new measures aimed at preventing further spread of Covid-19.

The new measures request public and private institutions to organise their work remotely and thus reduce presence of staff in their respective offices. The measures also call for more rigorous checks on wearing of masks.

Macron to host Kosovo-Serbia summit on July 17 in Paris (Koha)

Koha reports that the French President Emmanuel Macron plans to host a Kosovo-Serbia summit in Paris on July 17 as part of joint Franco-German efforts to facilitate normalisation of relations between the two parties.

Kosovo, Serbia to discuss agreement similar to mini-Schengen on June 27 (Koha)

The news website reported on Wednesday that an agreement similar to a Balkans mini-Schengen is the objective of the meeting between Kosovo and Serbia delegations in Washington on June 27. Different sources have told Koha that the meeting facilitated by U.S. Presidential Envoy Richard Grenell will focus on economic issues between Kosovo and Serbia.

The news website recalls that among the key points of a Balkans mini-Schengen, which the Kosovo side had earlier rejected, is the free movement of people and goods and the recognition of diplomats from all countries of the region.

Koha asked Grenell’s office about the option and the modalities that will be discussed at the meeting. Dick Custin, a spokesman for Grenell’s office, confirmed that the main topic of the meeting will be economic development.

Koha wrote to Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti’s office about the meeting but received no reply.

President Trump could guarantee agreement at The White House (Klan Kosova)

U.S. President Donald Trump could guarantee a potential agreement between Kosovo and Serbia at The White House on June 27, the news website reported on Wednesday. This means Trump could attend an eventual celebration of the historic agreement between the two countries.

The agreement, according to Klan Kosova, is expected to provide an economic impetus to both countries in terms of multi-billion investments. EU High Representative Josep Borrell or Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak might attend the meeting in Washington.

Thaci: Kosovo, Serbia to lose if agreement is not reached in Washington (VOA)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said in an interview to Voice of America on Wednesday that the meeting in Washington on June 27 is a golden opportunity for Kosovo and Serbia to reach an important agreement. Thaci said there is no more reliable address for Kosovo than the United States of America.

“The meeting has a special and historic importance because it is the first time that our countries will be meeting at The White House. There is interest from the highest levels of the U.S. administration, by President Trump himself, and now we are seeing a very active, dynamic and energetic engagement and a real vision from Ambassador Grenell,” Thaci said.

Thaci said he expects mutual commitment “so that we can work seriously on an important agreement for both our countries and people. It is very important that Kosovo and Serbia have expressed their commitment and trust for the process to be led by the United States of America. So this is a golden opportunity to reach an important agreement”.

Thaci said Kosovo is ready to use the opportunity for an important agreement, that he is optimistic but that it will also be really difficult. “Kosovo’s institutions are putting in serious work. We are going there with the readiness for substantial progress in our approach. We have full faith in the commitment of Ambassador Grenell and the whole team of the U.S. administration. At the same time, I think none of the parties should lose this opportunity because any negative approach could involve a price. Kosovo is certainly not willing to pay such a price. We are ready to use the opportunity to reach an important agreement for the consolidation of our statehood both domestically and in the international arena,” Thaci said.

“We need to focus on what we want to achieve, and this includes the full respect of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, the respect for everything we have achieved, namely our freedom, independence, sovereignty, and at the same time to respect the international principles and standards of good neighborly relations. We need to incorporate issues that impact the lives of our countries and people. Things are moving in the right direction for an agreement to be reached on June 27. I am optimistic that an agreement can be reached, although it is going to be very difficult.”

Thaci also said that Kosovo’s aim is an agreement that paves way to membership in NATO and the European Union and a seat at the United Nations.

PM Hoti asked to report to the Assembly before U.S. trip (media)

The Kosovo Assembly Presidency has decided to ask Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti to report to the MPs on the issue of dialogue with Serbia before he travels to Washington to attend the meeting with the Serbian delegation on June 27.

Assembly President Vjosa Osmani told reporters in Prishtina today: “Following a unanimous decision of members of the Assembly Presidency, I will ask the Prime Minister to report to the Assembly before he travels to Washington to attend the meeting on June 27, given the importance of the dialogue and the supervisory role of the Assembly and also the government’s obligation to report to the Assembly on matters of foreign policy”.

Hoti: We’ll form Association/Community in line with Constitution (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti said Kosovo will form the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities in line with the Constitution. “The agreement on the Association was not ruled anti-constitutional. The Constitutional Court gave its remarks that the government must take into account when drafting the statute of the Association,” he said.

Hoti said Kosovo has taken over the obligation to form the Association/Community. “It is an obligation of the state of Kosovo to form this association. It will be formed in line with the country’s constitution,” he said. “We will be careful in the process. Before drafting the statute in the government, we will be careful that the statute is in compliance with the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo.”

U.S. Ambassador Philip Kosnett interview to Telegrafi

United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Philip Kosnett, said in an interview to the news website on Wednesday that the meeting between Kosovo and Serbia delegations at The White House on June 27 is very important for both countries and the region. Kosnett said he doesn’t have specific information or details about the meeting in Washington. “We think it is important to bring a new energy to the process of discussions between Kosovo and Serbia and we are particularly focused on issues that impact the daily lives of the people. We think that trade and economic development is very important for the people of both countries,” he said.

Asked about relations between Kosovo and the United States, Kosnett said the nature of partnership will evolve but that the two countries will remain close partners in the future. “I think the fundamental relations between the U.S. and Kosovo are rock-solid. I have no doubt that Kosovo and the U.S. will remain close partners in the future. I have no doubt whatsoever. I think the nature of the partnership will evolve and this is natural,” he said.

Kosnett said that if they would gladly welcome an invitation from the Kosovo government to help in an eventual vetting process. “If the government invites us to be more directly involved in developing the vetting system, we would gladly take part in the process. We have experts at the embassy that work on this. We can do this in partnership with the government and other international partners, like the British. Our British friends were involved in the vetting for several years,” Kosnett said.

German MP Peter Beyer: Kosovo must reject a dirty deal (Koha)

The news website reported on Wednesday evening that German MP from the CDU and a close associate to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Peter Beyer, during a parliament discussion accused the president of Kosovo of preparing a dirty deal on Kosovo’s back and said that part of this deal could be the dissolution of the Specialist Chambers.

Beyer said Kosovo is disturbed by domestic and foreign forces and that this a unity in its society is very important. He said a great deal of responsibility falls on the new government which must govern well and engaged in reconciliation through the truth. “The fight against corruption and organised crime and the fight against the COVID – 19 pandemic must be the top priorities,” he said.

Beyer said it is important to revive the talks between Kosovo and Serbia aimed the normalisation of relations. Without mentioning the names of Kosovo and Serbia presidents, Beyer said there is no need to invent new ideas: “I say: look to Brussels. I call on Kosovo and Serbia: do your homework. We don’t need a dirty deal. Do not yield to foreign pressure. We don’t need border changes. We don’t need the dissolution of the Special Court and the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which can be part of a dirty deal”.

Beyer said dirty deals are not good for the people of the region or the European Union. “Only an EU-led process can help negotiations conclude with an agreement,” he said. “We don’t know what will happen at The White House on June 27. But we do know one thing: the EU will not be there”. Beyer called on the Trump administration to invite EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak to the meeting in Washington.

Haxhiu: Unlawful government to leave and pave way for elections (media)

Albulena Haxhiu from the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) said that it is unacceptable that the new government of Kosovo, which she said is unlawful, has given up support to justice institutions in investigating and trying war crimes.

"The government's withdrawal from this change shows its submission before Serbia and is a tendency to amnesty war crimes. This is unacceptable. The unlawful government needs to leave as soon as possible and pave way for the country to go to extraordinary elections," Haxhiu wrote on social media.