UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 21, 2021

COVID-19: Eight new cases, one death (media)
PM Kurti to meet French President Macron this week (media)
Borrell to brief EU ministers of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (KP)
Government official says Washington agreement carries no legal value (media)
Opposition reacts to Kryeziu's statement on Washington agreement (media)
Hasani warns of international repercussions if Kosovo leaves agreements (Koha)
Miftaraj: Washington Agreement is obligatory (Telegrafi)
Simmons: EULEX handed over to Serbia war crimes files (media)
"Europa Nostra" to consider removing Decan Monastery from endangered list (Koha)
Kurti: Survivors of sexual violence during war have faced horror, stigma (media)
Kosovo MP Condemned for ‘Biased’ Comments About Missing Serbs (BIRN)
Government says it doesn't treat missing persons on ethnic basis (Koha)
Virtual Museum Preserves Kosovo War Refugees’ Memories (BIRN)

COVID-19: Eight new cases, one death (media)

Kosovo has recorded eight new cases of COVID-19 and one death in the last 24-hour period. Nine recoveries were confirmed during this time.

There are currently 174 active cases of coronavirus in Kosovo.

The Ministry of Health announced yesterday that 965 vaccine shots were administered in the last 24 hours in Kosovo with 133,868 people receiving the first dose of which 17,811 are fully vaccinated.

PM Kurti to meet French President Macron this week (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti met a delegation from France, led by Isabelle Dumont, political advisor to the French President Emmanuel Macron, and discussed political developments in Kosovo and beyond, good governance, European integration, and deepening of relations between Kosovo and France.

The meeting was part of preparations for Prime Minister Kurti's upcoming visit to France where he is expected to meet President Macron, a press release issued by the Government of Kosovo notes.

Borrell to brief EU ministers of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (KP)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, is expected to brief foreign ministers of the EU on the latest round of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

The EU said that the new round of talks expected to take place in July could produce more tangible results, Belgrade-based news agency Beta reported.

Government official says Washington agreement carries no legal value (media)

Spokesperson for the Government of Kosovo, Perparim Kryeziu, said Friday that the commitments agreed on by the previous government in Washington with the Serbian side has no legal weight of an international agreement as it has not been voted at the Assembly of Kosovo.

"As such it has rightfully been called a document with unilateral commitments of a government which at the time it signed this document was without legitimacy. In the meantime it was confirmed that it did not enjoy the necessary legitimacy to be in power," Kryeziu told Ekonomia Online news website.

Opposition reacts to Kryeziu's statement on Washington agreement (media)

The statement made by the spokesperson of the Government of Kosovo, Perparim Kryeziu, that the agreement signed by the previous government has no legal value as it has not been voted by the Assembly and furthermore, the government had no legitimacy at the time the document was agreed to, has sparked the condemnation of the opposition parties.

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lumir Abdixhiku said any agreement signed with the United States is obligatory. "The poor guy knows no better," Abdixhiku said, referring to Kryeziu.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj called on Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti to refute the statement of his spokesperson or risk "being responsible for endangering the strategic partnership with America which is vital for Kosovo."

Blerta Deliu-Kodra, MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), has also slammed Kryeziu's statement as "hostile" towards the United States.

Hasani warns of international repercussions if Kosovo leaves agreements (Koha)

Former president of the Constitutional Court, Enver Hasani, has warned Kosovo could face international repercussions if it decides to unilaterally abandon commitments from the Brussels and Washington agreements taken on by the previous government, Koha reports.

He argued that Kosovo's possible withdrawal from the Washington agreement can only be done in coordination with the party with which it signed the paper. "If a damage is incurred from the non-implementation of the agreement, there is an international standard stipulating that it needs to be compensated," Hasani said, adding: "Any kind of withdrawal carries international cost for the state."

Miftaraj: Washington Agreement is obligatory (Telegrafi)

Ehat Miftaraj from the Kosovo Law Institute commented on the statement of the government spokesperson that the Washington agreement has no legal value saying that despite the fact it was not voted at the Assembly it needs to be implemented. "The Washington Agreement is obligatory for the mere fact it was signed by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo," Miftaraj said.

He added that although the agreement was signed during the previous U.S. administration under Donald Trump, the current administration of Joe Biden has publicly supported it and called for its implementation, to the degree which is acceptable to the parties.

Simmons: EULEX handed over to Serbia war crimes files (media)

Former EULEX judge, Malcolm Simmons, has alleged that officials from the EU rule of law mission had handed over sensitive files relating to the Kosovo war crimes to Serbian authorities.

Simmons said on Twitter that a parliamentary enquiry in Kosovo should consider the following questions: "1. EULEX hand over to Serbia of prosecution files concerning war crimes committed in Kosovo; 2. Documented claims of interference in criminal trials; 3. Documented claims of manipulation of protected witnesses."

He also asked whether UNMIK was aware that war crimes files transferred to EULEX were handed over to Serbia. "Was this in accordance with the agreement between UNMIK and EULEX?"

Simmons has recently written to Prime Minister Albin Kurti listing, what he says, are a number of abuses by EULEX but said he has not received any reply yet.

"Europa Nostra" to consider removing Decan Monastery from endangered list (Koha)

"Europa Nostra", European organisation that promotes protection of cultural heritage, will review the possibility of removing the Decan Monastery from the list of seven most endangered sites in Europe, Koha reports based on chain of correspondence between the Government of Kosovo and the organisation.

In a letter to Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz and Culture Minister Hajrulla Ceku, "Europa Nostra" said the process of including a certain asset to the list of endangered monuments has not concluded and that the decision could be reviewed.

Kosovo officials had objected to the Monastery in Decan being added to the list of endangered sites, calling the decision "politically motivated" and not corresponding to the factual situation on the ground.

Kurti: Survivors of sexual violence during war have faced horror, stigma (media)

On the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, together with MP, Vasfije Krasniqi, and Government Spokesperson, Rozafa Kelmendi, visited the Government Commission for Recognition and Verification of the status of victims of sexual violence during the Kosovo Liberation War, a press release issued by the Government announced on Saturday.

“We cannot imagine the horror experienced by people who survived sexual violence during the war, followed by post-war repression. They have been victimized again by stigma and institutional non-intervention to address this crime committed during the war in Kosovo, this weapon of war used by the occupier,” Kurti said. He reiterated the need for continued calls for survivors to apply for recognition of their status, and for these calls to reach wherever survivors may be.

Kosovo MP Condemned for ‘Biased’ Comments About Missing Serbs (BIRN)

A group of Kosovo civil society organisations called on the Kosovo authorities on Thursday to condemn comments made by ruling Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party MP Arbereshe Kryeziu Hyseni, who said that ethnic Albanian missing persons are more of a priority than Serbs.

During a show on Pristina-based Klan Kosova TV on June 15, Kryeziu Hyseni said that “the issue of the missing persons of the Albanian people should be treated seriously and with high priority, and after their turn, we can talk about the missing Serbs”.

The Informal Coalition for Dealing with the Past said that Kryeziu Hyseni was “denigrating” Serb war victims and cited constitutional law that insists on equal treatment for all war victims regardless of their ethnicity.