Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 77 new cases, no deaths (media) 
• Lajcak: Association has to establish, you committed in 2015 (RTK)
• Mustafa and Lajcak discuss conclusion of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)
• Americans want Kosovo in OSCE (Gazeta Express) 
• Whyte: There will be no Republika Srpska in Kosovo (RFE, Koha)
• Krasniqi reacts after Lajcak's statements on Association (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak: Pristina must show consistency by implementing the agreement on ZSO (RTS)
• Russian ambassador denies media claims about Putin visit (N1)
• Andjelkovic: Putin's visit cannot be canceled, because it was not even scheduled (N1, Nova S)
• Gracanica Mayor: We have the right to withdraw from the institutions if the ZSO is not formed (RTS)
• Was progress made with Lajcak's visit? (KIM radio, Danas) 

International:

• Lajčák: International organizations are “eyes and ears” in Kosovo (EWB)
• Snarky Facebook post sparks diplomatic incident between Russia and Serbia: What’s behind it? (neweasterneurope.eu)
• Mariano: Western Balkan states could contribute to security and defense of NATO (EWB)
• EU and the Western Balkans, a long engagement (balcanicaucaso.org)

Humanitarian/Development:

• The Latest: WHO: European cases rocket, strong limits needed (apnews.com)
• International Day of Rural Women: I love the countryside, I love to produce (Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev)
• Platform Initiative launched to support clean energy transition in coal regions in Western Balkans and Ukraine (balkangreenenergynews.com)
• Femart’s 8th edition celebrates resilience and solidarity in challenging times (Prishtina Insight)

   

Albanian Language Media 

   COVID-19: 77 new cases, no deaths (media) 

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health announced today that 77 new cases of COVID-19 and no deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

59 persons have recovered from the virus during this time. The highest number of cases is from the municipality of Prishtina (46).

Lajcak: Association has to establish, you committed in 2015 (RTK)

The EU Special representative for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Miroslav Lajcak held a press conference after his visit to Kosovo.

On this occasion, Lajcak said that the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities has to be formed as signed in 2015.

According to him, every agreement between Kosovo and Serbia has to be a compromise between the two parties.

“The establishment of the Association is the subject that was met with emotions here in Kosovo, because EU is not interested to destabilise the situation in Kosovo. However, Kosovo has made a commitment in 2015,” he said.

"Dialogue offers Kosovo discussions about open issues but also any kind of agreement should come out of a compromise between the two countries," Lajcak said. 

“Dialogue is extremely important for Kosovo’s European future. Dialogue offers to Kosovo advantages to discuss all the remaining issues with Belgrade. Dialogue should close all the open issues and it should be clear that every agreement should be a result of compromise.

As you know, we are negotiating for a comprehensive agreement, legally binding, for normalization between the two countries which resolves the remaining issues once for all, an agreement which will bring Kosovo and Serbia closer to the European Union,” Lajcak said.

He added that the issue of the missing and displaced persons is important for reconciliation.

“There are no easy issues in our process,” he said.

Lajcak said that at all the meetings that he had during these two days, there was support for the dialogue and confirmation that Kosovo will respect all the commitments, including the Association. 

Mustafa and Lajcak discuss conclusion of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)

The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa, hosted today a meeting with the EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak.

According to a press release issued by the LDK, they discussed the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process and Mustafa informed Lajcak about the position of this political entity on the matter.

Mustafa reportedly stressed the importance of the dialogue and its conclusion with mutual recognition.

He also assessed that the reach of this agreement opens a new chapter toward normalization of the relations between Kosovo and Serbia, assures stability of the region and opens Kosovo’s way towards Euro-Atlantic integration.

Americans want Kosovo in OSCE (Gazeta Express) 

The U.S. Mission to the OSCE has made an assessment of the report of the OSCE Head of Mission in Kosovo, Jan Braathu, to the organization’s Permanent Council. 

“As we have said before, stability, prosperity and lasting peace in the Western Balkans are achievable only when Kosovo is integrated as a full and equal partner.  The OSCE plays a role in moving the region toward that goal,” the US Mission said in a statement. 

The statement also says that through the work of President Trump’s administration, including that of Special Presidential Envoy Richard Grenell, in September of this year, Serbia and Kosovo committed to historic economic normalization agreements.

“We believe these agreements will bring needed economic growth and jobs to Serbia and Kosovo.  As we mentioned at the Permanent Council last month, by increasing confidence and cooperation among the parties, these agreements provide momentum for the EU-facilitated dialogue talks between Serbia and Kosovo, with the goal of a comprehensive normalization agreement,” the statement says.

Whyte: There will be no Republika Srpska in Kosovo (RFE, Koha)

Nicholas Whyte, expert on international relations, who was also adviser on independence of Kosovo, said Serbia has no other alternative but to accept independence of Kosovo. He however added that Kosovo should also offer additional guarantees for Serb minority.

He told Radio Free Europe that there is no reason for Kosovo to fear wider autonomy for Serbs, as it would not mean that it will be similar to Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

White does not expect for the final agreement to be reached soon, however he believes that EU and the U.S. will work hand in hand toward the long-term solution of the disagreements between Serbia and Kosovo.

“Of course the EU alone would not be able to reach suces in this process, as this is a process that involves the least only Kosovo and Serbia, as the interest of the U.S. also continues to be very powerful and important. In fact, we have seen problems of the last years, as we saw that the EU and the U.S. have had different approaches. The EU is aware that it cannot handle this alone. On the other hand, from the geographic and strategical point, the EU will be the organization that holds the responsibility key for the result. So, the EU cannot do it alone, but this institution should lead,” Whyte said.

“The fact is that when we reach the end of this process, when Serbia has recognized the independence of Kosovo, there will be a need for guaranties for the non-majority community, as in every other state. This need exists now, but it will be even more powerful when we reach the final phase. It seems very reasonable to me to have a comprehensive agreement on Serb municipalities in Kosovo. If Kosovo wants to accept and have Serb minority as its part, then we should wake up and see the reality, because some kind of agreement has to be made again.  This does not mean that the right solution has already been discussed, but it means that a functioning solution, will involve a special agreement for the municipalities with Serb majority. I have not seen any proposal which approximates with that of Republika Srpska. I lived in Banja Luka for a year and a half from 1997 to 1998 and I have directly seen the differences that exist between these two cases, therefore we should not take this as an example. If I were in Kosovo, the thing I would insist on, would in fact be completely something else. I would insist for Belgrade to keep its promises and fulfil engagement to return cadastral register of Kosovo. To me, this is a thing that makes Kosovo’s independence irreversible, as when you accept that property is managed by people that own that property, then there is no return from this. I think that people should pay more attention to this matter,” Whyte said. 

Krasniqi reacts after Lajcak's statements on Association (Telegrafi)

Jeta Krasniqi from the Democratic Institute of Kosovo (KDI) reacted to the statements of the European Union (EU) envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, who said that there is no Kosovo-Serbia agreement without the Association of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo.

Krasniqi wrote on social media that Lajçak's message is clear "Association without discussion".

“At the press conference Miroslav Lajcak states: There will be no agreement without the Association (ASM). But on the issue of recognition of Kosovo by Serbia, he abstains to answer. He states it is not for him to define what 'normalization' means, it is not his mandate,” Krasniqi wrote. 

   

Serbian Language Media

  Lajcak: Pristina must show consistency by implementing the agreement on ZSO (CSM)

EU Special Representative for Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak said that Pristina must show consistency by implementing the agreement on the ZSO from 2013 and 2015.

"The next step is to discuss the statute and the details for the formation of that organization should be agreed. The implementation begins when a comprehensive agreement is signed, but it should be known in advance what is being signed," Miroslav Lajcak said at the end of his visit to Pristina.

He pointed out that the dialogue will continue and expects both delegations in Brussels soon.

After a two-day visit to Pristina, the European Union's special envoy for dialogue travels to Belgrade, reported RTS. 

Russian ambassador denies media claims about Putin visit (N1)

Russia’s Ambassador in Belgrade Alexander Bocan Harchenko today denied Serbian media claims that President Vladimir Putin canceled a planned visit to Serbia.

He called the report in Danas daily “unbelievable” in a Twitter post. “Unbelievable writing in Danas daily that Russian President Vladimir Putin called it off with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. That has nothing to do with reality and is a complete and irresponsible fabrication,” the ambassador said.  

Bocan Harchenko added that “everything will be officially disclosed when the time comes”.  

Danas and the Nova.rs portal quoted sources who said that the Russian President would not be coming to Serbia in October. President Vucic said during a visit to Moscow in June that Putin “confirmed that he is coming to Serbia in October”.  

According to some sources quoted in Belgrade media, the Putin visit was not canceled because it was not scheduled.

See at:https://bit.ly/34XhyV7 Andjelkovic: Putin's visit cannot be canceled, because it was not even scheduled (N1, Nova S)

Political analyst Dragomir Andjelkovic assessed that Serbia's relations with Russia were not disturbed and that the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin was not canceled, because it was not officially scheduled.

Andjelkovic, as a guest on the TV Nova S morning program, said that the media in Serbia quite freely interpreted the statement of a Russian diplomat from a few months ago, who said that there was a possibility that Putin would come and that the dates were being considered. 

"The visit cannot be canceled, because it has not been scheduled," claimed Andjelkovic.

Commenting on why Belgrade was left out from the next tour of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, he assessed that Lavrov was in Belgrade in June and that it was illogical for him to come again.

"Russia's attitude towards us was not stormy because of the Washington agreement, except for (Maria) Zaharova's personal attitude. There is no disruption of relations with Russia," Andjelkovic pointed out.

Regarding the assessment that Putin was not coming in part because of the scandals that are happening in the Serbian Orthodox Church in connection with the head of the Church of St. Sava, who was supposed to, among other things, host the Russian president, Andjelkovic assessed that the Serbian public likes to project some of our domestic problems as very important for the whole world, which is not the case.

Gracanica Mayor: We have the right to withdraw from the institutions if the ZSO is not formed (RTS)

Mayor of Gracanica and Vice President of Serbian List Srdjan Popovic told Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) that Pristina’s refusal to discuss the ZSO was an attack on the vital political, economic and social interests of Serbs. 

''In the Brussels Agreement itself, we were promised that the Community of Serbian Municipalities would be formed. That is why we entered the institutions at the central level and formed local institutions. That promise gives us the right to withdraw from all institutions if that promise is not fulfilled,'' Popovic said. 

He noted that he hoped that the promise would be fulfilled, and that Brussels would play its role properly. 

He opined that this was the right time for Brussels to show its authority. 

''We will be patient; we will wait for Brussels to do the job as agreed. If that does not happen, then we will consider all possibilities and determine further steps on leaving the institutions,'' Popovic announced. 

Representatives of the Serbian List at a meeting with Lajcak last night reiterated the possibility of leaving Kosovo institutions if the Community was not formed. 

The Serbian List in a press statement said that,  at a meeting with EU Special Representative for Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak, its President Gorak Rakic, Vice Presidents Dalibor Jevtic and Igor Simic stressed that the formation of the ZSO was vital for the survival of the Serb people in Kosovo. 

''Therefore, a clear position of Serbian people was conveyed at the meeting, that it is necessary to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities as a matter of urgency and without any delay, in accordance with the agreement in Brussels,'' the statement said.  

Was progress made with Lajcak's visit? (KIM radio, Danas)

KIM radio reports today that there was no progress out of Lajcak's two-day mission to Kosovo, based on the statement made to the public. The authorities in Pristina continue to expect visa liberalization from the European Union in order to take any specific step towards the establishment of the ZSO (CSM).  

Belgrade based daily Danas’ interlocutor Dusan Janic opined that Belgrade’s attempt to exert additional pressure by announcing that Serbian political representatives, i.e. members of Serbian List, would leave Pristina’s institutions, was in vain. 

Danas reminded the public that the Serbian List announced abandonment earlier in 2018, after the murder of Kosovo politician Oliver Ivanovic and the arrest of Marko Djuric, but that did not happen. 

''At the time of signing the agreement, Belgrade declared the Community of Serbian Municipalities its main gain, and I guess in the meantime they realized that it was essentially nothing. It is a quasi-administrative mechanism for the protection of Serbian community, which cannot be effective,'' said Janjic, president of the Forum for Ethnic Relations. 

Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti stated that his government was not working under the threat of resignation, which, according to Janic, meant that they already saw through the Serbian List, because ''who knows how many times the Serbian List threatened and left the institutions''. 

He added that he understands that the new Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic continued on the path followed by his predecessors, with threats, political and informative propaganda towards the Serbian public and indirect pressure on Lajcak.  

''Serbian List must do its part of the job that it did not. They must finally start pursuing a pragmatic policy. The Steering group, whose members are representatives of Serbs from four municipalities, must finally sit down and make the Statute of the ZSO,'' Janjic said. 

He explained that only when the Statute would be written, it would be known whether Thaci’s, Hoti’s and the Serbian List’s claims in the campaigns were true, that the ZSO has executive power, or that it would be ''Republic of Srpska within Srpska''. 

''I constantly remind the public that the first slogan of Serbian List was ‘vote for Srpska today, we are building Srpska tomorrow’, which is a direct association with the Republika Srpska. However, these are electoral and political games and I guess enough is enough when it comes to those games. They must finally submit the Statute in order to start the mechanism,'' Janjic opined.

He also reminded that thus far, the Serbian List has left the work in the Government, without overthrowing a single government. 

   

International

  Lajčák: International organizations are “eyes and ears” in Kosovo (EWB)

PRISTINA –  EU Special Representative for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajčák wrote on his Twitter account that the second day of his visit to Kosovo began with a working breakfast with representatives of international organizations, which are “eyes and ears” in Kosovo, FoNet reports.

“I briefed them on where we stand in the EU-facilitated dialogue and listened to their views and assessments as the eyes and ears in Kosovo,” wrote Lajčák.

See at:https://bit.ly/2SYhO0t Snarky Facebook post sparks diplomatic incident between Russia and Serbia: What’s behind it? (neweasterneurope.eu)

On the recent spat between Russia and Serbia on social media and what it reveals about their relationship.

Recently, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova caused friction in the Slavic world by insulting Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić. On Facebook, Zakharova posted two provocative photos — one of Vučić sitting directly across the table from President Donald Trump, resembling a schoolboy being scolded by his headmaster, and another photo of Sharon Stone’s renowned cross-legged interrogation scene from the neo-noir erotic thriller film Basic Instinct. The caption of Zakharova’s post reads, “If you’re invited to the White House, and the chair was set up to interrogate you, sit like in Figure 2. Trust me.”

Marko Đurić, a senior Serbian official, is famous for his overzealous support for Vučić. Serbians even have a wide-ranging collection of GIFs of him enthusiastically applauding his president. He normally does not tweet much, but following Zakharova’s Facebook snark, Đurić instantly took to Twitter to defend his boss:

“This president did not say a single bad word against Russia, not even in that place [the White House]… I will not allow you to attack proud Serbia. Shame on you!”

Đurić further revealed that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin apparently made Vučić wait “for an hour and a half” before seeing him for a consultation.

The Serbian President was equally livid. Vučić stated on TV Pink, “Maria Zakharova speaks mostly about herself, and the primitivism and vulgarity she showed speaks of her, and by God, of those who placed her there.”

After a few hours, Zakharova walked back her initial comments. She edited the original Facebook post, claiming it was “misinterpreted” and that she merely wanted to draw attention to American arrogance. 

While Zakharova’s post was the initial cause of the social media spat, the underlying issue is that the Kremlin is worried about its future in the Balkans. Russia has been absent at the negotiation table during the separate US and EU facilitated dialogues between Serbia and Kosovo, but it still desires a say in what an agreement should look like. In July, Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, warned that any deal between Serbia and Kosovo has to be approved by the UN Security Council, where Moscow has a veto. Why would the Kremlin care about an agreement between these two states?   

See at:https://bit.ly/3lKuq7N Mariano: Western Balkan states could contribute to security and defense of NATO (EWB)

On the occasion of the NDCF High-Level Conference “Balkan Perspectives 2020. The Fight for a Timely Inclusion”, we have interviewed Stephen J. Mariano, Dean of the NATO Defense College in Rome. Prior to that, he was Professor of National Security Studies at the National Defense University’s National War College. Mariano taught military strategy and comparative military systems at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, as well as politics and U.S. foreign policy at the Royal Military College of Canada. He also served as Strategic Plans and Policy Officer within NATO’s International Military Staff in Brussels and at the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart.

See at: https://bit.ly/3dqwWNA EU and the Western Balkans, a long engagement (balcanicaucaso.org)

Cautious optimism and a new package of economic incentives for the Western Balkans: with the "2020 enlargement package", the EU tries to relaunch the integration of the region, but the prospects remain of slow, never predictable progress

A rigorous "2020 enlargement package", but tinged with cautious optimism, accompanied by a new infrastructure and strategic investment plan for the region. So on 6 October Commissioner for Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi presented the Commission's annual report on the accession path of the Western Balkans - yet another attempt to relaunch the gradual integration of the area into the EU space.

For years, the Union has been engaged in a delicate, complex push-and-pull exercise in the region, which is not without risks: the path to membership has been slowed down by the increasing "enlargement fatigue", which has gradually turned into explicit skepticism, especially in some member countries; on the other hand there is the strategic centrality of the area and the growing fear that interested, unscrupulous actors such as China, Russia, and Turkey could take advantage of European apathy to gain positions and clients.

See at: https://bit.ly/2IuAxyB    

Humanitarian/Development

  The Latest: WHO: European cases rocket, strong limits needed (apnews.com)

LONDON — The exponential surge of coronavirus cases across Europe has warranted the restrictive measures being taken in numerous countries, making them “absolutely necessary,” the head of the World Health Organization’s Europe office says.

In a press briefing Thursday, Dr. Hans Kluge warned that even more drastic steps could be taken if the pandemic does not recede.

He called for countries to be “uncompromising” in their attempts to control the virus and said most of the COVID-19 spread is happening in homes, indoor spaces and communities not complying with protection measures.

See at:https://bit.ly/3lJsHiQ International Day of Rural Women: I love the countryside, I love to produce (Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev)

Today is the International Day of Rural Women. It was established to pay tribute to rural women and their work, which plays a critical role in the global economy. According to available data, although women make up half of the population in Kosovo, only 4.9% of them are registered as owners of agricultural enterprises, while only 13.3% of women are employed. Women’s work in the house, with children, in the field and in the community remains unpaid, while their hard work does not provide them with even basic social security because the majority of the unemployed do not pay contributions. See how women in the countryside view their position today, how much it has changed and how they spend their day in a short film made by Radio Gorazdevac – the only media outlet from Metohija reporting in the Serbian language. The short film centers on interviews Radio Gorazdevac conducted with Bilja Popovic from the village of Belo Polje, Sladjana Miletic from Brestovik village and Miroslavka Simonovic from Gorazdevac.

See at:https://bit.ly/3dvYnoY Platform Initiative launched to support clean energy transition in coal regions in Western Balkans and Ukraine (balkangreenenergynews.com)

The Energy Community Secretariat has announced the launch of a Platform Initiative to support the clean energy transition in coal regions in the Western Balkans and Ukraine through knowledge exchange, technical assistance, and financial assistance.

The Platform Initiative will be led by the World Bank and implemented under the political leadership from the European Commission, according to the Energy Community’s website. Apart from the Energy Community Secretariat and the World Bank, other implementing institutions are the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the College of Europe (Natolin College), and the Government of Poland.

The target regions are coal regions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine where coal mining and coal-based production of electricity are significant.

See at:https://bit.ly/3nUOmXx Femart’s 8th edition celebrates resilience and solidarity in challenging times (Prishtina Insight)

The six day Femart festival featuring performances, film screenings and panel discussions begins in Prishtina on Thursday.

From Thursday until next Tuesday, the eighth edition of the six-day Femart festival will be hosting performances, workshops, podcasts, conferences, and exhibitions by both local and international artists in venues across Prishtina.

This year, boasting an extensive and socially provocative program of 24 events by 165 artists and activists, Femart’s theme of “Solidarity and Resilience” is dedicated to sustaining a collective spirit among women and artists, and their ability to remain resilient amidst trying times.

According to Zana Hoxha Krasniqi, the director and organiser of Femart, this year’s festival was organised with the aim of supporting local artists affected by the restrictions brought on by the coronavirus outbreak, and the lack of public funding to help support their work. 

See at: https://bit.ly/317dd0w