Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 279 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Zemaj: We’re looking into the possibility of relaxing some measures (RTK)
• Osmani begins official visit to Brussels (media)
• Haradinaj reacts to Vucic: Kosovo will join NATO (media)
• LDK – AKR, the first pre-election coalition? (media)
• PDK to run alone in elections, other parties free to join its ticket (Kallxo)
• Daka: We verified Diaspora votes before, will do so with applicants in Serbia too (EO)
• VV appeals CEC's decision on Diaspora voter registration (Klan)
• NGO Germin to appeal CEC’s decision on Diaspora voters (media)
• CDHRF: Constitutional Court cannot ban Kurti or others to run for election (Koha)
• Qatar pledges continued support for Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian communities in Kosovo 24 new cases of Covid-19, one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic: Albanians and Europeans want defeat of Serbia; frozen conflict is a danger (TV Happy, KoSSev)
• Selakovic: Serbia expects continuation of China’s support regarding Kosovo (N1, FoNet)
• Petkovic: No one talks to Serbia with language of blackmail (BETA, N1)
• Spahiu: Citizens already know who they will vote for, campaign won’t have an impact (Kosovo Online)
• Lajcak and Reeker on the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• How to fight disenfranchisement, Kosovo style (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Kosovo Parties Flout Ban on Gatherings Ahead of Election (Balkan Insight)
• EU and the Western Balkans in 2021: Searching for a Way Back to Normal (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• More than 85.500 citizens have applied for vaccination (B92, Tanjug)

   

Albanian Language Media 

  COVID-19: 279 new cases, four deaths (media)

279 new cases of COVID-19 and four deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 

431 persons have recovered from the virus in this period.  Zemaj: We’re looking into the possibility of relaxing some measures (RTK)

Kosovo’s outgoing Minister of Health, Armend Zemaj, told reporters today that they’re looking into the possibility of relaxing some of the anti-Covid measures. “Compared to other countries in the region, Kosovo continues to have a better situation of managing the COVID – 19. Statistics from the ECDC rank Kosovo last in the region in terms of the spread of the infection and the fatality rate from COVID – 19. In today’s meeting of the Advisory Board, we discussed the epidemiological situation, looking into the possibility of relaxing some of the measures in force,” he said.

Osmani begins official visit to Brussels (media)

Acting President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani has begun meetings in Brussels as part of her two-day official visit. 

Today, Osmani had separate meetings with the European Parliament President David Sassoli and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi.

Expressing appreciation for the continued EU support for Kosovo, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, Osmani spoke in her meeting with Commissioner Varhelyi the further support of the EU in providing vaccines for the citizens of Kosovo as well as the Economic Investment Plan.

"It is important to be aware that the lack of ambition or commitment by any of the parties in the European integration process means that the support and trust of citizens in the path of EU integration can be damaged," Osmani is quoted in a press release issued by her cabinet.

Osmani is also said to have emphasised that Kosovo has met all the necessary criteria for visa liberalisation and urged the European Commission to convince EU member states to support a positive decision enabling people of Kosovo visa-free travel.

On the issue of dialogue with Serbia, Osmani stressed the need for unification of Kosovo's political spectrum and called on the EU to be vocal towards Serbia so that the country implements agreements signed in Brussels.

Meanwhile, Varhelyi tweeted after the meeting: "Good meeting w acting President&Speaker of Parliament @VjosaOsmaniMP. Stressed importance of Kosovo continuing to implement EU related reforms, incl fight against corruption&organised crime, and to cooperate in the region, while drawing benefits from Economic&Investment Plan."

Osmani is also expected to meet members of the European Parliament who are part of the Kosovo Friendship Group: Rainer Wieland, EP Vice President, Lukas Mandl (EPP), Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, rapporteur for Kosovo in the EP, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, of the Renew Group and Andrey Kovatchev, Vice President of the EPP. 

Osmani will also be meeting the EU's Special Representative for Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak. 

Haradinaj reacts to Vucic: Kosovo will join NATO (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj reacted on Facebook to the statement of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who warned of repercussions if Kosovo tries to join international organisations.

"Our aggressive neighbour goes back to usual threats against our State! It feels strong now that Kosovo has an outgoing Government and a weak acting President. We need a President who stands his ground for Kosovo and is able to counter the aggressive opponent, Serbia," Haradinaj wrote. 

He said that Kosovo will join NATO adding that this would be the best response to Vucic's 'warmongering' statements.

In an interview for a Belgrade-based TV, Vucic said: "If Kosovo tries to gain membership in international organisations, they will be in for some surprises, they are aware of this."

LDK – AKR, the first pre-election coalition? (media)

Telegrafi reports that the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) are expected to announce their pre-election coalition today. 

Naim Murseli, political advisor to AKR leader Behgjet Pacolli, took to Facebook this morning to say that the pre-election coalition with the LDK will be registered in the Central Election Commission by 18:00 today. “A constructive and a natural cooperation. A joint ticket for a winning coalition,” he said. 

Another advisor to Pacolli, Jetlir Zyberaj, told Gazeta Express that negotiations between the two parties are being finalised. According to RTK, Zyberaj said that there won’t be a coalition between the two parties, but that they will run with a joint ticket.

AKR Secretary Vesel Makolli told Koha today that they want to form a coalition but that they are waiting for a confirmation from the LDK. “It is certain that the AKR will either be in a joint ticket with the LDK or in a coalition. We want a coalition, but nothing has been decided yet. The form of our participation in the elections is expected to be made official today,” he said.

The deadline for registering coalitions for the February parliamentary elections ends today at 18:00.

PDK to run alone in elections, other parties free to join its ticket (Kallxo)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has decided to run in upcoming elections on its own, said party spokesperson Avni Bytyci.

"This means we will not have an agreement with other parties for a pre-election coalition. However, the PDK will continue cooperation with small parties with whom it has traditionally cooperated and who will run under the PDK's ticket," Bytyci said. 

Daka: We verified Diaspora votes before, will do so with applicants in Serbia too (EO)

Head of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Valdete Daka said that the decision to verify registration of voters from the Kosovo Diaspora is a practice that was carried out in previous elections too and noted that applicants from Serbia will also be subjected to the same procedure.

"CEC has considered that being that the votes from the Diaspora is easily compromised and manipulated, it has decided to carry out verification of all votes coming in from the Diaspora, namely the verification of the applicants' identity and determine whether they are truly registered to vote from outside Kosovo, whether they are legally entitled to vote or is someone else voting on their name," Daka said. 

She mentioned that in the 2017 elections, there was a case of fraud with Diaspora votes in Istog whereby the votes were cast by people who were not voters at all. 

"Of course we will also be assessing the votes coming in from Serbia and all the votes from the Diaspora because the moment we have a suspicion or a certain issue is raised, it is our legal duty to verify each vote," Daka continued. 

She refused to comment on the request of the Acting President Vjosa Osmani to the CEC to review the decision. Daka stressed that the CEC has eleven members, each of whom have the right to vote. "The decisions are collegial."

VV appeals CEC's decision on Diaspora voter registration (Klan)

The Vetevendosje Movement has complained against the decision of the Central Election Commission to the Elections Complaint and Appeals Panel (ECAP).

In a press release, VV said that it supported the phone call verification criteria only in cases when the procedures do not match. "Our representatives have not voted for verification of all applications of fellow countrymen, less so for them to be annulled via a single phone call from the CEC," the party said. "We consider that the decision undermines the right of our fellow countrymen to vote," it continued. 

NGO Germin to appeal CEC’s decision on Diaspora voters (media)

The non-governmental organisation Germin plans to submit a complaint with the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) regarding the recent decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) for verification of voter registration application for members of the Kosovo Diaspora.

Germin said the decision violates fundamental constitutional rights of members of the Diaspora and that they will be filing the complaint with ECAP later today.

CDHRF: Constitutional Court cannot ban Kurti or others to run for election (Koha)

The Kosovo-based Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms issued a statement saying that the Constitutional Court has no right to ban the Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti or other candidates from running in upcoming general elections. 

Calling the court's most recent ruling 'purely political' and a violation of human rights, CDHRF said the decision contributes to the creation of a semi-chaotic situation in Kosovo. "Denying the right to be elected to candidates - in this case, Albin Kurti, Albulena Haxhiu, Donika Kadaj-Bujupi, and Faton Topalli, who in the last elections have won over 250,000 votes - is nonsense of its kind, abnormal and against common sense."

CDHRF also criticised the recent decision of the Central Election Commission on verification of Diaspora voters. It however said that assigning the blame for this on the head of the CEC, Valdete Daka, is unfair as the decision was unanimously voted by representatives of all political parties. 

Qatar pledges continued support for Kosovo (media)

Kosovo's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla met in Tirana today Qatar's Non-Resident Ambassador to Kosovo Ali bin Hamad Al Marri who assured her of his country's continued support. 

"We are interested in advancing the relations between the two countries. Qatar stands by the people and the state of Kosovo," Al Marri is quoted in a statement issued by the Kosovo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Haradinaj-Stublla meanwhile expressed her deep appreciation for the State of Qatar and its support to Kosovo.

   

Serbian Language Media

  In Serbian communities in Kosovo 24 new cases of Covid-19, one death (Kontakt plus radio) 

The North Mitrovica Crisis Staff announced today that according to the latest data in Serbian areas in Kosovo one person died as a result of the coronavirus, 24 new cases of infection were registered, while 45 people came out of isolation, reported Kontakt plus radio. 

The deceased is from Leposavic.

Out of 83 processed samples, positive cases were recorded in the municipalities: North Mitrovica (8), Zvecan (6), Strpce (4), Gnjilane (3), Leposavic (1), Gracanica (1) and Kamenica (1).

Currently, 379 cases are active.

Since the beginning of the epidemic, a total of 12,802 people have been tested, of which 3,654 people have been confirmed to have the coronavirus.

So far, 92 people have died in the Serbian communities in Kosovo as a result of Covid-19.

Vucic: Albanians and Europeans want defeat of Serbia; frozen conflict is a danger (TV Happy, KoSSev)

''As for the frozen conflict, I think the same as the president of SANU (Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts). I think that the only question is who will be the first to pull the saber out of its scabbard… Will it be in 5, 10 or 20 years ...,'' said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic last night on TV Happy 'Cirilica' Show, portal KoSSev reported.

''Would you like your child to take part in that?! I have two sons. I wouldn't like to. I would not like anyone to return them tomorrow in a box, just as I would not like to say that Kosovo and Metohija is theirs, or anything similar to that, but that is why we have to sit down and talk, agree among ourselves, be fair and to say what a compromise solution is in order to preserve peace," said Vucic. 

"We want peace, we want the best possible relations with you, but you to trample on Serbia - you cannot," the Serbian president said in his latest guest appearance on TV Happy, after returning from the Hilandar Monastery in Mount Athos (Greece). 

If Albanians apply for any international organization, they will be surprised

He said, however, that the Albanians did not respect the Brussels agreement.

"They have no clue. They do not read the agreements they sign," thus he answered the question about the possible re-application of Kosovo for membership in UNESCO, adding that according to the agreement from Washington, they do not have the right to it. 

"If they apply to any organization, big surprises will await them, and they know when I tell them that it is a great truth. And then let them 'hold their heads'," said Vucic, noting that he was not addressing Albanians.

"I am addressing their mentors who made for them the so-called state. Well, since that is the case, if they do not adhere to the agreement, I am informing you, you will face numerous surprises, positive for our people, and I am not sure that you will react so positively."

He says that Serbia's problem was that Albanians and Europeans were not essentially ready for a compromise solution, while Serbia was ready, as he claimed, to discuss a range of topics.

Not only they were not ready to compromise, but want the defeat of Serbia, as he further stated:

"All of them want the defeat of Serbia (some to get everything and others nothing). All of them in one way or another, especially Albanians. I have nothing now to blame Lajcak or the European Union. All this together wants the defeat and humiliation of Serbia."

This was reflected in the fact that the Albanians in Brussels are asking for an apology from Serbia for the genocide, compensation for war damage, they are asking for recognition.

Because of this, Vucic sees the continuation of the frozen conflict, although he was not happy about it, nor it is in the interest of Serbia, but it continues, he said.

I don't understand the hysteria over Kostic

To the avalanche of negative reactions that have been going on for several days after SANU President Vladimir Kostic confirmed his earlier statements that Serbia did not control Kosovo, and that there is no status quo, Vucic says that he could not "easily say" that in something he agrees with Kostic's views, but  that  he "does not understand that kind of negative campaign".

"At first, I do not understand the hysteria because of the words of Vlada Kostic, the president of SANU, with whom I have many disagreements or do not agree with almost anything," he said.

He added that he could not, on the other hand, say that all his arguments were "stupid and incorrect", and that there were correct allegations.

"And that we will fight to get more than that nothing, we will certainly fight to get more than that nothing and much more than nothing, and every person in Serbia knows that, they just pretend to be a little silly."

He says that Kostic showed courage and responsibility to reveal a position that is not an opinion of the majority.

"As fierce critics came at me when I talked about the fact that we need demarcation, attacks from all sides, and no one ever offered me an alternative except 'wait'. What will we wait for, I don't even know myself what we are going to wait for," he said. 

How did he explain the idea of demarcation?

"I know that we cannot get everything, but to be equally satisfied as the Albanians and them to be as dissatisfied as we are."

He also explained how the number of Serbs in Kosovo has been declining since the 1960s, and how, according to his explanation, Serbia lost the war at the end of the 19th century.

"But all this does not matter. It does not mean that we should give them something that is not theirs, but we only need to understand. The fight for our people should continue and the fight for our people in Kosovo and Metohija, but blood should not get into our heads, and we must not think, and be realistic and not be rational and not lie to ourselves that the situation is easy and simple. It's not. It's terrible. People should know this, and to know what the dangers of frozen conflicts are, because then we will not talk about this kind of work and increase of pensions and how our children will live."

During the show, the role of some opposition leaders was highlighted through the unveiling of Wikileaks dispatches, who are now being accused of giving up Kosovo, reported the portal adding that it happened in the part of the show in which the President of Serbia was supposed to comment on accusations that certain public figures are helping him to 'betray Kosovo'. 

Under his rule, Serbia managed, on the other hand, as Vucic explained, to return the Kosovo issue to the negotiating table, to start a wave of "derecognitions of Kosovo's independence", and on the other hand, to stop the wave of recognitions, as initiated, which he mentioned last night several times, during the previous authorities.

Selakovic: Serbia expects continuation of China’s support regarding Kosovo (N1, FoNet)

Serbia immensely appreciates China's principled position on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, especially within the United Nations and other international organizations and institutions, and expects that support to continue, Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic said in a conversation with Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo, N1 reports.

Selakovic also noted relations between Serbia and China continue to strengthen and expressed satisfaction over the dialogue and intensified cooperation of Serbia and China during the coronavirus pandemic.

Stefanovic also said that Serbia is looking forward to the visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping as soon as possible, in a moment when epidemiological conditions in the world allow that.

Serbia is fully committed to intensifying cooperation with China through bilateral channels, but also through the "Belt and Road" initiative and China's cooperation mechanism with Central and Eastern European countries, Selakovic added.

Petkovic: No one talks to Serbia with language of blackmail (BETA, N1)

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said today “no one talks to the authorities in Serbia with the language of blackmails” and that those believing such a stance may contribute to the resolution of Kosovo issue “were in deception,” BETA news agency reports.

“We are ready to talk on normalization of relations, however, Pristina must understand that Serbia is an internationally recognized state, a member of international institutions and that Belgrade doesn’t need any recognition from Pristina”, Petkovic said.   

Petkovic also noted that all needed compromise and “to understand that in such a process one side can’t gain everything and the other side lose everything, as simply said it is not a compromise”. 

Spahiu: Citizens already know who they will vote for, campaign won’t have an impact (Kosovo Online)

Political analyst Nexhmedin Spahiu told portal Kosovo Online that the pre-election campaign in Kosovo was in full swing, but that it would not affect the citizens much, because they have already decided who to vote for.

“The campaign is to remind what they have done so far and to remind voters who are those they ought to vote for, it will not have a big impact because a large part of citizens have already decided who to vote for,” Spahiu said.

The campaign for snap parliamentary elections officially begins on February 3 and will last until February 12. Spahiu stated that he didn’t expect that the programs of political parties would be based on new things, because it was already obvious that they were using “slogans that were already used”.

“We will not get new programs, we will get new people, because in our country, what is written on paper is not important, but what certain politicians intend to do,” Spahiu said.

He pointed out that it was quite certain that there would be changes on the political scene in Kosovo, despite the efforts of certain political parties to present themselves in the best possible light in the election campaign.

“There will be a change of political class, after the most powerful people from the political scene of Kosovo went to The Hague. There will be a change, and it remains to be seen to what extent. It is expected that Vetevendosje party of Albin Kurtid will win and that it will succeed in forming a government, perhaps without a coalition, but as far as the President of Kosovo is concerned, a compromise will still have to be made with other parties,” he concluded.

Lajcak and Reeker on the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online)

The Special Representative for the Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak posted a photo on Twitter after meeting the head of the State Department Bureau for Europe and Eurasia Philip Reeker, reported portal Kosovo Online.

Lajcak greeted Reeker and stressed that the topic of conversation was the situation in the Western Balkans.

"We confirmed the renewed strong EU-US cooperation in the Western Balkans. We also discussed in detail the situation in the region and discussed future activities," Lajcak wrote.

The last meeting between Lajcak and Reeker was held in July last year.

   

Opinion

  How to fight disenfranchisement, Kosovo style (Prishtina Insight)

The Central Election Commission’s decision to verify postal voters through a single phone call is a blatant attempt to suppress the diaspora vote, but we don’t have to take it lying down, writes Hana Marku, a researcher and journalist. 

While I was at work on Monday I found out that apart from the usual steps of filling out a registration form and providing identity documents, the Central Election Commission, CEC, has added one more step to the process of voter registration from abroad. 

The CEC will now also call all diaspora voters on the phone, once – ostensibly to verify their identity – before approving their registration to vote. If you don’t pick up the call, your registration is denied and you cannot vote.

The insanity of this decision (which was bizarrely supported by two members of Vetevendosje) should be immediately obvious. Approximately 40,000 people registered to vote from abroad in the last parliamentary election in 2019. The voter registration window for the current parliamentary election opens on January 13 and closes on January 21, leaving less than ten days to call tens of thousands of voters. 

There is no feasible chance that the CEC will get its act together in time to call that many people across several continents, language barriers and time zones. I highly doubt they have the staff, or even the technological capacities to complete such a task.

See more at: https://bit.ly/38zm3bg    

International

  Kosovo Parties Flout Ban on Gatherings Ahead of Election (Balkan Insight)

Kosovo authorities have been accused of double standards for allowing parties competing in the February elections to continue holding big gatherings – while police issue thousands of fines to ordinary people for breaking COVID-19 rules.

Kosovo Police fined over 1,300 citizens in the last three days for not respecting government measures against COVID-19 – as political parties continue holding mass gatherings, preparing for the February 14 elections.

A government decision of December 22 prohibited gatherings of more than four people in public squares, parks, public places and recreational centres. The decision prohibited “gatherings in public spaces of all forms”.

While the food sector is among sectors most affected by the government measures, with all shops and eating places closed by 8pm, the head of the Kosovo Association of Gastronomy, Petrit Kllokoqi, on Sunday accused the authorities of “double standards”.

“More than 5,000 fines for gastronomy, no fine for politicians,” Kllokoqi said on social media, about the fines.

See at: https://bit.ly/3bvl3Xw EU and the Western Balkans in 2021: Searching for a Way Back to Normal (EWB)

Even though COVID-19 will remain the number one issue for the citizens of the Western Balkans in 2021, there are nonetheless other important political events whose consequences will be felt across the region.

With the new year underway, new important elections, as well as a dialogue on the electoral conditions are on the region’s agenda. Key processes, including the EU accession process and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, do not seem to have any major breakthroughs in store, but surprises are certainly possible.

European Western Balkans presents the key political events of 2021.

Election in Kosovo

Following the Constitutional Court ruling in December, yet another snap election in Kosovo is scheduled for 14 February. The new Assembly will also have to elect the new President of Kosovo.

While in October 2019 Albin Kurti’s Vetëvendosje just barely topped the polls, this time it is projected to win a strong majority. Kurti could return to the office of Prime Minister less than a year after he lost the no-confidence vote.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3qaPXsq    

Humanitarian/Development

  More than 85.500 citizens have applied for vaccination (B92, Tanjug)

85.528 citizens of Serbia applied for the vaccination against COVID-19 on the eUprava portal by 8:10 AM, the Office for IT and eGovernment told Tanjug.

A new electronic service for citizens - expressing interest in the vaccine against the coronavirus, was released yesterday at www.uprava.gov.rs. According to yesterday's decision of the Crisis Staff, all existing measures remain in force.

Medical part of the Crisis Staff assessed at the session that the existing measures have given results and that there are fewer and fewer infected and sick people. One of the conclusions from the session is that the second semester in schools can start when it is planned - on January 18.

See at: https://bit.ly/35BttZU