Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 342 new cases, five deaths (media)
• British variant of the coronavirus in Kosovo (media)
• Hoti urges Quint, EU to react to Serbian president inciting statements (Express)
• Kosovo-Israel diplomatic relations to establish on 1 February (RTK)
• The Supreme allows Liburn Aliu and Labinota Demi to run, Albin Kurti remains out (Express)
• Former US envoy says Democrats have failed to solve Kosovo issue (media)
• Excavations in Kizhevak expected to resume by the end of March (RTK)
• Daka: EU election experts arrived in Kosovo (media)
• Cornerstone for Krusha e Madhe victims laid today (media)
• LDK-LVV coalition in Vushtrri breached (media)
• Haradinaj meets Austrian Ambassador, discuss strengthening of relations (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Selakovic: New US and EU unity also means new pressure on Serbia (Kosovo-online)
• 000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine arrived to Serbia, new shipments to follow (B92)
• Head of WHO Office in Serbia says country’s results in fight against coronavirus impressive (B92, Tanjug)
• No easing of Covid-19 relating measures in Serbia (B92)
• Minister Joksimovic says no dilemma about Serbia’s commitment to integration (N1)
• Radakovic: Democracy in Action only independent observer in upcoming elections (Radio kontakt plus)
• Brnabic: When it comes to recognition of diplomas, we’re waiting for interlocutors in Pristina  (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Office for KiM: Popovic banned from entering Kosovo (Radio kontakt plus)
• Bolton: It would be a mistake if Biden let EU deal with Balkans alone (N1)
• EU Office on Haradinaj’s statement (B92, Kosovo-online)

International:

• Serbia announced 'illegal' vaccine programme in Kosovo (euobsrver)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Emigrant Life in Switzerland Inspires Prize-Winning Kosovo Writer (Balkan Insight)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID-19: 342 new cases, five deaths (media)

342 new cases of COVID-19 and five deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 235 persons have recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 6,211 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

British variant of the coronavirus in Kosovo (media)

The acting Minister of Health, Armend Zemaj, has confirmed the British variant of the coronavirus in Kosovo.

He said at a press conference that out of 30 samples taken and sent abroad for analysis, the British version was detected in three samples.

Hoti urges Quint, EU to react to Serbian president inciting statements (Express)

Kosovo’s acting prime minister, Avdullah Hoti, sent a letter to Ambassadors of Quint and the Head of EU Office in Kosovo, urging them to react following inciting statements of Serbian president, Aleksandar Vucic, as well as the pressure and threats of Srpska List, towards non-Serb non-majority communities in Kosovo, the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement. 

Hoti took to Facebook on Friday to condemn Vucic’s statement who said that Serbia is considering introducing mandatory military service because of Kosovo. Hoti said the EU should take Vucic's inciting rhetoric seriously adding however that Kosovo is not concerned with such statements. “We have our army. Ready and already joined the U.S. Army in peacekeeping missions. Keep calm!” Hoti wrote on Facebook. 

Minutes later the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying that Vucic’s statements as well as pressure and intimidation of non-Serb minorities, are aimed at interfering in parliamentary elections in Kosovo and obstruct democratic processes in our country.

“Such behaviours are unacceptable,” Hoti wrote. He urged the Ambassadors of Quint and Head of EU Office to take necessary measures and to make clear to Serbia that interference in Kosovo’s political processes would have consequences.

Hoti said that Kosovo institutions are committed to organise free and fair elections enabling all eligible citizens to cast their vote. Kosovo is expected to hold early parliamentary election on 14 February 2021. Non-Serb minorities have complained that the Belgrade-backed Srpska List is trying to influence the election of MPs in Kosovo’s non-Serb non-majority communities.

Kosovo-Israel diplomatic relations to establish on 1 February (RTK)

Kosovo is entering a new historical stage with the State of Israel. Kosovo's international citizenship and subjectivity is being strongly consolidated, reports the news portal.

The formalization of diplomatic relations between Kosovo and the State of Israel will be signed on Monday, February 1, through a solemn virtual ceremony.

The official signing of the diplomatic relations will be done by Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Mr. Gabriel Ashkenazi.

“Recognition by Israel is one of the greatest achievements for Kosovo which has been made possible thanks to the friend of our eternal ally, the United States of America.

This very important moment for us, is the perpetuation of the long friendship between our peoples, which is now being crowned with the establishment of diplomatic relations," said on this occasion the head of Kosovo diplomacy, adding that Kosovo is eternally grateful to the United States of America.

The details of the ceremony will be announced in due time by the local and international media. 

The Supreme allows Liburn Aliu and Labinota Demi to run, Albin Kurti remains out (Express)

The Supreme Court has decided on the appeals of political entities, where two of them have been partially accepted.

The leader of Vetëvendosje Movement, Albin Kurti has been left out of the list, writes Gazeta Express.

The decision of the Supreme Court states that the candidates for MPs Liburn Aliu and Labinote Demi Murtezi, to be included in the list of candidates for MPs. Meanwhile, the complaint of LVV was partially rejected as unfounded, confirming the decision of the ECAP.

Political entities have sent complaints to the Supreme Court regarding the decision of the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) not to certify candidates for MPs who have had problems with the law.

The Supreme Court has received five appeals from political entities filed against the decisions of the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP), which were divided by lot and reviewed by judicial panels within the legal deadlines.

1. The appeal filed by the political entity Levizja Vetevendosje was partially accepted by the panel of the Supreme Court. The decision of the ECAP, Anr.17 / 2021, and the decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) No. 244-2021, regarding the certification of candidates for deputies, have been partially changed, ordering the CEC that Liburn candidates for deputies Aliu and Labinotë Demi Murtezi, to include them in the list of candidates for deputies. Meanwhile, the complaint of LVV was partially rejected unfounded, confirming the decision of the ECAP. 

The Supreme Court of Kosovo has partially accepted the appeal of LVV, for Liburn Aliu and Labinota Demi Murtezi, after it was found that ECAP has made an erroneous assessment of the 3-year deadline by calculating the day of announcing the elections on January 6, 2021 as the final day to assess the 3-year deadline for eligibility of candidates, within the meaning of the stressed provision. The Supreme Court of Kosovo has assessed that the 3-year term should be calculated by referring to the date of the final criminal judgment for each candidate separately until the day of the elections, which in this case is February 14, 2021.

2. The appeal filed by the political entity Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), was partially accepted by the panel of the Supreme Court. The decision of the ECAP, No. 15/2021, and the decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC), No. 240-2021, regarding the certification of candidates have been partially changed for deputies, ordering the CEC to include the candidate for deputy Shemsedin Dreshaj in the list of candidates for deputies.

Meanwhile, the AAK appeal was partially rejected ungrounded, confirming the rest of the ECAP decision.

3. The appeal filed by the political entity Ashkali Party for Integration (PAI), was rejected as unfounded by the panel of the Supreme Court.
4. The appeal filed by the political entity Nova Demokratska Stranka (NDS), was rejected in its entirety unfounded by the panel of the Supreme Court.
5. The appeal filed by the political entity Nisma was rejected as unfounded by the panel of the Supreme Court.

Former US envoy says Democrats have failed to solve Kosovo issue (media)

Former US Ambassador to Germany and former special envoy on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Richard Grenell, has criticised the Democratic Party for failing to solve Kosovo-Serbia issues.

He said the establishment in Washington wants “comfortable faces” and “people who have been around for a long time playing their game.”

“That’s why they hated Donald Trump, because he was from outside,” Grenell told Newsmax.

“I can just tell you the perfect example is the issue of Serbia and Kosovo. When I became special envoy, I was told by the whole establishment that I should go and assemble my team from the people who have been working on the issue for 20 years. And I said: Don’t you think that they have been working for 20 years and they probably have failed, maybe we should get some new ideas,” Grenell said adding that the establishment in Washington “hates the outsider’s mentality.”

Excavations in Kizhevak expected to resume by the end of March (RTK)

The Government Commission for Missing Persons and the International Committee of the Red Cross have signed a memorandum of understanding, which specifies the objectives in which to work on finding the missing persons.

The Chairman of the Government Commission for Missing Persons, Ramë Manaj said this cooperation specifies the objectives in which they will work to find the missing persons. 

Agim Gashi from the Red Cross Committee said that more than 22 years have passed since the war in Kosovo and family members of more than 1600 people are waiting for the fate of their loved ones.

According to him, the Committee has been and will be ready to assist local authorities in this regard, adding that it is important that this issue is treated as an exclusively humanitarian issue.

Regarding the excavations in Kizhevak, Serbia, Ibrahim Makolli from the Government Commission for Missing Persons, said that due to climatic conditions those excavations have been conserved and at the end of March or the beginning of April the excavations are expected to start again.

He said that several locations have been identified in Serbia.

Daka: EU election experts arrived in Kosovo (media)

The chairwoman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Valdete Daka, announced in today's meeting that a team of election experts from the European Union has arrived in Kosovo.

Daka added that this team will monitor the election process in Kosovo.

"A team of EU election experts has already arrived, they will be here and have already started monitoring the CEC before the elections, during the election day and after the election process,” Daka said.

She added that the European Union due to the situation with the pandemic could not send missions as other times.

She said that the group of experts will draft a report at the end of the election process.

"As far as I know, at the end of March they will have a report on what happened in these elections," Daka said.

Cornerstone for Krusha e Madhe victims laid today (media)

A cornerstone for the memorial in honor of all the fallen and martyrs of the Krusha e Vogel massacre,  was laid today in this village. Nearing the 22nd anniversary of this massacre, the gathered sought justice and finding of the 68 missing bodies.

Leader of the Vetevendosje Movement(LVV) Albin Kurti, who participated at this event, said that Kosovo institutions should punish and prosecute in absentia all war criminals.

“State institutions must act because they have the opportunity to investigate and prosecute, to try and punish war criminals even in their absence, and of course they must be caught, but we cannot catch them, and then act. We have to act to catch them," he said.

LDK-LVV coalition in Vushtrri breached (media)

The municipality of Vushtrri has breached the co-governing with the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) in this municipality. Mayor of Vushtrri, Xhafer Tahiri, said in an extraordinary press conference that the lack of support for the plan for economic recovery is the only reason for the breach of the three-year coalition.

Tahiri has indicated that until the end of the mandate they will continue alone and will not make any other coalition.

"When we entered co-government three years ago, many people raised the question ‘Will it work’? I trusted the citizens of Vushtrri and Kosovo then that they will understand and today I also strongly believe that the citizens of Vushtrri and all of Kosovo will understand our decision,” Tahiri said.

Haradinaj meets Austrian Ambassador, discuss strengthening of relations (RTK)

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj, received today the Austrian Ambassador to Kosovo, Christoph Weidinger, with whom they talked about current topics in Kosovo, with special emphasis on early parliamentary elections.

Haradinaj, through a Facebook post, wrote that he thanked Ambassador Weidinger for Austria's permanent support for Kosovo in different periods, especially in the Euro-Atlantic integration processes.

"I expressed the desire to strengthen bilateral relations, at a time when Kosovo is in great need of support from its strategic allies, in overcoming the crisis and economic development," Haradinaj wrote.

   

Serbian Language Media

  Selakovic: New US and EU unity also means new pressure on Serbia (Kosovo-online)

There was never disunity between US and EU when it comes to the Western Balkans, perhaps there were some divergences relating to technical issues, and this new unity means that Serbia would be exposed to pressure, Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic said, Kosovo-online portal reports.

He added the situation regarding the dialogue won’t be simple.

“As long as we stick to the principled stances, it would be easier and better, and those stances were if Serbia undertook an obligation, it implements it then. It helped us regain credibility, since it is now known that Serbia doesn’t cheat, it fulfills its obligation, but asks that what has been agreed upon and goes to Serbia’s benefits also be implemented”, Selakovic said.

He recalled there was a joint stance of the US and the EU eight or ten years ago that the Kosovo issue was “a fait accompli“ and that Serbia must be obliged to recognize its independence, separatism and secession of part of its territory.

Serbia, as he said, didn’t do so, despite the fact that some accused President Vucic of intention to do it.

Asked to comment on the forthcoming elections in Kosovo, he said he expects good results from the Serbian List, adding he does not like to deal with predictions.

“Success of Serbian List is important to us”, Selakovic noted, recalling that at the last elections Serbian List won almost 85 percent of votes.

40.000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine arrived to Serbia, new shipments to follow (B92)

New quantities of Russian vaccine against coronavirus "Sputnik V" arrived in Serbia early this morning, B92 reports.

New 40.000 doses were delivered this morning at around six o'clock, and the plane with vaccines was welcomed by the Minister of Innovation Nenad Popovic at the Belgrade "Nikola Tesla" airport.

With the new 40.000 doses, 20.000 people will be able to be vaccinated.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic announced yesterday that new quantities of the "Pfizer" vaccine will arrive on Monday.

Popovic said that other quantities, out of a total of two million doses of Russian vaccine, are expected to be delivered during February and March. He also stated that the arrival of Russian experts in Serbia is expected on February 11, who will discuss with Serbian experts how to start the production of Russian vaccines in Serbia as soon as possible.

Popovic, who welcomed the plane with vaccines at the Belgrade airport this morning, said that all vaccines were delivered in special containers, which have thermal insulation, with a temperature of minus 20 degrees, which is controlled, so that the vaccines are transferred correctly.

"A serious logistical endeavor was performed in order for the vaccines that were produced in the factory in the Vladimir region in Russia less than 24 hours ago, to be transported to Belgrade this morning, but with the exceptional efforts of the entire team of the Serbian Government, we managed to do this", Popovic said.

Head of WHO Office in Serbia says country’s results in fight against coronavirus impressive (B92, Tanjug)

Head of the Office of the World Health Organization in Serbia, Marjan Ivanusa, says the results Serbia achieved in the fight against coronavirus are impressive, B92 reports.

He said he hoped that some quantities of the vaccine, through the COVAX program, would arrive in Serbia, adding the WHO is helping authorities in Serbia and emphasized that vaccination is a safe way to achieve collective immunity and stop the epidemic.

However, he pointed out we are just at the beginning, but that the results of Serbia are impressive and he hopes it will continue like this.

He added he was not worried about Serbia and its readiness to carry out vaccination, but about the situation at the global level because there are not enough vaccines.

Ivanusa further said the COVAX initiative envisages that around 150 million doses of vaccines will be delivered to countries in the world in the first quarter. As he stated, the first doses should arrive in February, and then in March, and an additional 500 million doses are expected from April to June.

In the second half of the year, as he added, even more is expected.

Commenting on the announcements about the introduction of COVID passports, he emphasized that the WHO is against that for several reasons.

First, he stated that the position of the WHO is that the vaccine is primarily intended for those who really need it, for health reasons, and not for tourists. He also pointed out that the vaccine is not available to everyone, and it is known it prevents a serious course of the disease and mortality, but that its impact on the spread of the pandemic is yet to be seen.

Ivanusa said a vaccination certificate is needed so that a person knows when the revaccination deadline is and it should be part of the medical documentation, and not a travel document.

No easing of Covid-19 relating measures in Serbia (B92)

The session of the Crisis Staff, the first since the detection of a new, British variant of coronavirus in Serbia, has ended, B92 reports. So far, there is no abolition of anti-epidemic measures, member of the team Darija Kisic Tepavcevic said.

The measure related to the mandatory negative PCR test for entering Serbia from Hungary has not been abolished either.

She also said the duration of immunity after the disease and the vaccine is still unknown, but that it is still important to prevent the spread of the virus.

"We should vaccinate 1.500.000 and 2.000.000 people in our country in order to reach that level of collective immunity and stop the epidemic", she said. As for the duration of the measures, she stated it depends on the epidemiological situation, and it is not possible yet to talk about a possible date.

"We always hope and want those numbers to be lower, we are waiting for the day when that number will be 0. Now we do not have a passive fight against the virus, we have a vaccine, we have switched to an active fight", Kisic Tepavcevic said.

Minister Joksimovic says no dilemma about Serbia’s commitment to integration (N1)

European Integration Minister Jadranka Joksimovic said Thursday there is no dilemma about Serbia’s commitment to continue the European integration process but added that the criteria for candidate countries are too strict sometimes, N1 reports.

“We are prepared for the new methodology and expect an inter-governmental conference as soon as possible to see if we can agree to step up the process, she told the online meeting of the European Parliament EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee.

She also said some things were running late in 2020 but that things were late with other countries, including European Union member states as well as the European Commission which was late with its reports.

See at: https://bit.ly/3j59gRK Radakovic: Democracy in Action only independent observer in upcoming elections (Radio kontakt plus)

Central Election Commission (CEC) has removed over 133,000 eligible voters from the voter’s list, Dusan Radakovic told Radio kontakt plus on behalf of Democracy in Action (DiA), a coalition of NGOs that will observe upcoming parliamentary elections on February 14.

Of that number, the majority were voters who use UNMIK identification documents, and just over eight percent were deceased.

“This problem of deleting voters from the central register has always been highlighted in all reports of the international community”, Radakovic said. He is an executive director of NGO Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC) and also a regional coordinator for northern Kosovo of DiA.

For the upcoming parliamentary elections, there would be no support of OSCE, so “Democracy in Action”, composed of 10 non-governmental organizations throughout Kosovo, would be the only independent observer of these elections.

On behalf of the DiA, 498 observers will be deployed throughout Kosovo, including 104 reserves.

Of that number, 21 short-term observers, one reserve, a coordinator and a regional coordinator will be deployed in northern Kosovo.

“There will be six observers in Leposavic, five in North Mitrovica, three in Zubin Potok and three in Zvecan, plus one reserve observer for each municipality. Approximately 25 people will observe elections in the north of Kosovo in front of Democracy in Action”, Radakovic explained.

He added that the preparations for the training of observers started on time. 

Brnabic: When it comes to recognition of diplomas, we’re waiting for interlocutors in Pristina  (Radio Mitrovica sever)

Answering a question of Albanian Democratic Alternative - United Valley-SDA Sandzak MP Nadije Beqiri at Serbian Assembly on recognition of diplomas from Kosovo, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said it could be resolved as soon as Serbia had an adequate interlocutor in the institutions in Pristina, who was ready to compromise, Radio Mitrovica sever reports.

“The problem that young Albanians in the Presevo Valley are facing is the issue of non-recognition of diplomas they receive in Kosovo. Since 2008, diplomas have not been recognized, and young people are deprived of any opportunity for employment and contribution to the communities in which they live, and our municipalities are left without the necessary staff”, Beqiri said. 

“As soon as Serbia has an adequate interlocutor in the provisional institutions in Pristina who is ready to talk about it seriously, to make compromises and to reach a solution that would be in the interest of young people”,  Brnabic replied. 

She added that Serbia, as a country looking to the future and striving for regional stability, connection and trust, and historical reconciliation with the Albanians, had also insisted on this for many years. Brnabic also said that “the Autonomous Province of Kosovo was not the culprit, it’s the political elite”, which, as she said, “must sit down and agree on how diplomas from Mitrovica are treated, so that everyone else can be resolved”. 

Office for KiM: Popovic banned from entering Kosovo (Radio kontakt plus)

Assistant Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Igor Popovic was banned from entering Kosovo, the Office said in a statement, Radio kontakt plus reports.

As the statement said, Popovic was planning to visit Mitrovica North today, but was stopped at Jarinje crossing point.

“Members of the Kosovo police at the crossing kept Popovic and after half an hour informed him he is not allowed to enter Kosovo, without providing any further details”.

The Office said a new violation of the agreement on freedom of movement was in place and accused Pristina of unilateral actions and refusal to implement reached agreements.

“It is obvious that anti-Serbian campaign of the institutions in Pristina got intensified due to the upcoming elections in Kosovo. However, this can not and must not be justification for violation of the international agreements”, the Office said.

It added they would inform mediators in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue about this case.

Bolton: It would be a mistake if Biden let EU deal with Balkans alone (N1)

Biden will not give up on the Balkans, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton told N1 Thursday, adding that knowing US President Joe Biden's role in the Congress in the 90s regarding the war in Bosnia, he doubts this will happen.

Bolton also said he believed Biden’s top State Department nominees also tell him that the US President sees Russia, Ukraine central and eastern European countries as a whole. The former US National Security Advisor added that he also doubts Biden will delegate the Balkans region to the EU because that would be a mistake, in his opinion.

To hear Bolton speak about the events at the Capitol Hill from January 6, the future of the Republican Party and Trump and many more things, play the video at the link below.

See at: https://bit.ly/2YnLEyb EU Office on Haradinaj’s statement (B92, Kosovo-online)

The EU Office in Pristina spokesperson Dinka Zivalj said that also in election campaigns political leaders should be examples in promoting mutual trust, Kosovo-online portal reports.

She added it was necessary to promote the values of the European Union.

Zivalj made these remarks after being asked to comment on AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj statements that in case of postponement of Kosovo membership in international institutions he would advocate for a referendum on unification with Albania, Kosovo-online reported.

“Political leaders in the region should be an example in promoting mutual trust, nurturing good neighborhood relations and regional cooperation, principles and values the EU also stands for. This applies in election campaigns as well”, she said.  

   

International

  Serbia announced 'illegal' vaccine programme in Kosovo (euobsrver)

Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić recently announced a vaccination programme in Kosovo without consulting leaders in Pristina. Officials there have called it illegal, and locals are very confused, Deutsche Welle reports. Vučić said the first to receive the vaccine in Kosovo would be elderly Serbs over 75, then everyone else. It was unclear which vaccine the Serbian president was talking about.

See at: http://bit.ly/2NIkwYt

   

Humanitarian/Development

  Emigrant Life in Switzerland Inspires Prize-Winning Kosovo Writer (Balkan Insight)

Promising Kosovar writer Shkumbin Gashi has put his own experience trying to adapt to a new society in Switzerland as an emigrant to good use in his latest award-winning novel.

Drinking green tea in a café in Pristina, while respecting social distancing, Kosovo writer Shkumbin Gashi tells BIRN that he considers writing a kind of “spiritual therapy … yoga of the mind, a type of meditation”.

His second book, Nënë më fol për ëndërrimtarët, Mother Tell me About the Dreamers, published in 2019, had just won the prestigious Rexhai Surroi literature prize from the local media organisation Koha a few days earlier.

“The prize was a reality check that tells me I’m doing something good, but I must not stop here. It is an incentive to move on,” the 29 year old told BIRN explaining that new writers are too often intimidated by the success of their idols and end up comparing themselves.

“People are familiar with great writers and find it easier to buy a book that has already made a name for itself,” he notes. This can lead to unintentional “replication”, he adds, due to others not having “the courage to bring something new and take risks”.

See more at: https://bit.ly/2MAoFx4