Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 245 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Election campaign starts tomorrow, CEC in process of verifying final list of voters (media)
• European Parliament MP: Recognition of Kosovo by Israel, clear signal for EU (RTK)
• Dialogue with Serbia, visa liberalization do not find place in parties’ campaign (media)
• Mustafa slams Kurti: No one is the first if he must barricade from citizens (media)
• LVV accuses CEC for not making lists from abroad public (media)
• PSD with a symbolic action: “All power to the Soviets” (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 26 new cases of Covid-19, one death registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Selakovic: We are not happy with the actions of Israel (RTS, B92, Beta, N1)
• Vucic on meeting with Macron, Kosovo issue, Israel
• Mihajlovic: Kurti will win, there is no Hashim or Grenell any longer (KoSSev)
• Prosecutor Smith: Possible new indictments for crimes in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• KFOR: Situation in Kosovo calm, we do not interfere in politics (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Grubjesic: An innovative solution would be for Serbs and Albanians to solve problems on their own (Tanjug, Kosovo online, K1)
• Drecun on visits of Albanian politicians to the north (Kosovo-online)
• Mehmeti: Police has operational plan for elections in Kosovo (RTK)
• More than 1.400 people from Kosovo vaccinated in Kursumlija (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Kosovo, Israel establish diplomatic ties (AP)
• Serbia ‘not happy’ with Israel’s recognition of Kosovo, says it will impact ties (The Times of Israel)
• Kosovo's embassy move violates UN resolutions: Turkey (Anadolu Agency)
• EU urges Kosovo to rethink Jerusalem move (Euobserver)
• Balkan nations turn to China and Russia for jabs (FT)
• China Is Helping a European Ally Get Ahead on Vaccines (Bloomberg)
• Book Unpacks Balkans’ ‘Love-Hate’ Relationship With Turkey (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• 'You are not alone': Balkan women seize #MeToo moment (japantimes.co.jp)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID – 19: 245 new cases, three deaths (media)

245 new cases of COVID-19 and three deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 189 persons have recovered from the virus during this time. There are 6,429 active cases of COVID – 19 in Kosovo.

Election campaign starts tomorrow, CEC in process of verifying final list of voters (media)

The campaign for the early elections 2021 in Kosovo will officially start tomorrow (Wednesday) on February 3 and will continue until February 12.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) is expected to certify the total number of voters today, while only from abroad, based on a non-final list on Monday, the voting service announced that after evaluating the applications, 101 thousand 839 applications for registration were approved, while 29 thousand 633 applications were rejected.

All citizens who have successfully registered as voters abroad, after meeting the legal criteria, will be able to vote by mail starting from 2 to 12 February for the early elections of 14 February.

The identification of individuals who are infected with coronavirus will start today, February 2, by the CEC, and will last until February 11, when they will be able to choose whether they want to participate in the elections or not.

The CEC will send mobile teams to persons who express their willingness to vote at their addresses.

The Central Election Commission, the Kosovo Judicial Council, the Prosecution, the Police and the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel are committed to complete this process smoothly, Telegrafi reports. 

European Parliament MP: Recognition of Kosovo by Israel, clear signal for EU (RTK)

The member of the European Parliament, the Austrian Lucas Mandl commented on the recognition of Kosovo by Israel. Mandl says that the recognition of the state of Kosovo by Israel is of great significance.

“The State of Israel will recognize the Republic of Kosovo, which is the youngest state of Europe. Since I feel friendship between Austria, Israel & Kosovo this step means a lot to me. It is also a clear signal for those EU Member States which have not yet recognized Kosovo,” Mandl wrote on his Twitter account. 

Dialogue with Serbia, visa liberalization do not find place in parties’ campaign (media)

The two topics, among the main ones of Kosovo's foreign policy, the dialogue with Serbia and visa liberalization are not finding a place in the election campaign of political parties.

Although the two governments have been ousted in the last three years due to dialogue, the parties have not yet shown a clear articulation on the subject. They even mention it a little during meetings with citizens. According to political experts the reason for this is that these topics are no longer the populist ones to bring votes.

As a result, researcher at the Democratic Institute of Kosovo (KDI), Violeta Haxholli urges parties and candidates for prime minister to present a clear program for dialogue with Serbia.

“The parties should have a clearer articulation regarding the topic of dialogue.

We have not yet seen any clear reflection of political entities on their program regarding the issue of dialogue. This issue is expected to be one of the challenges of the new government that will emerge from the elections ... I consider that the political entities that are running in the elections should have a clearer articulation regarding the topic of dialogue. To tell the voters what is their plan and what will be their approach to the dialogue, especially the candidates for prime minister should present their program towards the dialogue and their approach when this topic will be on the table of the government, but also to the Assembly " Haxholli said.

Meanwhile, the director of the non-governmental organization "Cohu", Arton Demhasaj said that there is a tendency of the political parties to avoid the topic of dialogue during the election campaign.

"Due to the fact that the dialogue with Serbia is not a populist topic and does not bring votes to the political parties, there is a constant tendency to run away from this topic. Even in the last two or three parliamentary elections that were held, despite the fact that this has been the main topic in terms of international relations for Kosovo, political parties have never taken this topic seriously .... Considering it from the international aspect, the first demand that will come whenever the government is formed after the February 14 elections, will be the return to dialogue and the tendency to reach an agreement, therefore for me it is meaningless that political parties do not pay any attention to this topic…it is not even that political parties have built principles, or a clear platform on how to approach the dialogue," Demhasaj said.

Professor of political science at the University of Prishtina, Dorajet Imeri considers that these topics are not completely in the hands of Kosovo institutions.

"… These are processes that do not depend on this government and some political party. Visa liberalization is now a process which depends on the EU, but also a performance of Kosovo in creating a rule of law and justice. But I know that this has remained as an obstacle to non-voting by some EU countries. While in terms of dialogue this is a big topic and regardless of what constellations we will have in the Assembly of Kosovo, I consider that this topic can only be passed through national cohesion, he said, adding that governments in Kosovo paid a high price for this and do not want to talk about it despite its significant importance. 

Mustafa slams Kurti: No one is the first if he must barricade from citizens (media)

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (LDK), said that elections are free expression of citizens for parliament and that Kosovo needs democratic elections and not rampant populism!

Mustafa's full post on "Facebook:

“Elections are the free expression of citizens for their parliament. It is not right for us to hold elections surrounded by police, with special units ... under the barrels of weapons, twenty-one years after the liberation!?

Violent elections are not the solution. No one is the first if he must barricade himself to meet the citizens, and no one deserves to come out the first if he thinks that a municipality or a territory is their pastorate.

Violence produces violence. At least democracy. With the protagonists of violence and threats, in their haste for power, we are slipping badly into the enmities of the post-war years. We do not need this. Any such eventual victory, whoever it is, is a loss.

Kosovo needs democratic elections, not rampant populism!” Mustafa wrote. 

LVV accuses CEC for not making lists from abroad public (media)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) has accused the Central Election Commission (CEC) for the delays in the process of verifying applications and issuing the final list of voters from abroad.

LVV member in the CEC, Sami Kurteshi, said that the CEC in this case has committed a criminal offense, violating the right of the diaspora to vote.

"Delays in making public the final lists are evident, we are not ready yet, they cannot know who has been verified, we do not know how many people are calling and how they were called. Voters abroad are rightly concerned about these delays and brutal violations of their rights.

Kurteshi said that although the deadline for the diaspora vote was today, the CEC has not been prepared, as it has not made public the final lists.

"As you know from the large number of applications to the CEC from abroad, we still do not have the final list that shows how many people have been confirmed, how many have been rejected and the reasons and how the telephone process has gone so far,” he said.

“This is not the first or the last violation in this election process that the big parties like PDK and LDK together with the chairwoman of the CEC are doing,” he said

PSD with a symbolic action: “All power to the Soviets” (media)

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) held today a symbolic action related to the elections in Kosovo, with the inscription "All power to the Soviets".

PSD emphasizes that this slogan, used a century ago, well describes the meaning of elections in Kosovo, where in the name of freedom, democracy and development, Kosovo is moving towards an autocracy with a totalitarian tendency.

“The process is the same here. In the name of the war against the old regime, a "savior" is being sneaked from us. This savior recently changed party statute and took over powers for himself; then, they ransacked the presidency and turned it into a party office; then it was the turn to attack the CEC; then came the slogan ‘all power to the Soviets’ in the Kosovar version. All for the supreme leader! "The people are one, their will is embodied in the supreme leader," notes this political party.

Meanwhile, after placing the inscription against the slogan of Vetevendosje in the February 14 elections, there was a clash between members of the PSD and the Kosovo Police, where a police officer was injured. The ambulance was also seen there.

   

Serbian Language Media

  26 new cases of Covid-19, one death registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)

Out of 89 tested samples over the last 24 hours, 26 were positive on Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North said today, KoSSev portal reports.

Also, one person passed away due to Covid-19 complications. The person was from Mitrovica North.

Out of new 26 positive cases 17 were registered in the north of Kosovo, and nine in central Kosovo.

The breakdown of the cases is as follows: 11 in Mitrovica North, five in Zvecan, four in Priluzje, two each in Prizren and Gnjilane, and one each in Leposavic and Kamenica.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic a total of 100 people have passed away in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo.

At the same time 33 persons completed a two-week isolation period. Total number of active cases of Covid-19 in the Serbian areas in Kosovo is 220. 

Selakovic: We are not happy with the actions of Israel (RTS, B92, Beta, N1)

Nikola Selaković, as a guest in the RTS morning news, said that we live in a time of coronavirus and that bilateral visits between heads of state are really rare, almost non-existent, and that yesterday's meeting between the French and Serbian presidents is an indicator of "respect for Serbia and President Vucic".

"It is indisputable that Emanuel Macron is someone who grows into the leader of the European Union and who, together with Armin Laschet, will shape the future path of Europe, and that is why it is important to talk to him," Selakovic said.

That is why it is important, as the minister says, "when we talk about the Kosovo-Metohija problem, to set things on a realistic basis."

"We should try to really find a serious solution, to show seriousness, initiative, desire and a will to continue the dialogue, but in that way we will also get a chance that if there is no solution in that issue, Serbia will not be blamed, as it was the case in previous years," Selakovic said.

"Serious states do not reveal their plans and tactics"

When it comes to the continuation of European integration, Selakovic points out that Serbia is the first to accept the new methodology initiated by France, and that is why it was natural to talk to France now about the continuation of our European path.

"This opportunity that President Vucic talked so much with President Macron, to host him a year and a half ago in Belgrade and to receive the announcement of a new visit yesterday, is a testament to how much breakthrough Serbia has made in international relations," Selakovic said. He added that Macron would visit Serbia twice in two years, and that we had not had any visits from French presidents in the previous 20 years.

When asked what kind of innovative solutions could be for Kosovo and Metohija, Selakovic said that "serious countries do not reveal their plans and tactics in such matters."

"There is much more hearing and much more understanding for Serbia's views today. Does that mean that we will experience a 180-degree change in the policy of the great powers? Of course, it does not mean that. But the fact itself how frequent these encounters were, how much important topics are discussed, not just these important political topics,'' said Selakovic and in that context emphasized the importance of raising the topic of the metro.

He pointed out that good cooperation on the France-USA line is also important for Serbia.

"It is something that will ease the situation for Serbia. Whether it will be dramatic, the way Serbs want and dream? No. But that is why I said - to put things on a realistic basis," the minister added.

What is the reality when it comes to Kosovo? 

Answering the question what is the reality when we talk about Kosovo, Selakovic says that the reality is that members of the Serbian people live in Kosovo and Metohija, that they are in compact certain environments and seek fulfillment of what was taken as an obligation from Pristina in previous agreements.

"So, to ask the establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, to seek the protection of the rights of our people, to seek the protection of our shrines. Serbia is in a situation where everything it signed, everything it abide to, contributed to strengthening its international credibility and its reputation, creating the image of a credible partner, and on the other hand, almost no one was interested in what Pristina signed, but Serbia persistently and staunchly held its position and constantly appealed for the protection of its rights and the protection of the commitment made by the institutions from Pristina," Selakovic said.

Asked whether the parallel between the European path and a solution for Kosovo is clearer after yesterday's meeting, Selakovic said that it is indisputable that the dialogue on the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina is an important item within Chapter 35.

"What is important is that our process of joining the EU will be continued according to the new methodology that we have been waiting for more than a year, and that in that process we have the support of France, which was the initiator of changing the methodology," Selakovic said.

"Israel has chosen itself that interest of tying to the US is more important"

Pristina and Tel Aviv established diplomatic relations yesterday, and Selakovic says that it will "undoubtedly affect the relations between Serbia and Israel".

"That is why we are neither happy nor satisfied. Israel itself has chosen that its interest in bonding with the United States and what is important to the United States is more important than Serbia, and that is their legitimate right. What is important is that we did not participate in such a way in that process, that President Vucic did not accept to sign the invitation to Israel to recognize Kosovo and vice versa, that we said that it was not something that was our international political position," Selakovic said.

He says that it will be very interesting to see if there will be some Muslim and Arab countries that will recognize the independence of Kosovo after this.

"I am convinced that it will not, and I think it will be very difficult when you look at it from that angle. We have made serious efforts in relations with the state of Israel, especially in the last seven years, we have invested a lot in relations between the Serbian and Jewish people and which is why we are not happy about this, but we will see how things will happen in the future," the minister states.

"What was indicative here is the strong efforts of a high-ranking State Department official, Matthew Palmer, to make this happen, to apply that item in the agreement between the US, Israel and the so-called Kosovo, so we'll see if he will be trying so hard and whether they will work so hard to implement those other parts of the agreement between the United States and Serbia, whether the so-called Kosovo will join the mini-Schengen, whether we will carry out energy diversification," Selakovic said.

When asked if he expects such a decision to affect some other countries, Selakovic said that we will see.

"The Washington agreement implies an obligation to refrain from our derecognition activities and Pristina's recognition activities and accession to international organizations. We adhere to our obligations, but we know very well what we should do if others do not adhere to it," Selakovic concluded.

Vucic on meeting with Macron, Kosovo issue, Israel (B92)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he believes Serbia would have the serious support of France on its European path, B92 reports.

The meeting between Vucic and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, lasted for four hours.

"We mostly talked about the relations between Belgrade and Pristina, it is a difficult and neuralgic issue for the whole of Europe, not only for Serbia. I presented Serbia's position. I believe we will have serious support from France on our European path. France will support Serbia, I also believe, in finding innovative compromise solutions to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija", he said.

As he said, the chapters will be opened by clusters, and that this was discussed with the Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimović. "I expect that we will open more chapters this year, according to the new methodology, through clusters", Vucic said.

He announced that Macron would visit Serbia in September or October. "It will be a significant visit, we will have a lot of contracts to sign," he said.

Vucic on Kosovo and Metohija

Regarding Kosovo and Metohija, he said it was necessary for the other side to understand that "dialogue is not a well of desires".

"I don't see anything that could bring us closer to a serious dialogue. We are always ready for talks, but every agreement requires two sides, anyway, for the moment, I don't see another side", he said.

On Israeli decision to establish relations with Kosovo

He stated that Belgrade is not at all happy about the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Kosovo, and that this will not positively affect Serbia's relations with the Jewish state.

"It was expected for six months, so in Washington (on September 4) we did not want to sign the document together with the Albanians and the Americans. We did not want to encourage that, but to encourage Israel not to do that, but Israel chose that America is the most important. It will not have a nice impact on our relations, but it opens up some other perspectives that I would not like to talk about now", Vucic told Pink TV.

After the meeting with the President of France, Emmanuel Makoron, Vucic said that after the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Kosovo, no Muslim country will want to recognize Kosovo independence.

Vucic stated that Serbia will now wait to see whether Pristina will respect its part of the Washington agreement and whether it will allow the construction of a railway from Priština to Merdare.

"The whole trick is that they want to build a railway across Kosovska Mitrovica, Leposavic and Zvecan linking them with Kraljevo and Raska in order to take the Serbian railways in the north of Kosovo. We were looking for a road and a railway from Pristina to Merdare, they are not interested in that particular route, because there is no Serbian railway there that they could take", Vucic said.

"We were looking for the road and the Pristina-Merdare railway, but they are not interested because there is no Serbian railway that they can take. The other issue is Lake Gazivode", he said.

"I saw that (U.S. State Department official Matthew) Palmer insisted on ending the agreement between Israel and Kosovo, and I know that he was against the Washington agreement. Now we will see if they want to share the energy resources of Lake Gazivode", Vucic said.

See at: https://bit.ly/3cyGHuw Mihajlovic: Kurti will win, there is no Hashim or Grenell any longer (KoSSev)

''Everyone says that Kurti scored an own goal by visiting the north – Belgrade says so, the PDK claims, too, but Kurti is not naive. He has the voting machinery, and he finished shooting at the very beginning, showing his voters that he dared to go to the north. And in campaigns in the Balkans, it is always important to show that you have guts, '' Milivoje Mihajlovic commented for KoSSev on the forthcoming ballot.

Everything currently happening in Kosovo is the result of the election campaign, a longtime journalist from Kosovo and former chief of communication to the Serbian Government, Milivoje Mihajlovic said.

''These elections are special because they are the first elections without Hashim Thaci. This is a big handicap for his party, regardless of the loud campaign,'' says Mihajlovic.

In his words, there is no doubt that these elections will bring back Albin Kurti to power.

''He will definitely win, there is no doubt about that,'' he underlined.

The decision that the 47 MP candidates, among whom is Albin Kurti, cannot run for the election as they were convicted of a crime in the last three years, triggered harsh reactions.

Also, the Supreme Court of Kosovo recently decided not to confirm the candidacy of the leader of the Self-Determination, Albin Kurti, and two other members of this party.

Although Kurti does not have the right to run on the MP list, this is still not an obstacle for him to be elected prime minister, Mihajlovic stressed.

Self-Determination hopes to gain the support of more than 50% of voters. On the other hand, the current Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti estimates that Kurti, apart from not having the right to be an MP, does not have the right to be the Prime Minister either.

The scenario of the eventual disqualification of Kurti is unlikely, Mihajlovic claims. ''I talk to people all the time, I follow the research, Podujevo is the best example, you saw what happened there in the last elections,'' he said.

See more at: https://bit.ly/36BRbWp Prosecutor Smith: Possible new indictments for crimes in Kosovo (Radio KIM)

The Chief Prosecutor of the Specialist Court for KLA crimes, Jack Smith said he continues investigation of the crimes in Kosovo, in the period from 1998 to 2000, adding “there is a possibility that new indictments would be submitted to the court”, Radio KIM reports.

In an interview to Pristina-based daily Koha Ditore, first one since he took over the duty in 2018, Smith said no one from prosecution in The Hague was responsible for the leak of confidential documents, that KLA War Veterans Association in Pristina published it in September last year, without authorization.

Smith also said that the trial of the former KLA leader Hashim Thaci and three other co-defendants for the crimes committed in Kosovo and Albania in the period from 1998 to 1999 should start in September as to prevent possible intimidation of the witnesses.

“Our investigations continue and there is a possibility that new indictments would be submitted to the court”, Smith said. This, as he explained, includes individuals who intend in a criminal manner to obstruct the work of the court or harass witnesses.

Smith further said that “additional cases (…) will be founded exclusively on individual criminal responsibility of the defendants”, same as it is the case with the three proceedings against former KLA leaders.

Smith also noted the postponement of Thaci and three co-defendants’ trial for the period after September something that their defense lawyers insist on is “unjustified”.

Noting that prominent defense lawyers of Thaci and others had enough time to get prepared by September, Smith said that “a climate of serious intimidation of the witnesses in the earlier proceedings against KLA leaders” must be taken into consideration.

“This is in reality confirmed by several courts, which defense before the court rightly accepted as a relevant factor in making the decision whether detention (of the defendants) was necessary prior to the trial”, he said. 

Smith recalled “that many people waited for two decades to tell their stories and get the justices for themselves and their family members served. I think these people have waited long enough and their voices must be heard without further delay”.  

KFOR: Situation in Kosovo calm, we do not interfere in politics (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)

KFOR representative Antonio Minutella told Tanjug agency today that the current security situation in Kosovo is calm and under control, and that the organization has a high degree of insight into the situation.

In response to Tanjug's question about the possible consequences of the arrival of Albanian politicians from Pristina to northern Kosovo and the reaction of the Serbian population to the security situation, he said that KFOR's current assessment is that there are currently no signs of additional tensions in the region.

The statement also reads that KFOR does not interfere in politics but are following the latest events in Kosovo from a security perspective, and that they are glad to see that the demonstrations on the streets are peaceful.

"KFOR's mandate is to continue to provide a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo, in accordance with its mandate under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999," Minutella said in a statement.

Minutella reminds that three organizations oversee Kosovo's security - the Kosovo Police, EULEX and KFOR, and that they are in regular contact and ready to intervene in case of need, in accordance with the procedures, quoted portal Kosovo Online.

Grubjesic: An innovative solution would be for Serbs and Albanians to solve problems on their own (Tanjug, Kosovo online, K1)

The Kosovo issue will be resolved in an alliance and coordination between the USA and the EU, says Suzana Grubjesic from the Center for Foreign Policy and adds that French President Emanuel Macron is interested in the Kosovo issue and is ready to listen to some of the innovative proposals, reports portal Kosovo Online, quoting the Tanjug agency report. 

Grubjesic told TV K1 that one of the innovative solutions is to let Serbs and Albanians try to solve problems on their own.

"So far, it has not happened that Serbian and Kosovo representatives sit down alone to solve problems without mediators, those who sit in the next room. That would be a huge step forward, if it happens," Grubjesic said, commenting on yesterday's Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic visit to France.

Asked whether this was leaving the American baton to France, with which it set out to resolve the issue of Kosovo, Grubjesic said that "it will not be so straightforward" and that the new American administration will coordinate with the EU.

She explains that by EU, she means Germany and France, and that regardless of the French president's interest in resolving the Kosovo issue, "without Germany, it will not work." She notes that this could be seen from yesterday's address by President Macron, who mentioned Germany and Angela Merkel several times.

"What is important is the greater role and personal interest of President Macron in resolving the Kosovo issue. Because if it were not so, he would not be talking about listening to innovative proposals and that something should be done in the near future regarding Serbia's European integration," Grubjesic said. 

She mentioned that there is no guarantee that Serbia, if it resolves the Kosovo issue, will enter the EU quickly.

"If there was such a guarantee, it would be a different story, but those guarantees do not exist. There is no one in Serbia who will put his signature or nod his head at the Kosovo solution, without any strategy and that Serbia cannot get anything out of it", she stated.

Grubjesic reminds that Macron himself advocated that the methodology for European integration be changed, that the process not be endless and bureaucratic, that it be given the essence, that it become more political.

"There is also a trap, how many carrots there is when you open and close one cluster and integrate into EU policies by sectors, there is a stick there too, and the stick is reversibility. If you do not progress, you can reopen closed chapters," she said.

The enthusiasm in Serbia, as far as the EU is concerned, is melting because no chapter was opened last year, and that a pandemic cannot be an excuse for that, she noted.

"Now France will hold the EU presidency in the first half of the year. However, there is another event - the presidential elections in France and we know that two thirds of French people do not want enlargement. Macron, like any politician, will take care of his voters, but until they enter the campaign, France can be the one to push Serbia and everyone else in the Western Balkans," she said.

Drecun on visits of Albanian politicians to the north (Kosovo-online) 

Albanian politicians from Kosovo, with frequent visits to the north of Kosovo, and under the guise of elections, additionally stoke nationalist and anti-Serbian stances, National Assembly Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Chairman Milovan Drecun said Monday, adding such messages further destabilize the situation, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Drecun thus commented on the latest event in northern Kosovo when Vjosa Osmani and Albin Kurti came to North Mitrovica, but also various statements by Albanian politicians, such as the one by Enver Hoxhaj that police were sent to northern Kosovo while PDK was in power. 

“Given that the Albanian electorate in the north is very small compared to the one south of Ibar, it is obvious that they want to send a political message to both Serbs in the north and Albanians south of Ibar, that northern Kosovo is part of that false state and thus further strengthen their position among Albanian voters in the south”, Drecun told Tanjug news agency.

According to him, such a message further destabilizes the situation and is obviously intended to provoke incidents, and in that way to win the votes of Albanians.

“Although we can characterize everything as a campaign, it still carries certain dangers for the Serbian people. All this represents the continuity of almost all Albanian political parties, because they all try to create conditions to establish full control of that false state of Kosovo over the north, and that cannot be done except by force”, Drecun pointed out.

Asked why the Albanian establishment constantly resorted to inflammatory rhetoric, Drecun said that the answer should be sought in the public opinion poll among Albanians, which said that most young people replied that Serbia and Serbs were the greatest enemies and opponents of Albanian people.

“Obviously, they want to further incite those nationalist, anti-Serbian stances, instead of trying to build a bridge that should one day bridge the huge abyss between Serbs and Albanians. That is the job of politicians. Unfortunately, they are playing the other card, being guided by the fact that perhaps the most important part of their electorate is among young Albanians”, he said.

He added that the political consciousness of Serbian people in Kosovo was at a high level and that there was constant coordination of political representatives of Serbian people with Belgrade, President of Serbia, Office for Kosovo and Metohija, and that Serbian people acted very responsibly and did not fall for provocations. 

Mehmeti: Police has operational plan for elections in Kosovo (RTK)

Director of the Kosovo police, Samedin Mehmeti said that following announcements on the elections police has prepared an operational plan for the safety of all participants in the election process, RTK reports citing Ekonomia-online.

According to him, the police would continue to implement all valid laws for the prevention of criminal acts.

“Regarding the election process, there is an election memorandum about prevention of crime. We are now in the preparatory phase where we have meetings with the CEC. Kosovo police will continue to implement all planned phases to ensure voting”, Mehmeti said. 

More than 1.400 people from Kosovo vaccinated in Kursumlija (Kosovo-online)

Around 2.400 patients have been vaccinated at the Health House in Kursumlija and out of this number 1.423 are from Kosovo, director Uranija Petrovic told Tanjug news agency.

She added that 600 more people from central Kosovo and the Pomoravlje region registered for vaccination this week.

She explained that people registered through e-Uprava portal are being vaccinated with Chinese vaccines at the moment, while Russian vaccines are expected to arrive.

Petrovic also said the number of infected persons with Covid-19 in Kursumlija municipality is on decline, same as the number of examinations at the Covid ambulance. 

   

International

  Kosovo, Israel establish diplomatic ties (AP)

Kosovo and Israel formally established diplomatic ties on Monday in a ceremony held digitally due to the pandemic lockdown.

Kosovo Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla and her Israeli counterpart, Gabi Ashkenazi, held a virtual ceremony to sign the documents in their respective countries.

“Today we are making history. We are establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and Kosovo,” said Ashkenazi.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3oG9P5E Serbia ‘not happy’ with Israel’s recognition of Kosovo, says it will impact ties (The Times of Israel)

Belgrade, which denies the statehood of the former province, unhappy after investing ‘serious efforts’ in relations with Jerusalem.

Serbia’s foreign minister said Tuesday the government was “not happy” with Israel’s decision to recognize Kosovo, a former Serbian province whose statehood Belgrade denies and has waged a diplomatic battle to delegitimize.

The reaction came a day after Israel and Kosovo established diplomatic ties in what was a major victory for Pristina’s efforts to gain full global recognition of the independence it declared in 2008 following a war with Serbia in the 1990s.

Kosovo has since been recognized by much of the Western world, but its rejection by Serbia’s key allies Russia and China has locked it out of the United Nations. Until Monday, Israel was another key holdout on Belgrade’s side.

See more at: https://bit.ly/36ve2T Kosovo's embassy move violates UN resolutions: Turkey (Anadolu Agency)

Turkey on Tuesday criticized Kosovo's commitment to open an embassy in Jerusalem, saying it violates UN resolutions and international law.

"Kosovo's commitment in question is in violation of international law, in particular UN resolutions adopted on this matter," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a written statement.

Kosovo and Israel officially established diplomatic relations with an agreement inked on Monday.

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EU urges Kosovo to rethink Jerusalem move (Euobserver)

The EU foreign service has urged Kosovo to reconsider opening an embassy in Jerusalem, following a digital ceremony with Israel on Monday (1 February).

"Kosovo has identified EU integration as its strategic priority. The EU expects Kosovo to act in line with this commitment so that its European perspective is not undermined," an EU spokesman said the same day.

The EU was against recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, because the 'Holy City' was meant to be shared with Palestinians in a two-state solution, the spokesman said.

"A way must be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of both states and the aspirations of both parties must be fulfilled. The question of Jerusalem is a final status issue," the EU spokesman added.

See more at: https://bit.ly/36z0l5X Balkan nations turn to China and Russia for jabs (FT)

As rancour builds in the EU over delays to its coronavirus vaccination rollout, Serbia has sped ahead to achieve continental Europe’s highest per capita inoculation rate.

But the Balkan state — a candidate to join the bloc — is not using jabs manufactured in the west. Serbia instead has turned to China’s Sinopharm, becoming the first European country to use the company’s shots and its neighbours are set to follow Belgrade’s lead.

See more at: https://on.ft.com/36BSHI6 China Is Helping a European Ally Get Ahead on Vaccines (Bloomberg)

Serbia is leveraging its relationship with the east to inoculate more people than anywhere else in continental Europe.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic puts his country’s status as continental Europe’s frontrunner in getting vaccines into people down to one thing: looking east as well as west.

The Balkan country may look like an unlikely success story as the neighboring European Union gets mired in a fiasco over vaccinations. Yet Serbia’s history of balancing its geopolitical interests is paying off at a critical time.

Serbia has been an important bridge for China to gain a foothold in Europe, while the country is also a traditional ally of Russia and is aspiring to join the EU. Those relationships have allowed it to diversify vaccine sources and inoculate a bigger proportion of its population than any other nation in Europe after the U.K. Serbia has injected 6.8% of its 7 million people, more than twice the ratio in the EU.

See more at: https://bloom.bg/2MriPyn Book Unpacks Balkans’ ‘Love-Hate’ Relationship With Turkey (Balkan Insight)

UK-based Turkish scholar Ahmet Erdi Ozturk takes a fresh look at the role of religion, identity and power in Turkey-Balkan relations – which often feature love and hatred at the same time.

A recently published book, Religion, Identity and Power: Turkey and the Balkans in the Twenty-First Century, tells the story of Turkey-Balkan relations with a view to the role of religion and Turkey’s modern-day policies under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Author Ahmet Erdi Ozturk is a young associate professor of politics and international relations and Marie Curie Fellow at Coventry University and London Metropolitan University.

Although the book has only been published very recently by Edinburgh University Press, it is already being touted as an important addition to Turkey-Balkan studies.

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

Humanitarian/Development

  'You are not alone': Balkan women seize #MeToo moment (japantimes.co.jp)

BELGRADE – When a Serbian actress accused her former drama teacher of rape last week, the reaction was seismic. Thousands of women across the Balkans have since come forward with their own stories, united under the banner “You are not alone.”

Activists hope the outpouring will leave lasting change in a region where patriarchal attitudes dominate and where previous Me Too movements against sexual violence and harassment have been limited in scale.

Much of the catharsis is taking place online, thanks to a new Facebook page called Nisam Trazila, which means “I didn’t ask for it,” created by Bosnian actresses.

“For years I have been gathering my courage to tell someone, to calm my soul, to resurrect the dead child inside me,” one young woman wrote on the page about the trauma of a sexual assault she suffered at age 14.

She and others have been emboldened by 25-year-old Milena Radulovic, the actress who broke the dam when she told her story to the Serbian newspaper Blic in an interview published on Jan. 17.

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