Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 272 new cases, 3 deaths (media)
• Kurti: Only victory with 61+ MPs brings change (media)
• Szunyog: Supply with vaccines from COVAX after June (RTK)
• Ombudsperson slams political parties for violating COVID-19 measures (BIRN)
• CDHRF: The election campaign, “Kosovo’s Wuhan” (media)
• Healthcare unions warn to charge politicians if number of infections rises (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian communities in Kosovo 38 new cases, one deceased (Kontakt plus radio)
• Lajcak no longer talks about months when reaching Kosovo-Serbia agreement is in question (RFE) 
• Simic: Reducing the number of voters a way of pressure on Serbs and the Serbian List (Vecernje Novosti, Kosovo Online)
• Re-vaccination of Kosovo residents starts today (KoSSev)
• Vucic for Chinese media: A friend in need is a friend indeed (B92)
• Father Sava: Archaeological artefacts looted from hermitage near Prizren, three Albanians arrested, one escaped (KoSSev, Kosovo-online)
• Trajkovic in Mitrovica North on elections, Ivanovic, possible coalition with Kurti (KoSSev, Radio KIM)
• Petkovic: Rada Trajkovic offers cooperation to a man advocating for a project of “Great Albania” (Kosovo-online)
• Maliqi: New US approach to dialogue expected; a letter to Pristina to prepare for compromise (Kosovo Online)
• Analysts: Vigorous election campaign, known winners, Serbs tired of promises (KoSSev)
• UN: Western Balkan nationals among refugees in Syria (N1, VoA)
• Serbian President met Slovak Foreign Minister (N1)
• Jovanovic family house in Mogila village burglarized twice in a month (Radio KIM)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Serbia sticks to current anti-epidemic measures despite political pressure (N1, FoNet)

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

COVID-19: 272 new cases, 3 deaths (media)

272 new cases of COVID-19 and three deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 226 persons have recovered from the virus during this time. There are 7,204 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Kurti: Only victory with 61+ MPs brings change (media)

Vetevendosje Movement (VV) leader Albin Kurti said during a visit to the municipalities of Kamenica and Viti today that people are ready for democratic changes and that reforms are needed in the economy, judiciary, education and healthcare, foreign policy and culture. “We need a high turnout on February 14. None of us should be absent. Only a victory with 61+ MPs secures the needed changes and the necessary progress,” Kurti said.

Szunyog: Supply with vaccines from COVAX after June (RTK)

Tomas Szunyog, head of the European Union’s Office in Kosovo, said today that Kosovo is expected to get the vaccines from the COVAX program in the second half of the year. “Both the Kosovo government and the European Union are doing their best to secure vaccines as soon as possible. For example, through the COVAX program Kosovo will get free vaccines for 20 percent of the population. Kosovo has followed all the procedures but due to high demands, the full supply with vaccines from COVAX is not expected to happen before the second half of the year,” Szunyog said.

Ombudsperson slams political parties for violating COVID-19 measures (BIRN)

The Kosovo Ombudsperson Institution has criticised the “selective” enforcement of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, pointing to large public gatherings organised by the country’s political parties as part of the ongoing election campaign.

On January 15, the incumbent government updated COVID-19 measures, limiting the number of people permitted to gather in outdoor public spaces to 50, and within enclosed spaces to 30.

However, the Ombudsperson stated that since the beginning of the election campaign these measures have not been respected by political parties, and that institutions obliged to implement the measures have not acted.

“This is a double standard that can not be tolerated and violates the equality of citizens before the law,” the institution stated, expressing its concern over the endangering of lives due to non-compliance with these measures.

Last week the British Embassy in Prishtina also criticised the number of large-scale gatherings being organised without social distancing measures during the election campaign. “We urge all parties and their supporters to abide by Covid restrictions now that the official campaign period has begun,” the Embassy tweeted.

On Monday, photos of rallies held by the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, in Podujevo and Lipjan were published, revealing halls filled with people, as well as an absence of masks and social distancing measures. Minister of Health Armend Zemaj also published a number of photos from the rally in Podujevo to his Facebook account in which he is pictured with attendees not wearing masks.

On the same day, a fine of 2,000 euros was issued to Vetevendosje following a rally in the Metush Krasniqi square in Kamenica, which according to the inspectorate’s report was attended by around 500 people.

An official from the Municipality of Kamenica told BIRN that the inspectorate also issued fines to both the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, and the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK on February 5 after the parties rallies in enclosed spaces that violated COVID-19 measures. According to the inspectorate, AAK’s rally hosted around 200 people, while PDK’s was closer to 300, ten times the permitted number.

Valbon Krasniqi, the newly appointed head of the Hospital and University Clinical Service of Kosovo, told Prishtina Insight that any large scale gathering risks increasing the number of COVID-19 cases.

“We overcame two phases of COVID-19, and we hope not to deal with a third wave,” he said. “Currently, the situation is stable as we have around 500 patients in Kosovo’s hospitals but any gathering of people risks public health.” 

Hana Xhemajli, an independent researcher on health policies, stated that political parties were showing a complete lack of responsibility and that their actions could have ramifications. “This behaviour can result in an increase of infections in the coming weeks, and a potential new lockdown is a real possibility,” she told Prishtina Insight.

The researcher added that by organising such large gatherings, Kosovo’s political parties were conveying a message that equality before the law does not apply to them and that votes are worth more than public health.

CDHRF: The election campaign, “Kosovo’s Wuhan” (media)

The Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) said in a statement today that the election campaign for the February 14 parliamentary elections has escalated and is posing a serious threat to public health.

CDHRF said that fines must be issued for all cases when anti-COVID measures are violated and that fines for political parties that violate these measures should be very high. “The funds collected from the fines should go to a special fund for families in poor economic conditions and families whose relatives have died from the virus,” the statement notes.

CDHRF also calls on all political parties running for the parliamentary elections to show institutional responsibility and to respect anti-COVID measures.

Healthcare unions warn to charge politicians if number of infections rises (media)

The Kosovo Healthcare Unions Federation said in a statement today that it could file charges against politicians if there is an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases as a result of election rallies where political parties are failing to respect the anti-COVID measures.

“The Kosovo Healthcare Unions Federation is following with concern the public rallies of political parties for the early parliamentary elections in which they are failing to abide by the measures foreseen with the Law on preventing and fighting COVID-19 in the Republic of Kosovo and the recommendations of the Kosovo National Institute for Public Health, and greatly endangering public health in general and healthcare workers in particular, as the latest studies have show that healthcare workers are four to five times more exposed to infection than the rest of the population,” the statement notes.

 

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

In Serbian communities in Kosovo 38 new cases, one deceased (Kontakt plus radio)

The Crisis Staff of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica announced today that in Serbian areas in Kosovo one person died as a result of the coronavirus, 38 new cases of infection were registered, while 17 people came out of isolation, reported Kontakt plus radio. 

The deceased person is from Gnjilane. 

Out of 134 processed samples, positive cases were recorded in the municipalities: North Mitrovica (19), Zvecan (9), Leposavic (4), Gracanica (2), Gnjilane (2), Zubin Potok (1) and Kosovska Kamenica (1).

There are currently 247 active cases.

So far, 102 people have died in the Serb communities in Kosovo as a result of Covid-19.

Lajcak no longer talks about months when reaching Kosovo-Serbia agreement is in question (RFE) 

Miroslav Lajcak, the European Union's (EU) special envoy for dialogue, has told EU member states that he does not expect an agreement on normalizing relations between Serbia and Kosovo to be reached soon, reported Radio Free Europe. 

Lajcak addressed the EU ambassadors in the Political and Security Committee last week and reported on his nearly one-year work.

According to Radio Free Europe (RFE) sources, Lajcak admitted to the ambassadors that he could no longer talk about the timeframes for reaching an agreement.

"He (Lajcak) explained this by the current political situation in Kosovo and the need to form new institutions, but also by saying that both sides will need time to explain to the citizens what compromises are needed," a source who attended the meeting told RFE. 

Lajcak and Josep Borell, the head of European diplomacy and whose portfolio includes the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, announced on several occasions at the beginning of last year that a comprehensive agreement would be reached "within a few months", recalled RFE.

EU encouraged by signals from Washington

At the meeting between the EU ambassadors and Miroslav Lajcak, they also talked about the approach of the new American administration to the dialogue process.

US President Joe Biden has confirmed his support for the Brussels dialogue, and US officials have confirmed that they will continue to support Kosovo and Serbia in negotiations on a comprehensive solution.

According to RFE, European officials were relieved to receive messages from the American capital confirming that Brussels will lead a dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade.

EU Special Representative for Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak said at the meeting that he was counting on US assistance in this process and that he expected that there would be no more "sabotage" from Washington, as was the case with the previous administration.

During the administration of former US President Donald Trump (Trump), the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo was conducted on two tracks: in Brussels and Washington.

EU Special Representative for Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak has repeatedly admitted that there is no communication with the team of the former US Special Envoy for Dialogue, Richard Grenell.

Stalemate in dialogue since September - continuation after Kosovo elections

Miroslav Lajcak also confirmed before the EU ambassadors that, regardless of the successful resumption of the dialogue in July 2020, the process stopped in September of that year, when the last round was held at the highest political level.

It should be reminded that at the last meeting between the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti, which was held on September 7, 2020, the Serbian side raised the issue of the Community of Serbian Municipalities in Kosovo (ZSO).

After returning to Pristina, the Kosovo side was no longer ready to continue discussing the issue, and there were no more meetings at the highest political level, although Lajcak aimed for the Serbian president and Kosovo prime minister to meet every three weeks.

In light of the fall of the Kosovo government at the end of last year and the announced elections, to be held on February 14, Miroslav Lajcak confirmed to the ambassadors that he does not intend to organize any meeting in the context of dialogue before Kosovo gets new institutions.

As the participants in the meeting told RFE, Miroslav Lajcak plans to continue the process immediately after the formation of Kosovo institutions, but warned that, as he said, it is a matter of continuing the process from the moment the dialogue stopped and "not from the beginning, from scratch".

Simic: Reducing the number of voters a way of pressure on Serbs and the Serbian List (Vecernje Novosti, Kosovo Online)

Reducing the number of voters in Kosovo, including those in the north, as well as the abolition of some polling stations, will make it impossible for some Serbs in Kosovo to exercise their right to vote in the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 14, reported Vecernje Novosti, portal Kosovo Online quoted. 

According to Novosti, deleting the dead from the voter list is not disputable to anyone, but the fact that the Central Election Commission in Pristina practically usurped the right to vote for Serbs who did not have Kosovo documents, is the most common objection that could be heard in Serbian communities.

Namely, if someone's UNMIK ID card expired, it is considered invalid as an identification document for voting, and since the coronavirus pandemic began, many who wanted to get Kosovo documents did not succeed, because ID cards were not issued on several occasions, reported Novosti. 

The CEC Commission reduced the number of voters by more than 145,000 on the territory of Kosovo, and if you look at only four municipalities in the north, the number of voters is less by about 16,000. Instead of 53,500 of them, which was valid for the previous elections, now the right to vote in the north can be exercised by 37,500 voters, portal Kosovo Online quoted. 

The abolition of polling stations is not considered to be such a problem in larger areas, but if someone has to go from one village to another on election day, or, say, does not notice in time that his polling station has been changed, it is estimated that it could be disincentive for going out to the polls.

A smaller number of voters can also mean a smaller number of votes for the Serbian List, wrote Novosti, so it might not win all ten seats guaranteed for the Serb community.

This situation may mean that other Serbian lists, which will need fewer votes, will be closer to winning one or two mandates. Apart from the Serbian list, the Serbian Democratic Alliance of Slavisa Petkovic and the CI Freedom, Justice, Survival (Sloboda, pravda i opstanak) whose list holder is Milan Dabic, are also in the election race.

"Reducing the number of voters is a form of pressure on Serbs and the Serbian List, and thus depriving Serbs of the right to vote, but that will also be an additional motive for our compatriots to stand under the flag of the Serbian List," Serbian List Vice President Igor Simic told daily Vecernje Novosti. 

The number of polling stations in North Mitrovica, for example, has been reduced from 27 to 23.

The president of the municipal election commission, Slobodan Dimitrijevic told portal Kosovo Online that these are the places where 99 percent of Serbs vote, as well as that in the previous elections for mayor, slightly more than 23,300 people had the right to vote, while 17,200 were registered for these elections.

In Leposavic, the number of polling stations was reduced by six, and there are 5,500 fewer people on the voter list than in the previous elections. 

Zvecan also has a shortage of 2,400 voters, while 2,186 have been crossed out in Zubin Potok.

Re-vaccination of Kosovo residents starts today (KoSSev)

Re-vaccination of residents from Kosovo starts today. Re-vaccination would be organized at three separate towns in Serbia proper, Raska, Kursumlija and Bujanovic, Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced, KoSSev portal reports.

Re-vaccination for the citizens from Kosovo starts on the same day as for other citizens in Serbia, the portal added.

“Thanks to the Government of the Republic of Serbia and President Aleksandar Vucic sufficient doses of vaccines have been provided for all those interested citizens from the area of Kosovo and Metohija”, the Office said in a statement.

Up to date more than 7.000 people from Kosovo received the vaccine.

Residents of four northern municipalities receive the vaccines in Raska, people from the Pomoravlje region receive the vaccines in Bujanovac, while the residents from Metohija and central Kosovo receive the vaccine in Kursumlija.

The Office confirmed it organizes transport for all citizens from Kosovo who want to be vaccinated in those towns. 

Vucic for Chinese media: A friend in need is a friend indeed (B92)

Serbian President Vučić stated that he hopes to hear more about the Chinese experiences at the summit of China and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, reported portal B92. 

The summit is scheduled for today, and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced earlier that Chinese President Xi Jinping will host the virtual China-CEEC summit and give a keynote speech.

"I am very interested in President Xi's speech, I want to see his view on the global future and his view on our cooperation, all of us with China, and to see what China's plans are," Vucic said in an interview with the Chinese Media Group.

Noting that the Belt and Road initiative (BRI) has facilitated cooperation between China and CEEC, the Serbian president said he hoped to strengthen economic ties with China and unite in the fight against COVID-19.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed. We are so grateful to you for your great support, your great help to our country and we do not hide it. We are waiting for the medical equipment; it doesn't matter if it's respirators or vaccines. So, I would like to thank our Chinese friends sincerely", the Serbian president described Sino-Serbian relations in an interview.

It should be recalled that Serbia received one million doses of vaccines from China in January. Thanks to Chinese vaccines, Vucic said, Serbia is now a leader in vaccination in Europe.

See at: https://bit.ly/2MEqgT9

Father Sava: Archaeological artefacts looted from hermitage near Prizren, three Albanians arrested, one escaped (KoSSev, Kosovo-online)

Archeological artefacts from Saint Peter of Korisa’s hermitage were looted a few days ago. Four Kosovo Albanians were arrested, one of whom managed to escape during transportation, the Abbot of Visoki Decani Monastery, Sava Janjic said yesterday, KoSSev portal reports. 

Prizren police confirmed in a statement for the portal that the theft took place.

According to the police report Father Sava shared on Twitter, four Kosovo Albanian male suspects were arrested on suspicion that by using an electronic device, they stole seven pieces of metal plates of archeological value.

The plates were then sold to an ironworks.

With the decision of the prosecutor, the suspects were assigned a measure of police detention for 48 hours, but during their transportation, one of the suspects managed to get out of the police car and escape in an unknown direction, the portal added.

Abbot Janjic underlined that Serbian heritage in Kosovo needs urgent protection.

“Serbian Orthodox Church sites situated in areas where Serbs no longer live are exposed to vandalism and looting in Kosovo. St. Peter’s hermitage was targeted by looters before. It is one of the largest medieval hermitages with remains of medieval frescoes“, Father Sava emphasized.

While trying to discover additional details about this case, the KoSSev portal contacted the KP spokesperson in Prizren, who referred us to the coordinator for operations in this region, Fadil Gashi.

Gashi confirmed that the case had been registered and asked us to contact him tomorrow when he would have more information – about the case itself and the investigation.

This case was also registered in the daily police report published on February 5th. The report, however, did not reveal that the archeological remains from St. Peter of Korisa’s hermitage near Prizren were stolen. It said that the theft took place on February 1st, and that the suspects were arrested on February 4th.

Meanwhile, Kosovo-online portal reports that Father Sava said Kosovo police “filters reports” for the public about events taking place in Kosovo. He added that international representatives only receive complete reports.

“Kosovo police sends only filtered reports to the media and thus prevents the public from learning what is really happening. Shame, but usual practice in Kosovo where rule of law is nonexistent,” he said.

“Only int’l missions receive complete police reports while a false picture of alleged rule of law in Kosovo is presented to the public. No wonder that Kosovo remains a hub of corruption & organized crime w/ such one-sided approach to laws & justice. Why do internationals tolerate this?” Father Sava wrote. 

Trajkovic in Mitrovica North on elections, Ivanovic, possible coalition with Kurti (KoSSev, Radio KIM)

Politician and candidate of Civic Initiative “For Freedom, Justice and Survival” (GI SPO) in the upcoming elections, Rada Trajkovic started a pre-election campaign in Mitrovica North, at the place where Oliver Ivanovic was killed, KoSSev portal reports.

She said the Serbian List was leading a “dirty campaign” and restricting the freedom of other political options in front of the Serbian community. She added there was “mental darkness” among the Serbs in Kosovo, and that the success of its political option depends on breaking it. This party will cooperate with all political options that will be elected by Kosovo Albanians, she said, but also announced the possibility of creating a coalition with the Vetevendosje Movement and its leader Albin Kurti.

Trjakovic also said that the campaigns of two Serbian Civic Initiatives were not so visible to the public adding that “ freedom is restricted by the supporters of the indoctrination of the Serbian List”.

When asked how she compared this campaign with the previous one, Trajkovic maintained her stance that these elections were not free, due to the “indoctrination” allegedly carried out by the Serbian List, with the help of media with a national coverage.

Trajkovic recalled that a member of GI SPO from Strpce, Cvetko Veljkovic, together with a politician from Gusterica village who supports this political option, leader of PDS Nenad Rasic and the leader of LVV, Albin Kurti, stayed in Strpce as part of the campaign. She stated that she was glad that everything went without incident.

“It was a message in fact that hatred is no longer a slogan, a brand in Kosovo and that there are forces which can work together and be presented together, solving basic problems for citizens, such as the problem in Strpce - an attempt to destroy the entire ecosystem and expel citizens of the Šara Mountain (…) “, she said.

Speaking about cooperation with other political options after the election, Trajkovic said she would cooperate primarily with any party legally elected by Albanians in Kosovo. She also sees a possible post-election coalition agreement with LVV as an opportunity.

RTV Kim reported that Rada Trajkovic also spoke about Oliver Ivanovic, and emphasized they would continue to seek answers about his assassination. She said she was very disappointed with the trial in Pristina, saying that it was continuously postponed, and that she expected representatives of the Serbian List, who, as she said, were responsible for making the video spot targeting Ivanovic as a traitor, would also be placed on trial.

Trajkovic also said that the international community was silent on some other crimes that took place in Kosovo, but she believed the moment would come when foreign diplomats would still want to deal with the people responsible for the crime against Oliver Ivanovic. 

Petkovic: Rada Trajkovic offers cooperation to a man advocating for a project of “Great Albania” (Kosovo-online)

While the Serbs in Kosovo, under strong pressure, fight for their survival and remain, Rada Trajkovic no longer hides that she has her own favorites among the Albanian parties exclusively and openly works for them, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“Djilas (Serbian opposition politician) associate today, led solely by her own personal benefit and bare interest, even before the end of the elections announced coalition with Albin Kurti”, Petkovic said in a statement.

He added that Serbs in Kosovo need strong political advocates and defense in front of Pristina institutions, and not those ready to make whatsoever concessions for the sake of a personal benefit.

“By her hideous praises today on the account of Albin Kurti, Trajkovic unequivocally offered cooperation to a man who advocates for a project of creating “Great Albania”, Petkovic said.

He added it “didn’t bother Trajkovic the fact that Kurti accompanied with armed KLA members intruded the north of the province, to provoke incidents with the barehanded people”.

Petkovic also said that Serbian List represents a biggest problem for Rada Trajkovic, since they are “true and proven guardians of the Serbian population and the Serbian unity in Kosovo and represent a barrier to the project of a “Great Albania” and pogrom of the Serbs from those areas”.

“Therefore I urge the Serbs to even more strongly and loudly support Serbian List in these elections and ensure a better future for them and once for all send such political individuals to political retirement”, Petkovic concluded.

Maliqi: New US approach to dialogue expected; a letter to Pristina too, to prepare for compromise (Kosovo Online)

Political analyst Shkelzen Maliqi told portal Kosovo Online that the request of the United States of America for mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia is nothing new. According to his assessment, in the coming period, the international community, including the United States, will send similar requests to Kosovo.

"What Biden wrote in the letter is known, and President Trump and many other statesmen repeat the same formula. French President Macron also asked Serbia and Kosovo to sign a peace agreement and mutual recognition. I think that Vucic is making a show out of it, to prepare the public for what is to come, but this letter will not be the only one, a letter will probably arrive for the Kosovo side as well, because both sides need to prepare for a possible compromise," Maliqi said. 

He expects a new approach from the US in the negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia, which should at the same time offer a new solution that will be outside economic cooperation.

"The letter reminds of the long-term friendship between the United States and Serbia, in a way it is cynical because friendly advice is given for Serbia to come to its senses and reach that agreement. But I think that it is important how it will be realized and what the US can do so that the two sides in some way bring closer their positions, and which formula they will apply. All the options are more or less known, we will see if there is anything other than the promised economic aid, which is in some way contained in the Washington agreement. In the background of all of it, an agreement between the USA and Russia is possible," says Maliqi. 

In his opinion, the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia will continue after the establishment of the new government in Kosovo, which will be very interesting considering that in the role of the new prime minister will be Albin Kurti, who has had very radical attitudes towards the US administration.

"He gives some signals that he will change the policy, all those radical texts from 15 years ago when they attacked America and even Biden himself were deleted from the Self-Determination site, but we don't know if it's just a cover-up or a real change of position," Maliqi concluded.

Analysts: Vigorous election campaign, known winners, Serbs tired of promises (KoSSev)

For some it is lively and short, in a hostile tone, others see nothing new, a third emphasize that citizens are tired of unfulfilled promises. However, all KoSSev interlocutors do not have a dilemma about the outcome of Kosovo's early elections - Self-Determination and the Serbian List and assess that the atmosphere in Serbian communities is freer than in previous years, but that on the Kosovo political scene is tense.

Stanojkovic: The winners are known in advance among both Albanian and Serbian parties

"Never simpler offers to voters and never a more tense situation!" - Ljubomir Stanojkovic, a political scientist from Silovo, told portal KoSSev.

He says that there is little new in the campaign, and that the winner is already known in advance.

"Some promises are not being noticed, especially not in the social, economic sense! At the political level, mostly all political actors deal with others, i.e. political opponents, and what Kosovo will lose if it votes for the opposing political option. Of course, the characteristic of this election campaign is that the winner is known in advance, that is Self-Determination, it is just a question of percentage they will win, and how many deputies they will win in the end compared to the others,'' said Stanojkovic. 

When it comes to the campaigns of Serbian political actors, Stanojkovic has two impressions: "lukewarm", but also "without tension".

"It is safe to say that it has never been so lukewarm and without tensions. The Serbian political corps has a Serbian list that is the dominant political actor, in the previous Kosovo elections they won all 10 guaranteed seats, which left other actors or parties in the passive or, like some, simply disappeared from the political scene in Kosovo. Despite that, this time two more political options appeared, in addition to the Serbian list. However, what is obvious is that they do not have any infrastructure, that they have already been in Kosovo institutions and that they have not done anything special with their previous work in those same institutions, and it has remained present among Serbian voters. So, I rightly expect that the Serbian List will win all 10 places this time as well, and that at the same time no special campaign is needed to achieve the same," Stanojkovic told portal KoSSev.

Gogic: Exaggerated rhetoric and hostile tone

"The impression is that the campaign is short but very lively," Ognjen Gogic, project manager from the NGO Aktiv, from North Mitrovica, told KoSSev.

"It seems that all participants compensate for the short time they have at their disposal by overemphasizing the rhetoric in order to position themselves as clearly as possible. The tone that characterizes the campaign is emphatically hostile. The exchange of harsh words takes place between the Serbian and Albanian communities, but also within them. On the Albanian side, the most extreme position was taken by Ramush Haradinaj, who wants to take advantage of Thaci's absence. His biggest rival is Kurti, whom he is trying to surpass in nationalistic rhetoric," says Gogic.

The second line of conflict is taking place between Kurti and the CEC, and that conflict threatens to continue even after the elections, he further states, reminding that the American embassy intervened on several occasions during the campaign.

This is exactly what Gogic sees as a clear indicator that the Albanian leaders have "exaggerated" in certain speeches.

How is the Serbian side and other non-Albanian communities behaving?

"On the Serbian side, Belgrade incites hostility towards Pristina, but also towards Serbian groups that go to the polls outside the Serbian List, which are accused of being disloyal. The dose of moderation is only introduced by the lists of other communities that seem more agile and dynamic than before, although there is a lot of speculation about the competition between the Serbian and Albanian sides for influence among the community members, especially Bosniak and Roma," Gogic pointed out.

Zdravkovic: Whoever forms the government, there will be no change in the position of the Serbian community

A politician from Laplje Selo, Milena Zdravkovic, does not expect any changes when it comes to the position and status of the Serbian community, whoever forms the government in Pristina.

On the other hand, she expects that the Serbian List will win all the seats intended for the Serbian community in these elections as well.

"As someone who was a candidate in the previous elections, and who is now observing the cycle, even though there are more subjects in front of the Serbian community, the Serbian List will win all 10 reserved seats again. Democracy has no chance in the race with instrumentalized and well-trained mechanisms," Zdravkovic said.

She expects a large turnout, both among "euphoric Albanians" and among "melancholic Serbs".

Dimitrijevic: Citizens tired of unfulfilled promises

"When we look at the entire campaign and all political entities, we can clearly see the polarization in two different directions. Here, I primarily mean the Self-Determination movement, which is the absolute favorite of these elections from one and the other parties from the other," states the editor of Radio Gorazdevac, Darko Dimitrijevic.

He says that the campaign is dominated by a wide range of topics covered by the parties on all sides, but the attitude of the Albanian parties, which behave authoritarian towards the Serbs, without the desire to respect the rights and respect the law, and the issue of negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, is important for the Serbian people.

And the campaign of Serbian parties?

"When it comes to the political scene in Serbian communities, things are somehow clearer. The Serbian List is the absolute favorite and has much more space in the public because the entire government in Serbia is behind it. However, my impression is that the campaign of the Serbian List this time seems to be about  asking the citizens to come out and support it, regardless of the fact that they did not solve any of what they promised in previous election campaigns and during the period in power. There are almost the same people, the same promises and a similar campaign."

Dimitrijevic estimates that many citizens are tired of promises and adds: "Which last as long as the election campaign, so a large number will not go to the polls."

UN: Western Balkan nationals among refugees in Syria (N1, VoA)

The United Nations has informed the governments of 57 countries, including Serbia, that their nationals are in camps in northeastern Syria waiting to be repatriated.

The letter signed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism Fionnuala Ní Aoláin said that nationals of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Kosovo were among the 64,000 mainly women and children in the Al-Hawl and Roj camps under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

The women and children are family members of combatants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and were relocated to those camps following the defeat of ISIL forces in March 2019.

The UN human rights officials warned of extremely bad conditions in the camps and called the respective governments to repatriate their nationals.

See at: https://bit.ly/3p3UnAc

Serbian President met Slovak Foreign Minister (N1)

President Aleksandar Vucic in a meeting with Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Korcok said Serbia was committed to maintaining the stability of the Western Balkans, N1 reports.

Vucic also said official Belgrade will continue its policy of peace and cooperation in the region. He informed Korcok about the situation in the region and welcomed the engagement of Slovak diplomat Miroslav Lajcak as the European Union Special Envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, the press statement read.

The two officials discussed bilateral cooperation between Serbia and Slovakia with Vucic saying that their political dialogue, economic and all other forms of cooperation are in their common interest.

Korcok met earlier with European Integration Minister Jadranka Joksimovic to hand her documents on a 97,000 Euro donation in medical equipment to help combat the pandemic.

Jovanovic family house in Mogila village burglarized twice in a month (Radio KIM)

Jovanovic family house in the village of Mogila, Klokot municipality has been burglarized for the second time in a month, Radio KIM reports.

In the night between February 4 and 5, unknown perpetrators broke into the house and auxiliary premises and ransacked them. At the time of the burglary no one was in the house, since 73-year old Ljubinka Jovanovic was visiting her sons.

The same house was burglarized on December 25, last year and an auxiliary premise set on fire. Perpetrators have not been identified.

“They want to expel me from here. I won’t go anywhere. I was born here, and I will die here. We will never sell it”, Ljubinka told Puls TV, worried over the recent incidents.

There are around 200 Serbs living in the village at the moment. Before the conflict their number was twice higher.

 

 

 

Humanitarian/Development

 

Serbia sticks to current anti-epidemic measures despite political pressure (N1, FoNet)

The anti-epidemic Crisis Team composed of both medical staff and politicians decided on Tuesday to stick with the current measures in fighting the coronavirus in Serbia, despite political pressure to ease them to help the economy, mostly to cafes and restaurants, N1 reports.

The meeting reportedly did not discuss the audience at the forthcoming Europe League soccer match between Red Star Belgrade and Milan FC scheduled on February 18 in Serbia’s capital.

Belgrade Deputy Mayor Goran Vesic said earlier on Tuesday he would demand the Crisis Team to extend the working hours of the cafes and restaurants that now close at 8 pm, and allow music in them after 5 pm until the closure.

He specified a difficult situation for the catering industry in general, pledging to balance protecting the health and keeping the economy alive.

However, earlier on Tuesday, both the Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar and Minister of Employment, Veteran and Social Policy Darija Kisic Tepavcevic asked for caution since the daily infected number was still high.

Predrag Kon, an epidemiologist and a member of the Crisis Team, said a mild rise in coronavirus cases was linked to winter holidays and the existence of the so-called British variant of the virus.

“We recognised the risk of the forthcoming holiday”, Kon said, referring to Serbia’s National Day celebrated on February 15 and 16 as non-working days in the country.

See at: https://cutt.ly/TkEgxyo