Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: Four new cases, no deaths (media)
• Vitia: Situation in Decan completely under control (media)
• Kosovo intelligence chief says Decan residents should have no security concerns (media)
• Decan: 252 citizens sought medical assistance in last 24 hours (media)
• Ceku: Kosovo officially begins process for seeking compensation from Serbia (media)
• Kosovo Police operation results in 10 arrests (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• No new cases of Covid -19 in Serbian communities, one death (KiM radio)
• Vucic: They were not even 500 meters from the well (media)
• Office for KiM: They are trying to hold Serbs responsible for water poisoning in Decani without any evidence (media)
• Simic: Dangerous false accusations against Serbs, pogrom in 2004 also started with slanders (Kosovo-online)
• Covic: With story about poisoning they create environment for attacks against Serbs (Kosovo-online)
• Serbian Ministry of Culture: Pristina's another step further in the escalation of nonsense (KiM radio)
• Gracanica Mayor requested KFOR to increase patrols (RTS, Politika)
• “Kurti’s statements encourage the worst part of Kosovo society” (Radio KIM, media)
• Prosecution: Thac’s release from detention would be disastrous for further proceedings (Radio KIM)
• Rakic and Wigermark on security, returnees and rule of law (Kosovo-online)
• Ranko Bacic attacked on Monday near Klina suffered broken ribs (RTS, Radio kontakt plus)
• Várhelyi: EU wants to accelerate enlargement; Serbia has key role in region (N1)

International:

• Avant-garde proposal for EU enlargement to the Western Balkans (euractive.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Igor Čoko: Photography is there to leave a mark (Kosovo 2.0)

   

Albanian Language Media  

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

Four new cases with COVID-19 and zero deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. Five persons recovered from the virus during this time. 

There are 105 active cases with COVID-19. 

11,513 vaccine doses have been administered in the last 24 hours. To date, 293,693 vaccines have been administered in Kosovo.

Vitia: Situation in Decan completely under control (media)

Kosovo's Minister of Health Arben Vitia said today in a visit to Decan that the health situation following the influx of people reporting poison-like symptoms is under control. 

"A part of results is out, another part is expected because some require growth of bacterial culture. Another part of results will be sent abroad for more specific analysis," Vitia said today in a visit to the Decan Main Family Healthcare Clinic (QKMF), accompanied by Minister of Local Government Administration, Elbert Krasniqi.

Vitia said the number of people that sought out medical treatment today has declined and said the situation is "completely under control".

"I am very happy with the information I received from the director and the staff at QKMF that the influx of citizens seeking assistance has decreased. The situation is completely under control and calm at the moment. At the same time, as the Ministry of Health, we stand by the director, the citizens of Decan and the healthcare staff, both for the needs of the citizens and staff in QKMF, as well as problems regarding human resources," Vitia said.

Kosovo intelligence chief says Decan residents should have no security concerns (media)

Petrit Ajeti, director of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI), reported to the members of the Kosovo Assembly Committee on Oversight of the AKI about the situation in the municipality of Decan after more than a thousand citizens were admitted to the healthcare centre complaining of poison-like symptoms. 

The meeting took place behind closed doors but at its conclusion, chairperson of the committee, MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Ganimete Musliu, said it is up to health authorities to come out with confirmed lab test results. "We cannot call it poisoning at this stage because we do not have confirmed results as to what is really happening there, these conclusions are made by healthcare institutions," she said. 

She also said that Ajeti assured the members of the committee that there is no reason to be concerned about national security in light of recent developments in Decan. 

At the same time, Beke Berisha from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) said they called on Ajeti to explain whether the health outbreak in Decan was caused by human interference, was it a terrorist act or water contamination. He said Ajeti told the committee that the most likely cause is contamination of water from the construction works in the municipality of Decan. 

Decan: 252 citizens sought medical assistance in last 24 hours (media)

More than 250 persons from the Decan municipality sought out medical assistance at the healthcare clinic in the last 24 hours which is lower than that of previous days. 

Director of the Decan family healthcare clinic, Selmon Berisha, said that compared to the previous day, 58 less people were admitted to the clinic. He said the patients are in stable condition.

Ceku: Kosovo officially begins process for seeking compensation from Serbia (media)

Hajrulla Ceku, Kosovo's Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, hailed the voting of the Government in favour of establishment of a state commission for documentation of destruction of Kosovo's cultural heritage during the 1998-99 conflict saying it represents an important moment. 

He said the move marks the official start of the process to seek accountability and compensation from Serbia for the intentional destruction of hundreds of monuments of Kosovo. "Members of the commission will be professionals and representatives of state and professional institutions, including international experts. The commission will take in consideration all documentations carried out until now," Ceku said.

He added that the commission will be tasked with drafting a state inventory listing all monuments destroyed during 1998-99. "Based on this document and in line with international standards, a request for reparation will be prepared," Ceku said on Facebook.

Kosovo Police operation results in 10 arrests (Koha)

The Kosovo Police undertook an operation in several locations across Kosovo which, according to Koha, resulted in 10 arrests, including four directors of urbanism in the municipalities of Peje, Kline, Istog and Decan. 

The arrests are reported to have been made on abuse of power suspicions and concern alleged misuses in the field of construction. 

 

Serbian Language Media

  No new cases of Covid -19 in Serbian communities, one death (KiM radio)

According to the latest data, a person died in the Serb areas of Kosovo as a result of Covida-19, the Crisis Staff of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica announced.

The deceased is from the municipality of Zubin Potok.

Of the 25 samples processed, no cases of infection were recorded.

According to the Crisis Staff, there are no active cases in Serb areas in Kosovo.

Vucic: They were not even 500 meters from the well (media)

President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic today touched upon the media reports in Pristina and accusations of some Albanian politicians that "two Serbs were seen in Decani just before the mass poisoning", stating that "Belgrade has an analysis of the movements of two people with Novi Sad registration plates'' and that they were not even 500 meters close to the source, quoted media. President Vucic attended today the opening of the Borca Health Station within the "Dr Milutin Ivkovic" Health Center and was answering journalists' questions on that occasion. 

President Vucic continued by saying that "many things are happening".

"Many things are happening, from their threats to many other things. We are waiting for what they will say now. If you followed yesterday, there were fierce insults from the Croatian head of state and BiH representatives. Then you hear that Serbia is behind it all. Then you do not understand where such statements are coming from. When you look at what is happening, it becomes clear to you what kind of pressure we are under. Realize how dangerous the situation is, see how much everyone is arming themselves. Albanians in Kosovo are buying from the Americans and from Turkey. This is not a threat to us. We had a meeting at the General Staff today. We are working to improve the army. I am still not completely satisfied, I will always ask for more and better as commander in chief but compared to previous years Serbia has strengthened its combat capability. Anyway, it is not an easy situation for us," said Vucic.

As a reminder, the member of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Time Kadrijaj, expressed suspicion that "two Serbs were seen in Decani before the reported cases of water poisoning from the well" and praised the loyalty of one of the locals who reported this to the police, recalled the media.

Office for KiM: They are trying to hold Serbs responsible for water poisoning in Decani without any evidence (media)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija issued a statement warning that a very dangerous and irresponsible disinformation campaign is underway in the part of the Albanian public, by which Serbs were declared responsible for water poisoning in Decani without a single piece of evidence, media quoted the statement. 

"Such false claims, which have been placed in some Albanian media since last night, and today are accompanied by statements by Albanian politicians, are not, nor can they be based on a single piece of evidence, and they are absolute misinformation and false news campaigns," the statement said. 

However, that does not diminish their dangerous character, because a similar campaign of spreading false news served as an excuse and an occasion for a spiral of violence, which culminated in the March 2004 pogrom, it is added.

Such a new placement of false news can have far-reaching consequences for the already fragile security situation in Kosovo, the statement reads. They occur at the time of the increased number of incidents against Serbs in the province, and now in this way an additional target is being drawn on their foreheads, but the security of the Visoki Decani monastery is also being endangered again.

On this occasion, the Office for KiM will send a letter today to all international missions operating in Kosovo, with a clear request to stop this irresponsible campaign of false news and additionally protect Serbs in the province.

"We remind you that the news about the poisoning in Decani was first accompanied by mutual accusations and altercations of Albanian parties on the responsibility on this problem, and now Serbs are marked as targets. That is why we appeal that the problem that arose is not used for the politicization and stigmatization of Serbs," the statement reads. 

A similar false accusation was placed in 2019, when Pristina claimed that ballots from central Serbia were poisoned, which proved to be completely untrue, the statement for the Office for Kosovo and Metohija concluded.

Simic: Dangerous false accusations against Serbs, pogrom in 2004 also started with slanders (Kosovo-online)

Serbian List Vice President Igor Simic reacting to the AAK MP Time Kadrijaj’s statement that “two Serbs were seen in Decani prior to the reported cases of poisoning”, said accusations without a single evidence against the Serbs are very dangerous, recalling that March 17 pogrom in 2004 started with slanders against the Serbs, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Simic called upon police and international representatives, in particular KFOR and EULEX, to prevent possible incidents that such unfounded accusations may instigate and take care of the security of the Serbian people in the upcoming period.

Covic: With story about poisoning they create environment for attacks against Serbs (Kosovo-online)

The case of water poisoning in Decani should be resolved till the end, former head of Serbian Government Coordination Center Nebojsa Covic told Kosovo-online.

Commenting on the latest statements of politicians in Kosovo that “two Serbs were seen in Decane immediately prior to the massive poisoning taking place”, Covic pointed out genesis of manipulating the stories about poisoning in Kosovo starting with miners’ case and the students at schools poisoning, poisoning with envelopes (ballots that arrived from Serbia) to the recent case of water poisoning in Decani.

According to Covic this scenario very much resembles the one related to drowning of Albanian boys in the Ibar River on the eve of March 2004 pogrom and creating an environment in a sense of preparing similar scenario for attacks, devastation of Visoki Decani Monastery and attacks against the Serbs in general.

At the same time, he recalled an attack against an elderly Serb in Klina and statements of former EULEX judge Simmons aimed at discrediting the Specialist Court in The Hague and the processes against Hashim Thaci and others there, and this all according to Covic should be connected. He also mentioned a disclosed letter from German armament producer “Heckler and Koch” (about the arms shipment to Kosovo).

“And gentlemen from the international community, in particular KFOR, will be responsible for everything that could happen. And let them not talk again as they did in March 2004 that they knew nothing (…)”, Covic said.

He also opined an evident example of intimidation of the remaining few returnees is taking place in Kosovo, and the international community turns a blind eye and remains silent to it, while “Kurti and Mrs. Osmani continue talking about some alleged multiethnic Kosovo”, Covic said.   

Serbian Ministry of Culture: Pristina's another step further in the escalation of nonsense (KiM radio)

The Ministry of Culture and Information of Serbia stated, on the occasion of ''a farce of seeking compensation from Belgrade for the alleged destruction of the monuments'', that this is another step further of Pristina in the escalation of nonsense. In this process, Pristina has long since lost its orient to feign concern for cultural heritage and is showing its real motives more and more openly, reported KiM radio, citing the Ministry's statement.

"As we have pointed out on several occasions, this is an attempt to blindly appropriate and abuse the Serbian cultural heritage in the function of creating the illusion of legitimacy of the so-called institutions," the statement reads.

It is added that ''this attempt of deception, primarily addressed to the international public, starts from the bad assumption that by clumsily imitating the state, it will achieve its one-sided and destructive agenda, in which cultural heritage is exclusively intended as a smokescreen and a hostage''.

"In this case, the accusation of those who nurture the decades-long achievements of destroying the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is especially obscure, precisely at the expense of those who devotedly and selflessly defended that cultural heritage," the Ministry states.

''Just from the 90's, through 2004 and the systematic demolition, burning and desecration of Serbian monuments, churches and monasteries, until today, the destruction of Serbian cultural heritage in order to erase the traces of the existence of the Serbian people has continuity. The only thing that is new is that such attacks and false accusations of Serbia are now joining the usual physical forms of violence.''

However, anyone who believes that due to the obvious absurdity, such transparent attempts will remain unanswered, has been deceived once again.

''The Ministry of Culture and Information will continue to tirelessly point out hoaxes, subterfuges, and cheap tricks and provocations, bearing in mind the essential importance and exceptional value of our cultural treasure for national identity and world heritage,'' quoted KiM radio.

The government in Pristina voted to establish a state commission to document the alleged destruction of Kosovo's cultural heritage during the 1998 and 1999 armed conflicts, reported KiM radio, citing Ekonomia Online.

Gracanica Mayor requested KFOR to increase patrols (RTS, Politika)

Mayor of Gracanica, Srdjan Popovic told RTS that he asked KFOR to increase patrols. RTS reported that due to the more frequent attacks, Serbs in Kosovo are increasingly afraid for their security, reporting that from the beginning of the year, about 80 incidents have been registered in Serbian areas, which is more than in the entire last year. 

RTS recalled the case of Ranko Bacic, who was attacked in Dolovac and who was still in hospital. It was found that two of his ribs were broken. Before Bacic, Nikola Peric was attacked in Gojbulja, and Dragica Gasic suffered daily pressure to move out of her apartment in Djakovica. 

''All recent incidents show that the security situation is not good,'' said Popovic, adding “who knows how many times the police have been urged to do their job'', reported RTS.

''The police grant amnesty for people who cause incidents and who are involved in crime. That must stop,'' Popovic said. 

According to him, local Serbs saw the cause of the new wave of incidents in the harsh rhetoric from Pristina - President and Prime Minister, Vjosa Osmani and Albin Kurti. 

''Whether they are doing it because of the local elections or something else, it is clear that they are indoctrinating the young people who are causing the incidents,'' Popovic opined. 

He emphasized that Serbs in Kosovo rely on the state of Serbia institutionally and legally, and at the same time appealed to all security structures to take the situation in Serbian communities seriously. 

Popovic said that at the meeting with KFOR representatives, he said that they should strengthen the patrols and that they promised to do so and that they understood the situation. 

''I am happy that they promised to convey what we agreed on at the joint meetings with EULEX,'' Popovic added. 

He stated that it was strange that the international community was silent and that there was no condemnation for the incidents except the one that arrived from Jan Braathu from the OSCE office in Belgrade, who, as he said, was in Kosovo and knows the situation. 

''Braathu knows the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and that is encouraging for the Serbian people,'' Popovic said.

“Kurti’s statements encourage the worst part of Kosovo society” (Radio KIM, media)

Head of the OSCE Mission in Serbia, Ambassador Jan Braathu said yesterday in a meeting with Serbian Assembly MPs that the statements of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti “encourage the worst part of the Kosovo society, which instigate the fear and uncertainty among the Serb community”, Serbian media report citing the statement of the Serbian Assembly. He added it was important to protect the Serbs who live in 24 municipalities in Kosovo.  

Braathu met Serbian Assembly MPs, members of the Serbian delegation at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA).

He also said the OSCE Mission in Serbia was there to support, within its mandate and proclaimed values, the Serbian Assembly in implementing its agenda.

Head of the Serbian Assembly Delegation at OSCE PA, Vesna Markovic said it was important the OSCE parliamentarians are informed on “what takes place in the heart of Europe and how the right to freedom of movement of Serb citizens in Kosovo and Metohija has been violated”.

She also praised the swift reaction of the OSCE Mission in Pristina that condemned the violence and appealed to authorities in Pristina to enable free movement for the Serbs, adding that despite this reaction, and reactions of some European embassies, attacks on Serb returnees in Kosovo continue.

Markovic also said Serbian Delegation at OSCE PA is rather active, in particular when it comes to monitoring elections, mentioning participation in OSCE observation missions during elections in Bulgaria, Albania and Moldova.

Member of the Serbian Assembly Delegation and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Zarko Obradovic said security situation for the Serb citizens in Kosovo is very difficult, that the dialogue and cooperation with Pristina are almost nonexistent because the latter doesn’t want to talk or resolve the problems and enable that all citizens in Kosovo live peacefully and safely, the statement added.

Prosecution: Thac’s release from detention would be disastrous for further proceedings (Radio KIM)

Special Prosecutor Jack Smith in a submission related to Hashim Thaci’s defense request to release him from detention, said that political influence Thaci has in Kosovo is one of the reasons why he should be kept in detention, Radio KIM reports.

To substitute its claim the prosecution in The Hague mentioned the case of a former Kosovo Intelligence Agency chief Kreshnik Gashi who attempted to steal the documents from the president's safe on November 6, last year after Thaci departed to The Hague.

“This incident took place a day after Thaci’s arrest and at the times of investigation and confiscation operations being underway in his residency. This is not only an example of influence, but also of the circumstances proving unlawful meddling of defendant’s supporters, moreover it demonstrates how far his subordinates are ready to go”, Smith said. Therefore, he deems it would be disastrous for the proceeding to enable Thaci to defend in freedom, being it under condition of staying in Kosovo or in a third country.

Thaci’s defense submitted a request to enable him to stay in several states, as possible third states.

It was also said that the “third state” where Thaci would eventually stay, has no obligations to adhere to the Specialist Chambers rules, which would enable Thaci to communicate with members of the family but also with anybody else.

“His release to the third country would radically compromise observation conditions by the Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecution, since the Specialist Court can exercise its authority in Kosovo only, same as police forces as per this authority”, Smith said. 

Rakic and Wigermark on security, returnees and rule of law (Kosovo-online)

Minister for Communities and Returns, Goran Rakic met yesterday with EULEX Head Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, Kosovo-online portal reports.

They discussed the security situation of the minority communities and ways to ensure sustainable return of displaced persons. They also spoke about the government's priorities, economic situation and negative consequences of Covid-19 pandemic on the rule of law. 

Rakic said attacks against the Serbs are concerning but also the silence of the institutions that should react to it. Rakic added someone must take over responsibility.

“I think that someone must take over responsibility for all negative things that are happening, as without it and correcting mistakes from the past there can be no progress in important spheres of life and better understanding between the two peoples”, Rakic said.

“Rule of law and the laws must be respected. As far as the return of displaced persons and ensuring the safe environment for them is concerned, I must emphasize that not even basic postulates of the rule of law are respected, and we are getting convinced of that for quite some time”, he added. 

Wigermark said that increasing the number of police members from non-majority communities in Kosovo, in particular in some sensitive areas, could be one of the ways to reduce the tension and build trust. He also informed Rakic of his Mission’s engagement in monitoring hate crimes.

Ranko Bacic attacked on Monday near Klina suffered broken ribs (RTS, Radio kontakt plus)

Doctors in Pec after the scanner was performed said that Ranko Bacic from the village of Dolac, near Klina attacked on Monday by unknown persons have suffered two broken ribs, Serb representative in Klina Bozidar Sarkovic told RTS.

Sarkovic said yesterday that doctors still do not allow Bacic to leave the hospital, adding he expects him to be released from the hospital today and transferred to Mitrovica North hospital.

He also said the wish of Bacic’s family is that he continues medical treatment in Mitrovica North. 

Várhelyi: EU wants to accelerate enlargement; Serbia has key role in region (N1)

Olivér Várhelyi, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, said Thursday that the European Union wanted to speed up the enlargement process, adding Serbia played a key role in the region and Europe and that the Western Balkans was one of the EU highest priorities for the EU, N1 reports.

That, according to him, meant Serbia could open two clusters in the accession negotiations this year.

“Enlargement policy remains at the heart of our activities, and we want to speed it up“,  Várhelyi said in a written statement to the conference “Serbia and the EU: Support for Development and Membership Negotiations“.

“This was clearly shown during the pandemic when the EU treated its partners in the Western Balkans as future members“, he added.

He said the Economic Investment Plan adopted by the EU for the Western Balkans should help the region transform and emerge stronger from the crisis.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3klDNgH      

International

  Avant-garde proposal for EU enlargement to the Western Balkans (euractive.com)

A binary ‘in or out’ concept of membership has become obsolete for a region that has been on its path towards the EU already for two decades. A group of think tanks have now come up with a proposal to unpack the accession process and allow progressive membership in stages, write Milena Lazarevic and Michael Emerson.

Milena Lazarevic is the programme director at European Policy Centre (CEP Belgrade). Michael Emerson is the associate Senior Research Fellow and the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS).

It is evident that no one is happy with the current status quo in the Western Balkans. As things currently stand, it is unlikely that the countries of the region will make sudden and substantial progress towards the full-fledged membership.

In order to break the impasse, it is necessary to move away from some features of the precise model of accession used for the previous EU enlargements, while keeping the full membership as the final goal.

See more at:https://bit.ly/3B55eRR      

Humanitarian/Development

  Igor Čoko: Photography is there to leave a mark (Kosovo 2.0)

Čoko, photographer and anthropologist, discusses the importance of photography and our duty to not forget. 

In early July this year, anthropologist and photographer Igor Čoko — born in Knin, Croatia, residing now in Serbia’s capital — organized a photography exhibition in Belgrade of Midhat Poturović’s photos from Srebrenica. At the exhibition Poturović received an award named for Hrvoje Polan, who was one of the region’s best working photographers before he passed away in 2019. The award was established by the digital magazine grain.rs, launched by Čoko a few years ago.

The photos of Srebrenica after genocide, which Serbia still doesn’t recognize as such, arrived in Belgrade in this manner. As with other attempts at commemoration, genocide denial attracted ultranationalists to the exhibitition where they relentlessly, and with impunity, exposed the ugliest side of this city. They did the same thing on July 10, the day before the commemoration of the 26th anniversary of the genocide, when the human remains of an additional 19 victims were buried in Potočare, Srebrenica. On the previous day, a group of nationalists sought to disrupt a gathering of the activist group Women in Black on Belgrade’s Republic Square. The activists had rallied there to commemorate the victims of Srebrenica and call out Serbia’s responsibility.

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