Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 1,009 new cases and two deaths (media)
• Beerfest festival in Prishtina cancelled amid growing COVID-19 cases (media)
• Albanian parties to run with one list in northern municipalities (Koha)
• Three Serbian nationals arrested in Gjilan, 11 kg of drugs seized (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 13 new Covid-19 cases registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Ksenija Bozovic appointed deputy minister (Kosovo-online, media)
• Attacked Nikola Peric feels well, needs to undergo nose surgery (TV Most)
• RFE: Serbian List officials from Kosovo selectively report double salaries (N1)
• Cyprus will not change stance on Kosovo (RTS)
• Davenport: Decision on Monastery’s land in Decane should be implemented (Kosovo-online)
• Tanaskovic: New Pristina’s tactic to appropriate Serbian heritage, UNESCO's decision important (Kosovo-online)
• Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije gets Instagram account (N1)

International:

• German statement revives Kosovo-Albania tensions about ‘Open Balkan’ project (BIRN)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID-19: 1,009 new cases and two deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded 1,009 new cases with COVID-19 and two deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours. 82 persons have recovered from the virus during this time.

Beerfest festival in Prishtina cancelled amid growing COVID-19 cases (media)

Beerfest Kosova, a traditional beer festival which is held annually in Prishtina, said in a statement today that they have cancelled their event, which was scheduled to start this Friday. The organisers said Kosovo Police made the decision saying that holding the festival would threaten public health. The organisers also said that although they don’t agree with the decision, they must respect it “given the high and drastic spike in COVID-19 cases in the last couple of days”. 

Kurti: Only strongly connected, can we open to neighbors without being endangered (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that only when Albanians in the region are “strongly connected to each other, will we be able to open up to our neighbors without being endangered”.

“Our direction as Albanians is the west, our allies are the US and the EU, our legitimate aspiration is equality with the other peoples of the Balkans and peaceful and democratic national unity, and our most urgent task is to fight corruption and pave the way for economic development,” Kurti said. 

“The region gains long-term security and stability only from the punishment and isolation of criminals, and none of the Albanian politicians should cooperate with crime. Good times are coming for the Albanians but also for our neighbors, because our great partners are more determined than ever to help us in our fight for justice and democracy, but also against the negative Russian-Chinese influences in our cities and countries. , but also in the region. I am sure that Albanians, in all Balkan countries where we live and work, will not relinquish of this important historical moment.”

Albanian parties to run with one list in northern municipalities (Koha)

A member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) told the news website today that Albanian political parties will run with one list in the northern municipalities in the upcoming October local elections. Florent Azemi, a former mayoral candidate in North Mitrovica, said: “We will run with one list in the October 17 elections in the northern municipalities. Members of non-Serb communities will also be part of our list,” he said. Azemi also said that Skender Sadiku will be a joint candidate of the Albanian parties in Mitrovica North. Candidates for the other northern municipalities have yet to be announced.

Three Serbian nationals arrested in Gjilan, 11 kg of drugs seized (media)

Kosovo Police arrested three Serbian nationals today in Gjilan today and seized in their possession 11 kilograms of narcotics. Handguns and ammunition were also seized. The three Serbian nationals have been sent to detention until further legal procedures.

   

Serbian Language Media

  13 new Covid-19 cases registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio KIM)

Out of 38 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, 13 were positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced, Radio KIM reports.

The new cases were registered as follows: seven in Leposavic, five in Zvecan and one in Priluzje.

Currently, there are 27 active cases in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo.

A total of 149 people have died in the Serbian areas in Kosovo since the outbreak of the pandemic, while the total number of infected people so far is 6.064.  

Ksenija Bozovic appointed deputy minister (Kosovo-online, media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has appointed three new deputy ministers, Kosovo-online portal reports citing Pristina-based Gazzeta Sinjali.

Ksenija Bozovic is appointed deputy minister at the Ministry of Economy, Tihomir Dimic at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development and Enes Goran at the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade.

Ksenija Bozovic is a member of Civic Initiative Freedom, Democracy, Justice (SDP) whose leader was Oliver Ivanovic, assassinated in January 2018 in front of his party premises in Mitrovica North.

At the last Kosovo parliamentary elections she was a candidate of the Serbian List. 

Commenting on the appointments Adil Behramaj, former advisor to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said that Albin Kurti has appointed three deputy ministers from the Serbian List, beyond constitutional obligation.

 “Now they’re saying that Albin Kurti does not have an agreement with Serbian List. Yesterday, beyond the constitutional obligation, he appointed three deputy ministers of the Government of Kosovo (…)”, he said, adding the new appointees are close to the Serbian List.  

Attacked Nikola Peric feels well, needs to undergo nose surgery (TV Most)

The case of Nikola Peric from Zebnica village near Novi Brdo attacked by three unknown males while returning cattle from pasture was taken over by police in Gnjilane, TV Most reports.

Peric’s father Slobodan told the media police officials promised the attackers will be found and apprehended.

“I have no hope that the attackers will be found and arrested. It will remain that way. The most important thing is that my son is alive (…)”, he said. Slobodan added that Gnjilane Health Centre staff were trying to ensure that Nikola has adequate treatment.

“Nikola will undergo a nose operation on Thursday. He feels well. The police are still guarding him. He has the best possible treatment in the hospital. We will see after tomorrow's nose surgery when he will be released for home treatment”, Peric said yesterday. 

RFE: Serbian List officials from Kosovo selectively report double salaries (N1)

Most officials of the Serbian List, the leading Belgrade-backed Serb party in Kosovo, have at least one job in Kosovo and the other in Serbia, receiving double salaries which they selectively report to respective anti-corruption agencies, N1 reports citing Radio Free Europe (RFE) Thursday.

That is well known both in Pristina and Belgrade, but no one does anything to regulate the issue for their political reasons.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3lYeoKY Cyprus will not change stance on Kosovo (RTS)

Serbian Minister of Defense, Nebojsa Stefanovic spoke with Commander of the Cypriot National Guard Lieutenant General Demokritos Zervakis who is on official visit to Serbia, RTS reports.

Stefanovic said that Serbia and Cyprus traditionally nurture friendly relations based on historic closeness, mutual respect and understanding.

General Zervakis underlined that Cyprus remains on its principled stance and will not recognize Kosovo, stressing the importance of mutual support in protecting sovereignty and respecting international law principles, Serbian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

Stefanovic thanked his guest for the principled support on the topic of preserving territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia, adding that Serbia at the same time firmly supports territorial integrity and sovereignty of Cyprus. 

Davenport: Decision on Monastery’s land in Decane should be implemented (Kosovo-online)

OSCE is ready to offer support in implementation of the agreements which may derive from the Brussels agreement, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Michael Davenport said, Kosovo-online portal reports citing Pristina-based Koha.

Speaking about the rights of non-majority communities in Kosovo, Davenport said that “Kosovo has made progress in protecting the rights of non-majority communities in relation to the standards and recommendations set by the Council of Europe”, adding that however there are obstacles in implementation of the laws.

According to him, there are sometimes problems in implementing the laws in areas such as “the right to use the language of non-majority communities and access to education in the languages of communities”.

He also said that respecting the rights of non-majority communities, rights of women and other vulnerable groups including children are the basis of a democratic society. 

As important, he emphasized implementation of the Constitutional Court decision on more than 20 hectares of land belonging to the Visoki Decani Monastery. He said he understands that the situation around the monastery is complicated and that the interest of the municipality should be taken into consideration, however, decisions of the Constitutional Court must be implemented. 

Tanaskovic: New Pristina’s tactic to appropriate Serbian heritage, UNESCO's decision important (Kosovo-online)

Kosovo is far from membership in UNESCO, former Serbian Ambassador to this organization, Darko Tanaskovic said, Kosovo-online portal reports. He added that the unanimous decision to keep four Serbian Orthodox Church objects in Kosovo on UNESCO heritage in danger list was very significant.

Tanaskovic also said even the states that have recognized Kosovo had a firm stance that Serbian monasteries in Kosovo are endangered.

"If we take into account that among the 21 members of the World Heritage Committee, at least a dozen countries recognized Kosovo, then the message is even stronger and it means that also those countries believe it is not enough and Kosovo, for them a state, must meet standards that it does not meet", Tanaskovic said.

He also said Pristina authorities have embarked on a "new path", taught by their foreign mentors and no longer insist on the fast entry to UNESCO, but are preparing the ground to present themselves as someone caring about Kosovo entire cultural heritage, including Serbian one, trying to "present" it as a common cultural heritage of Kosovo.

Tanaskovic said under certain circumstances this may be met with sympathy in the international community, however, Serbia must invest further efforts in explaining the situation of the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo for which it has plenty of arguments.

Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije gets Instagram account (N1)

The Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) said on Wednesday that it had set up an Instagram account for the Patriarch Porfirije, N1 reports.

A press release said that SOC head, Patriarch Porfirije gave his blessing for his official Instagram account.

“The Patriarch wants to meet the interest of the faithful and the domestic and foreign public about his activities, views and opinions”, the statement reads.

   

International 

 

German statement revives Kosovo-Albania tensions on ‘Open Balkan’ project (BIRN)

A statement by a German government spokesperson supporting Balkan cooperation has rekindled the war of words between Kosovo and Albania over the disputed Open Balkan initiative.

Relations between Albania and Kosovo have hit a new low after a German official indicated Berlin’s support for the disputed regional “Open Balkan” project, which Kosovo staunchly opposes.

North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic met in Skopje last month to launch the initiative, pledging to scrap most border obstacles impeding travel and business between the three states by 2023.

But Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina have hesitated to join the initiative, which originated in 2019 and has been unofficially dubbed a “Mini-Schengen” in reference to the EU’s borderless and passport-free zone.

On Wednesday, a German government spokesman told the Pristina-based news portal Gazeta Express that Berlin believes that “any regional cooperation in Western Balkans is useful”.

“At the same time, it is important that cooperation remains comprehensive and open for the six countries in the region. This is the reason why we support the Action Plan for Common Regional Market,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Hours after, Albania’s Prime Minister took a dig at Kosovo leaders who are opposing the Open Balkan initiative.

“Surprise! Apparently the German government supports the Open Balkan, differently from what is being told to people in Prishtina and Tirana,” he said.

“And not just this, but it [the German government] is also asking for the urgent signature of the Joint Regional Market before the EU-Balkan summit on October 6,” Rama added.

“Germany says Open Balkan should be comprehensive and yes, of course, it should be, so the door remains open, but we can neither include anyone forcefully nor wait until those who are not convinced understand that this is the path to the future,” Rama continued.

From Pristina, Jeton Zylfaj, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s advisor, hotly disputed Rama’s claim.

“Germany does not support the ‘Mini-Schengen’, now turned to ‘Open Balkan’. Germany supports a Common Regional Market as part of the Berlin Process. ‘Mini-Schengen’ is an unnecessary duplication. Edi Rama, let’s work together on the Berlin Process,” he wrote.

Bosnia and Montenegro say they see no particular benefits from the Open Balkan initiative, as easing travel and trade restrictions are already covered by the wider CEFTA agreement, to which they are party, and by bilateral agreements.

But Kosovo has voiced a sharper, more political objection to the plan, mainly relating to Serbia’s refusal to recognize the independence of its former province, proclaimed in February 2008.

The agreement reached by Zaev, Rama and Vucic envisages cooperation in several areas. In dealing with natural catastrophes, it allows the three countries to cooperate closely not only in prevention, but also in giving and coordinating mutual aid during earthquakes, storms, fires and other disasters.

On trade, unnecessary paperwork will be scrapped and the transport of goods at border crossings speeded up. One idea discussed was opening special fast tracks at border crossings for Balkan citizens so that they have priority.

Unification of labour markets is also envisaged, by more easily issuing work permits for citizens of one country in the other two, mutual acceptance of diplomas and job qualifications, making the work forces more flexible and available and so hopefully attracting more investment.