Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 2,110 new cases, four deaths (media)
• The U.S. Embassy: Anti-COVID vaccines do not change human DNA (media)
• PDK’s Hoxhaj gets second vaccine dose, calls on teachers to get vaccinated (Zeri)
• EU responds positively to Osmani’s request to monitor local elections (media)
• Kurti: Have to deal with the past; no luxury for mistakes or experiments (EO)

Serbian Language Media:

• EU spokesperson says Belgrade-Pristina dialogue activities continue (N1)
• KP: Three people detained over physical attack on young man in Mitrovica North (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Serbia to offer additional reward to find those responsible for crime in Gorazdevac (Kosovo-online)
• Leposavic-based TV Mir part of cable network in northern Kosovo again (Radio kontakt plus)
• Stojanovic on reasons why he decided to run for mayor (KoSSev)
• Serbian List in Gracanica: Branimir Stojanovic wishes harm to Serb people (KoSSev)
• Two Serbian nationals evacuated from Kabul, one remains (N1)
• Serbia donates coronavirus vaccines to Lebanon (N1)
• Bregovic confirms performance in Korca (KoSSev)

International:

• Balkan countries affirm US alliance by accepting Afghan refugees (politico.eu)
• Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia Prepare to Shelter Fleeing Afghans (Balkan Insight)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID-19: 2,110 new cases, four deaths (media)

2,110 new cases with COVID-19 and four deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 130 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 12,159 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

The U.S. Embassy: Anti-COVID vaccines do not change human DNA (media)

The U.S. Embassy in Pristina, through a post made on social media have published the findings of the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) which states that Anti-COVID vaccines do not alternate and do not change the DNA of people who are vaccinated.

"Will a COVID-19 vaccine change my DNA?" "NO COVID-19 vaccines do not alter or interact with your DNA in any way. Both mRNA and viral vector COVID-19 vaccines deliver instructions (genetic material) to our cells to start building protection against the virus that causes COVID-19. However, the material never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is kept," the embassy said.

The US Embassy has also published several links to information about vaccines and how they work in the human body.

PDK MP Hoxhaj gets second vaccine dose, calls on teachers to get vaccinated (Zeri)

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) MP Enver Hoxhaj got the second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 today and called on teaching staff in Kosovo to get vaccinated against the virus. “Vaccination is an obligation for all of us. September 1 is near. I call on all teachers to get vaccinated! It is in their interest and in the interest of pupils, students and their families! Let us protect one another,” Hoxhaj wrote in a Facebook post.

EU responds positively to Osmani’s request to monitor local elections (media)

The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani has received a positive response from the EU representatives regarding the request for monitoring October 17 local elections, a press release issued by the President's Office said. Osmani had made the request in a letter in June this year to European Parliament President David Sassoli and to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borrell. Both senior EU officials have responded positively to President Osmani's request. Unlike the last parliamentary elections, in which the EU Election Observation Mission was composed of a small number of experts, in the 2021 local elections, the EU will be present with a full election observation mission. elections in the Republic of Kosovo until the certification of the election result. The President of the European Parliament, Mr. Sassoli, in a letter sent to President Osmani on July 13, confirmed the readiness of the European Parliament to participate in the monitoring of the elections in the Republic of Kosovo, as well as the immediate start of preparatory procedures for this process. Meanwhile, in the letter of Mr. Borrell, on 17 August, announces that after the European Parliament has nominated its representatives, the EU High Representative will appoint the Head of Mission, who together with the team of experts will arrive in the Republic of Kosovo in the coming weeks.

Kurti: Have to deal with the past; no luxury for mistakes or experiments (EO)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in today’s first meeting of the working group for the Draft Strategy for Transitional Justice that now is the final time for Kosovo to deal with the past. Kurti called on all institutions to cooperate in the process, adding that Kosovo doesn’t have the luxury of making mistakes or experiments because the common objective is to create collective memory. “It is very important for the strategy not to remain on paper. It won’t be easy, but experts have shown interest to assist us in the process. We don’t have the luxury of making mistakes, we cannot experiment and fail. We need to join forces because the common objective is to create collective memory which will serve the future generations. But peace demands justice and justice has not been served in Kosovo and the victims deserve justice,” he said.

Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu said they have undertaken a series of measures for investigating and prosecuting war crimes, highlighting the formation of the Institute of War Crimes. “We have taken several actions in terms of prosecuting war crimes, changes in the Criminal Procedural Code for trials in absentia, we have added four more prosecutors, and we have established the working group for the Institute of War Crimes. We will have concrete results in September … The strategy will be comprehensive. There needs to be room for all interested. We as a ministry are committed to making sure that the strategy is drafted in compliance with local and international laws. Let us join forces for the interests of all,” she said.

   

Serbian Language Media

  EU spokesperson says Belgrade-Pristina dialogue activities continue (N1)

European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said Tuesday that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue has been constantly underway at various levels since the latest high-level meeting but did not specify any concrete activities, N1 reports.

Asked whether the European Union is planning any meetings as part of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue in August or September, Stano said that there are constant activities at different levels. He added the EU would inform the media about any possible meetings between expert teams, negotiators or top level officials.

The latest meeting between top Belgrade and Pristina officials was held on July 19 with both Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti saying that they could not agree on any of the proposals put forward by the EU. EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak was slightly less pessimistic, saying that “very little progress” had been achieved, adding that the two sides agreed to continue the dialogue.

KP: Three people detained over physical attack on young man in Mitrovica North (KoSSev)

Three people, including Kosovo Albanian E.A. (1984), who was on police warrant, were detained over a physical attack that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning in Knjaz Milos Street in Mitrovica North, the Kosovo police for the Region North announced, KoSSev portal reported.

A young Serb man M.D. the target of the attack was transferred to Mitrovica North Hospital Center, where he was examined. It was determined that he sustained “slight bodily injuries“. He was kept in the surgery department for further observation, the portal added.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3z1xtzp Vucic: Serbia to offer additional reward to find those responsible for crime in Gorazdevac (Kosovo-online)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today Bogdan Bukumiric, who as a 15-year old suffered grave bodily injuries in an armed attack against children on Bistrica River, in Gorazdevac, 18 years ago, leaving two dead and four, including Bukumiric, wounded, Kosovo-online portal reports.  

“Bogdan Bukumirc is a man, Albanians gravely wounded 18 years ago, near Gorazdevac, killing at the same time two of his friends, Pantelija and Ivan, killed and wounded just because they belong to the Serbian people”, Vucic wrote on his official Instagram account.

He added that Pristina and the international community never found those who committed this heinous crime, instead they closed the investigation.

Vucic also said he “promised to Bogdan he will talk to representatives of all our responsible bodies to offer additional rewards for any findings related to the heinous crime on Bistrica, so the pursuit to find the killers never ends and they know they shall have no peace as long as they are alive”.

Kosovo-online portal recalled that not even an award of one million euros offered by UNMIK at that time helped shed light on this crime.

Leposavic-based TV Mir part of cable network in northern Kosovo again (Radio kontakt plus)

After more than a year and a half, TV Mir from Leposavic is broadcasting again through the cable television platform in northern Kosovo. An agreement on returning to the cable system in the north of Kosovo, between Television “Mir” and the company “MTS d.o.o.”, was reached recently, Radio kontakt plus reports.

This was confirmed to Radio Kontakt Plus by RTV Mir owner Nenad Radosavljevic.

According to Radosavljevic, this agreement was preceded by a conversation with the management of MTS d.o.o., and his offer to resolve this dispute, which reached the court, in a peaceful manner, i.e. to withdraw the lawsuit, and for TV Mir to return to the cable television platform.

After the decision of the Management Board of MTS d.o.o., TV Mir returned to the cable systems, with the obligation to provide the technical conditions on its own.

“It is the equipment that already existed in the past, which did not cause any additional costs for Television Mir, and of course not for MTS d.o.o. Very soon after that, they included us in all cable companies, except in Leposavic due to some technical details. In Mitrovica, Zvecan, Lesak, Socanica, it worked everywhere, except in Leposavic. In Leposavic, it started working again with a delay of three days, and it has been working for ten days now”, Radosavljevic said. 

Stojanovic on reasons why he decided to run for mayor (KoSSev)

Branimir Stojanovic, candidate for a mayor in Gracanica municipality in an interview with Mitrovica North based portal KoSSev outlined the reasons for his candidacy in the upcoming local elections in Kosovo. He added his candidacy was not part of the charade to create artificial competition for Serbian List.

Although a high-ranking official in both systems, Stojanovic also revealed that he only spoke to the people before deciding to once again – eight years after his previous campaign – run for the mayor of Gracanica.

Stojanovic also spoke about the judge of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, Radomir Laban, who he surprisingly described as ‘gray eminence of the life and death of Serbs’ in this area. Had the arrest warrant issued against Laban by Serbia not been made public in 2017, and the oath he took before Hashim Thaci in August 2018, the public would hardly know anything about this Kosovo judge – until yesterday.

Read the interview at: https://bit.ly/37TNVWs Serbian List in Gracanica: Branimir Stojanovic wishes harm to Serb people (KoSSev)

Following the candidacy of Branimir Stojanovic for Gracanica mayor and his public remarks about it, Serbian List held a press conference in Gracanica yesterday morning, which was also attended by SL’s candidate for the mayor of this municipality, Ljiljana Subaric, who did not address the numerous media crews present, KoSSev portal reports.

Serbian List President Goran Rakic said in a press conference that “something unprecedented took place yesterday in the political life of Serbs in this area. Something very dangerous and something that goes beyond the issue of party and political struggle”, he added.

“A Serb, our former member, attacked the only Serb member, that is, a judge in the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, a true professional, someone who is credible and who is recognized by Serbs and Albanians and the international community“, Rakic ​​thus described the judge of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, Radomir Laban, who was criticized yesterday by another candidate for the mayor of Gracanica, Branimir Stojanovic.

Rakic then proceeded to question what motives were behind Stojanovic’s comments on Laban.

“The only way I can understand this is as his sick, unhealthy struggle for power, his personal interest, and the interests of who knows who else. Trust me, soon we will all know in whose interests he did this and who is standing behind him”, Rakic warned.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/2XDCUa0 Two Serbian nationals evacuated from Kabul, one remains (N1)

The two Serbian nationals contacted by N1 on Monday have been evacuated from Kabul to Tashkent, N1 was told by the Foreign Ministry but a Serbian woman is still in the Afghan capital waiting to be evacuated with members of her humanitarian mission.

The remaining Serbian national, Milka Damjanovic told N1 that she can’t get anywhere near the airport but that she is not in danger for her life and that she and her colleagues are as safe as they can be in Kabul even though they have no security guards. Damnjanovic said that she is planning to leave the country but has to go with the Italian humanitarian mission that she works for and can’t leave alone. According to her, the mission chiefs feel that the risk of leaving their quarters is too great but the organization is continuing to provide medical services.

Damnjanovic said that she has been in contact with the Serbian embassies in Rome and New Delhi.

Serbia donates coronavirus vaccines to Lebanon (N1)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic handed 20,000 doses of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine to the authorities in Lebanon on Tuesday, N1 reports.

The Ministry said in a statement the shipment was the first half of a donation of 40,000 doses of vaccine which Serbia is donating to Lebanon. The Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine is being produced under license at the Torlak Institute in Belgrade.

The press release said that the shipment was received by Lebanon’s acting Foreign Minister and current Defense Minister Zeina Akar who expressed gratitude for the donation. 

Selakovic also said that Lebanon officials expressed strong and principled support to the Republic of Serbia regarding protection of its territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as support to the dialogue and finding solution to the Kosovo and Metohija issue. 

Bregovic confirms performance in Korca (KoSSev)

Goran Bregovic has confirmed his performance in a beer festival in Korca, Albania, taking place from August 18 to August 22, KoSSev portal reports.

The information on his performance can be seen on Bregovic’s official webpage and also on the webpage of the festival. He is set to perform with his band Funeral and Weddings Orchestra on the last day of the festival, starting at 21.00.

Invitation to Bregovic to perform in a festival in Albania was met with strong opposition in Kosovo, that launched a strong negative media and public campaign leading that almost all participants in the programme from Kosovo cancel their participation, some supporting the boycott against world famous musician Bregovic and some due to pressure.

   

International 

  Balkan countries affirm US alliance by accepting Afghan refugees (politico.eu)

Frustration with stalled EU accession makes Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo keen to curry favor with Washington.

Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia are the first European countries to say they’ll provide temporary shelter for Afghans bound for the U.S. after fleeing the Taliban conquest of their country.

Most are civilians who worked with U.S. or international missions in Afghanistan and are being evacuated to the Continent as they await U.S. visas, according to media reports.

Vjosa Osmani, Kosovo’s president, said she was contacted by President Joe Biden last month with a request to temporarily house Afghan refugees.

“Without any hesitation or single conditioning, I have given my consent to such humanitarian operation,” she said in a Facebook post, adding: “Nobody better than us knows what it means to be expelled and to leave by force from where you grew up, to separate from your loved ones, to be forced to flee to save your life.”

Albania is being similarly welcoming.

“In recent days the U.S. government has asked Albania to assess whether it can serve as a transit country, for a certain number of Afghan political immigrants, who have the end destination in the United States. And indisputably that we won’t say no, and not just why our great allies ask us, but because we are Albania!” Prime Minister Edi Rama wrote on Facebook.

Student dorms have been vacated for the Afghans coming to Albania, while North Macedonia has announced that resorts and hotels will be made available. Kosovo said it has the capacity to receive up to 10,000 people. The first refugees are due to arrive in Albania on Wednesday.

Read more at: https://politi.co/2UrkGXY Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia Prepare to Shelter Fleeing Afghans (Balkan Insight)

The three Balkan countries are preparing to give temporary refuge to several hundred civilians who are seeking to escape after the Taliban seized control over Afghanistan.

Albania is reported to be about to give refuge to some 250 Afghan civilians over the course of the next few days, North Macedonia is expecting to take in around 390 and Kosovo is also preparing to receive an unnamed number of people fleeing Afghanistan after it fell to the Taliban at the weekend.

The three countries said the refugees, whose lives are potentially in danger if they remain in Afghanistan, will be accommodated temporarily until they are transferred to the US or into third countries. None of them has so far stated their overall capacity for accepting such refugees.

Voice of America on Tuesday cited unnamed diplomatic sources as saying that some 250 civilians would be in the first group expected to arrive in Albania, primarily people who have worked with the Western alliance in Afghanistan, such as translators, cooks and other staff, along with their families.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3iWBbF5

          Humanitarian/Development