Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 22 deaths, 1,894 new cases (media)
• “Another lockdown would prove fatal to businesses” (KTV)
• Ymeri calls for mass vaccination before local elections (EO)
• Kurti meets Croatian counterpart, discuss economy and security (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Enthusiasm for joining the EU has decreased in the countries of the Western Balkans (media)
• Lajcak today with Vucic and Kurti in separate meetings, without comments on messages from Pristina (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Pristina will stop the implementation of the Washington Agreement from September 4, says Vucic (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic says Merkel to visit Serbia (N1)
• SPO prosecutor: Witnesses in the case ''Thaci at. all'' continue to be intimidated (N1)
• Turkey to open consulate in western Serbia, FM Cavusoglu says (N1, Beta, Politika)
• In Gracanica municipality 9 new cases of Covid-19 (RTK2)

International:

• KFOR holds an operational exercise from end of August to 5 September (EWB)
• Afghan crisis shows EU needs more autonomy, says Charles Michel (DW)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID-19: 22 deaths, 1,894 new cases (media)

22 people have succumbed to COVID-19 in Kosovo in the last 24 hours. 1,894 new cases were confirmed in this period. There are 27,404 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

The Ministry of Health issued a video message today calling on women that are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning pregnancy to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

1,220 patients are being treated for COVID-19 in Kosovo hospitals. 1,051 of them are on oxygen therapy and 59 are under intensive care.

Several media outlets are reporting that Kosovo Police have issued 3,981 fines in the last 24 hours for failures to respect the COVID-19 restrictive measures.

“Another lockdown would prove fatal to businesses” (KTV)

Hysen Sogojeva, chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Hospitality and Tourism, said in an interview with the TV station today that another lockdown due to COVID-19 would prove fatal to businesses in Kosovo. He said that the chamber has agreed with all new restrictive measures because of the alarming number of fatalities from the virus, but that the government must come to the aid of businesses. 

“We have 17,000 – 18,000 businesses in the sector. We are a big industry with a large number of employees, and if more drastic measures are introduced, we could see a reduced number of employees. However, we now need to focus on what is most dangerous – the pandemic. We have a high number of fatalities and we need awareness raising. The losses are apparent … Every measure has had an impact on stability. If other drastic measures are introduced and there is no intervention, we will be on the verge of collapse. Companies are facing a collapse,” he said.  

Ymeri calls for mass vaccination before local elections (EO)

Visar Ymeri, former leader of the Vetevendosje Movement (VV), said today that the Kurti-led government miscalculated when it decided to open the country during summer without securing anti COVID vaccines and without distributing them.

“The current government made an exchange between public health and economic development, and during summer gave more priority to economic development and the growth of businesses. This also happened because there were fewer cases, but then it also became one of the main reasons why we are seeing high numbers of new cases and fatalities because of the uncontrolled opening during the summer,” he said.

Ymeri said that another alarm is that local elections will be held soon, and the vaccination process has not been accelerated yet. “Statistics are showing that whoever has received two vaccine doses is passing the Delta variant easier. Meanwhile 90 percent of those being hospitalised are not vaccinated. I think this is an important alarm especially now on the eve of local elections,” he added.

Kurti meets Croatian counterpart, discuss economy and security (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met today with his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenkovic, at the Bled Strategic Forum. “We discussed economics, security, and ways to further strengthen our exceptional bilateral relations and deepen our cooperation,” Kurti wrote in a Twitter post.

     

Serbian Language Media

  Vucic: Enthusiasm for joining the EU has decreased in the countries of the Western Balkans (media)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic stated that for him, politics does not mean flattering people, but making painful decisions. He stated that Belgrade is committed to the European path, but that the enthusiasm for joining the European Union has decreased in the countries of the Western Balkans, which is why they are looking for other ways, mechanisms and means to achieve progress.

One of those means is the Open Balkans initiative, Vucic said at the Bled Security Forum.

We are working with our neighbors on rapprochement and building peace and security in the region, said Vucic, noting that the EU needs enlargement after Brexit, but that the Union does not see the bigger picture.

Vucic said that the EU is the best place to live in terms of democracy and the rule of law, but that two decades ago, the Union participated in the world's gross domestic product with 20%, while now that percentage has dropped to 10%.

In a few years, that participation will amount to seven percent, and I do not see a solution for that situation, said Vucic. 

Politics is a vision and fulfillment of set goals, Vucic said at the Bled Security Forum, adding that it is the job of politicians to serve the people and the country. People should evaluate how we do it, he added.

Michele: The future of the EU is inconceivable without the Western Balkans

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, stated that the future of the European Union is inconceivable without the countries of the Western Balkans.

He added that the EU is not a static, but a dynamic union.

We started with six members, and now there are 27 of us, and every enlargement has made the EU better, as a union of ideas, solidarity, innovation and diversity, said Michel.

As important as the EU is for the Western Balkans, so important is that region for the Union, Michel said, with the message: Together we can build a European future for a better world.

Sassoli: New energy needs to be invested in the expansion process

The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, stated that the countries of the Western Balkans are part of the history of the European Union, with whose members they share a common identity.

That is why we must be committed to the EU enlargement process. Those countries want to become part of the European family, Sasoli said

The postponement of the accession of the countries of the Western Balkans to the EU can benefit our opponents, said Sasoli, adding that it is necessary to invest new energy in the process of EU enlargement.

Orban: EU needs Serbia more than Serbia needs the Union

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that without Serbia's accession to the European Union, one cannot talk about EU security.

Serbia is a key country, Orban assessed.

According to him, the EU needs Serbia more than Serbia the Union.

Lajcak today with Vucic and Kurti in separate meetings, without comments on messages from Pristina (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

EU Special Envoy for Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak announced that he would have separate talks in Bled today with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in order to prepare for a meeting of chief negotiators, reports agency Tanjug.

Lajcak said that every conversation is necessary, because new things are constantly happening on the field.

"We need to agree on how to prepare the meeting of the main negotiators, the topics and issues of that meeting. Life goes on and we need to follow the events," he explained.

Asked how he comments on the messages from Pristina related to the dialogue, he said that we should not comment on the messages, but that we need to focus on the essence, cited portal Kosovo Online. 

Pristina will stop the implementation of the Washington Agreement from September 4, says Vucic (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic said today in Bled that he was worried about the fact that Pristina was embarking on a new lobbying action for recognition, as well as admission to international organizations, reports Tanjug.

"I am worried about the fact, and we received information, not from Miroslav Lajcak, but from intelligence sources, that Pristina will completely stop further implementation of the Washington agreement from September 4," Vucic told reporters in Bled.

He said that Pristina is embarking on a new lobbying action for the recognition of unilaterally declared independence, as well as demands to be accepted in international organizations from Interpol to UNESCO.

Vucic is convinced that this will bring additional instability in the region, and that their job is to prepare for that.

Serbia's EU integration related to the Kosovo issue

Vucic also said that it was unequivocal that Serbia's European integration related to the issue of Kosovo.

"We cannot be part of the EU until we resolve relations with Pristina, and that is clear to everyone and we should not lie," he explained to reporters after talks with EU envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak in Bled.

He emphasized that the talks with Pristina will be continued at the technical level and that he expects that Lajcak will visit Belgrade and Pristina soon.

Vucic says Merkel to visit Serbia (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that German Chancellor Angela Merkel would visit Serbia but could not say when.

Speaking in Slovenia a day before the start of the Bled Strategic Forum, Vucic said that he and Merkel would discuss the German view of the Balkan region. He said that no country can progress unless it has Germany on its side, not as an opponent.

The Bled Strategic Forum brings together the leaders of the countries of the region, EU member states and officials to discuss the future of Europe.

Speaking about the Open Balkans initiative launched by Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia, Vucic said that the initiative can’t be stopped. “People want to cooperate freely, fight for the principles that the European Union is based on – freedom of movement for people, services and capital. I don’t know who would mind if there were no borders between Belgrade, Skopje and Tirana,” he said. “Some people see that initiative as an attempt by Serbia to dominate the region, but it is only trying for a better life for its people and cooperation with neighbors,” he said.

Vucic also met with the Prime Ministers of North Macedonia and Albania, Zoran Zaev and Edi Rama. He posted a photograph of the three of them with the caption Bled Forum in the shadow of Open Balkans. Welcome.

See at: https://bit.ly/2WA9TMl SPO prosecutor: Witnesses in the case ''Thaci at. all'' continue to be intimidated (N1)

Witnesses who are due to appear at the trial of Hashim Thaci and three other war associates charged with war crimes continue to be intimidated, according to a prosecutor from the Hague-based Kosovo Specialized Prosecutor's Office, reported N1.

At a conference to prepare for the trial of two officials of the Kosovo War Veterans Association, Nasim Haradinaj and Hysni Gucati, prosecutor Matthew Halling said that in the case of Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi had recently came to the intimidation of witnesses who should appear at that trial.

"We have a footnote in the submission in the case of ‘Thaci at. all’ where we state that there is intimidation of witnesses in Kosovo and that it was recently. That is the level of risk that prevails now in Kosovo," Halling said, adding that in that light they are seeking protection for two witnesses in the proceedings against two officials of the Association of Kosovo War Veterans.

Earlier, prosecutor Jack Smith, in his first verbal address to the court in The Hague during the hearing on the situation in February this year, stated that "harassment and intimidation of witnesses in Kosovo is a reality" and that the risk for witnesses will increase if the trial is unnecessarily delayed, as requested by the defense of the accused.

This is not the first time that the Prosecution has warned of witness intimidation. That was one of the reasons why the prosecution made a rare move and publicly announced the indictment against Thaci and the others even before it was confirmed.

This is one of the key reasons for rejecting the request of Thaci and others to be released until the start of the trial, which they have submitted several times since they were placed in custody last November.

Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against more than 100 Serbs, Roma, Ashkali and disloyal Albanians in several locations in Kosovo and northern Albania between March 1998 and the end of September 1999, recalled N1.

Turkey to open consulate in western Serbia, FM Cavusoglu says (N1, Beta, Politika)

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a visit to Serbia that his country’s consulate would be opened in the western Serbian city of Novi Pazar.

Novi Pazar is in the Sandzak region of Serbia which has a large Muslim population with traditional close ties to Turkey. A large number of people from the region which borders Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro have families who emigrated to Turkey after WW 2.

Cavusoglu told Belgrade pro-government daily Politika that the peace, stability and prosperity of the Balkans is important to Turkey, adding that Serbia is a key country in terms of the stability and peace of southeastern Europe. He said that Turkey will be the first country with a consulate in Novi Pazar. “I believe that the opening of the consulate will contribute greatly to the development of our relations by strengthening cultural and relations between people,” the foreign minister said.

See at:https://bit.ly/2YfWXM2 In Gracanica municipality 9 new cases of Covid-19 (RTK2)

In the municipality of Gracanica during the past 24 hours, 9 more cases of Covid-19 were registered. 

The Crisis Staff of the Municipality of Gracanica appeals to citizens and businesses to adhere to measures and recommendations for reducing the number of people suffering from infectious diseases Covid-19, primarily mandatory wearing of protective masks, keeping distance, increased hygiene, and compliance with measures to limit the number of those gathered, indoors as well as outdoors.

The municipal inspection intensively controls the observance of protection measures against the Covid-19 virus, and anyone who violates them will be punished, read the statement. 

     

International 

  KFOR holds an operational exercise from end of August to 5 September (EWB)

NATO-led international peacekeeping mission in Kosovo – KFOR – will hold an operational training exercise called “OPREH Level II”, which will last from the end of August until 5 September.

According to Tanjug, this is a routine exercise in support of the KFOR mission, which is held every two years.

The training includes hundreds of NATO troops integrating with KFOR, its statement reads.

The training will include riot control scenarios, freedom of movement exercises and security operations aimed at maintaining a high level of preparedness. At the end of the exercise, all additional forces will leave Kosovo and return to their home countries, and on 5 September, as was announced, the troops will hold a live exercise on the training ground in Gjakova.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3kIzXNd Afghan crisis shows EU needs more autonomy, says Charles Michel (DW)

Charles Michel has said that the EU needs to be able to make more decisions on its own following the Afghanistan crisis and chaotic attempts to evacuate people from Kabul.

EU Council President Charles Michel said on Wednesday that the European Union needs to pursue decision-making autonomy in the wake of the chaotic evacuations from Afghanistan that ended last week.

"In my view, we do not need another such geopolitical event to grasp that the EU must strive for greater decision-making autonomy and greater capacity for action in the world," he told the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia.

See more at:https://bit.ly/38s2wsF