• COVID-19: 381 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Ministry: Latest COVID measures in line with our recommendations (media)
• Curfew scrapped amid controversy (BIRN)
• NGOs concerned recent Covid rules curtail rights of diaspora voters (media)
• Quint ambassadors call for fair and safe elections (Klan)
• In a video message, Kurti urges citizens to vote (media)
• Hoxhaj: PDK raised Kosovo flag; won’t allow an authoritarian system (media)
• Osmani to youth: Let's turn 14 February into a true celebration (media)
• LDK’s Veliu predicts his party will get 31 MPs, VV 27 and PDK 25 (media)
• Predictions of analysts on T7 about Sunday’s elections (Gazeta Express)
• Abbott: In any negotiation there needs to be a readiness to compromise (Gazeta Express)
• KSC judge turns down applications of alleged Mustafa's victims (media)
• Selimi's defence requests 'JCE' be struck from indictment (media)
• NATO announces opening of a new lower airspace route over Kosovo (media)

 

COVID-19: 381 new cases, three deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded 381 new cases of COVID-19 and three deaths in the last 24 hours. 244 persons have recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 7,420 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Ministry: Latest COVID measures in line with our recommendations (media)

Kosovo's Ministry of Health came out with a statement following reports that the recent relaxation of anti-COVID measures taken by the Government of Kosovo were not beforehand consulted with health experts.

The Ministry said the latest decision is based on their assessment of the current epidemiological situation which has this month been 'calmer'.

At the same time, chairman of the government's COVID-19 advisory board, Lul Raka, reacted to the announcement of the new measures saying the board was not consulted. "At a time when preventive measures are massively being violated during election campaign by the whole political spectrum, the appearance of the British variant present in Kosovo since late December, any 'political relaxation of measures' enables the spread of infection in the community by threatening the public and individual health in Kosovo," he wrote on Facebook. 

Curfew scrapped amid controversy (BIRN)

The outgoing Kosovo Government has relaxed measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus but members of the COVID-19 advisory board claim they were not consulted over the proposals.

At an online meeting held on Thursday, the outgoing Kosovo Government voted to relax three measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The curfew in force in high-risk municipalities has been scrapped, while businesses in these municipalities can now operate until 22:00. Students are also set to return to universities, with in-person teaching now permitted.

Government Spokesperson Antigona Baxhaku told Prishtina Insight that the decision is set to enter into force immediately.

In a press release, the Kosovo Government stated that the decision taken was based on recommendations provided by the National Institute of Public Health, NIPH.

However, Lul Raka, the head of the advisory board on COVID-19 within the NIPH stated on social media that he had not been consulted over the decision. “I see it reasonable to explain that neither I, as head of the board, or any other member was not  consulted about the proposal,” he said.

The Kosovo Federation of Health Care Unions also criticised the decision to relax measures, labelling it “scandalous and unacceptable.”

“To make it worse, no political party is reacting,” the Union said in a press release. “[The Federation] once again demands collective responsibility, as political parties are not prioritising public health, only their votes.”

Earlier on Thursday, the NIPH announced that 344 new cases of coronavirus had been recorded in the previous 24 hours, stating that there are currently 7,008 recorded active cases in Kosovo.

NGOs concerned recent Covid rules curtail rights of diaspora voters (media)

A network of NGOs, Democracy in Action, has expressed concern over the recent anti-Covid measures taken by the Kosovo Government.

"On the one hand there is a relaxation of measures while on the other hand the measures become stricter by discriminating citizens of Kosovo coming from abroad. Knowing that many citizens eligible to vote are bound for Kosovo, this new measure of the Government announced late, bound undermine the constitutional right of the Kosovo citizens to vote," the NGO network said in reference to the decision that people entering Kosovo should either present a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours or self-isolate for seven days.

Meanwhile, Kosovo Government spokesperson Antigona Baxhaku told Klan Kosova that the requirement to have a negative PCR test has not changed. "The PCR tests for foreign nationals are the same since October," she said.

Quint ambassadors call for fair and safe elections (Klan)

Ambassadors of Quint countries held a virtual meeting with officials of the Special Prosecution team covering February 14 elections led by Laura Pula and urged them to ensure a fair and safe process.

A statement issued by the Special Prosecution notes that Pula briefed underlined that their main objective during all election processes held throughout the years was to protect the citizens' votes.

In a video message, Kurti urges citizens to vote (media)

Leader of the Vetevendosje Movement Albin Kurti made a call to the people of Kosovo to go out and vote on Sunday saying that every vote is crucial.

He said that the Kosovo diaspora has realised that these elections are a referendum for the future where every vote counts: "Our diaspora is voting massively in these elections. Some paid expensive plane tickets, some spent hundreds of euros to vote by post, others made plans to come by buses and cars towards the big change of 14 February."

Kurti added that while the diaspora members are pursuing all possible ways just so they can exercise their right to vote, people in Kosovo have no reason not to turn out and cast their votes. "We all need to come together and be part of the history on 14 February," he said.

Hoxhaj: PDK raised Kosovo flag; won’t allow an authoritarian system (media)

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Acting Leader and candidate for Prime Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, said during a rally in Mitrovica on Thursday that it was the PDK which raised the flag of an independent Kosovo and that they will not allow an authoritarian system to be installed in Kosovo.

Hoxhaj said the PDK’s victory in the parliamentary elections on Sunday will be crucial for Kosovo to remain a democratic state. “Will we wake up in the morning as a democracy, or as an autocracy? With me and the PDK we will wake up in the morning as a democratic state. With the others, we would wake up as a totalitarian system which the PDK will not allow. This is why these elections are so important,” he said.

Osmani to youth: Let's turn 14 February into a true celebration (media)

Acting President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, who is running as part of the Vetevendosje election ticket, issued a message via social media urging the youth and especially the first-time voters to exercise their rights to vote this Sunday.

"These elections, first and foremost, are about you and your future," Osmani said. "We will listen to what you say and we urge you to tell us what you think. This Sunday you have the unique chance to give the future of our country a different course," she continued.

LDK’s Veliu predicts his party will get 31 MPs, VV 27 and PDK 25 (media)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) deputy leader Agim Veliu said in Debate Plus on Thursday evening that the LDK will get 31 MPs after Sunday’s parliamentary elections. He said that the Haradinaj-led Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) will have a similar results as in the previous elections and will get 10 MPs. According to him, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) will get 25 MPs and Limaj’s NISMA will cross the threshold by getting 7 MPs. Based on Veliu’s prediction, the Kurti-led Vetevendosje Movement will get 27 MPs.

Predictions of analysts on T7 about Sunday’s elections (Gazeta Express)

Blerim Latifi: Vetevendosje (VV) 40 MPs, LDK 19, PDK 19, AAK 7, NISMA 5

Jusuf Thaci: VV 51, LDK 14, PDK 15, AAK 6, NISMA 3

Rron Gjinovci: VV 51, LDK 14, PDK 13, AAK 6, NISMA 2

Tome Gashi: VV 55, LDK 12, PDK 14, AAK 6, NISMA 2

Berat Buzhala: VV 42.5, LDK 18, PDK 20.

Abbott: In any negotiation there needs to be a readiness to compromise (Gazeta Express)

British Ambassador to Kosovo, Nicholas Abbott, says the EU facilitated Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia should be a main priority for any incoming government. Ambassador Abbott in an interview with Gazeta Express said that in any negotiation, whether it is between two states or two people, there needs to be a readiness by both to compromise.

"In any negotiation, whether it is between two states or two people, there needs to be a readiness by both to compromise. Without compromise, a successful negotiation is unlikely to be sustainable.  It is the duty of any Kosovan government to have prepared itself as fully as possible and to have public support in order to ensure a successful negotiation," he said.

Abbott further said that agreements reached so far in Brussels such as the Agreement on establishment of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities should be addressed by any new government.

Abbott also said that after 14 February election, Kosovo needs a stable government ready to face all challenges. British Ambassador said that his country will continue working with the new US administration and other Quint countries to support Kosovo in achieving a comprehensive normalisation agreement with Serbia.

Read the full interview: https://bit.ly/2NkShiw

KSC judge turns down applications of alleged Mustafa's victims (media)

The pre-trial judge of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, Nicolas Guillou, has rejected applications to take part in the trial against former KLA commander Salih Mustafa presented by four persons claiming to have been his victims.

The Victims' Participation Office recommended the judge to deny the applications stating that none of the applicants provided documentation proving their identity and that they are natural persons and describe acts that appear to have any connection with the crimes within the geographical and temporal scope of the indictment.

Selimi's defence requests 'JCE' be struck from indictment (media)

The defence counsel for Rexhep Selimi, former KLA leader awaiting trial at The Hague on war crimes charges, has challenged the jurisdiction of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers over 'Joint Criminal Enterprise' arguing that it is inapplicable and not part of Kosovo criminal law or that of the former Yugoslavia. Furthermore, the defence said JCE is not recognised by any international convention enforceable at the KSC.

"The only forms of liability for which Mr. Selimi may be prosecuted are those which would have been applicable to him in March 1998 in Kosovo. This simply does not include JCE. To apply this against him would violate the principle of nullum crimen sine lege, which prohibits a retroactive application of criminal law. This principle is recognized in domestic Kosovo law and under international law binding on Kosovo," the defence stated.

NATO announces opening of a new lower airspace route over Kosovo (media)

NATO said in an announcement that new routes in the lower airspace over Kosovo are now open for civilian airlines and hailed the move as an important achievement in the normalization of the lower airspace over Kosovo.

"This will help to significantly improve the civil air traffic routing to and from Pristina airport, with multiple benefits including faster travel, lower fuel consumption and reduced pollution," the Alliance said.