LOCAL PRESS

Serb list without Self-Determination (RTS)

The Serb (Srpska) list will not take part in the Kosovo government with those who oppose Serb interests as is the Self-Determination Movement, it was agreed at the meeting between Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Serb representatives. “We reached absolute unity regarding all stands, and adopted principles for action of the Serb list in the provincial government,” the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric said. “We want to work on strengthening the Serb community, strengthening the economy, because without this there is no survival for either side and we exclude from these talks those who do not wish to take part in the political life in a constructive manner, and these are representatives of the Self-Determination Movement,” Djuric said after the meeting. He said that three principles had been agreed at the meeting with the Kosovo Serb representatives, on which they will insist, including better life of Serbs in Kosovo, economic recovery and non-participation in a government that opposes normalization of relations. He told a joint press conference with the Serb list representatives, Kosovo Serb mayors and representatives of the Management Team for the formation of the Union of Serb Municipalities that the Serb list is open for talks with everyone and ready for other possibilities, including early elections.

Djuric and CoE delegation discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug)

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric has stressed in the talks with the delegation of the Council of Europe that the participation of the Serb representatives in the Kosovo government will be a big step towards normalization of relations in the province and in strengthening the Serb community. He added that from that standpoint the formation of the Union of Serb Municipalities was very important. Djuric has also noted that the Kosovo Privatization Agency is threatening ownership rights and interests of the Serbs through the illegitimate privatization of Serb economic entities. Special problem in view of the rule of law are the increasingly frequent activities of EULEX, which are making additional pressure on the Serb population, Djuric stated. CoE official Danil Hoshabo has reiterated the status neutral position of that body toward the Kosovo issue. Although not directly involved with the dialogue, the CoE is assisting through cooperation programs in the judiciary and battle against corruption, Hoshabo underlined.

Ashton welcomes implementation of freedom of movement (Beta)

The EU High Representative Catherine Ashton welcomes Belgrade’s decision to further extend the freedom of movement arrangements in the coming days to Belgrade Nikola Tesla International Airport and to an additional five border crossing points in the next two months. “This decision was passed in the context of further progress in implementing the freedom of movement. The latest development in the dialogue on normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina with EU mediation will bring new benefits to the people and step-up freedom of movement in the region,” reads Ashton’s press service statement. This follows “previous arrangements” at two other border crossing points of Serbia with Hungary and Croatia.

Forest thief Naim Zumeri charged with three offences (Politika)

Kosovo Albanian Naim Zumeri (40) from the village of Laus, near Pudujevo, who was wounded in the clash with members of Serbian security forces while stealing wood near Kursumlija at the end of August, and who was taken to the Clinical Centre in Nis, was transferred last week to the Special Prison Hospital in Belgrade, Director of the Clinical Centre in Nis Zoran Radovanovic told Politika. Assistant Direct of the Serbian Police and the Head of the Police Administration in Nis Srdjan Grekulovic also confirmed this information, pointing out that the entire process against Zumeri is conducted at the High Prosecution and High Court in Prokuplje. Senior Prosecutor Bojana Mitic at the Prokuplje Prosecution told Politika: “Naim Zumeri is suspected of committing three offences – attempted murder according to article 113 of the Serbian Criminal Law, illegal possession of and keeping of weapons according to article 348 of the Serbian Criminal Law and stealing wood according to article 275 of the same law. That is why he is in custody and an investigation and criminal proceedings have been launched against him.” According to unofficial information, Zumeri, at one of the first hearings, confessed on several occasions before the judge and investigative judge that he frequently arrived with a large group of neighbors from his and neighboring villages near Podujevo to steel wood in the region of the Ground Safety Zone.

REGIONAL PRESS

Dodik: Approved loan worth 76 million euros and direct supply of heavy fuel oil and gas (RTRS)

President of the Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik announced the approval of Russian loan worth 76 million euros by the VTB bank to RS. “We have concluded the talks with the VTB bank. Previously we have talked about one loan for the RS institutions worth 76 million euros, we have agreed with the conditions of the Bank and now the RS institutions should follow the procedure in regard with the loan”, Dodik told Radio and Television of the RS (RTRS). Dodik also said that they have agreed the supply of heavy fuel with Russian company Zarubeznieft, which will enable a stable heating season for Banja Luka and Prijedor. Prime Minister of the RS Zeljka Cvijanovic met in Moscow with General Manager of Gasprom Alexey Miller on which occasion they signed the agreement of direct gas supply. RES Gas Company will be buying the gas directly from Gasprom and distribute it further to the buyers in the RS. Direct supply will enable lower prices for the buyers of gas in the RS. According to RTRS, both Dodik and Cvijanovic are about to meet tomorrow with the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

SBB B&H: Our destiny is not going to be decided by Erdogan’s or Putin’s liegeman, we want EU and NATO (Dnevni avaz)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is a sovereign state. More than 200.000 people gave their lives and more than 1 million people were displaced for its sovereignty. The Union for a Better Future of B&H (SBB B&H) will never allow it to become a keychain for other foreign politics. Once this country was run by Belgrade or Zagreb, before that by Vienna, but since 1995 we run our country and that’s why the SBB B&H will not allow our destiny to be decided by Erdogan’s liegeman Bakir Izetbegovic, nor Putin’s Milorad Dodik. We want the EU and NATO, the best Western democratic standards. Puppets from Sarajevo and Banja Luka will not derail us – those where the words of the SBB B&H leader Fahrudin Radoncic at the election campaign in Doboj – East, Gracanica and Lukavac. During the conferences in Doboj-Istok, Gracanica and Lukavac speakers were: the head of the list for the State Parliament Mirsad Djonslagic, holders of lists in two federal electoral districts Zijad Mahmutovic and Bahrudin Hadziefendic, and the head of the list for the Assembly of TK Fuad Hadzimehmedovic.

New indictments for war crimes announced (Dnevni Avaz)

The Prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes issued the indictments against: Enes Curic, born in Mostar 1956, citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), Ibrahim Demovic, born in Mostar 1955, citizen of B&H, Samir Kreso, born in Mostar 1965, citizen of B&H, Habib Copelj, born in Nevesinje 1965, also citizen of B&H. The accused are charged of acting against the Geneva Convention at the time of the war in B&H and the conflict between the Army of B&H and the HVO, as members of the Army of B&H, in Mostar, in 1993. They are charged with war crimes committed against Croats, more than a hundred, including a larger number of minor children, women, old men and women in advanced state of pregnancy, all detained in prisons in Potoci. The indictment alleges that during the illegal imprisonment, prisoners were tortured, beaten, kept in inhumane conditions, starved, they have endured severe physical and mental injuries that have left a lasting impact on their health, the victims were forced to be human shields and used as forced labor, which caused the deaths of many people. With the indictment, the prosecutor suggested questioning more than 40 prosecution witnesses and included more than 257 exhibits of material. The indictment was forwarded for confirmation by the B&H Court.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Kosovo Police Swoop on Hardline Muslim Leaders (BIRN, by Nektar Zogjani, 17 September 2014)

Party leader Fuad Ramiqi is among a number of Islamic leaders seized by police as part of a crackdown on Islamists in the majority-Muslim country.

Kosovo Police on Wednesday arrested Fuad Ramiqi, leader of Levizja Islamike Bashkohu [Islamic Movement Unite], LISBA, a hard-line Muslim organization that has transformed itself into a political party.

The police operation is still ongoing; however, media reports said that besides Ramiqi, a number of other persons were also arrested, including prominent imams.

Brahim Sadria, a police spokesperson, confirmed that an operation involving searches and arrests was going on in Prishtina and Mitrovica.

“A Kosovo Police operation was conducted in the early hours of Wednesday,” he told BIRN.

“After some months of investigations, in cooperation with the State Prosecution, the Kosovo Police have arrested persons who are suspected of committing criminal offenses against the constitutional order and security of the Republic of Kosovo,” a police statement said.

“This operation was conducted after evaluating the danger and importance to the national security, the constitutional order, and the rule of law,” it added.

“During the operation, the police raided 16 locations, and 15 persons were arrested.”

The Islamic Movement Unite confirmed the arrest of its leader, Fuad Ramiqi, and condemned the arrests as “politically motivated.

“The police of [Prime Minister] Hashim Thaci have arrested prominent imams and Fuad Ramiqi,” a press release from LISBA said.

“LISBA condemns the persecution of Muslims in Kosovo, and we ask the Kosovo Police not to fall prey to politics.”

The mission of the group – according to posts on its Facebook page – includes building of a big mosque in Pristina, permission for women to wear the hijab in schools and public institutions and the inclusion of religion in the school curriculum.

According to the media reports, one of the arrested persons is Imam Shefqet Krasniqi, who was sent to police for interrogation two weeks ago on suspicion of “incitement to hatred and religious, racial, ethnic intolerance”.

On 11 August, police arrested 40 suspected Islamist militants who they believe have participated in the fighting in Iraq and Syria.

A number of Muslim Albanians from the Balkans have joined the sectarian conflict in Iraq and Syria.

The International Center for the Study of Radicalization, ISRA, a think tank based in King’s College, London, believes that some 300 Albanian fighters, from Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania, have joined militant groups in Syria, including Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State, or IS.

Hill International to manage €600m Kosovo highway project (The Construction Index, 17 September 2014)

The government of Kosovo has awarded Hill International a contract to manage construction of the Route 6 highway.

Hill International’s five-and-a-half-year contract for the  Pristina-Hani i Elezit highway has an estimated value to Hill of approximately €7.1m (£5.7m).

The 60km highway has strategic importance for the  Kosovo economy, representing one of two keyconnections with  trans-European corridors. The €600m (£479m) project will  provide a direct connection between Pristina, the capital city of  Kosovo, and Skopje, the capital city of Macedonia, reducing travel  time by more than half.

“The existing Route 6 between Pristina and Macedonia is a rural route  with low capacity, few services and poor security conditions,” said  John Arnold, senior vice president and managing director (Europe)  for Hill’s project management group. “The new Route 6 will  significantly improve travel conditions and positively impact the region’s economy.”

Hundreds of Balkan Jihadists Have Joined ISIS, CIA Says (BIRN, by Dusica Tomovic, 17 September 2014)

The latest CIA report says several hundred jihadists from a number of Balkan countries have joined the extremist group Islamic State in the Middle East.

Bosnia, Kosovo and Albania are the main recruiting grounds in the Balkans for radical Islamists seeking fighters for the wars in Syria and Iraq. In terms of numbers, they come just behind Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, Radio Free Europe, RFE, reported on Tuesday.
Quoting a new CIA report from September, RFE said that more the 40 jihadists from Kosovo and nine from Macedonia had been killed in the fighting so far.
About 30 volunteers from Montenegro are fighting for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, which places the ex-Yugoslav republic in the rank of countries “with a small number of radical fighters”.
According to a graphic map which was presented on the RFE website, only three militants from Serbia are known members of ISIS. However, Serbian media have reported that at least 350 jihadists from mainly Muslim southwest region of Sandzak have left for the wars in the Middle East.
More than 350 fighters come from Bosnia, the RFE analysis said, 150 from Kosovo, 140  from Albania, while 20 volunteers have come from Macedonia.
Referring to the CIA report, but also to data of the French and British governments, RFE said that among the countries leading in terms of the number of Islamist fighters are France, Britain and Jordan, with more than 600 fighters each.
On Tuesday, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said that Serbia supported “the global alliance of the fight against terrorism.” He told the Belgrade-based daily Blic that this global union of forces was also important for the Balkan region, “because there are many jihadists from our region”.
The governments of Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo have all stated their determination to fight Islamic radicalism.
On Monday, a conference was held in Paris to devise a strategy against the Islamic State, bringing together representatives from 30 countries who agreed to offer “adequate military assistance to Iraq in its fight against jihadists,” media reports said.
The CIA has estimated that there are between 20.000 and 31.500 militants of the Islamic state, twice more than it was previously assumed.

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Media summaries are produced for the internal use of the United Nations Office in Belgrade, UNMIK and UNHQ. The contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership.