LOCAL PRESS

Dacic: Belgrade is Europe’s diplomatic capital (Beta)

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said that Belgrade will be the diplomatic capital of Europe during next week’s OSCE Ministerial Council meeting, welcoming over 40 foreign ministers. He says his country has shown itself capable of leading an international organization in a very difficult year. He added that Serbia has shown it can objectively help resolve certain conflicts and that the situation in Ukraine, where the OSCE is the only international organization present, is now much more relaxed than a year ago. The ministerial conference in Belgrade on December 3 and 4 will be the final event of the Serbian chairmanship of the OSCE, and will adopt a number of important declarations, Dacic said, adding that introductory meetings will be starting as early as December 1. “We are especially pleased that in addition to the members of the Troika – the next chairmanship, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Didier Burkhalter of the previous (German and Swiss) – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced their arrival,” Dacic said, adding EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Tornborn Jagland also confirmed their participation. Dacic noted that 115 media outlets and about 500 of their staff have been accredited to cover the conference.  “The OSCE is one of the most complex organizations because it makes decisions by consensus,” said Dacic, adding that the ministerial meeting is one of the most complex international conferences in organizational terms for the host country, since it requires compliance with precise conditions.

Belgrade, Pristina should continue talks (Tanjug)

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said in Zagreb that Belgrade and Pristina should continue negotiations, but in an open and sincere fashion, and that they should also implement the reached agreements. During an extraordinary summit within the Brdo-Brijuni Process, discussions were held in a very friendly tone, he said, noting there were always tensions, as Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga kept insisting on Kosovo being a state, and then he had to state Kosovo’s status precisely. Serbia does not hide behind the decision of any other institution, if the president or prime minister agree on something – Serbia always delivers on that, he said, noting that only one day after signing the SAA, Pristina left it to the Constitutional Court to suspend the part of the Brussels agreement that refers to the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Belgrade requests from EU control of airspace above Kosovo and Metohija (RTS/FoNet)

The Serbian government has submitted an official request to the EU to assume monitoring and management of the control servicing the airspace above Kosovo, after Hungary’s mandate expires, Koha Ditore reports. The request was submitted by the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric in September in Brussels. “A Serbian government official explained the request with Serbia’s rapprochement to the EU, based on the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo in the dialogue in Brussels, and regional cooperation and expertise in the field of airspace,” an international diplomat in Brussels said. In regard to the speculations in the Pristina media, Djuric said in a written statement that the issue of control of the lower layer of the airspace is a status one, which concerns our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while the establishment of an airline is mostly a commercial issue that can be resolved in dialogue. He pointed out that Serbia is interested in renewing flights between Belgrade and Pristina after 16 years, in the interest of both sides and all citizens.

SNS receives 2.500 new members (Novosti)

A public forum was held yesterday in the house of culture in Zubin Potok, where it was stated that 2.500 new members joined the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), including the mayor Stevan Vulovic. The President of the SNS municipal board in Zubin Potok Nemanja Jaksic announced that complete municipal boards of the United Regions of Serbia (URS) and New Serbia (NS), a larger part of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) board and a certain number of supporters of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS). Member of the SNS Presidency Marko Djuric has stated that they gathered in Ibarski Kolasin to welcome 2.500 new members of the largest political family in Kosovo and Metohija.

Cultural monuments in Kosovo and Metohija in Serbia’s tourist offer (RTS)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija, in cooperation with the National Association of Tourist Agencies – “Juta”, plans to include the cultural monuments in Kosovo and Metohija in Serbia’s tourist offer. “Juta” Director Aleksandar Senicic tells Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) that the Office for Kosovo and Metohija has submitted this initiative to “Juta” as the representative association of tourist agencies. “We decided to organize at the beginning of next year one inspection tour first for representatives of tourist agencies and media. First we need to establish the state of tourist capacities and potentials in Kosovo and Metohija,” explains Senicic. He says the main goal is to include the heritage in Kosovo and Metohija in this offer, not only for the local market, but also for the foreign market and guests who are coming in increasing numbers, adding it is important to assess accommodation facilities in Kosovo and Metohija. The safety of tourists is one of the issues that remain open for the time being, notes Senicic, recalling that tourists who are presently visiting Kosovo and Metohija with the help of officials institutions in northern Kosovo have received escort to visit most important Serbian sanctities.

Serbian citizen arrested on suspicion of terrorism (Politika)

On suspicion of being associated with terrorism, Serbian citizen Elma Gusinac (21) was arrested yesterday in Kalesia, B&H, together with her husband who was soon released, the Serbian Interior Ministry confirmed for Politika. However, the Serbian Interior Ministry did not order the arrest as it was published yesterday on portals, but at issue is exchange of information. The Serbian citizen was apprehended by members of the Investigation and Protection Agency. “The arrest of the Serbian citizen in B&H, suspected of terrorism, is precisely a result of joint activities of the institutions of the Republika Srpska (RS), B&H, Serbia and countries in the region,” said Milanko Mihajlica, the Chairman of the RS Committee for Security, at a press conference following the meeting with the Serbian parliamentary Committee for Security and Internal Affairs in Belgrade, Tanjug reported. Politika unofficially learns that Elma Gusinac, who resided in Bosnjacka mahala in Kosovska Mitrovica before marriage, had been known not only to the Kosovo police, but also to EULEX, who associated her with smuggling in arms, intended for the Albanians south of the Ibar River. The Kosovo police confirmed that Elma Gusinac was known to the police, but didn’t wish to give any more details regarding her.

Security officers watching 20 people on suspicion of terrorism (Politika)

Around 70 people from the Raska-Polimska region took part in the fighting on the side of the Islamic State, ten of whom are under constant surveillance of intelligence-security services. For the time being, there are no indications that they are recruiting, preparing or planning terrorist activities in Serbia, the Chairman of the Serbian parliamentary Committee for Control of Security Services Momir Stojanovic claims for Politika. There are also 608 members of the Wahhabi movement in our state, some ten of whom are under the attention of intelligence-security services, over certain links with the followers of radical Islam and their offsets from the position of Islamic fundamentalism, explains Stojanovic. Commenting the statement by the RS President Milorad Dodik that there are 3.400 “sleepers” of the Islamic State in B&H, Stojanovic thinks that, unlike Serbia, the situation in the Federation B&H is “more complicated”. “In B&H there are members of terrorist organizations who fought in the ranks of the B&H Army at the beginning of the 90s. With a wrong policy of the then leadership, a certain number of them received B&H citizenship and reside in places around Maglaj, where there is a big concentration of members of the Wahhabi movement,” assesses Stojanovic. “Unfortunately, when it comes to the Federation B&H, over their fragile and corruptive institutions, cooperation is very difficult, since an analysis of staff working in security services has not been done in the B&H security sector. Because of this, there is a dose of caution of our services when activities with the intelligence-security structures in B&H are being exchanged and planned,” assesses Stojanovic. On the other side, when it comes to terrorism, cooperation with the Montenegrin security services is correct, assesses Politika’s interlocutor. Yet, it is not so when it comes to the battle against organized crime, he stresses. When it comes to other states, including leading EU states and the U.S., Stojanovic assures that cooperation of security services is “very good” and that they exchange daily information, knowledge and data on the activities of holders of radical Islam.

REGIONAL PRESS

Covic, Izetbegovic: B&H to take care of its security by itself (Nezavisne)

Following the extraordinary high-level meeting of the presidential process Brdo-Brijuni in Zagreb, the Chairman and member of the B&H Presidency, Dragan Covic and Bakir Izetbegovic respectively, stated that the security situation in B&H is under the supervision of state institutions and that there is no need nor they would allow any supervision from the outside. Covic said that B&H today is a stable partner in the battle against terrorism, and that it will strive to further strengthen that cooperation. “We must autonomously act in B&H, but also train our agencies and institutions, security, judicial and police, to be on the level of the task. What is certain is that no one from the outside will supervise the process in B&H,” Covic said. He defined the security situation in B&H as complex, difficult and challenging, just as in the rest of the world. Izetbegovic said that the claim that Croatia supervises the situation in B&H upon the order by the U.S. administration is not serious and meaningless. “B&H will take care of its security by itself,” Izetbegovic said. Speaking of the meeting of presidential process Brdo-Brijuni in Zagreb and the signed agreement between the participants, Covic expressed hope that this process will not “cool off” in time or become neglected, as some other agreements signed so far, such as the Stabilization and Association Agreement. Izetbegovic assessed the meeting as of good quality and stated that the gathered political actors can achieve reconciliation and cooperation in the region the best.

Nizam: Elma Djusinac in immigration center, investigation underway (Patria)

Members of the B&H State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) arrested in Kalesia Elma Djusinac, who can be linked to terrorism and who can pose a possible threat. Along with SIPA, the B&H Prosecution and the Service for Affairs with Foreigners were also included in entire operation. As Izet Nizam, the acting director of the Service for Affairs with Foreigners, confirmed, Djusinac has been taken over and accommodated in the Immigration center. Together with Elma, her husband Enes Mesic was also arrested. He had been arrested in the past as member of the Bilal Bosnic in the “Damask” operation. Nizam could not and did not want to confirm the media reports that Mesic is now used as a kind of bait in order to reach Elma who poses a threat to B&H’s security. “I cannot state this. Everything that we learn from the investigation I will share with the public when the time comes for that,” said Nizam.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

President Xi meets Serbian PM on ties (Xinhua, 26 November 2015)

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping met Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday, calling for more industrial cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

The meeting came just two days after a high-level economic and trade forum between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries held in east China’s Suzhou City. The two countries signed a memorandum on Thursday to promote the connectivity-based Belt and Road Initiative. China expects to deepen bilateral strategic partnership and integrate China’s Belt and Road Initiative with Serbian Re-industrialization Strategy by promoting key cooperation projects in energy, finance, telecommunication and agriculture, Xi pointed out. The two countries should also enhance people-to-people exchanges and expand cultural, educational and tourism cooperation to consolidate the foundation of bilateral friendship, Xi said. China is willing to work with Serbia to contribute to the development of Sino-Europe ties and expects Serbia to play a leading role in the framework of China-CEE cooperation, or the “16+1” mechanism, to improve bilateral relations and sub-regional cooperation. Xi added. Hailing China as a sincere friend to Serbia and the most reliable partner, Vucic voiced appreciation over China’s continuous support. Serbia is willing to enhance economic and cultural exchanges with China and speed up key cooperation projects in infrastructure, industrial capacity and industrial parks, Vucic added.

Anti-Schengen Clamour Holds Dangers for Balkans (BIRN, by Marcus Tanner, 26 November 2015)

Growing calls to scrap a border-free Europe – in the wake of the Paris attacks – are a real threat to stability in the Western Balkans.

Much more than other terrorist attacks, such as the 2005 bombings in London and the January attacks in Paris on Charlie Hebdo magazine, the November 13 attacks in the French capital are set to change not only the discourse but the rules in Europe. The German-Swedish policy of placing no limit on the number of Syrian refugees is one likely casualty – Sweden is already rowing back on its earlier generosity. Another possible casualty – of greater importance to Western Balkan countries – are the Schengen arrangements. Twenty years old in practice this year, or 30 if dated back to the signing of the agreement, Schengen probably offers more tangible, visible benefits to ordinary people in the Balkans than any other aspect of the entire European integration project. Governments in the Balkans may be more interested in the economic aspects of European integration in terms of trade, investment and infrastructure. But for people lower down the ladder, freedom to cross the continent without visas is the big USP, the unique selling point. For them, that’s what “Europe” is about. Now the dream of a borderless Europe is under attack as never before, especially following revelations that the ringleader of the Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, travelled into and through the EU twice this year. It is not just influential commentators who are sounding off about the pitfalls of the Schengen arrangements, although plenty of them are indeed calling for it to go. Writing in the New York Times, Ronald Noble, former boss of Interpol, called the Schengen system “a welcome sign” for terrorists. More worryingly for Schengen’s defenders, politicians in important EU states are joining this chorus. This is not just a matter of the usual right-wing suspects like France’s Marine Le Pen, who – predictably in the wake of the Paris attacks  – called the Schengen system “madness”. Some mainstream politicians are saying the same thing. Horst Seehofer, head of the Christian Social Union, CSU, one of the governing parties in Germany, has demanded the restoration of strong controls over national borders. Markus Söder, Bavaria’s Finance Minister, also from the CSU, agrees. “Paris changes everything,” he said. For now, European leaders, starting with European Commission president Jean Claud-Juncker, are holding the line. The meeting of EU Justice and Interior ministers on November 20, called on the request of France, saw consensus only on toughening the EU’s external border through more systematic checks and intelligence-sharing. None of this is controversial, or a vital threat to the interests of citizens of the Western Balkans, all of whom  – bar the unlucky inhabitants of Kosovo – have been able to travel without visas into the Schengen zone for about five years. The Schengen arrangements also allow for some flexibility. The 26 Schengen member states – 22 in the EU and four outside – may already reinstate border controls temporarily, a right that France has now accessed on an indefinite basis. The question is whether this kind of fudge – whereby some countries suspend the Schengen system “temporarily” while the arrangement survives in theory – is enough. For now, the answer is, probably. But if another major terrorist attack rocks Europe in the near future – and if the crime is linked to bombers crossing national borders without checks, the strain could prove unbearable. A halt to the Schengen system would be a disaster for the Balkan countries, millions of whose citizens have made use of the freedom to travel, study and work, sometimes illegally. It has been a major reliever of social and economic tension and instability in all the countries concerned, even if it has also contributed to the brain-drain phenomenon. For Kosovo, it would be especially galling. The Cinderella of the Balkans has been waiting patiently for an invite to join the visa-free arrangement with Europe ever since it received a “road map” in 2012. The risk is growing that – by the time Kosovo is deemed worthy of accessing the benefits of the system – it could no longer exist.