LOCAL PRESS

EU: No consensus to open chapters 23 and 24 with Serbia (RTS, Tanjug)

Consensus was not reached on Thursday in Brussels to open chapters 23 and 24 in Serbia’s EU accession negotiations. Sources from the Council of the European Union confirmed this for Tanjug. “There is still no agreement. This issue will now have to be dealt with by the Slovak presidency of the EU,” an EU official told the agency. Serbian minister without portfolio in charge of EU integration Jadranka Joksimovic is in Brussels this Thursday, and is expected to address the media later in the day. Unofficially, the lack of consensus on the eve of today’s meeting of COREPER (the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union) was “not a surprise” to Serbia. The Netherlands had hoped to open these chapters during its presidency of the EU, which ends on Thursday, but consensus of all member states has not been reached, a representative of the Dutch presidency told Serbian state broadcaster RTS. EU ambassadors will, however, discuss chapters 23 and 24, as they meet today – but will only be able to conclude that due to Croatia’s opposition, the intergovernmental conference where the chapters would have been opened will not be held today, despite earlier announcements.

Dacic: EU decision “shocking, disgraceful, humiliating” (Tanjug)

Ivica Dacic is “shocked” by the EU failing to open two chapters in negotiations with Serbia, while at the same time opening chapters with Turkey and Montenegro. “Such a decision is disgraceful, incomprehensible, and humiliating for Serbia, it is the result of the intention to stop or slow down Serbia’s European path,” the foreign minister in Serbia’s caretaker government said, and added: “It represents open political pressure on Serbia to give up on the clear policy to protect its state interests.”  According to Dacic, Serbia has fulfilled all the requirements set before it in the process of EU accession negotiations. “Serbia is the key to regional stability and is making great efforts in reforms that will create a modern European country – so the EU should put an end to its tragi-comical explanations about us being blocked by Croatia and Great Britain,” Dacic said, and added: “No, we are being blocked by the EU, because nobody can persuade me that the whole of the EU is not more influential than Croatia. Anyway, if Croatia – as a country that has committed genocide against Serbs in the Ustasha fascist NDH (Independent State of Croatia), and where the fascist salute still rings out – is to represent a yardstick for joining the EU, then the question of whether we are going in the right direction is being asked rightfully.” The minister added that EU’s decision was “unacceptable to Serbia” and that he will suggest to PM-designate Aleksandar Vucic to hold urgent consultations on the country’s further foreign policy moves, ahead of the July 4 Paris Summit.

Brexit to cause “some delay” for EU hopefuls in W. Balkans (Tanjug)

The Western Balkans will face a certain delay in the EU accession process post-Brexit, says Regional Cooperation Council Secretary General Goran Svilanovic. The reason is that “a number of institutions that would have dealt with it will now have to deal with other matters,” he explained. “That is the reality,” Svilanovic told a Tanjug reporter when asked to comment on the consequences of the UK’s departure from the EU and whether Western Balkan countries could jointly mitigate the fallout from the British EU referendum. It will take some time to see how the referendum decision will be implemented within British society, Svilanovic said. “My impression is that both the UK and the EU have emerged smaller from the referendum and that, for this reason, implementing the decision within British society, as well as between British society and the EU, will require a lengthy process,” Svilanovic said in Sarajevo. Svilanovic announced that the RCC would in September or October invite ministers from Western Balkan countries to Brussels to formulate a clear appeal to EU partners about the need to continue the accession process.

Djuric and new EULEX chief on mission’s goals in Kosovo (Beta)

The director of the Government’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djuric, had talks on June 29 with the newly appointed acting chief of EULEX, Bernd Thran, about the goals of this mission in the forthcoming two-year mandate. According to the statement from the Office, Djuric said during the talks that the work of EULEX was “crucially important” for Serbia and the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. “We believe that only in full capacity can EULEX be the guarantor of security for the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, especially in the current situation with numerous problems regarding the Serbs’ rights in view of property and personal safety,” Djuric said. He expressed concern because of, in his words, how the Serbs are being treated by the judiciary of Kosovo and Metohija, adding that an additional effort was needed in order to provide the Serbian people with legal security. The director of the Office singled out the case of the Civic Initiative Freedom Democracy Justice, Oliver Ivanovic, and of the four Serbs, who are still in custody after being arrested recently near Pec and, as a chronic problem, mentioned the Serbs’ inability to protect their property before the judiciary in Kosovo and Metohija.

Croatia building fence on border with Serbia – reports (B92)

Traffic the Bezdan-Batina border crossing between Serbia and Croatia has been suspended on the Croatian side on Wednesday evening and overnight. According to Croatia’s Jutarnji List daily, the reason is a fence Croatia is building on the border. The newspaper quoted the police in the Osijek-Baranja region as confirming that works to build the fence that started last night resumed on Thursday. The reason behind the sudden decision to build a border fence were not address in the police statement, the daily added. This is the first time that Croatia is building a fence on one of its borders with neighboring countries. Croatia’s state broadcaster HRT said there was “a sizable group of refugees” near the crossing, on the Serbian side, and that this was “the real reason for the closing of the border.” Reportedly 700 refugees arrived in the town of Sombor in northern Serbia – and the border has been closed as a precaution. The Croatian Auto-Club (HAK), however, said the border was closed due to works being carried out on the DC 212 bridge. Traffic was suspended on both sides of the Batina border crossing on Wednesday, starting a little after 20:00 CET, with no announcement and no explanation. This resulted in a huge traffic jam, while increased presence of the riot police was also spotted at the border.

Vucic’s close associates asking for “cessation of communication” with “ill-intended” Bosniak politicians (VIP)

As one more anniversary of the massacre in Srebrenica is approaching, where around 8,000 Bosniaks were killed in July 1995, tensions between Belgrade and Sarajevo are again raised as much as they have been every year. After the organizing committee for commemoration in Srebrenica announced that arrival of the Serbian delegation to the gathering was unwelcome this time, and after the mayor of Srebrenica made a statement implying that Serbia tried to redeem for the crime committed by the army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Serbs with money, some of the close associates of the prime minister designate Aleksandar Vucic told him on Wednesday that Serbia should “stop the communication” with the “ill-intended” Bosniak politicians. Last year, Vucic attended the commemoration and he was then pelt by stones and other items and had to leave the memorial service. Investigation about the incident has not been finalized to date and it remains unknown who was behind the attack that caused great tensions between Belgrade and Sarajevo last summer. Vucic’s associates even described the attack as an “attempted murder”. Serbian officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs in the technical government Ivica Dacic, already criticized on Monday the mayor of Srebrenica Camil Durakovic for his statement that “individuals and representatives of the institutions that denied the genocide” were unwelcome at the memorial service. Durakovic also said at the time that he was not referring to Serbia and its officials, but “it is not our problem that the state of Serbia found itself in it”.

Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bakir Izetbegovic said on Tuesday he would never say that the state leadership of Serbia was unwelcome at the commemoration in Potocari. “If Durakovic asked me, I would not have said that the state leadership of Serbia is unwelcome, but this is the decision made by the organizing committee”, Izetbegovic said. But after Belgrade learned on Wednesday about Durakovic’s new provocative statements given to Banja Luka-based Nezavisne novine – that “he hoped Vucic did not think that the donation (given by Serbia to Srebrenica at the investment conference last autumn) would subscribe them to enter the Memorial Center” in the village of Potocari where the commemoration is held in July each year – new and even sharper statements of the people from Vucic’s circle followed.

Durakovic said that “Srebrenica and all its citizens, both Serbs and Bosniaks, received a donation from Serbia. A health-care center and kindergarten, who received part of the donation, are not institutions of only one nation. If you have a closer look at the infrastructural investments, you will see that the majority of them have been implemented in the villages with the Serbian population”, he said therefore, “statements of the Serbian officials, apparently convinced that the Bosniaks are ready to sell the truth of the genocide for five million EUR, are offensive. To be perfectly clear, not five, not 50, not 500 million EUR would change our stance. Some things are simply not for sale”, Durakovic said. “Help to the citizens of Srebrenica, help intended for both Serbs and Bosniaks, is not purchase of the rights to deny the genocide. I am confident that the Serbian politicians agree with my stand and that they have no intention whatsoever to deprive their compatriots of a bridge, roads or a new kindergarten”, he said. S

Belgrade Reaction:

Sarajevo conducts „policy of war and conflict“, said SNS vice president: Although Vucic himself didn’t speak about this on Wednesday, Durakovic’s words provoked angry reactions of some of his highly trusted people. Given that their obedience to Vucic is absolute, however, it is reasonable to assume that what Durakovic said angered him as well, so their tirades served only to channel that discontent. That is the many times tested Vucic’s tactic in similar situations: first he lets his associates respond harshly to controversial statements or actions of officials from some of the countries in the region, so that he could appear in the public as more conciliatory and play the role he intended for himself ‒ that of a politician who contributes to calming of tensions in the region.

On Wednesday, that task was taken by one of the new vice presidents of Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Marko Djuric, who asked from Vucic to immediately “cut all communication with the Bosniak politicians who do not want peace and cooperation with Serbia”. In particular, this communication was meant to be interrupted with Durakovic, but also with the chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bakir Izetbegovic, since there are grounds to believe that the official Sarajevo was behind “the chauvinist rampage” of the head of Srebrenica municipality, said Djuric. “We cannot stand silent and watch how Sarajevo tramples and humiliates not only the interests of Serbia, but of the entire Serbian nation, literally tramples and humiliates the Serbian people in Republika Srpska. Of course that the official Sarajevo is doing that intentionally and that no one else but Izetbegovic and his entourage are behind that, who are not capable of conducting any king of policy but the one of war and conflict”, said Djuric, who still serves as head of the Government’s Office for Kosovo. “With people such as Izetbegovic, such as Durakovic, there is no and can be no dialogue”, he said, announcing that he would even request an urgent session of the SNS Presidency. “I think that as a party we should not remain silent at this humiliation of the Serbian people and Serbia, and even less participate in it. We have no right to participate in that, and therefore it is necessary to stop this practice and act in an appropriate and adequate way”, said Djuric.

Soon it turned out that Djuric’s tirade was not a single case, because the choir got joined by Bratislav Gasic, former defense minister, whom Vucic dismissed after a long hesitation under the pressure of the public over a sexist scandal, and outgoing minister of labor, employment, veteran and social policy Aleksandar Vulin. Gasic said that Bosniak officials “are using the leniency and fairness of the Serbian prime minister, trying again, after a year, to make another kind of an attack on Vucic and Serbia”. However, Serbia “will never be the dowry in which Sarajevo and Ankara [sic] can implement their ideas, as they used to in the past”, he said, in support of Djuric’s proposal to “cut communication”.

Vulin, known for his servile attitude towards Vucic, said that Bosniak politicians did not appreciate or understand his “sacrifice and strength”. “Just as (last July) he didn’t bend his head under the stones and before the mob, Vucic should not remain silent when Durakovic is offending him and Serbia. It is time to respond to them”, he said.“Vucic has put up with insults at his expense and refused to present himself as a martyr, just as he put up with the blows and stones without a word and whining, but he must not and cannot put up with attacks and insults against Serbia”, said Vulin. By the end of the day Dacic also commented on the issue, repeating the same accusations as others. Durakovic should respond “who and why tried to assassinate Vucic in Srebrenica,” instead of criticizing him and the Serbian government for the donation sent to the municipality of Srebrenica, he said in a written statement. “The entire world welcomed these decisions of Serbia and the Serbian Prime Minister Vucic, except for those who would like to continue with the war-mongering rhetoric,” Dacic said. In the midst of these seethed statements, from Sarajevo on Wednesday came Izetbegovic’s statement that he hoped that President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic would pay a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina this fall. “We will see when he will find the time for that. I invited him recently and he was to come last spring, some dates were already arranged, but then pre-term elections happened in Serbia and he didn’t leave the country. All the power was on him and he did not leave the country because the government was dissolved, so that will likely happen this fall”, said Izetbegovic.

DS accuses Vucic of deliberately stalling setting up of the Government (VIP)

Prime Minister designate Aleksandar Vucic is deliberately stalling the setting up of a new government in order to slash the price of its coalition partners, but also to “outside the law, perform tasks like in full mandate,” the opposition Democratic Party (DS) assessed on Wednesday. “It is legitimate the prime minister designate to manipulate the date of the setting up of the government and to lower the price of its coalition partners. It is quite another thing when, in order to achieve this, the prime minister designate violates the laws, performs tasks and makes decisions which he is not entitled to, and when he treats the setting up of the government as a mere formality,” the DS release reads. The party recalls that it has been almost a month since the DS senior official Dragoljub Micunovic, who temporarily performed the duty of the speaker at the constitutive session of the parliament – who was accused by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of “inciting a coup” only because he interrupted the session in the late evening in order to prevent it to last infinitely into the night. The SNS and its allies tried to present that move as a usurpation of the office by Micunovic. “After much haste, urgency and the necessity to work as fast as possible, now it turns out that the coalition that won an absolute majority is not yet capable to set up a government. That, however, does not bother the outgoing prime minister to work outside the law as if the elections had not taken place at all, as if the government had been set up and as if he had a full mandate,” the DS said. Later on Wednesday, the SNS replied to the DS that there was no reason to worry about the setting up of the new Serbian government, because it certainly would not be a part of it. “As for the future coalition partners, they will be only those who wish well to Serbia and its citizens, and the DS has shown that, in addition to theft, blackmail and lies, has nothing to offer, because of which the people punished them in the elections,” the SNS said in a release. Vucic originally announced that the new government would be set up one month after the elections on 24 April at the latest, then he moved the deadline up to the arrival of the Chinese President on June 16, and then to July 3 and his departure to Paris. At the beginning of the week he suggested that this deadline could be breached too, and that Serbia should get the new government before the arrival of the delegation of the International Monetary Fund on August 17. The government should be set up within 90 days after the constitution of the parliament, that is, until the first week of September.

“Protests meant to destabilize Balkans” – Russian official (Tanjug)

The United Russia General Council deputy secretary has said that it is “well known who and how is initiating ‘non-violent protests’ in the former Yugoslavia.” Sergei Zheleznyak, who also serves as deputy chair of the State Duma, said that such protests have also happened in Ukraine and in many other countries, “and it is known what tragic consequences they have had.”

“It is obvious that the current series of protests in Belgrade under the symbol of a yellow duck, where representatives of the U.S. State Department took part as ‘observers,’ – along with the protests in Banja Luka and Macedonia – have unambiguous characteristics of operations carried out by external forces in order to destabilize the situation in the Balkans,” he stressed. A large rubber duck is the symbol of the protests held in Belgrade over the demolition in Savamala – four have been held so far, attracting thousands of citizens. United Russia, Russia’s ruling party, earlier this week signed a political declaration with the DSS and the Dveri Movement, while Zheleznyak later held consultations with representatives of these parties. The Russia Beyond the Headlines website in Serbian reported that they discussed “the danger of spreading ‘orange technologies,’ the so-called ‘non-violent regime changes’ in the former Yugoslavia, whose aim is to destabilize the socio-political situation in Serbia, the Serb Republic and Macedonia.”

As the Russian politician said, United Russia expresses its resolute protest over such methods that involve violent scenarios of events. “Our country and our party have extensive experience in successfully fighting similar attempts to interfere in our internal affairs. In 2012 in Russia a series of laws was adopted which stipulates a special regime of separation of the activities of those NGOs engaged in political activities, for money they received from abroad,” he said. According to Zheleznyak, “a consolidation of all healthy social forces is urgently needed, on the basis of ideas and values that unite the nation and distance it from the attempts to impose unacceptable outside solutions.”

“Serbia is justifiably proud of its past and its historical values. St. Vitus’ Day (Vidovdan) is a holiday which has a special significance in Serbian history. Serbian knights led by Holy Tsar Lazar of Kosovo died heroically in Kosovo Polje in 1389 in order to create a heavenly Serbia, which has for six centuries been the symbol of Serbian spiritual strength and courage. I congratulate all our Orthodox brethren in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and everywhere where this spiritual feast is marked, the most important one for the Serbian people,” said the Russian official.

100,598 Migrants discovered in Serbia in five months (Politika)

In the first five months this year, the total of 100.598 illegal migrants were found in Serbia, nearly three and a half times more as compared to the same period last year, when the police found 29,514 refugees, prove data of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which are reported by Politika on Thursday. However, although much larger number of migrants was discovered, fewer criminal reports were filed in the first five months this year as compared to the same period last year. From 1 January to 31 May this year, MUP filed 30 criminal reports against 207 perpetrators due to the illegal crossing of the state border and smuggling of the people. In the same period last year, the police filed 312 criminal charges against 501 perpetrators for the same offense, the data show.

Refugee center in the center of Belgrade about to be closed (Tanjug)

Belgrade distribution center for help to refugees from the Middle East, known as Miksaliste, in the Belgrade neighborhood Savamala, will suspend its work indefinitely on Friday, due to the lack of conditions for normal work of the institution. As the statement reads, a large influx of refugees in the last weeks, amounting to five hundred people a day, exceeds the possibilities and capacities of the center, which has been logistically and financially kept alive for several months already only thanks to the resources of the parent cultural institution Mikser that “cannot tolerate financial and security risks anymore”. “Additional and perhaps even more important problem is lack of solidarity and very clearly expressed dissatisfaction of residents and owners of the business premises around Miksaliste by such great fluctuation of people, which makes work more difficult”, it was added. Mikser said they would turn for help to the Commissioner for Refugees of Serbia, UNHCR, the city of Belgrade and others, in order to jointly build a functional and well-coordinated system of help, regardless of the existence and hard work of the official refugee center in Krnjaca. Miksaliste as a humanitarian center was formed spontaneously – as a civil response to the last year’s refugee crisis in whose work a large number of humanitarian organizations is involved. In one year of existence, over 130,000 refugees received a direct assistance in food, clothes, footwear, medical checkups and education. Over 1,200 volunteers have passed through this center.

REGIONAL PRESS

The Official Census Results published (Radio Sarajevo)

The final data of the population census that were released today showed that in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) lives: 50.11 % of Bosniaks, 30.78 % of Serbs and 15.43 % of Croats.

When it comes to ethnic structure of population in B&H, there is 50.11 % of Bosniaks, which is by 7 % more than according to the census from 1991. There is 30.78 % of Serbs, which is by 1 % less in comparison to the census from 1991. According to the census results, in B&H is 15.43 % of Croats, which is by 2 % less compared to the census from 1991.

Percentage of population that hasn’t declared on the national basis is 0.7 %.

In the Federation of B&H live 74 % of Bosniaks, 22.4 % of Croats and 3.60 % of Serbs.

In Republika Srpska live 81.51 % of Serbs, 2.41 % of Croats and 13. 99 % of Bosniaks.

In Brcko District  lives 42.36 % of Bosniaks, 20.66 % of Croats and 34.58 % of Serbs.

At today’s presentation of the census results from 2013 were also presented data on religious affiliation. In B&H live 50.7 % of the people who belong to Islam, 30.75 % of people who belong to the Orthodox faith and 15.19 % of people who belong to the Catholic faith. The largest city is Sarajevo with 275 524 citizens in four municipalities. Next is Banja Luka with 185,042 citizens, then Tuzla with 110,979 citizens, Zenica with 110 663 citizens, Bijeljina with 107 715 citizens and Mostar with 105,977 citizens. From the total number of citizens, 59.4 % are women and 49.06 % are men.

Census results useless and fake (Srna)

Deputy Director of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Statistics Agency, Miljan Popic, has stressed that the B&H population census results are fake and statistically useless, and that in this case, the profession has fallen on its knees under the pressure of the politics. Popic has stressed in his statement to Srna that the presentation of some sort of census data, which were feigned and are in contradiction with the Law on Census, especially in a way as it has been decided, will create a serious legal precedent for the Agency for Statistics of B&H and permanently damage its position and reputation among statistical institutions within B&H, as well as other partner institutions at the international level. “Where such type of behavior is leading us to and what message we are sending to both internally, within B&H, and internationally, sufficiently shows the fact that the presentation of such census results will not happen in the highest legislative home, where the Law on Census was passed and all these activities started more than three years ago, in the Parliamen, but in a hotel conference room,” stated Popic. He has reminded that the publication and presentation of the census results should be a solemn act of state to be published in the highest legislative home, not in a hotel conference room. “More than BAM 35 million was invested in the census related activities by all levels of government, namely, Republika Srpska has invested more than BAM 10 million, several hundred persons were working more than four years on the preparation, implementation and processing of census results and now, we have been put into this situation of law non-compliance and legal uncertainty,” he explained in a statement to Srna. According to him, it is evident that the census data published in such way will not be recognized within the statistical institutions in B&H that organized and conducted the census, therefore it is clear that such results cannot be recognized internationally, too. “Through this kind of data processing of census materials we will obtain an illegal and incorrect census data which will be useful for us, neither be a reference for regular planning within B&H or EU integrations,” concluded Miljan Popic, the deputy director of the B&H Agency for Statistics.

Cormack, Wigemark: Without SAA adaptation there is no guarantee that B&H can move to next stage of EU accession (TV1)

US Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Maureen Cormack and Head of the EU Delegation (EUD) and the EU Special Representative (EUSR) to B&H Lars-Gunnar Wigemark met in Sarajevo on Wednesday to review the outstanding issues which are – as they said – “of huge importance for the future of B&H at this critical moment.” On this occasion they issued the following joint statement which reads: “The events over the next few days are likely to have a profound effect on the prosperity and security of the country through the next decade. Specifically, the window to secure a positive response soon to B&H’s application for membership in the EU is closing fast. B&H will need to accept the adaptation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) that has been negotiated recently between B&H and the EU. Without this adaptation – which will bring benefit to B&H citizens – there is no guarantee that B&H can move to the next stage of the EU accession. And without this important step towards Europe, there will be further delays in the crucial investment that will encourage B&H’s future prosperity. B&H authorities also need to approve the final version of the Coordination Mechanism as soon as possible. There is simply no time left if the benefits of the Reform Agenda and support from the international community are going to yield results. The future of B&H depends upon it.”

Izetbegovic: Dangerous game leads B&H to new conflict (Nezavisne novine)

“The EU has its problems after Brexit, some other forces from East are getting stronger and all these things make me concerned. I am afraid that one dangerous game is being played which can lead us again in conflicts both in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and the Balkans. These attacks on returnees, complete relation of Banja Luka towards other sides is concerning for me,” said Chair of B&H Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic. He said that considering the political situation he does not expect EU Foreign Affairs Council to give positive response for B&H regarding the accepting of membership application and questionnaire, at its session mid-July. “At the moment, we will not receive it unless something changes regarding SAA and Coordination Mechanism,” said Izetbegovic.

Gratitude to UN for good cooperation (Srna)

During today’s meeting with Resident Coordinator of the UN agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), Sezin Sinanoglu, Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik has expressed satisfaction and thanked the UN for the good cooperation and the implementation of many joint projects in RS. The possibility of cooperation in the development and promotion of the Sutjeska National Park was a subject to discuss at the meeting in Banja Luka. Interlocutors have agreed that the good cooperation between the RS institutions and UNDP should continue, announced the RS President’s Office.

Oreskovic says new parties and new ideas healthy for every democracy (Hina)

Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic said on Wednesday that it was healthy for every democracy to have new parties and new ideas on the scene, saying that at a meeting in Brussels he had asked his Slovenian counterpart Miro Cerar how he formed a new party. Oreskovic said this when asked if the time was right to form a grand coalition between the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), allegedly advocated by international institutions. “I would like to know which institutions and agencies are advocating this grand coalition. I believe these are local interests. I remember my first day in parliament, those 13 hours during which the topics were unfortunately the Ustasha, communists and partisans. If the SDP and the HDZ could somehow reach an agreement I would applaud them. I would also like to add that during my visit to Brussels I met with Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar and when I asked him how he formed a new party the message was clear — those who were already left or right of the center were nothing new so he decided to form a new party. I believe that it is healthy for every democracy to have new parties and ideas on the scene,” Oreskovic told RTL television. Speaking of his own future on the political scene and speculation that he might join the Bridge slate of independent deputies, Oreskovic said he had not yet made a decision and was still considering his options. “Everything will be clear in due time. All options are still on the table,” he added.

Montenegro sent a letter of protest to Kosovo (CDM)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and EU integration sent a letter of protest to Kosovo due to actions of Kosovo citizens who set the flag of Albania and tables noting Kosovo border on Montenegro’s territory. The flag and tables were removed yesterday by Montenegrin Ministry of Internal Affairs, and MVPEI was notified. “This act threatens very good relationship between Montenegro and Kosovo. We expect Kosovo to take measures to prevent similar activities in the future, because they violate the Agreement signed in Vienna in 2015. Montenegro has ratified this Agreement in its Parliament”, they said in MVPEI. The flag and tables were set by representatives of Samopredeljenje, saying this was the way to voice their disagreement with gifting Kosovo’s land to Montenegro based on an agreement that has been a matter of discussion between the leadership and the opposition for months.

Montenegrin success in EU integration incentive for the whole region (RTCG)

Expansion is important for EU’s credibility and Western Balkan in general, and Montenegro’s success on that road is a powerful incentive for the other countries in the region, said State Secretary for EU integration Aleksandar Andrija Pejovic, Charles Tannock, a representative in EU Parliament and Petra Kammerevert, also an EU representative. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and EU integration stated that constructive conversations were an opportunity to summarize achieved results and exchange opinions on further goals. Pejovic introduced his interlocutors to current activities in the negotiations and conveyed the determination of Montenegro’s Government to continue with reforms in all areas, especially rule of law, economic development and administrative capacities. Pejovic said that Montenegro is determined to accomplish firl rule of law, and there are already results in fights against corruption and organized criminal. He said that we are aware we have a lot more to do, but we are certain that we are on the right road. He said that the fact that tomorrow’s opening of two more chapters demonstrates EU’s dedication to further expansion. EU representatives said that they are proud of Montenegro’s success in reforms. Tannock, who himself was against Brexit, welcome reforms and results, saying they are a sign of democratic maturity of Montenegrin society. He said that EU Parliament will continue to support and follow Montenegro’s integration. He said that integration of Western Balkan is key for stability and prosperity of our region.

Gruevski: I informed EPP’s leader for ongoing processes in Macedonia (MIA)

President of the ruling party VMRO-DPMNE, Nikola Gruevski, has completed a two-day working visit to Brussels, where he held a large number of important meetings with senior European Union representatives of which the most important were those with the EU enlargement negotiations Johannes Hahn and the President of the European People’s Party, Joseph Daul. Gruevski and Hahn had an open discussion in which according to Gruevski they covered all the issues affecting the country. Gruevski also met with MEPs McAllister, Rubig, Neibler, Vajgl and in the afternoon with the head of the largest political party in the European Parliament, Joseph Daul, and the President of the third political force in Europe, the European Conservatives and Reformists – Jan Zahradil. “With Mr. Joseph Daul, a Chairman of the largest political party in Europe and the EU, which includes the VMRO-DPMNE, we had a very open, honest communication and conversation. The meeting discussed all the important things related to Macedonia towards the reforms that should be made in the future and what we do and are willing to work. Of course, we exchanged information associated with the current processes in Macedonia, the political crisis and ways to overcome it and above all, this placed in the context of the further steps of Macedonia towards the negotiations for full-fledged EU membership”, Gruevski said. At the end of the second day of his visit to the European capital, the VMRO-DPMNE leader summed up his impressions of his visit which, according to the high level of interlocutors showed that the European Union still considers Nikola Gruevski as an important role for the Macedonian Euro-Atlantic future. “I can say that generally this meeting, as the rest I had yesterday and today in Brussels were very helpful. First, many rumors and misconceptions that we heard about in the past were cleared and received counter-arguments. Second, we conveyed lots of interesting information from Macedonia, many things that we are working on and we are making efforts to improve, many reforms that have been made and which are currently being made. All in all, to be here is very useful and interesting experience, to meet so many interlocutors, to inform them and to receive their, which sometimes are even inaccurate. It was interesting to debate them and to give the maximum to reduce the damage that the opposition has made in the last period in the Republic of Macedonia”, Gruevski said.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Adaptation of SAA is one of B&H’s obligations towards EU (Al Jazeera)

Al Jazeera reported that one of the obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) on its EU path is adaptation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). To remind, negotiation teams ended their part of the job, B&H Council of Ministers has accepted the SAA but the RS said that the document is unacceptable. Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik said that the SAA may damage agricultural sector in the RS and cause loss amounting to around EUR 100 million. However, the EU Delegation to B&H denied the aforementioned data. At the same time, Serb member of B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic said that he does not support the adaptation of the SAA which he assessed as well-drafted document, due to the issue of the population census 2013. Namely, the methodology of data processing of results of the census is disputable for Serbs in the RS, including Ivanic. While representatives of the RS pointed out illegalities in the case of the census, Director of B&H Agency for Statistics Velimir Jukic said that they have done their job in line with laws. Representatives of the EUROSTAT and the international community (IC) also said that the job was done in line with laws and in line with EU standards.

Moscow to Belgrade: We know you’re under huge pressure

Chairman of Russia’s State Duma Sergei Naryshkin says his country is aware of the “huge pressure” exerted on Serbia by Washington and Brussels. Moscow appreciates the fact that Serbia has not joined EU’s sanctions imposed on Russia, Naryshkin also said on Thursday in Moscow, as he met with Serbian National Assembly President Maja Gojkovic, TASS has reported. Serbia’s decision not to join this policy is “in the interest of Serbia and its citizens,” he added. “We attach great importance to deepening multifaceted cooperation with our Serbian partners. We highly appreciate Belgrade’s principled stance on the anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the European Union,” Naryshkin said. He noted that Moscow was “aware of the huge pressure exerted on Belgrade by Washington and Brussels over the issue,” and added: “It is important that Serbia’s political leadership and the people understand that such a stance on the European sanctions, that is, refusal to join these steps, fully conforms with the national interests of this country and its people.”

At the same time, Naryshkin said that his country has always respected Serbia’s plans to join the EU. “Russia has never urged your country to choose between Russia and the EU, the way the EU did with regard to Ukraine. The sad result of what is going on in Ukraine is the result of this position of the European Union. For us, of course, it is important that Serbia’s rapprochement with the European Union, its integration into the European Union does not disrupt and hinder the development of our bilateral relations,” he said. Maja Gojkovic is in Moscow today for a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), where Serbia took over from Russia the six-month presidency over the organization. The 48th plenary session of the PABSEC General Assembly will be held in Belgrade November 29-December 1. The PABSEC members include parliamentarians from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.