LOCAL PRESS

Dacic: EU diplomats speaking philosophically as if they are in Tibet (RTS)

Even though Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic had said that Serbia would maximally restrain in regard to provocations from B&H and Croatia, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) that he will always react to direct attacks on Serbia and its officials. “I would like to warn those who are saying that all in the region should restrain. I reacted to the behavior of officials from B&H and Croatia. There is not one single country that would not react to attacks on its prime minister or officials in another country,” said Dacic. He says he opposes the symmetry imposed by EU representatives. “EU representatives are speaking philosophically, as if they are in Tibet. They are saying that escalation of rhetoric is not good in the region. It has become a normal anti-Serb campaign both in Croatia and with Bosniak politicians,” said Dacic. According to him, Serbia will do everything for peace to be preserved in the region, but he opines that the EU needs to react since their values are threatened by one of their members. The authorities in Sarajevo cannot ban the referendum on the RS, says Dacic, but international representatives can think about whether they have such competencies. Dacic says that if this occurs, we will first consult with our partners in the RS.

The United Nations Security Council session was also tumultuous, where requests could be heard for the SC sessions to be held less frequently. “Nobody here notices this, but we are constantly saying there are serious attempts to banish UN and UNMIK representatives from Kosovo. Certain countries are also requesting to have sessions on the security situation in Kosovo less frequently,” said Dacic.

EC: Escalation of rhetoric not contributing to reconciliation (Tanjug)

The escalation of rhetoric in the Western Balkan region is not contributing to achieving the European principles of reconciliation, good-neighborly relations and regional cooperation, says European Commission spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic. Commenting on the latest tensions between Serbia and Croatia, Kocijancic reiterated the EU accession process in the Western Balkans, including Croatia, was based on reconciliation, good-neighborly relations and regional cooperation. “The escalation of rhetoric is not contributing to achieving those principles, which are a commitment as well as an obligation of the entire region,” Kocijancic said in a statement to Tanjug. Brussels’ official response to Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic’s letter pointing to unacceptable statements and actions in Croatia that are threatening good-neighborly relations is still pending.

Serbian candidate third in new round of voting at UNSG (B92/Tanjug)

Former Serbian foreign minister Vuk Jeremic has placed third in the third round of informal voting in the UN Security Council. The voting took place late on Monday European time as part of the process to elect the next secretary-general of the United Nations. B92.net has learned unofficially that Jeremic, who in the past also served as president of the UN General Assembly, received seven encourage, five discourage, and three no opinion votes. Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres placed first with 11 encourage, three discourage and one no opinion.  Former Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak was behind him with nine encourage, three discourage, and one no opinion. In a statement after the straw poll at the UNSC, Jeremic noted that Serbia progressed to the final stages of the selection process, adding, “I think we can be very satisfied with that”. According to him, the processes in now entering its most complex phase, where five permanent Council members will start “intensive conversations to consider the names of the most successful candidates”. “We will continue our intensive campaign ahead of the fourth round of voting, which is expected in September,” said Jeremic.

Dodik: RS will continue to solve its issues via referendums in future (RTS)

Guest of RTS current affair magazine ‘Oko’ was RS President Milorad Dodik. Among the other things, Dodik rejected possibility that the High Representative in B&H will ban referendum on the Day of the RS. He underlined that fear, as method of ruling in B&H imposed by the international community, will not succeed this time. RS President also stressed that Bonn Powers of the High Representative mean nothing (in this situation) regardless to authority behind it. “I have to say it because of our people, so that they know we are not afraid of it and Inzko cannot use Bonn Powers for issues that are important for us,” explained Dodik.

EULEX laying-off Serbs? (FoNet)

As of November this year, it is highly likely that not a single Kosovo Serb will remain working in the headquarters of EULEX operations in Pristina, since the Mission will not be extending their employment because they do not understand or speak fluent Albanian, their legal representative Axelle Reiter announced on Monday, and FoNet reported. After finding out about this decision, the employees whom this concerns wrote a petition and submitted it to the EULEX Chief and relevant officials, but it was rejected, Reiter announced. When the employees Kosovo Serbs asked of the Mission to resolve the matter with arbitrage as has been foreseen in their contracts, the Mission responded that its decisions and action cannot be disputed by its Kosovo workers. EULEX rejected their constitutional right to arbitrage claiming to be above it and that it did not answer to the laws and Constitution of Kosovo. The petitioners, who have so far taken all the necessary available steps, have opened proceedings before the Supreme Court of Kosovo requesting temporary measures and instructions that EULEX should take part in the proceeding before an independent and unbiased tribunal or to have its immunity taken away and be made to face the petitioners before the Kosovo courts.

ICTY prosecution seeks conviction or retrial in Seselj case (Tanjug)

The ICTY Office of the Prosecutor on Tuesday appealed a judgment acquitting Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj of all charges of war crimes committed during the armed conflicts in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and persecution of ethnic Croats from Serbia’s Vojvodina province. In a detailed appeal brief, the prosecution points to errors committed by the majority of the first-instance trial chamber that acquitted Seselj in late March and proposes that the Appeals Chamber find him guilty and convict him. As an alternative, the prosecution proposes ordering a retrial. “The Chamber erred in fact in finding that Seselj did not physically commit persecutions, as well as deportation and other inhumane acts (forcible transfer),” said the appeal brief. The prosecution had sought 28 years in prison for Seselj.

Croatian ambassador misses meeting with Vucic (Tanjug)

Croatian Ambassador Gordan Markotic did not attend Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic’s meeting with foreign ambassadors on Monday, which raised the question of whether Markotic was not invited or did not honor an invitation. The ambassador told Tanjug he had not been invited to the meeting. Vucic’s office declined to either confirm or deny this information. A diplomatic source confirmed to Tanjug Markotic had not been invited. The source said the Serbian government had treated Markotic more fairly than the Croatian government treated Vucic, who had been formally invited to a Dubrovnik forum, only to – as the prime minister himself said on Monday – be “kindly told not to come”. “If anything, the Croatian ambassador was not deceived,” an unnamed diplomat said.

Knezevic: Serbia offers Russian Petrohemija, Azotara, MSK (Kurir)

Serbian Economy Minister Goran Knezevic said that he made an offer of participation by Russian companies in the restructuring and recovery of the Petrohemija and Azotara plants in Pancevo and the Methanol-Vinegar combine (MSK) plant in Kikinda during his recent visit to Moscow, Kurirreported on Monday. Speaking about the reasons why the Russians showed interest in those companies, Knezevic said that the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) is the biggest creditor of the Petrohemija plant while Gazpromneft is the biggest shareholder in NIS. The main raw material Petrohemija uses is primary gasoline which is produced by the NIS refinery in Pancevo. We are offering participation in the joint recovery of Petrohemija to make it a healthy and profitable company in the future. We are also offering them participation in the Azotara and MSK plants, Knezevic said. He said that the state is offering Russian companies other companies undergoing privatization under the same conditions that they were offered to others.

REGIONAL PRESS

Izetbegovic sends letter to PIC SB ambassadors (FTV/Oslobodjenje)

Chairman of the B&H Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic sent a letter to High Representative (HR) Valentin Inzko and the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) on Monday and warned about the situation in B&H with regard to the announced referendum on the Day of the RS. Izetbegovic accused the RS of openly boycotting B&H as a state and he called on the HR and the PIC to react and protect the Constitution of B&H. Izetbegovic claims that the referendum is the most serious assault on legal and constitutional arrangement and the rule of law in B&H since the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA) were signed. Izetbegovic deems that the implementation of the referendum represents open and aggressive rejection of the decision of the Constitutional Court of B&H (B&H CC). Izetbegovic’s letter further reads: “This referendum is not just denying the institutions of the state judicial authorities but it aims to strip them of their state prerogative, all with intention to introduce the factor of factual power instead of the standard of the rule of law and democracy. This is actually the referendum on the B&H CC, namely on whether the decisions of the B&H CC are final and mandatory for the RS as an entity.” Izetbegovic argued that boycott of the state judicial authorities by the RS is anti-DPA, anti-constitutional, anti-state and a legal precedent and there are efforts to legitimize it through the referendum on the Day of the RS. Izetbegovic expressed worries that political forces led by RS President Milorad Dodik will make a step further after the referendum. Izetbegovic deems that the referendum on the Day of the RS is “a test balloon” for the referendum on secession of the RS from B&H, as well as the start of destruction of the DPA and peace in B&H. Izetbegovic pointed to necessity to protect the Constitution of B&H and to annul the decision to call the referendum. Izetbegovic underlined that the PIC is expected to stop destabilization in B&H by annulling the decision to call the referendum on the Day of the RS. Izetbegovic also called on the RS authorities to respect the DPA, the Constitution of B&H and the B&H CC’s decision regarding the Day of the RS.

RS government sends open letter to accredited ambassadors in B&H (RTRS)

The RS government sent on Monday an open letter to all accredited ambassadors in B&H, which emphasizes that the referendum on the RS Day is fully in accordance with applicable regulations and concerns the issue of the utmost importance for the RS citizens. The letter reads that, on 25 September, this entity will hold a referendum to ascertain its citizens’ views about whether 9 January should be marked and celebrated as the Day of the RS. Furthermore, the RS government wrote that referendums are fully consistent with the B&H Constitution and the practice of democratic states throughout Europe and around the world, stressing that the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA) contains no provisions that could possibly be interpreted as prohibiting or restricting referendums. The referendum concerns an issue, i.e. the RS public holidays, that is squarely within the competence of this entity and the RS Day is deeply important to RS citizens because the creation of the RS is widely seen as vital to the protection of Serbs’ interests, the letter says. “The RS Constitution has long specifically provided for referendums at Articles 70 and 77. The Council of Europe’s Venice Commission has thoroughly scrutinized the consistency of the RS Constitution with B&H Constitution, and it has never objected the RS Constitution’s referendum provisions (…) The RS Day, as it marks the birth of the RS, is a celebration of this entity’s existence – an existence that the B&H Constitution, Annex 4 of the DPA, welcomes and accepts. Confronted by the decision of the Constitutional Court of B&H, the RS government has a legitimate interest in obtaining RS citizens’ views on when and how this important historical event should be celebrated. The referendum is a step toward implementing the Constitutional Court’s decision. Although the RS disagrees with the Constitutional Court’s decision in important respects, the referendum is nonetheless intended as a step toward implementing it. The decision’s only express order is that the RSNA ‘harmonize’ Article 3(b) of the Law on Holidays with B&H Constitution. It does not state that the RSNA must abolish the 9 January holiday or otherwise specify what is required for harmonization. The RS is confident that the RS Day can be celebrated without discriminating against any religion or ethnic group. The first step toward harmonizing the law is for the RS to determine whether its citizens wish to retain 9 January as the date of the holiday. Once the citizens express their view, the RSNA will then take their views into consideration in any efforts to ensure harmonization of Article 3(b) of the Law on Holidays with the Constitution (…) If the Constitutional Court’s decision were to be interpreted as forbidding the 9 January Republic Day holiday because it coincides with the Orthodox feast of St. Stephen, that would require all public holidays that mark religious feasts — or even coincide with religious feasts — to be banned. For example, the public holidays marking Muslim feasts like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, observed in Bosniak-majority cantons of the FB&H, would have to be abolished. Public holidays marking Catholic feasts like Christmas and St. Stephen’s Day, observed in Croat-majority cantons of the FBiH, would have to be abolished. If the 9 January holiday were unconstitutional because it coincides with St. Stephen’s Day, even holidays that are at least partially secular, such as New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Statehood Day, Victory Day, and Dayton Day would have to be forbidden as well. The RS has no desire to see any of these secular, Muslim, Catholic, or Orthodox holidays abolished. But all are unconstitutional if the Constitutional Court’s decision is to be interpreted as forbidding the celebration of the RS Day because it coincides with a religious feast (…) To the extent that the Constitutional Court’s decision places a stigma on the date of the RS’s founding it stigmatizes the entity’s very existence. Given that B&H Constitution, Annex 4 of the DPA, accepts RS as one of the two entities that comprise B&H, that cannot possibly be what the decision means. The RS was indeed a party, recognized by international law, to Annex 4 and all Annexes that comprise the DPA,” the RS government wrote in the letter.

RS Referendum Commission enters last stage of preparations (Hayat)

The RS Commission on Referendum convened in Banja Luka on Monday. Chairman of the Commission Sinisa Karan stated that the Commission enters the last stage of preparations for the referendum on the RS Day. He explained that after city and municipal commissions were formed, the Commission will start formation of ballot commissions. When it comes to the referendum in the Brcko District, Karan said they formed the commission of the Brcko District, which should find adequate premises for polling stations. Reporter noted that there are no reactions from Serbia, which presents itself as the protector of the Dayton Peace Accords.

Ivanic: Referendum on RS Day will be held (BNTV)

Leaders of the Alliance for Changes (SzP) convened in Banja Luka on Monday and discussed the session of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) that should take place on Tuesday. Following the meeting, Serb member of B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic stated that Serbs will not give up on 9 January. Ivanic also said: “My proposal to RS’ institutions, and I cannot influence this, is to clearly say: We shall call January 9 the RS Statehood Day after the referendum. In this way we consistently implement the B&H CC’s decision and increase importance of 9 January. If they also proclaim the RS Statehood Day unconstitutional, we can introduce the Day of the RS’ Autonomy. If the RS’ autonomy was unconstitutional as well then we can introduce Independence Day and we can continue to do this in the next fifty years.” Ivanic said he deems that the Constitutional Court of B&H will not dare to pass the temporary measure and suspend the referendum.

More than 3.000 unidentified remains in B&H (fokus.ba)

On the occasion of 30 August, International Missing Persons Day, spokeswoman of the B&H Institute for Missing Persons Lejla Cengic said that in B&H it is still being searched for more than 7.000 missing persons. Out of 34.964 missing persons registered in the Central Register of Missing Persons, Cengic stated that remains of more than 25.000 missing persons were exhumed. Identity of 14.792 persons was determined on the basis of DNA analysis and 8,192 persons were identified on the basis of the classic method – the recognition method. “More than 3.000 exhumed remains in B&H are not identified and are stored in 11 centers for autopsy and identification throughout B&H,” Cengic said. She said that the process of searching for missing persons is currently in the stage when it is difficult to obtain reliable information about potential locations of mass graves. According to Cengic, the main reason why remains are unidentified is the lack of blood samples for comparison with the bone samples taken from victims. In some cases, complete families were killed and no one can give blood, in some cases victims had no close relatives, and there are also cases where families did not provide blood samples. Only several cases of wrong identification were recorded so far. Classic method of recognition was used until 2001 when it was abandoned because of the high degree of unreliability. Classic recognition method is more successful soon after death. As years go by, possibilities for misidentification increase. Verification of the missing persons in the Central Register is currently in progress. So far, 20.677 missing persons were verified. Verification of missing persons is a necessary procedure that will give a unique image of all missing persons on state level. Every missing person will have a file in electronic and printed form.

Friendly relations between Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina can be a role model to others (CDM)

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic met the member of the B&H Presidency Dragan Covic, who is on a working visit to Montenegro. The officials agreed that the friendly relations between Montenegro and B&H can be a role model to others and that a stable and secure region with good neighborly relations and a clear European perspective was a precondition for prosperity of all countries. The importance of the Berlin process within which all the countries of the Western Balkans confirmed the necessity of mutual cooperation, as well as the cooperation with the EU, has been pointed out in order for contributing to increasing competitiveness of the region, stimulating growth and employment through implementation of joint infrastructure projects. Djukanovic said that the current level of political dialogue and overall cooperation was very important and emphasized that Montenegro would continue to support the integration path of B&H, expressing the willingness to transfer knowledge and experience of the Montenegrin administration in fulfilling its obligations under European and Euro-Atlantic agenda.

Covic pointed out the commitment to further intensify cooperation in all fields of mutual interest in the future. “In the same time, he congratulated Montenegro for the progress it achieved so far in Euro-Atlantic and European integration. He emphasized the importance of these processes for the overall stability of the region, particularly in light of the current global challenges”, the government stated. The officials exchanged views on the current developments in the region.

State Electoral Commission completes its checks of flagged voters (Republika)

On Monday, the State Electoral Commission (SEC) completes its examination of a little under 9.000 voters who registered to vote. These citizens were from a list of nearly 40.000 people who were flagged for additional checks after data they provided to different institutions was found to be contradictory, and under the law they lost their right to vote unless they register. SEC received 3.620 written and 5.302 electronic applications from citizens who asked to be registered to vote, 21 of which were refused because they were incomplete. After checking the information these citizens provided, the SEC will now decide whether to put them back on the registry. SEC will also remove the remaining 30.000 citizens from the voting registry, after they did not register to vote. They will have another chance to register once the entire list is made public ahead of the elections, which are believed to take place in mid-December. The process of active registration was introduced after the opposition SDSM party insisted that irregularities with the voting registry have caused its string of general election defeats. The ruling VMRO-DPMNE party responds that a large majority of flagged voters live in areas which were carried by the DUI and DPA parties that represent mostly ethnic Albanians, and have in no way contributed to VMRO-DPMNE’s margin of victory, which had reached up to 200.000 votes.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Montenegro Mulls Sending More Police to Kosovo Border (BIRN, by Dusica Tomovic, 30 August 2016)

Montenegro does not expect clashes as Kosovo prepares to vote on a controversial border demarcation agreement between the two countries, but police are ready to tighten up security if needed.

Montenegrin police told BIRN that the security situation is stable and denied it is has sent additional forces to its border with Kosovo ahead of a ratification vote in Pristina on Thursday on the controversial border demarcation agreement. The comments were made after local media reported that a special anti-terrorist unit was deployed to the border after unrest in Kosovo amid opposition to the agreement. But police denied the claims and said officers were simply undertaking “regular activities” along the 79-kilometre-long border. “If needed, border police will engage colleagues from other units to monitor the border, but for now, there is no need for that because our findings do not indicate that the situation could become more complicated,” a police spokesperson said. The police added that the Montenegrin border force has an ongoing good relationship with its neighbours, with officers from Kosovo taking part in joint border patrols. Mass protests against the demarcation deal were staged in the western Kosovo town of Pec/Peja on August 27. But Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic also said on August 28 that Podgorica did not expect large-scale incidents at the border. He added that Montenegro did not want an inch of any other country’s territory, but would preserve its own. However Slobodan Vujicic, head of the Union of Montenegrins in Kosovo, said he was concerned for stability in the region after a series of violent incidents in Kosovo that followed the Pristina government’s decision to pass the deal to parliament for ratification. “This could be the end of all dreams of a better and more prosperous future. Therefore we appeal to the citizens of Kosovo not to allow anyone to play with our emotions,” Vujicic said on Monday. Opposition Vetevendosje MPs have been setting off tear gas in parliament ever since the agreement was signed, from October 2015 until January this year. The past month has also several violent incidents in Kosovo. On August 9, an opposition MP released tear gas in the Kosovo parliament and an unknown assailant threw a hand grenade at the home of a government official ahead of a vote on the agreement. Nebojsa Medojevic, a leader of Montenegro’s opposition Democratic Front, said tensions concerning the border were not random and could be used for “initiating an armed conflict in Montenegro”. “Therefore I urge all our fellow Albanians in Montenegro not to fall for provocations and staged conflicts,” he said in a statement on Sunday. Kosovo and Montenegro signed the border deal in August 2015, which Montenegro ratified later that year. But in Kosovo, some opposition and ruling party MPs have been claiming it deprives Kosovo of 8,000 hectares of land. The row has caused the biggest political crisis in Kosovo since it declared independence in February 2008.