LOCAL PRESS
Nikolic: We will never accept Kosovo’s independence (Beta)
Serbia wants to continue on the path of European integration, but it would not be good anyone to condition Serbia with the recognition of Kosovo, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said during a meeting with the new head of the OSCE mission in Serbia Andrea Orizio. According to a statement issued by the President’s office, that will never be accepted. Nikolic said he hoped for a quick normalization of relations between the EU and the Russian Federation, as it would be unthinkable for Serbia to give up the strong ties with Russia that it traditionally nurtures.
Speaking about the migrant crisis, Nikolic said that his country thinks it has not disgraced itself there, and that it behaved more in line with European standards than many EU members. He also said that cooperation between Serbia and the OSCE was impeccable. Andrea Orizio noted that Serbia has shown great maturity during the migrant crisis last year, and praised the activities during its presidency of the OSCE. Orizio added that the OSCE believes in Serbia’s role in the region and throughout Europe. “The OSCE will be very useful to Serbia, neutral, but very concrete,” he said.
Dacic to EU: There’ll be no progress? Well, there needn’t be (B92)
Problems in Belgrade’s negotiations have brought into question the continuation of the dialogue in Brussels. Belgrade is reiterating that EU integration is one of its priorities, but is at the same time telling the EU that the pressure exerted on it, that is becoming more frequent, is unacceptable. The harsh words and tensions over Pristina’s moves concerning the Trepca mining basin in Kosovo have died down, but there has been no progress after the latest round of the technical Kosovo dialogue in Brussels this week. The two sides this time failed to agree on recognizing university diplomas. Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said that his country will not react to pressure. “They’re a little disappointed now because we did not accept that agreement. They said we must accept it, otherwise there’ll be no opening of chapters. And then we said, they needn’t be opened. It’s true that it is vitally important to us to move toward the EU, but we won’t let anyone – let me not use some vernacular – humiliate us,” Dacic said on Friday.
According to him, Serbia’s red lines remain the same: “We’re not stupid and we know well what they’re doing. They want to lead us into time pressure and say that we must accept something, or there’ll be no progress. Well there needn’t be. You know what – we want to join the EU, but we cannot join the EU without a country. We are going to the EU like everyone else, respecting our state interests. We expect Brussels to understand that Serbia is no longer reacting to pressure as soon as somebody frowns.”
Joksimovic: No delay on EU path (Tanjug)
Serbian Minister without portfolio in charge of EU integration Jadranka Joksimovic dismissed as untrue assessments that Serbia’s EU integration process is stalled,” Tanjug has reported.
“I don’t think there is stagnation in the sense that nothing has been done. On the contrary, I think that Belgrade as a negotiating side has had a fairly constructive approach. I think that Pristina has not done much, at least when it comes to, and in particular regarding, the Community of Serb Municipalities,” Joksimovic said on Friday. When asked if Serbia will be stopped on the EU path because of a lack of progress in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Joksimovic answered that it is important for Serbia to insist on maintaining the dynamics of the negotiation process because the EU integration must not be perceived based on progress in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.
“It is important to have progress, we are aware of that, no one is denying it, but it is also important that the whole reform process and all chapters Serbia is ready for are treated accordingly,” she said at the Fifth National Conference on Cross-Border Cooperation.
Dacic: Establishment of Western Balkans Fund in no way predefines status of Kosovo (Beta)
In comment on the ratification of an agreement to establish a Western Balkans Fund, Serbian Foreign Minister, Ivica Dacic, said that close attention was paid to the red line that might mean recognition of Kosovo’s independence. Dacic said to reporters at the Palace of Serbia “Kosovo was represented in line with Serbian decisions, but also as it was agreed upon in the EU, with an asterisk and footnote attached to Kosovo’s name, which in no way predefine its status.” The Foreign Minister added that an interpretation was also offered for the Serbian party to distance itself from any misinterpretation. The Serbian parliamentary Committee on foreign affairs moved on Oct. 21 to support a proposal to ratify an agreement to set up the Western Balkans Fund, the purpose of which is to strengthen ties between and encourage Euro-Atlantic integration processes in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia.
REGIONAL PRESS
Establishing of Assembly of Serb people – historical event (Srna)
Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik says that the creation of Republika Srpska and the establishment of the Assembly of the Serb People in B&H on 24 October 1991 was a historical event important for the freedom which the Serbs at the moment of the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia considered the primary political interest. “Holding a session of the Assembly at the moment of the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia was a visionary political move by those who at that time made decisions,” Dodik told Srna on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Assembly of the Serb People in B&H. The RS President says that the Assembly, as the highest legislative political body, brought the most important decisions, adding that he is proud of having been its member since the beginning and a witness to bringing all those acts. “The RS National Assembly, by its operations in different phases – in the war, in a post-war period and now in the recovery of RS, is an indispensable factor,” Dodik said. He says that it is the obligation of all present and future generations to strengthen the capacity, significance and dignity of the RS National Assembly. The Assembly of the Serbian people in B&H was founded on 24 October 1991, after Serb MPs were outvoted in Parliament of the then Socialist Republic of B&H on 14 October. It was also decided that the Assembly will recognize acts adopted by the B&H Parliament that are not contrary to the interests of the Serbian people. It was decided that the Assembly of the Serb People will review only the issues pertaining to equality of the Serbian people with other peoples who live in B&H and will deal with the protection of interests of the Serb people if they are threatened either in Parliament or outside of it. The Assembly called a referendum on the stay of the Serb people in the then joint state, Yugoslavia, where nearly 100% of the Serbs voted for this option. The referendum was held on 9-10 November 1991, when around 1,350,000 citizens or 96.4% voted for an independent Serb state which can stay in Serbia and Yugoslavia. The Muslims and Croats did not recognize the results of the referendum, after which all Serbian members of Parliament of the Socialist Republic of B&H resumed operations in the Assembly of the Serb People and began bringing acts by which Republika Srpska was founded. The Assembly of the Serb People worked in Sarajevo from 24 October 1991, until the moment MPs were physically threatened and the work of the Assembly was hampered. In March 1992, the Assembly moved its headquarters to Pale near Sarajevo.
Dodik and Covic agree to draft proposal of Law on B&H CC (N1)
RS President and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik met with Croat member of B&H Presidency and HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic in Banja Luka on Friday. On this occasion, the officials said that they support the EU integration of B&H. Dodik denied allegations that SNSD wants to become part of state-level authorities saying: “We do not accept the current constellation of relations”. He stressed that things are “fragile” in B&H; there is no true dialogue while solutions are being imposed. Dodik announced that the RS will stop with realization of the Reform Agenda in case of any kind of sanctions against the RS due to the recently-held referendum, while Covic said that sanctions brought no good to B&H. On this occasion, Covic said that there is no parliamentary majority in B&H, adding that there are attempts to achieve it from session to session which is untenable situation. Covic added that partnership relations in the FB&H are not functional, adding that the situation with elections in Stolac cannot aggravate relations between SDA and HDZ B&H, because the relations are already not good. During the meeting, the officials reached a deal that representatives of Croats and Serbs in B&H will draft a joint proposal of law on Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H, in the upcoming period. To remind, Serbs and Croats in B&H have been dissatisfied with presence of foreign judges in this institution for years. At the end, Dodik and Covic announced cooperation of the two parties at local levels including Brcko District, where SNSD and HDZ B&H achieved victory at the recent elections.
Recount of votes from 52 polling stations in 26 constituencies (N1)
The Main Vote Counting Center is expected to issue a report on Monday, based on which the B&H Central Election Commission is supposed to amend its decision on publication of final results of the local elections. B&H CEC Spokesperson Maksida Piric told N1 that the results will be confirmed as soon as all deadlines for submission of complaints have expired. She noted that final deadline is 30 days following the election day.
Govedarica elected new SDS leader (TV1)
SDS held an extraordinary election assembly in Banja Luka on Sunday. On this occasion, Vukota Govedarica was elected a new SDS leader. Govedarica was the only candidate for the position of party leader and he won 348 out of 355 votes of delegates. Govedarica is the sixth leader of SDS and he has been member of SDS since 1999. He is currently a Head of SDS Caucus in the RS Assembly. After he was elected the SDS leader, Govedarica stated that “this is a big day for SDS as well as the RS” because, as he said, SDS is a state-building organization. Govedarica briefly elaborated on SDS’ goals in the coming period by saying: “Our goals in the coming period will primarily be to turn towards intraparty consolidation. The main goal of SDS in this regard is establishment of a great party unity. What we need most is to make a timely and good organization that will lead us into the parliamentary elections of 2018, when we will have to bring down this regime and anti-people authorities in the RS.”
Markovic: The attempted terrorist attack will be clear as day (Mina/Antena)
The attempt of terrorist attack in Montenegro is something that is worrisome, and we will soon have a closed case that will be legally clear as day, said Vice President of Government and Vice President of DPS Dusko Markovic. He said that it is not good that the attempt of terrorism happened during the elections. He said that the whole case will be brought to an end, and he asked the politicians to stop adding oil to the fire. Serbian and Montenegrin intelligence services are exchanging information. “The whole issue is very serious,” Markovic said. He said that it is important to recognize the efficiency of Agency for National Safety and Special Prosecution that kept the peace and stability in Montenegro. Markovic said that the intelligence gathering started on Montenegrin territory. “There was no need to cooperate. This was not a sign of distrust to Serbian institutions,” Markovic said. Nothing points to believe that Serbia had anything to do with the case. Markovic believes that the terrorist attack did not influence the election results, Antena M reports.
Opposition not to boycott parliament structuring (Pobjeda)
Representatives of DF, Kljuc, Democrats and SDP agreed that, despite not accepting election results, they will not boycott Parliament structuring, Pobjeda learns from sources in the opposition. During a meeting held on Thursday night in the Parliament it was agreed to formally invite minorities to form a minority government which would mean there would be no obstruction when forming legislative leadership. The meeting was led by official of Demos Goran Danilovic. DF was represented by Milutin Djukanovic, Branko Radulovic and Milan Knezevic, SNP by Danijela Pavicevic, SDP by Ranko Krivokapic, and Democrats by Boris Bogdanovic, URA by Nedjeljko Rudovic. Parliament boycott is not an option, it was confirmed by leaders of Kljuc Miodrag Lekic, Srdjan Milic and Zarko Rakcevic during a meeting with Angelina Eichhorst, Director of Western Europe, The Western Balkans, and Turkey for EU.
Political stability and structure of the highest body of legislative leadership are a foundation for democratic Montenegro, with necessary communication, coordination and consensus as conditions for further EU integration of Montenegro, they stated.
According to the law, the Parliament is to be structured within 15 days of announcement of final election results by SEC, and it is to be presided by the oldest representative, in this case Miodrag Lekic.
Plenkovic: Equality of peoples in B&H can be achieved through principles from resolutions of European Parliament (Jutarnji list)
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic stated in an interview for Jutarnji list that Serbia and Croatia need to resolve all remaining open issues. Asked to comment the statement of Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic who said during her recent visit to Brussels that the Dayton Peace Agreement has been changed many times and that it is necessary to make changes which will leave the Dayton Agreement in the past, Plenkovic said that Grabar-Kitarovic was probably referring to the series of changes to the “constitutional architecture of B&H which happened gradually over the past 20 years”. “We are keeping in mind that the Constitution of B&H is one of the Annexes of the Dayton Peace Agreement,” he said.
INTERNATIONAL PRESS
Montenegro ‘Coup Plotter’ Says Evidence Was Planted (BIRN, by Dusica Tomovic, 24 October 2016)
Retired Serbian General Bratislav Dikic, the main suspect in the alleged coup attempt in Montenegro, says a Montenegrin policeman planted evidence on him.
Former Serbian Gendarmerie commander Bratislav Dikic has said that – during his arrest on October 16 for planning a coup in Montenegro – a Montenegrin policeman “planted evidence” on him, namely a phone and keys to a warehouse containing weapons. Dikic is under arrest in Montenegro for allegedly plotting a coup on election day in Montenegro. He reportedly told researchers from the Council for Civil Control – which is monitoring his custody – that a police associate that day first invited him to a drink at a certain location – which he declined – and then met him near the shopping mall in the capital, Podgorica. There, he says the policeman gave him a new cell phone and dropped a set of keys in his car – the keys were to the house where he had been invited for a drink – and contained weapons. “I did not accept the invitation to drink ‘rakija’ [brandy] at the house, and so probably avoided being arrested in the house with the weapons,” the Council quoted Dikic as saying. Dikic was among 20 paramilitaries originally detained in Montenegro on October 16 in connection with the alleged coup. Some have since been released. The Prosecutor’s Office says it has “reasonable suspicion” that a criminal organisation had been formed in Serbia and Montenegro with a plan to attack citizens and police in front of the parliament once the results of Sunday’s general election were announced, before taking over the assembly and declaring that the party of their choice had won the polls. “We also suspect the criminal organization planned to deprive the Montenegrin Prime Minister [Milo Djukanovic] of his freedom,” the Prosecutor’s Office said. The claims have embarrassed neighbouring Serbia, where authorities deny any knowledge of the alleged coup in Montenegro. Serbia’s Bureau for Coordination of the Security Services was due to meet in Belgrade on Monday to announce any findings it might have about the alleged coup in Podgorica. Amid reports of disputes between the Serbian and Montenegrin intelligence services, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic convoked a session of the Coordination Bureau and said he will reveal any new findings. Vucic on Saturday said the two countries “must work together in this case”. Montenegro’s Prime Minister, Milo Djukanovic, on Friday said it was important to cooperate in full with the relevant institutions of Serbia to resolve the investigation. Montenegrin special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic last week said “unprecedented” bloodshed was only narrowly averted on election day. However, the claims have failed to resolve doubts about whether the coup plot was real or concocted by the Djukanovic government in order to win the election. His governing Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, went on to win most seats in the election. On a local TV show, Katnic said the alleged terrorists intended to support people in front of parliament protesting over the election results, and then enter the building disguised in special police uniform and open fire, “pretending they were official police”. “On Sunday, Montenegro was prevented from being shrouded in black,” Katnic said, dramatically, adding: “Unprecedented terror, bloodshed, was planned.” Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic last Thursday said insisted Belgrade had nothing to do with the case, or with Dikic. “We will work to protect the interests of our citizens abroad. The state of Serbia has nothing to do with any of this,” Dacic told Radio-Television of Vojvodina.
Macedonia Ruling Party Set to Stand by Gruevski (BIRN, by Sinisa Jakov Marusic, 24 October 2016)
Macedonia’s ruling party is likely to nominate its embattled leader Nikola Gruevski for the forthcoming elections in December, defying calls to remove compromised politicians from its candidate lists.
Macedonia’s ruling VMRO DPMNE says the fact that some of its top officials, including its leader, are under criminal investigations, need not prevent those persons from running in the December 11 general election. Officially, the party says consultations about its list of candidates are still ongoing and that they have yet to decide whether to name Gruevski as the frontrunner. “The crucial thing for us at this moment is to choose the best candidates and the people who enjoy most support,” the chief of VMRO DPMNE’s communications centre, Ilija Dimovski, said. But, unofficially, a source from the VMRO DPMNE presidency told BIRN under condition of anonymity that Gruevski will almost certainly be leading the party list in the first district, which covers the capital, Skopje. “I see it only as natural that our leader participates as frontrunner. Speculation and insinuations about his alleged wrongdoings aside, the voters will tell best [in the elections] whether they believe he is indeed guilty of such grave crimes,” the source said. “These people, including our president Gruevski, are innocent until proven otherwise,” the same source added. For the purpose of general elections, Macedonia is divided into six electoral districts, each contributing 20 MPs to the 123-seat parliament. Thus, each party offers six lists of 20 candidates, one for each electoral district. Three more MPs are elected from the votes of the diaspora. Gruevski, who was Prime Minister from 2006 until he resigned earlier this year under an EU-brokered deal, is in the centre of a deep political crisis, after being accused of masterminding the illegal surveillance of over 20,000 people. In September 15, the Special Prosecution Office, SJO, raised charges against Gruevski and 13 other persons for “enticement and carrying out a criminal act against public order”. According to the SJO, “acting out of lucrative reasons” Gruevski ordered an attack in 2013 on the opposition mayor of Centar municipality in Skopje, Andrej Zernovski, [which he evaded], during protests in front of the municipal building. Gruevski, as well as his former Transport Minister, Mile Janakieski, are also suspected of abuse of office in the case known as “TNT”, for allegedly illegally demolishing a residential building owned by rival politician and businessman Fiat Canovski. The SJO is currently running several other investigations or pre-investigation procedures that may involve Gruevski. Some are aimed at determining who was responsible for the illegal wiretapping.
On October 13, just one day after the parliament dissolved ahead of the polls, the EU ambassador to Macedonia, Samuel Zbogar, speaking at an anti-corruption conference in Skopje, said the elections were one way for the parties to prove real commitment to eliminating vice. “Progress in the country is possible only if all the key social groups and individuals say ‘No’ to corruption, if the politicians declare zero tolerance to corruption, corrupt practices and corrupt actions. There is an opportunity to achieve this by compiling a list of candidates for MPs for the upcoming parliamentary polls,” Zbogar said. This suggestion, which came shortly after the visit of EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn to Macedonia, was viewed as a warning for parties not to put up candidates who are the subject of investigations led by the Special Prosecution. When asked about Zbogar’s remarks, Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki responded defiantly last Wednesday: “Diplomats cannot, and is not in their interest, to create VMRO DPMNE’s lists of candidates,” he said. He also said that during his meeting with diplomats, no one told him that the ruling party should not put people who are being investigated by the SJO, insisting that the principle of presumption of innocence must be respected until proven otherwise.
