LOCAL PRESS

National Security Council: Serbia stable, no possibility of significant threats to peace (RTS)

Today’s session of the National Security Council, which was chaired by Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, examined the political-security situation in Serbia, the Western Balkan region, as well as the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, especially following the latest initiatives and demands of the Albanians for cessation of the Brussels dialogue, and the formation of the so-called Kosovo army. It was stated at the session that Serbia was stable and that there was no possibility of significant threat to peace and security in the territory of Serbia. “The Council concluded that the situation in the region was turbulent and complex. Serbia invested enormous effort to preserve peace and stability in this part of Europe, as well as to establish good and friendly relations between various nations, ethnic and religious groups. Still, without our influence, there is danger of political conflicts expanding inside certain neighboring states that have been encouraged both with domestic reasons of political intolerance, as well as with significant interference of foreign civilian and military intelligence services,” reads the statement from the Serbian Presidency. It adds that the task of all institutions of the Republic of Serbia is not to allow any kind of spillover of political, but also other conflicts onto the territory of the Republic Serbia, and to respect the independence of other states and not to interfere in their internal matters. “At the same time, the Council obliges state institutions to take part, in accordance with their competencies, in cooperation with the Serbs in the region who are under political pressure of the central authorities in certain Western Balkan states, along with full respect of the territorial integrity of these states,” reads the statement.

The National Security Council voices concern over the escalation of the rhetoric that is noticeable in the performance of the Pristina authorities. “Especially concerning are the initiatives for ceasing the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, and the request for the formation of the Kosovo army. The Republic of Serbia strongly and unequivocally requires resumption of the dialogue in Brussels, respect of the international legal order, Resolution 1244 and the Brussels agreement. The Council obliges the institutions of the Republic of Serbia to oppose, with all political and diplomatic means, destabilization of the state-of-affairs in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the formation of the so-called army of Kosovo, which would threaten the survival of the Serbs in the southern Serbian province,” reads the statement. At the same time, the Council calls the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to act in a completely united manner with the Serbian state institutions and to protect the interests of our people and our state.

The session of the National Security Council is attended by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Defense Minister Zoran Djordjevic, Chief of Staff of the Serbian Army Ljubisa Dikovic, Justice Minister Nela Kuburovic, Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic, Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric, Head of the Security-Information Agency Aleksandar Djordjevic, Head of the Military-Security Agency Zoran Stojkovic and State Secretary in the Foreign Ministry Ivica Toncev.

Vucic: Belgrade fulfilled 90 percent of agreed in Brussels dialogue (RTS/Beta)

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday that he cannot understand who someone in Pristina would be in such a hurry with something like creating armed forces, which could take the entire region into chaos. “Strange things are happening; something big is changing on the global political stage. Things are complicated, our job is to find the best solution under such conditions, and that is the continuation of talks, preserving peace and stability,” Vucic told reporters after visiting the Complex Combat Systems Factory in Velika Plana.

Vucic added that Belgrade has so far fulfilled 90 percent of what has been agreed during the Brussels dialogue, as well as that he wants a continuation of the dialogue with Pristina. “I believe that we will talk again and open topics of common interest for us all, and those are highways, railways, and customs union. That is important to the future,” Vucic said.

Vucic does not see rejection of application as victory (RTS/Tanjug)

The rejection of the application to revise the 2007 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on B&H’s genocide lawsuit against Serbia is not a victory – victory will come once Serbs and Bosniaks understand they need to look to the future, and not perceive sadness on the other side as their success, Vucic said Friday. Speaking to reporters in Lebane, southeastern Serbia, Vucic said he did not want to use the ICJ decision in the election campaign or for political gains because ensuring peace, stability and even better cooperation would be a great victory for the government and for him personally.

Vucic said that he expects the upcoming meeting in Sarajevo to go well. “I believe that we will again discuss and raise issues which are of common interest to all of us. Those issues include highways, roads, bridges, railroads and a customs union which is something I proposed. I know that this will not go fast or easy and simple, but that is the future,” Vucic stressed. Vucic underlined that he is running away from saying harsh words about anyone in Pristina, Sarajevo, Skopje and Podgorica due to the fact that it is necessary to live and work together.

Drecun: Cessation of dialogue could cause war fire in Balkans (RTS)

The Chairman of the Serbian parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun has told Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) that the resolution adopted by the Kosovo Assembly, which demands unconditional release of Ramush Haradinaj and cessation of the dialogue with Belgrade until this condition is fulfilled, is addressed a little bit to everybody.

“Tachi is trying to present himself as a political figure without which nothing can be resolved in Kosovo and Metohija and this is his message that he must not be on the indictment of the Tribunal for KLA crimes,” says Drecun. He adds that Tachi has its internal political reasons, wishes to animate part of the Albanian public and to create a situation where he can provoke protests if he is on the indictment of the Tribunal. He notes the international community doesn’t accept the possibility of the formation of the Kosovo army. “They oppose the manner in which this would be done, without the consent of the Serb side. Tachi is doing this over the fact that he had support of part of the international community. It seems that everything that he is doing he is doing in context of Albania’s presence in the region,” explains Drecun. “The normalization process of relations has stabilized the region. In the sea of instability, like Macedonia and B&H, we contributed to peace in the region and its EU perspective,” says Drecun. He says that greater Albania is an extremist idea. “This would be the end of normalization of relations. It suits Pristina not to insist on that over the indictments and in order to avoid the creation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. If the dialogue would be blocked, we would have a moment where a big war fire in the Balkans could be provoked,” concludes Drecun.

Dacic welcomes decision of ICJ to deny motion for revision (RTS)

Serbian Foreign Minsiter Ivica Dacic welcomed on Friday the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to deny the motion for revision of the ICJ 2007 ruling in the case of B&H’s genocide lawsuit against Serbia. He stressed that Serbia earlier disputed the legitimacy of Sakib Softic as the legal representative of B&H before the ICJ. “We believe that this was unnecessary attempt to destabilize the situation in B&H and cause political instability in the region,” Dacic stated.

RIK: 90 polling stations in Kosovo, 53 abroad (Tanjug)

The Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) decided that voting in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija will be taking place at 90 polling stations, while there will be 53 polling stations in 32 countries.

Candidacies of Stamatovic, Parovic and Canak declared (Tanjug/RTS)

The Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) declared the candidacies of Cajetina Mayor Milan Stamatovic, People’s Freedom Movement leader Miroslav Parovic and League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina leader Nenad Canak for the 2 April presidential elections in Serbia, ordering Predrag Vucetic – a candidate based in Krusevac – to rectify all faults within 48 hours.
REGIONAL PRESS

Radoncic, Niksic, Komsic, Bajrovic, other politicians request Izetbegovic’s resignation (Hayat)

SBB B&H leader Fahrudin Radoncic, SDP leader Nermin Niksic, DF leader Zeljko Komsic and Civic Alliance (GS) leader Reuf Bajrovic requested on Friday Presidency of B&H member and SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic’s resignation from his post at the B&H Presidency after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague denied on Thursday the motion for revision of the 2007 ruling in the case of B&H’s genocide lawsuit against Serbia. They reminded that Izetbegovic knew that the ICJ clearly said in May 2016 that Sakib Softic needs new decision of the B&H Presidency regarding legitimate authorization to represent B&H, but he was hiding that. They warned that Izetbegovic played a double game in order to ensure himself an alibi, adding that he also tried to play with people’s emotions. Radoncic stressed that Izetbegovic should think about his political position, i.e. about his post of B&H Presidency member, if he has the slightest bit of moral. “When he found out at the end of May last year that Softic has no jurisdiction, Izetbegovic should have called that famous meeting at the Sarajevo City Hall back then to consult jurists for legal solution and ask us politicians to lobby at the ICJ,” Radoncic assessed. Niksic said that he is surprised over the fact that he and all others who approached the whole process with honesty were deceived, stressing that this is an act of big betrayal and therefore Izetbegovic should resign from his post.

Izetbegovic says he will not resign (N1)

The Main Board of SDA held a session in Sarajevo on Friday. One of the key items discussed at the session was the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s decision to reject the motion for revision of this court’s ruling in the case B&H vs. Serbia. The session was attended by Bosniak member of the B&H Presidency and SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic. On this occasion, Izetbegovic confirmed to the press that he knew about the letter that the ICJ sent in May 2016 informing B&H authorities about the status of Sakib Softic’s function before this court. Izetbegovic said that he did not consider it was important to present this detail during the consultations at the Sarajevo City Hall, which preceded the submission of motion for revision. In addition, Izetbegovic congratulated Softic “on doing a good job” in the process of requesting revision. Asked to comment on the information that the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H will form a case against Softic, Izetbegovic replied that this would be completely absurd. Responding to a number of calls for his resignation from the position in the B&H Presidency due to moral reasons after the rejection of motion for revision, Izetbegovic stated that he has no intention of resigning. Izetbegovic deems that there is no reason for him to resign because, as he added, he did everything that is right for those who elected him to this position.

Covic says hiding of ICJ’s letter re Softic’s status exposed existence of parallel structures (Vecernji list)

Vecernji list daily carried an interview with Croat member of the B&H Presidency Dragan Covic who was first asked if he knew about the letter from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from May 2016, according to which Sakib Softic does not have the legitimacy to represent B&H. Covic replied by saying he got the information when the whole public got it, namely after publishing of the letter that came from the ICJ. Asked what this case is telling us, Covic said it exposed existence of a parallel system, since there was a written reply from the ICJ to state of B&H, and a part of administration, in this case administration from Sarajevo, hid the information from the public. Covic went on to say that members of the Presidency of B&H had about 20 talks on the issue of revision of the ruling against Serbia and that it was mostly him who organized the talks. Asked to elaborate on his statement about existence of a parallel system, Covic said parallelism in intelligence, police and institutions have to be fully reviewed, arguing that parallel structures are best evident if one takes a look how the judiciary in B&H works.

Softic: Letter I received in 2016 represents opinion of ICJ Registrar and not ICJ as an institution (TV1)

In a press release published on Sunday, Sakib Softic, the agent who filed the motion for revision of B&H lawsuit against Serbia, explained that he addressed the Registrar of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on May 25, 2016. “The following day I received a letter from the Registrar who said that a new appointment is necessary for the revision of the 2007 ruling, given that it is a new case,” Softic said in the press release. Softic stressed that he checked the Statute and the rules of the ICJ and established that Registrar’s opinion is not based on those documents, i.e. that it is contrary to those documents. “Namely, on 4 October 2002, I received power of attorney to represent B&H with which I was appointed a B&H’s legal agent before the ICJ in The Hague in B&H’s lawsuit against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. At this point, there were two cases, including the one launched by B&H against Serbia for which I received power of attorney and the motion for revision launched by Serbia for which I did not receive special power of attorney. On the basis of this power of attorney, the Court allowed me to represent B&H not only in the basic case, but also in the revision process, which was listed as a new case, which was launched by Serbia,” Softic explained in the press release. This is the main reason why Softic concluded that he is indeed B&H’s agent before the ICJ. “That is why I signed the motion for revision of the 2007 ruling as B&H’s agent before the ICJ, leaving it to the Court to decide on the validity of the 2002 power of attorney in the revision process launched by B&H. However, unfortunately, the Court failed to deal with this. It decided to shut down the case at the very beginning because of procedural issues,” Softic underlined. However, TV1 recalled that Softic on several occasions admitted that he is no longer B&H’s agent before the ICJ and that he even wrote that in his book published in 2015.

Croatian PM tells Juncker, Cerar arbitration with Slovenia over (Hina)

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Friday he told European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Slovenian PM Miro Cerar that, for Croatia, the arbitration on the Croatian-Slovenian border dispute was over. “The government in 2015 adopted a firm decision to walk out of the arbitration,” Plenkovic told reporters in Brussels when asked if he had talked about the arbitration issue with Cerar and Juncker during an EU summit.

The Croatian parliament unanimously decided in July 2015 to pull out of the process, considering it irreversibly compromised after it was revealed that Slovenia’s representative in the arbitral tribunal and a Slovenian Foreign Ministry official were arranging the presentation of Slovenia’s arguments and lobbying other arbitrators. Croatia suggested the two countries begin negotiations on an alternative solution to the dispute. “To anyone who looks into that more thoroughly, we would say that was the end of the story,” Plenkovic said, adding that whatever the tribunal decided would create no obligation for Croatia in the legal sense. “I said so to my colleague Cerar too. I think both Juncker and Cerar are aware of the firm, consolidated position of the Croatian authorities.”

The European Commission on Tuesday clarified its position on the border arbitration process between Croatia and Slovenia, saying it generally supported arbitration processes in the interest of legal certainty, that this dispute was a bilateral issue and that it was ready to support any bilateral solution if agreed between the two countries. Last week, Juncker told the Slovenian news agency STA the Commission supported the arbitration process, expressing hope that the two parties would support the arbitration decision when it was delivered.

DF: Voter turnout shows that citizens do not support DPS (CDM)

The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) did not succeed to “win” Niksic. The voter turnout of 45% means that citizens do not support this government, said the Democratic Front (DF) official Milutin Djukanovic at a press conference after local elections in Niksic. “Our data suggest that DPS will have fewer votes than in the parliamentary elections. This is a great day for Niksic because we opposed the criminal government. Protests are the only logical step now that we know that the turnout was significantly lower than 50%,” Djukanovic said. He added that opposition representatives in polling boards would not sign the reports, because “they do not recognize the elections”. Djukanovic said that the citizens showed great courage because there was a lot of pressure to cast a ballot.

Abazovic: Protests possible only after joining NATO (Pobjeda)

The opposition should plan protests in a coordinated way and not to act unilaterally out of party interests, Dritan Abazovic, a representative of URA Civic Movement, told Pobjeda newspaper. Democratic Front’s (DF) presidency made a decision that after the Niksic elections it would continue its political struggle independently from the civic opposition, Pobjeda learns from several sources from the political group. This decision implies unilateral organization of street protests. It will be made public early next week after seeing the results of opposition campaign to make as many citizens of Niksic as they can not to vote in the local elections. Abazovic said that, in addition to informal, there were no “deeper contacts” within the opposition related to the plan. He said that the opposition parties had to act in a coordinated way, as in the case of boycotting Parliament and the elections in Niksic. As he said the possibility of organizing peaceful civic protests is not ruled out… particularly if there are no early elections. He pointed out that the best term for organizing peaceful civic protests was after Montenegro’s accession to NATO. Ranko Krivokapic’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) shares the same position. “The full capacity of the protests could be accomplished after entering NATO. It would be most beneficial, because if the rallies were organized earlier, it could have a different connotation and would be interpreted in a different way,” said Abazovic.

Theresa May: Let us do more to curb destabilizing Russian campaigns (Pobjeda)

In light of the attempted state coup in Montenegro, UK Prime Minister Theresa May called on doing more to counter destabilizing Russian disinformation campaigns, Pobjeda writes. She said that at the European Council summit in Brussels. “In light of the alleged Montenegro coup plot, I will call for us to do more to counter destabilizing Russian disinformation campaigns and raise the visibility of the western commitment to this region,” May said. She stated she was concerned over “increased instability in the Western Balkans and risks for collective security it can bring”. At the summit in Brussels, leaders of the European Union will discuss the migrant crisis, economic affairs, common foreign and defense policy and the situation in the Western Balkans.

SDSM leader Zaev unveils government program (MIA)

SDSM leader Zoran Zaev unveiled Friday the program of the new government, aimed at providing a better life of all citizens, economic development, rule of law, efficient institutions and Macedonia’s faster EU and NATO integration. Zaev stressed the government program, which combines the programs of SDSM and the other parties that constitute the parliamentary majority, does not bring into question a unitary and sovereign Republic of Macedonia. The SDSM leader said the new government would be a reformatory one, focused on meeting Macedonia’s strategic interests. He announced stricter control of the budget and its spending, an independent and efficient judicial system, equal justice for all citizens, creation of a special department in Skopje Basic Court for the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) cases, control over the surveillance of communications in criminal investigations and security issues, atmosphere that enables the development of free media, as well as an outcome for the 2015 Kumanovo events, including international support in the investigation. Zaev also said the new government would adopt an advanced law on languages, enabling citizens to have easier communication with state institutions, in compliance with the Constitution. “We strongly believe in the concept of one society for all. Macedonia will be built as a country for all of its citizens: Macedonians, Albanians, Vlachs, Roma, Bosniaks and other communities. Hence, we shall support a language policy that meets the needs of citizens,” Zaev said, adding he would wait for President Ivanov to give him the mandate to form the new government. “We do not want to introduce new practices in Macedonia. That is why we are persistent. I would like to dissuade Ivanov that there are no platforms and plans, only a program of the future government of the Republic of Macedonia,” underlined Zaev.

Referring to the call to publicly denounce the so-called ‘Tirana platform’, Zaev said the presentation of the new government’s program was a response to that demand. Taking a journalist question Zaev said usage of other languages along with Macedonian for inscription of banknotes and police, army uniforms was unconstitutional. However, he added, SDSM remains open to debate on all issues of citizen’s interest. Zaev considers that Macedonia’s flag, anthem and coat of arms should not be altered. But I cannot prevent debates and different opinions on the matter, he said. Taking a journalist question on the platform’s demand for the parliament to adopt a resolution, condemning ‘the genocide against Albanians in Macedonia’, Zaev said it was not part of the government’s program. Citizens, Zaev said, will have the final word on any possible solution to the name dispute with Greece.

SDSM’s program is a basis for upgrading, said Besa (Meta)

The program that was presented yesterday by SDSM is a framework that has to be upgraded in order to be all encompassing even for issues that refer to the Albanians as the second largest nation in Macedonia, said today the Besa Movement. Besa didn’t want to comment on SDSM’s program because the mandate for forming a government still hasn’t been granted. The mandate approval by the president to SDSM is still blocked, a process that creates an opportunity for starting the negotiations for creating a government. That is why we won’t be commenting until then, and after the mandate is given, we shall state our opinion with comments and suggestions, all for the purpose of achieving an all-encompassing government program, certainly, with hopes that it will happen” said Besa and further saying that they still have differences with SDSM regarding the interpretation of the constitutional provisions that refer to the use of the Albanian language.

VMRO-DPMNE: Zaev must renounce from turning Macedonia into a bi-national state (Meta)

With his confusing and contradictory statements, Zoran Zaev didn’t reject the platform from Tirana, but on contrary, he announced a debate for all its points. This not only confirms the doubt that Zoran Zaev in order to grab the power has stepped over the national and state interest, and has accepted the realization of the platform from Tirana under the veil of debates, consultations of party experts, said today VMRO-DPMNE. “SDSM must publicly and clearly renounce the Platform from Tirana and the elements inside it that will redefine Republic of Macedonia from a multiethnic into a bi-national state,” said the party and repeated its offer to support a minority government that would be formed by Zoran Zaev only if he rejects the Platform from Tirana. At the same time, the political party has called upon the president of SDSM to put the platform on a display for the wider debate.

Rama meets with German FM, judicial reform and EU integration discussed (TV Klan)

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama discussed Friday the implementation of judicial reform and EU integration process with German FM Sigmar Gabriel. Gabriel thanked Rama for the undertaken reform and “for your personal engagement and stance on calming the conflicts in neighboring countries.” The statement comes at a time when Macedonia has failed to form the new government following last year’s snap elections. President Ivanov has refused to give the mandate to social-democrat leader Zoran Zaev, who has formed the majority in the parliament with Albanian parties.  Rama, who is in visiting Germany on the invitation of “Friedrich Ebert” foundation, thanked Germany for the support, especially on judicial reform. Judicial reform remains EU’s key request before starting the accession negotiations with Albania, a country aspiring to join the European Union.

Rama unveils reasons of government change (ADN)

Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed on Sunday afternoon the last changes in his government.  During the weekly communication with the public, Rama said that those who are leaving his cabinet are the Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri, Minister of Social Welfare Blendi Klosi, Minister of Health Ilir Beqaj and the Minister of State for Local Governance Bledi Cuci. But he made clear that these changes did not come due to the opposition protests or as a pressure by his biggest ally Ilir Meta. “These changes have no connection with the protest of DP. The new four ministers will be from the Socialist Party and these changes have no connection either with any request from Ilir Meta,” said Rama. He added that these changes were made only to let former ministers to be focused on their contacts with the people on the eve of the parliamentary elections of 18 June.

Opposition no step back, Basha: we want Rama’s head (ADN)

The last changes in government did not convince the opposition. The leader of Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha, made clear on Sunday, on the 23rd day of the opposition protest, which they will not stop because they do not want partial changes but a caretaker government which will lead the country to free and fair elections. Practically they want Rama’s head. Basha compared the changes in governance with an ugly caricature self-proclaimed ‘Renaissance’. “This is a failed tentative of the Prime Minister Edi Rama to save himself. Any attempt to escape personal responsibilities with the discharge of his servants reveals his true interest. He is ready to sacrifice everything for power and personal wealth as he did with the Socialist Party inventing criminalized renaissance,” said Basha.

Elections, CEC replaces opposition urges citizens to contribute (ADN)

In absence of the opposition, the Central Election Commission (CEC) made an appeal to all Albanian citizens on Sunday to contribute to the administration of the electoral process of 18 June. CEC spokesperson, Drilona Hoxhaj, declared that all those interested to contribute in this process should deposit near this institution their documentation within 18 March. “The Electoral Code forces CEC to make this appeal to all Albanian citizens to apply as members of the 90 commissions of the areas of election administration because from four parties which have this right, only two of them, Socialist Party and Socialist Movement for Integration submitted their proposals,” said Hoxhaj. Those that can apply are the citizens with high education, those who are not convicted, are not part of state police, MPs or mayors or members of political parties. The deadline for political parties to made their proposals were on 5 March, but those in opposition refused to made their proposals as they refused to registered in CEC for the electoral process.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Balkan migration route is ‘not closed’ (EurActiv, by Andrea Dernbach, 13 March 2017)

One year on from when the borders were sealed, refugees are still using South East Europe to enter the EU. But now the journey is more difficult, expensive and brutal. EURACTIV’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.

Despite the Balkan migration route having been officially closed for 12 months, Austrian Interior Minister Hans-Peter Doskozil and his Slovenian counterpart, Boštjan Šefic, have complained that it is still being used as a gateway into the European Union. As weather conditions improve, refugees stuck in Greece are expected to make their way north. Doskozil also said people would continue to arrive from Turkey “unhindered”, despite the EU’s agreement with Ankara. The Austrian minister said his country would continue to increase border protection in cooperation with the Balkan states, as well as Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, because the Balkan route is “not closed”. Roadblocks set up across the Balkans have caused a backlog in Greece and other transit countries. In its recently released annual report, EU border agency Frontex said that although an “effective closure of the Balkan route” had been achieved in spring 2016, it did not stop migration completely. In 2016, 382,000 illegal migrants arrived in Europe from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

In its Risk Analysis for 2017, Frontex noted that the route has shifted west and more sea crossings are being made. The report warned of “growing migratory pressure from Africa, mainly on the route from Libya to Italy”. As a result, Italy recorded its highest number of arrivals last year, with numbers topping 182,000. The number of vulnerable people making the journey, including women and children, has also increased. Legal reunification of refugee families with those that have already made it north reduced in Germany in 2016. Refugee protection organisations and migration researchers feel vindicated by the numbers and figures related to the alleged closure of the Balkan route. “Migration cannot be stopped so long as the reasons that cause it are still there and which force people to leave their homelands: including wars, poverty, overexploitation of the environment,” Sabine Hess told Der Tagesspiegel. The cultural anthropologist and expert on border regimes has analysed the situation along the Balkan route since its closure in spring 2016 until the autumn. Hess insisted that hundreds of refugees still arrive in Central Europe every day via the old route of Macedonia and Serbia, or from Turkey via Bulgaria and Serbia. Hess and her team found that since March 2016 it has become “more difficult, more expensive and more dangerous”. That includes refugees being denied their rights, strict police checkpoints and the threat of being robbed, assaulted or kidnapped by mafia gangs.

European countries have not only sought to close migration routes, they have also worsened the legal situation of refugees. This includes Hungary’s decision to hold asylum seekers in container camps. A German law intended to facilitate faster deportations to Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria was defeated on Friday (10 March). Its upper chamber voted by a large majority against legislation that would have declared the Maghreb countries “safe countries of origin”.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière (CDU) said, “This is a bad day for our efforts to stop illegal immigration.”

Macedonia President Defends Refusal to Offer Mandate (BIRN, by Sinisa Jakov Marusic, 13 March 2017)

As President Ivanov maintains his refusal to award a mandate to form a new government to the opposition leader, Zoran Zaev, the parties that make up the new majority in parliament have launched talks on electing a new speaker.

The office of Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov on Monday said the obstacles preventing him from awarding a mandate to the opposition Social Democrat leader Zoran Zaev had not been removed. This is despite calls by the opposition and the international community for the President not to further delay the formation of a new government. “President Ivanov maintains his position from his March 1 public address. The obstacles preventing awarding the mandate for a new government are not cleared,” Ivanov’s cabinet said in a press release. Ivanov refused to award Zaev a mandate to form a government on March 1, despite the opposition leader having assembled a majority in parliament. He claimed that Zaev’s alleged acceptance of the so-called “Albanian Platform” of a group of ethnic Albanian parties might destroy the country.

Meanwhile, the political parties that form the new majority in parliament on Monday started talks on electing a new parliament speaker, in an attempt to address the second “procedural” obstacle that Ivanov listed for not offering the mandate. According to estimates, if talks between the Social Democrats, SDSM, and the ethnic Albanian partiess go well, the session of the parliament could take place on Wednesday or Thursday. “We hope to wrap this as soon as possible, so we can move things forward,” a senior SDSM source told BIRN on Monday under condition of anonymity.

VMRO DPMNE over the weekend repeated that the best solution would be another snap election, in which the “Albanian Platform”, which it insists was imposed by another country, Albania, would be the main issue. Alternatively, it has called on Zaev to outright reject the platform, which was a joint precondition agreed between the main ethnic Albanian parties for their participation in any future government. The platforms contains a set of measures designed to boost Albanian rights in Macedonia, starting with increased official use of Albanian.

Since VMRO DPMNE failed to form a government coalition with the Albanian parties, the party and its supporters on the streets have launched an aggressive campaign against the newly announced opposition-led government, insisting it has the potential to destroy Macedonia’s sovereignty and integrity.

‘Creation of a Multi-Speed Europe is Inevitable’ (Sputnik, 12 March 2017)

In the wake of the recent summit of French, German, Italian and Spanish leaders in France, Sputnik asked Polish ex-Premier Leszek Miller whether the future of the European Union will be discussed when the EU leaders meet next time.

During their meeting in Versailles, the four most influential European leaders discussed, among other things, the deep divisions over what kind of reforms the EU needs now that several Eastern European and Balkan nations oppose creating a “multi-speed” Europe, fearing they will be left behind. “I think the process of creating a multi-speed Europe is inevitable because the countries, which want deeper integration of the European Union, should rid the EU of members opposed to this process and are slowing it down,” Leszek Miller said in an exclusive interview with Sputnik Poland. He added that the countries inside the Eurozone would form the core of the further EU integration, both economic and political. “This means that countries like Poland, which have done nothing to join the Eurozone, would end up as ‘second-class,’ in a multi-speed Europe,” Miller noted. When asked about the future of the so-called Visegrad Group, comprising the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, Miller said that the decisions it takes are of little consequence to the EU as a whole and that Poland should focus more on working closer together with its “Weimar Triangle” partners Germany and France, which play a leading role in the EU.

He added that as an economic powerhouse with a surplus budget and a focus on innovations and high technologies, Germany was bound to become a leading force in the EU. “Former French President Jacques Chirac once compared the EU to a horse-drawn carriage where Germany was the horse and France the coachman. I think that these days the Germans are both the horse and the coachman,” Miller noted. When asked whether the situation in Ukraine could reflect on the EU format, Leszek Miller said that he didn’t think so apart from the EU’s growing irritation over Kiev’s failure to implement recommended reforms, fight corruption and stabilize the political and economic situation in the country. Speaking about the much-trumpeted issue of Russian hackers allegedly planning to meddle in European elections, Leszek Miller said that his impression was that Poland is not in the focus of President Putin’s attention. “I think that the Kremlin’s biggest problem NATO, not the European Union. However, by saying that Putin can elect the presidents of France, Germany, etc., the EU only admits its weakness.” “I’m sure that it is the Germans who will elect their new chancellor and the French will elect their own President,’” Miller emphasized.

During an EU summit in Versailles on March 6, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Spain called for the creation of a so-called “multi-speed” Europe.

French President Francois Hollande said in turn that the option of a “multi-speed” Europe, with different countries integrating at different levels, has been resisted for a long time but is now being considered as a possibility.

Earlier this month, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said that the Visegrad Group countries had adopted a joint declaration on the future of the European Union, which is expected to be presented at an EU summit in Rome, due to kick off on March 25.

The Polish PM added that the key provision of the declaration was the necessity to maintain the bloc’s unity and opposition to the divisions within the international organization.