LOCAL PRESS

Brnabic: Future of citizens of Serbia in EU (RTS/Beta)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that the future of the citizens of Serbia lies in the EU and that the new government will continue to actively work to have Serbia approach to the European community. In a meeting with new Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia Sem Fabrizi, Brnabic stressed that she will continue to contribute to regional cooperation and stability, nurturing European values and further economic recovery of the country, in order to make Serbia an equal member of the EU in the future. Fabrizi emphasized that Serbia is a welcome partner of the European Union, both in the region and beyond, and that it is looking forward to continued close cooperation. He told Brnabic that he will continue to support political and economic reforms and work on accelerating the European path of Serbia.

Thanks for Kosovo – and we back Ukraine’s integrity (Tanjug/B92)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Aleksandrovych confirmed the readiness of the two countries to improve bilateral cooperation. According to a government statement cited by Tanjug, they also assessed that there were great opportunities to strengthening economic ties between Serbia and Ukraine, especially when it comes to cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises. This has also been confirmed at business forums held in Kiev and Novi Sad, the statement added. The interlocutors agreed that in this light, the signing of a free trade agreement between the two countries, that is under procedure, was very important. Brnabic thanked the ambassador for Ukraine’s firm position not to recognize Kosovo, and stressed that Serbia supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all UN member states, including Ukraine.

Aleksandrovych emphasized that the common goal of the two countries was to show citizens a high level of European democratic standards, protection of their fundamental rights and freedoms, in order to ensure social prosperity. He assessed that there were issues that Serbia and Ukraine have in common on the road toward the EU, and that on this path, the two countries can learn a lot from each other, the statement said.

Vucic: Internal dialogue on Kosovo already started  (RTS)

Commenting his initiative for starting an internal dialogue about Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that he did not offer a solution, but rather discussion. He said that the dialogue has already started because the matter is being discussed. “You see that we have succeeded, everyone is talking about it. This internal dialogue has started; as expected, you have many responsible statements by serious and responsible people such as Dusan Kovacevic, but also many others, to the most irresponsible statements, but that is a dialogue. We expected it and that is good. We have opened the topic,” Vucic told Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) during his visit to Nis. “If someone thinks that it is easier to slander, and someone else thinks that it is best to stick their head in the sand like an ostrich, and that it doesn’t interest them – let Vucic solve those problems – well that too is a type of dialogue, and I am pleased about that,” he said. He said that with their attitude they will show that they have no solution and he expressed appreciation to those who supported the idea of the dialogue. “Obviously everyone will have to show their degree of seriousness and responsibility, and I am grateful to many people who have accepted this discussion. We didn’t offer a solution, the only thing we offered is the discussion, and I think that discussion is medicinal,” Vucic said.

Vucic also expressed hope Serbia would win another victory against a Kosovo UNESCO membership bid and that a vote on this would not be swayed in Pristina’s favour.

“We have countless problems but hopefully we will deal with them successfully,” he told reporters in Nis, adding that he was receiving letters and petitions with what were supposed to be explanations and arguments why Kosovo should be admitted to UNESCO.

Dacic on Vucic’s initiative for Kosovo (Blic/Beta/RTS)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said delineation of Kosovo into Serbian and Albanian part is one possible permanent compromise solution” in the upcoming dialogue on Kosovo.

“In agreement of Serbs and Albanians, this is a possible permanent compromise solution, with a special status for our churches and monasteries and with the Community of Serb Municipalities in the south of Kosovo. If it turns out to be impossible or unacceptable, I will not be unhappy, but will try to contribute in finding a lasting and realistic solution,” said Dacic. According to him, the dialogue on Kosovo answers the question how much we are mature. “Kosovo is our value, but only to the extent how we behave towards it. We are the one who determine the value and importance with only one condition, the condition of all conditions of our future. It must not be bloody, and it must be our red line,” Dacic said.

Dacic, Stefanovic on opposing Kosovo’s efforts to join Interpol (Beta)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic talked about the continuation of coordinated efforts to oppose Kosovo’s aim to become a member of Interpol and agreed to additionally intensify cooperation between the two ministries to that end. “The activities carried out so far have been reviewed and possibilities considered for further action in this matter of special importance in the context of protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Serbia and opposing Kosovo’s unilateral attempts at joining international organizations, which would violate the UN Charter and UNSCR 1244, reads a press release.

Ljajic: Frozen conflict option absolutely doesn’t suit Serbia (RTS)

Before Minister Dacic, Serbian Telecommunications Minister Rasim Ljajic presented the proposal for approaching the Kosovo issue. Ljajic told the morning news of RTS that the proposal on the delineation, had it been proposed in 1995 and 1996 and had Milosevic proposed it – would be gladly accepted by Rugova because you are offering a solution when you have a strong negotiating position, and Serbia at that time had complete authority in Kosovo. “I am certain that the maneuvering space of the Albanians for rejecting such an offer would be small. Of course, now the chances are smaller, but it is good that we have more similar ideas before the dialogue on resolving issues in Kosovo,” said Ljajic.  Ljajic says that a frozen conflict state-of-affairs that is offered by many in Serbia is against Serbia’s interests – that time is not working for Serbia and even less for the Kosovo Serbs, and thanks to these people who stayed to live down there, Serbia is in some position to legitimately negotiate and defend its state and national interests. “As long as the Serbs live down there, there is a chance. As time passes by, their number will be smaller for sure since they live in very difficult conditions and the negotiating position will be worse. Therefore, the option of a frozen conflict absolutely doesn’t suit Serbia.” Ljajic says that this is why it is good that Vucic presented the idea to accelerate the resolution of the Kosovo issue since we could be in a situation of crawling independence for which Serbia will not receive anything. He proposed normalization in three phases, along with Kosovo’s admission to all international organizations, except the UN and without recognition by Serbia, and in return Serbia would request specific financial benefits. He says that Serbia needs to demonstrate a dose of state pragmatism – if we make concessions we need to receive something for these concessions.

Ljajic: Serbia looking for new model of voting in CEFTA (Tanjug)

Serbia is negotiating with CEFTA members towards changing the manner of voting in this organization in the future period in order to avoid the past practice for one country to block another when voting on important agreements. So far, all decisions of the members had to be passed by consensus of all countries, while Serbia’s proposal is to establish a new model of voting – “consensus minus one”. Serbian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic tells Tanjug that this way they will avoid the possibility of one country blocking another country in signing certain agreements within CEFTA if, for example, there is a certain inter-state dispute between these two countries. “We are looking for a different model, which is ‘consensus minus one’ so decisions could be passed. This would greatly accelerate their passing. On the other side, it would work preventatively for some countries not to undertake outside customs barriers,” says Ljajic. He says that underway are also negotiations on Protocol 6 within the CEFTA agreement on free trade and services among regional states. He explains that talks with other members of this organization are also conducted on mutual recognition of diplomas, which would ensure, as he says, free flow of labor among Western Balkan countries. He points out that higher education institutions’ diplomas will be recognized among regional states at the end of the entire process of talks. “The goal is to finally ensure free flow of labor along with recognition of all qualifications among Western Balkan countries,” said Ljajic.

REGIONAL PRESS

B&H CoM tasks relevant working groups to speed up activities related to finalization of answers to questions from EC’s Questionnaire (TV1)

The B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) tasked relevant working groups to speed up the activities related to the finalization of answers to the questions from the European Commission’s (EC) Questionnaire, so that this job is completed by September 1. Representatives of the BiH Directorate for European Integration (DEI) confirmed for TV1 that working groups, that already held meetings, are finalizing the answers in the technical sense. Technical finalization of the answers in practice means that the working groups are formulating final answers on the basis of contributions of all relevant institutions. Spokesperson for the DEI Marina Kavaz-Sirucic said that working groups are doing this in a way that they are referring to data sources. “They are adding the missing parts of the answers in terms of changes that happened in the meantime, such as adoption of laws, and equalizing the level of data that came from different levels of government and from various institutions,” Kavaz-Sirucic underlined. Working groups should complete their part of the job by the beginning of September. However, it is uncertain when the answers to the questions from the EC’s Questionnaire will be finalized, given that after the working groups, other bodies from the system of coordination will begin their part of the job. “After they (working groups) finish their part of the job, the rest of the bodies in the Coordination Mechanism will deal with answers which were not finalized, primarily the Commission for European Integration and then ministerial conferences and the Collegium, as the highest political body in this system,” Kavaz-Sirucic stressed.

Dodik: There is no Bosnian language, Izetbegovic is making confusion on political scene in B&H worse (ATV)

SDA Main Board recently passed a series of conclusions related to Bosniak returnees’ rights in the RS. According to one of these conclusions, SDA will file a motion with the RS Constitutional Court (CC) demanding proportional representation of Bosniaks in the RS institutions. In this regard, the Main Board announced the intention to prove that the RS Constitution is being violated since, as they assessed, Bosniaks are not represented in the RS institutions in line with the census of population from 1991. SDA also intends to initiate adoption of a platform in B&H Parliament to secure rights of constituent peoples on the whole territory of B&H. SDA demands solving of the issue of Bosnian language, through dialogue with the RS Government. RS President and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik assessed that SDA’s demands and conclusions are unacceptable. Dodik noted that SDA can file whichever motion they want and he made a remark saying that SDA is used to win everything they wish through the judicial institutions. The RS President noted that SDA demands introduction of Bosnian language although the RS Constitution only mentions “the language of Bosniak people”. Dodik also said that Izetbegovic’s announcement is obviously aimed to worsen the confusion present on the political scene in B&H. According to Dodik, the Bosniak elite has been spoiled in the international circles and in this way, Bosniaks are now trying to achieve their long-year political goals.

Dodik: RS was willing to give its approval for Transport Community Treaty, but only with internal agreement on rotation of state and entity ministers as chairs (Glas Srpske)

RS President and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik commented the fact the RS is being blamed for B&H’s failure to sign the Southeast Europe Transport Community Treaty. He said that the RS was willing to give its approval for the treaty, but only with an internal agreement on rotation of state and entity ministers as chairs. “This is a typical European issue, and for all European issues we have established Coordination Mechanism,” said Dodik and noted that B&H’s success depends on the success of the Coordination Mechanism: “Those who do not want to implement the Coordination Mechanism as it has been adopted by all levels of authority are definitely sealing the fate of B&H.” Dodik said that the EU has clearly state the issue must be resolved by September, and the RS hopes that is going to happen. “Johannes Hahn also requested from Denis Zvizdic to do much more on internal coordination. For the first time we have received a rational letter from the high-ranking European who says that coordination is necessary under the Constitution.”

Spiric resigns (Srna)

SNSD MP in B&H House of Representatives Nikola Spiric informed the Collegium of this House that he is filing irrevocable resignation to membership in Commission on Foreign Trade and Customs. In statement to Srna, Spiric said that this decision is in line with conclusion of the SNSD Executive Committee.

International Relations Committee of UK Parliament’s House of Lords to launch special investigation on its position in Western Balkans (Dnevni avaz)

The International Relations Committee of the House of Lords has made this decision in order to define the UK policy towards the Western Balkans: “Ever since the conflicts in the Balkans ended, in the late 1990s, this region, bordering with the EU, has remained unstable. The activities of the UK have so far been related to the accession of the Balkans to the EU. As we are reaching Brexit, we must reconsider our role and the importance of the region.” The investigation will focus on general political situation in the region, challenges and consequences of political development for the UK. The International Relations Committee has called on all the interested parties to give their testimonies and written proposals. Daily noted that former High Representative Paddy Ashdown is going to testify before the Committee. One of the members of the Committee is Baroness Arminka Helic. The Committee plans to get answers to several questions, including direct and indirect interests of the UK in the Western Balkans and whether they can evolve in the near future, relationship of the regional countries with Russia and consequences of those relations to the NATO integration process, as well as ways to support the region’s stability. The International Relations Committee expects to receive all written responses by September 15 in order to organize public hearings in the latter part of September and October.

Djukanovic: No divisions in DPS, the party is stronger than ever (CDM)

The leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Milo Djukanovic said that the political enemies of his party are spinning stories of division within DPS in the media. He said this represented their strategy for the case when one of their political “soldiers” fails. “That is what happened this time as well. There are no divisions, no centers of power, and DPS has never been more united. Many victories are in front of us,” Djukanovic said. Speaking of the opposition, Djukanovic said that, while they try to diminish DPS every day, they rarely speak about their own convictions. “However, we know that in 2006 they have been against the referendum and the independence. While they fight amongst themselves and try different smear campaigns against DPS, we must offer solutions for our citizens,” he said.

Ungrounded request for constitutional review (Mina)

Suggestion for constitutional review of the Law on confirmation of North Atlantic Treaty and accompanying Protocol on accession of Greece and Turkey has no basis, Montenegrin Parliament concluded. The parliament adopted the Law on April 28th. The suggestion for constitutional review is based on the claim that there was no majority needed for the adoption of the Law in the parliament. However, the parliament responded saying that the conformation of international treaties does not require a majority cited in the Article 91 of the Constitution. What is needed is a majority of MPs in attendance at the session. The suggestion for constitutional review claims that these documents define actions of Montenegrin military in international forces. However, no international documents can be seen as laws in individual countries. Article 5 of the Treaty does not define actions of militaries internationally, but it directs towards national mechanisms of the member states. The parliament suggested to the Constitutional Court that the suggestion for constitutional review of this Law be rejected.

CC of VMRO-DPMNE: We will not support the agreement with Bulgaria in parliament (Meta)

The Central Committee (CC) of VMRO-DPMNE decided that the party will not support the agreement on good neighborly relations with Bulgaria in the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, VMRO-DPMNE announced. The statement said that it is good to sign a good neighborly agreement with Bulgaria, in order to strengthen the cooperation and friendship between the countries, and of course, because of Bulgaria’s announcement that they would support Macedonia’s path to full membership in NATO and the European Union, however, not under the current terms and conditions which are specified in the text of the agreement. “If things remain the way they are, the Central Committee of VMRO-DPMNE concluded that despite the great desire and sincere will, VMRO-DPMNE will not be able to support this agreement in the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia. Under the current provisions of this agreement, perhaps not immediately, but after a year and a half of its signing, at the time of its implementation, Macedonia will face serious problems, whose resolution will be at the expense of Macedonia. Under such conditions, VMRO-DPMNE does not want to share the responsibility that SDSM will have in front of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia and the Macedonian people, a situation when SDS goes directly against the will of the majority of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia”, reads the press release.

Berisha blames Rama for Ballist Morina extradition (ADN)

The former-Prime Minister, Sali Berisha labeled Ballist Morina as the Balkan’s number one prisoner. Through a press statement released on Saturday he blamed Prime Minister Edi Rama for Albania’s fan expected extradition to Serbia.  “Ballist Morina extradition is the consequence of a meeting between Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Serbian President, Alexander Vucic. The latest demanded Morina’s arrest and extradition to Belgrade in exchange for the Premier’s brother name removal from the list of people declared non-grata. Rama expressed the readiness to arrest Morina ahead of the Albania-Serbia match in ‘Elbasan Arena’. He was arrested without any motive in order to be extradited to Serbia. Only the immediate reaction of the public opinion forced PM Rama to step back from this inhuman and anti-national act,” declared the former PM.

He addressed an appeal to the Croatian authorities to review the extradition decision for Morina adding that this is a clear violation of the civil rights.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Ana Brnabić: ‘I do not want to be branded Serbia’s gay PM’ (The Guardian, by Patrick Wintour, 28 July 2017)

The 41-year-old who has never been part of a political party has risen from obscurity and is working to change Belgrade’s image

The appointment of Ana Brnabić as Serbia’s prime minister aged 41 was accompanied by the sound of glass ceilings being shattered all around her. Not only is she the first woman to take on the role, Brnabić is gay and has achieved high office without being a member of a political party.

Giving her first interview to a foreign newspaper after a month in the job, she said: “Serbia is changing and changing fast, and if you will, I am part of that change, but I do not want to be branded ‘Serbia’s gay PM’. The message we need to send is about competence, professionalism and trustworthiness.” Brnabić is dedicated to transforming the image and reality of Serbia, working punishing hours with a largely young team on administrative reforms to prepare it for eventual EU membership. “We are a country that does not have time to lose,” she said. Brnabić was plucked from relative obscurity to become the public administration minister in August 2016 by the then prime minister, Aleksandar Vučić. After Vučić was elected president eight months later, he chose her to succeed him. She had little hands-on experience of Serbia’s unforgiving politics before becoming prime minister, a role that brings with it an imposing security detail outside her private office in Belgrade. In 2003 the then prime minister, Zoran Đinđić, was assassinated by an organised crime gang. In her early 20s Brnabić spent six years abroad, mainly in London, from where she watched on TV as Nato planes bombed the defence ministry in Belgrade in 1999. To this day the buildings, over the road from her spartan office block, are a shell, a reminder of Serbia’s loss of Kosovo. They also highlight the dangers facing the Balkans as the west and Russia fight for strategic advantage. Brnabić returned to Serbia 16 years ago after a master’s at Hull University to be an aunt to her sister’s children and pursue a private business career, but she said she had always been political. She is determined not to make a point of her gender or sexuality, at least for now. Although as a gay Serbian citizen she cannot marry, Brnabić said she did not plan to push LGBT legal reforms at this stage. “The reason why I am not focused on that now is because I deeply, truly believe Serbia will be a more tolerant society once people have jobs, better paid jobs, don’t have to care about their own livelihood, or the future of their own children, and do not have to worry about two or three generations living in the same flat,” she said. “I don’t think Serbia is that homophobic. I know that is one of the perceptions, and I understand attitudes are different in parts of Serbia. But some journalists were in a village in central Serbia where part of my family come from. They saw a couple of people just drinking beer in front of the local store and they asked them about me, and they replied: ‘Well, listen, in this part of Serbia we grow raspberries, fruit and vegetables, and we do not grow discrimination.’ “We just need to hear these kinds of people as well. The citizens of Serbia have a right not to be portrayed by a loud minority. We can have a culture where we disagree, as long as there is tolerance and no violence. We all have different views and values, but I don’t want to change people’s thinking by law.” Her detractors – and she admitted that some of the Serbian press could be brutal – claim that her sexuality is designed to hide the truth that Vučić still runs the country, and it remains a largely authoritarian, corrupt state, riven by ethnic rivalries. The charge is that Vučić, who started his career as an ultranationalist minister of information in the Slobodan Milošević era, is keen to show the west that Serbia is changing and so improve its dwindling chances of EU accession. Brnabić insisted that the president was anything but a micromanager, and said he gave her only broad advice such as “focus on a limited number of issues, don’t spread out, avoid useless meetings, leave time to think and move fast.” In conversation, Brnabić is smart, pragmatic and agile. Given Serbia’s delicate balancing act between Europe and Russia, she needs to be. She has argued that Serbia’s strategic goal is to achieve EU membership, but said this does not require abandoning the traditional friendship with Russia. “Without any shadow of doubt, the EU is where we are going. Our relationship with Russia is deep, it is historically deep, it is in our tradition and in our religion … We have never been asked to choose either or,” she said. In a sign of her commitment to the EU, Brnabić has established a government department dedicated to European integration and another focused on the environment. “Environment protection is going to be the one of most difficult and certainly the most expensive chapter in our EU accession,” she said. Accession negotiations formally began in 2014, but many Serbs are losing faith in the process and remain emotionally committed to Russia. Brnabić said polls showed support was recovering and many Serbs recognised that the reforms required to prepare the country for EU membership were necessary in themselves. “Joining the European community of nations is the icing on the cake, but the journey is just as important,” she said. “We spent the first three years focusing on the economy, mostly turning the Titanic away from the iceberg of bankruptcy.” Administrative changes and, crucially, reforms to the rule of law are next. “If we do not have rule of law and effective and transparent judiciary, everything else will start crumbling down,” she said. It is early days and Brnabić may yet fail to change Serbia, but for the moment it is an experiment worth watching.