LOCAL PRESS

Vucic at the UN: Peace and stability in the Western Balkans is a condition for development (Tanjug,UN News)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in today’s address to the UN General Assembly that the number one condition for the development and progress of the Balkan countries in preservation of peace and stability and announced that he will speak more about Serbia, a country that has a growing reputation in the world.

“It is my great honor to address you for the first time from this place in the capacity of the President of the Republic of Serbia. We have carefully followed the world leaders in previous two days. It seems that we would not overemphasize if it would be said that almost everybody was speaking about the necessity of the reform of the UN, about peace and stability, often accusing someone else – a confronted party – acting as someone preventing mentioned peace and stability or as someone responsible for the difficult situation in the world. I would do my best to avoid that kind of approach. Last year at this very place it was said that the situation worldwide was difficult. Today it is certainly more difficult than it was a year ago. Today, I take opportunity to speak in front of you not for attacking those who cannot defend themselves here, but neither for attacking those who wouldn’t have arguments to defend themselves from the truth, I speak about Serbia, its people, its reentering the world, a fact that world is accepting and embracing Serbia again, but that Serbia is trying to understand the world, even if it sometimes might not agree with great powers. Unlike some leaders, I have no need to patronize my people or to run election or non-election campaign from this stage, because we have already won all our internal political battles. That’s the reason why I’ll speak about Serbia today, Serbia in the future as well as the future of the entire Western Balkans region I come from. Why it is important to speak about the entire Balkans, especially its Western part. Because without broader and more serious insight into the problem we are facing, we will not be able to see let alone resolve our individual problems.

Countries and nations in it, as if embarked on one boat, must have one common political problem and a political ideal, no matter how different they usually might be. The Balkan comes first, before all the countries in the Balkans, whenever the moment is difficult and dangerous, regardless of being dangerous politically or in terms of culture. (Will the Balkans for once open its sleepy eyes and see its paramount cultural capacity, if it plunges as a whole?)

Condition number one for the prosperous future of and for all us in that region is how to preserve peace and tranquility. The Republic of Serbia invests a lot of efforts in stabilization of the situation in the region, which is our permanent commitment and politics. Just like we have been doing so far, we will continue to work devotedly and committedly on promotion of regional stability and cooperation; we believe that it is an investment in a better tomorrow for all of us. For today’s success and progress in the future it is necessary, no matter how pathetic it might seem to someone, to preserve the peace and stability no matter what, which is a priority political task, with a daily hard work and learning as the most important social task and economic growth and reforms as a prerequisite for better life of, in the first place, poor ones and the middle class. In previous period, we in Serbia have shown that with responsible politics of fiscal consolidation, even without huge privatization incomes, we could provide surplus in our budget; decrease unemployment rate from 26% to 12%; create flexible labor market by introducing modern laws, even when some much stronger countries of the developed West are having troubles with it. And more than anything, I am proud that we started to invest into creativity of our young people; that digitalization and artificial intelligence are becoming important topics in Serbia and not only in the most developed countries of the world. Of course, there are still so many things that we must deliver, and when you come from the Western Balkans the first question is whether we would be a part of some new conflicts, or we will have better and carefree future. In spite of numerous challenges, Serbia will keep investing efforts for creating conditions for new quality of relations within the region, based on mutual respect and commitment to common European future.

Today I would particularly like to refer to the political issues in the region and Belgrade’s relations with Pristina. Having in mind the paramount importance of this issue for the Republic of Serbia, I will underline once again that reaching a political solution for the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is a national priority for Serbia. It’s an issue that has a huge effect on our economy, but also on a clear future of the young people both in Serbia and in the entire region. You all know that we do not recognize the unilateral declaration of independence of the so called “Kosovo”, but I will not speak about disrespect for our territorial integrity and sovereignty, instead VII speak about our efforts to resolve the problem. To try to find a solution for a centuries long problem, related to which great powers were not helpful back in 1999 and 2008. I’ll speak about our efforts to talk about future with Albanian leaders from Pristina.

Everything that has been achieved so far through Brussels dialogue was a result of difficult compromises, with unambiguous concessions on both, but still mostly on our side. Significant progress reached throughout this process confirms constructiveness and commitment of the Republic of Serbia to the dialogue. We also demonstrated readiness for compromises that were not easy, contributing thus to finding mutually acceptable solutions for many complex issues. I want to emphasize that in the last 4 years, after we started with dialogue process in Brussels, although there were some fights and quarrels, physical attacks against the Serbs in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija nobody has been killed in ethnic confrontations. For us Serbs and for Albanians as well it is a great step forward, and therefore I am eager to continue in the future with such political efforts. Additionally we invested paramount efforts in stabilization of overall circumstances in the Balkans.

We often stayed silent for insults and attacks coming from some other countries, because we knew that peace and reconciliation are more important than gaining easy political points. Precisely because of that, Serbs are more than eager to continue with successful economic reforms, as well as with the idea for creation of the Regional Economic Zone, which we do not intend to give up on. Former Yugoslavia was widely respected as a market, and for its success in attracting investors and international attention. Today, we are too small as individual markets to have better and more prosperous performance, and therefore I firmly believe that unique customs zone and taxation system is the future of the region. For example, a farmer producing milk only 10 km away from the border loses at least 7-8% of its profit, just for wasting 48 hour to cross in the territory of another country. And that better and improved economy is the second biggest task for all our nations and for Serbia as well. The third thing that is not less important than the first and the second one, and that is uniting these both big tasks are economic progress and our aspiration for EU membership. Path towards the membership to the EU, which is our most important trade and investment partner, is seen as a path towards greater stability, economic progress and strengthening democracy acquis. In previous years, EU enlargement policy towards the Western Balkan countries acted as one of the most powerful instruments in political and economic transformation of the countries of the region into stable and modern societies. We believe that this policy, regardless of all the difficulties existing within the EU itself, as well as in the candidate countries and potential candidates, must continue in equally strong manner. We all want to be a part of the EU, but sometimes people in the

Balkans and people in Serbia are treated in an unfairly different manner than those who had embarked that boat earlier. We are not asking from the EU to speed up our accession process, but to treat us fairly and at least to some extent in the same manner like it had treated some of the already full Member States, that were admitted after 2003. As you all know, Serbs are dignified people and we are expecting all other countries worldwide to respect us the way we respect them and their territorial integrity and sovereignty. We have never wanted nor will we want something that belongs to somebody else we only ask for equal respect for our country and its people.

I am proud that Serbia protects its freedom, independence and sovereignty and for acting as a country observing democratic principles. We will continue and never give up the politics of military neutrality, because we believe that such a politics is a politics of the peace and future. While we strive towards the EU and establish partnership relationship with the western countries, including and improving our relationship with the US, at the same time we keep cherishing the best possible relations with Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China. And not only that we are not ashamed of those good relations, we are proud of them. But we’ll always stand ready to observe developments in today’s world by not judging superficially what’s right or wrong, or what’s just or unjust.

We have never threatened anybody nor we will, but we will always dare to say and condemn if somebody, by launching only a single missile forces inhabitants of the Japanese island of Hokkaido to spend a day or a night in shelters. We will always show care and solidarity for Syrian, Afghan, Sub-Saharan or any other refugees. All the aforementioned will not diminish fierceness and sharpness in confronting international terrorism and radical Islamic movements like ISIS or AI Qaida, because we consider the democratic society of equal rights for all as the only possible society we want to live in and in which we see our future.

We recognize fighting poverty and social inequality in the context of preventing the phenomenon of radicalism and strengthening extremism as a very important task. Integration of citizens of all religions and political and other affiliations into modern society based on common values, but with respect for right to identity and respecting everybody.

Serbia believes and expresses its satisfaction for the more and more important role of the UN not only in keeping peace and stability, but because of much more important tasks the Organization performs to the benefit of the mankind today. Each UN reform leading to the strengthening of its role will be supported by Serbia, because it means more discussions, rare use of force and less arrogance in international relations. And therefore our job is to do everything in order to enable more active role of the UN in processes worldwide.”

Vucic says Trump accepted his invitation to visit Serbia (B92, O2)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in New York on Wednesday that US president Donald Trump has accepted his invitation to visit Serbia.

“When I invited him, I explained in detail why I think it’s important that he comes to Serbia. I spoke about the attitude of all Serbian citizens toward him and the US policy, how people in Serbia would welcome him, why it’s important, and that his presence would show how much Serbs want that friendship,” Vucic told reporters. He also said that during Tuesday’s reception organized by Trump and his wife, Melania, for world leaders currently attending the UN General Assembly, he had the opportunity to shake hands with the US president “as many as four times.”

“I invited him to come to Serbia and he said that he accepted, and that he wanted to come to Serbia, he said – it’s a deal, and then he extended his hand the last time,” Vucic stressed. “I spent a little more time in his company than others, thanks to the story that we started, I guess because I come from the same region as his wife,” he continued.  The conversation “very briefly” touched on politics, Vucic said, adding – “but I said all I wanted to say about Serbia.”

Vucic said he spoke with Melania Trump “in a mixture of Serbian and Slovenian – so we understood each other just fine. She made an effort speaking Slovenian, a little bit Serbian, and I mostly Serbian and a little bit Slovenian, the little I can say in that language,” Vucic said, and remarked that he was “well received” during the reception.

Earlier in the day, Vucic shared with reporters that Trump told him he “reminded him of an NBA basketball.” Vucic also said that he met with French President Emanuel Macron, who “gave his full support to the European path of Serbia” and announced he would “soon” visit Belgrade.

Vucic: Macron plans to visit Serbia in 2018 (Beta)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sept. 20, that French President Emmanuel Macron had told him in New York that he planned to visit Serbia in the first quarter of 2018.

“That’s close. We haven’t had a French president in a long time… Macron turned around at the end of the conversation and said: ‘Aleksandar, you have France’s full support on the European road.’ That is a big and important symbol,” Vucic told the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation.

Vucic said Macron was a “big star” and that he was someone who will “carry Europe’s future” together with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “When you have a country that isn’t big and that doesn’t decide the major issues, it’s very important to receive that kind of attention,” Vucic said.

Turkey’s Erdogan to visit Serbia on October 10 (Tanjug)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Belgrade on October 10 – the date was agreed on during his meeting in New York with Aleksandar Vucic. The Serbian President emphasized that this will be a confirmation of “the great friendship of the two nations” and expressed “gratitude to Turkish companies that invested in the most undeveloped places in Serbia.”

“Our country nurtures a genuine friendship toward the Turkish people, and today we have the opportunity to start a new process in our relations,” he said, according to a statement from the presidential press office, quoted by Tanjug.

According to the same source, Erdogan “stressed that relations between Serbia and Turkey are very important for peace and stability of the Balkans. Serbia is the key country in the Balkans to preserve peace and stability, and that is why we have always supported your European path” the Turkish president said. He pointed out that it was necessary to work on “strengthening economic relations and trade exchange, which amounted to about USD 800 million in 2016, and in the first six months of 2017, USD 539 million. The common goal should be one billion dollars and I support our investors in investing more in Serbia,” concluded Erdogan, adding that during his visit, “a free trade agreement between the two countries should be signed.”

The two interlocutors also “agreed that tourism is a very important segment in the development of economic relations and that it is necessary to work on increasing the number of tourists in both countries.”

They also spoke about infrastructure projects that the Turkish side is interested in, such as the Kraljevo airport, the road Tutin-Novi Pazar-Sjenica and the Belgrade-Sarajevo highway.

Dacic in New York with Plenkovic, Morales, ministers of Belarus, Trinidad, Lebanon (Beta)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, who is participating in the 72nd session of the U.N.

General Assembly in New York, met on the sidelines of the gathering with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, President of Bolivia Evo Morales and the foreign ministers of Belarus, Trinidad and Tobago, and Lebanon, the Foreign Ministry stated on Sept. 20.

During their brief meeting, he and Plenkovic discussed relations between Serbia and Croatia and the situation in the region, while Dacic and Morales concurred that relations between Serbia and Bolivia were good, with room for deepening and improving cooperation, the statement reads.

With the foreign minister of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, Dacic discussed the improvement of relations, especially on the economic plane. Makei said that, bearing in mind the traditionally friendly relations, Serbia could count on Belarus in issues that are particularly important for it.

Dacic thanked the foreign minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dennis Moses, for his country’s principled support on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija and informed him about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Dacic said Trinidad and Tobago could count on Serbia’s support and recollected the program of grants for foreign students in Serbia, while Moses reiterated that his country’s position regarding Kosovo would not change.

At the meeting with the foreign minister of Lebanon, Gebran Bassil, they concurred that relations between Serbia and Lebanon were traditionally good and friendly, that they should be nurtured and improved, especially in the field of the economy, the statement reads.

Dacic: Serbia against interference in sovereign states’ internal affairs (Beta)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Sept. 20, at the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in New York that Serbia, on principle, opposed unilateral coercive measures and interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.

“We are strongly against, and urge refraining from threats and solving all disputes peacefully, in accordance with international law and with full respect for the principles of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” said Dacic.

Dacic said Serbia had “felt the fatal effects of unilateral coercive measures” and could testify about their tragic consequences. Dacic said the decision to use armed force against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had been made and executed without the approval of the U.N. Security Council, which was a violation of Serbia’s sovereign rights, but it also undermined the authority of the Security Council. He said “the position of an alleged ‘humanitarian intervention’ in Kosovo and Metohija was not the position of the Security Council or any other credible body.”

Dacic thanked many Movement members, who, he said, “had steadfastly upheld the principles of the rule of law at the international level, by not recognizing the unilaterally declared independence of ‘Kosovo,’ which represented a violation of the fundamental principles of the U.N. Charter, the Helsinki Final Act (OSCE) and the U.N. Security Council Resolution

1244 (1999).”

The Serbian foreign minister said at the Non-Aligned conference on the sidelines of the U.N. general debate in New York, that Serbia was committed to cooperation with members of the movement and supported the efforts to take steps, in line with the U.N. Charter, toward promoting the role of the Non-Aligned as the representatives of the developing countries and a platform to advance their interests.

“Return Kosovo to Serbia – then talk about sovereignty” (Tajug)

State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs and Eurasian Integration chair Leonid Kalashnikov has called on the US president and the West to “return Kosovo to Serbia.”

“Calling for respect of sovereignty sounds cynical coming from the president of a power that has destroyed the entire world order. Let’s start with Kosovo. Who dismembered Yugoslavia? Americans went down that that road and opened Pandora’s box,” said Kalashnikov.

The Russian official in this way on Wednesday commented on a speech Donald Trump delivered the day before at the UN General Assembly.

Kalashnikov recalled that the former Yugoslavia was broken up while ignoring all international norms and without a UN mandate, while “the separation of Kosovo went without any referendum and violently”, Sputnik cited the article.

And if Trump was “aiming” at Crimea, Kalashnikov continued, “he would have to know that the peninsula became a part of Russia based on the will of the people in a referendum, without a single victim and a civil war.”

“The United States has dismantled international law, and now they are trying to lecture others, which is the worst possible kind of cynicism. Let them first return Kosovo (to Serbia),” Kalashnikov concluded.

Trump yesterday presented his vision of the world order, saying that it should be based on powerful sovereign states, rather than multilateral alliances.

“We must reject threats to sovereignty, from Ukraine to the South China Sea,” Trump said.

According to him, it is expected that “all countries” respect the interests of their own people, as well as the rights of “other sovereign states.”

Vucic wants Parliament to elect President in future (Danas)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is planning to include an article in the Constitution under which parliament would elect the head of state and not voters at presidential elections as is the case now, Danas daily says it learned unofficially from sources close to the authorities.

The planned changes to the Constitution include changes to the preamble which now says that Kosovo is an inalienable part of the territory of Serbia. That will be changed to say that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia on whose territory the laws of Serbia are not implemented, the daily says. “Those two articles were the most debated in the top ranks of the authorities. However, Vucic decides on everything and it’s possible that those two articles will not be formulated exactly like that,” the Danas sources said.

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Decision on calling referendum on Court and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H published in RS Official Gazette (TV1)

The decision of the Republika Srpska (RS) National Assembly (NA) on calling a referendum on the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) was published in the RS Official Gazette on Wednesday. Addressing the media in Banja Luka on Tuesday, RS President and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik announced that SNSD will vote for suspension of this decision in the RSNA if it is published in the Official Gazette. Dodik said that its suspension is not a sign of weakness. On the other hand, the RS opposition finds that Dodik has unmasked his deceptive referendum policy. Dodik addressed the members of the press and said that he sees nothing wrong with suspending this decision. “We do not see this as quitting. We are permanently dissatisfied with the abolition of jurisdiction of the RS. The constellation of the international relations is currently like that, that it does not accept any form of ‘adventurism’, and in that way, it is not a problem for us to withdraw this decision and suspend it on the session of the RSNA”, said Dodik.

SDA reps welcome Dodik’s decision to suspend referendum on work of B&H judiciary (BHT1)

SDA representatives welcomed Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik‘s decision to suspend the decision to call the referendum on the work of the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Deputy Speaker of the B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Sefik Dzaferovic (SDA) stressed that the issue of the referendum on the work of the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H is something that is unconstitutional and violates the sovereignty of B&H. “It is better for Dodik and the RSNA to suspend this decision, than to have the Constitutional Court of B&H do it,” Dzaferovic underlined.

Crnadak: Dodik’s decision on annulling of referendum is slap in face of RS people (Klix)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a statement of the Minister Igor Crnadak concerning the decision of the RS President Milorad Dodik to annul the decision of the RS National Assembly on referendum on Court and Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H).

“Latest statement of the RS President Milorad Dodik on annulling of the decision on referendum, enacted by the RSNA, after two years of failure to implement it, presents a big slap in the face of the RS people and their the most important institution- the RSNA”, said Crnadak. He noted that opposition is not the reason for annulling of the referendum, because in the last ten years Dodik and SNSD have not harmonized a single decision with the opposition, nor the reason lays in alleged change of international circumstances. Crnadak noted that this proves that all of this was a grand manipulation and show for the people and that Dodik in fact, never intended to carry out this referendum, just as he never carried out earlier referendums or as he never officially published results of the referendum on RS Day. Minister concluded that the harm that Dodik and SNSD’s coalition are causing the RS is immeasurable and only thanks to firm and smart politics of the RS representatives in joint institutions, which are correcting mistakes of SNSD, DNS and SP RS, the international position of the RS is today, stronger than ever.

HR Inzko: RSNA’s decision on referendum on B&H judiciary represents violation of DPA (TV1)

The decision of the Republika Srpska (RS) National Assembly (NA) on calling a referendum on the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina was published in the RS Official Gazette on Wednesday. High Representative Valentin Inzko said that the decision should be put out of force as soon as possible.

“Decision of the RSNA about referendum on state judiciary and competencies of the High Representatives, which was published, represents clear violation of Dayton Peace Agreement. I also informed the UN Security Council at the time, about this” said Incko.

B&H Presidency Chairman Covic: B&H will continue meeting obligations towards reaching EU candidate status (N1)

Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Dragan Covic addressed attendees of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday. Conflicts in Syria, Israeli-Palestinian relations, the situation in North Korea and the status of women in the world were some of the topics that Covic mentioned. He paid special attention to fight against terrorism. Covic said: “As a member of a global coalition for fight against the ISIL, we will continue helping efforts of the coalition to free and recover entire human communities for suffering, damages that causes ISIL and its global network. B&H advocates full implementation of Resolutions of the UN Security Council aimed to bring persons who take part in financing, planning, preparation or execution of terrorist attacks before justice”. Covic dedicated one part of his speech to B&H and emphasized the need for implementation of necessary reforms in B&H. The reporter noted that once more, Covic was optimistic but he underlined that the country again passes through a period full of challenges. According to Covic, one ethnicity in B&H cannot be happy and prosperous if the other two ethnicities and all residents are not in the same situation. Covic emphasized: “In this regard, we believe that the necessary step forward must be undertaken within B&H and that changes to B&H Election Law must be adopted by the end of this year, in line with decisions of B&H Constitutional Court”.

During the visit to New York, Covic held a number of bilateral meetings including a brief meeting with US President Donald Trump. Cabinet of Chairman of B&H Presidency Covic did not reveal details of the meeting with Trump.

Covic, who was accompanied by B&H Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak, is expected to end his visit to New York today.

B&H HoR rejects proposed amendments to B&H Election Law and B&H Criminal Code (FTV)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) House of Representatives (HoR) failed to adopt on Wednesday amendments to the B&H Election Law related to banning convicted war criminals from running in the elections in B&H and amendments to the B&H Criminal Code related to ban on the denial of genocide and other crimes.

Proponent of amendments to the B&H Election Law – SDP B&H representative in the B&H HoR Denis Becirovic – said that the issue of banning convicted war criminals from running in the elections is not only a legal issue, but a moral and civilization one. “Humanist such as Bogic Bogicevic is unable to run for the B&H Presidency and at the same time, convicted war criminal Momcilo Krajisnik has the right to do that,” Becirovic underlined.

Jasmin Emric (A-SDA) wondered if it is fair and ethical to encourage war criminals in such way. The both laws were not endorsed by parties from the RS. Reporter noted that representatives from the RS and HDZ B&H insist on human rights of convicted war criminals.

Momcilo Novakovic (NDP-PDP) said that prospective would not be restored with such laws that create ambient of intolerance among people. B&H HoR Speaker Borjana Kristo (HDZ B&H) stressed that persons who served their sentences cannot be discriminated.

Deputy Speaker Sefik Dzaferovic (SDA) said that the laws are justified, especially regarding implementation of the Annex 7 of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

Damir Becirovic (DF) said that verdicts of domestic and international courts have to be respected.

Meanwhile, SDS’ proposal for disabling conversion of prison sentence for most aggravated crimes to fines was adopted. Aleksandra Pandurevic (SDS) said that such criminals should be in prison for the sake of security.

Croatia

Slovenian Prime Minister to visit Zagreb next Wednesday (Jutarnji list)

The topic of the meeting with his Croatian counterpart Plenkovic will be the border arbitration dispute and tense relations between the two countries. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic participated at the opening of the general debate at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly. While in New York. He also met with Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar with whom he agreed on a meeting in Zagreb next Wednesday, reports Jutarnji List.

“Slovenian Prime Minister has agreed to visit Zagreb on 27 September. We will talk about the border and other open issues,” Plenkovic said.

Slovenian Prime Minister Cerar confirmed on Wednesday that he would meet next week with Plenkovic in Zagreb and added that he insisted that the main topic of the discussions had to be the implementation of the disputed arbitrary decision on the border between the two countries. “We have agreed on a meeting on the 27th of this month in Zagreb where we will continue the discussion on the border between Slovenia and Croatia. I will represent the view that this should be the main topic of the discussion, and I want to talk about implementation,” said Cerar to the Slovenian news agency STA. A new bilateral agreement on the border issue is unacceptable for Slovenia, confirmed the Slovenian Prime Minister.

Commenting on Donald Trump‘s speech at the UN, Cerar highlighted the part in which the US president spoke about the importance of “the rule of law” in the arbitration dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Cerar said that was important, referring to the arbitration decision which Croatia refuses to accept.

While the Croatian side rejects the arbitrators’ decision because of the contamination of the process and demands that the border issue should be resolved bilaterally, Slovenia claims that the verdict has become a part of European law and that Croatia as an EU member must respect it.

Cerar noted that he used bilateral meetings with chiefs of delegations and diplomats in New York to present and explain the Slovenian position on arbitration with Croatia.

Croatian Prime Minister Plenkovic reiterated in New York that Croatia wanted to resolve the border dispute with Slovenia on a bilateral basis, and that there was no pressure from the European Union to accept the decision which it did not recognize.

“There are very clear positions of Croatia and Slovenia. I have repeatedly said that the issue of borders is a matter to be resolved bilaterally, on the basis of international law. Croatia had opted for the arbitration in good faith, but it was compromised on the Slovenian side. The decision of the Croatian Parliament to withdraw from the proceedings is clear,” said Plenkovic, adding that it was evident from his consultations with parliamentary parties that all political actors in Croatia wanted to address border issues on land and sea with a bilateral agreement.

“We will be going step by step in this direction, regardless of any other positions. This is a priority issue for Croatia and Slovenia as two mature, responsible and friendly countries,” concluded Plenkovic.

Is B&H OSA wiretapping Croatian officials? (HRT1)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Intelligence-Security Agency (OSA) has been wiretapping Croatian officials and entrepreneurs. B&H Minister of Security Dragan Mektic stated that B&H OSA will continue to conduct all activities that are in interest of B&H, adding that it will include wiretapping of foreign officials if necessary. Later, Mektic stated that he has never confirmed claims saying B&H OSA wiretapped Croatian officials.

Asked whether B&H OSA works for interest of only one constituent people in B&H, historian Ivo Lucic said that in his opinion this agency is working in interest of certain groups within Bosniak politics. He added that these groups usurped intelligence-security agencies and some state institutions and have been using them for internal reckoning in B&H, as well as for destabilization of politics of neighboring countries. Lucic stressed that the goal of abovementioned activities is to present Croatia as a hostile country, adding that this represents an attempt to avoid the situation in which these groups will have to face reality – that B&H is divided country where officials represent only their people. He went on saying that Mektic and some other politicians represent interest of SDA leader and Bosniak member of B&H Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic. Commenting the statement of member of B&H Parliaments Joint Security-Intelligence Commission for supervision over B&H OSA Sadik Ahmetovic saying that certain parallel system exists in OSA and that this system does not work in interest of B&H and create problem for B&H due to someone’s personal and political interest, Lucic stressed that this statement is encouraging and expressed hope B&H institutions and agencies will start working on resolving of issues of importance for state of B&H. Lucic underlined that the abovementioned activities might represent an attempt to prevent Croats in B&H to fulfill their rights and to undermine Croat political representatives’ requests for equality of Croats in B&H.

Oleg Butkovic: Construction of Peljesac bridge to begin by end of 2017 (Jutarnji list)

Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butkovic, has announced that the beginning of the construction of Peljesac Bridge will start by the end of this year.

He also commented on the dispute over the project with neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) during his appearance on Croatian Radio. From the Bosniak ranks in B&H, the attempts to block the construction of the bridge were commented on by Safet Softic.

”I think this issue should be a rational one. I think our neighbors and friends in B&H need to understand the need for the Republic of Croatia to unite its territory, which is also European territory. The facts show that none of the rights enjoyed by B&H have been compromised at all” stated Minister Butkovic.

”I don’t see it as a matter of politics. It’s the sovereignty of B&H. An issue which encroaches upon the question of the sovereignty of B&H, the issues of B&H’s access to the open sea and all the rest of it are contained in that fact,” said Safet Softic from the B&H side of the ongoing argument.

The construction of, and the mere idea of Peljesac Bridge has been in the works for many years and has faced an unexpected amount of interruptions, obstacles and bumps in the road from all imaginable angles.

Now that the Republic of Croatia has successfully secured funding from the European Union and the green light to begin constructing the bridge, which would unarguably be the biggest and most significant strategic project for the country to date, many issues have arisen from B&H, namely from certain B&H political figures who believe that the construction of the bridge undermines the country, despite B&H’s own Justice Minister having personally written to Oleg Butkovic to assure him that there are indeed no legal problems regarding the eventual construction of the bridge.

Montenegro

The EU to opposition: Resolve political situation in Parliament (CDM)

The discussion in Parliament is the only solution for the current political situation in Montenegro, said the representatives of the European Union. During the last two days, the head of the European Union Delegation to Montenegro Aivo Orav and ambassadors of EU member states held separate meetings with leaders of opposition parties represented in Parliament – Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Democrats (DCG), Socialist People’s Party (SNP), Democratic Front (DF), Demos, the URA Civic Movement and United Montenegro.

EU representatives pointed out the importance of Montenegro’s future in the EU and underscored the positive message to the countries of the Western Balkans, particularly Montenegro, which European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker made in his recent speech on the state of the Union.

“Montenegro’s progress in the accession process will continue to be determined by the speed of implementation of reforms to meet the conditions for EU membership,” EU representatives stressed. It was particularly emphasized that Montenegro should give priority to achieving tangible results in the field of the rule of law, including the judiciary and basic rights.

EU representatives pointed out that it was important that all political parties participate in a constructive dialogue aimed at finding a solution to the current political situation in Montenegro, which is the message that could previously be heard from the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, Commissioner Johannes Hahn and the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani.

“Such discussions should be held in Parliament and a solution should be reached by Montenegro as a country that is negotiating membership in the European Union,” EU representatives emphasized.

EU representatives called to mind that international observers, particularly the OSCE/ODIHR monitoring mission, assessed that general election in October 2016 were held in competitive circumstances and largely implemented with respect to fundamental freedoms. They also pointed out that it was essential for Montenegro to effectively implement OSCE/ODIHR’s recommendations regarding elections.

Abazovic: Either the EU is on the side of the totalitarian regime or on the side of democracy (CDM)

URA Civic Movement will not end the Parliament boycott and give legitimacy to general elections fraud. The European Commission must finally decide whether it is on the side of the totalitarian and repressive regime of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) or on the side of democracy, along with all free citizens of Montenegro, the URA leader Dritan Abazovic said after today’s meeting with representatives of the European Mission in Podgorica.

He pointed out that the opposition must not break the Parliament boycott without obtaining the election date, because it would “give legitimacy to the empty theses of the organized crime group, which illegally usurped the power”.

“However, if some of the opposition colleagues decide to end the boycott, the URA Civic Movement will be the last to return to the assembly,” said Abazovic.

He called to mind that URA did not conduct a passive boycott, but was actively trying to maintain cohesion between opposition parties in order to “respond to the criminal regime more effectively”. He also presented the “Plan for Solving the Political Crisis” to the diplomats. The plan was earlier proposed to all opposition parties.

“We are pleased that the European Commission is finally abandoning its passive position and engaging in political developments, even if it happens thanks to the US Vice President Mike Pence’s visit. We do not ask the European Union to respect the opposition parties, but we demand respect for 150,000 citizens of Montenegro who are struggling for democratic changes,” Abazovic said. He also reminded the ambassadors and head of the EU delegation that “DPS was solely responsible for Montenegro’s deep political crisis and the fact that political processes were paralyzed for over a year”. According to him, DPS leadership is using such a situation to push its scandalous laws.

“By an anti-European practice, DPS is trying to push through the scandalous Law on Spatial Planning and Construction, by which it will sell out and completely privatize Montenegro. Such legal solutions, which abolish Montenegrin municipalities and degrade them to the status of local communities, were not proposed even by the government of Milo Djukanovic,” Abazovic pointed out. Abazovic reiterated that the Montenegrin economy was in a catastrophic state and that organized crime was getting stronger, and that “we needed to unblock paralyzed institutions trapped by the influence of the organized crime group leaders”.

SNP clear: Boycott won’t be ended, now it’s PM’s move (CDM)

Socialist People’s Party (SNP) continues boycotting parliament until Prime Minister Dusko Markovic invites the opposition to discuss organizing snap elections. This is what the party leader Vladimir Jokovic said after the meeting with the ambassadors of the EU member states.

Parliament boycott that lasts for more than ten months now is not perfect solution, but it is the option opposition was forced to choose, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Democratic Montenegro (DCG) said yesterday. According to the two parties, the ball is in DPS’s court now, since the ruling party is demanded to call snap elections. Only under these conditions are they ready to return to the assembly.

SNP said that it was ready to return to parliament under the same conditions.

“SNP will remain outside parliament. It is the right of every political entity to return to the assembly. SNP will not rush to do that. Boycott is a decision supported by the entire opposition and I do not see the reason why some opposition parties would end it,” Jokovic was clear.

Therefore, it’s Prime Minister Dusko Markovic and his government’s move to call for elections and invite the opposition to reach an agreement on fair and democratic conditions.

“The dialogue should start either immediately or in October,” Jokovic said. As he explained, this is necessary in order to hold the snap general elections in spring along with the presidential elections and local ones in 13 municipalities.

He did not want to answer whether EU representatives insisted on returning to parliament.

“I cannot say what the ambassadors said. I can only say what we presented to them,” Jokovic said.

fYROM

PM Zaev at UN: Governments wishing to serve citizens are open (MIA)

Governments that wish to serve own citizens are open. They don’t hide, but invent, think and create with the citizens. We should exploit the existing and create new mechanisms to make our democracies stable, Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Wednesday at the panel ‘Open Government Partnership – Rebuilding Trust in Government’, which took place in New York within the 72nd UN General Assembly.

Confidence-building between the governments, citizens and various organizations is vital for establishing transparent, energetic democracies, he said.

Macedonia, he said, endured a cruel political crisis mainly as a result of a violation of the privacy of citizens, which has seriously crippled the citizens’ trust in state institutions.

‘My message today is to revive transparency and citizens’ involvement, to restore the confidence in the government and democracy,’ Zaev said.

Macedonia’s experience is a proof that a crisis may only be surpassed by a cooperation with citizens, organizations, political parties and strong political will to alien the institutions from political influences, thus making them independent and ones that work exclusively for citizens’ interests, the PM said.

‘As a newly elected government, our top priority is to promote the readiness to listen. We wish to hear our citizens. We have been working on introducing mechanisms for regular consultations with the government. We wish to alter the culture of communicating in Macedonia,’ Zaev said. He reminded that Macedonia joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in 2011 and referred to the country’s activities since then within this multilateral initiative.

‘We believe that the OGP goals should be in harmony with the ones of the sustainable development – no poverty, gender equality, clear water and sanitation, partnership for the goals, climate action, peace, justice and strong institutions,’ Zaev said.

The gathering on this topic, he added, demonstrates the significance states and leaderships attach to the governments’ openness – the mode of functioning Macedonia’s cabinet aspires to practice.

The country’s third OGP Action Plan, Zaev said, will promote more possibilities for closer cooperation with all interested parties.

The Open Government Partnership is a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.

FM Dimitrov’s activities on sidelines of UNGA in New York (MIA)

Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov, who is attending the 72nd UN General Assembly in New York, held separate meetings with his counterparts from Canada, Ukraine and Indonesia, as well as Mexican Deputy FM – Chrystia Freeland, Pavlo Klimkin, Retno Marsudi and Carlos de Icaza Gonzalez respectively.

Dimitrov and his Canadian counterpart discussed on the new page of Macedonia’s domestic, foreign policy after the country’s serious political crisis. Freeland expressed interest in the developments in Western Balkans and Macedonia’s new, positive approach to the relations with its neighbors. She voiced support for the country’s democratic aspirations and the bid to join NATO as soon as possible, the Ministry of Foreign affairs said in a press release.

Dimitrov and his Ukrainian counterpart tackled the developments in the region and the bilateral cooperation. Dimitrov and Marsudi urged for advancing the Macedonian-Indonesian cooperation. Dimitrov and Icaza Gonzalez shared opinions on the main developments in the American and European region. They concluded that there was a room for advancement of the bilateral relations, especially in terms of visa liberalization.

FM Dimitrov also held talks with numerous international official, including EU High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn and his Australian colleague Julie Bishop.

PM Zaev: Let’s put behind old Balkan policy, divisions (MIA)

Macedonia’s Government will always respect the state interests and build relations based on the principles of good-neighborliness, advancement of the regional cooperation, neutrality and non-interference in the internal affairs of the neighboring countries, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev says in an interview with ‘Serbian Economy’ magazine.

The reviving of good neighborly relations is an additional driving power and the old Balkan policy, divisions should be put behind as it brings harm to everybody, Zaev says, pointing out that only those who cooperate in realizing common goals for better life yield results.

Macedonia’s government, he says, is focused on settling the name dispute with Greece, as it has already resolved the issues with Bulgaria by signing the Friendship Treaty.

Macedonia will hold to its neighboring policy, free of prejudices and ready for dialogue for the country to obtain more friends among the EU, NATO members, PM Zaev says.

Albania

Prime Minister Edi Rama meets with U.S. President Donald Trump (ATA)

Prime Minister Edi Rama meets with President of the United States of America, Donald Trump.

Prime Minister Rama released a photo of the day in his Facebook page focusing Albania’s PM Rama with his wife and U.S. President Donald Trump with the first lady of the United States, Melania Trump. The Premier is currently to the United States to attend the 72nd Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Serbian media under political pressure (Euractiv)

One of Serbia’s most important and most popular local weeklies, Vranje’s Novine Vranjske, was shut down after management failed to settle its taxes.

On orders labeled urgent, for weeks, tax inspectors have been investigating the publication, while Editor-in-Chief Vukasin Obradovic claims their work is politically motivated.

On 19 September, Obradovic locked himself inside the weekly’s office in downtown Vranje and began a hunger strike with the aim of highlighting “the pointlessness of the struggle for media freedom I have been leading for the past 30 years or so”. The editor was taken to a hospital that same evening. As his health was already poor, doctors advised Obradovic to stop the strike, which he did the next day. Journalists’ associations gave their full support to Obradovic. They point out that in the case of Novine Vranjske, as well as in the case of some other media not close to the government, the authorities are applying double standards. A free and independent press is a necessity, not a luxury

In these uncertain times, World Press Freedom Day is a chance for the EU to guarantee publishers and journalists the freedom they need to carry out their jobs, writes Christian Van Thillo. Thus multimillion tax debts are rescheduled or their collection delayed for media close to the government, whereas strict criteria are applied when it comes to media that do not follow the demands of the ruling bloc and which are, as a rule, poor.

The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (IJAV) have said that the shuttering of the Novine Vranjske weekly is a direct consequence of long-time political pressure on media freedoms and is frightening news for media professionals. The associations add that the media not controlled by the authorities are exposed to constant pressure, threats, campaigns, blackmail, exhausting visits by various inspectors, court decisions contrary to the concept of media freedom defined by the European Court of Human Rights. They also have limited access to budget funds earmarked for media projects.

The Serbian government issued a press release listing all the projects for which Novine Vranjske had received public funds, but that sparked additional discontent among the associations. According to the associations, this is a message from the government that they believe those who receive public money should not criticize the government. On the other hand, “the pro-regime media spend enormous amounts of taxpayers’ money, their tax debts are written off and numerous other benefits and stimulations provided”, reads a statement from the IJAS and IJAV.

The two associations also warned that while “For years no one has responded to the attacks on and threats to the journalists and media not to the government’s liking. The prosecutor’s office and police are demonstrating incredible efficiency where threats to and attacks on the representatives of the government and the media close to it are concerned – which testifies to yet another highly worrisome form of discrimination.” Particularly targeted is local media, which are subjected to “the willfulness of local political strongmen and which have a very limited and poor market, and it is also largely dependent on the government”.

On 20 September, in Novi Sad, Sem Fabrizi, the head of the EU delegation to Serbia, said that the shuttering of Novine Vranjske was an attack on media freedom. Fabrizi explained that he could not comment on individual cases, but emphasized that the EU advocated “media freedom and the rule of law”.

“That is part of the EU agenda and we must work a lot and cooperate with Serbia in these areas,” the EU official remarked. The BIRODI Bureau for Social Research think tank has said that the closing of Novine Vranjske exemplifies the vulnerability of the media in a free market context.

“Acceptance of the concept that the media are, primarily, a matter of the market, i.e. that their sustainability depends on ‘success’ on the market in a state with questionable and low economic activity, i.e. where the media can get funding from highly corruptive sources, has resulted in most media’s choosing to become a means of promotion, entertainment and propaganda, and some even of retaliation,” BIRODI said in a statement. Pointing out that most media were in serious financial trouble, BIRODI said that the selective approach to choosing which media to subject to tax control was a form of pressure on the media. Meanwhile, journalist and media associations warned that “the Serbian authorities have entered a new, brutal phase of stamping out media freedom and intimidating journalists”, with the objective of completely disempowering media and silencing critical voices. A statement signed by IJAS, IJAV, the Association of Online Media, Association of Independent Electronic Media and the Local Press Association contends that several worrisome events have occurred in the media sphere over the last few days, which shows that “The authorities have utilized all state institutions and media close to them in a crackdown on ‘unfit’ media and journalists.”

The associations called on citizens and civil society organizations to get more involved in the fight for media freedom and freedom of expression. They also urged international organizations to stop ignoring the serious problems facing Serbian journalists and media and take a more active part in the protection of the democratic values they advocate.

According to Reporters without Borders annual World Press Freedom Index, in 2016, Serbia rose to 66th place. The report also says that media freedoms in Serbia have been declining since 2014 and that media operate under financial and editorial pressure, while opposition media are under attack.

Skopje might change name of “Alexander the Great” Airport (Greek reporter)

The possibility that the new government of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) might change the name of “Alexander the Great” Skopje airport was announced by Foreign Minister Nikolai Dimitrov.

In an interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Dimitrov criticized policies of the former Nikola Gruevski administration.

The new Zoran Zaev government, the foreign minister said, focuses on resolving the ongoing FYROM name dispute with Greece. Following the deep political crisis the country faced in recent years,  Dimitrov said, FYROM is returning to stability and its efforts to become a member of the EU and NATO. Greece’s veto on the ascension procedures is one of the obstacles the new government is trying to overcome, Dimitrov said.

“For years, Athens has felt that the Gruevski government was provoking Greece, especially when it named the Skopje airport Alexander the Great Airport and turned the center of the capital into a kitsch, ancient mausoleum,” Dimitrov said. “We do not need hundreds of monuments to feel proud of the Macedonians. We want to overcome vacant nationalism, which is based only on the erection of monuments or the name of roads, stadiums and airports such as “Alexander the Great”,” Dimitrov continued.

However, the FYROM foreign minister did not want to answer to question whether the new government intends to withdraw the name “Alexander the Great” from Skopje Airport, as Athens asks. According to FAZ, sources from Skopje do not rule out such a step after the municipal elections in October, as it is discussed to rename the airport “Mother Teresa”, who was born in Skopje.