LOCAL PRESS

Vucic receives Cretu (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu in Belgrade late Thursday. Expressing her condolences over the murder of Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic, Cretu said the European Commission condemned the crime in the strongest of terms, and expressed the hope authorities in Kosovo and Metohija would conduct an investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice, the presidential press office said in a statement.

Vucic: In Serbia, everyone has right to speak- and to respond (Tanjug/RTS)

In Serbia, everyone has the right to speak or write what they want, but at the same time everyone has the right to respond to that, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) President Mogens Blicher Bjerregard at a meeting in Belgrade on Friday.

Vucic said this in response to criticism levelled by representatives of an EFJ mission, noting he would do everything to promote freedom of expression and media, an official statement said.

Stefanovic: Pristina does not want to find the assassin (RTS/Tanjug)

Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic stated that the reaction of Kosovo authorities, which refused participation of Serbian investigation institutions, was completely unacceptable.

“This reaction of the key Pristina institutions clearly indicates that there is no desire to find the killers and punish them, nor to conduct an investigation professionally, because it would have to include all investigative bodies that could help find the perpetrators and the organizers of this crime,” he said. He added that there was obviously intent to misdirect the public’s attention and make it difficult and prevent uncovering the real motives for this murder, and finding all those responsible for it. “Despite all the requests to EULEX and UNMIK to involve the investigative organs of the Republic of Serbia in the investigation process, we have been deprived of any response from these international institutions. Particularly worrying is the unprecedented practice of EULEX not taking a more active part in the investigation into a criminal offense of this kind,” Stefanovic said. He added that Serbia still insists on its prosecution, police and investigative bodies taking part in the investigation. “We believe that only in this way can the full truth be arrived at, and the perpetrators and those who gave the order prevented from remaining unpunished,” the minister said.

Djuric: Pristina has no intention to seriously conduct investigation (TV Pink/Tanjug)

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric has stated that Pristina’s refusal for Serbian political, judicial and other organs to participate in the investigation into the murder of Oliver Ivanovic shows that the Pristina authorities have no intention of conducting an investigation in a serious manner. According to him, a serious investigation into Ivnaovic’s murder is not five police members of some team from the north and five members from the south, who are conducting an investigation without serious networking with Serbian organs.

“Those who have nothing to hide would not refuse participation of Serbian organs, would not refuse assistance of the most professional and most serious investigators that this country has,” Djuric told TV Pink. He stressed that Pristina’s refusal doesn’t mean that there will be no investigation and that Serbia will certainly conduct an investigation with the goal of those responsible for this terrorist act to be brought to justice.

Drecun: Car meant to distract from key evidence (Beta/Tanjug)

The chairperson of the Serbian parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun said that a car found torched near the site where Oliver Ivanovic was shot and killed was a wrong clue. He added that focusing attention on the vehicle is meant to provide distraction until those responsible manage to hide the key things. Drecun remarked that the investigation should perhaps be directed toward Kosovo Assembly speaker Kadri Veseli and Kosovo PM Ramush Haradinaj – who immediately rejected having Serbian organs included in the probe – while Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, in conversation with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, expressed readiness for our organs to be included. “”Should the investigation perhaps be directed towards Veseli and Haradinaj, not as the organizers, but as somebody who wants to hide what happened, and point the investigation in the wrong direction?,” Drecun asked, and continued: “This murder was done professionally. There are no clues, even the cameras recorded the perpetrators wearing masks. Only one wrong clue has been left, which is meant to distract us until they hide the key things, and that wrong clue is the car.” Considering that several days before Ivanovic was killed, the US State Department issued an advisory to US citizens about possible unrest in northern Kosovo, Drecun continued, if Washington really wants to contribute to shedding light on the murder, it doesn’t have to offer FBI’s assistance but give Belgrade intelligence information on which the State Department based its assessment. “”The State Department’s assessment perhaps could lead to those who killed Oliver Ivanovic,” he stressed.

He added that Serbia could also ask for London for its information and recalled that increased presence of British special services has been noted during recent months, especially in the North of Kosovo. “Their increased activity means they obtained some information, which may lead to this crime,” Drecun said. He stressed that Serbia could get information about the perpetrator and those who ordered the murder on one side from Kadri Veseli, Ramush Haradinaj, and the SHIK (Kosovo intelligence services), on the other from Britain and America, and on third, which is often forgotten, from Albania and Albanian PM Edi Rama. “Perhaps they could lead us to information about the perpetrator and those who ordered it. The question is whether it is in the interest of these three sides to submit information, I’m guessing not. It will be hard to solve the murder without intelligence information, because there are almost no clues,” Drecun concluded.

EU: Vucic, Thaci agree to resume dialogue (Beta)

The Presidents of Serbia and Kosovo, Aleksandar Vucic and Hashim Thaci, agreed for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to continue and for the investigation into the murder of Kosovo Serb leader Oliver Ivanovic to be carried out in cooperation of the judicial and police authorities of both sides, the spokesperson of the EC Maja Kocijancic stated. Kocijancic told reporters at a regular briefing in Brussels that the police and judicial mission EULEX in Kosovo was supporting the investigation into Ivanovic’s murder. This was her reply to a question on whether EULEX, as the largest judicial and police mission of the EU, was participating in the investigation into the murder of one of the Kosovo Serb leaders, or it could only act with consent of the authorities in Pristina. To the repeated question, Kocijancic replied that EULEX was providing support to that investigation. She said that Vucic and Thaci discussed the murder of Ivanovic and that it was important to investigate the case and bring the perpetrators to justice, through cooperation of the two sides’ security forces. In that regard, it is important for the Kosovo police and judiciary that the investigation be carried out in accordance with the agreement on the judiciary and the police reached in the dialogue, she stated. Immediately after the murder of Ivanovic, the EU stressed that EULEX would support the investigation into that crime, Kocijancic reiterated.

Rada Trajkovic: It is a public secret that Milan Radojicic has authority (Danas)

“It is a pubic secret that the essential authority in the north of Kosovo is exercised by Milan Radojicic, who is marked as a man of mafia in the international community, and that the authority is not implemented by the officially elected mayors. Radojicic is the number one, he says what good and what evil is, and as long as he is there, Serbs in Kosovo do not need the community of Serbian municipalities because this institution would be entirely under his control”, Danas reports on Friday the claims of the former MP in the Kosovo Assembly Rada Trajkovic. Slavisa Ristic, independent MP in Serbian assembly, from Zubin Potok says it is an open secret that the businessman Radojicic slapped in the middle of the day and in the street, with other people witnessing it, the mayor of Kosovska Mitrovica Goran Rakic. He slapped him for educational purposes, as they say, so that he could understand he could do nothing on his own, since he was heading to a meeting with the Albanians in the southern part of the town (…) “Goran Bogdanovic, SDS MP in the Serbian parliament from Kosovo said he would rather avoid this subject because his family lived in Kosovo and that’s why he could not talk about it unlike Trajkovic,” Danas reads.

Six lists approved so far for Belgrade elections (Tanjug)

The Belgrade city election commission has by Thursday afternoon approved six electoral lists for the upcoming local polls in the capital. Around 1.6 million people will be eligible to vote at a total of about 1,183 polling stations.

REGIONAL PRESS

Constitutional Court took down OHR’s decisions, new solutions are necessary (Vecernji list)

High Representative Valentin Inzko confirmed during his meeting with Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic that the OHR is involved ‘via a Belgian expert’ in talks on changes to the Law on Elections of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) together with the US and EU representatives as envoys. According to Inzko, some proposals have been made, stressing the most important issue is to implement decision of the Constitutional Court, so-called ‘Ljubic’ motion, reelection of delegates to the Federation of B&H House of Peoples and that the elections are held. Daily learns that positions of the Croat, Bosniak and representatives of the OHR on how the Law on Elections should be changed are completely opposite. Daily argues the problem is that provisions of the law, which were annulled by the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H, were created and imposed by former High Representatives, and now representatives of the OHR are taking part in finding solutions. In this context daily reads that the OHR had requested that Bozo Ljubic’s motion be dismissed, however the CC rejected the OHR’s arguments.

Austrian Ambassador Pammer: Implementation of court decision in ‘Ljubic’ case is crucial (Dnevni avaz)

Austrian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Martin Pammer said it is doubtful if the October elections will be carried out within the legal frameworks.  “I am talking about the changes to the Law on Elections in line with decision of the Constitutional Court of B&H acting upon the motion by Mr. Bozo Ljubic. There is also decision of the Court in Strasbourg which refers to the election of B&H Presidency members, and the issue of Mostar is open as well. But, in context of the upcoming elections, implementation of the ruling in ‘Ljubic’ case is crucial to me. When it comes to relations between Bosniak and Croat sides, i.e. supporters of SDA and HDZ, the demands set by President of HDZ B&H Dragan Covic are perceived as maximalist, because they include all aspects. But, the situation is such that all actors are expected to reach compromise. It is in their interest to have that happen, not only because of internal-political relations but because of the road to the EU too”, Pammer said.  Asked if he also thinks that Covic’s proposal of changes to the Law on Elections is maximalist, the Ambassador replied that one should first distinguish between election of B&H Presidency members, Mostar (issue), the House of Peoples of the Federation of B&H i.e. ‘Ljubic’ case and ‘Sejdic–Finci’ case”, stressed Pammer.  According to him, the question of legitimate representation and how to reach that can be raised in case of election of B&H Presidency members. When it comes to ‘Ljubic’ case, he continued, this is something that can be done and is being imposed as priority. “Elections are on the way and they are precondition for European integration, if they are carried out in line with the Constitutional Court’s decision. That is directly related and is a condition for further, good progress of B&H towards the EU. However, if this is done by absolute conditioning and in the way that everything is done all at once, then it means a blockade. And that is not in anybody’s interest”, he underlined. Pammer deems that implementation of the court decision in ‘Ljubic’ case would ensure legitimacy of the upcoming elections, and other matters would then be solved step by step. He does not think that elections should be postponed.  “It is about to opposing principles. The first one is that there is ‘one man-one vote’ principle. And the second principle is – collective right and affiliation to a people. There are 51% of Bosniaks, 30% of Serbs and 15% of Croats in B&H, and as collectivities, they are all the same, constituent. There are many more Bosniaks on territory of the Federation of B&H than Croats, and they can influence election of B&H Presidency member from rank of Croats, if they follow principle of collective right and affiliation with a constituent people. And not Croat politicians would like to solve this issue through changes to the Law on Elections, which is in principle understandable”, the Ambassador concluded.

Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) and SDA proposals of B&H Election Law should be presented by end of January (BHT1)

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Sefik Dzaferovic (SDA) stated on Thursday that general elections in B&H will be held in October this year with or without amending of the Election Law of B&H. He said he expect that the proposal of amendments to the Election Law of B&H sent in the parliamentary procedure by SDA will win majority support, adding that in case of uncertainties regarding implementation of the elections he will ask for reaction of the international community.  “Elections must be held in B&H this year and the election results must be implemented. In that case, I think that the best solution would be to see the international community which has its role here in B&H – primarily the Office of the High Representative (OHR), imposing these solutions”, Dzaferovic assessed.

HDZ B&H representative in the B&H HoR Nikola Lovrinovic assessed that amendments to the Election Law of B&H proposed by Croat parties fully implement the decision of the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H regarding the electoral legislation. “The proposal of the Croat Caucus in the House of Peoples (HoP) of B&H implements the B&H CC’s decision in a way to attain a new method of election of delegates at the houses of peoples, based on the proposed model. The SDA’s proposal does not implement the B&H CC’s decision”, Lovrinovic concluded.

Federation of B&H opposition MPs schedule extraordinary session of Federation of B&H HoR to discuss amendments to Law on Constituencies (Nezavisne)

Twenty opposition MPs scheduled an extraordinary session of the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliament for January 23, Tuesday, in order to discuss amendments to the Law on Constituencies of the Federation of B&H proposed by the Caucuses of SDP and DF. Head of SDP Caucus Elvir Karajbic stated on Thursday that the Speaker of the Federation of B&H HoR and his two Deputies have ignored their request to schedule an extraordinary session, which is why they acted through the Federation of B&H HoR Secretary in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and scheduled the session themselves.

Asked to say what is going to happen if the ruling coalition representatives refuse to show up at the session, Karajbic said that the MPs are obliged to come, and if someone decides not to come it will mean they are against the proposal, which is their right. DF and SDP claim that their amendments to the Law on Constituencies will resolve the issue of implementation of the decision of the Constitutional Court of B&H. Their proposal consists of two parts; the first part determines constituencies and number of mandates for the Federation of B&H HoR in accordance with democratic principles of value of a vote and equality of the citizens. The second part of the proposal deals with the structure and number of delegates in the House of Peoples of the Federation of B&H Parliament in accordance of B&H CC decision on the motion filed by Bozo Ljubic.

Cubrilovic to HR Inzko: Name of RS is constitutional category verified by Dayton Peace Agreement (RTRS)

Speaker of the Republika Srpska (RS) National Assembly (NA) Nedeljko Cubrilovic responded to recent statements made by High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Valentin Inzko, about the celebration of January 9, as the Day of the RS, and the name of the RS. Inzko stated that the name ‘Republika Srpska’ is not correct and should be changed. Cubrilovic responded that the RS is a constitutional category, verified by the Dayton Peace Agreement. He stated that Inzko can wish for many things, but facts are facts, and Cubrilovic sees no point in making such statements, because no one would benefit from them. “I believe that we cannot help Mister Inzko with his problem with some name. I do not know what we could do so he would no longer have this problem. I know that that is a constitutional category, verified in Dayton, and I believe that Mister Inzko should not make such statements”, said Cubrilovic.

81% of citizens in favor of the EU (RTCG)

Almost 81 percent of Montenegrin citizens would have rounded “Yes” on a possible referendum on EU accession. That is the result of a study made by the agency Defakto on the perceptions of the public and the communication of the European integration process. The positive attitude towards the European Union has 63.7% of citizens. The research has also shown that there is a stable EU support trend in Montenegro. “We have always had a stable trend of about 75% of those who would vote for EU membership on a referendum. Today we have an increase and 80.9% of the population would vote for EU membership on such referendum,” said European Integration Minister Aleksandar Andrija Pejovic. Pejovic also said that in the context of information it is important to explain the pace and rhythm of progress. “The fact that more than 70 percent of the citizens are informed shows that the activities of the Government, Assembly, Community of Municipalities, NGOs, but also all parts of the society give results and that we have a high level of knowledge about the EU,” Pejovic said. The number of citizens who believe that Montenegro shall become part of the European Union, regardless of their opinion, has increased to 69.4%. “This is an indicator of how you have communicated the strategic goal of Montenegro. So, the strategic goal of Montenegro is to enter the European Union and as you see, people got it. No matter whether they liked it, citizens are aware that the future of Montenegro is accession to the EU. If I were to choose the most positive data, I would choose this one” said the author of the study Olivera Komar. Nearly half of the citizens (46.7%) believe that the European Union is the largest donor to Montenegro. The reasons that citizens cite as the motivation for supporting Montenegro’s entry into the EU are: stability, better quality of life and the possibility of travelling. On the other side, those who do not support the entry say the main reasons are the crisis in the EU and the refugee crisis. Citizens positively perceive the influence of the European Union, and 63.9% believe that EU support is a positive factor, while 29.7% of the population sees it as a negative factor. In this respect, the number of citizens who believe that Montenegro would benefit from entering the European Union (58.5%) is 3.5 times higher than those who think it would be harmful (17.3%).

Stoltenberg/Zaev: Name dispute settlement crucial for Macedonia’s NATO membership, no plan ‘B’ (MIA/Meta)

The Alliance has no plan ‘B’ for Macedonia’s NATO accession, hence the name dispute must be settled, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. “Agreement on this issue is crucial for your country to join NATO. There is no other way for your country to join NATO. This was also notified at the 2008 Bucharest Summit and reiterated at subsequent ones in 2014 in Wales and Warsaw in 2016” Stoltenberg said, commending the efforts being made to find a solution to the name issue. He also commended Macedonia’s progress in implementing the important reforms: good governance; strengthening the rule of law; building an open, multi-ethnic society; and good neighborly relationships. “I know your country faces challenges and reform is not easy, but it can be done. So I urge all parties to work constructively in the interests of all your people. And I urge the government to reach out constructively to the opposition and vice versa. These reforms are essential. I encourage you to continue on the path of reform. We want you to succeed. Joining the NATO Alliance requires hard work and commitment. But NATO’s door remains open” Stoltenberg said. For more than two decades, he said, NATO has invested in the security and stability of the Western Balkans, “and the region has made significant progress since the 1990s. We support your Euro-Atlantic aspirations, because we want to see your country at the heart of a stable, democratic and prosperous region” Stoltenberg said. The NATO Secretary General’s visit is a gesture of vital encouragement and support of Macedonia’s expectations for 2018 to be a historic one for the country, the region, the EU and NATO, PM Zaev said. “I am more than pleased with the restored NATO interest in the Western Balkans in a rather significant and sensitive geo-strategic moment. It is a high time for the integration processes of all countries in the region wishing to join the North-Atlantic Alliance to enter the final phase. We are ready to work together to that end” Zaev said. Reaffirming the vast public support of Macedonia’s accession to the EU and NATO, Zaev notified the government’s efforts to create conditions for national consensus on the matter with all political stakeholders. “We expect for Macedonia to become the 30th NATO member. We have been working to that end along with the citizens and all our partners – NATO member countries, as that is the perspective of the citizens of Macedonia’s and the region” Zaev said. Asked about the developments in the region, Stoltenberg and Zaev strongly condemned the murder of Kosovo Serbs leader Oliver Ivanovic and expressed belief that the culprits would be brought to justice. They agreed that the situation in the region remained stable. NATO remains committed to the region’s stability, Stoltenberg said, notifying the Alliance’s contribution to putting an end to the ethnic conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. “We are still present in Kosovo – KFOR; Sarajevo, Skopje… Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Albania are NATO members. NATO is present in the region” Stoltenberg said. “The Balkan region is no longer the powder keg. It is now sending messages of friendship across the globe” Zaev said. When asked by journalists whether Moscow’s expansionist policy imagined member states to change the principle of decision-making and Macedonia’s admission to the Alliance, in order to prevent Russian aspirations, Stoltenberg repeated that he does not want to give false hope and that without a mutually accepted solution regarding the name dispute with Greece, there is no chance of joining the North Atlantic Alliance. During his two-day visit to Macedonia, Stoltenberg held talks the country’s top officials and political party leaders.

Anti-NATO protest held outside Parliament during Stoltenberg’s visit (MIA)

A number of people, including a former MP and members and supporters of the left-wing party “Levica”, staged a protest Thursday in front of the Parliament while NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was giving a speech before MPs. The protesters carried banners reading “Against War for Profits”, “No NATO Membership Even With The Constitutional Name”, etc. Earlier in the day, ex-MP Solza Grceva posted a call to protest “to tell the world we already have a name – Republic of Macedonia”. Police forces were deployed to guard the peaceful protest in downtown Skopje.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Serbia on course for EU by 2025, top EU official says (Reuters, by Robin Emmott, 19 January 2018)

BRUSSELS – Serbia and Montenegro are likely be the next countries to join the European Union, possibly by 2025, the bloc’s official in charge of membership bids said in an interview.

The European Union is launching a diplomatic effort to accelerate steps to bring six countries in the Western Balkans into the EU fold after years of stop-start progress. “It is time to finish the work of 1989,” European Commissioner Johannes Hahn told Reuters, referring to the EU’s eastward expansion after the fall of the Berlin Wall. “We have set 2025 as an indicative date for Serbia and Montenegro, which is realistic but also very ambitious.” Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia all hope to join the European Union but have seen their membership chances fade in recent years as the bloc’s politicians, faced with rising eurosceptism at home, the 2009-2013 eurozone crisis and Britain’s vote to leave the bloc, appeared to lose interest. But rising Russian influence, a migration crisis that straddles the region, Turkey’s drift towards authoritarian rule and a desire to strengthen European integration after Britain leaves in 2019 have presented the Balkans with an opportunity. “Either we export stability to the region or we import instability,” Hahn said, arguing that the EU’s accession process was the best way to fight corruption, organised crime and the threat of authoritarianism in the region. Serbia is seen as the lynchpin and the EU hopes Belgrade’s influence in the Balkans could help others reform. Hahn is set to visit Serbia in February after publishing the Commission’s official Balkan strategy on Feb. 6, followed by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who is expected to visit all six countries in a gesture of support. Hahn will also travel to Washington next month to meet U.S. State Department officials to outline the EU’s Balkan push. With neighbouring Bulgaria holding the EU’s rotating presidency from January to June, European Union leaders will hold a special Balkan summit in Sofia in May. Britain is also set to host another top-level Balkan gathering in July.

“WAKE-UP CALL”

In another sign of momentum, Macedonia could be offered an invitation to join the U.S.-led NATO military alliance if it can resolve a dispute with Greece over the former Yugoslav republic’s name, NATO diplomats say. Hahn said he was confident the issue could eventually be resolved following United Nations talks this month. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in a visit to Macedonia on Wednesday, also said he saw hope for resolving the name issue. bstacles to meeting EU membership terms abound, however. The six Balkan countries’ banking systems and judiciaries are weak, and incomes in the region are 30 percent of those in the euro zone, according to the International Monetary Fund. The region is scarred by the ethnic conflicts that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Bosnia remains deeply divided. Serbia does not recognise the independence of Kosovo, its former province, and accuses it of seeking war with Belgrade. Montenegro was mired in political crisis for much of 2017. The EU’s strategy rests on Serbia and Kosovo reaching a “normalisation of relations” by the end of 2019, according to a draft version of the bloc’s Balkan plan seen by Reuters. Hahn conceded that the killing of Kosovo Serb leader Oliver Ivanovic on Tuesday showed the instability of the region.

“I hope this is a wake-up call to responsible politicians. I ask for statesmanship to understand that only cooperation, reconciliation is the only way forward,” he said.

Reporting by Robin Emmott; editing by Andrew Roche

Putin: We expect the opening of the EEU free zone for Serbia soon (TASS, 18 January 2018)

Russian President, Vladimir Putin says that he expects the ongoing talks between the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) about establishing a free trade zone with Serbia to be successfully completed soon. “We expect that the ongoing talks about setting up free trade zones with Egypt, Israel, India, Iran, Serbia and Singapore to be fruitful. The free trade zone, set up with Vietnam, has been successfully functioning since 2016”, Putin said for the Russian news agency TASS. He added that there was a great potential in signing of a trade and economic cooperation agreement between the EEU and China. “I am confident that the Eurasian Economic Union and the Chinese initiative ‘One Belt, One Road’ could efficiently complement each other,” Putin underlined. He also appealed for a broader cooperation between the EEU and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The Eurasian Economic Union is a trade bloc established in 2015 based on the Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. It was later joined by Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. In 2016, Vietnam officially became the first non-regional country to join the bloc which is designed to ensure the free movement of goods, services, capital and worker between member countries. More than 40 countries and international organizations, including China, Indonesia, and Iran, as well as some South American countries, have expressed interest in a free trade deal with the EEU.

Montenegro Calls Presidential Elections For April (BIRN, by Maja Zivanovic, 19 January 2018)

The speaker of the Montenegrin Parliament, Ivan Brajovic, has set a date for the next presidential elections on April 15.

Montenegro will hold presidential elections on April 15, after the speaker of parliament officially called the elections on Friday. “I believe that elections will be held in a positive and democratic atmosphere and that we, all together, will prove why Montenegro is a leader in the region,” Brajovic said, according to Radio Free Europe, RFE. He called on all citizens to vote and choose the best candidates. The deadline for filing candidacies is March 26. However, the country’s opposition parties are still biding their time regarding participation in the upcoming presidential elections. As BIRN previously reported, Montenegro’s veteran political leader Milo Djukanovic, who stepped out from running the government last year, might run for the presidency. Djukanovic stepped down last October after being prime minister or president for almost three decades. He played a prominent role in the campaign for the local elections on November 26 – which some see an an indication of his likely return to high office. RFE said that according to latest survey, published in December, Djukanovic has the support of almost 40 per cent of voters, while the head of the opposition Democratic Montenegro, Aleksa Becic, enjoy the support of 30 per cent. The mandate of the current President, Filip Vujanovic, expires in May, and he cannot be re-elected. This will be the third presidential election in Montenegro since the former Yugoslav republic proclaimed independence in 2006.