LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Response to Pristina when I review the situation (Danas)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced in Bucharest that he would react to the information that Pristina was still reusing to form Association of Serbian Municipalities after reviewing the situation.

Vucic explained that he did not like to rush with statements and that he was yet to hear more detailed information about it and that the media should “leave me 24 hours to react”.

“First I would like to see what it is all about. I see that there is a lack of understanding in the public regarding the essence of the Brussels agreement. I will bring the Brussels agreement in the upcoming days in read it fully, because it is obviously not enough to put it on a web page so everybody can see it, so the citizens would have an opportunity to see that the essence of the agreement is Association of Serbian Municipalities”, he explained.

He said that he was surprised that Pristina reached such decision. “If this is true, I do not know how anything good can come out of it, because this means that someone’s decision are introducing additional destabilization”, Vucic said.

When asked what Serbia would do, he emphasized that he could not talk in such manner, because Serbia was not a toy.

“We cannot play around and give statements without considering our words and what someone in Serbia would like to hear. My job as a President is to seriously and responsibly review the situation and then give an answer”, he said.

Dacic: Shots from an empty rifle, there is no blackmail that can force us to recognize an independent Kosovo (RTS)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told RTS that, considering his experience, he believes that a part of the international community and Albanians from Kosovo are lying to President Vucic – they do not want a compromise, just recognition. There is no blackmail that can force Serbia to recognize an independent Kosovo, Dacic said. Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic believes that Pristina and the international community should declare whether or not there is a Brussels agreement, which was signed five years ago.

“Catherine Ashton, Hashim Thaci and I signed this agreement, and I would not have done it if there wasn’t for the clause about the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSOs). So Serbia made a series of concessions, including the integration of Serbs into the Kosovo institutions. It is unacceptable that we continue to discuss about whether someone will implement the agreement,” said Dacic.

Commenting on the statement of the head of the cabinet of Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, Bekim Colaku, who said that Romania should first recognize the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, before actively engaging in solving this problem, Dacic said that this was “seriously disgraceful.”

“I do not know if they realize that they are the fools for thinking someone will force Vucic to recognize Kosovo without a compromise,” Dacic said. He explained that President Vucic “wants to resolve the issue of Kosovo for the future, but that it is a naive and mistaken belief that he will do so without further agreements and compromise.”

“I keep telling Vucic, because I see that he is struggling, that there is a great pressure on Serbia to normalize relations with Pristina in order to have a European path, but it is not said to Pristina to make an effort toward normalization. Having in mind my experience, I am sure and I am warning Vucic they are lying to him all the time and will not want compromise, and will seek recognition,” said Dacic.

The head of Serbian diplomacy said he feared he there would only be a paper delivered to Belgrade that would say nothing except that Serbia recognizes Kosovo’s independence. “As far as I’m concerned, Serbia will never accept Kosovo, such attempts represent shooting from an empty guns, there is no blackmail that can force Serbia to recognize Kosovo,” the minister said. He added that Belgrade will “continue its action, which irritated them th most – although they say those are children’s games and that everything has been solved.” Dacic said that the fact the Kosovo issue is not solved is proven by the fact that Vucic is being invited to talks – and that about a dozen countries will withdraw their recognition of Kosovo. “We want a compromise, and if they do not want a compromise – we will carry on some more. I support and encourage President Vucic to be uncompromising in this matter,” Dacic said.

Vucic announced that he would present his proposal on Kosmet (Kosovo and Metohija) in April. He statesd that the proposal should make both sides equally dissatisfied. When asked if this meant delineation, Dacic replied:

“The president will make the proposal that would be the subject of the talks, and this is a fundamental issue – there is no such discussion, i.e., they do not want to seek compromise at all. They want us to recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, and we want compromise. That agreement means to have talks. You know that I have advocated a delineation and I think that this is the only possible solution, but whether Vucic will come out with this proposal, or if we will have some other suggestions, so that we accept some of them… ”

Dacic reiterated that he believes Vucic is being lied to by the international community and Albanians from Kosovo.

“Part of the international community does not intend to seek compromise, they say that the story was finished in 2008. Do they think that we will recognize Kosovo for the sake of the EU accession? Well who can do it? Everyone should be ashamed to even think that somebody would do that. What kind of a country would allow such a thing to itself? No one would allow it, so I am sure that Serbia will not,” said the head of Serbian diplomacy.

“There is no stability of the region without a compromise with Serbia, not only for Kosovo, but also for Bosnia and other parts of the region,” he said. “It’s not just Serbia that loses” he said. “Europe can win, but also lose much if it continues with a one-sided approach.”

Pristina does not conduct independent foreign policy. “Anyone who understands international relations does not believe that Pristina is leading an independent foreign policy. They react to the touch of a button, they are a branch office of Western countries. I do not understand why it is in their interest to support Pristina like that, that’s why I think that we should talk to the highest representatives from the American administration. Wess Mitchell is coming to Belgrade next week and I think that this is an opportunity for serious talks and it seems to me a winning combination for the stability of the region” the minister said.

Asked if there is a danger for the dialogue to be stopped, Dacic said that the formation of the ZSO is being evaded and that its formation cannot be delayed indefinitely.

“Serbia can, hypothetically, say: ‘If you do not have a part which is in our interest, why should we accept only obligations'”, Dacic pointed out, adding: “Serbia is certainly not for breaking of the dialogue. We want dialogue, and we have invested a lot, but if they think it’s a shortcut for Serbia to recognize the independence, that is completely wrong.”

Vulin: If Pristina does not form ZSO, then the government should be toppled (Tanjug)

If Pristina is unable to implement the agreement on the formation of the ZSO, then the Serb List should withdraw support to that government and bring it down. Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin said this on Friday. “If they are not able to keep their word, let them go to the polls,” said Vulin. He added that there would be no more talks on what has already been agreed, and no renegotiations about the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO.)

“What has been agreed in Brussels, which is done by the Brussels agreement, has to be implemented. What has been negotiated cannot be constantly talked about,” Vulin said.

Commenting on Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic saying that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is being constantly lied to by some in the international community and by Albanians – who only want Serbia’ recognition of the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, and have no desire to reach a compromise, Vulin said that Vucic leads “a policy of reconciliation and strives to achieve stabilization in these areas but rarely has relevant interlocutors on the other side.”

“Very rarely, on the other hand, there are people who believe that the policy of stability and peace is good and can only be implemented by Serbia gaining something for itself – respect, but also appropriate political decisions that at least suit us for the most part,” said Vulin.

He stressed that, if it is confirmed that Pristina is ceasing the implementations the Brussels agreement in its entirety, something Pristina precisely has been saying must be done – “as the EU and the entire international community has been saying” – then Serbia should consider its position, and the next steps.

Selakovic: We are looking for equality in talks with Pristina (RTS)

Serbian Secretary General Nikola Selakovic says internal dialogue on Kosovo has already yielded results. He believes that the most important thing is that the Serbian-Albanian problem has been returned to the heart of the public’s interest, which is the achievement of President Aleksandar Vucic, who initiated the dialogue, said Selakovic.

“Till now, you could only hear about it from some politicians in the assembly booths or in some television studios, and that was the end of the story. You now have all the segments of the society involved in the story of Kosovo and the problems that Serbia has in its southern province, Selakovic told reporters after another session of the internal dialogue, this time in Kosovska Mitrovica.

Selakovic believes that it is important for Serbia to show seriousness and maturity in those talks, which was not the case before.

“Some say this is the result of a policy that drives a betrayal,” Selakovic noted, with the remark “who is crazy to invest in something he wants to betray”, concluding that Serbia is investing in Serbian environments in KiM.

As he said, Belgrade simply cannot accept that for years the education system in Kosovo has been adapting to the one in Albania, and when something similar is proposed in relation to the education of Serbs in other countries, the international community sees it as a problem.

“The essence of our policy is to seek a lot of understanding for the interest of our people in Kosovo and Metohija and to provide them with living conditions,” Selakovic emphasized.

He added that it is undisputable that Belgrade remains committed to dialogue and seeking of solutions through mutual understanding, adding that Belgrade has an understanding of the interests of the Albanian side, but asks for the Serbian side to be allowed the same.

“If we are asking for something, it is to be equally accepted and understood by those who support the dialogue. It is certain that the right path is not the one where, one party fulfills everything from the agreement, while the other fulfills nothing or has fulfills it to the amount of a statistical error, “Selakovic concluded.

Internal dialogue on KiM with students and young people from KiM (RTS, Tanjug)

An internal dialogue continued in Belgrade organized by the Working Group of the Government of Serbia and the Student Conference of the University of Serbia. Director of KiM Office Marko Djuric said that the KiM problem is inherited and that future generations will also “fight” for the southern province.

Marko Djuric, opening the discussion on the internal dialogue, said that the participation of young people in solving of the KiM issue is of great importance.

“It is quite certain that at this time we will have the responsibility to offer an answer to some of the crucial issues that are being raised in relation to this topic. Participation of young people in resolving the issue of Kosovo is of great importance, precisely because this is a question that will be stretch and extend through many past, present and future generations, “Djuric said.

According to him, the great challenge is that the Serbs are in intellectual, technological and every other sense in step with the world, in order to solve the issues, and that the young people in KiM understand the importance of their stay in the southern province.

“It is very important that we launch our entire academic, political, cultural, intellectual public and engage them in solving of this problem, and nobody can do it better than young people,” said the director of the KiM office.

He added that a large number of young Albanians from KiM have been studying at best schools in the west and that they are returning to KiM to help achieve Albanian national goals, regardless of the fact that these goals are contrary to the principles of law and justice and all who live in KiM.

“Our responsibility is not to lag behind in this regard, and it is important that our students are fully engaged in this matter. You have shown that the youth of Serbia does not flee from dealing with the issue of Kosovo, as no Serbian youth in our history ever flied, Djuric said.

President of the Student Conference of the University of Serbia, Milan Savic, pointed out that he is glad that the students are part of such a dialogue, because it is unique in its significance.

“Students and young people are very important for the country, but that state will not last long, if it forgets its roots,” Savic said.

He pointed out that the lifeline which drives KiM is a University in Prishtina with temporary headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica and added that without a university there are no conditions for life, nor for work.

“I think that many of our countrymen do not have a realistic picture of the events in KiM, and I can say that students have favorable conditions for studying. As a student of that University, I agree with the desire of my colleagues from Kosovska Mitrovica to continue their studies at that University within the educational system of Serbia, “said Savic.

He said that the state courage was needed for the opening of the internal dialog, and that, till just few years ago a lot of mistakes have been made, for which we are suffering for.

“In a dialogue everyone can say what he thinks, but for me personally, KiM is an inseparable part of Serbia, but because of earlier mistakes, this dialogue is needed. We young people should not be salon nationalists and push our heads in the sand, but we must face reality. The reality is cruel, but we must not unhinge, “Savic said.

Vucic: I’m not dealing with government reshuffle, that’s a question for the PM (Politika, VIP)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday that the reshuffling of the government is a question for the Prime Minister and that he and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) are prepared to give her an opinion if she wants it.

Asked which ministers would be replaced, Vucic said that he did not even think about that.

“I didn’t even think about it, nor am I interested in that right now. I am involved in more important problems concerning vital and the most important interests of Serbia,” Vucic said.

Unlike Vucic who thinks he should not interfere in the issue, Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin makes no secret of the fact that Vucic “as Supreme Commander and President of the republic” has the final say.

“Of course the supreme commander and president of the republic has the final say and should have the final say. In any case, he is the man who Serbia trusts the most, who it votes for and of course he is the one who should take the decision,” Vulin said. Vulin recalled that he urged the holding of early parliamentary elections but that since that did not happen he has nothing against a reshuffle.

Leader of Democrats set to resign (B92)

Democratic Party President Dragan Sutanovac will step down on Sunday due to poor results in the March 4 election for the Belgrade city Assembly. The party, that in the past gave several mayors, including Zoran Djindjic, now won 2.25 percent of the vote (18,286 votes) and will not be represented in the Assembly.

Previously, Balsa Bozovic, who headed the Belgrade board of the party and its campaign for the election, also resigned.

The Democrats now look to schedule an early party assembly that will appoint new leadership.

One former leader, Bojan Pajtic, commented to say that 15 years after the Djidjic assassination, not much has been left of the party, which is now in a position of “complete political irrelevance.”

“Grand Belgrade-Sarajevo topic”: Unsolved border issues (Vecernje Novosti)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency member Mladen Ivanic says border issues between B&H and Serbia have been turned into “a grand topic for no reason.”

Ivanic, who is the Serb member of the tripartite body, confirmed that Serbia’s stance has been forwarded to B&H institutions, which he expects to “finally start working on the case.”

“It’s unfair that there is currently no position of B&H. I can hardly speed up solving the problem on my own, because this is about the frustration of the Bosniaks. We can do nothing about this issue without the consensus in the Presidency of B&H,” he told Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti.

Ivanic added that the border between the two countries is “illogical in places,” and that Serbia wished to exchange territory in two locations around the (Belgrade-Bar) railway – “literally, one square meter for square meter – something that is also beneficial to B&H.”

As for the land around hydro-power plants Bajina Basta and Zvornik, Ivanic stressed that Serbia “never demanded a correction of the border at the expense of B&H, but only the right to use a small territory of about a hundred hectares in those two locations.

He said that Belgrade is seeking freedom of movement when it comes to the damns, and accepts the Drina River as the border line. Serbia is asking from B&H unimpeded usage of that territory, i.e., that machinery can be placed there, and that facilities can be repaired,” Ivanic explained.

Bosniak Presidency member Bakir Izetbegovic told the broadcaster N1 that he did not accept Belgrade’s offer, and that the issue should be dealt with by experts.

“There’s no agreeing to what they wouldn’t agree to, either. Here, if Mr. Vucic was in my shoes and in my place would he agree to these things? Who would in such a situation that I’m in, agree to such a thing? Why would I agree to such a thing?” asked Izetbegovic.

Izetbegovic also said that the problem was “not the border, but its marking.”

“The problem is demarcation, the marking of that, and what Serbia is asking outside that. To create a special regime for those power plants. If it is determined that they are 100 percent Serbian, why wouldn’t we help use some wire to fence that, for that to be used. Then they must pay for the flooded land and the use of the water resource. For all times and for the future time, these are not things decided on quickly, I’m repeating for the hundredth time, I don’t know why some are angry,” said Izetbegovic.

He also said that “if it is proven” that the B&H electric utility company Elektropriveda took part in building the power plants, he would demand payment, “to the last penny.”

“I think (this) will be solved by Serbia’s accession to the EU. Belgrade should solve open issues with neighbors, and if it isn’t capable of doing so, it should agree to arbitration,” Izetbegovic said.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

B&H MPs comment current crisis in state-level authority, they all agree that parliamentary majority does not exist (Nezavisne)

Both parliamentarians and analysts say that the parliamentary majority at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) has been broken for quite some time and the parliamentarians are only able to pass a decision when it is of importance for individual coalition partners; they all believe that the crisis is going to last until elections.

Deputy President of HDZ B&H and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of B&H Borjana Kristo stated that the parliamentary majority has not been functioning for a long time, and noted that she cannot say if it exists following decision of two MPs, Borislav Bojic and Safer Demirovic to leave their caucuses of SDS and SDA.

Head of SDP Main Board and MP Sasa Magazinovic stated on Thursday that he does not comment developments in other political parties in general. “When it comes to the parliamentary majority, it has not existed for a long time, and the situation has intensified now. I believe that some things will pass more difficultly now, and that is something we witnessed at a session on Wednesday when the appointments in some commissions were rejected,” said Magazinovic and added that he does not expect new parliamentary majority is going to be formed.

SNSD MP Dusanka Majkic said that the turbulence in the parties that are part of parliamentary majority is not going to change anything in functioning of legislative and executive authorities. “We did not have parliamentary majority before, but we acted from law to law,” said Majkic and noted that the ruling coalition did not have any problems agreeing on different appointments. Majkic also underlined she does not see how results of parliamentary elections can be adopted without the amendments to the Law on Elections of B&H.

DF MP Damir Becirovic said that the parliamentary majority is going to function only when there is a need for distribution of funds or appointments. “Everything else has not been functioning for a long time, and the latest developments in the two ruling parties – SDA and SDS – are only going to additionally complicate the situation,” said Becirovic.

SBB B&H MP Mirsad Isakovic said that he was not surprised with developments within SDA, but he was surprised by Bojic’s move. He warned that he was the only MP to react on the adoption of the Law on Salaries in the Institutions of B&H related to the soldier salaries, underlining that this law represents serious violation of the budget. Isakovic also noted that a claim of SBB B&H leader Fahrudin Radoncic that the Council of Ministers of B&H might fall apart by April 1 might actually come true.

Deputy Speaker of B&H HoR Sefik Dzaferovic (SDA) said that they had problems with majority before.

SDS MP Mladen Bosic said that as far as he is aware, the parliamentary majority does not exist for the past six months.

HR Inzko denies claims that he is planning to use Bonn Powers in order to impose changes of election legislation of B&H (Hayat, FTV)

High Representative Valentin Inzko denied claims that he is planning to use Bonn Powers in order to impose changes of the election legislation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Inzko stated on Thursday in Brussels that although he still can use Bonn Powers, he will let B&H authorities to reach an agreement concerning amending of the Election Law of B&H. “I have no intention to use Bonn Powers, and currently I do not have support of the international community to use Bonn Powers. You know that I have a steering board and currently, they do not support use of Bonn Powers,” explained Inzko.

Izetbegovic: IC expected to offer compromise solution for Election Law of B&H (FTV)

Bosniak member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency and SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic, asked with regard to the issue of amendments to the Election Law of B&H, what else the international officials – including US Ambassador to B&H Maureen Cormack with whom he has recently met – expect, other than consensus among local politicians, Izetbegovic argued that the B&H Constitutional Court should have returned two solutions to the Office of the High Representative (OHR) – the one that refers to the City of Mostar, which was imposed by the OHR, and the other that refers to the Federation of B&H Parliament. “These solutions should have been returned to the OHR, so that it corrects its alleged mistake. However, the B&H Constitutional Court returned the solutions to such (an unstable) coalition, deliberately avoiding its responsibility,” he explained.

“What I expect from the international community is at least to help us or to offer a compromise solution,” he added, stressing that the Federation of B&H Parliament represents the most alarming issue in this context. However, Izetbegovic was reminded that HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic does not seem to be ready for any kind of compromise. Izetbegovic assessed that Covic’s stances are too firm, which could cost him a lot as he could be blamed for destabilization of political circumstances. He reminded that Covic has set an ultimatum by linking the issue of election of B&H Presidency members to the issue of election of delegates in the Federation of B&H House of Peoples, which he thinks is absolutely unnecessary.

With regard to the issues discussed at the B&H-Croatia-Serbia trilateral meeting in Mostar, Izetbegovic confirmed that he seems to be the only member of the B&H Presidency who is trying to solve border issues with the neighboring countries. “I think the Croat member of the B&H Presidency is not particularly interested in what is going to happen with the power plants on Drina River. The Serb member of the B&H Presidency is not particularly interested in whether the Peljesac Bridge will be constructed although it would block our open access to the sea,” he explained.

With regard to the issue of Peljesac Bridge, Izetbegovic was reminded that Croatia received a letter from EC President Jean-Claude Juncker and that the EU said that the bridge cannot be constructed unless the two countries solve their border issues. “After that, they allegedly received a letter from Juncker who said that everything is OK. Nobody can say that everything is OK until B&H says that everything is OK. The EU should not be spending its funds on something that is unlawful. Someone in the EU could get a headache because of that, if they spend the money on something that is contrary to the Law of the Sea,” he stressed, adding that B&H will keep addressing Croatia, the EU as well as competent courts to defend its right in this context.

Izetbegovic announced that he will spend the rest of his presidential term on advocating the Euro-Atlantic path of B&H, aside from putting an effort into establishment of expert commissions to solve the border issues with the neighboring countries. He noted that the EC’s Strategy for the Western Balkans is certainly encouraging in this context, given the fact that no country will join the EU until the border issues have been solved and inflammatory rhetoric stopped. “Through six important initiatives, the EU’s Strategy for the Western Balkans offers a cure and an answer to all of the problems that B&H is facing right now,” Izetbegovic concluded.

UN Assistant Secretary General Jenca meets with B&H Presidency member Ivanic and members of B&H Parliament’s Joint Commission for European Integration (Hayat)

UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Miroslav Jenca met with Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency member Mladen Ivanic in Sarajevo on Thursday. Ivanic emphasized that the UN continues to have a significant role in B&H through different projects. Ivanic called on the UN to maintain a positive role in the process of reconciliation, as well as of sustainable peace and stability in B&H and the region.

In addition, Jenca met with members of B&H Parliament’s Joint Commission for European Integration. Members of this commission informed Jenca about the current political situation in B&H and the progress in the European integration process. It was emphasized that politicians need to find a compromise as a solution for amending the Election Law of B&H.

Jenca announced that the UN will continue active participation in a mission of support to peace and reconciliation process in B&H, along with implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Jenca also stressed that it is very important to put an effort into the fight against corruption, establishment of the rule of law and respect towards human rights.

Crnadak and German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Gabriel discuss EU path of B&H and region (FTV)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak held a meeting with German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel, which took place in Berlin on Thursday. The two officials discussed the EU integration process in B&H and other countries of the region and the current political situation ahead of the general elections in B&H, with special emphasis on the talks on amendments to the Election Law of B&H.

Crnadak expressed satisfaction over the fact that Germany and the EU are committed to the EU path of B&H and the Western Balkans.

Gabriel welcomed the fact that B&H submitted its answers to the European Commission’s (EC) Questionnaire. He stressed that according to the EU’s Strategy for the Western Balkans, the entire region has an opportunity to make progress and take advantage of this momentum in the EU integration process. Gabriel also reminded that Germany will continue to actively support the reform processes in B&H, as well as its transformation into a democratic country with the rule of law. Gabriel noted that the EU perspective of B&H must be real and tangible, as well as that for this purpose the EU and its member states must strongly engage in overcoming obstacles and interests that are slowing down the reforms.

Croatia

Veterans associations will keep banned Ustasha slogan (Hina)

A few Zagreb- and Split-based associations of 1991-1995 Homeland War veterans and victims on Thursday criticized the guidelines made by the Croatian council for dealing with the consequences of the rule of undemocratic regimes that banned the Ustasha salute “For the homeland ready”, except in commemorative purposes, whereas the Communist Red Star, which those veterans perceive as a symbol of the Serbian forces that launched a military aggression against Croatia in the early 1990s, is tolerated.

The representatives of the associations who held a news conference in Zagreb said that they would never renounce “For the homeland ready”.

The 17-member council has recently issued its guidelines, and two of its decisions have stirred up heated debates. One of those decisions is that the above-mentioned salute should be banned and can be used in only commemorative situations, subject to prior permission, and the salute will be allowed very restrictively in the future. When it comes to commemorative purposes, the salute can be used only in commemorations for slain members of Croatian Defence Forces (HOS), the armed wing of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) during the Homeland War.

The explanation about the exceptions has met with criticism. One of those who criticized the exceptions is the parliamentary representative of the ethnic Italian community, Furio Radin, who has recently said that that he could not agree with the council’s suggestion. On the other hand, Radin has drawn parallels to a similar situation in Italy, recalling that the Italian Supreme Court has ruled that a stiff-armed salute, also known as Mussolini‘s Roman salute, was not a crime if done only for the purpose of commemoration, which meant that it could be used in commemorations, otherwise it was in contravention of the Constitution.

Concerning the suggestion that the salute “For the Homeland Ready” could be allowed in some exceptions, law professor Sanja Baric has recently said that this unusual solution which can be described as “official tolerance of otherwise unconstitutional practice” is permitted by the Constitution and laws due to an “extremely restricted and very clearly defined outreach.”

Montenegro

It’s official: Marko Milacic presidential candidate (CDM)

Leader of the True Montenegro (PCG) Marko Milacic submitted his application for presidential candidate to the State Election Commission (DIK). After he handed over the collected signatures, Milacic said that his party waited enough for the opposition, but that there was no more time.

“We believe that the time for the opposition to agree about common candidate has passed. I do not intend to give up candidacy. We cannot topple the regime by waiting for it – waiting is not an option,” he said. Milacic pointed out that it was time for new figures and that there were a lot of ‘worn out’ and ‘recycled’ politicians

“We are starting a major struggle against the regime. I want to wish good luck to the opposition in the negotiations that have turned into the personal promotion of their parties,” Milacic said.

The campaign, as he announced, begins on Saturday in the Kuci area.

Milacic used this opportunity and congratulated all women on 8th March and presented female journalists and DIK officers with roses.

Jokovic believes in opposition’s deal on common candidate (Pobjeda)

SNP still hopes that the opposition will have a common presidential candidate. SNP leader Vladimir Jokovic told Pobjeda that it was still not too late for an agreement.

DF announced on Tuesday that Andrija Jovicevic gave up on his candidacy.

The media are speculating whether former independent MP Mladen Bojanic and the former president of the Montenegrin Academy of Arts and Science (CANU) Miomir Djurovic are now in play.

Jokovic said that the majority of opposition voters expected a common presidential candidate. Jokovic said he was in communication with other opposition colleagues but didn’t say if or when there would be any official meeting.

Danilovic willing to be a common opposition’s candidate (CDM)

United Montenegro’s leader Goran Danilovic has allegedly proposed to his opposition colleagues to support him as their common presidential candidate at the 15 April election, CdM learns. According to information obtained by CDM, he counts on DF and SNP’s support, Danilovic has already made his presidential candidacy official.

There have been no official talks, but a part of the opposition must decide on its future moves after SDP nominated Draginja Vuksanovic as its candidate. There are also speculations that the Democrats’ leader Aleksa Becic might be a Presidential candidate as well.

Albania

Russian aid’ to DP stirs up controversy (ADN)

An investigative report published by US news magazine Mother Jones, claiming that a Russian-linked shell company, through a Republican lobbyist and ex-Trump campaign aide helped Albania’s Democratic Party in Washington, has spurred debates among the Albanian opposition and majority. The article, which was published on March 6, hints at Russians use of the US political system to promote the Albanian right wing in Washington and to encourage turmoil in the Balkans. “A sketchy Scottish firm called Biniatta Trade, which was formed by two Belize-based shell companies, paid a Republican lobbyist and former Trump campaign aide named Nick Muzin for work in the US to help the Democratic Party of Albania,” as ‘Mother Jones’ reports. According to the article, as parliamentary election was underway, the right-wing was challenging Socialist Party government led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who was steering Albania into the EU and warning of the rise of Russian influence in the Balkans, thus jumping into conclusion that Russian-related entities secretly meddled in the US in order to meddle in an election in Albania.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

NATO’s SACEUR General Scaparrotti: I am concerned about strengthening of Russia’s influence in Balkans (Al Jazeera)

NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Curtis M. Scaparrotti said during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington on Thursday that strengthening of the Russia’s influence in Europe, especially in the Western Balkans, is worrying. According to Scaparrotti, Russia intends to prevent certain Western Balkan countries from making progress on the Euro-Atlantic integration path. He stressed that “NATO must help its allies in the Balkans resist the Russia’s malign influence, as well as to support partners who have not yet become part of the Euro-Atlantic institutions.” Scaparrotti stated in his opening remarks that “in BiH, Russia uses its relations with the RS leaders to undermine state-level institutions that were formed within the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA).” Asked by senators to say which area in Europe is particularly worrying when it comes to the Russia’s influence, Scaparrotti replied by saying that what worries him is the Balkan area, where the international community –including the USA – ensures certain level of security and works on democratization of society, but that Russians are very active in this area. He assessed that many more US diplomats should be engaged in the Balkan area and the USA needs to have this area in sight again since citizens who want to be part of the West want and expect that. Scaparrotti expressed deep concern over lack of the US military and diplomatic engagement in the Western Balkans, stressing that this allows Russians to strengthen their influence there. Asked to say which countries cause the biggest problems when it comes to the Russia’s influence, he noted that this is actually Serbia as the state with the Serb people in the Balkans as a whole. He reminded that there is a historical relation between Serbs and Serbia and Russia, which Russians greatly use in their propaganda war – especially regarding Serbia and the Serb people in the Balkans, i.e. in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. Scaparrotti added that there are many things that could be improved and influenced on. Commenting on NATO’s possible response to increased Russia’s influence, he concluded that “NATO develops operative plans in order to ensure military options when it comes.

Clocks Slow in Europe? Blame Kosovo-Serbia Row (The New York Times)

Physicists tell us that time expands and contracts because of relativity. Poets and philosophers tell us that time alters with love and age. And, across Europe, microwave ovens tell us that time changes with tussles between Balkan nations.

A dispute between Serbia and Kosovo has disrupted the electric power grid for most of the Continent, making certain kinds of clocks — many of those on ovens, in heating systems and on radios — run up to six minutes slow.

It is one of the stranger examples of technology binding together far-flung parts of the world, and one quirky effect of more than two decades of conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

The slowdown began in mid-January, and since then clocks in 25 countries, from Poland to Portugal and Denmark to Turkey, have lost time. The fluctuation in the power supply is infinitesimally small — not nearly enough to make a meaningful difference for most powered devices — and if it were a brief disturbance, the effect on clocks might be too little to worry about.

But millions of people run the risk of showing up late for work or missing appointments.

The organization that runs the continental grid, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, disclosed the problem on Tuesday, saying that it had never seen anything like it before. It announced on Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Serb and Kosovar authorities to end the disruption, for now. It offered no further details.

But the group cautioned that it would take some time to fully stabilize the grid after seven weeks of volatility, and that a long-term solution was still needed to prevent similar problems in the future.

“Misbehavior of both countries” caused the disturbance, Susanne Nies, a spokeswoman for the system operators’ group, said in an interview. “There are some ongoing conflicts that urgently need to be resolved so that we never face such a situation again.”

In technical terms, power systems in Europe, and much of Asia and Africa, run on alternating current at 50 hertz, meaning that the flow of electricity changes directions 50 times per second. (In the United States and most of the Americas, the standard is 60 hertz.)

Because of the disruption in the Balkans, the grid for most of Europe has run since January at an average of 49.996 hertz. (Britain, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and the nations of the former Soviet Union, which are not as tightly linked to the continental system, have not been affected.)

Most clocks tell time using internal mechanisms or, like cellphones, get the time from a radio signal, and those have been fine. But clocks that measure time by that alternating current have been fooled by the drop in frequency.

Major systems like train networks and nuclear reactors were not affected.

The problem began when a power plant in Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, went down for repairs, causing a shortfall in the power supply. Serbia, which still controls Kosovo’s transmission system, has refused to make up the difference, despite an agreement to do so.

But the roots of their dispute run much deeper.

They fought a war in Kosovo, whose population is mostly ethnic Albanian and Muslim, in 1998 and 1999; it ended only after a NATO bombing campaign forced Serbia to withdraw its forces. Kosovo became largely autonomous, and it declared independence in 2008.

The European Union has brokered negotiations for years to normalize relations between the two countries, but many ethnic Serbs in the northern part of the country — and many of their allies in Serbia — do not recognize the authority of the Kosovo government.

That includes refusing to pay for electricity supplied by the Kosovo utility, costing it tens of millions of dollars per year. Under a 2015 agreement that was supposed to ensure a reliable flow of power across the border, Belgrade, the Serbian capital, created companies to supply ethnic Serbs who wanted to pay their bills to a Serb utility.

But a paperwork dispute has kept the new companies from being registered in Kosovo, and each country has accused the other of being the obstruction.

Serbian officials declined to comment this week, instead referring to a report they released in November that blamed Kosovo.

According to Kosovo officials, documents for the companies do not recognize the existence of their country. To them, the underlying problem is that Serbia’s state-owned utility, EPS, owns and profits from much of Kosovo’s grid.

“By biding time, they are getting richer,” said Fadil Ismajli, a former head of Kosovo’s power company, which he said is running out of money. “All this time, we were patient; we wanted to solve this problem at the table.”

Whether Europe’s clocks will lose more time before that happens is unclear.