LOCAL PRESS
Djuric: We do not accept formation of false army of Kosovo (RTS)
The Office for Kosovo and Metohija rejects claims of Kosovo officials that four pillars for an historical agreement were presented to Belgrade and Pristina. The Head of the Office Marko Djuric reacts also to the statement of Ramush Haradinaj that 2018 will be the year of the visa-free regime and the formation of the Kosovo army. “Haradinaj and Hoxhaj are demonstrating nervousness – nervousness whose cause is precisely in the fact that not one of their intentions and goals is being realized or can be realized. If anyone of them think that they can achieve their goals by deceiving and lying the domestic and international public, they will be deeply disappointed,” said Djuric. “There is no paper, no manner in which Serbia will be forced to accept something that would not be a compromise, or to force Serbia to do something unilaterally, there is none and cannot be one. Those who think that a solution can be reached in any other way except by way of compromise is on a serious byway and is not working in the interest of their own people,” notes Djuric. “We are preserving the interests of our nation. It does not occur to us to accept the formation of the false army of Kosovo, or any kind of ultimatums in this case of the non-existent Hoxhaj’s papers,” concluded Djuric.
Drecun: We must link issues of RS and Kosovo (Tanjug/TV Pink/B92)
The Chairperson of the Serbian parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun says the abyss between Serbs and Albanians is enormous, and that reconciliation cannot be built by people like Ramush Haradinaj. Drecun also said that Haradinaj talking about reconciliation is cynical and that the Kosovo prime minister facing a trial for his crimes would represent the greatest contribution to reconciliation. The fact that the United States is asking Serbia to recognize the self-proclaimed Kosovo and pave the way for its membership in the UN is nothing new, Drecun said, adding that Serbia will never do it. “The more we refuse, we will create a maneuvering space. Serbia must define the priority goals in the next period. The Republika Srpska (RS) must be linked to the problem of Kosovo and Metohija. We must think things through and take a stand. In the coming period, these two key issues must be resolved,” Drecun told TV Pink. He explained that if Serbia were to accept what is being demanded of it, this would open the door for the creation of a Greater Albania, and that would solve nothing, it would only generate a crisis in these areas. According to him, pressure is exerted on the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija and on Serbia through constant attacks on Serbs and through property grabs, while on the other hand Albania is reviving the thesis about the merging the two states. Drecun said that the story of about crimes in Kosovo and Metohija was completely turned upside down and that only Serbs, and not Albanians, are being put on trial. “There are many false charges against Serbs, everything is being done to create instability in Kosovo,” Drecun concluded.
Nobody will have regrets over EULEX (Politika)
The Serbs and Albanians agree at least on one issue – the EULEX Mission, which will be reduced to the advisory level as of 15 June, ten years after “work”, has experienced a debacle. Politika was told by well-informed sources that Serbia’s stand is that it is possible to pass the decision on the possible ending of the mission only in the United Nations Security Council. If EULEX would be abolished without a decision of the Security Council, Serbia opines that all jurisdictions that this mission has temporarily undertaken from the UN Mission in Kosovo and Metohija (UNMIK) are returned under UNMIK’s jurisdiction. Our state expects the EU “not to examine unilateral ending of the EULEX Mission in Kosovo and Metohija without the decision of the UN Security Council”. Politika’s interlocutor notes that it is necessary to enable unhindered continuation of the functioning of the EULEX Mission in its present capacity, until objective conditions are acquired for its work to stop. “It is necessary to ensure that EULEX stops with the violation of the status neutrality through transfer of jurisdictions, which have been temporarily delegated to it from the United Nations, to the provisional institutions of self-government in the province. In the future it needs to request consent from the Republic of Serbia, as the side with whose agreement it was enabled to deploy EULEX in the province, for changing the mandate and time frame of this mission,” notes Politika’s source in the government.
Zoran Lutovac elected new DS leader (Beta)
Zoran Lutovac was elected on 2 June the new president of the Democratic Party. According to a party tweet, Lutovac won the votes of 659 delegates at a party electoral assembly, Gordana Comic won 468 and Branislav Lecic won 123 votes. In his address after the announcement of the election results, Lutovac said that there would be no change in Serbia without the Democratic Party. “Without the Democratic Party there will be no change, no improvement of our Serbia. That is why together we must beat apathy and meet the millions who were once with us,” said the new party leader.
Djilas: New talks with Democrats (Beta)
Dragan Djilas, the initiator of the Alliance for Serbia opposition grouping, said on Monday he expected to talk to the newly elected president of the Democratic Party (DS. He told Beta he already had met with other DS leaders and members and that all believe that the party should be the member of the Alliance “together with other parties that want Serbia to change.”
SNS to decide on new Belgrade mayor (Beta)
The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) will decide on Monday who a new Belgrade mayor will be after the former one was elected Serbia’s Finance Minister. The city’s assembly session is scheduled for 7 June, and by then the SNS should have its candidate. The only candidates will be from the list of 66 SNS city’s assembly deputies and media speculate about three most likely choices. The first name that appears in media reports is Goran Vesic, the current city manager, Irena Vujovic, the head of the Belgrade Savski Venac municipality, and the director of the University Children Hospital Zoran Radojcic. The new mayor has to be elected by 9 June.
Dodik: ‘Serbs are putting up with bullying for the sake of peace (Politika’s Banja Luka correspondent Mladen Kremenovic)
RS President and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik stated in an interview to Politika that the Serb people needs to develop and strengthen its national plans for the future. “I wish the consensus of the overall Serb state and political elite was that our goal is unification, but only in a peaceful manner and through agreement. Because, without peace, nothing makes sense,” said Dodik. He further explained that 21st century should be the century of “state affirmation of Serb national interests”, as opposed to the 20th century which was a period of loss and suffering. He underlined that nobody asked Serbs if they wanted to be part of B&H. “Why do we need a country which only serves to block us? But we do want B&H which will serve the purpose of our cooperation with Serbia, just like it is normal that it should serve the purpose of developing Croats’ relations with Croatia and Bosniaks’ relations with Turkey,” Dodik noted. Commenting his candidacy for post of B&H Presidency member, Dodik stated that he is running for the office because he wants to strengthen the position of the RS. He underlined that all his actions will be motivated by best interests of the Serb people and the RS. According to Dodik, B&H Constitution stipulates that consists of two entities and three peoples which means that nothing can be decided at the state level without the consent of the entities. “Competences of the Council of Ministers will have to be reduced to it being an auxiliary body of B&H Presidency. Let them explain what is wrong with me advocating B&H Constitution,” Dodik commented. He accused the international community of violating the decision-making mechanism and underlined that he will not allow international officials to make decisions on behalf of B&H anymore. Dodik emphasized that BIH needs to get rid of the international protectorate. According to him, OHR is still present only because the old US Administration and Turkey insist on it. “OHR costs money, it does not provide any results and it lies to the UN Security Council. All proposals and actions of OHR were aimed against the Serb national interest in B&H,” said Dodik. He accused the current representatives of the RS in state institutions of betraying the interests of the RS. “They accepted the criticism of foreigners who want to turn B&H institutions into institutions of government superior to the RS and our institutions. That is why the RS was never in a worse position at the joint level, without the authority of any kind,” said Dodik. Asked if he can contribute to improvement of relations between Sarajevo and Banja Luka, Dodik said that Sarajevo and Banja Luka would have best relations if they went their separate ways with everyone having their own state. He underlined that Serbs are putting up with bullying in B&H only for the sake of preservation of peace. “Anyway, it has been proven that B&H is an unsuccessful and failed state ruled by foreigners. But with respect for all, B&H could continue with some kind of existential sustainability. If I was a cynic I would say that this situation suits us who believe that B&H is a bad place for us. However, that is not enough because we do not want to waste time,” said Dodik. According to Dodik, the principle of people’s right to self-determination should be reaffirmed, and underlined that “borders are not God-given”. “They take Kosovo away from Serbia, they direct us towards the unsuccessful B&H, and then they say that there can be no changes of borders. Of course, this should be left to history and time, at this moment is seems that there are no changes. I do not demand changes of borders through violence, but through peaceful agreement of peoples,” said Dodik. He concluded that nobody can force Serbs to be subordinated to Sarajevo, and that it is only natural that they turn to Belgrade.
Dodik stated the RS does not want to be part of a historic fraud related to migrants, which will be discussed in 10 years from now on. Dodik said that there is no room in the RS for formation of centers for accommodation of migrants. He added that the RS is forced to put up with transit of migrants over its territory, adding that security bodies of the RS are monitoring this situation. Dodik underlined that only naïve people think that B&H (borders) were accidently opened nowadays for migrants and reminded that five years ago, he warned of formation of Arab settlements in Sarajevo that now represent an obstacle for citizens. Dodik explained that now, the situation is the same with the problem of migrants as everyone knows that they cannot leave B&H, while some people pretend that they do not see this.
REGIONAL PRESS
Mektic warns of possible abolition of visa-free regime (ATV)
B&H Minister of Security Dragan Mektic warned on Sunday that travelling to the EU countries without visas could become a thing of the past for B&H citizens, if the Constitutional Court of B&H puts the disputed provisions of the Law on Criminal Procedure and the Law on the Intelligence-Security Agency of B&H (OSA B&H) out of force. He argues that the sanctions to B&H have been seriously discussed in the EU, because the abolition of disputed provisions could halt many investigations and the security agencies would not be able to monitor the terrorism suspects that travel with B&H passports. “This poses a serious problem, it may happen that the Constitutional Court puts these provisions out of force, and then that would mean that we would have an anarchy or a breakdown of the system in the fight against terrorism. It was the first time they officially talked about abolishing the visa-free regime towards B&H. So it is not avoided, that danger still exists,” said Mektic. SNSD representative in the B&H House of Representatives (B&H HoR) Dusanka Majkic denied Mektic’s claims and said that there is no danger of abolishing the visa-free regime. Majkic also reminded to the joint statement of nine embassies in B&H, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and OSCE Mission to B&H, where they pointed out to the fact that SNSD and HDZ BiH are halting the process of adopting the amendments to Law on Criminal Procedure, as they do not wish to support SDA’s proposal. “Despite Mektic’s claims, there is no reliable evidence that the visa-free regime will be abolished for B&H. It is obvious that this is another form of pressure to align the political milieu in B&H to the demands of SDA and international representatives in B&H, and not to the interests of the peoples and citizens of this country,” said Majkic. The B&H Ministry of Foreign Affairs also denied these claims, saying that there is no need for panic. B&H Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak said that he is not aware of such a plan to abolish the visa-free regime and added that he can guarantee that such a thing will not happen. “It is completely normal that the EU countries think about their safety and I do not find it surprising that this was discussed, but they will not abolish anything,” said Crnadak.
HDZ 1990 Presidency decides to nominate Diana Zelenika for post of Croat member of B&H Presidency (FTV)
HDZ 1990 Presidency held a session in Mostar on Saturday and decided that Diana Zelenika will be the HDZ 1990’s candidate for the post of Croat member of B&H Presidency in the upcoming general elections in October. Zelenika got support of several Croat parties in in her run for B&H Presidency, including ‘Hrvatska Stranka Prava B&H’ (Croat Party of Rights B&H), the Croat Party of B&H and ‘Hrvatski Savez HKDU – HRAST’. HDZ 1990 leader Ilija Cvitanovic stated that the party expects support of 10 more political parties, among which ‘Posavska Stranka’ (Posavina Party), ‘Hrvatska Nezavisna Lista’ (Croat Independent List), ‘Stranka za Livno’ (Party for Livno), ‘Hrvatski Blok u B&H’ (Croat Bloc in B&H), etc. FTV carries a brief interview with Zelenika live from Mostar. Commenting on her nomination for the post of Croat member of B&H Presidency and the pre-election campaign, Zelenika said that she will fight her political opponents in the election run through her devoted work for the benefit of citizens and prosperity of B&H. She added in case that she wins the run for the Croat member of B&H Presidency she will try to change things that she usually criticizes regarding HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic. Zelenika explained that there are many things she disagrees with when it comes to Covic’s policy, particularly his thesis that he is a legitimate representative of the Croat people in B&H that he has advocated in the past year. Asked if her nomination means that the time has come for some other parties apart from the Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) to nominate their candidates for B&H Presidency, Zelenika reminded that HDZ 1990 is one of the founders of the HNS and assessed that the HNS was supposed to be the main national institution but it was turned into single-minded institution led by HDZ B&H and Dragan Covic. She stressed that there will be two Croat political blocs in the elections, one led by HDZ 1990 and the other led by HDZ B&H.
Reactions to Zelenika’s nomination (TV1)
Most of the Croat parties in B&H believe that the announced candidacies of DF leader Zeljko Komsic and HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic are disastrous for B&H and its future. They believe that Covic’s ‘pro-Russian’ policy and Komsic’s policy of diminishing Croats in B&H are not good for the Croats. “We in HSP B&H believe that Diana Zelenika is a great candidate that can fight against this bad policy of HDZ B&H, led by Dragan Covic. HSP B&H will most certainly give its full support to Mrs. Zelenika for the position of the Croat member of the B&H Presidency,” said HSP B&H leader Nikola Raguz. Raguz added that he also supports the statement made on Saturday by HDZ 1990 leader Ilija Cvitanovic, that says “it is high time for a woman to get elected in the B&H Presidency”. The Croat Party of B&H (HS B&H) is currently negotiating with HDZ 1990 on signing a coalition agreement and its members believe that Zelenika will win this position, because she is the best person for that job. “We are glad that Mrs. Zelenika is their candidate and we shall determine our further moves, after the negotiations on the coalition agreement are concluded. If we agree on signing the agreement, I believe that it will be signed next week. We will support their candidate for the member of the B&H Presidency,” said HS B&H leader Bozo Skopljakovic. Croat Peasant Party of B&H (HSS B&H) leader Mario Karamatic said that he believes that all the people in B&H will be thrilled if Zelenika wins and becomes a member of the B&H Presidency.
Media: Sepic to run for B&H Presidency member (Hayat)
According to unofficial information, leader of Independent Bloc Senad Sepic will be nominated as a candidate for the Bosniak member of the B&H Presidency. More than 40,000 members of this party in B&H and Diaspora participated in the process of nomination, in which Sepic won a majority of votes. The Independent Bloc plans to present him as a candidate next week, according to unofficial information. The party ‘Narod i pravda’ (People and Justice) led by Elmedin Konakovic will allegedly support Sepic’s nomination as well.
Bozinovic: Croatia will close its borders for migrants if Western countries do the same (Jutarnji list)
Croatian Minister of Interior Davor Bozinovic stated on Sunday that Croatia will close its borders for migrants if the countries, which are further from Croatia on the migrant route towards Western Europe, decide to do the same. He added that Croatian police has enough people and good technical equipment to do this. On the other hand, security expert Zeljko Cvrtila argues that Croatia and its police cannot close their border towards B&H alone. He argues that the EU must decide at its highest level what to do with migrants and in case the EU does not allow them to enter the EU territory, then the EU must help its other members, Croatia, Romania, Greece to close their borders. He also argues that nit seems now that Croatia and other countries were left to deal with this issue alone and that Croatia has a role to secure the border with the EU.
Pupovac: New law will reduce minority rights (Hina/Vecernji list)
Croatian Serb leader Milorad Pupovac said in an interview with the Vecernji list daily that the Serb minority and the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) whose leader he is have been used as the key argument to persuade people to give their signatures for the referendum petition launched by “People Decide” civic group. The referendum initiative is, among other things, about a possibility of scaling down the rights of parliamentary deputies representing ethnic minorities, which prompts Pupovac to label that initiative as an attempt to reduce the rights of all ethnic minorities. Pupovac says in the interview published in the Monday issue of the daily newspaper that the both questions in the referendum initiative contain some elements aimed at reducing the volume to the rights which are provided to ethnic minorities in terms of their political representativeness. Furthermore, in Pupovac’s mind, the possible referendum will pave the way for the segregation of ethnic minority parliamentary representatives in relation to other members of parliament. The “People Decide” civil group insists that the main purpose of their drive is to hold a referendum on changes to the election system. The first question in their referendum initiative refers to the general regulations of the election system, the optimum election threshold, etc., while the second question is: “Do you want the Constitution to include an article under which ethnic minority representatives decide on all issues from the jurisdiction on the national parliament, except on the confidence vote in government and the state budget?”
Recently, one of the activists has said that the constitutional law specifies that national minorities should have five to eight seats in parliament while this group has proposed six and that is in fact a 25% reduction, which is in proportion to the 25% decrease in the number of seats in parliament overall. A few days ago, in her comment on referendum campaigns, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic said that she did not interfere in the matter of referendums but that she strongly believed that the will of the people had to be respected. “As far as I know, a sufficient number of signatures has been collected for one of the referendums. It is particularly important for us politicians and office-holders to take into account the will of the people. I would like the will of the people to be taken into account in other spheres of public life as well,” she said then.
Grabar-Kitarovic said that, by signing the referendum petition, citizens had shown that they wanted changes on Croatia’s political scene and among its political elites. They have shown a wish to have the election law changed, which is legitimate, and that they want to participate more and have a greater role in the election of their direct representatives, she said then. This prompted Pupovac to write on his Facebook profile that the president, first, says that she will not interfere in the matter of the referendum topics, however, she then does interfere. “And she interferes in the place that is equally relevant for all whom people elect: from parliamentary representatives to the president of Croatia,” he noted. Pupovac also underscores that the way the President interferes in the matter shows that she considers all other elected representatives to be a part of political elites, while she thinks she is only one office-holder owing to the will of people.
In addition, Pupovac writes that the whole statement made by President Grabar-Kitarovic can be perceived as an attempt to “cater to the basest passions, including anti-minority sentiment and attitudes”. Any representative of the people who forgets that there are the Constitution and laws between such office-holders and the people opens the door to “an uncontrollable and dangerous process”, Pupovac writes on his Facebook.
The Italian minority representative Furio Radin has also reacted to the President’s statement saying that he was surprised. He recalled that a few days ago the President promised him that she was against any interference into ethnic minority rights but now she advocates “shaking up the life in Croatia”.
Ivanov asks Zaev for documents on name negotiations (MIA)
President Gjorge Ivanov asked Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on Friday for documents related to name negations to be submitted to the head of state. ‘In the absence of key documents, and in order to provide a broader consensus on the name issue, President Ivanov encourages PM Zaev to submit the proposal for conducting the (name) negotiations on a constitutional basis, a draft agreement, as well as the views of the negotiating delegation,’ President’s Office said in a press release. President Ivanov opposition to a solution to the name issue for overall use or erga omnes is a basic immutable principle, which is in conformity with the established legal framework for conducting talks on the name difference within the United Nations and isn’t in any way directed against the integration of the Republic of Macedonia into the European Union and NATO, the press release reads. President Ivanov underlines the need for reaching a national consensus on overcoming the difference over (Macedonia) name and finding a solution that will not violate the dignity of the Macedonian people and citizens.
No Zaev, Tsipras talks yet, working groups draft technical details (MIA)
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Saturday that he has still not talked over the phone with Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras regarding a possible solution to the name issue. PM Zaev told reporters at an event launching the construction works on express road Stip-Radovis there are certain technical problems that need to be resolved by both sides. “You know I have been an optimist since the beginning and would refrain from presenting details. I believe we will reach a solution and the telephone conversation will take place as soon as these technical problems are removed. I also believe we will announce the agreement to the public very soon, so that we reach the June deadline before the European Council, because it will decide on the start of Macedonia’s EU accession talks. Therefore, we are entirely focused and committed these days to the provisions of the agreement, details that matter,” said Zaev. He added that once an agreement is reached, its signing will take place in Prespa, because this has been a wish even since the Davos meeting between the two PMs back in January. “The signing event will be held there, this has been a wish since Davos. The aspects discussed by the countries’ foreign ministers should now be transformed into a legal document., while PM Tsipras and myself should come to a decision. I am prepared for this conversation, I know he is too. It is of course important to explain this to the Macedonian opposition so that it accompanies us,” noted Zaev. According to him, the most important thing is to explain to the citizens of Macedonia, but also the opposition and citizens in Greece. “Every agreement aims not only at removing a certain problem, but also to represent a tool for increased friendship between two nations. I believe both sides will embrace it as such and see it as an incentive for increased mutual cooperation in all aspects,” said Zaev. The PM failed to comment on Greek media reports regarding proposal Republic of Northern Macedonia. “We will inform the citizens as soon as we decide on names, adjectives, qualifiers,” added Zaev.
Don’t speculate on name negotiations, PM Zaev tells the opposition MPs (MIA)
Do not speculate about the name negotiations claiming that somebody has been doing something in tete-a-tete meetings, as PM Zoran Zaev, as well as FM Nikola Dimitrov, has always briefed all political stakeholders and the public about the results of any official talks, the Prime Minister said late Friday at a parliament session on election of new government members. Each document deriving from an official meeting is stored in the archives of the government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President’s Office, Zaev said, warning the opposition MPs of the irreparable harm their allegations could make to the process for settling the name issue. Zaev said he was briefing all political stakeholders, including the opposition leader, about everything that has been a subject of negotiations thus far. “The (name) negotiations are underway, but Macedonia’s institutions will eventually make the decision. In this case, considering the significance of the matter, the citizens will decide at a referendum. So please let’s be particularly careful when dealing with such issues,” Zaev said. The issue is complex, he said, but its resolution is a must, as we should take care for the future of our children.
Parliament elects new ministers, deputy ministers (MIA)
Macedonia’s parliament elected late Friday new ministers and deputy ministers.
Renata Deskoska is elected for Minister of Justice by 67 votes ‘for’ and ‘23’ against; Arbr Ademi for Minister of Education and Science by 67 votes ‘for’ and 25 ‘against’; Asaf Ademi for Minister of Culture by 66 votes ‘for’ and 23 ‘against’ and Bardil Dauti for Minister without Portfolio by 65 ‘for’ and 26 ‘against. Andrej Zarnovski is elected for Deputy Foreign Minister, Asim Musa for Deputy-Health Minister, Gonul Bajraktar for Deputy-Minister of Labor and Social Policy, and Sadik Beqiri for Deputy-Minister of Transport and Communications.
The reshuffle comes as a result of the entry of DPA and a BESA wing in the government coalition. The Union of Roma also joined the parliamentary majority.
Over 50,000 citizens protest outside government building: The people will defeat Zoran Zaev; VMRO-DPMNE will accept no change of Macedonia’s constitutional name
(Republika)
Tens of thousands of citizens protested outside Macedonia government building late Saturday, expressing their dissatisfaction with the work of the government led by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and demanding early elections. This is a historic period for all of us and an intersection in which we are in our history – the name issue is being resolved, Mickoski warned in an address to more than 50,000 Macedonian citizens who came from all over the country to support the opposition in its fight to overthrow the destructive SDSM-led government. Many expect our position on this issue, and here I have no option but, to be honest, and open. Because apart from knowing that this subject is among the first two of the interest of our fellow citizens together with the economy and better life, we get information only from the public and the media, and we see that the Greek media is an inexhaustible source of information. But I will tell you that I have entered politics because Macedonia is important to me, and the future of my citizens and our children. And for me, the dignity and honor built for years have no price, and there is no price because clear conscience is the mirror after which one person should be recognized. And as a man, it is hard for me to see how someone else who is in power in this beautiful country plays with the dignity of all, and sells honor as on the market, and sells what belongs to us all very cheaply, although it’s priceless. But he plays with the patience and intelligence of 2 million people. Zoran Zaev went out and said that there would be no change in the constitution, that he would protect the identity of Macedonia.
One in two Greeks says name solution is required: survey (MIA)
A little less than half of respondents (48.3%) agree that the Greek government should work towards a solution in the name issue, show results of the public opinion survey by agency Rass for the Greek TV station Action24, MIA reports from Athens. Asked if they agree with the opinion that the conditions for settlement of the name issue are currently favorable and the government should work towards its solution, 43.8 percent of respondents say yes, 4.5 percent “probably agree”, 40.7 percent do not agree, 3.2 probably do not agree, while 7.8 percent failed to answer. The survey’s detailed analysis shows that the majority of those supporting a solution now are women (51.9%) at the age between 17-34 (60.1%), who voted for SYRIZA at the last elections (55.2%) and residing in Greece’s south (58.9%). On the other hand, the majority of those saying there are no conditions for a solution are at the age between 35-44 (50.3%), mostly men (50.6%), voted for New Democracy at the last elections (59.3%) living in northern Greece (48.3%). The telephone survey was carried out between May 29-31 at a sample of 1,002 respondents.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
Anti-immigration SDS party wins Slovenian election (Politico.eu, by Zoya Sheftalovich, 4 June 2018)
But the ‘Slovenia first’ party is likely to struggle in coalition talks.
The Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) emerged victorious from Slovenia’s early election on Sunday. With 99.9 percent of the votes counted, SDS topped the poll on 25 percent, likely giving the anti-immigrant party 25 seats in the parliament. Center-left LMŠ, led by comedian and political satirist Marjan Šarec, came in second on 12.7 percent and 13 seats, and the Social Democrats third on just under 10 percent of the vote, winning 10 seats. SDS leader Janez Janša acknowledged his party will face an up-hill battle attempting to form a governing coalition.
“We will probably have to wait for some time … before serious talks on a new government will be possible,” he told reporters after voting on Sunday, according to AP. Sunday’s election came a week earlier than scheduled, after Prime Minister Miro Cerar of the Modern Center Party (SMC) quit due to a referendum defeat on a railway project and worsening relations with his coalition partners. The SMC came in fourth on Sunday, with 9.75 percent of the vote and a likely 10 seats in parliament. Janša, a liberal dissident under communism and a two-time former prime minister, transformed himself into an anti-immigration conservative, modeling his campaign on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s political playbook. “[Our] party puts Slovenia, Slovenians first,” Jansa said after preliminary results were released, and pledged to hold talks with any potential coalition partners from other parliamentary parties. “We are open for cooperation, Slovenia is facing times which need cooperation,” he said. Turnout was 52 percent, on par with the 2014 poll, but lower than in 2011, when it was 66 percent.
‘New Balkan Route’ for Migrants, Refugees Causes Alarm (BIRN, by Mladen Lakic, Dusica Tomovic, Gjergj Erbara, 4 June 2018)
A growing number of migrants and refugees using the new Balkan route through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia to reach the EU raising concerns of a humanitarian and security crisis.
Security and human rights ministers from the region will meet in Sarajevo on June 7 to agree on new measures to tackle the ongoing migrant crisis affecting mostly Bosnia, trading blame on who is responsible for the potential crisis. The recent rise in people using Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and partly Serbia as a new transit route to reach Western Europe with the some Balkan country’s accusing each other of not doing enough to protect the borders. According to the announcement, Bosnian authorities insisted on the regional meeting after complaining about “lack honesty“ in the neighbouring countries and pushing migrants and refugees toward Bosnia.
Bosnian security minister Dragan Mektic said on May 30 that there is an increase in the number of migrants from Iran and that in this sense, Bosnia country has a serious problem because Serbia has abolished visas for Iranian citizens. “We are facing a serious problem because Serbia has abolished visas to Iranian citizens. They [migrants] legally come to Serbia, and they pass us [Bosnia] illegally and go to the EU. “We do not have the right to determine Serbia to whom the visa regime is to be introduced, but Serbia should give us readmission without any problems,“ Bosnian security minister Dragan Mektic told a press conference on May 31. He said that announced that an international migration conference will be held on June 7 to which all countries of South-East Europe, including Austria and Hungary, are invited. “At this meeting, I will ask the questions that need to be answered, and that is to be correct and honest and whether we will fight migration or how we will shift the problem to someone else’s yard. “I have information that some countries show that they have from the beginning of this from 100 to 300 migrants, from where then we have five thousand,” Mektic told. Mektic also said that the European Union Crisis Fund approved a million euros help for Bosnia. Bosnia faces serious security crises peaking in late May after almost 5,000 illegal entries registered since the beginning of the year and 4,215 apply requests. IOM, the UN Migration Agency, also warned on June 1 that migration flows through the Western Balkans are still on the rise. By the end of May, authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania registered more than 6,700 new migrants and asylum seekers, more than a two-fold increase compared to an estimated 2,600 migrants and asylum seekers registered in these countries in the whole of 2017. On May 31, Austrian media quoted its Interior Ministry’s asylum, migration and human rights directorate chief who has warned that a new Balkan migrant route is being created, calling it the “mosque route.” On this route, as directorate chief Peter Webinger said, mosques offer support to migrants. Croatia also has recently increased its police presence along its border with Bosnia due to the massive increase of migrants and refugees using Bosnia as transit toward Western Europe.
“Croatian police has strengthened all necessary capacities to control the state border, the outside border of the EU with Bosnia and Herzegovina, with additional deployment of officers and engagement of the necessary human and technical capacities,” Croatia’s President, Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, told Beta news agency on May 29. In Serbia, Albania and Montenegro, but especially in Bosnia, migrants and refugees only officially submit the asylum status requisite but the majority of them do not plan to stay and want to reach Croatia. In Montenegro, because of the unexpected influx the authorities mull to erect the razor-wire fence on the 26-kilometres long borderline with Albania, also accusing official Tirana of not doing enough to deal with the problem. Chief of the department of state border control in the Montenegrin Interior Ministry, Vojislav Dragovic, said that the erection of a border fence at the Albanian border is going to be considered and Hungary offered help to donate the fence. He also blamed the official Tirana of not wanting to accept the migrants and refugees back after they arrive in Montenegro, despite readmission bilateral agreements between the two countries. “They often justify that there is no evidence that the migrants that entered the territory of Albania and didn’t want to take them back,” Dragovic told local media on May 29, saying that with the new wave of migrants and refugees is coming with a possible problem with the human trafficking. In Albania, numbers of immigrants stopped by police in Albania had grown by 15 fold this year compared to previous year, raising concerns about a new route to north through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia, although the numbers are relatively small. Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama told media in Austria on May 30 that there were about 2,311 migrants up to May this year from 162 the same period the previous year. During 2017, Albania intercepted 1,047 people at its southern borders, mainly Algerians, Syrians and Libyans. These numbers are very small compared to hundreds of thousands that passed through the so-called Balkan Route in 2015, however, there is fear that a new route might be used by migrants and refugees trying to reach Western Europe through Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia. Hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees passed through the so-called “Balkan route” in 2015, trying to reach Western Europe, but Bosnia, Montenegro and Albania were mostly not part of that route, which was effectively shut down in March 2016.
