LOCAL PRESS

Mogherini expects Vucic, Thaci to join dialogue on community of Serb municipalities, final agreement (Beta)

EU High Representative Federica Mogherini has increased the frequency of her contacts with Belgrade and Pristina and is determined to bring the Serbian and Kosovo presidents, Aleksandar Vucic and Hashim Thaci, to Brussels, later this month, so that the two could discuss a legally binding agreement on the normalization of relations between the two states, including the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Mogherini is receiving proposals and suggestions from Belgrade and Pristina as to the content of the new round of talks, which should include the implementation of all of the agreements reached so far, officials close to the high representative said to Beta.

When asked to confirm if the EU bodies were talking about some sort of legally binding document for Belgrade and Pristina, they said that a definite draft did not exist, but suggestions, ideas and general solutions were being exchanged between all of the sides.

International diplomatic circles in Brussels told Beta that the Serbian president had rejected a draft version of a legally binding agreement first from Washington, and then two EU member states, guaranteeing that the Community would be set up to include all protective mechanisms requested by Belgrade and the Serbs in Kosovo, but that in return “Belgrade has to accept Kosovo’s entry into international institutions.”

The officials in Brussels have underlined that both sides had to implement all prior arrangements, the establishment of the Community included. The Kosovo authorities are expected to draft a statute for the Community by August, which should encourage an effort to structure the body of international protection for the Serbs in Kosovo.

When asked to comment on media reports, as well as suggestions by Pristina and Washington, that the U.S should be given a direct role in the Belgrade-Pristina dialog, they answered that it was the EU high representative who was mediating the talks.

Hahn: Positive development in atmosphere in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina (Tanjug)

European Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said that he saw a new impulse in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, although nothing specific happened. Hahn explained such view primarily by the change of Pristina’s approach, since they had “less will than Serbs” to take part in the dialogue. He believed that Kosovo understood that the dialogue was in their interest too. At the meeting with permanent correspondents of European media in Brussels, Johannes Hahn emphasized that positive attitude was currently in Kosovo.

Pristina is shunning dialogue, says Serbian official (Tanjug)

It is not true that Belgrade is not implementing agreements – “while the only truth is that Pristina is running away from the dialogue.” Deputy Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Dusan Kozarev said this on Monday, and added:

“Belgrade has fulfilled all the obligations from the First Brussels Agreement, while Pristina and its chief negotiator Avni Arifi use mindless excuses in their persistent efforts to find justification for unilaterally avoiding the continuation of the dialogue,” Kozarev said.

Although Pristina is saying that the continuation of the dialogue is not useful, Belgrade emphasizes that dialogue is not only useful, but also necessary, because everything else would take us a step back, into destabilization and aggravation of the situation on the ground, a press release from the Office said.

“Pristina has adopted unilateralism and lack for cooperativeness as a model of behavior, and an effective response to such a negotiation strategy needs to be found in order to continue the dialogue,” concluded Kozarev.

Pristina’s delegation is visiting Brussels on Monday for “regular exchange of stances within the dialogue” with Belgrade, with Arifi announcing he would ask EU mediators “to talk about energy, rather than focusing on formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO).”

Vulin: Slovakia’s decision not to recognize Kosovo’s independence a token of friendship (Beta)

Slovakia’s decision not to recognize an independent Kosovo, and to oppose a move to set up a Kosovo army, was a sign of consistency in its friendship with Serbia, Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin said on June 15.

During a meeting in Belgrade with his Slovakian counterpart, Peter Gajdos, Vulin said that Slovakia had supported Serbia’s neutral military status, and that it would continue to support Belgrade’s position at every international summit that it attended, the Ministry of Defense said in a press release.

“The Slovakian government has confirmed again that it will remain consistent in refusing to recognize the false state of Kosovo, and that Slovakia will never recognize it. Slovakia has supported Serbia’s position on Kosovo’s army, by agreeing that there cannot be any Kosovo army, and that anything that might contradict the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244 cannot be implemented in Kosovo and Metohija,” the Serbian minister said. Slovakia’s defense minister said that his country would do everything to continue cooperation with Serbia in a joint peacekeeping mission in Cyprus, and that it wished to expand bilateral military ties through education, training and modernization. Minister Gajdos also met with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, and the two ministers described the relationship between the two nations as good and friendly and expressed interest in deepening all types of bilateral cooperation, military ties in particular.

France wishes the EU-brokered talks between Belgrade and Pristina to continue as soon as possible (Beta)

French ambassador to Serbia Frederic Mondoloni has said that France’s support to Serbia’s EU perspective is strong and unambiguous, but that his country wants a stronger Union as well, which is why it has to be reformed. The ambassador said that France was prepared to strengthen political, economic and cultural relations with Serbia, adding that only “the sky is the limit” in developing their ties. In a comment on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Mondoloni said that France was concerned about the impasse that arose after “the unacceptable treatment “of the director of the Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djuric, in Kosovska Mitrovica. France wishes the EU-brokered talks to continue as soon as possible, as “there’s no alternative to the Belgrade-Pristina dialog,” the French diplomat said, warning that both sides had to be prepared to make compromises. When asked if Paris was pleased with the Union’s role in the dialog, and if it would support a more active one for some of the EU’s members, and Russia and the U.S., Ambassador Mondoloni said that Serbia and Kosovo belonged to Europe, and that it was natural that the Union should be at the forefront of the effort to solve the Kosovo issue. “France has firmly supported the EU’s mediation in the Belgrade-Pristina dialog, particularly the role of EU High Representative Federica Mogherini,” the ambassador sad, adding that it had been five years since the Brussels agreement on the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo was signed, and that it needed to be fully implemented. The French diplomat also said that France had placed a heavy emphasis on setting up the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo, which was an important element of the Brussels agreement.

Brnabic: EU should pressure pristine into applying Brussels agreement (Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said on June 14 that Kosovo’s failure to do anything toward implementing the Brussels Agreement was a massive obstacle to negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, just like the large number of attacks on the Serbs in Kosovo over the past few months. Brnabic stated after the meeting with the ambassadors of all EU member countries that she saw no pressure on Pristina to change its attitude toward the Serbs, or implement the Brussels Agreement and form the Community of Serb Municipalities. She said the European Union was not just the mediator, but also the guarantor of the Brussels Agreement, and that Serbia had the right to expect Brussels to exert pressure on Pristina.

“I regret that we have been waiting for five years now for the forming of the Community of Serb Municipalities… that the pressure has only been exerted on Serbia, when the backbone of the agreement was the forming of the Community of Serb Municipalities,” said Brnabic. She urged, besides the EU and the U.S., all other countries which have recognized Kosovo’s independence to put pressure on Pristina, for it to implement the Brussels Agreement.

Vucic accuses Jeremic of undermining Serbian authorities before talks with Kosovo (VIP)

Statement made by the leader of People’s Party Vuk Jeremic that the authorities are preparing riots so as to make the “climate” for handover of Kosovo is not accidental, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday, agencies reported.

“As for statements made by some politicians, who accuse their own country and trying to undermine the Serbian authorities before the Brussels and all other talks, I do not think it is a coincidence. I am not going to speak about it today, but I will address the nation in the coming days and say what I want and link them to some other cases, even related to (murder of one of the opposition leaders of Kosovo Serbs Oliver) Ivanovic and to some other things and perhaps people would be surprised by certain information”, Vucic told journalists. Vucic said that the essence is that someone who worked against his own country would always work against his country. He warned there would be much pressure on Serbia over this matter, both from inside and outside “in order to weaken the country’s authorities and especially to prevent reaching a solution, but on the other hand, if we reach a solution, so that none would be good”.

“From whichever aspect one looks at it, our position is not an easy one. We do not have a choice, but to fight for Serbia, and as for those whose choice is to call on staging rallies from New York or from Istanbul, and not to be with their people… I have nothing special to say about them. I think they tell most about themselves by such acts”, Vucic said. Vucic said that Serbia must fight against pressures and in spite of pressures in order to fulfil its goals.

Dacic: Goal of false news is to destabilize and weaken Serbia’s position over Kosovo (RTS)

The false news that showed up in the past few weeks had for a goal to destabilize Serbia and simultaneously, foreign pressures continued in order to weaken its position, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Saturday for RTS. He emphasized that combination of pressures had for a goal to weaken Serbia’s position in order to reach a solution for Kosovo as soon as possible.

“We are witnesses of various false new, such as the news on drinking water quality, as well as the information that government plans to cause riots in northern Kosovo, to attack our own people. It is all a part of the concept where special war methods with intention to cause destabilization of Serbia”, he said. Dacic said that the pressure on Serbia could also be seen through the fact that Belgrade was opening just two negotiation chapters in negotiations on EU membership every six months, since the progress was also being assessed based on the results in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. He added that “today when someone says that some decision regarding Kosovo should be made, he primarily thinks” that Serbia should recognize Kosovo.

“So, this is a pressure that needs to be coordinated and keep it so strong that we must accept something that is not in our national and state interest in a certain moment”, Dacic said.

He said that Serbia wanted a compromise but that Serbia would not accept unilateral actions.

When asked if the solution could be possible without a new format of the dialogue, Dacic said that he did not believe that the format could be widened or changed, but pressures could happen.

“We expect that continuation of the negotiations, but no one should expect us to give up on this”, Dacic said.

Dacic: We must see Trump – but it’s going to cost us (B92)

Half a million dollars would open the White House doors and give Serbia an opportunity to fight for its interests in Kosovo in a meeting with the US President. This is according to Serbian Foreign Minister and First Deputy PM Ivica Dacic.

“We’ll think others are to blame tomorrow if somebody else were to reach Donald Trump before we do. It’s known how it works in America. It’s a lobbying system that is lawful, legal, there are contracts, they are public, they are published on the website of the ministry (US Justice Department), and we must engage in that,” Dacic told Srpski Telegraf.

According to him, Serbia “cannot change the (US) State Department, the Congress… these are set mindsets when it comes to things that happened in the past.”

“But we can try to work on establishing better connections with the administration, I’m referring to Trump, his team, Pence, Pompeo. We will work on it, I will insist on it.. It’s between USD 50,000 and 150,000 a month. These are not huge sums that Serbia can’t secure. But it’s very important to whom the money is given,” Dacic said.

Asked what Serbia would get in return, Dacic said that “a positive climate would be created, for them to hear out and take into account our opinion on the way to resolve the Kosovo issue.”

“It’s not a matter of paying someone to take our side. It’s about someone being ready to talk. We have not had that so far – whenever the issue of Kosovo was mentioned, they did not want to talk about it. For the first time with the Trump administration, we managed to state our opinion,” said Dacic.

Earlier this month, media reports said that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci had hired a Washington lobbyist in an attempt to secure a meeting with Trump, and that he had spent half a million dollars for this purpose.

DS decided to participate in the formation of the “Alliance for Serbia” (RTS)

The main committee of the Democratic Party decided to participate in the formation of the opposition Alliance for Serbia.

“The Democratic Party made a decision to participate in the formation of the opposition alliance. There is a great struggle for us, for a better Serbia, for a better life in it,” stated deputy president of DS Aleksandar Jerkov.

Democratic Party president Zoran Lutovac told journalists before the start of the party session, that the DS would have equal status with all the other parties to be founders, that it was discussed with the presidents of other parties and that it was a joint agreement. Asked about the possible entry of the parties into the Alliance, initiated by Dragan Djilas, he said that he cannot assume this, but that the Alliance is definitely open to parties of the authentic opposition regardless of their political orientation.

EU deliberately hinders Serbia’s progress? (Vecernje Novosti)

Why is EU opening only two new negotiating chapters to our country? Brussels has its own problems, the enlargement is not high on the list of priorities.

Serbia will open only two negotiating chapters on the path of European interactions in Luxembourg next Monday. In some other circumstances, this could be considered a success, but things get different outlines if it is known that there are several more areas “on the table”, for which we are prepared to circle them without difficulty in this cycle.

Areas that treat financial services (9), fisheries (13), and financial and budgetary provisions (33), have been waiting for months, and some since the end of last year, in a drawer in the Justus Lipsius building at the EU headquarters. In the meantime, we also provided the European institutions with a negotiating position for chapters 18, which relates to statistics, and 17 in relation to economic and monetary policy. This last one is still in the procedure, although if there was a will, everything could have been finished in time. For the remaining four chapters, there is no valid technical reason to remain “on hold”.

“It would be too much to open five chapters at ones. Member States do not want to move too fast in anticipation of the announced EU reform. That is why some of the most skeptical countries considered it necessary to “drop the ball” and not rush too much” openly admits, a high source from the European Council. It is now clear that everything depends not only on the speed of the reforms, but also on a lot of political decisions in Brussels.

Asked if Serbia should be dissatisfied because of announced opening of only two new chapters in June, given that our government claims that we are ready to open five, and why the European Union will limit us by opening only Chapters 33 and 13, Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic says:

“We open the chapters sometimes at a faster, sometimes at a slower rate, but the dynamics are there. By the end of June we will open most probably two chapters – 33 (budget and financial provisions) and 13 (fisheries). The process of European integration is complex and is not immune to political problems in the EU as well. I believe that the EU is currently in the process of reviewing its own problems, so the enlargement process is not high on the list of priorities, and here I see the reason for somewhat reduced dynamics.

At the same time, the Minister emphasizes that the important thing is that chapters are being opened and that Serbia is working on the new ones, to be ready when the opportunities improve:

“Patience and persistence, not expressing the frustration in the integration process, are my principles, even when things are not ideal. The position of Minister for European Integration requires this, and I am guided by that.

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic recently stressed that external pressures on Serbia continue, with the aim of weakening our position and to resolve the Kosovo issue as soon as possible. The pressure, can also bee seen in the non-opening of the new chapters.

“Serbia is the only candidate country that has chapter 35, meaning, the other countries have it too, but in their case, those are the current issues that are not important. Here, the issue is a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and now, in order for us to progress, the issue of the progress in the dialogue is evaluated every six months. We are not happy that we have only two chapters opened in six months, and that is, in a way, a constant pressure on us” Dacic said.

Otherwise, Member States waited in April for the report from the European Commission, which was considered positive, but that did not help us to progress faster. On the contrary, the messages received from the EU are, that because the progress was visible, two chapters are being opened, otherwise they wouldn’t open even them.

Bulgaria, as the current EU chairmen, had high ambitions regarding Serbia and the Western Balkans, but apart from the limited scope of the summit in Sofia, during the semi-annual presidency, only two chapters are likely to be opened.

If in the future we continue to move at this paste, in average it would take us another five years just to open all the chapters without closing them. Out of a total of 35 chapters, so far we have opened 12, of which two have been temporarily closed.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

RS President Dodik and Serbian President Vucic meet in Belgrade (RTRS)

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held a meeting in Belgrade on Friday. On this occasion, the two officials discussed the improvement of relations between the RS and Serbia, joint infrastructural projects that are essential in terms of connections between the RS and Serbia, as well as the current situation in the region. They assessed that relations between the RS and Serbia have never been better.

Dodik stressed that Serbia will not be meddling in the elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), nor is Vucic ready to do something like that. “President Vucic let me know that Serbia wants the elections to be fair and results to be implemented rapidly. The President was interested in what is going on with the Election Law,” Dodik told reporters. Also, Vucic informed Dodik on his views and proposals with regard to the situation in “Kosovo and Metohija”, adding that the talks between Belgrade and Pristina will continue in Brussels at the end of the month. “I support President Vucic with regard to his approach to Kosovo, as well as his refusal to accept the proposal offered by the West, which does not reflect the interests of Serbia,” Dodik told reporters. Dodik noted that Vucic informed him on the current situation and stressed that he would not accept any solution that would be detrimental to Serbia. Dodik stressed that certain persons in Serbia are trying to make the negotiation position of this country more difficult.

Comments on the “Position of US with regard to MAP Activation for B&H” (RTRS)

RTRS carried that activation of the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) for Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) could speed up even though B&H failed to fulfill the previously set conditions. Belgrade-based daily Novosti learns that the US Embassy to B&H has prepared a document ‘Position of the US with regard to MAP Activation for B&H’. Novosti report that this document aims to prevent Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik’s obstruction on the NATO path and malignant Russian influence on the Balkans. The document was reportedly drafted based on the B&H Foreign Policy Strategy, which the current BiH Presidency adopted through consensus. Novosti also published information that MAP activation should speed up in a way of taking place by October elections, and its news report also mentioned the RS opposition’s stances on the need for urgent MAP activation.

The Press Service of the US Embassy to B&H issued a brief statement to RTRS but it did not want to comment whether the mentioned document is authentic. “It is well known that the US Government supports activation of MAP for B&H, and that remains unchanged”, the statement reads. In addition, US Ambassador to B&H Maureen Cormack met with Serb member of B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic on Thursday on which occasion they discussed the issue of migrants and the preparations for this year’s general elections. According to Ivanic’s cabinet, the B&H Foreign Policy Strategy does not mention membership in NATO.

RS President Milorad Dodik criticized Ivanic for endorsing the B&H Foreign Policy Strategy in the first place, without consulting the RS that was against it. “Everything is clear”, Dodik stressed. Head of the SNSD Caucus in B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Stasa Kosarac assessed that Serb officials in joint institutions remained silent about many moves on the NATO path. Kosarac reminded that the RS National Assembly (RSNA) adopted a Resolution on Military Neutrality, and underlined that this resolution needs to be respected. Kosarac accused Ivanic of “advocating interest of foreign players, who obviously want to undermine significance and constitutional competence of the RS”.

SDA, SBB B&H, SDP, DF, ‘Nasa Stranka’ to propose to Federation of B&H Parliament law on constituencies and number of mandates in Federation of B&H Parliament (TV1)

SDA, SDP, SBB Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and DF have reached an agreement on the Election Law of B&H, with support of ‘Nasa Stranka’ (Our Party). The parties decided to propose to the Federation of B&H Parliament the law on constituencies and the number of mandates in the Federation of B&H Parliament. They explained that the text of the law is fully in line with the Constitution of the Federation of B&H, it meets the principles of the ruling of the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H in the ‘Ljubic‘ case and it is in line with the Election Law of B&H and recommendations of the Venice Commission.

The law includes two parts, where the first one regulates the constituencies and the number of mandates for the House of Representatives (HoR) of the Federation of B&H, given that the Election Law of B&H stipulates that the number of mandates in constituencies should be defined every four years.

Head of the SDP Caucus in the Federation of B&H HoR Elvir Karajbic stated that the second part pf the law refers to election of delegates to the House of Peoples (HoP) of the Federation of B&H. “The number of delegates in the HoP remains the same as it is the case now, i.e. 17 from the rank of Serb people, 17 from the rank of the Croat people, 17 from the rank of the Bosniak people and seven from the rank of Others. As for the constitutional category, per one representative of each of the constituent peoples should be elected from each of the cantons, if any of them are elected to cantonal parliaments”, Karajbic explained.

Commenting on the issue, ‘Nasa Stranka’ leader Predrag Kojovic told TV1 that this law represents a good interim solution that will not be detrimental as it is the case with the HDZ B&H’s proposal. He stressed that the law could be passed in the Federation of B&H Parliament unless HDZ B&H decides to activate the mechanism of protection of the vital national interest.

Croat officials reject agreement reached by SDA, SBB B&H, SDP, DF and Our Party (Dnevni list)

The Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU) leader and representative in the Federation of B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Ivan Musa, who commented on the agreement reached by SDA, SBB B&H, SDP, DF and Our Party regarding the Law on Constituencies says the agreement is a confirmation of a Bosniak coalition, which has the aim to finish the process of turning the Federation of B&H into a Bosniak entity. According to him, the agreement completely ignores the decision of the Constitutional Court of B&H, arguing it is unacceptable to change the election rules during an election year. Musa believes the Bosniak parties will outvote Croats in the Federation of B&H HoR, stressing that the Croats have the Federation of B&H House of Peoples and the Federation of B&H President left.

Federation of B&H President Marinko Cavara (HDZ B&H) said that the five parties’ agreement i.e. its contents is unconstitutional. Cavara argues that “those people are undermining the state, institutions, working against the Constitutional Court”, and are proposing election of delegates to the Federation of B&H House of Peoples, who are not even elected into cantonal assemblies. “The situation is so absurd that they admit they are proposing an unconstitutional law because they want to change the Constitution in order to adopt this law”, said Cavara.

Federation of B&H HoR Deputy Speaker Mladen Boskovic (HDZ B&H) told that “a grand Bosniak coalition” is working on a project of turning the Federation of B&H into an entity of one people. “By violating the Constitution, they want to create a civic state in which Croats would not be equal” added Boskovic.

Political parties in RS fail to reach agreement on formation of single Serb list in Federation of B&H for upcoming general elections (N1)

N1 learns that SNSD, DNS and SP RS will form a joint list of candidates that will run for posts in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliament and six cantonal parliaments in the upcoming elections. Secretary General of SNSD Luka Petrovic stated that the abovementioned joint list of candidates will participate in elections as Serb List.

Representatives of the parties gathered around the Alliance for Changes (SzP) harshly reacted to the abovementioned announcement. Namely, they deem that all Republika Srpska (RS) -based parties should achieve an agreement on the single list of Serb candidates, underlining that this is the only way to improve protection of rights of Serbs in the Federation of B&H.

Leader of PDP Branislav Borenovic reminded that Chairman of Serbian Parliament’s Committee for Diaspora and Serbs in the Region Miodrag Linta has initiated joint participation of all Serb parties in elections in the Federation of B&H, underlining that SNSD failed to respect the agreement reached upon this initiative. Linta has said recently that the coalition formed by SNSD, DNS and SPRS cannot be considered as a single Serb list in the Federation of B&H.

Head of the SDS Caucus in the House of Representatives (HoR) of B&H and SDS Vice President Aleksandra Pandurevic commented on the issue and reminded that SDS was ready to reach the agreement on the single Serb list. “We were not invited to that meeting and therefore there was no opportunity to reach the agreement. SNSD obviously protected the interests of HDZ B&H and opted for fragmentation of the Serb electorate in the Federation of B&H”, Pandurevic stated.

Prices of fuel in B&H will decrease (FTV, RTRS)

Following Thursday’s session, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Government announced that prices of fuel will be lowered in 40% of gas stations in the Federation of B&H. Other gas stations will follow by lowering their prices as well due to market competitiveness.

The fuel prices at most gas stations in Republika Srpska (RS) have been reduced. This is a result of an agreement between the RS Government and distributors of fuel and oil derivates. The reduction of prices was achieved through reducing the trade margin and thanks to a slight decline in prices on the global market, while the RS Government is not allowed to personally limit the fuel prices. RS Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic stated that the RS Government keeps in touch with the distributors, but it is not realistic to expect granting of demands for specific fuel price decreases. “The Government is here to establish when and how it is possible to act, in line with the law, while all other activities imply a dialogue with those who can carry out that work”, Cvijanovic specified.

Montenegro

Return to the Parliament (CDM)

Brussels succeeded. After numerous calls from the center of the EU, it is certain now that opposition is going to come back to the Parliament, after almost two years of boycotting it. They promised not to come back until DPS loses. But that didn’t happen. After the Democratic Front came back and Socialist democratic Party said it would do the same, the gradual return is expected from Democrats and URA. Leaders of Democrats and URA were the toughest in their efforts. They had some principles that they weren’t so willing to give up on. They developed a Plan of tackling institutional and political crisis and they will present it to Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Enlargement. The dialogue takes place in the Parliament. Right where everybody should be heard. They were chosen to represent the interests of the citizens right at this place.

fYROM

Macedonia, Greece sign historic deal ending long-running name dispute (MIA)

The foreign ministers of Macedonia and Greece, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias respectively, on Sunday signed the final agreement for the settling of the name dispute and the establishment of a strategic partnership at a ceremony attended by the countries’ premiers Zoran Zaev and Alexis Tsipras, MIA reports. Under the deal, the country will be renamed into Republic of North Macedonia used both internally and internationally. The formal ceremony in the small village of Psarades on the Greek territory of Lake Prespa, was attended by high officials of the international community, UN name envoy Matthew Nimetz, who has been involved in the settling the differences over the name for most of his diplomatic career. Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs is also attending, as well as Federica Mogherini, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn.

The implementation of the Agreement with Greece begins (MIA)

The Government of the Republic of Macedonia reviewed and adopted the Proposal – the Law on Ratification of the Final Agreement for the resolution of the difference as outlined in the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council 817 (1993) and 845 (1993), the termination of the interim agreement of 1995 and the establishment of a strategic partnership between the parties, at the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The draft-law on ratification will be submitted to the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, the government press service announced.

After being submitted to the Parliament, the MPs should vote and adopt it by a simple majority, that is, by a majority of the present MPs. The minimum quorum for the work of the legislature is 61 MPs, which means that 31 should vote “for”, for the agreement to be ratified.

Then, the agreement is to be sent to President Ivanov, who has seven days to sign it. If Ivanov exercises his right to veto, the agreement goes back to parliamentary procedure, but then he will have to be voted with an absolute majority of 61 MP who should vote “for”. The agreement in that case is again sent to the President, who according to the Constitution is obliged to sign it.

The implementation of the agreement will take place in stages. It will enter into force after the parties accept it in accordance with the internal procedures. But if either of the parties does not accept the agreement in accordance with the internal procedures, this will mean that the agreement does not apply.

For the final agreement, the word will be given to the Macedonian citizens in the referendum, which is to be held in September or October. According to the agreement, Macedonia will have to adopt amendments to the Constitution by the end of the year.

According to the Agreement for resolving the Macedonia-Greece name dispute and strategic partnership that was signed in Prespa yesterday by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Macedonia and Greece, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kodzias, the official name of the state will be the Republic of Northern Macedonia or Northern Macedonia.

The Agreement recognizes – Macedonian language, part of a group of South Slavic languages. Regarding the citizenship, Macedonian / citizen of the Republic of Northern Macedonia – is envisioned in all travel documents.

Two transitional periods are foreseen, one “technical” and one “political”.

The “technical” transitional period refers to all official documents and materials of the public administration in Macedonia for international use and documents for internal use, but which can be used outside of the state. Such documents and materials will be renewed no later than five years after the entry into force of the Agreement.

The “political transition” period will refer to all documents and materials that are exclusive for internal use in Macedonia. The issuance of such documents and materials will begin at the opening of each chapter of the relevant field in the negotiations with the EU and will be finalized within five years from then.

Greece needs to ratify the Treaty in the Parliament. Greece commits itself to not object to membership requests or membership of Macedonia in international, multilateral and regional organizations and institutions in which Greece is a member.

Macedonia will seek admission to the international, multilateral and regional organizations and institutions under the name Republic of Northern Macedonia.

Greece will inform the President of the Council of the EU of its support for the start of membership negotiations with Macedonia. Greece will inform the NATO Secretary General of its support for NATO invitation to Macedonia to join this alliance. Such support of Greece is conditioned, with the outcome of the referendum, if Macedonia decides to hold a referendum.

Both parties with the signed Agreement, accept that their “understanding” of the terms “Macedonia” and “Macedonian” refers to a different historical context and cultural heritage.

For Greece – these terms denote not only the area and people in the northern region of Greece, but also their features, as well as the Hellenic civilization, history, culture and heritage of that region from antiquity to the present day. For Macedonia – these terms denote its territory, language, people and their features, with their own history, culture, and heritage.

Within six months, Macedonia will re-examine the status of monuments, public buildings and infrastructure on its territory, and if they in any way refer to ancient Hellenic history and civilization, which is an integral part of Greece’s historical or cultural heritage, it will take appropriate corrective actions in order to effectively consider the issue and to ensure respect for such an inheritance.

Within one month, through exchange of diplomatic notes, the parties shall establish on an equal basis a Joint Interdisciplinary Committee of Experts on Historical, Archeological and Educational Issues, which shall consider the objective scientific interpretation of historical events based on authentic, evidence-based and scientific well-maintained historical sources and archaeological findings.

The parties agree that their strategic cooperation will encompass all sectors, such as agriculture, civil protection, defense, economy, energy, environment, industry, infrastructure, investment, political relations, tourism, trade, cross-border cooperation and transport.

Upon its entry into force – Greece raises the level of the Liaison Office in Skopje to the level of the Embassy and vice versa.

Zaev: The country proud of choosing ‘uniting’ solution (MIA)

The country is proud of choosing a ‘uniting’ solution, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Sunday at the signing of an agreement closing the years-long name dispute between Macedonia and Greece.

“We are proud of this agreement of ours. We are proud of having been able to unite over a solution to a dispute that has been dividing us and we have chosen a solution that unites us. By signing the final agreement for the settlement of the name issue and the establishment of a strategic partnership between our two countries – we have moved mountains. When many were in doubt, we have assured them that it is possible! Today we are putting an end to a dispute. We are putting an end to years-long differences that had erected a wall, which had hindered many friendly relations between the neighbors,” Zaev said in his address at the ceremony in the Greek village of Psarades on Lake Prespa.

Today, he said, is a celebratory act and an expression of commitment to finding a solution in the interest of the future and the citizens of the two countries.

“We have learned that we should learn from history, rather than repeat it. On the foundations of the past we are building the future.”

According to PM Zaev, the solution and the negotiating process have made a friend out of Greece, which many believed is an irreconcilable enemy.

“We are building a friendship with Greece. We will be partners and allies. They will be our supporters. Together, we are paving the way for strategic partnership, for benefits for the citizens of the two nations,” he said at the ceremony.

The agreement inked today, Zaev said, creates a chance, and it is a historic opportunity for enhanced cooperation, stronger economic ties, increasing growth and development.

The Macedonian Premier also referred to the opponents of the deal both in Macedonia and Greece. “It’s European to have an opinion.”

“It is also European to talk and to give the solution a chance through the decision-making procedures of the institutions… Our nations have the responsibility to rally around equality between nations, human dignity and solidarity. The European concept is a civilization value, a democratic one that fights against manipulations of populism and of fear. Europe is stronger than fear. Greeks, Macedonians, Europeans are stronger than fear. The European family knows no borders,” stressed PM Zaev. He thanked UN name envoy Matthew Nimetz, who has attended the ceremony on his birthday. He has focused most of his career on mediating the name issue. Zaev also thanked the EU and its representatives for their assistance, the United States and the NATO allies.

“I also want to thank the heads of state and government of our neighboring countries. Their encouragement and assistance played a key importance in certain moments,” noted Macedonian PM Zaev.

UN’s Nimetz: Name deal required wise leadership and strategic vision (MIA)

The UN name mediator in the Macedonia-Greece negotiations, Matthew Nimetz, said Sunday he had received the best birthday gift with the signing of the agreement that finally closes the decades-long name dispute. Nimetz praised the premiers of Macedonia and Greece, Zoran Zaev and Alexis Tsipras, as well as the countries’ foreign ministers, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias.

“To find solution requires wise leadership, strategic vision and these leaders demonstrated those important qualities.  We don’t often find political courage, strategic vision and diplomatic skill and to find all three of these qualities in four outstanding leaders is really very rare and unique,” Nimetz noted. I believe, he added, that the agreement is in the strategic interest of both countries.

“It has been my pleasure and honor to have worked as mediator and now to have witnessed this agreement. And to have worked closely with ministers Dimitrov and Kotzias, as well as with their distinguished predecessors. The process has been long, difficult but I think that it has resulted in an agreement that really is fair, honorable and workable. It is an example to the region, to Europe and in fact to the world that two neighbors can solve a problem if they really work on it,” the UN envoy said in his speech at the end of the signing ceremony.

EU’s Mogherini: Name agreement ‘an inspiration’ for many in the region (MIA)

“Today is a historic day for the two country, but it is also a historic day for the European Union and the Balkans in general” Federica Mogherini told reporters after the signing of the name deal.

“Many people were skeptical about the possibility of reaching a mutually beneficial agreement…  We are here today, first of all to thank the two sides, because they make us all Europeans proud of the capacity to find – through diplomacy, through dialogue – a win-win solution for a problem that was long-standing for too many decades,” the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy told reporters.

I hope and I believe, she added, this will be a source of inspiration for many in the region to take bold, brave, courageous steps; and also for the whole of Europe. I think that this agreement shows the way to Europe, to the rest of the world that any problem, any issue is solvable in a positive manner through leadership, courage and dialogue.

Mogherni said the EU would follow closely the implementation of the agreement because ‘this is not something important only for the two parties, this is important for the whole of Europe and for the entire world.’

It took a lot of time and efforts to get to this point today, the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, told reporters standing next to the EU foreign policy chief Mogherini. This is a historic day and opportunity for the citizens of North Macedonia to get positive feedback with regard to the country’s bid to join the Euro-Atlantic organization, Hahn said.

VMRO-DPMNE stages rally in Bitola against name agreement (MIA)

VMRO-DPMNE with all democratic and legal means will fight against the capitulation served to us today and all attempts to devalue the sovereignty of our country. VMRO-DPMNE will not support changing of the Constitution, which will change the constitutional name, Hristijan Mickoski said Sunday. Speaking at a rally of the largest opposition party in Macedonia in Bitola, the VMRO-DPMNE leader said his party this coming summer would be dedicated to ‘the people through gatherings and meetings in which the truth about Macedonia will be revealed.’

“Macedonia is the name which makes us different from the others. It is in our code… The day will come for those who are doing this to Macedonia, they will be brought to justice and before the people. VMRO-DPMNE and the coalition will continue to be with its people,” stated Mickoski. In these historic times, he said, VMRO-DPMNE will be the voice of the citizens of Macedonia.

“Our name is Macedonia, our name is pride and we are proud Macedonians,” Mickoski told the rally held in the main square in Bitola. Also, the opposition party with the protest march in Bitola marked its 28th anniversary.

A protest outside the Parliament’s building in Skopje on Sunday evening turned violent after protesters pushed down barricades erected by the police trying to storm the Parliament.

Seven members of riot police were left injured and 25 protesters were later arrested, the Interior Ministry (MoI) said adding it would reveal more details about the incident on Monday.

“At a public protest in Skopje yesterday, a part of the protesters started throwing pyrotechnics at the police force and forcefully pushed down the protective police barricade trying to storm the Parliament. Police fired teargas in order to prevent the situation from escalating and to prevent storming of Parliament,” the MoI said. The Ministry said it respected the right to peaceful protest, but it would never allow use of force, violent storming and disruption of public order and peace. “The Ministry calls on the public to demonstrate democratic attitude when expressing its views,” it noted. People gathered to protests against the agreement for settling the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece, which was signed yesterday in the Greek border village of Psarades.

Hahn: It is inappropriate for the president to refuse a conversation with the prime minister, responsibility is needed (Meta)

It is inappropriate for the head of state to refuse to talk with the Prime Minister or with the Foreign Minister, in order not to receive first-hand information, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn said.

“I think the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister have fully respected the constitutional guidelines and I can only urge the President to take responsibility immediately. This is not a matter of acceptance, but in a democracy we can expect to hear people discuss among themselves and should not forget that the head of state is in some way a model for many people in the country. The president, directly elected, has a special position and responsibility, and he should be aware of this, otherwise he hurts the office of the President”, Hahn says. He also told the opposition that they should carefully study the agreement.

Borisov and Zaharieva cancel meetings with Ivanov (Meta)

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov refused to meet Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov in the scheduled meeting. The meeting was also canceled by Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, explaining that the Bulgarian government does not want to be involved in internal political issues in Skopje.

“We do not want to interfere in the internal affairs of a neighboring state. Our position is principled and clear, as well as the position of the entire international community. The position of the President of the Republic of Macedonia is also clear. The Bulgarian government sees no sense in being used in internal political debates in Skopje. The key to the future development of our neighboring country is integration into the EU and NATO, and it must not be questioned”, Borisov said in a statement issued by Focus News by the Bulgarian government.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Erdogan’s “Trojan Horse” In Macedonia (MEO)

Turkey’s President Erdogan makes no secret of his ambition to spread his neo-Ottoman wings all over the Balkans. He views Macedonia as another Turkish satellite in the making, which sadly the Macedonian government seems to have embraced without carefully assessing the long-term adverse ramifications. Very few Albanian voices in Macedonia have the courage to publicly criticize Erdogan, fearful of becoming a target of threats and insults by a huge propaganda machine directed by many of his cronies. Erdogan has been extremely successful in influencing the majority of Albanians in the country, many of whom consider him as their one and only trusted leader.

For more than a decade, Erdogan has invested heavily in spreading his influence among Albanians, through building mosques and Turkish schools, and funding media, religious institutions, and most recently political parties, which are directly controlled by his close associates and have dramatically increased his influence over the Albanian community.
Anyone who dares to criticize Erdogan or discuss his personal ambitions in Macedonia is attacked publicly by the ‘internet brigade’ as an Islamophobe or traitor.

“I was personally a target of these attacks twice”, says Xhelal Neziri, an experienced investigative reporter from Macedonia.  “They cannot stop me from telling the truth, but it is a fact that many of my colleagues do not want to talk about this topic, because of the ‘lynching threats.’”

A majority of Albanians in Macedonia identify themselves as Muslims rather than by their Albanian national identity. There are voices within these fanatical religious groups saying that Albanians should not recognize Mother Theresa as a saint, even though she was an Albanian from Macedonia, because she does not represent the interests of the Muslim community. The number of those who believe that other national Albanian heroes like Gjergj Kastrioti ‘Skenderbeg’, who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in the 1400s, should not be recognized because they were Christians, is increasing rapidly.
Compared to other Balkan states where Albanians live who don’t consider religion to be a dominant factor in their lives, Albanians in Macedonia are the staunchest supporters of Erdogan and his Islamic agenda. Erdogan’s strategy for restoring Turkey’s influence in the Balkans, akin to what the Ottoman Empire once enjoyed, had early success with the Albanians in Macedonia.
Nearly two-thirds of the population in Macedonia are ethnically Orthodox Christian Macedonians, and the other third of the population are predominantly Albanian Muslims. In 2001, tensions between the two groups escalated into an armed conflict between government security forces and the Albanian National Liberation Army (NLA).
The conflict was short-lived and ended with the Ohrid Agreement—a peace treaty that saw NLA commanders rebranded as legitimate politicians, gaining enhanced social and political rights which were granted to Macedonia’s Albanian citizens. While armed hostilities ended nearly 17 years ago, relations between the different groups are still raw.

Albanians are disadvantaged and neglected, and continue to suffer from inequality. Macedonia denied their basic human rights. The Albanian language was not recognized until March of 2018, when Macedonia’s parliament passed a law extending the official use of the Albanian language, despite massive Macedonian protests from the right-wing opposition.

The country’s Slavs and Albanians still live largely separate and do not enjoy equal rights. Erdogan has used ethnic and political problems between Macedonians and Albanians as a “golden opportunity” to portray himself as the greatest defender of the Albanians. Meanwhile, all of Turkey’s economic investments and trade deals are focused on the Macedonian side.

According to the World Bank, in 2016 Turkey’s exports to Macedonia totaled $378 million and imports amounted to $82.6 million. The Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜİK) reports that around 100 Turkish businesspeople currently have investments worth €1.2 billion ($1.47 billion) in Macedonia. These investments are focused in the parts where Macedonians live, while in the Albanian side Erdogan has invested in religious institutions to promote his Islamic agenda.

Erdogan has used Albanians as a trump card in his economic and financial investments to Macedonia. This way, he pretends to guarantee stability to the Macedonian state by converting the troublesome Albanian nationalism into a strong Islamic identity among Albanians.
In public speeches, Erdogan has repeatedly flirted with corrupt Macedonian government officials. He stated that Turkey and Macedonia share a bond of brotherhood and that “Turkey will always be on Macedonia’s side.”
“For us, Ankara and Skopje have no differences and we will never leave our brothers alone, we will always be with them, and we will always help and stand behind them,” Erdogan said in February 2018.

In a conversation with Artan Grubi, a parliamentarian in Macedonia representing the largest Albanian political party (the Democratic Union for Integration, BDI), he stated that “The influence of the current Turkish government in the political setting in Macedonia is undoubtedly serious and present.”
Erdogan does that “through government financial aid, cultural exchange, [and] serving as a role model [to inspire] political parties and politicians such as the newly established entity BESA”, said Grubi, adding that the party he represents will not allow any marginal influences to stray them away from their projected path of integration into NATO and the EU.

The BESA Movement is a political party in the Republic of Macedonia founded in November 2014 by Bilall Kasami and Zeqirija Ibrahimi, chief editor of Shenja magazine, which is one of the most pro-Erdogan media outlets in Macedonia.
Leaders of this political party deny having direct links with Turkey, but they openly follow Erdogan’s line. In their first elections three years ago, they won five seats in the Parliament. We sent questions to the BESA leaders, but they did not respond.
Professor Ymer Ismaili, one of the most critical voices in Macedonia, declared publicly during the last elections in 2016 that the “BESA Movement is [a] religious sect with the open mission of spreading Erdogan’s Islamic agenda among Albanians in Macedonia.”

In a conversation with us, Ismaili said that Albanian nationals in the Balkans (especially in Macedonia) are Erdogan’s favorite “target” because of their religion, poverty, and functional educational illiteracy. “Erdoganism wants the Balkans ‘neo-invasion,’ not with military but with financial and religious means to undermine the ‘Christian’ Europe! In this ‘journey’ in certain situations, his political-geostrategic ally is Putin’s Russia. Both are united in their personal cult and their mission: They both are ‘dictators’ and anti-Western”, said Ismaili.

Many Albanian emigrants, after the Second World War and the establishment of the communist regime, fled to Western European countries or the US to find jobs or seek political asylum. “Almost every Albanian family has one member in the West and can obviously distinguish between what the West has to offer, culturally, politically, and in human rights, and what Erdogan can provide”, said Neziri. Nevertheless, they continue to be manipulated by Erdogan.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the Turkish government’s aid agency, maintains an office in Skopje staffed with a country coordinator and completed almost 600 projects in Macedonia by the end of 2017.
Yunus Emre, the Turkish government’s cultural promotion agency, is also active in Macedonia. According to Turkish Minute, “It is clear that Erdoğan is pushing all the government agencies to focus on [Macedonia] with all sorts of schemes, ranging from mosque building to establishing schools as part of a grand design to create a vassal state that will be loyal to his Islamist rule.”
To be sure, Erdogan’s “peaceful onslaught” on Macedonia has one and one purpose only: to dominate the country under the guise of a long history of brotherly relations. This is Erdogan’s modern “Trojan Horse,” and the Albanians in Macedonia must realize that they are unwittingly falling into Erdogan’s trap.