LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: We will say a firm “no” to what is contrary to the Serbian national interests (B92)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic says that Resolution 1244 has its pros and cons, but that Serbia has no better argument in the negotiations with Pristina. He explained to the journalists in Nis that there are things in this act of the United Nations that Serbia can hold on to, but the opponents also have something to hold on to. “We are ready to talk, but we will not put up with the ultimatums from Pristina, which we hear every day that the only condition is the recognition of Kosovo by Serbia or presenting other wishes and territorial pretensions, I just smile at that because you cannot show arrogance towards big powers. We will always be able to find the strength to say ‘no’ to endangering our vital interests, with the hope that some solution will come by when we could say: ‘Yes’. However, I haven’t seen that yet,” Vucic said. He added that he was sorry that Serbia could not protect more lives earlier. “But we will always have the strength to say ‘no’ to those against our national interests, in the hope that we will have something to say yes to. It will not be an easy fight in the coming months,” he said.

Brnabic: Belgrade never used excuses not to continue dialogue (Tanjug/RTS)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated on Monday in Ivanjica that Belgrade never used any excuses not to continue the dialogue with Pristina, but on the contrary, it is always ready for talks and fulfilled its obligations, unlike Pristina. She stated that, on the other hand, when something was agreed under the auspices of the EU, Pristina did not implement it. Brnabic reiterated that Belgrade, for the safety and security of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, but also for the stability of the entire region, never sought excuses not to sit at the table, and then there was the introduction of a 100 percent tax on goods from central Serbia, which is the opposite all values.

She pointed out that from 21 November 2018, Belgrade has been calling for the abolition of taxes. It is great that they came to that, with the great help and support of international partners, said Brnabic and expressed gratitude to the United States and the US Special Representative for Dialogue Richard Grenell for everything they did to create the conditions for the dialogue to continue, and also praised the EU for appointing Special Representative for Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak. She also said that there is no politics in the decision that one PCR test is enough to consider asymptomatic patients healthy, and added that she does not see how such a decision could bring political points, or resolve the situation with Montenegro. In a statement to the press in Ivanjica, Brnabic mentioned that other countries changed and harmonized the methodology during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as that one negative PCR test is a standard of the World Health Organization (WHO). You can see by the numbers that our methodology was the most conservative. One negative PCR test is the WHO standard and we wanted to comply with that, which is the only reason for making that decision, she said.

Dacic: We are ready for dialogue with Pristina but compromise is needed (RTS)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Monday in Kraljevo that international circumstances have changed, and Kosovo doesn’t have a majority any longer in the UN and other international organizations. It doesn’t have blank support of some western countries that do not consider this issue resolved. We are ready for dialogue, but this dialogue and a lasting solution needs to imply compromise,” Dacic told RTS. He also pointed out that the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities should precede the reaching of a final agreement.

Drecun: We will look at proposals but there is no imposing of a solution for Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/RTV)

Who from the international community and with what kind of proposal for resolving the issue of Kosovo and Metohija could come forward is only to be seen, but it is a completely wrong perception of the situation in which some one thinks that they can impose on Serbia something completely contrary to its vital interests and for Serbia to agree with recognizing Kosovo, says the Chairperson of the Serbian parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun. He assesses that the next phase of Belgrade-Pristina talks needs to refer to the definition, conditionally speaking, of the status of Kosovo and Metohija, i.e. it needs to be on how to finally resolve the Kosovo issue. According to him, western countries, which recognized the self-declared independence of Kosovo, certainly expect the reaching of a solution, along with some minimal but certainly not essential concessions to Serbia, that would in fact imply recognition of this false state, whereby the door would be opened for its UN membership.

“In that sense, it is possible to expect some kind of proposals, whether from Germany, as the leading EU member state, whether from Lajcak…we will see,” says Drecun. He says that the US, through Grenell, presented several times the stand that they will not come out with their stand on a solution and that they will not try to impose it, but consider that they should create conditions for talks to continue with their authority and power. Asked what would be the key topic in the resumption of the dialogue, Drecun says we cannot know what is Lajcak planning and adds that the EU Special Representative would have to first conduct preparatory meetings on how the resumption of the talks would look like, what would be discussed… Drecun says that with the Brussels agreement Belgrade negotiated essentially important issues for the people in Kosovo and Metohija, especially for the Serbs, but there is no realization of the key agreement – the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO). “Do we now talk again on how to form the ZSO? Here we have already lost trust towards the EU and the US and completely towards Pristina,” he says. “We certainly will not accept for this to be a state, because a solution should be sought within UNSCR 1244 and our recognized borders. The Albanians have a different stand, so these will be difficult talks. Yet, I cannot see what could we further discuss – if the Brussels agreement is not realized, if they are prepared to introduce unilateral measures…except to now discuss how to finally resolve the Kosovo issue,” said Drecun.

Dacic and Meza-Cuadra Velásquez: Serbia, Peru committed to respecting basic principles of international law (RTS)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic had a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Peru Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez. Dacic presented the current epidemiological situation in Serbia regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the decline in the number of cases, which led to a gradual abolition of restrictive measures. He expressed solidarity with the people and the government of Peru regarding the situation in that country, given the increase in the number of coronavirus cases, as well as condolences for the loss of human lives.

He expressed his hope that the situation will be successfully overcome soon. Both sides reaffirmed their readiness to further strengthen the political dialogue, which was intensified after Dacic’s visit to Peru last year, as well as the readiness to improve cooperation in all areas of common interest, especially in the field of the economy. They confirmed the commitment of the two countries to respect the basic principles of international law. Dacic invited the Peruvian Foreign Minister to visit Serbia when the conditions for that are met.

Montgomery: Only one person in the region is strong enough to reach Kosovo solution (Tanjug/B92)

Former US ambassador to Serbia William Montgomery says he is pessimistic when it comes to reaching an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. According to him, he believes that it is questionable whether international forces and internal Kosovo-Albanian divisions will enable that. He points out that the President Vucic is the only person in the region who has the strength and desire to reach a good solution to this problem. “Your president is a strong leader who understands international politics very well and he is the only person in the region who has the strength and desire to reach a good solution to this problem. The question is whether international forces and internal Kosovo-Albanian divisions will enable it. “I am pessimistic,” Montgomery told Tanjug. He also notes that he has great respect for the EU Special Envoy for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, who, as he says, he has known for more than 20 years. “If any envoy has a chance to reach an agreement, it is him,” Montgomery said. Asked how he sees the role of the United States in the process of reaching a final solution and whether the White House will cooperate with Brussels, and whether some independent initiatives from the White House can be expected, Montgomery said: “Thank God, the current US administration will accept the agreement that Lajcak will reach”, he says, noting that it should be borne in mind that the US foreign policy community strongly supports the Kosovo Albanians and will do everything it can to prevent any mutual agreement. When asked how he sees Serbian state policy at the moment, taking into account regional and international circumstances, but also internal – obstruction of the election of the opposition with the aim of delegitimizing the government, for which they receive support from some European addresses, Montgomery reminds that for 30 years, he opposes any boycott of elections. According to him, the boycott is counterproductive. “Moreover, opposition parties have such different views on key issues, they are not cohesive and therefore have no chance of succeeding. A truly democratic opposition must learn the lessons of 20 years ago and unite with a common, strong message. Until that happens, they have no chance of success”, he said. According to Montgomery, the fact that they refer to problems with the media and other similar issues is just an excuse for their weakness. “Even if they get support from some human rights organizations and the like, it won’t be nearly enough for the real help they need. They have to help themselves”, Montgomery concludes.

Obradovic: We won’t recognize vote outcome or decisions by future cabinet and parliament (Beta)

The leader of the Dveri Movement Bosko Obradovic has said that his party would not recognize the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for 21 June, or its outcome, nor would it accept the future parliament and the government or their decisions. “For a long time, Serbia has not had free and fair elections. Now, they are definitely undemocratic, anti-constitutional and risky to health as the pandemic has not ended and we are reporting a large number of Covid-19 cases on a daily basis. What else can be said when we know that in the middle of the election process, election laws have been amended, so that the elections before the coronavirus pandemic were scheduled and held by one laws, while other laws have been applied after the lifting of the state of emergency,” Obradovic told Beta. A real challenge, according to him, will be the position of western democracies, that is, what they will choose to support in Serbia: dictatorship or democracy. If the EU chose to back Aleksandar Vucic and not democracy, it would mark the end of Serbian citizens’ trust in the EU integration process, Obradovic noted. He stressed that the incumbent government had become the biggest patron of crime and corruption in the country, adding it was necessary to replace this cabinet in order to eradicate corruption in the public sector.

Darmanovic: Montenegrins are not phantoms but living beings (Danas)

Relations between Montenegro and Serbia went through cyclical phases, both before and after the restoration of Montenegrin independence. The negative constant in these relations is that certain political circles, secular or spiritual, in Serbia cannot accept the fact that Montenegro is an independent and sovereign state, that it is a NATO member and has advanced far in the EU membership negotiations, and especially that in domestic and foreign policy, it behaves primarily in accordance with its own national interests, Srdjan Darmanovic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, told Danas.

Here are the highlights of the interview with Minister Darmanovic…

The impression is that the relations between Montenegro and Serbia are perhaps at the lowest point since the declaration of Montenegrin independence 14 years ago. In your opinion, is that so, and if so, what is the reason for such a state of relations?

– Serbia’s constant interference in the internal affairs of Montenegro, which has become evident again, especially after the adoption of the religious freedom law, leads to the fact that our relations are not as they should be between the, as Serbia likes to point out “brotherly peoples”. The rhetoric used against Montenegro is well known and has had, in the not-so-distant past, severe consequences for the entire region and Serbia itself. She testifies that official Belgrade, in its relations with Montenegro, essentially accepted the platform of nationalist circles as its own. It is not excluded that one of the reasons for such rhetoric and campaign is the mobilization of the constituency ahead of the upcoming elections, but this cannot be accepted as a justification.

Was the arrest of Bishop Joanikije and his 72-hour detention necessary? We could hear many other complaints claiming that there were other gatherings as well despite bans during the coronavirus pandemic, and allegedly no one reacted.

– It was a decision of judicial authorities, and as far as we could see, they acted the same towards many other citizens of Montenegro who did not adhere to epidemiological measures during lockdown. Thanks to the timely and rigorous implementation of these measures, as well as good discipline of citizens, we managed to fight Covid-19 and become the first European ‘coronavirus-free’ destination. In introducing epidemiological measures, the National Coordination Body for the Fight against Infectious Diseases did not discriminate against citizens on any grounds, so the measures also applied to all our religious communities.

Will the dialogue between the Government and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, MCP, on the religious freedom law be continued?

– The Government of Montenegro is firmly committed to dialogue with the MCP, because we believe that it’s the best solution to get out of the current situation regarding the implementation of the religion law. Dialogue between the expert teams of the Government of Montenegro and the MCP was established before the epidemic outbreak and will continue as soon as the conditions for it are met. I guess it will happen soon.

Not so long time ago, Serbian Patriarch Irinej said that Montenegro’s plan is to have no more Serbs in 10 years. How do you interpret that statement?

– Unfortunately, this is not the first time we can hear something like that from Patriarch Irinej. He was speaking the same even before the adoption of the religious freedom law. Had it come from someone else, I wouldn’t be commenting on it at all. Considering that it comes from the Serbian patriarch, and that we could hear much worse statements about Montenegro – when he compared the events in Montenegro with the period of Ottoman rule, and the attitude towards the SPC as worse than the one it had during the NDH – the malicious side of all of them [statements] must be mentioned. They aim to cause division or even hatred among the citizens of Montenegro.

Are you in contact with your Serbian counterpart, Mr Ivica Dacic?

– We haven’t seen each other at multilateral forums since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, but we took part in several video-conferences that were dedicated to regional issues and the cooperation with the EU.

Montenegro, just like Serbia, according to the Freedom House report, is no longer a “partially consolidated democracy” but it has a “hybrid regime”, where the “state is captured”, power is abused and “scare tactics” are applied. What do you say about this?

– Freedom House is a prestigious think tank whose reports we are monitoring and analyzing deeply. As a full NATO member state and a leader in the process of European integration in the region, we are convinced that we have achieved better results than suggested in certain parts of the FH Report. We will certainly take the findings that did not deserve the expected assessment seriously. It remains, however, to wait for the Report of the European Commission, which we believe will give a more precise and comprehensive picture of progress in internal reforms.

Montenegro has been officially declared the first European “coronavirus-free destination”. How much will it contribute to this year’s tourism season?

– Being the first coronavirus-free country in Europe represents a certain chance to get the most out of the tourism season in the given circumstances. Therefore, all competent institutions and hospitality owners are fully devoted to the preparation of the season, but it is clear that a lot will depend on the situation in our region and in Europe, where the largest number of tourists come to Montenegro.

Another 69 cases, 11,348 recovered (B92)

Until 3pm there have been another 69 cases, in total 11,965 infected. There have been no deaths, in total 250 deaths. The number of active cases is 447. There are 15 patients on respirators. The number of recovered is 11,348.

REGIONAL PRESS

Izetbegovic: It is high time to form FB&H government and entire FB&H level (Hayat)

Leader of SDA Bakir Izetbegovic said in Sarajevo on Monday that it is the high time to form the new Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) government and the entire level of the FB&H. Izetbegovic said that he does not understand why SBB Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is giving up on this bearing in mind that they had good cooperation despite of some, minor disagreements in the previous mandate. He added that the coalition between SBB B&H, HDZ B&H and SDP B&H is just a theoretical option. As for HDZ B&H, Izetbegovic argued that he does not recommend them to remove SDA from authorities because in this case, the scenario in which SDA remove HDZ B&H from authorities can also happen. In his opinion, HDZ B&H does not really need this fight. According to Izetbegovic, the SDA personnel commission will define a candidate for a new B&H Minister of Security this week. Izetbegovic added that he expects that SNSD will block everything. Addressing media, Izetbegovic said: “Someone said a long time ago that we will not have the new government before the local elections. This was stated at the start, a year and a half ago. I did not believe that we will come into this situation, but unfortunately, this turned out to be true. We will probably wait for the local elections to pass. We cannot make HDZ B&H do something that the laws and the Constitution could not force them to do”. Speaking of SBB B&H, Izetbegovic stressed that this party is prematurely rejecting the possibility of participating in the new government of the FB&H and that all options remain open. “SBB B&H has the right to its turnarounds in politics, to its calculations and its decisions, I am not going into that,” Izetbegovic underlined.

Niksic comments Izetbegovic statement (Dnevni avaz)

Daily carried a statement of SDP leader Nernim Niksic for the daily, as a reaction to the statement of SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic who said that “he would not recommend the SDP” to enter the process of forming of the FB&H authorities. Niksic said that SDP has not been considering nor they talked to anyone about forming of the FB&H government: “This is yet another media offensive directed against SDP under the cloak of alleged fear that SDP will betray interests of the state. In the end, this results in their betrayal or selling of citizens’ interests. It will be interesting to see what will come out from this, because there are already whispers among the SDA representatives in FB&H Parliament that Election Law will be SDA’s concession to HDZ B&H”. Niksic stressed that SDA turned HDZ B&H into an unavoidable factor in FB&H Government and HDZ B&H is the only one without whom the authority cannot be formed. He noted that they already presented their clear stance concerning the coalitions with “parties with ethnic prefix” and they have no intention to change that stance, as they would not want to betray trust of their voters. “We do not need approval of SDA nor will SDA decide what we are going to do,” said Niksic. He argues that it is easy to form authorities in the FB&H, arguing that it is necessary to start with forming of the Serb Caucus in FB&H House of Peoples, which would open the doors for appointment of the President and Vice Presidents of the FB&H, as well as of the FB&H government. He stressed that SDA’s mortal fear is to be left without authority and without the budget, especially in the pre-election period. Niksic said that if SDA wants to form the authorities it has sufficient parliamentary majority for this, noting that if SDP and SBB B&H are unwilling, “there is DF which is standing ready”.

SBB comments on formation of FB&H government (BHT1)

SBB B&H leader Fahrudin Radoncic posted on his social media that SBB B&H is not interested in participation in Federation of B&H (FB&H) authorities. He stated that speculations have been present in the past days, sending messages that SBB B&H and SDP should not form a coalition with HDZ B&H and should not partake in taking over the FB&H government. “We are not at all interested to be in the FB&H government, as we are not interested in imaginary fears of the SDA top, or the ever-deep hoaxes of para-intelligent centers on SBB B&H. Our precise political standpoint is that the new FB&H government should be made up of SDA with DF, and (Enver) Bijedic and other defectors. SDA’s unavoidable strategic partner of 30 years, HDZ B&H, is also there,” Radoncic wrote.

Latest research shows big support for EU integration of Western Balkans (Dnevni list)

The latest research for the Western Balkans, which was conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI), has shown divided opinions about the US and enthusiasm about stronger connections with the EU. Namely, the research was conducted for needs of the IRI by ‘Ipsos B&H’ agency from 2 February to 6 March in B&H, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Director of IRI for Europe Paul McCarthy said that despite China’s and Russia’s efforts to make an influence on the Western Balkans, the research has shown that many in the region see their interests in the West. Asked who the most important economic partners are, interviewees were divided. Namely, most interviewees in Kosovo (94%) said it is the US, as opposed to Serbia where only 13% believe it is the US. Majority in Serbia say most important economic partners are Russia (73%) and China (71%). Most interviewees in Kosovo and North Macedonia believe the US is the most important political partner, just as the majority in Montenegro. In B&H and Serbia the percentage is lower, 29% and 15% respectively. Asked how they would vote if referendum on EU accession were to be held tomorrow, majority in all the countries would vote ‘yes’. 93& of interviewees in Kosovo support the EU accession, and significant percentage is present in B&H (76%) and Montenegro (74%).

HJPC could remain without EU funds (N1)

The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of B&H (HJPC) could soon remain without EU funds because results of previous investing in the work of the B&H judiciary are not visible today. N1 recalled that the European Commission (EC) particularly regrets that the HJPC failed to establish a meaningful system of integrity checks, as recommended by the EC, but also by independent expert for the judiciary Reinhard Priebe. Spokesperson for the EC Ana Pisonero Hernandez recalled that the EC provided more than EUR 30 million in the last 15 years for strengthening of independence, integrity and efficiency of the judiciary in B&H, especially by directly allocating funds to the HJPC. N1 quoted Pisonero Hernandez as saying: “The EU regrets the resistance within the justice system of B&H and beyond to the implementation of key reforms.” BIRN B&H Editor Semir Mujkic stressed that if one looks at earlier reports of the EC, integrity is the main word in those reports. “That is why they are insisting on that so much. They want to see genuine wish for the perception of the public to be much better on the basis of what the HJPC is doing,” Mujkic underlined. Due to the lack of reforms, the EC is considering how much investing in the B&H judiciary is generally effective. The EU officials stress that the rule of law is key criteria on the path of a country to membership in the EU. During his recent visit to Tuzla, Head of the EU Delegation (EUD) to B&H Johann Sattler did not hide his disappointment with the work of the HJPC. “It is no secret that we are not satisfied at the moment. You will remember the published Priebe’s report at the end of the last year and when we invest in something, we expect to see results. We are considering the work of the HJPC and we expect much more. But, we also expect from the lawmakers to do their part of the job having in mind the necessary law changes,” Ambassador Sattler underlined. On the other hand, HJPC President Milan Tegeltija stressed that the HJPC is being funded from the budget and that it will continue to work. Tegeltija blames other institutions that put out of force certain solutions that the HJPC adopted due to the deadlock in implementation of reforms. Tegeltija stressed that the HJPC adopted rules of procedure with new provisions on appointment, rulebook on property sheets of judicial office holders and new rulebook on evaluation in accordance with the recommendations of the EC, but that the B&H Personal Data Protection Agency, but also the Court of B&H, put certain rulebooks out of force. Tegeltija noted that it is not fair nor in the spirit of partnership to blame the HJPC for the deadlock in implementation of reforms, adding that the HJPC exerted tremendous effort in the last two and a half years to adopt all reform documents. Tegeltija underlined that if there is suspension in financing of reforms, the HJPC will say thanks and continue to work. Chair of the Inquiry Commission of the B&H parliament Damir Arnaut stressed that report of the EC, Priebe’s report and ultimately the latest Communiqué of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) show that the situation in the B&H judiciary is catastrophic. N1 stressed that distrust of the B&H public towards the judiciary is huge, noting that the international community will no longer tolerate that. N1 underlined that messages that B&H will not take another step towards the EU until it introduces order in its justice system are becoming louder and louder.

Dodik says Vucic is statesman devoted to prosperity and progress of Serbia and all countries of region (ATV)

Commenting on the situation in Serbia led by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Serbia’s cooperation with the RS and countries of the region, Serb member of B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik stated on Monday that Vucic is a true statesman devoted to prosperity and progress of Serbia and all countries of the region. “His peaceful policy gives full contribution on that path” Dodik said. He reminded that Vucic reiterated on several occasions that Serbia will protect stability and survival of the RS. Dodik stressed that the RS is very grateful for that, as well as for economic cooperation with Serbia in the field of infrastructure, culture and tourism. He assessed that the cooperation between the RS and Serbia has never been better. When it comes to B&H, Dodik emphasized that Vucic always had a measured attitude, constantly emphasizing that he is loyal to respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA).

RS reintroduces some measures to prevent spreading of Coronavirus (O kanal)

Competent RS authorities decided to reintroduce some restrictive measures in order to prevent a new wave of spreading of Coronavirus. Among other things, al public gatherings of groups consisting of more than 50 persons are banned until 22 June. Also, competition activities of sport organizations are banned until the same date.

B&H sees slight increase in new coronavirus infections, death toll unchanged (N1)

B&H has recorded another 23 coronavirus infections over the last 24 hours, 16 in the RS and seven in the FB&H, the healthcare authorities confirmed Tuesday in their daily press statements. The total of 2,049 Covid-19 patients has recovered in the country. According to the Civil Affairs Ministry, the country’s tally stands at 2,728 with 1,540 Covid-19 cases in RS and 1,168 in the FB&H. The death toll remains unchanged for three days in a row and stands at 160. The Brcko District has seen 20 confirmed Covid-19 patients, of which 16 recovered and four died. The total of 964 patients in the FB&H has recovered to date, leaving 165 active cases. The region has recorded 39 fatalities caused by the novel coronavirus. So far, the healthcare authorities in this part of the country have performed 41,042 coronavirus tests. As for the RS, Covid-19 has caused 117 deaths in this region and 1,069 patients have recovered. The total of 30,648 lab tests has been performed by the RS healthcare authorities.

Maric comments on Croatia’s outlook for post-COVID-19 economic recovery (HRT)

With economic activity slowly returning to normal, experts are beginning to assess the damage caused by the coronavirus lockdown. During the three-month crisis, 17 thousand new unemployment claims were filed, fiscal transactions were down by 10 billion Kuna, the tourism sector all but ground to a standstill and industrial production dropped by 11% year-on-year.

“Government and the National Bank have to carefully monitor what is happening in the rest of Europe, because we are an open but small economy and are susceptible to what happens in the Eurozone. The coronavirus crisis hit Italy the hardest and Italy is a very important trading partner for us,” Economist Vladimir Arcabic says. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Zdravko Maric commented on Croatia’s outlook for economic recovery in the wake of the coronavirus: “On the economic front I think we have achieved good results thanks to our timely response. However, for recovery and growth, other external factors are needed. All of our exporters, the tourism sector and others are affected by the situation in other countries. So, obviously we are hopeful that the countries in this region, in Europe and throughout the world will achieve the same success that we have in fighting the coronavirus.”

There are no newly infected people in Croatia, two people died, another measure is being relaxed (N1)

The National Headquarters has published the latest information on the coronavirus in Croatia.

“In the last 24 hours, there are no new cases. Of the 2,247 people confirmed so far, 2,130 have recovered. One hundred and six people have died. Two people died on a respirator at the Clinical Hospital Center in Split. One person, female, was born in 1941 who had concomitant diagnoses of arterial hypertension, asthma, chronic gastritis, and glaucoma. Another person, also female, born in 1941, had concomitant diagnoses of arterial hypertension and sarcoidosis. A total of 69,115 people has been tested so far, and 249 in the last 24 hours,” the National Staff said.

A new decision

Today, the Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia passed a Decision amending the Decision on necessary measures to restrict social gatherings, work in trade, service activities and holding sports and cultural events during the declared epidemic of Covid-19. This Decision enables, from 15 June 2020, given the very good epidemiological situation, the holding of sports competitions in the presence of spectators. Of course, since caution is still needed, the Croatian Institute of Public Health will make recommendations on how spectators will be able to attend sports competitions.

Hrapovic to Loncar: Whoever loses has the right to be angry (CDM)

Reacting to the statement of the Serbian Minister of Health, Zlatibor Loncar, who hurled insults at the healthcare system of Montenegro, Montenegro’s Minister of Health, Kenan Hrapovic, said he wouldn’t allow offences to healthcare workers and annulment of the achieved results in fight against coronavirus. He said to his Serbian counterpart – “Whoever loses has right to be angry”. Loncar said that “there’s no sense explaining to Montenegro how Serbia managed to cure over 4.000 Covid-19 patients in only one day – “Montenegro, the country which has no results, or adequate knowledge on coronavirus”. “And while we are waiting for the vaccine, Montenegrin medical professionals took a set of strategic, timely and decisive steps which resulted in the fact that we postponed the importation of the virus,” Hrapovic said in his reaction. Also, our knowledge has led to Montenegro becoming the first corona-free country in Europe. The result of all measures in Montenegro is the end of the epidemic, Hrapovic said. “We are sure Loncar knows that, but we also understand his need to unleash attacks on Montenegro and place this epidemic subject on the political field. We do not allow insults,” Hrapovic said. In his opinion, the manner in which Montenegro responded to coronavirus crisis and results it produced won’t be acknowledged only by those who are preoccupied with the most perfidy maneuvers. “It’s fine. Whoever loses has right to be angry. Our neighbors from Serbia, the first man of Serbia’s healthcare system to be precise, is going even a step further in his recognizable insult fashion because he obviously doesn’t know other way. However, we are not going to fall for provocations. Results speak louder than words, and you, Mr Loncar, can’t deny them,” Hrapovic said. He stresses that all relevant international institutions have commended Montenegro for successful response to Covid-19. “And you know that. World Health Organization can explain that to you too, only if you want to listen. Also take a look at the latest Forbes ranking. Where are you?” Minister Hrapovic concluded.

Oana-Cristina Popa appointed head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro (CDM)

Mrs. Oana-Cristina Popa, currently serving as Ambassador of Romania to Serbia, will be new head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania reported. Mrs. Popa will replace Mr Aivo Orav who was appointed head of the EU Delegation in 2016.

“This appointment is a confirmation of Romania’s expertise on European level and professionalism of Ambassador Popa,” Romanian Minster of Foreign Affairs said. The Ministry points out that they will continue with promotions of Romanian diplomats within European service for foreign affairs in order to provide presence of Romanian candidates in the European diplomacy. Mrs. Popa is a well-experienced diplomat. She has been Romanian Ambassador to Serbia since 2016. Between 2005-2009, she performed the function of the Ambassador of Romania to Croatia.

Corona press conference turns testy as experts confirm that the Second Wave of the epidemic was caused by Muslim holiday gatherings (Republika)

Corona press conference turns testy as experts confirm that the Second Wave of the epidemic was caused by Muslim holiday gatherings The daily press conference on the state of the coronavirus epidemic descended into angry recriminations, after the head of the Committee on infectious diseases Zarko Karadzovski said that the Second Wave of the epidemic was caused by the long and massively attended iftar dinners held during the month of Ramadan. This was met with resistance from Albanian journalists who demanded to hear if other religious services also contributed to the spike. The spike that came after 26 May is due to the total disregard for certain measures we proposed. These were the proposals that people wear masks, that they avoid grouping in more than two. This all hit us as a boomerang. It was all due to the disregard of the restrictions during the religious holiday of Ramadan Bajram (Eid) and the iftar dinners, Karadzovski said, in a direct statement that caused an angry response by Albanian journalists participating in the video press conference, who demanded that he also speaks out about Christian religious events that were held in the mean-time. If fell to healthcare official Arben Ziberi, who is also an ethnic Albanian Muslim, to explain the facts – that the spike in the epidemic is most pronounced in majority Muslim Albanian parts of the capital Skopje, such as the Cair district, and that it was clearly caused by violations of social distancing norms during the month of Ramadan. Ziberi said that of course citizens in other, majority Macedonian parts of the capital, also violated the curfew restrictions, but that the data clearly says that the spike was largely caused by family gatherings in Cair and other majority Albanian parts of Skopje and other cities. Karadzovski added that the Committee has recommended a full quarantine across the entire country during the month of Ramadan, but that this draconian measure was not accepted by the government. “The virus does not discriminate by religion or nationality,” Karadzovski added. Karadzovski also nervously responded to a journalist who asked him and Healthcare Minister Venko Filipce if they will assume responsibility for the fact that Macedonia has managed the crisis by far worst in the entire region. Karadzovski took the question as an attack on his expertise and said that he holds an unpaid office which has caused him much hardship during the past months and said that Minister Filipce is welcome to remove him tomorrow if he thinks that would be best. Meanwhile, the government called on the Committee led by Karadzovski to propose additional measures on how best to prevent the spread of the virus. The government ordered a relaxation of measures two weeks ago, as it was angling to hold early elections, only to be caught unprepared with the major spike in coronavirus cases. A decision on whether to reintroduce an evening curfew in four major cities will be made today.

Health minister says not responsible for case hike, issued measures ‘well founded’ (MIA)

Health Minister Venko Filipche said Monday he does not feel responsible for the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases after the government’s decision to relax restrictions. “All measures we proposed to the government were well founded and based on daily parameters and 14-day analyses. There is always one factor that cannot be predicted and this was exactly what happened – non-observance of measures at certain events” Minister Filipche told a press conference. He said the new numbers resulted from family gatherings and events in the period between 23-25 May, facts that are clearly stated in the epidemiological interviews. “A vast majority of the people immediately say where they had been, who they had visited, how often they had contacts during the family visits. It is clear that the movement restrictions were not respected, along with the preventive measures of distancing and wearing masks,” added Filipche.

In North Macedonia 87 new cases of Covid-19, 5 people recovered, and 1 died (Libertas)

In the last 24 hours, 987 tests have been performed, and 87 new cases of Covid-19 have been registered. A 74-year-old patient from Kumanovo, hospitalized 2 days ago and confirmed positive, died at the Cardiology Clinic. Today, the Institute of Public Health registers 5 recovered patients. So far, a total of 38,014 Covid-19 tests have been performed in the country. The total number of cases diagnosed in our country since the beginning of the epidemic is 3.239, the number of recovered patients is 1658, the number of deaths is 157, and currently the number of active cases in the country is 1424.

No more embassy-run negotiations Rama says (Tirana Times)

“I want all Albanians to know but also all our very valuable international friends that this is the last time, at least for me the very last time this happens,” Prime Minister Rama said referring to the international arbitration process on the electoral reform that saw an intensive almost outside of job-description engagement of the key ambassadors in Tirana. The declaration was made in during today’s meeting of the National Council for EU Integration which was held online. However, the key political actors including the President of the Republic, the PM, the Speaker of the Assembly convened to address the other participants from the Assembly premises. Rama commented that everyone is right to be shocked at the fact that political actors had to convene in foreign embassies order to spend hours and days on agreeing on what relay resulted to be relatively minor tweaks at the Electoral Code. The negotiators simply agreed not to change things, Rama himself reiterated. Treading into his emblematic humor territory, Rama said that next time such a negotiations are needed then “they can met at the President’s office despite the ongoing controversies with him or otherwise at the office of the chief mufti, of Baba Mondi [the Bektashi head] or the protestants which are considered more neutral”. Rama said the international partners should not mind and that domestic actors should show that if they are serious and committed they can accomplish things on their own. This signals a major departure from the usually accommodating stance towards significant engagement of international community. Experts vary on their evaluation of the role of the international community in Albania with many of them decrying the legacy of dependency which hampers the development of democratic maturity.

Opposition leader absent from meeting

Although Albanian opposition leader Lulzim Basha was expected to participate in the National Council for EU Integration Meeting today, he did not show up. According to the agenda of the meeting, as seen exclusively by Tirana Times, Basha would have been the first to comment on the Action plan for integration, followed by PM Rama. The meeting went on without the opposition leader as the Action plan was presented by Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gent Cakaj, who said that the first seven conditions in the framework are needed for the upcoming conference. Among these, he mentioned the Electoral Reform, the reduction of the number of asylum seekers, the finalization of the Constitutional Court to the High Court as well as the review of the ‘Anti-libel’ package.

Ruling majority proposes next general elections date (ADN)

Chairman of Socialist Party (SP) Parliamentary Group, Taulant Balla proposed on Monday to President of the Republic, Ilir Meta the new elections date. According to the ruling majority, next general elections should be held on 9 May 2021. Balla explained that this is a historic and symbolic day as it coincides with Europe Day, as well as with the day of the victory over Nazi-fascist invasion. Regarding local elections in Shkodra, Durresi, Vora and Rrogozhina, Balla stated that the date is in the competence of President Meta to be chosen. “At a time when the election season has changed, 9 May 2021 is a significant date for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Historical and symbolic day, as it coincides with Europe Day. Therefore, let the President of the Republic consider this date, and we Socialists will be pleased, as it is the day of victory against Nazi-Fascism. I am glad that the DP accepted (the agreement on Electoral Reform). The DP gave up all its demands. They acknowledged that the June 2017 election were free and democratic. As for the vote of Albanians living outside the territory, the SP has not given up on this promise,” Balla said.

Fifty-four percent of Kosovo citizens against unification with Albania, seventy percent support the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Tirana Times)

Around 54 percent of Kosovo citizens are opposed to the unification of Kosovo and Albania in case of recognition by Serbia. The data was published by the Research Institute of Development and European Affairs (RIDEA) during the presentation of their latest survey. The survey further shows that about seventy percent of Kosovo’s citizens support the resumption of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, while thirty percent are in favor of reaching a final agreement with the neighboring state through a land swap deal. Moreover, only 12 percent are satisfied with the status-quo between the two countries. The perception towards the unification between Kosovo and Albania is evidently different for the two, as a study conducted earlier by the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) showed that in case of a referendum about unification with Kosovo, 60 percent of Albanian citizens would vote pro, 23 percent against it and 17 percent do not have a specific answer. About 48 percent of those asked believe that unification is possible or even very likely compared to 30 percent who say it’s largely unlikely and percent who claim it is impossible. However, 58 percent believe unification would be a good thing compared to 24 percent who say it’s a neutral development hence neither good nor bad and 10 percent who say it’s outright a bad development. According to the survey conducted by AIIS, the final reconciliation between Albanians and Serbians in the Balkans is subject to the issue of Serbia recognizing Kosovo according to the majority of citizens, about 42 percent. Another 35 percent believe that reconciliation means precisely between Serbia and Kosovo. Only 10 percent of respondents believe reconciliation can happen between Albania and Serbia. Overall citizens believe that such a process is possible with only 5 percent of the answers claiming that reconciliation in the region cannot be done.

In Albania 36 new Covid-19 cases (Tirana Times)

Thirty-six new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected patients to 1299 in Albania. A total of 27 new cases were identified only in Tirana, marking the highest number of cases since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. So far, tests have been conducted on more than 18,500 people. A total of 41 patients are being treated at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, six of whom are in intensive care and two are intubated. Moreover, 960 patients who tested positive for the coronavirus in Albania have now recovered. The death toll remains at 34 victims. Currently there are 284 active cases in Albania.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

ODIHR opens special election assessment mission in Serbia (OSCE press release, 8 June 2020)

BELGRADE – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a special election assessment mission (SEAM) for the 21 June parliamentary elections in Serbia. The deployment follows an official invitation from the Serbian authorities.

The mission is led by Ambassador Urszula Gacek (Poland) and consists of a core team of eight international experts based in Belgrade. The ODIHR SEAM will focus on observing priority areas of the election process identified by the ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) conducted from 12 to 15 November 2019 found to merit attention. The mission will assess the elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will follow fundamental aspects of the election such as voter registration, candidate registration, campaign activities and the media coverage of the campaign, the work of the election administration and relevant state bodies, implementation of the legal framework and the resolution of election disputes. Meetings with representatives of relevant authorities and political parties, civil society, the media and the international community form an integral part of the observation. In conducting its activities, ODIHR SEAM will co-operate closely with the Serbian health authorities and follow the health protocols they have established. The ODIHR SEAM will not carry out systematic or comprehensive observation of the voting, counting and tabulation proceedings on election day, in line with ODIHR’s methodology for election assessment missions. Mission members will, however, visit a limited number of polling stations on election day. The day after the elections, ODIHR will discuss its findings at a press conference. An invitation to participate will follow separately. A final report summing up the entire election process and including recommendations will be published approximately two months after the end of the election process.