LOCAL PRESS 

Vucic with Dacic on meetings in US and Brussels (RTS/Tanjug/RTV) 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic today spoke with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic about the upcoming meetings in Washington and Brussels. Vucic confirmed Belgrade’s participation in the meeting at the White House on 2 September, at the invitation of US President’s special envoy for the dialogue Richard Grenell, to which representatives of Pristina have also been invited. Five days later, the EU-mediated dialogue should continue in Brussels.

“A conversation with the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic about the upcoming meetings in Washington and Brussels,” said a post on the Instagram account @buducnostsrbijeav, along with photos from the meeting.

Vucic: There is a progress, we’re not giving up (B92) 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with the representatives of the Croatian National Council of the Republic of Serbia. After the conversation with the President of Serbia, the president of HNV Jasna Vojnic stated that 3 years after signing the declaration on the position of minorities in Serbia and Croatia, there has been a progress in many things, but the main issue of a guaranteed mandate in the parliament for that minority remains. Vojnic said that the reason for the meeting was to show gratitude to Vucic for allocating funds for the purchase of the part of the birth house of Ban Josip Jelacic. In addition, she said that their request was and still is for the Croatian community to be included in the process of making decisions. “A guaranteed mandate is something we won’t give up on,” she stated, adding that in the conversation with the President was expressed readiness to resolve those issues. “We expect and hope that some of the Croatian representatives will be included in the republican or provincial government.” She said that they expect to continue communication and cooperation with the representatives of the Croatian community and to resolve other issues.

Who will be in the government team for protection of Serbian sancitities (RTS) 

The Serbian government will form, with the support of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), a Special Team for Protection of Sanctities, i.e. the Serbian and Christian spiritual heritage in the regions where the Serbs live. Presidential General Secretary Nikola Selakovic told the morning news of Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) who will make up this team and how will it protect the cultural heritage. He says that after the announcement of President Vucic, there has been great interest for the special team, for its composition and tasks. Its task will be work on protection of cultural, historical and spiritual heritage, everything that the people call sanctities, where they are threatened physically, legally, regarding the identity issue, originality, occurrence and origin. The team will be formed in cooperation with the SPC, with the blessing of the Patriarch and Synod, Selakovic says, adding that, along with church representatives, the teal will also include experts, historians, art historians and all those who can contribute with their work.

Stoltenberg: Belgrade – Pristina dialogue only way to lasting solution (N1) 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the progress in the Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on the normalization of relations under the EU auspices, adding it was the only way toward a lasting solution.

Coalition agreement in Krusevac composed of SNS, SPS, JS, SNP and POKS (Tanjug/RTV) 

Representative of SNS, SPS, JS, SNP and POKS signed on 18 August a coalition agreement on forming the city authorities in Krusevac, Tanjug was told at the SNS Krusevac branch. The Metla Movement 2020 will be in the opposition in the Krusevac assembly.

Sapic, SNS, SPS and Metla form government in Stari Grad municipality (Tanjug/NSPM) 

The Stari Grad Municipal Assembly was constituted on 18 August, and the President will be Dusan Petric from SPAS (Sapic). The municipal authorities also include SNS, SPS, and Metla Movement 2020.

REGIONAL PRESS 

B&H CEC verifies applications of 12 political parties for participation in local elections in Mostar, three applications rejected (Hayat)

At the session held on Tuesday, the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) adopted new decisions with regard to holding of this year’s elections for the Mostar City Council. Namely, the CEC verified applications of 12 political parties for participation in the local elections in Mostar, while three political parties’ applications were rejected. The reason for rejecting the three applications lies in the political parties’ failure to correct omissions in these applications within the defined deadline. The deadline for submitting applications for verification of coalitions and independent candidate lists for participation in the local elections in Mostar starts to run on 23 August and it will expire on September 1, at 16:00 hours.

Covic: HDZ B&H’s ambition is to finish agreement on election legislation and legitimate representation, in line with agreements signed with SDA, which were partially implemented in Mostar (N1)

HDZ B&H is marking 30 years of its existence. On this occasion, a formal session of the Presidency of HDZ B&H was held in Mostar on Tuesday. The formal session of the HDZ B&H Presidency was attended, among others, by Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and member of the Main Board of HDZ of Croatia Gordan Grlic Radman.  HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic stated that he expects HDZ B&H to create a better environment, but also solve the issue of election legislation and legitimate representation. Covic stressed that European and NATO path of B&H are key for HDZ B&H. Covic also said that he is convinced HDZ B&H will win the elections in Mostar, announcing that HDZ B&H will present lists of candidates and coalitions by the end of August. “We today have a framework in accordance with which we should build B&H and that, because of the needs of Euro-Atlantic integration, we will have to make all sorts of changes – that is a time that will come and we will then seriously discuss it,” Covic said.  Grlic Radman stressed that the Croat people in B&H, as the least numerous, in changes to the Election Law deserves to achieve rights that belong to it both in accordance with the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and the Constitution. “Therefore, Croatia, which is a sincere advocator of the European path of B&H, but also of protection of Croats in B&H on the basis of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, will be a strong advocator and supporter,” Grlic Radman said.  Covic said that the election goal is to express the role of this political option within the Croat people, adding that HDZ B&H’s ambition is to finish an agreement on election legislation and legitimate representation – in line with agreements signed with SDA and which were partially implemented in Mostar. When it comes to the elections in Mostar, members of HDZ B&H said that a classic campaign has already begun and in case of a new Mayor of Mostar, they would like that citizens directly elect him. According to Covic, voter turnout in Mostar will be very high.  Grlic Radman said that as of the beginning of creation of the democratic B&H, Croatian HDZ voted for a sovereign and united B&H, passed through difficult situations during the war and the homeland war, but managed to impose itself as a peacemaker and it contributed to signing of the DPA. Covic pointed out that HDZ B&H and SDA already reached agreement when it comes to implementation of court rulings pertaining to Mostar, while the second part of the talks on the issue of the Election Law will refer to implementation of other court rulings. Covic was quoted as saying: “We specified that, in September, we will start a new round of talks with SDA.  The plan is to finish that a week before the elections in Mostar take place. We want to build a European B&H and, for us, there is no alternative to the NATO path and the European integration. It is true that the ambience we currently work in seeks new adjustments, but I hope we will manage in it after all.”

Dodik: RS does not want to join NATO; Any changes to Constitution need to be made through agreement of entities (ATV)

Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik said on Tuesday that Republika Srpska (RS) does not want to join NATO and it will not give approval for such a thing. He stressed that the approval of the RS and an agreement between two entities is necessary for any sort of change to the B&H Constitution.  Dodik stated this following statement of US Ambassador to B&H Eric Nelson who said that it is necessary to reform the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and the B&H Constitution because the citizens want to be NATO members. “Let us respect the Constitution first then we will be able to agree on changes,” said Dodik. He added that competences were taken away from the RS by pressure, malfeasances and the imposing of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and this will not be accepted as a cover for additional changes. Dodik said that the USA is important but constitutional changes are tied exclusively to the domestic representatives and the USA cannot impose anything in B&H.  “We believe that one should direct the constitutional discussion to – having in mind that international convention established the right of peoples to self-determination until secession where it was stated that those conventions are above the Constitution of B&H, i.e. an integral part of the Constitution, but they make provisions that are above –  we believe that one should introduce an institute that peoples, constituent peoples, have a right to referendum and establishment of their status and that will be one of our demands, for that to be included in the Constitution,” Dodik said, adding: “There is a lot of work. I am not against that. But, at the same time, we do not want to legalize the violence of High Representatives and the international community that had been doing that here for 20 years.”

Political parties from RS respond to Nelson: Changing Dayton structure is unnecessary and risky, any interfering in rights of RS is also out of question (Glas Srpske)

Leaders of political parties in the RS responded to the statement of US Ambassador to B&H Erin Nelson, who said that the Dayton and the B&H Constitution needs to be reformed, that changing the Dayton structure is unnecessary and risky while any interfering in rights of the RS is also out of the question. The daily noted that Sarajevo welcomed Nelson’ statement, while the RS assessed that his statement will remain a dead letter.  Leader of SDS Mirko Sarovic said that the Constitution “cannot be treated as the beginning or as temporary”, as it is always the basic and the most important document of one country, adding that in case of B&H, the country’s Constitution is of crucial importance because it is part of the international peace agreement that stopped the war and established peace. Sarovic stated that thus, this kind of the Constitution can hardly be changed even in case of its smallest parts, adding that of course that this is theoretically possible, but a big consensus for this is necessary.  Leader of DNS Nenad Nesic said that he agrees with Nelson when saying that no document is sacred and it can be changed, but he warned that any change must come as a result of an agreement, consensus, and not imposing and pressures. Nesic said: “Any kind of changes in functioning of B&H cannot interfere with structure of the state, organization and rights of the entities. Possible changes should be directed to improvement of the status of citizens, adjusting to standards of developed society and better functioning of institutions and not additional complicating of relations”.  Leader of the United Srpska Nenad Stevandic said that if the B&H Constitution should change there are two options; the first one implies equality and independence of the RS that was present at the end of 1995, while the second one is self-determination, light confederation or independence of the RS. Stevandic added: “So, it is not like we in the RS have no alternative”.  Leader of PDP Branislav Borenovic said that the Dayton framework is not an obstacle for B&H progress. In his opinion, the Dayton is a guarantee for peace and survival of the state, while revision of the Dayton constitutional order is unnecessary and very risky. Borenovic said: “B&H is not progressing due to high level of corruption, crime, inefficient and corrupted judiciary, while the main source of all this are the ruling political elites that imprisoned both of the entities and all the three peoples”.

Covic on Nelson’s statement regarding reform of DPA: That is very demanding job (N1)

HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic stressed that he read what US Ambassador to B&H Eric Nelson said, recalling that there was such an attempt of constitutional changes in B&H, i.e. the April package, which failed. “That is a very demanding job. We certainly want to seek solutions in that direction for a rational, European B&H and of course fully preserve equality, constituent status and sovereignty of the Croat people,” Covic underlined.

Grlic-Radman: Support to B&H’s EU path and equality of Croats (Hina)

Croatia and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) strongly support B&H’s European path and insist on amending the election law so that Croats in that country can be equal, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said in Mostar on Tuesday, on the 30th anniversary of the founding of HDZ B&H. Grlic Radman attended the ceremony as an envoy for HDZ leader Andrej Plenkovic, and he along with the HDZ B&H delegation led by party leader Dragan Covic laid wreaths and lit candles in memory of Croatian veterans in Mostar’s central square as well as attending the party’s celebrations. “Croatia strongly advocates B&H’s European path and I think that we can help them a lot on that path with our experience and expertise. I can proudly stress that as a sister party we share the same European values and advocate B&H’s European path and (integration) in transatlantic organizations,” Radman told reporters. He assessed that amendments to the election law, which is one of the conditions which Bosnia is supposed to meet to be given candidate status for accession to the EU, need to ensure equal legal rights for Croats in B&H. “The status of the Croatian people is guaranteed by the Dayton Peace Accord and BH&’s Constitution. The Croat people are a constitutive people along with the two other peoples and Croatia supports the equal legal rights of Croats at all levels of government. The Croat people, as the least numerous people, deserves to exercise those rights through amendments to the election law, which belong to them pursuant to the Dayton Peace Accord and the constitution,” he underscored. Covic said that he expects an agreement to be reached with the leading Bosniak party – Democratic Party of Action (SDA) on amendments to the election law before the end of the year which the two parties undertook to do by signing the Mostar agreement in mid-June. “Our ambition this year, based on the agreement we signed with SDA, is to amend the election law so that we can ensure the legitimacy of political representation of the constitutive peoples at all administrative levels in B&H. That primarily refers to the House of Peoples and the (tripartite) Presidency,” Covic explained. He added that the solution to amendments to the election law has to take into account the decisions by the Constitutional Court and European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg. The essence of the Croats’ demands, he explained, is that Croats be guaranteed the right to elect nationally defined representatives in government without being outvoted by the other two peoples.

Banozic: Combat aircraft procurement is of strategic importance for Croatia (Hina)

Defense Minister Mario Banozic said on Tuesday that the procurement of multipurpose combat aircraft was of strategic importance for Croatia. “I believe that this is crucial for the further development of the capabilities of the Croatian Air Force and for improving the security of Croatia, as well as the stability in this part of Europe,” Banozic said. Banozic especially thanked the members of the Croatian Air Force for their engagement in the firefighting season, which, he said, was more demanding in its first part compared to last year.

Krivokapic: The main goal is to withdraw the Law on Freedom of Religion (Pobjeda)

The coalition “For the Future of Montenegro” operates in a unified and parliamentary manner, and everyone aims to withdraw the Law on Freedom of Religion, said the holder of the list of that coalition, Zdravko Krivokapic. According to the statement of that coalition, it was assessed that the unity of agriculture, tourism and industry is necessary for this economic recovery” while the DPS destroyed all three.” Sharing is something that those in power have forgotten, they are just gathering things for themselves, and we want everyone to be well, Krivokapic said.

Zaev: Deal reached with DUI, DPA joins government coalition (MIA)

SDSM leader Zoran Zaev said Tuesday an agreement has been reached with DUI on parliamentary majority, forming a new government, and distribution of departments in the new coalition. He noted that the agreement needs to be approved by the parties’ highest bodies on Tuesday and Wednesday. In addition, Zaev said, the agreement will be presented to the parties of the “We Can” coalition, as well as to DPA as a future government coalition partner. “We’ve specified and confirmed the framework for future cooperation in the government coalition. SDSM, the ‘We Can’ coalition and DUI reached a coalition agreement on parliamentary majority, distribution of departments, composition and principles of the new full-term government that will be committed in the next four years to the interests of the people and the country,” Zaev pointed out, adding that he’ll lead the government in the next four years. The SDSM leader said it’s been particularly important to achieve a swift agreement on a government coalition due to the need to have key institutions in the country in full operation as soon as possible in order to deal with the health effects and all other challenges of Covid-19. Zaev presented some of the principles of the new government. Both parties will propose quality, responsible and accountable individuals. According to Zaev, these will be individuals ready to fully implement program commitments and principles of the coalition agreement. “They will be guided by the principles of one society for all, as well as the strong will for equal participation of men and women in the executive. There’ll be no ministers without portfolio in the government, with the exception of deputy prime ministers,” Zaev said. He pledged for improving people’s standard, further salary increase and more foreign investments. “We stand together for non-selective and comprehensive fight against crime and corruption at all levels,” Zaev underlined. He added that he and Ahmeti have agreed on implementing cleansing of judiciary and inspecting the origin of office holders’ finances and assets through a mutually agreed system. In addition, Zaev announced an increase of the accountability of all institutions, as well as cutting privileges of officials. According to Zaev, coalition agreement has been reached for the protection of the environment, air, soil, and water, to be among the top priorities of the government program which is to be implemented through mobilization of all state institutions, officials, students and pupils, all citizens and all communities. Also, inspection will be tightened and there’ll be increased fines for polluters. “It is our common position that fight against the coronavirus needs to remain a top priority of public health through a comprehensive and transparent approach to management of health facilities and protection of citizens,” Zaev pointed out. SDSM and DUI, he underlined, have agreed to make priority the implementation of all reforms in terms of the country’s EU membership. “We’ll translate these principles into a joint government program that will fully continue to follow the path traced by the country’s NATO membership, which is the path determined with the Prespa Agreement, the Treaty on Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria, and the Ohrid Framework Agreement. This is the European path, the path of economy, justice and equality,” Zaev said.

Ahmeti: This coalition to be most successful yet (MIA)

I am very much convinced that this coalition, this partnership for another four years will be the most successful yet, DUI leader Ali Ahmeti said after an agreement was reached on parliamentary majority and government coalition at Tuesday’s meeting with SDSM leader Zoran Zaev. “The idea was rapprochement, a message of taking responsibility for a common country. I must commend Zaev for his courage and I praise the decision for an Albanian Prime Minister in the last 100 days of this government,” Ahmeti said. He wished success to the new Government and coalition. Agreement was reached with the primary purpose of providing citizens a more secure life and future, Ahmeti added. He voiced confidence that the decision reached on Tuesday will be welcomed by all citizens of the country, as well as partners from the international community who have given their support on the path towards NATO and the EU. “It’s important that today’s coalition is based on sound foundations and will contribute to good progress of all processes in the country. I’m very much convinced that today we did a good thing for all our citizens,” Ahmeti pointed out.

Xhaferi remains parliament speaker (MIA)

DUI’s Talat Xhaferi will remain parliament speaker in the new parliamentary composition. This was confirmed by the Prime Minister-designate and SDSM leader Zoran Zaev at a press conference following Tuesday’s meeting with DUI leader Ali Ahmeti. “We agreed that Talat Xhaferi remains parliament speaker,” Zaev said. Zaev and Ahmeti announced they have specified and confirmed the framework for future cooperation in the government coalition. “SDSM, the “We Can” coalition and DUI reached a coalition agreement on parliamentary majority, distribution of departments, composition and principles of the new full-term government that will be committed in the next four years to the interests of the people and the country,” Zaev pointed out, adding that he’ll lead the government in the next four years. Ministers in the new government haven’t been officially announced yet.

Albania seeks to mediate Belarus crisis (Tirana Times) 

Albania has offered to mediate in the Belarus crisis, following days of mass protests against the government regarding the latest elections. In a press statement on Monday, the OSCE Chairmanship expressed concern over the recent elections in Belarus and the violence against protesters. “We reiterate our concerns about the conduct of the Presidential election on 9 August 2020, which could not be observed by the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, and the disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters, widespread detentions and alleged torture and mistreatment by the security forces.” Chairperson-in-Office Edi Rama called for constructive dialogue, stating that the OSCE is ready to support as well as engage with all stakeholders. According to the statement, a formal offer has been submitted to the government of Belarus “for a visit by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Edi Rama, and the incoming OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Ann Linde – to meet with the government and representatives of the opposition.” The OSCE Chairmanship reiterates called for full compliance with OSCE principles and commitments, emphasizing the promotion and protection of fundamental freedoms and human rights, as well as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, some may consider Albania’s efforts to mediate the situation in Belarus as contradictory, due to the country’s own internal issues and history of political protests. “It is a paradox that a country like Albania, where the internal political conflict has sometimes led to significant crises, seeks to mediate the crisis in Belarus after OSCE chairman-in-office elections. In both Albania and Belarus, though with small differences, governments do not allow the transfer of power by all means, except for violence. It is a sine qua non for a democracy that while violence is the tool that cannot be used to seize power, at the same time governments must allow the transfer of power to the opposition by all means, excluding violence,” an AIIS expert told Tirana Times.