LOCAL PRESS 

Vucic: If I sign recognition of Kosovo’s independence, I’d get Nobel Peace Prize (B92/Beta) 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic commented on the statement of the President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives Eliot Engel. Congressman Eliot L. Engel stated that Serbia will not be approved EU membership until it recognizes Kosovo. “You can see how right I was when I talked about it two weeks ago,” Vucic says, adding: We have to take care and know that they are important people. I hope that the administration itself will have a slightly different attitude in relation to what was presented yesterday in the House of Representatives of the Congress. It is our job to conduct our policy, to understand it well. As he further states, we will face the greatest pressures and we will be in a difficult situation. “What bothers me, I can’t say that it worries me, is that some in Serbia rejoice thinking that it is directed against me. It is not. It is directed against everyone in Serbia,” he added. He also expects great pressures around Republika Srpska and Kosovo and Metohija, although those pressures have not been weak before. “It’s going to be even harder now,” he concludes. He added that it is his commitment to protect the country, and that is why he will not say a word about Eliot Engel and Madeleine Albright. “If I sign the act of independence of Kosovo, I guarantee that I would get Nobel Peace Prize,” he added. Regarding the US, Vucic said its stand toward Belgrade – Pristina relations had never been different. Asked if the US new administration would pressure him more to recognize Kosovo, he said that it would be even more difficult. But, he added, so what? We’ll fight, we’ll fight with the truth. He said those pressure aimed at Serbia because there are those who wish it to be weak and destroyed as, according to him, like it was 10-12 years ago. Vucic said the “stories about the lack of democracy in Serbia were only a political mean to exert pressure on him. “Serbia suits many only when it’s weak. We want to be partners with all our neighbors. But we cannot be weak only to make them happy,” he said, adding his country could not allow being banned from speaking about its victims, always respecting theirs.

Selakovic: Serbia aware of importance, role of press freedom (Tanjug) 

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic participated on Wednesday via video link in the World Press Freedom Conference 2020, which was jointly organized by UNESCO and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In his speech, Selakovic said that Serbia is aware of the importance and role of media freedom in building a politically progressive society in which civil liberties will be consistently respected, and said that we consider the attack on media representatives a blow to the foundations of society, i.e. a serious threat to efforts to build and improve a society tailored to all citizens. The Minister recalled that the Serbian government recently adopted the Media Strategy Action Plan and made a decision on the formation of a working group for security and protection of journalists, which will include representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office and several ministries and prosecutor’s offices, as well as representatives of the EU and the OSCE, and representatives of journalists’ associations. Selakovic also conveyed the warning of the Association of Journalists of Serbia and the Commission for the Investigation of Murders of Journalists that it is inadmissible that the indictments against the leaders of the so-called KLA do not mention crimes against journalists.

Petkovic: Formation of ZSO for a successful resumption of dialogue (Tanjug/RTV) 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic stated that in today’s new round of technical dialogue with Pristina, the first issue that Belgrade insisted on was the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO). Petkovic reminded that 2,800 days had passed without the ZSO being formed. “For us, that is the key issue, and if we are talking about the successful resumption of the dialogue, it is necessary for the ZSO to be formed,” he told reporters after the meeting in Brussels. Petkovic stated that property and financial claims were discussed today, which is a very important issue. “It is good that after seven and a half years we are finally talking about property and financial claims. This is a very sensitive, large and complex issue. Given that the positions of Belgrade and Pristina on property and financial claims are very distant, what we have proposed is that we establish the principles first,” he explained.

Petkovic pointed out that the Belgrade delegation came to the meeting with ready documentation and proposals in order to establish a system of principles, mechanisms and bodies so that we could talk specifically about property. “It is important to establish principles based on international standards, to know what we are talking about, not to talk about desires but how it is solved in the world. We will try to do our best to solve this significant problem in the period ahead, as well as all other open issues,” he stressed. “It is important to establish mechanisms and approaches. When I say that we have absolutely opposite views, those are the views where Pristina acts with its interests and point of view, and Belgrade rationally and realistically. We submit our evidence of what was financed, who is the owner, who invested, as well as everything that concerns international standards when it comes to private property, where it is known how to determine what is private, what is public property and how to solve it,” said Petkovic. “Considering that today is the International Human Rights Day, and while mentioning the incidents, we certainly raised the issue of the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, violation of their rights, but also the latest incidents, especially attacks on Serb returnees in Metohija, but attacks in general that are especially occurring in central Kosovo,” he said. Petkovic emphasized that Belgrade insists on dialogue, and that every time we receive an invitation, our delegation will respond and come prepared to Brussels to discuss all key issues on the agenda, when it comes to dialogue.

Schieb: Serbia’s progress in rule of law too modest for opening new chapters (N1/Beta) 

German Ambassador to Serbia Thomas Schieb said that Serbia’s progress this year when it comes to the rule of law has not been good enough to allow for the opening of new chapters in Serbia’s EU accession negotiations, but added that he feels that the new government wants to commit itself to these reforms. “The speed with which a candidate state approaches the EU primarily depends on the implementation of reforms in the area of rule of law, where Serbia failed to show much advancement this year… a modest progress has been noted, it was concluded that the conditions for the opening of new chapters, which requires a unanimous decision of all member states, have not been met,” Scheib said for the TV N1. He added that he has “a feeling that the new government very actively wants to, and even has begun to, commit itself to these reforms.” “We can only encourage the government to carry on, such as the adoption of the action plan for the media strategy… There’s no reason for disappointment, now is the time to go full throttle ahead, towards membership,” the Ambassador stated. According to him “the process of the EU integration won’t be complete without the Western Balkan countries.” “They have a clear perspective. Serbia, that is the Western Balkans, is on a good path. Germany is there to offer Serbia support and advice. This year we haven’t made as much progress as we’d wanted to, but I’m convinced that, next year, we will be successful in accomplishing it,” Schieb concluded.

Bilcik: Serbia standing still, but EU has to be more active too (N1) 

The European Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur MEP Vladimir Bilcik said on Thursday that Serbia had been “standing still for the last past months and that the European Commission latest report on the country should not serve as a document for Members of the EP, but as a document, the EP USES and a discussion with our partners in Serbia.” “The Report serves not only as a reflection of the past two years but more as a constructive and forward-looking document.. I would like to look at how to best support the work ahead of Serbia,” Bilcik said. He reiterated that “the main work is on the shoulders of our partners in Serbia; political decisions on moving toward the EU (or away from it) is made in Serbia, in Belgrade, in the countryside, in the cities and villages…” However, Bilcik added that “as we expect more from Serbia, we must also expect more from ourselves. This year has highlighted that the European perspective is not a given. Other external actors, Russia and China, are taking every opportunity to increase their leverage on the region and in Serbia. Regarding Belgrade, Bilcik said the Report revolves around 4 “Rs”: “Recovery: the most imminent task ahead is the manage the fallout caused by the pandemic. Recovery should be done in a way that brings us closer – whether via truthful communication on how the EU has provided assistance to Serbia, on European solutions for this crisis and the “opening” of Europe and, of course, vaccine distribution. Reforms in Rule of Law: Serbia’s new government has a clear, majority mandate and should be clear about what it is going to do with this unprecedented support. The political crisis of 2019/2020 is still not over. Rule of law and respect for fundamental freedoms also means moving forward on improving media freedom and freedom of expression. I follow closely all the news from media organisations in Serbia and we remain concerned with reports of violence and threats against journalists… Regional cooperation and Reconciliation…” He added that “finally, EU accession must be a strategic choice of Serbia. This has to be clear from the onset, and Serbia’s political decisions must be in line with this strategic choice: here, there is a lot of room for improvement. The pandemic has shown that a health crisis of this proportion is also a geopolitical issue.” 2020 was foreseen to be a decisive and promising year for Enlargement – and it wasn’t. In Serbia, 2020 has also been a very exceptional year; obviously, due to the pandemic, but also due to the fact that it was an electoral year. Valuable time has been lost. As we expect more from Serbia, we must also expect more from ourselves. This year has highlighted that the European perspective is not a given. Other external actors, Russia and China, are taking every opportunity to increase their leverage on the region and in Serbia. We must, therefore, use the tools of Enlargement to the fullest potential and in a more strategic way. I believe that the Council should be ready to open additional negotiating chapters with Serbia. Opening of chapters is a beginning of a long negotiating process on delivery and benchmarks but could be a political game-changer on the Western Balkans when it comes to facing the challenge of geopolitical competition and our fight for reforms.”

REGIONAL PRESS 

Ambassadors Sattler and Nelson meet with Covic and Izetbegovic to discuss next steps on vital electoral reforms (BHT1)

EU Special Representative (EUSR) and Head of the EU Delegation (EUD) to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Johann Sattler and US Ambassador to B&H Eric Nelson met with HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic and SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic on Wednesday. The US Embassy to B&H informed the public about the meeting, with a statement posted at its official Twitter account. The Embassy posted a photo from the meeting, specifying that collocutors discussed next steps on vital electoral reforms, including adoption of ODIHR/GRECO recommendations and relevant decisions of the B&H Constitutional Court (CC) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). “We hope the same spirit of cooperation that paved the way for elections in Mostar on December 20 can also lead to reforms crucial to improving democratic function, fostering citizen confidence, and moving B&H forward along its Euro-Atlantic path” concludes the Embassy’s statement.

Recommendations at US House Committee on Foreign Affairs related to B&H spark different reactions in B&H (N1)

N1 reminds of views expressed in relation to B&H at the meeting of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, i.e., constitutional changes, amendment to the Election Law and condemnation of blockades and threats from Republika Srpska (RS). N1 reports that the recommendations given at the session sparked different reactions among B&H officials.

According to SDA officials, it is important that the Congress recognized destructive potential of “the Dayton ethnic blockades’’ and that the responsibility was primarily directed to Chairperson of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik. Member of the Collegium of the B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Denis Zvizdic (SDA) outlined on Wednesday the importance of changing the B&H Constitution. “The time has come to start with serious amendments of constitutional solutions that will allow B&H to become functional country, with respect to the fundamental premises, i.e. it is a state of Constitutional Peoples, not Constituent, i.e. Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats and citizens of B&H’’. Former B&H Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak said that RS officials primarily reacted to positions by the Congress members on abolishment of entities and the changes in electoral process under the one person-one vote principle. “My assessment is that we will feel two main things here, the first being stronger cooperation of Washington and the European Union (EU), i.e. stronger message for us to implement 14 recommendations. The second thing I am sure will be in the focus of the US Administration is to establish the rule of law here,” said Crnadak. N1 reports that opinions are divided between hope for better future with the Administration of US President-elect Joe Biden and view of the Western Balkans not being among priorities. The reporter concludes that relation toward the region could greatly depend on the relation of the US and the EU.

International lobbyists recommend Biden’s Administration abolishment of entities; Concept of B&H supported by RS is only legitimate (RTRS)

Comments that recommendations of the international lobbyist to the Administration of US President-elect Joe Biden include amendments to the B&H Constitution, abolition of the entities and the cantons, sanctions for the Republika Srpska (RS) politicians for advocating secession and moving their troops to Brcko to prevent secession. President of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Eliot Engel said the system does not function and prevents B&H to progress, with the RS blocking decisions that are in the country’s interest, for the benefit of its broad autonomy and loosely veiled breakaway agenda concluding that ‘this has to end’. Professor at the John Hopkins University Daniel Serwer said that under new concept B&H will not be based on ethnic division of power, but on majority of citizens who elect their representatives. “Cantons and entities, as well as ethnic veto and limitations will disappear,” said Serwer, noting that Americans and European should welcome the future of a new, civil constitution. The reporter comments that the international lobbyists see Bosniak politicians as carriers of changes being the only protectors of the territorial integrity of B&H. RTRS reports that according to the RS officials the concept of B&H supported by the RS is the only legitimate, constitutional concept in accordance with the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA). Commenting, Professor of Constitutional Law Sinisa Karan said for RTRS that the concept advocated by the lobbyists does not exist within the B&H Constitution. “It is a new B&H, their constructed B&H and I need to say, constructed as a Unitarian state, a civil state in which one person with one vote would win over the will of at least two constituent peoples via force”. Senior Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington DC Janusz Bugajski sees the threat in the Russian influence, the solution for B&H would be to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as soon as possible, and financial sanctions would be the means to achieve that. Chairperson of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik said for the media that “old Muslim lobbyists and those who hate everything with Serb prefix” are lobbying for coup d’etat “here in B&H, that would change overall political and constitutional order in B”H, and those who oppose would be locked-up, exiled, eliminated”. RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic noted everything said at the US Congress bears no weight, since the same group had been lobbying for the unconstitutional B&H for years. “They know very well how B”H could function, but persistently place it under a vail of a pretended central, centralized, Unitarian civil state and they know it is not a good formula for success”. Cvijanovic reminded that B”H and the DPA, viewed as a problem now, have been creates in the country from which the anti-Dayton messages are being sent. United Srpska leader Nenad Stevandic stated that unpacking of Dayton Agreement would mean unpacking of B&H because the entities signed the agreement, they make up B&H and nobody outside B&H has ownership over the Agreement.

Member of B&H House of Representatives Nenad Nesic (DNS) stated that the RS will certainly not allow the unpacking of Dayton Peace Agreement and underlined that only the original Agreement is valid.

Vucic: Serbia will sincerely fight for Kosovo and RS and it will not succumb to pressures (BN TV)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has stated that Serbia will sincerely fight for Kosovo and the RS, but that it will not succumb to pressures. Vucic announced that he expects the most difficult pressures so far surrounding Kosovo, but also the RS. “If I as the President of the Republic, and without the consent of the parliament and the government, without anyone’s consent, signed a document on independence of Kosovo, I guarantee you that I would receive the Nobel Peace Prize and that I would be the greatest democrat not in this part of Europe, but in this part of the world. Just have that in mind. If I said that the RS has no support of Serbia and that the RS will not get financial injection from the Republic of Serbia, you would see how much I would be respected then,” Vucic underlined. Ahead of the continuation of Brussels dialogue on Thursday, Belgrade’s position remains unchanged. There are announcements that representatives of Serbia will insist on the community of Serb municipalities, but also on safety of returnee families.

International Anti-Corruption Day – 9 December – marked in B&H; IC deems it is problematic that judicial process in B&H is under control of political forces (O kanal)

The International Anti-Corruption Day – 9 December was marked in B&H on Wednesday. Representatives of the international community in B&H warned of the situation in the field of fight against corruption in the country, whereas a number of affairs, embezzlements and irregularities in 2019 have caused that this year could be remembered as the year with the highest level of corruption. They assessed that it is problematic that the judicial process in B&H is under control of political forces, which is why it would not be surprising that the latest ‘Potkivanje’ affair continues in its third episode. Head of the Department for Economic Crime in the Banja Luka Police Administration Tihomir Cvijanovic said that their data show that 16 reports against 23 persons for 32 crimes that have characteristics of corruption acts were filed to competent prosecutor’s offices. Cvijanovic added that citizens can report their suspicions for corruption to free phone number 122 or to the Banja Luka Police Station. Head of the OSCE Mission to B&H Kathleen Kavalec expressed concern over the fact that not only that progress was not achieved in B&H in the fight against corruption, but the situation gets even worse. She stressed that corruption during the public procurement process amid the Coronavirus pandemic is especially worrying. Head of the EU Delegation (EUD) to B&H Johann Sattler stated that one year ago similar messages were conveyed on the same occasion, but almost nothing has changed ever since. He assessed that it is a devastating fact that 78 percent of B&H citizens are dissatisfied with the work of B&H judiciary. However, Sattler said that it is important to stress that there is a little hope because the Anti-Corruption and Quality Control Office of the Sarajevo Canton (SC) actively works. He added that the Supreme Court of the Federation of B&H lacks a department for the fight against corruption, while the state-level laws on the HJPC, conflict of interest and the public procurement need to be amended.

Tegeltija: I am worried about my physical integrity and integrity of my family; double standards of IC are so obvious I call even call it hypocrisy (ATV)

ATV carried an interview with President of the High Judicial and the Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) Milan Tegeltija. Asked whether he will submit his resignation on Thursday, Tegeltija stated that that they will have to wait for his press conference scheduled to take place in the Basic Court in Banja Luka on Thursday at 03,15hrs to learn his final answer to this question. Asked whether he is afraid of his own and safety of his family, Tegeltija stated that he is not a man who tends to be afraid, but he is worried about his physical integrity and the integrity of his family in a situation in which he performs the function of the President of the HJPC. According to Tegeltija, he is faced with such high level of illegality, demonization, dehumanization that any act that would represent an attack on his life would be welcomed with support in quite a big part of the public in Sarajevo, who would even say that he is acting, staging everything and making himself a victim and that he even deserves it. Tegeltija underlined: “Such atmosphere in which every illegal attack on my person is welcomed and approved was created and there is no discussion about this at all”. Speaking about death threats that he recently received on the Twitter, Tegeltija stated that this is just one of many threats that he receives via social networks. Tegeltija said that he does not know who wrote the last threat and whether this person is dangerous or not, but he added that he certainly is concerned about this. He added: “However, threats coming from those who do not say they will kill you are way more dangerous and those are intelligence and para-intelligence centers of power that have apparatus and a system to implement such thing in practice”. Asked whether judiciary will do their job and investigate this case all the way till the end, Tegeltija stated that no one in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) finds illegal wiretapping, monitoring and recording of the man who is on the top of the judiciary system worth of a discussion. He assessed that this is being observed as something totally right while there will be discussions on results of these illegal things. He asked: “What kind of work environment this is? Who can work in a legal way and without pressure under these conditions? I believe that everyone, not just in the RS but also in the FB&H, who does not support SDA, should be concerned and ask themselves because Milan Tegeltija is not the problem here, but a way of managing with the system through masked and illegal activities from the shadow, intelligence and para-intelligence circles related to SDA”. Asked to comment on the case of Director of the B&H Intelligence-Security Agency Osman Mehmedagic (SDA) and his own case and reactions of the international community (IC) in these two cases, Tegeltija said that he cannot comment on the pending case against Mehmedagic because he still assumes the post of President of the HJPC. Tegeltija added: “However, when it comes to the IC, I believe that double standards have become so obvious that I can even call it hypocrisy. You know, when all international organizations, Embassies etc. for three days in a row say the same thing and based on nothing, based on something that is totally illegal – something that is illegal is not suitable for questioning, to speak about it at all – there is fallacy of irrelevant conclusion here. We are speaking about illegal things and they make conclusions based on illegal things and send me various types of calls. I do not know who can say such a thing. In what kind of a country we are living?” At the end of the interview, Tegeltija underlined that as a man who lives in the RS and as a man who was elected from the RS, he finds the support coming from the RS crucial.

Cvijanovic: Saying Tegeltija should withdraw without saying Mehmedagic should do same is unprincipled (ATV)

RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic stated in Banja Luka on Wednesday that the RS should strengthen its institutions because B&H – in which is impossible to defend your own needs and interests – represents a problem. Cvijanovic pointed out that when addressing certain topics, it is necessary to apply the same criteria which in her opinion, is not the case in B&H. Cvijanovic said that having partial appearances and saying that President of the High Judicial and the Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) Milan Tegeltija should withdraw while at the same time, not saying that Director of the OSA Osman Mehmedagic should do the same, is highly unprincipled and ill-intentioned.

Milanovic and Plenkovic agree to have Slovene PM represent Croatia at EU Summit (HRT)

EU leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss further coordination on COVID-19, climate change, security and external relations. On December 11th EU leaders will also meet for the Euro Summit. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic is still in self-isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus on 30 November. And while he was to be released from self-isolation tomorrow, as a result of mild respiratory problems Plenkovic will have to remain in self-isolation and miss t European Union summit in Brussels. “Given that I will not be able to travel to Brussels tomorrow, I spoke with President Zoran Milanovic and offered that he go and represent Croatia in my place. He expressed his appreciation for the consideration but declined my offer given the subject matter on tomorrow’s agenda. I then proposed that we authorize Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa represent Croatia, which the president agreed to. In the meantime I talked with Mr. Jansa and he accepted the offer to represent Croatia in Brussels tomorrow,” the PM said on Wednesday. The European Council will take stock of the situation and discuss the overall coordination effort in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including work on vaccines and testing and the gradual lifting of restrictions. EU leaders will aim to agree a new EU emissions reduction target for 2030. This will allow the EU to submit its updated nationally determined contribution to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change before the end of 2020. The European Council will address security issues and in particular the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, including online. EU Interior Ministers are also expected to adopt a joint statement on the recent terrorist attacks in Europe on 13 November 2020. While the European Council will hold a discussion on EU-US relations following the presidential elections in the United States. In line with its conclusions of October 2020, the European Council will also return to the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and relations with Turkey. European leaders will also discuss EU relations with the “Southern Neighborhood.” Finally, a Euro Summit in an inclusive format will be held on 11 December, focusing on the banking union and the capital markets union.

CdM interlocutors about the act of the Ministry of Health: Hypocrisy without limits (CdM)

The fact that Ministry of Health published a document in which Independent State of Kosovo was marked with an asterisk and without a footnote was seen as scandalous in the public. CdM interlocutors agree and can’t believe that the explanation from the department of Jelena Borovinic-Bojovic was “that it was a mistake”. Why did they make a mistake with Kosovo and not with some other state? Member of the Main Board of DPS Nikola Gegaj said: “They are saying it was a technical mistake, made by some low-rank clerk, known as “clerical error”. I’m just wondering how this mistake didn’t happen with some other state. However, since Minister emerged from religious processions, this act of hers is quite honest,” Gegaj said. Liberal party spokesman Ammar Borancic also gave his opinion. “Their explanation is baseless. Identical document has been published since the outset of the pandemic, and the list of states has always been the same. It’s clear that they attempted to deny sovereignty of Kosovo. I understand that Minister has her own view, but they have to understand that state policy is not conducted by personal views and affiliations,” Borancic said. He says that Decisions adopted by the parliament and government of Montenegro must be respected. Borancic says that lack of knowledge, experience and self-esteem of the new Government has been demonstrated for days. President of the SD Municipal Board of Tuti Samir Adzovic says that Agreement signed immediately after elections was directly violated. “This agreement means nothing for them, obviously. The fact that the state has recognized independence of Kosovo is problematic for the Minister and the majority of the new government,” Adzovic said. It would be interesting to hear the opinion of URA regarding this matter, and especially its president, Dritan Abazovic. “How will he explain to his compatriots such behavior?,” Adzovic concluded. Minister of Foreign Affairs Meljiza Haradinaj-Stubla asked for the explanation from the Ambassador of Montenegro to Pristina Ferhat Dinosa.

Picula: The Union is sending a message to the candidate countries (Pobjeda)

EP Rapporteur for Montenegro Tonino Picula said in the interview for Pobjeda that “time of diverse blockages and use of veto in the EU has come to Brussels”. However, he believes that the current situation is not long-term. Conclusions of the EU ministers about the WB enlargement were suspended yesterday, and ministers didn’t adopt conclusions as expected.

European ministers only slightly touched upon draft conclusions about WB, while putting to the side the issue of opening negotiations with Albania. Commenting on such EU decisions, Picula says that enlargement policy gave green light in the first half of 2020. He believes that the current situation will not take long. “Blockages are messages for the candidate countries, they have discouraging effect and open space for even greater influence of West-European factors that don’t share the same values. Regardless of the current circumstances, Montenegro must maintain the focus on reforms,” Picula said. According to him, the EU has no formal lever to unblock veto as it needs unanimous decision of member states for that. He said that EP “is trying to exert political pressure as much as it can”.

Bed of roses

EC President’s spokesman Eric Mamer said that accession was not “a bed of roses” and there would always be difficulties in the enlargement process. “There will always be obstacles in the enlargement. EU membership is not a bed of roses for anybody, but that doesn’t deny the fact that WB enlargement is priority for Mrs Von der Leyen and the Commission,” Mamer said.

Germany is not hiding disappointment with the fact that more hasn’t been done during its presidency. New chapters with the negotiations with Serbia won’t be open before the end of this year, as member states haven’t reached consensus.

Zaev lashes out at Bulgaria, and the opposition, after the failure of his crucial EU policy (Republika)

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said that Bulgaria violated the treaty he signed with Boyko Borisov in 2017, when it vetoed Macedonia’s EU accession. It’s a second harshly worded comment from Zaev aimed at Bulgaria, after the press release in which he accused Bulgaria of making an irresponsible strategic mistake with its veto. “This irresponsible mistake is bitter news for our country. We hear major disappointment voiced by all of us in one breath. Bulgaria placed a veto, and violated the Treaty of friendship and good neighborly relations, and with that it stands in the way of our European integration, after it was found that we meet all necessary conditions by the EU and its member states on several occasions. This is not the European way. Unfortunately, Bulgaria did not muster strength to act in a European manner. Bulgaria made a gesture that is neither friendly or brotherly,” Zaev said. The treaty he signed with Borisov declares that Bulgaria will support Macedonia’s EU accession. It also declares that Macedonia will agree to a committee of historians who will develop a shared reading of history. As the Bulgarian members of the team began to insist more and more that Macedonia accepts their reading of history, up to the point that the Macedonian nation would be declared a very recent historic event, the Macedonian side pushed back, and Bulgaria sees this as violation of the treaty. In the latest round of talks, Bulgaria clearly began to ask for a new reading of the history of the Second World War, which Zaev agreed to in an interview, but then opted not to make a legally binding decision in that regard. “For Macedonia, the Macedonian people and all the citizens of our country, these conditions are not acceptable. That is why we stand firm in the defense of Macedonian national interests. We did not allow that the foundations of the dignity of the Macedonian identity is tampered with. That is the Macedonian nation and the Macedonian language. We did not allow that the anti-fascist identity of our country is questioned. The foundations of our statehood are in the ASNOM assembly and the anti-fascist struggle,” Zaev added. Besides lashing out against Bulgaria, Zaev also used his address to attack the opposition. He insisted that he did not agree to the Bulgarian terms, as the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party said he will, and also accused the opposition of being happy with the outcome. Zaev said that he will not allow the opposition to prevail over him, accusing VMRO of wanting to push the country into uncertainty and nationalist fervor, even though his address was rife with chest-thumping. As for his further steps, Zaev said that now, with his EU integration policy defeated, he will focus on fighting the coronavirus, introducing gas into the country, building the infrastructure links to Bulgaria and Albania and holding the much delayed census.

Albanian opposition leaders say only a broad government can take on the dispute with Bulgaria (Republika)

Alliance of Albanians leader Ziadin Sela and his colleague from the Alternative party Afrim Gashi rebuked the government for keeping the opposition uninformed and out of the loop as the dispute with Bulgaria deepens and threatens Macedonia’s EU accession prospects.

“This is a government of liars and its Prime Minister should resign at once. We need a broad coalition of all political parties and we all should share responsibility to resolve the problem with our neighboring Bulgaria, so that the first inter-governmental conference with the European Union takes place at once,” Sela and Gashi said. The two opposition party leaders added that Albanian parties want to be supportive of Macedonia’s ethnic identity, which is the main issue raised by Bulgaria, but they can’t accept to have the Government take on such important issues on its own.

Buckovski silent on Zaharieva’s insults: You’re building the nation and identity on anti-Bulgarian basis (Republika)

The special negotiator of PM Zoran Zaev’s government Vlado Buckovski met Wednesday in Sofia with the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva. Zaharieva reiterated her firm positions expressed previously in an interview with a Bulgarian television and stressed that what had been asked of Macedonia had already been said. Zaharieva pointed out that states cannot recognize or deny the identity and nation of other states, but at the same time illogically stressed that the Macedonian identity cannot be based on renunciation of Bulgarian roots.

“Unfortunately, they are building the nation and the identity on an anti-Bulgarian basis. Today I did not want to explain our position thinking that I explained it well in one of my speeches. Unfortunately, they continue to win elections there only on anti-Bulgarian rhetoric. It cannot continue. Generations that build their identity on the basis of renunciation and hatred of a neighboring country cannot continue to be educated,” Zaharieva said. According to Zaharieva, the Macedonian identity was created on the basis of renunciation of Bulgaria. Here is the statement that Minister Zaharieva referred to: “We do not dispute their right to self-determination, nor the right to call their language whatever they want. We are ready to reaffirm the current realities, but they must accept the historical truth” the Bulgarian minister said. Our concerns stem from the endless claims of a Macedonian minority in Bulgaria. Recognition of Bulgarian roots will put an end to that,” Zaharieva said.

Violence erupts as outrage over young man killed by police (ADN)

The protest that started peacefully after police shot dead a young man in Tirana, degenerated in violence on Wednesday as crowd expressed outrage after the death of Klodian Rasha (25) by police officers. Rasha was killed by a police officer on Tuesday night, in Tirana’s Lapraka neighborhood. The Albanian state police claimed, that the young man was “committing suspect actions” and failed to obey the police officer’s orders to stop. He ran to get away from the police. The police additionally claim that it is suspected the young man was armed. According to the police, the victim allegedly “ran away, pointing a hard object that looked like a firearm towards the police officer.” The police also reported that “following the inspection of the scene and the surrounding area, a firearm suspected to have belonged to the citizen K.R. was located.” Dozens of angry protesters clashed with police, throw stones towards Prime Ministry building and burned a Christmas tree in front of Premier’s office. Police used tear gas in attempts to disperse the crowd fueling the anger among protesters who reacted with stones and fire. More than 17,000 National Guard troops have been activated in states across the US due to civil unrest as of Monday, and that number is expected to grow. Police informed that so far were injured nine police officers as situation continued to be tense. State Police called on Wednesday some of the protesters as violent extremists as they brutally injured police officers and destroyed public and private properties. In a statement at the end of the violent rally, police said that the angry protesters injured nine police officers, nine of them in grave condition. “As a result of the injuries received, 3 police officers are in a more serious condition in the hospital, as they have serious injuries to the head and body, caused by the attack with solid objects by the protesters, while 6 police officers are in a more stable condition. Several police vehicles were also damaged. The State Police made every effort to manage the sudden and unjust violence against its employees and against the institutions. The State Police appeals to all protesters not to use violence against police officers and institutions, as anyone will face legal consequences” says statement. The State Police also called on the organizers, who have called on social networks to gather in protest, to take immediate measures to stop the calls for violence, as the violence will face the legal response of the State Police. “The unacceptable episode of the murder of a citizen by a police officer, who is being investigated under arrest, cannot be used as a pretext for exercising blind violence, seriously injuring State Police officers and destroying public and private property,” says statement.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES 

Serbia’s request was to keep evidence which disappeared; There are witnesses, though. (Sputnik, 10 December 2020) 

Serbia forwards to the Specialized Chamber in The Hague a report on the “yellow house” compiled in 2004 by forensic experts and executors of The Hague and UNMIK. The main thing is to see from the report that there are witnesses, even though the material evidence was destroyed, Serbian Assembly Committee on Kosovo and Metohija Chair, Milovan Drecun, told Sputnik. The UNMIK report, which Sputnik had access to, pointed out that it was based on the testimony of eight KLA members from Kosovo and Montenegro, four of whom participated in the transport of at least 90 ethnic Serbs to illegal prisons in Albania. Three witnesses delivered the detainees to a house-clinic south of Burel, and two witnesses claim to have participated in the transport of body parts and organs to Rinas Airport near Tirana. None of them attended “medical” procedures. Drecun, who is also a member of the Working Group for gathering facts and evidence in shedding light on the crimes committed against the Serbian and non-Albanian people in Kosovo and Metohija, reminds that material evidence about the “yellow house” was destroyed in The Hague Tribunal because there was no place for archiving. “The documentation of The Hague Tribunal is now available to the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office, but there is no physical or material evidence, except for photo documentation and reports made by investigators. Apart from that report, we did not have much more to send them about the ‘yellow house’,” Drecun said. According to him, the most important of the documents is the report from the meeting of the then investigators of The Hague Tribunal and UNMIK representatives in charge of human rights, where they talk about witnesses and quote them literally. “I think that’s the key thing, because these witnesses, and there are several of them and they are listed under numbers, confirm the allegations from Dick Marty’s report. At one point, that report was available to the public, but magically disappeared. What did the Specialized Prosecution do on this issue, we are not aware, because they will not talk about it. I have to say that I did not come across any special interest in the ‘yellow house’ case in contacting us, so I don’t know if they did anything about it”, Drecun says. He notes that the indictment filed against Hashim Thaci, who was named in Dick Marty’s report as being in charge of organ trafficking, does not mention the “yellow house” at all. “They are talking about two illegal prisons on the territory of Albania, but in relation to them, they are only talking about torture and inhumane treatment. Whether the ‘yellow house’ will be brought under that, remains to be seen,” Drecun emphasizes. According to the UNMIK report, a team of their investigators and forensic experts was on the spot in the “yellow house” near Burel in the north of Albania, and that they collected certain evidence that was important for further investigation. That evidence was deposited in the premises of the Office for Missing Persons in Rahovec / Orahovac – and every trace of it is lost there. But one thing is clear: regardless of the explicit request of the Serbian side that this evidence be kept in a reliable place, the reasons for that have irretrievably disappeared, states “Russian Express”, which published these documents in order to shed light on the truth.