LOCAL PRESS 

Brnabic: Coronavirus pandemic has shaken human rights, equalities (Tanjug/Politika) 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated on Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic has shaken to its core two basic principles of the modern world – the principle of human rights and their respect and the principle of equality between individuals and countries. At the conference “Impact of the Corona Virus COVID-19 Pandemic on Human Rights in Serbia”, organized by the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue to mark 10 December, International Human Rights Day, Brnabic emphasized that human rights and the pandemic are among the most important topics not only in our country, but globally, noting that the crisis is the most difficult for humanity over  the last century, with the exception of the Second World War. The world will be a more difficult place to live in and will be less just after the pandemic, she assessed, emphasizing that the gap between rich and poor, individuals and countries, is turning into an insurmountable abyss. According to her, the whole year behind us was marked by restrictions on rights and freedoms aimed at preserving the most important right – the right to life, but that countries were forced to impose restrictions. She pointed out that the fight against the pandemic is very expensive, because the equipment, tests and vaccines, which everyone aspires to procure, cost a lot. Nine out of 10 poor countries will probably not be able to receive the vaccine in 2021, because rich countries have already bought 53% of the vaccines planned for production next year. With those 53 percent of vaccines, only 14 percent of the total population will be vaccinated, Brnabic warned. As she said, Serbia is fighting and trying to provide vaccines both bilaterally and through international mechanisms, such as COVAX. Brnabic said that our country is doing its best to fight the pandemic in the best way, to protect the lives and health of citizens, but also their jobs and the economy, in order to continue to develop and make up for lost time this year, which will be difficult. I guarantee that, when all this is behind us, we will continue to respect individual rights and freedoms as before the coronavirus pandemic, and with the help of the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, we want to protect them and further improve them, she concluded.

Dacic: Serbia strongly committed to constant and engaged protection of fundamental human rights (Politika) 

Serbian parliament speaker Ivica Dacic also addressed the conference “Impact of the Corona Virus COVID-19 Pandemic on Human Rights in Serbia”. At the very beginning of his address, Dacic congratulated everyone on the International Human Rights Day and pointed out that 72 years since its adoption, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights still represents the civilizational foundation of every society and every state. “It obliges us to always keep it in front of us as a guide on how to constantly improve the society that we live in,” said Dacic. He said that the year that is coming to an end has been a year of enormous challenges for the whole world, for all nations that strive for progress and constant improvement of the lives of all people and the protection of all of their rights. “The foundation modern societies were built on was also hit by the natural disaster, and it is contained in the list of 49 basic human rights mentioned in the Universal Declaration. Many of these inalienable and indivisible rights are still threatened today – above all the right to life, the right to work, dignity and social security. Under the impact of the pandemic, the world community, which the Republic of Serbia fully belongs to, has faced a great test of the values it is based on. We still do not know if we passed the test, because it is still bot over, but we know that we have been ready at times and that we defended the fundamental values and human rights, because we recognized that they were endangered,” said Dacic and reminded everyone that, immediately after the outbreak of the epidemic at the beginning of the year, Serbia set the protection of the health and lives of its citizens, especially the elderly, sick and endangered, as the main priority of its struggle. “Serbia has put all of its resources, human, material, financial, in the function of protecting public health, followed immediately by protecting jobs, social rights, the right to education and other fundamental rights, which have come under attack around the world. We have succeeded in that, we can already say that with full responsibility. We have preserved health, as well as social and economic well-being to the extent that we could be the envy of many more developed and wealthier countries with better social resources at their disposal with which they themselves set out to fight all the consequences of the pandemic,” said Dacic. He said that in difficult times, Serbia has not only preserved the fundamental values and rights that define it as an advanced, humane and orderly society, but has also managed to improve its overall social environment. As a special value, Dacic pointed out a boon we rediscovered during the current crisis, and that is solidarity at all levels. “This somewhat forgotten virtue, which we have been proud of for centuries, has been fully expressed by our society during these difficult months, and we should be proud of it as a community.” “We helped each other, we cared for the elderly, the poor and the sick, our doctors and medical staff are still investing great efforts into fulfilling their humanitarian duty… Without such unity, solidarity and responsibility towards others, we would not be able to cope with the pandemic, and that should stay with us as a permanent common virtue after the crisis is over,” he said. Speaking of the institution he heads, Dacic said he was more than satisfied that it was clearly indicated at the very beginning of his mandate that the area of human rights would be one of the priorities of the Serbian parliament. “On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, I would like to reaffirm the strong commitment of the Republic of Serbia to the constant and engaged protection of fundamental human rights. I am sure I am speaking on behalf of all the MPs, whom I represent here, as well as on behalf of the political party I belong to and our friends and partners from the Serbian Progressive Party, because the values we are talking about here today and whose further promotion and protection we once again commit ourselves to, are fundamental for our political activity,” said Dacic.

Parliament adopts 2021 Budget Law (Tanjug) 

The Serbian parliament adopted late Thursday the Budget Law for 2021 and a set of accompanying laws. For the adoption of the Budget Law for next year voted 201 MPs, while four MPs were against. The budget for 2021 envisages total revenues of RSD 1,336 billion, which is an increase of 3.5 percent compared to the budget revision from 2020, as well as total expenditures and expenses of RSD 1,514 billion, which is a decrease of almost 15 percent in relation to the revision of this year’s budget. The projected deficit is RSD 178 billion, which is 3 percent of the GDP.

Lajcak: Belgrade – Pristina talks to resume in 2021 (FoNet) 

EU Special envoy for the Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on the normalization of relations Miroslav Lajcak said late on Thursday the talks would continue in 2021. He welcomed the key negotiators from both sides after the seventh round of talks in Brussels about the financial and property issues.

Chief of the NATO MLO for cfsp.rs: The public does not see how much NATO and Serbia work together (Council for Strategic Policy) 

Brigadier General Tommaso Vitale, Chief of the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade, said in an exclusive interview with the Strategic Policy Council portal, cfsp.rs, that the public does not see how much NATO and Serbia have been working together for almost 15 years, that is, since signing of the Partnership for Peace.

Vitale recalled that his first operational mission was to participate in KFOR, during which, he says, he “saw the suffering and difficulties faced by the local population, but at the same time exceptional dignity”. “We must never forget the past, but we can overcome it and that is what NATO and Serbia are doing with this partnership, we are looking towards a better future”, said the general. He also emphasized that in accordance with the UN mandate, KFOR remains fully committed to the protection of Decani, as an important shrine for the Serbian community, and added that he was lucky to spend time and feel the hospitality of Father Sava and the monks of Decani. The head of the NATO mission did not want to comment on the opening of military office of the Russian Federation in Belgrade and characterized it as an issue for Serbian or Russian authorities, but he emphasized that NATO fully respects Serbia’s policy of military neutrality. Speaking about the increasingly frequent cyber threats, the brigadier general emphasized that the attackers were targeting an increasing number of targets – from national parliaments to the Olympic Games, from vaccine manufacturers to the sites of election bodies. “Cyber ​​defense is part of the collective defense. We have made it clear that a serious cyber attack could lead to the activation of Article 5 of the Washington Agreement, our clause on collective defense,” he said. In this pre-holiday interview, Vitale said that it helped him feel at home and the fact that Italian espresso was served in Belgrade cafes “just the way Italians love it”, but that he was deeply touched when Serbia sent medical equipment to his country and that his countrymen would carry it in their hearts forever.

Next year is the 15th year since Serbia joined the Partnership for Peace. How do you assess the relations between Serbia and the Alliance?

Serbia and NATO have been developing this partnership steadily for the last fifteen years, both at the political and practical levels. We see Serbia as a valued, committed and respected partner in our efforts to consolidate security and stability in the Western Balkans. Albeit perhaps not at first glance, the NATO-Serbia partnership is indeed multifaceted if you take a deeper look. From a major civilian disaster response exercise held in Serbia in October 2018, to cooperation in the scientific and technological fields, to training of Serbian military for deployment in international peace-keeping operations, just to name a few examples. I am proud to be here and witness this first-hand. I also look forward to the further development of the NATO-Serbia partnership, during my tenure as Head of the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade. NATO is an alliance of 30 countries, all of which have their own bilateral relations with Serbia. This is of course an important factor of consideration, as we look at how Serbia interacts with NATO as an entity. For instance, in our office we have Italian, German, Hungarian, Greek, Slovenian and Croatian personnel working side by side on a daily basis with their Serbian colleagues and counterparts. NATO’s partnership with Serbia is based on a request from the Serbian authorities and is conducted in full respect of your country’s stated policy of military neutrality. In other words, we are here to assist and to support Serbia according to its own priorities. All our efforts are therefore tailor-made to Serbia’s needs. Throughout the years, we have developed extensive practical cooperation in various domains, with a focus on the reform of Serbia’s security forces, institutions and structures as the core element of our cooperation. In addition, as in any partnership, we have consolidated our political dialogue, which is key to fostering mutual understanding. In late 2019, Serbia and NATO renewed the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) within the framework of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. This was a great step forward as it provided us with an agreed cooperation platform for the next two years, featuring over 200 activities. The IPAP is a fundamental document, which encompasses both political and military issues, setting priorities and coordinating all aspects of our cooperation. For thirteen years, Serbia has been a part of the Planning and Review Process (PARP) – the basic mechanism of the PfP designed to foster the level of interoperability between Allied forces and partner forces. Through PARP, Serbia has been strengthening the capacity and operational standards of its armed forces taking part in international missions led by the UN and the EU, for which Serbia is a well-known and respected contributor across the world. I would like to take this opportunity to also mention the Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC), a PfP mechanism through which Serbian units can be trained and evaluated according to NATO standards. Through the Operational Capabilities Concept partner countries, including Serbia, have access to well-tested NATO procedures and standards; and this helps to significantly improve their respective defence capacities. Let’s be clear: this process is a two-way street, which benefits both of us. We learn from each other and we help each other. Serbia has been constantly proving that it has a lot to offer to this end. One of the latest examples comes from the implementation of NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP), through which Serbia offers its valuable experience in the reform of defence education institutions, a critical aspect in its own right for the security of many countries. Furthermore, since 2006, Serbia has contributed to more than 30 projects under NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme. These have included energy and environmental security, defence against chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear agents, counter-terrorism, cyber-defence, and human security. There are numerous ways, mechanisms and platforms for our cooperation and we are happy that Serbia uses many of them. Also, several NATO Allies and partners – including for instance Austria, the Czech Republic and Turkey – have provided critical medical aid to Serbia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

So, all in all the relations between Serbia and the Alliance are on a solid ground; they are mutually beneficial; and they are based on mutual respect.

In which areas do you see room for improvement?

We are very happy with the level of cooperation developed with Serbia. Serbia is a valued partner for us. It is up to Serbia to decide where and in what direction it wishes to take this partnership forward. Currently, in line with its own prerogatives, Serbia can choose from over 1,400 different activities to conduct together with NATO. We stand ready to provide all the required assistance to this end, including through the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade. Our office was established in 2006, at Serbia’s request, to provide support in a range of activities designed to strengthen Serbia’s defence and security capacities, its structures and institutions, within the framework of the Partnership for Peace with NATO, signed by Serbia in 2006.

How do you comment on the recent announcement that a military office of the Russian Federation will be opened in Belgrade?

We welcome our partnership with Serbia, and we fully respect its stated policy of military neutrality. We also fully respect the sovereign decision by our partners regarding the security arrangements that they want to undertake. We can have strong relations with partners – like Austria or Finland – without them being members. For the specific issue you have raised, you will have to approach the Serbian and Russian authorities for any comment.

In the domain of cyber security, how does NATO view this type of threat given that democratic societies are increasingly exposed to sophisticated hybrid attacks?

Cyber threats to the security of the Alliance are becoming more frequent, complex and destructive. Attackers are targeting an ever-growing list of targets – from national parliaments to the Olympics, and from vaccine developers to elections websites. NATO is vigilant and our defences are robust. We protect our own IT networks from cyber-attacks 24 hours a day; and we have rapid reaction cyber defence teams on 24/7 standby that can help Allies under attack. We share information about cyber threats in real-time with Allies and partners – including the EU.

Cyber defence is part of collective defence. We have made clear that a serious cyber-attack could trigger Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, our collective defence clause. We have designated cyberspace an operational domain in which NATO will operate and defend itself as effectively as it does on land, in the air, and at sea. We have set up NATO’s Cyberspace Operations Centre, in Mons, Belgium. We have also agreed Allies can integrate national cyber effects (including offensive cyber) into Alliance operations and missions. NATO’s cyber policy is defensive. As in all other domains, in cyberspace NATO acts in line with international law. Enhancing our resilience to cyber threats is critical and Allies are also bolstering their national networks and infrastructures.

How do you comment on the frequent and definitely too strong anti-NATO narrative of certain people in the authorities and certain media under their control?

I think one of the biggest challenges for NATO in Serbia is public diplomacy, since the public does not see how much we do together, and there is still a considerable information-gap. We are open and transparent about what we do and we are willing to exchange views on NATO with all interested parties. We will continue to do our best; our colleagues at NATO Headquarters in Brussels do their very best to explain what NATO is, to engage with Serbian media outlets with the aim of portraying an accurate and factual image of NATO and of our partnership with Serbia. NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg himself is especially attached to Serbia and this is apparent every time he speaks with the Serbian media. When we talk about NATO, not everyone in Serbia is aware that NATO is actually an alliance of 30 democracies. Some of those countries are among the biggest investors and economic partners of Serbia. NATO is Italy, my home country, one of its 12 founding members, NATO is also Canada. NATO is Norway, where our Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is from. NATO is Greece, where the majority of Serbs take their kids for summer holidays. NATO is Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, Denmark and many other member countries. We highly respect the Serbian public opinion. Its perceptions and perspectives are a crucial factor for us; and we take them into due account in our daily activities. We fully respect that NATO remains controversial. At the same time the NATO-Serbia partnership is on solid ground and continues to develop, in a transparent, reliable and mutually beneficial fashion. This is the message we want to give to ordinary Serbian citizens.

Since you spent more than a year in Kosovo, we can freely ask you: can Decani exist without NATO protection?

Through its long-standing KFOR mission, NATO remains committed to perform its role throughout Kosovo, to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities of Kosovo, under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999. We know that this marvelous and spectacular monastery has been there for centuries and I am convinced it is going to stand there for centuries to come, despite all challenges. I was lucky enough to see it, spend some time there and experience the hospitality of Abbot Sava and the monks in Decani. We are fully aware of how important this place of worship is for the Serbian communities and remain fully committed to contribute to its protection, in line with our UN mandate. The NATO-led KFOR was my first operational mission. I learned a lot during my time in Kosovo: I witnessed the suffering and hardships of local people, but at the same time I was able to see the remarkable dignity of those citizens during such a difficult time for them. We must never forget the past, but we can move beyond it; and that is what NATO and Serbia are doing with our partnership, looking towards a better future.

And to wrap up, one interesting thing – you are not the first Italian Chief of the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade, and the presence of Italian diplomats in other international missions is quite noticeable. Do the Italians love Serbia or do you come to our country because it is believed that you are culturally closest to us?

All Italians I know love Serbia and we are delighted that the relations between our countries are thriving. Belgrade is a truly wonderful city, the kind of city you like at first sight. It’s full of life, full of intelligent, joyful young people. It is the kind of city that makes it easy to be in a really good mood. When I arrived at the beginning of this year, I experienced a very warm welcome, something I really appreciated. It was easy for me to feel about Belgrade as a home away from home, since people here are very friendly and kind. The fact that cafes serve real Italian espresso as Italians like it also helps. Being Italian, I was delighted to see how Serbian people love Italy and Italians. Given that I have been in Belgrade since the start of the pandemic, let me add one last point, which is very important for me: the generosity and solidarity that your country showed when you sent medical equipment to Italy deeply touched me. Italians will forever remember and will always carry in our hearts what you have done for us. Thank you.

REGIONAL PRESS 

Plaque in honor of Karadzic removed from Dormitory in Pale after his daughter says it should be removed if it is only there out of spite and not in Karadzic’s honor (RTRS)

Sonja Karadzic Jovicevic (SDS), the daughter of first Republika Srpska (RS) President and SDS founder Radovan Karadzic, stated in Banja Luka on Thursday that the plaque with Karadzic’s name on it installed on the building of the Student Dorms in Pale is just an instrument for concerning behind-the-scenes activities, which is why it needs to be removed. She reminded that her father and her family have been under sanctions and huge pressures for all these years. Karadzic Jovicevic said that it is political naive to believe that the plaque with her father’s name on it is the true and only reason for the recent developments. She added that if the plaque cannot remain where it was installed out of respect, then it should not be there only out of spite. Karadzic Jovicevic expressed belief that removing the plaque will finally put an end to further daily-political settling of accounts through abuse of Radovan Karadzic’s name, primarily for pressures on him personally and members of his family. According to Karadzic-Jovicevic, it is unbelievable that nearly five years after it was unveiled the plaque became so much politically important and it was not installed ahead of any elections but few days before the first-instance verdict sentencing Karadzic to life imprisonment. “The fact that installing this plaque was a decision of all relevant political factors in the local and academic community, who organized and attended the event, is being ignored deliberately” Karadzic Jovicevic concluded. Later on, Thursday, the Steering Board of the Student Dorms in Pale decided to remove the plaque following the message of Karadzic Jovicevic. Director of the Student Dorms in Pale Damjan Skipina told RTRS that the Steering Board had Karadzic-Jovicevic’s message in mind as they respect the Karadzic family. Jovicevic said her decision is connected to the fact that her father’s name was misused, especially in a political sense. She said the plaque was misused for political reasons and that made it completely pointless. “As such, it needs to be removed”, she added. When asked if she consulted SNSD leader Milorad Dodik in regards to this decision, Sonja Karadzic-Jovicevic said that she did not, as he is not a member of her family, and this was a family decision. Karadzic Jovicevic denied claims that she gave her statement to save member Dodik from the threats made against him by the High Representative Valentin Inzko. To remind, Inzko announced that is Dodik fails to remove the plaque, as the initiator of its establishment, he will impose travelling bans onto him.

Vukanovic: Sonja Karadzic was damaging herself, her family and the opposition, as well as the RS (BN TV)

The plaque with the name of Radovan Karadzic was removed on Thursday from the student dormitory building in Pale. The removal of the plaque is a cowardly move of SNSD leader Milorad Dodik, said representative of the SDS Caucus in the RS parliament Nebojsa Vukanovic. “The great boss has unfortunately turned out to be a great coward, because he once again backed down and agreed to the ultimatums of the international community (IC) and High Representative (HR) Valentin Inzko, which asked him to remove the plaque from student dormitory building in Pale himself, as he was the one that placed it. Unfortunately, he did not have enough courage to do it himself but he pushed Karadzic’s daughter, Sonja Karadzic Jovicevic to do it for him,” Vukanovic noted. Vukanovic said Sonja was the last person that should have been tasked with this. He points that Dodik built his political career and reputation throughout the years by attacking Radovan Karadzic and SDS, whose member is Sonja Karadzic-Jovicevic. “I appealed to Sonja Karadzic not to do this, as primarily she was damaging herself, her family and the opposition, as well as the RS,” Vukanovic stated. He said that it was visible during Thursday’s press conference how uncomfortable Sonja was. She spoke of pressures that were exerted onto her family, but Vukanovic does not believe those pressures were connected to the plaque. He concluded that this move hurts SDS and the opposition in the RS, as Dodik will use this move to gloat.

HJPC President Tegeltija announces he will submit his resignation next week (N1)

President of the B&H High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Milan Tegeltija held a press conference in Banja Luka on Thursday when he announced that he will submit his resignation after the HJPC’s session next week. He said that he will step down from all judicial posts at the level of B&H and also as the president of the commission for taking judicial exams. Tegeltija stressed that he does not feel safe in Sarajevo as the HJPC President and that even his family is endangered, noting that they also sustained a number of unpleasant situations so he is just not ready to expose them to all this in the future. He warned that from the beginning of his term he has sustained pressures and threats by structures close to SDA with an aim to remove him from this post, adding that SDA is responsible for the fact that he was wiretapped by intelligence and para-intelligence agencies. According to Tegeltija, one of the reasons for orchestrated attacks on him is the fact that court processes were opened against three wartime generals of the RBiH Army during his term. He stated that he expects Goran Nezirevic, Slavo Lakic, Berina Alihodzic, Selim Karamehic and Biljana Simeunovic to also resign as the HJPC members next week, reminding that they made a public promise they will resign. “The main reason why they should step down is the fact that they were main holders of activities of the Federation of B&H (FB&H) sub-council on implementation procedures and ranking of candidates during the appointment of judges and prosecutors, i.e. the appointments that were disputed the most in the FB&H public,” Tegeltija explained. He concluded that his decision is final and nothing can change it. Tegeltija also said that he expects that pressures will continue on the Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H Gordana Tadic after his removal, noting that he was only the first barrier of SDA that plans to take over the judicial sector in B&H. He stated that he wants to stress to the public that he was not dealing with corruptive activities and that he was performing his function in an honorable manner. Tegeltija also said that he does not feel any personal responsibility. Tegeltija said that he does not have trust in the HJPC and he cannot represent the will of the majority anymore, because he disagrees with that kind of work. He stated that he performed the job of HJPC honorably and conscientiously and he will be available for the RS.

HJPC members Simeunovic, Alihodzic reject Tegetlija’s call to resign from posts (FTV/Nova BH)

Two members of the HJPC who were called by President of HJPC Milan Tegeltija to resign from their posts have reacted to this call. Biljana Simeunovic and Berina Alihodzic said that they will not resign from their posts as members of the HJPC. They added that they will see where Tegeltija will end up after he resigns. The reporter noted that the way Tegeltija announced his resignation on Thursday pretty much disturbed some members of the HJPC. Namely, Tegetija accused them of directly working on his removal with the aim to discredit him as of the beginning of his mandate and thus, he lost the trust of the HJPC. Tegeltija mentioned HJPC member Selim Karamehic as a leader of this “chase” saying that SDA stands behind him and called on Karamehic to resign, as well as some other members of the HJPC that he (Karamehic) knows very-well. Commenting on the aforementioned claims, Karamehic told Nova BH that he is unpleasantly surprised with the tone and the arguments coming from Tegeltija on Thursday, adding that Tegeltija has the right to say what he believes. Karamehic stated:” What I want to say is that no member of SDA or policies of SDA in the HJPC (stood) behind me in the HJPC and in my opinion, this argument of his does not stand a chance. As for the resignation, it is true that I have been offering my resignation for years with the aim to improve the situation in the HJPC and in the judiciary. My resignation is not disputable”. In this regard, Karamehic stated that the Brcko District Judicial Commission appointed him to this post and he will address them on Friday, asking them whether he still enjoys their support and if they say he should resign, Karamehic will submit his resignation already on Tuesday. He underlined: “My resignation is not disputable. I am ready to leave without any big words and phrases and all for the interest of the institutions of the judiciary”.

Comments on Tegeltija’s announcement (Nova BH/FTV/Dnevni avaz)

Head of the OSCE Mission to B&H Kathleen Kavalec stated that functioning and the integrity of the HJPC and the entire judiciary in B&H is above any individual member, interest group or a political faction. Kavalec said that when it comes to the announcement of HJPC President Milan Tegeltija’s resignation, the OSCE Mission to B&H believes that the HJPC must continue to perform its functions defined within the law. Kavalec underlined: “The judiciary in B&H must respect the highest ethical standards and must act beyond the reach of any political involvement or influence. Achieving this necessary goal demands reforms within the system”. Commenting on Tegeltija’s announcement, the OSCE Mission to B&H stated that Tegeltija does not represent the entire judicial system in B&H. The EU Delegation to B&H (EUD) commented the announced resignation of Tegeltija, stating that they acknowledged this information. “It is clearer now more than ever that HJPC requires serious reform. Until the new Law on HJPC is adopted, which is the requirement from the key priorities in the Opinion of the European Commission, adoption of amendments to the Law on HJPC, represents the test of credibility of the country’s dedication to judiciary reform in line with the European standards,” reads the EUD statement.

The US Embassy to B&H issued a statement commenting on the announcement of Tegeltija that he will resign next week. They assessed that the resignation of Tegeltija is one of the many steps the HJPC must take towards restoring trust with B&H citizens. “Resignation of HJPC President and regular member is only one of many steps that HJPC has to undertake in order to restore trust of the citizens. All holders of offices in justice sector and HJPC members who appoint them, have to abide by the highest ethical standards. All judges and prosecutors have to undertake steps for adequate investigation and processing of the corruption at all levels, including when it appears in their own ranks”.

Negotiations about electoral reform to intensify, US and EU want to help (Vecernji list)

The daily notes that the issue of electoral reform is becoming more topical in B&H, in light of which one has to view “sudden news” about meeting of leader of HDZ B&H Dragan Covic, SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic, US Ambassador to B&H Eric Nelson and Head of the EU Delegation to B&H Ambassador Johann Sattler. Daily reminds that the US Embassy in B&H issued a photo and a brief statement according to which the officials talked about 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). According to daily, the talks are obvious about continuation of the process of implementation of the Mostar agreement, which was signed by Covic and Izetbegovic earlier this year. Daily reminds the agreement enabled holding of the local elections in Mostar for the first time in 12 years and announced resolving of the issue of changes to the Law on Elections of B&H. The daily notes it was not realistic to expect concrete talks about the issue during the pre-election campaign, arguing that now when the elections are over, intensification of the talks seems likely. In this context daily claims, it has learned that the talks will intensify in the coming weeks and months in order to make sure a proposal is sent to the parliamentary procedure as soon as possible. The daily goes on to say that the role of international envoys in the process is very important for the talks and for success of the process, stressing it is important that the two Ambassadors took part in the first post-election meeting. According to the daily, the key issue for the Croats is the issue of legitimate representation of peoples at the state and the entity level.

DPS: A scorched and bankrupt state can’t be granted loans (CdM)

Democratic Party of Socialists hopes that the recognition of Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic that borrowing was done in secret is a reckless statement, because borrowing must be done publicly and through institutions in every country. If Krivokapic’s words turn out to be true, then it is called organized crime to the detriment of the state, it was announced today from that party. Foreign creditors, they point out, build trust on Montenegro’s stable position, investments that are being made and economic foundations that are stable and were set during the government led by DPS, while the opposition threw from a comfortable position and hindered the implementation of the economic program in every possible way.

As they add, the “scorched country” that went bankrupt can’t be granted loans, but only the one that is a NATO member, a candidate for EU membership and strategically placed on the right track. “We sincerely hope that prime minister, although he believes in miracles, does not think that this amount of money has been allocated because creditors and investors anticipated the capabilities of his government. And finally, just for comparison, Montenegro took €4 billion in loans in the past 30 years, and the new government one-fifth of that amount in just three days,” the statement said. One of the DF leader Nebojsa Medojevic harshly condemned decision on borrowing and said that if “a US Minister would automatically been arrested for conspiracy”. Medojevic said on Facebook that Ambassador Oana Cristina Popa and Judy Rising Reinke had congratulated Minister of Finance and Minister of Economic Development on successful bond issue. “Reinke, if a U.S. Finance Minister had done this, that is, sold issues in the amount of 19.2% of GDP, with an interest considerably higher than in the countries with similar credit rating, he would have been arrested immediately. Double standards,” Medojevic wrote.

Meanwhile, all parliamentary clubs have asked PM Zdravko Krvokapic to deliver decision on bond issue to them. This information was posted on Twitter by Rasko Konjevic, SDP member. In a document Konjevic shared on Twitter, MPs want Krivokapic to deliver decision on bond issue and all the accompanying material that the Government took into consideration. Head of the parliamentary club of the Movement for Changes Branko Radulovic said that the public and the parliament should have been consulted about this arrangement. “We don’t know who brought the prospect, who prepared proposal for the agreement, who legal adviser and consultant was, what the conclusions were or who signed the agreement. This process is evidently illegal and has no legitimacy,” Radulovic says.

Radulovic would sacrifice Montenegro’s dignity for good relations with Serbia (CdM)

Judging by the statement of the newly-appointed head of Montenegrin diplomacy Djordje Radulovic that Montenegro’s decision to expel Serbian Ambassador was hasty, relations with Belgrade are more important to him than Montenegro’s integrity. Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs, who has been employed in state administration for years, has conveyed a message that goof neighborly relations with Serbia are more important that protection of state interests. Radulovic stated that he “would have invited Serbian ambassador to talk to him if he had been head of the Ministry”, obviously neglecting the fact that Bozovic has been invited for talks three times. New minister seems to have forgotten (or maybe not) the fact that Bozovic’s latest message about Podgorica Assembly was endorsed by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic who said that “that is what the entire Serbia thinks”. Opinion expressed by the newly-appointed minister opposes the statement made recently by vice-president of the government Dritan Abazovic who said that he would allow anybody to undermine Montenegro. “We will never allow that to happen. URA and I. That offends our state,” Abazovic said. For DPS member Andrija Nikolic, Radulovic has proven to be unworthy of the function he performs. “Glorification of Podgorica Assembly nowadays, that’s a call for the abolition of Montenegro,” Nikolic said. Member of SDP presidency Mirko Stanic says that Radulovic should know that the decision to expel Bozovic actually came too late. Liberal party states that Radulovic continues to tap in the dark, pretending to be unknowledgeable. “If Radulovic read once again what he said, he would understand that he is actually opposing himself and no one else”, LP representatives said. Social Democrats believe that the first official statement of Minister Radulovic was scandalous at the very least. They say it’s a humiliation for Montenegro and its dignity, that he should be the first one to defend. It is obvious, they say, that for Radulovic, 1918 is not an important year. “But, to their regret, it is important to the majority, civil, European Montenegro of the 21st century, which will defend itself from the onslaught and humiliation that comes from the Government itself and its underage ministers. This example also shows how national or state interests will be defended, as Abazovic promised by shouting and waving his finger. It is obvious that these national interests will be defended, as both Abazovic and the new ruling majority have already demonstrated: by keeping silent and squinting at the allegedly civil URA to humiliation and more than obvious anti-Montenegrin activities that we have witnessed almost every day for the past few months”. On the other hand, part of the ruling parties, the Democratic People’s Party and the Socialist People’s Party, are asking Radulovic to annul the decision to expel Bozovic. However, Radulovic made it clear that it is not possible to withdraw the decision to expel Bozovic.

Ambassadors who are likely to be recalled (CdM)

Minister of Foreign Affairs Djordje Radulovic has announced that his Ministry will withdraw several ambassadors. The decision will be rendered in some of the incoming sessions. As it is certain that this decision is political, ambassadors who are likely to be withdrawn are Tarzan Milosevic, Ambassador of Montenegro to Serbia, Obrad Miso Stanisic, Ambassador of Montenegro to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Boro Vucinic, Ambassador to Croatia. This list will probably also include the following names: Sanja Vlahovic, who is now in Italy, Ferhat Dinosa, who is performing his diplomatic mission in Poland, ambassador of Montenegro to Kosovo, Aleksandar Erakovic and Vladimir Beratovic (Great Britain). The relationship between Minister Radulovic and former colleagues from the Ministry and European integration, Perisa Kastratovic, who is in Turkey on a diplomatic mission, will be interesting, as well as with former minister of foreign affairs, Miodrag Vlahovic, who is currently ambassador to Holy See.

The recall will probably be given to the ambassador to Slovenia, Vujica Lazovic, SD functionary. It will be particularly important to see how Minister Radulovic will treat former directly superior ambassador, Goran Poleksic, who is in service in Romania. The Minister’s targets will probably be also former president of Positive Montenegro, current ambassador to China, Darko Pajovic. Will Minister Radulovic keep Pajovic for the merits of his party in Montenegro’s NATO accession of will he have to explain his withdrawal to the embassies of powerful NATO allies? This remains to be seen.cWhat is certain is that Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently hasn’t got many experienced ambassadors, so we will see who will be promoted to the position of ambassador.

Buckovski delivered a document to Borisov declaring that Macedonia renounces territorial and minority claims against Bulgaria (Republika)

During his meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, PM Zoran Zaev’s diplomatic envoy and former Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski revealed that he presents a written memorandum in which Macedonia guarantees it has no territorial or minority claims toward Bulgaria. The talks are secretive and the public is not informed of the specifics of what Bulgaria wants and Macedonia is willing to accept, but the minority issue is one of the main problems being raised by Bulgaria. These two issues (territorial claims and minority issues) were raised in the public and concern our citizens, that we will face claims on your part, and that is why we proposed they are added to the Friendship treaty, Borisov told Buckovski, who insisted that Macedonia has no such claims toward Bulgaria. “We do not interfere in internal affairs and we will respect that principle,” Buckovski told Borisov. Zaev and Borisov signed the 2017 treaty which covers the issue of minorities in Bulgaria’s favor, but Bulgaria is not satisfied with its implementation, and is believed to demand a more legally binding agreement. Buckovski came to Sofia immediately after the Bulgarian veto and is meeting the leadership of the country.

Conditioning a country because of its identity is not in line with European values, Mickoski tells EU Ambassador Geer (Republika)

VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski met with the EU Ambassador to Macedonia David Geer to discuss the growing dispute with Bulgaria which vetoed the opening of Macedonia’s EU accession talks. Mickoski said the conditioning of a country’s progress toward the EU on the basis of its language, identity and history is not in line with European values. “Macedonia has the right to its own identity markers,” Mickoski said, according to the party’s press release. The opposition leader and the EU Ambassador agreed that Macedonia needs to conduct the reforms necessary for EU membership. Mickoski warned that his is difficult given the “chaos in the country created by PM Zoran Zaev, who cares more about his political ratings and businesses than for the public interest”. “For one, the mismanagement of the healthcare crisis is evident in the enormous number of deceased patients and infections, and in the near collapse of the healthcare system. We welcome the support from our European partners in this regard” Mickoski told Ambassador Geer. He called on the European Union to pay additional attention to the numerous corruption scandals and the lack of will on the part of the Government to fight crime and corruption, in fact “the Government is protecting crime”, Mickoski said.

Oliver Spasovski denies thinking about challenging Zaev (TV21)

Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski insisted that he doesn’t see himself as successor to Zoran Zaev in the party. Spasovski, who recently voiced what was for him an unusually divergent tone from Zaev on the dispute with Bulgaria. But when asked by TV21 journalist during his interview, Spasovski claimed that he has not even considered the idea of challenging Zaev. “I think he is a leader who made very important decisions in favor of our country, very courageous decisions, who managed to bring down a regime and deserves a new chance,” Spasovski said. Zaev’s government is about to face a vote of no confidence after the failure of their EU integration policy, and the SDSM party is also having a major faction, led by former leader Branko Crvenkovski, call for Zaev’s ouster.

Protests on the murder of 25-year-old Rasha by a police officer/Rama condemns the act; Interior Minister Sander Lleshaj resigns (Radio Tirana)

The second protest announced for the murder of 25-year-old Klodian Rasha in Tirana started. Protesters gathered at the Ministry of Interior threw stones at police officers who built a fence to protect institutions and uprooted some decorative trees. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Sander Lleshaj resigned in the wake of the persistent demand of the protesters for his resignation. The news was confirmed by Prime Minister Edi Rama during a live message about the murder of the 25-year-old. Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that after the tragic event where the 25-year-old Klodian Rasha was killed by a police officer, Minister Sander Lleshaj has resigned. “Lleshaj has nothing to do with the heinous act of killing a 25-year-old boy. Today they should all learn that in this country not everyone is the same, not even politicians. He has nothing to do with the act of the police, but a boy was killed and a grave was opened in the soul of the Albanians,” said the Prime Minister. Rama has condemned the act committed by the police officer, who said that the murder was completely inexplicable, an unreasonable act and that has nothing to do with any police mission at that time. Rama said that justice will decide on him. “The police need to investigate everything. Justice needs its time,” said Rama.