LOCAL PRESS 

Stankovic: They are dragging three municipalities into dialogue in vain (Novosti) 

Wishes and provocations are one thing, but the reality is that Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja are functioning according to the Serbian Constitution, laws and adopted international conventions. The leaders of local self-governments and state institutions are conducting their full

Implementation in that region, along with full support of international officials, who are firm in their stand that there was not, there is not, and will not be talks about the territory of these three municipalities in Brussels or any other place, considering that at issue is an inalienable part of our country, the Head of the Coordinating Body for Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja Zoran Stankovic told Novosti on the occasion of the ever louder stories ho these three municipalities might end up in the “package” during the Brussels dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Dacic: I don’t believe EP will be objective (TV Vesti/RTV/Tanjug/FoNet) 

Serbian parliament speaker Ivica Dacic said on Monday that he doesn’t believe the European Parliament officials mediating the inter-party dialogue will be objective. Dacic told TV Vesti that the some of what the European Parliament officials did in the first phase of the dialogue was not objective and almost sided with opposition parties. He said that he made that same statement in a recent video conference. They’re not going to tell me who will take part in the dialogue, he said.

He notes that he had stated this at the recently held video conference with the EP officials who will mediate in the dialogue, adding they will not determine who will take part in the dialogue.

According to him, what’s important to the mediators is to get the two or three parties that boycotted the elections to take part. He said that he does not know if they want the other opposition parties to take part. He said that the parties started sending platforms and added that he did not see the platform of Djilas and other parties that boycotted the elections, because they never sent it. “The proposals must be realistic, sustainable and applicable,” said Dacic, who proposed that talks be held with the parties from 15 to 19 March, but it was too fast for European representatives.

Markovic Palma: No document about Egypt recognizing so-called Kosovo (FoNet) 

The leader of United Serbia (JP) party, MP and president of the Assembly of the City of Jagodina, Dragan Markovic Palma, met today in Hurghada with the governor of the Red Sea, Major General Amr Hanafi, Markovic’s cabinet stated. During their conversation, Markovic and Hanafi agreed that bilateral relations between the two friendly countries are on an upward path, but that there is room for further strengthening of economic relations. The JS leader said that the biggest problem for Serbia is the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija, that Serbia received information that there is no paper in Egypt stating that Egypt recognizes independence of our southern province, but that the provisional institutions in Pristina count Egypt among the countries that do, based only on a statement made by former President Morsi three weeks before he was ousted from power. “It would mean a lot to Serbia if the friendly Egypt would officially issue a statement saying that a document about the recognition of Kosovo does not exist,” he said.

Stano: Time to move forward on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug) 

European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said on Monday that its time to take a step forward in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and bring the process to a successful end. Stano told a news conference that efforts are underway to reach an agreement, adding that the EU member states expect the dialogue to continue soon with both sides helping reach a successful outcome. He said that the main goal in normalizing Belgrade-Pristina relations is a comprehensive, legally binding agreement which would contribute to regional stability and was acceptable to both sides. Stano added that both sides know what is and what isn’t possible. According to Stano, the political leaders in the region should set an example by showing mutual trust and cooperation with everyone in the region, including the next Kosovo government, building constructive relations, implementing reforms and progressing on their European path.

CoE: Serbia makes some progress in rule of law, more to do (N1) 

Tobias Flessenkemper, the Head of the Council of Europe (CoE) Office in Belgrade, told N1 Serbia made some progress in the rule of law but that more substantial changes were needed.

“More has to be done to strengthen the prosecutors’ autonomy, judicial reform… The government said it would do that through the Constitutional changes,” he said. Flessenkemper added it was most important, and that is why we expect the implementation of those changes.

REGIONAL PRESS 

Dodik asks for special session of RS parliament regarding work of HR and OHR (BN TV)

Speaker of the Republika Srpska (RS) parliament Nedeljko Cubrilovic has scheduled a session of the RS parliament Collegium for Tuesday. The Collegium is supposed to determine the proposal of the agenda and the date of holding of the 18th special session. Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik has proposed a discussion on the topic ‘Evaluation of the work of the High Representative, application of Annex 10 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in B&H during the talks on the appointment of a new High Representative. Dodik asked for a special session to be held, at which representatives would discuss the work of the High Representative (HR) in B&H and the announced arrival of a new one. They would also discuss Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and the work of the Office of the High Representative (OHR). A session of the Collegium will be held on Tuesday and members will talk about Dodik’s request. “B&H finds itself at a situation where it must make a choice; either it will fully respect the provisions of the DPA or it will peacefully split up, because the third option is no longer possible” Dodik was quoted as saying. He expects the RS parliament to adopt a conclusion, rejecting the appointment of the new HR in B&H, if this procedure is conducted in an illegal manner, i.e. against the DPA provisions, like all other High Representatives were appointed in the past. “Since the RS is not asking for the arrival of the new HR in B&H, I can already say that he, if he comes, would arrive here illegally, against the provisions of Annex 10, which gives him political life in B&H. This is why I believe that opinion on this matter must be provided by the highest legislative body of the RS, its National Assembly, which is the only relevant place at which the RS can authoritatively consider most important matters for its future” Dodik wrote in his explanation of this request. Dodik said he requested the session in accordance with the RS parliament Rules of Procedure “with the aim to bring back the legitimacy of decision making to the RS parliament that represents the RS in all issues related to the DPA, as the final arbiter for the issue”. Dodik stressed that, according to the relevant procedure related to appointment of the HR in B&H, only Carl Bildt was appointed legally, “we have the situation of bluffing by the international community with regard to that, violation of the international law regarding Annex 10, according to which the signatories request from the UN Security Council appointment of the HR and only then he can be appointed. This has never been done except in the case of Bildt”. Dodik said that Bosniak political elite has not changed their position since 1995 and, with the assistance from the HR, they have imposed solutions in their favor. “It has brought to question all measures the HR has undertaken” said Dodik, noting that his goal is that the RS parliament provides its opinion on appointment of the new HR “which implies that it should be done in accordance with Annex 10, as envisaged, i.e. to consult the signatories and that we will accept only the legitimate appointment of the HR, although we are advocating for closing down of the Office of High Representative.” Dodik stressed this is a key moment for the RS to succeed in its efforts to have the right to make decisions and said that the RS remains committed to respecting the DPA, i.e. Annex 10. Dodik said that, in light of announcements that B&H could get a new HR, it is necessary that those directly concerned with the decision declare themselves about it, namely the RS, the Federation of B&H, Serbia, Croatia and B&H.

RS officials react to Dodik’s request for special session (Nezavisne)

Head of PDP Caucus in the RS parliament Perica Bundalo said that it would have been better of all parliamentary parties had held consultations before convening the special session. He noted that such important topics deserve a minimum of consensus and unity before they are discussed by the RS parliament. Bundalo announced that he will propose such consultations at the session of the RS parliament’s Collegium which is scheduled for Tuesday. RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic stated that it is high time for the High Representative to leave B&H. He underlined that a country with aspirations for EU membership cannot be under protectorate. Viskovic reminded that some EU officials also believe that it is time to reduce the competences of the High Representative. He concluded that the RS parliament needs to express the opinion of the RS that OHR needs to be closed after the tenure of Valentin Inzko. Head of SNSD Caucus in the RS parliament Igor Zunic stated that the RS parliament needs to analyze work of the OHR in the past so that those who are making the decision on appointment of the new High Representative contrary to the provisions of Dayton Agreement have a clear stance of the RS parliament.

Appointment of Schmidt as HR is not done deal; Canada has their own candidate for post of new HR (Hayat)

Hayat reports that the appointment of German politician Christian Schmidt as a High Representative is not a done deal, being that Canada proposed their own candidate. Namely, the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) will discuss the possibility for appointing former senior official of the World Bank and advisor in Justin Trudeau’s government, Joseph Ingram, as the new HR. At the same time, the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada sent a letter to Trudeau, expressing concern over Schmidt’s nomination. Representatives of the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada got a written response from the Canadian Prime Minister according to which Canada will take their stances into account. Hayat noted that it is interesting that not long after that, a Canadian proposal for the new HR emerged. Director of the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada Emir Ramic stressed that in its letter, the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada especially emphasized the fact that Schmidt’s party – the Christian Democratic Union of Germany – supports HDZ, both the Croatian and the B&H branch. “Schmidt received an Order of Ante Starcevic from the abovementioned party, an award that was also presented to persons charged and convicted of war crimes in B&H. We believe that the OHR needs to remain an international, institutional pillar in the democratization of B&H. This important international role should belong to a person that is capable of using the Office (of the High Representative) for the establishment of a just constitutional order for all citizens of B&H. We believe that Christian Schmidt is not that person. The HR needs to have a clear pro-reform and pro-Euro-Atlantic agenda in accordance with the decisions of the B&H parliament. We expect to clearly see how the OHR will deal with those who undermine the rule of law and continue to jeopardize the sovereignty and territorial integrity of B&H. We especially expect (to see) how the OHR will act towards deniers of judicial facts about genocide in B&H, glorification of convicted war criminals and revision of historical facts about the aggression and genocide in B&H,” Ramic underlined.

Cvijanovic: Chances for coexistence are at lowest level (Glas Srpske)

RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic commented the motion against RS Law on Forests filed by Bosniak members of RS Council of Peoples (RS CoP) in a statement for the daily. She described the motion and the request to declare the Law on Forests unconstitutional as yet another attack against the RS and its property. “That is also an attack against the very foundation of the Dayton B&H which they never accepted, because their vision of B&H is the one in which one people dominates over the others. This motion dies not only question the concrete law, but also the Constitution of B&H which does not contain any provisions recognizing B&H’s right to own property and manage forests,” said Cvijanovic. According to her, SDA is doing this because it counts on support of the Constitutional Court, its foreign judges, OHR and a significant part of the international community, and the goal is to strip the RS of all its competences and create a unitary state. She underlined that this situation has reduced all changes for a normal coexistence to a minimum. Cvijanovic accused the Bosniak delegates of abusing the mechanism for protection of vital national interests and the RS CoP in order to achieve political goals. She noted that SDA is constantly creating political crises, and they cannot even be stopped by the pandemic and the fact that people are dying on a daily basis. Cvijanovic announced that the RS institutions will respond to this latest attack against the RS.

Djukanovic: Those who oppose civil Montenegro and destroy the national identity will be held accountable for it (RTNK)

Extreme national chauvinism has been growing, and those who oppose civil Montenegro and destroy the national identity will be accountable for it, President Milo Djukanovic told in an interview with RTNK. He pointed out that the political structures which had won in the parliamentary elections would not be able to do it. “We must warn very clearly those who perceive power as a chance to destroy the Montenegrin identity that they cannot do it, and that everything they do remains very precisely recorded and deeply engraved. And that everyone who is doing it will be held accountable,” said Djukanovic. Commenting on the fact that the government’s delegation laid wreaths on the grave of King Nikola Petrovic Njegos, he told that it was one in a series of incidents provoked by the incompetent government. According to him, they have always been trying to provoke a small incident or a small mischief at the expense of the former government, not caring about the damage they’re inflicting on the state of Montenegro and its national interests. President Djukanovic stresses that Cetinje residents recognized their intention and acted responsibly. On the statement of a representative of the SPC Velibor Dzomic that there are more priests than soldiers in Montenegro, the President said: “We will have to settle this discrepancy naturally. There will be no place in Montenegro for those who are staying in it illegally.”

Current government exhausted both politically and in terms of personnel, ministers with scandals, no projects, can’t endure the entire term (TV 24)

Former VMRO-DPMNE MP Ilija Dimovski said in an interview with TV 24 that the current Government is exhausted both politically and in terms of its personnel, ministers with scandals, ministers who do not promote projects, so it cannot endure the entire term, after which PM Zoran Zaev admitted that Macedonia needs a new government. “The current government is exhausted both politically and in terms of its personnel, there are ministers we no longer see in public, they do not promote policies, they do not promote projects and programs, there are also ministers in the government who are full of scandals, don’t have NATO certificates, their policies not implemented, major projects are not realized and face backlash from the public,” says Dimovski. Dimovski says that Zaev himself admitted that it is because of this that Macedonia needs a new government, this government can’t endure the entire term and this government can’t implement the policies that are necessary.

Selmani: Zaev made the offer for a broad government in haste (TV Telma)

Imer Selmani said Monday on TV Telma that Prime Minister Zoran Zaev made the offer for a broad government in haste. “Only after 2-3 days after confirming the confidence in the Parliament, the Prime Minister rushed to offer a broad government, which was neither understood nor accepted. Why did such a serious offer happen so in haste? I think that the source of the offer lies in the very basis and the great desire of the Prime Minister to have reconciliation in the base, which he called a society for all. Unfortunately, it does not find fertile ground in the Balkans, when we have such a division in society. The desire for a society for all was given by the Prime Minister insufficiently thought out,” said Selmani.

US calls on party leaders: Select candidates don’t have problems with the law (Radio Tirana)

The parties will submit their candidate lists to the Central Election Commission, US Ambassador Yuri Kim gave a message to all political leaders. She reiterates the view that all candidates should not be persons who have problems with the law. “Tomorrow is the deadline for political parties to submit candidate lists for the 25 April elections. The US has been very clear about the responsibility of leaders who must provide clean candidates under Albanian law and appointments by the US Secretary of State. Albanians from all walks of life tell me that their biggest concern is corruption, lack of transparency and impunity that threaten the future of their children. The lists presented by the parties tomorrow will tell us if the leaders understood the message; whether they are committed to EU membership and whether they are willing to make the difficult and necessary decisions needed for a more democratic future. We expect party leaders to show real leadership. We will strongly support the Central Election Commission as it reviews the candidate lists, which is a task that must first be undertaken on behalf of the Albanian voters,” the US Ambassador concluded.

Two largest parties submitted lists of their candidates for MPs in the 25 April elections. Strong changes made (Radio Tirana)

In Albania, the two largest parties submitted shortly after midnight the lists of their candidates for MPs in the 25 April elections. Both the Socialists and the Democrats have made strong changes compared to the names of 4 years ago, but they differ from the approach to the alignment of candidates in what is called the safe zone. While the Democrats have generally adhered to an alignment based on the electoral power of each candidate, the Socialists have chosen the opposite, putting the names of the political leaders of the counties at the bottom of the safe zone. “It is completely meaningless for the leadership to remain at the top, in the first places of the lists, which in fact is not to be at the top of the battle”, declared before the meeting of the chairmanship, the socialist leader Edi Rama, who himself will candidate in two lists, both in Vlora and in Durres, in 8th place, which represents the basic objective of the mandates that the socialists aim at in these two regions. But in fact, this rule has not been applied everywhere. In Diber, the political leader, Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka, was not included in the lists of this region at all, being transferred to Korca. Also, in Tirana, the two political leaders, Ervin Bushati and Elisa Spiropali, are at the top of the list. At the head of the counties, with the exception of Fier, where is the name of Deputy Prime Minister Erion Brace and Dibra, Lavdrim Krashi an immigrant with a success story in London, all are women, the vast majority, completely new names and without a direct connection with politics. What stands out is the fact that well-known socialist figures were left out of the selection. Some of them, such as Vasilika Hysi, Eglantina Gjermeni, Besnik Bare, Musa Ulqini, have publicly stated that they have withdrawn. For others, such as the case of former Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati, the decision was clear to leave out. Mr. Bushati received another blow from Mr. Rama, when in 2019, he was removed from the political direction of Shkodra region. The relations between the two generally recognized only aggravations, also due to Bushati’s public criticism of some aspects of the way of governing, or even some government decisions. Some other socialist figures such as the former Minister of Defense, and the current Chairwoman of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Parliament Mimi Kodheli, or the former Prime Minister and Minister of State for the Diaspora Pandeli Majko, are listed in endangered zone of the list. On the other hand, Mr. Basha of the Democratic Party has undertaken strong changes, leaving out well-known names, while others, as in the case of the Socialists, have moved down to unsafe zones of the lists. There are at least 11 former Democrat MPs who have been left out, among them names like Genc Pollo or Luciano Boci. Also, it is not clear the election of the Democratic chairman, not to include some of his close associates in the party, such as Fatbardh Kadilli or Enno Bozdo. The Democratic candidates seem to have been severely penalized by the fact that in order to keep a united opposition, Mr. Basha has been forced to make significant concessions to its small allies. Only in Tirana, in the safe zone of the list, there are 5 names of allies, Fatmir Mediu, the Republican leader, Shpetim Idrizi of PDIU together with Mesila Dodan, Vangjel Dulen of PBDNJ and Dashamir Shehin of LZHK. While the Christian Democrat leader Nard Ndoka is listed in an almost insecure area. What stands out in the PD lists is the fact of including in them some of the names that the Commission for the selection of candidacies, promoted as a novelty by Mr. Basha. And not only that, but they are listed in safe parts in the counties where they are assigned.