LOCAL PRESS 

Selakovic: OMIK to remain neutral (FoNet/RTV) 

It is of utmost importance for Serbia that the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Metohija (OMIK) remains neutral, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said on Monday. In the meeting with the OMIK Head Michael Davenport, Selakovic recalled that Belgrade had fulfilled its obligations from the Brussels agreement and added Pristina did not form the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO), a part of that agreement. Selakovic said his country was ready to resume the dialogue with Pristina on the normalization of relations, including internally displaced people, property and cultural heritage. He told Davenport there were over 42,000 court cases of usurpation of Serb property and informed him about frequent attacks on the Serbs, their possessions, churches and monasteries. Selakovic said it was essential to find out what had happened to 17 missing or killed journalist in Kosovo and Metohija during the 1998-1999 war there. He added that none of those cases had been investigated nor any of the perpetrators punished.

Selakovic: Improvement of cooperation with US one of foreign policy priorities (RTV/Tanjug) 

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic stated on Monday, during a meeting with US Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey, that the improvement of all areas of cooperation with the US is one of foreign policy priorities of Serbia and that our country is committed to making the cooperation as broad and comprehensive as possible. Godfrey highlighted the US support to Serbia’s EU path, as well as to the economic growth of our country and the region. Selakovic also pointed out that our country is grateful to Washington for its continuous support to the dialogue with Pristina under the EU auspices, as a process for a peaceful, compromise and sustainable solution to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. The interlocutors confirmed that both countries are committed to the implementation of the Washington agreement on the normalization of economic relations, as a step towards the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

EU: Chance for Belgrade-Pristina deal, no time to lose (Tanjug) 

EU foreign ministers are in a strategic debate on the Western Balkans based on an unofficial document prepared by EU foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell, Tanjug learns. A non-paper on stepped-up EU engagement in the Western Balkans, seen by Tanjug in Brussels, says Serbia is expected to accelerate the dynamism of reforms in the country, as well as to seize the opportunity to reach an agreement with Kosovo. The document says the Belgrade and Pristina authorities currently have strong mandates obtained in elections that they should use to reach a comprehensive agreement on normalization. Neither side has time to lose, the document says, adding that the EU is working on enabling a continuation of the process of negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels. The non-paper calls on Pristina to make decisive reform efforts and progress in the EU-facilitated dialogue in order to advance on the EU path. The document also notes that Serbia’s EU integration process must be accelerated and Belgrade is urged to speed up reforms, in particular in rule of law and governance, as well as to consolidate its geopolitical orientation.

Borell: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to resume by end of June (RTS/Tanjug) 

EU foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell announced on Monday the next round of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue would be held by the end of June because the new Pristina government had asked for more time to familiarize itself with the situation from the previous rounds of the dialogue. Borrell also said he would host a traditional dinner for Western Balkan leaders in Brussels next week. He said the entire political situation in the Western Balkans would be addressed at the dinner and that the region was a large geopolitical problem – a part of the problem and a part of the solution. During a Council of the EU meeting and a debate on the Western Balkans earlier in the day, Borrell urged EU ministers to give specific proposals for strengthening the EU engagement in the region.

US Embassy in Belgrade: We support process that leads towards comprehensive and binding agreement on normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, at the center of which is mutual recognition (Tanjug) 

The Embassy emphasizes that they support the process that leads to a comprehensive and binding agreement on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, at the center of which, as they say, is mutual recognition, which strengthens democratic institutions and leads to progress through EU integration. “Many elements of the Washington commitments support these goals, especially those related to energy diversification, regional connectivity, maintaining a moratorium on new memberships in international organizations and withdrawing recognition decisions, as well as locating and identifying missing persons,” the Embassy stated. We will continue to give priority to these elements of the Washington obligations, it is added. “The United States agrees that some issues are best resolved through a dialogue led by the EU and are ready to support that process in every way,” the Embassy told Tanjug.

Vucic, Sapic: Unification until the end of May (Tanjug/B92) 

SNS President Aleksandar Vucic briefly told reporters that they had talked about many things, while SPAS leader Aleksandar Sapic announced the unification of the two parties by the end of May. Sapic told reporters that the impression after the meeting was good, that everything was as he expected and that the two delegations discussed technical issues and points around which they would unite. Asked whether SPAS unanimously made a decision on the party’s bodies on unification, Sapic said that the Main Board would still be held, but noted that everyone in the party\’s presidency was informed, as well as local committees in Serbia, and that the reaction was better than what he expected. Asked when the next meeting will be held, Sapic answered that the two parties will be in daily communication. When asked by journalists whether he received praise for last night\’s appearance in a television show, Sapic said that he did. The meeting of the delegations at the SNS headquarters ended at around 6 pm, and soon after Sapic, Vucic left the headquarters of that party, and when asked what they talked about, he briefly commented on “many things”. Apart from Vucic, the SNS delegation included party officials Sinisa Mali, Milos Vucevic, Darko Glisic and Dejan Djurdjevic, while Sapic was accompanied by members of the SPAS Presidency, Marija Lekovic and Radovan Tvrdisic.

REGIONAL PRESS 

EU Foreign Ministers discuss problems and future of Western Balkan region, Croatian 

‘non-paper’ calling for support to amendments to Election Law of B&H on table; European non-paper for Western Balkans presented to EU Foreign Ministers (N1/Nova BH) 

EU Foreign Ministers attended a summit on Monday during which the strategic partnership with the Western Balkans was discussed. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell expressed strong support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of BiH by the EU Ministers. The Ministers supported the further integration of the region into the EU and they believe this is one of the key things for both the region and the EU. It was highlighted that the EU path of all countries in the Western Balkans slowed down and the EU wants to help speed this process up. The Ministers stressed that in the case of B&H it is necessary to fulfill 14 priorities highlighted by the European Commission and to improve functionality of the state. This should be done through constitutional and legislative reforms, including several important laws that need to be adopted soon. The Ministers announced that they will engage in accelerating the process of the EU integration of the region in the context of regional cooperation, rule of law and sustainable economic development. It was announced that the EU will continue working on the process of reconciliation and the historic heritage. The alleged non-paper that discussed redrawing of borders in the Western Balkans was discussed as well. The Ministers agreed that the questioning of territorial integrity of B&H is very dangerous and it can lead to dangerous divisions. They assessed that the rhetoric about secession and further ethnic division is dangerous, as well as unacceptable and the Ministers called for this rhetoric to end. Borrell stated that B&H needs to focus on constitutional and election reforms during 2021 and the EU needs to support this process. Nova BH noted that the meeting comes after publishing several unofficial non-papers, some of which have not been proven as authentic, over the past couple of months. Participants stressed that the Western Balkans is important in Europe and for Europe, but that reforms need to be accelerated. They discussed the so-called Croatian non-paper calling for support to amendments to the Election Law of B&H, which reads among other things that the electoral reform should be implemented without further delay – prior to the 2022 general elections in B&H. Ahead of the meeting, Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic-Radman reminded of the stance that the status of constituent peoples is a key to state functionality and the EU path of B&H. “Contrary to what was presented by media, this concept is not incompatible with the ruling in the Sejdic-Finci case. Elimination of any kind of discrimination in the election process is essential, which can be achieved through amendments to the Election Law of B&H,” Grlic-Radman stated. Borrell noted that the Ministers have agreed that B&H should amend the Constitution and the Election Law of B&H this year. “We must support them through everyday engagement of our representative in Sarajevo”, Borrell stressed. Nova BH reminded that insisting on the electoral reform in B&H is part of Croatia’s big diplomatic offensive which had support of several EU countries from the start, noting that Croatia’s stances on amending the Election law of B&H have become dominant in the EU

Media in Croatia placed information that their version of non-paper was accepted in 

the EU (BHT1) 

According to BHT1, media in Croatia placed the information that their version of the non-paper was accepted in the EU, but the confirmation of EU officials was missing. According to the reporter, Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic-Radman did not miss a chance to emphasize that the concept of constituent peoples in B&H is the key for the European path of B&H, but the crucial thing is also elimination of discrimination in the election process and in his opinion, the solution lies in changing of the B&H Election Law. Grlic-Radman argued: “The biggest challenge in the region is the situation in B&H and in this case, I would like to emphasize the importance of the concept of the three constituent peoples that is the key for functionality, stability and the European path of this country. Contrary to what recently appeared in media, this concept is not incompatible with the Sejdic-Finci vs. B&H ruling.”

Commenting on this issue, professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Sarajevo Nedzma Dzananovic Mirascija stated over phone that rulings of the European Court of Human Rights in cases of discrimination like the Sejdic-Finci vs. B&H ruling and similar cases cannot be implemented by introduction of more ethnic discrimination. In her opinion, this is what the Croatian diplomacy – aside from benevolent suggestions – obviously does not understand. The reporter assessed that, as the story on non-papers came from Slovenia, everyone expected from Slovenians to present more stances on solutions for the Western Balkans, but they sent only some mild messages; they support the Western Balkans and it has a strategic importance for the EU. Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anze Logar said: “As you know, Slovenia will be the host of an informal summit on the Western Balkans at the beginning of October. We are looking forward to hearing opinions of our colleagues and we will strongly support views that this region has a strategic importance for the EU.” Political analyst Denis Carkadzic stated that the interest of the EU is stable Balkans within the EU, without crime and corruption, the Balkans without drawing of borders, non-papers, adding that the Brussels does not have the strength to bring what should be delivered bearing in mind that their foreign policy that is in his opinion, really catastrophic. BHT1 noted that B&H is making small steps towards the EU family but it will hardly be achieved without a clear plan for enlargement, while B&H’s homework remains clear: to meet the 14 priorities of the European Commission.

Appointment of Brkic (Dnevni avaz) 

The Council of Ministers (CoM) of B&H held an extraordinary session over the phone (not mentioned when, presumably on Monday), during which it changed its earlier decision on appointment of CoM representatives to the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG), which will work on changes to the Law on Elections of B&H. Namely, the CoM appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of B&H Josip Brkic into the IAWG, instead of Minister of Finance and Treasury of BiH Vjekoslav Bevanda. The CoM also adopted an information prepared by the Directorate for European Integration (DEI) of B&H about holding of the 5th Subcommittee meeting on Transport, Energy, Environment and Regional Development between the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will take place on 20 May. The CoM approved composition of B&H’s delegation and adopted several conclusions, which should facilitate better preparations for the meeting. Head of B&H’s delegation will be Mirza Hujic from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of B&H.

Herceg Novi: Preliminary election results (CdM) 

The Municipal Election Commission (OIK) of Herceg Novi has stated on Monday the first preliminary results of the local elections that were held in this coastal municipality. “The coalition Don’t Turn Left or Right – Go Straight to Novi received the most votes – 4,568 (10 seats). It’s followed by the coalition European Team for Herceg Novi with 8 seats. Then follows the coalition For the Future of Herceg Novi and Boka with 7 seats, Novi List with also 7 seats, Black on White 2 seats, while Real Novi won 1 seat,” according to the OIK Herceg Novi.

VC: Draft prosecutorial laws still contain shortcomings (CdM) 

While using its legislative power to design the future organization and functioning of the judiciary, the parliament should refrain from adopting measures that would jeopardize the continuity of membership of the High Judicial Council and the independence of the judiciary (judges and prosecutors), according to a new Venice Commission (VC) opinion which CdM has had access to. Premature dismissal of all members of the Prosecutorial Council would set a precedent according to which any government or any new parliament could terminate its existence early and replace it with a new Council, thus violating its independence. The VC, on the other hand, has found that the renewal of members could be justified only when the method of appointment is changed from a simple to a qualified majority, as this would pose less risk to the politicization of the Council. As for the method of electing eminent lawyers, the VC has stressed again the need to ensure that the Prosecutorial Council is not politicized.

It is not possible to decouple Albania from Macedonia (Euronews/Republika) 

Zoran Zaev came out strongly against decoupling Macedonia and Albania in the EU accession process – a move that could see Albania open its EU accession talks while Macedonia remains blocked by Bulgaria. Zaev flew to Brussels on Monday, days after Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, during a visit to Skopje, noted that this is a possibility. This would mean a major foreign policy defeat for the Zaev regime, which has staked all on the theory that making concessions to Greece and promising them to Bulgaria would be lead to quick EU accession.

In an interview with Euronews, Zaev openly came out against the idea of allowing Albania to move forward, even as he dismissed the possibility of making concessions with the Macedonian national identity in the talks with Bulgaria. It’s not possible to have decoupling, or development or event for practical reasons without a word of (North) Macedonia after everything that’s happened, Zaev told Euronews, insisting that Macedonia deserves to open the accession talks. “Our identity, Macedonian language, Macedonian identity, are holy for us, like for every country. Our Macedonian language and Macedonian identity are not negotiable. We have our pride and we have our identity. Our pride can go up and down. We showed that through the Prespa agreement and with our diplomacy and flexibility. Our identity is one and unique and there is no possibility my government or any other government to negotiate for that. And therefore, it’s not possible either a state or even a union we are not still members to play with that”, he added. Zaev said that delaying the accession talks for Macedonia would be a “huge risk, for Bulgaria, for Macedonia and the whole Balkans”, warning about a new push to redraw borders in the Balkans to create greater states for the Serbs, Albanians and Croats. “We are completely, all of us, dedicated to our European Union future. But there is still extreme and radical forces all around inside the Balkans, out of Balkans, who are very much focused and they wait chance for that kind of unpleasant activities. The Prespa agreement can be at risk only if there is bitter feelings to the citizens of (North) Macedonia and the whole region, if more reasons for nationalism and extremism appear, which is present everywhere, especially in the Balkans, and can damage the agreement, but we believe that we have enough strength to protect it”.

Macedonia will not negotiate about its national identity, Zaev told Sassoli (Republika) 

During his visit to Brussels Monday, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev also met with the speaker of the European Parliament, Italian socialist David Sassoli, to discuss the danger of having Albania open EU accession talks ahead of Macedonia. According to the government press release, Zaev insisted that Macedonia will not allow to negotiate on its identity and will not have this issue on the table. Zaev faces demands from Bulgaria that Macedonia makes major concessions on issues of national identity and history, in accordance with the 2017 Zaev – Borisov treaty. His failure to deliver led to the Bulgarian veto, and Albania now has a chance of opening accession talks ahead of Macedonia.

Zaev – Von Der Leyen meeting: Identity issue non-negotiable, EC to be further engaged (Republika) 

The Macedonian language and Macedonian identity, which have been imposed as an issue by Bulgaria, should not be a topic of discussion and engagement in Brussels, and this is the only way for Macedonia to continue to talk on its European future, said Prime Minister Zoran Zaev at a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Monday.

Macedonian identity, in addition to being a matter of pride, is also a matter of facts, science, tradition and national symbol of our people. It is not and will not be the subject of negotiations. European values are a guidance for us, but the protection of identity is also a European value, Zaev said at a meeting with Von der Leyen. Zaev added that Macedonia has implemented all reforms, that their implementation is subject to several processes for the application of European standards at home and that all EU criteria for opening the membership process have been met. At the meeting with Zaev, Ursula von der Layen confirmed that the EC will make an even more substantial commitment because, as she said, this is a very important process that must not delay the start of Macedonia’s EU accession negotiations, and that it is committed to the two countries, Macedonia and Albania, continuing negotiations together without further delay.

Zaev – Varhelyi in Brussels: Identity can’t be a reason for blocking EU integration (Republika) 

Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Nikola Dimitrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani and the Head of Mission of Macedonia to the EU, Agneza Rusi-Popovska, met Monday in Brussels with EU Commissioner for EU Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi. Varhelyi welcomed the Macedonian delegation with the message that his goal, as well as the goal of the European Commission during the current Portuguese EU presidency is to accept the negotiating framework for Macedonia and to hold the first intergovernmental conference to start the country’s EU accession talks. Varhelyi added that the EU is committed to the Western Balkans and that today, after 2.5 years, a strategic debate on the Western Balkans is being held in the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU member states, in which unblocking Macedonia’s European path is the number one priority. Brussels makes every effort and supports all ideas for solutions in order to unblock this process. At the meeting with Varhelyi, Zaev stressed that he highly appreciates these efforts of the European Commission and that he expects an appropriate level of interlocutors and collaborators from Bulgaria. The caretaker government in Bulgaria may be an opportunity for a solution soon, but we expect the other side to be encouraged for openness, readiness and commitment to a solution, said Prime Minister Zaev at the meeting. At a meeting in Brussels, Zaev and Varhelyi agreed that identity could not be a reason for blocking Macedonia’s EU integration.

Commissioner Varhelyi expresses optimism for the EU enlargement policy (Radio Tirana) 

The Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Oliver Varhelyi, while posting photos from the meeting of the Council of Foreign Affairs of the European Union, underlined that the discussions were fruitful.  Varhelyi writes that today the Western Balkans’ perspective for the EU has been confirmed, it is indisputable and that negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia should start. “In the Foreign Affairs Council for the European Commission today was a good discussion on the Western Balkans, confirming that the region’s perspective in the EU is indisputable and the commitment to further increase engagement. The need to start accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia and the continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue,” writes the Commissioner.