LOCAL PRESS

Petkovic: Crime in Gorazdevac will not and must not be forgotten (RTS)

It is 18 years of immeasurable sorrow and pain due to a senseless terrorist attack on Serbian youth, in Gorazdevac, the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said in a statement. On 13 August 2003, while bathing in the Bistrica River, two Serb children were killed and four were wounded by gunfire. Pantelija Dakic (12) and Ivan Jovovic (19) lost their lives, and Marko Bogicevic (12), Dragana Srbljak (13), Bogdan Bukumiric (14) and Djordje Ugrenovic (20) were seriously injured. Extinguished young lives are a symbol of the martyrdom and suffering of the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija and an incomprehensible ideology of hatred, directed towards an entire nation, but also an indicator that evil never rests and that lasting and sustainable peace is something we need and what we have to advocate and fight for. The crime in Gorazdevac is one of the four biggest crimes against the Serbs since 1999 and the arrival of international missions in Kosovo and Metohija, in addition to the murder of harvesters in Staro Gracko, the murder of the Stolic family in Obilic and passengers of the Nis Express bus near Podujevo. Despite the promise of the then UNMIK police chief that he would “turn over every piece of land in order to find the killers”, the attackers on Serb children have not been found to this day. On 25 December 2010, the EULEX prosecutor made a scandalous decision and officially suspended the investigation in this procedure. The failure of the international judiciary to shed light on crimes against the Serb population is an indelible stain on the face of those whose basic task and duty was to establish the rule of law in post-war Kosovo and Metohija. Today, when we mark this sad anniversary, we say that, as long as there is one Serb, both in Kosovo and Metohija, and in the rest of our country, the crime in Gorazdevac must not and will not be forgotten. We will continue to fight for the permanent stabilization of the situation in our southern province, but both the international community and our Albanian neighbors should know that the future of Serbian-Albanian relations cannot be built on unsolved crimes and covering up the truth.

Patriarch sent a letter to Krivokapic (Tanjug)

On 11 August, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije sent a letter to Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic, which refers to the Fundamental Agreement between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the state of Montenegro. The letter states, among other things: “As in any other business, in this one we want to see, respect and protect the interests of both sides in the same way, especially since in this particular case, both sides are actually made up of the same believing people. As a measure of full responsibility, we sent your proposals to a certain expert commission which should determine what their qualitative contribution is in relation to the already determined, fully agreed and accepted by you text that we intended to sign on 27 May this year at the Patriarchal Palace in Belgrade.” “After the end of the holiday season, the members of the expert commission will submit their analysis to the Holy Synod of Bishops, which will then inform you about the position of the Serbian Patriarchate on this important issue,” Patriarch Porfirije pointed out in a letter to Krivokapic.

Tanaskovic: Pristina has new tactic on Serbian heritage (Tanjug/RTS)

The so-called Kosovo is far from UNESCO membership, says former Serbian ambassador to UNESCO Darko Tanaskovic, adding that a unanimous decision by the UN agency to keep four Serbian religious heritage sites on its list of endangered cultural heritage is very important. The decision shows that even countries that recognize Kosovo are firm in the position that Serbian monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija are under threat, Tanaskovic told Tanjug on Thursday.

“It is known who the threat is coming from and why, which, in itself, is also a message to the so-called Pristina authorities,” he said. Tanaskovic said a report by a UNESCO committee on cultural heritage made it clear there was a “positive continuity” on the position that the situation regarding the Visoki Decani, Gracanica and Patriarchate of Pec monasteries and the church of Our Lady of Ljevis was unchanged and that demands by Pristina could not change it for the time being. Instructed by its mentors abroad, Pristina has taken a new route and no longer insists on the speed of joining UNESCO, but is instead laying the groundwork to present the so-called Kosovo as a state that is looking after all of the cultural heritage in Kosovo-Metohija, he noted.

It is difficult to get cultural heritage sites off the list of endangered heritage, and that requires very serious, expert and realistic arguments, Tanaskovic said. “As we can see, it is not happening now, but their (Pristina’s) campaign will continue and we must invest further efforts to explain the situation our cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is in, for which we have sufficient arguments. We are successful at that for the time being, but you can always work more and better,” Tanaskovic said. He said the Kosovo Albanians had three tactics in their approach to Serbian cultural heritage, the first being physical destruction, demonstrated in its most brutal form in the March 2004 pogrom. The second is a tactic of “albanising” Serbian cultural monuments in Kosovo and Metohija and falsifying history to portray them as a part of Albanian cultural heritage, he said. “But that cannot change the situation, in particular in the scientific world of understanding the civilizational and historical affiliation of that heritage, which is Serbian and Orthodox, and no one can change that,” Tanaskovic said. However, a third tactic, to which the origin of cultural heritage takes a back seat, is the most dangerous one, touting purported care for the entire cultural heritage of the so-called state of Kosovo, he said. “To the uninformed, particularly with strong propaganda, it can be presented as something that is acceptable from the aspect of the values of the civilization,” Tanaskovic said.

Twenty-one percent of Serbia’s youth has positive attitude toward EU (Beta)

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights has warned that only 21 percent of young people in Serbia have a positive attitude towards the EU, and that only 44 percent of them believe democracy is the best political system. In the statement on the occasion of 12 August,

International Youth Day, the Initiative said that young people in Serbia were nowadays far more conservative and closed than the generation of their parents and grandparents. “They are the least

vaccinated, they believe in democracy the least, they are the biggest Eurosceptics. A dramatic fact, which must cause everyone’s concern, is that only 45 percent of young people support the idea of a lasting peace with the Kosovo Albanians, while 55 percent do not support that idea or are not sure,” the statement reads. The Initiative further says that “it is not by chance” that the generation born during and after the wars in the territory of the former Yugoslavia is “by far the most belligerent in their stands.” “That is a direct consequence of the toxic public space, education system and media scene. On this International Youth Day, we are warning that young people pay the highest price of warmongering policies and that there is extreme risk that this price will be much higher if Serbia continues to rush into authoritarianism, aggressive nationalism and a conflict with everyone in the region,” the Youth Initiative for Human Rights stated.

Unity of Serb parties in the RS at test (Politika, by M. Kremenovic) 

The latest statement of some Republika Srpska (RS) politicians threaten to undermine the unity of RS political parties, Politika wirtes. When the boycott of state institutions in Sarajevo is in question, which was provoked by the law banning genocide denial imposed by former High Representative Valentin Inzko. The first challenge for this joint stance of the RS parties was the recent statement of SNSD leader Milorad Dodik, who stated that the meeting with new HR Christian Schmidt might take place but not in his capacity of Schmidt as the HR. The second challenge was the information that Dodik took part in the session of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency a few days ago. That analyses claim that the reason for such tensions among RS political parties is mistrust present among them, while the RS opposition claims that the main reason for this is the lack of communication.

Even strong word kills Serbs’ (Novosti, by D. Milinkovic) 

There is obviously a well-coordinated action of punishing of Serbs “for each word that is not pleasing for the ears of ethnic and political elites in the region and their Western mentors” with the goal to “strengthen the narrative on ‘genocidal’ people and main culprit for everything bad that happened in this area”, Novosti reports. It reminded that the Croatian Police filed a report against Head of Borovo Municipality Zoran Bacanovic who published in his Facebook profile a photo of convoy of refugees who carried banner ‘Storm – crime that lasts’. The daily added that the report was filed after B&H too launched “a real ‘hunt’ on Serbs” after former High Representative Valentin Inzko imposed “scandalous” law on prohibition of genocide denial.

The Court of B&H ordered a detention for former RS Army General Milomir Savcic because of “too strong words” on Srebrenica. The situation is not any better in Montenegro either, knowing that former Minister of Justice Vladimir Leposavic was removed upon pressures exerted by foreign embassies “because he dared to present his personal opinion on events in Srebrenica”, Novosti writes. Ognjen Karanovic from the Center for Social Stability told the daily that it is obvious that ethnic and political elites of the Western Balkans countries “which base their policies on anti-Serb narrative” obviously expect that the arrival of Biden’s administration will help them realize their unfinished projects and goals to detriment of Serb statehood and national interests. “Their goal is to strengthen pressures on Belgrade and Banja Luka when it comes to B&H and Kosovo,” Karanovic said and claimed that Croatian President Zoran Milanovic, SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic obviously received instructions to keep narrative on Serbs’ guilt for 1990s wars alive for as long as possible.

How will Bosniaks do without HR (Politika, op-ed by Nenad Kecmanovic)

Commenting the current political situation in B&H caused by the decision of former High Representative Valentin Inzko to impose amendments to B&H Criminal Code sanctioning genocide denial, author Nenad Kecmanovic argues that it is no longer about genocide denial, but about “the resurrection of the Bonn powers”, the status of Inzko’s successor Christian Schmidt and RS’ effective response. According to Kecmanovic, Schmidt does not have the legitimacy of High Representative because his appointment was not approved by the UN Security Council, so he is trying to gain that legitimacy by having a meeting with SNSD leader and B&H Presidency member Milorad Dodik. However, at least for the RS, Schmidt remains a German tourist, and he does not even exist at all for China and Russia. Since Inzko’s resignation was accepted, this practically means that B&H has been left without High Representative. Noting that Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman described the institution of OHR as undemocratic and anti-European anachronism, Kecmanovic concludes that Schmidt can act as High Representative only in the Bosniak half of the Federation of B&H (FB&H). Kecmanovic comments that “the sloppy European-American operation regarding the High Representative” demonstrates their arrogance, since they intended to complete their unfinished business in B&H with a political Blitzkrieg against the RS and go back to the practices of former High Representative Paddy Ashdown whose authoritarian decisions were condemned even by the Venice Commission. According to Kecmanovic, the international community would use the same methods again in the new Cold War against Russia and China, making B&H the last remaining dictatorship in Europe. However, notes Kecmanovic, majority of Serbs and Croats who occupy 75 percent of B&H territory refuse this, while Bosniaks still “worship the High Representatives” despite the fact that the usually disappointed them because they do not bring anything good for Bosniaks. “They (Bosniaks) are counting their dead from the civil war they caused themselves by upon their (international community’s) encouragement, and which they lost again. They were not sent the weapons they asked for, but mujahedeen because of who they came under justified suspicion that B&H has become an incubator for Islamic terrorism” comments Kecmanovic. He notes that Bosniaks deceive the international community by claiming that they want a civic state, when in reality they would prefer an Islamic state. Kecmanovic argues that High Representative which no longer exists will not be missed by Croats and Serbs. For Bosniaks, the absence of the High Representatives will be helpful in achieving maturity and gaining political confidence to act independently under given circumstances. “Serbs to not have any territorial pretentions towards their four and a half cantons, nor the intention to impose anything on them by outvoting. Bosniaks did exactly that in 1992 and they suffered consequences, so hopefully they have become smarter. Or they will again wait for someone to explain to them that the High Representative does not exist anymore because Russia and China are two out of three superpowers,” concludes Kecmanovic.

REGIONAL PRESS

Dodik: I would rather go to prison than admit that genocide took place in Srebrenica (BHT1) 

In a statement for a Serbian media outlet, Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik said that he would rather go to prison than admit that genocide took place in Srebrenica. The Prosecutor’s Office of B&H did not react to this statement on Thursday. Dodik stated on Thursday that the report of the International Independent Commission for Research of Suffering of All Peoples in Srebrenica Area 1992-1995 has changed a lot already and that it should be applied in a systematic manner. Dodik added that there is only one truth and that is that there was no genocide. Dodik underlined that he will never accept claims that the genocide was committed in Srebrenica and that he is ready to go to prison in order to defend this standpoint. In his opinion, the commission answered to all this in the best way. He argued that they should really use the report because it was made in a systemic way by people whose knowledge and authority are undisputable. Dodik also noted that the illegitimate appointment of Christian Schmidt for the new HR is retaliation of the international community gathered around the USA and UK against the RS adding that B&H does not look at all like as was defined based on the DPA. He argues that the relation with Serbia is priority for him and that he would not distance from Serbia for the sake of better relations with the West. He stressed that it is important for him that what he does is recognized by the people who elected him. Dodik added that Serbia is a homeland of the Serb people and that the West systematically makes mistake towards the Serb people. He added: “Cooperation with them is crucially impossible unless the stance of the West changes, at least when respecting of our rights and interests is in question, equally as all others. I believe that negotiations are almost impossible with this concept of the West. However, if the things change when the West is in question, the cooperation with Serbia would be priority again.” Asked if unification of Serbia and the RS is possible, Dodik said that all this is hypothetical and everything depends on development of international, global and regional relations. Dodik explained: “Of course that it is completely natural that there is aspiration that the same people get united. Just as all other peoples, who have the right to their unified and territorial organization, we have the same right as well and I stick to the stance that it should not be given up on this. On the other side I am fully aware that it is not the moment that we live in, but I am sure that this idea should be alive until it is implemented.”

Dodik: There are two preconditions for peaceful dissolution of B&H (RTRS/Sputnik) 

RTRS reported that in an interview for Russian Sputnik News Agency, Milorad Dodik stated that issue of independence of the RS is not job that can be completed within one night. Asked to comment criticism he has been exposed to due to frequent mentioning of peaceful dissolution of B&H, Dodik said that this topic has not been forbidden, adding that failing to talk about it would represent giving up on this idea. Member of B&H Presidency stressed that there are at least two preconditions for such solution: international circumstances and preconditions to conduct dissolution of B&H in peaceful manner. In this interview Dodik also commented on possibility of compromise in regards to illegitimate High Representative Christian Schmidt. Namely, Dodik stated that compromise can be achieved if Schmidt leaves or gets consent of the UN SC for his appointment.

Nelson: Washington is committed to DPA and territorial integrity of B&H; Inflammatory rhetoric that calls for divisions is unacceptable (AJB) 

US Ambassador to B&H Eric Nelson commented on prohibition of denial of the genocide and other war crimes adding that Washington is committed to the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and territorial integrity of B&H.  He said: “The DPA that guarantees the territorial integrity and sovereignty of B&H. B&H is composed of the two entities, the three peoples and the ‘Others’. Out support to the DPA is continuous and it continues even further. The DPA or the Constitution (of B&H) do not offer the option of separation and any kind of undermining of the DPA would lead to consequences.” Asked is member of the B&H Presidency and leader of SNSD Milorad Dodik – as someone who insulted Bosniaks, announced independence of the RS and denied the genocide – a relevant political collocutor for the US administration for building B&H and getting it closer to the EU values, Nelson said that these are very important issues and that spark concerns because any type of inflammatory rhetoric that calls for divisions is unacceptable. According to Nelson, stories and accusations against the entire peoples are unacceptable. He argued that rhetoric that makes divisions among peoples in this country even deeper is dangerous. Nelson stated: “I say – and more people should say – enough, here, you should stop. The amendments to the Criminal Code that High Representative (Valentin Inzko) imposed happened following a long-lasting escalation in terms of glorification of war criminals.” Asked is there an option to impose new, stricter US sanctions to some politicians in B&H, Nelson reminded that US President Joseph Biden made it clear that the US recognized challenges in the Western Balkans as serious, adding that their interest in the Western Balkans is that the region should continue progressing on the road along with democratic states with transparent leadership, rule of the law, progress to the European community and within the EU. Nelson added that Biden also made it clear which things undermine this kind of progress and clearly said that sanctions are one of the means that they will use against those who undermine progress in the Western Balkans, and undermining of the progress includes supporting corruption, while sanctions are now possible even against those who offer support to those who undermine progress of the Western Balkans. Asked whether US policy in the Balkans especially towards B&H depends on US elections and can B&H citizens rely on the US support, Nelson stated: “I think that they can always rely on the US and count on its support regardless of administration and the way we articulate our priorities. Our priorities always remain consistent. Our support to the B&H path to integration in the European community is also continuous.”

Becirovic sends message to Dodik: You should either respect Dayton Constitution or Constitution of B&H will be applied again (Dnevni list) 

SDP official Denis Becirovic reacted to the latest moves of Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik. Becirovic added that people in the RS should not be misinformed but it should be said to them that there are only two legal options and he explained: “To respect and consistently implement the DPA and B&H Constitution as its integral part. In case of undermining the DPA it should be returned to the legal Constitution of the internationally recognized the Republic of B&H. There is no third option This is not some arbitrary claim but a constitutional fact… Moving along the path of undermining the DPA and the Constitution of B&H takes to one legal destination only – return of the legal Constitution of the Republic of B&H…” Becirovic also sent the message to Dodik to stop playing with the destiny of the people adding that three B&H peoples deserve peace, security, job, better healthcare and education. Becirovic concluded that therefore Dodik should not push citizens and peoples in uncertainty and hopelessness. Becirovic noted that Dodik nourishes a very tragic and dangerous illusion if he believes that in the 21st century he can break B&H apart by rough, legal violence.

Milorad Dodik pens op-ed for RS, SR media (EuroBlic) 

The op-ed by Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik noted that the story on Christian Schmidt started when he did not manage to become the leader of German political foundation ‘Hanns Seidel’ because Prime Minister of Bavaria Markus Soder opposed it and he argued that this was Schmidt’s “second strike” because his mandate as the Minister of Agriculture in the German Government ended because he advocated use of a cancerous herbicide. “After two strikes, something had to be found for him – something resonating and well paid” Dodik argued and noted that, therefore “a life-saving solution was found – remove midget from the forgotten country and rig Schmidt with a well-paid position with accompanying Sarajevo’s civic fez”. Dodik went on to say that the appointment of Schmidt was only a proposal which needed to be officially confirmed by the United Nations Security Council (UN SC) as in line with the Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and reminded that even Schmidt’s former colleague from German Parliament Stefan Schwarz said: “There will be no new High Representative without an agreement in the UN SC and five of its members have the right to invoke veto”. Dodik noted that it was obvious this shall not pass on the occasion of a discussion on a report of Valentin Inzko on 4 May, when Russia demanded unconditional shutting down of the Office of the High Representative (OHR). “Therefore, on May 27, ambassadors of several western countries in Sarajevo, who call themselves the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (inexistent, because it fell apart in 2000 already), hastily as they said ‘officially appointed Christian Schmidt as the new High Representative’. Of course, Russia said ‘no’ on the occasion because this would represent violation of the Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which explicitly prohibit meddling of ambassadors in internal affairs of the host, i.e. B&H,” Dodik noted and reminded that Russia reiterated its stance before the UN SC on 29 June 2021 when “(Minister of Foreign Affairs of B&H) Bisera Turkovic committed the criminal act of abuse of office by speaking on behalf of B&H without consent of the Presidency of B&H as a constitutional body in charge of foreign policy”. On that occasion, Dodik added, Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Vasily Nebenzya stated that Turkovic “has no legal right to speak on behalf of all three peoples in B&H before the UN SC, but she only presented her personal opinion”. Dodik said that Nebenzya also reiterated that Russia does not agree with the appointment of Schmidt as the new High Representative by saying: “The appointment is neither legitimate nor it has the political support of the Peace Implementation Council.” According to Dodik, Permanent Representative of China to the UN Zhang Jun said at the session that nobody should interfere with internal affairs of other countries, including those concerning B&H and, following all this, Russia and China presented a proposal of the resolution to the UN SC by which the appointment of Schmidt would be confirmed but with mandate that would expire on 31 July next year and without the use of the Bonn powers. However, Dodik reminded, voting took place on 22 July and this proposal was not adopted and this resulted in Schmidt not being appointed as the High Representative. Dodik argued that the Permanent Representative of China to the UN warned that the Bonn powers represent a special problem and were of use under certain circumstances but “keeping the Bonn powers or the High Representative now is neither necessary nor desirable because the country has made a great progress”. Dodik argued that Schmidt has neither consent of signatories of the Annex 10 nor of the UN SC and he claimed that this “double defense against Schmidt was boxed out by Western countries in a futile attempt to fill in all holes with their fingers and duct tape to prevent running out of the expiration date of anti-Dayton B&H established by illegal interventions of the High Representatives and Constitutional Court of B&H with Bosniak majority which is always backed by three foreign judges”. Dodik noted that the ‘expiration date’ of B&H expired a long time ago especially knowing that, in preparations for the Dayton Peace Agreement, there was a stance of the US National Security Advisor that Serbs should be allowed to hold referendum after two or three years because “there is no point to block peaceful dissolution following the example of Czechoslovakian model in case Bosniaks are unable to persuade Serb population that their future is in reintegration”. Dodik claimed that Bosniaks did just the opposite and they “deliver blows” to Croats by electing Zeljko Komsic as the Croat member of the Presidency of B&H for the third time already, they outvote them in the FB&H parliament and FB&H Government and they accuse Serbs “of false genocide(s) on a daily basis, as well as of aggression and ethnic cleansing according to which there are more Bosniaks – Muslims now than there was before the war in B&H”. Dodik reminded that Schmidt thanked Inzko for imposing prohibition of genocide denial “which sides him with those who produce intolerance and deepening of conflicts and instability” and he argued that Inzko’s law is “a poisonous gift” for Bosniaks as it irreversibly strengthened dissolution of ‘small Yugoslavia’. Dodik went on to say that Inzko turned B&H from the state of agony to the state of chaos and he enjoyed doing that. Dodik reminded that European institutions in past criticized activities of the High Representatives and he added that Schmidt threatened that he came to B&H as a politician and not as a diplomat. Dodik reminded that even foreign media, such as Neue Zuricher Zeitung, argued that the OHR should be shut down and he noted that Schmidt is well aware of the fact that the High Representative has no executive authority so he relies on Merkel and Biden. Finally, Dodik concluded that Serbs can no longer be exploited and reminded that they survived real genocides for the sake of freedom.

Wildfires break out near Jablanica; Support of AFBiH impossible due to blockade in B&H Presidency (Nova BH) 

Wildfires broke out in the vicinity of Jablanica and several areas were terrain that was inaccessible to firefighters and their equipment. The local authorities demanded the aid of the helicopter of the Armed Forces Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) (AFBiH) but this was not provided. The wildfires in Jablanica broke out on Wednesday and for now, none has threatened residential areas. Representative of Civil Protection Service from Konjic Mujo Neziric said that firefighters were controlling the lower areas of the wildfire that broke out on the mountain Plasa above Jablanica. He said that it is impossible to put out the fire without additional aid. Neziric said that the only option that would help them would be the aerial support with multiple aircrafts. The request of local authorities for the aid of AFBiH was not approved in the B&H Presidency due to the political blockade. Jablanica, Stolac and Tomislavgrad requested aerial support of the AFBiH for the fight against wildfires that broke out in these areas. These requests have to be filed with the B&H Ministry of Security, which transfers it to the B&H Ministry of Defense, which delivers it to the B&H Presidency for final confirmation. Due to the political blockade ongoing in B&H, the B&H Presidency did not approve these requests. Chairman of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic requested the aid of NATO and EUFOR aircrafts in the extinguishing of fires. It was confirmed that requests of local communities in B&H for the aid of AFBiH in wildfires arrived to the Office of Chairman Komsic, but there is no agreement among B&H Presidency members regarding this. It is certain that the requests of the local communities will not be answered, while the B&H public awaits the answer of NATO and EUFOR forces stationed in B&H. The Federation of B&H Civil Protection service also filed requests with B&H authorities but received no answer to any of them. The B&H Ministry of Defense confirmed that there was agreement for the usage of AFBiH in the fight against wildfires on July 21, but afterwards a political crisis ensued which blocked all processes.

Politicians criticize Dodik’s behavior regarding wildfires in Herzegovina and use of B&H AF helicopter (O Kanal) 

Commenting behavior of member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik,  in regard to failing to approve use of B&H Armed Forces’ helicopter in extinguishing of wildfires in Herzegovina, Head of the SDA Caucus in the B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Adil Osmanovic stated for O Kanal that someone needs to be held accountable for the policy conducted by Dodik and Chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Zoran Tegeltija (SNSD), by which they directly violate laws and the Constitution of B&H. Osmanovic stressed that responsibility for such actions should be established either before B&H institutions or before the international community. “This represents obstruction coming from SNSD. It is impermissible for individuals or political parties to obstruct the state institutions in such an unfair, insolent, and detrimental way,” Osmanovic stressed. Independent delegate in the B&H House of Peoples (HoP) Zlatko Miletic assessed there is no real difference between the time of vacation leave and active period of work of the institutions. “We did absolutely anything on the EU path in these past three years. We were incapable of passing any of the three laws required from us by the EU,” he added. Former B&H minister of Security and current SDS’ representative in the B&H HoR Dragan Mektic noted that all blockades have so far been justified as means of political battle, but it is necessary to realize that nothing is more important than people’s lives. Mektic warned that refusing to help save the lives of people and their property from the wildfires shows “all that hate, impudence, and inhumane behavior of responsible politicians that this depends on”. “I want to use this opportunity to also call on EUFOR and other international institutions with required capacities to engage in extinguishing the wildfires,” stressed Mektic. RS SDS Caucus’ representative Nebojsa Vukanovic said: “There is a political marketplace here at which politicians trade, they live comfortably, better than Swiss politicians. Meanwhile, so many people have been leaving this area.”

Linta calls on Serbia and RS to protect Savcic (Nezavisne) 

The President of the Association of Serbs from the Region Miodrag Linta called on Serbia, together with the RS, to stand up for General Milomir Savcic, stressing that it is not acceptable to continue the persecution and arrests of Serb veterans in the RS with the obvious goal of criminalizing the Defense and Patriotic War and the just struggle of the Serb people for freedom and survival in their centuries-old hearth and home. Linta emphasized that it is completely clear that a political decision was made in Sarajevo to persecute General Savcic only because he is at the head of the Veterans’ Organization of the RS (BORS) and because “they see him as the first veteran of the RS.” “There is no doubt that this is a message to all honorable soldiers of the famous Army of the RS” Linta underlined, adding that the decisions of the Court of B&H to order the detention of Savcic and to issue an international arrest warrant for him are one in a series of proofs that this is a political court. “The main task of the Prosecutor’s Office and the Court of B&H is to confirm with a series of false indictments and verdicts the most ruthless fabrications of Bosniak politicians and the majority of the Bosniak public that Serbs are the main culprits for the civil war in B&H, that they committed genocide in Srebrenica and that they are aggressors in B&H and criminals against the Bosniak people” Linta pointed out.

Cavka: B&H should join ‘Open Balkan’ to avoid isolation (Dnevni list) 

SBB Vice President Admir Cavka stated that German government has also officially endorsed the Open Balkans initiative, after US Embassies to B&H and Kosovo did that as well. He noted that although the idea for the initiative came from Germany and USA, B&H authorities rejected it, and the reason for rejection probably lies either in total ignorance or populism. “Somebody wants to bring Bosniaks in total isolation, where companies from the FB&H would become completely isolated. In any case, B&H should not become a “black hole” in the Balkans, and parts of the FB&H must not become the Gaza Strip of Europe, or dark realm surrounded by the EU and Mini Schengen,” said Cavka.

Kosor: There is impression that political motive stands behind launching of criminal procedures against Croatian Generals (Dnevni list) 

Former Croatian prime minister Jadranka Kosor commented the launching of criminal procedures against Croatian Generals for alleged war crimes and she noted that a lot of time has passed since Croatian military and police operation ‘Bljesak’ and there is an impression that a political motive stands behind this. She added that reactions of the Generals are very moderate and it has been expected that nothing will come out of all of this. Kosor argues that this issue has been raised by the RS and she added: “It is indicative that HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic, who presents himself as the main protector of Croats, does not say anything about this issue although it is about the letter requests for prosecution of Croatian commanders and Generals, who are Croats. Obviously, the letter requests have their roots with Milorad Dodik, a dear guest of both Croatian Prime Minister (Andrej Plenkovic) and the Croatian President (Zoran Milanovic).” Kosor concluded that all this shows that we still have not resolved the issue of the wartime past.

Plenkovic: No one can call legitimacy of operations Bljesak, Oluja into question (AJB/HRT) 

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic met in Zagreb on Thursday former commanders in the Croatian military-police operation titled ‘Bljesak’. During the meeting, Plenkovic and ministers explained the commanders content of the documentation that is part of the letter request that B&H sent to Croatia, i.e. a request for legal assistance in this case. The legal request mentions indiscriminate shelling, violation of customs and laws of war and war crimes against civilians in the area of Gradiska and Kozarska Dubica in 1995. Plenkovic first explained that there is no any indictment and that the request for taking over of criminal prosecution temporarily suspended all activities of competent bodies in B&H. According to announcements, the Croatian Ministry of Justice will analyze 300-page-long documentation and submit a detailed report. Retired General and Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Pavao Miljavac said that all of them agreed that this is the best solution, adding that they all know what they did but no one ever ordered shelling of civilians or committing any war crime. Miljavac said that rejecting the letter request would mean that generals risk filing of an indictment in B&H and issuing arrest warrants. Miljavac said: “Thus, our lives would practically be blocked, we would be disabled to move out of Croatia. I believe that this is not an option and that this one is way better.” Plenkovic underlined that he will protect Croatian national interests and dignity of war commanders, adding that no one can call into question legitimacy of operations ‘Bljesak’ and ‘Oluja’ that were liberation activities of Croatia and as such, legal and legitimate. HRT1 reported that B&H Prosecutor’s Office sent a request recently in which it demanded the legal processing of the generals for alleged war crimes committed during this operation. The generals attended a meeting of the Croatian General Council before they met with Plenkovic. Plenkovic said that the meeting went very well and they had an honest and open conversation. He presented the generals the details of the request from B&H, where international legal help for the processing of generals suspected for war crimes against civilians was requested. The connection of these crimes with the Croatian generals is an order for non-selective bombing of certain areas. Miljavac said that there was no such order during this operation. He admitted that it was possible that innocent people died during war, but no one ordered the non-selective bombing or war crimes on the Croatian side. The attendees of the meeting agreed that the final decision needs to be made after the documentation is assessed carefully. Plenkovic said that there are no charges against the generals and the request filed by B&H stopped all work tied to this case temporarily. Miljavac said that there are two options, of which one would be the rejection of the request by Croatia which could prompt the issuing of warrants against the generals. Retired general Davor Domazet Loso said that Croatia led the cleanest war in history during the military operations ‘Bljesak’ and ‘Oluja’ and this was concluded on Thursday. He assessed that the request of B&H represents geopolitical games on a global level. The request of B&H was filed six days ago. Plenkovic said that the work on these cases has been done for 25 years and the question is why it is being brought up in this moment. He did not wish to speculate about the possible reasons for this. The Croatian Ministry of Justice will assess the provided documents in detail and the Croatian Government will meet the retired generals again afterwards. Plenkovic stressed that the Government of the Republic of Croatia will analyze the documentation it received from B&H in detail through the Croatian Ministry of Justice, but that legitimacy of the Croatian operations ‘Bljesak’ and ‘Oluja’ cannot be called into question by anyone. “These are victims who were killed during the operation ‘Bljesak’ in Bosanska Gradiska and Kozarska Dubica. The offenses mentioned are war crimes against civilians and the offense of violating the laws or customs of war. The essence and link with war commanders is the formulation of the order for the so-called indiscriminate shelling,” Plenkovic said, underlining that there were never orders to shell civilian targets.

Wartime commander reported for using Ustasha salute (Hina) 

Sibenik-Knin police have reported Marko Skejo, head of an association of members of the 9th Croatian Defense Force (HOS) Battalion and its wartime commander, who chanted the Ustasha salute “For the Homeland Ready” at a recent anniversary of Operation Storm in Knin, for violating public peace and order. Without revealing his identity, police reported that they had conducted a criminal investigation against the 65-year-old on suspicion that his behavior in Knin on 5 August, during a ceremony marking Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, Croatian Veterans Day and the 26th anniversary of the military and police Operation Storm, had the characteristics of an offence under the Act on Misdemeanors against Public Peace and Order.

 A press release says that in line with the Police Powers Act, police filmed and photographed the ceremony in Knin. A review of all available recordings established that the 65-year-old suspect disturbed public peace and order by shouting inappropriate messages in a public place where a larger number of citizens had gathered, police said. Police filed a motion for indictment on suspicion that he had committed a misdemeanor under Article 5 of the Act on Misdemeanors against Public Peace and Order, they said.

Resolving of Croat issue crucial for B&H (Vecernji list) 

Vecernji list daily comments that imposing of the law banning genocide denial has pushed in the background reforms, which are supposed to result in changes to the B&H Election Law this year and which are supposed to partly resolve the Croat issue in the country. The author notes that the crisis has moved to the other side but problems have not disappeared, they keep accumulating and they threaten to additionally undermine relations between Croats and Bosniaks. The author concludes that it is not completely clear if the last crisis was caused on purpose. The daily reminds that HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic has warned High Representative Christian Schmidt of the necessity of changes to B&H Election Law and limited constitutional changes. He also asked for the support in order to encourage this process in 2021, which is a non-election year. The author added that nevertheless there should be favorable international environment and mood of B&H politicians and polices for continuation of the talks, which is very uncertain now. The daily reminds that Croat political parties warn that there will not be conditions for holding the general elections next year and implementation of their results. Speaking about the proposal of changes of Bosniak political parties, author says that their goal is that Bosniaks have full domination. The author added that in order to implement this policy, the position of Bosniaks and Croats in the RS is being deliberately sacrificed just to turn the FB&H into a small, Bosniak country. Author concludes that in case that there were no changes to the B&H Election Law, it would be difficult to implement election results, if they were any. The author believes that this will additionally strengthen the policies of the Serb and Bosniak sides respectively, that stand for dissolution of the country, that is, a unitary organization. Author added: “The result of these two policies is the same – they lead towards further destabilization of the country. This basically sends a signal to the IC about a hopeless case and a signal to young people to leave B&H as soon as possible. For this reason, the Croat issue is crucial for the survival of B&H as reconciliation of the policies of the idea about a unitary state and separatism.”

Konjevic tweets: Govt to adopt Census Law on 26 August (CdM) 

The leader of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Ratko Konjevic, tweeted that Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic had required the proposal for the Census Law to be put in the agenda for the government’s session on 26 August. Konjevic recalled that Deputy Prime Minister, Dritan Abazovic, stated that there were no conditions to organize the census this year. “Nobody really asks him anything… His only purpose is to “cover” the interests of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Democratic Front… He’s deceiving the Montenegrin public over and over again just to protect other people’s interests,” Konjevic pointed out. As he added, Abazovic knows nothing about actions of the security services and the government.

Krivokapic establishes a party (CdM) 

It’s hard to tell how many times Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic denied his own allegations. The latest news suggests that he’s going to set up a party even though he was telling he wouldn’t do it. Now the PM says he won’t establish a party on 28 August, as the Democratic Front, DF, announced. It won’t happen on 28 August but definitely will on some other day. Following numerous disagreements with the DF, Krivokapic, who was the DF’s candidate standing for the parliamentary elections, lost their support, stepped out of the coalition, now supports the Democrats run by Aleksa Becic and announces to establish a new party thus signaling that the new election is to be organized before 2024. Commenting on Krivokapic’s indirect announcements, DPM Dritan Abazovic said he was fine with it, but the concept of an expert government would be significantly undermined.

Xhaferi meets General Al-Issa (Republika) 

Parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi met with Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL), who is paying a visit to the Republic of Macedonia. According to his office, Xhaferi welcomed MWL Secretary General Al-Issa’s mission and efforts to promote interfaith dialogue, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence globally. He also stressed that Macedonia is a multiethnic, multireligious and multicultural secular state, and respect for different religions, culture, language and ethnic origin are cornerstones of the security and prosperity of the country. At the meeting, Xhaferi also informed Al-Issa about the foreign policy priorities of our country. Emphasizing that diversity is a treasure, Al-Issa greeted the interethnic and inter-religious cooperation in the Republic of Macedonia and welcomed the important role of the Parliament in building coexistence, which can serve as an example in the region and beyond. Al-Issa stressed that the Muslim World League has excellent cooperation with all the countries of the Western Balkans and continues to work diligently to build new partnerships between different communities, religions and nations.

Osmani-Byrnes: Macedonia and US enjoy strong and friendly bilateral ties (Republika) 

Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani met Thursday with the US Ambassador to Macedonia Kate Marie Byrnes and briefed her about latest political developments involving activities related to country’s European perspective in the coming period. The interlocutors assessed the bilateral relations between the two countries as extremely strong and friendly, based on the strategic partnership and NATO membership. Mutual interest was expressed for continuous political dialogue and for further advancement of the overall cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed. According to the Ministry, satisfaction was expressed at the meeting with the continuous and key support that the United States provides to the Republic of Macedonia in order to achieve its strategic foreign policy aspirations. Osmani stressed the extremely important role of the United States in achieving long-term stability, further democratization and prosperity of the region, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the talks, Osmani thanked Byrnes for US assistance in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as in the fight against current forest fires.