LOCAL PRESS

Selakovic at session of UN General Assembly (RTS/RTV)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic will participate in the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York from 21 to 26 September, as a member of the delegation of the Republic of Serbia. During his stay in New York, the head of Serbian diplomacy will have numerous bilateral and multilateral meetings with foreign ministers and officials of UN member states, and will participate in accompanying events that will be organized during the general debate, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Selakovic talked in New York with the foreign ministers of Tunisia, Estonia and Bolivia. Selakovic started his activities on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York with a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia Otman Gerandi. Selakovic also talked with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Eva-Maria Liimets, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. Selakovic noted on this occasion that bilateral relations are good and without open issues and expressed readiness for their further improvement. He expressed gratitude to Estonia on continued support to European integration of Serbia. Selakovic underlined that full membership in the EU is a strategic goal of Serbia and informed his Estonian counterpart about the reform process in Serbia. He also informed Minister Liimets on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and the current situation on the ground and underlined that Serbia has fulfilled all its obligations under the Brussels Agreement, whereas Pristina has been refusing to do so for more than one hundred months and introduces one-sided measures. Selakovic added that Serbia remains committed to dialogue, stability and the preservation of peace, and to creating conditions for the economic growth of all in the region, which it is doing through the Open Balkans initiative. Selakovic briefed her on economic reforms and the successes of Serbia over the past seven years. Selakovic underlined that Serbia is committed to strengthening economic cooperation and increasing trade exchange with Estonia, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia Roheli Majta, Selakovic said that the relations between the two countries are traditionally good and friendly, assessing that the cooperation is not in line with the friendship and potentials of the two countries.

Borrell hosts informal dinner with Western Balkan leaders in New York (Beta)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has hosted an informal dinner party with the leaders of the Western Balkans in the margins of the UN General Assembly, at which they discussed the situation in the region and its relations with the EU, as well as the preparations for the EU-Western Balkan summit due in early October. “It provided an opportunity to discuss expectations on EU accession. The High Representative underlined the need for strong commitment from both the Western Balkans partners and the European Union and its member states to overcome current dynamics and move the process forward,” the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced on 22 September. The meeting held on 21 September was attended by Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, B&H Presidency Chairman Zeljko Komsic, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic.

Dacic: We will not allow ethnic cleansing of Serbs; the EU should declare itself (Tanjug/B92)

Serbian parliament speaker Ivica Dacic stated that Serbia will not allow ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to take place. Speaking about the tension at the administrative crossings of Jarinje and Brnjak, Dacic said that the real question is whether the European Union thinks that the Brussels agreement from 2013 is in effect or not. He adds that all this seems to him like a test of Pristina to see how everyone will react to the brutal violation of all the arrangements of the Brussels agreement. “They want to see how they will react to the use of force and whether it will pass. I am sure that there are many more possible actions and incidents in their heads that they can do. President Aleksandar Vucic was clear – the obligation of KFOR, NATO, which is the backbone of KFOR, is to guarantee security in accordance with Resolution 1244. We publicly warn them that Serbia will not allow the ethnic cleansing of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija to be repeated, as Croatia has done in the Republika Srpska Krajina. This is provoking, not regional, but new world crises,” said Dacic for TV Tanjug. He also said that the problem of license plates should have been solved in dialogue, and not by using force. “The central issue here, and I think that Pristina will not give up such actions on its own, will the international community deal with this issue or turn its head, and someone encourage it to take such actions? To be clear: I am against interrupting any dialogue. Serbia must not do that, but Serbia must ask the EU to say whether it supports the Brussels agreement,” Dacic said. He says that it is incomprehensible to him that so many years after the signing of the Brussels agreement, only Serbia respects the agreement. “It is incomprehensible that only Serbia was a constructive factor, and that the other side refused to apply the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. The EU neither hears nor announces itself. They call for world peace. They constantly warn the two sides, I guess you should warn or sanction the party that violates the Brussels agreement. The EU is the guarantor of the agreement, but what is their credibility if they cannot stand behind the agreement?,” said Dacic. He estimates that the implementation of the Brussels agreement has been avoided for a long time. “It is a matter of long-term avoidance of the implementation of the Brussels Agreement, which they signed. The guarantor of that agreement was Catherine Ashton. We should remember the decision to form the Kosovo Army, which is contrary to Resolution 1244. Today, the Kosovo authorities invaded northern Kosovo and Metohija without any announcement. It is a direct violation of all agreements, not to mention taxes, which have caused great damage. The real question is whether the EU thinks that the Brussels agreement is in effect or not,” said Dacic. He also stated that if the Brussels agreement is valid, then it is unacceptable that every statement from Brussels contains a general wording where both sides are called to calm the tensions. “That refusal to say who is violating the Brussels agreement leads to Pristina not even implementing it. They often underestimated the role of the United Nations in Pristina. They constantly wanted to express their so-called statehood by giving their license plates, threatening that Serbian personal documents would not be valid, and the like,” Dacic said.

Lajcak concerned over crisis in Kosovo, calls for urgent lowering of tensions (Beta)

EU special representative for a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak voiced on Tuesday his concern over the situation in northern Kosovo and called for a calming of the situation. “I briefed EU HoMs on the situation in the north of Kosovo. I’m concerned & call for immediate de-escalation,” Lajcak tweeted. He said that it was important to reduce tensions, restore a peaceful atmosphere & allow for freedom of movement and stressed that the EU was ready to facilitate talks on all open issues in the Dialogue.

Dveri call for cancellation of Brussels agreement, placing army on high alert (Beta)

Dveri movement president Bosko Obradovic called on the Serbian Cabinet on Tuesday to annul all of the agreements reached so far in Brussels and to cancel its current dialogue with the authorities in Pristina which he believes should be continued in the U.N. Security Council. He added that the Serbian government should request the return of 1,000 state personnel to Kosovo as envisaged by UN Security Council 1244. The leader of Dveri said that the negotiations in Brussels so far “have only been at the expense of the Serb people.” “The best example is the Community of Serb Municipalities which was never created while Serbia has agreed under the rule of the Serbian Progressive Party to give up its police, prosecutors, judiciary, energy, telecommunications and numerous prerogatives in Kosovo and Metohija,” Obradovic said, adding that it was imperative that the authorities not allow the separatists in Kosovo to clash with unarmed people and that it needed to react, which would include the use of its army and police.

Community health centers to be established in Zubin Potok, Zvecan (Tanjug)

The Serbian government made a decision on Tuesday to establish community health centers in Zubin Potok and Zvecan. This decision was made on the basis of the Law on Health Protection, which stipulates that, based on UN Security Resolution 1244, the Serbian government enjoys all the rights and obligations of the founder in line with the law over the health institutions founded by the Republic of Serbia. Government members made a decision to set up the National committee for the implementation of the Convention for the protection of cultural goods in case of armed conflicts, for the period of five years. On the invitation of the President, representatives of the competent ministries and distinguished experts from the field that is the subject of evaluation can take part in the work of the Committee. The task of the committee is to give proposals, opinions and expert clarifications regarding the measures that need to be taken so that the Convention could be fully implemented. In addition, the Committee promotes the purpose and importance of the Convention, examines and proposes cooperation with the relevant institutions from abroad, international organizations and national working groups of the same or similar profile with the aim of exchanging experiences and applying good practices.

More people join protesters at Jarinje, Brnjak (Tanjug/Kosovo Online)

Roads leading to the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative crossings in northern Kosovo-Metohija remained blocked on Wednesday morning, with more people joining local Serbs protesting against Pristina’s decision to ban Serbian vehicle registration plates, Kosovo Online reported.

The night passed without incidents and a KFOR helicopter patrolled the area. At Brnjak and Jarinje, the transport of passengers works, but buses bring them to the crossing, then they walk 800 meters to the blockade and there get picked up by other buses or cars. The main trunk roads to Jarinje and Brnjak are blocked by heavy machinery left there by disgruntled Serbs on Monday morning after Pristina’s special police forces were deployed at the crossings to enforce a decision to seize Serbian registration plates and replace those issued in central Serbia with temporary “RKS” plates.

EU proposes Vucic-Kurti meeting in Brussels (Tanjug)

EU High Representative Josep Borrell and Miroslav Lajcak, the EU’s special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, are in telephone contact with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Prime Minister of so-called Kosovo Albin Kurti, with the aim of ensuring immediate de-escalation of tensions in northern Kosovo and Metohija and arranging a potential meeting between Vucic and Kurti in Brussels, sources in the EU told Tanjug on Wednesday. “EU special representative Miroslav Lajcak has returned to Brussels from Belgrade and all our efforts are directed at reducing tensions and a return to dialogue,” diplomatic sources in Brussels have told Tanjug. The sources said the EU was ready to facilitate a Vucic-Kurti dialogue in Brussels that would primarily deal with a resolution of the present situation in Kosovo and Metohija. Commenting on the implementation of the Brussels agreement, sources close to Borrell said all agreements reached in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to date were “on the table” and that “no one has withdrawn them.” The sources said the EU, the US and Quint ambassadors were fully unanimous in their message that a calming of the situation on the ground was in the interest of both Belgrade and Pristina and that otherwise the situation was a lose-lose scenario for both sides.

REGIONAL PRESS

Kovacevic: Dodik voted against decision on appointing and sending delegation to 76th session of UN General Assembly; Dodik: UN Secretary General Guterres contributes to dissolution of B&H (Nova BH) 

The Office of Serb member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Milorad Dodik has reacted to Chairman of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic going to New York and meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, noting that Komsic does not represent B&H in the UN, because B&H has not adopted such decision in its institutions. Dodik’s advisor Radovan Kovacevic said: “Whether there will be B&H without Dodik or not (referring to Komsic’s statement on Dodik not being necessary for functioning of B&H and B&H surviving without Dodik), we are yet to see, but is absolutely certain that due to shameful and unconstitutional actions by Zeljko Komsic, it is becoming increasingly clear there will be no B&H. The B&H Constitution clearly states that the B&H Presidency adopts decisions on foreign policy by consensus of the three members, and Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik voted against the decision on appointing and sending a delegation to the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, which means that such decision has not been adopted.” The Office of Serb member of the B&H Presidency informed Guterres about the anti-constitutional activities of Komsic. Dodik said that if Guterres continues to ignore his warnings then he ignores the B&H Constitution. He assessed that it is unheard of to see that the UN Secretary General contributes to the dissolution of B&H. Kovacevic, as well as former member of the B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic, who said that formally and legally speaking, Dodik is right, but that the reality will be that most of the world and most of those listening to his address will interpret Komsic as a man who is speaking on behalf of B&H. Judging by everything, Komsic’s departure to the UN will be another excuse for deepening the political crisis in B&H.

Covic: Komsic should not have gone to New York (Dnevni list) 

HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic said that (Chairman of the B&H Presidency Zeljko) Komsic should not have gone to New York. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic stated, prior to departing for New York where he will attend session of the UN General Assembly, that he was not sure if he should go to New York because he is dissatisfied with the situation in the region. In this context daily reads that Komsic “did not have such nightmares” and decided to go to New York as if everything is perfectly fine in B&H, without paralysis of the state authorities, wiretapping scandal etc.  The daily further reminds of HR Christian Schmidt’s recent statement that his task is to safeguard the territorial integrity of B&H, which leads the daily to say that Schmidt’s statement is ominous and causes anxiety among citizens of B&H and that Schmidt is first foreign official after Dayton agreement who stated that the territorial integrity in endangered. Finally, the daily notes that Sarajevo intellectual Dino Mustafic stated recently that “it is sickening to watch (SDA leader) Bakir Izetbegovic” because each his move causes damage to the sovereignty of B&H, arguing that Izetbegovic cannot cope with the task in hand.

B&H Presidency confirms that controversial session scheduled for 9 August was not held (RTRS) 

The Public Relations Office of the B&H Presidency stated on Tuesday that there was no telephone session of the B&H Presidency on 9 August during which the appointment of the new management of the Central Bank of B&H (CBBiH) was discussed. RTRS reminds that Chairman of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic made this statement on August 9 and deceived the public by saying Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik participated in it. The RS opposition used this opportunity to say that Dodik violated the conclusions of the RS parliament, which propose the boycott of the work of all B&H institutions. During the session the new Steering Board of the CBBiH was supposed to be appointed, since the mandate of the current one was set to expire on August 10. The CBBiH confirmed on August 10 that they do not have a new Steering Board and asked the B&H Presidency to appoint a new one. Komsic stated that this was already done. Advisor to Serb member of the B&H Presidency Radovan Kovacevic said that Komsic has no manners in politics and uses small pranks to conduct his policy. RTRS stated that electronic communication in which Dodik expressed his disagreement with the convening of the session of the B&H Presidency was misused in order to place a different story to the public. Kovacevic stressed that it is concerning that there are certain media and opposition parties which trust Komsic more than Dodik and people from his surroundings. He reminded that Dodik initiated the meeting of all RS parties and supported all proposals made by the opposition. Kovacevic added that Dodik will never violate the conclusions of the RS parliament and the RS parties.

Sattler: It is time to return to institutions because it is citizens who pay the price of the blockade (Hayat) 

B&H authorities are helpless when it comes to the blockade of B&H institutions by the RS representatives, while the international community, which holds the key for solving the crisis, is silent, noted the presenter. The RS is, as the presenter said, blackmailing B&H institutions with the demands to withdraw amendments to the law banning genocide denial in order for them to return to work. The Federation of B&H (FB&H) sent a clear message that this will not happen. The RS wants to negotiate but only about solutions that suit them. It is clear after what happened in the B&H parliament on Monday that there is no time while the problems are emerging, added the presenter. Head of EU Delegation in B&H Johann Sattler commented on the blockade of B&H institutions. Sattler was quoted as saying: “We need to ask ourselves what does the blockade itself mean. A blockade is a failure in leading a conversation and achieving compromise. When it comes to my stance, it is high time we return to the institutions. Citizens expect a stronger emphasis on socio-economic reforms. We cannot forget that we are still in the phase of the pandemic and those are the topics that should be discussed, healthcare, economy. It is time to return to the institutions because it is the citizens who pay the price of the blockade. We call on those responsible to do so.”

Dzaferovic and Nelson emphasize need to remove blockades in work of state institutions (FTV) 

Bosniak member of the B&H Presidency Sefik Dzaferovic talked with US Ambassador to B&H Eric Nelson about the current political situation in B&H, emphasizing the need to remove blockades in the work of state institutions. The full support of the United States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of B&H, peace and stability was emphasized. The interlocutors agreed that it is necessary for the institutions to continue working and to pay full attention to the implementation of obligations from the European Commission’s (EC) Opinion and the Reform Program, as well as overall reforms aimed at building safer and economically improved environment for all citizens.

SNSD proposes that OHR should annul Inzko’s law in order to resolve crisis, SDA says that Inzko’s law should be adopted by B&H parliament and then amended (EuroBlic) 

SNSD leader Milorad Dodik called on political representatives in B&H to resolve the current crisis. According to Dodik, there are two ways to do this – either OHR will withdraw the decision of former HR Valentin Inzko to impose amendments to B&H Criminal Code prohibiting genocide denial, or political representatives in B&H will agree on text of the law which will be acceptable for all. However, both solutions seem out of reach at the moment.

SDA’s Semsudin Mehmedovic stated that High Representative Christian Schmidt should resolve the crisis. He warned that otherwise it will be clear that the Dayton Peace Agreement no longer exists. “The crisis emerged after the decision of the former High Representative, and we expect the new one to rise up to the tasks set before him by the Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement. If he fails to do so, B&H and its citizens will be left to fend for themselves,” said Mehmedovic. SDA representative in the RS parliament Edin Ramic stated that laws imposed by OHR can be adopted in B&H parliament and then later changed through regular parliamentary procedure. He reminded that this was the case with the Law on Court and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H. However, Ramic believes that parties from the RS are not willing to discuss this option. Ramic also underlined that matters which have been established by international courts as facts cannot be subject to any debate. “Maybe some other elements can be discussed. I do not know myself what they want to discuss,” said Ramic. Commenting the fact that RS parties are explicitly opposed to any laws imposed by OHR, Ramic said: “Why was the law imposed? Because they glorified war criminals, because they were humiliating victims. They are not talking about the essence at all”. He underlined that the issue cannot wait until the 2022 General Election. “SNSD will have to find a solution to avoid being the factor that blocks the entire system and provokes some new decision of the OHR. And then they will find another topic because in the last few years, we have had special sessions of the RS parliament every two or three months. Look at the effects of those sessions. Nothing special. But I guess the tensions are being kept high,” said Ramic. Head of SNSD Caucus in B&H House of Representatives Snjezana Novakovic Bursac stated that the times when political structures were forced to adopt imposed laws in the parliament are long gone. She underlined that the Bonn powers do not allow the High Representative to replace the parliament and pass laws. According to Novakovic Bursac, accepting Inzko’s decision would be accepting something that essentially does not exist. She underlined that the crisis can be resolved by the international community through a decision of the Peace Implementation Council to annul Inzko’s decision.

Magazinovic: Solution can be sought through dialogue; Mehmedovic: Schmidt is obliged to ensure normal functioning of B&H institutions (O Kanal) 

O Kanal investigates if blockade of the state-level institutions in B&H will stop and if the B&H Parliament will be able to adopt the Budget of B&H Institutions for 2021 or if a decision on temporary financing of the institutions will be made. The B&H House of Representatives (B&H HoR) session was held on Monday but no decisions were made due to absence of the RS representatives. Even if some decisions are adopted in the B&H HoR, lawmakers say these decisions would then be rejected by the B&H House of Peoples (B&H HoP) – as the situation in this House is much more difficult. SDP B&H MP in the B&H parliament Sasa Magazinovic said that the solution can be sought through a dialogue, but that cannot happen as things the lawmakers are quarrelling about some fundamental matters that were already determined by court rulings. If the state Budget or decision on temporary financing are not adopted, thousands of employees in B&H institutions could be left without salaries. Some of them spoke for O Kanal and said their salaries are “ridiculously low” and they can barely make do. If they do not receive salaries due to failure of lawmakers, their lives and lives of their families will be deeply affected. Magazinovic stood in support of civil servants and emphasized that their salaries are quite low, while those of politicians are very high. Besides salaries of these employees, blockade in the state-level institutions blocks many reform processes in the country – which also means B&H’s work on the 14 key priorities from the European Commission’s (EC) Opinion is stopped. SDA MP in the B&H parliament Semsudin Mehmedovic said this blockade is a result of politicking of Serb member of the B&H Presidency, Milorad Dodik. Mehmedovic added that Dodik is a “contractor” that performs the activities within the “fascist project called the ‘Serb world’.” He also believes the RS opposition is a problem, as its members are just “Dodik’s satellites” that do his bidding. He concluded that none of them wish to make some positive steps, to defy Dodik’s wishes, and to work on building a strong B&H with strong institutions. Mehmedovic said that HR Christian Schmidt is obliged, within the Dayton Peace Agreement, to ensure normal functioning of B&H institutions. However, politicians from the RS believe the best solution would be adopted by domestic leaders in B&H.

Stevandic: Biggest crisis in B&H ever is caused by actions of Bosniak politicians (EuroBlic) 

United Srpska leader Nenad Stevandic stated that B&H is currently facing its biggest political crisis ever. He explained that the amendments to B&H Criminal Code prohibiting genocide denial imposed by former HR Valentin Inzko are being implemented in only one half of the country, which leads to dual judiciary. Stevandic said that the current crisis is caused by the actions of Bosniak politicians, and not of Serb politicians. He underlined that there is stable unity of all political parties from the RS regarding the imposed law.

Izetbegovic says he believes Schmidt will not take sides (Nova BH) 

Nova BH reports that SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic said it is too early to assess actions and announcement by High Representative (HR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Christian Schmidt. Izetbegovic reminded that Schmidt came to B&H in a difficult moment and that he believes Schmidt will not take sides. Commenting on the B&H Election Law, Izetbegovic said the solution would be reached soon and noted that the constituent peoples have the right to be represented. “So, the side represented by Mr. Covic cannot get what they request in the Presidency, and at the same time, via the judgement in the Ljubic case, reduce the will of Croat people to several municipalities in Herzegovina and Central Bosnia and completely dominate over the life in the Federation of B&H (FB&H), i.e. to say, you will not get the FB&H government, you will not get full capacity of the Constitutional Court, you will not get the contract with the Islamic Community. They do not have the right to that,” said Izetbegovic.

Schmidt talks to Escobar; State Department supports OHR (Dnevni avaz) 

HR Christian Schmidt talked on Tuesday with US Deputy Assistant Secretary and new US Envoy for Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar. According to the OHR’s statement, Escobar expressed support of the State Department to the OHR: “As well as its mandate to pursue reforms that advance B&H’s Euro-Atlantic path and bring greater prosperity to its citizens”.

US Embassy comments ‘Recording’ affair: Domestic institutions obliged to strengthen rule of law (Dnevni avaz) 

In a statement to the daily, the US Embassy to B&H commented on Tuesday the audio recording of the conversation between OSA Director Osman Mehmedagic and B&H Chief Prosecutor Gordana Tadic, which was published by Dnevni avaz portal last week. The Embassy stated that they do not comment the ongoing judicial processes, possible investigations or allegations about possible crimes. “Competent domestic institutions and holders of public posts have the responsibility of strengthening the rule of law and decreasing of corruption”, reads the statement sent to the daily. The daily reminded that the disputable recording contains Mehmedagic’s comments and attempts to influence official memos and the investigation in ‘Diploma’ case, asking from Tadic to “put prosecutor Oleg Cavka under control”.

Prime Minister meets with HR Schmidt (HRT) 

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and HR to B&H Christian Schmidt discussed changes to B&H’s election law, the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration and other topics at the government offices on Tuesday, said the Prime Minister’s office. Plenkovic called for changes to the Election Law in order to ensure equality and legitimate representation of all three constituent peoples in B&H, especially Croats, said the statement. Zagreb and the Bosnian Croat parties are demanding a change in the election law before the 2022 elections, which, in line with the B&H Constitutional Court ruling in the Ljubic case, would prevent Croats from being outvoted by more numerous Bosniaks at all levels of government. Bosniak parties, on the other hand, insist that it is primarily necessary to address the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, according to which B&H discriminates against citizens who are not Croats, Serbs or Bosniaks because they cannot run for the presidency. In his conversation with Plenkovic, Christian Schmidt emphasized the need to strengthen the functionality of institutions through increased engagement of all political actors in B&H, with the support of the international community. “Functionality is a necessary precondition for the country to step out of the international oversight phase and make progress on the path to the EU,” said Schmidt, according to the statement from the prime minister’s office. Plenkovic said at the meeting that Croatia is the strongest advocate of the continuation of B&H’s European path of all EU members, while Schmidt thanked him for that commitment. Plenkovic and Schmidt also discussed political trends and developments in B&H and the Western Balkans, said the statement.

Schmidt says that the decision on B&H Election Law is task of people in B&H and international community is there only to assist (HRT) 

Guest of HRT1 Central News was HR in B&H Christian Schmidt. Asked if he would support the efforts made by Croats in B&H to amend the B&H Election Law so that they have legitimate representation in the B&H Presidency, Schmidt said it is a task for the people responsible in B&H. “It is a constitutional and electoral law discussion. We will, from the international side, just assist, but it is basically on them to decide. I would be happy if they could come to an agreement,” said Schmidt. Asked if Croat people in reality has the same rights as the two other constituent peoples, Schmidt said he had been in B&H for only several weeks. “I think that now it needs to be observed what the feeling of the people is, the electorate, how they understand it. And I think we have to just focus on the Dayton Agreement and there are things fixed, and there are three constituent peoples. We have additional “the Others”, mainly people who are not related to any of the constituent peoples,” said Schmidt. He added it is not easy to bring it all together, but it is necessary to work on that. Asked how he responds to Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik saying he does not recognize Schmidt’s jurisdiction and that B&H does not have the HR, Schmidt said: “I do not respond. The international community, the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) nominated me, I am here, I am living. I invite everybody just to work with the facts and not with the world they think should be.” Asked to comment on the current situation in B&H and what he aims to accomplish during his mandate, Schmidt said there is a serious challenge related to blockades of the state institutions in B&H and the state depends on the basic consensus. “This does not mean that individual or ethnic identity should be given up, not at all. But it has to be brought together in a joint coordination, as we have experienced in Europe as a whole. The EU is nothing else, then just managing to get a kind of compromise of different positions,” said Schmidt. Asked if in his view it is time to revise the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), Schmidt said: “You should, as a rule, revise something if you are sure that something new would be better. I do not see that, under these conditions, there is anything to be discussed. We should work on the fulfilment of the Dayton Agreement, probably on the way to the Brussels, it will be over only when B&H is a part of the EU”.  Asked has the international community justified its role, being present in B&H for 25 years, Schmidt said: “Yes they have been present, but, honestly, as it is in the world, we are all looking at the places that are hot, loud and noisy. This was not the case in the recent years in B&H. Luckily, one of the successes of the Dayton Agreement is there is peace, there is no shooting. I think it is the best advantage. But, in the last ten years we did not see that the stability is going with the situation”. Schmidt added that the focus again needs to be on improving the situation and that he is not in B&H only because of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but “Chancellor Merkel thought it would be necessary to have a more intense look on the development there, to insist to come to Croatian and European standards. We want to have a preparation for the people to have a better standard of living”. Schmidt reminded of surveys that showed 70 per cent of young people in B&H say “they would like to move anywhere else”, noting the work has to be done in regards to that. “This is why Chancellor Merkel asked me to go and to have an intensified look at what we could assist and achieve in improvement for the people,” said Schmidt.

Expert government crashed in less than a year (CdM) 

Less than a year has passed since the election of the “expert” government of Montenegro, and its first man Zdravko Krivokapic announces the first reshuffling which will replace the 12 apostles, as he called them when he composed it. Although he claimed that “only an expert government can lead the democratic transition of Montenegro, and that 12 ministers are ‘untouchable’, Krivokapic again gave in to political pressure and thus confirmed what his opponents and a large part of the public resent – that he is a weak prime minister without political weight. With the government reshuffling, Krivokapic admitted that his concept failed in less than a year, that he badly redistributed ministries and that his “expert” solutions were not good. All this does not inspire hope that the reshuffled government will be better than the one that is still current. On the contrary. Krivokapic said in his speech during the election of the government that he would like Montenegro to be like Luxembourg. Whether it is possible to get to the Luxembourg level with the political forces led by the DF, the path they set out on, time will tell. What citizens have already had the opportunity to see from this government are political instability, economic decline and social uncertainty.

Krivokapic: Government to have 3 DPMs, I’ll elect ministers (CdM) 

Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic gave his agreement to the government reshuffle, but at the same time he set several conditions, among which is that he shall have the last say in the appointment of ministers, and that there would not be extraordinary elections, media in the region reported. The reshuffle was requested by the two blocs in the ruling coalition, the pro-Serb Democratic Front (DF) and Democratic Montenegro. They announced last week that they had reached an agreement on the necessity of a reshuffle so that instead of the so far 12, the government would in the future have 18 ministries and three deputy prime ministers instead of one. The third and smallest bloc in the coalition, the Civic movement URA, was opposed to the reshuffle, but did not announce its definite standpoint by Tuesday late at night. In an announcement submitted to the media, Krivokapic stated that the government should be strengthened by the participation of the representatives of national minority parties. He said that the reshuffle should be founded on several principles. One is that the Prime Minister, and not the members of the ruling coalition, decides whether and which ministers in the present make-up had been satisfactory and which had not. The government will, in accordance with the request of the DF and the Democratic Montenegro, in the future have three deputy prime ministers, Krivokapic confirmed. “The current Deputy Prime Minister (Dritan Abazovic from URA) will be the first deputy prime minister, and all the deputy prime ministers will also be department ministers. The proposal of the deputy prime ministers is the autonomous right of the prime minister,” he specified. Some departments which have proven to be too cumbersome so as to function efficiently will be divided in accordance with the agreement of the prime minister and the parliamentary majority, it says. The agreement of the three blocks on the forming of the ruling coalition which was achieved in September 2020 remains the starting foundation “for the strengthening of political stability and the speeding up of the reform process” it is added. The reshuffle also implies that the next parliamentary elections will not be held prior to their regular deadline, in 2024. “During this time, the government and the parliament majority will speedily work on Montenegro’s accession to the European Union, as well as on other planned reforms on the strengthening of the economic prosperity and legal security of the citizens (…) Rule of law and the fight against organized crime and corruption are the key tasks of all three branches of government” the prime minister stated. The blocs which comprise the ruling coalition are also expected to “place a moratorium on all issues which do not have a broad social consensus and deeply divide the Montenegrin society,” requested Krivokapic.

There were no official negotiations on joining the government (RTCG) 

The leader of the Bosniak Party (BS) Ervin Ibrahimovic said that there were no official negotiations with the DF and the Democrats on minorities joining the restructured government. He assumes, he says, that he will be invited by the representatives of the two strongest constituents of the government. He said that he would respond to the official invitation, after which he would decide on that issue. Commenting on the meeting of Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic with representatives of minority parties, Ibrahimovic said in the TVCG morning program that they discussed the current political and security situation. “For serious talks, we need official invitations, where we will open the discussion on all issues that should interest us and the citizens. The government missed 12 months to send a sincere message of respect and a call for dialogue” Ibrahimovic said. This government, as he said, does not bring prosperity to Montenegro, but brings it back to the 1990s, when the representatives of minority nations suffered the most. “This government does not instill confidence that it can present the project of European and NATO Montenegro,” Ibrahimovic said.

Djukanovic’s cabinet: Shame on Russia for the way it treats Montenegro and its President (CdM) 

It is “disgraceful” how Russia treats Montenegro and its President, it was announced on Tuesday from the cabinet of Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic after the statement of Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. The media in the region reported Zakharova’s assessment that behind accusations against Russia for interfering in Montenegrin internal matters was the intention to put the forces under Djukanovic’s control, i.e. Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) back to power, since they have been ruling the country in continuity for 30 years until last summer. In her reaction to previous Djukanovic’s accusations against Russia and Russian Orthodox Church for destabilization of Montenegro, she said that he and people around him supported divisions between Montenegrins, and that they have referred to a big part of the population with scorn. Shame on Russia for the way it treats Montenegro and its President, says the cabinet of the President Djukanovic. “Statements are coming from Moscow again, in which the word ‘shame’ has taken root. It’s a word that best corresponds to what the representatives of both the secular and spiritual authorities of Russia are doing, continuing to interfere more and more openly in the internal affairs of Montenegro, with a gross slander of the head of a friendly state. They are making up that the majority of Montenegrin citizens support the Serbian Orthodox Church. They cannot really hide how much they are hurt, as they say, by the ‘so-called’ Euro-Atlantic orientation of Montenegro. But they do not mind that the Serbian patriarch and the Serbian metropolitan were delivered to Cetinje by a NATO helicopter, covered with a bulletproof vest. That action is also supported by Russia,” the statement read.

Pendarovski: Uncertainty in EU integration could affect peace in Western Balkans (MIA) 

The President of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski warned that the obvious stalling and uncertainty in the European integration of Western Balkan countries could significantly affect peace and stability in the region. According to the statement of the Office of the President of North Macedonia, Pendarovski said this during the 20th high-level meeting organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, held on the margins of the 76th UN General Assembly. While describing the obvious stalling in all the Western Balkan countries’ integration processes in the past few years, Pendarovski expressed concern and warned that uncertainty in that regard could significantly affect peace and stability in the region. “The future of the Western Balkans lies in the EU and the Union should keep the doors open, not only because of the need for serious results in the fields of European democratic criteria, rule of law and fight against corruption, but because of the possibility of foreign factors, promoting the geopolitical concepts that are not based on the general European values, using the potential vacuum,” Pendarovski stated.

In meeting with Mickoski, Orban expresses his support for Macedonia’s EU path (Republika) 

VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski and his deputy Aleksandar Nikoloski met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, to discuss the Covid pandemic, the migrant crisis in the Balkans and Macedonia’s stalled EU accession process, where Prime Minister Orban expressed strong Hungarian support in starting accession talks. VMRO-DPMNE President Mickoski noted that Macedonia has an exceptionally bad track record in fighting corruption and in improving its economy, which is pointed by our international partners. This is due to the lack of will and competence on the part of the government. Still, Macedonia and the Macedonian people deserve to see the opening of EU accession talks and the reformist political forces led by VMRO-DPMNE will soon be in a position to make quick, urgently needed steps to bring us closer to European standards, Mickoski said during the meeting. Mickoski expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Orban for Hungary’s support given to Macedonia during the pandemic. Mickoski and Orban also discussed continued cooperation between VMRO-DPMNE and the Fidesz party.

Albania welcomes coop to advance world peace cause (ADN) 

Albania welcomes cooperation with all partner countries about taking the cause of world peace forward, declared Tuesday the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhacka, as she pronounced proud of her country’s dedication to multilaterism and peaceful conflict solving. The Foreign Affairs Minister released this statement after attending the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, where the United States President Joe Biden also held his speech. “On the International Day of World Peace, the high-level meetings of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly began in New York UN. Proud of Albania’s commitment to multilateralism and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. We look forward to cooperating with all partner countries to further the cause of world peace,” highlighted Minister Xhacka on the social networks.