LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Rio Tinto project in Serbia still on (Tanjug/RTS)

Rio Tinto’s Jadar Project in western Serbia is still on and will not be cancelled, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday, commenting on an opposition ultimatum that the project must be cancelled by 7 January or new protests against it will follow. The ultimatum was issued by Together for Serbia leader Nebojsa Zelenovic. Speaking to reporters in Novi Pazar, southwestern Serbia, Vucic said Rio Tinto had not been brought to Serbia by the country’s present authorities, but by the previous ones. “I have seen the politicians who had brought in and launched the Jadar Project – Zelenovic, (Party of Freedom and Justice leader Dragan) Djilas and the rest of them… As far as the project itself is concerned, it is staying put and will not budge,” Vucic said. “Some people do not know what to do, elections are approaching and they must take some votes away from someone,” he added.

Mihajlovic: Gold extraction by cyanide leaching out of question (Tanjug)

Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic on Monday said gold extraction by cyanide leaching in the Homolje region, eastern Serbia, was out of the question because the technology was harmful to the environment. We can only talk about technologies that are in line with European and international standards, Mihajlovic said in a statement to Tanjug. “Cyanide leaching, the technology that company wants to use, is out of the question. A million of all kinds of plans can be made, but that will not be done because it is simply not good for the environment,” she said. “If there are some other, alternative technologies that are in line with all European and international principles, it is OK to talk, but no one will do anything against their own country,” Mihajlovic said. The Ecological Uprising movement and the organisation known as Army of Mlava recently staged a protest in a village near Zagubica, eastern Serbia, over announcements that a gold mine would be built in Homolje. The protesters said a planned surface pit mine in the region would pollute the Mlava and Pek rivers beyond recovery.

Selakovic thanks Azerbaijan for firm stance on Kosovo and Metohija (Politika/Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic on Monday met with Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Serbia Kamil Khasiyev, and noted that the relations between the two countries were based on respect of the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Selakovic thanked Azerbaijan for its firm stance on the Kosovo and Metohija issue as well as for its support to Serbia within international organizations, and noted that both countries were committed to the principles of international law. Recalling this year’s visit to Baku, Selakovic said it had been successful and that his discussions with Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov on the margins of the 60th anniversary meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade had been very good. Selakovic said bilateral economic cooperation was lagging behind the excellent political relations and noted that efforts must be made to step it up. He said an intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation was important for strengthening the ties and expressed the hope a recently signed agreement on mutual abolition of visas would greatly facilitate the movement of people and have a positive impact on cooperation, in particular in business and tourism. He said establishing direct flights between the two capitals would further boost overall bilateral relations, the Serbian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Selakovic said he hoped a visit to Serbia by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev would take place in the period to come, especially as 2022 will mark the 25th anniversary of Serbia-Azerbaijan diplomatic relations, the statement also said.

Odalovic banned from entering Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/RTS/RTV Gracanica)

The Head of the Serbian government commission on missing persons Veljko Odalovic was on Monday banned from entering the territory of Kosovo and Metohija by Kosovo police at the Merdare administrative crossing, RTV Gracanica has reported. Odalovic was scheduled to attend a meeting of an association of missing and kidnapped persons from Kosovo and Metohija and his trip to the province was announced two days ago, the report said. Odalovic said the ban was “just another extremely unreasonable move” by the Pristina institutions when it comes to missing persons, and added that Pristina was evidently not interested in it. “They have politicized the issue of missing persons, so we do not have any contact or information at this time. They are oblivious of the fact the working group on missing persons is a mechanism that has solved over 1,800 cases of missing persons to date. We have always strived to work together with Pristina on locations and to tell the families (of missing persons) what we have done and what we will do in the future. This way, we have a complete standstill,” Odalovic said. Pristina constantly talks about missing persons but is taking no action to deal with the issue, he said. “We are ready to share all information we have in a completely responsible manner,” he added.

Media in Serbia dispassionate about Interim Supervisory Body’s work (Beta)

The Interim Supervisory Body for media monitoring determined its methodology in the pre-election period but said the appeals and recommendations so far did not produce results and added the media seemed not to be interested in the Body’s work. Co-Chair of the Body Rade Veljanovski told a news conference that the work of the media would be monitored before the elections and that the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) would assist in the process.

“The Body will receive weekly reports on how the media is behaving, and we will inform the public about that,” Veljanovski said. He added the media were not particularly interested in the work of the Body and that he did not consider it constructive, having in mind the importance of the moment and the elections announced for 3 April. Veljanovski said the Body had appealed to politicians not to practice personal media appearances because the debates were necessary. The Body was agreed during the inter-party dialogue on election conditions in Serbia mediated by four members of the European Parliament. Leading opposition parties said they would not name representatives, adding the Body would not have the power to control pro-regime media reporting. Member the Body from REM Srdjan Miljkovic said the Body would measure air time given to the participants in the campaign, whether the laws were respected, and how the media reported about the participants. He added that the tonality of pre-election reports and the time dedicated to state officials would also be measured, while the most frequent topics in media appearances would be analyzed. Milorad Marinkovic, a member of the Body from the nationalist Dveri Movement, said he was not satisfied with the dynamics of the implementation of the agreement since concrete media monitoring had not yet begun. He added the media had not yet submitted reporting plans and called on editors to open debates on the referendum on Constitutional changes due on 16 January.

REGIONAL PRESS

Akar: We view the people of B&H as one people (N1/BNTV)

Chairman of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic and members of the B&H Presidency, Sefik Dzaferovic and Milorad Dodik, met with Turkish Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar in Sarajevo on Monday. Dzaferovic said that Turkey is a stabilizing factor in B&H given that it developed good relations and cooperation with all parties and all peoples in B&H. Akar previously met with Chief of the Joint Staff of B&H Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Senad Masovic, and B&H Minister of Defense Sifet Podzic. Addressing a press conference with Podzic, Akar stressed that Turkey is very closely monitoring the situation in B&H, especially the current political crisis. Akar underlined that Turkey is fully committed to territorial integrity and sovereignty of B&H, but also to its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Akar pointed out that everyone in B&H should sit at the table and talk and that all issues should be solved through dialogue, noting that Turkey and its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are ready to be serious mediators in that story. “As far as relations between B&H and Turkey are concerned, our countries have special relations based on friendship, common culture, and we are strengthening cooperation in all fields every day. Turkey is committed to the stability in the Balkans and dialogue between all parties. I served here as a brigade commander. Stability of B&H, its territorial integrity, sovereignty, Euro-Atlantic path are very important to Turkey as well. That is why we are doing our best to do everything to help with this. Today, we are witnessing a crisis and blockades and that must end as soon as possible. Statements on disintegration of the Armed Forces and separatist statements must end,” Akar pointed out. “For B&H and the people of B&H, it is not good to talk about disintegration. We view the people of B&H as one people. We are closely observing the situation in B&H and we call on all sides to react calmly, patiently and with dialogue. The existing issues in B&H, we propose for them to be resolved peacefully with dialogue, because it is the best way for the whole people in B&H. I want you to know we are always ready for any of your request, to analyze it and to assist within our capabilities,” said Akar. Podzic stressed the very good cooperation between the Ministries of Defense of B&H and Turkey, especially when it comes to training of B&H soldiers in Turkey, but also in the context of modernization of the B&H Armed Forces and significant help coming from Turkey. Both Akar and Podzic stated that there is room to improve the cooperation when it comes to the defense industry. Asked to comment on the announcements coming from the RS, i.e. Dodik’s announcements on the reduction of the B&H Armed Forces, Podzic said that he does not want to go into that. But, Podzic pointed to the difficult position which members of the B&H Armed Forces are in because of all political blockades and the fact that the budget has not been adopted. Podzic also said that the Law on Defense of B&H is very clear, adding that anyone who works beyond that law is committing a serious crime. “The Law on Defense of B&H, Article 3, is so clear and so precise and anyone who would take any action in the Ministry of Defense or the Armed Forces would be committing a serious crime because it is definitely stated there that only under this law military forces in B&H can be organized. Every other poll, mobilization, training is a serious crime,” Podzic underlined. Podzic said that Turkey, as the NATO member and a great friend to B&H “helps a lot to the B&H Ministry of Defense” in two aspects, primarily in education of members of the B&H Armed Forces at the academies in Turkey, and in modernization of the B&H AF “in relation to purchase of equipment for the B&H Armed Forces from the military industry. In the upcoming days, I am expecting the proposal from my generals on what equipment we will start to receive”.

Dodik: US diplomats are forcing unitarization of B&H under excuse of its functionality (RTRS/ATV)

Commenting on the statement of US Ambassador to B&H Eric Nelson that sanctions are possible for those who undermine stability in the Western Balkans, Serb member of the Presidency of B&H Milorad Dodik stated on Monday that crime and corruption are suspicious excuse for eliminating politicians who do not agree with the American version of B&H. Dodik reminded that Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US Department of Treasury Paul Ahern recently visited B&H and that he met with B&H Minister of Security Selmo Cikotic, against whom an indictment for corruption was issued less than a month earlier. Dodik pointed out that representatives of the US administration are unnecessarily cheering for the Bosniak people in B&H, trying to impose solutions to the current crisis. Dodik sees the announcement of sanctions for politicians who do not agree with such a concept as pressure and an attempt to break them. “Now that seems like some kind of threat,” Dodik said, adding that he believes that the outgoing US Ambassador to B&H is obviously trying to leave a mark before his departure from BiH to show that he was the one who said something. “Although, cooperation so far has been beneficial regardless of the limitations we had in the past,” Dodik pointed out. Nelson has stated that B&H is faced with a serious political crisis and therefore the US administration’s interest in this region was intensified. “A new version of executive regulation includes corruption and possibility to sanction those who support undermining the constitutional order. Sanctions, if any, will be directed against individuals – not against people as a whole”, Nelson said. Commenting on the statement, Dodik stressed that under excuse of B&H’s functionality, the US diplomats pressure the country’s unitarianization. “They are the ones who support devastation of the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA) and dissolution of B&H to which the RS agreed in 1995. We have witnessed processes led against disobedient politicians who afterwards became more constructive partners for the part of the international community led by the US,” Dodik concluded.

RS politicians, analysts comment on change of Dodik’s rhetoric compared to his rhetoric at beginning of 2000s (BNTV)

BNTV comments that although B&H Presidency member Milorad Dodik presents himself today as the only protector of vital national interests of the RS, not long ago he was working on the abolition of the RS and retailoring of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA). BNTV reports at the beginning 2000s, Dodik advocated constitutional changes in B&H, implying abolition of the three-member Presidency and appointment of one President at the state level, arguing that it should be done by the B&H Presidency. The reporter notes that, in 2005 and 2006, Dodik publicly talked he was one of the most responsible persons for the reform of the B&H defense, that included abolition of the RS Army and mandatory military service. BNTV reports that at the time, Dodik openly advocated strengthening of the US administration in B&H. BNTV reminds that at the beginning of the 2000s, Dodik was in power at state level together with SDP in the so-called ‘Alliance for Changes’. The reporter notes that, as a favorite of the FB&H media, he “bragged’’ he was responsible for abolition of the RS Army, anticipated soon arrest of Radovan Karadzic, and announced abolition of entity voting at the B&H House of Representatives (HoR) and introduction of office of the B&H President. BNTV carries a video footage from an interview for FTV on 21 April 2005, in which Dodik talks about plans to draft a proposal for constitutional reforms in BiH based on the “recommendations of the Venice Commission. We do not think there should be three-member Presidency and that there is no room to abolish that, to elect one President in the parliament” with the mandate for up to five years. “Such reform we can immediately accept,” said Dodik, and went on to say that during the constitutional changes on constituent status of peoples it was necessary to “defend vital interest” at the level of B&H, i.e. the B&H House of Peoples (HoP). In an interview for FTV on 2 June 2006, Dodik said he was the leader in reform of the defense, and “I am proud we have today such Army without recruitment and military service.” In an interview on 16 February 2004, Dodik discussed activities in relation to arrests of war criminals, noting that the arrests were accelerating. “Another important thing should be noted, and that is, this is the year of the US presidential elections, and the fact that it has been seriously announced is that these are the final months for Karadzic’s arrest and the arrest of others indicted for war crimes,” said Dodik on the occasion and noted that SDS was used as “a logistic for hiding those indicted for war criminals”. BNTV reports that, commenting on this, SDS leader Mirko Sarovic said that although it was well-known fact that Dodik changed his narrative and policy depending on his personal interests it is necessary to remember he was ready to destroy the RS to be in power. “It is absolutely clear it is a policy without continuity and is uncertain. Based on this rhetoric he got the support of some Western powers against which he is now waging verbal war. He wants to persuade he is the Robin Hood who will return competencies to the RS, the ones he transferred himself. He is using the opportunity to probably trade at one point in regard to these competencies. He is a manipulator, who, according to a proven recipe, will probably want to sell that as patriotic. I think that everything he is doing is very dangerous. He is causing the crisis that can result in conflicts, incidents, not to say in war,” said Sarovic. BNTV reports that PDP leader Branislav Borenovic said Dodik is abusing his office, but also the Serb people. “There is no greater punishment for a people than to be led by a man who was saying one thing ten years ago, is saying something different today, and the question is what he will be saying in several years. He has shown he absolutely does not care about the interests of his people, but he adapts his story to his personal interests. The wealth is clearly so big and the power is that big, that everything is being done to deceit own people and draw attention from big issues every person in the RS is facing. It is clear the man has lost his compass. He is lying so perfidiously his own people with statements that, at the time, were very useful for him to get in power, we know with whose support, to tell a different story today. How to trust such man? How to trust someone who is punishing his own people that way,” said Borenovic.

Borrell: This year escalation and sharpening of rhetoric of divisions in Western Balkans hampered efforts to bring six countries of Western Balkans closer to their European future (RTRS)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell assessed that this year the escalation and sharpening of the rhetoric of divisions in the Western Balkans hampered efforts to bring the six countries of the Western Balkans closer to their European future, citing the situation in B&H as a special example. Borrell described 2021 as a year of transition in which the EU worked to preserve its interests and values and strengthen the global order. “That work must continue in 2022 as well,” Borrell was quoted as saying.

Krivokapic: If proposed 2022 budget proves unsustainable, government to resign (RTCG)

Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic said that, if the proposed budget for 2022 does not prove sustainable by June, his government will resign. The debate on the budget proposal and the set of laws that enable the increase of the minimum wage from 250 to 450 Euros, the highest in the last 30 years, ended in the parliament, and they should be voted on Wednesday. In addition to the increase in the minimum wage as of 1 January, the government’s program envisages the abolition of health insurance contributions, the introduction of a non-taxable portion of gross wages of 700 Euros and progressive taxation of wages above 1,000 Euros.

Kovacevski officially nominated prime minister-designate of the new government (Republika/TV21)

SDSM leader Dimitar Kovacevski, informed on social media that the party’s Central Committee nominated him as prime minister-designate of the future government. It is a great honor and responsibility for me that today I received the trust the of SDSM’s Central Committee to be prime minister-designate of the future government! It is a challenge that I am ready to accept and work hard to justify the trust. We continue with the session of the Central Committee for election of a new leadership, as well as new members of the Central and Executive Board of SDSM. SDSM will be reorganized, will continue to be democratized and modernized. The party is open for the inclusion of new people who will be characterized by knowledge, honesty and commitment to social democratic values, wrote Kovacevski. Our entire leadership has resigned and for 30 days I was the target of attacks by VMRO-DPMNE, there was no one to defend us, the Kovacevski told party bodies, TV21 reported. According to TV21’s party sources, Kovacevski complained to party members that the entire leadership left the party at one point and he, as the new party leader, was left without support. Tonight, a new leadership is elected in SDSM after most of them resigned, and the last resignations were submitted by the party’s secretary general Ljupco Nikolovski and Oliver Spasovski. Mile Zecevic is expected to replace Nikolovski and be elected secretary general of the party, and Fatmir Bytyqi, Pero Kostadinov, Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojcevska and Stefan Bogoev are expected to be elected vice presidents.

Ahmeti says gap with Bulgaria being bridged, urges respect for Friendship Treaty (Republika)

There’s no need to hold early election, but the country must resolve issues, DUI leader Ali Ahmeti said during an end-of-year meeting with reporters on Monday. Regarding the dispute with Bulgaria, Ahmeti says that if we want to have a stable situation, sustainable and advanced in the direction of Euro-Atlantic processes, it is necessary to settle the differences we have with the Bulgarian side regarding the Good Neighborly Agreement. I believe the gap is being bridged. So far, there were difficulties that Bulgaria was facing, with the elections, with the delay in the formation of the new Government and the Parliament. Our international partners who are interested in the functioning of peace, stability and security in the Western Balkans and especially in our country have helped us bridge the gap. I hope that this issue will be resolved in the coming days or months, but on the condition that neither our nor the Bulgarian authorities politicize and involve emotions because it is a topic that is in itself an emotional issue, said Ahmeti.