LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Discussions with Xi significant (Tanjug/RTS/Politika/Novosti)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday said he had held significant discussions with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in which some new topics had been raised and some old ones revisited. “One of them is not a new one, but a freshly revisited one – the idea of establishing flight routes between Belgrade and Beijing and Belgrade and Shanghai. We want Air Serbia to operate those flights. I believe we will make them profitable even sooner than it was the case with the Belgrade-New York flights. Those routes will ensure more contacts between our businesspeople as well as bring more Chinese tourists,” Vucic told Tanjug in Beijing. He said finalizing joint engagement regarding a free trade agreement had been another topic and added that he was confident the agreement could be signed by the end of the year. He said it would mean much to the Serbian economy, in particular, to Serbian exporters, agricultural producers and processors, as well as to service exporters and the IT sector. “That is something that can bring new improvement and take the development of the relations with China to the next level,” Vucic added. He said Chinese investments in Serbia had been discussed as well and that Xi had announced China would continue to support Serbia’s territorial integrity. “In particular, that applies to Kosovo and Metohija, which China sees as a part of our country,” Vucic noted. He said Xi had noted that he was looking forward to visiting Serbia. “He was unable to come last year just because of the (coronavirus) pandemic, but as soon as the virus is contained, we can expect the Chinese president to come with some more good news,” Vucic said.

Vucic: China already Serbia’s second-largest economic partner

Noting the significance of cooperation with China, Vucic on Friday said Serbia’s exports to China had increased by 152 times. Vucic was speaking to Serbian reporters in Beijing, where he attended the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Vucic said China was already Serbia’s second-largest trade partner and that the meeting with Xi would focus on further growth of cooperation. He said that, in the past, Italy, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia had been Serbia’s top four external trade partners, but that China was now in second place. “Things are completely different today. The trade with Germany has reached 7.6 billion Dollars and the trade with China is at 5.3 billion Dollars, and Italy, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria follow – our trade with them is rising drastically,” he said. Serbia has a trade deficit with China, but Serbia’s exports to the country are 152 times higher, and greatly helped by the mining company Zijin, Serbia’s top exporter, whose exports are worth 463 million Dollars, he said. Vucic said China was progressing at an extremely fast pace and that “cooperation in all areas – from artificial intelligence, robotics and the automotive industry – brings much to Serbia.” He said he had spoken with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan – the de facto ruler of the UAE – and Prince Albert of Monaco, and added that he would soon travel to Monaco for an official visit. He said his discussions with Sheikh Mohamed had addressed joint projects and progress of the Belgrade Waterfront project. Vucic said he hoped the Sheikh would soon visit Belgrade for the opening of a vaccine factory based on Chinese technology. “That is important for the future because we still do not know how to deal with this virus, let alone with some others,” he said. In a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram profile, Vucic said the vaccine plant was due to be opened in March.

Selakovic: Renewal of Serbia-US cooperation priority (Tanjug/Politika)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said on Saturday that the strategic goal of Serbian diplomacy in the past period was to continue European integration, nurture our traditional friendships in the world, but also ties with countries with which we had harmonious or allied relations, but they got neglected or aggravated due to unfortunate historical circumstances.

In a letter sent by 16 congressmen to US President Joseph Biden last night, they call for improving relations between the United States and Serbia, recalling the long diplomatic history of the two countries and their strong defense, security and economic ties. The letter was sent on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Serbia, and in order to encourage the Joseph Biden administration to deepen relations between the two countries. Commenting on the letter in a statement to Tanjug, Selakovic pointed out that cooperation between Serbia and the United States was one of our priorities in the past, and the letter from a group of US congressmen to US President Joseph Biden confirmed that there was a will to take such a direction in developing our bilateral relations. The fact that the idea of the need to work on deepening the Serbian-American partnership was supported by a large number of congressmen from both parties is also a confirmation of the dedicated work of our state leadership and Serbian diplomacy, primarily Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Serbian Ambassador to the United States Marko Djuric. Through personal commitment and entrepreneurship, they managed to make the Serbian caucus in the US Congress stronger than ever, said Selakovic. According to him, this was done without paid lobbyists, consultants, agencies and similar aids, because Serbia is sincerely and without any hesitation, firmly determined to raise relations with the United States to the highest level in recent history, and that determination is, as it is today clearly seen, recognized in the US administration. He emphasized that the letter of support from the American congressmen confirmed that Serbia is recognized and appreciated on all meridians today as a reliable and credible partner, which unequivocally confirms the correctness of the foreign policy of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. In the past, we have been accustomed to seeing that in American political circles, various, mostly one-party, declarations were circulating in which Serbia is treated in a completely different way, but the latest letter of support for Serbian-American friendship, signed by twice as many members of Congress than any other of the mentioned declarations, is a hint of a great tectonic change in American politics, and we will certainly continue to work on that, he underlined.

Djuric: Thank you for supporting my country (FoNet)

A group of US congressmen published a letter of support for Serbia insisting on improving relations between the United States and Serbia, Marko Djuric, Serbian Ambassador to Washington, said on Friday. He published the letter on his Instagram account signed by members of Congress from foreign policy, intelligence and military committees, the Serbian Caucus, Democrats and Republicans and sent to President Joseph Biden. The congressmen addressed President Biden on the 140th anniversary of the US-Serbia diplomatic relations to encourage him and his administration to work on deepening ties between the two countries. Djuric said that “friends of Serbia in the US Congress raised their voice favoring Serbia and strengthening relations between the two countries”. “Prominent and influential representatives of the people of the United States from both parties supported Serbia and asked for further improvement of cooperation and partnership with our country, which began 140 years ago. Thank you, dear friends! The Embassy of Serbia in the United States will continue with additional enthusiasm in its daily work with representatives of the US Congress and government, ” Djuric said.

Upward trend of cooperation between Serbia, US in the field of defense (Tanjug)

Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic met on Friday with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs and US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar. Stefanovic assessed that the cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense has an upward trend, especially in the military-military field, and pointed out that joint exercises raise the level of operational capabilities of the armies of Serbia and the United States. The interlocutors agreed that good cooperation in this area should be continued and intensified, and assessed that only economic development and stability can lead to progress in the entire region. Stefanovic pointed out that the Open Balkans Initiative represents a very significant step forward in strengthening mutual understanding and respect in the region and leaves aside diversity, while accelerating economic development and creating better living conditions for citizens. Escobar stated that the strategic dialogue between Serbia and the United States represents a significant contribution to the improvement of relations between our countries, but also that it has a positive impact on relations in the Western Balkans. He expressed support for the Open Balkans Initiative, assessing that it represents an important contribution to the progress of the region.

Selakovic: Serbia seeks better overall cooperation with Germany (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic on Friday met with Adis Ahmetovic, a Social Democratic Party representative in the German Bundestag and the legislative body’s rapporteur for the Western Balkans, and said Serbia was committed to boost its cooperation with Germany in all fields. According to a statement released by the Serbian Foreign Ministry, Selakovic said Serbia wanted to maintain the high level of political dialogue also during the tenure of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Selakovic and Ahmetovic also discussed the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, and the minister reiterated Serbia was committed and ready to continue the dialogue but that the other side was doggedly obstructing it and dodging fulfilment of its commitments. Selakovic voiced Serbia’s concern over the fact Pristina did not allow Kosovo Serbs to vote in a referendum on amendments to the Serbian Constitution, but noted that Serbia expected influential stakeholders in the international community to invest efforts to enable Serbian residents in Kosovo and Metohija to vote in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. Selakovic underlined Germany was one of Serbia’s most significant economic partners and one of the largest investors in the Serbian economy, and added that Serbia expected the positive trend in bilateral trade and use of investment potentials to be continued. He thanked Germany for supporting Serbia’s EU path but also noted that Serbia expected further support from Berlin in the process of opening new clusters in the EU accession talks. He said Serbia attached great significance to the Berlin Process as a forum backing EU integration of the Western Balkans through specific projects and measures, and also noted Serbia’s commitment to the Open Balkans initiative. Selakovic said Serbia was focusing on the region as one of its foreign policy priorities and would continue to promote regional peace and stability.

Cadez, representatives of Serbian companies meet with Lajcak (Tanjug)

To expedite the resolution of problems faced by businesses, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (PKS) will prepare an initiative for the EU Special Envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues Miroslav Lajcak that will be considered in the dialogue, it was agreed at Lajcak’s meeting with PKS President Marko Cadez and representatives of Serbian companies operating in the Kosovo market. The parties agreed to cooperate intensively to find the best solutions that will enable the companies to operate without obstacles, the PKS said in a statement released late on Thursday. “The good example and the results we have had so far in the cooperation between the two chambers, such as harmonization of the work of institutions to resolve open issues faced by the two business communities, can also be a model in this phase of discussions about normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina,” Cadez said. He said the Open Balkans initiative was a way to resolve many open issues and problems faced by businesses and by Belgrade and Pristina. Lajcak said good economic cooperation between the two business communities spurred growth and saved jobs, and added that both sides must establish equal conditions for business operations. The meeting was attended by representatives of Coca-Cola/Bambi, Neoplanta/Nelt, DPS Klas, Nektar, Mlekara Sabac, Mladost Leskovac, Metalac, Hemofarm, Farmalogist and FSH Jabuka.

Project of reconstruction of house of Xhafer Deva should not be implemented (RTS/Tanjug)

Serbian Minister of Culture and Information Maja Gojkovic sent letters to EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, in which she expressed worry over the project of reconstruction of the house of Xhafer Deva in Kosovska Mitrovica and called for the cancellation of the disputed project. In the letters, Gojkovic wrote that the facts regarding this case are well known – it is about a notorious Nazi collaborator who was actively involved in the formation of the SS division “Skender-beg”, known for preparing and committing crimes against Serbs and Jews. He was the Mayor of Mitrovica during the Second World War, the Minister of the Interior of Albania during the occupation in the Second World War and was decorated by Adolf Hitler in 1944. She added that for these reasons, she was surprised to receive the news that this activity is being realized as part of the European Union project “Cultural heritage as a driver for intercommunity dialogue and social cohesion contributing to stability and peace”, with the support of the UNDP. She underlined that the given project is a cause of deep anxiety among Serbs and Jews and the entire public of this region and that it grossly threatens not only the dignity of the victims of crimes committed during the Second World War and the cherishing of the culture of remembrance, but also the efforts that are being made today in order to establish dialogue.

Ambassador on using Belgian model in Kosovo: Some interesting elements to consider (Beta)

Belgian Ambassador to Serbia Koen Adam has said that the Belgian constitutional model could not be reproduced in other countries, but that some elements could be interesting to consider in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. In an interview with Beta, Adam said there were positive developments in advancing electoral conditions in Serbia, but voiced regret over widespread hate speech in Serbian politics, urging against ad hominem attacks against opponents in favor of focusing on policies. He said Serbia had made headway on its EU path, especially in the area of justice, but stressed that a lot of work remained to ensure the independence of this branch of government. Asked about the German-speaking Community of eastern Belgium in relation to speculation in the media that the EU could propose that model as a solution for the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo, Adam said his country had a very specific constitutional system, with parts or procedures that could possibly serve as inspiration for solving problems elsewhere. Over my career I have explained to all of my collocutors that Belgium is a country that exports many things, but not its constitutional model. We have a fairly sophisticated model of constitutional engineering, tailored to offer solutions to Belgium’s problems. That isn’t something you can copy onto another situation, Adam said.

Framework for cooperation with UN for sustainable development until 2025 defined (Beta)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic and UN Resident Coordinator to Serbia Francoise Jacob signed on Friday at the Foreign Ministry the United Nations Framework for Sustainable Development with the Republic of Serbia 2021-2025. On that occasion, Selakovic said that Serbia is a reliable and credible partner to the United Nations, expressing confidence that the constructive and dynamic cooperation between the government of Serbia and the entire UN Team will continue in the future. Economic growth, the rule of law, respect for human rights, as well as the fight against climate change – are the basis of our development strategy, he said. He said that the document envisages that by 2025, with the support of the UN and other development partners, Serbia will make significant progress towards achieving key national development priorities in numerous areas for the benefit of all our citizens. Serbian Minister for EU Integration Jadranka Joksimovic said that the Cooperation Framework is another proof that the government of Serbia is fully committed to the goals of sustainable development, the Green Agenda, the fight against climate change, and improving the quality of life of all citizens. The UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia pointed out that the Cooperation Framework is the result of intensive joint work of the UN, the government of Serbia and civil society. She said that the UN is a unique partner and that their vision is a world ruled by harmony, equality and love among people, but also harmony with the environment.

Serbian parliament adopts changes to a set of election laws (N1)

The Serbian parliament adopted on Friday changes to the laws on the local election, the election of the President and MPs which, according to a statement, significantly improve conditions for conducting elections at the national and local levels. According to a statement from the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, the changes to the set of election laws are the result of parallel inter-party dialogues on election conditions that took place with and without the participation of representatives of the European Parliament, the implementation of the recommendations of the OSCE, as well as public hearings in which civil society organizations dealing with electoral matters and local officials participated. Amendments to the election laws establish “a higher degree of democracy and transparency of the election process,” the statement said, adding that the novelties of these three election laws are important in terms of protection of rights in election procedures and the easier candidacy of political parties of national minorities, as well as in terms of organization and transparency of the work of election administration bodies. The Law on Election of the President of the Republic does not bring essential novelties in this election procedure but harmonizes it with the Law on the election of MPs while the Law on Local Elections brings several novelties, including the establishment of the number of election commission members depending on the number of local self-government units, new deadlines for deciding on calling elections in relation to the expiration of mandates of councilors, determining the minimum required number of voters who must support the electoral list with their signatures, new deadlines for constituting the assembly to avoid obstructions.

Social Democratic Party, Democrats of Serbia unite (Beta)

On Saturday the Social Democratic Party united with the Democrats of Serbia organization.

Social Democratic Party president Boris Tadic said the new organization would strive to consolidate the democratic potential of Serbian society and rally center left citizens, and that it would advocate labor rights and civic freedoms. Tadic said Serbia had been ruled by a “policy of aggression” by its government over the last ten years, adding that the fundamental difference was that the democrats “freed” people of fear, while the Serbian Progressive Party used it to rule. He said the new organization remained open to discussing cooperation with the “democratic opposition.” Speaking about his possible candidacy for president of Serbia, Tadic said that would depend on his assessment of whether the candidates in the running had the strength “to reform the system and correct the fallout of Aleksandar Vucic‘s mandate.” “I will review that decision through the lens of how likely it is for my candidacy to result in a second round of elections. I’m approaching it from the aspect of the greater good, not personal victory,” he stressed.

Knezevic: Abazovic bans Serbs to enter government of Montenegro (TV Prva/B92)

One of the leaders of the DF Milan Knezevic stated that he hopes that the Montenegrin parliament speaker Aleksa Becic will not be replaced today. Regardless of all the events in the last days, we hope that Becic will have a chance to talk and not be replaced… If case of his dismissal, I think that the chances for an agreement have been reduced and tensions are still waiting for us,” Knezevic said for TV Prva. He pointed out that it would be obvious that a “deal with the DPS was made” if the MPs of the URA movement, whose leader is Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, vote for the removal of Becic, otherwise a “current coalition partner”.

Asked whether the return of Milo Djukanovic was imminent here, he pointed out that for him it was “a reshaping of the electoral will of the citizens”. “You have seen that DPS finds principle of the minority government acceptable and they are ready to talk to Abazovic. We regard it is as changing the will of the citizens. I appeal to Abazovic to give up… I am afraid that everything else will lead to civil instability… The one who thinks that he can form a coalition with the DPS and the DF should end up in a madhouse”, stated Knezevic. He explained that not everything is in the hands of Abazovic, that is, that part of it is “in the hands of SNP leader Vladimir Jokovic“. When asked who is the biggest enemy of Montenegro, Knezevic explained that it would be “those people who attempt to change the will of the citizens”. “Dritan Abazovic was declared a Serbian hero, that he would protect the Serbian language… He is the curly boy who presented himself as a national hero in the Serbian media. Now, I would like the media to notice that this curly boy does not allow political representatives of the Serbian origin to be in the new government, because he believes that we, as Serbs from Montenegro, will destroy its integrity and sovereignty,” Knezevic said.

REGIONAL PRESS

SNSD and its coalition partners submit proposal to parliament of B&H for adoption of Law on Banning Misuse of Term Genocide in urgent procedure (Nova BH) 

The Republika Srpska (RS-)level ruling coalition led by SNSD i.e. their Caucuses in the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) House of Representatives (HoR) submitted the Proposal of Law on Banning Misuse of the Term Genocide into the procedure in the parliament of B&H. They demand that this law is discussed as early as at the next HoR’s session in urgent procedure. The proposal was submitted in line with the conclusion from a recent special session of the RS parliament on the situation in B&H. SNSD leader and Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik had announced adoption of this law as a test and a condition for return of RS’ representatives into the B&H institutions, after a boycott of work of the state institutions following former High Representative (HR) Valentin Inzko’s decision on imposed law on banning genocide denial. United Srpska leader and representative in the B&H HoR Nenad Stevandic stressed that it is necessary to ban calling anyone “genocidal” in order to calm down the tensions. Speaker of the B&H HoR Denis Zvizdic (People and Justice Party – NiP) said that the proposal of this law is nothing but another form of denial of genocide. “Introduction of ‘idea of genocide’ instead of ‘crime of genocide’ into legislation is actually a very dangerous relativization of the crime of genocide that was committed in Srebrenica, and which was ruled by courts” Zvizdic noted. Zvizdic added that the idea of genocide is not the same as the crime of genocide, given that the idea is “probably what those who started aggression on B&H in the 1990s” while the crime was indeed committed and did not remain an idea. According to the proposed law, abuse of the term ‘genocide’ is a new criminal offence, and stipulates sanctions for the said criminal offence. The law also explains what the abuse of the term ‘genocide’ represents. “Who talks or writes, or in another way makes publicly available texts, photographs or any other representation of the ideas about the genocide, disrespecting or exposing to the public scorn B&H, the RS, the Federation of B&H (FB&H) and the Brcko District, as well as a group of people or members of a group that is determined based on its race, skin color, religion, origin, country, national or ethnic affiliation, and in a way that it could incite violence or hatred directed against B&H, the RS, the FB&H and the Brcko District, as well as such group of people or members of that group, will be sanctioned with prison sentence in the duration from six months to five years,” reads Article 3 of the proposed law. Head of SNSD Caucus at the B&H HoR Snjezana Novakovic-Bursac, referral of the law represents respecting the conclusions adopted by the RSNA and preventing manipulation and abuse of the term ‘genocide’. Novakovic-Bursac said: “The law regulates prohibition of abuses of this term that are unfortunately happening on daily basis, especially for political purposes, particularly the intention to discredit one whole people, or the RS.” Stevandic reminded that many high-ranking politicians from the FB&H have frequently used the term ‘genocide’ to insult, and by abusing it, cause damage to one people, in majority cases to Serb people, and that the term ‘genocidal people’ has become common in the statements of SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic and similarly in the statements by Chairperson of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic. “This way, all reasonable people will have the opportunity to understand that we offer a solution that will protect all peoples, citizens and entities so that we can move forward and address issues related to the parliament, development, economy, and that this is a good way to lower tensions. All those who do not accept that, they are for raising tensions, for conflicts, and abuse of the term ‘genocide’ to target one people, an ethnic group or identity.” Zvizdic wrote on his Twitter account “the idea about the genocide, as stated in the law, does not exist, only crime of genocide exists”. “Mr. Zvizdic made an effort to say absolutely incredible things about this law he has not even read. This will confirm the thesis that the term ‘genocide’ was used exclusively to try to call one people and one entity genocidal, and that everything they publicly talked about is not true, and that, actually, the whole game has been set to constantly target and obstruct the RS and that it is an alibi to request its abolition or its weakening,” said Stevandic. President of SDS Mirko Sarovic said that this proposal was discussed in Banja Luka but it does not diminish the issue that the imposed changes represent. He stressed that the crisis started with this issue and it is the key problem. Sarovic said that the solution to this issue needs to be found a different way and that the imposed changes need to be annulled. He reminded that seven months have passed since the changes were imposed by the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and it is hard to work on this issue. Sarovic assessed that three months ago there was certain readiness to annul or temporary suspend these changes, but at the same time one cannot expect this to be approved by the international community while berating and criticizing Germany and other EU countries. He assessed that the current authorities do not have the capacity to solve the issue and it will be left for someone else to handle.

German MEP Marquardt: EU should join US sanctions against Dodik and others, Varhelyi does not represent stances of EC; We do not want ethnic gerrymandering in B&H (Oslobodjenje) 

The daily carried an interview with German member of European Parliament from the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance Erik Marquardt. Asked of Germany can be expected to impose sanctions against SNSD leader Milorad Dodik individually or within a group of EU states, Marquardt said that the Green Party supports the sanctions imposed by the USA against individuals of different ethnicities. However, he noted, it is not very likely that these persons have assets in the USA, which is why it is important that the sanctions are introduced by the EU as well. If the EU fails to reach consensus on the issue of sanctions, he believes that individual member states, as well as the UK, should introduce bilateral sanctions. Commenting the support that Dodik enjoys in some EU states such as Hungary and Slovenia, Marquardt said that Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban are acting irresponsibly. According to him, they are both right-wing politicians led by Islamophobic plans. Marquardt noted that High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell needs to be careful because he always must communicate the consensus of the EU. However, in this case, it would be better if he sent the clear message to Dodik that he cannot boycott state institutions and thus destabilize B&H. Asked what message the EU sent by appointing Oliver Varlehyi to the post of EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Marquardt said that the Green Party was always opposed to his appointment and to Hungary holding this office because a country that is distancing itself from the Union should not be responsible for its enlargement. He noted that there are leaked documents showing that Varhelyi made very questionable deals with Dodik in the past and that he promised Dodik EU funds. “So, Dodik is trying to destabilize B&H, and the responsible Commissioner promises him money for that? This is not how we do it in the EU and Varhelyi does not represent the stance of the European Commission here,” Marquardt underlined. He also said that it is necessary to carefully monitor all EU funds transferred to the RS because Dodik cannot be rewarded for his actions. Asked to comment Croatian President Zoran Milanovic’s recent statements about Russia and Ukraine, Marquardt said that his stances are unbelievable. However, he noted, Milanovic is probably isolated and his stances do not reflect the official policy of Croatian government. Commenting the talks on electoral reform in B&H, Marquardt said that electoral reform cannot be implemented only so that HDZ BIH leader Dragan Covic can win the election. He also noted that it is not democratic to allow only election of a nationalistic Croat candidate. According to Marquardt, Croatian HDZ is lobbying for reform of B&H Election Law in Brussels, but they did not manage to impose their stance as the official stance of EU conservative parties. “The stance of the EU and Germany is clear: there must be no cementing of ethnic divisions. We do not want ethnic gerrymandering in B&H. I would rather talk about why a Jew or a Roma still cannot be elected to some offices. That is the real discrimination,” said Marquardt.

Izetbegovic calls on foreigners to intensify sanctions against Dodik and impose sanctions against RS as a whole (ATV) 

SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic again attacked the RS when he called on foreigners to intensify sanctions against Serb member of B&H Presidency and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik and impose sanctions against RS as a whole in his interview for FTV on Thursday evening. Izetbegovic stressed that people in RS will be under sanctions which will make their life more difficult. Izetbegovic looks forward to sanctions against RS, especially sanctions in the field of economy.

Commenting on Izetbegovic’s statements, Dodik said that by announcing sanctions Izetbegovic indirectly admitted that RS is not part of B&H, stressing that any normal person would not be glad about imposing sanctions against one part of his country. Dodik stressed that Izetbegovic does not have political answers to political questions, so he wants to discipline his political opponents by foreign sanctions and to present it as his own political victory. According to Dodik, three decades of sanctions against RS officials has not helped Izetbegovic’s dream about Islamic state come true, so he should change his approach, give up on Islamic state and accept that Serbs and Croats equally own this country. Izetbegovic also commented on the latest electoral reform negotiations in Neum and blamed HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic for the failure. Commenting on Izetbegovic’s statements, Covic said that the fact that Bosniak parties presented a proposal on their perception of the election of B&H Presidency members to international representatives on Sunday morning actually shows who is responsible for the failed negotiations. Covic assessed that the Bosniak policy is based on efforts to create a civic concept that is likable for people from outside B&H and to create centralization and unitarianization of the Federation of B&H and B&H through numbers.

OSCE, UK Embassy condemn RS authorities’ moves towards establishing of entity judicial and prosecutorial council (Oslobodjenje) 

Following the recent actions of the RS authorities which moved towards establishing entity-level judicial and prosecutorial council and stripping B&H High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (B&H HJPC) of its powers, OSCE Mission to B&H issued a statement condemning these actions. “The OSCE Mission reaffirms support for the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), its values and the rule of law. The B&H HJPC reinforces the independence of the judiciary, promotes legal harmonization, and reduces legal fragmentation. Withdrawing from the HJPC B&H goes against the letter and spirit of the DPA and will undermine the processing of serious crimes as it will establish parallel judicial structures – widening space for criminal impunity” the OSCE Mission posted on Twitter. UK Embassy also condemned the attempts to annul 26 years of progress, and warned that practical steps towards withdrawal from state institutions represent a dangerous and deliberate attempt to divert attention away from the failure to improve living standards of citizens and fight corruption. The UK Embassy also said that the decision of the RS Government stipulating the formation of the RS Agency for Medicines represents an attempt to annul 26 years of progress in B&H. “Practical moves towards withdrawal from state-level institutions represent dangerous and deliberate attempt to move the public focus from failure to improve B&H citizens’ living standard and the fight against corruption. As the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board said on December 8, it is necessary to return to state-level institutions where talks and work on resolving a number of challenges B&H is faced with can take place. Focus must be on achieving progress in the field of reforms and on the Euro-Atlantic path,” the statement reads.

Lagumdzija: Schmidt promised that he will not allow establishing of RS judicial and prosecutorial council (Dnevni avaz) 

The daily carried a brief interview with President of B&H HJPC Halil Lagumdzija who spoke about the draft law on the RS HJPC which has been proposed by the RS authorities. Lagumdzija said that High Representative Christian Schmidt visited B&H HJPC and made a strong promise that he will not allow establishing of entity judicial and prosecutorial councils. Lagumdzija said that he presented B&H HJPC’s stances on the matter to Schmidt and explained that the existence of HJPC both at the state and entity level is not possible. He underlined that these competences were transferred to the state level and it is now part of constitutional arrangement of the state. Lagumdzija said that the RS could perhaps initiate a discussion on this matter in B&H parliament, but adoption of the law on RS HJPC will not annul the state-level Law on HJPC. Lagumdzja said that Schmidt shares his opinion, fully supports B&H HJPC and understands that establishing of RS judicial and prosecutorial council would create legal chaos. Lagumdzija noted that if politicians can agree that state-level HJPC is necessary at all, then it will be obvious that they do not want independent and strong judiciary capable of processing corruption. He warned that there is the possibility of politicians agreeing to abolish the B&H HJPC and return the matter of judiciary to the entities. In this case, politicians would be able to control judiciary and appoint judges and prosecutors they favor. Lagumdzija added that he asked Schmidt to prevent this, and Schmidt promised that he will. Following the meeting with Schmidt, HJPC members stated that B&H HJPC operates in full capacity and possesses the determination and strength to resist all forms of abuse and crime. However, they emphasized, they cannot resist the attacks against independence of judiciary without the support of the international community.

Kovacevic: Dodik is for agreement, Izetbegovic for foreigners imposing solutions (Dnevni list) 

Advisor to Milorad Dodik and spokesman for SNSD Radovan Kovacevic said that Dodik wants that an agreement is reached in B&H, whilst SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic wants that foreigners impose solutions that will suit the Bosniaks, which is unacceptable to Serbs and Croats. Kovacevic further stated that with his address before the RS parliament, HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic showed that he respects the RS and its institutions and that he tried to contribute to a future agreement in B&H. On the other hand, added Kovacevic, Izetbegovic declined the invitation to address the RS parliament “which shows who respects the Constitution of B&H and how”. Kovacevic went on to say there are many problems in B&H, one of them being the Law on Elections, and that somebody appointed members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of B&H by violation the law and the Constitution of B&H. In this context Kovacevic said that “the crew” installed in the CEC is not in the CEC to improve the election process, instead they are there to manipulate the election results and rig the results to the benefit of SDA, Zeljko Komsic and the RS opposition.

Tegeltija and Keqiang discuss improvement of relations between China and B&H (RTRS) 

Chairman of B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Zoran Tegeltija is paying visit to China. On Saturday, Tegeltija met with Prime Minister of China Li Keqiang in Beijing and two officials discussed improvement of relations between two countries. Chairman of the B&H CoM underlined that political relations between B&H and China are at a high level. He thanked China for support it provided to B&H in combat against COVID-19 as well as for support to development, stability and prosperity of B&H and equal policy towards both entities. Tegeltija also thanked China for its principled respecting of international law, especially in the UN SC in regards to the High Representative. “We agreed that bilateral relations between China and B&H represent example of real friendly relations between two countries,” stressed the CoM Chair. Collocutors also discussed improvement of cooperation within ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. They concluded that several important projects have been implemented in B&H in cooperation with Chinese partners and that talks and negotiations on number of other joint projects are underway. Tegeltija pointed out importance of strengthening of cultural relations between two countries. In this context, he emphasized importance of opening of Confucius Institute in Banja Luka and Sarajevo.  “I conveyed preparedness of B&H to intensify cooperation with China in all areas,” said Tegeltija. CoM Chairman invited Prime Minister Keqiang to pay official visit to B&H in order to discuss with representatives of all levels of authorities continuation of cooperation on infrastructural and other projects. Tegeltija also met with Head of International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China Song Tao. Chair of B&H CoM underlined that under leadership of the Communist Party, China become impressive world power that achieved impressive results in number of areas, especially in elimination of poverty.

Milanovic: Behavior of Bosniak leadership in B&H same as pattern of behavior of Slobodan Milosevic; HDZ Croatia: Milanovic used to be Komsic’s passionate supporter (HRT) 

Addressing the media on Friday, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic commented on the situation in B&H and compared the behavior of Bosniak leadership in B&H to pattern of behavior of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, which is aimed at mistreatment of Croats. Milanovic accused Croatian Prime Minister and HDZ Croatia leader Andrej Plenkovic of “lobbying in Brussels” in the case of Ukraine while he (Milanovic) has to deal with the Croats’ situation in B&H alone. “The Croatian diplomacy is a handful of wobblers,” he added. HDZ Croatia issued a statement in reaction to Milanovic’s claims, and noted that Milanovic used to be “a passionate supporter of (Croat member of the B&H Presidency Zeljko) Komsic, and cheered for other peoples to elect the political representatives of Croats in B&H”. HDZ Croatia added that they are now trying to correct what Milanovic caused. Milanovic stated that a civic B&H is not in interest of the official Zagreb. “Today’s behavior of Bosniak leadership is the pattern of behaviour of Slobodan Milosevic, who by the way was their executioner,” the Croatian President added. Milanovic said it is shameful what happened in Neum last week. “Civic B&H, as imagined, is simply not possible. We are a border state and the status of Croats there must be a status of equal constituent people which will elect their representatives on their own to the House of Peoples.”

Croatian parliament discusses Croatia’s policy towards B&H and comments on Covic’s statement on RS (N1) 

The Croatian parliament discussed Croatia’s policy towards B&H and concluded that the problem of outvoting of the Croats has existed for some time and that Croatian lobbying diplomacy was defeated. ‘Most’ representative in the Croatian parliament Nino Raspudic stated that the Bosniak side does not want any agreement, that time is passing and that Croats will be politically eliminated in the October elections. Raspudic claimed that not only will the Croat member of B&H Presidency be imposed, but that Bosniaks will fill a third of the Federation of B&H House of Peoples (HoP) with their people, by voting for people who cannot represent Croats. The initiative to revise the Dayton Peace Accords was reiterated, as well as formation of the third entity. Representative of the Green-Left Bloc in the Croatian parliament Bojan Glavasevic criticized HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic’s statement on how the RS should be preserved and compared him to convicted war criminals. Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman defended Covic: “He said nothing criminogenic or what he should be accused of.” Grlic Radman added that the concept of constituent peoples in B&H must be kept and that changes to Election Law are necessary in order to remove discrimination.

Grlic Radman says Milanovic is responsible for current position of Croats in B&H (Vecernji list) 

Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman commented the situation in B&H again. This time, Grlic Radman blamed President of Croatia Zoran Milanovic for the current situation in B&H, namely for the position of Croats in B&H. Grlic Radman stressed that Milanovic is the most responsible for the current situation, because in 2010, Milanovic was the one who supported nomination of Zeljko Komsic for a member of B&H Presidency. He went on to saying that consequently, Milanovic is liable for the fact the Federation of B&H (FB&H) has been turning into a Bosniak entity. The Croatian Foreign Minister emphasized that Bosniak people should demonstrate more understanding for demands of Croats if they want a joint life. Grlic Radman explained that it means, Croats need to be equal and represented in a legitimate manner, adding that this can be achieved exclusively through amending of the Election Law of B&H. He went on to saying that for the third time, a Croat representative in B&H Presidency has been elected by members of the other people. He added that this means Croats have been outvoted and do not have their member of B&H Presidency. Grlic Radman explained that if elections are held in line with existing regulations it would represent political euthanasia of Croats. “There is a special danger for the Croat position in election of their representatives in house of people by others. In this way they would lose mechanism of protection of vital national interest” concluded Grlic Radman. Grlic Radman deems that in the period when Milanovic was at helm of the Croatian government and when Croatia became the EU member, there was room to strongly advocate improving the status of the Croat people in B&H. “This government has been attempting to solve problems Milanovic failed to solve,” explained Grlic Radman. Grlic Radman stated that Croats are a constituent and autochthonous people in B&H, yet they currently in the worst position. He underlined that Croat political representatives have displayed exceptional willingness to cooperate and make compromises in the past months, and they offered concrete solutions. However, he underlined, they know what the red line is which they are not willing to cross. Commenting the remarks of HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic made at the session of the Republika Srpska (RS) National Assembly, Grlic Radman said that Covic’s words were taken out of context (Covic advised RS National Assembly members to protect the RS and said that he was touched by their feelings for the RS). He noted that Covic needs to talk to all participants of the political processes in B&H, and his speech should be viewed in a political context, in the context of his disappointment over the failed talks on electoral reform, as well as in the context of Covic’s need to seek partners with whom the legitimate political interests of Croats can be realized. Grlic Radman also said that Croatia will continue to actively support efforts of political leaders in B&H to continue with talks on electoral reform. Grlic Radman stated that the goal of the attempts to side-line Croats is to turn the FB&H into a Bosniak entity. He warned that Croats in B&H are facing the threat of someone else electing their representatives in the House of Peoples, which would lead to their loss of ability to use the mechanism of protection of vital national interests. Grlic Radman reminded that Croatia, as a signatory of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), holds certain political liability for stability of B&H and he argued that Croats in B&H must be equally and legitimately represented which can only be achieved through changes to the Election Law of B&H. Grlic Radman warned that if the elections were again held in the old way “and under irregular terms, this would mean a political euthanasia of Croats”.

Covic: Croat people must elect its 17 delegates in the Croat Caucus in the  House of Peoples and its member of Presidency of B&H (Vecernji list) 

Vecernji list carried an interview with HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic who was asked, among other issues, to comment on the Neum talks on electoral reform and why the talks failed. Covic replied by saying that the Neum talks represent summary of our work in the last seven or eight months and should be linked with all previous visits of US Special Envoy for Electoral Reform Matthew Palmer and Director for Western Balkans and Turkey of European External Action Service Angelina Eichhorst. According to Covic, the positions got closer “but nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”. He further stated that it had appeared that ‘we’ were close to an overall solution, but the Bosniaks side, after the Venice Commission confirmed that ‘our’ (Croat) proposal of limited changes to the Constitution removes all the discrimination and implements all five judgements of the ECHR, requested new compromises, “but we thought there is no more room for that”. “There can be no negotiations about the legitimate representation of constituent peoples, radical changes to the Constitution cannot be carried out. As far as the representatives of the international community are concerned, they were very fair and consistent, did not provide solutions, instead they gave us support and encouraged us to reach an agreement”. Asked if there is a chance for reaching an agreement and what’s the condition for it, Covic said that, of course, there are chances for an agreement and that talks have no alternative. According to Covic, the Constitution of B&H is clearly defined and if it were to be changed, it must be agreed by all three peoples, adding that relations among the peoples in B&H should improve. “This format with international mediators has been exhausted and we were made clear about it, and we are certainly aware this is something we in B&H must resolve,” said Covic. Asked if the end of the Neum talks means that the US and the EU mediators are completely withdrawing from the process, Covic said, among other issues: “I expect some sort of pressure from their side in the coming days, because they too will be aware that the elections cannot be held in this kind of situation”. Covic went on to say that Mr. Palmer did not start a single session without stressing that the Croat people must have its legitimate representatives in the Houses of Peoples and the Presidency of B&H. Covic added by saying that even a part of Bosniak representatives was saying this “but when it came to putting it on the paper, a problem appeared”. The HDZ B&H leader further stated that High Representative Christian Schmidt, in other words his office, gave a statement during the (Neum) talks that the elections will be held no matter the outcome of the talks. “Our question was why one such statement at that moment. I am certain that Mister Schmidt did not have bad intention, but such a statement can only encourage the people who do not want an agreement,” said Covic. Asked what’s the position of the Venice Commission regarding the Croat proposals for the Presidency of B&H and the House of Peoples, Covic replied by saying that, unfortunately the Bosniak side, which always convinced us they would accept everything that the Venice Commission accepts, withdrew after the Croat proposals got fully harmonized with the Venice Commission. Asked how to proceed if there is no agreement on the electoral reform and if there are conditions to hold the elections, Covic said: “I am certain that at this moment we do not have the conditions to organize the elections, no matter if somebody will say the elections can be held,” adding that comments coming from the Central Election Commission (CEC) of B&H are especially dangerous and that the CEC was formed owing to political decisions against the procedures and the Law on Elections. Asked to comment on claims that 19 February is the D Day, when the Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) should have session of its Assembly, and what one can expect from the Assembly, Covic replied by saying that talks have no alternative and that he will tell the HNS “that we must fully protect the position of the Croat people, as well as strengthen relations with the Bosniak people in the Federation, equally with the Serb people”. According to the HDZ B&H leader, we must solve problems in peaceful manner and must avoid all security and legal problems in B&H. “We must avoid such a scenario at all cost, and it is too early to say what the HNS Assembly will decide,” added Covic. Asked to comment claims coming from Sarajevo that HDZ B&H wants solutions that will guarantee that only HDZ B&H represents Croats and that he (Covic) becomes member of the Presidency of B&H, Covic said it is a grave and malicious lie, underlining that the Croat people must elect its 17 delegates in the Croat Caucus in the (FB&H) House of Peoples and its member of the Presidency of B&H. “These issues cannot be negotiated and there is no trade with that,” added Covic. Asked what he expects from the Croatian government on the international scene and what Croatia can do through the EU institutions and other international contacts, Covic said, among other issues, that the diplomatic voice of Croatia is very important and that ‘we’ must use more than before. He also said that Croatian PM Andrej Plenkovic and Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman met with Mrs. Eichhorst upon her return from Neum “and once again they explained some issues”.

Krivokapic’s government overthrown (CdM) 

On Friday, the parliament of Montenegro has voted in favour of no confidence in the government of Zdravko Krivokapic. A total of 54 MPs voted of no confidence in the government, of which 43 were in favor (opposition and URA MPs) and 11 were against (Democrats and Real Montenegro’s MP Marko Milacic). Before the voting, the MPs of the Democratic Front (DF), Socialist People’s Party (SNP) and Movement for Changes (PzP) left the hall. The Government of Zdravko Krivokapic fell exactly after 14 months (it was elected on 4 December 2020). When it comes to the government representatives, only Ministers Mladen Bojanic and Tamara Srzentic attended the parliament session. I think that this government has finished its mandate, said DPM Dritan Abazovic before the beginning of the parliamentary session. He added that a government should be formed as soon as possible, and if that fails, then the elections should be organized. According to him, it would be extremely irrational to enter negotiations which would last for months. The Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, has contributed greatly to overthrowing this government, which has been working against both the national interests and the Montenegrin people, MP Danijel Zivkovic has said. Montenegro, he points out, needs a political stability due to difficult economic conditions, created by experts of Krivokapic. “We need to accelerate the EU negotiation talks. This is an important day for Montenegro and the democratic process,” he noted. Following parliament’s decision to vote in favour of no-confidence motion in Zdravko Krivokapic’s government, Vice President of the Civic Movement URA, Milos Konatar, has said that talks over the new government will start tomorrow, wishing Dritan Abazovic to be the prime minister. “We’ll discuss the minority administration with everyone, we don’t have much time. It’s important the new government to achieve results and continue with the economic program and reforms, that is, to increase pays and pensions. Our priority is to fight organised crime and corruption,” he noted. MPs are going to vote on Parliament Speaker Aleksa Becic’s dismissal on Monday.

Konjevic: PM and technical govt to perform tasks in line with good practice (CdM) 

The Leader of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Rasko Konjevic, has called on Prime Minister, Zdravko Krivokapic, and a technical government to “act in line with the Constitution and law”. “I call on the PM and the technical government to act in line with good practice and perform their duties in line with the Constitution and law” Mr Konjevic notes. He also adds that Montenegro’s President Milo Djukanovic is now given a 30-day deadline to appoint a new prime minister and if he fails to do so, early elections are most likely to happen. The government run by Zdravko Krivokapic has fallen exactly 14 months after being elected on 4 December 2020. Mr Krivokapic didn’t win the confidence vote on 4 February 2022.

Vuksanovic Stankovic: Jokovic, there can’t be both Serbian World and EU; Jokovic: Open Balkans isn’t Serbian World (CdM) 

In the parliament of Montenegro, a heated debate took place between SDP MP Draginja Vuksanovic Stankovic and SNP MP Vladimir Jokovic. Namely, Vuksanovic Stankovic told Jokovic that they could only dream that the program of the new minority government would include the Fundamental Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church, the census and the Open Balkans. She said that she would not allow the signing of the Fundamental Agreement, which is contrary to national interests. Jokovic said that the Open Balkans is not the Serbian World.

Court: Djukanovic didn’t violate Constitution (CdM) 

The Constitutional Court of Montenegro has determined that the President of the state Milo Djukanovic did not violate the Constitution with a public suggestion to move the enthronement of the Metropolitan of the Serbian Orthodox Church Joanikije from Cetinje, on 5 September last year. According to the Constitutional Court, one judge of the Constitutional Court voted in favor of the proposal that Djukanovic violated the Constitution, while the remaining three were against. It’s recalled that the proposal to initiate proceedings in connection with the events in Cetinje on 4 and 5 September was submitted by parliament, after the proposal of the Socialist People’s Party (SNP) was adopted on 19 November last year.

Albania-Kosovo start trade facilitation (ADN) 

Albania has started to implement joint agreements with Kosovo, signed in Elbasan on November 26 last year. The agreement envisages the opening of the Kosovo customs office in the Port of Durres and all the facilities that the office will bring and will recognize some protocols, which will pave the way for others. The Council of Ministers of Albania has decided to propose to the Albanian parliament the draft law on the implementation of mutual facilities in customs procedures and/or control of entry and exit of goods. The proposal will be reviewed and then approved by the parliament. “This agreement goes to parliament and will facilitate bilateral relations and trade between our two countries, recognizing all licenses and customs agencies at the border. Both countries will recognize controls of only one country, reducing the time of customs control,” the Minister of Finance and Economy Delina Ibrahimaj said after a government meeting. “The agreement envisages the opening of the Kosovo customs point in the Port of Durres and all the facilities that this point will bring and will recognize some protocols which will open the way for others.” The government of Kosovo also approved the draft law of the agreement between Kosovo and Albania on the implementation of customs facilities and control of entry and exit of goods. The Kosovo Minister of Finance Hekuran Murati said that this agreement envisages a series of customs and trade facilities between the two countries. “It also provides for the establishment of the customs office of the Republic of Kosovo in the customs area of the Port of Durres and Porto Romano. The agreement also includes the deepening of cooperation between the two countries,” Murati noted. Murati also said that Kosovo, the ratification of the agreement in parliament will provide customs facilities and control the entry and exit of goods of the two countries. The new customs point in Durres is welcomed by Kosovo businesses, taking into account that the Port of Durres offers opportunities for faster and cheaper movement of goods to and from Kosovo. Kosovo Customs said for Monitor that for Kosovo importers, the operation of the customs office in the Port of Durres has reduced transport costs, time and bureaucratic trade procedures. More than 60% of foreign goods entering Kosovo, according to official data, use maritime transport, namely the Port of Durres and Shengjin in Albania. The use of maritime transport for imported goods had begun to increase after the completion of the “Ibrahim Rugova” highway, also known as “Rruga e Kombit”, which connects Kosovo with Albania. “Kosovo businesses almost over 60% of the goods they import from different distant countries through sea travel use the Port of Durres and this is the opportunity that has been offered, also because of the road infrastructure that has been built,” the head of Kosovo Business Alliance Agim Shahini said. The GAP Institute study recommends the establishment of a stable bilateral structure, with political and technical representation, with a clear mandate and task of monitoring and accelerating the implementation of agreements, removing barriers and pursuing other steps towards economic integration. Official data show that the value of products, which are imported from Albania to Kosovo, amounts to about Euro 200 million per year, while the value of Kosovo products exported to Albania is about Euro 60 million.

Kim: US appreciates Albania’s leadership on UN Security Council as co-pen holder with us on Ukraine issue (Radio Tirana) 

US Ambassador Yuri Kim has reacted to Albania’s new role in the UN Security Council, as co-penholder with the US in its position on the Ukraine issue. “The US appreciates Albania’s leadership on UN Security Council as co-pen holder with us on Ukraine issue. Russia’s aggression not only threatens Ukraine & Europe, but the international order that UNSC is charged with upholding”, the Ambassador wrote in a Twitter reaction. Prime Minister Edi Rama through a conference announced that American Department of State has confirmed that the US and Albania will be co-chairs of the Ukraine issue in the UN Security Council. This puts Albania in a decision-making position, while Rama said that our country will not only approve. Rama expressed his excitement for this decision of the American Department of State and said that he is continuing the effort to raise Albania to another level. And Albania will behave as equal to others, Rama assured, at the conference. He assessed the situation in Ukraine as a dangerous conflict with only one solution. He was indifferent to the public letter of the Russian Embassy, ​​a few days ago, which demanded that Albania also take a clear position on the conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile Olta Xhacka stated: It’s official! Albania & US are co-penholders on Ukraine in UNSC. Ready to assume this new level of responsibility! Proud of our deepening partnership with US.