LOCAL PRESS

Vucic and Baerbock: The most important thing is peace and stability, through dialogue until the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is resolved (RTS)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, stated that he had discussed all key issues with the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, including the issue of Kosovo and Metohija (KiM), and that they had concluded that the problems of Belgrade and Pristina should be resolved through dialogue. Belgrade always responds to the call for dialogue in Brussels. 

Aleksandar Vucic told reporters that Serbia and Germany have excellent economic relations, that German companies employ more than 75,000 people in Serbia today, and that the country is by far the largest foreign trade partner of Serbia with 6.5 billion euros of exchange from 2021, which is an increase of 22 percent compared to 2020. He also added that Germany is the largest donor and investor, for which we are grateful to German businessmen and the Government. 

“We talked about Serbia’s European path, I talked about changes to the Constitution and the need to solve problems within the rule of law. Baerbock spoke about it in particular and said that economic ties are important, but that the values ​​of the rule of law are important in every way. That is one of the most important points of the meeting” said Vucic. He added that the green agenda and the fight against climate change were discussed.  

“An important topic of the meeting was the situation in the region. Preserving peace and stability in the region is of key importance to us. I unequivocally spoke about respecting the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), which Serbia always emphasizes, as well as Republika Srpska (RS)’s position within B&H,” Vucic said. 

He pointed out that Germany and Serbia have different views on the issue of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, since Germany recognizes the independence of the so-called the state of Kosovo, but that they have concluded that dialogue should solve the problems.  

He added that all important topics in Europe and the world were discussed, Ukraine and Serbia’s decision in the UN General Assembly, and that he tried to explain Serbia’s position, and he was grateful to Baerbock for wanting to listen to him. 

“For us, Germany is the most important partner in European integration, in economic cooperation. And when you add that up, Germany is our key political partner. Unfortunately, we have different views on certain issues in the region. I heard what she thinks and I could say “I find out first-hand what their attitudes are and today I understand the German position very well,” said Vucic.  

He reiterated that Serbia will do its best to further improve relations with Germany. “We believe that the German partners will provide us with space so that we can work on that plan, and we will always be happy to meet again, to talk and I believe that in some of the next meetings we will be able to boast better and greater results of cooperation,” Vucic said. 

Baerbock said that Germany would be more present in the future in the Western Balkans and announced that official Berlin, after the elections in Serbia, would strive to reach a comprehensive agreement in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.  

After the conversation with President Aleksandar Vucic, Baerbock said that she had open, honest and confidential talks and said that when it comes to the war in Ukraine, everyone who shares common values ​​cannot stand aside and that at this moment they must have clear attitudes not only within Europe but also in the international community.  

She pointed out that Serbia is moving with great ambitions on the European path, and that Serbia and Germany have many joint projects. She reminded that a large number of German companies operate in Serbia, which have created jobs and produce goods that are often returned to Germany. 

However, she pointed out that war is reigning in Europe again, something that neither Serbia nor Germany wanted, but Russian President Vladimir Putin decided on that. “While we have chosen the path of construction, Putin has launched an unprecedented campaign of destruction. Maternity hospitals, schools, houses, are being bombed in our neighbourhood. Two and a half million people are fleeing the war to neighbouring countries. I think Serbia sent an important signal by saying that it would receive refugees,” she said. She adds that everyone who shares common values ​​cannot stand aside. “Our two countries are affected in a special way because we have close ties with Russia. But at this moment we must find clear positions, not only within Europe, but also the international community. EU accession also means readiness to harmonize with the Union’s positions,” said Baerbock. 

She reminded that the UN General Assembly clearly condemned “Russian aggression”, and added that Serbia’s position in that regard was noticed in Germany. She pointed out that the goal of that condemnation was not directed against the Russian population, but Putin and the people who are helping him in the war campaign. She stressed the importance of having a clear stance, and not turning the head on the other side. 

“People in the Balkans know what war means, how precious peace is. We must oppose the idea that borders can be changed by force. We must work actively on a peaceful future in the Balkans,” she stressed. 

She said that visible progress is needed in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. “Germany wants to contribute to the meeting between the governments of Belgrade and Pristina after the elections, and to take concrete steps to reach a comprehensive agreement,” she announced.

She emphasizes that it is important to oppose the threat to the territorial integrity of B&H, because it is a threat to the stability of the region. “Stability and democracy are the basic conditions for economic development. We want to work on that together,” she underlined. She said that Germany wants to give its contribution to the development of the Western Balkans. She reminded that within the framework of the Berlin Process, there are four agreements that are ready and that need to be adopted. She emphasized that the Western Balkans remains a key priority for Germany and that Berlin wants Serbia to become a full member of the EU. “We are convinced that the citizens of Serbia have the same right to live in freedom, security, peace, in our common home – Europe. That is why reforms are needed, especially in the area of ​​rule of law, where we will strongly support Serbia. My message in Sarajevo, Pristina and now in Belgrade, Germany will show a stronger presence in the Western Balkans,” she said. She pointed out that the function of Germany’s special envoy for the Western Balkans, headed by Manuel Saracin, was established for that reason. “He will be my eyes and ears in the region, he will make sure that the Western Balkans get all our attention in the coming period,” she said. She said that the two countries also have good bilateral cooperation, and she will work on the further development of that cooperation.

In addressing the media Vucic said that since the beginning of Russia’s operations in Ukraine he has not had any contact with Russian officials, as well as that “Serbia’s position regarding Ukraine is clear” and therefore “there is nothing to distance one from.” This was his response to a question by a German reporter addressed to Baerbock, whether she had received any signals from Vucic that he would be prepared to distance himself from Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

“As far as personal contact, since the beginning of the attack on Ukraine I have not had any contact with Russian officials. So, I don’t know what I would distance myself from. (…) To be frank, if it is easier for someone to blame innocent Serbia, because it isn’t easy with someone that is bigger (than it) – I can understand that,” said Vucic. Vucic insisted that Belgrade’s position on Ukraine is “very clear and defined.” “We have no love and hate, but respect of public international law and norms. Just as Ukraine respected them regarding Serbia and Serbia’s territorial integrity, we respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine and we never spoke against it. In the UN General Assembly, we supported that both the attacks and threatening of the territorial integrity of Ukraine are unacceptable, not because we do or don’t love someone, but because those are the norms of public international law.” 

Baerbock, on her part, showed understanding for Belgrade’s position, saying that Berlin had acknowledged that Serbia had supported the UN GA resolution condemning Russia’s aggression on Ukraine and that with its vote Serbia “clearly” presented its position. 

Vucic said that Serbia would severely penalize all its citizens who go to fight in Ukraine. Answering a question to comment the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on volunteers to fight in Ukraine, at a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, President Aleksandar Vucic announced stricter punishment of those from Serbia who want to join either side. “As far as volunteers are concerned – since both sides have called for volunteers – in the Serbian Penal Code we will increase (the penal stipulations regulating the matter). It is punishable to take part in any conflicts that are not related to the defense of the territorial integrity of Serbia. And all those who think that they should take part in any war, will be very strictly punished in accordance with the law and Constitution,” he said. 

Minister dismisses claims of Serbian fighters being recruited by Russia (Beta)

Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic dismissed on March 13 claims that fighters were being recruited from Serbia as reinforcements for Russian military forces in Ukraine and asked the Ukrainian Supreme Headquarters to withdraw the allegation. “This is dangerous disinformation launched by the Ukrainian Supreme Headquarters and we demand that it be withdrawn immediately. The participation of Serbian citizens in armed forces abroad is a serious felony punishable by years in prison,” Stefanovic said in a written statement. “Serbia is committed to a peaceful solution to the conflict and will not allow its commitment to peace to be undermined in any way,” Stefanovic noted.

Several dozen cars drive through downtown Belgrade in show of support to Russia (Beta)

Several dozen vehicles flying Serbian and Russian flags drove down central Belgrade streets on March 13 in a “motorcade of support for Russia.” Invited by the extreme right organization the People’s Patrol, the drivers in the motorcade rallied at a parking lot by the Sava Center in New Belgrade in the afternoon to start their drive down central city streets. In addition to Russian and Serbian flags, the automobiles bore the letters Z and V, which Russian forces invading Ukraine have emblazoned on their vehicles. At one point, the motorcade stopped near the monument to Russian Tsar Nicholas II in Kralja Milana Street. Traffic in this part of the city was interrupted for roughly ten minutes.

Ukrainian ambassador to Serbia: Ukraine does not recognize Kosovo, respects Serbia’s integrity (Beta)

Ukrainian ambassador to Serbia Oleksandr Aleksandrovich has said that Ukraine has not changed its position on Kosovo and that it respects Serbia’s territorial integrity. “Ukraine’s principled stance on respecting the territorial integrity of other states, including Serbia, is 

known and immutable,” the ambassador said in an interview with the Alo newspaper, published on March 12. When asked if he had met with his Russian peer, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, lately, he said that “I have not communicated with official representatives of the state that bombs maternity hospitals and nuclear power plants.” “After Ukraine’s victory, he (the Russian ambassador) will be equally responsible for the lies of the aggressor state,” the Ukrainian diplomat said. 

Visoki Decani Monastery: How long will this vandalism be covered up by silence? (Tanjug)

The official account on Twitter published the allegations of the parliamentary group of European conservatives and reformists in the European Parliament about satellite images of destroyed Armenian churches in the Nagorno Karabakh region, and asked whether the destroyed Serbian churches in Kosovo will now receive such attention. 

“Hopefully, attention will be paid to the fate of dozens of Serbian Orthodox churches and tombstones destroyed by Kosovo Albanian extremists after the 1999 war and the arrival of international peacekeepers to Decani. We are now facing an obvious campaign of denying our identity and history”, the Visoki Decani monastery said. 

The next announcement of the monastery states that 150 Serbian Orthodox churches were destroyed in Kosovo and Metohija. “After the 1999 war in Kosovo, 150 Serb Orthodox churches were destroyed with impunity by Kosovo extremists despite an international military presence, and only a few have been repaired while many lie in ruins 22 years later. How long will this vandalism be covered by silence?” 

They also say that the Kosovo authorities are campaigning to deny the Serbian Orthodox Church, legal and property rights, history and identity, saying that Serbian churches are ethnically Albanian. “The question can justifiably be asked why you then demolished the churches that you consider your own,” said the monastery of Visoki Decani. 

MEPs from ‘Renew Europe’ ask EU to temporarily halt accession talks with Serbia and suspend financial aid to Serbia until it harmonizes its policy on Russia with EU (RTS; Vecernje Novosti)

Eight members of the European Parliament from ‘Renew Europe’ political group sent a letter to President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, asking the EU to temporarily halt accession talks with Serbia and suspend financial aid to Serbia until it harmonizes its policy on Russia with the EU.  

Leader of the Movement of Socialists and Minister of Interior of Serbia Aleksandar Vulin replied to this initiative by saying that they should “address Serbia once they start accepting free countries and peoples as the EU members” and he added that majority of countries from which the mentioned EP members are coming “cannot say their grandfathers stood against Nazis”. “If the EU wants Serbia only under the condition of abandoning itself and its friends, then Serbia does not belong there in the first place”, Vulin concluded. 

Giaufret: Blackmail is a myth; the EU has spread its arms to welcome Serbia (Blic)

The head of the European Union delegation in Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, emphasized that Brussels clearly welcomes Belgrade’s vote in the United Nations regarding the Ukrainian crisis and wants Serbia to be with the EU. “We want Serbia to be with us even in these difficult times, and to comply with EU statements and measures to counter Russia’s obvious aggression, and we welcome all steps in that direction,” Giaufret said in an interview with Blic. 

Asked whether there was pressure before the UN vote, bearing in mind that the paper reported that representatives of Germany’s largest companies had agreed to close their businesses in Serbia due to “unclear stance on the Ukrainian crisis”, he said there had been no pressure or blackmail against Serbia to vote in UN “. “Blackmail is a myth,” said Giaufret, adding that the EU has a dialogue with key interlocutors in Belgrade and that they want Serbia to harmonize itself with the EU’s positions. As he emphasizes, there is nothing wrong with that, because it is part of the process of Serbia’s accession to the EU. 

According to the ambassador, companies make their own decisions because their goal is to keep Europe and the world stable. He added that he would rather focus on positive examples, such as the fact that the EU is traditionally Serbia’s best trading partner with more than 60 percent of total trade. He also stated that Serbia remains an important partner of the EU. 

“The EU has spread its arms wide to welcome Serbia,” said Giaufret, adding that Serbia should also address the necessary reforms, especially in key areas such as the rule of law, freedom of the media, the fight against corruption, organized crime and public procurement.  

Has the EU responded to the crisis in the right way? 

He reminded of the declaration from Brdo near Kranj from October and that the countries of the Western Balkans are invited to join the EU when they meet the criteria of the negotiating chapters. He added that he knows that the war in Ukraine is perceived in Serbia a little differently than in the rest of Europe. “I must say that Serbia in 2022 deserves much more than to be used as an excuse for Kremlin propaganda to justify killing and destruction in Ukraine,” said Giaufret.  

Asked whether he thinks that the EU reacted to the crisis in the right way, the ambassador said that the EU strongly condemns the aggression and that their thoughts are with the Ukrainian people who are victims of the Russian attack. “First, we strongly condemn the unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine, call on Russia to immediately cease hostilities, withdraw its army and fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people who are victims of the Russian attack,” said Giaufret emphasized that this is a huge humanitarian crisis. The EU ambassador also says that Russia really betrayed Ukraine, and that the war broke out because Putin wants to overthrow the elected government by force.  

Lajcak: The sixth meeting of Belgrade and Pristina on license plates was held (RTS)

The EU special representative for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina says that the sixth meeting of the Working Group for License Plates was held in Brussels. Expert delegations from Belgrade and Pristina met in Brussels at the sixth meeting of the Working Group for License Plates, Miroslav Lajcak announced on Twitter. EU experts assisted both delegations in identifying all existing options and their technical implications. “Now is the time to focus on finding a common solution,” Lajcak said in a statement. 

SNSD’s Novakovic Bursac: intention of law prohibiting abuse of the term ‘genocide’ was to build new bridges of understanding, but Bosniaks insist that they are only victims of war; Sarajevo uses hysteria regarding Ukraine to push narrative about alleged malign influence of Russia (Vecernje Novosti)

The daily carried an interview with Head of SNSD Caucus in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) House of Representatives (B&H HoR) Snjezana Novakovic Bursac. She criticized the Sarajevo-based political parties for voting against the proposed law prohibiting abuse of the term ‘genocide’, noting that Bosniak politicians only accept the approach in which Bosniaks are the sole victims of war in B&H. She explained that Republika Srpska (RS) parties which proposed the law had the intention to build new bridges of understanding in B&H. “However, politicians from Sarajevo insist that they have the exclusive right to interpret the character of war and crimes, and the right to the role of the only victim, and that Serbs can talk about these issues only from the point of view of perpetrators and indictees”, said Novakovic Bursac. She underlined that the narrative about genocide obviously cannot be changed, and noted that Bosniak politicians use the word genocidal to describe the RS and the Serb people. Novakovic Bursac also said that Bosniak politicians do not treat Serb and Bosniak war victims equally, and there is an obvious disproportion in the number of war crime verdicts in cases with Serb and with Bosniak victims.  

Novakovic Bursac also criticized the conclusions of B&H HoR on situation in Ukraine which were adopted thanks to the votes of MPs from the Federation of B&H (FB&H). She underlined that B&H Parliament is not authorized to discuss foreign policy matters. She also accused politicians from Sarajevo of misusing the hysteria regarding developments in Ukraine to push their narrative about the alleged malign influence of Russia in B&H. She noted that despite the claims about Russian influence, there are no Russian residential settlements in the RS, while there are numerous Arab settlements in the FB&H. According to Novakovic Bursac, some of these Arab settlements are “small Islamic States” because legal security agencies have no access to them, yet Sarajevo refuses to admit its links with radical Islamists. Novakovic Bursac said that Sarajevo politicians target SNSD leader Milorad Dodik as someone who represents the main obstacles to realization of their vision of B&H and because they are bothered by his activities aimed at preserving the constitutional status of the RS. Sadly, noted Novakovic Bursac, the RS opposition is part of that dirty game against Dodik.  

Bosnia and Herzegovina  

Antalya Diplomacy Forum: Attendees discuss issues related to B&H and country’s approach to EU integration (N1)

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum has begun in Antalya on Friday and the event gathered leaders of the Western Balkans including member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Milorad Dodik and Sefik Dzaferovic and representatives of the EU. Attendees discussed issues related to B&H and the country’s approach to the EU integration, i.e. the status of EU candidate.  

N1 reported that judging by the current situation, the aforementioned wishes will not come true anytime soon as different views of Dodik and Dzaferovic showed to the EU that reaching an agreement within B&H is nowhere in sight. The reporter assessed everything that is going on between Russia, Ukraine and the West as confusing and thus complicated. According to the reporter, B&H politicians believe that B&H is quite close to NATO, but B&H is not close to meeting priorities that the EU and NATO have set.  

Addressing the media, Dodik said that it is impossible that they cannot get what is written in the Dayton Agreement some 20 years after. Dodik again mentioned attacks on competences of Republika Srpska (RS) and assessed that the goal is to stop with that and discuss this issue and make it permanent. Dzaferovic underlined that everyone in B&H must finally understand that they must respect the Dayton Agreement and 27 years of implementation of the document as the most important thing.   

Dodik met with European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Oliver Varhelyi, EU Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Miroslav Lajcak, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, and Slovenian President Borut Pahor. During the meetings, Dodik and his collocutors discussed the current political crisis in B&H. On this occasion, Dodik reiterated that the RS will not give up on restoring the RS’ competences. Dodik confirmed after the meeting with Varhelyi that the EU integration path will not speed up for Ukraine or for B&H. Dodik noted that “it is necessary to resolve fulfilling the 14 priorities together”. Dodik noted that the EC has problems implementing the plans and projects in B&H due to lack of functionality and he considers that Varhelyi’s calls to B&H authorities are fair. Still, the Serb member of the B&H Presidency warned that BiH cannot be built while the RS is being degraded. “It is impossible for the RS to forget what happened six months ago and to return to the parliament”, the Presidency member added. Dodik also assessed that the European path of B&H is stagnating.  

When it comes to the meeting with Lajcak, Dodik confirmed to media that they discussed the legitimacy of Christian Schmidt as High Representative (HR) in B&H. Dodik noted that he told Lajcak that Brussels administration has a hysteric attitude towards B&H “in attempt to present everything as being black and white”, and added that the RS cannot recognize Schmidt as the HR, because the UN Security Council (UN SC) did not appoint him. However, Lajcak stated: “I respect Mr. Schmidt as the HR in B&H. He has the international community’s (IC) support and I urge everyone to cooperate with him.” Lajcak added that Schmidt has good intentions for B&H. They also discussed situation in B&H, the European integration and situation in Ukraine. According to Dodik, they also discussed the Ukrainian crisis, its reflection on the Western Balkans and Europe. Dodik stated: “We have an absolutely positive attitude towards the Ukrainian people, we are sorry for the suffering, but we also think that this conflict is the result of global turmoil which collide in Ukraine between the West, NATO and a defensive position that Russia itself has. Ukraine is more of a collateral damage.”  

In addition, Dodik pointed out that no one mentioned sanctions in the talks at the Antalya Forum in Turkey. He added: “Normally and politely, I greeted the Secretary-General of NATO. When you listen to (PDP Honorary President Mladen) Ivanic and the others, it appears to be God knows what. They told us there would be no sanctions if (SDS leader Mirko) Sarovic and (PDP leader Branislav) Borenovic did not ask for that.”  

According to FTV, Dzaferovic and Dodik were surprisingly united when it comes to B&H’s path to EU, but with a completely different approach. Dzaferovic stated that everyone in B&H needs to understand that they need to respect the DPA, whilst Dodik said that they have no intention to do anything outside the B&H Constitution but that it is impossible that they cannot get what was written in DPA after more than 20 years since DPA was signed. 

Speaking about the security situation, Dodik rejected the possibility of conflict in B&H. “I think that there is no capacity for war in B&H. The story of war was provoked inside and out in order to draw attention to B&H in order to put pressure on new political solutions,” Dodik said. Dzaferovic, on the other hand, said that NATO is guarantor of peace and the fact that this issue is related to the core of the Dayton Agreement. “NATO has stopped the war in B&H and NATO has helped establish peace, and under the Dayton Peace Accords, NATO has an obligation to protect peace in B&H,” Dzaferovic pointed out. The EU is one of the rare topics which there was agreement on, but there were differences over how to join the EU. “B&H should do everything in its power to gain candidate status as soon as possible, start negotiations and become an EU member,” Dzaferovic stressed. Dodik said that he would like for B&H’s accession to the EU to be accelerated and for someone to say that B&H is a member of the EU without any conditions. “But, of course, that will not happen,” Dodik underlined. 

Dodik and Dzaferovic meet with President Erdogan in Antalya, discuss Ukraine, Belgrade-Sarajevo highway (RTRS)

Serb member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Milorad Dodik met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Antalya on Saturday. The officials discussed the crisis in Ukraine and Erdogan said that he maintains regular telephone discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added that it is important to solve the issues that the world is facing right now. The officials discussed the construction of the highway from Belgrade to Sarajevo and the possibility of Turkey selling its mineral fertilizer on the B&H market. Bosniak member of the B&H Presidency Sefik Dzaferovic attended the meeting as well. Dodik stated on Saturday that it is unusual how it is acceptable for Erdogan and French President Emmanuel Macron to talk to Putin daily, but when he talks to Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov officials in Sarajevo are outraged. Erdogan announced that Turkey will send 50,000 tons of mineral fertilizer to B&H for the support of farmers. Erdogan supports the project of the highway from Sarajevo to Belgrade and details of the financial agreement remain to be discussed. Dodik said that an earlier offer for a financial framework was withdrawn and this was lost time, but they will continue to work on a new one. Dodik also said that SDS went out of their way on the B&H Parliament and proposed lowering of the VAT on groceries to 5% when SNSD proposed this first. He explained that they will discuss in the RS National Assembly his proposal to lower the VAT to zero and that this will be submitted to the B&H House of Peoples (BiH HoP) for further discussion. 

Dodik meets NATO Sec-Gen Stoltenberg on sidelines of Antalya Diplomacy Forum; says Ukrainian crisis cannot be compared or brought into any connection with B&H (Nova BH)

Situation in Ukraine was one of the important topics of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency member Milorad Dodik meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Friday. Dodik told Stoltenberg that that the Ukrainian crisis cannot be compared or brought into any connection with B&H. 

Vice President of PDP Jelena Trivic stated on Sunday that the meeting between Dodik and Secretary General of NATO Stoltenberg showed Dodik’s true colours. She said that the Serb people are against the NATO alliance and they cannot accept the policy that is being served to them. Trivic explained that it is unacceptable to be told that the Annual National Program (ANP) for NATO was not submitted to NATO Headquarters, while it is very damaging for the RS to side with anyone in this crisis. She said that Dodik is unsure whether he leans towards the east or the west. Trivic asked whether one can imagine how anyone from Republika Srpska (RS) opposition would be talked about in regime media if they came close to any NATO official the same way Dodik did. She said that Dodik needs to answer the question of what he is doing, in whose name and she assessed that he does not do anything in the name of the Serb people. Trivic condemned the decision of Dodik to send harmful messages from the RS and added that there is no information on the discussion between Dodik and Stoltenberg. She said that this sends the message that the RS is siding with someone and this is not good. Trivic reminded that in previous campaigns Dodik acted as a Russophile and now he is showing his true colours. 

“The job of a statesman is to talk to all relevant political actors, and that is something that, obviously, (PDP member) Jelena Trivic does not understand and she is not capable of doing that”, said SNSD Spokesman Radovan Kovacevic. What is also the job of a statesman, Kovacevic added, is that in every place, what SNSD leader Milorad Dodik did exactly, you clearly state the views of the citizens and the state you represent. “Milorad Dodik has clearly presented to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg the views of the RS, its citizens and its institutions that RS will not allow BiH to become a NATO member, but will cooperate with NATO in accordance with the Reform Program, as well as the fact that regarding the current crisis in Ukraine, thanks to the attitudes of the RS, B&H can be exclusively neutral”, Kovacevic pointed out for Srna news agency. He reminded that Dodik, who participated in the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya and where, among other things, he met with numerous statesmen and Stoltenberg, clearly emphasized that the position of RS is neutral regarding the situation in Ukraine, that it respects its sovereignty, as it respects the sovereignty of all UN member states, but will never agree to B&H imposing sanctions against the Russian Federation. “What is interesting to us, what we can say we are glad about is that Jelena Trivic supported the position of Milorad Dodik and SNSD that RS and B&H should be neutral in this situation, unlike her colleague, PDP Vice President Igor Crnadak, who clearly says that we should stand on the side of those who are openly against the Russian Federation and the Russian people. As long as Milorad Dodik is here and SNSD is here, the RS will not do something like that”, Kovacevic pointed out.  

SDA Presidency convenes; Izetbegovic: Ukraine is under attack because of NATO ambition (Hayat)

SDA Presidency convened in Sarajevo on Friday. President of SDA Bakir Izetbegovic said that it is good that there is increased presence of EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). SDA called on all officials to show responsibility in light of the events happening in Ukraine. They also called on representatives of Republika Srpska (RS) in the B&H Fiscal Council to stop the obstructions of the creation of a framework for the adoption of the B&H budget. Izetbegovic said that the reason for the attacks against Ukraine is the ambition to join NATO. He added that this is a serious topic in B&H as well and he believes that an expedited NATO accession of B&H can only be caused by an attack against its territorial integrity. SDA Presidency called on all stakeholders in B&H and the region to make additional efforts to preserve peace and security. The presenter stated that SDA also expects the police agencies to act preventively. Izetbegovic said he expects sanctions from Europe against those causing the crisis in B&H. Izetbegovic also called for unblocking of state institutions. Izetbegovic said that B&H’s accelerated accession into NATO could only be triggered by an attack on B&H’s territorial integrity, if there is a severe escalation and if the war in Ukraine is linked in an ugly way to the Balkans and B&H. Izetbegovic said that reason for fear exists, believing that peoples in the Balkans, especially in B&H, do not want war. 

Izetbegovic said that he expects the European Union to “lower the bar” in relation to B&H, but also other countries in the Western Balkans that have aspirations towards the EU. “I believe that this situation that we have now in Ukraine has made the EU serious on various issues, including the issue of admitting new members, and that it will have a different attitude towards us aspirants from the Balkans. Therefore, I am an optimist,” Izetbegovic underlined. 

SDA Presidency accuses RS and Dodik of dysfunctional B&H, Dodik says everything making SDA discontent is success for RS (ATV)

Commenting on statement of leader of SDA Bakir Izetbegovic that leader of SNSD and member of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Milorad Dodik is responsible for everything bad in B&H, Dodik said that Izetbegovic is most responsible for the difficult situation in B&H, adding that this claim is grounded on facts. Dodik also stated that leader of SDA is synonymous with failure, adding that it is success for Republika Srpska (RS) to make Izetbegovic discontent.  

Reporter reminded that at its session held on Friday, SDA Presidency adopted conclusions accusing the RS and demanding imposing of sanctions against the RS and Dodik. Izetbegovic underlined that Dodik is responsible for the fact B&H is dysfunctional. Member of B&H Presidency Dodik said that it is clear the Federation of B&H (FB&H) is not functional, because 3.5 years after elections, a new FB&H Government has not been formed. Dodik underlined that SDA wants opposition in the RS, namely SDS and PDP, as its partners in weakening of the RS. He accused Izetbegovic of planning, along with leaders of SDS and PDP, to deprive the RS of its competences and rights. “It was visible at last session of the Parliamentary Assembly of B&H where they – in opposition to stances of the RSNA – voted in favor of law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of BiH and some other laws”, stated member of B&H Presidency from the RS. Reporter commented that Izetbegovic also accused SNSD and its leader Dodik of stalemate of BiH on its NATO path, despite the fact Izetbegovic is well aware of stances of Serbs and the RS in this regard.  

Leader of SDA emphasized that it is time for Dodik to leave the political scene, adding that it will probably happen after upcoming general elections in October. Politicians in the RS claim that only thing Izetbegovic has been doing is confronting with the RS, but also with Serbia and Croatia. SNSD’s Sanja Vulic underlined that Izetbegovic’s only goal is to remove Dodik from political scene. Speaker of the RSNA Nedeljko Cubrilovic underlined that no politician or diplomat he met with was paying special attention to political influence of Izetbegovic. 

HNS Main Council condemns Russia’s aggression against Ukraine (Nova BH)

The Main Council of the Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) held a session in Mostar on Friday. The HNS Main Council condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Chairman of the HNS Main Council Bozo Ljubic said “we ask everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and outside B&H not to frighten the people with war.” “A special message goes out to those who are fuelling nationalist passions with different statements. This applies not only to local, but also to certain foreign emissaries who come here. None of us, and we are the majority, and I hope we are the majority who decides in B&H, is thinking about war” Ljubic emphasized. 

HNS also called for calming tensions in B&H in light of ‘war-mongering statements’ that could be heard in the public. At the same time, they called for the resumption of activities on negotiations on changes/amendments to the Election Law as soon as possible, and for a final agreement to be reached that would ‘relax relations in B&H’. “It is not excluded that the war scare aims to push into the background a crucial issue for B&H – the agreement of the representatives of the three constituent peoples on changes to the Election Law. It would be very bad if these diversions to these negotiations resulted in the failure to reach this agreement,” said President of the HNS Main Council Bozo Ljubic. 

Schmidt and Sattler to talk about B&H behind closed doors on Monday, Covic stresses the need for agreement on electoral reform (Vecernji list)

Daily announces that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell will visit south-east Europe, including Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), following increased tensions caused by the war in Ukraine, whilst at the same time a hearing will be held before the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) in Brussels, which will be addressed by Speaker of the B&H House of Peoples (HoP) Dragan Covic, all three members of the Presidency of B&H, High Representative Christian Schmidt and EU Special Representative Johann Sattler.  

Daily further reads that Schmidt and Sattler will talk about the situation in B&H behind closed doors on Monday, whilst European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Oliver Varhelyi will talk about the situation in B&H during a meeting closed to public on Tuesday.  

Prior to the trip to Brussels, Covic stated there is no threat of violence and war in B&H, stressing that majority of politicians are behaving responsibly. Covic expressed expectation that politicians and officials will realize that they must accelerate reforms in order for B&H to join the community of European countries, thus avoiding new instabilities. In this context Covic said he hopes B&H will get status of EU candidate as soon as possible, at the same time expressing doubts that BiH will be admitted to the EU in an urgent procedure. Covic further noted that ‘we’ must know that we must solve our problems by ourselves, and that the Law on Elections is the most important issue on the list of priorities. Covic went on to say that the international community (IC) is strongly supporting reaching agreement about the (electoral) reform and that the IC is looking forward to our agreement “and everyone is aware that we must solve it because we do not have the conditions to organize the election process”.  

Daily also carried Spokesman for the EU Delegation to B&H and EU Special Representative Ferdinand Koenig, who said that the citizens want a functional, democratic and prosperous country, which is why the leaders should urgently engage on reforms that will take B&H to the EU. 

EU HR Borrell to pay visit to B&H (BHT1)

EU High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell will pay a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) next week. This information was confirmed for BHT1 by the B&H Presidency. Borrell’s visit is connected with the activities of the international community to reach an agreement on electoral reform in B&H. However, the focus of Borrell’s visit will be relations between B&H and the European Union, as well as the security situation in the region. Borrell should arrive in Sarajevo on Wednesday, March 16. 

Croatia 

Plenkovic: EU was united, quick and efficient in response to Russian invasion (Hina)

The European Union has demonstrated unity, speed and efficiency in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and will continue to adopt sanctions against Moscow, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Friday. “The purpose of all three sanctions packages is to prevent Russia from carrying out this brutal aggression on Ukraine. The European Union once again demonstrated unity, our political position was quick, efficient and clear,” Plenkovic said. He spoke of the consequences of the Russian invasion, which has entered its third week. “First, it is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, with whom we stand in solidarity. Second, it has triggered a refugee crisis in Europe unprecedented since 1945, and third, energy prices have gone up” Plenkovic said, adding that the latter was the main subject of a two-day summit of EU heads of state or government in Versailles, which ended on Friday. 

Europe’s dependency on Russian gas is above 40 per cent, and the EU leaders are trying to change this “by increasing domestic production or by importing from other gas producing countries such as Norway, Azerbaijan, Libya or Algeria, or by importing liquefied natural gas by sea,” Plenkovic said in the Talking Europe programme. He mentioned the construction of the LNG terminal on the northern Adriatic Island of Krk, which provided Croatia with an alternative gas supply route. The EU heads of state or government have sent “a strong political signal that we want to intensify relations with Ukraine in any way possible on its European path,” the Croatian PM said. However, the 27 EU member states have made it clear to Ukraine that it will not be able to join the EU under fast track. Plenkovic said he had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv in December and signed a declaration on Ukraine’s European perspective, stressing that he remained committed to this process. 

Plenkovic said it was important that the EU was united in its condemnation of the Russian invasion. “After the statements by the Russian foreign minister we can conclude that we live in two different realities and that’s why we will continue sending strong messages and adopting packages of restrictive measures to let Moscow know that what it is doing is not appropriate and that it should end it immediately,” he said. 

Milanovic: Drone arrived from Ukraine, was not directed against Croatia (Hina)

President Zoran Milanovic said on Friday that an unmanned aerial vehicle’s crash in Zagreb was a serious incident, and the assessment is that the incident was not directed against Croatia, and that it was likely that control had been lost over the drone that had probably come from Ukraine. The unmanned aerial vehicle fell in the area of Jarun, and fortunately there were no human casualties, the president said at an extraordinary news conference. An investigation is under way to establish how it could happen that a six-tonne aerial vehicle, the size of an aircraft, had not been detected why flying all the way from Ukraine to Zagreb, he said. 

The assessments show that the incident was not directed against Croatia and that the aerial vehicle departed from Ukraine and flew over two NATO member states — Romania and Hungary — before entering Croatia’s airspace. How could it happen that an unsophisticated aerial vehicle had flown unnoticed nearly an hour in the airspace of NATO member states, the president wondered. 

Military services have been included in the investigation. It seems now that the aerial vehicle had flown from Ukraine, fell in Zagreb when it ran out of fuel and control over it was lost, said the president. 

Milanovic convened the press conference after being briefed by the chief of the General Staff of the Armed Services and the directors of security and intelligence agencies. Milanovic said that he had also spoken with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. The president said that radars in Croatia had detected the object which was in the Croatian airspace for a brief period. He also said that this was not the right time to call out anybody over the incident. The president also did not find it necessary to convene the National Security Council which, he said, is not an operational agency. He described the state of affairs in the national air defence system as unsatisfactory, however in such an extraordinary and unpredictable situation, Croatia depends on partners and members of NATO, and omissions were made there, he concluded.  

Plenkovic: It has to be established who launched the drone and how it reached Croatia (Hina)

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Friday the most important thing was to establish who launched the drone which crashed in Zagreb last night and if it reached Croatia by accident or deliberately. He informed the leaders of other EU member states at a summit in Versailles about the incident and said Croatia had experts for such situations. “We will share with others the things they find out,” he said at the end of the summit. “They received this information with maximum seriousness. It’s not usual for an aircraft that is 14 metres long and weighs six tonnes to fall on a capital city.” 

Asked if NATO tracked the drone and if Croatia was informed about it, Plenkovic said, “If someone had been notified, the reaction would have been different. Our planes would have taken off and reacted.” This was a totally unforeseen situation, he added. 

A NATO spokesman told Hina the alliance’s air defence tracked the drone’s flight path. The Russian-made drone arrived in Croatia from Hungary, and in Hungary from Romania. It was in Croatia’s airspace for six or seven minutes before crashing in a residential area in Zagreb. 

“NATO’s integrated air and missile defence tracked the flight path of an object which subsequently crashed in Zagreb. The Croatian authorities have announced that they are investigating this incident,” a NATO spokesman, Daniele Riggio, said in his brief answer to Hina’s query. 

According to some speculations, a Tu-141 “Strizh” reconnaissance drone is believed to have arrived in Croatia from Ukraine, flying across Romania’s and Hungary’s airspace. 

Croatian Defence Minister Mario Banozic said that the drone had been detected by Croatian radars and that it had been under surveillance as soon as it entered Croatia’s airspace. It crashed seven minutes after entering Croatia’s air space, and the fall happened shortly after 23:00 hours. 

President Zoran Milanovic said that radars in Croatia had detected the object which was in the Croatian airspace for a brief period. He also added that no alert information had been provided to Croatia. 

Milanovic’s office said on Saturday, that the blame is not only on NATO but the member states, too, although it is not the time to point fingers but draw a lesson so that it does not happen again. The president is in contact with the leaders of the Armed Forces and the security services and is being updated on the course of the investigation and new information concerning Thursday night’s crash, his office said when asked if the president was familiar with the details of the investigation. 

Asked about the actions of NATO as well as Hungary and Romania, through whose airspaces the drone passed, Milanovic’s office said that the president stated his position. “The culprit should not be sough only in NATO, the responsibility is also on the member states over which the aircraft flew without their reaction. But it is not the time to point the finger at anyone. It’s more important that we draw a lesson from this event and that this does not happen again,” the president’s office said. 

Milanovic also wondered how it was possible for an unsophisticated drone to spend almost an hour on the territory of a NATO member state without anyone seeing it. He said this event was an issue for the joint NATO command in Spain which should have all the information in the shortest possible period of time and react. 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Saturday, responding to a request from the Croatian PM that NATO investigate the entry and crash of the drone, said that he would work together with the Croatian authorities in establishing the facts of a drone crash in Zagreb on Thursday night. “I spoke with Croatia’s PM Andrej Plenkovic on the drone incident in Zagreb. We agreed to stay in close contact and work together to establish the facts, Stoltenberg said on Twitter. 

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic will visit the NATO base near Madrid on Wednesday and meet with its commander in connection with aviation control, a government source told Hina on Saturday. Plenkovic is going to Madrid for a bilateral meeting with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez, who visited Zagreb last October. 

The Spanish military base at Torrejon de Ardoz, 20 kilometres northeast of Madrid, is used by NATO to monitor the skies of its southern member states, including Croatia. Although the Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejon is tasked with identifying unknown flying objects, it did not report or react to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that entered Croatia’s air space on Thursday night. The UAV is a Soviet-era TU-141 which was launched from Ukraine and crashed in the Croatian capital after flying over Romania and Hungary, both NATO members. A source at the Torrejon base, which is manned with staff from 17 NATO nations, including Croatia, said today that “everyone is gathering data” and that analysis would take a certain time. 

Croatia asking for US Patriot air defence system (Jutarnji List)

A Croatian Defence Ministry delegation is travelling to Washington next week to ask for the temporary deployment of the Patriot air defence system in Croatia, Jutarnji List newspaper said on Sunday, citing an unofficial source. 

Jutarnji List asked Defence Minister Mario Banozic on Thursday whether Croatia was discussing air defence assistance with its allies, and he said that the matter would be discussed in Washington next week. The source quoted by the newspaper on Sunday said that the Patriot surface-to-air missile system would also be on the agenda. 

The US army recently installed this system in Poland as part of NATO’s defence. These systems are stationed in Germany, from where the US army deploys them elsewhere in Europe. The US army used the Patriot system last year for the Astral Knight exercise at Zemunik air base, inland from the central Croatian Adriatic city of Zadar. As an affordable solution for the Croatian medium-range air defence system, many professionals recommend the purchase of the Norwegian NASAMS system, the newspaper said. 

Montenegro 

Abazovic: It’s clear to everyone that we strongly support our EU and NATO partners, we condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine (CDM)

Montenegro’s foreign policy has been presented in the best possible way, and everybody’s clear that we strongly support our EU and NATO partners, that we condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, that we strongly support the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, but the people of the Russian Federation who oppose to their political elite waging war in the 21st century, the DPM of the outgoing government and the PM-designate of a new government, Dritan Abazovic, stated following the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Mr Abazovic, among other things, noted that better days are coming for Montenegro. The most important thing at the meetings they had with EU high-ranking officials, presidents of various countries, prime ministers as well as with their host – Turkish officials – according to him, was to underline that Montenegro was their trustworthy partner. 

Montenegrins should know that the US will defend every inch of NATO territory (Pobjeda)

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict should encourage regional reconciliation in the Balkans and help everyone in the region understand that democracy and the rule of law are antidotes to war, said Michael Carpenter, the US ambassador to the OSCE and former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. The American diplomat says that Russia will be held accountable for violations of international law due to the invasion of Ukraine, and that this should serve as an alarm to wake up the Western Balkan leaders. 

“I’m convinced that President (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s invasion of Ukraine will be a disaster for Russia. In the end, Russia will be weaker, not stronger, by starting this war and will be held accountable for violations of international law, including international humanitarian law, at all levels. This will become increasingly apparent in the coming weeks and months, and I hope it will serve as a wake-up call for leaders in the Western Balkans.” 

Asked whether we may expect that Russia starts conflicts in the Balkans after the invasion of Ukraine, as it was discussed in Brussels, Mr Carpenter says that it’s hard to foresee Putin’s next moves. Speaking about the role of NATO and EU in the Russian-Ukrainian war, he notes that the NATO Alliance and its partners have been united better than ever before. 

Djeljosaj: Minority government agreed (RTCG)

The leader of the Albanian Alternative, Nik Djelosaj, says that the concept of a minority government is almost finished and that MPs will vote for or against to show their attitude towards minorities, but also towards Montenegro’s European path. He has stated that the great victory of civil Montenegro is that the prime minister-designate is Albanian. “I expect that this government will be inclusive and that it will include representatives of all minorities, which will be the most important message”, he stresses. 

Bulajic: We all have responsibility to make new govt. a factor in calming political crisis (Antena M)

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Strahinja Bulajic says that Montenegro has not made progress in meeting the criteria for Chapters 23 and 24 for a long time. He says that in the period until 30 August 2020, there was no political will, and since then there have been a number of political obstructions. Bulajic points out that the institutions have collapsed, and that their reconstruction is necessary. “For a country that wants to become a full member of the EU, I believe that it cannot be acceptable for the Constitutional Court to be on the verge of a quorum, and if something is not done as of October, there will be no conditions for its functioning”, Bulajic has said. He believes that only insisting on dialogue can yield results. 

Abazovic: We must keep the EU enlargement process alive (RTCG)

It is now more necessary than ever to keep the EU enlargement process alive, Montenegrin Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during the meeting. “The unquestionable and comprehensive support of Turkey is important to us, especially one economic plan,” stated Abazovic. According to the Government, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu congratulated Abazovic on receiving a mandate to form a new government and stressed that the countries of the Western Balkans should not lose hope in the context of European integration. 

Abazovic pointed out that Turkey, with its authority and influence, can help Montenegro a lot. According to the statement, the Deputy Prime Minister thanked for the invitation to participate in a prestigious event, such as the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, and expressed confidence that the two countries would continue to jointly contribute to further strengthening friendly ties and mutually beneficial and practical cooperation for the prosperity of our countries. 

“Abazovic and Cavusoglu discussed Montenegro’s tourism potential and investment opportunities on the country’s coast. In that sense, Minister Cavusoglu singled out the municipality of Ulcinj as an area with incredible potential for investment in tourism, drawing a parallel with Turkish Antalya,” the government said. 

North Macedonia 

Osmani: Full integration of the region is in EU’s direct political, security and economic interest (Republika)

Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani, who attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, addressed Friday a panel on reconciliation in the Balkans where he referred to the geopolitical situation in Europe after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine saying it is an additional factor why the EU should without a delay inject a more dynamic momentum in the EU integration process of all Western Balkan countries. Osmani stressed that the region, despite its democratic deficits and weaknesses, has an important role to play in and for Europe. Full integration of the region is in EU’s direct political, security and economic interest as a geostrategic investment towards a stable and prosperous region. In fact, the region is surrounded by EU member states and it must not be allowed to be a vulnerable point on the continent, and the EU must no longer treat the accession process in the Western Balkans as an open issue, said Osmani. 

Pendarovski-Borrell: Macedonia is a proven partner, and the new geopolitical reality indicates the need for regional integration in the EU (Republika)

President Stevo Pendarovski met Monday with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, who started his visit to Macedonia with a meeting with the President. President Pendarovski assessed the visit of High Representative Borrell to Macedonia and the region as a confirmation of the EU commitment and support for the Western Balkans, especially in light of the new geopolitical reality in Europe. 

President Pendarovski underlined that the start of accession negotiations for the country is a test of the credibility of the European Union. With the new geopolitical dynamics, we are not talking about speeding up our process, given that Macedonia and Albania have a decision to start accession negotiations from the Council of the Union in March 2020. He called for swift implementation of strategic decisions regarding enlargement policy. Macedonia, said President Pendarovski, has proven to be a credible partner of the European Union and its further blockade on the opening of accession talks, together with Albania, is unsustainable. 

Discussing the Russian military invasion of Ukraine and its impact on the security of the European continent as a whole, the interlocutors reaffirmed the need for an immediate cessation of Russian hostilities in Ukraine, a return to international law and a speedy recovery from the devastating attack on Ukraine.  

The High Representative welcomed the country’s decision to join EU sanctions on Russia, bringing Macedonia fully in line with the EU’s common foreign and security policy and the Union’s sanctions package, including the 2014 package of measures. 

At the meeting the interlocutors also discussed the conclusions of the recent Summit of EU leaders in Versailles, with an emphasis on the European integration process with the countries of the region, for which the member states have the main say. 

Borrell is visiting Skopje, in the framework of his regional tour that also includes Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Albania 

‘Speculative’ spike in prices sparks protests across Albania (Tirana Times)

Protest rallies, small and large, are taking place across Albania as residents express anger at the increase of the cost of living and myriad of other grievances that have been accumulated over the years. The protests were sparked by a sudden increase in fuel prices seen as speculative even taking into account the turmoil in global markets. Independent experts say the government should have acted quickly to cushion the increase in prices as counterparts in neighbouring Kosovo and North Macedonia had done.  

Albania’s Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama’s first response was to say that he cannot interfere with the “free market” to avoid the price spike, later backtracking, hastening a return from a visit to Dubai to announce the formation a fuel price-control body as protesters chanted outside his office window.   

Albanians already pay the highest fuel prices in the region as the government levies heavy taxes on fuel, which make up more than half the ultimate price, economy experts say. Moreover, lack of proper market monitoring and regulation over the years has led to further speculation and price increases, they add.  Some of the protests in Tirana led to people being detained by police. But the protests have largely been peaceful and ordinary citizens took turns to speaking on megaphones 

Protesters include union organizers, students and professors, well-known artists and retired people who feel the cost-of-living expenses most. All speakers voiced the same demand for the protection of the poor from the market prices, dismissing the government’s explanations that market fluctuations have occurred due to the war in Ukraine. 

Prime Minister Edi Rama took to speaking live on Facebook as protesters rallied below his window and promised “to stop any tendency of speculation.”  He announced the creation of a board made up of government and fuel company officials that will oversee fuel prices at retail sales.  “We will not allow previously unapproved prices to appear at the point of supply and will impose measures on anyone who violates the measures,” Rama said. Rama also warned that the country could also end up with no fuel at all, a worst case scenario.  

Law enforcement said they guarantee peaceful protests, but will not tolerate violent acts and people who impede traffic, as some sit-ins in main Albania streets had done. Tirana is not alone in protests. Smaller protests have taken place in virtually every city and town in the country. In addition to price increases, the protests are airing a series of accumulated economic grievances that have been built up over the years. 

Rama rebukes EU at the Antalya diplomatic forum for not opening negotiations with Albania (Radio Tirana)

Present at the diplomatic forum in Antalya, Prime Minister Edi Rama rebuked the European Union for not keeping its promise to open negotiations with Albania. 

Referring to the Russian occupation of Ukraine, the head of the Albanian government said that this should be a clear message to “the EU, which makes decisions by promising and not keeping them”. “I hope that what is happening these days, raises the awareness of EU countries and to the big EU countries, which have not seen war during their lifetime. I am talking about the generation that today leads the European Union, and has never seen war. Therefore, it has become more and more difficult for them to deal with their public opinion. 

It has become more and more a challenge to face the waves of populism and the far right, rather than moving forward with the European project. What the founding fathers envisioned and designed as a common home has been lost at some point in the translation of the endless paragraphs of the European bureaucracy, and as far as Albania is concerned, I believe that we must continue to move forward with reforms and we must move ahead to make our country a European state, based on the same principles and values, a country that operates with the same levels or standards as the European Union, not because people in Paris, Brussels or Berlin ask us to do so, but because this is what we owe to our children, “Rama said during his speech. 

The Antalya Diplomatic Forum is a high-level meeting, which addresses international challenges and is attended by state leaders, diplomats and academics. The theme of this year’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum is “Regional and Global Roads to Peace and Prosperity”. This Forum takes place from March 11 to 13 and is attended by representatives from about 70 countries. 

As vocal for Ukraine as for Presevo valley (ADN)

The politician who raised the Albanian national flag in the rostrum of the Parliament of Serbia and held a key speech in the Albanian language for the first time, Shaip Kamberi, former deputy of the Serbian Parliament and candidate for a new mandate in the April 3, 2022 parliamentary elections, has revealed to Albanian Daily News some critical moments during his past parliamentarian career being labelled in choir as ‘enemy of the state’ by 244 Serb deputies, the highest state and government officials and media.  

“I can now confirm that my intention for a new mandate in the frame of the list “Coalition of Albanians of the Valley” has been formalized since the Central Election Commission has certified this list,” said Kamberi, who is strongly determined to continue the political battle for equality and more rights for Albanians of the Presevo Valley. 

Kamberi is more resolute because, as he said, the government policy of Serbia has continued to be discriminatory accompanied with a more hostile public use of hate speech against Albanians. “Denying its guilt for the discriminatory policy towards Albanians, the Serbian government has continued to follow the same discriminatory trend throughout the last parliamentary term.” 

In addition, Kamberi noted that there are three agreements signed with the Serbian authorities in 2001, 2009 and 2013 which essentially demand improvement of the position of Albanians, building equality and respecting their collective characteristics in the Presevo Valley. But he was annoyed because although the accords were signed with the mediation of the international community, at no point the latter has exerted proper pressure on official Belgrade to respect and comply with them. 

In a comment on the political future of President Aleksandar Vucic after the April 3 general poll the former Albanian MP said “his sun has passed its zenith and I think that his victory cannot be endangered by an unorganized opposition, which does not have concrete platform of ideas about the future of Serbia, an opposition which is trying to defeat nationalist Vucic with greater nationalism.” 

In the meantime, he was concerned over the unabating drive of Serbian authorities to deny the right to vote for Albanians through the infamous and selective process of passivation of addresses. “This is an administrative process which is trying to legalize the ethnic cleansing in the municipality of Medvedja. There are some reports in which the EU and the OSCE mention the process of passivation as worrying, but there is still no concrete reaction to this process by these international mechanisms.” 

The Albanian candidate for another mandate in Serbian Parliament welcomed that Albania, as a NATO member and EU aspirant country, has come out in open support for the people of Ukraine and against the Russian aggression. “But also, as a member of the United Nations and its Security Council for a two-year mandate, the Council of Europe and the OSCE, Albania must be just as vocal about the rights of Albanians in the Presevo Valley, who demand nothing more than respect for the democratic standards of the European Union member of which Serbia claims to become,” said the outstanding politician of the Presevo Valley, Shaip Kamberi in the following interview: 

Serbia is expected to hold general elections on April 3 this year and as a result you, Mr. Kamberi, have ended your current parliamentary mandate. Can you please tell us about some of the most critical moments in your parliamentary life in face of an absolute majority in the Serbian parliament? 

I can say that the whole mandate in the last legislation has been a daily challenge. As part of the only parliamentary group of 6 opposition deputies versus the other 244 Serb MPs, who were part of the parliamentary majority, there was not a single “normal” session. The daily battle against discrimination and the demands for equality, freedom and democracy have been met with absurd counter-accusations by the parliamentary majority. And not only them, but the entire pro-government press has presented every request of our opposition group negatively, calling us enemies of the state, or trying to give it the image of a pure power struggle. Some of the most “difficult” moments, if any, I would mention the session in which I counted the Serb crimes in Kosovo and presented the request for clearing up the issue of all mass graves, the session in which the “dialogue with Kosovo” was discussed and my request that “Serbia must consider realistically the crimes committed in Kosovo”, as well as the session in which in the framework of the demand for equality and unique standards in the Western Balkans regarding the use of national symbols, I raised the Albanian flag at the rostrum. The impulse of hatred towards the demands and the unveiled realities was strong in these sessions. These were moments when, in a way, I tried to take off the ‘democratic’ cloaks of Aleksandar Vucic’s radicals. 

How much has your activity together with your parliamentary opposition group influenced the protection of the human rights of the Albanian community in the Presevo Valley? Can it be said that the Belgrade authorities felt your pressure to change their discriminatory and racist policy towards Albanians? 

Unfortunately, Belgrade has refused to admit throughout this mandate that it discriminates against Albanians. Government policy has continued to be equally discriminatory accompanied with a more hostile public use of hate speech against Albanians. Denying its guilt for the discriminatory policy towards Albanians, the Serbian government has continued to follow the same discriminatory trend throughout this term. 

Have you ever felt the support of any Serbian parliamentary group of the majority or minority in your actions within the parliament? 

At no point. Besides us there was no other minority group in the previous legislation, while the majority, all in choir, opposed any appearance of me or of my colleagues from the opposition parliamentary group. 

You have insisted on the implementation of the three agreements on the Presevo Valley, which have been reached with an international presence. How effective have they been in favor of Albanians and as their guarantor have the internationals made efforts for the rigorous implementation of the accords, especially when Serbia is a candidate country for EU membership? 

In fact, the Albanians of the Presevo Valley have three agreements signed with the Serbian authorities in 2001, 2009 and 2013. All these agreements essentially had demands for improving the position of Albanians, building equality and respecting our collective characteristics. Although these agreements were signed with the mediation of the international community, their non-compliance by Serbia has to do with the fact that at no point did the international community exert proper pressure on official Belgrade to respect them. It is incomprehensible that Serbia, an EU aspirant country, has been tolerated to continue the discrimination against communities living within its territory and especially against Albanians in the Presevo Valley. 

Please let me touch upon the expected elections in Serbia. Will Aleksandar Vucic win another mandate continuing to be head of the Serbian state? Secondly, is there dissension to his rule among the Serbian people? 

Although I am convinced that Aleksandar Vucic’s sun has passed its zenith, I think that his victory cannot be endangered by an unorganized opposition, which does not have concrete platform of ideas about the future of Serbia, an opposition which is trying to defeat nationalist Vucic with greater nationalism. Therefore, although the protests of environmentalists, which were held in Serbia a few months ago, have shown a decline in the popularity of Vucic, his victory is not in jeopardy, at least not in this election. 

“I am running for a new term in the Parliament of Serbia. I pledge for political battles!” You publicly stated the above on February 16, 2022. Where do you get your inspiration and confidence for winning a new mandate? Are you being faced with traps of Serbian circles to sabotage your candidacy? 

I can now confirm that my intention for a new mandate in the frame of the list “Coalition of Albanians of the Valley” has been formalized since the Central Election Commission has certified this list. I have pledged to continue the political battle for equality and more rights for Albanians of the Presevo Valley in the highest institution of Serbia. The support I have encountered everywhere for the way I have represented Albanians in the last term has inspired me to seek another term. The new geopolitical circumstances towards which Serbia should be positioned, if not right now, but certainly after April 3, can be a greater chance in our just struggle for equality, freedom and social welfare.  

As a follow up, could you shed some light on how the Serbian authorities are undermining the participation of Albanians in the elections and is there any reaction of the international community regarding this discriminatory action because the EU and other international organizations talk a lot about the fundamental right to vote to every man anywhere in the world? 

A large number of Albanians, especially in Medvedja, will not be able to exercise their right to vote due to the infamous and selective process of passivation of addresses. This is an administrative process which is trying to legalize the ethnic cleansing in the municipality of Medvedja. There are some reports in which the EU and the OSCE mention the process of passivation as worrying, but there is still no concrete reaction to this process from these international mechanisms. 

Mr. Kamberi, Russia’s bloody aggression against Ukraine continues and the risks to world peace are increasing. Serbia, as a traditional spiritual ally, has openly stated its support for Russia. Does this unfortunate development suit Vucic for his plans for a ‘Greater Serbia’ and how much threatened are Kosovo and Albanians in the Presevo Valley by his dangerous scheme and that of his followers in Serbia, who are all disciples of Milosevic’s anti-Albanian policy? 

Serbia is traditionally Russophile, because of historical nostalgia, the common Orthodox religion, but also because of Serbia’s expectations that the Russian veto will prevent Kosovo’s membership in international organizations, especially in the UN. Therefore, it has initially been on the side of Russia at the outset of the aggression. But apparently, Aleksandar Vucic like Vladimir Putin have not expected such a determined reaction against the Russian aggression of the Western World led by the United States. The US and EU steady reactions against Russian aggression, the applied sanctions, the clear threats made to Serbia and especially the demonstration of the Western power in Bosnia, all of these, I believe, have made it clear to Aleksandar Vucic what can happen to Serbia if it continues to support Russia and if it refuses to coordinate the stance on foreign policy in line with the EU strategy.  

Serbia still holds a vague position. It supports Ukraine’s integrity for their well-known reasons, but refuses to deplore Russia and especially refuses to apply sanctions. I do not know how much it can maintain this political balance, but I do not believe that it will have the comfort of equilibrium after the April 3 elections. Serbia is aware of the devastating consequences in case of confronting the Western World. That is why it has voted in favor of the UN resolution which condemns the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Everything remains open as Russophiles are numerous and influential within the Serbian society, especially the Serbian Orthodox Church, which has a dominant influence on Serbian society and the state. 

Albania is very active in supporting Ukraine as a non- permanent member of the UN Security Council and Ukraine is very grateful for that. Do you think that the Albanian diplomacy should have acted with the same eagerness to condemn the Serbian genocide against the Albanians in the Presevo Valley, making the protection of their violated rights major topic of this organization? 

It is to be welcomed that Albania, as a NATO member and EU aspirant country, comes out in open support for the people of Ukraine and against the Russian aggression. But also, as a member of the United Nations and its Security Council for a two-year mandate, the Council of Europe and the OSCE, Albania must be just as vocal about the rights of Albanians in the Presevo Valley, who demand nothing more than respect for the democratic standards of the European Union member of which Serbia claims to become.