LOCAL PRESS

UN important interlocutor, guarantor of implementation of UN SC Resolution 1244 (RTS)

The Head of Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic met today with UN Secretary-General Special Representative and Head of the UNMIK Mission Caroline Ziadeh. Speaking about the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, Petkovic pointed to the fact that their human and political rights have been drastically reduced, which was confirmed by the recent decision of Pristina not to allow the holding of presidential, parliamentary and local elections of the Republic of Serbia in the territory of the province. Petkovic also warned of the increasingly frequent attacks of Albanian extremists on Serbs in the province, pointing out that 163 incidents against Serbs have been recorded since the beginning of last year and that this negative trend continues daily. He underlined that Serbia is sincerely interested in the stabilization of circumstances in its southern province and recalled that Belgrade fulfilled all its obligations from the Brussels dialogue, whereas the political leadership in Pristina has been refusing for almost nine years to enable the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. In addition, Pristina refuses to implement provisions related to judiciary, energy, freedom of movement and visits of Serbian officials to the province, the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija added. Petkovic underlined that the solving of the issue of missing persons was also initiated at Belgrade’s insistence and that Pristina does not allow the search of nine locations in Kosovo and Metohija where, according to the information available to Belgrade, the remains of the Serbs who went missing in war are located, whereas Belgrade fulfilled any such request from Pristina without hesitation.

Selakovic meets with Szijjarto (Politika/Tanjug)

The Foreign Ministers of Serbia and Hungary, Nikola Selakovic and Peter Szijjarto, met in Szeged, Hungary, on Wednesday. At a joint press conference, Selakovic and Szijjarto noted that, in recent elections, held on 3 April in both countries, Serbians and Hungarians had said they wanted peace and security, pointing to the direction they wanted their countries to be heading in.

Selakovic said the friendship between Serbia and Hungary was reflected in concrete results and that the two countries would continue cooperation based on mutual understanding and support, which he noted was particularly contributed to by an excellent relationship between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Hungarian PM Viktor Orban. “In the uncertain circumstances we are in, which are by no means easy, the outspoken readiness and support we provide to each other are crucial, and that is why I am particularly glad I can contribute to a continuation of our cooperation with a meeting with Minister Szijjarto,” a statement released by the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted Selakovic as saying. He noted that, on 19 March, Vucic and Orban had attended the inauguration of the first stage of a Belgrade-Budapest high-speed rail line – a route connecting Belgrade and Novi Sad – and said he was confident the second stage of the rail line would be inaugurated as soon as possible, connecting the Serbian and the Hungarian stretches of the line and bringing Belgrade and Budapest even closer together. Selakovic said a Subotica-Szeged rail line would further connect Serbs and Hungarians, as well as Hungarians on both sides of the border. Selakovic stressed the significance of the Balkan Stream gas pipeline as one of the main sources of fuel supplies and a result of serious cooperation between Serbia and Hungary. He noted that bilateral economic and trade cooperation had been worth 2.29 billion Euros in 2021 and reached 839.7 million Euros in the first two months of 2022, making Hungary Serbia’s second-largest external trade partner. Selakovic said work was ahead on greater presence of Serbian companies in the Hungarian market and called for engagement towards joint presence in third-country markets. Selakovic thanked Orban and Szijjarto for their consistent, active and very strong support for Serbia’s European integration. He also expressed gratitude for Hungary’s position on the Kosovo-Metohija issue. “In our region, Serbia and Hungary are countries that can export political stability and can only have a positive effect on all others with the seriousness of their political leaderships,” Selakovic concluded. Szijjarto said he was pleased to have met with Selakovic three days after the elections in Hungary and Serbia. He said the results of the elections proved that a decision on both sides of the border to represent national interests had been a good one.

The RIK announced: Voting to be repeated on 16 April (B92)

The Republic Election Commission (RIK) announced last night that the elections will be repeated on 16 April at 55 polling stations. Voting will be repeated in the presidential elections at the 21st polling station, while voting for MPs will be repeated at 43 polling stations, it was decided last night at RIK’s two separate sessions. There are places where the repeated voting will coincide for both the president and the parliament. Such is, for example, polling station 11 in the municipality of Arandjelovac, polling station 27 in the municipality of Vlasotince, polling station 81 in Kraljevo, along with polling station 34 in Trstenik. The presidential elections are being repeated in 12 places, where the competent commissions have stated that the results of the vote held on April 3 cannot be determined. These are one polling station in Apatin, Arandjelovac, Vlasotince, Presevo and Zajecar respectivelly, two in Valjevo and Kraljevo and three in the municipality of Nis. Voting in the presidential elections is repeated in places where the voting was annulled by the decision of the authorities, namely: one in Babusnica, one in Barajevo, one in Valjevo, one in Vlasotince, one in Majdanpek, one in Pozarevac, one in Petrovac on Mlava and two in Trstenik. RIK Chairman Vladimir Dimitrijevic specified that when it comes to repeating the elections for MPs, there are two groups of solutions – the first refers to 30 polling stations where voting will be repeated because it was stated that the results cannot be determined, and the second to 13 places where the vote was annulled.

Voting to be repeated in Belgrade, too

Dimitrijevic said that in the first group, voting is repeated in Belgrade at two polling stations, in Barajevo and in the municipality of Palilula, at five in Valjevo, at three in Negotin and Trstenik, once in Arandjelovac, Babusnica, Velika Plana, Golubac, Kosjeric, Crna Trava, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Majdanek, Pancevo, Petrovac na Mlavi, Presevo, Prijepolje, Sokobanja, Svrljig and two in Vlasotince. Voting will also be repeated on 16 April at polling stations where voting was annulled by the decisions of the competent local election commissions, and among those 13 places, three are in Valjevo, two in Trstenik, one in Babusnica, Barajevo, Zvezdara, Velika Plana, Vlasotince, Lapovo, Petrovac na Mlavi and Pozarevac, respectively. As it was heard at the RIK sessions, the reasons for repeating the voting are, among others, that in some polling stations there were no records on the work of the polling station or the minutes were not signed by at least three board members, along with the case of gross calculation errors. In some polling stations, checklist was not present or was not adequately signed, and it happened that in one place no one signed the minutes, which, according to Dimitrijevic, is at the level of statistical error. RIK adopted a decision on correcting the minutes on the work of the polling board on the conduct of voting for the election of MPs at polling station number seven at the Serbian Embassy in Sarajevo.

Dacic: SPS to hold discussions only with SNS (Tanjug)

Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) President Ivica Dacic said on Wednesday his party had a firm agreement with the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and its leader Aleksandar Vucic about post-election cooperation and would hold discussions about forming new governments at all levels only with the SNS and Vucic. “As I have said several times, already before the elections, the SPS reached a firm agreement with Aleksandar Vucic and the SNS about post-election cooperation, and we spoke about that clearly throughout the electoral campaign. We are strategic partners. Accordingly, it is only with Aleksandar Vucic and the SNS that we can have discussions about forming new governments,” Dacic told Tanjug in a statement. That also applies to Belgrade city authorities, Dacic said, adding that the SPS expected a call from Vucic and the SNS after the announcement of the final electoral results. “We do not see a purpose or a reason to discuss this with others – with Djilas coalition or with Zelenovic’s coalition. As opposed to the right-wing parties that made it to the city assembly, our ten-year coalition with the SNS was never based on numbers, but on joint objectives in the interest of Serbia,” Dacic noted.

Djilas says ready to discuss new vote with Vucic (Nova)

Serbian opposition leader Dragan Djilas said on Wednesday that he is prepared to discuss a repeat of the elections for the Belgrade City Assembly with President Aleksandar Vucic.

The leader of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) told Nova S that the United for Belgrade’s Victory coalition will fill objections at 258 polling stations. “I am prepared to talk to Aleksandar Vucic in order to ease tensions. He is president of all citizens and should take care of things like this,” he said adding that the vote at 258 polling stations should be repeated or early elections called in six months. He added that voters in the Serbian capital chose change. “It’s clear that the citizens of Belgrade voted for changes in the capital… The pressure on the controllers was horrific, you see all the irregularities. Vucic got the most votes, that is a fact and we respect that. I also believe that the will of Belgraders for a change of power will be respected,” he said. “We believe the will of the electorate will be shown at those polling stations, followed by an interim city government to organize new free elections quickly. We are prepared to fight and the City Election Commission (GIK) will provide answers in the next few days… We might find ourselves in a situation to defend the will of the people on the streets as we did in 1996,” he said.

Djilas said that his party and coalition will be the opposition to Vucic’s SNS and Ivica Dacic’s SPS in parliament. “Cooperation with them is absolutely impossible,” he said.

Tepic: Worst political crisis in Belgrade (N1)

Serbian opposition leader Marinika Tepic told N1 on Wednesday that Belgrade was experiencing the worst political crisis since the SNS came to power. Tepic said that the elections should be repeated or protests would start. “What happened in Belgrade is a victory of the will of its residents for a change of power. We have the most serious political crisis since the SNS regime has been in power because no one has a majority,” she said. She echoed her party leader Dragan Djilas words that the opposition would file complaints at 258 polling stations and that the shortest way to change is to hold early elections by the end of the year. According to Tepic, who headed the United for Serbia’s Victory election ticket for parliament, opposition leaders met on Tuesday to coordinate their efforts to report irregularities. “Each election ticket can request a review of ballots at five percent of polling stations. We can get to 30 percent of the ballots and the technical coordination was needed,” she said and added that they learned after the meeting that there were 10 times more serious irregularities. Tepic said that if the city and republic election commissions ignore the complaints, the opposition will stage protests with the aim of getting new elections in Belgrade.

Chaos starts, if Serbia agrees – that equals capitulation (Novosti)

In post-election period in Serbia, there’s more talk about the upcoming wave of fierce pressure from the West on Serbia to change its policy towards Russia. According to these predictions, the goal of the expected diplomatic storm, which threatens to swarm over our country, would be formulated as adjusting Serbia’s foreign policy with the EU and the West, or in other words – imposition of sanctions on Moscow, Novosti writes. According to experts on domestic and international circumstances, Belgrade has not yet made any gesture that could indicate a change in its foreign policy course. Even if that happened, a formal decision on it would have to wait for the formation of a new government, because the existing government would not have the legitimacy for such a far-reaching decision. This issue could be on the agenda only in September, which is the deadline for the forces that secure the majority in the parliament to take over the levers of political power. Therefore, Serbia is certainly not in favor of the outbreak of the Ukrainian war and Russia’s becoming the closed “fortress in the East”. An additional problem is that any predictions of future moves of global players in this dramatic game, as well as its outcome, are almost impossible. Bojan Milisavljevic, a professor of international public law at the Faculty of Law in Belgrade, claims that Western pressure on Belgrade will certainly strengthen the longer the war lasts. He points out that our state will have more and more problems to maintain the existing foreign policy position. “Our policy on the conflict in Ukraine so far has been extremely balanced and wise, and its sustainability will be most affected by the situation on the ground. A possible change of attitude regarding the introduction of sanctions against Russia would be of far-reaching significance, and as many factors from the domestic political scene as possible should take part in it”, he says. According to him, it would be extremely incorrect if the current government undertook to change the state course, so such a major issue would have to be among the domestic tasks of the new political set. “That could be a suitable formal reason for prolonging the decision and neutralizing the pressure, which will certainly be stronger,” the interlocutor of Novosti noted. Even if it wants to, Serbia can hardly join the sanctions against Russia at this moment, because its authorities do not have the necessary legitimacy for such major decisions. Professor of constitutional law Bogoljub Milosavljevic explains that it would be extremely unusual for such dramatic moves to be made in the interregnum. “As a rule, outgoing governments perform only urgent and necessary tasks. The decision to impose sanctions on a foreign country would be controversial in terms of legitimacy, and would not be legal. Domestic regulations do not specify ‘technical’ competencies, but there is no doubt that defining an extreme turn towards Russia, which would include economic or other sanctions, should not happen at this time,” Milosavljevic said. However, it is not a dilemma for political analyst Dragomir Andjelkovic that Brussels and Washington will try to force Serbia to change its stance towards Russia, and thus trace its foreign policy. The West certainly planned to increase the pressure on Serbia. However, the election results raise the question of whether this is possible at all. The vote clearly showed that the majority of the electorate has strong feelings for Russia. This is true not only for the parties that entered the parliament on their Russophile policy, but also for the SNS, which also has officials and members in its ranks who share this view,” said Andjelkovic. He has no doubt that neither the incumbent nor the future Serbian government will impose sanctions on Russia: “It would be a capitulation. And that would mean that we will pay a high price on the issue of Serbia’s struggle to preserve Kosovo and Metohija, as well as to defend the status of Republika Srpska.”

REGIONAL PRESS

Luhrmann says without reforms B&H cannot be granted EU candidate status; Schulze requests EC to impose sanctions, suspend support for RS (BHT1/Nova BH)

The German Bundestag discussed on Wednesday the 30th anniversary of the beginning of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) with a direct reflection on the current political situation. Condemnation of Serb member of the B&H Presidency and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik’s destructive course, along with economic sanctions, are clear messages sent from the German Bundestag, along with the message of the need for eliminating discrimination and improving the integrity of elections as a key to BiH’s European path. The German Bundestag members agreed that elections should still take place even if electoral legislation is not reformed, while any boycott would mean increased tensions and stagnation. The German Bundestag emphasized that there is no bilateral support for the RS from Germany, and German authorities are also lobbying for halting such support from the EU. According to the Bundestag, secessionist actions of the RS are interpreted as attacks on peace and stability, attacks on Europe, and Germany is even considering deploying its troops in B&H. German Minister of State for Europe and Climate Anna Luhrmann addressed the German Bundestag, noting that possible failure of the electoral reform talks would still mean that the elections need to take place in October. “The attempt to boycott or delay the elections would only increase tensions and the country would lag behind”, Luhrmann specified. Bundestag member Peter Beyer (CDU) called for deploying German troops in B&H, which is “in the heart of Europe”. Bundestag member Adis Ahmetovic (SPD) said that it is necessary to empower High Representative (HR) Christian Schmidt “who follows all of this in order to sanction those who cause disturbance, and there is need to give clear perspective to BiH and neighboring countries that they can become EU members”. The reporter reminded of Dodik’s change of rhetoric in terms of German Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock, whom he first criticized and used offenses to describe her, then he referred to her as “Mrs. Baerbock” and even thanked her after meeting with her in Sarajevo. Nova BH reports that Luhrmann said the situation in Ukraine reminds of the genocide in Srebrenica. Luhrmann also said the RS has taken concrete steps leading to secession, that constitute attack on a unified state of B&H, as well as an attack on peace and security. She added that the reform process in the country is slow, and without reforms B&H cannot be granted the EU candidate status. Nova BH reports that German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze requested from the European Commission (EC) to impose sanctions and suspend support for the RS. The reporter notes that, based on the applaud Schulze received, it is clear that many members of the Bundestag support that position. “This means that we now need to make adequate moves. Three items are very important. Together with the EC, we need to introduce specific consequences for this, and that is something my Ministry advocates. It also refers to suspension of assistance for the RS, until this course is changed. The second item – B&H still needs to receive support to be more resilient to influence of the countries abroad,” said Schulze.

Komsic deems as strange Escobar’s statement that civic concept for B&H can be discussed only after country becomes member of EU (BHT1)

B&H Presidency member Zeljko Komsic said on Wednesday that the message of Special US Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar that the civic concept for B&H can be discussed only after the country becomes a member of the European Union is very strange. Komsic emphasized that Escobar himself knows that B&H cannot join the EU with such a constitutional arrangement and with such discrimination which is built into the Constitution. Komsic added that if B&H does not have to change anything, it would be the best if it joined the EU immediately. “If what Mr. Escobar says is true, that we will not join the EU with some other constitutional arrangement, but with this constitutional arrangement, I ask him to persuade his bosses to ask or pressure the EU in some way to immediately admit us to the EU and full membership,” Komsic said. “If we will join the EU with this constitutional order, let us do it immediately. What then? What are we negotiating about? What reforms? What rulings of the European Court of Human Rights? Let us join the EU, and then to start doing the right things, or, perhaps the message is – you will never join the EU- because he also knows that such organization of the state is simply not compatible with the EU,” Komsic said. Commenting Komsic’s reaction to Escobar’s statement, PDP leader and member of B&H House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Commission Borislav Borenovic said that Komsic obviously cannot accept the reality of B&H. Borenovic underlined that the Dayton Peace Agreement defined the constitutional structure of B&H as state of two entities and three constituent peoples, and anything beyond Dayton Agreement would be an adventure. He underlined that only a small modification of B&H Constitution is possible in order to implement the European Court for Human Rights ruling in the Sejdic-Finci case. According to Borenovic, Komsic was shocked by Escobar’s statement because he lives in an imaginary world and in an illusion of B&H. He underlined that Escobar merely pointed out to what is defined by the Constitution and what is reality.

Vucic discusses cooperation with Dodik, Cvijanovic and Viskovic (BNTV/RTRS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Serb member of the Presidency of B&H Milorad Dodik and the leadership of the RS – RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic and RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic – in Belgrade on Wednesday. Vucic, Dodik and the RS leadership discussed the key issues of continuing cooperation. Vucic posted on his Instagram a photo with Dodik, Cvijanovic and Viskovic with the caption that reads: “I thank the leadership of the RS and BiH for the congratulations. We had a good meeting on key issues of continuing cooperation between Serbia and the RS.”

Day of City of Sarajevo marked with number of events (BHT1)

The Day of the City of Sarajevo – April 6 – was marked with a number of activities on Wednesday. On 6 April 1945, Sarajevo was liberated from fascism. Marking of April 6 – the Day of the City of Sarajevo – began with the laying of flowers and paying tribute at cemeteries and memorials in Sarajevo. Numerous delegations from almost all authority levels in B&H recalled the importance of marking 6 April 1945, but also 6 April 1992, which symbolizes the beginning of the siege of Sarajevo. Messages sent on the occasion of marking April 6 – the Day of the City of Sarajevo – included the one that Sarajevo is a city that always refused to surrender to any kind of hatred, but also the message that fascism exists even today. B&H Presidency member Zeljko Komsic said that it is necessary to preserve peace and security in B&H at all costs. “On the other hand, one cannot retreat before the fascist ideas which B&H is unfortunately full of, although we thought that we were done with it,” Komsic underlined. Mayor of Sarajevo Benjamina Karic said “today we celebrate our city, our beauties”. “But, what is most important is that we are celebrating the courage of our people, of our good people, people of good heart, and I am quite certain that every next 6 April will be better and better,” Karic said. On the occasion of 6 April, reconstructed Bistrik Train Station was officially opened. A museum dedicated to Vladimir Valter Peric, who was a Yugoslav Partisan commander in German-occupied Sarajevo during World War II, is part of the reconstructed Bistrik Train Station which was opened after more than 40 years. On this occasion Komsic said that the aggression in foreign or domestic policies is not a thing of the past yet. He said that it is necessary to be cautious and ask where the continent and B&H as part of it is moving in the future. Komsic said that the fight will not be easy and it is possible the more of these things will happen and it is their duty to ensure this does not happen again in B&H.

Vujovic: We won’t be part of government at any cost; Ivanovic: Montenegro must be in the first place (Gradski RTV)

The chaos and entropy of the security sector has been going on since the day of the formation of the government of Zdravko Krivokapic, said the SDP Secretary General Ivan Vujovic, in the U Sred Srijede talk-show of the Gradski RTV. If the security services were responsible, he believes that Russian citizen Vladislav Pozdnyakov would not be staying in Montenegro. According to him, Montenegro has been contaminated by external influences in the last year and a half. There are guarantees that the security services work thoroughly and professionally, but the collected data have not yet led to a person who sent false reports about bombs in Montenegrin schools, said SNP MP Dragan Ivanovic, a member of the parliamentary Security and Defense Committee. He is convinced that the Montenegrin public will soon be informed about this as well. Ivanovic explains that the services did not have information on who Vladislav Pozdnyakov was at the time when he entered Montenegro from Albania on 17 December.

Abazovic to chair cabinet meeting tomorrow: Will Montenegro impose sanctions on Russia? (CdM)

DPM Dritan Abazovic is to chair tomorrow’s cabinet meeting, a source from the Government has told CdM. The meeting is of great importance, and it will be the third attempt for the government of Montenegro to make a decision on joining the sanctions against Russia due to the aggression against Ukraine. PM Zdravko Krivokapic refused twice to allow his government to decide on sanctions. He tried to transfer the responsibility to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but Minister Djordje Radulovic refused it. US Ambassador Judy Rising Reinke said that the United States was calling on Montenegro to impose sanctions on Russia due to the attack on Ukraine.

Vote buying in Ulcinj (CdM)

The head of the Basic State Prosecutor’s Office in Ulcinj Vladimir Savovic has told CdM that all the actors in the audio recording showing the alleged vote buying in Ulcinj were questioned, except for the URA leader Dritan Abazovic. The disputed video was made by Damir Asovic, and phones have been confiscated from him and his family. CdM unofficially finds out that Asovic disputed that he made the recording. We remind you that the Ulcinj police previously took statements from the holder of the For a New Beginning list and mayor candidate Omer Bajraktari, the leader of the Democratic Party Fatmir Djeka, the public services inspector in that city Amir Mehmeti, and Damir Asovic. Both Bajraktari and Djeka have previously denied for CdM any involvement in vote buying.

Konjevic: Abazovic turns the formation of a new government into circus (CdM)

The Leader of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Rasko Konjevic has assessed that the formation of a new government is turning into a circus, adding that it’s happening thanks to Prime Minister-designate Dritan Abazovic. He also says that Abazovic should return the mandate if he doesn’t have a majority for establishing the government. On the speculations that a member of the SDP is going to take over as a parliament speaker, Mr Konjevic says it’s not true. “There’s a new information in the media on a day-to-day basis. I’m afraid that this whole thing with the formation of a new government is turning into a circus thanks to the PM-designate himself. He’s the one who’s responsible for setting up the government,” Konjevic told reporters following the session of the parliamentary Security and Defense Committee.

Kovacevski – Bregu: Regional cooperation is a contribution to stability, development and European perspectives (Republika)

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski met Wednesday with Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), which is the operational arm of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP). The importance of regional cooperation was pointed out at the meeting, as a contribution to the stability and security of the region and in the part of establishing a common regional market and thus advancing the economies in the countries.

Therefore, as it is jointly concluded, it is necessary to have synergy between the countries in the region, on the path of their development. It is also jointly assessed that the war in Ukraine stressed the importance of the Euro-Atlantic integration of Southeast Europe and the European future of the countries in the region. It is considered that the opening of negotiations between Macedonia and Albania with the EU will be a motivation and encouragement for other countries in the region to continue with the reforms on the European path, which has proved important in the regional framework – and for Europe. Kovacevski said that principled talks are being held with Prime Minister Petkov, and that the government is focused on overcoming the challenges of the war in Ukraine through the historic increase in the minimum wage, raising pensions, citizen support in the field of electricity bills, ie support to the standard of the citizens and the companies for which a set of anti-crisis measures has been adopted. At the meeting, the possibilities for promotion of the regional cooperation were reviewed, through new projects within the Regional Cooperation Council, in order to progress and perspective both for the countries and for the whole region.

Maricic-Bregu: Any delay in starting EU accession negotiations with Macedonia and Albania reduces citizens’ confidence (Republika)

The future of the region is in the EU and any delay in starting EU accession negotiations with Macedonia and Albania reduces citizens’ confidence, concluded Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Maricic and Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) during their talks on Wednesday. According to them, on the road to the EU, regional cooperation is very important. Good and continuous regional cooperation is important for us and for our security. Therefore, synergy and joint projects are needed, on which we will work together as partners in fulfilling our obligations on the road to the EU, said Maricic. In this regard, as SEA informed, the two interlocutors agreed that it is time to see the fruits of the dedicated work and efforts of the Government to resolve serious issues through friendly dialogue, which have made a great contribution to strengthening stability in the region.

Secretary General Bregu pointed out that all the activities of the Council are aimed at the prosperity of the region through the connection of the Western Balkan countries and strengthened regional cooperation, despite the dose of uncertainty caused by the military conflict in Ukraine. Maricic and Bregu discussed the possibilities for enhancing the cooperation through concrete new projects with the Regional Cooperation Council, in accordance with the planned priorities in this period for the realization of the European reforms.

Osmani: At the NATO ministerial meeting we will discuss increasing support for Ukraine (MIA)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani confirmed that the NATO members will discuss today the sending of reinforced aid to Ukraine, said the MIA correspondent from Brussels. As noted by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the hope is that the 30 member states will agree to send a stronger and more offensive defense to Ukraine to deal with the Russian attack. Osmani, who is taking part in this extraordinary meeting for foreign affairs, said today in Brussels that the increase of this military support for Ukraine will be one of the topics of today’s meeting. He reiterated that NATO would again send a message of unity and solidarity with Ukraine. Osmani also stressed that it is important that the future strategic concept of NATO, which will also be discussed these two days, strengthens the southeastern part of the Alliance.

All aspects should be reflected in this next strategic concept, to strengthen the partnership with the EU and to accelerate the engagement in the Western Balkans in order to strengthen the stability and security of the southeastern part, Osmani said before the extraordinary NATO ministerial meeting.

Kovacevski is willing to amend the Constitution and make the Albanian language co-official with the Macedonian (TV21)

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski expressed his readiness for new changes to the Constitution, based on demands from the Albanian parties that followed the controversial census. Albanian demands are that the clause of the Constitution that makes the Albanian a co-official language provided that the Albanians amount to 20 percent of the population is changed. Their request is that in the future, the Constitution flatly declares the Albanian as co-official language, without any statistical requirements. Kovacevski told the Albanian language TV21 that the change could be made in consultation between all political parties. The Constitution is amended through a procedure in parliament. This means that the parliament should open a discussion which will include experts, he said. The Prime Minister added that Macedonia already has a very high level of respect for minority rights – “the highest in Europe”. The census put the Albanian share of the total resident population at just under 25 percent, and at 30 percent of all citizens. The count is very controversial, since it greatly undercounted ethnic Macedonians – due to boycotts both at home and in the diaspora.

Pendarovski won’t reveal his statement of congratulations to Serbian President Vucic (Republika)

President Stevo Pendarovski won’t publish the statement of congratulations he sent to President Aleksandar Vucic, after his victory in the recent elections in Serbia. Pendarovski was not named among the leaders who congratulated to Vucic. When asked by Republika, his office informed that Pendarovski did congratulate to Vucic, but would not say how – a phone call or a message. There were no statements on his social media accounts. The Zaev regime, which Pendarovski is a part of, is cold toward Vucic and at times even openly supported protests against him. But as Serbia began to provide rare direct aid to Macedonia – including the early deliveries of coronavirus vaccines, and now grain, the government was forced to endorse Vucic.

Cuci meets his Greek counterpart: Albania and Greece should intensify cooperation (Radio Tirana)

As part of his visit to Greece, Interior Minister Bledi Cuci held another meeting with the Minister of Civil Protection Panagiotis Theodorikakos, who also covers issues related to security and police. “We discussed in Athens the police cooperation between our two countries, the joint fight against organized crime and terrorism. We have gone from the stage of exchanging information to that of joint investigations and operations, which testifies to the high level of trust between the police of the two countries. However, there is still room to intensify the close bilateral cooperation”, said Minister Cuci. Another point of discussion between the two ministers was the joint center of police and customs cooperation that will soon open in Kakavija. “This center is another instrument that will serve both our countries and the security of the region as a whole,” said Minister Cuci. The two ministers also spoke about the possibility of joint police training of the two countries on issues related to cross-border crimes and illegal immigration.