LOCAL PRESS

Vucic continues consultations (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic continued consultations on the mandate of the new government with representatives of the lists whose candidates for deputies entered the parliament. The SVM delegation – Istvan Pastor, Balint Pastor and Elvira Kovac were the first to attend talks with President Vucic. Pastor said after the meeting that it was agreed with President Vucic that that party would be part of the ruling majority in the parliament, as well as to be in the government. He stated that SVM will not seek to have ministers, but will settle for the positions of state secretaries. SVM will have six deputies in the parliament. Pastor added that they talked more about big and important political topics. “We share concerns about the events in the surroundings, we talked about the importance of sovereignty and its preservation. I encouraged the President and promised him our full support to preserve sovereignty, not to succumb to any pressure, because if sovereignty is lost, as the greatest jewel of political treasure, maybe nothing will be left,” Pastor said. After the meeting with representatives of SVM, Vucic spoke with the Zavetnici delegation. After the discussion between representatives of that party and Vucic, Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski said that the defense of state and national interests means above all the preservation of military neutrality, the constitutional order, “Kosovo as part of Serbia and family values, but also to resist foreign political pressures with joint forces”. She explained that Zavetnici will not be part of the government, because the current political practice, personnel selection and program postulates applied by the ruling coalition “are not compatible” with the views of Zavetnici. Djurdjevic Stamenkovski stated that Vucic was given a memorandum with the programmatic postulates of Zavetnici and emphasized that this party will demand that the Serbian parliament declare itself on all the agreements that have been signed with Pristina so far, especially on the agreement on energy, which was signed “under the veil of secrecy”. She added that the parliamentary group Zavetnici will initiate the adoption of a resolution by which Serbia would commit itself not to impose sanctions on any internationally recognized state, which would preserve political stability and military neutrality, and would provide resistance to all those who, through pressure from Serbia, try to force solutions that would be harmful to our economy and energy. This was followed by a meeting with representatives of the “Patriotski Blok” coalition, which consists of Dveri and POKS. Zavetnici will have 10 deputies in the next parliamentary convocation, the same number as the Patriotski Blok. The Dveri movement conveyed to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that it does not want to be any part of the “government of continuity of the Serbian Progressive Party”, which has ruined the country, because it does not think that these people can still lead the country, said the leader of that party Bosko Obradovic. After consultations on the formation of the government, Obradovic stated that the previous government of Ana Brnabic “ruined several key public companies and that in the coming economic and energy crisis, the state will collapse, which will look like the Electric Power Company of Serbia today”.

Zukorlic: SPP wants crucial participation (RTS)

The leader of Party of Justice and Reconciliation (SPP) Usame Zukorlic said that this party “wants a crucial participation” in the future government. He said that they had correct relations with Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and that they would accept any possible offer that would enable them to implement their program, even more because they have received from Vucic information about serious and specific projects for Sandzak, a region where the majority of Bosniaks from Serbia live. “Nothing can increase the standard as a highway, the future airport and similar large infrastructure projects. As well as clinic and hospital center and similar things,” Zukorlic said.

Petkovic: Belgrade committed to normalization of situation in Kosovo and Metohija (RTV/Tanjug)

Although Pristina constantly and openly shows that it is not interested in a permanent, security stabilization of the situation in the region, Belgrade will continue to remain committed to dialogue and normalization of the situation in the province, the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said today in a conversation with the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Serbia Luca Gori. As the Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced, Petkovic informed the interlocutor about the progress of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, reminding that the Serbian side has fulfilled all the obligations assumed from the Brussels dialogue, which cannot be said for Pristina, which for more than nine years has refused to form the Community of Serb Municipality (ZSO), which is a key issue for the Serbian side. As stated, the interlocutors also discussed problems in solving the issue of the missing, the implementation of the agreement on energy and other issues, important for the establishment of lasting peace, mutual trust and building coexistence in the province. Petkovic also pointed to the non-implementation of the agreement on respect for freedom of movement and the visit of officials to the province, which was manifested on 12 and 13 July, when the authorities of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina again forbade him to visit Kosovo and Metohija. In this way, Petkovic pointed out, Pristina has shown a clear intention to continue violating the agreements reached, which leads to moving away from dialogue and the process of normalization of relations on the ground.

French Ambassador says EU is right choice for Serbia (Beta)

French Ambassador Pierre Cochard said on Thursday that the European Union is the right choice for Serbia. “The message we want to share is that the choice of the EU is the right choice for Serbia and for France and other countries because it allows us to fight for our independence and freedom and prospects,” Cochard is reported to have told a Bastille Day reception at the French Embassy in Belgrade. The Ambassador said that Serbia will enjoy French support if it continues down the European path with an honest approach of reconciliation and dialogue with all the countries of the region. According to Cochard, France is engaged to a great extent in culture in Serbia and wants to be present in the fields of research and innovation.

Minister, Iranian delegation discuss cooperation in mining and energy (Beta)

Serbian Mining and Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlovic met on Thursday with the Iranian business delegation, headed by the Iranian Deputy Minister for industry, mining and trade and Director of the Organization for Iranian Trade Promotion Alireza Peyman-Pak, and discussed bilateral relations and advancement of cooperation in mining and energy. “Energy and mining are the best fields for increasing the effectiveness of our cooperation, bearing in mind the natural resources of Iran, especially regarding the critical raw materials that are needed worldwide nowadays, and will be needed in the decades to come,” Mihajlovic said. The Iranian Deputy Minister invited Mihajlovic to pay an official visit to Teheran. “The mining and energy sector provides many opportunities for closer cooperation – from mining and gas to electricity. There are many potentials and we view Serbia as one of the most important countries in Europe, with which he should develop joint projects, primarily in mining, because that is a significant part of our economy and one of the factors that has made us the leaders in that field in our region,” the Iranian official said.

Gay lesbian Info Center launches petition to ban Dveri for 100 years (Beta)

The Gay Lesbian Info Center announced on Thursday that they had launched a petition for banning the work of the Movement Dveri (Doors) “for 100 years” because of the “clero-fascist, chauvinistic and homophobic policy that this movement has been conducting since its founding”. In response to Dveri’s request for the cancellation of EuroPride events, scheduled to be held in Belgrade in September, the Center stated that “hate for the LGBT community which Dveri is constantly promoting, contributes to the increase of violence and hate speech”. “The Serbian Movement Dveri forgets that LGBT persons are not without roots and that they are parts of some families. The hate policy of this movement does not only harm LGBT persons, but also our families and friends, but family values, as Dveri view them, seem not to include our families and our closer and distant relatives who are equally affected by hatred and homophobia,” the statement reads.

REGIONAL PRESS

Mostar City Council adopts decision to change disputed names of streets (BHT1) 

The Mostar City Council held a session on Thursday and discussed the initiative to change names of streets in this city named after members of the Ustasha Movement in the World War II. During the session, the Mostar City Council adopted a decision on changing names of six streets in the city. Thus, Mostar got Streets: Tina Ujevic Street, Fra Ljudevit Lasta Street, Ica Voljevica Street, Humska Street and Ciglana Street. Part of the Aleksa Santic Street – renamed in the Mile Budak Street – was restored. Thus, names of Jure Francetic Street, Vokic Street, Lorkovic Street, Tabornik Zelenika Street, Rafaelo Boban Street and Djuro Spuzevic Street were changed. 22 councilors in the Mostar City Council voted for this proposal. Mayor of Mostar Mario Kordic said that they are becoming a role model in this country on how to address this topic adding that many were thinking that they will have problems while things were going in a pretty smooth way. Kordic expressed discontent with an attempt of politicizing and in this regard, he mentioned the recent case with the Partisan Cemetery and the case of the Orthodox cemetery Vihovici. Speaker for the Mostar City Council Salem Maric said that in this way, they are showing that the Mostar City Council – along with the mayor and the new city administration – is ready to address the most difficult and the most important political decisions to the benefit of all citizens of Mostar. Head of the Serb Caucus in the Mostar City Council Velibor Milivojevic said that the voting showed who was sincere about changing names of streets, adding that it was a true example of politicizing and abuse. Several citizens of Mostar presented their stance about this issue and all of them welcomed changing of names of streets. High Representative Christian Schmidt issued a statement welcoming the decision of Mostar City Council to remove the controversial names of streets in the City. “High Representative Christian Schmidt welcomes the decision of the Mostar City Council to remove controversial street names linked to WW2 NDH ideologies and to find suitable new names that transcend divisions and inspire sense of pride in every citizen of Mostar. High Representative calls upon other cities and municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), that also have controversial street names or names of public institutions, to follow the example of Mostar and do the same.” The United States Embassy to B&H issued a statement, which reads that the US welcomes the decision of the Mostar City Council to rename six of the City’s streets. “The change enhances Mostar’s international image and reputation, which had been tarnished by street names celebrating individuals unworthy of anyone’s praise, and that were at odds with the modern, open, and prosperous Mostar residents deserve and the city’s current leadership seeks to build. For some, the new solution will not be seen as ideal or perfect, but the perfection is not the goal; tolerance, consensus, and inclusiveness are… It is time for other cities in B&H, especially Sarajevo and Banja Luka, to follow Mostar’s lead and change the names of streets in their communities that carry the names of the dishonorable,” reads the statement. Head of the EU Delegation to B&H Ambassador Johann Sattler congratulated the Mostar city authorities for adopting the decision on change of disputed names of streets. “This is a good step forward in building an inclusive, welcoming city”, he was quoted as saying. President of the Jewish Community in Mostar Amir Gross Kabiri welcomed on Thursday the move of the Mostar City Council to change names of streets. He stated: “A historical justice has been done today. I want to thank Mostar City Council and mayor Mario Kordic, they took a moral and just decision to eradicate the memory of the criminals who took an active role in the extermination of Jews and other helpless minorities during the darkest time in human history.”

Russian Embassy in B&H: Military adventures of the US and its allies are still causing irreparable damage to countries and entire regions (RTRS) 

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in B&H stated that the “military adventures of the US and its allies” are still causing irreparable damage to countries and entire regions, and that the victims of the aggression of Western countries in the past 20 years have suffered material damage of at least USD 1.5 billion. The Russian Embassy stated that it is impossible to remain indifferent to the losses suffered by the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a result of the NATO operation ‘Allied Force’ from 24 March to 10 June 1999. “More than 2,000 civilians, including 88 children, were killed by NATO countries in 78 days of barbaric bombing of civilian infrastructure”, the Russian Embassy reminds. It is noted that the RS was subjected to similar international lawlessness during the Alliance operation ‘Deliberate Force’ from 30 August to 21 September 1995. The Russian Embassy reminded that more than 205,000 civilians died as a result of the American and allied invasion of Iraq. “In 2017, the city of Mosul was practically wiped off the face of the earth by bombing and shelling, and in Syria, the city of Raka was completely destroyed”, says the statement published on the Embassy’s official Facebook page.

Russian Defense Ministry claims that 158 fighters from B&H are in Ukrainian army; B&H Minister of Security Selmo Cikotic points out that latest data show that only two men from B&H are waging war in Ukraine (Nezavisne) 

The daily carries that while the Russian Defense Ministry claims that 158 fighters from B&H are in the Ukrainian army, B&H Minister of Security Selmo Cikotic points out that the latest data show that only two men from B&H are waging war in Ukraine, one on the side of Russia and one on the side of Ukraine. Cikotic told the Russians not to present unfounded claims. Cikotic told the daily that so far, Russia has not shown anything that resembles proof not even for a single fighter, let alone for such a large number it is presenting. “Those are unfounded claims. I believe that one should deal more with the intentions of the Russian ministry which is presenting such data. We do not have information on that at all. About a month ago we received information that we have one man on the Russian and one on the Ukrainian side,” Cikotic said. Cikotic reminded that data on allegedly killed B&H fighters in Ukraine were presented earlier. “No names were given. I think that there are no facts behind it, no truth, and that is why I doubt the intentions as well,” Cikotic told the daily, confirming that B&H nationals who are fighting on a foreign battlefield will be prosecuted in accordance with the B&H legislation which treats this issue. On the other hand, second deputy of the Joint Commission on Defense and Security of B&H Dusanka Majkic says that she does not doubt the numbers presented by Moscow. Majkic emphasizes that Russia is not a frivolous country and that it would certainly not present such data randomly. Majkic underlined that the B&H Ministry of Security should at least know the approximate number of people fighting on foreign battlefields. “In the composition of that ministry are security, i.e. police agencies which should inform the B&H Ministry of Security about it. They should know this also because they are obliged to make reports on the state of security in B&H. But given that they are not making any reports, they are obviously not doing the job for which they are competent,” Majkic pointed out. According to the data of the Russian Defense Ministry, of the Balkan countries, most foreign mercenaries in the Ukrainian army come from Romania, Croatia, B&H and from the area of “self-proclaimed Kosovo.” According to those data, 158 B&H nationals are currently fighting on the Ukrainian side and 262 Romanians are currently with them. Also, 123 Romanian mercenaries were killed in the fighting, and 119 left Ukraine. According to the data of the Russian Defense Ministry, there are currently 204 mercenaries from Croatia in the Ukrainian army, and no information on their losses has been published. There are 156 Albanian mercenaries from “self-proclaimed” Kosovo in Ukraine, and 150 mercenaries from Albania. At the same time, no arrival of mercenaries from Serbia fighting on the Ukrainian side has been recorded.

Dodik: Germany wants to return to command in B&H and there are echelons led by Schmidt who came here without decision or appointment in UN SC (ATV) 

Serb member of the B&H Presidency and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik stated that Germany wants to return to command in B&H and, although “those units from the 1941 will not come”, there are echelons led by (High Representative) Christian Schmidt “who came here without a decision or appointment in the UN Security Council (UN SC)”. Dodik raised a question of what the difference was between the occupation authorities of the 1941 and what – as he says – Schmidt wants now. The Serb member of the Presidency notes that it is possible to resist the pressures and to reinforce the idea called Republika Srpska (RS). “I accept what the Dayton Agreement is. I do not accept what it is not”, the Serb member of the Presidency added. In addition, Dodik noted that the RS does not accept the UK’s claims about malignant influence in this region. “Why should we accept a lie promoted by the British that there is a malignant Russian and Chinese influence here? No, that does not exist. There has been a malignant English influence here, for centuries,” commented Dodik. Speaking about his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dodik said that he told Putin that the current global situation will end when major powers agree and say there is no more sense in waging war, and then to divide interest spheres. Dodik noted that he told Putin: “Do not leave us.”

Dzaferovic meets UK Minister Stuart; Dzaferovic supports imposing of sanctions against those who endanger DPA (FTV) 

Chairperson of the B&) Presidency Sefik Dzaferovic met with UK Minister for Europe Graham Stuart and discussed the situation in B&H, with a special focus on processes that threatened peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity of B&H in the past year and a half. Dzaferovic supported the imposing of sanctions against those who endanger the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA). He welcomed the support of the UK for the B&H Armed Forces. Dzaferovic encouraged the UK authorities to continue with their policy because it is of extreme importance for the stability until B&H has completed building its own mechanism of sanctions. Two officials also discussed about holding of the forthcoming elections and implementation of (election) results, jointly assessing that the election process and formation of authorities must be done without obstructions and blockades. Special attention was also paid to the issue of extension of mandate of the international military mission and about the UK’s investment plan for the Western Balkans. Dzaferovic thanked the UK for demonstrating exceptional degree of dedication when it comes to preserving memory of the Srebrenica genocide.

Sarovic says he asked Schmidt to abolish Inzko’s decision banning genocide denial (BN TV) 

SDS leader Mirko Sarovic stated on Thursday that he asked from (High Representative) Christian Schmidt to abolish the decision imposed by former High Representative Valentin Inzko’s banning the genocide denial in B&H, i.e. to put moratorium of few years on this decision thus giving a chance for B&H politicians to agree on this issue. “It would not be the end of the world to put moratorium on Inzko’s decision and we would talk to Schmidt in that case. When I say I would talk to Schmidt on this topic, this does not mean that I would recognize him as the High Representative and that he can use Bonn Powers”, Sarovic stressed. He stated that the time has come for changes and responsible policy, concluding that responsible people and responsible policies are needed now.

The OHR wasted paper in vain (Glas Srpske) 

Next week will be a year since former High Representative Valentin Inzko imposed changes to the B&H Criminal Code that provide for the punishment of denial of genocide and, according to the daily, in that time it turned out that this “pointless act” remained only a dead letter on the OHR’s paper. The daily notes that at the end of July last year, Inzko heated up the political climate in B&H when he, right before his departure from the position of High Representative, imposed amendments to the B&H Criminal Code which ban public approval, denial, gross downplaying or attempts to justify crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes established by final verdicts. The RS representatives, revolted by Inzko’s behavior, adopted in the RS parliament a law on non-application of Inzko’s decision and amendments to the RS Criminal Code where penalties were prescribed for harming the reputation of the RS and its peoples. According to the information that has surfaced in the public, the prosecutors’ offices in B&H have received dozens of reports from both sides of the inter-entity line due to violation of provisions of the B&H Criminal Code and the RS Criminal Code, but so far, no indictment has been issued because these reports were mostly rejected. RS DNS MP Aleksandar Glavas in January this year reported Bosniak member of the B&H Presidency Sefik Dzaferovic because of a statement given for the German Die Welt in which he compared marking of January 9 – the Day of the RS – with Kristallnacht or the Night of Broken Glass in Nazi Germany. Glavas told the daily that the judiciary is the biggest problem of B&H, noting that implementation of the law depends on it. “The Prosecutor’s Office has rejected the criminal report against Dzaferovic without any particular reason. Valentin Inzko’s imposed decision confirmed that B&H is a protectorate. We got a blockade and an overall stagnation which only additional drove young people away from here. We have an unhealthy political situation that brought about a blockade of the institutions and communication between the parties that make the authorities at the B&H level. Everyone is a loser with Inzko’s decision,” Glavas underlined. Glavas stressed that for him, only laws adopted by the RS and assessed by the Constitutional Court (CC) of the RS are valid, adding that the B&H CC is a political court which gives itself the right to create the Constitution, and not to interpret it as it should. One of the first criminal reports for denial of genocide was filed against journalist Branimir Djuricic.

Zvizdic criticizes Brnabic’s statements regarding Sattler’s blog, saying that she does not react to Vulin’s statement even though she is aware of them (Oslobodjenje) 

Deputy speaker of the B&H House of Representatives Denis Zvizdic has condemned reaction of Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic to the blog written by Head of the EU Delegation to B&H Johann Sattler. Zvizdic concluded that it would be more useful for overall relations in the Western Balkans that Brnabic monitors and reacts in a responsible manner to malicious and inflammatory statements of Serbian Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin, instead of reacting hastily, without arguments to correct, clear and well-intentioned statements of Ambassador Sattler. “Truly, without justice, full respect and recognition of the crimes, victims and human loses, true reconciliation is not possible”, Sattler stated and Zvizdic assessed that this represents a clear guideline what should be done and what steps should be undertaken to reach the open cooperation, trust and reconciliation within B&H and the region. In the end, Zvizdic told Brnabic that she is not reacting to Vulin’s statements, even though she is aware of them, adding that chauvinist- militarist statements of Minister Vulin represent a shot into the processes of reconciliation and cooperation and the true danger for peace and stability in the region, especially in B&H and Montenegro.

Croatian FM: Entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO reinforces collective defense (Hina) 

The adoption of the law on the ratification of the protocol for the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO is Croatia’s contribution to the further strengthening of the alliance and collective defense, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said in the parliament on Thursday. The foreign minister said in his address he hoped that the Sabor would be among the first ones to give its approval for this “historic enlargement”. On behalf of the government, the pertaining protocol adopted in Brussels on 5 July, was signed by Croatia’s permanent representative to NATO, Mario Nobilo. “Croatia actively participates in all policies and activities that contribute to the strengthening of the alliance and collective defense, and this law additionally supports the strengthening of NATO and our collective defense,” Minister Grlic Radman told the lawmakers.

The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO will help the alliance to strengthen its northern and eastern flanks, and will include the whole regions of Scandinavia and the Baltic in the alliance, he added. Grlic Radman welcomed NATO’s open door policy, saying that it contributed to peace and security in Europe. Commenting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the minister said that it had changed the security environment and that the whole of Europe and the world were in a very sensitive and dangerous situation. “In this extremely complex international political and economic situation, membership of NATO has become more important than ever before.” The Croatian government considers Russia’s invasion as an attack on freedom of choice, on international law and on the entire European security structure. Therefore, the interest of Finland and Sweden to join the alliance is fully understandable, said the minister. The protocols will become effective after the parliaments of all 30 NATO member states ratify them, which Finland and Sweden can expect a formal invitation to join the alliance.

Borrell, Varhelyi visit Podgorica, underline importance of integration of Western Balkans to EU; Varhelyi underlined Open Balkans is not replacement for EU membership (CdM) 

High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi paid a visit to Podgorica and stated that political circumstances in Montenegro should not impact the country’s path to the EU, adding that all political actors should focus on implementation of reforms in order to accelerate integration. Borrell and Varhelyi are paying a two-day visit to Montenegro, where they attended the meeting of Council for Stabilization and Association EU-Montenegro.

“You have a potential to be a good story because all chapters have been opened. We expect Montenegro to harmonize the scheme of golden passports and harmonize the visa policy with the EU’s policy”, Borrell stated, addressing the joint press conference with Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic. Varhelyi stated that Brussels wants to see measurable results in implementation of the laws, stressing that this is a key condition for accelerating of integration processes and entering the next phase of the negotiations. “We are now at the key point, Montenegro opened all the chapters and it is time to close them down, which requires significant progress in rule of the law. I think it is very important to see the action in the field, by side of parliaments and government”, said Varhelyi. Asked by the media whether political instability can slow down the integration process, Varhelyi warned that Podgorica is losing precious time: “Losing of time is something you cannot afford”  Abazovic agreed with the EU officials that none of the internal issues should interfere with country’s EU path, adding that there is no room for destabilization. “There is place for the reforms. We need to treat our internal political differences, but not in the way to endanger the main road. Focus should be solely on the European agenda and everything that is disturbing it should be immediately removed from the agenda”, said Abazovic. Varhelyi stated that projects of the regional cooperation, such as Open Balkans have a huge economic potential for the region. Commissioner stressed that Open Balkans is not a replacement for the European Union, but it can enable countries of the region to take over EU’s acquis: “Entire Western Balkans need to become EU member. It is natural that if you want, you can already apply the regulations you will be applying when enter the EU”. “Of course, this is not a substitute for EU membership, quite the opposite, because the entire Western Balkans should become a member of the EU. It is natural that if you want, you can already apply the rules that you will apply when you are in the EU. Any regional cooperation that is based on our rules, on mutual trust and respect, will change the mentality”, he has stressed.

Borrell: Nothing should be more important to Montenegro than its EU journey (N1) 

All political actors and institutions in Montenegro should continue working together on the reforms in a constructive spirit, and other current political issues should not divert attention from the reform agenda, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said in Podgorica on Thursday. Borrell and the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, co-chaired, together with Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, a meeting of the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Council (SA Council). The meeting was important as a sign to the citizens of Montenegro and the whole region of Brussels’ commitment to their common future in the EU, according to Borrell. There should be nothing more important for Montenegro than its European journey, particularly now that Montenegro should be the leader in accession negotiations, said the EU High Representative, who is the European Commission Vice-President in charge of coordinating the external action of the European Union. He added that the EU expects Montenegro to revoke the program of economic citizenship for foreign investors and to adjust its visa policy to the EU acquis. Commissioner Varhelyi said the talks with Montenegrin officials focused on the economic and investment plans through which the EU would like to step up integration processes. Montenegro could be one of the biggest beneficiaries through construction of roads and railways between Montenegro and its neighbors, said the commissioner. Despite the war in Europe, Montenegro has good prospects, and Europe is delivering on its promises here, he said. This was the first time that the Stabilization and Association Council was meeting outside the EU, and PM Abazovic said that was a great recognition for his country. According to a press release from the Council, “this was the first time that the SA Council meeting took place in the Western Balkans region, underlining the European Union’s unequivocal commitment to the EU integration of the whole region and to the accession process of Montenegro.” “The meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of Montenegro’s progress in accession negotiations and to look forward to the further work needed within the framework of the Stabilization and Association Agreement,” the press release said.

Abazovic told the press that “Montenegro has one major foreign affairs priority: how to make Montenegro an EU member. We all must be committed to this matter, we must address matters that require a broader consensus in society and unblock the European path,” he underlined. The press release reads that “the EU side strongly commended Montenegro’s full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, including EU restrictive measures following Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine.” “This is a strong signal of the country’s strategic orientation and commitment to the goal of EU accession. Participants also welcomed the efforts already taken to implement the sanctions and encouraged to continue with the necessary steps to fully apply the restrictive measures adopted.”

Djukanovic: It is my duty to raise my voice against violent practice of Church of Serbia, which brutally destroys most sacred values of society by abusing state apparatus (RTCG) 

“It is the duty of the President of the country to speak out, very specifically, about anyone who tries to deny the state, national, cultural and religious identity of the state he heads, to speak out against those who claim that Montenegro is the same as Sumadija, that Montenegrins are communist scum and bastards”, says the President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic on the occasion of the response of the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church to the President’s interview for RTCG. “The President should not only speak but also work dedicatedly against all those who try to steal the history of Montenegro, with lies about the alleged 800-year continuity of the Church of Serbia in Montenegro, while the mother country of Serbia recognized its continuity for 186 years. Against all those who would like to steal our history by taking away from us the cultural, historical and sacral heritage of Montenegro, with the wholehearted help of the last two governments of Montenegro and their forgeries – the Law on Freedom of Religion and the so-called Fundamental Agreement”, says the President of Montenegro. And above all, Djukanovic has added, “the President of the country must speak and work against those who in the Montenegrin libertarian society and state respect the honorable traditions of the Christian and Eastern Orthodox church, the long and proud state-making history of the Cetinje Metropolitan-Montenegrin Orthodox Church, the history of honorable patriots, Montenegrin priests and their families, so in such a Montenegro they proclaim villains and butchers of innocent women and children – Maca Vukojicic and Slobodan Siljko – as saints, and in such a Montenegro today we import most of the Orthodox priests”.

“After they expelled the unfortunate people from their age-old hearths from various parts of the former homeland with nationalistic madness and after they found an undeserved refuge under the mantle of the Church of Serbia in Montenegro, should we silently let them poison now the humble people of the civil society of Montenegro with the same poison”, says Djukanovic.

He says that “it won’t work”. But stresses, very loudly (…) so that it would be clear to everyone who is telling the truth and who is blatantly lying. And so, until they realize that they are not in a Serbian province, but in civil and European Montenegro, with a thousand-year state history, whose important pages were written by the Autocephalous Orthodox Metropolitan in the Principality of Montenegro – the Montenegrin Church”, Djukanovic has concluded.

Abazovic: Djukanovic read the preamble of the Fundamental Agreement, was informed that the government will be voted on (TV Vijesti/CdM) 

Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic said that the President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic had read the preamble of the Fundamental Agreement, and that he had been informed that a vote would be taken on it at the government session. “Djukanovic, Konjevic and Jokovic received the text of the contract a month before it was made public. No preamble. They said that they are ok with the Fundamental Agreement, if it is in accordance with the constitution and the law. Considering that the normative part is in accordance with the constitution and the law, they were looking for something to connect to – the preamble,” said Abazovic to TV Vijesti. Before Djukanovic went to Madrid for the NATO summit, Abazovic says that he met with him, when Djukanovic saw the full text of the Fundamental Agreement. “The preamble has no more than 4-5 sentences. Whether he agreed or not, expressed some reservations – I did not feel them at that moment. Djukanovic said that he was not aware that there would be a vote on the government. “Two hours before the government session, we had a meeting in the Assembly, all the parties, he and I stayed after the meeting, we stayed and I informed him that there will be a vote on the Fundamental Agreement,” Abazovic points out. He claims that the preamble was not written by anyone from Serbia, and that there is no act that cannot be voted on again, or changed and declared again. “There is room for agreement,” he added. When asked if he dug himself a “political pit” by putting the Fundamental Agreement on the agenda, that is, the issue that divides Montenegro, Abazovic points out that point five of the agreement on the formation of a minority government states the resolution of issues with religious communities. Abazvic also said that the preamble of the Fundamental Agreement cannot be reformulated. “We can enter into a new process or finish according to the existing regulation. The Fundamental Agreement was written in continuity from 2012 to 2022. There was also a previous government, which had its own version, we took it and adapted it to the national interests of Montenegro”, says Abazovic.

When asked if he repays the debt to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic with the contract, Abazovic answers this way. “Debts are only talked about by those who have them. I have only one debt. This debt is towards the citizens of Montenegro. It’s the only debt I’m trying to repay in these frantic times. There are seven differences compared to the text that the government of Zdravko Krivokapic had. Everything is in favor of the state. And all colleagues know that, and that’s why they’re sorry, because they have to attack something,” said Abazovic. Abazovic adds, the desire of certain structures is for extremist politics to prevail here. “I don’t allow that,” said the prime minister.

Kovac: The contract with SPC will be signed soon in Podgorica (TV Vijesti/CdM) 

Justice Minister Marko Kovac expects that the contract with the Serbian Orthodox Church will be signed soon in Podgorica. “What the government should do is to inform the SPC Synod of the adoption of the proposed document and then agree on a joint date for signing the contract. It is natural that it should be in a relatively recent period, to find an adequate term. The signing of the Fundamental Agreement will take place in Podgorica”, Kovac told TV Vijesti. When asked if there is room for the content of that document to be changed and come back to the government, Kovac is of the opinion that there is no need for that. “Except in some proofreading section to improve certain things regarding certain objections that have been heard, which I believe are justified. Specifically, I mean the wording of movable and immovable property. I think that it should be adapted to the Law on Property-Legal Relations and apply adequate legal terminology”, explained Kovac. He invited other religious communities, as well as the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, to sign the same contract. “The door is open to all religious communities, CPC as well, and I invite them all to come forward, to show initiative and to enter into the process of regulating mutual rights and obligations”, said Kovac. As he added, as far as the use of certain facilities is concerned, property rights and obligations are not regulated in this contract, which is now the subject, they are regulated by the Constitution and the Law on Property-Legal Relations. “Therefore, we cannot enter into property rights in that part, and of course if a religious community or any other legal entity has pretensions to some movable or immovable thing, there is a legal way, a procedure in which they will be able or unable to prove their right”, explains Kovac.

Von der Leyen: Europe is waiting for you; I believe that this is the moment for you to move ahead towards our common future (Republika) 

I wanted to be here today among you so that I may speak to you directly, so that you may hear from me how Europe is waiting for you. Waiting and hoping that you will take yet another step towards our Union, said European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen in her address to lawmakers on Thursday. “Your country is a candidate to become a member of the European Union. Since 2005, many of you here – and many, many more who are absent – have worked hard for Macedonia to become a member of the EU. And only four years later, in 2009, the European Commission recommended that we open accession negotiations with you. Since then, we have consistently stood by your side. And now, finally we could be on the threshold of a decisive step forward. I am here today because I believe that this is the moment for you to move ahead towards our common future. Towards our common future in a European Union with Macedonia as a full member,” said EC President von der Leyen. She said the country has shown boldness and determination before through the Prespa Agreement which led to Macedonia becoming a member of NATO, where it has shown that it is a reliable security provider, a real added value to the Alliance. “I know that the same will happen when you become a member of the European Union. I know this because you have already demonstrated a vital capacity to change your society for the better. Your efforts to strengthen the rule of law to fight against corruption are commendable. You have established a strong record on human rights. You have a free media. You have a vibrant civil society. You are a successful model of a diverse, multi-ethnic society, forged in the historic Ohrid Framework Agreement. You chose a path of peace rather than conflict. And this was the path of peace shown by the late President Boris Trajkovski. He said that he intended ‘to be the President of all citizens […] regardless of their ethnic or religious background, regardless of their political standing.’ He added that he would ‘not allow ethnic hatred and intolerance’ to undermine the stability of your country,” said von der Leyen.

The EC chief said many are understandably frustrated that the country has not yet begun accession negotiations. “Let me tell you: I am too. The Commission has been recommending the opening of negotiations for the last 13 years. And you will be understandably frustrated that the opening of negotiations with the EU did not immediately follow the Prespa Agreement. This was bitter. But you never gave up. And we never gave up. Together, we followed our dream of one European Union. And together, we will turn this dream into reality,” noted von der Leyen. According to her, the opportunity must be grasped – to launch accession negotiations and work together on the path that takes Macedonia into the EU. “We can do this as soon as next week, by taking the first step of the revised French proposal. You are all very aware of this revised proposal. It protects your interests and addresses the concerns of all sides. Be reassured that the Commission – that has always stood beside this country – continues to do so today and will continue to be there with you tomorrow and the day after. We are convinced that this is of historic importance. But the decision is yours to take and yours alone. Ultimately, this is about the path you choose, as you have chosen before with the Ohrid Framework, with Prespa, with the building of your vibrant democracy,” said von der Leyen. Should Macedonia decide to endorse the revised French proposal, a political Intergovernmental Conference will be held within the next few days. “We, the Commission, will then start immediately the process of screening the acquis. This is the first step in the negotiation process. We will then be glad to welcome your negotiating team to Brussels to start working together,” noted Von der Leyen. Dear Macedonians, she added, I have listened carefully to the concerns expressed regarding the Macedonian language and identity. “There can be no doubt that the Macedonian language is your language. We fully respect that. That is why the revised proposal refers to the Macedonian language, without qualification by the EU. The proposal also respects your national identity. The principle of self-identification is important for each one of us. You can count on me, as President of the European Commission, to ensure that the accession process will strictly abide by European principles and standards. Yours is a successful multi-ethnic society. It mirrors the EU’s motto: ‘United in diversity.’ You have shown commitment to the rule of law, the protection of human rights and the rights of all communities. These are values that we share. Amending your Constitution to advance fundamental rights further will reinforce your commitment to these values. And then, this will automatically complete the opening phase of the negotiations. It will trigger another Intergovernmental Conference, without further decision,” stressed Von der Leyen. The EC President said good neighborly relations and regional cooperation are part of the DNA of European integration. “These are also essential elements in the enlargement process, as well as the Stabilization and Association Process, for all enlargement countries. Let me reassure you: Bilateral issues, such as interpretation of history, are not conditions in the accession negotiations. Some say, it would be better to wait for a better deal than the one presented by France. It is, of course, your right to do so. But consider how hard we have tried to get here through successive Presidencies – Germany, Portugal, Slovenia and now France. I encourage you to seize this opportunity. By opening this door now, Macedonia empowers itself by being in the negotiation process rather than out of it. Benefits will accrue as you progress. Investments, improved trade links, closer collaboration in key sectors such as energy and transport. New good jobs, business opportunities. This is what the young generation wants. They love their country. They want to build their future here. They are willing to work hard for that. But they need the opportunity. Let us open the next important door for them. I have children, I have one granddaughter. Many of you have children, some of you have grandchildren. All of us together want – one day – to look back and say: They are all part of the same European family. This is the future you are deciding about here – today and tomorrow,” said von der Leyen. She also referred to the difficult times the world is in, including Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, soaring energy prices, escalating climate crisis. “These are daunting challenges that we must face together. But we can master them. We will master them – together, as strong democracies, as one Union. Your country has risen to the occasion. You stand steadfast with the Union. You are a true and reliable partner. You have shown your determination to the EU values. You deserve to move forward on the path to membership. The decisive step forward is now yours to take,” said von der Leyen. She concluded her address with another quote from late President Trajkovski: “I consider two things, on a daily basis: what is right to do and what is wrong to do. According to my conscience, I am trying to abide by the right thing. My vision is peace. My vision is prosperity.’ I fervently hope that you too will do the same. Do the right thing for the peace and prosperity of Macedonia, a soon-to-be member of the European Union. The future of your country is in the European Union. And Europe is not complete without Macedonia. We want you in the EU!,” said EC President Von der Leyen. The Parliament session was attended by President Stevo Pendarovski, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, and senior officials from the country and abroad. During the session, opposition MPs held up signs against the French proposal and the incumbent authorities. The Parliament is set to hold a session focused on the Report over the content of the draft-negotiating framework for the accession negotiations of the Republic of Macedonia with the European Union, proposed by the French Presidency on 30 June 2022, and adopt conclusions that will serve as tasks that the Government will have to observe in the process of EU accession negotiations.

Varhelyi: Our eyes and ears are on Skopje (Republika) 

Our eyes and ears are on Skopje and we must have a democratic debate. You saw that the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, made a direct contribution. Let the debate develop and then let’s say our positions, said EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi. He arrived late this afternoon in the Albanian seaside town of Vlore, inspected the newly built ring road financed by the European Union, after which he held a press conference with the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama. As for Albania, according to Varhelyi, it did everything to reach the first intergovernmental conference. I believe that next week will be the week that we have been waiting for so long, Varhelyi added. The European Union supported the construction of the ring road with a grant of 20 million euros. Also, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) participated in this project with loans of 18 million euros each.

Kovacevski – Von der Leyen: It’s time for wise decisions, Macedonian language and identity are protected in EU (Republika) 

Now is the moment Macedonia should seize to accept the European proposal, which means holding of the first intergovernmental conference and start of accession negotiations with the EU, it was concluded at Thursday’s meeting of Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen. Kovacevski and Von der Leyen emphasized once again that the European proposal does not threaten identity, culture, history and the Macedonian language in any way. The President of the European Commission also emphasized that the place of Macedonia and the Western Balkans is in the European Union and that is the only path that leads to a better future for the present and future generations. At the meeting, it was discussed that in the context of the new geo-political circumstances, the unblocking of the European integration process and the beginning of negotiations for our membership in the European Union is very significant, which is important for the overall progress of Macedonia. At the meeting, it was emphasized that the decisions taken now guarantee the future of the country, and therefore wise and statesmanlike moves are needed that lead to prosperity, development of democratic values and overall economic progress.

Pendarovski meets Von der Leyen: Macedonian language and identity must be guaranteed by EU (Republika) 

Current political developments in the country and the EU integration-related processes were the focus of Thursday’s meeting in Skopje of President Stevo Pendarovski with the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen. At the meeting, they discussed the current political situation in the country and the processes related to European integration. The president of the European Commission, Von der Leyen, confirmed that with the first intergovernmental conference that should be held soon, if the proposal for the negotiating framework is accepted, the concrete negotiations will begin and the screening process will begin immediately. Also, with the start of the accession negotiations with the EU, the signing of bilateral agreements between Macedonia and the European Union, in the Macedonian language and in the other official languages of the Union, will be started as soon as possible. President Pendarovski reaffirmed the position that the acceptance of the French proposal will enable the unblocking of European integration and the opening of the first phase of the accession negotiations, which will represent a positive impulse for the reform process and progress of Macedonia. In that context, President Pendarovski emphasized that the Macedonian language and identity must be respected and guaranteed by the European Union.

Xhaferi: Von der Leyen’s message is clear – the proposal refers to the Macedonian language and respects the national identity (Republika) 

Parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi, wrote on Facebook that the message of the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, during her address to the MPs, is clear – the revised proposal refers to the Macedonian language respects the national identity. Von der Leyen’s clear message: I have listened carefully to the concerns expressed regarding the Macedonian language and identity. There can be no doubt that the Macedonian language is your language. We fully respect that. That is why the revised proposal refers to the Macedonian language, without qualification by the EU. The proposal also respects your national identity. The principle of self-identification is important for each one of us. You can count on me, as President of the European Commission, to ensure that the accession process will strictly abide by European principles and standards. Yours is a successful multi-ethnic society, reads the post of the Parliament Speaker on Facebook.

Osmani meets EC president Von der Leyen (Republika) 

Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani met Thursday with European Commission (EC) President Ursula Von der Leyen during her visit to Skopje. Expressing gratitude for this visit, Osmani underlined that the European Commission has always been a proven partner of the country’s European integration path, strictly and objectively analysing the situation and the achieved progress translated into reports on the state’s progress. This support, he emphasized, will continue with the official opening of accession negotiations through the screening process.

This visit comes at the right time, at the very end of the broad consultation process for the proposal of the French presidency, and we consider your address to the Parliament today as a significant contribution to this process and support for the continuation of our European integrations, Osmani emphasized, said the MFA. He reminded that it is the second time in our history that a President of the European Commission addresses our Parliament. The first time, Romano Prodi, at the very beginning of our European integration path, on the occasion of the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, and now at the very beginning of the negotiations, as the final stage before our full-fledged membership in the Union.

Mickoski after meeting von der Leyen: I showed her pictures of the Vatasha boys, Vera Ciriviri Trena, the deportation of the Jews: Shall we accept that they are administrators?! (Republika) 

After the meeting of the leadership of VMRO-DPMNE with the president of the EC Ursula Von der Leyen, the president of VMRO-DPMNE Hristijan Mickoski held a press conference, where he introduced the public to the positions of the party related to the speech of the president of the EC in the parliament. The following three positions of VMRO-DPMNE were presented at the meeting. After we heard the president of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen in the Macedonian Parliament that if what is promoted by the government of SDSM and DUI passes, we will have an intergovernmental conference, the dilemma that VMRO-DPMNE, the Macedonian public and the citizens have is the following: In article 11 of the document called EU Common Position, it is clearly stated that Macedonia will not start the negotiations as long as, I repeat, until the Constitution is changed, whether this is true or not, I leave it to the public experts and the people who deal with this problem to give an answer. The second dilemma we have and the second question is, because it was mentioned in the speech that we will not talk about history, but Article 14 of the same document does not say that. Article 14 says the exact opposite, and that is that a document called the Protocol will be signed these days, and in that document everything will be discussed, except for the rule of law, the fight against crime and corruption, a better economy, better quality healthcare, more competitive education. But we will talk about the Middle Ages, about the 18th or 19th century, whose was Goce, whose was Dame, whose was the Ilinden Uprising. Which means that according to Article 14 and the Protocol, which, to be honest, no one in the Macedonian public has seen or read its content. We will talk about everything, but we will not talk about the future. We will talk about problems from the past. That is, we will talk about how to assimilate the Macedonian people in the 21st century and destroy the Macedonian identity. This Article 14, from the document called the Common Position of the EU, is related to the general positions of the EU, Article 5, where in addition to the Copenhagen criteria and the criteria defined by the Stabilization and Association Agreement, only for Macedonia, for none of these 27 member states, nor for Albania are set bilateral issues as a criterion. It is clearly stated here that annual reports and measures are needed for the effective implementation of what was agreed upon according to Article 12 of the Good Neighborly Agreement, and related to the Protocol that no one alive in Macedonia has seen, which means that it is not true that we will not talk about history. We will talk about everything, but we will not talk about what is important for the citizens, which is a better quality of life. To be more precise we will be focused only on history. And the third question about which I also have a dilemma, and the positions of VMRO-DPMNE are like that and they have a dilemma, is the introductory statement, article 3, where it is clearly stated that the acquis or the negotiating framework will be translated into Macedonian language, but the Bulgarian side will give a one-sided statement with how it sees the Macedonian language. So that we have a clear Macedonian language, that is, that we have a clear language that will literally be part of the negotiating framework and the documents of the European Union, is a big lie. Here is article 3, it clearly states that we will have practically a unilateral statement by our eastern neighbor that the Macedonian language is probably some version of the Bulgarian language. Why is this important? This before me, respected representatives of the media and respected citizens, is a document from the third conference of the United Nations from 1977 and refers to the standardization of world languages, held in Athens exactly 45 years ago, where the difference between the Bulgarian language and the Macedonian language is clearly stated with the Macedonian Cyrillic alphabet. And I showed this at the meeting, Mickoski said. He showed photos that he also showed to the president of the EC, with which he wanted to show her that the Macedonian people should accept that after those atrocities, the Bulgarians in Macedonia were administrators, not occupiers. These are documents from the graves of children from Vatasha, of young people from Vatasha, does administrators do this? These are those people, is this the work of administrators? Is this the work of the people who say they administered Macedonia? And these are the wagons of the Bulgarian national railway where they deport exactly 7114 Jews from Macedonia and take them directly to the concentration camp in Treblinka. Is this the work of administrators? Are these the administrators we should include in our textbooks? And this is Vera Ciriviri Trena who was killed by these administrators because she fought against the fascists in World War II. Someone wants to erase that the Macedonian people were always on the right side of history and fought against those who were on the wrong side of history. These are the dilemmas that VMRO-DPMNE and I have, and unfortunately these corrupt politicians in the government, aided by other corrupt politicians, do not have them and are selling off what someone paid for with blood and life.

Maricic: “The French proposal” is a compromise that we are making for our sake, not for Bulgaria’s sake (TV Kanal 5) 

The compromise in the draft-negotiating framework is very simple – a guarantee of the Macedonian language and identity and the start of negotiations, on the one hand, and the inclusion of the Bulgarian community in the Constitution, on the other hand, before continuing the negotiations prior to the second intergovernmental session, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Maricic said on Thursday. This is a compromise that we are making for our sake, not for Bulgaria’s sake, not for the sake of anyone else, said Maricic in an interview with TV Kanal 5. He emphasized that there is no point in the proposal that disputes our language. Every citizen, every member of Parliament, should look at the documents, find one point in this proposal that denies our language, that imposes on us some kind of assimilation or Bulgarianization, as they say at the protests, and that challenges our right to we speak the Macedonian language and call ourselves Macedonians. There is no such thing, he said.

According to Maricic, we have the consent of Bulgaria, if we accept this package, to sign the agreement with Frontex, which, as he said, is an agreement with the European Union, not only with Bulgaria, in which will also be written in Macedonian language. This is our guarantee that Bulgaria will not object to the wording of the Macedonian language in the EU documents, which was our goal, he said. At the end of the process, he pointed out, the Macedonian language, according to all this, will be officialised as the official language of the European Union.

Kovacevski: With clear conscience, I am asking you to vote for the French proposal (Republika) 

Bilateral issues are not part of the negotiating framework with Brussels. And most importantly, the EU proposal defines the holding of the first intergovernmental session in Brussels. I, the Government and the President of the state said “yes” to such a proposal, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski in his address to the parliament. This is a historic session for Macedonia, because today we are deciding on several fundamentals for our country, for a better future, for a stable present, Kovacevski said his address, which was followed by loud whistles from the opposition MPs. The reason why we are debating is to define the beginning of negotiations with the EU. We accepted the first proposal and in Brussels I loudly said “no” to the first set of ideas. That set was inconsistent with our red lines. That set of ideas did not guarantee the status of the Macedonian language and did not define a clear beginning of negotiations with the EU. Short and clear, I said “no” because it was not good for Macedonia. We were able to get a new proposal that truly reflects our red lines. The Macedonian language is recognized in the EU. The Macedonian language will be spoken everywhere in Europe. Bilateral issues are not part of the negotiating framework with Brussels. And most importantly, the European proposal defines the holding of the first intergovernmental session in Brussels. I, the government and the President of the state said “yes” to such a proposal, Kovacevski said. Dear MPs, he added, this proposal is the best for us. Could it have been better? Of course, it could have been better. But it could have been worse. But I don’t want to talk about bad things. The best defense for identity is moving forward. We will not allow ourselves to be isolated and closed, and citizens to seek foreign passports and work abroad. The state is being built every day. I am Macedonian by birth and no paper can take away my identity and history. This process does not end today or tomorrow. This is a process of all parties. With a clear conscience, accept the proposal and let’s move forward to a better future. I am doing this not because I have to, but because I believe it is the right decision, Kovacevski said. After the end of his speech, the atmosphere in the parliament heated up. The MPs from the opposition started chanting “traitor, traitor”.

Rama: Kosovo participates in the Partnership for Peace, let’s dialogue with Serbia! Stoltenberg: The Balkans are of strategic importance for NATO (Radio Tirana) 

Prime Minister Edi Rama together with the Secretary General of the Alliance Jens Stoltenberg held a joint press conference from the NATO headquarters in Brussels. In his speech, Stoltenberg stated that the fact that Albania approved in the Parliament the ratification of the protocols of the membership of Finland and Sweden in NATO shows that the door of NATO remains open. “I’m glad to see you again. Albania is a highly valued ally. Albania contributes to the multinational NATO forces in Latvia and Bulgaria. You also help prevent any aggression against NATO allied countries and the Western Balkans is of strategic importance to NATO. At the NATO summit in Madrid, we took decisions with quite substantial effects to strengthen the alliance. A new strategic concept. We agreed to invite Finland and Sweden to join NATO and I thank Albania for ratifying the membership protocols for both countries. This proves that NATO’s door remains open,” said Stoltenberg. While Prime Minister Rama in his speech expressed his pride that Albania was one of the first NATO countries to approve the protocol for the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO. He also reiterated his support for Ukraine. He emphasized the need for a permanent dialogue between NATO and the countries of the Western Balkans, including Serbia.

“It is a pleasure and an honor to return here and have the opportunity to share with you some opinions after the Madrid summit, which was a historic moment for the transatlantic alliance. I am proud that our parliament became the first of the allied countries to approve the protocol for the accession of Finland and Sweden. We stand in full solidarity with Ukraine and it is indisputable for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. It is important to continue the conversation regarding the situation and the obligations we have in Western Balkans to prevent any escalation and to prevent any bad influence from turning into problems for our region. In our capacity we will play our traditional role in support of regional peace, stability. The new strategic concept emphasizes the strategic role of the Western Balkans for NATO. I think it is important to continue a permanent dialogue with the countries of the Western Balkans, including Serbia, which is not part of our alliance, but is still part of our region,” said Rama, while he emphasizing the need to consider the inclusion of Kosovo in the partnership for peace. The Partnership for Peace is a program of practical bilateral cooperation between the Euro-Atlantic partner states and NATO, established in 1994, allowing the states to choose their own priorities for cooperation.

“I had the chance to tell you what I mentioned at the summit, the need to consider the inclusion of Kosovo in the partnership for peace. We know there are political constraints from some allies and this is a consensual body. In the times we live in, in my humble opinion, it is wise to reconsider it. I greatly appreciate your availability to present to you our ambition to add value to the infrastructure and logistics of our alliance by making available to NATO a state-of-the-art naval base that will be a place we can build with the challenges of our time from climate change and everything else,” he said.

Varhelyi visits the EU-funded Vlora Bypass Road (ADN) 

EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi and the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, visited Thursday the EU-funded Vlora bypass. The 29-kilometre road segment will shorten the traveling time towards the Albanian Riviera, increase road safety, reduce air pollution and bring new opportunities for Albanian businesses. The EU has supported the construction of the Vlora bypass with 20 million Euro. In addition, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as lead international financial institution and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have provided loans of 18 million EUR each. During the joint press conference with Prime Minister Rama, Commissioner Varhelyi said: “I am delighted to visit today the Vlora bypass. This is a fine example of our bilateral assistance to Albania, and shows how we can make a difference for the region thanks to our Economic and Investment plan. The Vlora bypass brings new opportunities for Albanian businesses to reach new markets, better access to services for citizens and a better travel experience for tourists, while increasing road safety for all and improving the air quality in Vlora.” Prime Minister Rama said: “We are returning back here, together with the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, the ARRSH (Albanian Road Authority) team and the workers who continue to take care of details outside the road track, for further improvements of urban and environmental requalification nature. Today it was made possible for a valued friend, other than the European Commissioner for Enlargement, to be here, since he could not be with us on July 7, the announced day for the opening of the bypass, which was necessary to relieve the flow of cars, especially on weekends.” Ahead of the press conference, the Commissioner and the Prime Minister inspected the site, accompanied by the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku, the EIB representative in Albania, Petia Manolova, and the Head of EBRD for Albania Ekaterina Solovova. The bypass around the city of Vlora is a vital connection in south-western Albania. It will improve road transport conditions in Vlora town and in surrounding areas, including on the coastal road along the Vlora bay. This road segment will bring benefits to tourism, stimulate the private sector and facilitate trade, promote regional and national growth as well as contribute to economic and social cohesion.