LOCAL PRESS

Petar Petkovic was banned from visiting the KiM (RTS)

The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija (KiM), Petar Petkovic, was forbidden to visit KiM today, RTS learns. It is clear that Pristina does not want to continue the agreement with Belgrade, said Petkovic. Petar Petkovic was supposed to open the square to the innocently martyred Milic brothers in Kosovska Mitrovica on religious day Krstovdan and visit the attacked Serbian young man Nemanja Mitrovic in the hospital in that city. It is the ninth visit in a row that he has been banned from since the beginning of last year. Kurti will not forbid us to help the people in KiM. The director of the office, Petar Petkovic, said, after he was again banned from entering the territory of KiM, that he would not give up his visits and that Pristina would not prohibit him from helping the Serbian people in KiM. Petkovic emphasized that Pristina, which forbids him from entering KiM, is most directly trampling and violating the agreement on official visits. “I announced the visit on time and in accordance with all procedures. It is clear that Pristina does not want the normalization of relations when they do not allow me, as the main negotiator of Belgrade, to enter KiM. It is clear that Pristina does not want the continuation of the agreement with Belgrade,” Petkovic said.

Serbia prepared a fierce response to Brussels, Vucic addresses public within 72 hours (Novosti)

President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, prepared a decisive and fierce response to the Brussels administration on behalf of Serbia. The response will be announced to the public within 72 hours at the latest, Novosti reports.

European Commission spokesman Peter Stano warned on Monday that relations with Russia can’t be business as usual under current circumstances.

According to Novosti sources, the head of state was shocked and angry after the statement of the spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano, creator of the famous phrase about “responsibility of both sides” and in cases where ROSU special forces shoot at unarmed Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, who today continued his anti-Serb discourse telling our country that it is “under the surveillance of the EU”, all because of the signing of the benign consultations plan between the ministries of foreign affairs of Serbia and Russia, which was recently signed in New York.

President of Serbia, as Novosti has learned, was visibly revolted by Stano’s performance and is preparing a response “without holding his tongue”, especially since the spokesperson of Club 27 did not speak out when Albanian extremists recently tried to kill a Serbian young man in Babin Most or when on Thursday, 30 heavily armed members of the so-called Kosovo Army invaded the north, deep into the territory of the Zubin Potok municipality. Stano kept quiet about that, but he did not miss the opportunity to threaten Serbia because of the technical plan for the meeting of the heads of departments of the Serbian and Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which does not contain any item related to security aspects.

Let us remind you that the spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano, made a statement today regarding the signing of the agreement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia on consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. “We are living in times when Russia launched an illegal and illegitimate invasion of a sovereign country, of neighboring Ukraine… In these circumstances we are seeing the Serbian Foreign Ministry agreeing on regular consultations with the foreign ministry of a country which is committing all these acts. It’s a very clear sign of their intention to strengthen their ties, to further strengthen relations between Serbia and Russia and this is raising serious questions”, Stano said and added: “The European Union was very clear with partner countries, especially countries that are in the EU accession process such as candidate country Serbia, that relations with Russia under current circumstances cannot be business as usual with this regime which is committing so many crimes and atrocities. We are taking this very seriously and we are following this up”, the EU spokesman emphasized.

No accession talks if Serbia doesn’t align with sanctions on Russia (N1)

The European Union (EU) cannot continue accession talks with Serbia if Belgrade does not align with EU sanctions against Russia, said the Socialists and Democrats Group, the second largest political group in the European Parliament. This is how this group commented on the signing of the Plan of Consultations signed in New York by the foreign ministers of Serbia and Russia. “Very disappointing coming from a country aspiring to join the EU,” wrote member of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Croatian MEP Tonino Picula.

Giaufret: Signing agreement with Russia sends contrary message (Beta)

Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret said on Sept. 26 that Serbia signed a document on cooperation with Russia seven months into Russia’s aggression against a sovereign state, when Russia began implementing a decision to mobilize 300,000 reservists for the war in Ukraine, while threatening to use nuclear weapons. The EU ambassador said at a news conference in Belgrade that the EU expected Serbia “to stand by the Union, defending European values and international law,” on all those issues. “Having decided to sign a cooperation agreement with Russia, Serbia is sending a message to the contrary, regardless of its stance of not recognizing the results of a referendum Russia is carrying out in the occupied territory of Ukraine,” Giafuret said, answering a reporter’s question.

The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the Serbian and Russian foreign ministers, Nikola Selakovic and Sergey Lavrov, signed a plan on Sept. 23, during the 77thsession of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, for consultations between the two foreign ministries in the next two years. The Serbian ministry described the document, signed in the offices of the Russian Mission at the United Nations, as “technical in nature.”

Ambassador Konrad: Germany expects of Serbia to introduce sanctions to Russia (VIP)

Germany is expecting that Serbia will introduce sanctions to Russia, said the new German Ambassador in Serbia Anke Konrad on Monday, during a meeting with President Aleksandar Vucic, to whom she submitted her letters of accreditation, it was announced from the President’s cabinet. Germany strongly supports Serbia’s European path, and considers it to be an important partner, said Konrad, according to the announcement.

“Hysterical” reaction to the signing of a technical document, says Brnabic (TV Pink)

The signing of a “technical document” with Russia has caused “hysteria”, said Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on Monday. Everyone from the international community focused on the signing of the plan of consultations between Serbia and Russia, and no one commented on the fact that Serbia had at the same time announced that it would not recognize the results of the referendum which Russia is carrying out in a part of the Ukrainian territory, Brnabic complained in a statement for TV Pink. “We have clearly said that Serbia would not recognize the results of these referendums. This is an indicator of the degree to which one country is adhering to international rights and principles, and no one comments on this, but on the other hand a technical agreement has caused hysteria and an avalanche of comments. There is talk of a special declaration of the European Parliament (on this occasion), and that this is the reason for stopping (accession talks)” with Serbia, she said “Today, when I spoke with the president (Aleksandar Vucic), he was angry, because these pressures (on Serbia) are so unprincipled. He is now scheduled to go to Prague on October 6, where the first meeting of the European Political Community will take place. They literally said ‘he (Vucic) will see how he will fare there’. There will be a ratio of 40 to one, not 27 to one, as many members as the EU has”, the Serbian Prime Minister said on Monday

Vulin: Unprecedented EU pressure on Vucic (Beta)

Serbian Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin has said that the European Union was exerting unprecedented pressure on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and that it was better for Vucic to remain “president of all Serbs” than for “Serbia to continue telling itself for another decade or two that it will be a member of the European Union some day.” Vulin said the EU was well aware that the document Serbia signed with the Russian Federation was technical, and that “the European Union also knows that it won’t let President of Serbia and president of all Serbs Aleksandar Vucic set policy independently,” the Interior Ministry said in a press release. “The media lynching that Vucic is going through is just a small part of the pressure and threats he is exposed to every day, and that will be brought to bear at the meeting in Prague. Everything we’ve seen so far is just a practice round compared to what they have in store for Vucic at the European Union meeting with candidate countries on Oct. 6,” Vulin said.

Freedom and Justice Party travels to U.S. to discuss Kosovo, Serbian foreign policy (Beta)

A Freedom and Justice Party delegation led by the party leader, Dragan Djilas, travelled to the United States on Sept. 26 for a series of meetings at the Department of State, the National Security Council, the Congress and the Senate, to discuss Kosovo and Serbia’s foreign policy. The party said in a release that the delegation would use the visit to Washington to “share with the U.S. partners the party’s commitment that Serbia’s foreign policy be urgently aligned with the EU’s.”

“The party delegates will also present an effort to create a new framework for the talks with Albanians by establishing a parliamentary committee that would be used to discuss all open issues, except for Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo’s independence, under the auspices of the European Union, while respecting the Constitution of Serbia and U.N. Security Council resolutions, honoring peace and renouncing the use of force,” the Freedom and Justice Party said in the press release. The delegation led by Djilas will include his deputy, Borko Stefanovic, and the party’s vice-president, Marinika Tepic.

Grlic-Radman: Recognition of the so-called Kosovo by Serbia “inevitability” (RTV)

The Croatian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Gordan Grlic-Radman, in an interview for the Albanian Post, assessed that the coming months are decisive for reaching an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, with the message that the recognition of the so-called Kosovo by Serbia is “inevitability”. Grlic-Radman added that the agreements reached in Brussels must be implemented, including the one on the Association of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO), but, in his opinion, the ZSO must be in accordance with the constitution of the so-called Kosovo and “must not have powers that threaten the sovereignty and functionality of Kosovo”.

Selakovic: Croatia has left the framework of EU policy (RTS)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selakovic, said that the head of Croatian diplomacy, Gordan Grlic Radman, publicly stated that the recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo by Serbia is inevitable, and went beyond the framework of the official policy of the EU, which is on a status-neutral position in this matter. “Serbia, of course, despite the wishes of Minister Grlic Radman, will not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of its southern province, and it has a whole series of valid reasons for this, and its arguments are firmly based on international law, on the legally valid Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council, i.e. on the fundamental principles on which modern international relations rest,” Selakovic said.

Selakovic stated that the position of Croatian diplomacy on this issue is, to put it mildly, contradictory, because Croatia today defends the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine by referring to the principle of sovereignty and inviolability of the territorial integrity of states, while at the same time denying Serbia the same rights, which is neither principled nor good neighborly. According to Selakovic, the principles of international law must be universal in order to be principles at all, and any deviation from the rules and acceptance of precedent actually renders international law meaningless and destroys its foundations.

“A large number of countries, precisely in the current geopolitical situation, have become painfully aware that violations of international law and principles return like a boomerang, and that is why an increasing number of those who decide to withdraw the lightly given recognition of self-proclaimed Kosovo,” says Selakovic. “We expect that the Republic of Croatia will also follow this path, not only because of its commitment to international law, but also because, we hope, it sees the importance of building stable good-neighborly relations with the Republic of Serbia,” said Selakovic.

The head of Croatian diplomacy, Gordan Grlic Radman, said in an interview for the Albanian Post that the coming months are decisive for reaching an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, and that the recognition of the so-called Kosovo by Serbia is “inevitable”.

Dodik about the conversation with Putin and the elections in B&H (RTS)

After four years in Sarajevo in the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency, Milorad Dodik is returning to Banja Luka. We will know in a little less than seven days whether he is returning to the position of the President of Republika Srpska (RS). Nevertheless, in such complicated geopolitical circumstances, his visit to Moscow and Vladimir Putin is much more interesting than the elections in Republika Srpska (RS) and B&H. Dodik spoke for RTS about the conversation with Putin, whether he is afraid of some kind of European Union sanctions, about political and other games.

Milorad Dodik met with Vladimir Putin last week, for the third time in ten months. When asked if he sees any change in the Russian president compared to the period before February 24, when the war in Ukraine began, Dodik says that Putin has not changed, that he does not see fatigue in him, but that he sees determination and stability. He states that this meeting was important in order to strengthen the agreements regarding investments in the RS and ensure a stable price of energy for the future period.

They also talked about political issues, including the war in Ukraine, he says. “We talked about the war in Ukraine, these are the president’s known assessments, he said that they told the West what they can accept and what they can’t – if they try to install systems that would threaten Russia, Donetsk and Luhansk that Russia will intervene,” said Dodik. He assesses that the Russian side intends to strengthen the execution of its goal. “You could have noticed the mentioning of the New Russia – that awaits us in the future and they are determined about it. The ultimate goal is a stable and safe life for the Russian population in Ukraine, the right to language and culture, which was revoked by the Kiev government, that is emphasized this time as well,” says Dodik. Dodik sees self-confidence in Russia. “They don’t appreciate what the West thinks anymore. People from Russia see that it is a conflict between Russia and the West and they feel sorry for the people in Ukraine and the suffering that is happening. They are proud of Mariupol, I saw the pictures, everything has been restored, social life is coming back, buildings are being built, that’s what Russia intends to do where Russians live,” said Dodik. He says that he hasn’t been nervous before talking to Putin for a long time, but there is some kind of anticipation. Regarding the fact that he spoke with Putin at a long white table, but not from the most distant points like European officials, Dodik says he did not notice it immediately. “I didn’t even notice until it was brought to my attention,” he said.

Serbs can count on Russia’s friendship 

Putin, he says, told him that he appreciates the position of Serbia and RS and the approach to the issue of sanctions, that he often talks with (Serbian President Aleksandar) Vucic and that he will maintain the best possible relations. “Russia is a big country, but it does not forget its friends, and Serbs can count on Russia’s traditional friendship,” said Dodik. Dodik also stated that the Russian president told him that he did not see rationality in Europe’s behavior and the choices it made, and why they did not want to hear from Russia. When asked if he was afraid that the RS could get into a difficult position because he openly supports Putin, Dodik said that he clearly said that he was against the war, but that he was convinced that Russia was forced to take the steps it did. “It is a game of the big ones that I cannot influence. We have the West in B&H, Brussels, Washington, who are constantly against the RS and the Serbian people. I could not have behaved differently, but if I had, what would I have gained? We would have lost Russia’s alliance, and we wouldn’t have anyone else on our side,” explained Dodik. He states that the fact that the EU suspended the financing of the construction of a part of the highway does not mean that the RS has no alternative and that it will provide money for 40 kilometers of that road. “They give us loans, and they want us to applaud them. As soon as something doesn’t suit them, they stop the operation. It’s a matter of impatience or impatience in Europe because of all this,” said Dodik.

Regarding the position of Serbia, he says that Serbia has gone much further on the European path and has much more European investments. ” Vucic is a serious statesman and conducts a balanced policy in the interest of Serbia. I believe that this policy is rational, moderate and corresponds to the interests of Serbia. Serbia has gone much further on the road to the EU, there are many more investors, Serbia’s biggest foreign political economic partner is the EU, and that must be taken into account,” Dodik said.

Who does Dodik want to see in the Presidency of B&H? 

Speaking about the upcoming elections in B&H and RS, Dodik said that at the level of RS there is no match between him and his competitors and that, in sports vocabulary, it can be written 2-0 in individual positions for his side. “And as for the parliament, I probably won’t get an absolute majority as far as the party is concerned, but I want an absolute relative majority. I’m satisfied with the campaign,” said Dodik. Commenting on the fact that his party lost Banja Luka two years ago, Dodik says that they learned a lesson from that defeat and undertook activities to eliminate the problem. The party in Banja Luka is now stable, dynamic and I expect a significant result, said Dodik.

Commenting on the elections for the Presidency of B&H, he says that he expects the victory of Zeljka Cvijanovic, and that among the Muslims there are two equal candidates – Bakir Izetbegovic and Denis Becirovic. He expects that their rivalry will divide the electorate, so that Zeljko Komsic will not be able to count on the votes of Muslims during the election for the Croat member of the Presidency. Speaking about Borjana Kristo as a candidate, Dodik said that “she is a lady who is firmly committed to Dayton and is not ready for anything to the detriment of anyone, especially not Croats”. He believes that in the event that Cvijanovic and Kristo are elected to the Presidency of B&H, it would be possible to have an important total when voting on most issues, and that so far Dzaferovic and Komsic have always voted so that it does not happen that one of them is on Dodik’s side. “It even happened that Dzaferovic voted for (something), Komsic against, and then Dzaferovic changed his vote so that they voted the same,” said Dodik. There were also situations when they voted unanimously, but it never happened, he says, that one voted with him and the other did not.

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia and Herzegovina 

US blacklists Prosecutor Kajmakovic to corruption and undermining of democratic processes or institutions in the Western Balkans (FTV)

Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Dijana Kajmakovic has been blacklisted by the US after the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Kajmakovic, the fourth set of measures undertaken against officials in B&H involved in corruption, undermining democratic processes and institutions in the Western Balkans. “Today’s designation reinforces the United States’ commitment to a stable and prosperous B&H”, it was stated by the OFAC.

FTV reports that the OFAC characterized Kajmakovic as a “brazenly corrupt prosecutor’’ with links to criminal organizations. “These activities occur against the backdrop of B&H’s most serious political crisis since 1995, as ethno-nationalist politicians and affiliated patronage networks continue to undermine the country. Diana Kajmakovic has continued to undermine democracy and the rule of law in B&H. In support of narcotics traffickers and other criminals, Kajmakovic helped hide evidence, prevent prosecution, and otherwise assist criminal activity in exchange for personal gain. She also attempted to block an investigation into her apparent criminal affiliates”, reads the statement by the OFAC.

The reporter notes the strong criticism by the US continued, and Kajmakovic’s link to the ‘Sky’ application. According to the OFAC’s statement, investigators analysed private conversations conducted via encrypted messaging application, in which criminals mentioned Kajmakovic, who worked on some of the investigations concerning the said activity. The OFAC also reminded that the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H was established with the objective of ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law in the country, and prosecutors should perform their duties without favor, bias, or prejudice. The report carries that due to the official sanctions, Kajmakovic will not have access to her property in the US in case she owns a property in the country, however the key objective of sanctions is not punishment, but bringing positive changes, something the B&H judiciary system has been waiting for years.

Spokesperson with US Department of State, Ned Price stated: “The United States is designating Diana Kajmakovic, a state prosecutor in the B&H State Prosecutor’s Office, for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption related to the Western Balkans as well as for being responsible for, complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in the Western Balkans. Her abuse of her position as a state prosecutor to assist criminals, including drug traffickers, in avoiding justice is emblematic of the endemic corruption in B&H’s public institutions and representative of a system in which people in power put their own personal and political gain before the needs of citizens.”

U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson stated that Kajmakovic has continued to undermine democracy and rule of law in B&H. “Today’s designation reinforces the United States’ commitment to a stable and prosperous B&H by targeting an individual who has played a central role in enabling corruption in the country,” Nelson stated.

US Embassy to B&H issued a statement regarding the sanctions to state prosecutor Diana Kajmakovic and noted that she is the example why citizens’ trust in judiciary is at an all-time low. “Diana Kajmakovic is a prime example of why citizens’ trust in the ability of B&H’s judiciary system to tackle endemic corruption is at an all-time low. It is time for the B&H judiciary to clean its own house. It cannot be effective when some of its officials represent the worst abuse of the system. There is no place for corrupt prosecutors in any justice system, and we will continue to use the tools at our disposal to hold them accountable. B&H’s future among the Euro-Atlantic community of nations demands it,” reads US Embassy’s statement.

Acting Chief Prosecutor of the B&H Prosecutor’s Office Milanko Kajganic has confirmed for FTV that the B&H Prosecutor’s Office will verify all US Administration’s allegations, and the investigation will be conducted within the case related to ‘Sky’ application that links Kajmakovic to criminal organizations. Kajmakovic said: “In the same case colleagues, prosecutors, will take into consideration the today’s decision of the US Administration on putting our colleague on the sanctions list. Checks will be carried out, and when finalized, colleagues, prosecutors will make a prosecutorial decision”. “We will take these facts and this decision of the US into account during checks of the aforementioned allegations. I can also add that at the beginning of this year, I opened a special case in the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H that includes all persons who have been on lists of sanctions – including the US list – in the last 15 years. We cooperated and we cooperate on this case with colleagues from the US.”

B&H Presidency member Dodik: RS to pass new law on immovable property, B&H CC is inquisition court (Hayat)

Serb member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Milorad Dodik announced on Monday that Republika Srpska (RS) will pass a new law on immovable property that is used for the functioning of the public authority of RS, after the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H put the law out of force. Dodik accused the B&H CC of being the inquisition court that is trying to reorganize the constitutional order of B&H. The CC ruled that the RS entity does not have the jurisdiction over resolving the issue of immovable property and that this falls under the state jurisdiction of B&H. Dodik also said on Monday that the RS will always react to unconstitutional behavior of the BiH CC. Dodik stated: “The only thing left for us is to react in this way to such unconstitutional behavior of the Constitutional Court and that whenever that Court challenges something, we propose a new law. It is important that the RS remains in the sphere of legislative jurisdiction, and we will do that. No B&H has anything to do with the property and they will not get away with it. This is the last point on which the question of whether B&H will remain or not will be decided. It is a question that they touched on, believing that they would create an environment for it to pass easily. Of course, it will not pass. It cannot pass. I think they overplayed their game and in that regard they cannot and will not manage our property. We will pass that law, and let them repeal it, no matter how many times they repeal something, we will pass (the law) again and act in that way”.

RS National Assembly Speaker Nedeljko Cubrilovic stated that B&H Constitutional Court (B&H CC) overstepped its competencies a long time ago. He underlined that B&H CC is being used in attempts to destroy the RS and undermine its competencies. In his opinion, the decision of B&H CC to annul the RS Law on Immovable Property Used for Functioning of Public Authority was in some way expected, considering the attitude of B&H CC towards the RS. “I believe the new convocation of the RS National Assembly will be able to recognize this fact and that it will not allow such attitude towards the RS”, said Cubrilovic.

HNS’ Kristo: Possible imposition of political representatives to Croats would lead B&H into no way out and bad situation; Institution of legitimate representation must be respected (Vecernji list)

Vecernji list carried an interview with HNS’ candidate for Croat member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Borjana Kristo, who was first asked if she is satisfied with her campaign. Kristo replied by saying she is satisfied with the campaign “because we have achieved the plan, namely we visited almost all areas where Croats live and presented our plan and program and encouraged our people during these turbulent times”. “Slogan of this campaign is ‘Unity’ and indeed only through unity among us, the Croats, we can achieve our rights and better future”, added Kristo.

Asked what kind of result she expects in the elections, Kristo said that from her contacts with the Croat electorate, one can clearly see that Croats in B&H recognize the importance and role of this historic elections, stressing that “this historic moment the Croats in B&H are in will determine destiny of all of us, not just Croats, but other two peoples and destiny of B&H”.

Asked what would be consequences if Croat member of the Presidency of B&H were to be elected by votes of members of other people, Kristo said they would be far-reaching, arguing that the Bosniak can again elect the Croat member of the Presidency owing to unchanged electoral rules and due to numerical advantage. Kristo went on to say that possible imposition of political representatives to Croats “would lead B&H into no way out and bad situation and additionally deteriorate relations and trust among the peoples”, adding that “the institution of legitimate representation must be respected”.

Asked to comment on statement of some people, who say it is important to have 2:1 ratio in the Presidency, Kristo said: “The Presidency of B&H should, above all, have the 3:0 ratio in favor of B&H. Meaning, each member of the Presidency should act to benefit of B&H and its peoples. Legitimate representatives of each constituent people must sit in the Presidency of B&H, as the collective body of executive authorities”.

At the end of the interview, Kristo called on the Croats to vote in the October 2 elections in order for the Croats to be unavoidable factor in decision-making processes: “Go to the polls on Sunday, October 2, and let’s move to better tomorrow through unity and determination”.

HDZ B&H’s Bradara: There are no conditions for implementation of election results (Glas Srpske)

Member of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) House of Peoples Lidija Bradara (HDZ B&H) stated on Monday that there are currently no conditions for implementation of election results following the October 2 General Election. “We as legalists do not see how the election results can be implemented. Why would be block (the implementation) if there is no way to implement the results? Currently, we are participating in the election, we have prepared our party for the election and we are participating in the campaign. That is the situation until the election”, said Bradara.

Croatia 

Croatian Government tweets: We discreetly discussed electoral reform in B&H (Hina)

The Croatian Government, with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at helm, posted on their official Twitter on Monday night and confirmed that they “discreetly agreed” the changes to the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). “For months, we have been talking thoroughly and discreetly with the High Representative (Christian) Schmidt. When the President (Zoran Milanovic) got involved into this process and insulted Schmidt then his enthusiasm probably dropped a bit to correct the injustices toward Croats in B&H. Our policy is the policy of forming of allies, while the policy of non-smart, destructive and for Croats in B&H devastating abhorrence of the High Representative, which was led by the President, has resulted that now we also have to appeal to him before the UN General Assembly, so that he adopts what he wanted,” reads the Tweet.

Montenegro 

Deputies on September 30 about Djukanovic’s proposal to shorten the mandate of the Assembly (CDM)

On Friday, September 30, MPs will discuss the proposal of President Milo Djukanovic to shorten the mandate of the Parliament of Montenegro, CDM was informed by the Cabinet of the Speaker of the Montenegrin Parliament, Danijela Djurovic. “The proposal for a decision on shortening the mandate of the Parliament of Montenegro of the 27th convocation will be on the agenda of the eleventh extraordinary session in 2022, scheduled for September 30 at 12 noon,” the Djurovic Cabinet told CDM.

We remind you that in the explanation for shortening the mandate of the Parliament, Djukanovic stated that in accordance with Article 95, Point 5 of the Constitution of Montenegro, consultations on the mandate for the composition of the Government with representatives of the parliamentary parties, i.e. coalitions represented in the Parliament of Montenegro, were held on September 15 and 16 this year.

“I had talks with: Vice President of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Jevto Erakovic, Secretary General Aleksandar Bogdanovic and Head of the Club of Representatives in the Parliament of Montenegro Danijel Zivkovic, President of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Rasko Konjevic and his deputy Borislav Banovic, Vice President of the Social Democrats of Montenegro ( SD) Boris Mugos and General Secretary Milos Celanovic, President of the Bosniak Party (BS) Ervin Ibrahimovic and Vice President Damir Gutic, President of the Albanian Alternative (AA) Niko Djeljosaj, President of Force Genci Nimanbegu, President of the Democratic Union of Albanians (DUA) Mehmed Zenko, President of the Democratic Party (DP) Fatmir Djeko and the president of the Liberal Party (LP) Andrija Popovic and the General Secretary Esad Sainovic“, stated Djukanovic.

The representatives of the Democratic Front (DF), Democratic Montenegro (DCG), Socialist People’s Party (SNP) and the Civic Movement URA did not respond to the call for consultations.

“I could not accept the proposal to entrust the mandate for the composition of the Government to Mr. Miodrag Lekic, which Mr. Andrija Mandic sent to me yesterday on behalf of the parties that won the majority of mandates in the 2020 elections, because I believe that all the necessary conditions have not been met. The public was informed by some representatives of the parties that participated in the constitution of that proposal that it received only verbal support, and that the signatures of support were not given by deputies of URA, SNP and CIVIS”, Djukanovic emphasized in his explanation. He reminded that during the appointment of the mandate holder for the composition of the 42nd Government (Zdravko Krivokapic), representatives of the three winning coalitions (“For the future of Montenegro, “Peace is our nation” and “Black and white”) participated in the consultation process and attached the signatures of the support of the majority of 41 MPs.

“Also, when appointing the mandate holder for the composition of the 43rd Government (Dritan Abazovic), the political leaders of the majority of the 46 deputies participated in consultations with the President of the State and unequivocally announced their support for the election of the Government, which was confirmed in detail at the Parliament session. Only this time the leaders of the coalition who claim to have the majority did not respond to the consultations. They did not even attach the signatures of the majority of deputies, and they refer to their previous experience, which is completely different. Therefore, I did not get the impression that there is a clear majority that would be able to form a government that would offer solutions to very difficult problems on the financial, economic, legal, institutional and political level. “Especially in terms of security, bearing in mind the current crisis in Europe caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which has undoubted implications for the security of the Western Balkans,” said Djukanovic.

On the contrary, he added, I believe that there is no political agreement on the formation of the Government (as evidenced by the announcement of the Civic Movement URA, one of the constituents of the alleged majority, from yesterday’s session of the Presidency), which I perceive as an intention to further waste time in which they would have continued negotiations on the division of portfolios in the Government and “places by depth”, while during that time the state would be additionally collapsed.

“Based on the above, the conversations I conducted, the fact that the representatives of the parties I mentioned ignored the call for consultations, and the unconvincing proposal I received, which was publicly questioned by some representatives of the parties who claim to have the majority, I am informing You that the consultative process has clearly shown that there are no grounds to propose a representative within the deadline set by the Constitution, who would provide support in the Assembly of Montenegro for the composition of the 44th Government of Montenegro. Therefore, in accordance with the constitutional powers, I am submitting the Proposal for shortening the mandate of the 27th convocation of the Parliament of Montenegro”, explained the president of the country.

He believes that this is the most optimal solution in the given political situation, and that it is in the best interest of all Montenegrin citizens, because it opens up the possibility of organizing early parliamentary elections in the shortest possible time, which will enable the election of a government that will operate in full capacity.

“The regional and global context, as well as the political and security challenges, economic and financial problems faced by Montenegro, especially in the energy sector, healthcare and other areas, require a competent, responsible and efficient government that will be dedicated to solving them day and night. I believe that such a government can only be reached by the decision of the citizens in the elections. Based on the above, on the basis of Article 90 paragraph 4 of the Constitution of Montenegro and Article 128 paragraph 5 of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro, I use the constitutional possibility and submit a request to convene the Parliament of Montenegro on the 27th convocation for the eleventh extraordinary session in 2022, at which agenda item to be the Proposal for shortening the mandate of the 27th convocation of the Assembly. I use this opportunity to remind that all parliamentary parties and the Assembly of Montenegro have an obligation to elect members of the Judicial Council and judges of the Constitutional Court as soon as possible, and thus overcome the institutional crisis in the judicial system, which is on the line of fulfilling the obligations from Chapters 23 and 24 and achieving the desired dynamics in the negotiation process with the European Union”, concluded DJukanovic.

North Macedonia 

Osmani: North Macedonia ready to assist in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1)

North Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani said his country’s delegation discussed in New York with US and European Union (EU) special envoys for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Gabriel Escobar and Miroslav Lajcak regional challenges related to the latest developments in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. “We spoke with Escobar and Lajcak about the regional challenges related to the latest developments in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, and you know that there are new developments and that an intensive agenda awaits us in the coming period” Minister Osmani told a media conference on the results of his county’s participation at the UN General Assembly session. Osmani said that “as Kosovo’s and Serbia’s next-door neighbor,” North Macedonia is interested in how the process will unfold and what it could trigger. Meetings with both Escobar, who is the US Special Envoy, and with EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak were very important so we could learn about the details and, of course, so we, too, could contribute to regional stability in this process of overcoming differences in the region, said Minister Osmani.

North Macedonia will not recognize the manipulative referendums in Ukraine, Osmani said (Libertas)

The organization of the so-called referendums in the occupied territories of Ukraine in order to serve as an alibi for the illegal annexation of territory especially threatens us small states, which are not protected by international law and the international system. These are manipulative referendums and North Macedonia will not recognize their results, Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said. According to Osmani, if you can so easily create an alibi for annexation with referendums in neighboring territories, it already threatens all independent states.

– If this is violated, if such a precedent is created, expect that tomorrow every big neighbor will be able to do this to the small neighbors, said Osmani at the press briefing in Skopje.

Asked who he sees as a threat to our country, when three of our neighboring countries are members of NATO and one is neutral, Osmani said that what Russia did was a direct violation and destruction of the principles of international law and the European security architecture, and on the principles that guarantee sovereignty and integrity. Therefore, I am not talking specifically about any direct risk here in the neighborhood, but that the collapse of the principles of international law put the world at risk of new wars and conflicts, said Osmani. Therefore, he expressed surprise, that polls reported that 25 percent of Macedonian citizens think that the Russian aggression in Ukraine is justified, thinking, as he said, that this is a battle between two poles in the world, and we are a neutral side. No, we are not a neutral party, we are directly threatened by the destruction of international principles that protect us from the introduction of rules of the jungle, which do not respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and international established borders of the states, said Osmani. According to Osmani, to be on the side of Russian aggression in Ukraine is to be against one’s own state national interests. The nuclear war entered the daily political discourse and the very mention of it already in the daily exchange of political views is the crossing of a psychological barrier that could not be crossed in the last decades and should alarm us all, said Osmani.

Asked about the visa regime with Russia, in the context of Russian citizens fleeing the mobilization, Osmani said that the Republic of North Macedonia generally has a visa regime with the Russian Federation and that is a sufficient instrument for the time being, but that it can change depending on what the development will be. Regarding the relations with the Russian ambassador in the country, Osmani said that they have no political communication and relations with him. “I have not had a meeting with the ambassador. Protocol, they can have the protocol and the services, as they have with all embassies in terms of functioning, but there is no political communication and contacts. Our position is clear. Russia committed aggression against international law, committed aggression against Ukraine. This must stop, in order to think about some kind of political relations” said Osmani.

Pendarovski: War in Ukraine ushered energy crisis and security challenges (Republika)

Security issues have always been an important topic, and the Russian aggression in Ukraine is currently the most prevalent security issue that produced a tectonic shift in the stability of the European continent, at a time when we thought that we have entered a period of long-term peace and stability after the fall of the Berlin Wall, says President Stevo Pendarovski.

Already in 2014, after the annexation of Crimea, it was clear that there are important challenges ahead of the European security architecture, but, in reality, no one expected direct military aggression against an independent and sovereign country, which has not been seen since the end of the second world war. We condemned the Russian aggression against Ukraine and gave full support to the Ukrainian people in defense of their independence which included not only political but also concrete technical assistance and military equipment. Compared to our capacities and size, we belong to the group of countries that have most helped Ukraine in its just defense against aggression. We did that not only because we are a member of NATO, but because we believe in the principles of international law, which does not allow military aggression by one country against another, said Pendarovski.

According to him, the war in Ukraine brought a number of challenges in many fields that the world, and especially Europe, have to face. The biggest challenge is and will still be, he says, the energy crisis, then the security challenges from third parties or so-called malignant actors who wish for destabilization of the Balkans, but also the growth of inflation, misinformation, and populist rhetoric that are being amplified using the visible stagnation in the European integration of the Western Balkans.

As for our path to Europe, with the major diplomatic compromises we have made in the past few years, we have shown that we are serious about realizing our second strategic goal. As a country, we are ready to fulfill all European criteria, and at the same time we have clear expectations that our work will be really valued by Brussels. I am talking about the European perspectives of the region for the simple reason that I have never believed that long-term stability of the region is possible without becoming part of the United Europe project. The stagnation in that sense that I am talking about, and which I have always argued is not good for us, is already being filled by third parties and, unfortunately, according to all relevant research, Euroscepticism is on the rise, as well as the popularity of autocratic leaders and populist values, says the head of state. He pointed out that after the aggression against Ukraine; it is clearer to many how important the Euro-Atlantic perspective is, and he underlined that it is extremely important that this strengthened cohesion and the interest of the European Union in the region continue after the end of the Russian aggression against Ukraine as soon as possible.

Albania 

Rama for The Washington Post: Why Iran picked up Albania and failure to destroy state cyber-structure (Radio Tirana)

Albania’s landmark decision this month to sever diplomatic ties with Iran over a massive summer cyberattack began with a top-notch investigation, said Prime Minister Edi Rama during an interview for The Washington Post, taken by analyst Tim Starks.

The FBI and a team from Microsoft worked with Albanian experts and experts from elsewhere to pinpoint four separate hacking groups that the Iranian government is known to sponsor, particularly out of its Ministry of Intelligence. One of them, Prime Minister Edi Rama said this weekend in an interview, was “among the top-10 cyber-terror groups, [whose] prints have been also detected behind the attacks on Saudi Arabia, Israel and so on.” The July hackers, he said, were bent on destruction of government services, 95 percent of which Albania has shifted to online availability after long lines previously forced some people to wait months for licenses and certificates.

“Based on the investigation, the scale of the attack was such that the aim behind it was to completely destroy our infrastructure back to the full paper age, and at the same time, wipe out all our data,” Rama told me. “Our sense now is first, that they didn’t succeed to destroy infrastructure. Services are back. Second, data. Yes, they took some but practically not of any particular relevance.” A group calling itself Home Land Justice took credit for the attack, apparently inspired by Albania hosting members of the Iranian dissident group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK. Rama did not name the four groups that the investigation deemed responsible.

When Albania ordered the eviction of Iranian diplomats and the complete cessation of diplomatic ties, some hailed it as perhaps the strongest action a nation had ever taken in response to a cyber-attack. But some also questioned whether the model would work for other countries, given that some of the biggest players in cyberspace, such as China, would be harder to freeze out. Albania didn’t have a meaningful relationship with Iran, Rama said, so the severance wasn’t a big loss. Other countries might be able to use the approach Albania did, depending first on the thoroughness of any investigation so as to feel confident in expelling diplomats, and next on the degree of harm the attacks cause.

“It’s practically bombing the country you know, destroying critical infrastructure,” Rama said of Iran’s attacks. “The bombs are not visible, the wounds are not physical, thank God, but still [it] is an aggression, a bombardment, and it’s direct harm to the national sovereignty. … Would you keep the country that bombards you?”

Iran has denied responsibility for the attack and denounced Albania’s response. Rama spoke to me Saturday following his speech at the United Nations. There, he criticized Russia’s war in Ukraine and decried a 2011 Council of Europe resolution that cited allegations of Albanian organ harvesting during the 1990-s war in Kosovo, claims Rama said amounted to “one of the worst cases of distorted reality” and for which “not a single shred of evidence or proof was found anywhere.” He also recommended the United Nations should take further action in cyberspace. “We urge the United Nations, including the Security Council, to focus more seriously and concretely to address cybersecurity by investing in prevention and help all member states build resilience,” Rama said.

NATO and the United States have provided help on just that for Albania, he told me. Albania had been working to build stronger defenses against cyberattacks before July, but he said it takes time and a lot of money. NATO and the United States have been trying to speed that up since the July attack and a follow-up hack from Iran, he said. “We were not really under the pressure of time, which is the case now after this horrible attack that was followed by another one,” Rama said. The hackers had been inside Albanian networks for 14 months before pulling the trigger on their attacks, according to an alert that the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency published last week.

Screening Process, next meeting of Albania and North Macedonia with the EC on Tuesday (Radio Tirana)

Screening Process, next meeting of Albania and North Macedonia with the EC on Tuesday. Albania is ahead of another big step for the prevention and fight against crime and terrorism. While announcing the holding of Albania and North Macedonia meetings with the European Union in Brussels, respectively, on Thursday and Friday for chapter 24 and Monday and Tuesday for chapter 23, the European Commission has published the focus of the analytical analysis on this very aspect, reminding the goal to ensure opened but controlled borders as essential to citizens. Earlier, the ambassador of the European Union in Tirana appealed for progress towards the rule of law as a determinant of the general pace of Albania’s EU membership talks. The pace of negotiation talks to membership which creates high expectations if we refer to the last survey, where Albania leads not only the countries in waiting or in the membership process, but also those already EU members, have not yet been stated as a forecast by the country structures.

A few days ago, it was Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Kovacevski, who gave a target date approved by them, mentioning the year 2030. A scrupulous process like that of the membership talks – where the focus is not only the legislation drafting in alignment with the Acquis Communautaire, but especially the existence of implementing structures up to the results measured on field – will be more readable when the first chapters are opened. Based on the progress so far, the expectations for these chapters to open for negotiations are after a year. Without concrete information about the requirements from the European Commission on law matters and crime prevention and on the fight against crime and terrorism in Albania, sources inside the meeting told that it will be this Tuesday to fully shape the requirements of the European Union, expressed by European Commission on these issues.