LOCAL PRESS

Brnabic: Recommendation of European Parliament not in line with international law (Tanjug/Politika)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated yesterday that she does not expect the European Commission to act on the recommendations adopted by the European Parliament regarding Serbia, assessing that there is no legal basis for it. In a statement to journalists, after visiting the works on the construction of Line Park, Brnabic said that the adopted recommendations do not have the force of a resolution and that the European Commission can take them into account and act on them, but it can also do the opposite. She also said that according to that resolution, in addition to asking Serbia to impose sanctions on Russia, there should be mutual recognition with the so-called Kosovo. She added that she is certain that the EP’s recommendation is neither in accordance with international law nor with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. That document is contrary to the Resolution of the UN Security Council, so I do not expect the European Commission to act on those recommendations, primarily because the EC must be neutral in status and because there are five member states that do not recognise the independence of Kosovo, Brnabic said and added that what is written in the recommendations is not part of the negotiation framework. According to her, the negotiating framework is in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and provides a precise methodology for negotiations, where it can be reversed only if there is no significant progress in the area of ​​the rule of law and nothing else. That framework makes it quite clear as a definition that alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy must be gradual and should be 100 percent at the moment of accession to the EU, she said.

Vucic: France one of Serbia’s most significant political and economic partners (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with French Senate President Gerard Larcher on Friday to discuss advancement of Serbia-France cooperation, the situation in the region and Serbia’s European path. Vucic thanked Larcher for visiting Serbia and noted that his visit was the best indicator of continued bilateral political dialogue, especially as France was one of Serbia’s most significant political and economic partners and a country with which it maintained firm friendly and close historical ties. The parties agreed Serbia-France relations were seeing intensive development and that economic cooperation was registering excellent results, and said this was a clear indicator of France’s interest in a long-term and substantial presence in Serbia, the presidential press office said in a statement. “Our economic cooperation is seeing very dynamic development in various spheres and is characterised by growing goods and services trade as well as major investments by French companies in the Serbian economy, which have been expanded in recent years to include capital infrastructure projects, some of which have the status of projects of national significance,” Vucic noted, adding that he expected to see new French investments implemented in Serbia in the period to come. Larcher said it was evident that a sincere partnership and trust mutually built by Presidents Macron and Vucic were being transformed into a strategic partnership between the two countries, and added that this became evident as soon as one landed at the Belgrade airport, under reconstruction by France’s Vinci Airports. Vucic informed Larcher of the latest developments in Kosovo and Metohija and noted that Belgrade remained fully committed to dialogue as the only mechanism for finding a compromise solution and maintaining peace and stability in the region. “We appreciate France’s active approach and expect understanding for our position that all existing agreements must be implemented, above all, the part relating to the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities, which is crucial for the security and normal life of the Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija,” Vucic noted, once again thanking France and, in particular, Macron for the attention devoted to Serbia and the Western Balkans. Speaking about Serbia’s European integration, Vucic thanked France for supporting Serbia on the European path. Larcher noted that there was no alternative to Serbia’s European path and expressed a readiness to accelerate its dynamics, the statement also said.

Larcher urges full implementation of Brussels agreement (Tanjug)

French Senate President Gerard Larcher on Thursday urged implementation of all agreements under the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Pristina and added that the dimension of a Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) was clear and close to him. A situation in Kosovo that could have been very dramatic has been resolved, bringing relief to everyone, he said in a comment on a Belgrade-Pristina deal on vehicle licence plates, reached in Brussels late on Wednesday. Larcher is the first president of the French Senate to visit Serbia. At a joint press conference with Serbian parliament speaker Vladimir Orlic, Larcher said they had also discussed the aggression on Ukraine. He added that it was important not to forget that the path to peace led through respect of the integrity and sovereignty of independent states. Orlic thanked Larcher for urging full implementation of all agreements from the dialogue with Pristina and for saying ZSO must be established without any excuses. “We also discussed the terror Kosovo Serbs are facing on a daily basis, as well as the fact that we have been waiting for ZSO for 10 years,” Orlic said.

Stano: EU expects formation of Community, return of Serb representatives (Tanjug)

EU spokesperson Peter Stano said a Belgrade-Pristina deal on vehicle licence plates reached late on Wednesday was not the end of the process but the start of work, and announced that EU foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell would soon invite Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Pristina’s PM Albin Kurti to a new Brussels meeting. Asked by Tanjug what was to be expected after Vucic said Kosovo Serbs would return to Pristina’s institutions once a second pre-condition – the formation of a Community of Serb Municipalities – was fulfilled, Stano responded a return of Serb representatives had been “one of the basic expectations and demands on the side of the EU” and that the same was the case with the establishment of the Community. “It is important to deliver on the agreements made in the dialogue – that is the message the EU has been consistently sending to both parties,” he said. He said Borrell had already “indicated that he is inviting both leaders to Brussels to continue the work on normalisation of the relations and continue the EU-facilitated dialogue”. “So, of course, the work is still ongoing – this is not the end of the process… It is the start of the work that will hopefully bring us out of this permanent crisis-solving mode and allow us to embark on a new stage of dealing with issues in a sustainable way in order to avoid crises,” he explained. He said the work continued on several levels and that EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak was working very hard to find a way forward. “The High Representative is inviting both leaders to come to Brussels soon to follow up on the deal that has been made and to start discussions on the big picture, and the big picture here is normalisation of relations based on the EU facilitator’s proposal,” Stano also said.

Milivojevic: Vucic is hiding everything being done with Kosovo from his own people (Beta)

Politicologist Cvijetin Milivojevic said yesterday that Belgrade’s negotiating team had not achieved any victory in Brussels concerning the question of license plates and that all of the decisions that Aleksandar Vucic had made on Kosovo in the past 10 years had been made without the people’s knowledge. Milivojevic told Beta that EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell had said that Serbia had taken on the obligation to stop issuing license plates with the denomination of Kosovo towns, while Kosovo and Metohija Office chief Petar Petkovic said that Serbs would be able to register and extend their Kosovo license plates “perfectly normally”. “I believe Borrell more than Petkovic. In the past ten or so years we could get more trustworthy information from European politicians than Serb politicians on the search for a solution in Kosovo,” Milivojevic stressed. According to him, Vucic has excluded all thinking Serbs from Kosovo from the negotiating team and the Serb List party which was why today it was de jure a step away from independence. “Serbs have also left their jobs in Kosovo’s institutions on orders from Belgrade. The question is what will happen to these people? The repercussions of such a policy are catastrophic,” he stressed and added that for years no one knew with what mandate and what Vucic was discussing with Kosovo politicians.

Botsan-Kharchenko: Gazprom open to talks on additional gas for Serbia (Tanjug)

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko said the Russian energy company Gazprom is open to talks if Serbia should need additional quantities of Russian natural gas during the winter, and pointed out that Russia has understanding for the position of Serbia which is being asked to impose sanctions on his country. Botsan-Kharchenko told Tanjug that, with the initial, first agreement, Russia enabled Serbia to get certain quantities of natural gas at the lowest possible prices, following which additional quantities were agreed at somewhat higher prices. The initial price remains the lowest currently in Europe, said the Ambassador, adding: “This is a very important thing and my message is that, whenever we talk about energy and natural gas, we don’t forget that we have the initial agreement with a very low and favorable price.” Regarding additional quantities, that is between Serbia’s national gas supplier Srbijagas and Gazprom, said Botsan-Kharchenko. Gazprom is ready for and open to negotiations, as for the price, that is up to them, the Ambassador added.

REGIONAL PRESS

Dodik and Cvijanovic hold meeting with Vucic in Belgrade (ATV)

Chairwoman of the B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic and RS President Milorad Dodik arrived in an official visit to Belgrade on Thursday, where they met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to discuss future cooperation on infrastructural projects, Serbia’s assistance to municipalities in the RS and municipalities in the FB&H with Serb majority, and economy. It was announced at the meeting that Serbia will continue to support the RS and that Serbia and the RS will continue their good cooperation as in previous years. Dodik pointed out that cooperation between Serbia and the RS is still a priority and that this will not be spoiled “even by the international factor that is putting pressure on Serbia and the RS in order to impose its own solution.” Dodik repeated to the Serbian President that the situation in B&H is still complex and that the elections have not changed anything in this regard. Dodik emphasized that it is also important that it is known in Serbia that the RS in B&H is threatened from the point of view of constitutional rights and that its competences have been taken away and the Dayton Agreement has been desecrated. Dodik stressed that there is a stalemate in B&H that is very difficult to solve and it is camouflaged by the intervention of the international factor. “The essence is the collapsing relationship between the three constituent peoples and two entities. The essence is in problems of blockades which most often come from the political Sarajevo for all projects. Therefore, we are blocked in terms of projects ‘Buk Bijela’, Trebinje airport, gas pipeline that should go towards Banja Luka,” Dodik said. Dodik announced that a joint session of the governments of Serbia and the RS will be held in Banja Luka in December. Dodik pointed out that the RS stands behind the Serb people in Kosovo and provides them with strong support. Cvijanovic stated that she is aware that there are challenges between B&H and Serbia, noting that she will contribute to better relations, but that this also depends on others. “In this period that is ahead of us, many questions and dilemmas need to be resolved in view of the burdens that follow both Serbia and the RS, and finally B&H, which has to get out of the framework in which it is now. We will need a lot of effort and support,” Cvijanovic said. Dodik pointed out that B&H will have to make a decision on the agreement signed within the Berlin Process regarding easier travel in the region, which is significant for citizens of B&H and Kosovo due to complicated visa regime between them, noted the reporter. Dodik said that there is a problem that is ignored in B&H, which is that the RS has consistently supported the ‘Open Balkans’ initiative, with the same characteristics, but those in Sarajevo did not want to agree to it. Dodik said that this will be the time of decisions and that they will see whether there will be blockades from Sarajevo regarding projects in the RS. Dodik said that they will consult with Serbia and decide based on that. Vucic confirmed that Serbia will continue providing assistance to the people in the RS and he announced continuation of projects that Serbia and the RS are implementing jointly. “We discussed obligations that lie ahead of Serbia and the RS, primarily concerning the started projects. We agreed to form a team of representatives of Serbia and the RS this week. We will thus concretize the project of the memorial complex Donja Gradina-Jasenovac”, specified Vucic. In addition, the Serbian President singled out the highway section Raca-Bijeljina as one of the important infrastructure projects that Serbia co-finances. Vucic reminded that, amidst inflation, the prices of raw materials and costs of construction have increased, but he reassured the citizens that Serbian authorities will provide the funds they planned. Vucic stressed that the rest of the support refers to the predominantly Serb municipalities in the FB&H. He also confirmed that Serbia has agreed to provide funds for construction works on the Healthcare Center in Srbac. Cvijanovic thanked Serbia on participating in financing of important projects, especially the infrastructure projects. “We thank Serbia for deciding to be investor and co-investor in many projects of strategic importance”, the Serb member of the Presidency noted. The Presidency member stressed that the hydropower plant Buk Bijela and the Trebinje Airport are projects that the RS is fundamentally interested in completing. Dodik said: “Serbia as guarantor of the Dayton Agreement stands by that Agreement. Serbia is a country that does not hesitate to support territorial integrity of B&H, which is fine for us.”

Becirovic, Komsic host reception in Sarajevo City Hall on occasion of marking B&H’s Statehood Day (N1)

Members of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic and Denis Becirovic organized a reception on the occasion of the B&H Statehood Day. Komsic addressed attendees and among other things, he stated that on the B&H Statehood Day, everyone should remember all those who gave their lives for B&H and its statehood. According to Komsic, elements of the B&H statehood defined in the ZAVNOB&H are being attacked and jeopardized nowadays which is why we still keep on fighting for this cause. In this regard, he reminded of some of the lessons learnt from the ZAVNOB&H in details. Komsic stated that today, there are two visions of B&H; one that is proud and brave that is ready to fight for democratic values, rule of the law and equality of all citizens, i.e. the kind of a B&H that follows values and lessons from the ZAVNOB&H. Komsic stated that this kind of a B&H is not afraid to say that there cannot be ethnically-divided country, adding that they are not afraid to say that they want B&H in which every citizen will have equal rights. According to Komsic, there is also an idea about the other kind of B&H; “anti- ZAVNOBIH B&H”, servile B&H that is scared to fight for values of the modern democratic world and for values that represent the pillars of the state. Komsic underlined: “The vassal awareness in some people’s minds is based on personal interests and a system that generates corruption and a broad-range nepotism and from this comes their fear of the international community.” Komsic ended his speech by saying that B&H has no price, B&H is not for sale and he congratulated the holiday. Becirovic also addressed the guests. Among other things, he congratulated the B&H Statehood Day and he stated that there is no reason for any citizen in B&H or any peoples in B&H not to mark the holiday. Becirovic stated that this holiday does not jeopardize or discriminates anyone arguing that organizers of the celebration of the holiday should be all three members of the B&H Presidency. In his opinion, the practice that one member of this institution does not take part in organization of the celebration is not good. He also reminded of values cherished since the ZAVNOB&H until nowadays in details. In this regard, he called for formation of a ZAVNOB&H institute. On the other hand, Becirovic said that he is sorry that Serb member of the Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic did not come to the reception in Sarajevo City Hall. Becirovic reminded that the Serb people were one of the peoples who proclaimed ideas in ZAVNOB&H.

Dodik: Biden’s congratulations note is viewed almost as provocation in the RS (ATV)

RS President Milorad Dodik said on Thursday that congratulations note of US President Joseph Biden sent to Bi& citizens on the occasion of “an inexistent holiday” on 25 November is viewed almost as a provocation in the RS. “I do not know how to call this if we know, just like all employees of the US Embassy know, that 25 November is not a holiday of B&H”, Dodik said when he was asked to comment on the US President’s congratulations note sent to the B&H Presidency members on the occasion of “the so-called Statehood Day”.

Ostojic: Mahmuljin could not leave B&H and go to Turkey without prior agreement and cooperation of Bosniak political leadership and judiciary (ATV/Srna)

The President of the RS Veterans’ Organization (BORS) Radan Ostojic stated on Thursday that convicted war criminal Sakib Mahmuljin could not leave B&H and go to Turkey without prior agreement and the cooperation of the Bosniak political leadership and the judiciary. “The political leadership of the RS must seriously ask themselves where this is going and do everything possible to correct this injustice and what is happening, because, otherwise, one day all Serbs who participated in the past war as members of the RS Army and the RS Ministry of Interior (MoI) will be prosecuted and sent to serve a prison sentence, while on the other hand, the punishment will never reach the members of the so-called B&H Army, the Muslim political leadership,” Ostojic said. Mahmuljin did not respond to the invitation of the Court of B&H to hand over a referral document for serving an eight-year prison sentence for crimes against captured Serb civilians, medical personnel and soldiers in the area of Ozren and Vozuca in 1995, the Court of B&H confirmed to Srna.

Danijel Simic elected President of RS Association of Journalists (ATV)

The Assembly of the Association of Journalists of the RS elected Thursday a new leadership that will take over the activities in reaffirming the interests and protection of the journalistic profession in the RS. The President, Vice President, President of the Assembly, supervisory and steering boards, as well as the Court of Honor of the Association of Journalists of the RS were elected. Danijel Simic was elected President of the Association of Journalists of the RS, Branimir Djuricic was re-elected a President of the Assembly of the Association of Journalists of the RS, and Mira Kostovic was elected a Vice President of the Association of Journalists of the RS. “We will continue our impartial work, the fight for the best possible position of journalists within the general community and greater understanding and unionization between journalists within the RS and around the world,” Simic underlined.

DPS: We’ll vote for one Constitutional Court judge if exact date of snap elections is determined and Law on President is withdrawn (CdM)

DPS is ready to vote for one judge of the Constitutional Court on the condition that the exact date of snap elections is determined and that the unconstitutional Law on the President is withdrawn. If the parliamentary majority is ready to talk, this is a condition, announced DPS MP Nikola Rakocevic. He has announced this at today’s press conference and pointed out that he will make an official announcement during the day. On Monday, 28 November, the parliament of Montenegro should vote again on the election of four judges of the Constitutional Court, which has been blocked since September when Judge Miodrag Ilickovic retired. The Venice Commission, the European Union, and the diplomatic corps are urging the MPs to unblock the Constitutional Court of Montenegro as soon as possible. Candidates for judges of the Constitutional Court are Snezana Armenko, Ilija Vukcevic, Jadranka Novakovic and Jelena Ruzicic. In the first round of voting, none of them received two-thirds, and in the second round a three-fifths majority is required for their election. Commenting on the resignation of the DPM and Minister for European Affairs, who is also URA deputy leader, Jovana Marovic, Rakocevic has emphasized that she always had clear views regarding Montenegro becoming the next member of the EU. “Belatedly, she realized that this government and Dritan Abazovic were doing everything to prevent Montenegro from being part of the EU, not what it was mandated to do”, said Rakocevic. Among other things, Rakocevic has said at the press conference that they are calling on the Special State Prosecutor’s Office to undertake investigative actions in Pljevlja’s Rudnik Uglja coal mine, Montenegro’s power distribution system, CEDIS, and Montenegro’s power supplier, EPCG, because, as he has stressed, corrupt activities take place there. “We will file more criminal charges due to irresponsible actions in CEDIS and failure to comply with the business plan from 2021. CEDIS did not comply with that, and employed approximately 1,000 people and caused immeasurable damage to that company,” said Rakocevic.

Abazovic: It’s a notorious untruth that there’s no heating in schools because of this Govt, address those who planned previous budget (CdM)

The current government is not to blame for the problem of heating in schools, but those who planned the previous budget. This was said by Prime Minister in technical mandate Dritan Abazovic at the cabinet meeting. He seems to forget that he was the deputy prime minister in that government. Minister of Education Miomir Vojinovic has said that the government will internally discuss the lack of energy sources in schools. “Those who say that because of this government there is no heating in schools, they tell a notorious lie. If there is no heating in the schools, contact those at the Ministry of Education who planned the previous budget and who cancelled the item related to heating in schools”, said Abazovic, adding that he would solve this problem. He claims that his government did not pass the existing Law on Public Procurement, and that they are not in a position to ask people to act outside the law. Abazovic has repeated today that at least one judge of the Constitutional Court, if not all four, should be elected in order to unblock the entire process.

German Ambassador: We expect parties to agree and find a solution (RTCG)

None other than political actors can solve the political and institutional crisis in which Montenegro has been for a long time, says the Ambassador of Germany to Montenegro Peter Felten. He calls on them to be responsible and solve the political and institutional crisis. In his first interview for a Montenegrin media since he became the Ambassador of Germany to Montenegro, Falten says that he does not see the insurmountable differences that politicians refer to. “That’s why we have expectations that the parties will come to an agreement and find solutions for this situation, because the Constitution of Montenegro does not provide clear guidelines for getting out of the crisis”, says the German ambassador. Felten has also said what Germany’s position on the Open Balkans is. “We do not know much about that initiative, we are not involved, it is not transparent enough, we do not know what is being implemented there and what the concrete results are. I believe that Montenegro should make a decision in relation to an analysis based on facts, without emotions, whether such an initiative should be approached. After that, the politicians should explain their decision to the citizens”, says the Ambassador.

Kovachevski: We need cultural centers that bring citizens of the two countries closer (All media)

We need cultural and information centers that bring the citizens of the two countries closer, not clubs that cause negative emotions. Our citizens should be dignified and behave with European manners, befitting a NATO member country and a country that has opened negotiations with the EU, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said on Thursday. “When the clubs were opening, I said the names that were chosen could represent a provocation given that those names arouse negative feelings with most of our society, as those particular figures are associated with the darkest times in European history. At the time I also called for opening of clubs, i.e. cultural and information centers that bring the citizens of the two countries closer, not clubs that cause negative emotions among the citizens. And, I called on our citizens to be dignified and behave with European manners, because we are a NATO member country and a country that has opened negotiations with the EU, and a future full-fledged EU member,” PM Kovachevski told Thursday’s press conference at the government when asked to comment on the latest incident with the Bulgarian club in Ohrid, regarding which Sofia has already informed the EC. He mentioned that there is a new law on associations, to which all associations registered in the country will have to align, regardless of who they are and what kind of associations they are. The PM noted he had also requested the drafting of a completely new law on associations and foundations, aligned with all political parties, with representatives of the Jewish community and with experts, which is to be based on German legislation, adding that the Ministry of Justice is working on it. Kovachevski also said that soon the government will submit a request to the government in Sofia for opening of official cultural and information centers, regarding which the ministries of culture of the two countries are in communication. “Regarding the reactions of the Republic of Bulgaria, those are Bulgaria’s reactions, and we also have our own reactions as MFA. What I can say is that with the Republic of Bulgaria, the ministries of culture are in communication. Very soon the ministers will hold a meeting, and communication should be established between the two countries through official cultural and information centers. Just as we have announced opening a center in Bulgaria, regarding which we will submit a request to be considered by the Bulgarian government, the other side should do the same, so that we can show that this region is a region of cooperation and a region in which all countries, our country, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Kosovo have a common future in Europe, which is based on good neighborly relations that always depend on all neighbors,” said Kovachevski. On Wednesday, the Macedonian Foreign Ministry condemned, what it called, the vandalism in which a glass window of the Bulgarian club in Ohrid was broken earlier in the day. “Such incidents are unacceptable, they could put at risk human lives all the while reinforcing retrograde processes that are not in line with the European integration efforts of the country,” the Ministry said in a statement.

Ambassador Rusi-Popovska assures Bulgaria institutions in North Macedonia to investigate Ohrid culture club case (MIA)

Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kostadin Kodzhabashev told a regular briefing on Thursday that North Macedonia’s Ambassador to the country Agneza Rusi-Popovska was presented with a protest note today following last night’s incident at the Ohrid-based Bulgarian culture club “Tsar Boris III”, MIA reports from Sofia. Kodzhabashev said Bulgaria expects authorities in North Macedonia to immediately undertake all necessary activities to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice, with Rusi-Popovska assuring him that institutions would investigate the case in order to find the culprits. The MFA spokesperson added that Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov has spoken over the phone with Macedonian counterpart Bujar Osmani, who also showed commitment to a swift and efficient investigation. North Macedonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the vandalism, saying firearms were used in shattering the exterior window of the club. “It is highly concerning that such vandalism has repeated in a very brief period, following a similar incident on 20 November. These events are entirely unacceptable, can endanger people’s lives, and reinforce the retrograde processes that go against the country’s European integration process,” said the MFA.

North Macedonia officially becomes member of Union for the Mediterranean (MIA)

The Foreign Affairs Ministers of 42 Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) member states at the 7th UfM Regional Forum on Thursday in Barcelona unanimously endorsed the accession of North Macedonia to the Union. Addressing the official accession ceremony, Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani expressed his gratitude for recognition of the real interest of North Macedonia to join the Union for the Mediterranean as well as for the given trust, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release. “Our accession in the Union for the Mediterranean as a platform for regional cooperation and dialogue will enable us, as a country that has opened EU accession negotiations, closer networking and integration of North Macedonia in the European structures that cover the Mediterranean basin and cooperation between the European Union member states and fifteen countries of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean,” Osmani said. Osmani underlined that North Macedonia, with its tradition of inter-ethnic dialogue, cohesion and peaceful resolution of bilateral disputes, contributes to the stability of South-East Europe by promoting European values, good neighborly relations, regional cooperation and the culture of dialogue. He added that by joining the organization today, North Macedonia will try to contribute to the promotion of growth, employment, regional cohesion and socioeconomic integration, adding value to the overall relations in the Euro-Mediterranean region, reads the press release. The Union for the Mediterranean is an intergovernmental organization of 42 member states from Europe and the Mediterranean Basin – the 27 EU member states and 15 Mediterranean partner countries from North Africa, Western Asia and Southern Europe. Founded in 2008 in Paris, it aims at reinforcing the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Euromed).