LOCAL PRESS

Drecun: KFOR’s response political (Tanjug/Politika/Novosti)

The Chair of the Serbian parliamentary committee on Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun said on Monday KFOR’s negative response to Serbia’s request for a return of its security forces to Kosovo-Metohija was a political decision and that over 300 ethnically motivated attacks against Serbs in the province were not seen by KFOR as threats to peace and stability.

In a statement to Tanjug, Drecun said KFOR believed such attacks should be addressed by Pristina’s police and EULEX while KFOR should react only to major incidents. Asked if KFOR was capable of maintaining peace, Drecun responded there should be no doubt that the mission had the capability to do so, but that the question was who was threatening peace and whose safety was under threat. “KFOR is acting as if the Serbs were the threat to peace and security,” Drecun said. He said KFOR’s response to Serbia’s request had been expected and that KFOR did not interpret the Christmas Eve shooting of two Kosovo Serb youths or the more than 300 other ethnically motivated attacks against Serbs during Albin Kurti‘s tenure as threats. “They believe it is a responsibility of the Kosovo police. They acted differently in the past, they had greater presence and had more personnel in critical spots. Based on a political desire, their assessment is that the situation in Kosovo-Metohija is better and that democracy has grown,” Drecun said.

Djuric: Kurti has no carte blanche support from US (TV Pink)

Serbian Ambassador to the US Marko Djuric said on Monday Kosovo Albanians had no carte blanche support from the US for everything they did and that Pristina’s PM Albin Kurti was greatly deluded and “still living in 1999”. The fact Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church has been banned from visiting the Patriarchate of Pec and that two Kosovo Serb youths were attacked on Christmas Eve has not gone unnoticed in the US, Djuric told TV Pink. “The ban for the Patriarch had a resounding effect because it is an unbelievable scandal. A number of US Congress members have been informed of that and they have exerted pressure on Pristina. Every day, we will keep saying what has been done to those boys and to the patriarch,” he said. He said his impression was that Kurti was fighting personal, internal wars. “He is a man who is too personal to be able to run complex reconciliation processes, and many of my collocutors in the US administration are aware he is trying to manipulate with the tragedy in the east of Europe and push Serbia into 1999,” Djuric noted. He said Kurti’s policy had created an atmosphere conducive to attacks on Serbs and noted that, in their insincere condemnations of the attack on the two youths, Kurti and his “Self-Determination” party had even tried to deny they were Serbs, referring to them as “Slavic-Orthodox Kosovars” instead. Djuric said the fact the perpetrator of the attack was a member of the so-called “Kosovo Security Force” was no surprise at all as it was a highly militarised formation that was illegal by nature. Djuric he said he was skeptical the attacker, who has been placed in one-month detention, would be convicted. “The past decades teach us that crimes against Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija remain unpunished. No one has been punished for March 17 (2004) or for the expulsion of Serbs in 1999,” Djuric said. Commenting on KFOR’s refusal to allow a return of Serbian army and police troops to Kosovo and Metohija, Djuric said Serbia’s obligation to protect Kosovo Serbs was not terminated by anyone’s response to any request and that Serbia would continue to do everything to protect them.

West pandering to aggravation in Kosovo, Ukraine — Russian Ambassador (TASS/Tanjug)

The West’s connivance leads to the aggravation of the conflict in Ukraine and in the unrecognized republic of Kosovo, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko said on Monday. “The few EU representatives who seemed to try to comment on the crimes in Kosovo are hushing the circumstances of what happened. Hence, they share responsibility for Pristina’s continuing policy of intimidating the Serb population and, consequently, their expulsion from this territory,” the press service of the Russian Embassy quoted him as saying. “Likewise, the West is turning a blind eye to the Donbass tragedy and the barbaric shelling attacks against civilians by Ukrainian radicals. A lot of children have been killed by the Kiev regime from weapons supplied by the United States and EU countries. The inhumanity of the West is limitless as is the widespread indulgence in the atrocities of their proteges,” he said. “The series of ethnically-motivated attacks staged by the local Albanians on Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija during the Christmas holidays, with an 11-year-old child being among them, is alarming and dismaying,” the Russian diplomat said. “The Pristina radicals, led by local ‘Prime Minister’ Kurti, continue to whip up Serbophobic moods under the West’s passive eye. In this context, I would like to note that Kosovo Force’s (KFOR) refusal to satisfy Belgrade’s request to send Serb policemen and soldiers to Kosovo to ensure the security of compatriots under UN Security Council resolution 1244 was shamelessly conveyed on the evening of 6 January, immediately after an attack by a Kosovo Albanian on Serb children,” he added.

Dacic: Three red lines for Serbia regarding Kosovo situation (Tanjug/RTS)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday in Budapest there were three red lines for Serbia when it comes to the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. “The first is that everything that has been signed must be implemented, the second is that we cannot recognise Kosovo-Metohija as independent and agree to Kosovo becoming an EU member because we have not had any political discussion about the essence of the problems and about our mutual relations. We have not conducted dialogue about reaching a solution by political means, and now someone wants to impose the idea of Serbia having to do something, to recognise Kosovo in order to join the EU,” Dacic said in response to a Tanjug query about Serbia’s next step following a KFOR decision to deny Belgrade’s request for a return of Serbian security forces to Kosovo and Metohija. He said safety of Kosovo Serbs was the third red line. “If KFOR and the Kosovo police do not want to protect them, do not lead us into a situation where the Serbian police and army must ensure that in Kosovo and Metohija. It is something we would not want. We want peace and implementation of international agreements,” Dacic said. He said requests by his foreign counterparts for Serbia to take a stand on Ukraine and on the Russia sanctions were unacceptable because they did not want to discuss a resolution of the Kosovo issue. “Who has the moral right to request that Serbia give up on its territorial integrity, without showing the minimum understanding for our problems?” Dacic asked. There are no principles there, but only interests of big powers, he noted. “Serbia’s interest is to maintain peace and reach an acceptable solution for Serbs and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija,” Dacic said.

Szijjarto: Hungary to vote against Kosovo’s membership in European bodies (Tanjug/RTS)

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday in Budapest his country would vote against Kosovo’s membership in European bodies. “Our position is that, if certain European formations were to admit Kosovo before an agreement is reached, it would put a reaching of compromise in jeopardy. That is why Hungary will vote against Kosovo’s membership in European bodies,” Szijjarto told reporters at a press conference with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic. Hungary is really interested in a solution for Kosovo being found based on real, true dialogue, he said. “That is why we accepted to command KFOR troops in Kosovo, because we believed that, perhaps in that way too, we can help secure peace. We want a compromise reached as soon as possible,” Szijjarto said.

Brnabic wishes happy Republika Srpska Day (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic sent a message to Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Radovan Viskovic today to wish him a happy RS Day. “On the occasion of the Day of RS, on behalf of the government of the Republic of Serbia and on my own behalf, I send you and the citizens my hearty congratulations, with best wishes for the progress and well-being of RS and the Serbian people. I am convinced that, in the period ahead, unbreakable friendship and mutual understanding will be preserved, for the benefit of the Serbian people, but also for stability and prosperity in the Balkans,” the Prime Minister’s message reads.

Serbian opposition party congratulate RS inauguration day (Beta/Politika)

The presidents of the Democratic Party of Serbia and the Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia (POKS), Milos Jovanovic and Vojislav Mihailovic, respectively, attended a central celebration in Banjaluka of RS’s 31stbirthday, the NADA coalition, composed of the two parties, said in a 9 January release. Jovanovic said that RS was “the most important heritage of the wars imposed upon the Serbian people during the 1990s,” which today constituted “a condition for the survival, freedom and independence of the Serbs west of the Drina River.” The POKS president, Vojislav Mihailovic, said that “it is with great respect that we remember all the founders and fighters who created and defended RS,” adding that “the Serbs in Serbia and Srpska must resist together” the centralization of Bosnia and Herzegovina and efforts to diminish the importance of the Bosnian Serb entity and powers vested in it by the Dayton Peace Agreement. The Dveri Movement said in its congratulatory message that the establishment of RS was “one of the greatest Serb national victories.” Dveri said that “in spite of strong pressures from within Bosnia and Herzegovina and from foreign states that the powers of Srpska be reduced or even abolished, it resists bravely, remaining a defensive wall to protect Serb national interests.” A People’s Party MP, Stefan Jovanovic, said that RS was the only guarantee of survival for the Serbs living to the west of the Drina River. Having laid a wreath at the Monument to Fallen Soldiers in Banjaluka, Jovanovic said that “a difficult period” was coming, which was why it’s important for Serbia and Srpska to show solidarity and unity.

Dacic: Serbia has first extended a hand, we will see the effects (TV Happy)

Serbia and Croatia have to agree on the matters of the present and the future, and resolve the issues of the past in the best possible way, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic stated on Monday. Relations of these two countries have been burdened for decades by the consequences of the 1990s war on the territory of present-day Croatia and the indication of a possible “resetting” of Serbian-Croatian relations is represented by Dacic’s recent visit to Zagreb, by which, according to him, official Belgrade “extended a hand” to Croatia. “We were the first to extend a hand and we shall see how things will develop further. I do not know how much effect the visit will have but in the sense of conveyed messages, Belgrade acted very responsibly”, Dacic told TV Happy. Even though he was, at the time of the wars on the territory of the former Yugoslavia, a prominent official of the then ruling Socialist Party of Serbia of Slobodan Milosevic, who was later tried in The Hague for war crimes, Dacic, in accordance with his recognizable pragmatism estimated that the crucial question in relations between Serbia and Croatia was “who wants what”, or rather that it is necessary to seek a joint interest. “Besides all our mutual differences, we have to agree on matters concerning the present and future and resolve matters surrounding the past in the best possible way”, Dacic said.

Lajcak, Escobar discuss Belgrade-Pristina relations with senior NATO official (Beta)

Miroslav Lajcak and Gabriel Escobar, the EU and the US special representatives for the Western Balkans, discussed Belgrade-Pristina relations with NATO deputy general secretary Mircea Geoana in Brussels on Monday. The officials agreed that “peace and stability in the Western Balkans is important for all Europeans”, according to a Tweet posted by the US Mission to NATO. Geoana underscored the efforts of NATO allies and the EU in defusing recent tension, especially in northern Kosovo, and stressed the crucial support of the NATO-led KFOR Mission and the EU’s EULEX in the successful removal of barricades from roads, which helped reestablish full freedom of movement across Kosovo. “The United States, our Allies, and the EU are committed to working with Serbia [and] Kosovo to find a solution and way forward in the interest of the stability, safety, and well-being of all communities,” the US Mission’s tweet read.

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_210485.htm

Grbovic: Opposition will never unite (N1)

President of the Free Citizens’ Movement Pavle Grbovic said on Monday that the opposition in Serbia would never unite. “We can’t ally with those who want to give every neighborhood a wall to stencil Ratko Mladic‘s likeness, who want to hold pro-Russian rallies and organize religious processions on every topic every week,” Grbovic told TV N1. He added that the Free Citizens’ Movement could work with the Freedom and Justice Party, the Movement for a Turnaround, the Sloga trade union, Don’t Let Belgrade Drown, the Together party, and the Democratic Party, “whenever the [Democratic Party] decides who they want to work with.” According to him, the People’s Party should also pick a side, because its proposals have included solving the Kosovo issue by writing to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

REGIONAL PRESS

Parade held in Istocno Sarajevo on occasion of 9 January – Day of RS; Dodik: RS is republic of peace and freedom which does not threaten anyone and does not wish harm (BHT1/N1)

A parade was held in Istocno Sarajevo on Monday on the occasion of January 9 – the Day of RS. About 2,500 people took part in the January 9 parade in Istocno Sarajevo, including 800 members of the RS Ministry of Interior (MoI), and everything passed without any incidents. In addition to senior officials of the RS, the parade and ceremony in Istocno Sarajevo was also attended by representatives of the Serbian authorities. Addressing the ceremony in Istocno Sarajevo, RS President Milorad Dodik stated that the RS “is a republic of peace and freedom which does not threaten anyone and does not wish harm.”  “Let us gather around the RS, let us gather around it. Without it, there is no freedom, development and our survival in these areas. No Serb politician or leader must allow any other way of organizing, except for organizing Serb national state in these areas, which is called the RS, and Serbia with which we have the right to be integrated and connected in accordance with international law,” Dodik pointed out. N1 reports that addressing the present, Dodik said the RS Police will not attack anyone’s territory, but will defend the territory of the RS if attacked by someone. The reporter comments it is interesting that in the presence of thousands of people, Dodik again called Western ambassadors and the international community criminals. Addressing the present, Dodik said: “Try to get used to the RS, a community of peace, dignity, prosperity and development, the republic that wishes well to everyone. We cannot accept that some court – especially an inquisition and false Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Constitutional Court with three foreigners and two Bosniaks – says the RS was not created on January 9 1992. They find the year disputable, not the date”. Dodik went on to say that following January 9 1992, Serbs continued to participate in the work of the then B&H Parliament, noting “it was peace then. And that is the problem. This republic was created in peace, and the one created on March 1 was created in blood”. N1 reports that individual ministers from the Montenegrin government and a large number of ministers from the Serbian government attended the ceremony that was finalized when the participants unfurled 527-meter-long RS flag. Messages were sent about the RS as if it was an already independent state. Dodik said that Bosniaks who live in the RS can live freely and have the right to develop, presumably in the sense of business opportunities, noted the reporter. Dodik once again started talking about the independence of the RS, the secession and the endangerment of the Serb people in B&H. Dodik stated: “We are not a threat to anyone and we are not doing this out of spite. We just want to say that we are here and that we are ready to fight for our freedom. Of course, we fight through political and democratic life, but the members of the RS police are the ones who are responsible for our peaceful everyday life, every day and night, and I am especially grateful to them and I am especially proud of the RS police, a part of which I see stationed here, but also all those who are all over the RS performing their tasks”. Dodik also said their love towards Serbia is normal, adding that their message to those coming from far and saying they should love something else is that they love the RS and Serbia. He stressed that Serb people in BiH have never been Bosnian Serbs, but Serbs, adding that they have right for their democratic expression. Reporter noted that Dodik underlined that the RS is in B&H only because it is forced to it. Dodik emphasized that Serbs should never allow any other type of organization, but organization of Serb national state, namely the RS and Serbia. “We have right to be integrated and connected with Serbia in line with international law”, explained RS President Dodik.

Leaders of opposition congratulate RS Day; Milicevic: Current authorities cannot lead RS to progress (BN TV)

Leaders of opposition parties SDS, PDP and List for Justice and Order congratulated RS Day and underlined that the RS is facing numerous challenges concerning its survival. They emphasized that survival of the RS might be brought into question with current authorities. Acting President of SDS Milan Milicevic said that they advocate responsible behaviour of authorities which should spend budget funds transparently, distribute it properly and which will conduct economic reforms so that living standard of the RS citizens can improve. Milicevic went on to saying that it cannot be done by people who are currently leading the RS, adding that it requires healthy forces. Leader of PDP Branislav Borenovic underlined that he was first class of the RS Army recruits. He emphasized that the RS are its people and institutions. Borenovic went on to saying that number of people living in the RS has been decreasing and institutions of the RS are weak in period when this entity is facing numerous challenges. He stressed that current the RS officials observe this entity as if it was their private property and institutions are not brave enough to do what they are expected to do, namely to make the RS place where citizens will have dignified life. Leader of List for Justice and Order Nebojsa Vukanovic stated that over last 15 years the RS has been deteriorating, its most productive part of population has been leaving the RS because all institutions have been subjugated to usurper of position of the RS President. He emphasized that budget of the RS President is higher than budget for all the RS Army veterans categories. Honorary President of PDP and former member of B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic said that main problem of the RS is no longer the international community or Sarajevo and its demands for abolition of this entity, but its inner collapse. He emphasized that the RS problems are insufficient development, lack of key value principles one normal society should have, pessimism and depression within the RS. He added that it is visible in departure of many people. Ivanic went on to saying that if this challenge is solved, the RS will no longer be facing huge challenges.

Vucic congratulates RS Day; Comments by Dacic, Brnabic (BN TV)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic congratulated RS Day to all citizens of the RS. He expressed wishes for peace, progress and well-being of all citizens of the RS. Vucic underlined that power of one people is measured with strength of its unity and steadfastness in preservation of spirituality, language, letter, identity and historic and cultural heritage. He added that greatness of one people is measured by nourishing of highest moral and human values and ideals, same as by its preparedness to share its wealth with others. “Such the RS should remain driver of prosperity and ground of stability despite to all challenges”, stressed President of Serbia. Vucic said that Serbia will continue to support the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA), respecting the integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) as well as the integrity of the RS “within its constitutional framework’’, noting that Serbia will continue to be “your strongest support, because bonds that connect us are eternal and cannot be broken”. Vucic sent his son who is not Serbian official to unconstitutional celebration of the RS Day. “We continue to fight together for peace and prosperity with work, knowledge, creativity and good will towards all willing to sincerely accept the extended hand of cooperation so that the whole region can take the path of progress, for the benefit of all citizens living in this region”, Vucic was quoted as saying. The reporter notes that Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic extended his congratulation in person, whilst Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic decided to send a congratulatory letter to RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic. Addressing the media on Monday, Dacic said: “We are here to convey messages of peace and good neighbourly relations, not to incite conflicts, which, unfortunately, have been many in our history”. “I am certain that in the period ahead of us, the unbreakable friendship and mutual understanding will be preserved for the benefit of Serb people, but also for the stability and prosperity in the Balkans”, reads Brnabic’s letter. The reporter notes it is interesting that Croatian officials, primarily Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and President Zoran Milanovic have remained silent.

Dodik meets Dacic and Serbian delegation in I. Sarajevo (Dnevni avaz)

RS President Milorad Dodik met on Monday with Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic. The meeting took place in Istocno Sarajevo, in premises of RS headquarter. The meeting was also attended by Chairwoman of B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic, Serbian Healthcare Minister Danica Grujicic and Serbian Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Issues Nikola Selakovic.

Turkovic sends protest letter to Dritan Abazovic (Nova BH)

Foreign Affairs Minister Bisera Turkovic sent a letter of protest to Dritan Abazovic, Prime Minister of Montenegro, on the occasion of the presence of the Ministers of Justice and Finance of Montenegro, Marko Kovac and Aleksandar Damjanovic, at the academy marking 9 January as the Day of RS. “I am sending a protest note to the government of Montenegro, a friendly and neighbouring country. By the decision of the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H, 9 January, as the Day of the RS, was declared unconstitutional and discriminatory, and the presence of government officials damages the neighbourly relations between our two countries. Celebrating 9 January as the Day of the RS, according to the decision of the Constitutional Court of B&H, violates the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and discriminates against members of the constituent peoples of B&H”, Turkovic wrote in her letter. Turkovic noted in her letter that the presence of ministers from the Montenegrin government is an act of “disrespect of the institution of B&H”, reminding that 9 January 1992 was the date of the attack on constitutional order of B&H, “an introduction into mass war crimes and genocide, established by international courts”. Turkovic also wrote that Montenegrin officials are always welcome in B&H “but the crucial precondition is mutual respect and respect for decisions of courts”.  The Montenegrin government have distanced themselves from the aforementioned ministers, noting the ministers attended the ceremony in private capacity. Montenegro opposition criticized on Monday the attendance of two ministers at a celebration of the RS Day. Montenegro opposition characterized this as a scandal that goes to detriment of the international reputation and relations with B&H. The Cabinet of Abazovic said that the ministers did not went to Banja Luka based on a decision of the Montenegro Government. The Cabinet also said that they respect B&H and decisions of the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H and that they cooperate with both of the entities in line with laws of the states. Representative of the Montenegro Center for Civic Education Daliborka Uljarevic said that attendance of two ministers at a celebration of the RS Day in Banja Luka is a big omission. In her opinion, the two ministers will not bear any consequences or sanctions. According to Uljarevic, the two ministers had the blessing of Abazovic to go to Banja Luka.

Veterans’ associations from B&H submit criminal charges against Dodik, Cvijanovic, Cosic and Stanivukovic; Hasecic blames Schmidt for not using Bonn powers (FTV)

Five veterans’ associations from B&H, together with the Association of Parents of Murdered Children of Sarajevo, submitted criminal charges against the RS President Milorad Dodik, the Serb member and Chairperson of the B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic, Mayor of Istocno Sarajevo Ljubisa Cosic and Mayor of Banja Luka Drasko Stanivukovic to the B&H Prosecutor’s Office. They said that they filed a criminal complaint for celebrating 9 January as the RS Day, that is, for ignoring the decisions of the Constitutional Court of B&H and for violating the Criminal Code, which threatens the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of B&H. They also submitted a copy of the criminal complaint to the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton Edin Forto, as well as to High Representative to B&H Christian Schmidt, from whom they expect an appropriate reaction. President of the Association ‘Women Soldiers 92-95’ of Sarajevo Canton Sabaheta Cutuk said that their criminal complaint is a type of initiative and that there is no criminal procedure based on a private lawsuit. President of the Association of Green Berets of Sarajevo Canton Muhamed Svrakic said that they only ask that the decisions of the Constitutional Court are implemented. Svrakic said that they asked this from the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) but they remained silent and did not even respond to their writing. President of the Association ‘Woman – Victim of War’ Bakira Hasecic said she blames Schmidt who only writes letters and does not use his Bonn powers. Hasecic added that she also expected that the EUFOR would come to the RS on Monday and disperse those who committed genocide.

Parties seated in FB&H react to marking of 9 January (Oslobodjenje)

Commenting marking of 9 January – RS Day, People and Justice party (NiP) stated that “such public parades convey messages that majority of citizens see as threats, while at the same time reminds them of atrocities they suffered during war years. With such moves the B&H entity of RS is moving toward international isolation, because majority of states and international organizations rejects not only January 9th, but also the way in which the marking is organized.” Our Party (NS) issued a press release reading that marking of the RS Day is an unconstitutional act whose goal is negating of all values that B&H is based on, reminding that RS in Dayton was not determined as entity of one people, but of all citizens who live there and every attempt of ethnic monopolization is a threat with new violence. NES President Nermin Ogresevic stated that “parades with long barrows and armoured vehicles and awarding of medal to Russian President Vladimir Putin in midst of Russian aggression of Ukraine, raise tensions and convey clear message to people in B&H, but also in entire world, that (Milorad) Dodik has not changed and that he continues anti-state and pro-Russian politics, whose main goal is undermining of peace and in the end, dissolution of B&H.”  SBiH and ‘Platform for Progress’ also reacted to marking of 9 January. SDA issued a statement concerning celebration of the RS Day. They stated that parade of members of the RS police armed with long rifles and armed vehicles and celebration of day when attack on constitutional-legal order of B&H was launched represents security threat for B&H. SDA added that when members of pro-Russian paramilitary organization ‘Night Wolves’ are participating in a parade along with armed members of the RS police, when RS President Milorad Dodik repeats secessionist threats and honors Russian President Vladimir Putin and when Serbian ministers and pro-Serbian Montenegro ministers attend this act, this is clear message and security challenge for entire region, the EU and NATO. SDA criticized the international community due to lack of concrete reactions to marking of 9 January as the RS Day. SDA reminded that the RS Day is unconstitutional adding that long-year cowardly withdrawal before RS President Milorad Dodik, his unconstitutional referendums, awarding war criminals and naming institutions after war criminals, ignoring denial of the genocide as well as insults that he keeps on saying on a daily basis turned out to be a bad strategy. According to SDA, press releases full of empty phrases as well as an attempt to cheer up Dodik and his mentors from the East with some compromises are nothing but an additional encouragement to the policy that threatens to peace and stability.

Schmidt: Marking and celebrating 9 January as RS Day can have consequences (FTV)

High Representative to B&H Christian Schmidt said that the actions and activities of the RS authorities marking and celebrating 9 January as the RS Day can have consequences. The presence of public officials at these celebrations represents disrespect for the Constitution of B&H, added Schmidt. FTV carried part of the statement from the Office of the High Representative (OHR), which reads: “It is the duty of all, and above all the representatives of the executive, legislative and judicial bodies in B&H, to behave in accordance with the constitutional and legal order of the country and to refrain from activities that undermine the building of trust and are incompatible with the European values of inclusion, tolerance, justice, solidarity and non-discrimination”. The OHR stated that Dodik should be acting with a way more wisdom and responsibility, in the interest of all citizens of the RS instead of supporting such dishonest people. Schmidt was quoted as saying: “The participation and presence of public officials at these celebrations represents obvious disrespect for the Constitution of B&H. It is the duty of all to behave in accordance with the constitutional and legal order of the country and to refrain from activities that undermine the building of trust and are incompatible with the European values of inclusion, tolerance, justice, solidarity and non-discrimination”.

Russian Embassy criticizes OHR’s statement (Oslobodjenje)

Russian Embassy to B&H, reacting to statement issued by the OHR, stated that the OHR became completely incompetent and irrelevant and they are dealing “with everybody’s affairs except with strict respecting of their mandate, which emerges from the Dayton Peace Agreement”. Meanwhile, the RS parliament speaker Nenad Stevandic met on Monday with Russian Ambassador to B&H Igor Kalabukhov in Banja Luka on Monday. They discussed the current political relations in B&H, as well as future relations of the RS and Russia with focus on strengthening of friendship between the Russian and the Serb people. Stevandic thanked Kalabukhov for Russia’s principled stance on the necessity to respect the Dayton Peace Agreement which guarantees security and preservation of B&H’s territorial integrity.

US Embassy: Calls for RS independence will only destroy the entity itself (Hayat)

The US Embassy to B&H strongly condemned celebration of RS Day on 9 January by reminding that the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H declared this date unconstitutional and that its celebration is in opposition to the international law. The US Embassy warned that undermining of state of B&H and rhetoric on independence of the RS can only lead to destruction of this entity and those supporting it. It was underlined that the RS needs to respect decisions of B&H CC, adding that it is stipulated by the Dayton Peace Accords. The US Embassy condemned awarding of Russian President Vladimir Putin. They underlined that this decision of Milorad Dodik represents rejecting of values of Euro-Atlantic community and international order. “The calls for the RS independence repeated yesterday coupled with false claims about its competencies and attempts to undermine the state of BiH are pushing the country down a dangerous path. The RS will only destroy itself and those around it pursuing the will-o-wisp of independence”. US Ambassador to B&H Michael Murphy said that with calls for the RS independence, “the RS will only destroy itself”.

Dodik: No US Embassy can annul referendum on RS Day (ATV)

RS President Milorad Dodik commented on the press release of the US Embassy to B&H on the celebration of the RS Day that reminds celebration of the holiday is unconstitutional. Dodik said that no one can call into question January 9, adding that the US was created after extermination of the indigenous people. Dodik said: “What do they want from us? What is the problem? I did not read the press release. What do you want from us? To give up on history? Then we will give up on ourselves. If we give up on this date, then we give up on ourselves. In the end, people said in the referendum that it is the 9 January. No one can annul the referendum. No US Embassy.” Dodik responded to the message from the US Embassy to B&H, by saying that they will send them a press release when they commemorate the 4th of July.

Stano says political leadership in B&H and entities knows how important it is for EU that B&H adheres to letter of law (FTV)

The EU and its members said that they will take appropriate measures or decisions when it comes to the celebration of RS Day. The EU especially condemned the fact that RS President Milorad Dodik decorated the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Brussels sent a message that, if Dodik still decides to award the highest decoration of the RS to Putin and continues with unacceptable moves, the EU will keep this in mind and decide on new steps against Dodik. They said that the whole world knows who Putin is and the EU condemns the decision of the RS authorities to award him a decoration because he is directly responsible for the illegal aggression against Ukraine, the suffering of Ukrainian civilians and the destruction of infrastructure. European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano was quoted as saying: “Siding with Putin in these circumstances isolates the RS and its leadership internationally. There is no place in the EU for honouring and rewarding politicians who order the destruction of a neighbouring country and the killing of its people. This must be very clear to everyone. That decision of the RS leadership is regrettable and wrong”. Stano said that Dodik knows very well what the EU and its members expect and what Dodik, his authorities and B&H as a whole need to do in order to progress on the European path. Journalists were also interested in the position of the EU regarding Dodik’s message on Sunday that the time has come for all Serbs to live in one country. Stano was quoted as saying: “He knows very well that the EU and its members reject the rhetoric of division and steps that undermine the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of B&H”. Answering a question about the celebration of the Day of the RS on 9 January, which the authorities of the RS continue to do despite the fact that the Constitutional Court of B&H declared it unconstitutional eight years ago, Stano said that the EU expects full respect of the rule of law in B&H, especially after B&H received the status of a candidate for membership in the EU. Ambassador of Ukraine in B&H and Croatia Vasyl Kyrylych described Dodik’s decision to award Putin as follows: “Terrorists reward terrorists. Servants reward their masters. Both the former and the latter are governed by fear. Over time, that fear eats away at both the terrorist and the servant”. Dodik awarded Putin for developing and strengthening friendly ties between Russia and the RS. Dodik announced that he intends to personally hand over the decoration to Putin during their next meeting. “If Dodik still decides to award the highest decoration of the RS to Putin and continues to make unacceptable moves, the EU will keep this in mind and decide on new steps against Dodik,” Stano underlined.

OSCE Mission to B&H reacts to celebration of 9 January; says decisions of B&H CC are final and binding and there is no justification for not implementing them (BHT1)

On the occasion of celebrating 9 January – the Day of RS, which was previously declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H, the OSCE Mission to B&H stated on Monday that decisions of the B&H CC are final and binding and there is no justification for not implementing them.

UK Embassy: Stance on 9 January is clear and consistent (Oslobodjenje/N1)

UK Embassy to B&H condemned the decision of RS authorities to award medal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a comment to N1, UK Embassy stated that “UK stance on marking of 9 January as RS Day is clear and consistent”. “Political representatives of the RS need to act in line with decisions of Constitutional Court of B&H from 2015 and 2019, because everything else is not wise and serves as provocation… Russian President Vladimir Putin premeditatedly committed unprovoked and barbaric invasion of Ukraine, sovereign democratic country. Awarding of medals to such persons cannot be justified and carries a risk of further isolation of politicians from the RS who are taking part in this,” stared UK Embassy.

US’ Chollet cancels visit to B&H (Oslobodjenje)

Derek Chollet, Counsellor of the US Department of State and Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected to pay visit to B&H in December, but his visit was cancelled because of COVID-19 infection. While it was announced that his cancelled visit will happen at beginning of the year, article noted that this month Chollet will visit North Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia and United Arab Emirates and B&H is no longer on the list. It is unknown what are the reasons for this cancelation.

Djukanovic: If government isn’t elected by 15 March, parliament is to be dissolved (RTCG)

President of the Executive Board of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) Milutin Djukanovic says that if the government is not elected by 15 March, the Parliament will be dissolved by itself. At the party’s traditional Christmas party in Berane, he explained that there would be no vote on this issue. “We can expect to have presidential elections on 2 April. If by itself the parliament is dissolved on 15 March, it would be logical to have parliamentary elections on 2 April, and for practical reasons it would be good to shorten the mandate of the parliament until 30 January, in order to obtain the conditions to hold both elections on the same day”, said Djukanovic. He claims that an agreement was reached before the local elections and that the party showed “incredible patience”. She believes that the local elections showed that DF and New Serbian Democracy are on the rise.

Medojevic: URA and SNP blackmails come to an end, dialogue with the opposition on solving crisis needed (Pobjeda)

In a statement for Pobjeda daily, the leader of the Movement for Changes, PzP, Nebojsa Medojevic, assessed that there was a need for dialogue with the opposition in order to solve the political crisis in the country, but that the speaker of the parliament of Montenegro Danijela Djurovic was not the one who should initiate it. He added that the position of the Democratic Front, DF, is that the extraordinary parliamentary elections should be organized in parallel with the regular presidential ones. “Having in mind unsuccessful dialogue of the parliamentary majority formed after the elections in 2020 and the fact that the SNP, along with URA, obstructed the formation of the 44th government, and also that the newly-formed bloc comprising the two doesn’t have the needed number of seats in parliament, in my opinion, Danijela Djurovic is not supposed to initiate a new dialogue on solving the crisis in Montenegro”. As he said, the DF was interested in opening the dialogue over the election of all judges of the Constitutional Court, full formation of the Judicial Council and the election of supreme state prosecutor, expecting that it would all be realized through competent parliamentary committees, in line with the determined Rules of Procedure. The leader of the Movement for Changes doesn’t think the negotiations with URA and the SNP might be re-opened. “URA and the SNP blackmails have come to an end. I wanted new elections right after the fall of Krivokapic’s government, but the DPS naively accepted Abazovic’s offer so we embarked on a new political circus with the 43rd government.  When Abazovic blatantly lied and deceived Djukanovic, his government fell as well,” Medojevic noted.

Damjanovic: I was at ceremony in Banja Luka in my own name, I respect B&H’s sovereignty (Pobjeda/Nova M)

Minister of Finance Aleksandar Damjanovic has told Nova M that he attended yesterday’s ceremony in Banja Luka on the occasion of RS Day, which was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of B&H, in his own name. He adds that this cannot cause any negative consequences for the foreign policy of Montenegro, and he also says that Vladimir Putin was not honoured at that ceremonial academy, and that this is another spin. He has also recalled that as a member of the parliament of Montenegro, he had the opportunity to attend several ceremonies and that they were accompanied by silence. “What has changed compared to then is a question for these ‘numerous critics’. This absolutely cannot have any consequences. You yourself know that B&H is a candidate country for the EU, that the RS is its entity, and that I absolutely respect the sovereignty of B&H and both entities”, Damjanovic has concluded.

Ahmeti refused to tell Kovacevski why the “Tirana Platform 2.0” meeting was convened?! (Republika)

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski failed to find out why Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama convened a “Tirana Platform 2” meeting on Tuesday. As some media reported, referring to sources in the Albanian political bloc, Kovacevski and senior SDSM officials tried to find out the topic of the meeting to which Rama invited only the Albanian political factors but not the Macedonian prime minister who leads the party which many Albanians vote for. There was no response from Foreign Affairs Minister, Bujar Osmani, who officially communicates with Tirana and Rama’s government. The SDSM leadership did not receive an answer about what will be discussed in Tirana, because supposedly DUI also does not know exactly what is on the agenda on Tuesday. The prime minister and leader of SDSM was assured that in Tirana there will be no talk of federalization, but of the rights of the Albanians in Macedonia and the future of the country. Kovacevski was told by DUI and another party from the Albanian political bloc that he was not called to Tirana because the Albanians did not vote for SDSM anymore and therefore there was no need for him to be called to an all-Albanian meeting. There is no official reaction from SDSM about the interference of official Tirana and Kovacevski’s friend Rama in Macedonian internal political affairs at the meeting called “Tirana platform 2.0”.

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