LOCAL PRESS

Brnabic: UN resolutions apply to Cyprus, but not to Serbia; So-called Kosovo’s membership not on Interpol agenda (TV Pink/RTV)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said on Wednesday double standards were at work in international relations when it comes to territorial disputes, citing the cases of Cyprus and Kosovo and Metohija, which she noted were being treated differently by the German foreign ministry. “The German Foreign Ministry has said a ‘two Germanies’-type solution is not an option for Cyprus, but that a solution must be sought only through the UN and respect of relevant UN resolutions. Therefore, two states are not an option for Cyprus, but when they talk about Serbia, I guess it is the only option, and respect of UN resolutions is not an option. But that is the reality and we must work in those frameworks and protect Serbia, and President Vucic is working on that,” Brnabic told TV Pink. She said that, besides protecting its national interests in the political sphere, Serbia must work on strengthening its economy. “You must protect the interests of our people politically, including in terms of Kosovo and Metohija, but on the other hand, you must still build bridges with those who say that a UN resolution applies to Cyprus but must by no means be applied to Serbia,” Brnabic noted. Brnabic said on Wednesday her recent visit to the UAE had also included a meeting with the Interpol president, who told her the so-called Kosovo’s bid for membership in the organisation would not be on the agenda during his tenure. Brnabic said Interpol President Maj Gen Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi had told her he would try to keep the organisation from becoming politicised. This means that “the so-called Kosovo’s membership in Interpol is not on the agenda,” she said. She added that Serbia was making every effort to keep the so-called Kosovo from becoming a member of international organisations, but noted that Interpol and UNESCO were two key organisations.

Dacic: Hungary to vote against so-called Kosovo’s CoE, EU bids (Tanjug/RTS/Politika)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday in Budapest Hungary would vote against admissions of the so-called Kosovo to European organisations such as the Council of Europe and the EU. In a statement after a one-day visit to Hungary, during which he spoke with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, Dacic said both Orban and Szijjarto had confirmed that position multiple times. He said he had informed the Hungarian top officials of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and that they had wanted to know if Pristina’s PM Albin Kurti had any idea of an agreement or was trying to undermine the possibility of reaching any agreements through incidents. The fundamental message of the Hungarian officials is that we must stick together and together look for solutions to political issues and current foreign policy issues, as well as to various economic, energy and all other issues, he said. “They are interested in us having a joint approach in the energy sector, in mutual assistance when it comes to oil, gas and electricity, and in having two well-connected energy systems,” Dacic said. He said Serbia generally had good strategic relations with many countries but rarely had agreements on solving certain issues that were as specific as the ones with Hungary. “The relations between our countries are at the highest level in modern history. The relations are not based only on national minority issues, but also on common interests and common views on some important foreign policy issues, the geostrategic position and the present global situation. Our relations are based on a need to be together so that we can weather more easily this storm the whole world is in,” Dacic said. Hungary is interested in expediting strategic railway and motorway projects, as well as in solving the problem of long wait times at the border with Serbia, Dacic said. He said that, in a long conversation, his hosts had informed him of the current political and economic situation in Hungary, as well as of the country’s position, which he noted was as complex as Serbia’s. Dacic said they had also discussed current affairs related to an upcoming trilateral meeting with Austria on illegal migration, slated for 20 or 21 February, as well as a joint session of the Serbian and Hungarian governments, due to be held in the first half of this year.

Szijjarto: Hungary to help Serbia protect its southern border from illegal migrants (Tanjug)

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday in Budapest around 270,000 illegal migrants had been stopped at the Serbia-Hungary border in 2022 and announced Hungary would help Serbia secure its southern border with North Macedonia from illegal migration. “We can conclude that, on Hungary’s southern border, both Hungarians and Serbs confront armed people smugglers who do not keep away from using weapons against our border guards. And therefore, my message to all the Brussels bureaucrats who are trying to present migration as a positive phenomenon is that they should come to Hungary’s southern border and see what kind of danger those armed gangs pose to our border and our citizens,” Szijjarto said at a press conference with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic. Thanking Serbian colleagues, Szijjarto said Hungary had an interest in migrants being stopped at the southernmost possible point. “We have no interest in Serbia becoming a parking lot for migrants. That is why we want to provide assistance in securing Serbia’s southern border and we are ready to help with that,” he said. He said Hungary awaited the next round of Serbia-Hungary-Austria trilateral meetings so that results in stopping migration on Serbia’s southern borders could be achieved as soon as possible.

Vucevic: Strong military helped resolve Kosovo crisis peacefully (B92/Beta)

Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said on Tuesday that the recent crisis in Kosovo was resolved peacefully because Serbia has a strong military. “When you have a strong military you’re not easy prey,” he told the pro-government TV B92. The authorities in Pristina did not try to violently remove the barricades put up by Serbs in northern Kosovo because of what Vucevic said was President Aleksandar Vucic’s firm policies and the unity of the Kosovo Serbs. “The Serbian military is positioned to send a clear message that there are red lines,” the minister said adding that this means “there won’t be any new pogrom of Serbs in Kosovo”. “Everything else can and should be done at the negotiating table with out new columns of refugees,” he added. According to the Minister, Serbia would have a better position on the Global Firepower web site if the military had received “everything that was supposed to arrive” and if the weapons that have arrived but are not part of official statistics had been presented. He said new weapons and equipment partly produced in Serbia would be presented soon. The Beta news agency said that Global Firepower lists Serbia in 58th place, up from 61st place a year earlier.

Hill believes US-Serbia partnership will become even stronger (Danas)

US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill said on Tuesday that, like all other countries, Serbia had its challenges, but that the new year called for optimism and for focusing on the positive aspects of US-Serbia relations. As we embark on 2023, I believe that the US-Serbia partnership is strong and that it will only get stronger, Hill said in a written statement in response to a Danas query whether he would respond to a recent comment by Freedom and Justice Party leader Dragan Djilas. In a Twitter post following Hill’s statement that US companies were inspired to invest in Serbia, Djilas asked what they were inspired by. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has thanked Hill for announcing that US investments in Serbia would be continued.

Varhelyi, Lajcak discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1)

European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said on Tuesday that he discussed the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue with European Union envoy Miroslav Lajcak. “Moving forward in the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue is key to progress on their respective European path. Starting the year with EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak to discuss the way forward,” the Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner said in a Twitter post after the meeting. In a separate Twitter post, Lajcak wrote that the meeting was useful. “Good to meet with Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi today. It was useful to discuss the Dialogue in the wider regional context and EU efforts for 2023,” he wrote.

Dveri: National unification is needed on Kosovo (Politika)

Kosovo is the most important Serbian issue, which is why national unification is needed to solve it, the president of Dveri Bosko Obradovic said. “This new national unity can only be achieved around a new policy, because the current government’s current policy towards Kosovo has failed, and it must be changed”, Obradovic said. Obradovic said that Serbia was exposed to increasing pressure from the West to recognize Kosovo as an independent state, while “Pristina’s terror against the Serbs was becoming more and more open”. “That is why SNS or Serb List must never decide on the fate of Kosovo alone”, he said.

People’s Party: Free citizens movement leader provoking those who stayed in opposition ranks after elections (Beta)

The People’s Party on Tuesday said that with the statement about who made up the opposition in Serbia, Free Citizens Movement leader Pavle Grbovic had tried to “provoke those who unlike him and his boss Dragan Djilas (Freedom and Justice Party leader) remained in the opposition ranks after the elections.” The party said that Grbovic had been given “an unsavory task of defending Aleksandar Vucic, that is, his dodging the publicly assumed obligation to send letters to the presidents of Russia and China and seek from them on behalf of Serbia to officially state their opposition to membership of so-called Kosovo in the UN”.

REGIONAL PRESS

Formal ceremony on occasion of RS Day organized in Brcko District; Dodik: January 9 should be respected and celebrated regardless of threats (RTRS)

January 9 as Republika Srpska (RS) Day was marked at a ceremony hosted by the ‘Prosvjeta’ cultural association in Brcko on Tuesday. The RS officials who attended the ceremony said that the RS does not forget the sacrifice of Brcko citizens in the homeland-defense war or the citizens of the Brcko District. They stressed that Serbs in the Brcko District will not give up on marking of 9 January. RS President and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik stated that the RS has marked its birthday for years after the past war even with approval of some of the Bosniak officials, but then they all requested for the RS Day marking to be banned forced by the political structures in Sarajevo. He assessed that it is intolerable that some court determines one nation’s history, stressing that this will not be allowed. Dodik said that he is happy that an agreement was reached with the Brcko District on the Belgrade-Sarajevo highway construction route, which is a part of the corridor that stretches from Doboj, through Vukosavlje and Modrica. He stressed that the RS is ready to build the highway route through Brcko. “From Vukosavlje to the line with the Brcko District, the construction of the highway has already been contracted. The highway from Raca to Bijeljina is being built. It remains to contract the line from Bijeljina to the line with the Brcko District, through Brcko, and to connect the Corridor 5C”, Dodik said. RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic stated that the RS sends a message of peace, unity and tolerance these days and the RS certainly has the right to celebrate the RS Day. He warned that attacks on the RS continue even today. Representatives of the RS Veterans’ Organization in Brcko said that 441 veterans gave their lives for the RS freedom, stressing that the veterans are proud that they have the RS as their own state for the first time in history. President of the Brcko District Assembly Sinisa Milic stated that the RS Day is an opportunity for the Serb people in Brcko to show its affection to the RS and to thank the RS on its constructive policy and contribution to the development of the Brcko District. Viskovic stated: “The RS has the right to celebrate the day when it was established. It is important that the RS was created on 9 January 1992 in peace. The first excesses that happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) were in April 1992, which means that the RS had already been in existence for three months. Everything that someone else celebrates in B&H is related to those unfortunate events in B&H, and we have the right to celebrate our date.” RS officials sent a message that Serbs in Brcko are equal to all its citizens. They also announced projects for the construction of a highway route in that area, which the RS is ready to finance, as well as the construction of a gas pipeline that would provide cheap energy. Dodik also stated that the RS Day is “an undoubted fact” and that he will not back down in insisting on it. “January 9 should be respected and celebrated regardless of the threats it has received even today. The RS is not a country out of spite, but a country of the people, free and looking to the future, but aware of itself and its history”, said Dodik. “Let them do whatever they want. We are marking the Day of the Republic here and that is important. The successes that we achieve are more important than whether someone will, out of their vanity or hatred, do something (…). Let them do whatever they want. Absolutely. They are equally allowed to do so. The only difference here is between the fact that they believe we should be forbidden (from doing so). That is the problem. I do not forbid them anything. Let them do whatever they want”. Dodik stressed that the main policy of the RS is to preserve jobs, noting that the RS today has the largest number of employees ever. “Therefore, the RS can certainly say that it is achieving good success in circumstances that are not favourable at all,” Dodik emphasized.

Dodik: Anyone’s criminal reports do not concern me, I am more interested in successes of the RS; Tegeltija: Celebration of RS Day is not violation of B&H CC’s decision (ATV)

ATV carries that celebration of 9 January as RS Day has been characterized by some in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) as a terrorist act and some filed criminal reports claiming that the ruling of the B&H Constitutional Court (CC) on this date is being violated by its marking. Constitutional law professor from Sarajevo Nedim Ademovic stated that such parades and events are “terrorist acts”, and added that they will happen “until the state puts a stop to it”. RS President Milorad Dodik said that anyone’s criminal reports do no concern him and he is more interested in successes of the RS. Dodik noted that, unlike the other entity, the RS has formed its institutions, adopted the budget and plans to resolve important issues of construction of highways, pipelines and hospitals. “These successes that we achieve are more important than whether someone out there will do something out of their vanity and hatred. Let them do what they want, they are allowed. The only difference here is that they think we should be banned, that is the problem”, Dodik said. Advisor to the RS President Milan Tegeltija assessed that claiming that the RS Day marking is a terrorist act is nebulous, adding that “celebration of the January 9 is not a violation of the decision of the CC”. He added that the Law on Holidays in the RS was amended in line with the CC’s ruling “and thus the decision of the CC was implemented, no matter how bizarre and senseless it was”. ATV carried a survey among citizens across the RS, who all noted that no one in the FB&H can deny them the right to mark the RS Day.

Dodik: Brotherly relations between Serb people in Serbia and RS unbreakable (RTRS)

RS President Milorad Dodik stated on Tuesday that deserving citizens of the RS represent the “brightest cubes of the prettiest mosaic called the RS and they preserve and defend the RS’ values at every step.” He thanked the RS’ friends from abroad who were presented with recognitions on the occasion of the RS Day, “who show that the RS is not alone.” Dodik stressed that brotherly relations between the Serb people in Serbia and the RS are unbreakable. He condemned Sarajevo media attacks against Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s son Danilo Vucic, who attended the 9 January parade in Istocno Sarajevo.

Dodik: US Ambassador’s statements are not important to me (ATV)

ATV carries that foreign officials in B&H were bothered by the highest Order of RS, which was awarded to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of marking the RS Day. According to ATV, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) condemned the friendly and fraternal relations between the RS and Serbia, but the OHR was not the only one to grossly interfere in the internal affairs of the RS as European officials from Brussels, as well as US Ambassador to B&H Michael Murphy also wonder why the RS President is decorating the Russian President with the RS Order and they called the decision to distinguish Putin wrong. RS President Milorad Dodik reacted to Murphy’s criticisms, saying that the US Ambassador’s statements are not important to him. “What does it matter what some ambassador says? He is here to represent his country, he is not here to regulate our reality or community. We are elected by the people and we will speak on behalf of the people. For me, that is more important than the announcement of a frustrated American ambassador”, said Dodik.

Kalabukhov: OHR’s criticism of Dodik’s decision to award Putin makes no sense (RTRS)

It seems that Sarajevo and part of the international officials do not understand why RS President Milorad Dodik awarded Russian President Vladimir Putin on the RS Day. Commenting on the issue, Russian Ambassador to B&H Igor Kalabukhov said that the OHR’s criticism of Dodik’s decision to award Putin makes no sense and the OHR has no mandate to comment on that, adding that “they are probably bothered because the Russian Federation firmly advocates provisions of the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA).” He said that the Russian Federation will continue to develop the friendly relations with B&H. The RS officials are united in a message that the RS will be marking its birthday regardless of everything. RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic stated that the RS sends message of peace, unity and tolerance these days and the RS certainly has the right to celebrate the RS Day, reminding that the RS was created long before the start of conflict in former B&H. Dodik commented that reactions of the foreign embassies in Sarajevo to the marking of the RS Day are completely irrelevant for him and that the most important thing is to be aware that the RS people voted in the 1991 referendum and said that 9 January is the RS Day.

B&H Border Police: Members of ‘Night Wolves’ have not entered B&H (Dnevni avaz)

The daily reminded that members of the so called ‘Night Wolves’, notorious Russian bikers’ group which is allegedly financed by Kremlin, took part in parade in Istocno Sarajevo, which was organized on 9 January marking RS Day. The daily reads that Russian President Vladimir Putin on several occasions addressed ‘Night Wolves’ as his “friends” and attended their gatherings and author noted that during the parade in Istocno Sarajevo they carried the flag of self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. The article further reminded that in March 2018, certain members of ‘Night Wolves’, including President of motto-club ‘Night Wolves of Serbia’ Sasa Vukovic and leader of this bikers’ group Alexander Sergeyevich Zaldastanov, were banned the entrance to B&H. Representatives of B&H Border Police stated that they have not registered attempts of entering B&H by side of foreign citizens who are banned entrance, including members of ‘Night Wolves’.

HR Schmidt says he is concerned about marking of RS Day and decisions of RS parliament to take actions contrary to decisions of court and state (Hayat/Taggeschau.de)

In a statement to German media, High Representative (HR) Christian Schmidt commented on 9 January parade which was held in Istocno Sarajevo on Monday. Schmidt stated he is concerned about marking of RS Day and decisions of the RS parliament to take actions contrary to the decisions of court and the state. “Gradual disintegration of B&H is something that is a true problem for me,” Schmidt was quoted as saying. The HR promised to give full support to prosecutors in processing of the parade. He stressed that he believes that the international community, first of all the EU, should stop secessionist tendencies. Schmidt gave a statement for German media Taggeschau.de and he noted that he will provide full support to prosecutors in processing of celebration of 9 January and he stressed that he believes that the international community, most notable the European Union needs to stop secessionist tendencies. German Special Representative for the Western Balkans Manuel Sarrazin described the marking of 9 January as the RS Day as illegal and he noted that awarding a medal to Russian President Vladimir Putin was “a cynical signal”.

Grlic Radman: Dodik’s moves do not threaten peace and stability of region (Hina)

Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman said that the awarding of Russian President Vladimir Putin with the decoration of RS met not with admiration but with condemnation. Grlic Radman emphasized that he sees the RS President Milorad Dodik’s move as politicization. Grlic Radman was quoted as saying: “We always emphasize that Croatia is on the right side of history and democracy. So that is the answer”. Grlic Radman added that Dodik’s moves do not threaten peace and stability of the region. Grlic Radman stated: “We do not know why Mr. Dodik is doing this. He often uses that vocabulary, threatens, but it is not a threat to peace. The EU, the NATO alliance, we have the instruments to stop any attempt in the area where NATO members and EU countries are. Therefore, we have a way to resist any threat to peace and stability, but I do not believe that it could come”. Grlic Radman said that Dodik’s move was certainly not welcomed, but it was condemned, noting that entire democratic world is condemning Putin.

Abazovic: I will not remove Kovac and Damjanovic from ministerial posts after attending marking of RS Day in Banja Luka (CdM)

I didn’t know that the ministers Marko Kovac and Aleksandar Damjanovic planned to go to Banja Luka, the outgoing Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic told the press. He also told he wouldn’t dismiss the two because they attended the ceremony on the occasion of the unconstitutional Day of RS. PM Abazovic reminded that Justice Minister, Marko Kovac, was a part of the delegation that visited Potocare along with him. “I have not heard applauses then. And now you expect me to be part of campaign of series of attacks on Minister Kovac. This will not happen,” said Abazovic. Commenting the reaction of ‘Mothers of Srebrenica’, Abazovic said: “What to say”. “People want to have negative matrix and to constantly affirm it. Has anyone thanked Kovac for visiting Srebrenica. When there is something to criticize and to attack a man through media, then we all stand in line. I will not be part of this line. This is no war to treat colleagues. Such stances do not contribute to reconciliation,” said Abazovic. According to him, both ministers stated yesterday that they backed the territorial integrity of B&H. “In that context, they supported the official position of the government. I won’t comment on whether they were supposed to be there or not”. Abazovic underlined that Kovac and Damjanovic have the right to their political stances. According to Abazovic, there is a need to build a society of tolerance and accept differences rather than create divisions.

Kovachevski – Zelensky: N. Macedonia to continue providing support to Ukraine (MIA)

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski in a phone call Monday with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky conveyed North Macedonia’s support for the Ukrainian people in the brutal, unjustified and unprompted military aggression by Russia against Ukraine, the government said. “The war that had been broken out almost a year ago by Russia is a blatant violation of the international law and the UN Charter. Ukraine is an independent and sovereign country with its own territorial integrity. Russia’s aggression should be condemned in the strongest possible terms, because in addition to violating the norms, it is also causing human suffering all the while affecting the global economy,” Kovachevski said. They also discussed the support and assistance North Macedonia has been providing for Ukraine, said the press release. President Zelensky expressed his gratitude to the Macedonian people for their support and assistance. It was noted during the meeting that North Macedonia as a NATO member will keep on assisting Ukraine in all possible ways. Talks also focused on developments on the battlefront, as well as on OSCE’s role in contributing to an end to the war. Kovachevski, in his capacity as prime minister of this year’s OSCE chairpersonship holder, said he will visit Ukraine.

Osmani: Aim of Albanian PM’s meeting with leaders of Albanian parties is to exchange opinions, there are no conspiracies (MIA)

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani said Monday that the meeting of Albanian PM Edi Rama with the leaders of the Albanian parties from North Macedonia is a new year’s meeting aimed at exchanging opinions on current regional issues and wishing success in the upcoming year, and urged people not to create a “conspiracy” regarding the meeting. “According to my information, the meeting in Tirana is a new year’s meeting on the occasion of the beginning of 2023, aimed at exchanging opinions regarding current regional issues, expectations for the new year and wishing for better cooperation. Obviously, 2023 will be a challenging year for the region. After all, we find ourselves in a year during which there is a war in Europe and numerous regional issues, both countries share common aspirations regarding EU accession negotiations,” said Osmani in answer to a journalist’s question. According to Osmani, there is no set agenda for the meeting and it will represent an opportunity for communication and an exchange of ideas, information and opinions for the good of the region and for the good of North Macedonia and Albania. “I can only say that the Albanian Prime Minister is a proven friend of North Macedonia, he has particularly demonstrated this during the years and months of our negotiations with Bulgaria, when he shared North Macedonia’s positions, sometimes even at the cost of Albania’s interests. I really don’t think that we should give rise to any conspiracies regarding these meetings,” said Osmani. Regarding the invited leaders’ positions on whether to participate or not, Osmani said that all limits are being crossed and it seems that there is no focus on the interests of the country, only on party and political interests. “I understand that the political parties have an interest in using and exploiting every situation for political gain, but this is crossing all limits and it demonstrates that some politicians no longer focus on the honest interests of the country but only on their party and political interests. The politicians should explain themselves before their voters and the public, because I believe that this is turning into a lack of honesty in regards to their actions,” said Osmani.

Rama’s meeting with Ahmeti, Thaci, Taravari and Gashi held last night in Tirana (Libertas)

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama hosted on Tuesday evening an informal dinner at the governmental residence in Tirana for the political party leaders of the Albanian bloc in North Macedonia. He posted a photo of the dinner on his Facebook profile. DUI’s Ali Ahmeti, Alliance for Albanians’s Arben Taravari, DPA’s Menduh Thaci, and Alternativa’s Afrim Gashi attended the dinner. Although invited, Bilal Kasami, president of the Besa Movement, didn’t attend the event. Albanian Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhacka was also in attendance. “Cheers! A happy year for Albanians wherever they are,” Rama wrote on Facebook with the hashtag AlbanianBrotherhood. While Rama didn’t reveal what was discussed, AA leader Taravari confirmed that the constitutional amendment was one of the topics. “It is well known that the leaders of the Albanian political parties in North Macedonia support amendments to the Constitution, with the sole aim of kicking off the real negotiations with the EU in November,” he told reporters. At the meeting, Taravari added, they also analyzed the general situation in North Macedonia, Albania and the region, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the economic situation and the joint EU path of Skopje and Tirana as NATO allies. Ahmeti stated that the meeting had been held in a positive and brotherly spirit. The DUI leader added that the future of the two countries was in the EU, while, in his view, the challenges awaiting them in this period are common for both sides, which is why joint coordination is needed. When asked about BESA leader Biljal Kasami‘s accusations that DUI is trying to save itself through Rama, Ahmeti says that DUI has been saving itself for 20 years. “Not one party participated. “DUI has been saved, it has been successful for 20 years, don’t joke with these things,” said Ahmeti. This received a reaction from Kasami, who did not attend the meeting: “Yes, this BESA, with this political force, defeated you twice in a row in the capital of the Albanians in North Macedonia – Tetovo. This time, no one can save you from defeat in the next elections, whenever they are held!”, Kasami reacted. According to DPA leader Menduh Thaci, the meeting didn’t see a discussion on anything concrete apart from the joint future of the two countries in the EU.

Before the meeting with Edi Rama, Arben Taravari met Osmani and Kurti in Pristina (Lokalno)

The leader of the Alliance for Albanians Arben Taravari arrived in Tirana from Pristina, where he had held a series of meetings, including with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, PM Albin Kurti, the Speaker of the Parliament, and with political party leaders. Taravari, accompanied by MPs Artina Qazimi and Elmi Aziri, expressed concern about the situation in the north of Kosovo at the meetings. “At the meeting, we also discussed the situation in the north of Kosovo, which we are following with concern, and we spoke loudly about the condemnation of the destabilizing structures there. I congratulated the authorities of Kosovo on the submission of Kosovo’s application for membership in the European Union, expressing confidence that the EU will be up to the exceptional challenge that threatens peace, security and our common values, devoting itself to the final unification of our continent,” said Taravari. “Cooperation with the institutions of Kosovo in order to learn from the previous experience in drafting the legal framework for fighting corruption, would be useful for our country as well,” emphasized the president of the Alliance for Albanians, Arben Taravari.

Leaders of Albanian parties in N.Macedonia meet Rama (ADN)

Prime Minister Edi Rama hosted a meeting with the leaders of the Albanian political parties in North Macedonia yesterday afternoon. Head of DUI, Ali Mehmeti, the head of the Alliance for Albanians Party, Arben Tarvari, the head of the Albanian Democratic Party, Menduh Thaci and the head of Alternative, Afrim Gashi, were present at the meeting. The meeting took place in the government villa near the Steering Committee of the Assembly in Tirana. Meanwhile, the head of the “Besa” party, Bilall Kasami, refused the invitation of the head of the Albanian government. In a statement to the Macedonian media, he said that he does not sit at a common table with Ali Mehmeti.

President Bajram Begaj receives in a meeting the new head of the OSCE presence in Tirana, Guido De Sanctis (Radio Tirana)

President Bajram Begaj receives in a meeting the new head of the OSCE presence in Tirana, Guido De Sanctis. Begaj says that during the meeting he evaluated the role of this organization so far and the transformation of the focus of cooperation step by step. “The presence of the OSCE in Albania is an important and cooperative partner in facing the challenges related to the consolidation of the rule of law, the organization of free and fair elections, the freedom and professionalism of the media, anti-corruption and many other areas. In the meeting with the new Head of the OSCE Presence in Tirana, Ambassador Guido De Sanctis, I appreciated the role of this organization so far, as well as the step-by-step transformation of the focus of cooperation. I emphasized that it is very important that political parties and other competing subjects demonstrate a clear will to respect the law and a fair competition and that political dialogue is necessary to move the country forward”, writes Begaj.