LOCAL PRESS

US Ambassador: Ohrid Agreement Legally Binding Even without Signatures (FoNet)

The agreement reached in Ohrid is legally binding even without signatures including its key elements which are both sides’ obligations in the European integration process, US Ambassador Christopher Hill told the FoNet news agency. He added that is important that the EU has an agreement whose implementation it has to secure.

Lajcak: EU had ambitious plan for Kosovo and Serbia to sign agreement, draft annex (Beta)

EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak said on March 21 that the EU in general had had an ambitious plan for the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to sign an agreement and draft annex with clear time frames and tasks in Ohrid. In an interview with Euronews and Radio Free Europe, Lajcak said that the initial proposal was altered and a new “more general and less concrete” annex presented because “the leaders could not reach an agreement on every item, while there was also Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic‘s refusal to sign the document,” but that “the key provisions are there, especially the fact that the sides will implement all of the items of the agreement and annex fully and in good faith.”

Asked whether there were contradictions given that the annex states that Kosovo needs to immediately enter negotiations on self-government for the Serb community, while on the other hand the order in which the provisions are arranged does not question the order in which they will be implemented, Lajcak said: “There is no contradiction there. The statement relevant to article seven of the agreement simply pertains to Kosovo’s yearslong commitment which stems from the agreements in 2013 and 2015. Given that this is so late, it is very clear that this should be solved as a priority issue.”

Asked whether the part of the agreement which states that Serbia will not oppose Kosovo’s membership in any international organization applied to the U.N., Lajcak replied that “public discourse is being focused on something that is truly outside of the goal because membership in the U.N. is a bigger question than Serbia’s relations with Kosovo” and that “one needs to think about procedures as well, the role of the Security Council, the role of its five permanent members.”

When asked who decided on the hierarchy or weight of the provisions of the agreement that was reached in Ohrid and who was the authority that would decide which provision went first and which after that, Lajcak replied that a Joint Committee chaired by the EU would do this and that it would be created within 30 days.

Borrell: Ohrid agreement important milestone (N1) 

European Union High Representative Josep Borrell said that the agreement reached in Ohrid is an important milestone in the normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations. He added that it creates a new status quo in the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. “We will no longer be – I hope – on crisis mode but (focused) on the implementation of the Agreement that was accepted on 27 February,” he said. Borrell said that the agreement was not signed for legal reasons “but both parties agreed that my statement was a commitment from their part to fulfil fully the obligations coming from this Agreement and the Annex for its implementation”.

EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak said that the Ohrid agreement means that Serbia won’t oppose Kosovo’s membership in international organizations while Pristina is obliged to immediately form the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Borrell added that the agreed provisions will be an integral part of Chapter 35 for Serbia and an obligation for Kosovo through its Special Group (Committee) on Normalization. “This will be concrete and explicitly part of their commitments on their European paths. We will follow closely the implementation of these agreements,” he said. The EU’s top diplomat said that the agreement has to implemented in line with a certain calendar which requires that each side does its part, starting from the most urgent things. The annex clearly states that Kosovo will immediately start work on the Union of Serb Majority Municipalities (ZSO), he said and added that the EU will closely follow the implementation of the two sides’ obligations.

Normalization to red lines (RTS)

Vladimir Orlic from the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) says that the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina implies a discussion about things that are important for people’s lives. Snezana Paunovic from the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) emphasizes that normalization is an absolute right to security, while Dveri leader Bosko Obradovic emphasizes that normalization cannot be achieved by violating the Constitution. The leader of the Movement of Free Citizens, Pavle Grbovic, says that it is time for political courage and important decisions.

Vladimir Orlic, in the show “Takovska 10” on RTS, says that the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina implies what the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, explained… “This means that we will talk to the people of Pristina, about all those things that are important for people’s daily lives, about things that concern the facilitation of life and the relaxation of relations between Serbs and Albanians,” says Orlic. He reminds that President Vucic also said what is out of the question for Serbia, what are the red lines and what cannot be discussed. “Nothing regarding recognition in any form is out of the question, nothing regarding the membership of the so-called Kosovo in the United Nations. He never hid anything from people, he spoke very openly about what we are facing, what we are doing and in what way we will we are fighting,” says Orlic. He emphasizes that the President of Serbia takes care of vital state and national interests, as well as that he is always guided by the truth, unlike those who attack him.

Snezana Paunovic says that the normalization of relations on a practical level means that the Devic monastery should not be locked 24 hours a day, that the sisterhood of the Patriarchate of Pec is not afraid of someone poisoning the fish in their pond, that citizens can move freely from place to place without fear will someone beat them, so that people can work freely on their properties… “The absolute right to security, the right to property, the elementary human right to live where you were born. That is normalization,” Paunovic points out. She says that everything else is the abuse of that term for daily political purposes, to which some in Belgrade and the Albanian majority in Pristina are prone to.

Bosko Obradovic emphasizes that he represents the majority of Serbia, which is against the implementation of the Franco-German agreement, as he says – “a new Western ultimatum according to which Serbia must recognize the fake state of Kosovo”. “It is very important to see who is on which side. On the one hand, you have the government embodied in Aleksandar Vucic and Ivica Dacic in an informal coalition with Dragan Djilas and those gathered around him. You also have the support of Vesna Pesic, Vuk Draskovic, Nenad Canak, Cedomir Jovanovic, Sonja Biserko and many others who are in favour of accepting the new Western ultimatum at any cost,” says Obradovic. He says that on the other side are 80 percent of Serbian citizens “who are against the recognition of the fake state of Kosovo”, along with the state-building bloc and intellectual Serbia, which opposes the new Western ultimatum. Obradovic believes that “the president of Serbia violated the Constitution and accepted the agreement which is the recognition of the fake state of Kosovo”. He says that the normalization of relations cannot be achieved by violating the Constitution, recognizing Kosovo passports, other documents, territorial integrity and sovereignty. “These are all articles 1 and 2 of the Franco-German agreement. We cannot even accept article 4, paragraph 2, in which it is written that Serbia will not oppose the entry of the fake state of Kosovo into any international organization,” emphasizes Obradovic.

He points out that we should not sign anything and accept what NATO imposes while the war in Ukraine continues. He believes that we should move towards a law on essential autonomy, treat the Albanian national minority as an integral part of the Republic of Serbia and move towards the reintegration of Kosovo and Metohija into the full constitutional and legal order of Serbia. To the remark that these are only “wishful thinking”, Obradovic says that the Franco-German agreement is then betrayal and capitulation. He believes that negotiations should be returned to where they belong – from Brussels to the United Nations Security Council.

Pavle Grbovic, says that the fact is that the agreement was accepted verbally and that it became politically binding for Serbia. “This was also confirmed by Borrell. That agreement and all obligations arising from that annex that was accepted in Ohrid become part of Serbia’s negotiation process in case it wants to become a member of the European Union,” Grbovic points out. He believes that the political dilemma that needs to be answered is whether Serbia wants to continue its European path. “If we want, we know what the conditions are. If we want, let’s do it as soon as possible. Let’s gather political courage and make important political decisions. I deeply believe that Serbia should be in the company of those countries and be like them countries to which our people come,” says Grbovic. He points out that it is completely legitimate for someone to think that Serbia has no place in that political space, but then he has an obligation to say how the country will compensate for the benefits it has from cooperation with the countries of the European Union. “These are the countries with which we have the greatest economic cooperation, these are the countries from which the companies that employ hundreds of thousands of people in this country come from. In the case of their departure, the people who propose a different policy do not need me, but the people who work there, to explain how will make it up to them,” emphasizes Grbovic. He says that there are no more changes in the content of the agreement, but that it is time to choose whether Serbia will be part of the political space created by those who offered that content or whether it does not want to be. “When it comes to the content of the agreement itself, it is not what we would like it to be and I am not happy about that, but it is the logical epilogue of the thirty-year process of expropriation and dissolution of Serbian statehood in the area of Kosovo and Metohija,” Grbovic believes. He says that it is historical justice that the bitter pill facing Serbia should be swallowed by those who, as he points out, were the creators and implementers of the worst policy in the history of Serbia – the policy of the 1990s.

Vucic has no legitimacy or mandate to give up part of Serbia’s territory (Beta)

People’s Party MP Vladimir Gajic has said that the EU should know that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic “has no legitimacy or mandate” to give up part of Serbia’s territory. “Sooner or later, a democratic Serbia will annul all of Vucic’s recognitions, bring those accountable to justice and permanently ban the dialogue mediators from entering Serbia. I pledge this on my honour,” Gajic said in a statement released by the People’s Party on March 21. Gajic also said that “Serbia is not obliged to honour public international law when it is not respected by the international community.” “This way, every agreed document will be nullified. When the so-called international community does not respect public international law, we won’t either. The documents agreed on by Vucic will be revoked by the will of the people,” Gajic stressed.

Leader of the New Democratic Party of Serbia (NDSS), Milos Jovanovic, said that the policy “both Kosovo and Europe” was no longer possible and added that his party therefore advocated the change of the foreign policy which implied a better cooperation with the EU but without membership. Jovanovic said that first the Constitution of Serbia and Resolution 1244 had to be respected and that a stop had to be put on the policy of constant concessions to Pristina.

Dveri MP Ivan Kostic said that Vucic did not have Russia’s support for the implementation of the French-German plan for Kosovo nor would the representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Administration in the future cooperate only with the ruling parties in Serbia, as they did so far. Upon his return from Moscow from the International congress of Russophiles, Kostic said that he was told there that Russia was beginning to change its policy towards the Balkans, which used to imply its cooperation only with the parties in power.

Campaign director of Kreni-Promeni, Savo Manojlovic, said that the consequence of the acceptance and implementation of the French-German agreement would be the entry of Kosovo into NATO. Manojlovic said that Vucic was conducting the negotiations very poorly since he renounces his influence on the territory of Kosovo, so that it could happen for the countries which have not recognised the independence of Kosovo to interpret this as Belgrade’s agreement for Pristina to enter NATO.

Petkovic: Kurti cannot justify not forming the ZSO (Tanjug)

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija (KiM), Petar Petkovic, said that the temporary Pristina institutions will have to form the ZSO in accordance with the four signed agreements from Brussels, and that Belgrade is committed to the Ohrid agreement, respecting its red lines and that nothing has been violated. He also stated that the Prime Minister of Pristina’s temporary institutions, Aljbin Kurti, cannot justify not forming the ZSO, reacting to Kurti’s earlier claim that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic rejected his, as he stated, “generous offer of self-government for Kosovo Serbs”.

“There is no medicine or doctor for Kurti’s hatred towards Vucic! Kurti cannot justify not forming the ZSO and he will have to do so respecting the four signed agreements from Brussels in 2013 and 2015. Belgrade is committed to the Ohrid agreement respecting its red lines and nothing has been violated there” Petkovic announced on Twitter.

Prime Minister of Pristina institutions, Aljbin Kurti, previously said on Twitter about the meeting in Ohrid… “After he refused to sign the agreement on February 27 and before he again refused to sign it along with the March 18 Annex, the President of Serbia also refused my generous offer of self-government for the Kosovo Serbs, through the Community model that I would have drawn up and proposed. . Is he ‘Dr No’ or ‘Mister nyet’? Well, we know he’s not a doctor” Kurti wrote.

European leaders will call on Belgrade and Pristina to implement what was agreed in Ohrid without delay (RTS)

At the summit on Thursday, European leaders will call on Belgrade and Pristina to implement the agreement reached in Ohrid without delay, according to the draft conclusions of the summit, which RTS had access to. “The European Council welcomes the agreement reached on the Annex on the implementation of the normalization agreement between Kosovo and Serbia and calls on both parties to expeditiously and in good faith implement their obligations,” reads the text of the conclusions that will be officially adopted during the summit on March 23 and 24.

“The High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, will report to the European heads of state and government on Thursday about the agreement reached and expectations from the further course of the dialogue, according to diplomatic sources. After Borrell’s report, EU leaders will adopt the text of the message to Belgrade and Pristina, which was included in the text of the conclusions as an additional encouragement to the parties to implement what was agreed in Ohrid,” said a European official ahead of the summit. The main topics of the two-day meeting of leaders will be the war in Ukraine and the continuation of economic and military aid to Kiev, energy, migration and the competitiveness of the European economy.

French Ambassador warns of consequences if agreement is not implemented (Beta)

France’s Ambassador in Pristina Olivier Guerot told RTK that there would be consequences to failure to implement the agreement reached in Ohrid. “We will carefully follow the implementation of the agreement. There will be consequences if the agreement is not respected,” he said adding that this was the best possible agreement. “We are on the road to normalization and our goal is full normalization,” Guerot said. According to him, there is no ambiguity in terms of the forming of the Union of Serb Majority Municipalities (ZSO).

Italy satisfied with Vucic’s fight for stability of region (Beta)

Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani marked Serbia as a country that had a decisive role in preserving stability in the Western Balkans and added that solving the issue of migration also depended on it, the agency Beta reported. “Serbia is a great country, which has a great tradition, an ancient partnership with Italy and can play a decisive role together with us in order to guarantee stability in an area on which the solution to the issue of migration also depends, because the more stability there is, the less illegal migration will be”, Tajani said after a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade. He thanked Vucic for the great efforts he made so that a peaceful solution to the Kosovo issue could be reached and added that thanks to Vucic’s involvement, the situation in the Balkans was more peaceful. “We are constantly cooperating, I have always asked him not to take unilateral decisions and his response to that has always been extremely positive, he proved to be a man of peace who always wants to find a positive solution in the interest of his country and the stability of the region”, says Tajani, who rated the talks with the President of Serbia as fruitful.

Dacic with the head of Italian diplomacy: High level of bilateral relations between the two countries (RTS)

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic had a bilateral meeting with the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy Antonio Tajani within the Business and Scientific Forum Serbia-Italy in the conversation between Dacic and Tajani, the high level of bilateral relations between the two countries was noted and the willingness to strengthen overall bilateral cooperation in all areas of common interest was expressed. During the meeting, mutual interest in holding the next Fourth joint session of the two governments in Belgrade was confirmed, which would provide additional momentum in the further development of bilateral relations. On the Italian side, strong support was expressed for the sooner possible integration of the Republic of Serbia into the European Union. Tajani announced the holding of a ministerial meeting between Italy and the Western Balkans at the beginning of April in Rome, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.

Vucic thanked Major General Lasica for the professional behavior of KFOR (RTS)

President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, met today with the Director of Strategy, Planning and Policy of the US European Command, Major General Daniel T. Lasica. Vucic, announced that in a conversation in Belgrade he thanked Lasica for the rational, measured and professional behavior of KFOR units. Vucic stated on his Instagram profile @buducnostsrbijeav that in his conversation with Major General Lasica, he expressed his belief that the good cooperation between the Serbian Armed Forces and the USA will continue. “A very fair meeting with Major General Lasica, whom I especially thanked for the rational, measured and professional behavior of the KFOR units during the crisis period and expressed my belief that we will continue the good bilateral cooperation between the Serbian Army and the USA,” wrote Vucic.

Mojsilovic with the commander of KFOR about the security situation in KiM (RTS)

The Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, General Milan Mojsilovic, met with the Commander of KFOR, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, with whom he discussed the security situation in Kosovo and Metohija (KiM). As stated in the statement of the Ministry of Defense, it is a regular meeting at a high level, which is carried out with the aim of maintaining direct channels of communication and creating preconditions for effective cooperation between the Serbian Armed Forces and KFOR in building a safe and secure environment in KiM and in the scope of administrative lines. At the meeting, as stated, there was talk of joint activities undertaken for continuous monitoring of the situation on the ground and an effective response to possible attempts to endanger the security, primarily of the non-Albanian population. In the conversation, the importance of contacts at all levels between the Serbian Armed Forces and international forces in our southern province was highlighted, which, as General Mojsilovic pointed out this time as well, in accordance with Resolution 1244 of the United Nations Security Council, are obliged to protect the Serbs and the Serbian national, cultural-historical and religious heritage in the territory of KiM.

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia and Herzegovina 

RSNA discusses Draft Law on amendments to RS Criminal Code that criminalize defamation; Voting expected to take place on Thursday (N1)

On Tuesday, a discussion on the Draft Law of Amendments to the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska (RS) started during continuation of the RS National Assembly (RSNA) session. The proposed law treats defamation as a criminal offense, as well as publishing of photographs and video footage when it comes to other criminal acts, like pedophilia.

At the beginning of the discussion, RS Justice Minister Milos Bukejlovic addressed the session and explained why this law should be adopted. He received support of the ruling majority, while the opposition criticized the legislative solution, saying it is not a proposal of the RS Government, but a wish of RS President Milorad Dodik. Bukejlovic reiterated that this law should arrange the system and its goal is to fight against lies. The opposition is sceptical, saying the law is aimed against the truth, and not against defamation. They believe the main goal is to censor any type of criticism aimed against the “ruling oligarchy”.

Those that criticized the Draft Law said it was not in line with other laws, as well as with the current RS Criminal Code. The amendments are not in line with some of the provisions stated in the current law. This primarily connects to the fines for defamation, and how this was regulated so far. Mitrovic said the very high fines are not something that all people in the RS can pay, which means talk that there is no prison sentences in the law is just not true, as those that could not pay would then go to prison. The opposition says the proposed law is not good, but it is already known that it will be passed, which is a paradox, and this will only happen because the ruling majority has two-thirds support in the RSNA.

SNSD MP in the RSNA Mladen Ilic said that a 60-days public discussion will be necessary when the draft law is passed. SDS MP Dragomir Vasic said that this law is not a “systemic solution”, as the ruling majority is trying to present, but only another one of Dodik’s wishes that will be fulfilled in the RSNA. Vasic explains that passing and application of such law would lead to legal uncertainty, because it would not be known if a perpetrator would respond based on a civil litigation or a criminal proceeding. Vasic sees this law as dangerous, as a lot of power is given to the prosecutor. He also adds that huge fines would be used to fill up the RS budget. Vasic said in the current RS Criminal Code, fines for defamation and insults are issued based on the income of the accused parties. If new changes are adopted, then people accused of defamation will probably be unable to pay the extremely high fines, and they will go to prison.

Djordje Vucinic, representative of ‘For Justice and Order’ in the RSNA, said it seems like Twitter is the “source for new legislative solutions in the RS”. Speaking about the draft law, SP RS MP Srdjan Todorovic admitted that this proposed text of the law must “undergo serious changes”, pointing out that this will be done during the time period when the public discussion will be held. Todorovic said experts, i.e. the media community stated some concerns and proposals, which should be heard and included in the final law text. PDP MP Igor Crnadak said the proposed solution even includes a part that says fines can be issued in some cases when someone even publishes the truth. SNSD representative in the RSNA Srdjan Mazalica said: “This law targets those who deliberately lie, present false information or family circumstances with the aim to cause damage to someone. I really do not understand if someone is against this, who are we protecting?”.

German Embassy: Germany concerned about attacks on freedom of expression and media freedom in RS (Nova BH)

The German Embassy to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) issued a statement on Tuesday, warning that Germany observes with great concern the attacks on freedom of expression and media freedom in Republika Srpska (RS). The statement reads: “As a candidate for accession to the EU, B&H – and thus the RS – has committed itself to European values and laws. This includes freedom of expression and the media. Germany requires a clear commitment of all levels of authorities and bodies of B&H for these values and laws, as their respect is a basic condition for the EU accession.” The German Embassy also underlined that, in order to protect fundamental rights, an independent, functional and reliable judiciary is necessary. According to the Embassy, at the moment, Germany unfortunately still does not see that this general framework has been consistently fulfilled in B&H.

B&H CoM Chair Kristo addresses AFET, stresses importance of changes to B&H Election Law (N1)

Chairwoman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Council of Ministers (B&H CoM) Borjana Kristo addressed members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) in Brussels. She pointed out that B&H established authorities at the state level in record time, which represents a positive impulse and the best incentive for accelerating the necessary reform processes. She stated that in addition to 14 key priorities from the opinion of the European Commission, many international agreements on the financing of key infrastructure projects such as Corridor 5C, railways, digitalization and increasing energy security through connection to the Southern Gas Interconnection are being considered. She emphasized that political subjects in B&H must raise the level of political culture and respect election results, in order to create a positive political environment. Kristo particularly emphasized the importance of finalizing the process of limited constitutional reform for the election of the three-member B&H Presidency, “where the anomaly is clearly emphasized that the Croat member of the B&H Presidency is elected by the more numerous constituent people in the Federation of B&H (FB&H)”. “By solving this long-standing injustice towards the Croat people, we will remove existing deep dissatisfaction and additionally ensure the political stability of B&H”, Kristo concluded.

“It is necessary to align our legislation with rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) so that each individual has the right to run in elections in our countries for every office. Furthermore, distribution of power among the three constituent peoples, i.e. Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs, is a fundamental fact that guarantees peace in multi-ethnic B&H’’, said Kristo before AFET.

As for the current political situation, the officials discussed the process of formation of authorities in B&H. In this regard, Kristo expressed hope that political blockades will not be used as a tool for a showdown with political opponents. She pointed out that the decision of the High Representative Christian Schmidt on imposing of parts of the B&H Election Law accelerated the process of formation of authorities. Kristo believes that B&H does not have a magic wand to change the rhetoric of the RS. Namely, in response to questions from members of the European Parliament regarding RS President Milorad Dodik, who cut ties with US and UK diplomats and intensified relations with Russia, Kristo said that B&H does not have a magic wand to change that rhetoric. “We have to respect the legitimate political will of the RS, that is, the constituent Serb people from the RS, because without them the institutions of B&H cannot function, and decisions cannot be made. We will do everything, on the trail of European values and respect for all EU foreign policy decisions and positions, to harmonize our moves with this, and for the institutions of B&H to work in accordance with the constitutional structure and MPs who are based exclusively on the Constitution and electoral rights,” Kristo concluded.

B&H CoM Chair Kristo discusses cooperation with EC with EC President Von der Leyen, B&H’s Euro-Atlantic path with EU HR Borrell; Kristo meets Metsola as well (BN TV)

Chair of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) (CoM B&H) Borjana Kristo met with President of European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen in Brussels on Tuesday. Kristo commented after the meeting that the focus of B&H institutions is continuing necessary reforms and that the solving of the 14 key priorities is the main priority of all B&H institutions. Kristo further stated that the complexity of B&H political system plays an important role on its European integration process, as it depends on patience, compromise and agreements of different levels of authority and that the support of European institutions is the key to the entire process.

The B&H Chair said that Von der Leyen emphasised that B&H has to “seize the moment” to speed up its integration process. Von der Leyen expressed her satisfaction with the pace of reform implementation, noting that B&H can count on all necessary assistance from the EU on its EU path, and announced that she is planning to pay a visit to B&H towards the end of this year. Kristo also met with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell to discuss B&H’s Euro-Atlantic path. Kristo met with President of the European Parliament (EP) Roberta Metsola, Metsola told Kristo that sanctions to Russia and Belarus must be fully implemented.

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg presents 2022 Annual Report; B&H aspires to become NATO member (Oslobodjenje)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg published on Tuesday his Annual 2022 Report, which reads that Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and NATO have years long, mutually beneficial and wide partnership and that B&H aspires to join the alliance. “B&H and NATO have a longstanding, mutually beneficial and wide-ranging partnership. For years, NATO has supported reforms in B&H through a comprehensive set of partnership tools, while the country has contributed to NATO’s operations, missions, education and training. B&H aspires to join the Alliance. NATO remains committed to supporting the country in its territorial integrity, sovereignty and Euro-Atlantic path. Against the background of the challenging security context in Europe, NATO decided in 2022 to provide an additional package of tailored support measures for B&H.

In addition to the intensified political engagement, the measures include enhanced opportunities for support and training in areas such as resilience and countering disinformation, as well as the development of a Defense Capacity Building Package. The package aims to address equipment shortages and strengthen resilience, focusing on areas such as civil preparedness, cyber defense and counterterrorism,” reads the Report.

Article comments that B&H is also mentioned in various parts of the Report, including the part about NATO’s ‘open door policy’. “B&H is currently the only country participating in the NATO Membership Action Plan. Allies remain committed to supporting the eventual NATO membership of Georgia and Ukraine, in line with decisions taken at the 2008 Bucharest Summit and reaffirmed this at the 2022 Madrid Summit,” reads the Report.

Report also comments NATO’s support to reforms in B&H: “NATO held several high-level political talks with B&H and committed to developing a new Defense Capacity Building Package to boost the country’s resilience. Cooperation with B&H also continued within the framework of the Reform Program.” Report also speaks about presence of NATO troops in certain countries, including B&H: “NATO also continued to maintain its presence in the Western Balkans through the Kosovo Force and the NATO Advisory and Liaison Team in Kosovo, through the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo and through the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade. The Alliance continued to provide support to the European Union-led operation EUFOR Althea in maintaining a safe and secure environment in B&H, under the ‘Berlin Plus’ arrangements”.

Izetbegovic: SDA is not blocking processes in the FB&H; Other FB&H politicians speak of process of FB&H Government formation (N1)

A legally prescribed deadline for forming the new Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) Government will soon end. Leaders of parties are yet to hold a meeting, but some names have been mentioned by certain coalitions. N1 noted that the meeting of leaders might be organized by the end of the current week. Commenting this process, SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic said his party is not blocking the processes in the FB&H, but those that do not respect the election results are. He says SDA is the strongest component in the FB&H as they won most votes. Izetbegovic insists that SDA must be part of the new Government and said Refik Lendo, FB&H Vice-President, will give his signature to any agreement if it includes SDA. Izetbegovic also announced that NES and SBiH will soon join SDA’s side. He adds that all things point to this. SBiH leader Semir Efendic, however, said his party and SDA do not see eye-to-eye when it comes to solutions for the current situation.

Izetbegovic warned High Representative Christian Schmidt not to impose a solution by which signatures of the FB&H President and one of the Vice-Presidents would be enough to form the new FB&H Government. Izetbegovic said that they will respond to such HR’s move. On the other hand, the coalition partners in the FB&H called on Schmidt, multiple times, to complete the process of unblocking the FB&H.

On Friday in Mostar, the coalition partners will sign an agreement. HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic explained that that agreement with precisely include and explain every move, all things about the new Government, all ministries, all posts that will be distributed, and all future plans that need to be implemented. He expressed belief that talks will be held by the end of March, and that the entire process will be finished by April 5 or April 6. Covic underlines that trust is of key importance, and he no longer trusts SDA.

Efendic reacts to Izetbegovic’ statement: I do not know why he says SBIH, NES will take SDA side when it comes to formation of authorities in FB&H (FTV)

Leader of the SBIH Semir Efendic reacted on Tuesday to the statement of leader of SDA Bakir Izetbegovic given for FTV. Among other things, Izetbegovic said that chances are SBIH and the NES Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) will take the SDA’ side when it comes to formation of authorities at the level of the Federation of B&H (FB&H). Among other things, Efendic said that he does not understand why Izetbegovic said such a thing bearing in mind different views on solving of the current situation in which the parliamentary majority is not able to form the government. According to Efendic, formation of the government should be solved identically as it was done at the state level where the B&H House of Representatives appoints the government, and the B&H Presidency appoints a Chair of the B&H Council of Ministers. In his opinion, FB&H President and Vice Presidents should not play a key role in appointment of the FB&H Government bearing in mind that they were not elected through the election process in the FB&H at all but indirectly through the B&H House of Peoples.

Dodik: RS is advocating for B&H to return to the framework of the Constitution; Entities have sovereignty, not B&H (ATV)

Commenting on the latest session of the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), in particular attempts to push through changes of the Criminal Code of B&H in relation to B&H’s sovereignty and the resolution on the right to freedom of expression in B&H, Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik said on Tuesday that it is entities that have sovereignty, not B&H, and there are attempts to establish B&H’s sovereignty by taking away the RS’ property. According to Dodik, the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA) gave an exclusive right to sovereignty to both entities while B&H was given “international political sovereignty”. He claims that this is why there were only three ministries at B&H level and none of them was in charge of internal affairs but what actually exists at the moment was either imposed or the RS was forced to accept against its will. He added that the time is right for revision and B&H will either be restored to original constitutional settings or it will cease to exist.

Dodik also said that decisions made at the joint level are not legally binding for the entities. He says the RS will advocate for B&H to return to the framework of the Constitution. Dodik emphasized that the B&H Parliament does not have any right to meddle into the work of the executive authorities in the RS. He explains that “B&H is a country with exclusively international sovereignty”, while its entities are the “deciding subjects” when it comes to internal, but also foreign policy issues. Dodik emphasized that the joint level in B&H cannot and will not ever issue orders for the RS. “They do not have any sovereignty. Their decisions do not have the legally binding strength for us. This is not a country that was made in such a way. It was made in a completely opposite way”, Dodik told members of the press, adding that the joint level does not order RS, but instead, the RS orders the joint level. He said that will remain so. The RS stance is clear – B&H should be returned to the framework of the Constitution. Dodik said “there will be no B&H if it is not in the framework of the Constitution”. Dodik commented on the resolution of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on B&H, which rejects conclusions, statements and activities that “undermine the jurisdiction of B&H”. Dodik believes it is time for a revision to be done. He explains that he is not talking about secession, he is simply saying that the RS would not like to be part of a country that is not operating within the framework of the Constitution.

Croatia 

FM: Every EU member state must send ammunition to Ukraine (Hina)

Ukraine was the main topic of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday, with a special emphasis on the aid in ammunition that it needs in the fight to liberate its territory, said Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman, stressing that all member countries must be included in this. The Croatian minister in Brussels took part the meeting of the Council for Foreign Affairs of the EU and at the European Humanitarian Forum, as well as the Schuman Forum for Security and Defense. “Ukraine is the most important topic that burdens not only the EU, but also the entire democratic international community (…) We discussed how to send even more and create conditions for even stronger aid to Ukraine,” Grlic-Radman told reporters after the meeting.

He is confident that all 27 member countries of the European bloc must strongly participate in helping Kyiv. Grlic-Radman added that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba joined the meeting via video link and asked for help in weapons and ammunition. “All countries must be strongly involved, in accordance with their own supplies and capacities, in helping Ukraine in its just fight for freedom and liberation of its territory,” Grlic-Radman said.

He said that simultaneously with the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, a donor conference for Turkey and Syria took place and recalled that Croatia has so far allocated €5.5 million to Turkey and €600,000 to Syria. “Last year, Croatia participated in humanitarian aid with a total of €4.5 million, this year we raised the amount to €7 million,” said the minister and clarified that it is not only about helping Ukraine, but also countries in other crisis hotspots, including Afghanistan.

Serbia-Kosovo agreement binding with or without signature 

It is about a wide range of assistance, from mine removal to psychological rehabilitation, Grlic-Radman said. Commenting on the agreement that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti accepted in Ohrid on Saturday, but the Serbian President did not want to sign it, Grlic-Radman said that “the agreement, whatever it may be, is binding, with or without a signature.” “It was presented as an agreement between two parties. I singled out the avoidance of any possibility that the agreement would not be respected. It is necessary to implement the agreement, but it is also necessary to avoid non-respect later, when we are talking about EU membership and prospects for joining the bloc, so that the EU retains all the criteria and standards that had to be met by all members”, said the minister.

When asked if the EU is lenient towards Serbia, Grlic-Radman replied: “I can’t talk about that, but I said that regardless of the agreements, they (the agreements) should not be seen as a reward for someone, but as an agreement on a real situation. And compromise is always part of the agreement between two parties that may have had opposite views on some things… But, I repeat, all those that want to enter the EU, just as Croatia had, must respect the European values, criteria and standards that are set on that journey.”

EDA brings together 18 countries for Common Procurement of Ammunition 

On the sidelines of the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, attended by ministers of foreign affairs and ministers of defense in Brussels, Croatian Minister of Defense Mario Banozic signed the European Defence Agency (EDA) project arrangement for the collaborative procurement of ammunition to aid Ukraine and replenish member states’ national stockpiles. The project opens the way for EU Member States and Norway to proceed along two paths: a two-year, fast-track procedure for 155mm artillery rounds and a seven-year project to acquire multiple ammunition types. Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, and Norway have signed. More member countries have already expressed their intent to join the initiative soon following national procedures.

Banozic supported the urgent delivery and procurement of ammunition for Ukraine, but also for EU member states. “We support the continuation of support to Ukraine because it is extremely important for maintaining the ability of the Ukrainian forces in the fight against Russian aggression. Ammunition is of key importance in this, and it is important that at the same time the member states have adequate ammunition stockpiles,” said Banozic.

When asked whether the countries that supply ammunition to Ukraine can count on the refund from the European Peace Fund, Banozic replied that one billion euros has been set aside for this purpose. “We expect 50 to 60 percent of the funds for all those resources that are currently being given as aid to Ukraine, namely a refund iof 50 to 60 percent that will be further transferred for the modernisation and equipment of the Croatian Army,” Banozic said. He did not answer a journalist’s question about the exact figures.

Montenegro 

Garcevic: Double, increasingly strong influence of SPC on MNE politics since 2020 elections (VOA)

Since the political changes in 2020 in Montenegro, when the rule of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) ended after a thirty-year period, the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) began to enjoy a very large influence. This is one of the main conclusions of the study called Orthodox Church, Montenegro and Serbian World, published by the NGO Atlantic Initiative.

The authors of the study, Kenneth Morrison and Vesko Garcevic, point out that the Serbian Orthodox Church has an influence on the current government and the majority of political parties present in the political life of Montenegro.

“Its influence can be seen in two directions. One is direct, which is visible, and which has been written about a lot. The second is that it supports a certain kind of ideology and political activism. Parties that want to gain the support of the church simply incorporate that kind of ideology into their political activities. So, we can talk about the appearance of further strengthening of nationalism, as well as the tightening of attitudes towards the LGBTQ population and all minority groups,” Garcevic, professor of international relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, explains for the Voice of America.

It also indicates that the church influences the way history is perceived, as well as the genocide committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Numerous issues are opened, and such issues are supported by the church. It creates the impression that the parties are not inspired by the church – but the church is inspired by them, to support it. I would say that a symbiosis is created between the two of them,” explains Garcevic, former ambassador of Montenegro to NATO and national coordinator for the Alliance. According to him, there are constant discussions about the SPC status – because of its unique status and role in the modern history of Montenegro:

“The Serbian Orthodox Church won such a status by creating the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and changing the status of the former autocephalous Montenegrin Orthodox Church. In the political sense, what brought this issue to the fore is the fact that the status of that church was not defined either in the former Yugoslavia or in the transition period after Yugoslavia. Nor in the interval after the founding of independent Montenegro. It always had the role of some kind of special factor that did not depend on the state of Montenegro. It, on the one hand, was a foreign body, but on the other, it was deeply incorporated into the being of the Montenegrin state, nation and citizens.”

That is a latent conflict between its legal status, as a church that is from Serbia and functions in Montenegro, and the way the authorities perceived it. Sometimes it was tolerated, and sometimes the government was in touch with it. We should not forget that at the end of the 1990s, the Democratic Party of Socialists was very willing to support the Serbian Orthodox Church and Metropolitan Amfilohije. And that he supported Milo Djukanovic when there was a split in DPS. After that, in the 21st century, the Montenegrin state and the Serbian church split. The Montenegrin state was right, from a legal point of view, to point to the undefined status of SPC in Montenegro”, Garcevic stresses, noting that the balance of power has changed again in the last three years in favour of SPC.

North Macedonia

Grubi: Working for all of VMRO-DPMNE to endorse constitutional changes (Telma)

We are working for all of VMRO-DPMNE to endorse the constitutional changes. If VMRO-DPMNE is committed to European North Macedonia, then it will vote for the revision, says First Deputy PM Artan Grubi. Grubi told Telma the Government discussed the constitutional changes at Tuesday’s session, whereas a team has been set up on this subject matter. “I am more than an optimist, I am certain we will succeed, our plan is great, very ambitious and realistic. I know there are sceptics, but we have realized everything that we promised,” says Grubi. The Deputy PM notes that the agreement with VMRO-DPMNE will be very simple. “We will be creative, flexible and a solution will be found. I do not think that blackmail should be used as a method, but we are leaders who must take bold decisions for the sake of the country,” said Grubi. According to him, the society has been rewarded for all the bold decisions it has taken until now. “The only big compromise left is the constitutional revision, which benefits the Macedonian people the most, since it finally separates it from the Bulgarian people,” underlined Grubi.

VMRO-DPMNE rejects the offer to be part of the working group on constitutional changes (Libertas)

VMRO-DPMNE will not appoint its representatives to the working group of the Ministry of Justice that will draft the constitutional amendments. The party repeated such position following the statement of Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj, who said that the Government is ready to offer the opposition to formulate the constitutional amendments. “VMRO-DPMNE’s position is clear, it will not participate in such working groups because this is an illegitimate process and we have told the government many times not to be involved in such processes, where there is absolutely no support from the citizens,” said Marija Miteva VMRO-DPMNE spokesperson. The opposition party reiterated its position that there will be no constitutional changes in this parliamentary composition, “under Bulgarian dictation”.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice does not reveal details about the composition of the working group and when it will start work. Unofficially, the Ministry will invite the participants by the end of this week or the beginning of next one. It is only known that constitutional law experts will be invited, as well as representatives of all parliamentary parties, including those of the opposition. Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski has previously highlighted that the opposition should think strategically and that its undertaken decisions should match their declared commitments. According to the latest information, Bulgarians, Croats, Montenegrins and Jews are expected to be included in the Constitution. The process has been announced to enter the parliamentary procedure in May or June and complete in November.

Osmani: VMRO-DPMNE should think about its political positions, not engage in daily politics (TV21)

Bujar Osmani says the opposition VMRO-DPMNE should think about its political positions, not engage in daily politics. “VMRO DPMNE should think about its political positions, not engage in daily politics. Tomorrow if they come to power, they should know that [North] Macedonia’s name is North Macedonia and respect it. Failure to accept one of the 3 agreements is to trample on red lines and thus have no partner in Albanians. VMRO DPMNE had good relations in AA but lost its rhetoric to the Albanian strategic partner. We want a functioning multiethnic state,” Osmani says.

Albania 

Rama: Guterres should explain why he uses the name “Belgrade-Pristina Agreement” (Radio Tirana)

The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, asked United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres this evening to explain why he called the agreement on the path to normalization of relations an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. Rama stated on Twitter that the official name of that document is “Agreement on the path to normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia” and assessed that it would be unacceptable if Guterres deliberately did not use the “real name”.

“Belgrade and Pristina?! Serious mistake or slip? Its official name is the ‘Agreement on the path to normalization between Kosovo and Serbia’ and it would be unacceptable if the Secretary General deliberately did not use the right name. Please clarify immediately,” Rama said on Twitter.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres previously welcomed, as he stated, the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina “on the path to normalization of relations” and emphasized that the parties must work “quickly” and “in good faith” to “materialize all their obligations from the agreement”. “UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres welcomes the recent statement by the EU on the agreement between the parties on the implementation of the Agreement on the Road to Normalization of Relations between Belgrade and Pristina”, said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman of the Secretary General, Europe Press reports.

Guterres stated that the fulfilment of the agreement will bring benefit to everyone and emphasized that the international organization “remains committed to supporting the implementation of the agreements that result from the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, with the mediation of the EU”.

Nikolla: Intense cooperation with the Assembly of Kosovo (Radio Tirana)

The Speaker of the Assembly, Lindita Nikolla, received today members of the Health and Social Welfare Committee of the Assembly of Kosovo, chaired by the Speaker, Fatmire Kollcaku. Nikolla assessed that the cooperation between the Assembly of Albania and that of Kosovo is quite intense. “Parliamentary committees meet regularly to exchange opinions, experience and successful practices for the drafting of legislation and alignment with EU legislation, parliamentary control, transparency and cooperation with citizens’ media”, she said. Nikolla emphasized that cooperation between parliamentary delegations in regional and international organizations is also increasing, to ensure support for jointly facing international challenges.

The Greek Speaker welcomes Rama: We are interested in Albania’s membership in the EU (Radio Tirana)

Prime Minister Edi Rama, as part of his visit to Greece for the opening of the exhibition with his works of art, met on March 21 with the speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Constantine Tassoulas. RTSH journalist Denada Shkodrani, who is in Greece to closely follow the visit of the head of the government in Athens, has informed that in the meeting between Rama and Speaker of the Parliament Tassoulas, the latter emphasized Albania’s membership in the European Union, while guaranteeing Greece’s support in this direction. “We are interested in Albania’s membership in the EU,” said the speaker of the Greek parliament, Constantine Tassoulas, noting the benefits of this integration.

“In 40 years, Greece has benefited from billions of euros from the EU,” underlined the Speaker of the Parliament for the Prime Minister Edi Rama, RTSH journalist Denada Shkodrani reports.

While Prime Minister Rama focused on the strong bridges between the two countries, “Greek citizens in our country and Albanian citizens in Greece.” After the meeting with the Greek Speaker of the Parliament, Rama paid a short visit to the Parliament’s exhibition.

Meeting with the president 

Also, during this Tuesday, Prime Minister Rama met with the Greek President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou. The focus of their conversation was the issue of the sea, the solution of which will be given through the Hague Court. The Prime Minister has stated that “the agreement to lead a third party in relation to the maritime border is an expression of the desire for a shared and fair responsibility”.

Albania and Greece agreed that the sea issue would be resolved by a third party, which is the International Court in The Hague. On October 20, 2020, Albania confirmed that it has agreed with Greece to refer to the Court of The Hague, to resolve the issue of delimitation of maritime zones between the two countries, the review of which at the international court in The Hague was confirmed during the visit to Tirana of to the Foreign Minister of Greece, Nikos Dendias. It is also learned that today, the economic forum will be held where large companies operating in both countries will be present. Meanwhile, on March 20, Prime Minister Rama met with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, who were also invited to his exhibition.