LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Serbia wants to join EU but knows that does not depend only on us (RTS/RTV/Tanjug)

Serbia is on the European path and wants to become an EU member state, but it knows that does not always depend only on us, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday, noting that Serbia’s objective was to accelerate its progress on the European path, but also to strengthen its economy and advance its democracy. “For us to fulfill what is also formally expected from us, many things have to do with Pristina and the dialogue with Pristina,” Vucic said at a press conference after a meeting with Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou. He was responding to a reporter’s comment that nothing about the Western Balkans’ EU integration process had changed in the 20 years since the 2003 Thessaloniki summit, as well as to a question what countries in the region – especially Serbia – needed to do to make the situation more constructive. “What I think we have always happily accepted is the fact that we need to carry out many more reforms,” Vucic said, noting that Serbia was proud of judicial reforms implemented since January. “I believe the European Commission will show that in its reports in May,” he said.

Sakellaropoulou: Pressure does exist, but our stance on Kosovo remains unchanged (Tanjug)

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, who is on an official visit to Serbia, said on Tuesday the Greek stance on non-recognition of the self-declared independence of the so-called Kosovo remained unchanged and that Greece was consistently implementing a constructive policy aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the Western Balkans. Sakellaropoulou said this after a Belgrade meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, in response to a reporter’s question whether Greece’s position on the issue had changed and whether Western pressure on Athens to recognise Kosovo had increased. “I would like to remind that EU accession of the entire Western Balkans is our strategic objective. Greece is ready to provide support to Belgrade and Pristina in the implementation of what has been agreed in Ohrid – the implementation annex,” she said. Speaking about Western pressure, Sakellaropoulou said it always existed at diplomatic level but that Greece’s position remained unaffected by it. It is very important that Pristina, too, meets its commitments as that would help overall efforts aimed at maintaining security and stability in the Western Balkans, she said.

US Ambassador: Progress after difficult decisions (FoNet)

US Ambassador Christopher Hill said in Presevo that he sees some progress after top officials from Belgrade and Pristina took difficult decisions in reaching the EU-proposed agreement. The Ambassador said that a lot of people are worried about how everything will end but added that they should support the people who took the difficult decisions. Hill said that one of the most important elements of the agreement is the Community of Serb Municipalities which the Kosovo authorities have to form along with other things Pristina has to do. He said that he believes Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic wants to normalize Belgrade-Pristina relations as well as relations with Brussels. I think this leads to a better situation with the EU, he said. The Ambassador said that the US fully supports the EU’s efforts but added that Washington is not a participant nor is it party to the agreement between Serbia, Kosovo and the EU even though it was involved in the process.

Kosovo Serb arrested at Jarinje released from detention (Tanjug)

Kosovo Serb Miljan Jovanovic, who was arrested at the Jarinje administrative crossing on Tuesday evening, has been released from detention, his wife confirmed on Wednesday. “He called me about half an hour ago to tell me he is on his way home from Pristina. I have no details on whether he has finally been cleared of any suspicion of wrongdoing, but hopefully that is the case. His lawyer called me, too, and confirmed that Miljan has been released,” Suzana Jovanovic said in a statement to Tanjug. Pristina’s police has said Jovanovic, identified by the initials M J, had been arrested on suspicion of three criminal offences. Suzana Jovanovic said her husband had been mistaken for a man with a similar name and family name. Jovanovic, a former Kosovo police officer, was arrested as he, his wife and their two underage children were returning home from Raska, Serbia proper. Together with all other Serb police officers in the north of Kosovo, Jovanovic left the Kosovo police on 5 November 2022. After his release, the police said he had been arrested by mistake. In a reaction to the incident, the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said the case clearly showed Kosovo Serbs were being “arrested without evidence, manhandled in front of their family members and held in detention without grounds”. “The sole objective of arrests like these is to criminalise Serbs, especially those in the north of Kosovo,” Petkovic wrote in a Twitter post.

Stano says EU will take first steps on Kosovo agreement (Beta)

Beta said it was told European Commission spokesman Peter Stano that EU institutions will take the first steps in implementing the agreement to normalize Belgrade-Pristina relations.

According to Stano, the international reputation of and trust in Kosovo and Serbia is at stake and added that Belgrade and Pristina are obliged to implement the Basic Agreement and implementation annex and warned that failure to implement it will mean that they can’t progress towards EU membership. He said Belgrade and Pristina should prove themselves as partners the EU can trust. Stano said that both sides know that they will face very bad consequences if they fail to implement the agreement and very good consequences if they implement it.

EU invites Pristina and Belgrade chief negotiators to Brussels on 4 April (Tanjug)

The meeting of the heads of the negotiation teams of Belgrade and Pristina, Petar Petkovic and Besnik Bislimi, will be held on 4 April in Brussels, it has been confirmed for Tanjug.

European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said yesterday that the EU invited the chief negotiators of Pristina and Belgrade to a meeting in Brussels on 4 April to discuss the next steps in the implementation of the agreement on the path to normalization of relations and its annex. “Both sides have confirmed their participation. The talks will be technical and no media activity will be organized by our side as usual,” said Stano. He announced that a meeting of the heads of the negotiating teams of Serbia and so-called Kosovo will be held in Brussels next week. They were invited by EU mediators in order to start working on everything that was agreed at the meetings in Ohrid on 18 March, Stano told a press conference. He stressed that the leaders of the EU countries emphasized that both sides, Belgrade and Pristina, must start the implementation quickly and, as he said, in good will. “We initiated the institutional side of the work, in order to start with the first steps, especially when it comes to Chapter 35 as far as Serbia is concerned, as well as the important steps from the Kosovo side. What I can say is that there will be high-level meetings soon, but we will announce it when the time comes,” Stano said.

REGIONAL PRESS

Bradara informs Lendo and Stojanovic that she will adopt decision on FB&H government formation (Hayat)

FB&H President Lidija Bradara and FB&H Vice-Presidents Refik Lendo and Igor Stojanovic held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the formation of the new FB&H government. Deadline for government formation will expire next week, which is why Bradara informed her colleagues that she will adopt a decision on government formation on Wednesday and deliver this decision to Lendo and Stojanovic for them to sign and approve it. Stojanovic said he will support the decision, while Lendo said he will not sign if SDA members are not part of the new government.

Ambassador Murphy meets Head of Istocna Ilidza Bozovic (Oslobodjenje)

US Ambassador to B&H Michael Murphy met with Head of Istocna Ilidza Municipality Marinko Bozovic to discuss economic program and possible ways in which USA can support development of Istocna Ilidza. “Investments with a greater participation of private sector are crucial for creation of jobs, generating of sustainable economic growth and giving citizens quality life which they want and deserve”, Murphy said. The daily noted that the meeting took place after the RS government adopted a decision to suspend cooperation with US and UK diplomats. Bozovic told the daily that this decision is not very clear to him. “As the Head of Istocna Ilidza and a member of SDS, I believe all decisions that are in the interest of the RS and its citizens must be respected. I am not sure what this decision of the RS government means. Is it a decision or information? We still cooperate with USA and UK, but we do not cooperate with their diplomats? Our obligation is to talk, not to withdraw”, Bozovic argued.

Dodik: US Ambassador and his staff are hostile for the RS when they claim that the property belongs to the level of B&H; Dodik condemns Bozovic’s meeting with Murphy (ATV)

According to ATV, RS President Milorad Dodik said that the US Ambassador in B&H Michael Murphy and other members of the US Embassy staff are working against the Serb people in B&H, when they make claims that RS property belongs to B&H. Such comments are seen as an attack on the territorial and any other form of RS sovereignty, ATV reports. Dodik also made comments on the meeting of Head of Municipality Istocna Ilidza Marinko Bozovic with the US Ambassador stating that Bozovic does not respect the decision of the RS government to stop cooperation with USA and UK diplomats. Dodik also gave the following statement: “He (Murphy) hurried to meet with the Head of Municipality of Istocna Ilidza, and I am not against their cooperation. But such traitors who do not respect the decisions of the RS government show the true point of the story. He (Murphy) needed anyone from RS to take a picture with him yesterday, and I interpret that as he needed to present some evidence to his superiors in Washington that he is cooperating with someone from SNSD. That’s why he met with Bozovic to show that he cooperates with someone. The truth is that he is not cooperating, he will not cooperate and while he is here in office we will not change our policy towards them.”

Dodik claims he did not terminate cooperation with US but with US Embassy in B&H (BNTV)

BNTV notes that RS President Milorad Dodik often says one thing and then denies it very quickly. On Tuesday, Dodik attended an event of presenting 50 refugee and displaced families with keys to new apartments in Banja Luka – a project partially funded by the US and the EU. Even though Dodik announced termination of cooperation with American diplomats, some of them were present at this event. The mentioned project was implemented with the help of the US, i.e. with usage of the US government funds. When asked about this, Dodik said the RS did not terminate cooperation with the United States but only with the US Embassy in B&H. He added that if the RS’ decision is something unacceptable for the US, and if they do not wish to fund projects in the RS no more, that is fine and acceptable. He said the RS will continue the Regional Housing Program and implement it on its own, if that is necessary. Dodik also commented on Tuesday the statement of the US Ambassador to B&H that said “Dodik drastically changed” and he went from being the “breath of fresh air in the Balkans” to someone that spreads xenophobia. Dodik responded and said the Ambassador is against the Serb people in B&H, even though he claims he is not.

Dodik again makes homophobic comments referring to LGBTIQ community (ATV)

RS President Milorad Dodik commented on the Draft Law on the amendments of the RS Criminal Code and a Law on NGOs ensuring that both laws will be implemented. He further commented on the protection of RS schools and stated he is on the side of the argument that all RS schools restrain access to activists from the LGBT community, which would stop the spread of their propaganda, as he puts it. Dodik gave the following statement “When it comes to protecting our schools, I absolutely support the opinion that all activists of that group (LGBT) should have restrained access to schools, and not be allowed to spread their propaganda. All schoolbooks should remove all content of that material, and we should even try to regulate social media of content of that kind. I think that pollutes the public space and social life, and should be eliminated from it. I don’t see why anybody should be upset. Just like people have opinions that supports that, my opinion is that I don’t… I don’t think I am any less European, that I am any less civilized, and I have no intent to make anyone’s life any harder. However, many members of that population make life harder by pressuring children. For me, it is unacceptable to implement a same-sex marriage law here, and allow same-sex couples to adopt children, I am absolutely against it.”

EUD to B&H says latest developments in RS have quite terrifying effect both on minorities and LGBT community (N1)

The EU Delegation (EUD) to B&H commented on Tuesday on the latest attack the LGBT persons in Banja Luka, the adoption of the draft amendments to the Criminal Code of the RS criminalizing the defamation, the announcement on the adoption of the RS law banning the access to kindergartens, schools and universities for the LGBT persons and the story on the alleged foreign agents. They said that all this gives a background to reduce the scope for the critical mass in the RS, adding that everyone should be able to declare themselves as they wish and to express protest in case that they feel their rights are endangered. Head of the EU Delegation (EUD) to B&H Johann Sattler said that it has been seen in Sarajevo that the LGBT persons at least once a year can walk freely and speak about the discrimination they face every day, reminding also of the first court verdict regarding the LGBT community that was passed last year. He concluded that there are certain social developments in BiH and the region in other respects that are positive, but what was seen lately in the RS has quite terrifying effect both on minorities and the LGBT community.

Milatovic addressed diaspora just like Zdravko Krivokapic back in 2021 (CdM)

The presidential candidate of the Europe Now Movement Jakov Milatovic remembered to address the diaspora in an emotional letter sent right before the elections on 2 April, even though he didn’t have any of those emotions back in 2021, when the government run by Zdravko Krivokapic intended to amend the law in order to deprive that same diaspora of their right to vote. “As the diaspora, for me, you are a precious resource of Montenegro beyond its borders. But you are not a voting resource or reservoir, rather a human and moral one. For Montenegro, you are the biggest humanitarians and donors, the biggest investors, initiators of tourism and its promoters, and an inexhaustible source of wisdom and experience that you have been acquiring for years in the most developed and well-organized systems on the planet,” Milatovic said in a letter. One must admit that the Milatovic’s statement greatly reminds of the one uttered by the then prime minister Zdravko Krivokapic, in the town of Bijelo Polje, whose apostle Milatovic used to be. Krivokapic then said that he wanted everyone to feel equally, explaining what he meant by that. “The only difference that can somehow divide us is whether we all have the right to vote or not. Here the whole system turned into a voting machine, and you were often abused. We’re interested in you as human beings, as the figures of God, tied to their fatherland”, stated the then Prime Minister Krivokapic on 30 July 2021 in Bijelo Polje. Similar, not to say the same messages, right? To summarize – the diaspora is a resource, but they shouldn’t have the right to vote.

Abazovic: I told Brdjanin that he should resign (CdM)

I told the Internal Affairs Minister Filip Adzic that he’s free to clean up the mess in the National Police in line with the law and regulations, but that he’s not restricted in taking measures against any officer in line with the law, stated the outgoing Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, speaking about the National Police’s management following the session of the National Security Council. “From top to bottom. And I personally expect him to do it,” said the Prime Minister, adding that it’d be hard for Adzic to do it in the coming period. “We must continue with dismissing people who are connected to organized crime. It’s hard to do it for only one reason – we didn’t have proofs for many people we suspected to have been involved in crime, and that’s what slows down the processes. I think we’ll face a somewhat different situation and that new proofs will emerge.”

“Brdjanin should take responsibility”

Asked whether the government intended to dismiss the Head of the National Police, Zoran Brdjanin, PM Abazovic said that in his opinion, Mr Brdjanin must take responsibility.

“I think he possesses extraordinary competencies, but he should have been aware of what was happening within the system.” On the possibility of dismissing Brdjanin at the next government’s session, the PM told that “everything’s possible”. “There will be great and serious changes,” he noted, adding that he advised Brdjanin to resign. “But I can’t insist on it, it’s not my style”. On the arrest of the Deputy Director of police Dejan Knezevic, Abazovic said that he was suspected of revealing certain information to the Kavac clan.

Djurovic: Parliament continues its work (MINA)

The parliament of Montenegro will continue its work, says the speaker Danijela Djurovic, adding that the Law on the Election of Councillors and MPs stipulates that the mandate of MPs terminates once the new parliament is set up. Djurovic told this to reporters following the opening of the ‘Pricam ti pricu’ (eng. I’m Telling You A Story’) exhibition. Asked to comment on the opinions of some lawyers claiming that after the decree on dissolving the parliament was adopted, the mandate of MPs terminates by operation of law and the Constitution, she said that the Law on the Election of Councillors and MPs clearly prescribes that their term of office terminates with setting up a new parliament after the elections. “MPs are fully in their mandate until the new parliament is established. Therefore, such a thesis doesn’t exist”. Djurovic also points out that it’s a practice in other countries as well, mentioning the EU member states.

Osmani: Constitutional amendments to focus on EU, not to be burdened by other political issues (MIA/Alsat-M/Sitel/Telma/360 Stepeni)

In answer to a journalist’s question at a press conference on Tuesday over the constitutional amendments, the Foreign Minister conveyed his personal position on the issue and said that currently he is not familiar with the statement or intention of the Minister of Justice to regulate other issues based on the requests of the political parties when opening the Constitution. “My personal position is that right now we should focus on the constitutional amendments related to the continuation of EU negotiations, because they are fully technical, they do not have political consequences, nor do they threaten the country or the ethnic communities in any way. What I am constantly reiterating is that this is merely a confirmation of what is already implicitly stated in the Constitution. So the category of ‘others’ in the Preamble and in all other articles that mention the ethnic communities, includes all ethnic communities mentioned in the census,” said Osmani. According to the Foreign Minister, there would be no formal or legal difference, it is more of an issue of symbolizing that all citizens are treated equally, are not separated and are all listed in the Constitution. “That is the symbolism of this process. Formally and legally there is absolutely no difference between ‘others’ and the listing of the ethnic communities. Therefore, I believe that it shouldn’t be burdened with other political issues that would likely further polarize our society,” said Minister Osmani. Asked whether Hristijan Pendikov has returned to the country, Osmani said that he has no information due to the legal process that is being led in the country over the physical attack on Pendikov. “After Bulgaria’s reaction, which I have to say was asymmetrical in relation to what happened, accusing the state of systemic discrimination and systemic attack, for me it was important to prove that as a country we do not support such attacks, especially on an ethnic basis. This is also why I visited Sofia in order to pay attention to our citizen. However, to also show the EU that this is not the country’s policy and that such attacks do not reflect the values of our citizens,” said Osmani. He expressed hope that Pendikov will soon return, because, he said, no one should feel unsafe in the country due to any ethnic, political or ideological positions. During his first media briefing as Minister on Monday, Justice Minister Krenar Lloga said that the amendment of the Preamble adding the smaller ethnic communities is a priority, but that other necessary amendments are also being considered over the justice minister’s membership in the Judicial Council, the regulation of the vacuum created by the dissolution of Parliament, as well as the section on languages.

Kovachevski: Citizens want to live in EU but in our country, brave decisions needed (MIA/Netpress/Biznis Vesti)

The priority of the constitutional amendments is to fulfill the obligation from the negotiating framework, which was adopted by 27 EU member states, with the inclusion of the other ethnic communities that live in North Macedonia, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski on Tuesday. “The constitutional amendments are a priority in order to resume the country’s European path which has been chosen by the citizens. A high level expert commission will be established and will consist of experts, professors and practitioners that will work on the constitutional amendments, which will be subject of a public debate. During that process it is very likely that other ideas emerge as well concerning other parts of the Constitution, where improvements of a mainly procedural character for the functioning of certain institutions will also have to be made,” said Kovachevski. The citizens, he said, want to live in the EU, but at home in our country, and that is what they ask the politicians to do. “The opposition was also invited to provide representatives in the Commission,” said Kovachevski and added that it is high time for the opposition to participate in at least one process in the country that is of strategic and key importance. The PM said that the politicians should be decisive and adopt forward-looking decisions that will secure a better future for the citizens as was the case with the decision that enabled the country to join NATO, which, stressed Kovachevski, has shown to be crucial following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “We are near the finish line of our EU membership path. I believe that with the right and brave decisions, and not by hiding behind the people as the opposition has done for all important processes for the country thus far, we will manage to fulfill this goal by 2030 and become an EU member,” stressed Kovachevski. He said that he is convinced that there are politicians with a European vision, courage and decisiveness within VMRO-DPMNE too, who would support the country’s EU path and avoid repeating the mistake of the past as a result of which the country spent 11 years waiting for NATO membership.

Xhacka meets the counterpart of North Macedonia: Cooperation and challenges in the region are in focus! (Radio Tirana)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Europe Olta Xhacka held a meeting in North Macedonia, with her counterpart Bujar Osmani. Both interlocutors held a joint conference on bilateral cooperation. The chief diplomat emphasizes that the focus of the friendly talks between the two countries have also been the challenges of the countries of the Western Balkans after the Russian aggression in Ukraine. “We had the opportunity to discuss, as Bujar said, the ways in which we can further intensify the cooperation between us in areas such as infrastructure, energy, commercial exchanges, tourism, education, culture, etc. With Bujar, we share a common vision for Corridor or Initiative 8, which, beyond its regional and European dimension, may also serve as the axis of cooperation and exchanges between our countries. I know that Bujar Osmani has been particularly active in promoting this initiative and I want to share with you the fact that the Albanian government is also working on this initiative, which today, beyond the purely infrastructural and economic dimension, has also acquired an important security dimension in the context of the war in Ukraine,” said the Minister. Further, the minister also focused on the EU membership process of the two countries, citing the “uniform” journey that the two countries had to open negotiations with the union. The head of the diplomatic mission sees it as a good way for this cooperation and close diplomatic relationship to be as active, so that the road to the European Union is as easy as it is challenging. “Today we meet as foreign ministers of two NATO member countries, but we also meet as foreign ministers of two countries that are on the verge of opening the first chapters of talks with the European Union. This puts us in front of the responsibility to deepen the reforms and to cooperate closely even in this process of primary importance, with the main goal of maintaining the momentum that this process has gained recently: the year 2022 has been historic for our two countries with the holding of the First Conference Intergovernmental, but 2022 has been a good year for the region as well, with Bosnia and Herzegovina that received the status of a candidate country or Kosovo that applied for membership and that finally, after an unfair delay, the road to visa liberalization opens,’ said Xhacka. The year ended with the organization of the EU-BP summit in the region, in Tirana, which was a clear signal of maintaining the EU’s focus on our region, so things are moving, there are undoubtedly difficulties and there will be many, but we must to try and work to maintain this good dynamic and our integration process to advance steadily and with concrete results. Precisely for this purpose, I find the opportunity to encourage all political actors in North Macedonia to contribute constructively in the fulfillment of commitments that will pave the way for the progress of the country’s integration process,” she said. As part of her visit, Xhacka also shared with the media the conversation about Albania’s assessment of the Kosovo-Serbia agreement that was signed in Ohrid. The minister underlines that even though the document has not been signed by either party, the agreement was reached and Albania welcomes it. She also praised North Macedonia for hosting these historic negotiations. “I shared with my colleague Osmani, our assessment regarding the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. We welcomed the agreement reached in Ohrid on March 18 for the implementation of the annex to the agreement on the path to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, even though the document was not signed by them. We appreciate the facilitating role of the government of North Macedonia and it is a good coincidence that the Ohrid Framework Agreement was signed in the same building 22 years ago. We believe that this agreement will contribute to strengthening stability in the Western Balkans and its Euro-Atlantic perspective and democratic institutional consolidation. We support the commitment of the EU and the USA in the implementation of the annex, which is an integral part of the agreement on the normalization of relations,” concluded Xhacka.

Xhacka meets with Xhaferi, Albanians in North Macedonia, an important role for the Euro-Atlantic perspective (Radio Tirana)

Following the meetings with the head of state as part of her official visit to North Macedonia, Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhacka met the speaker of the parliament of North Macedonia Talat Xhaferi. Xhacka expressed appreciation for the role of the parliaments in Albania and North Macedonia in strengthening bilateral relations. Also, the minister appreciated the important role of the Albanians in North Macedonia as a factor committed to the democratization and Euro-Atlantic perspective of the country.