LOCAL PRESS

Vucevic: SNS happy with election results, parliament inauguration next (Beta/RTS/RTV)

Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) president Milos Vucevic said after a session of the party Presidency that the Progressives were happy with the results of the December 2023 elections in Serbia and that the next steps were to inaugurate institutions and prepare for local elections in spring. Vucevic said the SNS had found the election results of the Aleksandar Vucic – Serbia Must Not Stop ticket to have been successful at all levels, adding that the Progressives had won an independent majority in 54 of 66 local governments, winning in 65, and failed to secure a majority only in Novi Pazar. He announced that the parliament would be inaugurated within the legal timeline, while noting that the timeline started on 12 January, and that the national parliament would be inaugurated within 30 days of that date. The 15 Janueary session did not include discussion of who will be the new premier designate or speaker of the parliament, he added. Vucevic reiterated that the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians would be invited to join the ruling majority, and that there would be talks with the Socialist Party of Serbia, Bosniak parties, but also other participants in the elections. Asked about the city government of Belgrade, he said there were “no secrets there — either there will be a majority, or there will be another election, which all depends on the political will of those who have won councillor seats.”

Starovic: Investment in Serbian army unrelated to US arming Kosovo (Beta/RTV/Tanjug)

State Secretary at the Serbian Ministry of Defense Nemanja Starovic said in Belgrade yesterday that it was “irresponsible to say” that fresh investments in the Army of Serbia that had been heralded had anything to do with the U.S.’ decision to sell Javelin anti-tank missiles to Kosovo. The US Department of State previously approved the sale to Kosovo of Javelin anti-tank missiles and corresponding equipment worth $75 million, after which Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced that Serbia would spend almost EUR740 million this year on the procurement of military equipment. “It is irresponsible to claim that this new round of investments in the Army of Serbia has anything to do with some new acquisitions carried out for the so-called Kosovo Security Forces, as we have been intensively working to modernize the Serbian military for the past 10 years,” Starovic said at the panel discussion “The Concept of Military Neutrality and Serbia’s Relations with NATO”. It is expensive, he added, but it is also necessary. “As a state that has built its foreign and security policy on two pillars – political independence and military neutrality, we must primarily rely on our own forces, which is what we are doing,” the Serbian government official said.

Petkovic receives former judge who investigated Racak case (Tanjug/Politika)

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic on Monday received former investigative judge Danica Marinkovic, who carried out a crime scene investigation following the 15 January 1999, armed clashes in Racak, Kosovo and Metohija. Serbian police clashed with ethnic Albanian extremists, members of the so-called “Kosovo Liberation Army”, in the Racak village, Stimlje municipality, 25 years ago today. After the clashes, Serbia was accused of having committed a “massacre of innocent civilians”. US diplomat William Walker, who led the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission at the time, especially insisted on the accusations. Even though it was never established for a fact that Serbian police were responsible for any civilian deaths, the incident served as the excuse and the pretext for the NATO aggression on Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which began on 24 March 1999. In spite of great pressure, Marinkovic courageously presented to the entire world the truth based on scientific expertise and evidence gathered, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement. Petkovic thanked Marinkovic for her unwavering perseverance in the fight for the truth, justice and freedom, and noted that her professional and methodical investigation had helped to establish undeniable facts about the events in Racak. The evidence will remain as a legacy to future generations, he said. “The facts preserved for history by Danica Marinkovic quash any attempt of fabrication regarding the events in Racak, which served as an absurd excuse and a pretext for the unlawful aggression by a part of the international community on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,” Petkovic said. Marinkovic’s courage and professionalism teach us that the truth must be defended firmly, unwaveringly and in a well-argumented manner because today, too, Serbia is often the victim of propaganda activities and special warfare that is being conducted against it, and the only possible answer to that is the truth, he said. Marinkovic noted it was never too late to fight for the truth.

Acceptance of passports issued by so-called Kosovo is no recognition – Spanish FM (El Periodico de Espana/Tanjug)

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares has reiterated that Madrid’s decision to accept passports issued by the so-called Kosovo did not mean a recognition and noted that such claims were a “hoax” by the Spanish opposition People’s Party. In an interview for El Periodico de Espana, Albares said Spain could not pretend the so-called Kosovo did not exist but that this did not mean it recognised its sovereignty. “That territory of Kosovo is within the Western Balkans, and it goes to EU summits with the Western Balkans… We cannot pretend it does not exist. But that does not imply we recognise its sovereignty. I would ask the People’s Party to stop making hoaxes it knows are hoaxes,” he said, noting that the acceptance of passports was not a step towards a recognition of the so-called Kosovo. Spain is one of the five EU member states that do not recognise the so-called Kosovo but have accepted passports issued by Pristina, he said. The People’s Party recently asked Albares to explain whether Spain had changed its position on the Kosovo and Metohija issue and whether the decision to accept the passports had been influenced by pressure from investment partners of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Ivanovic assassination anniversary marked in Mitrovica (N1)

The anniversary of the murder of Kosovo Serb opposition leader Oliver Ivanovic was marked in his native Mitrovica North on Tuesday by a number of his associates and others.

Candles were lit and wreaths laid in front of the offices of his Civic Initiative SDP party where he was gunned down at 8:15 am on the morning of 16 January 2018. Ivanovic’s killer and the people who ordered the assassination were not discovered but there has been speculation about who they were and why he was shot. Belgrade and Pristina have traded accusations of withholding information relevant to the investigation. Security cameras in the neighborhood are alleged to have been shut down at the time of the shooting. Ivanovic was viewed as the opposition to Belgrade-backed Kosovo Serb politicians. Ivanovic’s closest associate Ksenija Bozovic (who crossed over to the Belgrade-backed Serb List) paid her respects later in the day. An N1 reporter in the predominantly Serb half of the divided city of Mitrovica said that local people are expected to pay their respects all through the day.

SPN to hold protest on 16 January, mark anniversary of Ivanovic’s murder (Beta)

The Serbia Against Violence opposition coalition, which maintains that the December 2023 elections in Serbia were marked by fraud and should be re-held, has called for a protest in front of the seat of the Serbian Electoral Commission today, and at the same time will mark the sixth anniversary of the murder of Oliver Ivanovic. Democratic Party president Zoran Lutovac told Beta that the protest was “against legal violence and the stolen election” in December, and that the demands were the annulment of the elections at all levels and calling a free and fair vote. At the same time, Lutovac said, the sixth anniversary of the murder in Kosovska Mitrovica North of Oliver Ivanovic, president of the Serbia, Democracy, Justice civic initiative, will be commemorated, with the demand that “the orchestrators, perpetrators and masterminds of this politically motivated murder” be punished. Freedom and Justice Party leader Dragan Djilas announced earlier that the vice president of the party Marinika Tepic would speak at the protest, and that the protesters would then march to the Church of St Mark and light candles in Ivanovic’s memory. Serbia Against Violence representatives Srdjan Milivojevic, Borislav Novakovic and Zarko Ristic are to lay wreaths at the spot where Ivanovic was murdered in Kosovska Mitrovica on 16 January.

REGIONAL PRESS

UK imposes sanctions against Banja Luka-based marketing agency ‘Mania’ for organizing and promoting event of marking 9 January as RS Day, which led to undermining of B&H Constitution (N1)

The UK has imposed sanctions against the Banja Luka-based marketing agency ‘Mania’ for organizing and promoting the event of marking 9 January as Republika Srpska (RS) Day, “which led to undermining of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H)”. In a statement published on the X platform, UK Ambassador to B&H Julian Reilly said that ‘Mania’ significantly profited from organizing and promoting unconstitutional celebrations of January 9 in the RS, reminding that ‘Mania’ undermined the rule of law and promoted division and fear by acting contrary to decisions of the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H from 2015 and 2019 banning the celebration of January 9 in the RS. “The B&H CC ruled that celebrating the day is unconstitutional and discriminatory because it establishes a privileged position of one ethnic community in relation to others”, the statement reads. “The United Kingdom did not take this decision lightly. But, as we have stated several times, there must be consequences for those, politicians or companies, who undermine peace that was secured by the Dayton Peace Agreement”, the Ambassador stressed, adding that the sanctions regime allows sanctions to be imposed on those who undermine or threaten sovereignty, territorial integrity, international prosperity or constitutional order of B&H. The sanctions prevent ‘Mania’ from doing business with the UK companies and freeze any assets it holds in the UK. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UK stated that ‘Mania’ was sanctioned within the regime of the UK sanctions for B&H due to activities threatening to peace and stability. The UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Europe Leo Docherty said that reputation of ‘Mania’ has been rightfully soiled after it profited from celebrations that are illegal and lead to division among peoples in B&H. He added that the UK measures should be taken as warning to others, whether they are companies or politicians that have destabilization of B&H as a goal. ‘Mania’ representatives said that they are surprised that their “professional engagement” triggered such a reaction of the UK Government, stressing that over the past ten years of their existence, the agency has cooperated with many domestic and foreign clients and organizations, on the EU, USAID and UNICEF projects, as well as on projects with the UK Embassy to B&H.

Dodik: If Schmidt passes any decision, then the European path of B&H is stopped, there will not be adoption of laws; RS will continue to demonstrate resistance towards B&H CC (RTRS)

RS President Milorad Dodik stated for RTRS on Monday that the RS is faced with many challenges and a complex year is ahead. He added: “The first challenge would be fake Christian Schmidt, who does not have any authorities and who imposes some laws. He is getting prepared to make something with the Election Law. We in the RS shall go with adoption of the election law for elections related to the RS. This is a local level as it belongs to us according to the Constitution.” Dodik stressed that everything that is being done now is done according to the B&H Constitution. Dodik also noted: “If there was moving toward this harangue from the Federation of B&H (FB&H) that some announce, the RS will go with a ban of his activities in the RS, and we shall work on protecting of our rights. Our behaviour is always a reaction to what they do.” Dodik also said that if an illegal Schmidt tries to impose the Law on Property, the RS will become independent. Dodik added: “We have clearly said it then, that if this happens, the RS does not have the other way out but to simply secede and express its independent status. To deprive it of its property means to choke the RS.” Dodik sent the message that they will not give up on this. Dodik added: “We shall do this regardless of the fact that some are trying to send us warnings of different sorts. I think that if the RS keeps silent to confiscation of its property, then it is not consistent and it does not deserve to live and survive. We are fighting for this.” Dodik also said that a complex year is ahead due to the fact that a global world is in a total mess, escalations of many crises, which are present in Ukraine, Gaza etc., are expected. Dodik concluded: “We shall preserve peace. Political processes. which are supposed to be run in the following procedure. are on our mind and not any activities, which would destabilize or endanger peace here.” Dodik also expects intensive talks on how to move further towards Europe. He added: “The RS’ stance was previous presented. We are in favor of moving towards Europe, but under condition that the RS is visible in this process and that things from 14 priorities set before B&H are simultaneously resolved, which means the Constitutional Court of B&H, the OHR.” Dodik stressed that it is impossible to expect that we get a negotiating status, and that you come in the situation that existing of foreigners in the B&H CC continues and that some fake OHR exists. He added: “These things must be cleared out, either we did not know anything about Europe or Europe has changed its principles. Our behaviour will be conditioned with it – if we get that sort of a story, then the role of the foreign judges and that story about the OHR must be clearly defined.” Dodik further stated that the RS parliament has adopted a law by which B&H CC’s decisions will not be applied as long as foreign judges are a part of it and “this story is over for us”. He also sent the message that the RS will continue to demonstrate resistance towards the B&H CC. Dodik added: “The moment they were ready to pass the law on the B&H CC, we shall participate in this, and we have already come forward with one proposal. They have obviously mocked it and as far as I can see those in the FB&H do not take it seriously. On the other side, everything depends on behaviour of Christian Schmidt. If Schmidt passes any decision, then the European path of B&H is stopped. Then there will not be adoption of laws. If he can pass a decision, why would the parliament exist. Then there should not be the B&H parliament either, or any other body at the B&H level.” Dodik stressed that the RS knows what it will do, and he said: “The RS will decide that there is no respecting of decisions of the fake HR and of the B&H CC until B&H citizens elect the B&H CC. If by some chance, Schmidt imposes the law on property, then there will not be the B&H CC either, there will be nothing. This means that B&H will close its door… We do not think that the FB&H belongs to us, nor B&H. Only the RS belongs to us, and we shall be persistent in regard to this. Nobody should doubt in something like this. We are waiting that they make some moves, while our moves have been clearly announced…If you pass the law on property, we shall pass a decision on the RS’ independence. We here judge how the things will develop. And we are getting prepared for both scenarios. Both, for the one which could relax the whole situation and that we say “ok, we go to Europe to get the negotiating status”. This means that the constitutional organization is respected in B&H, that the OHR is closed the same moment, this means that there are no foreign judges in the B&H CC, but that B&H makes the arrangement.” Dodik stressed that only then such B&H could be acceptable for the RS: Dodik added: “If there is no all of this, then the question is why we are here and why to waste our time in every aspect.” As for the B&H CC, Dodik also said: “Domestic judges were there, compared to foreign judges, only as ikebana. We do not want it to be a humiliating attitude towards us. It seemed very plausible for them to devastate the RS in this way.” Dodik reminded that the B&H CC had previously decided on property. In addition, Dodik stated: “It does not bother them to make a completely different decision again. What does this say about the fact that this Court cannot be trusted at all and that it is not a court but an inquisitor for the RS. They can make their own decision as they want, and the RS has made up its mind about it. We will not apply the decision of the CC while foreigners are sitting there and that is the end of story for us.” The RS President pointed out that there is nowhere in the world that non-implementation of the decisions of the CC “is an alleged criminal offense”. He concluded: “They knew they were engaging in anti-constitutional and anti-Dayton behaviour. That is why they fenced themselves off by saying that the one who does not want it is responsible.” Dodik also stated that the RS authorities will work on protection of the RS rights, stressing that they will respond to abuse of institutions such as the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H in a way to ban the work of these institutions on the territory of the RS.

RS Ministry of Justice: Holding of plenary session of B&H CC without judges from RS in attendance unacceptable (N1)

The RS Ministry of Justice assessed on Monday that holding of a plenary session of the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H announced for 18 January is inacceptable because no judges from the RS participate in its work, stressing that therefore the B&H CC does not have legality or legitimacy to pass any kind of decisions. N1 reminded that there is no entity vote in the B&H CC although the RS parliament and the FB&H House of Representatives (HoR) elect judges to the B&H CC. According to the B&H CC’s rules of procedure, the B&H CC can pass decisions legally as long as there are five judges in its composition. Agenda of the B&H CC’s session scheduled for Thursday includes a motion for assessment of constitutionality of provisions of the Criminal Code of the RS regarding a new criminal offense against honour and reputation.

Hearing in case against Dodik and Lukic scheduled to take place before Court of B&H on Wednesday; B&H Chief Prosecutor Kajganic rejects defense’s request for disqualification of four prosecutors from this case (ATV)

A hearing in the case against RS President Milorad Dodik and Acting Director of the RS Official Gazette Milos Lukic, who are charged with non-execution of decisions of (High Representative) Christian Schmidt, is scheduled to take place before the Court of B&H on Wednesday. The defense team is willing to attend but warns that their request to disqualify four prosecutors whose impartiality they doubt has not been accepted. Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H Milanko Kajganic rejected this request. In a statement to ATV, Dodik’s lawyer Goran Bubic said that this is proof of the practice of bypassing essential reasons, adding: “We claimed that if he has a document related to this and if the prosecutor (Nedim) Cosic finds it appropriate to make a certain note that he definitely considers himself the injured party and that in that case he would not be able to act as an acting prosecutor.” Bubic noted that this kind of process, disputed from the very beginning, even according to the rules followed by the Court of B&H, should be moved to Banja Luka. The defense is still waiting for a response to that request as well. “We believe that there is a violation of the procedure, in addition to the series of earlier violations that we have continuously pointed out since the investigation and onward, that our repeated request for the transfer of jurisdiction from the Court of B&H to the court in Banja Luka has not been resolved”, added the lawyer. Head of the SNSD Caucus in the B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Sanja Vulic said for ATV that it is unbelievable that a Serb, Kajganic, can allow himself to do what he did, as he rejected the defense request of the President of the RS. Vulic notes that his actions completely denied the existence of the RS parliament as a legislative institution. She added: “I cannot believe that he allowed himself such luxury to be a Judas in the 21st century. To be a traitor to the Serb race and people. He dared to file an indictment against the President of the RS.”

Joanikije meets Mandic: Church notices that new parliament convocation makes notable achievements (CdM)

Parliament speaker Andrija Mandic received in the parliament of Montenegro Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Joanikije. Mandic welcomed Joanikije to the parliament of Montenegro. Metropolitan Joanikije emphasized the fact that Mandic, as well as the party he leads, had always treated the role of the Metropolitan and the Church itself, which created Montenegro, with special respect, adding that throughout its history, the metropolitans from the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty were not only spiritual but also secular rulers of Montenegro.

“Parliament speaker introduced the Metropolitan to the pace of work in the parliament, apostrophizing the fact that he invested his maximum in order for the parliament to work as efficiently as possible and for decisions to be made with the greatest possible consensus. Joanikije announced that it was clear that things in the country had improved and that everyone, including the Church, had noticed that the new convocation of the parliament of Montenegro made very important decisions and achieved notable results”, the parliament announcement reads. During the long conversation, Mandic and Joanikije referred to all topics concerning the future of Montenegro. Mandic presented Joanikije with a panagia of the Mother of God with a baby Christ in her hands, a cross with a golden chain, an honourable cross, an icon of Saint Simeon the Myrrh-Flower, who was born in the former Ribnica and who is the patron of the City of Podgorica, as well as an icon of St. Sava. Joanikije presented Mandic with a reprint of Miroslav’s Gospel, pointing out that it was the most valuable and oldest Serbian medieval Cyrillic monument handwritten on the territory of today’s Montenegro and inextricably linked to it.

Radulovic on Mandic’s moves: Flag of Montenegro the only one he can put in his cabinet (CdM)

Parliament speaker Andrija Mandic “deserved” the attention of the public because of his attitude towards the Montenegrin flag, which he first has and then does not have in his cabinet, but also because of the emphasis on the tricolour flag. In an interview for CdM, lawyer Veselin Radulovic underlines that, in his private life or in party activities, Andrija Mandic can welcome anyone with the flag he chooses, but in the Cabinet of the parliament speaker, the only flag he should be allowed to welcome with is the national flag of Montenegro. Today, Mandic welcomed Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Joanikije with the flag of Montenegro and the tricolour flag in the cabinet. CdM recently announced that Mandic, when receiving foreign officials, delegations, representatives of numerous embassies, foreign companies in his cabinet, although he should, does not raise the national flag of Montenegro. During the recent meeting of Mandic with the President of the Board of Directors of EPCG Milutin Djukanovic, Mayor of Niksic Marko Kovacevic and their colleagues from the RS, General Director of the RS’s power supplier Luka Petrovic and Mayor of Trebinje Mirko Curic, the national flag of Montenegro was not displayed. “It is obvious that Mandic did not act in accordance with the regulations in the mentioned cases. Whether he represents Montenegro in that way and whether he expresses his belonging to Montenegro is a question not only for Mandic, but also for those who elected him as parliament speaker”, underlines Radulovic.

Kovachevski – Schmid: North Macedonia strongly contributed to OSCE, European security (MIA)

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski met Monday with OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid in Vienna, Austria, according to an official press release. The meeting discussed North Macedonia’s successful 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship-in-Office, which had demonstrated the country’s commitment to multilateralism, the release says. Kovachevski and Secretary General Schmid agreed that North Macedonia’s chairing the OSCE was a complex task, which the country had successfully completed amid the greatest security and geopolitical crisis on the European continent since World War II. Kovachevski stressed at the meeting that as a member of the OSCE Troika, North Macedonia was ready to provide all necessary support to current chair Malta and to continue contributing to European security and stability. Kovachevski and Schmid also discussed the upcoming elections in North Macedonia as well as the importance of the OSCE’s role in that context.

Bochvarski – Drexler: Bilateral economic cooperation on the rise (MIA)

Cooperation between North Macedonia and Germany is excellent and should continue in all areas of mutual interest. North Macedonia is committed to the Euro-integration process and support from Germany is more than welcome, agreed Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski and German Ambassador Petra Drexler on Monday. Bochvarski briefed Ambassador Drexler on the strong investment cycle in infrastructure, especially in roads, railways and gas distribution, the Ministry of Transport and Communications said in a press release. “Cooperation between the two countries has been excellent and should continue in all areas of mutual interest. North Macedonia is committed to the Euro-integration process and support from Germany is more than welcome. We have excellent relations in civil aviation and road transport,” said Bochvarski. In addition, Bochvarski thanked Drexler for Germany’s strong support to North Macedonia’s Euro-integration process, reads the press release.

Twenty-five years since the massacre that “awakened” the West to Serbian crimes in Kosovo/ President Begaj reacts (Radio Tirana)

Albanian President has commemorated the massacre of the genocide of crimes against humanity committed by Slobodan Milosevic‘s regime in Kosovo. In a post on social networks, the president writes, among other things, that 15 January 1999, awakened the world to reflect on the barbaric massacres that were carried out in Kosovo. “Today a quarter of a century since the Recak massacre, let’s pray for the souls of innocent civilians, the victims of genocide and crimes against unification committed by the regime of Slobodan Milosevic in Kosovo. January 15, 1999, awakened the world to reflect on the barbaric massacres committed in Kosovo. This reminder today is a strong motive to protect peace, security, liberty and human dignity from any machine of violence fed by racism, expansion and hostility towards one another,” reads the post of Albanian President on social networks.

Peleshi: Kucova Air Base, serving as the only tactical base for strategically important NATO operations in the region (Radio Tirana)

The Kucova Tactical Air Base is evolving into a significant cornerstone of NATO’s presence, set to serve various Alliance exercises and operations. The Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi shared photos on social media from the NATO Air Base in Kucova. The base is in its final phase of construction and is anticipated to be inaugurated soon. He emphasizes that this stands as the sole tactical base for NATO’s national and strategically significant operations in the Western Balkans. “Our Armed Forces, working in tandem with NATO allies, are dedicated to ensuring security and stability in the region,” says Peleshi. The investment in this base totals approximately 45.8 million euros, encompassing the construction of armament depots, fuel depots, armament stations, aircraft parking lots, an emergency and fire station, as well as the reconstruction of the runway and the control tower.