LOCAL PRESS

US President Joe Biden sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of Statehood Day (B92/RTS/RTV)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received a congratulatory message from US President Joseph Biden on the occasion of the Statehood Day. The congratulation reads as follows:

“Dear Mr. President,

On behalf of the American people, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and your fellow citizens as you celebrate Serbia’s national day on 15 February. As we commemorate 140 years of partnership between our two countries, the United States maintains its enduring commitment to promoting economic cooperation, regional stability, and democratic values. We remain steadfast in our support for Serbia’s goal of European integration and encourage you to continue taking the hard steps forward to reach that aim – including instituting necessary reforms and reaching a comprehensive normalization agreement with Kosovo centered on mutual recognition. The strength of our relationship is built on a deep history of people-to-people ties, fighting as allies in both World Wars, and we celebrate the great contributions Serbians have made to American society across many fields. We also value our close cooperation in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic as we jointly confront this unprecedented global challenge. I look forward to working with you to deepen the bonds of friendship between our countries and to strengthen the relationship between Serbia and the United States. I wish you and the people of the Serbia a joyful celebration”, reads the congratulation of the US President Biden.

Putin congratulates Serbia’s Statehood Day to Vucic (Tanjug/RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received today, ahead of the country’s Statehood Day, a congratulatory message from President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, which reads as follows: “Please accept warm congratulations on the occasion of the national holiday – the Statehood Day of Serbia. Relations between our countries are based on centuries-old traditions of friendship, cultural and spiritual closeness. I am convinced that we will continue to comprehensively strengthen the Russian-Serbian strategic partnership, develop constructive cooperation in various fields. That undoubtedly corresponds with the fundamental interests of our brotherly peoples. I sincerely wish you good health and successes, and happiness and prosperity to all citizens of Serbia,” President Putin’s message said.

Vucic: It’s time to establish a great movement for the people and the state (Tanjug/B92/RTS/RTV)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic posted on Instagram that the formation of a great movement for the people and the state is underway. He stressed that this movement will have the strength to defend our national and state interests. “It is time to establish a great movement for the people and the state that will have the strength to accelerate the economic growth of Serbia and defend our national and state interests!!!”, the post reads.

Lucic: Criminal charges submitted against mayor of Leposavic (RTS)

The General Director of Telekom Srbija Vladimir Lucic said that a criminal complaint was filed against the mayor of Leposavic municipality Lulzim Hetemi because, as he said, he abused his official position, destroyed private property and intentionally cut off the mobile phone signal of Serbs. The international community was also informed about the incident. About 5,000 citizens in the far north of Kosovo and Metohija were left without a mobile phone signal, because the signal of the radio link for the MTS repeater was interrupted. The employees of MTS tried to eliminate the fault on the base station and on the roof of the Leposavic municipality building, but they were prevented from doing so by the mayor of the municipality Hetemi. There was a deliberate interruption of our signal by the other mobile operator Vala, to which, by the way, these current representatives of the municipalities, who are obviously there temporarily, are trying to give as many permits as possible, in order to cover the north. Then he not only built its repeater on the municipality, but it cut off our link,” Lucic explained. He pointed out that the fault will be fixed today by an alternative way and that the citizens in the north of Kosovo and Metohija will receive a signal, but also that he will not allow this incident to be forgotten. He also said that they informed all embassies and the international community. “I hope that they will put pressure on the Pristina administration, in the same way that they filed criminal charges and brought Serbs from the north, saying that they are doing it because of some violent behavior, this kind of violent behavior that originates even from the man they put to lead the municipality, sanction and arrest that man,” he said.

Petkovic: Passage of another shipment of dinars prohibited at Jarinje (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said that today at the Jarinje administrative crossing, on the order of Albin Kurti, the passage was prohibited of another shipment of Dinars intended for the payment of salaries, pensions and social benefits for Serbs and other non-Albanian residents of Kosovo and Metohija, whose survival depends on the inflow of funds from the Serbian budget. Members of Kurti’s police not only prohibited the entry of Dinars, but at the administrative crossing they demonstrated rudeness and rudeness towards the representatives of the National Bank of Serbia and the Henderson company, and then chased them away with the threat of arrest. With that, Kurti clearly said that the so-called transitional period is a pure lie, and that work is ongoing all the time to operationalise the decision to ban Dinars. We appeal again to the international community to further increase the pressure on Pristina to permanently abandon the unilateral decision to ban the dinar, because clearly the explicit verbal messages of disapproval that Kurti has been receiving in recent days are not effective, according to the statement of the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

Petkovic: Kurti is Balkan pyromaniac (Beta)

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said that Albin Kurti was making up non-existent threats from Belgrade and ascribing his militant and violent methods to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who was to credit for whatever peace there was. Petkovic said that neither Belgrade nor Vucic were threatening anyone and that the “Balkan pyromaniac” Kurti was the only threat to peace in these parts.

Stoltenberg calls Belgrade, Pristina to ease tensions (N1)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called Belgrade and Pristina on Wednesday to refrain from any actions that could escalate tensions in the Western Balkans. “My main message is that all sides should refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and any actions that can further escalate the tensions in the region,” he told a news briefing prior to Thursday’s meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. He said that the way forward on Kosovo is through the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. “I encourage both Pristina and Belgrade to engage in good faith in that dialogue,” he added. Stoltenberg recalled that the Alliance increased its troop presence in Kosovo as a result of the violence following local elections boycotted by the Serbs. “The KFOR mission is there; it’s there to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities and we have added roughly 1,000 extra troops to ensure that we can continue to live up to and deliver on our UN mandate,” he said.

Further strengthening of all forms of cooperation between Serbia, Slovakia (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic yesterday received the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic in Serbia Michal Pavuk for a courtesy visit.

Satisfaction was expressed due to the fact that the two countries are cultivating exceptional political relations, with the assessment that in the coming period it is necessary to work on further intensification of bilateral political dialogue at all levels, for which there is readiness on both sides.  Dacic pointed out that we especially highly value Slovakia’s principled support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country. He expressed his gratitude to Slovakia for its continuous support for Serbia’s European integration, as well as for the understanding it shows towards the positions of our country when it comes to the continuation of this process. Also, the Ambassador said that Slovakia will continue to provide firm support for Serbia’s European integration in the future.

NDSS: We won’t allow a majority in Belgrade Assembly facilitated by turncoats (Beta)

Ensuring a majority in the Belgrade City Assembly facilitated by two turncoats, who had joined the Serbian Progressive Party and the Socialist Party of Serbia, would be illegitimate and the opposition would stand against it, New Democratic Party of Serbia leader Milos Jovanovic said yesterday. “If new elections were organized in Belgrade, in normal electoral conditions, the Progressives would lose. Should Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic resort to imperiousness, exercising power and endorsing turncoats, as this regime is violent at its core, he is risking street protests and rising tension, which would not be in his favor either,” Jovanovic noted. Jovanovic also said that the Progressives and the Socialists could not form a majority in Belgrade together, adding that he did not know what they had in mind for the assembly constitutive session. “The idea of creating a majority with two turncoats, who had earned their seats through We – The Voice of the People ticket, will not make things more legitimate. It will only add more illegitimacy to the already illegitimate situation arising from irregular voting, because this ticket ran in the elections as an utterly regime-opposing group,” Jovanovic specified. He added that the only solution to the ongoing political crisis was to hold a new vote in Serbia’s capital.

Flaring up of silent occupation of B&H (Politika, op-ed by B&H Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandar Vranjes)

Vranjes reminded that, at the beginning of 2021, two former High Representatives Carl Bildt and Wolfgang Petritsch gave separate interviews on the occasion of 25th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and both of them noted that it is necessary to shut down the Office of the High Representative (OHR). The author added that Bildt argued that the role of the High Representative must be reduced, that the time of the Bonn powers has passed and that B&H is no longer a protectorate of the international community. He also said that Petritsch warned that the OHR nowadays is a part of the problem and not a part of the solution. Vranjes reminded that, after those two interviews, Christian Schmidt was “pushed through” before the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC SB) as the successor of former High Representative Valentin Inzko, but “this was not enough to appoint Schmidt as the High Representative. There was no resolution of the UN Security Council (UN SC) thanks to principled stances of Russia and China”. Vranjes went on to say that this did not prevent “the western group of countries to give the legitimacy to Schmidt, as well as the wind in his back to start imposing a number of decisions in B&H by using the Bonn powers, which many see as disputable”. The author noted that Schmidt imposed changes to the Criminal Code of B&H, which stipulated punishments for the failure to implement decisions of the High Representative. “You can guess it, the target was (RS President) Milorad Dodik”, the author noted and said that the trial of Dodik is obviously a political process with a political goal “but judging the current situation, it is more likely for B&H to disappear than for political career of Milorad Dodik to end”. Vranjes claimed that there are already speculations on possible measures of the RS in case Dodik is sentenced and in case his political activities are prohibited, including adoption of a number of laws in the RS parliament in an urgent procedure, Serb officials in Sarajevo might stop adopting decisions without withdrawing from Sarajevo, adoption of election law of the RS. “As for how all of this can be justified by the letter of the DPA, the answer is that USA and Germany, along with their western partners, have destroyed this agreement by changing the order and carrying out a silent occupation of B&H, which especially flared up with German official Schmidt in the past two years”, Vranjes said and added that the RS will not passively wait for the international community to destroy its foundations. “Political self-defense is the only thing the RS leadership has at its disposal”, Vranjes said and concluded that Dodik will not face a sentence, but a new election victory in October and if the foreign factor in B&H has failed to realize this, then they fail to realize anything.

REGIONAL PRESS

Covic says that their proposal of changes to B&H Election Law is only symbolic (O Kanal)

O Kanal carries a story about HDZ B&H President Dragan Covic‘s proposal of changes to B&H Election Law. O Kanal noted that the HDZ B&H leader is trying to use manipulative games to achieve what he initially set as a goal – to be eternal in B&H politics. The report added that changes to the election law of B&H for Covic are only symbolic. “Everyone directly tells you that it makes no sense for Croats to be elected representatives in the B&H Presidency and in the B&H Houses of Peoples. We are not changing anything in the Election Law, only in one concept we emphasize that if someone else were to rush the Croats to elect representatives again, that they should not do so. That’s the deterrent. So, look at the reactions, as if we are doing something big. It is a symbolic change in one article, and some immediately call it a third entity,” stated Covic. HNS proposed one additional criterion for a Croat member of the B&H Presidency, namely that in addition to the highest number of votes, a minimum of one victory in one of the cantons with a Croat majority is required, while “the election of a Bosniak and Serb member of the B&H Presidency would remain the same as before.” However, it is impossible to change the Election Law without amending the Constitution of B&H. There it is clearly stated that the BiH Presidency consists of three members – one Bosniak and one Croat, who are each directly elected from the territory of the FB&H, and one Serb, who is directly elected from the territory of the RS.

US Embassy once again warns HDZ B&H and ‘The Troika’: Election Law cannot be changed without changes of Constitution (Politicki.ba)

Sarajevo-based portal Politicki.ba sent an inquiry to the US Embassy to B&H asking them to comment a proposal of HDZ B&H i.e. of HNS and Dragan Covic regarding the election of members of the B&H Presidency. In a response, the US Embassy’s Public Relation Office stated that B&H citizens do not want and do not deserve legislation solutions that would additionally strengthen corruptive practices or would direct B&H democracy further toward oligarchy. “USA always supported coalition partners and party leaders to negotiate in good faith, to build consensus and make compromises necessary for adoption of reforms, necessary for strengthening of B&H democracy, growth of its economy, strengthening of rule of law, tackling corruption and opening the doors for integration of the country in Euro-Atlantic institutions. At the same time, as well as other members of the international community, the USA strongly support legislation regulative on election integrity, which restores faith of B&H citizens in democracy, securing that all ballots are counted honestly and which includes years-long recommendations of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and other prominent international organizations. As for the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), our stance remains the same: the only legal way to solve issues of implementation of ECHR judgements in regards to the Presidency is through constitutional amendments. We welcome honest efforts of all political leaders to negotiate on constitutional changes necessary for solving of the ECHR decision, which regard the Presidency, as well as all other judgements of the ECHR, but there is no shortcut for reaching this goal. If party leaders are truly dedicated to the Euro-Atlantic integration, including opening of accession talks with the EU, then it should not be difficult for them to find solutions which meet European standards. Anything less than this would be counterproductive and even worse for B&H citizens,” reads the answer from the US Embassy.

Viskovic and Ambassador Reinertsen: Europe is not complete without the Western Balkans countries (RTRS)

RTRS reports that RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic met with Norwegian Ambassador to B&H Olav Reinertsen in Banja Luka on Tuesday. They talked about current political issues in B&H, taking a look back at agreements of representatives of authorities in B&H. Viskovic and Reinertsen talked about the dynamic of the European road, foremost about getting the date for start of accession negotiations between BiH and the EU and the Growth Plan that was presented by the European Commission (EC). The RS PM said the RS is interested in the EU integration, but at the same time it is important to know the exact date of start of the negotiations. The RS government’s public relations office stated the PM expressed readiness that all obligations are carried out as soon as possible, however the constitutional organization of B&H has to be respected. Viskovic underlined the most important thing is that legitimately elected officials have to decide about important issues, without interference of a foreign factor, which is the biggest stumbling block. When it comes to the Growth Plan, PM Viskovic stressed that the RS government discussed the document and gave its recommendations, adding that all the activities must be implemented in line with constitutional organization of B&H, which means the Council of Ministers of B&H cannot be a government and that certain measures are implemented by competent authority bodies. Viskovic and Reinertsen agreed Europe is not complete without the Western Balkans countries and that the Western Balkans is part of Europe.

Trial of Lukic begins before Court of B&H with reading of indictment (ATV)

A hearing was held in the Court of B&H on Tuesday in the proceedings against Acting Director of the RS Official Gazette Milos Lukic for disobeying (High Representative) Christian Schmidt’s decisions. The indictment against Lukic was read at the hearing, and the prosecution proposed the same evidence and witnesses as in the case against RS President Milorad Dodik. Lukic’s lawyer, Miljkan Pucar, previously said that the defense strategy, evidence and witnesses are ready, but also stressed that there has not yet been a response to the request to merge the proceedings with the one being conducted against Dodik. After the hearing in the Court of B&H, Lukic told the media that the indictment is on shaky ground. Answering the question whether he is afraid of going to prison, Lukic said that whatever happens, the fact that he worked in accordance with the law and respected the institutions of the RS cannot be changed. Lukic pointed out that there is no collateral damage for “those of us who are fighting together on the same front for the RS.” “What you could have seen is that my lawyer Miljkan Pucar has a much more argumentative presentation compared to the prosecution,” Lukic said. Pucar reiterated that this process is an attack on the constitutional order of B&H, because whoever does not want to accept the Constitution of B&H is working against it and committing a criminal offense. “Christian Schmidt is a foreigner in this country and on that basis, he cannot answer here, but those who signed this indictment and are working on it can,” Pucar was quoted as saying. Pucar expressed his belief that the proceedings against Lukic will be merged again with the proceedings against Dodik. “We gave our opening statement where we primarily underlined that the prosecution has the obligation to prove that Mr. Christian Schmidt has a decision of the Security Council, to show us which resolution it is that confirmed his appointment. In the opening statement, we also asked one to show us from the Dayton Peace Agreement on the basis of what and how the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) was appointed, who gave the PIC the authority from the signatories of the Dayton Peace Agreement, and to say where it is written in the Constitution of B&H that someone other than the parliament of B&H can enact laws,” Pucar told the media after the hearing in the Court of B&H.

Cvijanovic: Full support to Lukic (RTRS)

Serb member of B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic posted on her IG, expressing full support to Acting Director of RS Official Gazette Milos Lukic, saying that he is on trial in Sarajevo just because he was doing his job. “A staged process against RS President Milorad Dodik and Acting Director of RS Official Gazette Milos Lukic is trial of the RS and this is why it is our duty to show solidarity and to be united in their defense,” Cvijanovic wrote.

Viskovic expresses support to Lukic (RTRS)

RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic supported Acting Director of the RS Official Gazette Milos Lukic. Viskovic said that the process against RS President Milorad Dodik and Acting Director of the RS Official Gazette Milos Lukic is staged and he is on trial only because he did his job in line with the law and the Constitution. Viskovic said that this is not a process against individuals but against institutions of the RS.

Dodik and Kalabukhov meet in Banja Luka, expressing their full commitment to respecting of DPA (ATV)

RS President Milorad Dodik met with Ambassador of the Russian Federation to B&H Igor Kalabukhov in Banja Luka on Tuesday. Dodik and Kalabukhov expressed their full commitment to respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement and noted that any interference in internal affairs from the outside only leads to unnecessary destabilization.

Nenezic: Institutions’ silence proof that Mandic heads majority (Pobjeda)

The silence of the institutions on the fact that the mayor of Pljevlja celebrates the holidays of another country is an indication that the real head of the parliamentary majority is parliament speaker Andrija Mandic, not Prime Minister Milojko Spajic, Social Democrats MP Branislav Nenezic has told Pobjeda. The Municipality of Pljevlja, under the direction of its leader Dario Vranes, will celebrate the Statehood and Constitution Day of Serbia tonight with a ceremonial academy in the hall of the Cultural Center in Pljevlja. Serbia is celebrating this national holiday for the next two days. Yesterday, Pobjeda failed to get information from the prosecutor’s office in the north of the country whether a case had been opened against Vranes for attacking the constitutional order of Montenegro. Nevertheless, Nenezic hopes that the authorities will react and prosecute the mayor of Pljevlja, claiming that Vranes is a symbol of everything that a mayor in Montenegro should not be. The previous two days, as far as Vranes’s “celebration” is concerned, passed without any reaction from President Jakov Milatovic, Spajic, or anyone from his government.

Mitreski: Parliamentary majority is stable, six AA lawmakers support ruling coalition (MIA)

The parliamentary majority is stable, as demonstrated by the vote on the dismissal of the ministers from the ranks of the Alliance for Albanians (AA), speaker Jovan Mitreski has told MIA. “I have been informed that as of now, six AA lawmakers are supporting the ruling coalition,” says Mitreski. He expects consensus among all MP groups regarding the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations in the Electoral Code. “Negotiations are ongoing and consensus is close, especially regarding the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, since I have not heard of any remarks in this aspect. I am certain other issues are open and consensus is pending. I expect the MP groups to submit the draft-amendments, at least for the part related to the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations. Once I receive the text signed off by all whips, I will include it on the agenda of the next parliament session so it is adopted ahead of the elections,” says Mitreski.

Marichikj: EU enlargement high on the agenda of Belgium’s EU Presidency (MIA)

The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU is providing support to everything that North Macedonia is doing on its path to EU membership, Deputy Prime Minister for European affairs Bojan Marichikj told MIA after a meeting Tuesday in Brussels with the Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib. “The Belgian Minister assured us that the topic of enlargement is high on the agenda of the Belgian Presidency, and that all issues related to the Western Balkans and enlargement will find themselves on the agenda over these six months. The roadmaps that we have submitted, which we will need to complete during this period, will be discussed as well as issues related to the Growth Plan,” said Marichikj. Marichikj said that at the meeting he noted that all aspects should be taken into account during the process, including a consistent application of the text from the Negotiating Framework, as well as the conclusions of the EU’s Council of ministers. According to Marichikj, Lahbib was also interested in the political situation in the country and the activities related to the reform plan, as well as which reforms the country can implement during this period. “We said we will do everything that can be done with a caretaker government, including the finalization of the reform plan related to the Growth Plan, but that we will work more intensively on this after the citizens’ decision at the elections. After the creation of the next government, and I am certain that it will be by this majority. It [the government] will have to do intensive work on European integrations, reforms, and the constitutional amendments,” added Marichikj. In addition, Marichikj met with Deputy Managing Director for the Western Balkans at the European External Action Service (EEAS), Marko Makovec, and is set to hold a meeting with Director-General of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), Gert Jan Koopman, as well as with Simon Mordue, the Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of the European Council Charles Michel. In his statement, Marichikj said the goal of the meetings is to get informed about events ahead of the European elections in June and the last months of the term of the current EU institutions, as well as to note all events in North Macedonia and the process of preparing elections. “Our goal is to send a clear message that North Macedonia remains on the European path; that even in conditions where we have a caretaker government we are working to fulfill all obligations related to the European path and that we need further support from the European institutions, from Brussels, and from the member states,” said Marichikj, adding that the visit of caretaker Prime Minister Talat Xhaferi and Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani to Brussels will be to that end as well.

Speaker Mitreski meets British Ambassador Lawson (MIA)

Parliament speaker Jovan Mitreski met Tuesday with the British Ambassador to North Macedonia Matthew Lawson, said parliament in a press release. At the meeting, Mitreski highlighted the excellent bilateral relations between North Macedonia and the United Kingdom in light of 30 years of diplomatic relations. The Speaker added he is especially proud that the United Kingdom is the country’s second largest trade partner and one of the biggest direct investors, while North Macedonia is the UK’s biggest trade partner from the Western Balkan region. “The speaker especially highlighted the consensual adoption of the Law on the National Development Strategy, a project initiated by the British government together with the UN, which was positively received by all political parties in parliament and stakeholders in the country,” said the press release. At the meeting, Ambassador Lawson underlined that the British government is open to provide any assistance necessary to the country and its institutions in the efforts to build and maintain a functional and stable democracy.  “The Ambassador was interested in the ongoing activities of parliament, the priorities for work in the coming period, the dynamic of adopting laws and other decisions, as well as the commitments of parliament and the other national institutions regarding the coming presidential and general elections,” said parliament. During the meeting, interlocutors exchanged views over the future activities of parliament; priority laws that the UK could provide expert assistance for; as well as the development perspective of the country as a whole, said the press release.

‘Sustainable Defense’ exercise, Begaj: Our Armed Forces to be prepared for the challenges of our time (Radio Tirana)

President Bajram Begaj has called for the Armed Forces of Albania to be prepared for the challenges of the time. He participated in the ‘Sustainable Defense’ exercise of the Light Infantry battalion group of the Armed Forces. The President stated, “This exercise is being conducted concurrently with the development of NATO’s largest military exercise in decades, Steadfast Defender 24.’ Through this exercise, NATO demonstrates its strength as an alliance, showing its capability and readiness to protect the populations and territories of its member countries in the Euro-Atlantic space from all threats, employing a 360-degree approach.” The Albanian president recalled, “Not far from here, the illegal Russian aggression against Ukraine has been ongoing for two years. The attitude and heroism of the Ukrainian army and people are a source of inspiration in defense of the values of freedom, democracy, and independence. Albania will continue to support Ukraine, in full coordination with strategic partners and NATO,” elaborated President Begaj. Moreover, he stated, “The situation in the Middle East is challenging and poses a risk of involving other actors. The potential for escalation in these hotspots is real. Even our region, the Western Balkans, which has a history of conflicts and clashes, faces a fragile security situation. Actors with geopolitical ambitions, opposed to Euro-Atlantic values, may exploit weaknesses and form ideological or ethnic alliances in the region to create new sources of conflict.” Regarding Kosovo, Begaj emphasized that “for more than a year, security in the north of the Republic of Kosovo has been violated several times. The attack on KFOR troops and the terrorist act in Banjska a few months ago were serious provocations and threats to peace and stability in the region.” He further stated that “the consolidation of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo and the role of NATO, through the KFOR mission, are essential for ensuring security.” “Albania always stands by Kosovo in its journey as the youngest state in Europe. We do this not simply because we are two states of one nation, brothers of the same blood, but because support for Kosovo is support for security, peace, and the future of the region. The continuation of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and the implementation of the agreements reached in Brussels and its annexes in Ohrid are the only way towards the normalization of relations between the two countries and mutual recognition,” underlined Begaj. “In this context,” continued Begaj, “training takes on another meaning and importance.” “As participants in this exercise, and as part of the entire body of the Armed Forces, you are the first line of defense and the guarantee of security and peace. Your role for Albania and Albanians is not only vital but also strategic. Albania has been and remains Euro-Atlantic in spirit and in action. As a historically peace-loving people, our orientation is toward peace and security. Therefore, it is important today not only to show solidarity with the values of other member countries but also to further strengthen transatlantic ties,” highlighted Begaj. The head of state affirmed, “NATO, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, embodies the collective defense of a community of values, of which Albania has the honor to be a part. Our Armed Forces have developed significantly since joining the Alliance. Continuing their modernization today is a matter of national security. This highlights the importance of the defense budget being 2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).” “Funds must be spent efficiently to ensure a qualitative increase in the capacities of the Armed Forces. I appreciate every initiative aimed at supporting the well-being of the Armed Forces personnel because, for the protection of the country, it is not simply spent but invested for the provision of the present and the future,” added Begaj. Begaj further said, “Our Armed Forces have developed significantly compared to 15 years ago. This image and message should reflect the changes that have occurred, showcasing the modernization and increase in defense capacities, as well as our involvement in defense and peacekeeping missions. Above all, it should convey the deeply patriotic mission you fulfill. This communication should especially target the young generation.” “Being a part of the Armed Forces today is not just a profession; it is a matter of national pride and patriotism,” concluded President Bajram Begaj.