LOCAL PRESS

Brnabic: Serbia will never accept international investigation into national elections (Beta)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said yesterday that Serbia would never accept an international investigation into the polls held on 17 December, describing it as “a humiliation for the country, and a loss of sovereignty,” going on to say that it would be “equal to occupation.” Answering a reporter’s question in Despotovac, where she donated IT equipment to the elementary school “Despot Stefan Visoki”, she said that the presence of international observers, invited by the Government of Serbia to monitor the elections “was not the loss of sovereignty, but rather democratic practice,” adding that they had arrived in Serbia “as guests”. Brnabic underlined that for her the voter register was “key evidence” that the December elections had not been manipulated, and that additional proof was that international observers, particularly those representing the European Parliament, signed the statement of the vote for every polling stations they had monitored. The prime minister said that the government of Serbia had already informed the OSCE/ODIHR in a letter that it was prepared to “continue the cooperation that has been constructive so far,” adding that most of the organization’s 2019 recommendations had been met. Brnabic underlined that the government would continue to work with the ODIHR, but that “an international investigation would be a direct violation of Serbia’s sovereignty”.

Giaufret: We will encourage Serbian government to fulfill all ODIHR election recommendations (Beta)

The chief of the EU Delegation in Serbia Emanuele Giaufret stated yesterday, in a comment on the European Parliament’s resolution that calls for an international investigation of the December elections, that the election observer mission of the ODIHR was preparing its final report, after the publishing of which the Serbian government would be encouraged to fulfill all its recommendations. In a reply to a reporter’s question in Lomnica, Despotovac municipality, during the presentation of a donation in IT equipment to a local school, Giaufret said that the goal was to improve the election process and, after the publication of the ODIHR mission’s report, to encourage the Serbian government to “follow the recommendations” of that body. “After the elections, we called for a serious examination of all claims about irregularities and pointed out that there had to be a strong election framework and that all the weaknesses recorded by the mission had to be removed. We are eagerly anticipating the ODIHR report, which is to be published soon, and to encourage the government to carry out the recommendations from the report as soon as possible,” Giaufret said, adding that the ODIHR was an institution specializing “not only in observing, but also in assessing elections and providing support”.

Deeping cooperation with Portugal in areas of common interest (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and Ambassador of Portugal to Serbia Jose Rui Baptista Borges Velez Caroco assessed yesterday that there is room and joint readiness to further improve bilateral relations and intensify political dialogue at all levels. Dacic expressed gratitude for Portugal’s continued support for Serbia’s European integration and pointed out the importance of understanding Serbia’s position in this process, primarily in connection with the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. The interlocutors assessed that the bilateral relations of the two countries are good and friendly, as well as that there are numerous opportunities for further strengthening of all types of cooperation in areas that are important for both sides, especially in the sphere of economy, tourism, renewable energy sources, education and cultural cooperation. Velez Caroco underlined that his country advocates further expansion of the EU, as well as that it will continue to provide strong support to Serbia in the future.

Nestorovic quits party expected to provide majority in Belgrade Assembly; Nestorovic: We didn’t quit the movement (N1)

The founder of the political group that was set to decide whether the Belgrade City Assembly would have a majority or fresh elections would have to be organized has quit the organization. Branimir Nestorovic, founder of the We – Voice of the People Movement, quit the organization after a disagreement with the leadership. The ruling coalition looked to Nestorovic’s movement for support to secure a majority in the Belgrade City Assembly amid speculation that this might not happen. Nestorovic said on several occasions that his assembly councillors would not support anyone. Two of those councillors quit earlier. The Movement said in a press release that there were “certain disagreements within the leadership, a group of seven founders, and that Nestorovic and Aleksandar Pavic quit the movement”. “In the shadow of disagreements and insinuations against some of the founders, Branimir Nestorovic demanded to be made party leader despite and agreement to remain true to the original principle of a collective leadership made up of the 7 founders. Nestorovic did not win the vote and quit the movement,” the press release said. Nestorovic and Pavic responded with their own press release saying that the remaining Movement leadership did not disclose everything that happened at the meeting. They said the press release should not have been signed We – Voice of the People. They said that they did walk out of the meeting but did not quit the movement. “The founders tried to reach agreement on how the Movement should be organized and re-drafted its statute several times but obviously we had different views,” the press release said. The Movement has not been registered under the law on political parties and formally does not exist.

We – The Voice of the People member: Nestorovic’s decision plays into Vucic’s hands (N1)

Branko Pavlovic of the We – The Voice of the People movement said the movement will neither back the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) nor the opposition, and that new elections in Belgrade are the only serious solution that would resolve the political tensions. He described the decision of two of the movement founders, Branimir Nestorovic and Aleksandar Pavic, to quit the movement as an attempt to break it up, which fully plays into the hands of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The We – The Voice of the People movement was set to decide whether the Belgrade City Assembly would have a majority or fresh elections would have to be organized. “Objectively this helps the SNS, because it creates great confusion,” said Pavlovic adding that, of the six We – The Voice of the People members who won seats in the Belgrade Assembly, there are only two left, because two others also quit the movement. “They are doing this without a serious reason, which leads me to think that they are working on breaking up the movement. This essentially means that we are heading toward new elections,” Pavlovic told N1. He said the remaining two councillors will not back the ruling SNS, stressing that the current government in Belgrade is “extremely bad,” because “we have enormous corruption, we squander at least 200 million Euros per year on corruption,” and that this needs to change. Asked why then they don’t help the opposition change this, Pavlovic said they cannot because “the Serbia Against Violence ticket has put in the forefront people who in their public appearances absolutely put western interests before those of Serbia, and we find that unacceptable”. We understand that they are against all Serbia’s national interests,” he said.

SPN refuses to take part in government consultations (N1)

The President of the Free Citizen’s Movement and a representative of the Serbia Against Violence (SPN) coalition Pavle Grbovic said yesterday that the coalition would not take part in consultations on a new government that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said would take place on 26 February. The N1 portal quoted Grbovic as saying that consultations were common practice in parliamentary democracies, but that in Serbia they did not develop in the way they should have. “Everyone should take part in the government consultations, but I believe that in this political context and at this point in time our role would be meaningless, and we are not taking part,” Grbovic said. In a comment on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s words that he could imagine a different government in Belgrade, Grbovic said that after 12 years of the Serbian Progressive Party’s rule, “to believe in such a trick would be downright naïve”. “If what the president was saying had been true, and if had been prepared to accept an opposition victory, we would have never seen tens of thousands non-Belgraders coming to the capital to vote,” Grbovic cautioned. The opposition party leader also said that he was sure Belgrade would have a new vote.

Stefanovic: No such thing as partial legitimacy of Belgrade authorities (Beta)

In yesterday’s comment on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s argument that his Serbian Progressive Party had “a legal and partially legitimate majority” sufficient for the formation of Belgrade’s new authorities, a deputy to the president of the Freedom and Justice Party Borko Stefanovic said that there’s no such thing as “partial legitimacy”. “You either have it, or you don’t. And you (Vucic) don’t, because you manipulated the election. You are not legal either, because you paid for your votes, stuffed the boxes, drove people around to vote in local elections even though they didn’t live there. The movement of buses and vans is the only movement you know,” Stefanovic said in a press release. Reacting to Vucic’s interview to RTS, Stefanovic said the Serbian President was “practically begging the citizens to let them steal people’s money and stuff their own pockets for some time longer”. Vucic said in the interview that the West wanted the opposition to take power in Serbia, because “the opposition will recognize the independence of Kosovo and facilitate economic interests and corruption”, but Stefanovic responded that “it’s precisely what Vucic has already given to the West”. “Why would they change you? You and your Progressives have recognized Kosovo’s independence expertly and thoroughly, and your dealings are nothing but corrupt. They couldn’t find anyone to do a better job than you for 12 years already,” the opposition official said.

Stano: EU expects Serbia to implement ODIHR recommendations (Nova)

EU spokesman Peter Stano told the Nova.rs portal that the European Commission expects the Serbian authorities to implement ODIHR recommendations prior to any future elections. He said the Commission has taken note of the European Parliament resolution on the Serbian elections and expects to discuss the final ODIHR report with EU member states and Serbia, including the recommendations for future elections. Stano said the EU expects the Serbian authorities to follow through with the report including the part on the local elections in Belgrade, adding that the EU is prepared to provide support. He called the Serbian political leadership to start a constructive, inclusive dialogue across the political spectrum.

Protest over blockade of Dinar in Kosovo and Metohija, Pristina claims this is not topic for Brussels (RTS)

The problems of the Serbs continue due to Pristina’s decision to abolish Dinar payment transactions. Educators received their salaries from Serbia, but they could not collect them. They say that it is getting harder to live. Pristina announces measures for the transition period, but does not announce them yet. Dragana Stanojevic from Mitrovica is a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy. In front of the Bank postal savings bank she was waiting to collect the second part of the January salary. She did not succeed because there are no Dinars in Kosovo and Metohija. There are about 150 more teachers and professors in the queue who could not pick up their salaries. At a peaceful protest, they expressed dissatisfaction with the decision of the central bank in Pristina. They say that their life is getting more and more difficult. Apart from Serbs, the measures also affect Albanians who receive their income from the budget in Serbia proper. “I came to collect my pension, but it’s not here. I don’t know how I’m going to continue,” says Rexhia Ibrahimaj, a pensioner from Gnjilane. It was heard from the government in Pristina that they are aware that the decree can create difficulties for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. Besnik Beslimi says that an invitation has arrived from Brussels for a meeting next week on banning the use of Dinars. It will not work because, as he says, the Dinar issue is not part of the dialogue. Pristina also announced that in the coming days it will come out with measures for the transition period of the implementation of the decree on the Dinar ban. Until then, Serbs have to go to Serbia proper for their income.

REGIONAL PRESS

Dodik meets Putin in Kazan: We refuse to join the West’s sanctions against Russia and will not join NATO (RTRS)

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan on Wednesday. On this occasion, Putin awarded Dodik with the Order of Alexander Nevsky, one of the greatest decorations of the Russian Federation. During the meeting with the RS President, Putin reiterated Russia’s clear position that it supports the RS and that it accepts the RS as, as RTRS said, “a friendly country”, but also that it understands the pressures faced by the RS leadership. Putin thanked Dodik for coming to the opening of the ‘Games of Future’ in Kazan as an honoured guest. “We know that the situation in the RS is not simple, and we are ready to talk about this issue as well. We are grateful to you for supporting regular relations with Russia, for supporting a number of our initiatives,” Putin told Dodik. The Russian President stated that Russia’s relations with the RS have long been established and are very constructive. “We are very satisfied with what has been done and even more will be done in our relations,” Putin said. Dodik thanked Putin for the invitation to attend the opening of ‘Games of Future’ in Kazan, pointing out that it is an honour to be in Kazan and to meet him again. “Indeed, I confirm the good relations that the RS cultivates and has towards the Russian state, the Russian people and you. Of course, we live in complex circumstances, and we are glad that you notice that. You have recently noted in your annual address that you understand the relations that prevail there (in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H)). They are very complex, they are not simple, these relations are really very complex. They are additionally complicated by the fact that we are still under the Western protectorate, that we are under the conditions of primarily Western intervention. One moved away from Dayton towards abuse, and even the imposition of a German who was not legally confirmed in the Security Council as a high representative. I thank you for your attention to this issue, because if he (High Representative) had been given the authority, he would have certainly abolished the RS. What we are doing in the current circumstances is that we refuse any possibility to join the Western sanctions against Russia. And above all, without hesitation, we refuse to move towards membership in the NATO alliance, regardless of the fact that they persistently pressure us to do so. As you know, the Serbs were bombed twice the RS once, Serbia the second time,” Dodik told Putin. Dodik also said that the RS maintains its economy in difficult circumstances. “When the West came, it immediately privatized commercial banks. Now they choose whether they want to work with us or not. They do this for purely political reasons. We are stable, both politically and institutionally, we do not have any special challenges, but the constant stirring up of the opposition and alternative groups towards the stability of the RS is noticeable,” Dodik said. During the meeting, Dodik reminded Putin that the entire leadership of the RS is under individual sanctions from the US, as well as the UK. “Thanks to our friends in the EU, we did not get that from Europe. Our people say – what does not kill you makes you stronger. That is why we believe that we will come out of this stronger, of course with the understanding of our friends,” Dodik pointed out. During the meeting, Dodik stated: “We are stable politically and institutionally. We do not have any special challenges, but the constant feeding of the opposition of alternative groups towards the stability of the RS is noticeable. We have excellent relations with President (of Serbia Aleksandar) Vucic, with President (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orban, which makes the situation especially easier for us, at least as far as Europe is concerned. However, the entire leadership, I, the (RS) Prime Minister, (Speaker of the RS National) Assembly, (Serb) member of the (B&H) Presidency, all received sanctions from America, individually, and from Britain”. Putin also said: “We thank you for maintaining regular relations with Russia. You support many of our initiatives, including – in my view – a noble event commemorating the victims of Nazism. You personally participate in the Immortal Regiment March. Our relations with the RS were established long time ago and are completely constructive”.

OHR on Dodik-Putin meeting: B&H has to follow EU foreign and security policy (RFE/Faktor.ba)

Commenting on the meeting between RS President Milorad Dodik and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the OHR told Radio Free Europe that B&H has committed itself to follow security and foreign policy guidelines of the EU, as an EU candidate country. “This rules out cooperation with the states that are under sanctions, as well as personal meetings with heads of those states”, stated the OHR.

Kovacevic: No institution at B&H level has made decision to impose sanctions on Russia, so interpretations of OHR officials regarding foreign policy of B&H do not make any sense (RTRS)

Delegate in the Serb Caucus in the B&H House of Peoples (HoP) Radovan Kovacevic (SNSD) said on Wednesday that no institution at the B&H level has decided to impose sanctions on Russia, so the interpretations of the OHR officials regarding the foreign policy of B&H do not make any sense. Commenting on the OHR’s statement on the occasion of the meeting between RS President Milorad Dodik and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin that B&H has committed itself to follow the security and foreign policy guidelines of the EU, as a candidate country for EU membership, and that this excludes cooperation with countries under sanctions, as well as personal meetings with the heads of those countries, Kovacevic pointed out that the OHR does not have a mandate under the Dayton Agreement to create the policies of the parties or to tell the leaders who they can and cannot meet with.

Dodik meets with head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov in Kazan; Minnikhanov points out that Russia always looks forward to successes and progress of RS (RTRS)

RS President Milorad Dodik met with head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov in Kazan on Wednesday. Minnikhanov pointed out that Russia always looks forward to the successes and progress of the RS. Minnikhanov stressed that Tatarstan is a sister region for the RS. “I met with Mr. Dodik a few times. We share the same or similar attitude,” Minnikhanov said. Dodik said that inter-national cooperation, personal relations, faith in the state and the nation is a key issue of success in the Russian Federation, and this is precisely what can serve as an example for the RS. “We have a lot to see, and we will try to cooperate in the field of IT, mechanical engineering, agriculture and other activities, which are very developed here,” Dodik said. Dodik noted that he received friendly welcome in Kazan, adding that they will continue to work on those relations in the future.

Schmidt: Politicians cannot toy with me, technical changes to Election Law must be implemented during 2024 local elections (Klix.ba)

High Representative Christian Schmidt spoke for Klix.ba about the technical changes to the Election Law, as well as the law on state property and the law on prohibition of genocide denial. Asked if he will impose the technical changes to the Election Law because it is evident that B&H politicians will not be able to reach an agreement on the matter, Schmidt stated that he clearly said that the changes to the Election law must be made on time to be implemented during the local elections later this year. He also reminded that amending the Election Law is the first of the 14 Key Priorities defined by the EU which require B&H to implement the OSCE recommendations. He warned that electoral fraud is still very much present. Schmidt underlined that international standards and stipulations of the Dayton Peace Agreement must be respected. “These amendments to the Election Law are not a concession to any party. Those who decide sovereignly are citizens, and sometimes it makes me a little angry when I have a feeling that discussions are taking place in an empty space at the political level, and that the justified rights of citizens come at another level. I am grateful that there are developments at the level of the parliament, I hear they are still there, and we have attempts to ensure the integrity of the electoral process. I will wait for that to happen… Anyone who wants to join the EU must play according to the rules of the game. Therefore, no delay can be tolerated”, Schmidt emphasized. Asked if he fears that the local politicians will trick him and delay the negotiations on electoral reform until it is too late for its implementation in 2024, Schmidt replied that it is not possible to toy with him. Asked to comment the announcement of RS President Milorad Dodik who said that the RS will adopt its own election law if Schmidt imposes changes to B&H Election Law, Schmidt replied: “The weakest among the politicians are those who need threats based on the principle “if this happens, then I will”. If there is a problem with clean elections, then I would like to hear it. If he has a problem with every voter going to the polling station having to identify themselves as the OSCE requires, then let him say so. Then he has to explain why he wants to not respect the priorities of the EU. Everything else is a thunderous theatrical performance and shows more how much Mr. Dodik does not know what he is going to do, than something else”. Asked to comment the claims of HDZ B&H that the verdict of the B&H Constitutional Court in the ‘Ljubic’ case regarding legitimate representation has not been implemented, Schmidt said that the verdict in the Ljubic case is very complex and it cannot be analysed without taking into consideration the verdict of ECHR in the Sejdic-Finci case when it comes to the election of B&H Presidency members. “We need a constitutional reform that cannot be pulled out of the pocket just like that. Current discrimination in the Dayton Constitution is not yet completely ruled out. That’s why I would say that we really need to look for solutions together. I am sorry that there was no success in this matter in Neum two years ago. We cannot say that the time is unlimited, but that has nothing to do with the question of the integrity of the electoral process, whether the votes will be counted as they were actually cast or falsified”, said Schmidt. He reminded that the EU and USA also support technical changes to the Election Law which can improve the integrity of the election process. Schmidt stated that implementation of changes to B&H Criminal Code prohibiting genocide denial, which were imposed by former High Representative Valentin Inzko, is very important. He explained that if some provisions need to be improved, then this needs to be done. “We found that the main problem is not in the law itself, but unfortunately in the fact that the application and implementation is insufficient in the courts and institutions”, Schmidt emphasized. Asked to comment the presence of HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic at the promotion of the book authored by convicted war criminal Valentin Coric, Schmidt said that he is not familiar will all circumstances and underlined that he cannot comment every individual case. However, he noted, a politician and a public office holder should not be socializing with a person convicted for war crimes by the ICTY. He also underlined that convicted war criminals must not be allowed to run for public office. In his opinion, the changes to B&H Election Law must include such ban.

Izetbegovic: Schmidt will damage his authority if he is afraid of what Dodik says; I encourage HR not to hesitate (Hayat)

SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic was a guest of Hayat. The reporter said that SDA recently saved the European path of B&H when delegates from SDA, SB&H and DF initiated the session of the B&H House of Peoples (HoP). When asked why they, as the opposition, helped the authorities, Izetbegovic said that he sees it differently and that they would not help the authorities, but they cannot be against the interests of B&H. Izetbegovic said: “SDA is a constructive opposition, it will never do anything to the detriment of the state”. When asked whether this helps the image of ‘The Troika’, Izetbegovic responded: “We cannot repair that image as much as they destroy it. So, I do not think we can really help them there”. He said that SDA will propose what is helpful to B&H, such as changes to the B&H Election Law when it comes to the transparency and integrity of the election process. Considering that SDA’s proposal for changes of the Election Law was rejected in B&H HoP, Izetbegovic said that it is in the interest of those who steal the elections not to have transparency. “Now the people can see who wants to cheat in the elections, and who is ready to have truly fair and honest elections”, said Izetbegovic. When asked about the lack of reaction from the High Representative in B&H Christian Schmidt, Izetbegovic said that Schmidt will damage his authority if he is afraid of what RS President Milorad Dodik says. “I encourage the High Representative not to hesitate, there are many more of us who want to support that, above all the people who want to support it”, added Izetbegovic. Regarding the RS President Milorad Dodik, who threatened that there will be no European path for B&H if Schmidt imposes changes to the Election Law, Izetbegovic said that things are clear and that there is a desire to cheat the people and control the elections. Izetbegovic said that those who are against these changes to the Election Law, do not deserve voters’ votes. The reporter said that ‘The Troika’ put all their bets on the issue of opening accession negotiations with the EU, and asked Izetbegovic about his expectations. Izetbegovic confirmed that this is an important issue for B&H, however, he believes that the laws on courts and on conflict of interest, which are a condition for B&H’s European path, will not be adopted. Izetbegovic stated: “However, there is a chance that they will simply turn a blind eye, as they did in relation to Ukraine. I think that the centre of gravity is almost already on that side of doing it for B&H. They keep lowering that ramp, they do not manage to cross it, not even those tiny two or three laws. I think they will definitely put it down now, that there is a chance, and they will just let us go as we are”. He stated that his grievances against ‘The Troika’ were long, starting with the betrayal of their own principles. Izetbegovic claimed that ‘The Troika’ started giving up and betraying, perhaps unconsciously. He said that some of those issues are repairable, but there are irreparable ones, such as changing the structure of the state, handing over the Constitutional Court and the B&H Presidency. Izetbegovic said that these things cannot be fixed and that ‘The Troika’ must be stopped from causing huge irreparable damage to B&H. He said that the opposition and the people will be able to do that. The reporter reminded how Izetbegovic said earlier that B&H’s weapons industry should be strengthened and that some made an affair out of that, however, some of those who criticized Izetbegovic are now giving warnings about conflicts. Izetbegovic said that during the election campaign, some people prefer to hear only positive things and promises, but he did not do that. Instead, he honestly said how he saw things. Izetbegovic said that it is unfortunately true that there is no place in the world for those who are weak, and in order to defend a territory and people’s rights to life and freedom one needs to be strong. He said that Bosniaks never endangered anyone, and they defended B&H. According to Izetbegovic, statements that they are rattling with weapons and threating someone are ridiculous, compared to Croatia which is now introducing military service and buying planes and tanks, as well as Serbia which is arming itself with drones and missile systems. Izetbegovic stated: “That is why I recommend to the young B&H patriots, that of course, within the framework of the law, the constitution, what is allowed, to strengthen B&H. Of course, the NATO path is the most important thing, then the Armed Forces as much as they can, but in every way, by themselves, to be sportsmen, to learn to shoot, to learn to defend themselves because we will never attack anyone. It is good that we are strong, both for our sake and for the sake of those who might attack us and ‘break their teeth’, as happened to them in 1992. We are a small and proud people, and we have to be strong in order to defend ourselves”. When asked about his expectations from the process against Dodik before the Court of B&H, Izetbegovic said he does not think Dodik can get out of this. Izetbegovic also commented on the published unclassified EUROPOL scheme according to which the leader of the People and Justice (NiP) and the B&H Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konakovic is linked to a drug cartel. He said that everything is suspicious and strange, and that a heavy shadow has fallen on the party that calls for justice.

Dodik says B&H is serious lie that cannot function, criticizes partners in authorities at B&H level for not respecting agreements (Dnevni list)

RS President Milorad Dodik reiterated that B&H is a serious lie that cannot function and he noted that B&H, as a political community, will never be constructed: “Therefore, it would be the best if it went separate ways. Our areas are our, they belong to the RS. B&H is an internationally recognized country, but it is still heavily subordinated. No sustainable political option has ever been offered by them”. Dodik argued that everyone in B&H have animosities toward each other and desire for separation because of constant attempts to centralize B&H. “Without any ideas, B&H will fall apart sooner or later”, Dodik claimed and warned that the RS cannot be made ‘smaller’ so that B&H can become ‘bigger’. Dodik also reiterated that (High Representative) Christian Schmidt and foreign judges in the Constitutional Court of B&H are unacceptable for the RS and he announced that the RS will use political means to defend its position. Dodik said that everything that has been done so far with regard to the adoption of European laws at the level of B&H was done with support of the RS officials “but there have been constantly ‘small deceits’ ever since the meeting in Laktasi”. “(US) Ambassador (to B&H Michael) Murphy comes and says that he disagrees with our agreement. Then they change everything and lie about everything only for the sake of Murphy”, Dodik said. Dodik also noted that, although the adoption of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism is not disputable, “the other side” also destroyed the agreement to adopt this law in a package with the other two laws. Dodik also claimed that an agreement was reached on the Law on Courts of B&H, according to which the seat of the Appellate Division will be in Banja Luka.

Schmidt: Issue of state property must be solved, Dodik should not make threats (Klix.ba)

High Representative Christian Schmidt spoke for Klix.ba about the issue of state property. Schmidt said that the expert team formed by the OHR will soon present the results of its work to B&H parliament. He underlined that he does not want to turn this issue into a theatre spectacle. “Imagine someone from a European country wants to invest and does not even know if the land they are buying is real, if they can dispose of it. You will certainly not find such entrepreneurs”, Schmidt warned. Asked if he believes that the state should be the title-holder of all property, while lower levels of authority can use it, Schmidt replied that this issue is still being discussed. He noted that there are different possible solutions used in different countries. He underlined that the entire process must be transparent, and profits made from state property must be distributed in a transparent manner.  Asked to comment the fact that the temporary ban on disposal of state property is being violated in many cases, Schmidt replied: “We need to make a start and agree on principles. Then the politicians really have to have a certain political honor to show. In all other parts of the former Yugoslavia, these matters have already been clarified. I do not understand that 29 years after the signing of the Dayton Agreement we have to deal with this topic. I would say let us all take a deep breath and take joint action”. Commenting the threat of RS President Milorad Dodik, who said that the RS will declare independence immediately if Schmidt imposes the law on state property, Schmidt replied: “I would advise Mr. Dodik in a very friendly manner not to think that he is a bigger force than he really is. The future of B&H is decided by citizens. There, Dodik is just a little cog in the whole system. Therefore, he should not use such cheap topics to call into question the European path of B&H”. He noted that while Dodik is meeting with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, hundreds of young people from the RS want to go to the West, and nobody wants to go to Belarus. According to Schmidt, this describes very well the nature of Dodik’s behaviour. “He has only one possibility to get on the train going to Europe, if he does not get on that train, the train will still leave without him because I am convinced that for B&H, the only way to the future and well-being is the way to European integration. In that case, Dodik will no longer be important”, said Schmidt. Asked if he has the support of the EU and USA to impose a law on state property, Schmidt said that deciding on such matters is a part of his mandate. He also noted that the state property issue is not a priority at the moment, and Washington and Brussels will focus on this matter if it becomes clear that a solution is not possible. “I do not want to create the law on state property, I want the institutions of B&H to finally complete their task, do their job and solve the problem”, Schmidt emphasized. “Dodik is one of the main culprits that people here cannot have good economic development because no one knows what belongs to them”, Schmidt concluded.

PM Niksic with US Embassy’s Mennuti, focus on fight against corruption (Dnevni avaz)

Federation of B&H (FB&H) Prime Minister Nermin Niksic met with Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Sarajevo Deborah Mennuti at the seat of the FB&H Government in Sarajevo on Wednesday. During the meeting, the collocutors reviewed activities undertaken on formation of special departments at the Supreme Court of FB&H and the Prosecutor’s Office of FB&H with the aim to implement the Law on Suppression of Corruption an Organized Crime in the FB&H. PM Niksic reiterated the current government’s dedication to fight against corruption, which is one of two priority goals of the FB&H government. Niksic also reminded that the law in question was adopted during his first term in office (of the FB&H) in 2014, stressing that ‘our’ key goals is to have these two special departments functioning as soon as possible and to adopt fiscal laws. Mennuti expressed satisfaction with partnership with the FB&H Government’s team in the process of establishment of the special departments. “Considerable progress has been achieved since last October. Locations for accommodating special departments have been identified and the process of filling posts of judges and prosecutors has begun”, said Mennuti.

Opposition demands dissolution of parliament: ‘Ruling coalition has crossed the line’ (N1)

On the agenda of the Croatian parliament on Wednesday is a discussion on the opposition’s motion to dissolve parliament and call parliamentary elections immediately. This is a motion that the opposition centre-left SDP party put forward in December last year as part of the parliamentary procedure due to the then ongoing “Mreza affair”. However, the opposition put forward the same motion on the eve of the protest rally on St Mark’s Square in Zagreb and accelerated the inclusion of the SDP motion on the agenda. Representatives of the left-liberal parliamentary opposition, joined on the right by the conservative parties Most and the Croatian Sovereignists, are of the opinion that a series of HDZ party corruption scandals and the decline in living standards make it necessary to dissolve parliament and go to the polls as soon as possible. Allegedly, according to the weekly newspaper Nacional, the centre-left parties are ready to stage new protests if their proposal is not accepted. Political analyst Zarko Puhovski believes that this initiative was a failure. “Taking out Andrej Plenkovic and the HDZ for the opposition is an understandable political concern, but I see no point in it if there are no guarantees that something else will happen afterwards,” he said in an interview with N1 Zagreb, adding that the opposition wanted to scare the ruling party before the elections, but this means that the ruling party will try to postpone the elections as much as possible.

Meanwhile, MP Mirela Ahmetovic presented the position of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and said that the HDZ “crossed the line with the appointment of Ivan Turudic as State Attorney General and decided to prevent the public from learning about their corrupt crimes by law”. She added that the ruling coalition has no responsibility towards Croatian citizens but is only accountable to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic in order to be rewarded for their obedience.

Russian Ambassador summoned to Foreign Ministry over Navalny’s death (Hina)

The Russian Ambassador to Croatia was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday regarding the “unexplained circumstances of the death” of Alexei Navalny in custody, but the meeting was attended by an embassy employee due to the ambassador’s “health reasons”, the MVEP said. The leader of the Russian opposition and the leading critic of the Kremlin, Alexei Navalny, a 47-year-old former lawyer, died last Friday in the Polar Wolf penal colony in Kharp, about 1,900 kilometres northeast of Moscow, where he was serving a 30-year prison sentence. Western countries are calling for a transparent investigation into the cause of his death, and some world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, directly accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of Navalny’s death. A number of European countries, including Germany, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Italy and the Baltic countries, as well as the EU, have already summoned Russian ambassadors or chargé d’affaires for an interview regarding this case. Today, the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs did the same. The Russian Ambassador was summoned to the ministry for a meeting. Due to the impossibility of coming for health reasons, the meeting was attended by an employee of the Russian Embassy. The interlocutor was given a request to establish the facts surrounding the death of Alexei Navalny, as well as to allow the family members to take over the remains without delay, the ministry said. It added that at the meeting it had also called for the release of opposition activists, journalists and anti-war activists, and that it was pointed out that the political process against Navalny and other critics of the Russian government, as well as the inhuman conditions of detention, show an unacceptable way of treating opponents.

Varhelyi to Spajic: Montenegro has political will and excellent communication with the EU in the field of smart specialization (CdM)

Montenegro is committed to the implementation of the Smart Specialization Strategy and shows political commitment in the field of science and innovation, European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said in a letter to Prime Minister Milojko Spajic. Varhelyi’s letter arrived after the Montenegrin side informed the EU about the successful implementation of the Smart Specialization Strategy, which is a mandatory condition for the use of EU Structural Funds. “In the context of your accession negotiations, I would like to emphasize that smart specialization is a mandatory condition for joining the EU Structural Funds,” the commissioner announced. Now, as stated by the government, the final assessment of the success of the implementation of the aforementioned strategy by the European Commission follows, which is a condition for Montenegro, upon joining the EU, to have access to the European Structural and Investment Funds, as one of the EU’s largest investment instruments. The aim of the smart specialization strategy is to modernize and increase the competitiveness of the Montenegrin economy by concentrating available research, natural and economic resources on a limited number of priority areas,” the statement added. The European structural and investment funds launched investments of 731 billion euros in the period 2014-2020 alone, while the financial budget framework for the period 2021-2027 is the largest so far and amounts to 1,824.3 billion Euros. For example, for the Republic of Croatia, a full member of the EU, more than 25 billion Euros are available from this financial framework. Montenegro is the first country outside the EU to adopt this strategy, and the government of Montenegro sees it as a key strategic framework for the development of science and innovation in the service of the priority sectors of Montenegro’s development. “Achieving the main goal of the strategy, i.e. a modernized and competitive Montenegro, is based on three key strategic directions that represent the general long-term vision of the country’s development, namely: a healthy, sustainable and digitized Montenegro,” the announcement concludes.

Gjeloshaj: I represented Montenegro at Kosovo Independence Day celebration (TV Vijesti)

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Nik Gjeloshaj has said he represented Montenegro at the celebration of Kosovo’s Independence Day. Gjeloshaj was in Pristina last week, at a ceremony on the occasion of Kosovo’s Independence Day. “At that event, as a minister and DPM, I represented Montenegro, based on the platform adopted by the government at its session”, Gjeloshaj has told TV Vijesti.

Xhaferi reaffirms support for Ukraine at meeting with Ambassador (MIA)

Caretaker Prime Minister Talat Xhaferi at a meeting Wednesday with the Ukrainian Ambassador to North Macedonia Larysa Dir said that North Macedonia firmly supports Ukraine amid difficult moments for the Ukrainian people who have been fighting bravely for their freedom for almost two years now, said the government in a press release. Xhaferi stressed that the Republic of North Macedonia and its citizens stand firmly beside Ukraine in its fight for sovereignty and territorial integrity and will continue to do so for as long as it is necessary, said the government. “Ukraine has our support for its aspiration for integration into the democratic unions of states, and to that end, North Macedonia welcomes the decision of the European Council to begin accession negotiations with the country,” said Xhaferi at the meeting. The PM said that, apart from the establishment of the NATO-Ukraine Council, as an allied state, North Macedonia is a part of the package of expanded political and practical assistance for Ukraine and continues its support for the Alliance’s open-door policy. Xhaferi affirmed that the government would be happy to share experiences to aid Ukraine’s further integration within the Euro-Atlantic structures. Ambassador Dir congratulated Xhaferi on his new post and voiced hope that he will continue to provide strong support for Ukraine. “The Ambassador voiced gratitude over all the assistance provided by the Republic of North Macedonia to Ukraine, as well as the voiced readiness to continue with the assistance. She stressed that Ukraine values this highly and will never forget it. Dir welcomed North Macedonia’s readiness to share experiences and knowledge over Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration processes,” said the government.

Defense Ministry raises Ukrainian flag ahead of second anniversary of Russian invasion (MIA)

The Ukrainian flag was raised at an event Wednesday in front of the building of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of North Macedonia in support of the defense of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine ahead of the second anniversary of the Russian invasion launched on 24 February 2022, said the Defense Ministry in a press release. According to the press release, the flag-raising ceremony was attended by Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska and the Ukrainian Ambassador to North Macedonia Larysa Dir. “North Macedonia continues to fully support Ukraine in the fight for its territorial sovereignty and integrity. So far, the Ggvernment of the Republic of North Macedonia has adopted 12 decisions for military or humanitarian assistance, training was also held for Ukrainian soldiers at the Krivolak army field,” said the press release, adding that the assistance would continue. The Ukrainian flag will remain raised next to the flag of North Macedonia in front of the Defense Ministry building until Monday, 26 February.

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Hasani on an official visit to India aiming to expand strategic projects (Radio Tirana)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Igli Hasani has commenced a three-day official visit to India today. According to a press release from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, it is announced that, “Minister Hasani will participate in the 9th edition of the ‘Raisina Dialogue,’ as well as engage in bilateral and multilateral meetings, following an invitation from the Ministry of External Affairs of India.” “During this visit, Minister Hasani will have a meeting with Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Minister of External Affairs of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar, along with leaders of major Indian companies in fields such as technology, healthcare, education, and more,” the statement reads. The announcement further states, “Minister Hasani’s visit to India underscores the amicable relations between Albania and India, aiming to further foster this longstanding friendship between two nations grounded in shared values, amid a new historical context.” “There’s also a focus on expanding relations with India in the development of strategic projects spanning infrastructure, energy, innovation, pharmaceuticals, software, tourism, and other sectors,” the statement elaborates. “India holds significant importance as a trading partner for Albania, ranking as the fourth largest supplier to the Albanian market in recent years. In 2023, the trade exchange rate between the two countries surged by 24.9% compared to the previous year,” concludes the announcement from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

British Ambassador to Tirana: Electoral Reform to adopt before the parliamentary elections (Radio Tirana)

During a meeting held with the State Election Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi the Ambassador of Great Britain to Tirana Alastair King-Smith called for the approval of the Electoral Reform before the next parliamentary elections. In an announcement on the official website of the British Embassy in Albania, it is said that the Ambassador emphasized that the recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR and the decisions of the Constitutional Court should be included in the Electoral Reform. “The British Ambassador Alastair King-Smith met today with the State Electoral Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi to confirm the UK’s support for the Commission. The Ambassador called for the adoption of the Electoral Reform before the parliamentary elections, including the recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR and the decisions of the Constitutional Court. “All political perspectives should be included in the debate on Electoral Reform,” the announcement of the British embassy says.

The social security agreement between Albania and Bulgaria gets ratified (Radio Tirana)

The National Assembly of Bulgaria ratified the social security agreement between Bulgaria and Albania. The agreement is based on the principles of equal treatment of persons, the export of benefits and pensions, the applicability of a legislation regarding the insurance obligation and the accumulation of insurance periods. The Agreement shall apply to Bulgaria in relation to legislation relating to public social insurance for sickness and maternity benefits; benefits for accidents at work and occupational diseases; pensions; disability pensions due to general illness; disability pensions due to accidents at work and occupational diseases; survivors’ pensions. In regard to Albania, the Agreement applies to all legislation related to the mandatory social security scheme: sickness benefits for employees; maternity benefits for employed and self-employed persons as well as for employers; occupational accident and disease benefits; old-age, pensions for employed and self-employed persons as well as employers.

Peleshi: Unprecedented increase in the defense spending of NATO allies in Europe (Radio Tirana)

Albanian Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi announces that during 2024, the NATO allies in Europe will invest 380 billion USD, which is 2% of their GDP, a big step towards the objective. While bringing into attention the statistics that show the increase in the defense spending of the Alliance, Peleshi underscored that “Albania is doing her part too in the increasing of security in the region”. “NATO marks a great victory! Defense spending is on an unprecedented rise, reaching 600 billion USD from European allies and Canada,” he stated. Meanwhile, according to the minister, in 2023, the figures show a real increase of 11%. “In 2024, NATO allies in Europe will invest 380 billion USD, which is 2% of their GDP, a big step towards the target. This also includes the contribution of Albania, which is doing her part too in the increasing of security in the region. Joint strength and commitment to security are the essence of the Alliance’s success,” Peleshi noted.