LOCAL PRESS

Vucic congratulates Putin on election win, informs him of situation in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/Politika)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko on Tuesday and presented to him a letter for Vladimir Putin in which he congratulated the Russian President on his re-election and explained the difficult situation Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija are in. “I used the discussion with Ambassador Botsan-Kharchenko to present to him a letter for President Putin of the Russian Federation, in which, besides congratulating him on the electoral win, I explained the gravity of the situation facing the Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija and the significant political challenges that are ahead of Serbia, expressing gratitude to the Russian Federation for its support for the territorial integrity of Serbia,” Vucic wrote on Instagram.

Formation of Community of Serb Municipalities remains key topic of negotiations with Pristina (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said yesterday that during a trilateral meeting with Pristina’s Chief Negotiator Besnik Bislimi and EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak, the Serbian delegation highlighted everything that makes the survival of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija difficult. After the meeting held in Brussels, Petkovic pointed out that the direct conversation took place at the insistence of the Serbian side, and that the main topic was the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities because it relates to the fate and future of the Serbian people. He said that everything that makes the survival and life of our people in the southern Serbian province difficult was pointed out, including all the violent moves and the embargo on Serbian goods, which has lasted for nine months. He added that numerous incidents were also discussed, the closure of Serbian institutions and of the Serbian outpatient clinic in Pristina, the behaviour of the police towards Serbs, the very difficult position of Serbs and the decree on the dinar, which affects Serbs who receive social benefits, as well as our institutions. Petkovic underlined once again that the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities is crucial for the Serbian side, because it completely solves the matter of financing our institutions, noting that Belgrade, Pristina and the EU have also signed it.

Petkovic: Solution must include continued Postal Savings Bank operations in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)

For Serbia, it is important to find a solution in the dialogue with Pristina that will include continued operations of the Postal Savings Bank in Kosovo and Metohija, the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said in Brussels on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters after a new round of the Brussels dialogue, Petkovic noted that the Serbian bank had been operating in Kosovo and Metohija since 2018 and had five branch offices in the province. In cooperation with the Post of Serbia, it has been executing money transfers in areas south of the Ibar River and it has over 50,000 accounts belonging to individuals as well as institutions, he said. “Why reinvent the wheel now and make the already difficult position of the Serbs even more difficult when the solution already exists? It is just a matter of whether someone wants that solution or not. Or simply wants an expulsion of the Serbs as the ultimate objective,” Petkovic said. The most important thing for Serbia is to find a solution that will enable Serbian citizens in Kosovo and Metohija to receive payments from Belgrade, he said, referring to Pristina’s ban on the Serbian Dinar. “The Republic of Serbia makes payments to all the accounts of our citizens regularly and in a timely fashion. The problem is that the payments cannot be received either at the Postal Savings Bank or post offices south of the Ibar because there are no Dinars,” Petkovic also said. In a statement to Pristina-based Koha daily, Pristina’s chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi said Belgrade and Pristina would by Friday propose ways of resolving the issue and added that he expected it to also be discussed next week.

Lajcak: Dialogue to be continued on Monday (Tanjug)

The EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak announced on Tuesday discussions about cash operations in Kosovo and Metohija would be continued in Brussels next Monday. “Hosted the two Chief negotiators to discuss implementing the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and other issues, incl. the impact of the decision on cash operations,” Lajcak wrote in a post on the social media network X after a trilateral meeting with the chief negotiators of Belgrade and Pristina, Petar Petkovic and Besnik Bislimi. “We agreed to continue on this issue next Monday, while the Agreement will need to be addressed by the leaders,” he added.

Dacic: UN Security Council session regarding NATO bombing of Yugoslavia anniversary still uncertain (TV Pink/Beta)

Outgoing Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said today that it is still uncertain whether or not the UN Security Council will meet on 25 March at the request of Russia regarding the 25th anniversary of the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. “I should be there as a representative of Serbia and we don’t even know if the session will be held,” Dacic told TV Pink. According to him, a procedural vote will take place ahead of the meeting on whether it should be held at all. Speaking about Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe, Dacic said he expects the meeting of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly to be scheduled, adding that it is likely the Committee will adopt a “positive recommendation” for Kosovo to join the Council. “After that, in April, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will probably make [the same] recommendation to the Committee of Ministers. We can expect Kosovo’s membership to be expedited,” Dacic said.

Hill: ZSO is overdue (RTS)

Serbia is now much closer to NATO than Kosovo, we work with the Serbian military every day, we have had joint exercises, training and many other things, said US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill. In an interview with RTS, the Ambassador said Serbia is currently pursuing a policy of military neutrality and that he wanted to make it clear that the US absolutely respects this policy, but that the Serbians might at some point arrive at a different conclusion. He noted that Sweden also pursued the same policy for 200 years, yet that it now had a change of heart and joined NATO, and that it is up to Serbia to decide. Hill said he certainly understands the problem of Serbia’s relationship with NATO, and that the best he can do is to be open as much as he can and understand that there is also a different narrative on this issue. As for whether Serbia should at some point become part of the collective defense, that is for it to decide, said the ambassador. Commenting on the fact that the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) has not been formed in Kosovo even though it has been 11 years since the agreement on this was reached, Hill said the US administration has a firm position on this matter and that it has clearly said that the ZSO is way overdue. Our position, and that of the EU, is that this needs to be done, because the Community of Serb Municipalities is necessary and it would solve many of the problems that we are faced with, said Hill, adding that US special envoy Gabriel Escobar at one point said that this will be done with or without Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Varhelyi says Serbia should open next cluster (Beta)

Speaking at NEAR Days 2024 in Brussels yesterday, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said he stood by the proposal that Serbia should open the next negotiation cluster, adding that progress had been noticed. Varhelyi also said that only continuing to open new clusters could keep the motivation of countries to keep going forward on the EU integration path. “Enlargement is a transformation process. Our partners have made fundamental decisions to choose the EU path. So, when progress has been made, we must bring everything to ensure things continue to move forward,” Varhelyi wrote on his X account. He also said that the European Commission would not be asked to give its opinion on Kosovo’s application for EU membership due to the latest elements of escalation, noting that “the latest such element was the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo to prohibit the use of the Serbian dinar.” NEAR Days 2024 is organized by the European Commission Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), headed by Gert Jan Koopman, which is helping the EU aspiring countries in meeting the required criteria.

Revision of Pogrom and Kalimero (Danas, by Jelena Tasic)

In seven days apart, Serbia is marking this month one quarter of a century since the beginning of the NATO aggression on the then FR Yugoslavia on 24 March, which ended with the introduction of the UN protectorate in Kosovo and Metohija, and last weekend two decades of the March pogrom against the Serbs and the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) in Kosovo and Metohija under this same international administration introduced under bombs in 1999 so order, peace, security and, in the West much mentioned – multiethnicity, would be introduced in the southern Serbian province. The FRY is the first and only European state bombed after the World War II where the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia was the war ally over those who bombed it in 1945 too, so in this upside down mind it was “logical” to someone that Serbs and the SPC in Kosovo and Metohija be the legitimate target of the bloodiest post-war pogrom in Europe under the UN auspices. That it is not so, the culprits for the two-day violence would be revealed and punished for these 20 years, and assessments would be hardly questioned as to the fact that the March pogrom was “well prepared action of Albanian extremists whose goal was the expulsion of the Serb population and obliteration of Serb traces in the southern Serbian province”. If before the investigation and without proof accusations were put before by the Kosovo media in the Albanian language that behind the strangulation of three Albanian boys in the village of Cabar on 16 March 2004 Serbs stand would be manipulation, then how come after 20 years and more of international investigations, which showed that in the tragedy in the Ibar there are no “Serb fingers”, then how to call the statements of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his Self-Determination  as the ruling party of the Kosovo Albanians? It turns out that “Serb criminals” are to be blamed for the Pogrom against the Serbs and the SPC in Kosovo and Metohija, while the victims are Kosovo Albanians who were not protected by the international forces while the armed were after them, not only on Serb villages, houses, monasteries and cemeteries, but also on KFOR members and UNMIK police. The rhetoric and behavior of the ruling Albanian majority in Kosovo and Metohija is, unfortunately, a reality in which there is no room for Cyrillic script on public signs, while the property of Serbia medieval monasteries has become the subject of political manipulations. To even greater regret, the current SNS government “pushed” the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija into that advanced post-Pogrom hell with their Brussels, Washington and Ohrid and all other agreements with Pristina, which are about to be executed. After Kurti’s “revision” of events from 16 to 19 March 2004, on the anniversary of the Pogrom the Belgrade “revision” of politics has been announced from Andric’s wreath. The Serbian President in talks with the elementary pupils from Kosovo and Metohija for the first time announced “changes in the doctrine and in the approach of the continuation of the dialogue with Pristina”, about which he didn’t speak one single word the same day at the Academy regarding the Pogrom – on the scene of the National Theatre in Belgrade he was “Kalimero”.

REGIONAL PRESS

Venice Commission adopts Opinion on certain issues related to functioning of Constitutional Court of B&H (Hayat/N1)

The Venice Commission adopted the Opinion on certain issues related to the functioning of the Constitutional Court of B&H, discussed at its 138th plenary session held in Venice on 15-16 March. The recommendations of the Venice Commission included several anti-blockade measures, a proposal to extend the judge’s term even after they turn 70 or until their replacements are appointed, more regular plenary sessions, decision-making based on the votes of present judges and not a two-thirds majority of all judges. The Commission instructed the FB&H parliament to make changes to the Rules of Procedure, which would allow the appointment of new judges even in cases of attempted blockades of the Selection and Appointment Committee by directly forwarding the candidate list to the FB&H House of Representatives. N1 carries that at the request of B&H CC President Valerija Galic, the Venice Commission discussed steps that could be taken by the B&H CC in order to prevent complete paralysis of its work amid retirement of judges, as well as how to improve B&H CC’s current work in the current circumstances with lack of three domestic judges.

Dodik: Schmidt is constantly messing around, shifting the blame to the RS (ATV)

ATV carried that (High Representative) Christian Schmidt published a post on social media X on Monday with regard to the proposal of the Law on the B&H Constitutional Court (CC) that defines the removal of foreign judges from work of the B&H CC. This initiative was included in the agenda of the Monday’s session of the B&H House of Peoples (HoP), but the session was adjourned after the Bosniak Caucus delegates left the session due to strongly opposing such a law. In his post, Schmidt wrote that he is a guardian of the Dayton Agreement and that he cannot accept any legislative initiatives that move in the direction of the departure of international judges from the B&H CC. In addition, the Venice Commission, the advisory body of the Council of Europe (CoE), recommended that the paralysis of the B&H CC’s work due to retirement of judges can be avoided through extension of mandate of judges after they reach the age of 70. In his reaction, Dodik criticized Schmidt’s behavior and said that Schmidt is only trying to acquire some kind of importance. Dodik noted that everything Schmidt presents on the public stage goes around Europe and that “he is constantly messing around, shifting the blame to the RS”. Dodik stated: “Of course, nobody in the West will ask him has he been appointed (the HR), but he comes here and deals with the European path.” The RS President pointed out that the Europeans must know that if Schmidt imposes any solution, the RS will react, and added: “If there is an intervention, we will pass our Election Law.” The RS President also added that Schmidt is trying to keep “a good salary worth EUR 24,000”.

Varhelyi expresses support to B&H ahead of European Council session (FTV)

Ahead of the key decision of the European Council on 21 March, a huge support was expressed to B&H by European officials. Before Thursday’s summit, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi sent his unquestionable support to B&H and a clear message that said “B&H’s place is exclusively in the European family”. Varhelyi said that if the EU wants to be relevant and honest towards the Western Balkans countries, then those countries must be aided in growing faster under the EU’s umbrella. “Enlargement is the only way for a long-lasting peace,” the Commissioner emphasized. For this reason, Varhelyi says the enlargement must come as soon as possible because that is in the EU’s vital interest.

GAC meeting: Several EU-member states and MEPs call on European Council to approve opening of B&H’s accession negotiations (Hayat)

Several EU-member states and European Parliament MP’s called on the European Council to approve the opening of BiH’s accession negotiations, at its Summit on 21-22 March. The statements were given at the EU General Affairs Council (GAC) meeting held in Brussels on Tuesday. Ministers of European and Foreign Affairs, and representatives of Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Greece, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Croatia participated in the meeting. State Secretary for European Affairs of Croatia Andreja Metelko-Zgombic said that Croatia expects that the European Council will open B&H’s accession negotiations this week, adding that this move would send a strong message to pro-European forces in B&H and show the results of their work on reform processes. Austrian Minister for the EU Karoline Edstadler stated it is no longer a question if B&H will receive the green light, but when. She noted that the EU has to take advantage of the moment, commending the progress that B&H has made in the last year. Denmark Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated: “After the fatigue of enlargement, now the mood has changed and I agree that it should be on the agenda of the EU, but we must not abandon the merit-based approach. BiH has made a lot of progress, but there is still a lot of work to be done, the situation is fragile.” Croatian MP at the European Parliament Tonino Picula stated: “I welcome the Commission’s assessment of B&H, and I believe that the enlargement process should go hand in hand with the EU reforms that are needed to receive new members.”

Becirovic, Schmidt speak about EU path of B&H (FTV)

Chairman of the B&H Presidency Denis Becirovic spoke with High Representative in B&H Christian Schmidt during which he emphasized that B&H has made important progress in the past year and that he expects the European Council to make a decision on the opening of EU negotiations with B&H on 21 March. Becirovic pointed out that the announcement of the “great Easter Assembly” of Serbia and the RS is absolutely unacceptable in the democratic and civilized world. He said that international law must apply equally to all the countries of the Western Balkans.

Helez to Dodik and Goganovic: When B&H gets the green light for negotiations with the EU, it will continue path towards full NATO membership (Avaz)

Minister of Defense of B&H Zukan Helez reacted to statements of RS President Milorad Dodik and Deputy Minister of Defense of B&H Aleksandar Goganovic. Namely, posting on Facebook, Minister Helez wrote that individuals he pressed criminal reports against because of marking of unconstitutional day of RS, President Dodik and Deputy Minister Goganovic, spoke about him (Helez) and said that he (Helez) is having illusions about the Russian influence in B&H and that there is no integration of B&H into NATO. Helez wrote, among other issues, there is a decision of the Presidency of B&H from 2009, as well as article 84 of the Law on Defense of B&H, which undoubtedly oblige institutions of B&H to conduct activities for B&H’s accession to NATO. Helez also wrote that relevant survey show that more than half of citizens “in the smaller B&H entity” are in favor of B&H joining NATO, arguing it is a normal thing because the practice has shown that joining NATO has positive effect on economic growth of a country, which is very necessary for the impoverished citizens of the RS. As for the Russian influence in these areas, Helez says it exists through Serbia and the RS. “Apart from me, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talked about this during the visit to our country, as well as Commander of NATO HQ in Sarajevo general Pamela McGaha”, wrote Helez. He added by saying he believes its Serbia and the RS who represent the security vacuum in this part of Europe and are the most Western point of Russian influence in Europe. Helez also wrote that the RS President is on the short leash of the Russian President, to an extent if Vladimir Putin requested from Dodik to organize a parade in Banja Luka on the occasion of the Independence Day of B&H, Dodik would do it without objections. I any case, added Helez, when B&H gets the green light for negotiations with the EU, it will continue its path towards full NATO membership.

Speaker Stevandic address Russian Duma: Serbs are being brutally punished because of refusal to join the anti-Russian hysteria (RTRS)

Addressing the Russian Duma in Moscow on Tuesday, RS parliament speaker Nenad Stevandic, who is in a visit to Russia, stated that anti-Russian hysteria has slowly become an anti-Serb campaign in the Balkans. He added that it is necessary to affirm undisputable right of all peoples in the Balkans to have their own choice and policy, without impositions and causing of crises. He stressed that there are no more impositions and the time of multipolar world has come. Stevandic said that Serbs and Russians have been closely related nations for centuries and they share the same family and freedom values, noting that the RS, Serbia and the Serb people have not allowed to be involved in anti-Russian hysteria and that therefore they are exposed to pressures from the West. He thanked for immeasurable support Russia has been providing to the RS as guarantor of the Dayton Peace Accords and the global justice and peace, stressing that the RS is especially thankful to Russia for historical ‘no’ at the UN Security Council that prevented characterizing the Serb people as genocidal nation through the UK Resolution on Srebrenica. Stevandic stated: “I must highlight some key facts. If Russia had not vetoed the insidious, Western-created, resolution in the Security Council, which stipulated that the Serb people and the RS would be labelled genocidal, the RS might have already been destroyed, because it would have been impossible to defend it with that prefix.” Stevandic added that the international law is being violated by “decisions of the fake High Representative”.

Stevandic and Volodin sign agreement on cooperation between RS parliament and Russian Duma (ATV)

Speaker of the RS parliament Nenad Stevandic met with speaker of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin in Moscow on Tuesday and on that occasion the two assembly speakers signed an agreement on cooperation between the RS parliament and the Russian Duma. At the meeting, the excellent cooperation between Russia and the RS was confirmed, and it was emphasized that it is developing thanks to the activities of RS President Milorad Dodik and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both speakers of the parliament emphasized the need for MPs to legally implement the decisions of Putin and Dodik, which is what citizens expect from them.

Dragovic: Government stable, appointment of Police Directorate acting director legal (RTCG)

A crisis of power can be caused by Democratic Montenegro because the candidate for the acting director of the Police Directorate, proposed by a minister who comes from the ranks of Democratic Montenegro, did not get the required majority, PES MP Darko Dragovic has told the RTCG portal. Nevertheless, Dragovic explains that from the content of the statements of high-ranking Democrat officials, it can be concluded that they are not thinking in that direction, but that their priority is participation in government. Therefore, he believes that the government is stable. Dragovic states that the appointment of the acting director of the Police Directorate was legal. He points out that the Law on Internal Affairs defines that, in the event that the police director’s term ends prematurely, or if he is prevented from performing his duties permanently or for a long time for any reason, the government, on the proposal of the minister, will appoint one of the managers of the internal organizational unit of the police as acting officer, who meets the requirements. Accordingly, the duty and obligation of the Minister of Internal Affairs is to propose the acting director of the Police Directorate, while the government of Montenegro is the only one authorized to appoint the acting director, Dragovic explains. “The government of Montenegro did exactly that – appointed acting Director of the Police Directorate”, he underlines. He says that everyone has the right to turn to the competent court in order to protect their rights and notes that the Law on Administrative Disputes defines that the plaintiff in an administrative dispute can be a natural or legal person believing that some right or legal interest has been violated by an administrative act or other administrative activity.

In a letter sent to Milatovic, Emmanuel Macron said it would be a pleasure to visit Montenegro (CdM)

In a response to the letter sent by the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic following the November visit, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron said it would be a pleasure to visit Montenegro, with the intention of deepening the already-started dialogue and put even more emphasis on strengthening of the cooperation, President Milatovic’s office said. Macron pointed out that he would fully back the proposal of President Milatovic to be the host of the future summit of the European Political Community, as the mentioned event would be important for the Western Balkan region. “He added that he hoped for further development of the activities of the Western Balkans Regional Cyber Capacity Centre in Podgorica, as well as the improvement of economic and financial relations, with the support of French companies and AFD,” it was said in a statement. The French President noted he was particularly glad to see the positive dynamic in the Montenegrin politics that started with the election of the new president and pro-European government.

Party structures decide on coalitions, says SDSM leader (MIA)

It is good that we will have at least two coalitions that promote North Macedonia’s swift EU integration and win the elections so the country can continue on its Euro-integration path without any hindrances, said SDSM leader Dimitar Kovachevski on Tuesday. Kovachevski said party structures “decide whether we enter into coalition during or after the elections” when asked why SDSM would not go into coalition with DUI and other parties of the “European Front”. “As far as I know, some political parties will sign a coalition agreement tomorrow, the common goal being North Macedonia’s swift EU integration. On the other hand, the party that has the best record in the field of EU and NATO integration is SDSM, which is also leading a coalition that promotes Euro-Atlantic integration. We have already made this coalition official,” said Kovachevski. He added that a portion of their coalition partners have also supported their presidential candidate Stevo Pendarovski. “It is good that the country will see two coalitions that promote North Macedonia’s swift EU integration, coalitions that will win the elections so the country can continue on its Euro-integration path without any hindrances. This is an issue of strategic importance for the country, one that is indispensable for the enhancement of many processes,” noted Kovachevski.

Ahmeti: Constitutional change, country’s EU membership of great importance (MIA)

DUI is holding talks with all political parties outside the ethnic Albanian opposition bloc to invite them to join the party’s European Front coalition, DUI leader Ali Ahmeti told a press conference Tuesday. “There is time. We are still in negotiations with other parties. It’s a process that’s been open for a long time,” Ahmeti said. “We are talking with everyone: with the Alliance and with Thaci and with Arianit Hoxha and with the Turkish Party, the Bosniak Party, the Roma Party to join this front,” Ahmeti said in response to a reporter’s question at the press conference organized to announce DUI’s coalition agreement with Skender Rexhepi Zejd’s People’s Movement. Asked to comment on the amendments to Law on Restrictive Measures to include the US State Department’s ‘blacklist’ as basis for opening investigation into persons designated for corruption, Ahmeti said the law was currently blocked in parliament but he was confident it would be adopted in the future. “We absolutely do not dispute the State Department’s decision. We will accept any State Department assessment. The US is our most important strategic partner, as is the EU,” Ahmeti said in response to a question about Struga Mayor Ramiz Merko who had been blacklisted by the US yet was still in office. Asked if he would take back Izet Mexhiti if he changed his mind and wanted to join the European Front, Ahmeti said he needed to “mind his business like a man”. In response to a question whether DUI would step back from politics if they lost the elections — in light of Kreshnik Bekteshi‘s recent statement challenging whoever loses the elections to withdraw from politics – Ahmeti recalled DUI’s proposal to VMRO-DPMNE that DUI was ready to leave the government the same day the constitutional changes came into force, if that was the opposition’s condition for them to vote for the amendments. “It is of great importance to change the Constitution, for the country to join the EU,” Ahmeti said. “We are here for a mission, and our mission is the EU.”

SEC: Inspection of Electoral Roll, diaspora voter registration officially closed (MIA)

The deadline for the inspection of the Electoral Roll and the registration of voters from the diaspora for the coming presidential and parliamentary elections has officially ended, said the State Election Commission on Tuesday. As of Monday, 6231 citizens have inspected the Electoral Roll in SEC offices nationwide. According to the Commission, 23 people have submitted a request to have their personal information changed, 29 requested to have their information added and 11 people submitted requests to have information removed from the Electoral Roll. A total of 56.299 citizens inspected the Electoral Roll online, submitting 47 requests for a change of information, 9 for the removal of information and 24 citizens requested the adding of information to the Electoral Roll. In terms of the registration of voters from the diaspora, as of 9am on March 19, 2024, the Commission received a total of 2943 applications for registration, 2369 of them have been accepted, 396 dismissed and 178 are pending and will be processed on Tuesday. The deadline for the registration of diaspora voters also ended at 9am on Tuesday, after it was previously extended due to technical difficulties with the registration website.

Deadline to hand in presidential candidacies expires on Wednesday (MIA)

The deadline to hand in presidential candidacies to the State Election Commission (SEC) expires on Wednesday. Four of the seven candidates who collected the required signatures have already handed in their candidacies – Stevo Pendarovski (SDSM-led coalition), Stevcho Jakimovski (GROM), Maksim Dimitrievski (ZNAM) and Arben Taravari (Worth It coalition). Gordana Siljanovska Davkova (VMRO-DPMNE-led coalition), Biljana Vankovska (Levica) and Bujar Osmani (DUI) are also expected to hand in their candidacies during the day. SEC members should confirm the candidacies, after which they officially become presidential candidates. The campaign for the presidential elections begins on 4 April.

Albania’s reforms and contribution to global developments, Begaj meets QUINT countries Ambassadors (Radio Tirana)

President Bajram Begaj received in a meeting the representatives of the QUINT countries in the OSCE, the German Ambassador Susanne Schutz, the British Ambassador Neil Holland, the French Ambassador Fatene Benhabyles-Foeth, the Italian Ambassador Stefano Baldi and the American Deputy Ambassador Katherine Brucker. The Head of State, after welcoming them, assessed that such meetings remain important to guarantee a better coordination regarding the commitments of the OSCE in Albania and the progress of reforms in the field of Justice, the rule of law, the fight against corruption and organized crime. Appreciating the role and the commitment of the OSCE so far in Albania, the President of the Republic underlined that this contribution, based on the special expertise of the organization, is in line with Albania’s priority, which main strategic objective is the EU integration. President Begaj informed the QUINT ambassadors about the advancement of reforms in our country, with an emphasis on the electoral and justice reforms, reconfirming the support for the justice reform, as well as for the institutions involved in it. On this occasion, the President of the Republic brought to attention the message addressed to the political parties in the parliament for raising the legislators to the required level, as well as the timely fulfillment of an electoral reform that guarantees an indisputable process, including the voting of immigrants. President Begaj also underlined that the return to the normality of work in the parliament remains important for the timely fulfillment of commitments in the field of reforms and integration in the EU. Within the framework of our country’s contributions to global and regional developments, the meeting highlighted Albania’s role as Chairman of the OSCE in 2020, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and now as a member of the UN Security Council for the Human Rights. The meeting also discussed the developments in the region, where the interlocutors appreciated the constructive, moderate and clearly oriented role towards the European future. This policy helps not only Albania, but remains an important factor for the strengthening of peace, security and sustainable development in the Western Balkans.

Hasani: OSCE, valuable contribution to promoting stability and cooperation in the region (Radio Tirana)

The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Igli Hasani hosted the permanent representatives of the Quint countries in the OSCE: Stefano Baldi, Italy, Neil Holland, United Kingdom, Susanne Schutz, Germany, Fatene Benhabyles-Foeth, France and Katherine Brucker, US Deputy Chief of Mission. Hasani said that in the meeting he emphasized the valuable contribution of the OSCE in promoting stability and cooperation in the region towards the EU integration path. “It was a pleasure to welcome today in Tirana the Ambassadors of Quint countries: USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and France. I emphasized the valuable contribution of the OSCE in promoting stability and cooperation in the region towards the EU integration path,” Hasani writes in a post on social networks. The Albanian chief diplomat reiterated that, “the continued commitment of the OSCE in addressing the complex dynamics of security that prevails in Europe, with a special focus on the Western Balkans region, remains paramount”.

US Assistant Secretary, Todd Robinson meeting with the head of SPAK and the head of National Bureau of Investigation (Radio Tirana)

Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affair, Todd Robinson is on an official visit to Albania. During this Tuesday (March 19), Robinson held a meeting with judges, prosecutors, Albanian investigators and leaders of law enforcement agencies in Albania, including the head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), Altin Duman, and the head of BKH, National Bureau of Investigation, Aida Hajnaj. The US Embassy to Tirana has informed that in his speech during the meeting, Robinson thanked the Albanian partners for their courage and commitment to law enforcement, transparency, and ending impunity. He underlined the importance of an independent Judiciary for Albania as it fights crime and corruption. “Today, Albanians are taking bold steps to initiate difficult reforms. And I want all of you to know that my colleagues and I in Washington recognize your hard work. But like any other hard work of strengthening democracy and increasing accountability, it is a long and difficult road. And I would encourage you, first, to know that you are bringing change and, second, not to give up, to continue… We will rely on you as partners in the fight against international crime and corruption in the Western Balkans.. .but most importantly, ordinary Albanian citizens believe in you…and I can promise you that as you continue your work, the United States government will be your partner in this and will walk alongside you in your support and of Albania,” said Robinson. It is reported that the American official during his stay in Tirana will meet with high officials, including Prime Minister Edi Rama. After the visit to Tirana, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Robinson will travel to Kosova on 20-22 March, where he will meet with President Vjosa Osmani and other senior officials. Robinson has worked at the Albanian Embassy in Tirana during the period 2004-2006.