LOCAL PRESS

Djuric: Making life easier for people in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)

The Head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric has stated after today’s meeting within the dialogue on normalization with the Pristina delegation that the main goal of the talks was to make life easier for the people. “Today, with the EU mediation, we discussed de-bureaucratization of the life of ordinary people,” Djuric told the press following five-hour talks in the European Foreign Affairs Service in Brussels. Apart from Djuric, the Belgrade delegation included the deputy head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Dusan Kozarev, Belgrade’s liaison office Dejan Pavicevic and the Coordinator of the Management Team for establishing the Union of Serb Municipalities Ljubomir Maric, while the Pristina delegation was headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kosovo government Edita Tahiri.

“We touched upon the topic of vehicle insurance, because citizens who are crossing the boundary line are paying this very expensively,” said Djuric. They also agreed for the visits of officials to Pristina and Belgrade to be agreed via liaison officers as of 1 December, instead of via EULEX, as the case had been so far. According to Djuric, they didn’t discuss the establishment of the Union of Serb Municipalities, since this can be discussed only after Kosovo receives a government.

Pristina’s provocation at the gathering devoted to dialogue with Belgrade (Novosti)

At the conference on the success and challenges of the implementation of the Brussels agreement held in Pristina, Belgrade’s liaison office Dejan Pavicevic threatened to leave the gathering over Edita Tahiri’s speech. She spoke outside the topic about the history of events in Kosovo, saying that “the genocide that Serbia committed in Kosovo will never be forgotten”. The hosts of the gathering asked Pavicevic to stay and that provocations will not repeat. Reacting to Tahiri’s statement, Pavicevic said it is yet another attempt to provoke Serbia. “Simply, the reaction was quite clear. We will not allow anyone to incriminate, insult and humiliate Serbia anymore, and we will never again allow being hostages to someone else’s daily politics and cheap political points, so that we will clearly react every time,” said Pavicevic. “I sharply reacted, and I was promised that if I stayed such things will not repeat. The promise was fulfilled, the gathering was over. If something like that repeated I would have definitely left the gathering,” said Pavicevic.

Decree on evaluation of studies in Kosovo and Metohija adopted (Beta)

The Serbian government adopted the Decree on the special manner of recognizing higher education documents and evaluating study programs of the universities from Kosovo and Metohija, which are conducting activities in accordance with UNSCR 1244. The university diplomas will be first certified by the Committee of European academic experts, founded by the European University Association, and then they will be examined by independent expert organs of higher education institutions, the government press service announced.

Government has maneuvering space (Danas)

It could be understood from the praises voiced by the EU and US officials in regard to the recent visit of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to Serbia, despite Rama’s statement in the midst of Belgrade that “independence of Kosovo is a reality”, that this (non)diplomatic incident will not jeopardize the continuation of the political dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. “Rama’s behavior will not influence the implementation of the Brussels agreement nor further Belgrade-Pristina negotiations. He came here to say what he had said because he is fighting for political paternalism over all Albanians in the Balkans, which causes in them greater-Albania feelings and ambitions,” the Head of the Serbian government’s Office for Media Relations Milivoje Mihajlovic tells Danas. Former Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Slobodan Samardzic says that “the objective reality is something more complicated from Rama’s opinion that only the NATO army is sufficient on the ground”. He says that the objective reality is “also legal recognition over which the West is hovering so much about Belgrade and praising all of its moves”. “The Serbian government still has maneuvering space, because the signature on the legally binding document is in its hands, though I doubt it will use this. Not much can be expected from Belgrade. Ever since the time of the Democratic Party and Borislav Stefanovic, who accepted the first agreements with Pristina, to the Brussels agreement, big steps have been made towards recognition of Kosovo’s independence and threatening Serbia’s territorial integrity. Still, nothing is complete until all is completed. The Serbian government can still pull out of the negotiations that are heading towards the finalization of the document on good-neighborly relations,” warned Samardzic. On the other hand, the Head of the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Serbia Eduard Kukan thinks that the visit of the Albanian Prime Minister to Belgrade certainly represents an important step in relations between Serbia and Albania. Kukan points out that Rama and Vucic should use their “leadership and wisdom” in order to give new impetus to improve relations between their states and reduce tensions that existed over the past weeks. “In that context, I think it is necessary to examine different fragile issues between Serbia and Albania in a more constructive and responsible manner,” Kukan told Danas.

US Embassy: Unfounded conspiracy theories (Danas)

The US Embassy in Serbia interprets the statement by Serbian Labor Minister Aleksandar Vulin that the US, “which controls the ICTY”, released the leader of the Serbian Radical Party Vojislav Seselj and “now they are speaking through his mouth that they will topple the Serbian government” – as an “unfounded conspiracy theory”. “There is absolutely no truth in this. The ICTY was founded under the auspices of the UN Security Council, and the processes that are conducted there are protected from political influence”, the US supports the important work of the ICTY, but doesn’t influence its decisions or opinions. “Any other interpretation is untruthful”, reads the statement sent to Danas. “Vulin is Vucic’s voice from the stomach on these topics. He wouldn’t have given a statement on this occasion if he didn’t have Vucic’s approval or order. Vucic is giving statements through Vulin when he wants to convey something to the domestic public or to western ambassadors. This message is now for both addresses that needs to compromise Seselj and amortize the effects of his return,” political analyst Djordje Vukadinovic tells Danas. According to him, “permanent spinning of the domestic public on the threat from the outside along with parallel mutual exchange of praises with the West are creating confusion and, in this continuous play of masks, the actors themselves forget what is their real face”.

Wilhelm: Serbia to be a bridge between Europe and Russia (Novosti)

“I don’t understand who and why sees in the temporary release of the SRS leader Vojislav Seselj some conspiracy against Serbia. Nobody has the interest in destabilizing Serbia. On the contrary, stability of the entire region is the main reason why we want all Balkan countries in the EU. The ICTY, which is independent, passed the decision on the release due to health reasons. Nobody interferes in the courts’ decisions. One should not always think within the framework of conspiracy theories,” the German Ambassador to Serbia Heinz Wilhelm responds to Novosti’s question whether Seselj’s release “is West’s project as a response to the authorities in Belgrade to the visit of Vladimir Putin to Belgrade and strengthening of ties with Russia”.

Did you see the statements of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama that Serbia should recognize Kosovo as a provocation and violation of diplomatic protocol?

“As I was told, there had been an agreement not to mention Kosovo at the press conference. If that is so, but Rama nevertheless spoke about this, then this is not nice. Everybody knows that the issue of Kosovo is a difficult topic. It would have been better had the visit passed by smoothly. The Serbian government has done a great deal since 2012 to improve relations with all neighbors. I expect Rama’s visit, despite all problems, to have a positive effect on Serbia-Albania relations.”

Can we expect Berlin’s support for the first negotiating chapters to be opened by the end of the year?

“The German government insists to open first Chapter 35, which refers to Kosovo as well. The condition for this is to fully implement the Brussels agreement, which is not the case. The integration of the judiciary into the Kosovo system has not been completed, there is no statute of the Union of Serb Municipalities, the issue of telecommunications has not been resolved completely…”

Why is the EU “punishing” Serbia for the delay in the dialogue when Pristina is hindering the entire process?

“It is not a happy circumstance that the new government has not yet been formed in Pristina. The Serbian government would like to open the first chapters by the end of the year, but it is not ‘exerting pressure’ on the EU in regard to this. It is not a matter of ‘life and death’ whether they will be opened now or within several months, because this process will take several years anyway.”

Is the signing of a peace agreement between Belgrade and Pristina the condition for launching talks with the EU?

“No, a peace or legally binding agreement is not the condition for opening Chapter 35. Nobody at this moment is talking about Kosovo’s UN membership as the condition for anything.”

Will pressures increase on Serbia to introduce sanctions to Russia?

“It is good that the Serbian government made it clear that Ukraine’ territorial integrity must be respected, but we are not happy that Serbia is not joining the sanctions against Russia. As a country that is conducting negotiations with the EU, Serbia needs to join the EU foreign-policy positions. We understand that Serbia is in a specific, difficult situation when it comes to relations with Russia. You are assuming the presidency of the OSCE in January. You can use that to be a bridge between Europe and Russia.”

REGIONAL PRESS

Izetbegovic: Chairman of the Council of Ministers and the Prime Minister of the Federation will be from SDA (Fena)

“Representatives of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) will meet with representatives of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on Saturday, and I hope that we will then finally complete the coalition at the state level,” said Bakir Izetbegovic, chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency and vice president of the SDA, appearing on FTV. He said that he is counting on the HDZ’s participation in this coalition, and that in terms of content, they will offer “what they signed with the Alliance for Change and the Democratic Front (DF).” “We really want strategically better relations with the HDZ in the future,” said Izetbegovic. In terms of good relations with the HDZ President Dragan Covic and the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) President Milorad Dodik and the prognosis whether the HDZ will remain with the SNSD, he believes that national interests are still more important, and that the private relationship between Covic and Dodik is an entirely different matter. Izetbegovic stresses that in negotiations, all parties must be rational, and no one has the right to insist on anything that represents personal interests, but rather simply the interests of the people. Asked whether he would soon appoint a prime minister for the Council of Ministers with Mladen Ivanic, he responded that all three members of the Presidency will appoint a prime minister designate, and that Covic had said this already in advance. “Of course, it is understood that Covic will give the mandate, together with us, to a representative of the SDA as the victorious party,” said Izetbegovic. To the question of who will be the new chairman of the Council of Ministers from the Bosniak people, he responded that they will try to appoint people who can change the difficult situation B&H, finds itself in for the better, and that they will be “reference people who have results behind them.” “For the position of Federal prime minister, the SDA should propose a person, and that is the most difficult thing,” said Izetbegovic, adding that this is a difficult task in both Federation of B&H and Republika Srpska (RS), and that he doesn’t know who will be “asked to do this for the next four years.” Commenting on the statement in which he promised to open 100,000 new jobs, Izetbegovic emphasizes that he was thinking of a period of 10 years, and believes that this is not a question of possibility or impossibility, but that it is “something that must be done.” Asked whether Vojislav Seselj’s release from The Hague may destabilize the situation and relations in the region, he responded negatively, saying that Serbia must deal with the problem and overcome them. “Seselj’s naive and retrograde messages that lead nowhere can cost Serbia, while Serbia tries to stabilize itself, the same as we are,” concluded Chairman Izetbegovic, adding that Serbia needs the EU, investments, and cheap capital, and that it won’t get it with Seselj.

Inzko’s report bad and tendentious (Glas Srpske, Sarajevo correspondent)

Member of B&H Presidency from the RS Nebojsa Radmanovic, said that the report of the High Representative Valentin Inzko that has been submitted to the UN Security Council is poorly written, inaccurate and tendentious. “Unfortunately for all B&H citizens, I am sure that the Office of the High Representative (OHR) will still continue to sit here for four more years and in those four years will produce eight more reports that are poorly written, inaccurate and tendentious. Inzko in almost every report says that someone from B&H infringes its sovereignty, and such claims are not correct. Inzko and others like him do not let B&H to operate its territory,” noted Radmanovic at a farewell press conference in Sarajevo. He said that the work of the OHR and other international institutions operating in B&H are a shame of the international community and of the new Presidency of the Council of Ministers, suggesting that they should be stronger and say goodbye to the High Representative and other diplomats who go beyond the frames of conventions. Radmanovic noted that his position that the OHR should depart was presented at all his meetings with international officials and that the other two members of the Presidency Zeljko Komsic and Bakir Izetbegovic are closer and closer to his position that B&H needs to be sharper with the international community. RS President Milorad Dodik believes that Inzko, in his report, made a series of lies and said that Serbs and the RS should never miss an opportunity to comment on their status.

Josipovic promised Covic to continue to care for the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Fena)

Croatian President Ivo Josipovic received Dragan Covic, the newly elected member of the Presidency of the Croatian people and stressed that Croatia will continue to fulfill the constitutional obligation to care for the Croats outside the Croatia, especially regarding those who live as a constituent people in B&H, said Josipovic’s office. Josipovic and Covic hope that the relations between two countries will continue to be at a high level, while Croatia is going to continue to support B&H on her path to the European Union and NATO. The Croatian President wished Dragan Covic and other members of the B&H Presidency good cooperation and a successful four-year term, the statement reads. Covic previously met with Croatian parliament speaker Josip Leko and introduced him to the process of forming the government at all levels in B&H, after last month’s general election. He stressed that the HDZ B&H wants to accelerate the European path of B&H, as well as the development of these countries to match the European standards. Leko replied that it is a matter of Croatian interest too, pointing out that B&H will have the support of Croatia from inside the EU.

Croatian soldiers sent to a peacekeeping mission in B&H (Dnevni avaz)

The Croatian Government has approved the deployment of five soldiers for peace-support operation EUFOR ALTHEA in B&H. Operation EUFOR ALTHEA, the EU peacekeeping mission, part of the EU’s efforts in B&H to support a political process which aims to enable B&H reforms to continue its journey towards Euro-Atlantic integration. This operation was launched on 2 December 2004 following a decision of NATO to conclude its SFOR mission. In addition to decisions about participation in this mission, the government yesterday approved the participation of Croatian soldiers in several peacekeeping operations around the world.

New arrests of the Wahhabi’s in B&H (Pravda, Sarajevo correspondent)

In the FB&H, members of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) arrested 11 members of the Wahhabi movement, which is associated with terrorism. This is a continuation of the “Damascus” action, which was conducted in September, when 16 people were arrested, including the Wahhabi leader in B&H Bilal Hussein, who is still under custody. Kristina Jozic, SIPA spokesperson, confirmed that after the arrest a full criminal investigation of the arrested will be done. “As part of the action, they have seized certain quantities of weapons and explosives and at the moment the police are investigating their origins,” explained Jozic. The suspects have been linked to the financing of terrorist organizations, recruitment of B&H citizens to go to Syria and Iraq, and their participation in armed conflict in Syria and Iraq, as of fighting on the side of radical terrorist groups and organizations. She goes on to say that several of those arrested participated in the war in Syria, and that the “Damascus” actions was launched to arrest the people who were for years involved in terrorist activities or were financially supporting various terrorist groups. Among those arrested were: Ramiz Ibrahimovic from Maglaj, Fikret Hadzic from Kakanj, Senad Kljajic and Enver Lilic from Zenica. The other arrested in this action are from Sarajevo and Zivinice. The action was done by more than 100 police officers. During the action SIPA members were wearing new tactical uniforms donated by the USA. The unofficial information from the security circles of B&H is that the trigger for the continuation of “Damascus” action was the arrival of Lambert Giannini, chief of the Central Service for Combating Terrorism Police from Italy. He was looking into information about previously arrested during the previous “Damascus” action and their contacts in Italy, because of the statement of Bilal Hussein in the Italian media, where he said that there are around 50 radical Wahhabis from Italy fighting in Syria. Also, Bosnic repeatedly visited Italy, where he urged young Wahhabi to join the jihad in Syria.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

EU hopeful Serbia hosts military drill with Russia (Reuters, by Aleksandar Vasovic, 14 November 2014)

NIKINCI, Serbia – Russian soldiers parachuted into open fields in western Serbia on Friday as part of an unprecedented joint military drill that has stirred controversy in the European Union candidate-country given the West-Russia standoff over Ukraine.

The one-day anti-terrorist exercise, around 50 km (30 miles)from Serbia’s border with NATO-member Croatia, illustrated the balancing-act Belgrade faces; safeguarding relations with its big-power ally while pursuing closer integration with Europe at a time of deep West-Russia tension.

Troops of the U.S. Ohio National Guard are expected to take part in exercises in southern Serbia later this month.

Friday’s exercise, a mock assault on a terrorist base planned since early 2014, involved around 200 Russian troops with armoured vehicles, deployed by Ilyushin IL-76 transport aircraft.

It was Serbia’s first such joint drill with Russia since the end of its state union with Montenegro in 2006.

Explosions reverberated and thick smoke billowed across the fields as Russian APCs opened fire with 30 mm cannon and guided missiles – possibly an uncomfortable sight for the Ukrainian military attaché who was present.

“No secrets about this drill,” Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic said, responding to suggestions that the government had tried to keep the exercise low-profile to avoid upsetting Western allies.

“People in Serbia are concerned about how we’ll preserve neutrality, but no one abroad is asking us that,” he said.

Serbia is not a member of NATO but does cooperate with the Western alliance. It says it has no plans to join NATO, reflecting deep resentment among Serbs since the alliance waged an 11-week air war to drive Serbian forces from the then southern province of Kosovo in 1999.

Serbia relies on Russia’s veto in the United Nations Security Council to block Kosovo’s bid to join the world body having declared independence in 2008 with Western support.

Belgrade is, however, embarking on talks to join the EU, and faces increasing pressure to align its foreign policy with that of the 28-nation bloc, which has imposed sanctions on Russia over what Western powers say is a military intervention in support of pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Russia denies sending in troops.

Friday’s drill followed a visit to Belgrade by Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, when he attended a military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of Belgrade’s liberation from the Nazis by Soviet forces and Partisan guerrillas.

Serbian Church Plays Host to Russian Patriarch (BIRN, by Ivana Nikolic, 14 November 2014)

Patriarch Kirill praised ties between Orthodox Russia and Serbia at the start of a three-day visit to Belgrade, during which he will bless a statue of Russia’s last Tsar.

“Our churches are bound together to preserve the trust between peoples, which is of a great importance,” Kirill said at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla airport.

Patriarch Irinej of Serbia replied that Serbs and Russians were “brother nations,” with historically close relations.

“Our hopes have always been in Imperial and present-day Russia, and it [Russia] always comes when we need it most,” the head of the Serbian Church said in an emotive tribute.

During his three-day visit, Patriarch Kirill will bless a newly erected statue of Russia’s last Tsar, Nicholas II, in a park in the city centre.

Together with his Serbian counterpart, the Patriarchs will then celebrate the Orthodox liturgy at the monumental St Sava church.

The Russian Church leader is expected to receive an honorary doctorate from the Belgrade Faculty of Theology for “exceptional contributions to the scientific field.”

Patriarch Kirill’s second official visit to Serbia comes nearly a month after the Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Serbia for celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the Russian Red Army’s liberation of  Belgrade.

Bosnia detains 11 for involvement in Syrian and Iraqi conflicts

SARAJEVO Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:05am EST

SARAJEVO (Reuters) – Police in Bosnia on Thursday arrested 11 people on suspicion of fighting alongside Islamist militants in Syria and Iraq or recruiting and raising money for such groups.

More than 100 officers took part in the operation – codenamed “Damascus” – in five central Bosnian towns including the capital Sarajevo.

In April, the country introduced jail terms of up to 10 years for Bosnians who fight or recruit for groups abroad such as Islamic State. Hundreds are thought to have joined the wars in Syria and Iraq, along with other Muslims from across the Balkans.

“The detained are suspected of links with financing, organizing and recruiting Bosnian citizens to leave for Syria and Iraq and fight in armed conflicts there alongside radical terrorist groups and organizations,” Bosnia’s State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) said in a statement.

The prosecutor’s office said it had evidence some of the suspects had weapons and explosives.

In September, 16 people were detained on suspicion of aiding terrorist groups abroad. Five are still in custody, among them Bilal Bosnic, an unofficial leader of the conservative Muslim Salafi movement in Bosnia, who was reported to have called on young Muslims to join the ranks of Islamic State.

Most Bosnian Muslims, who account for around 45 percent of the population and are known as Bosniaks, are secular or practice a moderate form of Islam. More radical strains have taken root since Bosnia’s 1992-95 war, fueled in part by poverty and unemployment.

Islamist fighters came from Iran and Arab states during the Bosnian war to fight alongside the Muslim Bosniaks against Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats.

Bosnia Presidency’s Outgoing Serb Slates OHR (BIRN, by Elvira M. Jukic, 14 November 2014)

Nebojsa Radmanovic, Serbian member of Bosnia’s Presidency, at his farewell press conference on November 13 savaged the work of the Office of High Representative, OHR, which is tasked with overseeing implementation of the 1995 Dayton accords.

Radmanovic said High Representative Valentin Inzko’s regular reports to the UN were untrue and unfounded.

“Unfortunately, Inzko will be sitting here for another four years and we will have with more reports that are badly written, false and tendentious,” he said.

Presenting his latest report to the UN this week, Inzko said, among other matters, that challenges to the Dayton accords and the sovereignty of Bosnia must stop, in what appeared a clear reference to Bosnian Serb calls for greater independence, or secession.

“I am appalled that some leaders still insult the intelligence of their own citizens, believing that talk of secession, division and hatred will hide their own failures to deliver a better life for people,” Inzko said, in an apparent jibe at Milorad Dodik, head of the main Serbian party in Bosnia, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD – to which Radmanovic belongs.

“As the calls for a referendum on secession have been repeated time and time again in recent months, I have had to respond by reminding people of the facts: the entities do not have the right to secede under the [1995] Peace Agreement,” Inzko told the UN.Radmanovic retorted on Thursday that Inzko and the OHR were the ones harming the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Inzko and those like him from the international community have sovereignty here,” Radmanovic said, “Sovereignty is ruling over your territory and they are not giving that to us.” He urged everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina to say “goodbye” to Inzko.

Radmanovic is leaving the Serbian seat on the state-level Presidency after two mandates. He will be succeeded by Mladen Ivanic, a candidate of the united Serbian opposition parties, led by the Serbian Democratic Party, SDS.

The inauguration of the new Presidency is set for November 17, when Ivanic is to be named chairman because he won the most votes of all three members.

Ivanic won 317,799 votes in the election. The Bosniak member, Bakir Izetbegovic, won 247,235 while Dragan Covic, the Croat member, won 128,053. The chairmanship of the Presidency rotates every eight months.