LOCAL PRESS

Cuba supports Serbia’s territorial integrity (Tanjug)

Cuba will continue to support Serbia in its efforts to preserve its territorial integrity and sovereignty, Cuban President Raul Castro said on Wednesday during a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Tomislav Nikolic. Serbia is a country that can serve as an example of how to fight for freedom and independence, which it has shown multiple times in its history. During World War Two, Serbia contributed immensely to the victory over fascism and sacrificed a lot in the battle against this evil, and its struggle for freedom and peace, unfortunately, has not ended, Castro stressed. President Nikolic said that Cuba is a remarkable example of endurance in the fight for freedom, and Serbia will never do anything that could damage relations between the two countries. Nikolic thanked Castro for Cuba’s refusal to recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija, the friendship and readiness to further deepen bilateral relations between Cuba and Serbia. The president’s press service has released in a statement that Nikolic said that “Cuba is a remarkable example of endurance in the fight against freedom, and that Serbia will never do anything that could harm relations between the two countries, “ but will invest maximum efforts to develop and deepen the friendship even further.

Nikolic: Serbia and Cuba share same passion for freedom and independence (RTS)

The fates of Serbia and Cuba are very similar, and the peoples share the same passion for freedom and independence, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic stated during the talks with the Cuban parliament speaker Esteban Lazo Hernandez. Nikolic has thanked for Cuba’s support in not recognizing the unilateral independence of Kosovo, and stressed the importance of the sincere friendship between the two countries, as the foundation of their overall relations. Estaban Lazo Hernandez has expressed satisfaction for the official visit of a Serbian official of that level after 36 years, and added that the continuity of the bilateral relations has never been endangered.

Vucic: Serbia has support of Germany (Tanjug)

Serbian citizens may expect the opening of first chapters in the talks with the EU, but also the greater respect for Serbia, due to the preservation of the political and economic stability in the region, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has pointed in Berlin, after talks in the Bundestag. He has stressed that Serbia is on a good course in the fields of economy and maintaining the political stability, in which we will have the support of Germany and the whole EU. Vucic has emphasized that the German officials have respect for the economic reforms in Serbia, and support for those who take difficult measure and have no illusions of easy solutions. We are not afraid of hard work that makes results at the beginning of the process of association with the EU, the Prime Minister said. I believe we are close to the final solutions, Vucic assessed, while adding that Serbia has to do a few more things in the upcoming period. He has repeated that the key issue is the dialogue with Pristina and what can be done in that regard.

Selakovic: Kosovo is number one issue (TV Pink)

The visit of Prime Minister Vucic to Berlin is significant because Kosovo and the relation with Pristina is the political issue number one in the EU-Serbia relations, opines Serbian Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic. He told TV Pink that the countries that are the backbone of the EU, i.e. Germany, are most interested in the issue of Belgrade-Pristina relations. Selakovic has pointed to Vucic’s statement that, when one looks at the Brussels agreement, Serbia has fulfilled its obligations. “We have heard good tones, sounds from both Brussels and Berlin,” said Selakovic, assessing that Serbia, although it has problems, is accepted and respected.

Stefanovic: Terrorist groups must not be called liberation movements (Radio Serbia/RTS)

Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said at a regional summit on battle against extreme violence in Tirana, Albania, that terrorist organizations must not be called liberation movements as the goals of terrorist actions and association can be easily recognized. There is no universal model of opposing this global phenomenon, but one should work continuously on the prevention of radicalization of groups or individuals, he said. He emphasized that the ideology of violent extremism was a threat growing daily and that it represented the major security challenge, which must be decisively opposed by all. Reactions to extremist attacks must be strong and uncompromised, Stefanovic said.

Platform arrives, but ministers don’t know (Novosti)

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic forwarded the draft of the new platform for Kosovo and Metohija – that is expected to offer the final solution for the southern Serbian province – to the government for examination. However, several ministers confirmed for Novosti that they have not yet seen this document, nor have they been acquainted with its content. First Deputy Prime Minister and former negotiator with Pristina Ivica Dacic also told Novosti that the he hasn’t seen the platform. Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said she didn’t know what was written in the President’s platform: “Once the document arrives in the Prime Minister’s cabinet we will sit as a team and discuss it.” The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric said he could not comment this document before it is harmonized between the President and Prime Minister, but stressed that the state leadership has a same stand on most issues and that there were no disagreements.

Content of plan only for “closest circle” (Danas)

The Serbian government told Danas that, for the time being, President Nikolic’s platform for Kosovo and Metohija is available to the “closest circle” – the President and Prime Minister, and that for now almost nothing is known about its content and political future. Opposition parliamentary parties confirmed for Danas that Nikolic didn’t consult or acquaint them with the content of the new platform, while the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia couldn’t specify whether there had been contacts regarding this document. Danas was told that the Serb (Srpska) List, during the preparation of Nikolic’s platform, had been exchanging information via the Office for Kosovo and Metohija with the Serbian Presidency, which has been receiving certain suggestions, according to Danas’ unofficial information, from the EU leadership. The Serb List has announced that the new platform, as the previous one, should be adopted in the Serbian parliament at the proposal of the government.

Milic: Vucic has greater support for EU ideas in the NGO sector than in the government (Politika, by B. Bakovic)

Is it a coincidence that Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic had two meetings with the representatives of pro-Western oriented NGOs and a quite surprising meeting with the Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic in the week before the “Friends of Serbia” gathering in Brussels, yesterday’s visit to Berlin and on the eve of the visit to Washington on 1 June? Jelena Milic, the Director of the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Studies (CEAS), who attended the meeting with Vucic last Thursday, doesn’t believe so. Responding to the question whether the representatives of the civil society had contributed to the Brussels meeting, she says: “I believe that one of the reasons for our meeting was also that the Prime Minister, primarily the government, probably now needs to show before the face of the Western international community (thus, this also refers to the upcoming visit to the US) that there is a broader dialogue in the society and that the situation, which has deteriorated since last year with the situation in the media and the treatment of independent institutions, primarily of the ombudsman, is somewhat improving. But, neither the civil society nor the Western international community were born yesterday.” She stresses in an interview for Politika that the CEAS advocates the soonest opening of negotiating chapters for Serbia so “Macedonia would not happen” and this is one of the reasons why she went to hear what is happening and what are the government plans.

Did he explain why he was inviting you for a meeting?

“He wasn’t specific. He gave a very, I would say, sincere review of the current social-political situation in Serbia with which I would agree 70 percent, but also a very interesting review of the events in the region. If one is to judge by his rhetoric from that gathering – I think that this rhetoric is very good. Commitment to the Brussels dialogue, regional stability, and broad social dialogue which is definitely necessary. And, of course, commitment to strengthening democratic institutions.”

Do you think that Vucic realized that he can’t push alone his EU policy and that he needs your help? Did he perhaps tell you that?

“He didn’t explicitly say that, but I think that this somehow was implicitly implied. I have been claiming for a long time that he has greater support for his EU ideas outside the government than in the government. In the government, in his close political surroundings, it seems that he has greater problems to convince them in what he is doing, what he is trying with the EU. I think that one of the reasons for this was also the case with the ombudsman, which – and I told him this myself – is not only the treatment of an independent institution, but also an image of the state-of-affairs in the security system. That was a very dangerous and alarming indicator, which is not comfortable in the eyes of the international community, which also sees that Serbia needs to be pushed forward, but it also sees there are huge ‘holes’ and reasons why this should perhaps not be done.”

There was a ‘leak’ from that meeting in one media that he complained that he had obstacles on this EU path – specifically that this was done by President Nikolic? Is this true?

“No, nothing so explicitly was stated, but that it is not easy and that his situation is complicated and that he is afraid that he might lose support of the public and that he is aware of the percentage of the support to EU integration – this was stated. He was open regarding this and this, in my opinion, is a legitimate stand. Thus, explicitly he didn’t say anything like that, but the atmosphere of the meeting was such that those who really want to see Serbia on the EU path, regardless of the institution and ideology, must cooperate more strongly and concretely. I understood it this way and I accept this.”

REGIONAL PRESS

B&H, chairing the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (Nezavisne)

The B&H Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak took over the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE) today, from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium, Didier Reynders, by which the B&H officially resumed the chairmanship of this organization. “B&H is a relatively new CoE member and honored by the opportunity to preside over such an important organization such as the CoE, but also determined to successfully fulfill all its obligations and do everything to assure that its presidency is remembered as a successful one,” said Crnadak during the inaugural speech. Speaking about the priorities in the next six months of the mandate, he stressed that this would be the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women (the Istanbul Convention), the European Convention on the culture and activities of the CoE in the field of culture through the European Film Fund (Eurimages) CoE policy towards neighboring regions and intercultural dialogue. Other priorities include the social inclusion of young people, the efficiency of the judiciary, the right to education and access to the same, cyber-crime, the strategic development of higher education and qualification standards, and the promotion of Council of Europe campaign “against hate speech”. Crnadak emphasized that B&H is resuming its chairmanship position of the Committee of Ministers of the CoE at the time of Republic Serbia’s chairmanship of the OSCE, and that they will use this opportunity to raise cooperation between the CoE and the OSCE to a higher level, as well as to improve cooperation between the two neighboring countries, while B&H will continue to support the reform of the Council of Europe initiated by the Secretary General.

The Declaration goes to the Constitutional Court of RS (Nezavisne)

The RS Council of Peoples did not support the decision of the Club of Bosniaks to start procedures for the protection of vital national interest to the declaration of the RS Assembly, which was adopted following a request for review of the constitutionality of the Law on Holidays of the RS before the Constitutional Court. The RS Council of Peoples will discuss the decision at the session of the joint commission of the RS Assembly and the Council of Peoples, which will be held on Monday, and if there is no agreement, Bosniaks request to review the constitutionality of the declaration goes for the consideration before the Constitutional Court of RS. Kemo Camdzija, Vice-Chairman of the National Council of the Bosniak people, said that the issue of protection of vital national interests was initiated because they do not consider the RS National Day, which is celebrated on January 9, their holiday, stressing that it is a religious holiday. In the Club of Bosniaks, they believe that the adoption of the declaration was unnecessary and that it is a pressure on the B&H judiciary, given that it prejudges a decision that would eventually be made by the Constitutional Court, which reviews the appeal of Bakir Izetbegovic, member of the B&H Presidency, on the constitutionality of the RS Law on holidays. On the other hand, in the Club of Serbs, they say that the declaration is an act that has no legal effect, and there is no need to raise the issue of the protection of vital national interest.

Moneyval recognizes progress: B&H not going on a blacklist (Oslobodjenje)

A meeting of the Financial Action Task Force, joined by representatives of the B&H Council of Ministers led by Nezir Pivic, Deputy Justice Minister of B&H, was held today in Paris.

“They expressed satisfaction and recognized the progress with yesterday’s adoption of the proposed law on changes and amendments to the criminal code, and praised the willingness of the B&H state to fight all forms of organized crime,” the Council of Ministers said in a statement. The statement reads that they pointed out that there is no longer any reason for B&H to go onto the “blacklist” and concluded that the relevant institutions in B&H would continue to strengthen institutional capacities in cooperation with international financial institutions. After the achieved positive results, Moneyval representatives stressed the imminent possibility of removing B&H from the so-called “grey list” because of the fulfillment of requisite conditions; B&H no longer will be marked as an uncooperative country. On behalf of Moneyval, John Ringguth, participated in the meeting, the Council of Ministers’ statement reads.

RS – more stable part of B&H (Srna)

The Republika Srpska (RS) is a more stable part of B&H, which it proved with a timely constitution of all institutions and bodies, which are working unhindered and performing their duties successfully, National Assembly Speaker Nedeljko Cubrilovic said in a meeting with Italian Ambassador to B&H Ruggero Corrias. Cubrilovic said that the RS Assembly is committed to meeting the requirements on the path of European integration and implementing the reforms, fully respecting the guaranteed competences of RS as an equal entity within B&H, the parliamentary speaker’s office reports. The two officials spoke about the importance of a joint struggle against terrorism as a global problem, specifically emphasizing the need for synchronized activities of all security agencies in RS, B&H and the region, where there is a potential threat of radical Islamic terrorism, which was confirmed by a recent terrorist attack in Zvornik. Cubrilovic qualified the attack on the police station in Zvornik, which left one policeman killed and two severely injured, as a direct attack on RS’s institutions, saying that maximum efforts need to be invested to detect and prevent any terrorist activities on time.

RS’s institutions work actively, systematically and continually to protect the citizens and property from potential terrorist attacks, said Cubrilovic and asked for Italy’s help in fighting all forms of terrorism.

Albanian government uses its veto on Skopje’s accession in the NATO (Srna/B92)

This was announced today by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana and pointed out that Albania doesn’t intend on accepting FYROM’s accession to NATO if the Ohrid Agreement is not fully complied with. During his speech at the regional ministerial meeting for the fight against terrorism, which sees the participation of interior ministers of several European governments, Mr. Rama stopped on the events of Kumanovo and talked about Skopje’s aspirations to become a NATO member country. He also referred to the events of Kumanovo, when he further stopped on Albania’s veto. “Unfortunately, in Kumanovo, the word terrorism and Albanian were joined together in an effort to name this ethnic group as terrorist. This is unacceptable not only for us, but also for the Macedonian state. It must be clear for this country that Albanians remain a state forming player in the country. Nothing more dangerous can occur to us in the fight against terrorism than the inclusion of the term terrorist in the handling of the events. The mixing up of these terms will be unacceptable for us, the same as the terror that was experienced by the innocent residents of Kumanovo. We all want a sustainable Macedonia, but not an inhabitable one. We want a Macedonia which is part of NATO, but not as a military coup. Macedonia cannot become a NATO member without guaranteeing the Ohrid Agreement”, Rama said. “Albania will support Macedonia in NATO once the neighboring country fully complies with the Ohrid Agreement”, added Rama. This way, Albania becomes the second country after Greece which imposes its veto against Macedonia to NATO accession. The issue of the name of Macedonia, which is officially known by the name FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), has prevented Skopje so far to become a NATO member. Albania became a NATO member country since 2009 and it has the right of veto, like any other member of the largest military organization in the world.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

EU membership remains Serbia’s priority, says PM Aleksandar Vucic (EuroNews, by Isabelle Kumar, 19 May 2015)

Serbia is a country with deep roots in the past and since the early 19th century has been involved in many conflicts in the volatile region. Now the nation has its sights set firmly on the future and in particular membership of the European Union. “We are doing our best to stay firmly on our EU path and to fulfil all our obligations,” Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic tells euronews’ Isabelle Kumar in this edition of Global Conversation. He reveals the political priorities for his country in its bid to join the bloc. But Serbia’s past and its relations with Kosovo remain at times a haunting shadow. “I think we have really achieved a lot, although it was not an easy question for us. It was a very hard, very difficult issue for us, but we carried on with the dialogue with Kosovo Albanians,” explains the prime minister on building sustainable relations with Kosovo. Creating business opportunities within the country and stopping the brightest and best leaving Serbia is also a priority. “The best way to fight it is to secure a better business environment in this country to change the economic perspectives to give that kind of hope to our people and that’s what we are doing.,” he says referring to the “brain drain”. Aleksandar Vucic also talks about his time as minister for information under Slobodan Milosevic, relationships with Russia and the economic growth in Serbia. Of his premiership he says, “I am always doing my best to criticize myself and self-criticism is something that I live with. “

Serbia Needs Alternative to ‘Discredited’ Western News – Democratic Party (Sputnik, 19 May 2015)

A poll conducted by ICM Research exclusively for Sputnik revealed Tuesday that a total of 60 percent of European and US citizens polled said they would be interested in receiving information on global events from sources other than mainstream Western media

MOSCOW — Disillusioned by Western media, alternative world political views are in demand in Serbia, including those provided by Russian media, president of the Democratic Party of Serbia Sanda Raskovic Ivic told Sputnik. “In Serbia this number, I think, is almost as high as the number in Greece. I am sure it is about 70% at least,” Ivic said. She explained that people seek a Russian view on what is happening in the world because Western media had discredited itself.

“In Serbia we can witness how lies and insinuations are placed as the supreme information at CNN and other Western Media when it came to war in Croatia and Bosnia or Kosovo. We were the victims of that brain-washing and the false information that was given worldwide. That is why we stopped trusting.”

Moscow testing Belgrade’s neutrality (EurActiv, by Maja Poznatov, 19 May 2015)

During a visit to Belgrade on 15 May, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov confirmed that Serbia is determined to maintain close ties with Russia, and supports the building the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. The confirmation of Serbia’s “neutrality” in the context of tense relations between Russia and the West over the crisis in Ukraine was, according to Serbian analysts and the Moscow press, the reason for his visit to Belgrade, and because Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić is traveling to the US in early June. On the same day as Lavrov’s visit, the Moscow-based Kommersant recalled that the agreement on the minister’s trip had been reached in mid-April, after Vučić had previously received an invitation from US Vice President Joseph Biden to visit Washington. Some analysts are also pointing out that Lavrov’s visit took place at a time when the US and Russia are launching a new round of talks on the future of Ukraine, and at a time of unrest in Macedonia. Milovan Drecun, an MP of Vučić’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party, has said that Serbia’s cooperation with Russia is not aimed at the interests of the US and EU, and that Serbia does not want to be a disruptive factor in integration processes, but rather to take part in them. “It seems as though the geopolitical significance of this part of the Balkans is growing again in the interests of major powers. I estimate that the key to the further unfolding of events in this area will be (Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar) Vučić’s visit to the US, where he will face many difficult issues,” said Drecun. He added that the most important question Vučić would be asked by his American host would probably be, “Where is Serbia? Is it in the Euro-Atlantic space or somewhere else?” Serbian officials stress that the country’s strategic determination is EU membership, but that it wants to nurture good political and economic relations with Russia, too. In tune with that policy, Serbia has opted not to join the EU sanctions against Russia, while at the same time backing the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. For the time being, Serbia is not obligated to fully harmonize with EU decisions on common foreign and security policy, but is expected to do so gradually, as reiterated by High Representative Federica Mogherini in a message read out at the opening of a May 14 conference on Serbia and the EU joint foreign and security policy in Belgrade. Serbia has a non-aligned military status, but is developing relations with NATO. In March, it signed the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with the Alliance, which is the highest level of cooperation within the Partnership for Peace program.

Dačić: Relations with Russia inviolate

Speaking at a press conference in Belgrade, Lavrov thanked Serbia for the loyalty it was showing Russia, despite its strategic orientation toward the European Union. “Serbia is not abandoning cooperation with Moscow, even though it is headed toward the European Union. There are few countries like that. Today, everyone usually makes a choice,” Lavrov told reporters. Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić said that Serbian-Russian relations went beyond ordinary politics, that they were stable and not the subject of any trade. “It is clear to everyone that the notion that Serbia should choose between a rock and a hard place is coming from the West. We do not hide our policy. We’re headed toward the European Union, but are not ending our friendship with Russia,” said Dačić. Lavrov used the opportunity to reiterate Russia’s support for Serbia regarding Kosovo, which represents the biggest political link between Belgrade and Moscow. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, which it declared in 2008.

New gas pipeline

Given the situation in Ukraine, Russia’s termination of South Stream, and Gazprom’s announcement that it will end gas transit via Ukraine in 2019, energy relations with Moscow are a priority for Serbia. Unsurprisingly, Belgrade has expressed its support for the idea of building a new pipeline. Lavrov and Dačić agreed that Southeast Europe should not be left without a gas pipeline, and that Brussels should back the construction of Turkish Stream. “If the European Union bases its presence on objectivity, it would have to support negotiations on the construction of the pipeline,” Lavrov said at the news conference in Belgrade. Dačić emphasised that Europe already had North Stream, whereby Western European countries receive natural gas supplies from Russia, and said he did not understand why someone would have a problem with a pipeline in the south. “We call on the EU to get to the heart of the problem. Europe must also have a ‘south stream’, whatever its name may be. Southeast Europe cannot remain a dead end,” said Dačić.

Call to EU for a stronger reaction to terrorism in the region

Lavrov and Dačić expressed concern over the growth of Albanian nationalism and calls for the creation of a “Great Albania,” and urged the EU to react strongly to terrorism in Macedonia.

“The European Union need not take a cowardly stance and look the other way, because in Brussels they are very well aware of what’s going on. Unless this is their way of justifying the ineffectiveness of their efforts,” said Lavrov. He further said that the situation in Macedonia was a result of well-prepared terrorist actions which may spread to Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Lavrov stated that he could not shake off the impression that the terrorist actions in Macedonia were connected to the construction of the gas pipeline, and the fact that Macedonia had said no to the introduction of sanctions against Russia. On 9 May, Macedonian police initiated an operation in Kumanovo against terrorist suspects. Twenty-two people, including eight police officers, were killed in the operation. Thirty people were arrested, 23 of whom are charged with terrorist activity. Some of them are suspected of having taken part in an attack on a border post near the village of Gosince last month.

Unrest in Macedonia Follows ‘Regime Change’ Scenarios Used Worldwide (Sputnik, 20 May 2015)

Current developments in Macedonia go along with “regime change” scenarios that have been used in Serbia and other European states and are currently being seen in Latin America, Zivadin Jovanovic, a Serbian diplomat and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yugoslavia told Sputnik.

MOSCOW — The Serbian diplomat, who is also current president of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals, a non-profit association, noted that even though some details of the “regime change” scenario differ from country to country, the main processes and methods remain the same. “The current events in Macedonia are a blueprint of ‘regime change’ patterns in Serbia (Yugoslavia), and elsewhere in Europe, Northern Africa, or current attempts to destabilize Brazil, Venezuela, and Argentina,” Jovanovic said. The process includes “propaganda machinery generating popular discontent, organizing massive protests and even armed incidents, advancing demands for ‘changes’ and, finally, overthrowing legally elected governments.” He added that the idea of “Greater Albania” is not new, but it was “propped up” by NATO aggression of 1999 and reinforced by 2008 secession of Kosovo and Metohija, which was supported and recognized by the United States and most of NATO and the European Union members. “There could hardly be any doubt that current destabilization of Macedonia could happen without the will and even support of the same western factors. Statements from various western capitals, participation of some western ambassadors at the opposition rallies in Skopje, slogans and western propaganda, in general, is more than revealing.” Serbia is one of the countries in the region most interested in a stable Macedonia, he added. Late in April, a group of some 40 Albanian-speaking gunmen briefly seized a police station in the northern Macedonian village of Gosince calling for the establishment of an Albanian state. Less than three weeks after the incident, on May 9, Macedonia witnessed deadly clashes between police and an armed group of Albanians in Kumanovo, a city bordering Serbia and Kosovo. The tragedy was followed by a wave of protests staged by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) that accused the country’s government of corruption and demanded its resignation. Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski believes that the opposition is trying to exploit the tragedy in Kumanovo to gain power.

Sarajevo at risk of losing organisation of European Youth Olympics (Reuters, 19 May 2015)

SARAJEVO – Bosnia’s capital Sarajevo and its Serb-run former suburb risk losing the 2017 European Youth Olympics because of a lack of support from the country’s multi-layered government, a sports official warned on Tuesday. Sarajevo and East Sarajevo won a joint bid in 2012 to hold the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival (EYOWF), seen as a chance to rehabilitate negative images of ethnic divisions lingering from Bosnia’s 1992-95 war and revive the spirit of the 1984 Winter Olympics hosted by Sarajevo. Some 30 months later, the European Olympic Committee has noted a meagre progress in the organisation of the event, said Marijan Kvesic, president of the Bosnian Olympic Committee. The two cities were supposed to reconstruct some sports facilities and build new ones for the festival, expected to attract some 1,500 athletes from 49 European countries and estimated to cost around 15 million euros ($16.69 million). But Bosnia’s central government and two regions it links, the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the Serb Republic, have offered little concrete financial support. “A complex political situation in the country and lack of time and finances are critical aspects for EYOWF,” Kvesic said in a statement, adding the Committee officials will mediate in talks between the cities and governments about the funding. He said that August 30 was the deadline for the governments to provide concrete support for the organisation of EYOWF. Otherwise, “the Olympic Committee … will be forced to inform the European Olympic Committee that Sarajevo and East Sarajevo are not able to co-host EYOF 2017,” Kvesic said in the statement. Sarajevo, which survived a 43-month siege by separatist Bosnian Serb forces, was reorganised along ethnic lines after the war with a new East Sarajevo formed within Serb Republic territory. The two towns have co-existed peacefully since the war ended and their leaders hoped the event would not only strengthen their ties but also improve trade and tourism in the economically depressed region. ($1 = 0.8989 euros) (Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Tom Heneghan)

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Media summaries are produced for the internal use of the United Nations Office in Belgrade, UNMIK and UNHQ. The contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership.