LOCAL PRESS

Vucic going to Srebrenica, resolution probably not passed in UNSC (RTS)

The Serbian government has decided unanimously that Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic should go to the commemorative service to Muslim victims in Srebrenica, killed two decades ago. At an extraordinary press conference on that occasion, Vucic has voiced belief that the British proposal for the resolution on Srebrenica will not be passed in the UN Security Council today, because he had received such guarantees from Russia. Asked about who provided the guarantee, Vucic answered: “I think we acted well and seriously, so the reactions of other parties testify to it. I firmly believe there is no possibility to change that stance, unless the text of the resolution is changed so much that it does not even resemble the current one. In our opinion, this resolution is not written in the spirit of reconciliation,” the Prime Minister said, while stressing he does not perceive the news as a victory. He has repeated that Serbia is ready for reconciliation, but not for humiliation, as well as that the UN Security Council did not even try to make a step toward the reconciliation, since it can only be reached by the Serbs and Bosniaks living in these parts. According to Vucic, similar to any other place in the territory of former Yugoslavia, there were no victors in Srebrenica, but only victims who demand piety and respect. He has said that Srebrenica and every other place of suffering, including the Serb ones, is first and foremost a great sin, pain and warning to all of us who live in this region, surrounded by those tombs. “We are not gloating, just like we did not want to speculate on the number of victims, nor to deny the responsibility for that crime. We sincerely wish to extend our hand to our neighbors and help them to commence a dialog. We just do not want humiliation,” underlined the Serbian Prime Minister. He added that every crime has a name attached to it, so in Kravica and Bratunac, Srebrenica, Jasenovac and Jadovno, there is no collective guilt of either Serbs, Croats, or Bosniaks. Asked if there are some special conditions for his visit to Srebrenica, Vucic responded that he is not concerned with security conditions.

Nuland also pressuring Pristina to form special court (Politika)

The Kosovo Assembly will most probably vote again next week on amending the constitution so the path would open for the establishment of a special court for KLA war crimes, after the visit of Victoria Nuland to Pristina. The visit of the US Assistant Secretary of State to Kosovo this weekend is directly associated with the pressure for the establishment of a special court. If the Kosovo Assembly forms a special court next week, then it would be operating between three and five years. If this doesn’t happen, this issue will be transferred to the UN Security Council and in this case the court could be operating between 15 and 20 years. The Chairman of the Serbian parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun says it is difficult to assess whether the Kosovo Assembly will adopt constitutional amendments, since this depends from Thaqi’s DPK. He thinks that all DPK MPs will vote “for” only if Thaqi made a deal with Brussels and Washington not to be prosecuted. “IF Thaqi’s party votes for this agreement, it will mean that he had already made a deal for him and his closest associates not to be prosecuted or to walk out with the mildest sentence,” Drecun is convinced.

Serbian parliament ratified status of armed forces agreement (Tanjug)

The Serbian parliament ratified the Agreement among the States Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) and the other States participating in the Partnership for Peace (PfP) regarding the Status of their Forces and the Additional Protocols thereto on Tuesday. Speaking about the agreement before the MPs, Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic stated that no army will be able to pass through the territory of Serbia or use its resources without first being asked by the Serbian Army to do so. The Minister said that Serbia would not be extraditing any member of its military to a country where they had been issued death sentences because the punishment does not exist in Serbia’s legal system. Ratifying the agreement provides for the Serbian Army using mechanisms of international military cooperation through a more efficient implementation of procedures necessary for participation in international exercises both in Serbia and abroad and for it stepping up its operational and functional capabilities in multinational operations. The agreement also enables Serbia to meet international obligations aimed at preparing its forces for playing a more active role in strengthening the European foreign and security policy.

Kosovo authorities wish to take over university in Kosovska Mitrovica (Novosti)

The government in Pristina is not giving up the idea to take away from the Serbs the Pristina University with temporary headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica. Kosovo Education Minister Arsim Bajrami stated at the ministerial meeting in Valona, Albania, that they are ready for “integrating the university in northern Mitrovica into the higher education system in Kosovo”. He even stated that the Pristina authorities are preparing the integration soon, adding this is part of the Brussels agreement, equally as the mutual recognition of diplomas. “Neither did we have a bilateral meeting with Arsim Bajrami nor was integration of this university mentioned at any meeting of the Platform for Western Balkans for education and training, organized by the European Commission,” Serbian Assistant Minister for Education Milovan Suvakov, who was the member of the Serbian delegation, told Novosti. The Rector of the Pristina University with temporary headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica Srecko Milacic tells Novosti that this institution is part of the Serbian education system and that there is no reason for it not to remain. “We are working according to the Serbian education system and so far there had been no talks on the topic of any integration into the Kosovo education system. It is known that the Albanians had all rights guaranteed by the autonomy of the university even before 1999, so I don’t see why they would deny us the right to our own education.” He notes that this university, with around 11,000 students, is part of the European University Association, which guarantees all rights as other universities accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of the Republic of Serbia. The Mayor of northern Kosovska Mitrovica Goran Rakic also says there had been no talks on this topic: “The issue of education, healthcare and all fields that are crucial for the survival of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, i.e. fields envisaged by the Brussels agreement, such as urban planning, social protection and economic development of Serb regions, must be resolved within the Union of Serb Municipalities.”

Vadepul: Concerning that Serbs want alliance with Russia (Politika’s correspondent in Germany Nenad Radicevic)

Frankfurt, Heidelberg – Our goal is for Serbia to become an EU member state as soon as it efficiently fulfills the criteria from Copenhagen, Politika was told by the MP of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats in the German Bundestag Johan Vadepul, who is also the head of the team for Serbia of the CDU-CSU caucus. Asked how Berlin estimates how much Belgrade has fulfilled the conditions for opening the negotiating chapters with the EU, he says that the German Bundestag had already formulated explicit prerequisites in the last legislative period, as well as that they are important from the German perspective. “This includes, among other things, the implementation of the Brussels agreement on relations with Kosovo and the implementation of constitutional reforms. The investigation and final clarification of the attack on the German Embassy remains to be of key importance for us,” says Vadepul, adding that media reforms, which are heading in a good direction, are also of concern for the developments. “However, attention should also be paid to the fact as to who will control the media. Will there be independent media houses or those owned by third states.” This influential MP of the ruling Demo-Christians emphasizes the data of public opinion research published by Politika in July this year. “Around 44 percent of the Serbs support EU membership and the smaller percentage – 37 percent – don’t support. But the thing that attracts my attention is the high percentage of 61 percent of Serbs who wish alliance with Russia. Contrary to that, I wish to stress that it is very important for the Serbian government to be supported by its people in the process of Serbia’s EU accession. Generally, if Serbia is devoted and invests all its efforts in fulfilling these prerequisites, there are no obstacles for opening the negotiations,” says this Demo-Christian who was one of the Bundestag MPs who created the conditions for Serbia’s progress in EU integration.

REGIONAL PRESS

Dodik: Britain will likely withdraw resolution (Oslobodjenje/Radio Belgrade)

Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska (RS), believes that Great Britain will likely withdraw its proposed resolution on Srebrenica in order to avoid being outvoted in the UN Security Council. Dodik believes that the British proposed resolution on Srebrenica would be rejected in the UN Security Council and it will not be possible to harmonize it. “Delaying the session of the UN Security Council speaks to the fact that all our friends in the world understood what Serbia and the RS have been saying in recent days about the bad influence of this resolution and the cynicism that Great Britain showed in proposing it, ignoring the fact that it won’t improve reconciliation in B&H, and what’s more it would be a reason for additional conflicts and disagreements in B&H,” said Dodik. He is confident that the British resolution cannot be fixed to be acceptable. “The British wrote it as a judgment and permanent disqualification of a nation. They alluded to the fact that the basis for destruction of the RS has been created, because the RS most frequently contests various derogatory things like genocide, genocidal creation and many others anyway,” Dodik told Radio Belgrade. Commenting on the very firm position of China, Dodik said that there is solid coordination between Russia and China on this point. “I was earlier in contact with their people on the ground. They are very well informed. China has a responsible stance in this sense, in comparison with Great Britain which has a derogatory and confrontational attitude in essence,” said the RS President. Dodik pointed out that it is known that the British policy is mostly focused on the fact that in certain areas they are creating long-lasting feuds among peoples and nations. “Of course, China has never done this and one can understand why China reacted this way, taking into account the views that the Serbian leadership and we from the RS took to them,” said Dodik.

Dacic says Serbia will closely watch who will attend military parade in Croatia (N1/Hina)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday that Serbia would closely follow which countries would send their armies to take part in a military parade organized by Croatia, which will take place on 5 August, on the anniversary of Croatian military and police operation Storm, adding that Serbia will consider their participation in the parade as “an anti-Serbian attitude. “Many countries have criticized Serbia for sending its army to the parade in Moscow and now armies of other countries are invited to the military parade in Croatia on August 5. We will follow with great attention who will parade around to honor Operation Storm during which several thousand Serbs were killed and persecuted. We will consider that as an anti-Serb attitude,” Dacic told regional broadcaster N1. “The participation of their armies in that parade will send a very clear negative message to Serbia. We will consider it an anti-Serb attitude,” Dacic said. He underscored that the past must not be forgotten but that lessons must be drawn from it, announcing a meeting of western Balkan countries and the EU in Vienna on August 27. “How is it possible that we can be on our good behavior there, but not here? Croatia and Serbia are an ever-lasting topic. Germany and France created the EU ten years after WWII and we will be determining who is less and who is more to blame for another 20 years,” Dacic said, adding that Serbia and Croatia were wasting their time exchanging accusations. Commenting on a U.N. Security Council vote on a resolution to condemn the Srebrenica massacre as genocide, marking the 20th anniversary of the mass killing, Dacic said he could not forecast whether or not Russia would veto the resolution, expressing confidence, however, that Security Council members would “realize that new divisions cannot lead reconciliation.”

Tomorrow voting at the plenary session in Strasbourg, the EP has agreed text of the resolution on Srebrenica (Dnevni avaz)

Representatives of the major political groups in the European Parliament have agreed today a draft resolution on Srebrenica, which will go for the vote tomorrow at plenary session in Strasbourg, reports N1. Resolution on Srebrenica was introduced in to the agenda after the Croatian MP Ivana Jakovcic proposed its adoption earlier this month. The proposition was first rejected and later accepted in the special procedure. The draft, which was created by harmonizing the proposals submitted by representatives of seven parliamentary groups (People’s Party, Socialists, Liberals, Greens, Conservatives and two small Eurosceptic parties) strongly condemning the crime in Srebrenica, in accordance with the judgments of the ICTY and the International Court of Justice which was labeled as a genocide. As responsible for the mass execution of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys from Srebrenica, the draft indicates the “Bosnian Serb forces under the command of General Ratko Mladic, with the participation of paramilitary and irregular units”. “This is the biggest war crime that happened in Europe after the Second World War,” reads the draft resolution. The harmonized text points out that around 1200 residents of Srebrenica are still missing, and that thousands of women and children have been deported, and many women have been raped. “The tragic events in Srebrenica have left deep emotional scars and create long-term obstacles to political reconciliation of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the article reads. It is pointed out and the responsibility of the United Nations, which did not meet the mandate to protect the inhabitants of the “safe zone”. The draft resolution strongly condemns not only the genocide in Srebrenica, but also all the other crimes committed during the war in the former Yugoslavia, and expresses condolences to the families of the victims. “The European Parliament strongly condemns the Srebrenica genocide and solemnly announces that such heinous crimes must never happen again. The EP refuses any denial, relativisation and false interpretation of genocide,” states the document. Political leaders in B&H are required to acknowledge the events of the past and work together to ensure a better future for all citizens, the neighboring countries, religious leaders, artists, cultural workers and representatives of civil society are asked to give their assistance. Parliament underlines the EU’s commitment to the European aspect of the B&H Association Agreement and of all the Western Balkan countries and points out the importance of regional cooperation in this process.

“The EP encourages the development of educational and cultural programs that promote understanding of the causes of such crimes and raise awareness of the need to maintain peace and promote human rights and religious tolerance,” reads the document.

MPs to discuss referendum on July 14 (Srna)

The Collegium of the RS parliament scheduled for14 July, a special session of parliament where the decision to call a referendum on the B&H Court and Prosecutor’s Office should be re-activated. Parliamentary Speaker Nedeljko Cubrilovic said that the session will be held after the 9th special session. “Referendum is a legal and legitimate right of the RS where citizens have the right to express their position on every issue concerning them. There are constitutional and legal grounds and political justification for holding this referendum,” Cubrilovic told reporters in Banja Luka. He said that the holding of a referendum is not in violation of the Dayton Agreement but represents one of the most significant forms of democratic expression of citizens’ will in keeping with international law. “Whatever decision is made in a referendum, it will not jeopardize the integrity and sovereignty of B&H. It is necessary to demand that the judicial reform in B&H be returned to the framework of the constitutional organization with clearly stipulated jurisdictions,” Cubrilovic said and noted that the democratic right of citizens must be respected. Cubrilovic said that all bodies and institutions which were transferred from the entity to the B&H level without agreement of the RS and the FB&H are unconstitutional. He said that the referendum question should read: “Do you support the unconstitutional and unauthorized imposition of laws by the high representative to B&H, particularly the imposed laws on the B&H Court and Prosecutor’s Office, and implementation of his decisions in the area of the RS?” Cubrilovic noted that before this session, the 9th special session will be held to deal with the price of electric power in the RS. Deputy Speaker of the RS parliament Nenad Stevandic said that the referendum is not directed against anyone in B&H. “We have enough time to understand that this issue is not worth of political wrangling in the RS. This issue will make the RS stronger in the protection of its interests,” Stevandic said. Opposition MPs say that the calling of a referendum is a “political adventure” and that the referendum question is not the same as the question from 2011, so this is why one cannot speak of “the reactivation of this mechanism”. They said they are against such work of the B&H Court and Prosecutor’s Office and that they will propose amendments at a special session of parliament. The SDS caucus whip in the RS parliament Vukota Govedarica said that his party will take a final position on the referendum before the special session of parliament. The PDP caucus whip Branislav Borenovic said that his party is “against something that could harm the RS”.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Kosovo Holds Out for ‘Package Deal’ with Serbia (BIRN, 8 July 2015)

While the last Kosovo-Serbia talks ended with no agreement signed, sources say this is because the Kosovo side wants all four outstanding issues wrapped up in one agreement

Latest talks between Serbia and Kosovo brokered by the EU on June 29 ended with no signed agreements – but after Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin last week, reports have emerged that recent discussions in Brussels could result in new agreements. A source in the Serbian delegation told BIRN that Belgrade was satisfied with some of the agreements reached in Brussels on June 29 – but no agreement was signed because the Kosovo side wanted everything signed in one package. The new agreements are expected to resolve four key issues: telecommunications, energy, the Association of Serb Municipalities and freedom of movement between the Serbian and Albanian parts of the divided town of Mitrovica. “The agreements on the Association of Serbian Municipalities and on telecommunications were not signed solely because the Kosovo delegation insisted that all four agreements should be signed at the same time,” this source told BIRN. The long-awaited Association of Serbian Municipalities is intended to give Serbian majority municipalities in Kosovo powers over economic development, education, health, and urban and rural planning. Kosovo’s chief negotiator, Edita Tahiri, said Sunday that although an agreement on telecommunications had already been signed, a package agreement needed to address all four issues. “The agreement on telecoms has been reached. The two other topics were discussed but our delegation has insisted on an Agreement Package, so that all differences… can be overcome,” Tahiri said. According to her, the biggest challenge is the Association, which Belgrade says should have executive powers, which Pristina is equally strongly against. Prime Minister Mustafa of Kosovo says that the Serbian municipalities deal has been the most difficult talking point. “The Association of Municipalities has proven to be one of the most difficult topics,” Mustafa wrote on Facebook on July 5. A same source from the Serbian delegation claimed that Kosovo officials had agreed it should have executive powers – but this was denied in official statements after the meeting. The same source said that the Association would have a president, a parliament and a board with executive powers. It was agreed that Serbia could finance its work. “The Serbian delegation is ready to sign the agreements on the Association and on telecommunications as soon as Pristina accepts them in the form agreed in Brussels on June 29. We hope the EU will call for new talks soon,” the source told BIRN. No date for new EU-led talks between Serbia and Kosovo has been scheduled yet.

Serbian PM to attend Srebrenica massacre anniversary (Telegraph/AFP, 8 July 2015)

Nearly 8,000 Muslim boys and men were killed by Bosnian Serb forces after Srebrenica was overrun on July 11, 1995

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia said on Tuesday he would attend the 20th anniversary commemoration of the Srebrenica massacre this weekend in a move towards reconciliation. “It is time to show that we are ready for reconciliation and that we are ready to bow our head before other peoples’ victims,” Mr Vucic said. “That is why the Serbian government tonight decided that as prime minister, I would represent the Republic of Serbia in Srebrenica on July 11,” he said. Nearly 8,000 Muslim boys and men were killed by Bosnian Serb forces after Srebrenica was overrun on July 11, 1995. “I will go proudly and represent Serbia… which is able to admit that some individuals committed crimes,” Mr Vucic said. “These people have names. We condemn each one of these horrible crimes and will sentence each of these criminals,” he promised. The killing occurred shortly before the end of the 1992-1995 Bosnian war, which claimed some 100,000 lives. It was the worst massacre to occur on European soil since World War II. Serbian and Bosnian Serb politicians have long denied the scale of the killing, although two international tribunals have described the bloodshed as genocide. In 2005, then Serbian president Boris Tadic attended ceremonies marking the massacre’s 10th anniversary, becoming the first leader from his country to visit the site. In 2010 the Serbian parliament move condemned the massacre, and three years later Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic issued a personal apology. However, all Serbian leaders – including Mr Vucic, a former ultranationalist-turned-pro-European- have persistently refused to describe the massacre as genocide. Belgrade is upset with a British attempt to have the UN Security Council pass a resolution which says recognition of genocide “is a prerequisite for reconciliation.” The Security Council pushed back a vote on the motion until Wednesday after Russia threatened to wield its veto. Mr Vucic said he had received “guarantees” from Russian leaders that a resolution that would be “accusatory” towards Serbia would be blocked. Ties between Bosnia and Serbia have been fragile since the war, during which Belgrade backed Bosnian Serb forces. Last month Mr Vucic said he wanted to improve relations with Sarajevo.

UN Divided on Calling Srebrenica ‘Genocide’ 20 Years On (Agence France-Presse, 8 July 2015)

UNITED STATES:  The UN Security Council has postponed a vote recognising the Srebrenica massacre as genocide after Russia threatened to veto the draft text, even as Serbia’s prime minister called for reconciliation 20 years after the slaughter. The vote led by Britain and which condemns the mass killing of 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995, the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II was delayed until today. The 15-member council was hoping to formally recognize the killings as an act of genocide for the first time this week as Bosnia prepares for national commemorations to mark the 20th anniversary on Saturday. “This has been a difficult negotiation. Discussions have gone right to the wire,” said a spokesman for the British mission after the vote was delayed twice on Tuesday. “Given the significance of the anniversary, we’re committed to getting the broadest level of support from council members. We hope this delay will allow us to do so.” Bosnian Serb leaders had lobbied Russia to block the draft UN resolution, arguing that it was “anti-Serb” because it focused on the killings in the final months of the bloody war 1992-1995 Bosnian war. Serbian and Bosnian Serb politicians have long denied the scale of the bloodshed at Srebrenica then a United Nations-protected enclave although two international tribunals have described it as genocide.  The disagreement over the text revived divisions from the Balkan wars when Russia sided with ethnic Serbs and Serbia, while Western countries supported Bosnian Muslims and Croatia. Russian Deputy UN Ambassador Petr Iliichev had described the UN draft as “divisive” and said it focused on just “one part of the conflict”. Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik has accused Britain of trying to “register at the UN, on the basis of false declarations and reports, that a genocide was committed against Muslims”.

‘Ready for Reconciliation’

Serbia’s Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday said he would attend the commemorations this weekend in a bid to forge reconciliation, but stopped short of admitting any national guilt for the killings. “It is time to show that we are ready for reconciliation and that we are ready to bow our head before other peoples’ victims,” Vucic told reporters. “I will go proudly and represent Serbia… which is able to admit that some individuals committed crimes,” he said. “We condemn each one of these horrible crimes and will sentence each of these criminals.” Bosnian Serb forces commanded by General Ratko Mladic overran the UN-protected safe haven of Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, in what was to become one of the darkest chapters of a war that left 100,000 dead. Mladic’s troops brushed aside the UN’s lightly armed Dutch peacekeepers, loading thousands of Muslim men and boys onto trucks before executing them in a nearby forest and burying them in mass graves. The international tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice have both ruled that the massacre at Srebrenica was a genocide. The draft UN resolution due to be put to a vote today stressed the need for “acceptance of the tragic events at Srebrenica as genocide is a prerequisite for reconciliation”. “Genocide is a crime and those who committed it are criminals who should be punished as such,” British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft wrote in a letter to Mladen Ivanic, the Serb chairman of the Bosnian presidency. “To say so is not ‘anti-Serbian,’ as some have alleged.” Russia had floated its own draft, which Iliichev said was “more reconciling,” but the text made no mention of the Srebrenica massacre as an act of genocide and it was not put forward for a vote.

Gruevski Fights Shy of New Macedonia Talks (BIRN, by Sinisa Jakov Marusic, 8 July 2015)

The long-awaited fresh meeting of political leaders, aimed at finding a way out of Macedonia’s political turmoil is still uncertain, with the PM saying the conditions are not yet ripe

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski on Tuesday said that conditions were not ripe for a fresh round of crisis talks in Macedonia. The opposition responded that he was not in a position to command the dynamic of the internationally brokered talks. A new meeting will be held “when there are the conditions for it”, Gruevski told the media, adding that, at the moment, this is not the case.

“Gruevski’s intention to stall the process is obvious,” the opposition Social Democrats replied in a press release, adding that Gruevski had until Wednesday to agree on a meeting, or the party might change its tactics. The opposition has been threatening for some time to take a more radical course and shift from setting up protest camps to staging acts of civil disobedience and possibly occupying state institutions. Macedonia’s government and opposition parties initially agreed to find a solution to the crisis by June 29. They were to agree on the details of a transition government that is due to prepare the country for snap elections to be held by next April. Most importantly, they were also to agree whether Gruevski would step down ahead of the elections. However, despite hopes of renewed talks taking place last Friday or this Monday, no fresh meeting has been held. Reports say the opposition’s last “offer” at the talks included the resignation of the Prime Minister five months ahead of the elections and the right to run several key ministries and offices, including the interior ministry, the anti-corruption commission and the state broadcaster. Gruevski has denied feeling pressed. “There is a discussion, communication. Negotiations are being held for some kind of agreement, for both sides to give consent. Thus far, there is no such consent from both sides,” Gruevski told the media. The crisis in Macedonia revolves around claims of widespread illegal surveillance. The opposition accuses Gruevski of orchestrating the surveillance of over 20,000 people and is demanding that he and his government resign. Gruevski has insisted that compromising tapes of officials’ conversations, which have been released in batches by the opposition Social Democrats since February, were “created” by unnamed foreign intelligence services and given to the opposition to destabilise the country. The tapes appear to reveal the government’s direct involvement in election fraud, abuse of the justice system and media and even suggest it covered up the murder of a young man by a police officer. Another factor that may escalate matters is the possibility that the opposition leader, Zoran Zaev, could be arrested. Last week he upped the ante with the authorities, daring the courts to apprehend him and saying he will not respect further court orders concerning his “politically motivated” charges. Among other things, Zaev is charged with attempted blackmail of the Prime Minister, and, since he failed to check in with the court this Monday, as ordered, the formal conditions for his arrest now exist. Media meanwhile mention the forthcoming July 13 visit by the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Victoria Nuland as the last chance for the embattled Macedonian leaders to strike a deal on the negotiating table.