LOCAL PRESS

Dacic thanks Iran for not recognizing Kosovo (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic thanked Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for Iran’s principled position of non-recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija. According to a release from the Serbian Foreign Ministry, during the meeting between the two c foreign ministers in Tehran, the Iranian side stated that their stance in relation to the Kosovo issue was one of the basic principles of the foreign policy pursued by the country – rational approach based on international law.

Tasovac: Government opposes Kosovo’s admission to UNESCO (FoNet)

The Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information and the Serbian government oppose Kosovo’s admission to UNESCO, Serbian Culture and Information Minister Ivan Tasovac said in Milan at the international conference on promotion of culture as the factor of dialogue and understanding among peoples, as part of the Expo 2015, which was also attended by UNESCO Secretary-General Irina Bokova. We think that such a move, at this still very fragile political moment and in the course of the negotiations on normalization of relations, would inflict major damage to the reconciliation process itself and the very cultural heritage, which is not only Serbian, but also European and world heritage, said Tasovac. I would be extremely dishonest if I would not share with you the concern in regard to the recently announced campaign for Kosovo’s admission to UNESCO, said Tasovac. He said that Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in February 2008, which was not recognized by 89 UN member states, pointing out that the Serbian government was actively working on normalization of relations with Pristina, with the mediation of EU partners. The negotiations are not easy, but nobody expects politics to be easy. Politics requires effort, patience and good will, assessed Tasovac. Even today, mediaeval monasteries in Kosovo are surrounded by barbed wire, said Tasovac, noting that they are protected by KFOR soldiers, in order to avoid their violent destruction, such as the one in 2004, testified by UNESCO as well. Tasovac opines that prior to any premature moves a new UNESCO expert mission should be invited to visit Kosovo and establish the general state-of-affairs of the cultural heritage. According to him, this mission should establish how organized and expertise are the services that are taking care of this heritage, whether they removed the reasons for endangerment of Decani, Pec Patriarchate, Gracanica and Bogorodica Ljeviska, which are listed on the World Heritage list. According to Tasovac, the political process of reconciliation is arduous and lengthy, while the social process of reconciliation is even longer and more demanding. Culture must be the point of contact among nations, even when they politically disagree. Politics must respect international obligations and agreements so culture can fulfill its mission, said Tasovac.

Tanaskovic: Ban Ki-moon shall act in accordance with UNSCR 1244 (Danas)

The Serbian Ambassador with UNESCO Darko Tanaskovic speaks to Danas about the legal and political connotations of the candidacy of the self-declared Kosovo state for UNESCO membership.

Pristina expects to join UNESCO, referring to the number of member states that recognized the self-declared Kosovo independence, the fact that it had already joined many financial, sports and cultural international organizations, as well as the legally-non-binding opinion of the International Court of justice on the declaration of independence. Are these arguments sufficient contrary to the valid UNSCR 1244?

“The status of the province of Kosovo has been established with UNSCR 1244 in the international –legal sense, which would have to be binding for all states that accept the UN basic documents. Serbia completely adheres to these documents. Contrary to the legal reality that UNSCR 1244 represents, unfortunately, there is a parallel, but no less a real political reality, materialized in the fact that 111 subjects of international law recognized Kosovo as an independent state. Our great jurist Milan Bartos used to say to his students that, objectively and empirically, ‘recognition of one state is not a legal act with political consequences, but a political act with legal consequences’. We, too , in regard to Kosovo, and specifically with the application for UNESCO, are facing the attempt for the situation, created with the political violation of UNSCR 1244, and this also means of international law, to be capitalized at the level of the UN system, for which the SC resolution would have to be inviolable. Still, it doesn’t mean that this how things must be in everything. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that he would act in accordance with UNSCR 1244.”

What is UNMIK’s role in submitting Kosovo’s candidacy for UNESCO?

“UNMIK’s role in submitting Kosovo’s candidacy doesn’t exist. The applicant intended this role for it, because the UNESCO Secretariat, adhering to UNSCR 1244, was not ready to enter direct formal communication with an entity that does not have international-legal subjectivity, i.e. from the UN point of view is not a state. Considering that UNMIK can represent internationally the interim institutions in Pristina only in a limited way, if and as much as this is in the function of executing their basic mandate, it is clear that assuming the role of a letter carrier between the Kosovo foreign minister and the UNESCO Secretary-General would drastically come out of the framework of UNMIK’s jurisdiction. Since such exceeding has not occurred in this case for the time being, there is no purpose in speculating about what would have happened.”

How much can the following facts help in the diplomatic battle against Kosovo’s candidacy – that the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija on the UNESCO list has long been on the List of Endangered Heritage, that the monasteries on the UNESCO list have serious property problems in Kosovo and Metohija, that more than 150 sanctities, especially in the March 2004 pogrom, were destroyed under the UN protectorate, as well as the number of Kosovo Albanians who are taking part in armed operations of the Islamic State?

“Everything that you have specified, and many other arguments, strongly speaks in favor of the justifiability of our opposition to Kosovo’s admission to UNESCO, even if it were a state, which it isn’t according to the UN international-legal criteria. Will the fact that we are right be sufficient to achieve law, whether in this case the power of law and truth will be stronger than the right of power and untruth, all this is a big and uncertain question. We painfully witnessed on our own skin that what we usually call politics decides on whether law or non-law will overpower. It is our job to do everything possible, even more than that, while political constellations are not non-changeable, which is clearly seen in the world today.”
Binding Belgrade-Pristina agreement with EU seal (Novosti)

The legally-binding agreement that Belgrade should sign with Pristina will be verified by the EU, after which the “agreement between the EU and Serbia that concerns Kosovo” would arrive in the Serbian parliament for ratification in order to become part of the Serbian legislature. Novosti has learned that this solution is being examined in Brussels as an exit from the impasse.

Belgrade will be forced to accept at the end of the negotiating process with the EU a legally-binding agreement that will define Serbia’s relations with Pristina, which many fear will be interpreted as recognition of Kosovo. Despite the fact that there are still several years before that moment, the Serbian state leadership has been saying that it will not fall into the trap of signing an “international agreement” with its own province. That is why Brussels is now trying to find a model acceptable for all. President Tomislav Nikolic has stated on several occasions that he sees the legally-binding agreement with Pristina as an inter-state agreement that he would not sign even if the parliament adopts it. The Chairperson of the Serbian parliamentary Committee for EU Integration Aleksandar Senic says that the parliament can adopt only international agreements with states, so it is unrealistic to expect it to ratify agreements with Kosovo: “Theoretically it is possible to include these agreements as part of the report on negotiations and to adopt them this way, but I am not sure the ruling majority is prepared to do this.” His deputy Lazlo Varga says that Serbia will certainly be required at one moment some sort of ratification of reached agreements with Pristina. “In don’t know it what form this will be presented, whether through a government decree, in parliament or in some other way. What is definite is that when we sign the agreement on EU admission, we will have to give a legally-binding statement that we will not veto Kosovo’s EU membership,” said Varga.

REGIONAL PRESS

New FB&H government in mid-August: Coalition of SDA, SB&H, BPS and A-SDA agreed (klix.ba)

Representatives of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), B&H Patriotic Party (BPS), Party for B&H (SB&H) and Party of Democratic Activity (A-SDA) signed in Sarajevo the agreement on political cooperation, joint activity and united approach for the mandate period of 2015 – 2018. With this agreement, they have committed to political battle for the integrity of B&H and strengthening its institutions as well as carrying out the essential economic and socio-political reforms that will initiate the development and economic progress of this country. “This agreement itself represents a general agreement on political cooperation, while the documents for the form of annex between SDA and SB&H will be additionally prepared. When it comes to the specific agreements, for the SB&H very important are the solutions that were achieved regarding the opened issues that have been discussed, such as the state property issue, issues related to the principle of activity of the SB&H and the SDA etc. “The fact that is really important for us is that all the parties accepted our initiative find some space in this agreement for adoption of laws in relation to state property, in order to help to put it into function and gave it to the investors who are willing to invest in our country” said Amer Jerlagic, the President of the SB&H. Special documents will resolve the issue of redistribution of positions within the government. “I believe that in the next 10-15 days we will propose the names for all of departments, and until mid-August, we should have all the names for the FB&H government,” said Jerlagic.

Novalic: We opened the doors to European integrations (Oslobodjenje)

After the FB&H House of Representatives adopted the labor law, the FB&H Prime Minister Fadil Novalic told reporters that he congratulates those delegates who found the strength to adopt a reform measure and law for what he said in parliament takes a lot of courage. According to Novalic, reforms are not popular measures with those who are thin skinned in a way. “With this, in a way, we opened the doors to employers and freed them of the fear of employment, on the one hand. On the other hand we opened the doors to European integrations. Both one and the other were our basic goal,” said Novalic, adding he thinks we showed courage with this. “Primarily, we showed that we are going in that direction and we will not waver on this path. Whatever following measures come, we will persist in them,” said Novalic.
Cudic: Gathering marking “Storm” regularly reported to Sarajevo Canton (Srna)

The Coordinator of the Association for Social Research and Communications (UDIK) Edvin Kanka Cudic told Srna that the gathering to mark 20 years of the suffering of Serbs in the Operation “Storm” in front of the Croatian Embassy in Sarajevo scheduled for Monday, was regularly reported to the Sarajevo Canton Interior Ministry. The Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior informed Srna that the gathering was banned because of untimely and irregular reporting.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Russia Respects Int’l Law in Issue of Republika Srpska Referendum (Sputnik, by Anna Liatsou, 1 August 2015)

Analysts claim that Russia’s position on Republika Srpska’s decision to hold a confidence vote on the justice system in Bosnia and Herzegovina demonstrates that Moscow respects international law.

MOSCOW — Russia’s position on Republika Srpska’s decision to hold a confidence vote on the justice system in Bosnia and Herzegovina demonstrates that Moscow respects international law, experts told Sputnik. Lawmakers in the autonomous Serb region of Bosnia by a slim majority backed the proposal of Republika Srpska’s President Milorad Dodik to hold a referendum on whether national courts should have authority over Serbs. “Russia is paying closer attention to the legality [of holding the referendum] and to fundamental international law than the countries that are criticizing the referendum. Russia is on the side of international law in this case,” Nikola Tanasic, assistant editor for New Serbian Political Thought magazine, told Sputnik. Earlier this month, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s deputy head of the Information and Press Department, Alexander Bikantov, said the Republika Srpska had decided to use “available democratic instruments to ensure the implementation of its legitimate interests” in light of the existing bias against Bosnian Serbs and inefficiency of the justice system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tanasic said Russia had been “a very committed supporter of the forces in the Balkans that have been pushing for democracy rather than of the oligarchical, technocratic concept of Europe, where nobody consults the people about anything.” According to Tanasic, although Russia still has not expressed its official support of the referendum, Bikantov’s comments were perceived by Serbian officials and wider society “as an act of support.” University of Banja Luka professor, Dr. Branimir Kuljanin, shares the idea that Russia advocates for the observance of international law, in contrast to the position taken by the West. “Russia is the bastion and defender of international law, in contrast to the West. Western policy is mainly based on the destruction of all other civilizations. The Russian position on the referendum is absolutely correct, Russia must defend Orthodox countries that are under pressure from the West,” Kuljanin told Sputnik. The vote on whether to hold the referendum came a day after top diplomats in Bosnia, representing the European Union and the United States, warned Serb leaders that the proposed referendum would be “a direct threat to sovereignty and security” and would not be tolerated.

Summer Halts Work on Macedonia Crisis Deal (BIRN, by Sinisa Jakov Marusic, 3 August 2015)

After a week of intensive daily meetings, the cross-party group tasked with implementing the deal to resolve the country’s political crisis is going on a two-week summer vacation

The cross-party working group that meets under the guidance of the former Belgian MP and expert Peter Vanhoutte has halted work on pinpointing key reforms and is to go on a summer break until August 17. Last week, senior representatives of Macedonia’s warring parties helped by Vanheute discussed boosting the legal powers of several key state offices like the State Electoral Commission, the regulatory Agency for Media, the Public Safety Bureau and the Public Revenue Office. However, despite considering a proposal to restrict diaspora voting and to introduce a new way of compiling the electoral roll, by pre-registering voters ahead of elections, nothing concrete was agreed. Darko Aleksov, head of the NGO MOST, which has been at the forefront of the domestic election monitoring process and whose advice was heard by the group, said this would reduce state involvement in the electoral process. “This would mean that the state would no longer be tasked with registering voters. Instead the voters will be able to register themselves within a certain period ahead of the elections,” said Aleksov. The strengthening of important state bodies is seen as crucial for the improvement of democratic standards so that free and fair early elections can be ensured next April. With the help of James Hamilton, the former director of Ireland’s public prosecution, the party representatives also discussed details about the formation of a new fully autonomous prosecution that would be tasked with processing all the allegations of wrongdoing that came out of the covertly recorded tapes at the centre of the country’s illegal surveillance scandal. The political crisis in Macedonia revolves around allegations that VMRO DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski’s government illegally orchestrated the surveillance of over 20,000 people. Gruevski has insisted that compromising tapes of officials’ conversations, which the Social Democrats have been making public since February, were “created” by unnamed foreign intelligence services and given to the opposition to destabilise the country. The tapes appeared 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. On July 15, after marathon talks in Skopje, EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn announced that a deal had been reached between Macedonia’s warring political parties to end months of dispute. The deal stipulates that the government will resign “in due time to allow the new government to be sworn in on 15 January 2016, 100 days before the parliament elections which shall be held on 24 April”. As part of the agreement, political leaders agreed to form the working group to implement major personnel changes and boost the powers of several important state offices.

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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.