LOCAL PRESS

Merkel: Latest Belgrade-Pristina agreements important impulse to Serbia’s EU progress; Vucic: We performed difficult tasks and will be performing them in the future (RTS)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic discussed in Berlin Serbia’s EU integrations, asylum seekers and refugee problem, Radio and Television of Serbia’s reporter informs. Merkel pointed out that the latest agreements in Brussels have made essential progress, whereby it has created a situation that significantly contributes to peace in Western Balkans. “These are courageous decisions made by Pristina, but especially by Belgrade,” said Merkel. “I believe these results will be an important impulse to Serbia’s EU progress,” she said. Merkel underlined that Serbia is facing a great challenge of a wave of refugees. “Serbia is especially affected by this problem, even though it is not an EU member, but it is a fact that the refugees are arriving to this country from an EU member state, and then entering the EU territory again,” said Merkel. Vucic said he hoped the EU chapters would be opened in the course of this year. “We performed difficult tasks, and we will be performing them in the future as well,” stressed Vucic. In regard to the refugee crisis, Vucic assessed this as the most difficult issue for entire Europe, which is also not easy for Serbia. “For us this is not a problem of Germany, or any individual country or the EU, but of entire Europe. We are prepared to cooperate with all EU countries and to bear our part of responsibility regarding this issue,” said Vucic.

Djuric: Hunt on Serbs declared (Novosti)

The Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, especially those in the enclaves and returnee regions, are continuously exposed to attacks, whether they are ethnically motivated or whether at issue are classical criminal offences for gain. The atmosphere of lynch that is continuously created by the most extremist Albanian political parties and lack of sound condemnation and concrete reaction of the Pristina elites and institutions, are the essential problem over which the attacks on Serbs are repeated, the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric tells Novosti on the occasion of the attack on a 23-year-old young man from Klokot. “When somebody openly threatens with destabilization and blockade of the entire society over the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO), it is natural for someone to understand this as a declaration of an open hunt season on the Serbs. The reaction of the Kosovo police to the attack on Serbs has to a certain degree changed for the better.”

Do you believe that the ZSO will soon be formed, as it should also be a guarantor of security of Serbs?

“The ZSO is an instrument of protection and progress of the Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija. It is difficult to understand the resistance with which the Albanian political public accepts this idea, because it doesn’t threaten anyone except those Albanian politicians who base their programs on chauvinist concepts. The formation of the ZSO is an irreversible process. It seems that the international community, as the guarantor of the implementation of the agreement, doesn’t want to tolerate any more Pristina’s incoherent excuses for hindering the normalization process and this gives me hope that the ZSO will be formed soon.”

What will the agreements on energy and telecommunications bring to the Serbs?

“These agreements concern certain important segments of normalization of life in Kosovo and Metohija. The Serbs gained a lot, but didn’t lose anything and in that sense they are a victory of the Prime Minister and our negotiating team, but also of our people. On the other hand, I don’t think the Albanians have lost something. On the contrary, it is not necessary to explain too much the benefits that all Kosovo residents will have from the cheaper dialing or stable electric energy supply. However, it is important to stress once more that we managed to prevent attempts to use these topics for seizure of Serbian property in Kosovo and Metohija to continue.”

Following the appointment of Serbs as deputy ministers in the Kosovo government, the Serbian Liberal Party (SLS) reacted by saying they had not been consulted. Does this mean a division in the Serb List is present?

“In the past, Kosovo Serb political leaders often placed their particular interests above the interests of their fellow nationals. This government and Prime Minister Vucic were the first to ensure political unity of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija in defending vital interests of the Serb community and we constantly insist on this. The leading idea of Kosovo Serb politicians for their positions, personal promotion and benefit to be above the survival and progress of Serbs is the past.”

Pristina freezes agreement on vehicle insurance (Tanjug)

As of today, Pristina froze the agreement with Belgrade on recognizing vehicle insurance between Kosovo and Serbian insurance companies, Pristina portal Indeksonline reports.  The decision was passed by the President of the General Assembly of the Kosovo Insurance Rahim Pacoli. He explained that he passed the decision “over the situation after the introduction of bureaucratic and unnecessary measures of the Serbian side over which Kosovo residents are forced to remove RKS license plates and to put on test plates that they additionally pay”.

Vukcevic meets with representatives of Association of Families from Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)

Cooperation between the Serbian War Crimes Prosecution and the Association of Families from Kosovo and Metohija will continue on principles of trust, in the joint interest of shedding light on the fate of kidnapped and missing from Kosovo and Metohija, it was agreed at the meeting between the War Crime Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic and Association representatives. Vukcevic acquainted the Association representatives with the activities undertaken by the Prosecution within the jurisdictions of the prosecution of perpetrators of criminal offences of war crimes, Tanjug reports. They also discussed the founding of the special court for KLA crimes, as well as cooperation with the EU Special Investigative Task Force that has been collecting evidence from families of victims with the support of the War Crimes Prosecution. Association representatives acquainted Prosecutor Vukcevic with the activities in searching for some 500 victims that has not yet been resolved.

Albanian discovers secret on Serb bodies near Djakovica (Novosti)

Following suspicions that a mass grave with the bodies of kidnapped Serbs from this town is located in the Piskote settlement near Djakovica, Serb representatives from Djakovica have recently presented information that the bodies of several murdered Serbs are located in the grave on the field. Milenko Jovanovic from the provisional authority of the Djakovica municipality says an Albanian from this town confided to him that he found on the field the bodies of murdered Serbs that were in the decomposition stage, right after the persecution in June 1999. “The Albanian who told me this fears for his safety. He wishes to confide details only to the Serbian authorities, and insists on full anonymity. I have already contacted the Chairman of the Serbian government Commission for Missing Persons Veljko Odalovic,” says Jovanovic.

REGIONAL PRESS

Dodik: RS should defend its autonomy firmly (Srna)

The international factor will not give up on interventionism in B&H and Republika Srpska (RS) should not fall for the tales of distant perspectives but keep firmly defending its autonomy, the Constitution and constitutional solutions in B&H related to RS, the President of RS Milorad Dodik told Srna in an interview on Saturday. The statement by US Ambassador Maureen Cormack and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Hoyt Yee, during a briefing in Sarajevo on Friday shows that they won’t give up on interventionism in B&H, said Dodik. “Ms. Cormack and Mr. Yee intentionally omitted the fact during the briefing, while talking about the Dayton Agreement, that it is an international agreement and never mentioned where it is that the Dayton Agreement is violated, in which provision, where in the Constitution, where in any relevant legal framework,” said Dodik. “They are being cynical when they say the reforms should be implemented by the domestic forces, since everything that’s been done far has been done under a strong pressure of the international factor, the United States included,” emphasized Dodik. “Today it is believed that the United States is very proud of the Dayton Peace Agreement and that’s why it is now surprising that lately, the publicly stated needs to change the Agreement, i.e. the Dayton-based Constitution, have come to the fore, but only for the naive. “There are now attempts to maintain all the imposed solutions in B&H where it is simply enough to have someone come here and say that the Dayton Agreement should be violated and that everyone should accept that. Dodik went on to add that the grossest violation of the Constitution occurred under the patronage of the international community, which committed and supported legal and political violence executed by high representatives. “Now they would like to maintain such antidemocratic, anti-civilizational and anti-legal behavior by simply claiming that the Dayton Agreement is violated. The High Representative grossly violated the Dayton Agreement and was encouraged in it by the majority of countries that made up the Peace Implementation Council. It is understandable that the very same countries now defend as a fetish any rising of the issue of illegal behavior by the High Representative,” said Dodik. “It is a fact that 20 years after the war B&H is still failing to reach a common consensus on the constitution, and it seems it may not do so in the near future either. “To talk about changing the Constitution for the sake of some European demands and claims that Europeans must do it together with the domestic authorities seems cynical if you don’t know the reality,” he said. The RS President pointed out in the interview with Srna that no country can be made by force, B&H either, regardless of what force stands behind it, even maybe the United States.  “In any case, we should try and build a consensus without the involvement of external political pressure and on the basis of that build something in B&H that could look like a joint state,” said Dodik. He asserts that the United Stated did a lot to stabilize peace in B&H but that it is completely false to claim that the Dayton Peace Agreement stopped the war. “The Agreement came to life because there was a political consensus on the political system in B&H and as such, it indeed was enough to stop the war, but to claim today that it was only meant to stop the war and that it is to be changed now, this is something that, to say the least, calls for it to be challenged.” The Dayton Agreement should be the greatest political and legal heritage of the United States and the B&H Constitution is actually a modified and adjusted constitution of the United States, he claims. “B&H cannot exist if governed from the outside, and this has proved true through history, but basically it cannot survive on its own either. “RS cannot lightly accept some anxious statements given by certain foreigners or easily accept the claims that the Dayton Agreement is violated just because they think it is and because they are making a platform for some future action in the sense that someone else violated the Agreement,” added Dodik. “RS will strongly keep defending its autonomy, its constitution, the constitutional solutions in B&H regarding RS, the voting system in B&H, and will never fall for claims of some distant perspectives, which you know how are seen by other countries where democracy is being introduced,” said the RS President. Commenting on Yee’s statement that the situation in RS is difficult, Dodik said such statements were incorrect, to say the least, adding that RS kept settling its obligations despite some claims that it was economically unstable. “Yee wants to say that RS is in a difficult situation but he does not want to mention the floods or various conditions set by international financial institutions regarding projects here. “RS does not want any kind of confrontation with the United States,” said Dodik, adding that he could not care less if US Ambassador Cormack would meet him or not. He asserted there was a “circle of ambassadors” in B&H meeting on Fridays and making decisions about what is supposed to be done in B&H, and then, “through their subjects in Sarajevo and partly in RS, imposing their solutions, and building something that cannot be built at all, and that is called B&H.” “Someone else is to blame for your good intentions because you had an illusion – this is the message that we could hear yesterday,” concluded Dodik.

Dodik seeks prosecution of opposition leaders for treason (Bosna danas)

President of the RS and SNSD party Milorad Dodik said that he will seek the change in the criminal legislation in order to enable prosecution of opposition parties for treason, detrimental decisions and non-cooperation with the institution of this Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) entity. SDS and PDP parties, which are opposition in the RS, participate in the Councils of Ministers at the state level. Dodik said that policy of SDS president Mladen Bosic and other opposition leaders who participate in the work of the state level government is treasonous. According to Dodik, SDS and PDP lie to the citizens about everything they were doing in the last period. He announced that he will submit information on the violation of interests of the RS at the state level by those parties. He also asks that every issue which falls under the jurisdiction of state institutions is discussed first by the RS institutions. “SNSD Presidency decided to prepare and submit to the public the information on the violation of RS interests in the state level institutions by SDS and its partners,” Dodik said after a meeting of party leadership. When it comes to criminal proceedings, Dodik said this is just an idea for now which will be further developed because such mechanism is needed. “Those who run this treasonous policy should be prosecuted and punished, because there is no other way to make them accountable,” Dodik said. In regard to that, the Secretary-General of PDP Igor Crnadak said that “no one in the Alliance for Changes is afraid of the announcement by Dodik that he will seek change of the criminal law in order to launch criminal investigation against opposition leaders for treason”. Crnadak said that Alliance will back the initiative to change the law if that will enable prosecution of those who destroyed Bobar Bank, Balkan Investment Bank, Birac factory etc. Crnadak asked whether the destruction of state owned companies is treason. He also said Dodik’s initiative is yet another pointless attack on the Alliance and that it shows his political inability and fear. In his view, Dodik wants to distract attention from the financial problems. Crnadak also thinks Dodik is afraid of big scandals in which some high officials are involved and which will be investigated soon.

Council of Europe monitoring committee: Dayton difficult to unpack (Oslobodjenje)

The two-day session of the Council of Europe’s Committee on the Honoring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States (Monitoring Committee), which will discuss the situation in B&H and a series of other current topics in the committee’s jurisdiction, began in Sarajevo, in the framework of B&H’s chairing of the Council. Mladen Bosic, Vice-Chair of the House of Representatives and Vice President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, said that B&H is sending a message to its citizens that it is part of Europe. Bosic said that after the EU changed the order of priorities, adopting the agreed reform agenda is a good sign that the country will quickly move down the path toward European integrations. He also expressed confidence that B&H would find a way to achieve consensus around implementing the ruling of the ECHR in the Sejdic-Finci case. “We will after some time have to return again to the tale of implementing the Sejdic-Finci ruling, because in fact that is what the Council of Europe in charge of human rights insists,” said Bosic. He noted that all political parties in B&H have goodwill and show their willingness to come to a compromise in changing the law, but the constitution, as an integral part of the Dayton Accord, is not easy to change. “We have differing views on the future, different fears. We are afraid that someone will not do well in these changes. That’s why it is very difficult. This shows that Dayton is built on a series of compromises that are now difficult to unpack. Dayton in some way has stood the test of time, but it should adapt each situation to new conditions and new needs of the citizens, but through agreement,” said Bosic. Sefik Dzaferovic, deputy chair of the House of Representatives, before the start of the meeting said that B&H had not fulfilled its obligations as a member of the Council, explaining that he is thinking of the implementation of the ECHR ruling in the Sejdic-Finci case: “There were many attempts thus far, but because of different views it has not been implemented.” He believes that now it is most important to unblock B&H’s European path and start to fulfill obligations. He added that in B&H there has been 20 years of present obstruction of the Dayton Accord, because Annex 7 – which relates to sustainable return – has not been implemented in the right way, nor Annexes 8 or 9.

B&H Presidency accepts Obama’s invitation to participate in leaders’ New York ISIL summit (Oslobodjenje)

The B&H Presidency accepted the invitation of Barack Obama, U.S. President, sent to Dragan Covic, the Chair of the Presidency, to participate in the leaders’ summit in the fight against ISIL and violent extremism, to be held in New York on 29 September. The B&H Presidency also accepted an invitation from Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, sent to Covic, to participate in the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: A Commitment to Action (UN-Women), to be held in New York on 27 September. The invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, sent to the Presidency, for an official visit to Turkey at the end of the year, was also accepted. Presidency adopted a decision on accepting the agreement and designating signatories to the agreement on the establishment of a Western Balkans Fund. They gave approval to the conclusion of the memorandum on cooperation in the field of youth between the B&H ministry of civil affairs and the Slovak ministry of education, science, research and sport, and the agreement on implementing a joint platform of data administration for the development of a regional early warning system and risk analysis – “Border Guard”. In addition to that the B&H Presidency decided to send invitations to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, and Chinese President Jinping to visit B&H in 2015, the Presidency said in a statement.

Ambassador Wigemark: Reform Agenda is B&H’s best chance (Glas Srpske/Dnevni list)

“The Reform Agenda adopted by all three levels of government is an opportunity for the people of B&H to catch up with the rest of Europe and join the EU family”, said the EU Special Representative and Head of the EU Delegation Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark. “Many of these reforms are long overdue and should be swiftly implemented. The Reform Agenda is unique and has a broad scope covering economic, social, administrative and rule of law measures.  It is the culmination of a year-long effort to agree on a set of priority measures to boost the economy and to create more and better jobs for everyone. The new Labor Law in the B&H Federation is a major step forward.  But it only represents one part of the Reform Agenda and needs to be complemented with a number of other measures to be successful. The Reform Agenda is a result of the most extensive consultation process B&H has ever seen. It is firmly based on the political programs of the three governments; that is, the Council of Ministers, the Federation of B&H and RS.  The “Forum for Prosperity and Jobs” in May 2014, attended by a spectrum of civil, academic, business and political society provided initial inspiration. Further inputs were received at expert and public events including local gatherings with citizens throughout the country, and online. The Reform Agenda went through many drafts and much discussion. It can be confidently said that it reflects the collective desire of both the governments and the people of B&H to move ahead to a better future. Moreover, it has been endorsed by the EU, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development as well as the representatives of supportive governments—including the USA.  Major countries such as Japan, Russia and Turkey have also expressed their support for a set of comprehensive reforms, for instance at the most recent Peace Implementation Council for B&H. In other words, there is a striking consensus in support of a serious reform effort. Everyone supporting the Reform Agenda agrees that it is time to move beyond the rhetoric of reform and get to work. With each year passing, B&H is falling further behind its neighbors in terms of the business environment and other policies necessary to encourage investment and create new jobs. According to Eurostat’s latest figures, B&H now has the lowest relative GDP in Europe and is lagging behind comparable neighbors in the Western Balkans region. As a result, the overall unemployment rate stands at over a quarter of the workforce and the rate of youth unemployment is the highest in Europe.  It is time to begin to reverse this trend and offer to all citizens, regardless of their political or ethnic affiliation, real access to good jobs that match their skills and qualifications.  The days of a privileged system with “jobs for the boys” in return for political favors must, and I believe can come to an end. A simple and inexpensive step is to strengthen the links between education, and the labor market. Education and vocational training should be in line with the requirements of the labor market, in particular the private sector.  Sometimes it is simply a matter of improved information about already existing opportunities.  For instance, through the two Education and Jobs Fairs organized by my office in Zenica and Banja Luka, more than 4000 people were offered a job. Young people and jobseekers had the chance to see what vacancies are available, they were also advised on how to improve their self-presentation and consider what training or new skills they might need. Such “joined-up thinkin”’ needs to happen more.  It is necessary to inform the youth about the latest trends in the labor market to efficiently assist job seekers to acquire the knowledge and skills that are really needed in the labour market here. There is an opportunity now to reform the business environment and make tax systems and public finances sustainable. The size and role of the government sector must be reduced. The public sector is far too expensive for a country the size of B&H.  And this is not simply because of the complex and multi-layered Dayton structures; it is also the result of decades of political cronyism. A serious public administration reform will, moreover, increase the confidence of investors and, hopefully, get domestic banks to start to lend again at significant levels. Make no mistake: B&H does not suffer from a liquidity problem. Rather, banks hold more money at the Central Bank than is required of them because they cannot find adequate projects to finance. The money is there. But investors and company leaders have to see a brighter future through the fog of government regulation and taxes before they are willing to start hiring people again.  A freeze on wages and on hiring of new staff in the public sector will also send a strong signal to the voters that it is not just them who are expected to change their behavior but institutions too. New labor laws and practices will be a crucial element in improving this business environment. Flexibility in the labor market must be increased and people’s chance of finding decent employment—especially young people—needs to improve dramatically. Everybody having equal access to employment opportunities is a fundamental economic and social right enshrined in many international conventions. The new labor laws are intended to make employment secure and fair, rather than exclusive. The Labor Law adopted by the FB&H Government and Parliament last week includes 26 articles strengthening the rights of  workers, for example through generous maternity and paternity benefits;  these are more in line with European standards than the previous law. But the new law will also allow employees and employers to adapt to changing circumstances and this is very important when promoting investment. Business-related reforms need to go hand in hand with the further entrenchment of the rule of law and good governance principles. Criminal investigations must be expeditious, efficient and thorough, while sanctions must be a deterrent and actually enforced. A corrupt-free business environment supported by an accountable, professional and efficient judiciary is an essential pre-condition to restore citizens’ confidence and foreign investors’ trust.

Reforms will be difficult, but will ultimately benefit everybody. B&H needs to establish a system where pensions and social benefits, including healthcare, can be secured for those who are most in need.  Vulnerable people, such as the elderly, invalids, and those who suffer the scars of one of the worst conflicts Europe has seen, need to be given decent support.  But, at the same time, people who are ready and able to work need to have an opportunity to do so. Far too many have already left the country, or are considering doing so if there is no improvement in sight.  B&H needs to get to a situation where government is seen as a help rather than a hindrance and most of all, where people can look forward to a fruitful life in their own country. Some are objecting to these reforms, and will try to hold on to their privileged positions. But it is time for everybody to have an equal opportunity and I urge people to support their elected governments’ reform efforts. It is also time to set aside political party differences and look at the greater good for everyone.  In February this year, all 14 major political parties signed a commitment to the EU that they will support the reform process and move forward towards closer integration with the EU. It is time for everybody to demonstrate courage and determination.  No one will be impressed by political squabbling. The Reform Agenda will begin the process of recovery. The EU and the International Financial Institutions are expected to provide up to one billion euro over three years in direct support to meet the cost of the reforms and will put aside another half a billion euro for investment. This money will, in turn, encourage more private investment and boost the overall economy, creating more jobs. B&H stands at a crossroads and needs to take the correct path in the coming months. That path could lead to membership of the EU, and our Foreign Affairs Council has already promised that measurable progress in implementing the Reform Agenda could lead to an early application being accepted. It is time for the leaders and people of B&H to pull together and move forward.”

Gruevski: IMF report is valorization of the government (Kurir.mk)

IMF report showed things that the opposition for a long period created false image among citizens, i.e. that Macedonia is among the 5 lowest indebted countries in Europe. “With the government debt by about 36% and public debt of 43% of Macedonia is country among the 5 lowest indebted countries in Europe and what is also important is that the report confirms that the loans are made for big capital infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, energy projects, hospitals, underlined Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski during his visit to the hospital “September 8”. The Prime Minister added that it is very good that this report was published as it denies all previous allegations that the government has over debt the country and that soon will collapse, that debt is extremely high and that the government creates illusory image that the country has low debt. “What is also important is that the IMF report seriously emphasized the part associated with foreign investments. In this part it presented success of government policies and forecast that foreign investment will follow the opening of 30,000 new jobs. This was no longer said by the government but it was said by IMF”, explains Gruevski. This report concluded Gruevski reflects the reality of our business and we see it as valorization of what has been done in the past period.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Merkel praises Serbia’s detente with Kosovo (dpa, 7 September 2015)

Berlin – Germany‘s Chancellor Angela Merkel praised Serbia on Monday for lowering tension with neighbouring Kosovo. There had been “considerable and substantial progress” in ending the conflict, she said in remarks on the arrival of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic at her Berlin office for talks. The two leaders were not scheduled to meet the media afterwards.
The chancellor said this progress was an important facilitator for Serbia‘s talks on joining the European Union. Belgrade is hoping to commence the first stage of those talks before this year is out. Berlin had earlier told Serbia it must first make peace with Kosovo, which declared independence seven years ago, as a prerequisite. The talks were overshadowed by the European migration crisis, where Serbia plays a key role as part of the land route north into Hungary.
Hours earlier, Germany announced it would offer legal immigration to 20,000 citizens of Serbia and five other nations annually. The move is an incentive for Balkan citizens to cease travelling to Germany in a vain hope of winning political asylum.

Film on Plight of Kosovo Serbs Bids for Oscar (BIRN, by Ivana Nikolic, 7 September 2015)

‘Enclave’, a drama that follows the lives of Serbs who continued to live in Kosovo after the war, has been chosen as the Serbian candidate for the Best Foreign Language Film Award at the Oscars. Goran Radovanovic, the director of ‘Enclave’, which focuses on the plight of a lonely Serb child in Kosovo, told BIRN that it was important that the film had been suggested for an Oscar because it puts the neglected theme of Kosovo’s Serbs in the spotlight. “I am dealing with this issue due to the enormous national significance it has. This is a very contemporary topic and not just a local one. It is about the conflict between Islam and Christianity,” Radovanovic said. The film takes the audience back to 2004 in the aftermath of ethnically-charged unrest across Kosovo that left 19 people dead and caused many Serbs to flee. It follows 10-year-old Nenad, who lives in a small Serb enclave with his father and grandfather. The only other remaining Serbs are an Orthodox priest and a teacher. Nenad is the only Serb pupil in a school and he is taken there every day in a military vehicle by NATO’s KFOR troops. As there are no other Serb children in the enclave, his only friend is his sick grandfather, who eventually dies. The only other boys around are Kosovo Albanians, like 13-year-old Bashkim, who lost his father in the war and hates the Serbs. Kosovo Serb enclaves are generally small, isolated settlements which face serious problems with unemployment and poor living conditions. Radovanovic says there is a general feeling of helplessness in Serbia itself towards Serbs still living in Kosovo, but he hopes that the film will bring more attention to their situation. “Thanks to the film, Kosovo Serbs again feel like they are in focus. I am glad that we are presenting this topic,” the director said. “Everything now depends on the resources we will be given [by the Serbian authorities] to use for lobbying and presenting the film,” Radovanovic added. Marko Djuric, the director of the Serbian government’s office for Kosovo, has praised the film. “I hope that ‘Enclave’ will be shortlisted for an Oscar in its category and that this artistic description of the problems that the Serbian people face in Kosovo and Metohija will reach the widest audience and revive interest in the fate of Serbs in our southern province on an international level,” Djuric said on Friday. The 88th annual Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are set to be presented in February next year.

Serbia braces for 108,000 asylum applications (New Europe, 7 September 2015)

As many as 120,000 migrants and refugees have illegally crossed into Serbia and about 108,000 of them are expected to apply for asylum, according to Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic.

During a meeting of European Union foreign affairs ministers in Luxembourg on September 5, Dacic said his country has painful experiences with refugees, IDPs and migrations.

As reported by the InSerbia news agency, around 44,000 refugees from Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are still in Serbia 20 years since arriving. Dacic also said that only 1.9% of 220,000 IDPs who departed from Kosovo-Metohija in 1999 have returned to their homes until now.

It should not be forgotten that Serbia primarily has the obligation toward these people because this problem is not smaller than the problem of migrants from Near East and Africa, Dacic said.

Despite this issue, Serbia is providing migrants with the assistance they need although the living standard of their citizens is in jeopardy over economic problems, and the needs of refugees from the region and IDPs are not met, Dacic said. He recalled that the EU has allocated €1.7m of assistance for Serbia and FYROM, which is not enough to cover even a considerable part of current needs.

Serbia Urges EU To Start Membership Talks (BIRN, by Igor Jovanovic, 7 September 2015)

Senior Serbian officials have urged the EU to open the first chapters in negotiations with Belgrade, saying that the country has fulfilled all its obligations to Brussels so far.

Ahead of his visit to Berlin on Monday, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said he expected the first chapters in the EU negotiations to be opened by the end of the year after receiving promises from German officials. “Germans has set difficult conditions for Serbia and Serbia has fulfilled them all, and that is why I expect Germany to stand by its promises. It is my policy, I wanted us to have closer ties with Germany, and I believe Germany will keep its promises. If not, I will personally be responsible,” Vucic told state- owned Tanjug news agency on Sunday. He added that in Berlin he would present the results of economic reforms implemented by his cabinet as well as the latest agreements signed with Kosovo in the EU-mediated dialogue aimed at normalising relations between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels. “I will say that Serbia deserves, after the talks in Brussels, to open the first chapters and I expect that to happen by the end of the year as well. All other options would not be good for Serbia,” he said. The Serbian government announced on Sunday that Vucic will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. He was also scheduled to address the Bundestag’s committee on EU affairs. Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Sunday it was not acceptable for Serbia to open the first chapters in the EU negotiations in early 2016 because Belgrade had met all the criteria to start the talks by the end of the year. Dacic told a press conference that the EU has a “double standards” policy because it had told Serbia to create an action plan to address the problems of migrants and refugees in order to open some of the chapters, while Brussels itself does not have such a plan. “You cannot put the whole burden of the migrant crisis on the back of Serbia, Macedonia or some other Western Balkans country,” Dacic said. “November or December, in our opinion, are the final deadline for opening the chapters. Enough is enough,” he added. Serbia officially started talks with the EU in January 2014 but so far has not opened the first chapters in the negotiating process. The main political condition for the acceleration of the EU integration process was the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbian officials, who reached the four key agreements on August 25. Merkel said on August 27 that Serbia had met the conditions to open the first chapters in the accession talks, but she could say exactly when that would happen. “I can say that we will be fair and you can count on that, we will not come up with new conditions,” said Merkel.