LOCAL PRESS

Serbian heritage in Kosovo and Metohija endangered (Novosti)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic on Tuesday and Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Manchang voiced yesterday satisfaction with the results of Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic’s recent visit to China. Dacic noted the significance of the relations with China, ranging from support regarding the most significant issues to specific forms of cooperation, stressing China’s role as a permanent UN Security Council member. The Minister briefed the Chinese Ambassador on the issue of the threat facing the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija and the unacceptability of Kosovo’s request to join UNESCO. Li assessed that the relations between the two countries are improving constantly, as indicated by agreements on new investment projects.

Mirkic: Special ties between Serbia and RS not an obstacle for Sarajevo-Belgrade cooperation (FoNet)

Special and parallel ties between Serbia and the Republika Srpska (RS) are not an obstacle for cooperation between Sarajevo and Belgrade, but a way of improving relations between our countries, the newly appointed B&H Ambassador in Belgrade Lazar Mirkic has stated while submitting letters of credence to Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic. Mirkic said that B&H considers extremely important the principled stand on respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of B&H, as well as that B&H considers the issue of Kosovo and Metohija an internal matter of Serbia. He recalled that B&H has not recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, stressing that this country supports the Brussels dialogue under the EU auspices and that it will welcome every agreement that is reached.

Passage without probation plates (Novosti)

Despite the announcement from Pristina that the implementation of the agreement on vehicle insurance will be suspended, there have been no changes at the administrative crossings concerning the regime that is being implemented since 12 August. Vehicles with Serbian license plates were entering Kosovo yesterday without probation plates.

ANA threatens over ZSO (Tanjug)

The Albanian National Army (ANA), which is considered to be a terrorist organization whose aim is to create a Greater Albania, is against the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) and calls on the Pristina authorities to withdraw their signature from the Brussels agreement. ANA believes that the agreement on the decentralization of municipalities offers Serbia a possibility to control Kosovo in a way. In its release, the organization makes it clear that it is ready to intervene any time. ANA was founded in July 2001 and issued its first public release on August 3 the same year. It is unknown how many members it brings together.

Serbia and Macedonia jointly share burden of refugee crisis (Tanjug)

Serbia and Macedonia, two friendly and neighboring countries, jointly share the burden of the refugee crisis, which is not just a regional issue but rather a global one that needs a comprehensive solution, Macedonian Ambassador to Serbia Vera Jovanovska Tipko stated. “We are intensifying continuous cooperation with our friend and neighbor Serbia in all fields, both in political and economic terms. We have joint infrastructural projects – energy connections, and at the same time, we are walking towards European integration and face local and global challenges,” Jovanovska said at the reception she organized on the occasion of September 8, Macedonia’s Independence Day. The Ambassador told Tanjug that her country is implementing reforms and paving the way to Euro-Atlantic integration, honestly believing that all challenges should be overcome jointly with the EU and regionally, and that Western Balkan countries should join the EU together.
REGIONAL PRESS

Constitutional Court of the RS upheld the decision on referendum (Oslobodjenje)

The Constitutional Court of Republika Srpska (RS) rejected today the veto of Bosniaks on the National Assembly’s decision to call a referendum about the work of the B&H Court and Prosecution in this B&H entity.  This means that the decision on the referendum in the RS on the work of the Court and Prosecution of B&H can enter into force, reports Fena. After the session of the Council for Protection of Vital Interests within the RS Constitutional Court it was decided that there is no violation of the vital national interests of the Bosniak people in regard with the decision on calling a referendum. The Council, in accordance with the constitutional and statutory responsibilities, adopted a decision which established that the decision of the RS National Assembly on calling a republic referendum does not harm the vital national interests of the Bosniak people. The Bosniak caucus in the RS Council of Peoples submitted to the Council of the RS Constitutional Court the request for a finding of a violation of the vital national interests of the Bosniak people in regard with the decision to call a referendum in RS. In deciding on the request, under provisions of the RS Constitution, the provisions of the Decision on calling a referendum, and taking into account the statements by the Bosniak Caucus, the Council concluded that the decision in question did not violate the rights from the frame of protection of vital national interest of any constituent people, including Bosniak people. The decision on calling a referendum, in the view of the Council, does not apply to members of any of the constituent peoples individually, and does not contain provisions that discriminate against or favor the members of some of these peoples. The decision has no national affiliation, it, regardless of the people’s nationality, equally applies to all citizens who freely dispose their right to participate in the referendum. The decision stated that the referendum in the RS is to be held in the first week after the expiry of 50 days from the entry into force of this Decision.

Legal solution on jurisdiction of the B&H court designed (Srna)

The Republika Srpska (RS) Minister of Justice, Anton Kasipovic, said in Banjaluka that RS has designed a legal solution on the jurisdiction of the B&H Court for the continuation of the dialogue on judicial reform in B&H. “It is visible, and both domestic and international public agree, that there is a huge problem of a widened jurisdiction of the B&H Court. We feel that it should be clearly stipulated, and an opinion of the B&H High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of last year is similar,” Kasipovic told reporters.  He said that there are many problems with taking over the cases and different interpretations. “The jurisdiction of the B&H Court should be limited to the prosecution of cases falling under the laws adopted at the B&H level. Every different approach would create problems,” Kasipovic added. He says that the RS Ministry of Justice has offered a protocol for further moves in the process of judicial reform in B&H. “This means agreement on the Law on the B&H Court which will produce a legal solution that regulates the work of the B&H Prosecutor’s Office. The B&H Criminal Law, the Law on the Execution of Criminal Sanctions and the Law on Real Rights should be enforced,” Kasipovic explained. He said that RS will insist on new dynamics in the prosecution of war crimes. “The position of the European Court of Human Rights pertaining to the retroactive enforcement of laws must be implemented, particularly when it comes to the Maktouf-Damjanovic ruling,” said the RS Justice Minister. He noted that representatives of the IC, B&H, the FB&H and Brcko District have been informed of the positions of RS and solutions it offered. “Our proposals are well-intentioned and can significantly contribute to the quality of the judiciary of B&H. I expect them to be mostly accepted, which would be a significant success,” Kasipovic has said. The structured dialogue on judicial reform in B&H should resume on Thursday, September 10, in Brussels.

Covic in Tuzla: SDA and SBB should sit down and talk (Fena)

During the visit to Tuzla Dragan Covic, the B&H Presidency Chairman said that, in his opinion, the Alliance for a Better Future (SBB) should become a part of the authorities in the Federation of B&H and that during the meeting between the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) which should take place on Saturday this issue should be seriously discussed. “We now have some kind of the FB&H Government and until we have reliable partners, government structure will remain as it is. I expect that by the end of the year this should changes, and to be precise, as the partners I see the SBB. The discussions that will take place on Saturday should be lead in such spirit. We’ll talk about the Federation and what are the permanent solutions, not just about who is getting what, which is a part of the reality,” said Covic.

Meeting between Cvijanovic and Goldstein (Oslobodjenje)

The RS Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic and Ellen Goldstein, World Bank Director for the countries of Southeast Europe, considered very positive the adoption of B&H’s reform agenda 2015-2018, agreeing that it is essential that all levels of government in B&H, with full respect for the constitutional responsibilities, work on key reforms to improve the business environment, increase investments and economic activities. At a meeting in Banja Luka they discussed current economic topics and key reform measures defined in the RS economic policy for 2015, aimed at improving the economic and business environment in RS, as well as further activities in light of future cooperation with this financial institution, the entity government said in a statement.

They also discussed possibilities of using new financial instruments like World Bank guarantees for issuance of bonds on the international financial market and supporting reforms in the health sector. During the meeting, Cvijanovic expressed satisfaction with cooperation with the World Bank representative thus far, which was reflected in the mutual respect of stances on all key issues, and on the issue of a new loan for development policy. The meeting was joined by Zoran Tegeltija, RS Minister of Finance, Andronova Vincelette, Coordinator for the Western Balkans Economic Policy Department and Tatjana Prosurjakova, Head of Office for the World Bank in B&H and Montenegro.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

European migrant crisis: Asylum seekers break through Hungarian police lines on Serbia border for second time (ABC News, 9 September 2015)

The series of breakouts took place on Tuesday local time at a police collection point near the border crossing at Roszke, the first stop on the Hungarian side of the border with Serbia.

The collection point is used to hold people before they are taken to a registration camp nearby.

Some 300 asylum seekers, part of a group of 1,500 people waiting for hours at the collection point, bolted past police through a cornfield onto a train track, to walk to the nearby city of Szeged. Police later managed to persuade the group to be transported to refugee registration camps around the country. Later, several hundred more asylum seekers broke out of the collection point in various groups, and walked around a kilometre along a main road. A tense standoff ensued, during which police used pepper spray to contain the crowd before transporting them by bus back to a registration camp at Roszke.

Hungary continues building fence despite criticism

The disturbances were the latest in a series of incidents on European Union member Hungary’s southern border with Serbia, a major entry point into the European Union for asylum seekers fleeing war and misery in the Middle East and Asia.

Asylum seekers as Germany’s saviour

Germany may have found a solution to the problem of its ageing population as asylum seekers continue to arrive, writes Andrew McCathie in Berlin. On Monday, some 300 people pushed past a police line at the same collection point, with scuffles erupting throughout the day as the migrants chanted “Freedom!” After marching some 15 kilometres along a motorway they eventually agreed to be taken back to the registration centre by bus. More than 165,000 migrants have crossed into Hungary so far this year. Most seek to travel on to Germany via Austria. Hungary recently completed construction of a razor-wire barrier along its 175-kilometre frontier with Serbia, but it has failed to stop large numbers of people getting through. It is currently building an additional four-metre fence despite widespread criticism, with France’s foreign minister saying the barrier does “not respect European values”.

Bosnia Told to Brace for Influx of Refugees (BIRN, by Elvira M. Jukic, 9 September 2015)

Bosnian authorities are preparing for an influx of a larger number of refugees and migrants after reports that refugees’ routes could move from Serbia to Bosnia and Croatia. Bosnia’s government, the Council of Ministers, has instructed state institutions to start preparingfor an increased influx of refugees following concerns that migrants could establish new routes through Bosnia to Croatia and the EU, Security Minister Dragan Mektic said. The main route of refugees and migrants runs though Greece, Macedonia, Serbia to Hungary. But Drago Zuparic Iljic, from the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies in Zagreb, told BIRN that after Hungary started reinforcing its border with walls and fences, refugees may choose new routes through Bosnia towards eastern Croatia near Karlovac. From there it is only a few kilometres to Slovenia, which is a part of the EU Shengen zone. Mektic declined to speculate on the number of people who might come to Bosnia, but the German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that as many as 10,000 could reach Bosnia in the coming period. “Mass influxes of both refugees and migrants are possible,” Mektic said in Sarajevo on Tuesday. “We prepared a document for the Council of Ministers where we indicated which institutions should do what. There are two components. The first is security…the other is humanitarian. “We want to be a part of the solution together with the EU but I don’t see how we can solve this alone,” Mektic said. He added that Bosnia’s authorities were very aware of the danger of possible terrorist infiltration with migrants as well as the dangers of human trafficking.