LOCAL PRESS

Nikolic on ZSO (Blic)

Do you expect that the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) will be formed in Kosovo and Metohija?

“I heard today that the EU is requesting the respect of the decision of the Kosovo Constitutional Court and that the ZSO can be formed based on them. The ZSO was my idea from the first platform on Kosovo and Metohija and the EU and Pristina representatives somehow accepted it, perhaps counting that it will never come to this. We must insist on the ZSO that is autonomy within autonomy, as otherwise it brings into question the resumption of negotiations with Pristina. Also, at the time of the signing of the legally-binding document within Chapter 35 in the EU negotiations, we will have to also ask our Constitutional Court. What if it annuls something, will the EU say that its decisions also need to be respected or is Pristina’s Constitutional Court the only authority for all relations between Serbia and Pristina? The EU will be tested here.”

Should Vuk Jeremic be Serbia’s candidate for the UN Secretary-General?

“As far as Vuk Jeremic is concerned, I personally would not support him. His statement on the UNESCO voting on Kosovo was so cynical and he should not have done this to us before the voting. He said that it was in fact easy and that the government was preparing to celebrate its victory if it wins, and if it loses to state that it was due to the abnormal circumstances. Even though I told him a year ago that he had my support, this is now a sign for me that he would not be thinking there about Serbia, but about his career and this is why I must say ‘Mr. Jeremic, you do not have my support, but be supported by whoever wants so’.”

Djuric: ZSO cements Serbia’s presence (Danas/FoNet)

Our real goal is an economically strong Serbia with strengthened international influence and credibility, because only such Serbia can efficiently protect its national and state interests, including our legitimate interests in Kosovo and Metohija, FoNet quotes the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric as having said. He said at the meeting with the Kosovo Serb political representatives that the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) is forthcoming in 2016, as well as the formation of the ZSO headquarters, with all supporting facilities for smooth operation. With the formation of this umbrella institution, Serbia will not be displaced, as Pristina claims, from Kosovo and Metohija, but will cement its presence on the ground in a way that nobody will be able to dispute any longer, claims Djuric. In the accession talks, Serbia is exclusively responsible for its own actions and its readiness to implement in good faith agreements reached in the normalization process will be assessed within Chapter 35, says Djuric. The dialogue with Pristina should enable the Kosovo Serbs to live in an organized society and we will table in 2016 issues that Pristina didn’t want to discuss and that concern the position of the Serbs, their property, rights, cultural heritage and the status of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Djuric announced. He opines that the past year had been very important for the defense of Serbian state and national interests in Kosovo and for strengthening Serbia’s political and economic capacities. The government of Aleksandar Vucic had devoted a significant part of the year to the protection of Serbia’s property in the province, such as Trepca, Gazivode, Brezovice, claims Djuric. He points out that the Office for Kosovo and Metohija takes on the key credit in the negotiating process with Pristina, where agreements had been reached in more than 20 fields, and talks had been conducted in more than 50 fields. Among other things, Djuric listed the results of the work of the Office on the ground, which implied the construction of eight residential buildings with 108 apartments, the construction of 211 houses, providing assistance for socially disadvantaged, construction and reconstruction of schools, hospitals, monasteries, while the first international film festival was also established.

Davenport: Chapter 35 is not about recognition of Kosovo (Politika)

The Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport said he was optimistic about Serbia’s EU accession, noting that Chapter 35 did not relate to the recognition of Kosovo.

It is about the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue on the comprehensive normalization of relations. This is the term used in the conclusions of the European Council and negotiation platform for Serbia, Davenport said in an interview to Politika. However, it is clear that a legally-binding agreement has to be reached, he noted. So, there is no mention of the recognition of Kosovo. This is not what the negotiations are about, Davenport said. The essence of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, which already lasts five years, is to bring about concrete results, he said.

Petition launched for organizing local elections on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija according to the laws of the Republic of Serbia (New Serbian Political Thought)

A panel discussion of the “Patriotic bloc” was held in Kosovska Mitrovica on the topic of signing a petition for organizing local elections on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, according to the laws of the Republic of Serbia. The panel was organized by the municipal board of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS). The panelists were: Sanda Raskovic Ivic, the leader of the DSS, Bosko Obradovic, the leader of Dveri, Djordje Vukadinovic, the editor-in-chief of the NSPM, and Nemanja Jaksic, the chairman of the DSS municipal board in Kosovska Mitrovica.

The participants supported the initiative for collecting signatures for the petition that requests the Serbian parliament speaker to organize elections for four municipalities in northern Kosovo and Metohija, whose municipal assemblies were illegally and illegitimately disbanded in September 2013 by the Serbian government. Over the obstruction of the authorities in North Mitrovica, and despite the boycott of the majority of the media, the panel discussion had many participants and the space was too small for all those who wished to attend.

REGIONAL PRESS

Radoncic says Zvizdic not competent to be Prime Minister (Bosna danas)

President of Alliance for Better Future (SBB) Fahrudin Radoncic has confirmed that Bakir Dautbasic will be a candidate of this party for the position of Communication and Transport minister, and Sead Jusic for the position of a Deputy Defense minister in the B&H Council of Ministers. At a press conference, Radoncic said that the Chairman of Council of Ministers should be someone who is a successful businessman. He criticized the current Chairman Denis Zvizdic saying that he is not competent for this position.  Radoncic noted that, if he was offered the position of Chairman of Council of Ministers, he would accept it and added “that Council of Ministers would be more successful.” Radoncic said that 2015 is a “lost year” because there was no improvement in the economy. He added that “the only good thing this year was the fact that SBB entered the ruling coalition.” Radoncic stressed that the doors for reforms are opened now.

Fahrudin Radoncic sought Council of Ministers (Fena)

Fahrudin Radoncic rated the year as lost, and expects much more from next year. “We think that this coalition can turn things around, can make economic development, and can launch great infrastructure projects. I think the Federal government shows extraordinary dynamism,” said Radoncic in a new year’s press conference, Fena reports. He believes that in 2015, not a single serious economic parameter was corrected. On foreign investment, he said, B&H is last in Europe, and in corruption, unemployment and poverty it is first. The previous coalition, he believes, led the country to the brink of collapse. “The only positive thing in a political sense is that the SBB put an end to the chaos by accepting the SDA’s offer to enter the coalition. Our entry opened the door to reforms,” stressed Radoncic, adding that the SBB will not abandon its principles: economic development, employment, foreign investment, infrastructure works, the fight against corruption, and he announced the depoliticization of the judiciary. Speaking about the Council of Ministers, he said that it is an anemic organ and he expects it to show leadership in full capacity in the New Year. “Bakir Izetbegovic, president of the SDA, and I spoke precisely. The SBB on the basis of electoral results and cadre potential sought the Council of Ministers. Izetbegovic said that he did not want this and it cannot be changed, because it belongs to the SDA. I think that the position belongs to a man who has business results, who understands the real sector,” said Radoncic, adding that the SBB at the beginning of January will propose for minister of communication and transport and deputy minister of defense Bakir Dautbasic and Sead Jusic.

Crnadak: Nikolic’s statement on plan to topple Dodik surprising (Nezavisne)

The B&H Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak said he was surprised with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic’s statement concerning a plan to topple President of the Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik, which equated the interests of the RS to those of Milorad Dodik. “I was surprised when I saw that statement. My message, as someone who represents the RS and Serb people in the Council of B&H, is that Serbia and its key officials should stand by the RS and not by any individual political party”. Crnadak believes that this statement means “throwing weight behind the coalition currently in power in the RS”. On the other hand, it is very important to send a message that no individual is bigger and more important than the RS, not even its president, he noted.

Izetbegovic: Only Milorad can topple Dodik (TV N1)

The RS President Milorad Dodik is the only one who can topple him, says member of the B&H Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic. Izetbegovic thus commented on the statement of Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic about “a plan to topple the current government in of the Serb entity in B&H, and its president”. “The only one who can topple Milorad is Dodik,” said Izetbegovic.  Nikolic stated he learned of these alleged plans in his “conversations with foreign diplomats” and warned that the entity was under threat. “If there are such tendencies then they come from him, because he is persistently opposing the state of B&H, the European path, the membership in NATO,” Izetbegovic said of Dodik, according to B&H media, and added: “Laws are persistently overturned that are on the European path, conflicts are entered into persistently with other levels of government, with the international community. Representatives of friendly countries, the OHR, etc., are insulted.” The Bosniak representative in the B&H Presidency is of the opinion that Milorad Dodik is working needlessly”, as “that clash of his of the entity with the state is very harmful, also for the entity itself and the people who live in it”.  Izetbegovic “expressed hope that we will all, including Milorad Dodik, be smarter in the time ahead of us and make peace, reconciliation and cooperation, and pull things in B&H where they should be”, reported the regional TV N1.

Dodik: Nobody trifles with Republika Srpska (RTRS)

The RS President Milorad Dodik said that nobody would be allowed to trifle with the RS, underscoring that all institutions of this Serb entity had been engaged in its defense. In relation to Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic’s statement that he had been informed about a plot to topple the current RS government, Dodik said that Nikolic had frequent contacts with foreign diplomats, and his own sources, and thanked him for making this public, RTRS reports. The most important thing is that Nikolic was not misled by the statements of leader of the National Democratic Movement Dragan Cavic, who is now trying, in cooperation with leader of the Party of Democratic Action Bakir Izetbegovic, to abolish the RS in a most brutal way, Dodik said.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Russia needs to teach its friends a lesson of friendship (Pravda, by Lyuba Lulko, 30 December 2015)

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic has accepted the request from Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to assist in re-conciliation with Russia. The Serbian president has thus become the fourth mediator after the presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Belarus, who said that their relations with Turkey were perfect. Maybe, but where did Yanukovych go after he was removed from power in Ukraine? Correct, he went to Russia. According to the West, the leaders of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Belarus are either Russia’s close allies or the countries that pretend to be too independent in making decisions. This is more than just enough to stage another Maidan. Azerbaijan President Ilkham Aliyev has already said that destructive forces in the West have united against Azerbaijan. According to him, fascism, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism are on the rise in Europe. “Of course, these are the forces that do not want this development for Muslim countries. Therefore, they have united against our country,” Alieyv said. A similar threat is looming over Serbia  – the country that is known as Russia’s agent in the Balkans. The Serbian president took part in the Victory Parade to mark the 70th anniversary since the end of Second World War. He also refused from deploying NATO troops in the country to the detriment of Serbia’s membership in the European Union. To crown it all, the Serbian president does not want to be part of the sanctions war against Russia. As for Kazakhstan on Belarus, they are Russia’s partners in the Eurasian Economic Union and Collective Security Treaty Organisation. Washington has been dreaming about the idea of replacing the regimes in Kazakhstan and Belarus with the one that one can see in today’s Ukraine. However, isn’t it more important for Serbia and Kazakhstan to maintain friendly relations with Russia rather than with Turkey,  which is a NATO member? One needs to understand that Turkey, having shot down the Russian plane and having presented no apology for that, declared war on Russia. For both Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Serbian President Nicolic, brown-nosing the Turks does not seem to be a reasonable move to make. After the shootdown of the Russian plane, Alexander Lukashenko urged Russia to reconcile with Turkey. Lukashenko activated relations with Turkey. A new trilateral agreement on cooperation materialised between the Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Turkish Research Council of Science and Technology and the Turkish Academy of Sciences. Afterwards, with clear conscience, Lukashenko went to Moscow to ask for loans. Russia’s second closest friend is Kazakhstan, in the face of its President Nursultan Nazarbayev. After the incidents with the Russian plane, the president of Kazakhstan ordered to sign an agreement about the creation of the consortium for the transportation of cargoes from China to Europe bypassing Russia.

This project was founded by Turkey, and it would be logical to delay its initiation at least for a month. However, Nazarbayev did not want to. He has apparently learned the lesson from China. Xi Jinping imposed sanctions on Turkey after Erdogan signed the agreement to purchase Chinese anti aircraft complexes, but then refused from the idea under the pressure from NATO. The main principle of Russia’s partners in foreign policy is their multi-vector orientation. They need this orientation, of course, but does Russia need it in the hybrid war against the West? Russia gives Kazakhstan and Belarus trade preferences, lower prices on raw materials, helps these countries with financial resources and guarantees military assistance within the scope of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Russia gives multi-million loans to Serbia every year. The country has a free trade zone with the Russian Federation and it is expected to dramatically increase its trade volume. In Serbia, Russian Railways International Corporation is currently in the works to implement projects worth $940 million dollars, of which 800 million accounts for Russia’s state export credit. The same can be said about Azerbaijan. Russia’s Gazprombank gave a loan of $420 million to the state oil company of Azerbaijan to implement the project for the construction of a chemical factory. Some people may say that this is standard business that excludes politics. However, Kazakhstan conducted secret negotiations to join the World Trade Organization. As a result of these talks, export customs duties for Kazakhstan are now twice as low as the same duties for the Eurasian Economic Union. Kazakhstan can profit from reexport of goods. You can find a lot of reports in the media about Ukraine’s efforts to find contacts in Kazakhstan and Belarus to re-export Russian raw materials – crude oil and natural gas. One mate also notice the surprising willingness of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to cooperate with his Ukrainian counterpart. “Whatever you may ask for, we will do in an hour,” Lukashenko says and sells petroleum products to Ukraine made from the Russian crude profiting from export duties on fuel. This is a preference of Belarus, so why not cancel it? Why not insist on the creation of a Russian army base in Belarus? If Belarus does not like the idea then Russia could offer the country to incorporate within the framework of the World Trade Organisation where everything is unified for all members – tariffs, regulations and so on. “The Kremlin needs to work on how to counter the multi-vectorness of our partners in the Eurasian Economic Union,” Aleksei Bychkov, the head of the CIS Institute for Political Studies told Pravda.Ru. “One needs to struggle against this for sure. We either develop and work together or we live and work separately as we did before. This shouldn’t be done to hurt our partners in the Eurasian Economic Union. This should be done to find out whether we are on the same path. Moscow needs to elaborate a strategy of cooperation not only from the economic, but also from the political point of view,” the expert said.

Belarus’ MFA signs protocols of cooperation with Macedonia, Montenegro (BelTA, 31 December 2015)

MINSK – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus has signed a protocol of cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro. Corresponding documents were published on the National Legal Internet Portal on 31 December, BelTA informs. Belarus and Macedonia have agreed to hold consultations, share opinions on the issues of mutual interest, including in politics, economy, consular services, culture, the social sector and education. Belarus-Montenegro ministerial consultations will be focused on the establishment and expansion of bilateral political, economic, cultural, scientific, and technical cooperation; development of the legal framework of bilateral relations; security issues, international and regional cooperation. The protocol with Macedonia has been concluded for an indefinite term, the protocol with Montenegro – for five years.