LOCAL PRESS

Brussels talks, process of formation of ZSO unblocked (RTS)

The Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO), university diplomas, freedom of movement and the upcoming parliamentary elections throughout Serbia have been the topics of the dialogue between Prime Ministers Vucic and Mustafa at the meeting in Brussels. With the new round of the talks, the process of the formation of the ZSO has been unblocked, RTS’ correspondent reports. The work on the statute will start immediately. Vucic did not give a statement after the several-hour meeting, however in a live broadcast for the RTS news, during a break of the talks, he voiced his hope that an agreement on some issues on the ZSO formation would be reached, because it was of key importance in order the work on the statute, and all that was needed the ZSO to be formed, to begin. He emphasized that the Serbian side adhered to its principles and what was agreed, not to what was decided by Kosovo Constitutional Court. When asked what would be the next steps in setting up of the Community of Serb Municipalities, Vucic said that beginning of the drafting the statute and all that was necessary the ZSO to be formed were of key importance for Belgrade.

Djuric denies Mustafa’s statements (Tanjug)

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Djuric accused Mustafa of interpreting incorrectly the outcome of this round of the dialogue, especially the one on drafting the statute of the ZSO. By claiming it was agreed that the statute of the ZSO would be drafted on the basis of the decision of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, Mustafa said an outright lie, Djuric said in a statement to Tanjug. Djuric said that the lie was also Mustafa’s claim that it was not agreed to start with drafting the statute of the ZSO immediately. He said that the fact that representatives of the Kosovo Albanians did not even wait to get out of the building in which the talks were held and start with incorrect interpretations revealed about their attitude to the obligations that they assumed and the overall normalization of the relations.

Mogherini: “Serbia and Kosovo confirmed mutual recognition of diplomas and license plates” (New Serbian Political Thought)

Vucic’s regime has once again showed that it is matchless in spinning and hiding the reality from Serbian citizens when it comes to Kosovo and Metohija. Through a whole set of media filters, the news that “some negotiations are being conducted in Brussels” and that “they discussed the ZSO” was the only one that reached the citizens. However, the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini has disclosed the essence of the meeting and new humiliations of Serbia.

A release issued by the office of the EU High Representative, who mediated in the dialogue, she voiced her happiness with the progress that had been made in the recognition of diplomas as well as in the implementation of the agreement on freedom of movement. The release also said that both sides agreed to start talks on direct flights and rail connections. Mogherini said that it was confirmed at the meeting that the mutual recognition of educational and professional diplomas and certificates was becoming a reality. Based on this, students will be able to continue their studies, while experts will be able to enhance their prospects for employment, she said. She also said that significant progress in the implementation of the agreement on freedom of movement, particularly in the section relating to the license plates, was made. She added that the discussion was focused on the commitment of both sides to work on the implementation of the agreement on the establishment of the ZSO, on the basis of the agreements signed so far. According to Mogherini, both sides agree to commence talks on direct flights and railway traffic between Kosovo and Serbia. She thanked the prime ministers of Serbia and Kosovo for their commitment in further normalization of the relations within the dialogue. Vucic’s government has been negotiating with “Kosovo” for three years now at the highest level in Brussels and failed during this time to work out a single gain for Serbia or the Kosovo Serbs, while at the same time it abolished the institutions of the Republic of Serbia in the province and integrated the northern part of the province into the so-called “Republic of Kosovo”. Because of such and similar spins and deceptions, a large number of people in Serbia think that Vucic is a “patriot” and “sovereign statesman”, especially those who do not have access to internet, but are informed by RTS and TV Pink.

Dikovic meets with Schissler (Tanjug)

Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army, Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic, met with Deputy Chairman of NATO Military Committee, Lt. Gen. Mark Schissler, in Belgrade Wednesday. Dikovic and Schissler discussed the current political and security situation in the world and cooperation between Serbia and NATO, and Dikovic briefed his guest about Serbia’s participation in UN and EU multinational operations and Serbian Army development plans. Dikovic and Schissler agree that the signing of the agreement on temporary operating procedures following full relaxation of airspace restrictions over the so-called Air Safety Zone in southern Serbia was proof of good cooperation between Serbia and NATO. Serbia cooperates with NATO through the Partnership for Peace program and direct cooperation with KFOR, the Serbian Army said in a release.

EP: Serbia devoted to normalization of relations with Pristina (RTS/Beta/Tanjug)

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament adopted today a resolution on the 2015 report on Serbia. The resolution was adopted with 50 votes in favor, 2 votes against and 4 abstentions, with the EP expected to debate the document and vote on it at the February 3-4 plenary session. “It is of vital importance for the accession process of Serbia as well as for the credibility of the EU that a large majority of the Members of the European Parliament support Serbia on its European path,” Rapporteur David McAllister said in a statement. The Committee welcomed the progress achieved in 2015 in the normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations, calling on authorities to implement fully and timely the agreements reached so far, noting that it is one of the conditions for Serbia’s EU accession. The resolution also welcomes the opening of the EU accession talks and calls on Serbia to pursue systematic reforms, ensure that the work of judges and prosecutors and media is free of political influence, and step up its efforts to fight corruption and organized crime, the European Western Balkans portal reported.

REGIONAL PRESS

Fahrudin Radoncic ordered into custody (Fena)

Deciding upon the Motion of the B&H Prosecutor’s Office to order custody, the Court of B&H rendered the Decision dated 27 January 2016 granting the Prosecution Motion and ordering the suspect Fahrudin Radoncic into one-month custody. Under the said Decision, the custody may last until 25 February 2016 or pending a new Decision. Having reviewed the submitted evidentiary material, the Court found that there is grounded suspicion that the Suspect committed the criminal offense alleged against him, and ordered him into custody because of reasonable fear that, if at liberty, he might hinder the proceedings by influencing witnesses, accomplices or accessories, or that he might destroy, hide, alter or falsify evidence and clues important to the criminal proceedings, as well as because particular circumstances justify a fear that he will repeat the same or similar criminal offense, or continue described actions if at liberty. Fahrudin Radoncic is suspected of the criminal offense of Associating for the Purpose of Perpetrating Criminal Offences in violation of Article 249(1) of the CC of B&H, the criminal offense of Obstruction of Justice in violation of Article 241 of the CC of B&H and the criminal offense of Giving a Reward rr Other Form of Benefit By Taking Advantage Of Influential Position in violation of Article 219a. (1) of the CC of B&H, Court of B&H stated.​

B&H Court: A one-month custody for Radoncic within the legal deadline, Radoncic: This is a political process (Nezavisne)

Acting Judge of the B&H Court Tatjana Kosovic, after a six hour long hearing, in which the Prosecution and the Defense presented their evidence, said that the institution is going to announce its decision on the Prosecution’s motion for a one month custody for Fahrudin Radoncic, within the legal deadline of 24h. The first hearing on the Prosecution’s motion for a one month custody for Radoncic, has been held at the B&H Court yesterday. Fahrudin Radoncic’s Defense opposes the motion and considers that there are no bases for the offence for which their client has been charged. Defense considers that Azra Sarac is not a credible witness because she is a witness in a case that is being held at the municipal court in Kosovo, so there is no way to influence the judicial process that is not being held in B&H. After a several hour long hearing, Radoncic addressed the Court, stating that he is not guilty for the crimes that he has been charged for and added that the process that is being led against him is politically motivated. The prosecution has extended its investigation on Zijad Hadzijalic, employee of the US Embassy in B&H, for obstructing the work of the judiciary bodies. Hadzijalic is accused of pressuring the prosecution, in agreement with Bakir Dautbasic, so that his wife could obtain the position of a B&H Ambassador in Slovenia. The prosecution announced the questioning of Hadzijalic in the following days. This time Hadzijalic is going to be questioned as a suspect. At the beginning of yesterday’s hearing Bozo Mihajlovic, acting Prosecutor in the case against Radoncic said that the Prosecution has a very extensive documentation against Radoncic, which they were collecting since 2014. During the hearings the Prosecution presented a series of evidence to the B&H Court, which pointing to the fact that Bakir Dautbasic, Bilsen Sahman and Fahrudin Radoncic tried to influence the witness Azra Saric, to change the statement to the Special Prosecutor of EULEX in Kosovo, which she was supposed to give through a video link, in the case against Naser Kelmendi. The State Prosecution had read transcripts of intercepted conversations between Fahrudin Radoncic and Safet Orucevic, former mayor of Mostar. In those talks Radoncic tells Orucevic that during her testimony in the case of Naser – Kelmendi, Azra Saric is going to accuse Bakir Izetbegovic and Mehmedovic Osman called Eight (Director OSA) for the murder of Ramiz Delalic. In the transcript of Radoncic’s talks, with various parties, he claims that Bakir Izetbegovic spent years orchestrating this process against him, and even mentioned that he does not believe in the SDA – SBB coalition. The prosecution also presented the evidence containing the transcripts of text messages exchanged between Radoncic and Bakir Izetbegovic in which Izetbegovic told Radoncic “I swear to God I have nothing to do with this”. Prosecutor read out the transcripts of telephone conversations dating from 21 December 2015 till 11 January 2016 between Radoncic, Dautbasic, Sahmani and Zijad Hadzialic, which gave the Court an insight into the appointment of Nermana Hadzijalic to the position of the B&H Ambassador to Slovenia. From the transcripts of telephone conversations it can be concluded that Bakir Izetbegovic agreed to assign Nermana Hadzijalic as an Ambassador to Slovenia. Telephone transcripts also show that Azra Saric was pressured not to testify against Radoncic and in turn would have secured signature for her specialization at the Clinical Centre in Sarajevo, and a job.​

RS government finds coordination mechanism related story finished (Srna)

The Republika Srpska (RS) Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic has stated that coordination mechanism related story should be finished, since both governments of the RS and the Federation of B&H, including the B&H Council of Ministers, have adopted the coordination mechanism proposal earlier defined by a working group consisted of representatives from all levels of government, and that only a technical harmonization of the text remained, as the SAA entered into force in the meantime. Cvijanovic has told Srna that this is about the proposal that faithfully reflects the constitutional competences and determines the interaction between different levels of government in implementing the European commitments, as well as decision-making methods, but also in resolving any disputes related to the competences to implement those commitments. “But, as it usually happens in B&H, instead of having such technical changes made, this issue has become the ground for political games, since the Bosniak political parties tend to minimize the role of the cantons, and dislike the fact that the entities are soundly and clearly positioned in the process,” said Cvijanovic. She added that, as far as the RS Government, the coordination mechanism related story is finished and that in the meantime, the Government was not consulted by anyone at the B&H level about possible changes of the text of previously adopted coordination proposal. “If they decided to change the essence or anything else in terms of jurisdiction and competences, or if they accidentally provided the principle of supremacy of the B&H Council of Ministers or any other authority at B&H level in relation to the entities, or modified decision-making principle by consensus, instead of technical changes related to the wordings required over the entering into force of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), then such proposal will neither be supported by the RS government, nor can it be enforceable, unless all levels of government are involved in it in accordance with their constitutional competences,” said Cvijanovic. The RS Prime Minister has said that RS leaves the canton role related decision to the federal partners, pointing out that, as far as the RS’s position, the matter is clear. “We do not accept any superiority of any other level of government, because the essentially is to act according to the principle of coordination and harmonization of positions, not to the principle of any subordination or interference of any level of government,” said Cvijanovic. Therefore, Cvijanovic has explained, it is about the coordination to be achieved through the joint, mixed bodies composed of representatives from various levels of government, and the issues to be resolved within them in case of delays, blockages or disputes, depending on the need, in the political or operational and technical level, instead of the B&H Council of Ministers deciding or being a superior instance. Cvijanovic has concluded that “the coordination mechanism proposal is defined and it should be given a chance to live.

Attempt to incriminate Dodik – attack on RS (Srna)

Political analyst Miroslav Lazanski says that the Prosecutor’s Office order to search the facilities and examine the bank accounts used by the RS President, if such a decision was actually issued, is consequently an attack on the RS. “It is an attempt to dethrone the RS President, both as a person and as the holder of the highest position in RS. I see it as an attack on RS since, given that President Dodik will not succumb to political blackmails from the West, they are trying to incriminate him as a person,” Lazanski told Srna. Assessing that this is similar to what is happening to Russian President Vladimir Putin and that it is “absolutely the same pattern of behavior,” Lazanski added that “this talk would not exist if President Dodik were politically adaptable and behaved in line with what the West wants.” Lazanski said that what is happening is not an initiative from Sarajevo alone, because none of the local politicians in Sarajevo could come up with this idea, “nor have the courage to have a go at such an operation without the mentorship from the West.” “I really don’t know what they are trying to accomplish here. Are they trying to remove President Dodik from his position, or are they trying to accomplish the end goal, to drown RS in B&H and make it disappear as a separate entity? I can’t see any other goal here. This has been expected, it’s been known for a while,” said the analyst. It is stupid to talk about judiciary at the state level in B&H and words should not be wasted on the composition of “such a court and prosecutor’s office, which employ foreigners and where the Serbs are constantly a minority.” “What is the court that has three foreign judges? What is the name of the state where 20 years after its formation you have foreign judges? That’s the million-dollar question. There was no such thing in Germany or Japan after the Second World War. Twenty years after the Dayton Agreement, foreigners ‘tailor’ the judicial system and decide on the judicial system in B&H! That’s unbelievable. No such thing has ever appeared in the ‘Believe it or not’ section. There’s no such thing in Ripley’s,” said Lazanski. He noted that the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H are totally illegal and asserted that not a single citizen of B&H, let alone the Serbs, should observe it peacefully.  “Never mind that the Prosecutor’s Office and Court, which are trying to have power over RS, have already diminished all provisions of the Dayton Agreement. There are attempts to legitimize something that goes contrary to the Dayton Agreement, something that is outside the treaty, and make it perform the so-called judicial activity in the areas where it is not foreseen by the Dayton Agreement. That is the next step towards dismantling RS,” submitted Lazanski. He asserted that the possible decision to search the premises used by the RS President was made because “they are afraid that the citizens of RS might reject, at a referendum, any kind of power and clearly opt against such judiciary which they are trying to create.” He concluded: “This is actually an absurd situation and RS should not give in, because if it does, then I’m afraid that the next request will be even tougher and more tangible with respect to the existence of RS. RS has been attacked by this through the figure of President Dodik.” As Srna has found, on January 14 the B&H Prosecutor’s Office issued an order for a search of the premises, bank accounts and all transactions used by RS President Milorad Dodik.

Inzko: 2016 offers opportunity to take a decisive step forward (Srna)

High Representative Valentin Inzko addressed the public at the London School of Economics, where he spoke about B&H twenty years after Dayton, highlighting the opportunities and challenges facing the country in 2016. In his speech, the High Representative emphasized the fact that the country has truly progressed during the last twenty years, particularly during the first ten years of peace implementation but that it still has some way to go before it is irreversibly on track for lasting stability as a full member of the Euro-Atlantic family. “2016 offers B&H the opportunity to take a decisive step forward, and the coming weeks and months will put politicians in the spotlight like never before. I believe the choice they face is in essence very simple: turn decisively to the future or continue to hold the country hostage to their own agendas and ambitions” – the High Representative said. “Let us use the next few weeks to get B&H moving forward again.”

Milo Djukanovic’s government won the vote of confidence (RTCG)

After nearly three days of discussion, the government of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic won the vote of confidence in the parliament. Out of 62 MPs who voted, 42 MPs supported the government, whereas 20 of them were against. The government was supported by the MPs of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), minority parties, the Positive Montenegro (PCG) and the Social Democrats of Montenegro (SD). The representatives of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Socialist People’s Party (SNP) and the majority of the independent MPs’ caucus were against. The MPs for the Democratic Front (DF) did not participate in the discussion. They watched the vote at a video screen set up in front of the Montenegrin Parliament. During the three days, the Montenegrin people have heard various things, but the session will be remembered for fierce arguments between, now former coalition partners, the DPS and the SDP, particularly between their leaders, PM Milo Djukanovic and the Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapic. At the end, Djukanovic thanked the SDP for everything they worked together on during previous 18 years. Thus, he put an end to further cooperation with Krivokapic, whose party will be in opposition. As Djukanovic said, the termination of the coalition will not endanger the political stability of Montenegro. The Prime Minister made a precedent which did not happen in Montenegrin policy for almost two decades – upon the PCG’s proposal, he offered ministerial posts to the opposition. Until the very end of the session, the position of the PCG was unknown. PCG MPs, Darko Pajovic, Azra Jasavic and Goran Tuponja supported Milo Djukanovic’s government, after PM had accepted their plan for overcoming the crisis. In his closing argument before the vote of confidence in the Parliament, Milo Djukanovic invited the opposition to join the government, thus confirming that the PCG’s plan for overcoming the political crisis is acceptable for the DPS.

SDSM accepts State Election Commission proposal for purification of the voter’s list (MIA)

Damjan Mancevski said that SDSM has withdrawn all their objections regarding the methodology for purification of the voter lists in favor of the negotiations. Specifically, this means that SDSM fully accepts the methodology for purification of the voter lists proposed by the State Election Commission which proposes cross-checking the voters using data from several state institutions. “If this is not acceptable for VMRO-DPMNE we will consider that the ruling Party does not want free and fair elections. In return, we ask VMRO-DPMNE to accept the two solutions for the media proposed by the facilitator Peter Vanhoutte. These solutions refer to the full de-politicization of Media Agency and the Council of the public service,” Mancevski said. Explaining the proposal, Mancevski said, SDSM is not giving up of the site inspection of the voters, but that it will only be used on voters where there is a non-compliance of the data that will be presented by the State Election Commission.

Azem Vlasi, a political analyst and a lawyer: Radoncic is a victim of a political persecution (Dnevni avaz)

Azem Vlasi, a prominent Pristina-based lawyer, a political analyst and a former senior Yugoslav official from Kosovo, who was once the victim of a politically motivated and set-up process, commented for (Dnevni Avaz) the arrest of Fahrudin Radoncic, the leader of SBB and a delegate in the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H).

In the interview for the newspaper, Vlasi says that he is convinced that Radoncic is the victim of forces that are destroying B&H. He stands in someone’s way.

How do you comment Radončić’s arrest?

“I have been following carefully this case, and may freely say that everything connected with this arrest seems confusing and suspicious. I think that this is a political persecution, because statements that Radoncic, and before him Bakir Dautbasic, are arrested for influencing witnesses and obstruction of court proceedings, and all in connection with Naser Keljmendi, can never be an excuse for such acts of the B&H judiciary.

Why are you saying this?

“Well, the case of Naser Keljmendi is conducted before the judiciary of Kosovo and it has nothing to do with the B&H judiciary. Moreover, there is no agreement on mutual political cooperation between B&H and Kosovo, and therefore Radoncic’s arrest is completely blurred and suspicious. On the other hand, any interference in the court activities, according to the Kosovo Code of Criminal Procedure, and as far as I know according to the B&H legislation, does not require any measures that have been implemented over Radoncic. So, from my point of view, as a lawyer above and as a man who follows the political situation in general, and in B&H in particular, I think that this is primarily about political persecution and measures inspired by political, rather than criminal motives.

When you say political persecution and political motives, what are the exact indications?

“There are many elements. As I already said, for such accusations, it is strange that the arrest happened. On the other hand, I have followed the role Radoncic and SBB in creating the coalition and parliamentary majority in your country, as well as all the efforts made to constitute the authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina at all levels. It was obvious that it was a step forward for B&H, and primarily for FB&H. The fact that Radoncic’s party made its contribution to it, obviously got in someone’s way, because there are many persons working against B&H.

According to your analyses and knowledge, who are those persons?

“These are certainly well synchronized forces working on the demolition of B&H, both in Republika Srpska (RS) and the Federation of B&H. They want to block the progress of B&H. The arrest of Radoncic indicates that such forces still want to keep B&H in a “strait-jacket”, paralyzed and meaningless as a normal state. And now, they are using banal things for such actions, for such a paralysis of the political life. When the party of Mr. Radoncic entered the coalition, it seemed that everything was going in the right direction, and that government is finally constructed. And then, this attack happened. It is difficult not to ask why it happened.

You have had a professional cooperation with Radocic when he was a respected journalist, when he made a radio interview with you while you were in prison. According to your estimate, how do you see the case’s termination?

“Yes, I know Mr. Radoncic back from the period you mentioned. However, when I was arrested, the main goal was to prevent me from defending the constitutional status of Kosovo in that period, which the regime of Slobodan Milosevic intended to oppress by force. And, I was just kept me in jail as long as they succeeded in their intention. When I came out of jail, it was too late for some things. It is not always possible to act as “continue where you have stopped”. I suppose that in the Radoncic’s case, from legal point of view, things will turn out to be banal. They will say – it’s not a horrible crime; Secondly, because of this, no man needs to be arrested. However, I’m afraid that some political goals of those now rushing to Radoncic, will be achieved because the time is like that.

According to your assessment, how will the Radoncic’s arrest affect the political developments in our country and its EU path?

“It will have a negative reflection. Now, the application for EU membership is to be handed in, and the EU officials will say: “Wait a minute, you have people among the top politicians who are under criminal prosecution; hold on, slow down.” It’s not event to be excluded that Radoncic’s arrest was actually timed with this process, because I believe that you have powers in Bosnia, and one entire entity that not only does not want to see any type of B&H, not to mention B&H in Europe. To such persons, Radoncic is the biggest obstacle.

To arrest someone for interfering with the justice in a case that is not conducted in B&H is a pure insolence

“To arrest someone for interfering with the justice and influencing witnesses for a case that is not conducted in B&H is a pure insolence. I am very resentful and, as a lawyer, I’m sorry that there are no legal possibilities for me to join the Radoncic’s team of defense. I would scream-out there. No one could keep my mouth shut. Because, this is a political case par excellence, just as it was in my case. So, I feel even more sorry that I’m not in a position to get involved and to drive things to the end, to see what it is all about, and to show that it is not the question of a criminal offense of Fahrudin Radoncic – states Vlasi.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Balkans Foreign affairs MEPs assess reform efforts of Serbia and Kosovo in 2015 (eureporter.co, by Giacomo Fracassi, 28 January 2016)

The start of EU accession negotiations with Serbia and the progress made in normalising relations between Serbia and Kosovo was welcomed by Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs in two resolutions passed on Thursday. They also stressed that these relations would be helped if all EU member states were to recognise Kosovo. MEPs welcome the progress made in 2015 in normalising relations between Serbia and Kosovo and call on Belgrade and Pristina to move forward with the full and timely implementation of agreements reached so far, noting that this is one of the conditions for Serbia’s accession to the EU. “Serbia has made substantial progress on its path towards the European Union. The opening of the first chapters in December was a well-deserved recognition of the progress made in the last few months, particularly in normalising relations with Kosovo. There is still a lot of work ahead of Serbia, but the country can be assured of the European Parliament’s full support in their endeavour”, said EP rapporteur David McAllister (EPP, Germany). The resolution on Serbia, passed by 50 votes to 2, with 4 abstentions, welcomes the opening of the EU accession negotiations. It calls on Serbia to pursue its systematic reforms, ensure that the work of judges and prosecutors as well as media is free of political influence and step up its efforts to fight corruption and organised crime. “Today’s vote again sends a strong signal that the future of an independent Kosovo lies in the European Union. MEPs have once more called for the EU to complete its official recognition of Kosovo and urged the five member states refusing to recognise Kosovo to drop their blockade”, said EP rapporteur Ulrike Lunacek (Greens/EFA, Austria). “This report is, however, overshadowed by serial acts of violence inside and outside the Kosovo Assembly in recent months. It appeals to all players to act for the good of Kosovo in a responsible way, supporting a non-violent solution to, and exit from, this crisis”, she added. MEPs stress that EU-Kosovo Association Agreement, ratified by the European Parliament on 21 January, provides a powerful incentive for reform and paves the way for Kosovo’s integration into the EU. Media and judiciary independence, fighting high-level corruption and organised crime and labour market reforms are just a few areas of major concern, the resolution says. MEPs also take note that five EU member states have yet to formally recognise Kosovo, adding that if all EU member states were to do so, this would bring more stability to the region and help to normalise relations between Kosovo and Serbia. The resolution on Kosovo was passed by 37 votes to 12, with 9 abstentions.

Next steps: the full House will vote on the two separate resolutions in Strasbourg on 4 February.

Macedonia Starts Cleaning up Electoral Roll (BIRN, by Sinisa Jakov Marusic, by 28 January 2016)

Three separate IT teams are to cross-reference Macedonian voters’ data in order to purge the much problematized electoral roll ahead of the early general elections.

Following the decision of the ruling parties to push on with elections in April 24, and amid concern that the opposition may boycott the polls, three separate teams comprised of IT experts are to cross-check the data to determine who is alive and in the country and so eligible to vote. “Two teams are to be engaged of competent local IT companies, and one of international companies,” the head of the election commission, the DIK, Aleksandar Cicakovski, said. The data on voters will be taken from various institutional registers, starting from the Central Bank, the Health Fund, the Employment Agency, the Cadastre Agency, the Public Revenue office and others. The opposition Social Democrats, SDSM, however, said the measures may not be enough and wants “an additional thorough field check of voters… from door to door”. The conduct of field checks, it says, will to a large extent determine whether the party will take part in the polls or boycott them. Last Monday, in the absence of opposition MPs, the ruling majority in parliament verified the resignation of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, voted to dissolve parliament and elected a new provisional government, paving the way for elections on April 24. The opposition has threatened to boycott the polls unless the electoral roll is checked properly for fake voters and unless media freedom is ensured. Social Democrat leader Zoran Zaev insists that most reforms agreed in the agreement brokered by the EU to end Macedonia’s political crisis have not been fully implemented or have only formally been addressed, although the deadlines for doing so have long passed. Currently, the electoral roll contains more than 1.8 million voters. The OSCE, which has monitored Macedonian elections in the past, has described it as unusually large for a country of just over 2 million people. The opposition says the ruling VMRO DPMNE party, which has won nine consecutive elections since 2006 – parliamentary, presidential and local – has an interest in concealing fictive or deceased voters on the electoral roll. The ruling party has denied that non-existent votes are kept on the roll and used to tip election results in the government’s favour. The political crisis in Macedonia escalated last February, when the opposition started releasing batches of covertly recorded tapes, which it said showed that Gruevski was behind the illegal surveillance of some 20,000 people, including ministers. The opposition insists that the tapes contain incriminating evidence against many senior officials, including proof of high-level corruption, the government grip’s on the judiciary, prosecution, businesses and media, politically-motivated arrests and jailings, electoral violations and even an attempted cover-up of a murder of a man by a police officer. Gruevski, who has held power since 2006, says the tapes were “fabricated” by unnamed foreign intelligence services and given to the opposition to destabilise the country.