LOCAL PRESS

Dacic at UN SC session: Radicalization of circumstances in Kosovo a threat to everyone (Tanjug/Beta/RTS/Politika)

The radicalization of political circumstances and deterioration of the security situation represent a threat for all the citizens of Kosovo, and the most endangered are returnees in nationally mixed environments, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Monday. “This requires additional measures in the area of increasing the security of the Serbs and members of minority communities who are, as this report states, regular targets and victims of ethnically motivated attacks”, said Dacic at the session of the UN Security Council at which the regular report on UNMIK’s work was examined. He added that a separate reason for concern was the presence of terrorist elements and the activity of radicalized extremists in the form of returnees from the warzones in the Middle East to Kosovo. Dacic underlined that Belgrade was entirely dedicated to the dialogue with Pristina, which is being led with the intermediary of the EU and added that the fact that the community of Serb municipalities was not formed yet represented a negative message to the Serb community and the EU.

Dacic: Serbia will not be a punching bag (Politika/Beta)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has stated that representatives of Western countries are suggesting to Serbia to “lower its tone” at the UN Security Council, and wondered whether such suggestions are given only to Belgrade or also to Pristina. “You know that before every Security Council session certain suggestions are coming from various sides, from Great Britain and the U.S., for us present ourselves with reconciliation, to lower out tone. Are you also giving these advices only to us or also to Pristina,” said Dacic after the debate of the ambassadors following the report of the UN Secretary General on Kosovo. “I would like to ask he representatives of the EU, the U.S. and Britain to, when speaking with representatives of Serbia on the eve of such sessions, bear in mind that Serbia cannot be a punching bag for representatives of Kosovo institutions. If you think we are afraid of that, you are wrong. And that we are negotiating, it is not our weakness but our strength,” said the Minister. “As much as Serbia is trying to extend a hand, we have nobody to extend it towards,” Dacic said, reacting strongly to the address during the session by the Kosovo Ambassador to the U.S. Vlora Citaku. “Serbia is not present in Kosovo since 1999. So what does Serbia have to do with your internal problems? You lecture Serbia, and you know what happened to the witnesses in the case of Haradinaj at the Hague Tribunal. They are no longer alive. So is that cooperation with the Hague Tribunal?” asked Dacic. “You talk about Serbs practically not living in Kosovo, that they were soldiers and policemen. How can you speak like that? You know very well that Serbs were a majority in Kosovo several centuries ago, these are historical facts,” said Dacic addressing Citaku. He recalled that there is a large number of Serb historical, religious and cultural monuments in Kosovo, which, he added, Citaku is well aware of. “What are you trying to say – that 200,000 Serbs should not return to Kosovo? You have no right to say that. Kosovo is neither yours nor mine, neither Albanian nor Serb, but of those who live there, i.e. citizens of Kosovo, and those are also Serbs,” Dacic said. He then asked Citaku if, when speaking about national minorities in Serbia, she is trying to say that a Kosovo national minority lives in Serbia. “There is an Albanian one. It cannot be an Albanian national minority that is both yours, and of those in Tirana. You’re talking about a people’s right to self-determination – a people who have already used this right and have their own state, Albania,” Dacic said. The Serbian Foreign Minister then warned members of the UN Security Council that what happened to Serbia can happened to any of them tomorrow. He also thanked all the countries that have not recognized the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo – not because they respected Serbia, but because they respected the principles of international law.  Drecun: Thaqi is the choice of Kosovo Albanian MPs; Djuric: Eleciton of Thaqi difficult decision (Politika)

The Chairperson of the Serbian parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun says that the Serbs cannot have any confidence in the provisional institutions in the province and recalls that not much has been implemented from all the things that had been agreed in Brussels. He says that Thaqi’s “dirty” past is not disputable, but stresses that the new Kosovo president has not yet been sentenced by a court decision. “Whether we like it or not, Thaqi is the choice of the Albanian representatives in the alleged Kosovo Assembly and we need to respect this, as otherwise we would not have any chance of communication,” says Drecun.

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric tells Politika that the election of Thaqi was a difficult decision for the Serbs. “The destiny of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija has been difficult over the past decades, frequently tragic, so our people and state in the province are forced to live presently in a reality that they haven’t even imagined in the worst possible premonition. I am certain that we can resist all Kosovo temptations by being united,” said Djuric.

On the eve of the voting for the Kosovo president, the media in Pristina speculated that Thaqi and Djuric met in a café and allegedly agreed under what conditions the Kosovo Serb MPs will give quorum during the voting. Both sides have denied these allegations.

Nikolic to slate elections for 24 April on Thursday, or Friday (Danas/Novosti)

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic will dissolve the parliament on Thursday and call early parliamentary elections for 24 April, Danascites sources close to the president’s office whereas Novostiannounced that the same would happen, but a day after it, i.e. on Friday. “The prime minister’s office, however, did not know to specify the exact date when the parliament would be dissolved, noting that Nikolic will do it before he goes to visit Russia next week,” Danaswrote. Novosti, however, wrote that Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday would forward a proposal to Nikolic to dissolve the parliament.

Rebic: Thousand migrants stuck in Serbia (RTS)

At present, around thousand migrants are stuck in Serbia, while the same number of them is waiting at the Serbian-Macedonian border to enter Serbia, the Acting Police Director of the Serbian Interior Ministry Vladimir Rebic told a press conference after the operative meeting of the police directors and heads of border police directorates of Serbia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia. He says that around seven thousand migrants are waiting at the Greek-Macedonian, and even more in Greece, who are heading towards Western Europe. Stressing that one of the tasks of today’s meeting, which was not attended by police representatives from Greece and Germany, is to make flow in order to reduce pressure on the Greek-Macedonian border, Rebic noted that Serbia will not raise any fences but will protect the state border in accordance with applicable rules. “The police directors presented a joint proposal of sustainable solutions that take into account specific situations of migrants, but also bearing in mind human rights in accordance with international regulations. Our task is to enable migrants smooth movement in a situation where they are entitled to it, but at the same time to prevent abuses of international protection mechanisms,” said Rebic.

Vulin: All security services are ready to protect border and citizens (Tanjug)

By order of the prime minister and the president of the republic, all security services are on alert and ready to protect Serbia’s border and citizens, Minister Aleksandar Vulin said Monday, stressing that Serbia was following closely and with concern the events on the Greece-Macedonian border. Vulin told Tanjug that the absence of a common European solution left every country on the Balkan Route face the challenges brought about by the large influx of migrants on its own. “As always, Serbia will respect the international and domestic laws and show maximum solidarity with migrants, but it will also do everything to ensure security and normal day to day life of the citizens of Serbia,” said Vulin. Serbia once again calls on the EU to come up with a common position on the migrant crisis, Vulin said, stressing that Serbia was ready to help.

Pro-EU opposition to appear in two columns at elections (Beta)

The Democratic Party (DS) has decided not to appear at the early parliamentary elections together with the Social Democratic Party (SDS) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), it was announced on Monday. The DS leader Bojan Pajtic said that the DS would not join forces with the SDS and LDP to run for the forthcoming parliamentary election. Pajtic said the DS would align itself with those parties that they had cooperated with over the past two years in the struggle against the regime. Pajtic said the existence of two columns of opposition parties at the coming vote would provide the people with more choice, and thus a greater chance to defeat the current regime.

REGIONAL PRESS

Izetbegovic congratulates the Independence Day (Fena)

With the desire for March 1st, the Independence Day of B&H, to be marked with dignity across B&H, member of the Presidency of B&H Bakir Izetbegovic sent warmest congratulations to all the citizens of B&H. As Izetbegovic stated, while celebrating the Independence Day he remembers with reverence all those who contributed to the realization of the historical aspiration of the people about an independent and democratic state, especially the fighters who had given their lives for the freedom of their homeland. “Their mounds in all their dignity remind and warn that the independence of the country that we have today has not been easily acquired,” Izetbegovic said. Izetbegovic believes that the independence celebrated today is „the foundation for further development of B&H as a society of democratic freedoms and equal rights for all its citizens, but also the society of shared responsibility for the future development in the context of European integration“. “The wealth that we possess and the power of our perseverance and determination are foundations on which we will develop in the years that come as an economically successful and socially fair state” Izetbegovic said. However, in order to accomplish that, Izetbegovic concluded that it is important to build consensus on all fundamental issues of the present and the future, encourage work and creativity and self-confidence and optimism, stated the Public Relations Office of the B&H Presidency.​

Ivanic to propose a supplement to the Coordination mechanism, Cvijanovic: proposal solves nothing (Srna)

The RS member of the B&H Presidency, Mladen Ivanic, said that he would propose a supplement to the Coordination mechanism – one sentence which would explain that the decisions are brought by the votes of the Entities, RS and the Federation of B&H and added that all stories about possible reconstruction of the B&H Council of Ministers and formation of a new parliamentary majority, namely, that the Alliance for Change will leave the Council of Ministers and that the SNSD will join it, are mere media speculations. RS Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic told Srna that it is “commendable that the RS member of the B&H Presidency, Mladen Ivanic, woke up from hibernation when it comes to the Coordination mechanism, but that his proposal solves absolutely nothing.”

SBB will not request Zvizdic’s dismissal (Fena)

The Alliance for a Better Future (SBB) will not request the dismissal of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, announced the party on the occasion of media speculation that there is a plan to break down the current composition of the B&H Council of Ministers, with Zvizdic as its head. There is no official request for the dismissal of Denis Zvizdic, Chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers. Zvizdic is very good at his job, the Secretary General of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), Amir Zukic told the media representatives about a possible dismissal of Zvizdic.

SBB-HDZ-SDA agreement not reached (Srna)

An agreement was not reached yesterday on SBB’s joining the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton government together with the HDZ B&H and the SDA since SDA representatives did not come to a meeting dedicated to a reconstruction of government. Their attendance was canceled one hour before the scheduled meeting was about to begin.

Ivanic called Bosniak political scene ‘spoilt’, Covic offering help (Patria)

Although Bakir Izetbegovic (SDA) and Fahrudin Radoncic (SBB) are speaking highly about Bosniak unity and enviably stable coalition, it remains unclear whether they see what their coalition partners and citizens of this country see – that ‘Bosniaks get to do very little and that Serbs run the country’, as it was put by Senad Hadzifejzovic during his TV show which hosted Mladen Ivanic, member of the B&H Presidency. Ivanic did not deny Hadzifejzovic’s statement; instead, he accentuated the best coming from SBB. If that statement was heard by Bosniak representatives, they should think about their actions because everybody knows that SDA appoints ‘the suitable’ instead of ‘the capable’. Even Radoncic is making it hard by not giving upon Dautbasic’s appointment for the position of Minister of Transport and Communications, although his partners have been sending clear messages to him that he should either change the candidate of postpone the appointment. “I can’t say if the Serbs are running the country, but I have to say that the people who are currently representing Serb people are very active. Mr. Sarovic has done a tremendous job. Minister Crnadak is also exceptionally active and is present everywhere. They can say about Mektic whatever they like but he moves things, he opens up topics and motivates people to do their job. We have a good team in the B&H Parliament, and I have been the one saying that this is the way to prove that the RS exists,” said Ivanic. In the talk that followed, the message got even stronger and it was directed to the leaders of Bosniak parties. It was as clear as day. “I think that a serious discussion is needed within the Bosniak political structure, as well as thinking about the concept of where to – what is the goal? I’ve got a feeling that main part of the Bosniak politics lives in the past times, with a belief that some foreigners should run this country in the direction which they choose. When it comes down to some serious talks, there is always some fear of crossing the line, to show that, you know, to us from SBB it hasn’t been easy, we’ve been under everyday fire from Banja Luka, but we are holding on… Here, they are just not used to that. Bosniak political scene is a little bit spoilt (sensitive, soft), but that is another topic for me to speak about as an analyst and not a politician” said Ivanic. And while Dragan Covic, member of Presidency B&H and HDZ leader is sending out similar messages and calling for mutual respect, also admitting in a way that Bosniaks are in need of help, the political incompetence of Bosniaks is becoming more visible. Why would Bosniaks need help has not been specified but it is clear. Whether Izetbegovic will understand messages from Ivanic and Covic and turn to his state jobs and a stronger protection for Bosniaks remains unclear – we can only hope it will not be too late. The politics of giving in has been active since the general elections, because Covic has got everything he wished for. The Election Law, implementation of the Sejdic-Finci verdict, the request for introduction of a third TV channel, the document about Defense Review could cost B&H citizens a lot, unless Bosniak politics get their act together or unless Covic helps them?!

Inzko satisfied with the recent meeting with Dodik (Dnevni list)

In his interview for Dnevni list, High Representative Valentin Inzko was asked a question whether he is satisfied with the recent meeting with Milorad Dodik in Banja Luka, and does his discussion with Dodik represent a turn for the better in the relationship between the OHR and the RS, to the benefit of the state, Inzko answered: “Yes I am satisfied. It is always good to talk and present one’s stances directly. Naturally, we have different views on many issues, but that does not prevent us from having correct and professional relations.  I met not only with President Dodik, but also with other RS leaders, including Prime Minister Cvijanovic and RS Assembly Speaker Cubrilovic, as well as with representatives of the Alliance for Change parties.” Asked if he touched upon the issues of judiciary and Dodik’s referendum, and will the spirits calm down with regard to that issue, Inzko said: Yes, we did talk about various issues related to judiciary. My views on the referendum are well known, and I used this opportunity to once again share them with the leadership of the RS. An entity has every right to hold referenda on matters that fall within its competencies, which is also what the RS Law on Referendum stipulates. However, the state judiciary and the powers of the High Representative do not fall into this category. These are the facts, which I stated clearly once again. With regards to the referendum I very much welcome the signals from the authorities that this will be put to one side and this is exactly what I said in Banja Luka,” said Inzko.

Public opinion poll: 77% of voters in Montenegro did not notice any irregularities (RTCG)

Sixty-one percent of citizens consider that elections in Montenegro are not free and fair, while 28 percent of them believe that the elections are fair and free. 77% of citizens said that they have never personally been exposed to irregularities in the election process, and have not witnessed such irregularities. This is revealed in a survey conducted by the agency DeFacto for the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT). On the other hand, 23 percent of citizens said they have been subjected to irregularities or that they had witnessed it, and as key irregularities they were exposed to they cite allegations of vote-buying (ID cards), blackmail, pressure or intimidation, loss of employment or the provision of benefits, material resources or hiring party. The question to what extent they agree with the claim that, generally speaking, the elections in Montenegro were fair and free, 11 percent of respondents answered they did not know or they did not want to answer. This research also showed that in the period from 2014 to the present trust in elections has declined drastically. Answering the same question in a survey done by Ipsos for the purposes of CDT in February 2014, 47 percent of citizens said they did not agree that the elections were free and fair, 48 percent of respondents agreed that the elections were free, while 5 percent answered “do not know”.

European Parliament: Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted Resolution on Macedonia (MIA)

Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (AFET), on Monday night in the building of the European Parliament in Brussels with 42 votes “for” and nine “against” adopted the Resolution on Macedonia, proposed by the rapporteur Ivo Vajgl contains the seventh subsequent recommendation to the European Council for the opening of the accession negotiations with the European Union. As MIA reports from Brussels, because of last week’s events in Macedonia and scheduling a new date for early parliamentary elections, AFET-Group of the EP, instead of on the 23^rd, voted on Monday for the Resolution on Macedonia. Despite the reaction of the Greek MEPs, this resolution contains the adjective “Macedonian” in relation to the naming of “Macedonian public administration”. On Monday night, the MEPs rejected the rigid anti-Macedonian amendments of their colleagues from Greece and Bulgaria, given that this year there was a record number of 270 amendments submitted to the Macedonian resolution. Rapporteur for Macedonia in the European Parliament Ivo Vajgl, filed 18 compromise amendments and two with stuffing on June 5 as a day when elections are held in Macedonia.

Macedonia: SEC begins cross­-checking of databases of electoral roll (MIA)

Experts engaged by the State Election Commission (SEC) launched Monday the cross-­checking of databases obtained from relevant state institutions as part of the process for filtering of the Electoral Roll. “This procedure was preceded by standardization and validation of the Ministry of Interior database with the ones from the Health Insurance Fund, Employment Service Agency, Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, Agency for Real Estate Cadastre, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Registry Office, Central Register, National Bank and the Public Revenue Office,” SEC said in a press release.

FM Poposki at UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva (MIA)

Everyone’s attention is focused on the next EU Summit in regard to safe dealing with the migrant crisis, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki told a 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council on Monday in Geneva. “There are basis for concern that the crisis may escalate, or at least get more complicated before 8 March,” he said. Everybody expects humane and safe coping with the migrant crisis. In terms of humane treatment of migrants Macedonia and Greece are in the same situation, which calls for a cross-­border cooperation, Poposki said. Speaking about current developments across the globe affecting the human rights, Poposki referred to Syria and large waves of refugees and migrants and underlined the need of common strategy for settling of this crisis, one that would take the humanitarian and security aspects into consideration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

EU gropes to ease refugee crisis before Austria says enough, Balkan route closes (AP/AFP, 1 March 2016)

IDOMENI, GREECE/BERLIN – Pressed against coils of razor wire and shouting “Help us!,” refugees stranded at Greece’s northern border were pushed back Monday by Macedonian police using tear gas and stun grenades, as the European Union scrambled to ease the escalating number of stranded migrants in Greece. In a chaotic scene, Syrian and Iraqi refugees forced their way through part of a Macedonian border fence, some clutching infants or struggling to free duffel bags caught in the razor-wire fence. They were met by Macedonian riot police, bolstered by dozens of special forces officers flown in by helicopter to quell a refugee protest. Amnesty International condemned the European government for failing to adequately help stranded migrants. “Tragically, there seems to be more willingness among European countries to coordinate blocking borders than to provide refugees and asylum-seekers with protection and basic services,” said Giorgos Kosmopoulos, Amnesty’s director in Greece. Some 7,000 migrants, including many from Syria and Iraq, are crammed into a tiny camp at the Greek border village of Idomeni, and hundreds more are arriving daily. The border pileup began 10 days ago, when Austria and four ex-Yugoslav countries on the Balkan migrant route north into Western Europe decided to slow border access for migrants to a trickle — and stopped letting Afghan migrants travel through their territory. A U.N. official says those nations never did explain who made the decision on Afghan migrants, or why. Donald Tusk, the European Council president, begins of tour of those countries Tuesday, starting in Vienna, which has been strongly criticized by other EU nations for its caps on asylum-seekers, and ending Thursday in Athens. Tusk is aiming to prepare for a meeting of leaders from the EU and Turkey on March 7, where the key topic will be trying to halt the flow of migrants from Turkey to Greece. The number of migrants stranded in Greece topped 22,000 over the weekend, according to government estimates. Thousands have been sleeping outside in parks and along northbound highways, as refugee shelters quickly overflowed. “Very many people were forced to sleep in the open, without tents, wrapped in blankets,” said 45-year-old Syrian refugee Nidal Jojack, who has been camped out with her family at Idomeni for three days. “It was very cold. The borders are effectively closed, it’s a huge problem. To get food, we have to wait in very long queues,” she said. Jojack said she hopes to reach Germany, where her 18-year-old son has already arrived. Despite receiving the bulk of the refugees seeking the safety of Europe, Germany has opposed unilateral border restrictions and continued to back an EU-wide solution for the migrant crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is resisting calls at home and elsewhere in Europe for limits on refugees like Austria.

“We can’t do this in such a way that we simply abandon Greece,” she told public ARD television. “This is exactly what I fear: When one country defines its limit, another must suffer. That is not my Europe.” At next Monday’s summit, EU leaders “will discuss how we can restore the (passport-free) Schengen system step by step with Greece,” Merkel said. But Austria’s deputy chancellor, Reinhold Mitterlehner — in a sign of continued diplomatic tensions — declared Monday that the refugee restrictions “are necessary (and) we’re going to maintain them.” Wolf Piccoli, head of research the global advisory firm Teneo Intelligence, said the EU was making a “risky bet” with its strategy on migration. “The EU is betting on incremental steps, hoping that the backlog will deter potential migrants before tensions in Greece raise concerns over the country’s institutions,” he said. So far, border closures have not stopped migrants from coming. Greek authorities say over 1,800 people a day have reached Greece’s islands from Turkey in February, slightly down from 2,175 a day in January. Accidents are frequent as dozens cram into unseaworthy boats provided for a high price by smuggling gangs. Ninety-six people have drowned in Greek waters alone so far this year, with another 34 missing at sea. Struggling to cope with the crisis, Greece’s government has issued a temporary ban on journalists visiting migrant camps and called opposition party leaders to an emergency meeting Friday with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said in an interview Monday that, when Austria reaches its limit of 37,500 migrant entries this year, the Balkan refugee route will close. He defended his government’s border restrictions to refugees seeking to transit from Greece, saying that “in times of crisis, every country must find its own solutions.” German news site Spiegel Online published the interview with Ivanov on a day when hundreds of refugees tried to break through a border fence into Macedonia from Greece in violent scenes. Macedonia’s and other border closures were sparked by Austria’s announcement it would accept no more than 80 asylum claims per day and cap the number of people seeking to cross its territory at 37,500 this year. Ivanov, asked whether the Balkans route will be closed, said: “When Austria reaches its limit, it will happen.” He added that “we need a political decision now. Soon it will be too late. The Austrian ceiling of 37,000 will be reached.” He said at the moment Macedonian border guards were allowing in Syrians and Iraqis but sending back Afghans.

“Such decisions are made between police authorities along the Balkans route,” he said, according to the German-language article. “Whenever a country to the north closes its borders, we follow suit. “You must understand that the situation changes not just by the day, but by the hour.”

Criticizing EU inaction, he said “we can’t wait until Brussels makes a decision. We have made our own decisions. In times of crisis, every country must find its own solutions. “If we had waited for EU guidelines, Macedonia would have been flooded with refugees.” However, he also warned that criminal networks will help refugees find new ways, via Albania and Bulgaria. “No-one wants to stay in Greece, Macedonia and Serbia,” he said. “The goal of the refugees is Germany. They will find a path there. A dangerous path.”