LOCAL PRESS

Nikolic: Serbia is a militarily neutral country (RTS/Tanjug)

Serbia is a militarily neutral country and it will not join any military alliance, but it is open for cooperation with everyone in order to protect its own interests and efficiently oppose all security challenges brought by modern times, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said during the meeting with Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha. “It is in Serbia’s interest to develop good relations with the CSTO, just as it is in its interest to develop good relations with NATO, but at the same time not to violate its military neutrality,” the president’s press office quoted Nikolic as having said. Bordyuzha thanked President Nikolic for the invitation to visit Serbia, pointing out that now he understands more specifically the challenges faced by Serbia and, therefore, it is becoming clear in what spheres the CSTO can be of assistance. The CSTO respects Serbia’s principle to remain militarily neutral, said the CSTO Secretary General.

Vucic: Elections to be held in European spirit (RTS/Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic told a delegation of the election observation committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that Serbia was on its European path and that Serbia’s early parliamentary elections would be held in a European spirit, with respect for European values. During the discussion on the forthcoming elections and the European path of Serbia, Vucic expressed the hope that the PACE delegation would have all the necessary mechanisms to observe the elections available and stressed that the fact that the current pre-election campaign period had had the lowest number of incidents in the history of multiparty system in Serbia, the media relations office said in a release. Vucic stressed that the stability of Serbia and the region was a key issue for Serbia’s future. The PACE representatives said they hoped that Serbia would demonstrate high standards in a democratic election process and carry on with the reforms it had started and its European path. The delegation showed interest in the situation in the region, Serbia’s economic reforms and the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, the release said.

EEAS: Serbia and Kosovo confirm agreement on mutual recognition of degrees (RTS)

Serbia and Kosovo have confirmed that they would implement the agreement from the dialogue on the acceptance of professional and academic degrees, the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced on Monday. The diplomas will, according to the agreement, be certified by an organization appointed by the EU, after which the request for certification will be able to be submitted to the relevant institutions in Serbia and in Kosovo. Belgrade and Pristina have agreed to expand the extent of the agreement of 2011, and include, among others, higher education and degrees from primary and secondary schools, EEAS announced.

Djuric and Tahiri meet in Vienna (Beta)

Representatives of Belgrade and Pristina had a meeting in Vienna on 4 April to discuss the ban on trucks from Serbia proper carrying dangerous cargo from entering Kosovo. The talks involved the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric and Kosovo Minister without Portfolio Edita Tahiri, Beta was told. There was no information on the possible results of the meeting or whether it would resume. The meeting was organized at the initiative of the EU.

Ivanovic’s defense receives written verdict (Tanjug/RTS)

On Monday, EULEX submitted to the defense of the leader of the Civic Initiative SDP Oliver Ivanovic the written verdict by which he was sentenced to nine years in prison, for war crimes committed in Kosovska Mitrovica in 1999. In this way, conditions were created for Ivanovic’s defense to submit to the Court of Appeals in the next 15 days, an appeal to the verdict of the international Trial Chamber of the Basic court in Kosovska Mitrovica. Ivanovic’s lawyer Nebojsa Vlajic said for Tanjugthat the written verdict in the case of Ivanovic and another four Serbs had been submitted by the Basic Court in Mitrovica and that the deadline for appeal to the verdict was 15 days. “We will announce our appeal in that deadline. We should not forget that in the major part of this case, Ivanovic and the other four Serbs were acquitted, so that the Public Prosecutor will also appeal the verdict and there will be a lot to do in the following period,” Vlajic said.

8,378 polling stations at elections (Tanjug)

At the upcoming elections, on 24 April, the Serbian citizens will vote at 8,378 polling stations, it was announced by the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) on Monday. RIK president Dejan Djurevic said for Tanjugthat 8,311 polling stations would be open on the territory of Serbia, 29 in prisons, while 38 polling stations would be open abroad. Last month, the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government announced that on the very day of the elections, 6,734,802 people would be registered on the voters’ list. The final number of voters will be announced by RIK 72 hours prior to the holding of the elections.

REGIONAL PRESS

Prosecutor’s office working on the case of crimes against Vozuca Serbs (Srna)

The B&H Prosecutor’s Office is working on the cases of crimes committed against Serbs in the areas of Ozren and Vozuca in 1995, the spokesman for the Prosecutor’s Office, Boris Grubesic, told Srna. Grubesic says he cannot reveal more details on the cases or the identities of the suspects. The commander of the 3rd Corps of the so-called Army of B&H, Sakib Mahmuljin, is but one of the 19 identified and partially identified persons, members of the so-called Army of B&H and foreign fighters, against whom criminal charges were brought for crimes committed against Serbs in the areas of Ozren and Vozuca in July and September 1995. The Republika Srpska (RS) Ministry of Internal Affairs submitted to the B&H Prosecutor’s Office reports against the commander of the 2nd Corps of the so-called Army of B&H, Sead Delic, the commander of the 35th Detachment of the so-called Army of B&H, Fail Hasanagic, the commander of the 7th Muslim Brigade, Halil Brzina, the commander of the Bosnia-Zavidovici-Zepce Operations Group, Refik Lendo, and the commander of the 328th Brigade, Fuad Zilkic, alleging war crimes against Serbian civilians. The report was also filed against the commander of El Mujahedeen Detachment, Abu Mali (his real name is Abdel Kader Mokhtari), the chief security and intelligence officer of El Mujahedeen, Ayman Avad, and against Abu Hamza (real name Imad al Hasin), the leader of the Mujahedeen community in Bocinja, a member of the El Mujahedeen command staff. The Doboj Public Safety Centre filed criminal charges with the Doboj District Prosecutor’s Office on March 1, 2002, alleging crimes committed in the areas of Ozren and Vozuca, and filed a supplemented report on the crimes with the B&H Prosecutor’s Office on October 28, 2005. Criminal charges against the commander of the General Staff of the so-called Army of B&H, Rasim Delic, were filed in 2002. The ICTY sentenced Delic to three and a half years in prison in September 2008. A report against Mahmuljin was also filed in 2002, and court proceedings were launched on March 23 this year (2016). The trial should resume on Wednesday, April 6.

Dodik: Attacks on the police of RS from the state level (Srna/Fena)

The RS President Milorad Dodik said in Banja Luka that the RS Police Force is an efficient agency which is successfully fighting all forms of crime and corruption. “We must not forget RS police officers who were killed in the patriotic defense war and those who died later. Police is an important identification segment of RS,” Dodik told reporters after a solemn reception held on the occasion of the RS Police Day. “The RS police recently has been faced with attacks from the level of the B&H authorities, who wish to reduce its force, but we are determined to oppose it, said Dodik. “We are adamant to oppose it. The RS Police Force will be even stronger, more powerful and will continue to defend the safety of RS,” Dodik says. He said that the RS Police Force is directing a significant portion of its activities to the fight against terrorism, as one of the most serious elements which threaten security. “We will continue to train and equip our police force so that it could face all security risks in a quality manner,” Dodik said. He wished all members of the RS Police Force a happy Police Day. The solemn reception was attended by RS Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic, Interior Minister Dragan Lukac, police director Gojko Vasic, Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic and representatives of NGOs that came into being after the patriotic defense war. B&H Security Minister Dragan Mektic, in the capacity of an envoy of the RS member of the B&H Presidency, Mladen Ivanic, representatives of the diplomatic corps, and a delegation of the RS 3rd Infantry Regiment, also attended the reception.

Lukac: Preservation of RS is our main goal (Srna)

The RS Interior Minister Dragan Lukac said that members of the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs are proud to celebrate Police Day, and added that their main goal is to preserve the RS. Lukac said that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is educating new generations, which will rejuvenate the structure and represent this Ministry in the best possible way. “When it comes to employment, we carried out a competition and employed 55 graduate students of the High School of Internal Affairs, and a competition for 120 new students is under way,” Lukac told reporters after a solemn reception in Banja Luka held on the occasion of the RS Police Day. He said that last year the Ministry of Internal Affairs started the project to equip first of all the Support Unit and the Special Unit. Regarding the cooperation with the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lukac said that the cooperation is very good and that they work together when it is necessary to arrest persons evading the prison sentences they have to serve either in the RS or in Serbia.

RS police – a quality security agency (Srna)

The RS Police Force is a quality security agency whose task is to preserve peace, stability and security of all citizens in keeping with the highest standards, the chairman of the RS Parliament’s Security Committee, Milanko Mihajlica, told Srna. “It is very important that the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs will this year get the most contemporary arms and equipment. I expect it to strengthen in human resources, organization and in every other sense, to the benefit of the society,” Mihajlica said on the occasion of the RS Police Day. He said that the RS Police Force must be ready to answer to all security challenges at any moment. Mihajlica wished a happy Police Day to all police members.

Covic to Inzko: to agree on the election rules for the City of Mostar as soon as possible (Srna)

B&H Presidency Member from the ranks of the Croat people, Dragan Covic, stressed today during the meeting with High Representative to B&H, Valentin Inzko, that it is essential to agree on the election rules for the City of Mostar as soon as possible, so the elections could be organized along with other cities, because it is time that this city finally begins to function normally.

Jewish communities in Croatia to boycott Jasenovac commemoration (Hina)

The Coordinating Committee of Jewish Communities in Croatia has decided that this year it will not participate in the commemoration of victims of the WWII Jasenovac concentration camp because of “political inactivity” with regard to changes made to the exhibits at the Jasenovac museum and “political events regarding the downplaying and revitalizing of the Ustashi movement”, the Committee’s president Ognjen Kraus confirmed on Monday.

Montenegro: Preparation for NATO – Defense system reform (CDM)

The reform of the defense system, which is achieved by developing the Armed Forces of Montenegro is one of the key areas of preparation for membership in NATO, it was said at the round table Perspective of the Armed Forces of Montenegro within NATO Structure. The roundtable aimed at better understanding of peace support operations issue was organized by the Atlantic Council of Montenegro with the support of the NATO Membership Council’s Communication Team. Ambassador of Hungary Krisztian Posa said that Montenegro had made progress in the process of NATO integration. As he said, the progress is best shown by the fact that NATO invitation has received in less than ten years after the independence restoration. “One of the key areas of preparation for full membership is the reform of the defense system, which is achieved by developing the Armed Forces of Montenegro,” Posa said. He added that the Alliance was satisfied with cooperation with Montenegrin troops in Resolute Support and ISAF missions and that Montenegrin soldiers were responsible and professional. Posa believes that, despite Montenegro’s size and number of the troops, it could contribute to NATO military operations.

NATO Day observed in Skopje as international community voices support for Macedonia’s Membership (MIA)

The United States have strongly supported Macedonia’s path towards NATO membership and we are also frustrated that this process has not been fast, US Ambassador Jess Baily said at the observance of the 67th NATO anniversary in Skopje. “It’s an unfinished item in our decades-­long efforts with our allies and partners to create a Europe whole, free and in peace,” Baily added at the ceremonial event, organized by the Euro­-Atlantic Council of Macedonia and the Defense Ministry. The migrant crisis has demonstrated the strategic need for more cooperation. There is no better time than now to untie that knot called the name issue, and the US, the UN and other friends are ready to assist in yours and Greece’s efforts,” Baily underlined. According to the American envoy, the second segment is investment in the country’s armed forces and participation in NATO and related operations, training and exercises. “The government and the Ministry of Defense are also taking steps towards modernizing the military, including a ten­-year investment plan, and the United States will continue to provide support through bilateral assistance,” added Baily. Macedonian Defense Minister Zoran Jolevski voiced his conviction that NATO member ­states would find a way to put the enlargement issue high on the agenda of the Warsaw Summit this July. “Montenegro’s NATO accession will contribute to the region’s stability. Activation of the B&H Membership Action Plan process will strongly support our friends. Macedonia remains committed to the Euro­-Atlantic integration, which remains the main strategic interest. The president of the Euro-­Atlantic Council of Macedonia, Ismet Ramadani, said Macedonia would be on the Warsaw summit agenda, expecting an invitation if it overcomes the current political crisis. “Our message is to resolve this crisis as soon as possible, while party leaders should do everything possible in holding fair elections and implementing the Przino Agreement,” added Ramadani.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Serbian PM Vows to Ease Croatia Tensions (BIRN, by Marija Ristic, 5 April 2016)

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic pledged to visit Croatia to ease tensions that escalated between the two countries after the acquittal of hardline nationalist war crime defendant Vojislav Seselj.

Vucic said on Monday evening that he hoped to visit Croatia after the Serbian parliamentary elections this month to improve relations that were strained by outbursts of heated rhetoric after last week’s acquittal of Serbian Radical Party leader Seselj by the Hague war crimes court.

“After the elections… a visit to Croatia will be on my agenda, I will write to the Croatian leaders to go on an official visit… as we have to work together,” Vucic said in an interview with Belgrade-based TV B92. However Vucic accused some Croatian officials of “unreasonable blackmail” for suggesting that Zagreb could obstruct Belgrade’s EU accession process if Serbia does not do more to protect its Croat minority prosecute war crimes from the 1990s.

Vucic said such demands from Zagreb were “impossible”. “There are things we can change, and there are things we cannot. But Croatia does not need to lecture us every day,” he said.

Croatian EU integration minister Miro Kovac said on Sunday that his country will demand that Serbia change its law on war crimes prosecution and called for more rights for the Croat minority. “We want all this to be part of the negotiations [with the EU] and to be fulfilled during the negotiation process. Otherwise negotiation chapters will not be closed,” Kovac said in an interview Austrian news agency APA. Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said Serbia was ready for talk about the issue but would not be pushed. “We are ready to resolve issues with dialogue, but we are not ready for blackmail, especially from Croatia, bearing in mind that Croatia cannot lecture Serbia about minority rights as we should bear in mind what the Serbian people have lived through in the last 10, 20 years, not to mention in WWII,” Dacic told Radio Belgrade on Monday. There has been a flurry of antagonistic rhetoric since the Hague Tribunal acquitted Seselj of crimes against humanity and other violations during the wars in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. Croatia has banned Seselj from entering the country for the next 20 years. Seselj however filed a request for a passport on Monday and said he plans to visit both Zagreb and Sarajevo in the coming months. War crimes issues have continued to sour the relationship between Belgrade and Zagreb. The last time a similar dispute erupted between the two countries last month, a senior German parliamentarian intervened to urge them so “resolve their disputes bilaterally”. Kovac said in March that Croatia wanted Serbia to respect minority rights, fully cooperate with the war crimes tribunal in The Hague and give up its claim to have jurisdiction to prosecute war crimes on the entire territory of the former Yugoslavia, and again warned that Zagreb could obstruct Belgrade’s EU accession process. But the head of the German parliament’s committee for European issues, Gunther Krichbaum said it was “unacceptable when EU countries use their better bargaining position for their own interests at the expense of the EU and Serbia in this case”.

Montenegro-EU: Ambassador – road to accession still long (ANSAMed.it, 5 April 2016)

But ‘good progress’ made, rule of law, environment still issues

The head of the EU delegation in Montenegro, Mitja Drobnic

PODGORICA – “The road towards accession is still long, we are aware of this, but now I can see the glass as half full. That was unthinkable a year ago”. These are the words of the head of the EU delegation in Montenegro, Ambassador Mitja Drobnic, during a meeting with a group of journalists in Podgorica focused on priorities for accession and steps achieved up to now.

Based on a recent survey, 74% of citizens say they are in favour of EU integration, “a statistic that cannot be ignored” in a country that has little more than 625,000 inhabitants, explained Drobnic, adding that 22 negotiation chapters had been opened, with 2 already closed. “But there is still a lot remaining to do in terms of reforms regarding rule of law, protection of the environment, agriculture, competitiveness, and consumer protection,” he said. The environment chapter is one of the most difficult because it includes large investments, Drobnic said, and “the government is working out a strategy with EU experts”. “The accession negotiations cost money and up to now Montenegro has invested 1.5 billion euros to satisfy the criteria: the IPA funds (pre-accession assistance from the EU) only cover 10%, the rest comes from the country,” the head of the EU delegation underlined. On the immigration front, with the closure of the Balkan migrant route, Montenegro does not fear large flows of people heading to northern Europe, “even if the country has said it is ready to receive the refugees”, said the ambassador. He added “one must not forget that during the war Montenegro hosted a large number of refugees that then made up 25% of the population. The people showed a lot of compassion,” the ambassador concluded.