LOCAL PRESS

Nikolic: Croatia risks losing support of civilized, anti-Nazi world (Novosti/B92)

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic says the decision of a Croatian court to annul the verdict against Alojzije Stepinac represents “pressure” on Pope Francis. Nikolic said this in the context of the controversial plan of the Roman Catholic Church to declare the WW2-era Croatian cleric a saint. In a statement for Novosti, Nikolic added that he was personally preparing evidence about the Croatian cardinal that would be given first to the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) delegation, and then to a Vatican commission. Referencing the WW2-era Nazi-allied Independent State of Croatia (NDH) and its Ustasha regime, the president said: “Croatia has been covering up the pits where Ustasha’s buried Serbs – but if it continues like this it will dig up an abyss into which it will fall and remain alone, without the support of the civilized, anti-fascist, and anti-Nazi part of humanity.” Nikolic also stated that he received assurances from Pope Francis there would be “no rush” while deciding whether to make Stepinac a saint – “as he would be the first Christian saint that the SPC and other Orthodox churches would not recognize”. In the wake of Friday’s decision by the Zagreb District Court, Nikolic noted that Stepinac was never in fact convicted in Croatia – “not in the NDH, not in today’s legal follower of that Ustasha state”. “He was convicted in Yugoslavia, whose legal successor is Serbia, and all the newly-formed states, former members of Yugoslavia, and of Serbia and Montenegro, agree with that,” the president said.

Controversial Croat WW2-era cleric’s verdict overturned (Beta/B92)

The Zagreb District Court has overturned in its entirety the post-WW2 guilty verdict handed to controversial Croatian Catholic Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac. Stepinac, who is a key stumbling block in relations between the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) and the Roman Catholic Church in Croatia, and an important factor behind the tensions in relations between Serbia and Croatia, was sentenced in 1946 to 16 years in prison. The prison sentence included forced labor, while Stepinac was also stripped of his civil and political rights for a period of five years. The decision to annul the verdict was explained behind closed doors on Friday by Presiding Judge Ivan Turudic, Beta reports. The hearing was closed to the public, while the request to review the verdict was filed by a nephew of Stepinac. In 1946, Zagreb Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac was found guilty of collaborating with Italian and German occupiers and the Ustasha regime of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), as well as of forced conversions of Orthodox Christian Serbs to Catholicism, and also because of the enemy propaganda after the war, whose aim was to endanger the state system of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia (FNRJ). The Croatian court reviewed the process based on the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code from 2009 – which states that persons found guilty and sentenced through the abuse of political power by the former Yugoslavia courts during the communist rule “for political, politically motivated crimes or other crimes” – can seek the annulment of the said verdicts through the process of revision. The Croatian Assembly in early 1992 passed a declaration “condemning the political process and the verdict against Cardinal Dr. Alojzije Stepinac”. Ahead of today’s decision, former president of the Croatian Assembly Vladimir Seks also showed up in court, saying he was there as one of the authors of the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code which allowed the revision of the Stepinac case, and also as the author of the said 1992 declaration which condemned the post-war “show trial”. Beta also noted in its report today that the first meeting of the Mixed Catholic-Orthodox Commission was held in Rome recently, set up to jointly consider the role of Alojzije Stepinac, before, during and after the Second World War.  The Commission was established on the initiative of Roman Catholic Pope Francis due to the Serbian Orthodox Church’s opposition to the planned canonization of Stepinac. The agency said that SPC believes Stepinac “did not do enough” to help Orthodox Christians, Serbs, Jews and Roma persecuted in the NDH.

Dacic: Conduct of Croatian government beyond limits of normality (Tanjug/Beta/Politika)

The conduct of Croatia’s outgoing government has gone beyond all limits of normality and it is high time the Croatian government “got reasonable”, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said Thursday. “The rhetoric, the vocabulary and the undisguised hatred emanating from every statement or public appearance they make is no longer a need associated with the election campaign in Croatia, but an expression of a pathological preoccupation with Serbia and an anti-Serb hysteria in Croatia, led by the Croatian government,” Dacic said in a statement. “Serbia cannot be treated that way, we do not allow anyone to do that – not even the most powerful countries, let alone Croatia, which cannot even protect 10 Cyrillic name plates and where fascist salutes are still heard at public events,” Dacic said. Croatia wants Serbia to scrap its law on universal jurisdiction over war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia, and outgoing Foreign Minister Miro Kovac said Wednesday Zagreb would use fierce countermeasures if Serbia arrested any Croatian citizen on war crimes charges. Croatia should first convince the more than ten EU member states that have universal jurisdiction over war crimes, including Germany, Dacic noted. “How come they did not have a problem with crimes committed in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia being tried in Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland or Germany? Or, how come they did not have a problem when the crimes committed at Ovcara, in Lovas (Croatia) or Zvornik (Bosnia and Herzegovina) were tried under this law,” Dacic asked. “Serbia will not let anyone humiliate it,” Dacic noted. With such behavior, Croatia is not becoming a problem for Serbia, but for Europe, he said.

Ljajic: Croatia cannot block us if others are our allies (Tanjug/Politika)

Croatia will not be able to block Serbia’s European path if Belgrade cooperates with Brussels and has the other EU member states as its allies, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic said Thursday. “If you have 27 countries on one side and they are your allies in the accession process, Croatia will not be able to do anything, in spite of its extremely unprincipled actions,” Ljajic told reporters in Uzice, western Serbia, in a comment on the latest threats from Croatia in the wake of the opening of Chapters 23 and 24 in Serbia’s EU accession talks. Serbia must not get into the verbal conflict that some in Croatia are apparently trying to start, Ljajic said, noting that Serbia was always a topic of election campaigns in Croatia. “The same was happening last year. Serbia always becomes a topic in times of elections in Croatia, with everyone trying to outdo everyone else in making statements aimed against Serbia because it brings political gains,” Ljajic said.

Serbia has an obligation to do all that is in its interest in the EU accession process in order to ensure judicial independence, accelerate court proceedings and create legal certainty for foreign investors in a more efficient way, Ljajic said.

Serbia starts deportation of refugees and migrants (Danas)

Deportation of refugees and migrants to the countries from which they entered Serbia has started, Danas daily reports on Friday, citing the anonymous but well informed sources “who are involved in the migration problem for a long time”. Deportation practically started immediately after the session of Bureau for Coordination of Security Services held on 16 July, where the decision was actually made, the daily reported. Danas daily also wrote that this claim was not yet confirmed in the field and that the representatives of the government claimed that this was absolutely not true.

Dikovic with Italian officials on joint training of special forces (Beta) 

Serbian Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic met in Rome on July 22 with officials of the Italian army to discuss enhancing cooperation, including the joint training of special units.

Dikovic and his Italian counterpart Gen. Claudio Graziano discussed cooperation in the training of special units and joint participation in peacekeeping missions. The topics of the talks were military education and military economic cooperation between Serbia and Italy, and the current security situation in the region and world, the Ministry of Defense said. Dikovic voiced his satisfaction with the excellent cooperation between the armies of Serbia and Italy in the U.N. West peacekeeping sector in Lebanon, where a Serbian army squad for protecting forces is engaged as part of the Italian contingent.

REGIONAL PRESS

Ambassador Cormack hosts meeting dedicated to Mostar issue; No agreement reached at meeting (TV1/BHT1)

US Ambassador to B&H Maureen Cormack hosted a meeting dedicated to the issue of Mostar in her official residence in Sarajevo on Thursday evening. The meeting was attended by representatives of SBB B&H, SDA and HDZ B&H, as well as by a representative of the UK Embassy in B&H. Prior to the meeting, SBB B&H leader Fahrudin Radoncic told media that SBB B&H has a concept which is the best for the city of Mostar and Mostar citizens. “Our concept is acceptable for SDA and HDZ B&H, if they demonstrate democratic capacity. Tonight might be the last chance to reach an agreement on the Mostar issue and I would like to thank those who are helping us today (Thursday),” Radoncic stressed. Ambassador Cormack earlier said that she believes that elections should be held in Mostar this year. “Now, we are talking about days and not months to secure conditions for those elections to take place in October. I will continue to work with all political leaders in B&H and urge them to find a solution. This solution has to do two things; it needs to secure conditions for the implementation of the decision of the B&H Constitutional Court and the city of Mostar has to remain united. Division is not the future of B&H. Bringing the citizens together and building a joint society is what is necessary for the future,” Ambassador Cormack underlined. Ambassador Cormack stressed that she will absolutely advocate that there is no division of Mostar.

Leaders of HDZ B&H Dragan Covic, SDA Bakir Izetbegovic and Radoncic addressed media after the meeting. Covic said that he is optimist regarding having local elections in Mostar held on 2 October. He also underlined that partners are close to reach the agreement on Mostar. Radoncic underlined that aforementioned three parties will be working hard over next few days with goal to reach the agreement regarding the issue of Mostar. The leader of SDA stressed that although SDA and HDZ B&H were close to find a solution, lack of mutual confidence prevented them to do so. He also underscored that in his opinion the solution could be found soon.

RS Assembly’s decision on calling referendum on RS Day continues to spark reactions (RTRS)

The RS Assembly’s decision on calling a referendum on the Day of the RS for September continues to spark reactions. Bosniak representatives do not give up on holding a meeting with Bosniak member of B&H Presidency and SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic and Chairman of B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Denis Zvizdic (SDA) dedicated to the referendum issue. In addition, SDA MP in B&H Parliament Sadik Ahmetovic, who announced on Wednesday that Bosniaks will boycott the referendum in question, stated expectation that the Office of the High Representative (OHR) – which protects the Constitution of B&H – will react and prevent the referendum. RS officials generally assess Bosniaks’ opposing to the referendum as seeking additional division in already difficult relations in B&H. RS officials also emphasize that the referendum is a right that is guaranteed by the Constitution of B&H. Serb member of B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic (PDP) stated that he wished that Bosniak “colleagues” had requested “a special meeting when they tried to abolish the Day of the Republic (of Srpska)” and added that “then they would be consistent.”

Croat Caucus not to dispute decision of RS Assembly to hold referendum on RS Day (BHT1/FTV)

At its session held on Thursday the Croat Caucus in the RS Council of Peoples (CoP) discussed acts adopted by the RS Assembly at sessions held in June. Among other things it was assessed that the decision of the RS Assembly to organize a referendum on the RS Day did not violate Vital National Interest of Croats. It was also said that Croat Caucus did not dispute the decision of the RSNA, because it is constitutional right of citizens to decide about issues which are of importance for them. Head of Croat Caucus Tomislav Tomljenovic reminded that the RS Day is being marked by some religious events and wondered if something like that is normal in secular country. Tomljanovic also stated that the Caucus did not oppose the referendum on the RS Day. He said citizens have constitutional right to vote in referendum on important issues. FTV – Commenting on the issues related to publishing of the results of the 2013 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings, Tomljanovic said that this is a technical issue which will be verified when EUROSTAT accepts the results.

Plenkovic: We will continue to support B&H on path to EU (Dnevni avaz)
Newly elected leader of Croatian HDZ, Andrej Plenkovic stated that if HDZ wins the upcoming snap election which will take place in September, he plans to lead Croatia forward in a fast tempo. Speaking about relations with B&H, Plenkovic said that there will be no major changes in policy towards B&H. “Croatia and HDZ always stood with B&H and we will continue with close cooperation and we will stand firmly with you on the path to EU,” said Plenkovic. He underlined that this was his task also as member of European Parliament (EP) and Deputy Chair of EP’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET).

Josipovic’s open letter to Grabar Kitarovic (Vecernji list)

Former Croatian president Ivo Josipovic proposed a solution to Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic in order to resolve the dispute with Serbia regarding its EU accession talks and the Law on universal jurisdiction. In that sense, he proposed the principles that he had agreed with former Serbian president Boris Tadic. Josipovic wrote in his letter to the Croatian President:

Principles that we agreed are as follows:

1. Both states are accepting the principle according to which all war crimes are persecuted according to the same criteria, without privileges for their own citizens. The criteria of amnesty and pardons for acts perpetrated during the 1991-1995 war, which are not war crimes, will also be equalized.

2. States are obliged to exchange information about all war crimes proceedings that are in progress or that have been completed and give each other complete information on persons suspected of perpetrating war crimes.

3. States are obliged not to issue warrants against citizens of the other state without informing each other.

4. Each state is responsible for trials to their citizens who have permanent residence on their territory. Launched proceedings or proceedings that should be launched will be ceded to the state of the citizenship of the perpetrator who has residence in the state of citizenship.

5. States will examine in each individual case the possibility of ceding the case to the state whose citizenship the accused has, as the only or as the second citizenship, except in cases from point 1.

6. States will cede to each other pending proceedings, in accordance with this agreement, and the other state, when taking over the proceedings, will treat the case as criminal charges or other act of criminal prosecution (indictment and similar).

7. States are obliged to fully cooperate in exchanging data, evidence and implementation of necessary procedural actions.

8. States are obliged to implement highest standards of protecting witnesses and victims and support these people.

9. States are obliged to cede, at the request of the other state or indictee, the execution of the prison sentence to the other state if the indictee has the citizenship of the state that is requesting the ceding of the execution. The indictee also needs to agree with the ceding. The state that takes over execution will not grant early release or pardon without the consent of the state that ceded the execution, except if the indictee served at least 2/3 of the sentence.

10. The president will propose these principles to the Croatian and Serbian government towards implementing them, together with other necessary provisions of procedural and organizational nature, through a special inter-state agreement/contract between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Serbia.

Party agreement: Detailed insight into document intended to end political crisis in Macedonia (Independent.mk)

After a few unsuccessful meetings and intense consultations under mediation from US Ambassador Jess Baily, the representatives of the 4 biggest political parties in the country VMRO-DPMNE, SDSM, DUI and DPA finally signed a document which contains motions to be realized so that the political crisis in Macedonia can be resolved.

The agreement, in most part, elaborates the plan for conducting the elections, the Electoral Roll checkups, the establishment of the so-called Przino government that will be in charge of conducting elections, and the responsibilities and mandate of the technical ministers of that government who is supposed to cease existing as soon as the State Election Commission announces the official election results. In regards to the media, a formation of a commission was agreed. Its task will be to regulate, but it will not make decisions in regards to fines. Hundred days before elections, the state broadcaster-MRTV will get an expert editor in chief, suggested by the opposition, who will also be acceptable to the ruling party.

The date of elections is not yet determined, but it is clear that the so-called Przino Government will be elected 100 days before elections. In regards to the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office, the agreement states that all parties should engage in ensuring that its operation runs smoothly.

The version of the document published on the web site of the EU Office in Skopje is as follows:

Voters list

The four political parties agree to address the issues with the voters list for these elections in the following way:

1. The electoral code will be amended by 22 July to reflect the agreement below on the voter list.

2. As regards Annex A prepared by SEC relating to cross checks of entries, 171 500 persons will be placed on the supplementary part of the voters list and their right to vote is not disputed.

3. As regards Annex B prepared by SEC relating to cross checks of entries, 39 502 persons will be published by SEC within 3 days following the adoption of the amendment of the electoral code.

a. The data will be published and the persons concerned can verify with the SEC during 25 days whether they should remain on the voters list.

b. All persons included in Annex B can initiate the verification electronically in accordance with articles 48-51 of electoral code or in person at local branches of the SEC.

c. Three or more members of the SEC may request an extra scrutiny for any name. In such an instance, the SEC members requesting the extra scrutiny may ask people to appear in person if resident in the country, or via videoconference if they reside abroad. This extra scrutiny will extend for an additional 10 days after the 25 day period.

d. Unverified persons will not be included in the voters’ list. Those not included will have the additional possibility to register with the SEC during the public review period ahead of the elections.

Media

1. The AVMS law and the electoral code will be amended within 15 days from the date of this agreement.

2. AAVM will establish an ad hoc body to monitor compliance with media provisions of the electoral code. This ad hoc body will function until the end of the electoral process. This ad hoc body shall be established within 30 days from the date of this agreement.

a. The ad hoc body will be composed of five persons. In consultation with relevant professional organizations the four political parties will select four members of the ad hoc body of whom at least one will be ethnic Albanian. These four persons will select by consensus the fifth member within 15 days.

b. Beginning 100 days before elections, the Council of the AAVM shall follow the recommendation of the newly established department and will initiate the procedures vis-a-vis the media as prescribed by the legislation. The ad hoc body will assess the balanced reporting of media for periods not less than one week.

c. All fines for media outlets in the AAVM Law and electoral code relating to media will be reduced by 50%.

d. The first violation will elicit a warning.  The subsequent violations will elicit the new reduced fines.

e. No journalist or media will be fined for expression of opinion. The expression of opinion should be differentiated from reporting information.

f. No media outlet can be shut down based on decisions under the above-mentioned procedure.

3. The four political parties commit to amend the media legislation in line with Urgent Reform Priorities and the Priebe report within 6 months after the elections.

4. In consultation with the other parties, the biggest opposition party will nominate a chief editor (informativna redakcija) of the Public Broadcaster (MRTV) from experts in the field. Provided that the parties confirm that the conditions for elections are in place, the new chief editor will assume his / her functions 100 days before elections.

5. Legal changes will be made to allow 7/24 Albanian channel on MRTV.

Assessment of progress

By 31 August, leaders of the four political parties will assess whether the above mentioned steps have been completed by which the conditions for holding elections are fulfilled. The leaders will confirm this and the date of elections by a signature.

Government ahead of elections and date of elections

If elections take place in 2016, a new government following the Przino agreement will be voted in by the parliament 100 days before the agreed day of elections.

a. The application of the Law on Internal Affairs will be suspended until 1 January 2017 and the law will limit the number of managerial appointments in the Ministry of Interior to 15. All appointments for prosecution’s investigators given to holders of managerial positions in the Ministry of Interior will be annulled and new ones will not be issued to them until the end of the election process.

b. The Government will approve automatically cabinet appointments of the Minister of Interior and horizontal transfers of staff initiated by the Minister of Interior up to 10% of the number of horizontal transfers based on the average of such transfers in the years 2013 and 2014.

c. The Law on Government will be amended so that the mandate of all ministers and additional deputy ministers appointed pursuant to the Przino Agreement  shall end on the day the SEC confirms the official results of the elections.

d. The deputy ministers in the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Labor and Social affairs will assume the responsibilities of the Ministers until the formation of the new government.

Other issues:

Special Prosecutor shall be supported

a) In case Constitutional Court decides SP legislation or its part is unconstitutional, four parties commit to align the legislation with the decision of the Court and to re-establish the office according to decision within five days. The effectiveness, scope and objectives of the SP should be maintained.

b) Four parties call on the Constitutional Court to decide on SP law as soon as possible on the next possible session.

Reforms

The inclusiveness of the process on reforms and their implementation will be conducted in a working group in the parliament including civil society and experts.

a. Prioritized adoption of Urgent Reform Priorities and Priebe Recommendations.

b. Amend whistleblower law according to Venice Commission within 6 months.

c. OFA

d. Euro-Atlantic integration.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Kosovo’s Daesh Camps Act as Creche for Young Terrorists (Sputnik, 22 July 2016)

There are at least five Daesh military training camps in Kosovo, located in remote areas near the self-proclaimed republic’s border with Albania and Macedonia, a source close to the intelligence services told Sputnik.

In an interview with Sputnik, a source close to the intelligence services singled out at least five Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) training camps, located in remote areas near Kosovo’s border with Albania and Macedonia. The largest camps are located in areas adjacent to the towns on the Urosevac and Djakovica line as well as the Decani district, the source said, adding that the smaller camps were tracked in the Prizren and Pec regions. A total of 314 Kosovo Albanians along with Daesh terrorists are now fighting government troops in Syria and Iraq, among them 38 women, according to the source. As for the recruitment, it takes in two stages; the first is conducted by non-governmental organizations that operate in Kosovo and at numerous private schools, the source said. The future Daesh terrorists are ‘brainwashed’ there and they also learn Arabic and study the Koran, something that is followed by so-called ‘combat practice’ training, headed by former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). They typically teach the rookies to wage guerrilla warfare and handle guns, among other things,” according to the source. “In addition, each camp has several Daesh terrorists who decide on sending the rookies to the war or preparing them for the role of suicide bombers,” the source said, citing about 70 Kosovo Albanian families who decided to join Daesh. The source also warned of the possible spread of such camps to Macedonia and in Bosnia, where about 800 jihadists arrived during the wars in the 1990s. As far as Macedonia is concerned, the country is