LOCAL PRESS
UN representative informed about Pristina’s illegal act (Tanjug/RTS)
The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric informed today Representative of the United Nations Secretary General and Head of the United Nations Office in Belgrade Simona-Mirela Miculescu about Pristina’s illegal attack on Trepca and the steps that Serbia will undertake in order to inform the world organization. Djuric informed the UN representative about the Serbian government stand regarding Pristina’s unilateral attempt to confiscate Trepca and announced the launching of Belgrade’s diplomatic offensive towards informing international political circles with this act of legal violence, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated. He explained in detail the conclusions of the Serbian government and noted that the Serbian Foreign Ministry had been ordered to inform in writing United Nations Security Council members and all EU members about this problem, and announced that the Serbian Foreign Minister will point at the regular Security Council session on Kosovo and Metohija to the acts undertaken by Pristina that represent a flagrant violation of Resolution 1244. Djuric noted that, in accordance with the Serbian government decision, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija would initiate the formation of a legal and economic team that will undertake measures towards protecting property and other interests of the Republic of Serbia and its citizens in the southern province. Djuric stressed that, despite potentially dangerous unilateral decisions by Pristina, including the passing of the non-applicable law on strategic investments, Belgrade continues to be ready to discuss property and reach a solution for all disagreements. Nevertheless, Djuric warned, following the passing of the law on Trepca and other unilateral acts in the provisional self-government institutions in Kosovo and Metohija, the level of Belgrade’s trust in Pristina and its capacity to negotiate in good faith has understandably decreased. Djuric stressed that for Serbia it is of outmost significance to have the support of the United Nations regarding the status issue of Kosovo and Metohija, fundamental principles of international law, which is also reflected in Security Council Resolution 1244, reads the statement.
Nikolic: Belgrade-Pristina relations at lowest level (Tanjug/Beta/B92/RTS)
Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic assessed today in St. Petersburg, where he will open the Serbian Consulate that the present relations between Belgrade and Pristina were at the lowest possible level over the attack of the Pristina administration on Serbian property in Kosovo and Metohija. According to him, this could end in agreement but could also end very badly since Serbia is ready to respond to these attacks in every manner. “We will respond in the same way that the Albanians behave in the future, and they should not count on the fact that they can play with us or that somebody will bomb us again, since it is obvious that Serbia has behaved much better than what anyone would have behaved in this situation,” said Nikolic. Therefore, Serbia has a big problem with Kosovo and Metohija and this problem is reflecting on our relationship with the EU. He pointed out that Serbia would never recognize the unilaterally declared Kosovo independence. “No EU official has ever said that we will have to do this, but the European Parliament, which also decides on our membership, has its representatives who are constantly stating that they will never pass a decision on our membership until we sign an inter-state agreement with Kosovo and Metohija. This probably implies demarcation, good neighborly relations,” said Nikolic. He reminds that there are five members inside the EU that do not recognize Kosovo’s independence. “These five members have not decided not to recognize Kosovo and Metohija over some big friendship towards Serbia, but because they feel that they themselves could have the same problem, and then they wouldn’t have what to lean on when they fight for protection of their sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said the President. He points out that Kosovo is a province within Serbia. “After the bombardment, with which NATO attempted to bring by force the so-called KLA to power, when it turned out that Yugoslavia had much greater military force than what they had estimated and a much larger military factor that prevented them from enslaving us easily and intimidating us with bombs that were falling on cities and elsewhere, then they turned to agreement and Yugoslavia entered this agreement,” said Nikolic. He recalled that the then Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia accepted the Ahtisaari-Chernomyrdin plan, but then arrived the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 according to which Serbia is a sovereign state that includes Kosovo that has essential autonomy. “According to this agreement we handed over Kosovo and Metohija to the United Nations for administration, the so-called UNMIK organization, which was supposed to rule and implement laws in Kosovo and Metohija until we and the Albanians agree,” said Nikolic. However, he pointed out, each high representative of the UN, assisted by NATO, promoted independence of Kosovo and Metohija, and handed over one by one jurisdiction of Serbia, without its will and consent, to the provisional administration in Pristina,” said Nikolic. “We launched serious talks with the Albanians in faith and hope that we can establish a good life for all residents in Kosovo and Metohija, and later to agree how and what we will do,” said Nikolic. The clear intention of the Albanians to gain independence had been demonstrated, as well as the clear intention of EU representatives to help them in this, said Nikolic. Therefore, the Serbian President thinks that the “United Nations are our only protection, the Security Council is part of the United Nations through which the idea on independence of Kosovo and Metohija will never pass”.
Letters to UNSC and EU member states (Novosti)
The government gave yesterday instructions for all UNSC and EU member states to be informed immediately on Serbia’s stands regarding the moves of the provisional self-government in Pristina that violate Resolution 1244, while the Office for Kosovo and Metohija was ordered to propose the formation of a legal-expert team that will formulate further steps towards preserving Serbia’s property, Novosti was told by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.
Office for Kosovo and Metohija: Pristina wants to also seize the property of the church (Novosti)
Ignoring the will of the Serb political representatives and Serbs interests in Kosovo, the Kosovo Assembly has adopted one more law (on strategic investments) that most directly makes senseless the agreement on the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities,” the Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced. They explain that this law encroaches on the jurisdiction that belongs to the future community according to this agreement.
Committee for Kosovo and Metohija session to be open for public on 17 October (RTS)
The session of the Committee for Kosovo and Metohija has been scheduled for 17 October and it will be open for public, its Chairman Milovan Drecun said. He says the session will discuss property in Kosovo and Metohija and the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric will attend it. According to Drecun, the session will examine the report on the work of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. The third item will be election of members of the working group for collecting facts on crimes committed by the terrorist KLA, said Drecun.
Reactions to government decision (RTS/B92)
MPs of opposition parties urged the Chairman of the parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun to convene a session as soon as possible. They expect to be informed on the course of negotiations with the provisional institutions of the self-government in Pristina under the auspices of the EU, with a view to specifically addressing the Trepca issue.
Caucus whip of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Djordje Milicevic said parliament that the Serbian government had passed the only possible correct decision in regard to Trepca. Milicevic says he is disappointed because one part of the opposition parties criticizes the Serbian government decision for the sake of cheap political points. He says that the SPS caucus strongly supports the government decision.
Democratic Party (DS) MP Gordana Comic assessed in parliament that it is good that the government will not request a Security Council session and international arbitrage over Trepca.
According to her, it is also good that the government showed that it doesn’t consider Pristina’s decisions valid in regard to the ownership and rights it has in Trepca. “The bad thing is that the Prime Minister has not acquainted associates with this in due time, so they presented the stand on the Security Council and arbitrage in public and practically called for the disruption of the Brussels agreement,” said Comic.
Dveri caucus whip Bosko Obradovic said that the Serbian government had shown its impotence in the decision regarding Trepca. He also said that “it is well known that the EU is sponsoring the independent Kosovo and everything the administration in Pristina is doing” and added that “there’s no happiness for Serbia to be found in Brussels (headquarters of the EU).”
Brussels postpones EC report, no new chapters (Danas)
Despite announcements that the annual report of the European Commission on progress of states, including Serbia, towards EU membership, this will not occur on 9 November, diplomatic circles in Brussels unofficially told Danas. According to them, the reason for the possible postponement for these reports refers to Turkey, just as was the case last year. According to earlier information, the upcoming EC report, Belgrade will be told to continue the process of economic reforms, to invest additional efforts in rule of law, independent judiciary, and fight against corruption.
Court confirms ruling against NGO in favor of Dikovic (RTS)
The Appellate Court in Belgrade overruled the appeal of Natasa Kandic of the Fond for Humanitarian Law, thereby confirming an earlier ruling whereby the Fond is required to pay compensation in money to Serbian Army Chief-of-Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic over libel and offense of honor. According to a statement by Dikovic’s legal representatives given to Radio and Television of Serbia, the Humanitarian Law Fond will have to pay 550,000 dinars to Dikovic following its groundless accusations of war crime in Kosovo in 1999 in its publication “Ljubisa Dikovic file”. Dikovic earlier announced he will give away this amount to charity. During the 1999 war, Dikovic served as commander of the 37th Brigade of Mechanized Infantry from Raska, which fought in Kosovo.
REGIONAL PRESS
CEC publishes preliminary and incomplete results of local elections in Srebrenica: Grujicic has 2,000 votes more than Durakovic (N1)
The Central Election Commission of B&H (CEC) published on Tuesday preliminary and incomplete results of local elections in Srebrenica, after ballots from all polling stations were counted. Ballots from five disputed polling stations were recounted at the Main Counting Center, after the Municipal Election Commission of Srebrenica detected some irregularities. CEC explained that ballots from voting by mail, voting in absence and by mobile teams have not been added yet. According to new results, Serb candidate Mladen Grujicic won 4,553 votes, while Bosniak candidate Camil Durakovic won 2,567 votes. According to Grujicic, he expects to be the winner even after the votes by mail and in absence are counted. He said that not more than 1,200 ballots can arrive from the FB&H, while around 1,700 ballots are expected by mail, of which at least 405 voters support him. On the other hand, Durakovic said they will file an appeal after the election results are confirmed, because there is material evidence. Durakovic also said that final result of elections is still unknown, considering the fact that votes of those who voted in absence, as well as part of votes of those who voted via post, have not been counted yet. “There were around 1,700 persons who had right to vote in absence, and around 1,600 of those who had right to vote via post,” explained Durakovic.
Commenting on the elections in Srebrenica, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic expressed hope that everything will be finished in line with the law.
Covic: State institutions have to establish all facts related to Stolac (TV1)
Asked whether the issue of elections in Stolac and Srebrenica, as well as issue of Mostar can disturb relations among coalition partners, Croat member of B&H Presidency and leader of HDZ B&H Dragan Covic underlined that issues of Srebrenica and Stolac are not related in any way. He added that resolving of Stolac issue is the situation where state institutions must show their credibility. “Those who made a problem and physically attacked a President of Municipal Election Commission cannot go without sanctions”, emphasized Covic. Asked whether it is possible that the issue of Stolac will be solved in the way that repeated elections in this town are held under supervision of the international community, Covic stressed that there cannot be any supervision of the international community. “It is clear who organizes and implements elections in B&H,” stated the Croat member of B&H Presidency adding that country aspiring to become the EU member cannot ask someone else to do its job. Covic also said that state institutions have to establish all facts related to developments that resulted in halting of election process in Stolac. “All those who violated the law in any way, must face consequences,” explained Covic. He underlined that there is no single reason not to have new elections held in Stolac very soon.
Ivanic: B&H Council of Ministers not to be reshuffled (N1)
A series of meetings of coalition leaders of state and FB&H authorities took place in Sarajevo on Tuesday, at which it was concluded that both FB&H and state coalitions are stable, but with different views and doubts in some joint projects. Firstly, members of B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic, Bakir Izetbegovic, and Dragan Covic held regular consultations. After that Ivanic met with Serb representatives in B&H Council of Ministers (CoM), on which occasion it was confirmed that the Alliance for Changes (SzP) is stable and that there will be no changes in B&H CoM. “There are no changes or any demands for change in the parliamentary majority. The local elections have nothing to do with this and therefore the SzP will continue to function regularly within B&H CoM,” Ivanic said.
RS Assembly adopts report on results of referendum on RS Day (BHT1)
At the session in Banja Luka on Tuesday, the RS Assembly adopted the report on results of the referendum on the RS Day that was organized on September 25. Regardless of decisions of the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H, the RS Assembly adopted the conclusion that results of the referendum are valid thanks to participation of 55.78 percent of citizens of the RS, 99.81 percent of whom gave a positive response to the referendum question. The RSNA put an end to tenure of the RS Commission for Referendum and also authorized its members to participate in the process before the CC B&H. The RSNA also adopted the conclusion proposed by the Caucuses of SDS, PDP and NDP, which demands from the RS government to provide financial and other forms of assistance to members of the RS Commission for Referendum in possible processes before judicial institutions of B&H. The MPs from the Coalition ‘Domovina’ did not attend the session during the discussion on the aforementioned report. RSNA Deputy Speaker Senad Bratic stated that the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H is now expected to make the next move, calling on this institution to protect the constitutional order of B&H as well as implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords. He also called for sanctions against everyone who is responsible for these activities.
B&H Constitutional Court requested to assess constitutionality of 1 March (Srna)
Members comprising a majority in the Republika Srpska Assembly filed a motion with the B&H Constitutional Court requesting that it assesses the constitutionality of the B&H law declaring 1 March as B&H Independence Day. The Head of the SNSD Caucus Radovan Viskovic told reporters in Banja Luka that 1 March does not reflect the will of all the three constituent peoples in B&H. “This date has been declared [a holiday] without Serb representatives. It is tied exclusively to Bosniaks and Croats, and by that, the Serbian people was placed in a subordinate position. The B&H Constitutional Court must protect the rights of all in B&H, including the Serbs. March 1 is celebrated in only one part of B&H,” Viskovic has said. He said that the motion regarding March 1 was filed by all members comprising a majority in the Republika Srpska Assembly. The motion was not signed by the opposition and members of the ‘Domovina’ Coalition. Viskovic added that 45 members comprising a parliamentary majority supported the motion by their signatures.
Nearly 200,000 registered that should not have been registered (Srna)
Post-census survey of the 2013 census of population, households and dwellings in B&H showed that 5.59 percent of registered persons should not have been registered. At the presentation of the census survey results, Assistant Director of the B&H Agency for Statistics Edin Sabanovic said that it is expected that there are slightly less than 200,000 persons who should not have been registered. According to him, such persons should not have been registered because they are not resident population. “All those who are not resident possess ID card and are in the CIPS database. This over coverage of 5.59 percent is not negligible. In highly developed countries with good statistics, usual rate of over-coverage is less than one percent,” explained Sabanovic. He has added that those who were supposed to be registered will be more than 40,000. Sabanovic has stated that the comparison of data of both survey and the census was done by internationally recognized dual system method and that most indicators show no drastically huge errors. The survey was conducted between 2 and 10 November 2013 on a sample of 240, or one percent of enumeration areas in 107 municipalities in B&H, and data on about 12,000 households or 12.00 housing units and nearly 37,500 persons were collected. Sabanovic has stressed that the survey aims at examining the impact of defects that occurred and obtaining useful information to be used for future research planning. Director of the B&H Agency for Statistics Velimir Jukic, has said that the mission of the International Monitoring Operation (IOM) was in B&H for past 10 days and worked on the quality assessment in register-based census. The population census in B&H was conducted from 1 to 15 October 2013 and was followed by a series of delays and disputes related to the release of the census results followed. After the session of the Central Census Bureau B&H on 18 May, it was announced that the census data processing methodology was adopted. Based on the decision of the National Assembly, Republika Srpska did not accept the data processing methodology due to disagreement on the treatment method of resident population. According to this methodology, 3,531,159 persons are permanently residing in B&H; of whom 2,219,220, or 62.85 percent, reside in the Federation B&H, 1,228,423, or 34.79 percent, in Republika Srpska and 83.516 or 2.37 percent in Brcko District. According to the results published, 50.11 percent of Bosniaks, 30.78 percent of Serbs and 15.43 percent of Croats are residing in B&H.
DF claims to have evidence that DPS is to commit electoral fraud (CDM)
Democratic Front (DF) will submit information it obtained to the special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic. The information is related to abuse that Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) is preparing for the upcoming general elections. DF official Slaven Radunovic said that when it comes to the people who will arrive from abroad and do not have permanent residence in Montenegro, the alliance prepared forms for each country potential voters are coming from.
“Immediately after we establish the facts that they participated in the elections using the rights arising from having domicile in Montenegro, we will inform the authorities in their cities of residence in the countries where they come from that they voted in Montenegro on the basis of the rights of domicile,” Radunovic said at a press conference yesterday. He added that no one can have two domiciles. “They will automatically loose rights arising from residence in those countries,” he said. “We will do this to protect the free will of the Montenegrin citizens who live in Montenegro and who are only who under the Constitution have the right to decide who will lead this country,” said Radunovic. He said that criminal procedures against these people will be initiated in Montenegro as well.
DF official Nebojsa Medojevic said that the political alliance has information obtained from the top of DPS that the ruling party “is preparing organized election fraud”. “One way to commit the fraud is to use phantom voters – i.e. falsify ID cards of the voters who will not come to the polls and people who do not live in Montenegro will use them to vote,” Medojevic said at the press conference. He said that, according to DF’s information, “Bulgarian mafia specialized in identity document forgery” is helping them in falsifying ID cards. “The contact person is Vesko Dimitrov Bratko – it is the name they know him under – and Z.Dz, a man from Podgorica, from Karabusko Polje area, is the courier and contact person who is to ensure delivering the forged ID cards to Montenegro,” Medojevic said. He said that all the pieces of information about these issues DF would submit to the special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic and they would urge him to immediately initiate proceedings and investigations, arrest suspects, provide evidence and prevent a violent attack against the constitutional order and elections regularity. Medojevic said that 2,500-3,000 people from the Serbian and Kosovo cities of Sjenica, Novi Pazar, Gnjilane, Tutin and Pec were mobilized to come and vote on behalf of Montenegrins who live abroad and would not come to the polls. “With help of the National Security Agency (ANB) officers, they will be deployed at polling stations and vote on behalf of voters who will certainly not come to vote. Those voters received invitation to vote, changed their ID cards eight days ago and they are registered in the electoral roll,” Medojevic said. He explained that someone would falsify personal information on an ID card and other people would be able to vote on behalf of the phantom voters. “The Bijelo Polje ANB center will be in charge of the operation,” Medojevic said. He added that that these days DPS is buying ID cards. “Unfortunately for DPS, identity cards redemption goes really bad. They cannot collect nearly as many ID cards as they need to prevent democratic forces’ victory,” said Medojevic. He also argues that the state security service agents plan to wear T-shirts with DF’s slogan “mi ili on” (us or him) on the election day and to cause incidents in the afternoon. “They plan to drive across the city with flags and stone Pink TV and DPS headquarters, as well as to attack their staff, cause numerous related incidents, prevent the counting of votes and provoke a state of emergency in order to prevent the proclamation of the victory of DF and the rest of the opposition,” Medojevic said. He said that DF is doing so well in these elections, that it has no interest or plan or idea to initiate any incidents. “The only one who has an interest to cause instability and unrest in Montenegro, who has the resources and the motive is Milo Djukanovic supported by Dusko Markovic,” said Medojevic. He pointed out that DF talked to the head of the OSCE monitoring mission in Podgorica, Roman Jakic and presented their information on DPS’ plans.
New elections – old tradition: Residents of Tuzi provoking DPS with Albanian flags? (CDM)
Albanian flags have flown in Tuzi again. It remains unclear whether holding convention of Forca-Democtratic Union of Albanians-Albanian Alternative was the reason for this or residents of Tuzi provoke DPS in this way, since that party has had a convention in Tuzi. The first candidates of the lists “Albanians Resolute” Genci Nimanbegu and “With a Single Purpose” Gzim Hajdinaga said in an interview to CDM that they approve flying Albanian flag in Montenegro. “Not only that I approve it, I also actively participate in these celebrations. I’m sorry because there are people in Montenegro today who mind flying of our flag freely,” Nimanbegu said. Hajdinaga, long-time minister for human and minority rights, said he knew democratic practice and theory and that everyone has the right to act as they want as long as they do not violate other people rights. “This applies to using flags as well, particularly when it comes to sports and cultural events,” he said.
INTERNATIONAL PRESS
OSCE PA vice-president to monitor election in Montenegro (Trend, 12 October 2016)
Baku, Azerbaijan – Azay Guliyev, Azerbaijani MP, vice-president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) will be on a visit to Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, on October 12-18, the Azerbaijani parliament told Trend. Guliyev will pay a visit as the head of the OSCE PA’s mission which was sent to observe the parliamentary election in Montenegro, the message said.
According to the message, during the visit, Guliyev will hold meetings with Montenegro’s officials and MPs, representatives of political parties, participating in the election, as well as representatives of NGOs and media. Guliyev will review the situation on the eve of election, the message said. The Azerbaijani MP will observe the voting process at the polling stations, voter turnout and the vote counting procedure October 16, the message said. According to the message, the next day, Guliyev will make a conclusion of the OSCE PA’s observation mission public following the election.
Montenegro election becomes referendum on Russia vs Nato (bne IntelliNews, by Clare Nuttall in Bucharest, 12 October 2016)
Geopolitical issues have dominated the campaign ahead of Montenegro’s October 16 general election, as Moscow-backed opposition parties seek to put the brakes on the tiny country’s progress towards Nato accession. Polls show the election is on a knife edge, with Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic’s Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) just one point ahead of a recently-formed coalition of opposition parties determined to oust the DPS. This could see Djukanovic forced out of power after being either Montenegro’s president or prime minister for most of the last 25 years. It’s possible that Djukanovic will scrape together a majority with Pozitivna Crna Gora, if the small party manages to take seats in the parliament. If not, the DPS’s former coalition party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) will play kingmaker in an election that is set to determine Montenegro’s geopolitical course. The agreement on Montenegro’s membership is currently being ratified by Nato members and the country is most likely to join in the first half of 2017 – depending on the outcome of the general election. Several Montenegrin opposition parties, in particular the Democratic Front (DF), are determined to steer the country away from Nato membership – in some cases even away from EU integration – and back towards Moscow. They want a referendum to be held on whether Montenegro, which received an invitation from Nato in December 2015, should join the alliance. A group of opposition parties – the Kljuc (Key) coalition, the DF and the Demokratska Crna Gora party – recently signed an agreement to form a new government if they manage to defeat the DPS. At a rally in Djukanovic’s hometown Niksic on October 9, Branko Radulovic, one of the leaders of the DF, stressed that a referendum on Nato membership would be held after the election if the prime minister and ruling party are ousted. The fate of the country will be decided “in Montenegro and not in various embassies”, Radulovic told supporters. However, it’s not clear whether a referendum would have the desired results for the opposition; polls show a gradual shift from a roughly 50/50 split on the issue to a majority in favour of Nato entry.
Making choices
Zlatko Vujovic, president of the governing board of Montenegrin think tank Centre for Monitoring and Research (CEMI), says Montenegro’s geopolitical orientation has been the main issue during the campaign. “International policy issues are very important. The conflict between Russia and the US and EU is dominant, especially because Montenegro has signed an accession protocol with Nato, and could join in the first half of 2017. There has been a huge investment by the opposition and some entities from Russia to stop that process,” he tells bne IntelliNews.
It’s no surprise that Moscow has been resistant to Montenegro joining Nato. The tiny Adriatic country has long been a favoured holiday and investment destination for Russians. However, without ever making a dramatic pivot, Podgorica has been increasingly oriented towards the West; like the other Western Balkan nations its top international goal is entry to the EU. Prioritising EU (and to a lesser extent Nato) accession has meant making choices between the West and Russia, most importantly the decision to join western sanctions against Russia, which Montenegro did in 2014. This angered Moscow, which has seen its former allies in the Balkans slipping away. Even Serbia failed to line up with Moscow over the recent referendum in Bosnia’s Republika Srpska, evidently because progress on its EU accession path was more important. Now, Russia’s allies in the region are dwindling to tiny enclaves like Republika Srpska (whose president visited Moscow immediately before the referendum) and the breakaway Moldovan republic of Transnistria. Djukanovic openly accused Russia of meddling in Montenegrin politics in October 2015, when Podgorica was waiting for Nato’s decision on the country’s membership. He accused Russia of trying to stir up opposition parties – which had staged a series of protests often ending in clashes with police – with the aim of presenting an image of instability. Djukanovic also claimed that nationalists from Belgrade (who believe their country should still be allied with Serbia) along with the Serbian Orthodox church were backing the protesters. A year later, there are widespread claims of Russian funding for the opposition. The DF has produced a series of lavish and professional campaign adverts, which many in Montenegro claim were made with funding from Russia. One shows Montenegrins giving bribes to officials, with the largest – a whole briefcase full of notes – being handed over to a Djukanovic lookalike in the presidential office. “Corruption in Montenegro begins with one man,” says the video, which ends with the Djukanovic lookalike exiting his office with his personal possessions in a cardboard box. More worryingly, the DF has already raised questions about the legitimacy of the elections. Unlike other opposition parties, it opted against signing up to a power sharing deal with the DPS aimed at ensuring the legitimacy of the elections. As part of the effort to ensure free and fair elections, opposition parties were invited to take over several ministries earlier this year. The process has not been perfect – notably Internal Affairs Minister Goran Danilovic, one of the opposition appointees, refused to sign off the electoral roll because of serious irregularities. This was party because of the technical difficulties in collating data from several different registries, but there are also reports that DPS appointees within the ministry had obstructed Danilovic’s efforts to sort out the problems ahead of the elections. However, it is seen as at least a first step towards fairer, less contentious elections. “A lot of effort has been invested to have legitimate elections. There are some risks and concerns but I think we have a lot of the tools to organise a good election,” says Vujovic. “State abuses have been prevented, at least to some extent, by the inclusion of opposition ministers in the government.” He forecasts that while imperfect, the October election will at least be “decent” and will lay the groundwork for the next presidential election. Indeed for the first time in Montenegro’s decade of independence, the collapse of the long-standing DPS-SDP coalition means the election is anyone’s game. The two sides are now fighting to control Montenegro’s future direction.
Montenegro’s Risky Assession into NATO (The National Interest, by J.D. Gordon, 11 October 2016)
National elections in Montenegro will affect the future of our European alliances.
As Americans and Europeans remain transfixed by every tweet, cough, sniffle and old video clip associated with the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, other events are happening that may affect the future of our European allies. For that, we ought to direct some of our attention to national elections in Montenegro on October 16. Though many have never even heard of Montenegrin parliamentary elections, we ignore the tiny Adriatic nation at our own peril. While it is true they are not electing the leader of the free world, their selection of prime minister is of vastly outsized importance to its population of just under 650,000. That is because under the steady expansion of NATO eastward since the Cold War ended, the Alliance signed the paperwork for Montenegro’s accession earlier this May. Which means that the world’s most powerful military alliance of twenty-eight nations with a combined total defense budget of around $900 billion is signing up our troops to defend a tiny Balkan nation. Montenegro is also one of the world’s newest states. Previously part of Yugoslavia, it gained independence from Serbia in 2006. It is also one of the most notoriously corrupt. As Transparency International’s country summary begins, “Corruption remains one of the key challenges that Montenegro faces in the process of its further democratization.” James Bond fans may recognize Montenegro as the backdrop for “Casino Royale,” the so-called Monte Carlo of Eastern Europe. By all accounts, what goes on behind the scenes at the highest levels of government is a Hollywood filmmaker’s dream come true.
And that’s quite disturbing.
The concern goes far beyond NATO allies paying the agreed upon 2 percent of national GDP on defense spending. Only five are currently meeting those obligations: The United States, United Kingdom, Poland, Estonia and Greece. No, this problem goes much deeper. Admitting Montenegro to NATO “as is,” without meaningful reforms, and now for the West to allow poorly supervised parliamentary elections with insufficient monitoring is a risky business simply for the level of corruption and related liabilities it incurs. Some analysts even call Montenegro a “mafia state.”
So how bad is it?
Just a quick primer on Montenegro’s strongman, prime minister Milo Djukanovic, and his family is eye opening. Even getting past the fact he has ruled Montenegro for twenty-five years, his attacks on the free press have allowed corruption to fester while undermining a Western-style democracy. So much so that Freedom House wrote an open letter to Djukanovic in 2014 chastising him with the reminder that when he visited the White House earlier that year, Vice President Joe Biden “emphasized the importance of strengthening democratic institutions” in Montenegro’s aspirations to join NATO and the EU. Since NATO accession is a done deal, we ought to know what we’re getting in Djukanovic as his list of corruption runs long and deep.
For instance:
A $1 billion cigarette-smuggling ring.
According to court documents revealed in Italian and Swiss trials in 2009, Italy’s anti-mafia commission implicated Mr. Djukanovic for a cigarette-smuggling ring, which allegedly laundered over $1 billion in profits. Moreover, it was not mere hearsay; the evidence presented in court included hundreds of pages of transcripts from wiretapped conversations, law enforcement reports and subsequent indictments. Yet Djukanovic was not charged directly because of diplomatic immunity as the head of state.
Telecommunications bribery.
Djukanovic’s sister, a powerful attorney named Ana Kolarevic, involved him in a Telecommunications bribery scheme in which Magyar Telekom, a Hungarian company, acquired Montenegro’s state-owned enterprise. Under U.S. law, since Magyar trades on the New York Stock Exchange, it along with parent company Deutsche Telekom of Germany, was ordered by the U.S. Justice Department and Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to pay nearly $64 million in criminal penalties. During the settlement, Magyar admitted to dispensing roughly $9 million in shadow contracts to bribe “at least two government officials” in addition to Kolarevic.
Montenegro as a personal ATM.
According to a joint report by the BBC and Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a 2010 Price Waterhouse accounting audit showed that the Djukanovic family and their associates treated Montenegro’s Prva Bank, a.k.a. “First Bank,” “like an ATM machine.” The scheme involved his sister and brother setting up a bank in 2006 and quickly turning it into Montenegro’s second largest financial institution. Then it issued massive loans backed by government funds to the Djukanovic family and cronies. Which were of course not repaid, forcing Prva to go bankrupt by 2008.
Silencing the press. Literally.
Dusko Jovanovic, the editor-in-chief of Dan, the opposition newspaper, was shot and killed outside his office in Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, in 2004. Even though the family’s lawyer asked the court to issue a summons for Mr. Djukanovic, that request was denied.
Arms smuggling.
Montenegro has become a major hub for arms trafficking in Europe, not unlike other former Yugoslav republics. This is what happens when the black market runs amok in countries with poor internal security and large weapons caches left over from former powerful militaries.
Predictably, semiautomatic weapons and stores of ammunition are falling into the hands of Islamist terror networks and sympathizers throughout Europe. In the wake of the Paris terror attacks last year, French authorities believed the Kalashnikovs came from the Balkans. Just a tiny fraction of the estimated four thousand military-grade weapons smuggled from places like Montenegro into France. Despite Djukanovic’s track record of corruption and mismanagement on display for all Montenegrins to see, he dismisses periodic mass protests as Moscow-inspired rabble rousing, orchestrated to keep the country out of NATO. These dismissals ring hollow considering all his pro-NATO critics. From the NATO perspective, given all the potential liabilities in Montenegro accession, it raises serious questions as to why leaders in Brussels would move forward in the first place. What gives? Perhaps part of the reason is that since Croatia and Albania were admitted into NATO in 2009, Montenegro is now the only patch along the Adriatic Sea that isn’t part of the alliance. Given Montenegro’s strategic location and non-aligned status, NATO military planners do not want to risk leaving any flanks exposed, which is understandable from a purely military perspective. Yet admission into NATO cannot be a license to steal elections. NATO is an alliance of democracies. Beyond meeting military standards, Washington and Brussels must insist that aspiring countries adhere to Western democratic values, including commitments to government transparent elections, free speech, rule of law, and anti-corruption measures. Mr. Djukanovic must be sent clear signals. First, NATO isn’t a “get out of jail free” card. Second, he must not be allowed to steal the elections. And third, he must realize he is not above the law, and the world is paying attention. Let us recall that Croatia’s former prime minister Ivo Sanader received a ten-year jail sentence for bribery-related corruption not long after his country’s admission. Djukanovic should also accept that Montenegro has seventeen political parties, not one. His ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) must be held accountable to ensure a free, fair and transparent process. The United States and the EU should maintain close contact with all political forces of the small republic – not just with the ruling Godfather. This minimum would be expected of an NATO invitee. American and European leaders should help see to it.
J.D. Gordon is a retired Navy Commander and former Pentagon spokesman who served from 2005-2009. He has also served as a Senior National Security & Foreign Policy Advisor to Republican Presidential Candidates Donald Trump, Gov. Mike Huckabee and Herman Cain.
