LOCAL PRESS

Nikolic: Serbia continues to rely on Russia (Tanjug/RTS/Beta)

Serbia is continuing to rely on Russia and it will never introduce sanctions against it, notwithstanding the pressures, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said. In the Rectory of the Belgrade University, at the opening of the Development center of the Russian geographical society in Serbia, Nikolic said that Russia was a country without whose standpoint no important international issue could be resolved. “We are aware that without cooperation with Russia we would not be capable to, to a full extent, achieve our state interests among which the most important is the preservation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity, especially before the international organizations”, he said. “For us it is a clear signal that Serbia has become an important point of strength in the geo-strategic deliberations of Russia, which has been one of our most important strengths during virtually our entire history,” Nikolic claims.

Dacic: There will be no future if past is the only future (Tanjug/Beta)

Stability is the foundation of any progress, and without it – even if it is lacking in just a part of the region – the entire region will not be attractive for investments, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said Monday. In that case we will be dealing with topics from the past, rather than with forging ties and investments, Dacic said at the 16th Serbian Economic Summit, organized by TGI Group International. “We cannot erase the past, but if the past is the only future, we will not have a future at all,” he said. That is why it is important that there is political will in all countries to try and find a common denominator, even the lowest one, and talk more about what they agree on, while discussing open issues in an open dialogue, Dacic said. Economic growth and macroeconomic stability is a key, if not the most significant, priority for the Serbian government, he said.

EU encourages Serbia to continue reforms, normalize ties with Pristina (Tanjug)

The EU has encouraged Serbia to intensify implementation of reforms in key areas such as the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organized crime, and freedom of expression and the media, and also expects Belgrade to further normalize its ties with Pristina and align its foreign policy with the EU. In a report on the priorities of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy for 2016, released on Monday, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini said that, as part of its EU accession talks, Serbia was expected to focus on rule of law, having opened Chapters 23 and 24. “The EU encourages Serbia to take this positive momentum forward and to intensify legislative reforms and their effective implementation in the key areas of judicial reform, fight against corruption and organized crime, and freedom of expression and the media.”

Vucic acknowledges EU’s objections (Tanjug/B92)

“I have acknowledged it,” was Aleksandar Vucic’s response when asked about the objections made in Federica Mogherini’s report. “How did they put when I spoke about Trepca? That they acknowledged it? Now I have acknowledged those objections, both the praise and the objections,” he told reporters while touring a factory in Leskovac, southern Serbia, when asked to comment on the report that was published on Monday.

Miscevic: Goal is all negotiating chapters to be opened in 2018 (Novosti)

The goal of the Serbian government is that all chapters to be opened by the end of 2018, Head of Serbia’s negotiating team for EU Accession Tanja Miscevic said. She said at the presentation of the Draft Strategy and the Action Plan for the harmonized area within the Chapter 1 – Free movement of goods, that a part was the strategy making for the acceptance of the EU standards, and the second was how long will Serbia still use the old standards, so that it can function without restrictions on the EU market. This suggests that it is not so simple to open Chapter 1 so soon, but the good thing is that when a country opens it, the negotiations are much shorter, because everything is strategically planned and already agreed, she said.

Brussels dialogue to resume Wednesday (Tanjug)

The Belgrade-Pristina expert-level dialogue will resume in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday, with the Belgrade delegation to be headed by the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric. The discussions will focus on the current state of the dialogue and implementation of agreements on freedom of movement and education degrees, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement. Besides officials of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and the Office for Coordination of Affairs in the Process of Negotiation with the Provisional Institutions of Local Self-Government in Pristina, the Belgrade delegation will include officials of the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.

Vulin: Western Balkan route very much alive (Tanjug)

Serbian Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Aleksandar Vulin warned officials of the European External Action Service in Brussels Monday that the Western Balkans route is not closed. Vulin spoke with the Director for Western Europe, the Western Balkans and Turkey at EEAS Angelina Eichhorst and stressed that the Western Balkans route is not closed and that, unfortunately, adequate political decisions have not been made yet. “The Western Balkans route is very much alive and Serbia cannot deal with the consequences of the migrant crisis alone,” said Vulin. He stated that, this time, he asked for European help in the form of better access to funds, but also access to adequate political decision-making that will influence a resolution of the migrant crisis problem.

REGIONAL PRESS

DIK did not establish election results (IN4S)

According to the latest IN4S reports, members of the State Electoral Commission (DIK) split around 4 a.m. since DPS members in this state institution weren’t able to secure a majority whereby DIK would announce the preliminary results of the 2016 parliamentary elections. The legal obligation to announce preliminary results expired at 2 a.m. and DIK was unable to respect the law. Most of DIK members demanded not to announce preliminary results before facts of the so-called state coup are established. “It is impossible to freely vote and at the same time to perform a state coup on the same day, and then to establish these results, which were accompanied by thousands of mistakes, bribery, political corruption and numerous irregularities, as fair and free,” most of the lawyers in DIK announced last night. Further work of DIK has been brought into question since, following a flagrant violation of the law and disrespect of prescribed deadlines, so the expectation is that relations between two opposed legal interpretations will escalate. The DPS found itself in an awkward situation as it didn’t have enough votes to announce preliminary election results. This is the why the session of the commission was disrupted.

Montenegrin opposition: We do not recognize elections on the day of a coup (RTCG/RTS)

Representatives of the DF, Kljuc Coalition, Democratic Party and Social-Democratic Party held a meeting where it was decided that they did not recognize the results of the parliamentary elections. The opposition insists that an independent commission, which should also include international representatives, should examine facts in regard to the alleged coup and tell the public who are the perpetrators and masterminds of this criminal offence. RTS’ reporter notes that this commission should also include Serbian representatives since its citizens are being charged with the coup.

DF: We are prepared to support minority government (Vijesti)

The Democratic Front is prepared to support a minority government in Montenegro with the intention of removing the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) from power, Vijesti reports. Quoting sources from the DF, Vijesti writes that the DF Presidency unanimously passed the decision that this coalition was prepared to offer minority support for the government to be formed without the DPS, meaning the DF will not take part in it.

International observers: Citizens voted freely, election day went smoothly (CDM)

Parliamentary elections in Montenegro were held in good spirit of cooperation, the International Election Observation Mission of the OSCE and the Council of Europe assessed. “The people voted in a free and dignified manner. Election day proceeded in a calm and orderly manner, without intimidation and with few isolated incidents observed. The elections have shown the aspiration of the people of Montenegro to be fully engaged in building the stable democratic future of their country”, the election observation mission stated. They also observed the media for six weeks. The monitoring has shown that media approach was pluralistic, but they lacked editorial analyses. “We saw that the diverse media environment remained politically polarized and lacked editorial independence and in-depth reporting. Lack of editorial independence limits the analytical information available to voters,” Montenegrin journalists were told. The mission also monitored the representation of women. It noted that no candidate list was led by woman.

“However, 32 per cent of candidates were women. It remains to be seen how many women will actually get seats in the parliament,” the mission said. The mission only noted yesterday’s arrests and temporary suspension of the internet services Viber and WhatsApp. As explained, they cannot interfere in those issues.

Mogherini and Hahn on the elections: We look forward to swift formation of a new government (CDM)

Regarding the general elections that were held yesterday in Montenegro, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn pointed out that they look forward to the constitution of a new parliament, swift formation of a new government and to the continuation of Montenegro’s stable path towards Euro-Atlantic integration. “The people of Montenegro voted in parliamentary and local elections yesterday, in a calm and orderly manner and under a reformed legal framework. The elections were observed by local and international observers, accredited by the State Electoral Commission. The observation mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights assessed in its preliminary statement that the Parliamentary elections were held in a competitive environment and characterized by a general respect for fundamental freedoms, and that the positive changes observed demonstrate a genuine will to improve the process. Any cases of procedural irregularities observed need to be duly followed up by competent authorities and other shortcomings reported by the observers need to be addressed,” Mogherini and Hahn said in a joint statement.

B&H CEC adopts decision on publication of results of local elections in B&H (TV1)

The B&H Central Election Commission (CEC) adopted on Monday a decision on publication of results of the local elections in B&H. Nearly 2,000 postal votes will not be included in final results, given the fact that they were not delivered to the B&H CEC within the legally prescribed deadline of two days following the elections. Three members of the B&H CEC voted in favor of counting and including of these votes in final results, while four members voted against it.

Member of the B&H CEC Irena Hadziabdic stressed that she raised the issue of such a short deadline at the beginning of September, but this issue was not discussed at all. “Now that I saw that the case is about a number of votes and that the rights of voters might be violated, I proposed a conclusion to count these votes after all,” she explained. Member of the B&H CEC Vlado Rogic emphasized that three members who voted against such proposal were only respecting the rulebook. Member of the B&H CEC Branko Petric argued that members who participate in decision-making are not obliged to report to anyone on their way of voting. Member of the B&H CEC Suad Arnautovic noted that he supports the decision on publication of the results, but he also requested a dissenting opinion on the elections in Srebrenica. Political parties and candidates have a two-day deadline to file complaints and appeals the published results of local elections in B&H.

Durakovic refuses to declare election defeat in Srebrenica, intends to file complaint (TV1)

Speaking at a press conference in Srebrenica on Monday, independent candidate for the Head of Srebrenica Municipality Camil Durakovic announced that his team of lawyers will file a complaint about the decision on publication of results of the local elections in B&H, insisting that the election process in Srebrenica should be repeated. He stressed that they will try to dispute the results of the elections in Srebrenica presenting a series of evidence. He refuses to declare the election defeat, explaining that he cannot do that until the election process has been completed. “We have a proof indicating that over 2,500 people arrived in Srebrenica from Serbia on the election day and that 1,700 of them did not have valid documents, but despite that they unfortunately voted,” Durakovic warned.

Grujicic: Nobody has any reason for fear in Srebrenica (Nezavisne)

Commenting the announcement of his opponent Camil Durakovic that he will appeal against B&H Central Election Commission’s final election results which declared Grujicic the winner, newly elected Head of Srebrenica Municipality Mladen Grujicic said that such statements serve no other purpose but to raise tensions in the town. “Ordinary citizens care about how they live, they are not interested in tensions. Tensions are created by losers,” said Grujicic. Asked if Bosniaks in Srebrenica have reason to fear his election victory, Grujicic said that there is absolutely no reason for fear. “There will be Bosniaks in my administration as well, only some people different from the ones who were there until now. They will be people who will want to change things for the better for everyone. Serbs and Bosniaks will work as a team. There is no reason for fear, and nobody is afraid,” said Grujicic. He further said that he does not mind visiting the Potocari Memorial Center and paying his respects to the Bosniak victims. However, he noted, Bosniaks are not willing to pay their respects to Serb victims or even admit that there were war crimes against Serbs.

Dodik: Grujicic will base his policy on respect of reality (RTRS)

RS President Milorad Dodik stated in Belgrade after the Economic Summit on Monday that B&H has not showed the capability to function and that strong interventionism exists there. Commenting on the confirmed election results for Srebrenica, Dodik stressed that it is a finished story, and added that the winner is Serb candidate Mladen Grujicic, who will base his policy on respect of reality. He said the fact that it is not acceptable for SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic and Sarajevo politicians that a Serb is elected in Srebrenica is an unfair political statement. Dodik further said when Bosniaks realized that they are losing the elections, they tried to fabricate the voting by mail, which was rejected by the Central Election Commission.

OSCE Mission to B&H opens temporary office in Stolac (BHT1)

Opening of the OSCE Mission to B&H’s temporary office in Stolac took place in Stolac on Monday. From now on, Stolac citizens will be able to report certain irregularities or file complaints with the office which will be at citizens’ service. Head of the OSCE Mission to B&H Jonathan Moore said that they will have an observer role and will not interfere with the election process. He added that the office will be “an extended hand” of the international community which condemned termination of the elections in Stolac on 2 October. “We will be available here to Stolac citizens in order to be colleagues, partners, observers and a link to the international community,” Moore stated. Principal Deputy High Representative Bruce Berton, who also attended the opening of the temporary office of the OSCE Mission to B&H in Stolac, stated that the Office of the High Representative (OHR) is of the opinion that the elections in Stolac must be repeated. “Presence of the OSCE here through its observer role is very important. The elections are a democratic right and we want to have the elections here as soon as possible,” Berton stressed. Local political representatives in Stolac welcomed the OSCE’s observer role in Stolac. Current Head of Stolac Municipality and HDZ B&H candidate for this post Stjepan Boskovic said that the OSCE’s office in Stolac will be support to Stolac and its citizens and will not be a move backwards.

EU FAC adopts conclusions on B&H (FTV)

At Monday’s meeting in Luxembourg, members of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) adopted a conclusion on B&H. Among other things, the Council regretted the unlawful holding of the entity-level referendum on the Day of the RS, which was in violation of the decision of the Constitutional Court of B&H. “This referendum caused unnecessary tensions and challenged the rule of law. The Council encourages the institutions of B&H to resolve this issue through the established legal processes, constructive dialogue and the existing constitutional framework,” read the conclusions of the Council of the European Union on B&H. At the same time, the Council reiterated its unequivocal commitment to B&H’s EU perspective as a single, united and sovereign country. The Council welcomed the progress achieved in B&H’s EU integration process and reflected in the Council conclusions of 20 September, 2016. The Council called on B&H to continue focusing on its EU integration process. The Council further called on the B&H institutions to demonstrate renewed efforts in particular regarding the functioning of the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organized crime, as well as the fight against radicalization and terrorism. The Council also concluded that recently held local elections in B&H were conducted in an orderly manner, noting that the few irregularities and isolated violent incidents that occurred on election day should be investigated by the B&H authorities.

Veljanoski schedules early parliamentary elections for 11 December (MIA)

Macedonian parliament speaker Trajko Veljanoski signed Tuesday the decision for scheduling of the early parliamentary elections on 11 December. “The mandate is again back in the hands of the people, who is the most legitimate judge and decide which political option should receive the honor and obligation to lead our country. In the meantime, Macedonia will enter a complex period of enhanced activities by political parties. I sincerely believe this period will enjoy a mature, dignified and moderate atmosphere, culminating with the 11 December elections and resulting in the ninth composition of the parliament,” said Veljanoski. He expressed gratitude on behalf of fellow MPs for the confidence bestowed over the past two years, hoping they justified the trust despite ongoing political crisis. “I am certain the country will pass the democratic test of maturity and continue where we left off,” added Veljanoski. He said the decision would be forwarded to the State Election Commission. MPs voted Monday to dissolve parliament. The motion on dissolving parliament was passed by 110 votes to none, with no abstentions.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Croatia Indicts Yugoslav General for War Crimes Again (BIRN, by Sven Milekic, 18 October 2016)

Prosecutors accused retired Yugoslav People’s Army general Borislav Djukic of being responsible for deadly attacks on Croatian civilians and property in the Sibenik area during the war.

The state attorney’s office in the Croatian coastal city of Split on Monday filed an indictment accusing Borislav Djukic of war crimes – the second set of charges laid against the Serbian former general. Djukic, the wartime commander of the 221st Motorised Brigade of the 9th Knin Corps of the Yugoslav People’s Army, is accused alongside four other colonels and one lieutenant-colonel of ordering artillery and infantry attacks on the area around the coastal town of Sibenik between August 1991 and August 1995. The state attorney’s office alleges that the men were aware that their soldiers were systematically beating, abusing, raping, torturing and killing Croatian civilians, as well as destroying and setting on fire their private property and religious buildings. They are accused of not stopping or sanctioning the violence. A total of 118 civilians were killed and five women were raped, while numerous civilians were expelled and their property destroyed, the state attorney’s office said. During the investigation, which lasted several years, the state attorney’s office questioned 450 witnesses, gathered documentation from exhumations and court medical reports, as well as analysing documents from the Croatian Memorial-Documentation Centre of the Homeland War and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague. This is Djukic’s second war crimes indictment in Croatia. He was arrested in July 2015 in Montenegro and extradited to Croatia in March on an arrest warrant accusing him of mining the Peruca dam near the Croatian town of Sinj on January 28, 1993. His case reached the county court in Split in May and is still ongoing. The court in Split will now decide whether to confirm the new indictment. Djukic remains in detention while on trial for allegedly mining the dam.

Florian Bieber for EWB: The Disappointment in Montenegro Will Continue to Grow (European Western Balkans, 18 October 2016)

In a conversation with European Western Balkans, Florian Bieber, professor at the University of Graz, a member of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG), and an international expert on the Western Balkans, talked about the Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Montenegro. Asked what should the probable formation of the Milo Đukanović’s DPS-led government in Montenegro mean for the Euro-Atlantic integration of Montenegro on hand, and democratization prospects on the other, Bieber acknowledged that it is a paradox that nicely highlights the existing dilemma. “Some people committed to reforms consider this electoral result a success in a sense that a party committed EU integration and NATO integration has won the elections, but at the same time the problem is that this government is primarily motivated by preservation of power and self-interest, being in power for 25 years.” Bieber believes that everyone who looks more closely at Montenegrin government and politics knows that this is far away from a democracy. “There are serious flaws, not just in the way the country is governed, but in the electoral process, with the control of the party over the state, etc. This is far from a democratic model. I am afraid that if the government achieves to have 4 more years, the disappointment will grow in the country, and in a certain way it might bring down with it the enthusiasm for EU and NATO, since they are seen as being essentially complicit and tolerating this kind of regime. The fact that a part of the opposition is more critical of the EU and NATO facilitates that.” Bieber considers that the government of Đukanović is building on polarizing, “dividing between the “lesser evil” that they represent and the “greater evil” which is the opposition.” According to Bieber, “This is a very destructive dynamic, which will not bode well for democracy in the country.” “Formally, Montenegro will join NATO”, states Bieber, “but I think there will be a point where it could not come closer to the European Union and EU member states will state that they have some serious reservations about the way in which the country is governed. I cannot see Montenegro joining the EU with Milo Đukanović as Prime Minister, and this is something that sooner or later will become a problem.” Bieber believes this situation might bring down the commitment for EU integration in the first place, “because people see it just a façade behind which an essentially cleptocratic and semi-authoritarian rule is hiding.”

Nikola BURAZER, European Western Balkans Executive Editor