LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Nothing can be seized with a stroke of a pen (RTS)

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said to the Pristina authorities that they did not seize anything by their decision on confiscation of property owned by Serbia and SFRY, because they could not either be entered upon the possession of that property, or seize it. “You cannot be entered upon possession of anything of what you have planned to, you cannot seize anything of that,” Vucic said in Sarajevo, where he arrived on the occasion of the meeting of Prime Ministers of the Western Balkans, which will take place on Thursday. When asked whether he would talk to the representatives of Pristina about the issue, he said: “What one can talk to them about it.”

“They need to make any decision in order to provoke us,” Vucic said. He assessed that what Pristina was doing was pointless. Vucic voiced his belief that Kosovo Prime Minister Isa

Mustafa did not come up with a decision on the seizure of the property, namely, that he was not sure that it was “his brilliant idea,” because the Pristina authorities always avoided talking about property. “Like, they have seized something with a stroke of the pen. You have not seized anything. That what you have written to yourself does not make sense,” the prime minister said.

According to unofficial information, at the working dinner in Sarajevo, Vucic asked Mustafa whether he had passed this decision on his own or with somebody’s consent. According to RTS, it was tense during the dinner, but it still passed in the same composition. The dinner at the Libertas restaurant in Sarajevo was attended by B&H Trade Minister Mirko Sarovic, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Serbian Ambassador to B&H Stanimir Vukicevic and Albanian Ambassador to B&H Ilir Melo.

Hahn: I support Vucic’s idea on customs union (Politika)

I welcome Serbia’s active contribution to regional cooperation, as well as concrete ideas that lead to further integration of the trade, including the proposal to achieve this through customs union, EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn told Politika. He says that countries of this part of the Europe should remove all internal obstacles, in order to improve movement of the capital, goods and people. “All this will attract more direct foreign investments and lead to higher economic growth and opening of new jobs. This is why the EU supports progressive establishing of the joint market in countries of the region, based on rules and EU principles, which includes customs, which are all the steps that lead to forming of the customs union on the Western Balkans,” said Hahn. Commissioner trusts that all countries of the Western Balkans will manage to reach an agreement, at the following Summit in Trieste, regarding concrete steps to establish strong and competitive market. It is obvious that Vucic’s idea has support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. After the meeting with Merkel in Berlin, Vucic said that she asked him to convey her messages to Hahn with whom he will meet in Sarajevo. Even though Vucic did not elaborate which messages, he said that Merkel liked his idea about forming of customs union. Asked about expectations form Sarajevo Summit, Hahn reminded that the EU Council has expressed unambiguous support to European perspective of the Western Balkans: “Heads of states and governments of the EU remain dedicated and engaged at all levels in efforts to support Western Balkans in carrying out of European orientated reforms and projects. However, in the times when there is a dangerous challenge due to increased nationalistic rhetoric, Western Balkans has to increase regional cooperation more than ever. I expect Prime Ministers in Sarajevo to sit together and discuss challenges and possibilities to deepen cooperation in the region, which would benefit their citizens. Also, I expect them to take over ownership over this process that is important for the Western Balkans, which aims to be part of the EU family.”

Jeremic: Pristina officially appropriated Serbian property in Kosovo (Beta)

Presidential candidate Vuk Jeremic said that Pristina officially appropriated the property of Serbia on the territory of Kosovo, adding that Vucic did not dare to mention it to Merkel at the meeting in Berlin. “He could talk about that, but he chose not to,” Jeremic said. He also said that the foreign policy of Serbia was pursued in “to say the least” unprofessional and very likely the fatal way. “The foreign policy of Serbia is today reduced to a shameful trade in which our power-holders receive support from the West for the implementation of repression against their own people, and in turn they give national, state and economic resources, primarily in Kosovo,” Jeremic said.

Cadez: Rising numbers of Serbian, Albanian entrepreneurs interested in cooperation (Beta)

Serbian Chamber of Commerce head Marko Cadez said in Tirana, on March 15 that more and more Serbian and Albanian companies were interested in cooperation, primarily in the farming industry, wood processing, metalworking and the electric industry and tourism. “State institutions, in cooperation with business associations, are working on removing the obstacles to successful mutual business, and the mixed Albania-Serbia Chamber of Commerce and Industry gives significant support to the entrepreneurs of the two countries in maximizing the potential and connecting with potential partners,” read a Serbian Chamber of Commerce press release, describing Cadez’s meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

“Expo: Russia – Serbia” opens in Belgrade (B92)

The fourth “Expo: Russia – Serbia” event opened in Belgrade on Wednesday, along with the 4th Belgrade Business Forum. Doing the honors were Minister Ivica Dacic, and Russian First Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Gleb Nikitin. The officials urged businesspeople in both countries to make more use of the opportunities provided by the Serbia-Russia free trade agreement.  In his address, Dacic said that the Serbian government was committed to the development of economic relations with the Russian Federation and noted there were significant opportunities to strengthen cooperation in this field. “I would particularly like to highlight the interest of the Republic of Serbia in further development of overall relations with the Russian Federation, on the basis of strategic partnership and commitment of both sides for its deepening in all areas,” Dacic said in his speech, carried by the Serbian government website.

Cooperation of Defense Ministry and OSCE Mission in Serbia (Beta)

Serbian Defense Minister Zoran Djordjevic met on March 15 with the chief of the OSCE mission in Serbia, Andrea Orizio, and discussed the current cooperation and plans for the forthcoming year. Orizio said he was convinced the established close partnership between the OSCE mission and Serbia would significantly contribute to accomplishing Serbia’s reform goals.

He reiterated the OSCE mission’s readiness to continue the successful cooperation with all Serbian institutions, including the Defense Ministry, it was stated after the meeting.

Zukorlic close to deal on support to Vucic’s candidacy (Tanjug)

MP of the Bosniak Democratic Community (BDZ) of Sandzak Muamer Zukorlic said on Wednesday that an agreement with the Serbian Prime Minister and candidate of the governing coalition for president of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic was almost reached on joint participation in the upcoming presidential elections, Tanjugreported. This would practically mean support of that party to candidacy of the incumbent prime minister, Zukorlic said. He announced that the final position of the BDZ would be announced by the end of the week. Zukorlic also said the BDZ Sandzak’s request was that Vucic remained consistent to the policy of dialogue and reconciliation, and that they agreed that the Bosniak-Serbian relations were of primary importance for Serbia, B&H and the entire region.

REGIONAL PRESS

Zvizdic, Hahn address Summit of Western Balkans PMs: Berlin process is of great importance (Klix)

Chairman of B&H Council of Ministers Denis Zvizdic addressed the participants of the Summit of the Western Balkans Prime Ministers in Sarajevo today, noting that B&H achieved significant progress on European road and that current situation in the country is result of the EU’s effort from the past period. “All countries of the region are implementing and have implemented their obligations and that is goal of our cooperation. I thank everyone who is attending the Western Balkans PMs Summit today, especially Commissioner Johannes Hahn. B&H is among important priorities of the EU and that means to us not only taking over of modern standards but also the fact that this is one of our key priorities,” concluded Zvizdic.

Hahn stated that this is a rare occasion where all six prime ministers of the region meet together, which is a good signal. He further noted that situation in the region is such that several countries are going through severe internal crisis and that this has to be solved. “We understand the situation, there were discussions in the European Council of situation sin the Balkans. The EU as a whole completely understands seriousness of situation in the region, as well as some of its interests to promote the future of these countries in the EU. Mogherini conveyed the same message two weeks ago in Sarajevo. The discussions that were led confirmed the European perspective of this region,” underlined Hahn, adding that everyone must work together on prosperity of the region. He also said that the region should use this opportunity and send positive messages, “or we will simply close the door because of some bad messages”.

SDA: Dodik and Covic are ones responsible for crisis in B&H (Oslobodjenje)

SDA issued a press release on Wednesday, “rejecting with disgust” accusations against it issued by HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik at their meeting held on Tuesday in Banja Luka, underlining that Dodik and Covic are the ones responsible for the current situation in B&H, “with their demands for additional ethnic division in B&H, attempts to undermine the Constitutional Court of B&H by refusing to respect its decision, and unconstitutional referendums that destabilize the country”. The party also underlined that SDA and its leader Bakir Izetbegovic are fighting against such attempts, and they can only be blamed for protecting the country. “We accept such blame, and we will continue to prevent such attempts. We will oppose divisions, discrimination, segregation, secession and decrease of capacities of the state of B&H,” underlined SDA and noted that such forces that prevented the implementation of legal continuity of the decision of the Presidency of B&H from 2002 and tried to stop B&H from submitting a request for revision of ruling in the case of B&H’s lawsuit against Serbia for aggression and genocide are actually responsible for the crisis in the country.

Izetbegovic: Radoncic’s statement is nonsense (Nezavisne)

Commenting the statement of SBB leader Fahrudin Radoncic who said that the coalition of SDA and SBB is only of technical nature, SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic stated that the story about technical coalition is nonsense which is not based on facts. Commenting the statements of SNSD leader Milorad Dodik and HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic who accused him of violating Constitution of B&H by submitting the request for revision of lawsuit against Serbia, Izetbegovic said that it is absurd that he is being accused of violation of Constitution by the same persons who are meeting to agree destruction of the Constitutional Court of B&H.

Radoncic responds to Izetbegovic (Dnevni avaz)

SBB B&H issued a statement on Wednesday as response to SDA leader and B&H Presidency member Bakir Izetbegovic, who asked leader of SBB B&H Fahrudin Radoncic to explain what was he doing Mostar several days ago, what his friends from Banja Luka told him and what was he testifying about in Pristina. “SBB B&H’s delegation consisting of several members talked to HDZ B&H’s delegation in Mostar, after the same such meeting that SDA and HDZ B&H held a day earlier. Unfortunately, nothing was agreed. As for alleged messages from Banja Luka, we would like to remind Izetbegovic that Fahrudin Radoncic was removed from post of Security Minister of B&H owing to votes of SDA, SDP and Dodik’s SNSD. Besides, Izetbegovic gave Dodik such concessions at the meeting in a bar near Sarajevo that this one is openly thanking him for that even today. Radoncic testified in Kosovo about numerous political murders committed by secret service of the Bosniak Intelligence Agency (AID), which was directly linked to Bakir Izetbegovic personally. It hurts him (Izetbegovic) to have this topic open again, so he is unsuccessfully trying to cover it with non-existent support that Dodik, former RS President Biljana Plavsic and others provide for Radoncic. Bosniaks are fed up with Bakir’s fake patriotism and alleged suffering. Owing exactly to his mindset, SDA failed with every coalition, regardless of whether it was with SDP, SB&H, DF or now SBB. Izetbegovic isolated Bosniaks, he is in fight with his own party and all political partners from all three peoples and the region. So, Izetbegovic should resign, and another representative of SDA from B&H House of Representatives should be appointed at his post. At the same time, he should provide individual signatures of representatives in the state and the Federation of B&H parliaments to prove to citizens that he has a qualified parliamentary majority and SBB will immediately withdraw”. SBB BIH concludes in the end that “the projected chaos, which he has been producing for months, should prepare division of the country for Izetbegovic and make his dream about feudal small-cup country in heart of Europe true”.

Izetbegovic: B&H’s lawsuit against Serbia is not finished story (Hayat)

Bosniak member of the B&H Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic said that it came as a surprise to him just how quickly the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague responded to B&H’s motion for revision of its lawsuit against Serbia for genocide, given that courts work slow and thoroughly. He added that he knew that a crisis will erupt after filing of the motion, noting that he cannot give up his on intentions to reveal the truth. He emphasized that every patriot, Bosniak, would persist in the fight for the truth, noting that not all has been lost and that there is still a chance. Izetbegovic noted that as long as there is a court, a process about what happened can be launched. “Some new tri-partite Presidency in a future convocation could decide to do that, depending on the ruling in Ratko Mladic’s case, for example,” Izetbegovic underlined. Izetbegovic stressed that pro-Bosnian parties over-reacted when B&H’s motion for the revision was rejected, accusing him of being the main culprit for everything. Commenting on the statement by Croat member of the B&H Presidency Dragan Covic that he did not advocate the revision, because he fears that similar lawsuit could be filed by B&H against Croatia, Izetbegovic said that he is surprised by Covic’s statement, “given that there were no such intentions.” Commenting on the statements by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic in which he insists on work on peace and stability, Izetbegovic said that he expected more from Vucic, noting that it is not enough to just speak about things, but that concrete things need to be done. However, he added that in the current situation, Vucic is acting in the right way when it comes to calming the tensions down. “Mr. Vucic and I have known each other for a long time. There was a wish on both sides to work more intensively on reconciliation of the two peoples. However, many things got out of our hands in the meantime,” Izetbegovic underlined. Speaking about the summit of prime ministers of the Western Balkan countries, which will be held in Sarajevo on Thursday, Izetbegovic said that difficult challenges lie ahead of the countries in the region, noting that he expects only good things from the summit, because “dialogue and better understanding are exactly what we need.”

Agreement on European partnership between Croatia and B&H drafted (Hina)

The Council of Ministers of B&H on Wednesday drafted an agreement with the Croatian government on European partnership which should ensure that B&H more readily meets European Union membership criteria. The signing of an agreement of this type has been announced for a joint meeting of the governments of both countries which is scheduled to be held at the end of April or early May and is the result of activities that were launched by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs while Miro Kovac was at its helm. Once the agreement is concluded, Croatia could help B&H in the EU integration process by sharing the specific know-how and experience from its European integration. The agreement would also facilitate speedier and more effective harmonization of B&H’s legislation with EU acquis communautaire. The two countries will prepare joint projects that could compete for financial support from relevant EU funds. A joint commission will be set up to monitor the implementation of the agreement.

Stier says Croatia strongly for Montenegro’s NATO, EU membership (Hina)

Croatia supports Montenegro on its European and Euro-Atlantic journey and believes this is in Europe’s geo-strategic as well as security interest, Croatian Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stier said in Zagreb on Wednesday after talks with his Montenegrin counterpart Srdjan Darmanovic.

“Croatia and Montenegro, through the Adriatic Trilateral as well as bilaterally, maintain intensive relations also in the promotion of and support to Montenegro on the European and Euro-Atlantic journey… Montenegro received a NATO invitation and the ratification process is nearing the end. We underlined that this is both in Europe’s geo-strategic and security interest,” Stier said, adding that he was optimistic that the process would be completed soon. The Croatian parliament ratified the protocol on Montenegro’s NATO accession on 25 November 2016. Darmanovic thanked Croatia for everything it had done and was doing on “our patient struggle to join both NATO and the European Union because those are the foundation stones of our country’s foreign policy.” He went on to say that the security situation in the region “must not be ignored.” Montenegro had its own security challenges and successfully resisted them, he said, adding that “our region needs continuous engagement by the EU and NATO.” Darmanovic recalled that Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic warned at a Munich security conference that “the meddling of third parties in the Western Balkans represents a threat to Euro-Atlantic integration.” He went on to say that Croatia had been wholeheartedly helping Montenegro on its EU journey “from day one,” recalling that his country had opened 26 and closed two negotiation chapters. The two ministers said economic cooperation was good, notably in construction, and that there was a wish to intensify it in energy too. As for outstanding issues, Stier said Croatia and Montenegro had “strong good neighborly relations and have approached all those issues with the intention to start dealing with them.”

Zaev and Ahmeti talked about a strategy how to summon the Parliament (Meta)

The party leaders of SDSM and DUI, Zoran Zaev and Ali Ahmeti, held talks at SDSM’s headquarters for finding a solution for the political crisis after President Gjorge Ivanov yesterday announced that the obstacles for giving the mandate still exist. After the meeting, Ahmeti said for “Alsat-M” that he had talks with Zaev regarding the strategy with which all state institutions would be put into function. “It is necessary that a way should be found, with the best intentions, how to make the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia functional and how to continue onward with the negotiations for building the institutions with which the state has to be led” said Ahmeti. When asked whether they discussed to continue the constitutive session at the Parliament Ahmeti confirmed that they also discussed that strategy. “For that to happen talks must be held with all political forces, in order for the Parliament to start working and for the parliamentary organs and commissions to be elected i.e. this state institution to be put into function” said Ahmeti.

Regarding the forming of the government, Ahmeti said that has to happen after the president of the Parliament is elected and who will soon after inform the president of the state that he has a parliamentary majority and a program on basis of which he has to grant a mandate to Zaev.

“The most important issue is the constitution of the Parliament. All efforts are directed towards putting it into action, the parliamentary organs to be elected, an official request from the Parliament to be made, from the president of the Parliament to the president of the state, to be granted a mandate for forming a new government. We cannot have talks about the constituting one organ without having a mandate. Therefore, firstly, the mandate has to be given to the mandate holder and then to start talks about the departments. The managing of the departments is of less importance now. It is more important that the mandate is given to the new mandate holder and that we shall start the talks about the allocation of the departments,” said Ahmeti.

FM Poposki meets German MPs (MIA)

Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki welcomed Wednesday a delegation of the German Bundestag Committee for the Scrutiny of Elections, Immunity and the Rules of Procedure, which is paying a two-day visit to Macedonia. The meeting tackled the current political developments in Macedonia, the economic ties between the two countries and their cooperation on Macedonia’s EU accession process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release. The visiting delegation reaffirmed the German support of Macedonia’s EU-integration process, as well as of the country’s commitment to implementing the necessary reforms for the Union’s and NATO membership. “Greater certainty for Macedonia’s EU-integration is necessary if we wish for the region’s peace and stability,” Poposki said. Underlying the significance of the EU membership for Macedonia, Poposki said it would be the country’s historic milestone.

The German MPs thanked Macedonia on its vital role in the migrant crisis management and the prevention of illegal migration, the press release reads.

SDSM leader Zaev meets Slovenian ambassador Jazbec (MIA)

SDSM leader Zoran Zaev and Slovenia’s Ambassador Milan Jazbec focused on the current political developments in Macedonia and the process of the government formation at a meeting in Skopje on Wednesday. Zaev voiced expectation that the new Speaker would be elected soon, followed by a letter from the Parliament to President Ivanov over the formation of a parliamentary majority. “We have unveiled the program of the new reform-oriented government, for a unitary, sovereign Republic of Macedonia committed to economy, social cohesion, rule of law, in the interest of all citizens. We are planning to remove all obstacles used as excuse by Gjorge Ivanov regarding the mandate assignment. Therefore, I expect the new Speaker to be elected in the coming period, who will send a letter to Ivanov informing him over the formation of a parliamentary majority and the start of the constitutional 10-day deadline for assignment of the mandate over formation of the new government”, said Zaev.

DUI’s Ahmeti meets Norwegian Ambassador to Macedonia Bjornstad (MIA)

Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) leader Ali Ahmeti and Norwegian Ambassador to Macedonia Arne Bjornstad discussed Wednesday on the political situation in the country. Main parliamentary parties should urgently start consultations for resuming the constitutive parliamentary session, at which a new speaker is to be elected, Ahmeti said. “DUI offers its constructive contribution to that effect and supports all efforts for resolving the crisis” he said. The political parties should do their best, Ahmeti said, for the political and institutional crisis to not in any way to turn into an inter-ethnic one.

MEP Vajgl calls Tirana meeting ‘inappropriate’, urges democratic rules to be respected (MIA)

The act of a premier of a neighboring country convening party officials for a meeting to agree over a government program is worth a denunciation, says MEP Ivo Vajgl. However, democratic principles suggest that a government should be formed by those that have secured a majority in Parliament, adds Vajgl, who also serves as rapporteur for Macedonia in the EP, MIA reports from Strasbourg. “I believe the beginning of this story is in the meeting held in Tirana, a meeting that is inappropriate. I have said it when a premier of a neighboring country had summoned party officials to make an agreement for a government program. As an act, this should be condemned, but there is not enough reason to block the government formation and to deepen inter-ethnic conflicts. It harms the interests of Macedonia,” says Vajgl. Regarding current developments in Macedonia, the Slovenian MEP voices concern. “Our sole motive is to be objective and useful for Macedonia and its people all the time. I have retained this objectivity from day one, I do not root for any political option. But, it is common knowledge how one plays according to the rules of democracy – the one capable of securing majority in Parliament has the right to form a government. There’s no alternative,” says MEP Vajgl. In Strasbourg, he announces, Commissioner Johannes Hahn and the MEPs in charge of Macedonia are expected to hold a working meeting for talks on what can be done to help Macedonia.

Przino Agreement remains good basis for crisis settlement, says U.S. ambassador (MIA)

The Przino Agreement remains a good basis for overcoming of the political crisis in the country. Country’s citizens and leaders make democratic institutions work, said United States Ambassador Jess Baily on Wednesday. “We’ve spoken on this many, many times. I don’t know if there is one, two of three… There is a system since May and on to July 2015 which was to bring the crisis to an end by returning to Parliament, by establishing conditions for good and fair elections, for dealing with the issue of unauthorized intercept of conversations, both how that came about and what they revealed and getting on with the reform priorities. That remains the basis for how you go forward. If you look at all those elements I think you see how you can bring the crisis together. We remain Macedonia’s friend and partner, we want to help this process along, but in the end of the day, it’s you citizens, your leaders making democratic institutions work. There’s tension in societies, there’s divisions and it is up to the institutions to bring people together. I think if you look around this room today you see where solutions lie”, Baily told reporters at the sidelines of the closing event of the USAID Interethnic Education in Education Project when asked about suggestions for the crisis settlement and whether Przino 3 is an option.

Regarding the mandate assignment by Ivanov, he reiterated their expectation that the President would reconsider his decision. “I think we’ve made several times our comments here regarding President Ivanov’s decision. We don’t think it was the right decision, we hope he’ll reconsider that. I think it is important for the democratic institutions to function and I think that is where the solutions lie”, stressed Ambassador Baily.

Doda provokes again: FYROM is a laboratory for Albano-phobia and I will go to Illyria (Meta)

Albanian MP, Mesila Doda responded to SDSM’s reaction regarding her statement that was issued several days ago in Debar when she said that Macedonia doesn’t exist and that is an old Albanian province called Illyria. “I read in the media that FYROM had asked for me to be declared a persona non grata. That is no problem for me, but it is equally unacceptable from a state that has no basis for existence and where the common point for cooperation for all communities is breaking the rights of our people. This means I will only accept to travel to Illyria. For me FYROM is equally “non grata” and that it has seized to exist as it is a laboratory for an Albano-phobia, said Doda.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

West Balkans need clear EU message: Serbia’s Vucic (Reuters, by Andreas Rinke, 15 March 2017)

BERLIN – Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday warned of serious consequences if the European Union does not give Western Balkan countries a clear message about joining the bloc, citing growing nationalism and pro-Russian sympathies in the region.

He said Britain’s vote to leave the EU, increasing conflicts among existing EU members and Greece’s continued economic struggles had unsettled many in the Balkans, fanning concern about how realistic Serbian membership in the EU really was. “You hear these rumors. ‘The EU doesn’t want us’. And then people try to find something different. That’s something we see as a danger,” Vucic told Reuters a day after he met Chancellor Angela Merkel. “People are becoming more nationalistic, and on a monthly basis you see a slight decline of EU popularity and a slight rise of Russia popularity.” He said he urged Merkel to assert more leadership on the issue of EU membership for Serbia and its neighbors, with an eye to showing the tangible benefits of future EU membership, including jobs and Western values. “We need huge support from the EU. All this messy stuff, it sends the wrong message to the people,” Vucic said. Still scarred by wars fought in the 1990s along political, ethnic and religious lines, the Balkan countries are at various stages of reforms aimed at paving the way for membership, with Serbia seen as a linchpin whose development could pull up others. Russia, which is trying to exploit its historic links in the region to challenge EU and U.S. involvement, opposes the accession of Balkan states into the EU. European leaders said at a summit last week more Balkan states could still join the European Union if they stuck to a path of economic and democratic reform. Vucic’s center-right Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) last month nominated him to run for the largely ceremonial post of president in a move he said was aimed at shoring up support for Serbia’s strategic goal of joining the EU while maintaining friendly ties with Russia. Vucic underscored Serbia’s strategic goal of joining the EU, but said his country was not seeking to join NATO and would stay neutral militarily, trying to maintain good ties with both Russia and the United States.

Merkel lauded Serbia’s role in the Balkans during a news conference with Vucic on Monday and underscored Germany’s continued commitment to working toward EU membership. Germany has a 4 billion euro balance of trade with Serbia, with 370 German firms doing business there.

Vucic hailed his country’s positive economic prospects, predicting growth of 3.5 percent this year, and highlighting his drive to introduce a single market in the west Balkans.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alison Williams)

McCain: Rand Paul ‘working for Vladimir Putin’ (The Hill, by Jordan Carney, 15 March 2017)

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Wednesday accused Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) of working for Russian President Vladimir Putin after he objected to a treaty related to Montenegro. “He has no justification for his objection to having a small nation be part of NATO that is under assault from the Russians,” McCain said from the Senate floor. “The senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin.” The flashpoint came after McCain asked for unanimous consent to set up a vote on a treaty on Montenegro joining NATO, but Paul objected. Under the Senate’s rules, any one senator can object to a unanimous consent request. McCain warned before he asked for consent that any senator who objected was “carrying out the desires and ambitions” of Putin.

Paul argued that the U.S. is already stretched thin militarily. “Currently, the United States has troops in dozens of countries and is actively fighting in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen (with the occasional drone strike in Pakistan). In addition, the United States is pledged to defend 28 countries in NATO,” he said in a statement. He added that “it is unwise to expand the monetary and military obligations of the United States given the burden of our $20 trillion debt.”

Under NATO’s Article 5, member states agree to defend any NATO country that is threatened by force.

Senators ask Tillerson to probe US ‘fomenting unrest’ in other countries (RT, 15 March 2017)

Six Republican senators are demanding a State Department review of US taxpayer money being spent on meddling in foreign countries’ politics via NGOs run by billionaire George Soros, citing Macedonia and Albania as the most recent examples.

In a letter sent to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, the lawmakers express concern over reports that US foreign aid has been channeled to support “left-leaning parties” and the “progressive agenda” in places like Albania and Macedonia. The two Balkans countries are just “timely examples,” with reports of similar US meddling coming from Africa and Latin America as well, the senators wrote. The letter was signed by Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), David Perdue (R-Georgia) and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana). “This includes reports of diplomats playing political favorites, USAID funds supporting extreme and sometimes violent political activists, and the US government working to marginalize the moderates and conservatives in leadership roles,”said Lee, adding that “this behavior is unacceptable and must be halted immediately.”

As examples of US interference, the senators cite the situation in Macedonia, a landlocked Balkans country once a part of Yugoslavia and currently in the throes of a political crisis featuring a restless ethnic Albanian minority. “We have received credible reports that, over the past few years, the US Mission there has actively intervened in the party politics of Macedonia, as well as in the shaping of its media environment and civil society, often favoring left-leaning political groups over others,” the letter says. “We find these reports discouraging and, if true, highly problematic.” Macedonia currently has a caretaker government, as no party has being able to form a majority coalition following the December 2016 election. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski (VMRO-DPMNE) is accusing the US of pushing an alliance between Zoran Zaev’s Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (BDI).

Earlier this month, President Gjorge Ivanov vetoed the proposed coalition between Zaev and ethnic Albanian parties, on grounds that it could potentially “destroy” the country. As a condition of their participation in the government, Albanians are insisting on a seven-point platform – co-written by governments in Albania and Kosovo – that includes a demand to make Albanian an official language in Macedonia. US meddling in Albania “appears to follow a pattern of alarming activity in this volatile region,” the senators wrote, pointing to Soros organizations in that country promoting specific reforms ahead of the June 18 general election, which the opposition is threatening to boycott as unfair. Such activity is even more concerning “in light of international reports of increasing government corruption in Albania and the renewed power of drug trafficking and organized criminal groups in the country,” the letter said. Back in 2011, Soros himself wrote about unrest in Albania to then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying, “My foundation in Tirana is monitoring the situation closely and can provide independent analysis of the crisis.” The new Trump administration should seize the moment “to review how our tax dollars are being utilized in order to halt activities that are fomenting political unrest, disrespecting national sovereignty and civil society, and ultimately undermining our attempts to build beneficial international relationships,” says the letter. The six senators are asking for an investigation that would review “all funds associated with promoting democracy and governance and review the programs, accounts, and multiplicity of US entities involved in such activities.”

Soros’s Open Society Foundation, along with USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy, have been accused of fomenting “color revolutions” from Serbia in 2000 to Ukraine in 2014, in order to install in power governments friendly to Washington.