LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Compromise solution for Kosovo and Metohija important for Serbia (RTS)

Responding the a journalist question in Zrenjanin how he sees the fact that part of the nationalistic opposition is requesting referendum in order to refute the idea of division of Kosovo or any compromise solution for Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has stated that his engagement is directed precisely at delegitimizing independence of the province. He recalls that Montenegro separated from Serbia in 2006, that independence of Kosovo was

Unilaterally declared in 2008 and that the largest number of countries recognized this independence in 2008 and 2009. “During that period Vucic was not in power, but those who are now requesting referendums. Precisely those who pushed us into the abyss, where we are now trying to pull out Serbia, by climbing up the abyss, to be able to be asked for anything, because we were not asked about anything until yesterday. We returned to dialogue,” he said. A compromise solution for Kosovo and Metohija is important for Serbia, meaning that both should be dissatisfied. When it comes to support by Croatia and especially Slovenia to Kosovo’s independence, Vucic says that the position of these countries are known. “There is nothing new in this support. Slovenia has stepped up a bit its rhetoric. I understand them, because somebody needs to pose the question as to whether the Serbs, 50,000 or 70,000 of them in Slovenia, will receive the right to be at least a national minority. Perhaps somebody will ask them or not, but as least we will,” he said, adding that they are perhaps uncomfortable over this. As regards Croatia, he said: “What else did you expect? I hope for the nest possible relations with everybody, but we should not be surprised,” said Vucic. When asked about potential early parliamentary elections the next parliamentary elections will be held in 2020, with the presidential and the Belgrade elections to take place in 2022, Vucic said, noting that the opposition would fare the same way regardless of whether he ran in the elections or not. “They will be defeated overwhelmingly,” Vucic told reporters.

Brnabic: Serbia cannot be blackmailed (B92/Tanjug/TV Pink)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic says she hopes the European Union will recognize the huge wish, work and flexibility of Serbia to resolve the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. At the same time, the prime minister stressed that Serbia is not a country that is economically, politically and socially weak, and cannot be blackmailed. Commenting on her meeting in Belgrade on Wednesday with US State Department official Wess Mitchell, she said the views of Serbia and the United States on the issue of the southern Serbian province diverge greatly, and that, being new to politics, she was making an effort to, in a common sense manner, explain that what they protect and propose, has no particular meaning in the standards. Brnabic told TV Pink that Serbia was trying to get the best out of cooperation with the US on this issue, and stressed that the largest portion of work in that area has been taken on by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, which, as she said, left the government with space to deal with economic and other topics. Brnabic also announced the arrival of senior political representatives of Switzerland and Norway, and stressed that it was important for Serbia to pay attention to building better relations with other countries.

Jankovic to Mitchell: Misconception that Kosovo issue can be resolved under dictatorship (Beta)

Speaking to reporters after the meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State Wess Mitchell, the leader of the Movement of Free Citizens Sasa Jankovic said he told Mitchell that it was a misconception that the issue of Kosovo can be resolved under dictatorship rather than democracy. The meeting was attended by Sasa Jankovic, Popular Party (NS) leader Vuk Jeremic, outgoing Democratic Party (DS) leader Dragan Sutanovac and the opposition candidate for Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas.

Jovanovic: Compromise solution possible, but government is incompetent (N1)

On the occasion of Wess Mitchell’s visit to Belgrade, the vice-president of the People’s Party Nikola Jovanovic has told N1 there is room for reaching a compromise solution for Kosovo. “The US has more important foreign political priorities and it is objectively exerting less pressure on Serbia than before, which is opening maneuvering space for a compromise solution. However, the authorities in Serbia have been negotiating incompetently and irresponsibly since 2013. It has made many concessions with the Brussels agreement for the sake of getting the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) and fulfilling for five years everything that is to our detriment, while the ZSO was not established,” said Jovanovic. He recalls that the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric used to claim that “Belgrade is leading 5:0 in the negotiations with the Kosovo Albanians but the ZSO has not been established for 1800 days”.

Jovanovic says that Mitchell’s visit has followed only several days after the international organization FATF placed Serbia on the list of states suspected of money-laundering and financing international terrorism, which also ruins Serbia’s negotiating credibility. He says that he is certain that this list was one of the topics of talks between Mitchell and Vucic, even though the media close to the authorities are trying to conceal this. “There are articles appearing in the US press about the detrimental impact of stabilocracy on stability of Western Balkans. Vucic has been increasingly more seen as the factor of instability and not as a factor of stability,” said Jovanovic.

Initiators of the Appeal: Agreement with Pristina over EU and not to get rid of the burden (FoNet)

The initiators of the Appeal for the Defense of Kosovo and Metohija have stated that, after obviously very uncomfortable talks between President Vucic and US Assistant Secretary of State Wess Mitchell, the months-long staging of the Serbian authorities, called the internal dialogue on Kosovo and Metohija, was finally unmasked. Unfortunately, this confirms the fears of the initiators of the Appeal for the Defense of Kosovo and Metohija at the end of last year, reads the statement. It reads that this was done by Vucic himself by uttering the following sentence: “The biggest obstacle on our EU path is the problem of Kosovo and Metohija, and this is why we are prepared for compromise, but not for humiliation”. According to the interpretation of the initiators of the Appeal, the reason for insisting on the so-called “historical agreement with the Albanians is exclusively EU membership, and not an attempt to allegedly get take the heavy burden of the back of future generations, as the President of Serbia has been promising all the time”. “The wish to resolve the problem of Kosovo and Metohija now is not because our government knows how to resolve it to the benefit of Serbia, but because this is a blackmailing prerequisite of Brussels and Berlin for possible membership in the crisis shaken EU,” reads the statement. According to them, Vucic is trying to make any kind of propaganda modality with which he would present the final break of Serbia before Western blackmailing to the Serbian people as an alleged ‘compromise’.

Russia opposed to creation of army in Kosovo (Beta/RTS/Tanjug)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday criticized the idea to create an army in Kosovo. “The creation of armed forces of Kosovo – a structure that has never in any way approached a state structure – is making the situation even more tense,” Zakharova said at a regular press conference, commenting on the statements made this week by US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Wess Mitchell. Zakharova said that an additional factor of instability on the European continent was the manner in which the structure of Kosovo was created, the goals that were set during Kosovo’s separation from the territory of a sovereign state, and the manner in which this was pushed by the media and politically.

GRECO: Serbia has not implemented any of recommendations (Tanjug/B92)

Serbia has not implemented any of the recommendations on preventing corruption among parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors. Tanjug is reporting this on Tuesday, citing Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body. Serbia has not implemented in a satisfactory manner any of the thirteen recommendations provided by the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body GRECO (Group of States against Corruption) to the country in July 2015, states a new compliance report published on Thursday. “GRECO specifically recommended that measures be taken to further improve the transparency of the parliamentary process, including through ensuring adequate timelines for submitting amendments and using the urgent procedure as an exception and not as a rule. A need to introduce transparency regulations on parliamentarians’ contacts with lobbyists and other third parties, given the great risk of undue influence, was underlined,” the report is quoted on the CoE website. “Only limited progress has been achieved as regards transparency of the activity of the National Assembly, GRECO says in today’s compliance report. More determined action is necessary in this regard, as well as on the adoption of a code of conduct and the introduction of rules for members of parliament on how they interact with lobbyists and other third parties,” the GRECO report states. Among other recommendations of 2015 were strengthening the independence and role of the High Judicial Council and the State Prosecutorial Council; amending the procedures for the recruitment and promotion of judges, court presidents and prosecutors, in particular by excluding the National Assembly from this process and ensuring merit-based recruitment; and continued reform of the system of appraisal of judges’ and prosecutors’ performance. As far as judges are concerned, in the compliance report GRECO welcomes the measures taken to further develop the role of the High Judicial Council, improve the objectivity and transparency of the procedures for the recruitment and promotion of judges, as well as to train judges on ethical issues, the report said, adding: “Beyond a necessary constitutional reform in order to change the composition of the High Judicial Council and exclude the National Assembly from the process of recruitment of judges, GRECO expects a review of the system of appraisal of judges’ performance.” “Prosecutors are in a situation largely similar to judges. Some steps have been taken to strengthen the role of the State Prosecutorial Council, to review the performance appraisal system for prosecutors and to train them on ethical issues. Further progress is conditioned by the upcoming constitutional reform. GRECO reiterates its call upon the Serbian authorities to review the criteria for the recruitment and promotion of prosecutors,” the CoE announced, concluding: “In view of the above, GRECO concludes that the overall very low level of compliance with the recommendations is globally unsatisfactory. GRECO therefore asks the Head of the Serbian delegation to provide a report on the progress in implementing all the pending recommendations as soon as possible, but at the latest by 31 October 2018.”

REGIONAL PRESS

Mektic: RS leaders are fear-mongering and threat security in the RS; fierce reactions (RTRS)

In an interview for ‘Reuters’, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Minister of Security Dragan Mektic stated that Republika Srpska (RS) leaders are fear-mongering and that security in the RS is undermined. Mektic accused the RS leaders of engaging in nationalist rhetoric and supporting paramilitary organizations with the aim to intimidate political opponents and gain voters for October elections. According to Mektic, reliable sources show that young Serbs are undergoing military training at camps in Russia. Speaking about Russian motorcycle club ‘The Night Wolves’, Mektic claimed that ‘The Night Wolves’, who are expected to visit the RS next week, have been hired by the RS authorities to promote intolerance towards non-Serbs or “moderate Serbs” ahead of the elections. Mektic stated at the press conference held in Sarajevo on Wednesday that he possesses new information about the RS police and that the ruling politicians in the RS “use fear tactics and support the paramilitary units to intimidate their political opponents”. Mektic stated that he received information that the Russian bikers, that will visit the RS next week, will be engaged on the October elections, as the “pressure group”. Mektic said that although he does not have any negative experiences with ‘Night Wolves’, intentions of part of the RS authorities to bring ‘Night Wolves’ in B&H on the day of General Elections 2018 creates assumptions that this group may represent security threat.

RS Minister Lukac stated that Mektic is telling lies about the RS and that he has mentors in Sarajevo. “I call on him to name those who are leading and creating such structures and what their goal is. Starting with Night Wolves with whom he took pictures, and now he is making them into a paramilitary organization that is supposed to undermine security in the RS. Those are complete untruths,” said Lukac and pointed out that Mektic is trying to destabilize the RS in the interest of Sarajevo and the enemies of the RS. Asked to assess why Mektic is making such statements, Lukac noted that Mektic is doing so in order to draw the attention away from “organized crime and terrorist activities in the Federation of B&H”. Lukac accused Mektic of acting as “a spokesperson for his mentors in Sarajevo, who are not Serbs”. According to Lukac, the real security threat lies in the Federation of B&H i.e. the ‘para-jamaats’ (illegal jamaats), the Wahhabi movement, and the citizens who return from the battlegrounds in Syria “more radicalized than ever”. Lukac said he understands Mektic is trying to bring down the RS authorities, but this has come out of the boundaries of politics. Speaking about Mektic’s claims in which he reminded of past visits of Russian Cossacks to Banja Luka, Lukac briefly noted that Russian Cossacks are a cultural association that has never made any problem in Banja Luka. Lukac expressed an opinion that Mektic’s statements on the RS have even more impact because he is the Minister of Security and a Serb.

RS President Milorad Dodik said that those who falsely accuse the RS of being a source of instability are enemies of own people “and the state”. Dodik assessed that B&H Minister of Security Dragan Mektic insists on “false issues” such as alleged support to paramilitary formations with the aim of eliminating the current authorities in the RS, by using undemocratic means. According to the RS President, there is no military training of Serb children in Russia. The RS President shares RS Minister of Interior Dragan Lukac’s opinion that Mektic receives orders from “outside mentors”.

SNSD Spokesperson Radovan Kovacevic stated that SNSD considers that Mektic’s public appearances have become a threat to security of the RS, because he calls for interventionism of the international community (IC) with his statements. According to Kovacevic, SNSD assessed that the RS National Assembly (RSNA) should hold a special session to take a stance on Mektic’s “harmful behavior”.

SP RS leader Petar Djokic expressed belief that Mektic has left the framework of his work.

DNS leader Marko Pavic stated that Mektic is using “rhetoric that is unknown to DNS”. Pavic underlined that he simply cannot believe what Mektic is saying.

Deputy Speaker of the RS National Assembly (RSNA) Nenad Stevandic assessed Mektic’s accusations as ‘imaginary’ and aimed at turning attention away from terrorist activities of radical Islamists. “Those accusations represent the dirtiest of campaigns”, Stevandic said.

At its session held on Wednesday, SDS Presidency expressed support to B&H Minister of Security Dragan Mektic. It was underlined that Mektic is exposed to “attacks of political criminals from the RS Government,” and that goal of these attacks is to discredit Mektic because he has been pointing out problems in the RS, primarily crime and corruption.

Leader of SDS Vukota Govedarica stated that Mektic has been criticizing political criminals who have been attempting to present themselves as patriots, adding that due to their crimes many citizens in the RS live at the verge of poverty and young people depart from this entity. Govedarica emphasized that the moment of political reckoning in the RS will take place after he wins elections for the RS President, because conditions to “liberate people from SNSD’s occupation” will be created.

The US Embassy to B&H and Ambassador Maureen Cormack also reacted to information about announced visit of Russian motorcycling gang ‘Night Wolves’ to B&H. Cormack said that various paramilitary units, as instruments of certain global political goals, could really contribute to destabilization of B&H. “These days we hear about arrival of ‘Night Wolves’. That is an organization which was sanctioned in December 2014. The reason to impose sanctions for this organization was their contribution to destabilization of Ukraine. We hope, indeed, here in B&H, that all partners and actors will work together on making the environment in B&H stable and safe”, Cormack was quoted as saying. The US Embassy to B&H earlier stated for the daily that arrival of such groups is not useful and that they should not be supported. The Embassy also said it was on local authorities and institutions in charge to take seriously all possible security threats.

Haradinaj: Mektic and I share same values (Srna)

According to the portal ‘Govori Srbija’, “former leader of terrorist organization Kosovo Liberation Army (OVK) and Prime Minister of self-proclaimed Kosovo” Ramush Haradinaj praised Minister Dragan Mektic, calling him “politician of the future who has exceptional personal qualities and represents an extraordinary politician”. “To us in Kosovo, politicians such as Mektic, give hope that their already proven work will contribute to have B&H recognize independence of Kosovo as soon as possible and to have the visa-free regime introduced for citizens of Kosovo”, reads the article, citing the Kosovo based news portals. Haradinaj deems that difficult times, such as these, demand people like Mektic and himself, who fear nothing and nobody. “I have a feeling that Mr. Mektic is working hard and with dignity and I am not surprised that he has great sympathies of us Albanians as well, because he is giving us optimism, especially by standing against Greater- Serb policy of Milorad Dodik”, said Haradinaj. He announced that he will soon submit an official invitation to Mektic to visit Kosovo in order to exchange experience and agree future cooperation. Haradinaj concluded that he will suggest signing of the cooperation agreement between his own Alliance for Future of Kosovo party and SDS. “It is time to leave the past behind and to cooperate and Mektic and I can do that, as we share same values”, said Haradinaj.

OSCE: Equality of all three constituent peoples and the Others does not mean depriving any ethnic group in B&H of constituent status (Dnevni list)

The OSCE Mission to B&H stated that no people in B&H are being deprived of its constituent status, and that the Mission will continue promoting equality of all constituent peoples and all citizens. The OSCE Mission’s statement came as answer to the question regarding recent statement by Chairman of Main Board of the Croat People’s Council (HNS) Bozo Ljubic, who said it would not be good if the international community imposed changes to electoral legislation of B&H, because “the situation which led to depriving Croats of constituent status was consequence of decisions imposed by Robert Berry and Wolfgang Petritsch”. The OSCE Mission to B&H also emphasized that they promote and advocate full respect of B&H citizens’ human rights, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation. Furthermore, the Mission will continue following the international instruments in the field of human rights, the Dayton Agreement, the Constitution of B&H and the court decisions in its overall work, including the activities related to the Law on Elections. “It seems that the question refers to the period when local legislators failed to implement several decisions of the Constitutional Court, which would ensure constitutional equality of all constituent peoples on territory of B&H. Equality of all three constituent peoples and the Others does not mean depriving any ethnic group in B&H of constituent status”, reads the OSCE Mission’s reply for Vijesti.ba. The Mission also concluded that the solution to the Federation of B&H House of Peoples should not be imposed and that all political parties represented in the Parliament of B&H are obliged to reach political compromise regarding this matter.

Embassies express their deep concern due to inability of B&H authorities to adopt set of amendments to Law on Criminal Procedure and Law on OSA (Klix.ba)

Embassies of France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, USA, Spain and UK expressed their deep concern due to inability of B&H authorities to reach an agreement and adopt a set of amendments to the Law on Criminal Procedure and Law on OSA, and the EUD and the OSCE also stressed this in their recent statements. The Ambassadors stated: “Amendments should completely meet demands from the B&H Constitutional Court’s decision and preserve integrity and independence of security and judicial institutions at the state level, within their legal competencies, which are in force. We can notice that the proposal which is currently considered in B&H Parliamentary Assembly meets these demands. Partial solutions, which are not in accordance with international standards, and non-adoption of the amendments will have for its consequence the situation that the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H and B&H security agencies will not be able to efficiently fight against organized crime and terrorism. Non-reaching of the timely agreement and non-adoption of adequate legislation would be a hasty move. In the world which is connected, such move would endanger not only security of B&H but also security of regional and international partners of this country.” It was also stated that this issue must be urgently resolved and they call on B&H Justice Minister Josip Grubesa to do his duty in a way that he will urgently propose amendments to the Law on Criminal Procedure in accordance with international standards.

SNSD, SBB B&H officials comment their new proposals for elections in Mostar (Oslobodjenje)

Political parties in Mostar discussed different proposals for the changes to the Law on Elections of B&H several days in Mostar, and the negotiators talked about the lists and elections for the City Council, as well as the appointment or election of the Mayor and his Deputy. SBB B&H presented a new proposal, as well as SNSD and SDS. SNSD negotiator Radislav Tubic told the daily that their model includes the City Council with 13 councilors from national lists under the 4+4+4+1 principle. In that case, a voter could vote for four candidates from the lists, while the remaining 22 councilors would be chosen from different city zones. Also, he said that they would have to be careful about the central city zone in order to implement a decision of the Constitutional Court of B&H related to the value of a vote. Tubic also noted that Serbs need the elections in Mostar more than other two peoples: “Today we do not have absolutely any protection mechanism, which is why we need to find a solution.” Asked to comment a proposal for one Mayor and two Deputy Mayors, Tubic said that they would accept it, as well as a solution of having one Mayor and one Deputy Mayor from different peoples, but only if the President of the City Council is a representative of third people. President of SBB B&H Mostar Anel Kljako told the daily that their proposal includes having the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor chosen from a list in such manner that each candidate comes from lists of all three peoples. “Unfortunately, I did not see any progress in comparison to the past. We are all trying to find compromise, but the positions remain firm,” said Kljako commenting the last meeting. Asked about the proposal presented by SNSD and SDS, he said he finds it innovative and it is something they should all seriously consider.

There are seven proposals for local elections in Mostar (Dnevni list)

There are six proposals dealing with local elections in Mostar, which have been prepared by political parties, and that there is allegedly a seventh proposal that has been prepared by the international community (IC), which has not been presented, however there are talks about it in political circles.

• According to proposal prepared by HDZ B&H i.e. HNS (Croat People’s Assembly), the City Council of Mostar would still have 35 councilors, there would still be maximum quota of councilors i.e. 15 councilors for any one constituent people, minimum quota of four councilors for any one constituent people, plus at least one councilor from line of ‘Others’. According to HDZ B&H’s proposal, 26 councilors would be elected in five constituencies, whilst nine councilors would be elected from compensation mandates from city wide list.
• According to SDA’s proposal, which is according to the daily former SDA-SBB B&H proposal which the latter has given up on, the City Council would have 35 councilors, with maximum (15) and minimum (4) quotas for peoples. There would be seven constituencies, namely the central zone and six city areas, which correspond to former city municipalities. Mayor and two Deputy Mayors would be elected with 2/3 majority in the City Council. Mayor and Deputy Mayors would have to come from lines of different peoples, and Mayor from line of one people cannot hold office for two consecutive terms.
• SDP and DF have prepared two proposals so far. According to the first proposal, there would be 35 councilors in the City Council, who would be elected in three multi-ethnic constituencies. 18 councilors would be elected from the three constituencies, whilst 17 councilors would be elected from city wide list. There would be maximum and minimum quotas from peoples. Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar would be elected in the City Council. According to the second proposal of SDP and DF, Mostar would have seven constituencies, namely six city areas plus the central zone. Mayor and two Deputy Mayors would be elected directly. There would also be maximum (15) and minimum (4) quotas for constituent peoples.
• According to a new proposal prepared by SBB B&H, Mostar would have seven constituencies, of which one would be the central zone. There would be one Mayor and two Deputy Mayors, who are first elected by citizens and then by the City Council. According to SNSD-SDS proposal, there would be 35 councilors, and direct election of Mayor and two Deputy Mayors.
• The word in political circles lately is that there is also a proposal prepared by the international community (IC). According to this proposal, Mostar would be one constituency, which would directly elect Mayor and to Deputy Mayors. There would also be maximum (15) and minimum (4) quotas for constituent peoples.

Covic: There is no Croat issue, there is issue of B&H (Dnevni list)

HDZ B&H) leader, President of the Croat People’s Council (HNS) and B&H Presidency Chairman Dragan Covic stated that “we can proudly say who we are and what we are, and that we will not succumb to any pressure nor will we allow being humiliated”. He also stressed that there is no Croat issue but the issue of B&H. “We simply want that all issues of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are still open and for which we have to find solutions, must be based on full equality of Croat with Bosniak and Serb peoples”, Covic was quoted as saying. Covic also stated that institutional resolving of the issue of election of legitimate representatives of Croats to all government bodies would significantly relax relations between all ethnic communities in B&H. He added that in that case “everyone could believe – from its own point of view – that part of the process is completed and that conditions were created for focusing on further development of economic and other kinds of progress in our country.”

Dodik: Croat entity would help strengthen role of Croats and stabilize situation in B&H (Vecernji list)

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik asked to comment issues pertaining to changes to the B&H Law on Elections and some people wishing that HR Valentin Inzko would impose a solution, Dodik said the main problem is that Bosniaks want to dominate over Croats. “And Serbs, of course”. When it comes to HR Inzko, Dodik calls him “a mere manipulator”, who tells Bosniaks in Sarajevo that he will impose a solution if things are not sorted out by May, whilst ten days later he says in Brussels there will be no impositions. “But I want to clearly say that any imposition of decision, even for the area of the Federation of B&H, will be rejected by our side. That is not the European path and is humiliating for all peoples”, said Dodik. Asked what he thinks about the third, Croat entity, Dodik said the third entity, which would have the same right as the Federation of B&H and the RS, would strengthen the Croat position. “I claim it would contribute to stabilization of B&H,” added Dodik.

Croatian FM: Kosovo and Serbia need reach legally-binding agreement (Hina)

In a visit to Kosovo, Croatian Foreign Minister, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, said her country would continue to support Kosovo in its efforts to join all international mechanisms and that Kosovo and Serbia need to reach a legally-binding agreement on normalization of relations.

Pejcinovic Buric also met Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli and Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj. On this occasion, Haradinaj said the friendship between the people of Kosovo and Croatia will continue and that Croatia’s membership in NATO and EU should be used as a model by Kosovo.

President under fire for controversial WWII remarks in Argentina (Hina)

Commenting on President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic‘s statement that “after World War II, many Croats found a space of freedom in Argentina where they could testify to their patriotism and express their justified demands for the freedom of the Croatian people and their homeland,” former Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic of the GLAS party said on Wednesday that it was “unheard of for the President to speak against the constitution of her own country.” “I consider that statement absolutely incomprehensible, except perhaps in the context that the President is like whoever she is with. If she is surrounded by a certain type of people, she attempts to adapt and say what they like to hear and she changes that depending on the audience,” Pusić believes. Pusic underscored that this was absolutely inexplicable and that the president should explain herself to Europe and the rest of the world, and to Croatia first. She wondered if the president supported Nazis and attacks on the Croatian Constitution. “We are talking about the historical foundations of the Constitution here… not about some constitutional provision on which you can launch an initiative. This is a question of our identity, of who we are as a society, we cannot be semi-fascists. We have to be clear on that matter,” Pusic underscored.

Social Democrat MP Predrag Matic called President Grabar-Kitarovic a “walking scandal,” adding that he was “ashamed that she is Croatia’s President.” Matic recalled Grabar-Kitarovic’s statement that a lot of water would flow down the Danube before the Croats become friends with the Serbs, and “three days later she played host to Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic.”

“Remember what she said about Fascism and anti-Fascism, and then she travels to Argentina and, addressing people who have never been to Croatia and who, when showing a map of Croatia include a large part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia in it, makes a statement which, if Angela Merkel were to make, would result in her express replacement and her ending up in jail,” Matic said. He recalled when the president spoke about Serbs during Vucic’s visit, she said that she was their president, too, yet before that she said that they were free to leave because Croatia was a free country.

The head of the SDP’s parliamentary group Arsen Bauk earlier in the day condemned the President’s statement, ironizing it and noting that people like “Ante Pavelic, Dinko Sakic, Ivo Rojnica, Branko Benzon and many other Ustasha emigrants as well testified to that space of freedom and patriotism.” “After WWII, many Germans sought and found a space of freedom in Argentina where they could testify to their patriotism and express their justified demands for the freedom of the German people and homeland… including Adolf Eichmann, Josef Mengele…” Bauk said. He explained, however, that not all Croats who went to Argentina prior to and after WWII were members or officials of the Ustasha movement, but noted that, given the context of the president’s statement and some statements made after her address, she needed to explain it.

Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) international secretary Miro Kovac did not wish to comment on the president’s statements made during her visit to Argentina.

The Nazi-hunting Simon Wiesenthal Center on Wednesday condemned the Croatian President for praising the country’s immigrants to Argentina and warned they included many officials of its World War II pro-Nazi regime and the country’s WWII Ustasha regime officials. Her remarks “constitute a blanket whitewash of some of the worst criminals of WWII”, the center’s top Nazi hunter Efraim Zuroff said in a statement. “The only question is whether her statement stemmed from admiration for these murderous Ustasha or ignorance of their postwar escape.”

Croatian immigrants to Argentina included Ustasha leader Ante Pavelic, secret police chief Eugen Dido Kvaternik and commander of their most notorious concentration camp Dinko Sakic. However, the President rejected the criticism as a “malicious interpretation of her statement”. In a letter to Zuroff she accused him of “repeated attempts to impose a collective stigma on Croatia, Croatian people and Croatian immigrants” which she deemed “unacceptable”.

Bojanic participated in protests, he’s against NATO and speaks Serbian, Mandic (Pobjeda)

Presidential candidate of the Democratic Front (DF) and part of the “Civic Opposition’, Mladen Bojanic, has already started with his campaign at the session of bodies within the New Serbian Democracy, NOVA. Bojanic attended the session of the executive committee of NOVA, presided by Milutin Djukanovic. The session was also attended by managers of NOVA and presidents of municipal committees as well. According to unofficial information, presidential candidate of the DF, Socialist People’s Party, SNP, and URA civic movement, is to attend the party sessions of all constituents that supported him in the presidential race. Bojanic is expected to attend the session of the executive committee of SNP. “This represents a historical agreement of Montenegrin opposition. The Democratic Party of Socialists is well aware if its ruinous effects on them,” Mandic stated.

Becic and Abazovic finally show their true colors, claims Nikolic (CDM)

The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) MP, Milos Nikolic, claims that Aleksa Becic and Dritan Abazovic have finally shown their true colors. He stresses his party has been glad that their parties revealed themselves with received assistance from the Democratic Front (DF) and media lobbying. “They finally confirmed what we have been claiming from the very beginning, i.e. these are the parties with no ideological, political, identity and strategic commitment. They’re only interested in staying in power, they are constantly changing their partners and somehow always end up in anti-Montenegrin and anti-Western alliances” claims Nikolic.

Nikolic emphasizes that recent statement of Andrija Mandic, recommending an anti-NATO presidential candidate and who speaks the Serbian language, actually confirms correctness of DPS’s views.

Tense atmosphere in parliament: Physical altercation prevented between Gruevski and Xhaferi (Meta/MIA)

While parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi began to read out that the Law on the Use of Languages ​​would be on the voting agenda, MPs from VMRO-DPMNE, led by former leader Nikola Gruevski tried to prevent Xhaferi from calling a vote. Coordinator of the VMRO-DPMNE parliamentary group, Dragan Danev, demanded a procedural objection, but Xhaferi would not grant him one, after which the majority of VMRO-DPMNE MPs stood before Xhaferi and yelled “procedure”. Former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski stood directly in front of Xhaferi, hit the table with his hand, hit the bell, covered his microphone and as a final provocation emptied the contents of his water glass before finally climbing up behind Xhaferi and switching off his microphone. Xhaferi then announced a 15-minute break. Security guards finally stepped in to prevent a physical altercation between the two as Gruevski attempted to approach Xhaferi as he left the hall. In a tense atmosphere at Parliament, the law was passed by 64 votes in favor versus none against or in abstention. 24 votes were submitted by lawmakers from non-majority communities, the Law on the Use of Languages was passed ​​without a debate on the 36,000 amendments submitted by the opposition VMRO-DPMNE. The 24 MPs had to vote by raising their hands after ex-PM and current MP Nikola Gruevski spilled water over the electronic voting system leaving it deactivated. VMRO-DPMNE MPs protested again and were led by their former leader Gruevski who again approached the chair of the Parliament Speaker Xhaferi and said “Do not force it” and “I will not do anything to you, but it is not good for you to force it “. The opposition VMRO-DPMNE is set to file a motion against Xahferi for a flagrant violation of the Constitution and laws, party leader Hristijan Mickoski said Wednesday, as the parliament adopted a law on usage of languages. VMRO-DPMNE, Mickoski said, will also submit an initiative to the Constitutional Court to present its opinion on the law. This chaos cannot last forever, Mickoski said, pointing out that all those who violated the country’s laws would be brought to justice. He said that VMRO-DPMNE would keep protecting Macedonia’s state interests. A few hundred people rallied outside parliament to protest against the law on the use of languages. Xhaferi later said he won’t allow incidents in parliament to happen like the ones on 24 December 2012 and 27 April 2017 following the enactment of the Law on Languages that extends the use of Albanian language across Macedonia. “Since day one as the speaker, I have been aware of the challenges I will face. I’m saying it now, and I have said it before – I will never allow during my term the incidents of 24 December 2012 and 27 April 2017 to happen,” he urged. Speaking to members of the media after the adoption of the language law, Xhaferi said the main competence of the parliament is to conduct a legislative procedure in compliance with the Constitution and the Rules of Procedures. As regards the protest taking place in front of the parliament, he said the citizens have the right to protest. “All citizens have the right to protest, and in this respect, i.e. the citizens gathered outside Parliament, I have no objection to that. But, the behavior of some of the MPs shouldn’t be considered a provocation to inter-ethnic relations in the country, it is a mere reaction of those who still cannot come to terms that they are the opposition now,” the speaker noted.

President Ivanov once again refuses to sign language law (MIA)

Considering its repressive content and the violent manner of its adoption, the law on usage of languages is not an expression of democracy. The constitution and conscience do not allow me to sign a decree declaring such bill into a law, President Gjorge Ivanov said late Wednesday in a press release. “This law is an act of tyranny of the parliamentary majority against the majority of citizens of Macedonia, who have never voted or would ever vote for a political program that envisages such anti-constitutional, anti-state and fundamentally unjust law. And an unjust law does not deserve to be called law. As President of the Republic of Macedonia, I will not allow this.” Ivanov said. He notifies that a debate on opposition MPs amendments has been circumvented, the EU recommendations ignored, while the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia and the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly have been violated. Addressing the MPs, Ivanov said he had asked them to carefully review his remarks following the President’s first refusal to sign the law. “The way you voted the law for the second time is an institutional violence and a blow to democracy. I hope that you are aware of the precedent you are making and the damages to the rule of law in the country that could arise from this precedent in the future,’ Ivanov said, criticizing the MPs for failing to consult with experts and relevant institutions, which ‘are most competent to give an opinion about the law on usage of languages.”

“The law on the use of languages, in the manner in which it is written, as well as adopted, will lead to a full blockade of the work of institutions. In such conditions there is great probability for opening the issue of redefining our constitutional order,” the President said. For Ivanov, the language law is unjust and repressive, as it favors only one language. “Such law will fuel inter-ethnic tensions and pose a threat to interethnic coexistence,” Ivanov said.

The language law had already been passed in January, but was again put up for a vote after President Ivanov vetoed it. Under the Macedonian constitution, the president must sign it following the new vote.

Albania and Kosovo commend Macedonian parliament for adopting language law (MIA)

Official Tirana and Pristina commended late Wednesday the Macedonian Parliament for adopting the law on use of languages. “This is a significant event, not only for the ethnic Albanians, but also for the European future of Macedonia,” Albania’s President Ilir Meta said.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci extended congratulations to all Albanians living in Macedonia, saying that the adoption of this law is a rather significant step for Macedonia’s road towards the European Union. “It is a gesture of good will for coexistence, respecting the cultural diversity, dignity and integrity of each citizen,” Thaci said. Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj views the adoption of the language law as an example of how a democratic country respects the rights of citizens. “The law enactment launches a new era of the relations within Macedonia and serves to the entire region as a guideline towards the European Union,” Haradinaj said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Serbia eyes chance to sell on Russian gas (Neftegaz.RU, 15 March 2018)

Belgrade – According to the report of the Balkan Insight, amendments to an agreement on gas imports from Russia to Serbia, which Serbia’s parliament is expected to confirm, should enable Belgrade to sell Russian gas to other countries. «Changes in the agreement will bring that possibility for Serbia – but it would mean also that Serbia needs to solve problem with its infrastructure, as now we only have an interconnection with Bosnia,» said Serbian energy expert, Dragan Budosan. The agreement on gas deliveries from Russia was signed in October 2012. The document said the deal was designed «to increase energy security», and to «strengthen long-term economic cooperation» between Serbia and Russia. The agreement covered the period 2012 to 2021, and included delivery of up to 5 billion m3 of gas per year to Serbia. It was also agreed that gas exported to Serbia was intended only for the Serbian market. Although the changes will enable Serbia to re-export Russian gas, some issues are still unsolved, Budosan explained that as Serbia has gas interconnections only with Bosnia, it would need to build infrastructure as soon as possible to re-sell the gas. A few weeks ago, Serbian officials announced plans to construct a «Serbian Stream», reviving the idea of an alternative gas pipeline that would bring Russian gas to Serbia and the rest of Europe. The announcement followed the abandonment of the South Stream gas pipeline, which was supposed to transport gas from Russia to the EU under the Black Sea and through Bulgaria and Serbia. It was abandoned in 2014 due to its non-compliance with European Union competition and energy legislation. Asked which countries might be interested to buy gas from Serbia, Budosan answered: «anyone, if it sees its interest». He noted that Serbia stands to gain from this deal, as many countries, especially members of the EU, do not have such agreements with Russia, so might be interested to import Russian gas purchased from Serbia.