LOCAL PRESS

Djuric: Kosovo will be debated in UN regardless of what the British want (Beta)

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric on Aug. 2 said it was very important to discuss Kosovo in the UN Security Council, adding that Kosovo would surely be debated in the council in the future. Commenting on the decision by the United Kingdom,

which holds the presidency of the UN Security Council in August, not to discuss Kosovo in August, Djuric described the decision as a diplomatic mobilization of those supporting Kosovo’s independence. He also said that much inconsistency could be seen as, on the one hand, a more intense dialog in Brussels was required, while on the other hand, the Kosovo issue should not be discussed in the UN. “Anyone familiar with the situation in Kosovo and Metohija knows how important it is to discuss the fate of our people in the UN’s highest forum, and it will be discussed in the future regardless of what the British want,” Djuric stressed.

Drecun: UK’s decision irresponsible (Beta/N1)

The United Kingdom’s decision to exclude a debate on Kosovo from the UN Security Council session in August was irresponsible and in violation of the Charter of the UN and international law, Milovan Drecun, chairman of the Serbian parliament’s Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, said on Aug. 2. “It is an attempt to finalize what they want, that is, to fully withdraw the UN from Kosovo,” Drecun told N1 TV. He further said that such an act by the UK was completely contrary to what could be recently heard from US and French officials saying that their countries were ready for compromise solution. He branded the decision as a blow to the attempt to reach a compromise solution and an attempt to strengthen Pristina’s position. Drecun further said some had been trying “to hide the real situation in Kosovo and Metohija, which is extremely bad, discriminating against the Serbs and other non-Albanian communities” and to hide that Kosovo “is actually not a creation that has been making progress, but a failed experiment of the UK and some other Western countries.”

Drecun: Pressure and step towards Greater Albania (Tanjug)

The announced opening of borders between Albania and Kosovo represents Greater-Albanian pretensions and goals, the Chairperson of the parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun told Tanjug. “Albania is most harshly violating internationally recognized borders of the Republic of Serbia, which is a UN member state. Albanian is also a UN member state and it wished thus to realize this imagined idea on the creation of a ‘Greater Albania’ in a way by erasing in this phase so-called internal borders in this project, meaning the border between Serbia and Albania in the region of Kosovo and Metohija, and in the final phase to establish the outside borders of ‘Greater Albania’,” said Dercun. “With this move, Albania is exerting pressure so Serbia is not very demanding in the continuation of the negotiations on the resolution of the final status of Kosovo and actually advocates not the reaching of a compromise solution, but realization of an anachron project of ‘Greater Albania’, which would lead to a new regional war.

Dodik: If Kosovo is admitted to UN, then RS too will ask for chair (Novosti)

In an interview to the daily, Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik said that if Kosovo gets membership in the United Nations (UN) and other international institutions, the RS too will demand to follow the same path. “When Albanians one-sidedly proclaimed independence of Kosovo, the RS Assembly adopted a resolution which states that in case a new international principle and practice in recognizing the right to self-determination is established, then we will insist on defining of our statehood status. This document is still in force and we will not give up on it,” Dodik said and argued that solving of Kosovo issue must not be separated from the issue of the status of the RS. Dodik claimed that foreigners keep applying double standards and he warned that they cannot exempt B&H from arguments which they are using for Kosovo. Asked when one might expect to see preconditions for discussion of this issue having in mind the UK even prevents a discussion on Kosovo before the UN Security Council, Dodik replied by saying that this is nothing new and argued that the UK has been “anti-Serb” ever since the start of its presence in this area. Dodik added that Serbs must openly say that the UK is against them and added: “To each new UK Ambassador who comes for the first time I say: ‘Good day, I cannot say welcome because I know you came to work against us’”. Asked if he thinks division of Kosovo could be one of possible solutions for compromise between Serbia and Kosovo Albanians, Dodik replied by saying that he strongly believes in what Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his team are doing and he expressed readiness for “all state and national factors of Serbs, including us from the RS, to gather and seriously include this item in the agenda”, concluding that this matter must be considered without any emotions or calculations because “in the end, no permanent borders have been set up here”.

Prorokovic: Essentially – this is Greater Albania idea being realized (Tanjug/B92)

The realization of the ‘Greater Albania’ idea essentially, but not formally, continues with the announced opening of the Albania- “state of Kosovo” border. Dusan Prorokovic from the Institute for International Politics and Economy said this on Thursday, adding that the self-proclaimed state and Albania have signed more than ten bilateral agreements since 2009. Meanwhile, the announcement made by Albanian Minister for Diaspora Pandeli Majko about the opening of the border represents merely a continuation of their functional integration, he said. Prorokovic recalled that in 2006, the Contact Group said that three principles should be defined in relation to the future of Kosovo and that one of them was that there would be no unification of Kosovo with a neighboring country. “Formally, the Albanians realized that they cannot declare ‘Greater Albania and unite in such a way, but they are creating functional integration and one economic, cultural, educational and trade system,” Prorokovic told Tanjug. From our point of view, he continued, their agreement on military cooperation is also contentious, as is Pristina and Tirana having entered deeply into connecting when it comes to security. “That’s a path they will follow, it’s nothing new, it’s been happening for eight or nine years, and they’re continuing this job,” he added. Asked whether all this represent the creation of Greater Albania, Prorokovic said that the Albanians do not have support and authorization for it formally and legally – but that essentially, the answer is affirmative. “This is the creation of one, mutually tied together space from Kosovska Mitrovica to Durres, and, from the Albanian standpoint, this is nothing controversial, that is their goal that we can recognize.” Prorokovic stressed that Serbia must do a lot in bilateral relations with Albania in order to slow down or completely stop this process, as well as during Belgrade’s negotiations with Pristina. “There must not be no further concessions, because the path that they are painting for us, along which they will move, is very clear,” says Prorokovic. He added that the international community has not reacted to the fact that Kosovo and Albania have signed more than 10 bilateral agreements since 2009 and that our authorities reacted somehow – but it seems that there is insufficient energy, and they’re using some kind of arguments that were not appropriate. “Hence this agreement, and if no one opposes it, they will continue on, and that ‘on’ functional integration of Kosovo and Albania,” Prorokovic said.

REGIONAL PRESS

Izetbegovic: Serbia and Croatia are purchasing aircrafts and rocket systems, but when I speak about strengthening military industry, they say I am preparing for war (Glas Srpske)

Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic said that B&H does not have necessary funds to follow the modernization of armed forces of Serbia and Croatia in terms of purchase of aircrafts and helicopters, but noted that military industry is already at such level “that 1992 can never repeat”.  “If now was 1992, we have so much in B&H that we can defend ourselves”, said Izetbegovic. He said that Serbia and Croatia are purchasing aircrafts, rocket systems and they brag about this: “When I say that we will strengthen our military industry then they say that I am preparing for the war. Attempt to apply this double standard when it comes to B&H patriots is unbelievable”, said Izetbegovic. Commenting the stories about the third entity, Izetbegovic said that this “is the bone thrown to Croats and Bosniaks so they would fight amongst themselves”, adding that nobody “would even know how to draw the third entity”. Izetbegovic also talked about beginning of construction of the Peljesac Bridge and meeting he had with Head of the EU Delegation to B&H Lars-Gunnar Wigemark. According to Izetbegovic, the meeting was somewhat unpleasant. Namely, Izetbegovic said he presented all arguments to Wigemark and requested a reply from the European Commission (EC) because the EC decided to financially support a project that violates the international law and B&H’s rights in line with the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea). In this context Izetbegovic said his office was submitting materials to Mr. Wigemark. “That is why the meeting was a little bit unpleasant too. I requested that he gives me precise answers to questions”, said Izetbegovic adding that ‘we’ tried to stop construction of the bridge by using diplomatic means.

EUD to B&H: Croatia should solve border dispute with B&H before constructing Peljesac Bridge (BHT1)

The EU Delegation (EUD) to B&H has urged Croatia to undertake all necessary activities in order to solve possible disagreements regarding the border demarcation with B&H, in the spirit of good-neighborly relations with this country. According to the EUD to B&H, it is necessary to determine and verify the border between the two countries before the beginning of construction of the Peljesac Bridge. The EUD to B&H also stated that the European Commission (EC) carefully analyzed the project application it received from Croatia to co-finance the Peljesac Bridge, concluding that there are no unresolved legal problems related to this project when it comes to internal procedures of the EC and the EU.

Plenkovic: Peljesac Bridge is being constructed on Croatia’s territory (HRT1)

Responding to criticism coming from Sarajevo, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic once again stressed on Thursday that Peljesac Bridge is being constructed on Croatia’s territory. Plenkovic further said that after it examined Croatia’s arguments, the European Commission (EC) decided to co-finance the construction of Peljesac Bridge. “I wish all the best to B&H. If you have a bridge with a height of 55 meters in front of Neum and more than 200 meters space between the pillars, then I really do not know what kind of ship could not pass under that bridge. Therefore, B&H has its institutions and its manner of making decisions. We are ready to present all arguments,” Plenkovic underlined.

Serbs to prevent Bosnian lawsuit against Croatia? (Hina)

The Serb member of the B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic told on Wednesday that B&H would not sue Croatia over the construction of the Peljesac Bridge. “The lawsuit cannot happen. I am not the kind of person to resort to outvoting,” Ivanic said when asked if he would support the lawsuit against Croatia over the construction of the Peljesac Bridge, announced by his Bosniak colleague Bakir Izetbegovic. The Croat member of the B&H Presidency Dragan Covic previously opposed the idea of a lawsuit. “If those two shared the same position, then yes, I would have voiced my opinion, but for me to be the deciding vote, I really don’t think so. There are a lot of topics that could be discussed with Croatia,” Ivanic said. The Chairman of the B&H Presidency Izetbegovic said on Monday that the beginning of construction was a “flagrant violation” of B&H’s sovereignty and that steps would be taken before international institutions. Covic had previously said that Croatia was not jeopardizing B&H’s interests and his HDZ B&H party said that the construction of the bridge was in the interest of B&H and local Croats in Neum.

Zaev in Pelince: Let’s choose the future on Sept. 30 (MIA)

Patriotism is when you are paving the way for future generations establishing a country recognized internationally, proud and equal with others, a country the citizens are proud of. The courage of our fighters we are celebrating today is the motivation guiding us every day, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Thursday. There is no better way to pay tributes than to continue to make courageous steps. It is time that Macedonia made history accelerating its efforts on the road to a brighter future. Together we should respond to that chance, no one will make a decision for us, Zaev stated speaking in Pelince at a ceremony marking Macedonia’s Republic Day. The PM called on the citizens to support the Sept. 30 referendum and vote Yes ‘for future generations and for the future of Macedonia.’ Zaev called the name deal with Greece ‘patriotic’ that preserved Macedonian identity, language and nationality. The future, Zaev said, is the right choice and every one of us should take responsibility for their future, thus for the future of their own country. “Go out and make a choice, let no one tell you otherwise. The democratic say of the citizens must be respected, their opinion is final,” he noted saying he was confident that the Macedonian people would make the right choice. “No one can slow us down, we are determined to make Macedonia successful. It’s time we put an end to captured state, crime, corruption in the judiciary, biased media, and political mafia.” On September 30, Zaev said, we will defeat darkness, crime, uncertainty and isolation. “Vote Yes for stability and security through membership into NATO, for a recognized identity, language and culture,” he told attendees of the ceremony at the ASNOM Memorial Center in Pelince, north Macedonia. Referring to the name agreement with Greece, Zaev said that the document ‘historically speaking’ was the best chance, a fair chance for the Macedonian citizens and an investment into the future blazing the trail for Macedonia to join NATO and start negotiations with the EU. He also noted that the deal protected the Macedonian identity and guaranteed the right of the country’s citizens to determine themselves as Macedonians. The official ceremony kicked off with the national anthem and wreaths being laid in the ASNOM Memorial Center, where PM Zaev is joined by a delegation, including Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski and Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov.

Xhaferi: Macedonia yet again faced with ‘fateful’ decision (MIA)

Ilinden (August 2) is one of the fundamental dates in the history of Macedonia and its citizens, who had one single goal – free and independent state where human rights and liberties are equally respected regardless of one’s ethnic, religious or any other characteristics, Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi said in his speech in front of Metodija Andonov-Cento’s monument in downtown Skopje marking Macedonia’s Republic Day. “If we look at the Krusevo Manifest, if we look at the ASNOM documents, we will realize that human rights and liberties and the multi-ethnic and multi-confessional character of the Macedonian society had been the fundamental backbone on which the leaders of both Ilindens laid the foundations of the state and the civil society,” said Xhaferi. Speaking near the monument of Cento, the first ASNOM president and the first president of the National Assembly’s presidency since 1945, the Parliament’s Speaker said that in the past 27 years of Macedonia’s independence, the country had faced many ordeals and crises that had been overcome with unity. He referred to the public overwhelming support for NATO and EU integration and called on the opposition and all citizens to endorse the process of implementing the name deal with Greece. “We received an invitation for full-fledged membership into NATO and we got a concrete date to start accession negotiations with the EU,” Xhaferi said noting that it had been achieved with the support of friends and strategic partners from the international community. Today, he added, Macedonia is faced with yet another major decision, perhaps a fateful one. “Are we going to move on with our Euro-Atlantic integration bid or are we going to get stuck in the Balkan deadlock leading nowhere is our choice,” stressed Xhaferi. According to him, the current administration and the parliamentary majority have demonstrated preparedness to take responsibility for the future of the country and of its citizens. “Hence, we call on the opposition to take over part of the responsibility for the future of the country and the citizens. I want to urge all the citizens of Macedonia, the leaders of the political parties and all MPs, ruling and opposition, to be genuinely responsible and visionaries and with the power of their vote to endorse the implementation of the Agreement, which will meet the ultimate strategic goal – EU and NATO membership,” Xhaferi said adding that it would fulfill the dreams and pledges of every past generation for a free, independent country in which the respect of human rights and liberties was essential. The Speaker’s speech was preceded by a wreath laying ceremony in front of Cento’s monument and the monuments of ASNOM and Nikola Karev located outside the Parliament’s building in Skopje.

Ivanov: We want to join EU, NATO, but only with our own name, dignity and honor (MIA)

Macedonia is not private property, with its attributes and values to be traded with by some. It is not personal property to be sold, Macedonia is not a no man’s land that anyone can claim. Macedonia belongs to the people who have created it, President Gjorge Ivanov said in Krusevo.

In an address at the site Meckin Kamen at a ceremony observing Macedonia’s Republic Day, Ivanov clearly and firmly reiterated his position that he didn’t support the ‘Greek Agreement’. The Macedonian President accused the government of ‘bypassing’ him regarding the name agreement. He referred to several Macedonian notable figures, including writers, poets, revolutionaries and two late presidents, to highlight the importance of the Macedonian statehood, language and nation. To be Macedonian is not only a right. It is also an obligation. It is an obligation to preserve the heritage that our ancestors fought for with defiance and resistance, according to him. The citizens of Macedonia, Ivanov said, rally around the idea for membership into the EU and NATO, but they want to join these organizations with the the country’s own name, with dignity and honor. “I believe the people are mature enough and wise enough to choose their own future. May we safeguard the independent Republic of Macedonia, there is nothing more valuable,” Ivanov stated adding that “no politician has a mandate to trade with the identity of the Macedonian people.” Mentioning the name agreement with Greece, he said that it was a lie that it changed the name only. “On the contrary, it changes the Macedonian state and institutional identity, it undermines the 74-year right to self-determination, it erases the state and legal identity, the 27-year history of the country. It is a lie that it guarantees membership into the EU and NATO, because without real reforms, fight against corruption and partisan clientelism, there is no Euro-Atlantic integration,” President Ivanov said adding that the country’s rights in the UN were degraded by accepting the Greek agreement. As President Ivanov opened his address, people attending the ceremony broke into a famous patriotic song. His name was also chanted several times during his speech.

Minister warns free movement Albania-Kosovo begin soon (ADN)

The Minister of State for Diaspora, Pandeli Majko, announced that starting from January 1, 2019 will start free Albania-Kosovo movement. Majko made this announcement from Skendaraj, Kosovo. “We need to open the border between Albania and Kosovo. The Prime Minister, Edi Rama has already taken the decision, so the free movement between Albania and Kosovo will begin on 1 January,” said Majko. Even though Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj and President, Hashim Thaci, attended the event, none of them spoke about Prime Minister Edi Rama‘s decision to lift the border.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Macedonia Opposition Still Wavering Over ‘Name’ Referendum (BIRN, by Sinisa Jakov Marusic, 3 August 2018)

Days after parliament set the historic ‘name’ referendum date for September 30, the main opposition party is still disputing the referendum question and undecided about whether to take part.

Macedonia’s main opposition VMRO DPMNE party is unlikely to call on its supporters to boycott the September referendum that will decide the fate of the historic agreement with Greece and determine the country’s Euro-Atlantic future, a party source told BIRN. “After all the calls from the international factors, who have stated that the ‘name’ agreement [with Greece] represents a historic and perhaps last chance to unblock our [stalled EU and NATO] integration processes, an open call for a boycott is unlikely,” a source close to the party’s leadership told BIRN on Wednesday under condition of anonymity. The same source said the party, which has condemned the “name” deal with Greece signed on June 17 as treasonous, is more likely to advise its supporters to vote according to their own conscience, he indicated. If this happens, at least some party supporters will likely cast ballots, which will significantly boost the chances of success for the plebiscite; it needs a turnout of more than 50 per cent of all the registered voters to be valid. On Wednesday, VMRO DPMNE secretary general Igor Janusev said the party’s governing bodies had not yet decided whether to boycott the vote, or participate. It is also unclear when exactly the leadership will convene and make a decision.Unofficially, the party may opt to prolong the state of suspense until the referendum campaign starts officially on September 10.

Question criticised as manipulative:

The main reason for the opposition’s ambivalence about the referendum is the way that the question has been formulated. On Monday, the parliamentary majority led by the Social Democrats, SDSM, of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev – at a session where VMRO DPMNE MPs were absent – decided that the question would read: “Do you support EU and NATO membership by accepting the deal between Macedonia and Greece?” The opposition deems this phrase highly manipulative. It wanted a far simpler choice, in which voters would opt to support the “name” agreement or not – without linking this to Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic perspectives. “Zaev and the SDSM want to trick the will of the people,” the party said in a press release on Wednesday. It accused the government of deliberately planting EU and NATO accession into the question in order to tie the issues together and so win support for what it deems a harmful agreement. Supporters of the agreement insist that the question is accurately worded, however. They say the question is designed to communicate the full implications of the historic agreement. They note that the principal aim of the agreement was to get Greece to end its longstanding blockade of Macedonia’s membership of NATO and the EU. Under the deal, Macedonia agreed to change its name to Republic of North Macedonia – providing a referendum on the issue succeeds – while Greece agreed to lift its veto on Macedonia’s EU and NATO integration. “The [referendum] question is complex but necessary because it contains a connection between causality and a consequence,” Skopje university law professor and former SDSM presidential candidate Ljubomir Frckoski argued. “We would not have reached an agreement with Greece, or negotiated on the ‘name’ dispute, if we had not been forced to, by the blockade of our accession to NATO and EU,” he added. “That’s why we have an agreement on the name dispute which is unequivocally and profoundly linked with our EU and NATO accession bids,” Frckoski continued. This view is echoed in recent calls by EU and US representatives for all Macedonians to participate in the plebiscite. “The question of the referendum in #Macedonia is exactly what the agreement means: namely a future in or out #EU and NATO! I appeal to our sister party #VMRO to understand this+ and vote in favor for the future of their kids!!” Doris Pack, president of the women’s organisation within the centre-right European People’s Party – from the ranks of German Christian Democratic Union, CDU – tweeted on Tuesday. While the opposition is officially undecided about whether to participate, some of its members have already demanded a boycott while others have demanded that people vote – leaving the impression of a growing divide in the party over the issue. VMRO DPMNE MP and former foreign minister Antonijo Milososki this week on social networks called for a boycott of the referendum, calling the referendum question “unconstitutional”. Contrary to this lawmaker, who no longer sits on the party’s presidency, another faction in VMRO, which goes by the name of “the reformists”, has urged people to vote. “Each sovereign citizen has the right and duty to independently participate in decision making for the future and the fate of our country. We are at a historic crossroads. Let’s take our responsibility,” Kostadin Bogndanov, one of the “reformists” and a member of the party’s executive committee wrote on social media. The unnamed party source told BIRN that all these diverging opinions “are strictly the personal views of party members”.

Diplomatic pressure intensifies:

In the run-up to the all-important referendum, Western pressure on the opposition not to obstruct the plebiscite is set to increase. During a three-day visit to the country, Matthew Palmer, the US Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, on Wednesday called the current momentum “historic” because, he said, the agreement with Greece had finally opened up Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic perspectives. “We hope that people will turn out and vote, express themselves and do so in an atmosphere free of disinformation or discouragement,” Palmer said. The US official made that point on Wednesday to VMRO DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickovski, after which his party stated in a press release that it agreed that Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic integration was “the only way to ensure stability in the region”. The number of Western leaders that are expected to visit Macedonia, and add to moral support in favour of the referendum, is meanwhile also increasing. On Wednesday, Deutsche Welle, citing unnamed diplomatic sources, said Macedonia expected a “spree of visits” in the coming weeks, including a possible visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.