LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Guarantees for Serbia’s EU membership in 2025 must accompany agreement with Pristina (RTS, Reuters, Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told the Reuters news agency on Thursday that an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina should include clear guarantees of Serbia’s membership in the European Union in 2025.

“If we ever reach an agreement (with Pristina), Serbia would need to get clear guarantees that it would become EU member state in 2025,” Vucic said. He said it was something that many European leaders, at the time of the elections for the European parliament, would not like to hear, Serbian agencies reported the interview.

Asked whether there was a possibility for the “agreement on demarcation to be put back to the table”, Vucic said that nothing was on the table officially yet and this could be discussed.

He said they negotiated in the first place the implementation of parts of the Brussels agreement, but also how Serbs and Albanians should live together in future and how they should overcome all the difficulties that Belgrade and Pristina were faced with.

Asked about in what sense he would struggle for more rights for Serbs in Kosovo and in what sense the guarantees should be included in the agreement, Vucic said this must be a comprehensive agreement. Vucic said that the negotiations happened within the framework of EU and that historical conflicts should be solved though “large packages”. He said this must be a comprehensive package of resolving not only the relations with Albanians in Kosovo, but also resolving the European road, progress of the economy and many other things.

Vucic understands that foreign forces interfere with the internal affairs of the “small”, but he is surprised by the fact that the relationship between Belgrade and Pristina is becoming a global issue, “we emphasize, we understand that we need to have support, because it is impossible to make a solution if, for example, Germany is against”. Or, he adds, if Russia says “we do not care what you have agreed to, we will go to the United Nations to behave as we like it”, and not to say how impossible the solution is if the US does not agree, or France …

“It is impossible to have a final deal without the support of Germany, Russia, the U.S. or France” Vucic said.

Vucic said that campaigning for European Union parliamentary elections next May and the rise in popularity of right-wing political parties in Europe could dim the prospects of reaching a deal between Belgrade and Pristina.

“Do you think that citizens of those (EU) countries would like to hear about the prospects of Serbian membership (during the campaign)” he said.

“Right now we don’t know where our borders are,” Vucic said, adding that an agreement between Pristina and Belgrade would contribute to stability in the region.

“No one in the region should be afraid of any agreement between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo, the region will be more stable, stronger and economically more attractive” he said.

A final deal with Serbia would also enable Kosovo to become a member of the United Nations.

Hahn: Correction of borders as possible “final part of the puzzle” (Tanjug)

EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said that within the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, “territorial exchange” or “border correction” is not excluded as “the final part of the puzzle”.

Johannes Hahn, however, emphasized that “any solution must contribute to the stability and prosperity of the region and that both sides are aware of the international obligations and concerns of the international community.”

Han “believes that it is possible to settle the dispute by mid-2019.”

We resume dialogue, but agreement unlikely to be reached (Beta, Tanjug)

President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday that Belgrade will continue talks with Pristina, but that they are unlikely to succeed in reaching an agreement.

“It is important that even if we do not reach an agreement, which is likely, that someone will have to do it after us, because without long-term peace-building we will not be in a position to continue such successful economic results” Vucic said. Vucic added that “we have to take care of children and think about them, not about how to ingratiate in one day for those who like easy solutions.”

“One mostly gets headaches from these easy solutions, it’s like treating cancer with aspirin,” Vucic said.

He reiterated that the solutions will certainly be painful both for the Serbs and the Albanians, whatever they may be and whenever they happen, “because there are no easy solutions or shortcuts when it comes to serious issues.”

“And one who is not ready for that, and who thinks it is possible for everything to be easy and nice… I saw those who told us in 2008 that this was a chance for us and that we will live the life of a Rile – while he had the decline in industrial production in the region. That’s (what happens) when you’re fond of easy solutions” the President said.

Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday also that Prime Minister Ana Brnabic would most likely be the one to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly session this year. Vucic said he was “not quite sure yet but that Brnabic was more likely to go to New York than he was.”

But the President will definitely go to China soon, and he said this would be “one of his most significant visits ever – economically as well as politically.”

“I am proud I will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for a fifth time, that is a great honor for our country. I will meet with PM Li Keqiang for a fourth time,” Vucic said.

Vucic: I clearly distanced myself from Milosevic’s politics (VIP)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said with regard to his speech in Kosovska Mitrovica that he substantially set the line of discontinuity with the politics of former President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic.

“He has a rare charisma, he could gather most people and votes, but the results were poor both for Serbia and Serbian people. I said we did not want wars and graves, but we want to win with

pencils and computers and this was quite clear, but no one wanted to hear it or they pretended they did not hear it”, he said. Vucic said in Kosovska Mitrovica: “Milosevic was a great Serbian leader, his intentions were by all means best, but our results were much poorer. Not because he or someone else wanted it, but because the desires were not realistic, and interests and aspirations of the nations were nations were ignored and underestimated. And therefore, we paid the highest and hardest price”.

Vucic said on Thursday that he was well understood by the people in the world, but the region pretended they did not understand him or they remained silent about this.

“Many in the region want continuation of the constant political conflict, and who knows what else, between Serbs and Albanians. Some of them feel frustrated because Serbia, which lagged

behind, reduces the public debt fastest, it makes most progress, and they do not like Serbia’s strength. Therefore, they need a weak Serbia, which would wage war, Serbia of conflicts”, he said.

Drecun: Pristina government’s decision on the army destabilizes talks (RTS)

The President of the Assembly Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, Milovan Drecun, told RTS that the move by the Pristina government, which passed the bill on the transformation of Kosovo security forces into the army, shows Kosovo’s increasing unwillingness to reach a final agreement with Belgrade. This certainly damages and destabilizes the talks that are being carried out in the final settlement of the KiM status, Drecun says.

Milovan Drecun, said that Pristina obviously isn’t giving up on the intention to create an armed force, against the will, interests and security of the Serbian people, which is completely contrary to the Resolution 1244, which stipulates that only KFOR can be a military formation in Kosovo.

“There is no dilemma, and having in mind the experience with the predecessor of these so-called Kosovo Armed Forces, that they would further jeopardize the interethnic relations that are extremely disturbed between Serbs and Albanians, the security of the Serbian people, and that the purpose of this formation would not be different from being directed against the Serbian people, possibly for some interventions in northern Kosovo” Drecun said. He emphasizes that “we must not forget that this formation will have some kind of quick reaction force.”

“On the other hand, the formation of such a formation would certainly disrupt the established balance of power in the region and be out of the system of controlling military potential in a region that has already been established” Drecun said.

He pointed out that the part of the West that has recognized Kosovo as a state insists that the prescribed legal procedures must be implemented.

“This means that the constitution must be changed for the so-called armed forces of Kosovo to be formed. The constitutional amendment requires the approval of Serbian representatives in the Kosovo parliament, the Serbian list (Srpska lista) will not allow it” Drecun explained.

He points out that they can change the purpose, organizational structure, establish this formation as a classical army, weaponize it as an army, but cannot change its name and become an armed force.

“They already have an established organizational military structure, they already have plans for procurement of weapons, heavy weapons and various combat aircraft, have trained personnel, this preparation was done by NATO, the leading NATO countries have been training for years the members of this future formation, now it is only the question of procedures” adds Drecun.

“This move shows Kosovo’s increasing unwillingness to reach a final agreement with Belgrade. This certainly damages and destabilizes the talks that are being carried out in the final settlement of the KiM status” Drecun noted.

“Sustainability of agreement with Pristina will be reflected by Serbia’s EU membership”

When it comes to reaching of an agreement with Pristina, Drecun considers that it requires very strong support and verification.

“Given that, if this agreement is reached, it will be fundamentally different from the current situation, it requires very strong support and verification, both in Serbia itself, as well as by Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, but also from international actors who are in one way or another involved in solving the Kosovo problem” says Drecun.

He reminds of the position of the majority of EU member states, that prior to Serbia’s membership in the European Union, it is necessary to reach a legally binding agreement on a comprehensive normalization of relations with Pristina.

“It should be kept in mind that, as far as Serbia is concerned, it wants to reach an agreement that will be sustainable in the long run, its sustainability will, among other things, be reflected in Serbia’s EU membership. Therefore, this confirmation and strengthening of the agreement must be reflected through membership in the EU, it would guarantee that the agreement will be in the long run fully implemented and will not cause any possible new destabilization” Drecun claims.

Responding to the question on which further guarantees Serbia could count on, Drecun says that, with the advancement of the economy, political and security stability is being strengthened.

“It is an incentive for all countries in the region, that such a stable region and stable Serbia will be the best guarantee that the agreement will be implemented and will not lead to some new conflicts” Drecun said.

Asked if there is an understanding in Prishtina for that idea, Drecun says that “there is more understanding in Pristina about the idea of ​​a “Greater Albania” than for the European perspective of the entire region.”

“I cannot see any sincere commitment to this European perspective by most Albanian politicians, because they simply oppose this European perspective by placing various obstacles on this path of reaching on an agreement” Drecun concluded.

Vulin: Formation of Kosovo army is attack on Vucic’s peace efforts (Tanjug)

Minister of Defense Aleksandar Vulin urged the international community to ensure compliance with the Resolution 1244 and not to allow formation of the illegal armed formations that would jeopardize peace and security in Kosovo and in the region.

“Pristina’s decision to initiate the procedure for formation of the so-called Kosovo army is a planned attempt to prevent the agreement and it is an attack on the peace efforts of President Aleksandar Vucic” Vulin said.

He also wondered what would be the purpose of such an army – to defend from Montenegro and Macedonia or to attack Albania”.

“The only purpose of forming the army is a conflict with Serbia and we will not allow preparations of the army that according to Haradinaj and (parliament speaker Kadri) Veseli should come all the way to Nis” Vulin said.

Vulin also said that “the Serbian Army is capable of defending all its citizens and our way of life, regardless of who threatens us”.

NATO, US reacts to “KSF transformation” draft law (Beta)

NATO has assessed that the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is a question for the Kosovo authorities.

A NATO official told Radio Free Europe on Thursday that “any change in the structure, mandate, and mission of the KSF will require constitutional amendments” and that it “supports the development of the force “under its current mandate.”

The KSF s also described as “a professional, multi-ethnic force, and a source of regional stability,” Beta reported.

This comes as the government in Pristina approved a draft law “to gradually transform the KSF.”

Previous intentions to turn the KSF into an army have been opposed by Serbia, the Serbs in Kosovo, but also “failed to win support from Kosovo’s Western partners,” Radio Free Europe said.

The US embassy in Pristina reacted now by saying it was “not consulted on the timing of this announcement” and will have to “analyze the draft laws to understand their purpose and effect.”

“The United States has always supported Kosovo’s sovereign right to an army and has worked closely with Kosovo on how to achieve this. We have counseled a deliberate approach that keeps Kosovo in sync with our NATO Allies on this important step. We were not consulted on the timing of this announcement and will have to analyze the draft laws to understand their purpose and effect,” the embassy said, concluding: “We have been focusing our efforts the last several weeks on building a domestic consensus for the important Dialogue with Serbia. We continue to believe that normalization between Kosovo and Serbia is the most important step for progress in the immediate future.”

Serbian President denies interfering with election in RS (Beta, Srna, N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday he has never interfered with the election in Bosnia’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity but that he is following the election campaign.

Vucic’s statement came in response to Mladenin Ivanic, the Serb member of Bosnia’s tripartite Presidency who told Bosnian media that Serbia’s leadership should not make any difference among Serb people in the upcoming election.

“I think that Serbia’s leadership should see all of us living on this side of the Drina river as the same and that there should be no division into loved and less loved” said Ivanic, who will run for the same post in the October election as a candidate form the RS.

Commenting on the alleged visit of Serbia’s President to the RS on October 5, two days before the general election in Bosnia, Ivanic said RS President Milorad Dodik, his political opponent, is involving Serbia’s leadership in the election campaign way too much.

“It is on Serbia’s leadership to decide on that,” Ivanic said.

Vucic dismissed the allegations of interference in the elections adding he was not sure to whom Ivanic exactly referred here. “I wish he gave this kind of a lesson to some others who are openly interfering with the election in RS” said Serbia’s President without specifying who is he talking about.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Lavrov’s visit to B&H postponed (TV1)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak talked to Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov over the phone on Thursday, on the occasion of postponement of Lavrov’s visit to Sarajevo and Banja Luka. The visit was postponed due to a sudden change in Lavrov’s schedule. Crnadak and Lavrov agreed to reschedule the visit for September 21, reads a statement issued by the B&H Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Details of Lavrov’s visit to B&H on September 21 will be published afterwards.

During the conversation, Crnadak expressed content due to the upcoming visit of Lavrov to B&H and put special emphasis on progress of good relations with the Russian Federation and Lavrov’s visit to Banja Luka.

Crnadak and Russian Ambassador to B&H Petr Ivantsov discussed the upcoming visit of Lavrov to B&H. The officials underlined that the visit will play a great role in future development of bilateral relations.

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik said on Thursday that Lavrov’s visit was rescheduled for September 21. Dodik added that he does not know whether Lavrov will visit Sarajevo, adding that he will definitely pay the visit to Banja Luka. Dodik emphasized that one can only speculate about Lavrov’s reasons to postpone this visit. He added that the RS respects the fact Lavrov wanted to come to Banja Luka and understands the decision to postpone this visit for several days, especially due to geopolitical and geostrategic issues Lavrov deals with.

Web ports Srpska cafe published an article reading that according to this web portal’s sources in B&H Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lavrov is not planning to travel to B&H until he gets the list of Russian citizens declared persona non- grata in B&H.

RS President Dodik meets with Russian Ambassador to B&H Ivantsov (TV1)

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik held a meeting with Russian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Petr Ivantsov on Thursday. After the meeting, Dodik stressed that institutions of B&H should apologize to Russia and Russian writer Zakhar Prilepin for having banned him from entering the country on August 23. According to Dodik, it is concerning that there is still no response from institutions of B&H with regard to this issue. He noted that the topics of his meeting with Ivantsov included the pre-election campaign and the visit of Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov to B&H. Dodik stated that B&H institutions still have not provided any answer related to order to ban Prilepin from entering B&H. He went on to say that Serb member of B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic “and others” are keeping quiet about it, and B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) is saying nothing. “It is obvious this is about abuse of institutions of B&H and something like this must never happen again,” stressed Dodik.

B&H Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak claims that Prilepin case will not jeopardize relations between B&H and Russia. However, he still has not provided information about who placed Prilepin at persona non- grata list.

Dodik: B&H does not mean anything to Serbs (Jutarnji list)

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik stated on Thursday in Istocno Sarajevo that Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) does not mean anything to Serbs, and nobody can force them to coexistence with other peoples. “They are now pushing us in B&H, which means nothing to the RS. We only have a problem with it. B&H cannot be, and I will not allow it to be our delusion,” said Dodik.

Covic: There will be no B&H without unity among Croats and with Bosniaks, our brothers (Vecernji list)

“There will be no Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) without unity among Croats and with Bosniaks, our brothers” said the Croat member of the Presidency of B&H Dragan Covic.

Covic said that the key words are unity among the Croat people and “unity with the Bosniak people, our brothers, without that unity there will be no B&H because had it not been for the Croats, there would have been no B&H today”. He concluded by saying: “In order to continue building it (B&H), it must be built by legitimate representatives of one, second and third people in order to create a more modern and European B&H”.

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Kingdom of Belgium, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Kingdom of Netherlands pay official visit to B&H (FTV)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak met with Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Didier Reynders, Jean Asselborn and Stef Blok respectively in Sarajevo on Thursday. Crnadak stressed that the strongest message of the meeting with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Benelux countries is that B&H, as well as the entire region, has firm and irreversible perspective and future in the EU. Ministers of Foreign Affairs agreed at the meeting in Sarajevo that issues that have the most direct impact on the lives of people in B&H should be put at the forefront, with special emphasis on the issues of economy and the rule of law.

“That is why it is very important for everyone here to do their job – both institutions at the B&H level and institutions in the entities – because almost two thirds of competences for the things we have to do in the Reform Agenda are precisely at that level,” Crnadak underlined.

Blok stressed that B&H’s future is in the Euro-Atlantic family. “You are at the heart of Europe and the EU is your most important partner regardless of whether you live in Republika Srpska  (RS), Federation of B&H or in the Brcko District. You are exporting to the EU and importing from the EU,” Blok underlined.

Reynders underlined that he supports B&H’s aspirations to join the EU. “It is important to demonstrate that support and we want to say that we are with the country on the reform path,” Reynders said.

Izetbegovic and Ivanic meet Benelux foreign ministers (Oslobodjenje)

Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Bakir Izetbegovic and member of the Presidency Mladen Ivanic met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Belgium Dider Reynders, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxemburg Jean Asselborn and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Stef Blok on Thursday in Sarajevo, as a part of their official visit to the country. Ministers Reynders, Asselborn and Blok stated they are happy to be able to visit B&H both as representatives of the Benelux and the EU. They expressed support to the European perspective of B&H and the reform process in the country, pointing out the importance of continuation of the reform process, strengthening the rule of law, and fight against crime and corruption.

Maas, Juncker say EU must strengthen its presence in Western Balkans (Nezavisne)

German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas warned in his speech before the German Parliament that China might replace the EU as the key player in the region of Western Balkans unless the EU changes its approach to the region. President of the European Commission (EC) Jean-Claude Juncker presented a similar warning earlier on Thursday in his speech before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, when he said that the EU will need a stronger engagement in the Western Balkans in order to prevent someone else from coming to this region.

Slovenian President’s Office: Pahor’s statement misinterpreted by media (Nezavisne)

Statement issued by the Office of the President of the Republic of Slovenia reads that Slovenian President Borut Pahor’s statement, according to which weak EU means that there can be no enlargement in Western Balkans, was actually misinterpreted by media. According to statement, what Pahor actually said is that he wants Europe to remain strong and connected even after Brexit, because enlargement in Western Balkans depends on that. Furthermore, the statement – which was also published by the Embassy of Slovenia in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) – reads that Pahor remains a fierce supporter of the EU enlargement and a true friend of B&H, and that he supports country’s Euro-Atlantic future.

Montenegro 

Djukanovic: New media-political offensive from Serbia (TVCG)

Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic said that there is a renewed media-political offensive from Serbia on Montenegro, similar to the one from the 1990s and that there are two reasons for that.

“It is logical that today, 25 years later, we do not show uncertainty about the provocations that come from some addresses that have a century of pretensions towards the Montenegrin independence. Montenegro feels that it has built up an immunity that it can withstand plenty of such attacks, whether they come with some addresses from the region or from Moscow” Djukanovic told TVCG.

According to him, the first reason for this is the internal political life in Serbia, the other is Montenegrin.

“The first reason is the internal political life in Serbia, which is dominantly marked by the last phase of the negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo, where we are all together approaching the formalization of something that happened essentially in 1999 during that wicked war that Milosevic led against the international community” said Djukanovic. He also recalled that Montenegro recognized the independence of Kosovo, as he said, respecting the reality.

“I also tried to talk with both Tadic and Vucic telling them that I do not consider rational of them to fight the wars that someone else lost.

What I don’t understand is that Serbia, through its media scene and the work of its politicians, is opening some other fronts in the region to relativize this issue, or to somehow shift the focus of Serbia from the issue of Kosovo” Djukanovic said.

The other reason is Montenegrin, Djukanovic said, adding that the leaders of the pro-Serbian political parties in Montenegro persistently try to persuade Serbs not to become part of Montenegrin state institutions.

“I do not see that the Serbs are in any way endangered and I think that Montenegro has a clear sensibility towards the members of any religion or nationality in our country” the Montenegrin President said.

Djukanovic also criticized the recent statement by Patriarch SPC Irinej who said that the position of the Church in Montenegro is worse than during the Ottoman occupation, and the status of Serbs is like in the era of the NDH, saying that he abolished Ante Pavelic and NDH and gave compliments to the 500 years of slavery in the Ottoman Empire.

“It didn’t surprise me that he didn’t denied his statement, it only confirmed to me that the SPC remains to be the main front-line of Greater Serbian nationalism towards the region and Montenegro and that it remains to be a striking fist of what ideologues of Greater Serbia and imperial Russia in the Balkans want. That needs to remain the object of the attention of Montenegro’s state policy in the coming period” Djukanovic said.

fYROM

Wess Mitchel: Macedonia ahead of historic opportunity, opposition to encourage citizens to vote (MIA)

The opposition VMRO-DPMNE leader should voice clear stance on the upcoming referendum and encourage Macedonian citizens to come out and vote, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Wess Mitchell, told reporters Thursday in Skopje. The US see Macedonia as an important friend and partner, Mitchell said, notifying that the country has a historic opportunity to keep advancing on the path to NATO, EU membership.

‘We’ve talked at length in all of my meetings today about the upcoming referendum and my message to every Macedonian that I’ve met today is the same that this is a decision that only Macedonians could make. Macedonia has been on the path towards the West now for a very long time and we urge all Macedonians to exercise their fundamental freedom, but also responsibility at the time of referendum – to turn out and vote. I think this is a historic opportunity’ Mitchell said after meeting Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.

He refused to speculate what if referendum failed; saying once again the decision on the country’s future is in the hands of Macedonian citizens. He also gave credit to both Macedonia and Greece for their efforts to reach a deal on the name issue, which was rather difficult for both countries.

PM Zaev once gain invited the opposition party to voice its stance on the referendum, saying that leadership is required now in Macedonia, one that will be able to recognize the significance of the present moment. He also voiced belief that vast majority of the citizens of Macedonia would say ‘yes’ for the country to become part of the most powerful military alliance – NATO and economic union – the EU.

Name agreement unacceptable for opposition VMRO-DPMNE (MIA)

The EU, NATO membership is Macedonia’s strategic goal, but the agreement with Greece is not acceptable for VMRO-DPMNE, opposition party leader Hristijan Mickoski said late Thursday at a meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Wess Mitchell. Mittchell and Mickoski agreed on the significance of the Western Balkans’ integration with the Euro-Atlantic institutions for the region’s stability and the need of support for implementing the necessary reforms to that effect, VMRO-DPMNE said in a press release.

Mitchell: Prespa Agreement an opportunity to welcome you as 30th NATO member (MIA)

The United States strongly support the Prespa Agreement. We see it as an opportunity to welcome you as the 30th NATO member, said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Wess Mitchell after Thursday’s meeting with Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov.

“We know a lot of work and compromise was required from both sides. The road was long, 27 years, to reach this point. We also discussed the next steps. You have our support but Macedonians need to decide by themselves. The United States is interested in the Western Balkans and works for the stability and prosperity of this important region,” said Mitchell.

He stressed that discussions with Macedonian leaders focus on security protocols, strategic relations in the region, economy, and the historic chance for Macedonia given by the Prespa Agreement.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic perspectives and current political developments in the country and the region were in the focus of the Dimitrov-Mitchell meeting. FM Dimitrov highlighted the importance of U.S. further support to Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic integration and cooperation based on strategic partnership.

“Our deserved membership in the Alliance will significantly contribute to building a prosperous and safer Macedonia, which is also important for the entire region,” said Dimitrov.

Assistant Secretary Mitchell reaffirmed U.S. strong support to Macedonia’s full-fledged NATO and EU membership, saluting the country’s efforts on this path, especially the constructive policy with neighbors and the name solution.

Mogherini: EU is open for you; keys to country’s future in citizens hands (MIA)

The doors of the European Union are open for you, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said Thursday in Skopje.

“My message to all the citizens: remember that on 30 September when you go and vote at the referendum, you hold the keys to the future of your country. It’s in your hands and nobody else can do it for you. And you cannot afford to stay silent and miss the opportunity to express yourself about what kind of future you want for yourself. These are not elections, and this is not about politics. You want to make sure that when you wake up on Monday, namely on 1 October, you can be proud of the choice you made for your country, yourself, your children – no regrets” Mogherini told reports as she, along with Premier Zoran Zaev and Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov visited the Old Bazzar in Macedonia’s capital. She once again pointed out that the doors of the European Union ‘are open’ for Macedonia.

“First of all because we know that together we can achieve a lot. I’ve been remained on by PM Zaev today in Strasbourg of how much we can do together for our future, our prosperity, our security, our stability. Our doors are open, you hold the keys, our side is determined to make this work” Mogherini said.

Asked about her message to opposition VMRO-DPMNE leader, Mogherini said she wouldn’t like to interfere in the country’s internal affairs and once again invited all citizens of Macedonia to take the opportunity and express own position. The voting right is precious, Mogherini said, and ‘whenever you are called to express yourself and participate in shaping the future of your country you should use it.’

PM Zaev said that the prospect Macedonia to join EU was a powerful motivation for him to do the homework and resolve the name issue with Greece. Mogherini’s visit to Skopje today is yet another EU gesture of support of Macedonia and its citizens, Zaev said.

“Now all citizens of Macedonia should demonstrate unity, determination and make a decision on the 30 September referendum on the name agreement, our future. For us the EU membership status is a factor that unites all societal stakeholders and driving power for successful implementation of reforms. Differences are always present. We shall respect them, but there is no room for irresponsibility when we should all decide about the future of our country and next generations” Zaev said. In this context, he expects a successful referendum and implementation of the Prespa Agreement, for the purpose of completing Macedonia’s NATO and EU accession process, reads the press release.

EU, NATO membership mustn’t be an alibi for ‘bad’ agreement, President Ivanov tells EU’s Mogherini (MIA)

At a meeting Thursday with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov affirmed his support for the country’s accession to the Euro-Atlantic institutions, notifying that “the EU, NATO membership must be an alibi for a bad agreement.” He said the country’s strategic goals must not be abused at the account of the national and the interests of the Macedonian people, the President’s Office said in a press release. “My stance isn’t altered. The EU, NATO membership is Macedonia’s strategic goal, but it can’t serve as an alibi for bad agreement, which rather than resolving is opening much more issues” Ivanov said.

Hahn: If the opportunity is missed, the door will be closed for decades, if not for ever (MIA)

EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, ahead of his visit to Macedonia scheduled for Monday, said what could happen in the event of “missing the opportunity to accept an agreement with Greece in a referendum on September 30th”.

“If the opportunity is now missed, I am pretty sure that the door will be closed for decades, if not forever. One should be cautious in politics, but in the near future it will remain closed and it will harm the citizens of this country (Macedonia)” said Hahn.

US Defense Secretary Mattis to visit Macedonia on Monday (MIA)

US Defense Secretary James Mattis will pay a visit to Macedonia on Monday (Sep. 17), Macedonian government confirmed on Thursday. Mattis is scheduled to meet Premier Zoran Zaev and Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska. The meeting is to be followed by a press conference.

Earlier this week Mattis announced his plan to travel to Macedonia to express the US support for the upcoming referendum on the name agreement, but also to ‘make very clear’ that Washington stands against Russian aggression as the nation considers its invitation to join NATO.

“I’m going to go out and see our Macedonian friends on a rather swift journey over there and back” Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon. “I’m going there to make very clear we stand with the Macedonian people.”

FM Dimitrov: Visit of US Defense Secretary to Macedonia demonstrates Washington’s interest in Balkan stability (MIA)

The upcoming visit of US Secretary of State James Mattis to Macedonia reflects the significance Washington has been attaching to all ongoing processes in the Balkans, as well as its interest for the region to be stable and stop generating new problems, Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov told a joint press conference with his Albanian counterpart Ditmir Bushati.

Commenting the frequent visits of high international diplomats to Macedonia ahead of the 30 September referendum, Dimitrov said the world was aware of Macedonia’s determination to deal with, resolve the problems together with the neighbors and to move forward, which resulted in strong diplomatic support.

The referendum on Skopje-Athens deal for settling a long-standing name issue that hindered Macedonia progress for nearly three decades is an opportunity not only for the country, but also for the Balkans and Europe, in terms of progress, step forward to prosperity and stability, Dimitrov said.

Bushati: Macedonia-Greece agreement significant for entire region (MIA)

Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati has urged Macedonian citizens to support the Prespa Agreement at the coming referendum, because of the deal’s significance not only for the two countries, but also the entire region.

“I call all citizens of Macedonia, regardless of their ethnic, ideological and cultural background, to support this process, because it has historical significance not only for Skopje and Athens, but also for the stability, security and democracy of our region,” said FM Bushati after Thursday’s meeting with Vice Premier for European Affairs Bujar Osmani.

He added that the referendum support will affirm the country’s Euro-Atlantic efforts.

Vice Premier Osmani expects Albania’s support regarding Macedonia’s NATO membership, expressing hope that Tirana will be leading the ratifications of the country’s NATO accession protocol.

“Macedonia and Albania have no open issues. We have excellent bilateral relations, but there is potential for further enhancement of cooperation,” said Osmani.

Interlocutors also referred to the trilateral initiative to make the Prespa region a protected zone, including efforts to develop tourism and economy in the area. The issue will be on the agenda of the joint session of the Macedonian and Albanian government, which is currently in the works.

Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi told Bushati that Macedonia highly values Albania’s support to the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration. Xhaferi said both countries should support and help each other, taking into consideration that the objective of the entire region is to become a part of the large European family, the Speaker’s Office said in a press release.

Albania

Rama: Visa liberalization for Kosovo, late decision but to be appreciated (ADN)

Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, reacted on Thursday on the European Parliament (EP) decision to vote pro visa liberalization for Kosovo.

“Great news that the European Parliament finally removed the stain, failing to vote pro visa Liberalization for Kosovo, with which Europe has been risking its flag for so many years!

Kosovo remains for a while the only country of Europe without visa liberalization, but today’s decision is a decision to be appreciated,” wrote Rama.

The voting of 628 participants in the EP was 420 pro, 186 against, and 22 abstentions.

The next step is the voting of the Council of Ministers. Kosovo is the only country in the Western Balkans, whose citizens do not enjoy the right to free movement in the Schengen area.

EP Decision for visa liberalization, Meta congratulates Kosovo (ADN)

The President of the Republic, Ilir Meta, congratulated on Thursday Kosovo after European Parliament’s decision to open green light for visa liberalization.

According to him, this is a clear message of Kosovo’s road towards European Union.

“Congratulations to Kosovo. I welcome the decision of the European Parliament to open the green light for visa liberalization for Kosovo. It is a clear message of its European perspective. Very happy for this tremendous news and great achievement of the people and state of Kosovo, which grows and strengthens every day as a factor of peace and stability in the region,” said Meta.

Visa liberalization, Kryemadhi: Extraordinary news (ADN)

The Chairwoman of the Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI), Monika Kryemadhi, has reacted on Thursday after the European Parliament’s decision to open the green light for Kosovo’s visa liberalization. According to her, this is extraordinary news for Kosovo and its citizens. “This is extraordinary news for Kosovo and its citizens. The European Parliament opens the green light for visa liberalization for Kosovo, thus giving a clear message of its European perspective. Kosovo in all of its sacrifices should have had much earlier joined the right to move freely and without barriers. I also wish the European Council to adopt this recommendation of the European Parliament as soon as possible to further open the way for cooperation of our region with the European Union” said Kryemadhi.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Land swap is not a solution – Try harder (EWB , by Adriatik Kelmendi)

The idea of having a permanent agreement with Serbia makes many Albanians feel romantic. Solving a problem which was present for many generations during the past 100 years causes many to say – let it happen. Despite the greater price of what we expected and wished for, for Serbia to recognize Kosovo once and for good and that it joins UN to finally become a normal state.

Can the border correction between Kosovo and Serbia get done by moving some border lines in some villages or municipalities?

“Why not?”, we often hear citizen saying. “Anyways, there has been some movement in the northern and eastern part of the Kosovo, after the Second World War”, say some others. “Why shouldn’t something be corrected now?”

We are also seeing some diplomats, politicians and western analysts speaking freely when it comes to this topic. “Why not use this occasion if Prishtina and Belgrade agree on it?”, they suggest.

Anyways, it is not that simple. If it was, then it would have happened a long time ago in the Balkans. It did not happen after the war and it is dangerous for it to happen now.

Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, many times has linked the matter of Kosovo with what he calls a solution to the problem of “the two biggest Balkan nations, Albanians and Serbs”. However, with this statement, it’s even harder to come up with a solution to this problem.

Even if Pristina and Belgrade agree to it, the problem of “the two biggest nations” in Balkans cannot be solved only by moving the border between Kosovo and Serbia. That is simply because Albanians do not live only in Kosovo, the same way that Serbs do not only live in Serbia.

Albanians live in Albania, Albanians live in Kosovo, Albanians live in Macedonia, Albanians live in the Precevo Valley in Serbia and Albanians live in Montenegro.

Serbs live in Serbia, Serbs live in Bosnia, Serbs live in Montenegro and Serbs live in Macedonia.

If we are speaking so as Vucic says, to solve the problem of Albanians and Serbs as the two biggest Balkan nations by moving the Kosovo-Serbia border, what will then happen to those Serbs and Albanians living in other countries?

Knowing precisely that this is not the solution, redrawing borders on ethnic basis was not allowed.

Since talking about partition of Kosovo is working against the Rambouillet Agreement, the Kumanovo Agreement and the Ahtisaari Package, hitherto process of normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia as well as against the Dayton Accords.

Then – against the Ohrid Agreement, against the Referendum on Independence of Montenegro; or even more directly – against Kosovo, against Bosnia, against Macedonia, against Montenegro; and then yet against a quarter century of the US and EU investments, but the most painful – against 130,000 people killed in the wars in the former Yugoslavia.

To talk against all these it means to only talk about interests of just one party: only Serbia… and Russia.

The concept of homogeneous countries in Europe thus far was successfully brought to a halt. Why make it possible now? Because if there is a ethnicity based land swap between two countries why not implement it elsewhere also?

There are also those who speculate that there are guarantees from Hashim Thaci and Edi Rama that Albanians in Macedonia will be “wise” and will not seek to disrupt Macedonia, and that there are guarantees from Aleksandar Vucic that Serbs in Bosnia will “stay wise” and will not disrupt Bosnia.

Let’s suppose for a moment that it might be possible that these politicians have spoken with representatives of Albanians, respectively Serbs, in these countries and that they promised that whatever happens between Kosovo and Serbia will not affect them. However, people who believe in these, be it regional or foreign, should know that Balkan states, albeit with fragile democracies, still have democracy. And that the same leaders will not stay in power forever. So, despite the guarantees of any current government from Kosovo, Albania and Serbia leaders of tomorrow may not care and won’t respect their predecessor’s guarantees.

If Albanians in Macedonia want partition tomorrow, or Serbs in the Bosnian Serb Republic want to break-up from Bosnia – calling on the same rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Albanians in the Presevo Valley – who can stop them?!

Guarantees made by leaders in Pristina, Tirana or Belgrade? Hardly! It is also hard to guarantee this by Brussels and Washington.

Even if they fail to break apart, they will still cause incidents and unrest, innocent people may lose their lives, families might suffer.

Hence, no! There cannot be a solution between Kosovo and Serbia, by claiming a solution of the problem of the biggest Balkan nations, Albanians and Serbs.

An offensive plan for the Balkans that the U.S. should get behind (The New York Times)

A Kosovo-Serbia land swap would be peaceful ethnic cleansing. But at least it would bring peace.

The Balkans remains in strategic limbo. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia 10 years ago, but Serbia has yet to come to terms with its loss — refusing to recognize Kosovo and stirring trouble between the country’s ethnic Serbs and the ethnic Albanian majority. Almost two decades after the NATO bombing campaign to drive Yugoslav forces from Kosovo, some 4,000 NATO troops remain there to keep the peace.

A breakthrough may now be in the making. It is a morally offensive one, but nonetheless the United States and the European Union should get behind it.

President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia and President Hashim Thaci of Kosovo are apparently working on a proposal to engage in a land swap that could bring the simmering conflict to an end. Northern Kosovo, which is populated mainly by ethnic Serbs and borders Serbia, would be transferred to Serbia. In return, a to-be-determined chunk of Serbia’s Presevo Valley, which is heavily populated by ethnic Albanians and borders Kosovo, would become part of Kosovo.

This swap is effectively a peaceful form of ethnic cleansing. Still, it is the right thing to do. Pragmatism needs to trump principle in this case to secure a deal that promises to bring a close to the years of bloodshed and border changes that have resulted from the collapse of Yugoslavia.

The proposed land swap has been lurking in the background since the early days of Kosovo’s independence. But it has gone nowhere in part because the United States and the European Union have adamantly opposed it. True to form, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany recently said that “the territorial integrity of the states of the Western Balkans has been established and is inviolable.” Backing up Ms. Merkel, dozens of prominent scholars and policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic have signed an open letter condemning the proposal and imploring the United States and the European Union to oppose “a return to ethnification of polities and frontiers.”

But there are signs that some Western officials are warming up to the idea. John Bolton, President Trump’s national security adviser, hinted as much last month: “Our policy, the U.S. policy, is that if the two parties can work it out between themselves and reach agreement, we don’t exclude territorial adjustments,” he said. Mr. Bolton is thinking clearly, at least on this front. As long as both the Serbian and Kosovar governments agree to the deal — and can secure sufficient political backing among their publics and legislatures — the United States and the European Union should support it.

Of Kosovo’s population of almost two million, roughly 90 percent are ethnic Albanian and some 6 percent are estimated to be ethnic Serb. Reliable numbers are hard to come by, but around half of Kosovo’s Serbs — high estimates reach 70,000 — live in northern Kosovo, where they make up some 90 percent of the population. Because of its Serb majority, northern Kosovo (about 10 percent of the country’s territory) has been part of the country in name only since independence. Serbia has continued to hold political and economic sway there, leaving Kosovars with a sizable chunk of their country that has no interest in belonging to an independent Kosovo.

Serbia’s Presevo Valley is reportedly home to some 60,000 ethnic Albanians and is comparable in size to northern Kosovo. How much of this area Serbia might transfer to Kosovo is unclear. Nonetheless, trading northern Kosovo for at least some portion of the Presevo Valley would broadly preserve Serbia’s and Kosovo’s current territorial size and population.

The Serbian government will have a hard time granting formal recognition to an independent Kosovo no matter what; the land is of historical and cultural importance to Serbs, and Serbian religious sites dot Kosovo. But if the proposed swap offers a face-saving way for Serbia to normalize relations with Kosovo and let the Balkans move forward, Kosovars and their international supporters should jump at it.

Admittedly, the Serbs that stay in Kosovo proper would be an even smaller minority if the north joins Serbia. Indeed, some Serbs will surely leave. Unsavory population transfers would also be likely in the Presevo Valley as ethnic Albanians move to areas destined to become part of Kosovo and ethnic Serbs leave them. But the establishment of formal relations between Kosovo and Serbia would bring a sense of normality and stability to Kosovo, encouraging those Serbs who remain there to become more invested in the country’s future. And Kosovo thus far has done a respectable job of protecting the rights of minorities.

Critics of the swap claim that it would set a dangerous precedent at a time when ethnic nationalism is already surging in Europe and beyond. In particular, the swap could fuel calls in other parts of the Balkans for borders to be redrawn along ethnic lines. Fair enough. Separatist sentiment among ethnic Serbs in Bosnia, ethnic Albanians in Macedonia or minorities elsewhere could strengthen.

But nowhere else in the Balkans is a consensual adjustment of borders on the table. If the proposed swap materializes, the international community should stress that it supports it as an extraordinary exception.

Rather than causing a contagion of ethnic separation, normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo may well do the opposite. Serbia is the region’s dominant player. If it settles its impasse with Kosovo, it may well transition from being an aggrieved troublemaker to a satisfied stakeholder. Serbia’s help would be particularly welcome in discouraging Republika Srpska, the Serb-dominated region of Bosnia left behind by the war there in the 1990s, from seeking to break away. The positive effects of reconciliation between Serbia and Kosovo further justify a one-off sacrifice of pluralist principles.

Finally, the European Union has made clear that Serbia and Kosovo need to normalize relations if they are to join the union — a step that would immeasurably advance Balkan stability and prosperity. The envisaged land swap brings closer that better future.

The Serb and Kosovar presidents have tough negotiations ahead of them. But if Mr. Vucic and Mr. Thaci can pull this off, the United States and the European Union should embrace the deal. By offering a tentative green light now, Washington and Brussels can provide crucial encouragement and help build public support for an agreement in both Serbia and Kosovo.

Charles A. Kupchan, a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, served on the National Security Council from 2014 to 2017.