LOCAL PRESS

Hahn: I offered ideas to Belgrade and Pristina (B92, Beta)

EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said that during a visit to Belgrade and Pristina he offered to the ideas on how to resolve the issue of free trade in the region. He did not give details of these proposals.

At a press conference, Han told the press that all countries that are striving for the European Union should first solve mutual problems and stressed that meetings with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj were open and constructive.

“I wanted to give you guaranties that we are all working on a European perspective so that you can become EU members. All six countries (the Western Balkans) have a European perspective, but one of the key criteria for becoming a member of the EU is to resolve all bilateral issues, in this case to resolve the issue of dialogue with Serbia” Hahn said.

The European Commissioner said that since 2007 until now, every year, 100 million euros have been spent and that they are determined that free trade and the elimination of barriers that are obstructing it become one of the conditions.

“I would like to say that Kosovo has done a lot to contribute to the abolition of barriers to the free trade and this week is the CEFTA annual conference where Kosovo is the hosts. We were all surprised and disappointed when taxes were set at 10 and later at 100 percent” said Hahn.

He said that everyone in the EU knows about the current difficulties in trade for Kosovo.

“It is in the interest of both parties to deal with these issues, and I have suggested that both countries focus on resolving trade issues, which means more businesses and more jobs” Hahn said. The European Commissioner said that efforts should be made to address these issues as soon as possible in order to contribute to the dialogue and the future of Kosovo.

Joint Letter of Serbia and B&H to EU Members (RTS)

Trade ministers of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) are worried about the mild reaction of the international community to the introduction of tax, recently increased by 100 percent by Pristina, and agreed to send a joint letter to the EU member states. They agreed to continue coordinating all steps and activities towards international institutions in the future so that the discriminatory measures of Pristina would be abolished as soon as possible.

Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic met in Belgrade with Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirko Sarovic, with whom he discussed the situation that arose after the temporary institutions in Pristina introduced discriminatory taxes on goods from Serbia and B&H.

Ljajic and Sarovic noted that due to the imposed taxes of 100 percent, the trade of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina with Pristina became virtually impossible.

The two ministers voiced concern over the inefficiency and mild reactions of the international community, which so far didn’t convinced Pristina to withdraw the mentioned barriers, the Ministry of Trade said in a statement.

Ljajic and Sarovic agreed to issue a joint letter to the EU member states, given that the Stabilization and Association Council of the European Union and Kosovo will be held on December 17th, which will consider the application of the SAA by temporary institutions in Pristina.

They estimated that this was the last chance for the EU to urge Pristina to urgently abolish the aforementioned measures, or otherwise it would be necessary to ask for a suspension of the SAA between the EU and Kosovo.

Namely, increased tariffs do not only violate the CEFTA agreement and the SAA, but it is a gross violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, and above all the right to free movement of people, goods and capital, as well as the right to healthcare, the statement said.

Ljajic and Sarovic agreed to continue coordinating all steps and activities towards international institutions in the future so that the discriminatory measures of Pristina would be abolished as soon as possible.

Vucic: We are driven into corner (Tanjug)

The Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was addressing an unscheduled press conference late on Monday when he said that he was “bringing bad news” and that even after EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn‘s trip to Pristina, “the Albanians would not even hear about abolishing the taxes on goods from central Serbia”. As he said, “the first bad news is that Pristina emphasized that it will not abolish the tax recently increased by 100 percent until Serbia recognizes Kosovo’s independence.”
“Another bad news is that the Albanians today announced the formation of an army for December 14. Johannes Hahn was unequivocal when it comes to the taxes that Pristina introduced, they said that the taxes would be abolished when Serbia recognizes Kosovo’s independence. Serbia will not negotiate like that. The problem is, what will we do on December 15 or January 15, when one of the hotheads sends an army to the north of Kosovo” Vucic said.
This, he says, brings us to “the highest level of danger in the region.”
Pristina’s moves, he said, are “irresponsible, terribly irresponsible and lead us to the worst kind of danger”.  “I do not want to say the word, what their intention is, but I’m afraid they are leading us all to a fait accompli.”
As Vucic remarked, “it seems like we the Serbs are guilty because they are enraged in Kosovo because of the vote in Interpol,” adding, “I guess we should have voted for them, so that they would not take measures.”  As he said, “in Pristina they know that they will not destroy the Serbian economy, as much as they are painful for us, because we have something to produce and export.”  Vucic said that measures will certainly affect us, but not dramatically, because we have good results, and those would be “even better.”
“They are doing this to expel the Serb people from Kosovo and Metohija, so that their boot would occupy the north of Kosovo. I said that at the beginning and I repeat it today,” Vucic said.
In this, “many will oppose them publicly, but will essentially be hiding their eyes and keeping silent, and waiting for this to happen, while Serbia’s hands are tied.”
“Our hands will not be tied, because we have been driven into a corner, we no longer have a choice. What remains for us to do is to fight for peace, explaining to everyone in the world what the goal of the Albanians is, and to be with our people,” Vucic said.
“We have been driven into a corner, we have no place to go out and there is nowhere to take shelter. What will we do? Fight for the truth to be heard far away, plead with everyone that the security of Serbs in Kosovo in not endangered, the international community, KFOR… is that enough? We will see,” he told reporters.  Vucic emphasized that “his entire policy was to preserve our national interests, to be a proud and dignified people, not to be destroyed as a state, and to preserve peace.”  “It was my policy and it will be in the future,” Vucic said.

Djuric: The announced formation of the army is the biggest threat to peace (Tanjug)

The announcement of the formation of the so-called Kosovo Army is the biggest threat to peace and security in the region so far, said Marko Djuric, director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

“The establishment of this illegal formation would jeopardize everything that has been achieved so far in the process of normalizing the relations between Belgrade and Pristina” said Marko Djuric. This army is being formed against Serbia and the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, and this cannot be masked by some unconvincing reasoning about the need for the contribution of self-proclaimed Kosovo’s to global security architecture, the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija warned. The only thing that such a formation would contribute to, is the deepening of the inter-ethnic distances in the region, and it would be a new fuse on the Balkan powder keg.

“I remind that, according to international agreements to which the war in Kosovo and Metohija ended two decades ago, KFOR is the only military formation with the right to be in the territory of our southern province, and any support to the formation of some kind of Kosovo army is a blow to the very foundations of international law and denies any kind of peace agreements” Djuric said. It is not too late for Pristina to respond to the intention to form an army, and it is necessary to do it decisively and without any hesitance, in order to give peace and dialogue a chance, and prevent the emergence of new warfare in the Balkans” Djuric concluded.

Serbian president asks China and Russia for help (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has informed Chinese Ambassador Li Manchang about “the danger of the announced formation of the army of so-called Kosovo on December 14.”

Vucic asked Li to, as a friend of Serbia, “regularly report to the Chinese leadership on the development of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija,” the Serbian president’s cabinet said in a press release on Tuesday.

“It is quite clear that the announcement of the formation of an army and insisting on a 100 percent tax on goods from central Serbia is aimed at expelling the Serb people from Kosovo and Metohija, because it is preventing their survival, said Vucic. He warned that “such irresponsible behavior of Pristina could lead to disaster, because Serbia cannot and will not quietly look at the destruction of the Serb people,” and asked “brotherly China to use its role and influence in the world and help maintain peace and stability.”

Li said that China “fully understands what is happening” and that “the independent and peaceful policies of Serbia and President Vucic bother certain factors in international politics,” the press release said. “For China, Kosovo and Metohija is an integral part of Serbia and we remain committed to respecting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty” Li stressed.

Vucic expressed to Russia’s ambassador Serbia’s great concern over the announcement of the formation of the army of so-called Kosovo. According to a press release from his office on Tuesday, the Serbian President pointed out that this was contrary to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, the only legal framework that is in line with international law and the agreements that have been reached.

Vucic asked Ambassador Aleksandr Chepurin to alert President Vladimir Putin and the leadership of friendly Russia to the fact that Serbia and the region seem to be deliberately pushed into conflict “by someone.” “Serbia is doing nothing to cause instability, but the constant provocations will lead us to a dead-end situation to protect the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija. Serbia must not allow the persecution of its own people” Vucic said.

Chepurin said that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is a long-term problem for which a reasonable solution should be sought, useful for all.  He emphasized that Moscow closely monitors the development of the situation, as can be seen from the reactions of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vucic and Chepurin also concluded that preparations President Putin’s forthcoming visit to Serbia are going well.

Vucic wants United States to warn Pristina (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday received US Ambassador in Belgrade Kyle Scott, the president’s office said in a press release. Vucic spoke with Scott about the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, pleading with the United States use its political influence and warn Pristina that its moves are endangering peace and stability in the region.

“Pristina’s persistence on taxes on goods from central Serbia and, moreover, on the formation of the army of so-called Kosovo is causing great concern for Serbia about the future of the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija,” Vucic said.

Scott pointed out that the tax in question are violating of the CEFTA trade agreement and jeopardizing the future of the region, the press release said, and added that he recalled that US State Secretary Mike Pompeo urged authorities in Pristina to abolish the tax on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Scott reiterated that the United States supports Belgrade’s efforts to normalize relations with Pristina and is ready to help achieve a sustainable solution that would allow stability, thanking Serbia for its restrained response to the latest developments.

Vucic reminded of the provisions of the Brussels agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 1244, as well as of CEFTA, stressing that Serbia did not violate any of them.

“Serbia is progressing economically at an accelerated pace and is therefore sincerely in favor of peace and stability,” the president said, adding that Pristina needs to abolish the tax, in order to continue the Brussels dialogue and seek a compromise solution for the issue of Kosovo and Metohija with the mediation of the European Union.

Jeremic: Introduction of taxes agreed by Vucic and Thaci (VIP)

Leader of the opposition People’s Party Vuk Jeremic stated on Monday, invoking a “high diplomatic source from a country of the European Union”, that the raising of taxes for Serbian goods was a result of an agreement which Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo President Hashim Thaci reached at the meeting in Rome on 4 November. Jeremic told reporters that the tensions caused by the raising of taxes on Serbian goods, “are now being kept under control, and the plan is for them to remain under control”. “This is all happening so as to create an atmosphere of collective paranoia, in Kosovo as well as in the rest of Serbia, that an agreement on delimitation is necessary between the Serbs and Albanians so as to avoid a war. There is no majority for this so-called delimitation either in Kosovo, or the rest of Serbia, and this majority has to be created” he said. Vucic, Thaci and the others who are helping them are intending to scrape up “this kind of majority by frightening the citizens of Serbia and Kosovo that there is a danger of war”, Jeremic

said. “There will be no war, but if the irresponsible politicians in power in Belgrade and so also in Pristina continue to play with fire, anything could happen” he said. Jeremic also said that few things happened between Serbia and Kosovo without it being “completely agreed” moves which have been synchronized ahead by Belgrade and Pristina.

Kozarev and “Partizan” prevented from entering Kosovo (Tanjug)

The deputy director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Dusan Kozarev was not allowed to enter Kosovo and Metohija. Kozarev was stopped today at the administrative crossing of Jarinje and he was not allowed to enter Kosovo and Metohija. As Kozarov told Tanjug, at the crossing they told him that there is a ban on his entry, “with a clear name and surname”.

Earlier today, basketball club Partizan, headed with their president Ostoja Mijailovic, was not allowed to enter Kosovo, they were also stopped at Jarinje administrative crossing.  Partisan wanted to support the Serbs who protested against Pristina’s measure by which taxes on products from central Serbia were raised to 100 percent. The match with basketball club Trepca was supposed to be played in Leposavic.

“Europe does not know what is happening in Kosmet … Our entry was prevented, we are only athletes, we wanted to peacefully protest with the people and play a friendly match with Trepca” Mijailovic said. As he pointed out, the problem arose because the Partizan basketball team was not announced. “They told us to go over the hill, but we do not want to risk the arrest. We are a civilized nation. You see what is happening in the 21st century” said the first man of Partizan.

Vucic: Macron’s visit to Belgrade postponed (RTS)

French President Emmanuel Macron has asked that, due to the situation in the country, his visit to Belgrade be postponed, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Monday.

Vucic announced this after a telephone conversation with Macron on Monday afternoon.

“I know how difficult it is to implement economic reforms” Vucic said at a press conference on the resistance to the economic measures of the French authorities.

Macron is trying to defuse nationwide protests over high living costs that led to widespread rioting in Paris at the weekend. Prior to that, for the same reason, French Prime Minister

Eduard Philippe canceled his visit to Poland.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

RS officials announce constitutional changes (Oslobodjenje, Vecernje Novosti)

The Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), Milorad Dodik stated that one of the priorities of the new Republika Srpska (RS) authorities will be adoption of the amendments to the RS Constitution in order to deal with the issues such as death penalty and declaring Banja Luka the capital of the RS. He pointed out that the RS Council of Peoples represents a significant problem in this process, because it has been put in the RS political system outside of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

RS Prime Minister-designate Radovan Viskovic commented the issue and said that he is not for abolishment of the RS CoP, but he does support detailed definition of the vital national interest. He also noted the issue of ethnic structure of the RS Government, saying that if the 2013 census is used, they will not be able to appoint five Bosniak and three Croat ministers.

Commenting the announced constitutional changes, representative of ‘Zajedno za B&H’ coalition in the RS National Assembly Senad Bratic said that the abolishment of the RS CoP cannot happen, as it is a body that ensures protection of vital national interests of constituent peoples and it is a guarantor of their equality. Representative of ‘Zajedno za B&H’ coalition in RSNA Mijo Perkunic also categorically rejected a possibility of abolishment of the RS CoP.

SDS leader Vukota Govedarica reminded that a package of constitutional changes was defined in 2008, but it was possible to implement because of blockade of the Bosniak Caucus in the RS CoP. He also noted that nobody from the ruling coalition has presented any concrete proposal now, which is why he cannot comment it.

Speaker of the RS National Assembly (RSNA) Nedeljko Cubrilovic said that it is necessary to adopt changes to the RS Constitution in parts which the Bosniak Caucus in the RS Council of Peoples (CoP) has been blocking for years, i.e. in parts related to proclamation of the capital city of the RS and abolition of death penalty. Cubrilovic reminded that all reports of the Council of Europe (CoE) warned that the RS still has not abolished death penalty while the RS is faced with absurd blockade coming from the Bosniak Caucus although this matter does not jeopardize anyone’s vital national interests. Cubrilovic assessed that this actually represents abuse of vital national interest. Asked whether Bosniaks will support changes to the RS Constitution in this context, Cubrilovic replied by saying that Bosniak politicians recently said that they will not accept changes to the RS Constitution and reconsidering of the role of the RS CoP. “Having in mind their stances, it will be difficult to expect, but it will not be impossible, to secure the majority of votes in the Bosniak Caucus. It will be possible to achieve this only if they too realize that we need to harmonize our constitution with obligations we accepted as a member of the CoE”, Cubrilovic said. Commenting on opposition in the RS, Cubrilovic said that a good opposition is always useful but opposition the RS had in the previous convocation was not such. “It did everything in its power to jeopardize dignity of the RSNA and even physically prevent its functioning”, Cubrilovic noted.

Referendum on judiciary once again in Assembly (Glas Srpske)

According to daily, representatives of parliamentary parties in Republika Srpska (RS) claim that they have nothing against initiative about referendum on the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) being relaunched in the RS, following the acquittal of wartime RB&H Army Commander in Srebrenica Naser Oric. However not a single political party has announced yet that it might be the one to launch this initiative once again. At the same time, RS Prime Minister-designate Radovan Viskovic told daily that the issue will make it to the agenda eventually. “Wait for the exposé, you will hear about it” said Viskovic. The daily reminded that the RS National Assembly (NA) decided on November 7, 2017, to put out of force the decision on referendum on the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H. One of the RSNA’s conclusions, however, reads that the decision on implementation of the referendum will be discussed once again as soon as all RS-based political parties reach consensus about this issue.

In a short statement to daily, Deputy Head of SNSD Caucus in the RSNA Igor Zunic said that it is necessary to reach consensus; he added that “everybody should be aware by now that the Court of B&H does not operate the way it should, and that it is a political project the decisions and rulings of which are supposed to alter what was happening during the war”.

Head of DNS Caucus Darko Banjac said that DNS did not discuss this issue, but underlined that they believe referendum should be discussed in the RSNA once again, because “the verdict to Oric has shown that the judiciary at the level of B&H is implementing selective justice and that it is in fact judiciary only for Serbs”.

Head of PDP Caucus Perica Bundalo said that it is up to members of the parliamentary majority to relaunch this initiative.

Head of SDS Caucus Miladin Stanic said that one should boycott the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H, but he also said that he is not an optimist when it comes to possible abolition of those two institutions. “Of course that we would support it, but unfortunately, reality is such that whatever is at the level of B&H cannot be changed even by powers much greater than us. In any case, SDS will support everything that is of the vital national interest for the RS and Serb people” Stanic concluded.

BH Bloc and SDA fail to reach agreement on formation of coalition (BHT1)

Representatives of SDA and BH Bloc met in SDA Headquarters (HQ) in Sarajevo on Monday. There were unable to bring their stances closer and they stated after the meeting that they will not cooperate at the state and Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina level. The meeting lasted for two hours, after which SDA and BH Bloc representatives addressed a press conference. They confirmed that the discussion on some “easier topics” was initiated and they will continue their negotiations on forming of authorities. Representatives of BH Bloc once again reiterated that they do not wish to cooperate with ethnic parties, as they believe they do not share the same views and visions for the future. “SDA, HDZ B&H, SNSD and BH Bloc would form, I believe, quality and stable authorities, but BH Bloc representatives still do not agree with me” said SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic.

SDP B&H leader Nermin Niksic said that BH Bloc members stated clearly that they are, at this moment, unwilling to become part of a coalition with ethnic parties, but he emphasized that further talks might bring something new. BH Bloc members confirmed they will hold talks with HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic soon, to discuss forming of authorities at state and the Federation of B&H levels respectively. They will also meet with SNSD representatives, to get their point of view in regards to forming of authorities at the state level.

SDA stated that they observe BH Bloc as a good partner, but warned that a stable coalition can hardly be formed without ethnic based parties. Izetbegovic told media that SDA insists on formation of a coalition primarily by parties that won the elections, in order to have a wide-range and program-oriented coalition.

PIC SB to hold two-day session in Sarajevo and discuss situation in B&H (Oslobodjenje)

Political Directors of the member countries of the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board (PIC SB) are scheduled to hold a meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday in the building of the Office of the High Representative in Sarajevo and discuss the current political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the challenges the country is facing. High Representative Valentin Inzko and Principal Deputy High Representative Dennis Hearne will hold a press conference on Wednesday after the meeting is concluded.

Stoltenberg: I expect Ministers will support readiness of NATO to accept first annual national program of B&H on Wednesday (Hayat)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed on Monday that the NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs will hold a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday. Stoltenberg noted that the Annual National Program of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) will be on the agenda of this meeting, which could mean activation of the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) for B&H. “We will discuss the next steps of development of relations between NATO and B&H and I expect the Ministers to support NATO’s readiness to accept the first Annual National Program of B&H. This is an important tool that will help the country implement political, economic and defense-related reforms. It is now up to B&H to decide whether to accept this decision” Stoltenberg was quoted as saying.

Commenting on the announcement, B&H Deputy Minister of Defense Sead Jusic said that he believes the previous activities of the B&H Ministry of Defense and B&H itself got a positive assessment. He voiced his hope that the Annual National Program of B&H will be approved and that the MAP will be activated as well.

SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic stressed that the Law on the Armed Forces of B&H and the Law on Defense of B&H clearly suggest that B&H is committed to accession to NATO. He reminded that SNSD, former Chairman of the B&H Presidency Nebojsa Radmanovic and current Chairman of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik also supported this commitment at the time. “Therefore, this process is underway as it is,” he added.

RS Prime Minister-designate Radovan Viskovic said that the RS will not change its stance and will follow Serbia regarding NATO. ˝We do not participate in this, we follow the stance of Serbia. If the stance of Serbia changes in the upcoming period, we will invite the citizens of RS on a referendum regarding NATO and this is our stance. This is the political goal of SNSD and it will not be changed in the upcoming period˝ said Viskovic on Monday.

RS President Cvijanovic to meets Vucic in Belgrade on Tuesday (RTRS)

Republika Srpska (RS) President Zeljka Cvijanovic will meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Tuesday. This will be her first official visit as the RS President. With this visit, Cvijanovic fulfills her promise that her first meeting as the RS President will be the one with Vucic.

Croatia

Summit of South-East European Initiative begins in Zagreb (HRT)

Croatia is hosting a two-day summit of the South-East European Initiative. Sic European Prime Ministers arrived in Zagreb yesterday along with the European Commissioner for Enlargement Johanes Hahn, the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Suma Chakrabarti and other high-ranking officials. The summit is being held at the end of Croatia’s chairmanship of the initiative. The majority of attention at the summit is drawn by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban who arrived for his first official visit to Croatia in seven years. He met with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and is expected to meet with Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic and President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

“The day summit of the South-East European Initiative is the peak of Croatia’s diplomatic efforts this year” said Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejcinovic Buric in a statement for HRT. “The stay of the Albanian delegation will be used to sign a statement on strategic partnership with that country” added the minister.

Plenkovic and Orban stressed that there was a mutual will to work on unresolved issues without

encumbering the further development of bilateral relations.

“The visit of Prime Minister Orban affirms the dialog between Croatia and Hungary that we have been conducting for the past two years. We discussed many topics and there is a mutual will to work on unresolved issues in such a way so as not to encumber the further development of bilateral relations” Plenkovic said after the meeting with Orban.

fYROM

Parliament adopts third draft amendment of the Constitution (Nezavisen vesnik)

The Parliament adopted on Monday the third draft-constitutional amendment by 64 votes ‘yes’, 14 ‘no’ and two ‘abstained’. The amendment will read “The Republic respects the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of neighboring countries”.

Opposition MPs said the authorities have no mandate for the constitutional revision, which is not adopted by consensus, with only Greece benefiting from them. On the other hand, the ruling majority said Macedonia is benefiting from the agreement, the country’s statehood and national identity is enhanced, whereas the road to EU and NATO is cleared.

MPs have started the debate on the final amendment, which refers to the emigrants, with “the Republic protecting the rights and interests of its nationals residing or staying abroad, enhancing their ties with the homeland without interfering in the sovereign rights of other countries and their domestic affairs.”

MPs endorsed on Sunday two amendments. The first relates to the replacement of words “Republic of Macedonia” with “Republic of North Macedonia” and word “Macedonia” with “North Macedonia”, except in Article 36, which has a historic aspect and refers to “the special social rights of World War II fighters and all national-liberation wars of Macedonia.” The second amendment replaces words “ASNOM decisions” in the Constitution’s Preamble with words “Proclamation of the First ASNOM Assembly” and adds the Ohrid Framework Agreement.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

European parliament adopts a number of Western Balkans resolutions (Emerging Europe)

The European Parliament has adopted a number of resolutions relating to the rule of law and media freedom in Serbia, fYROM, Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo, outlining areas where improvements are needed.

MEPs called on the Serbian authorities to strengthen the country’s fight against corruption and organized crime. Belgrade was also called to continue public administration reforms to ensure it becomes more politically neutral. The resolution also urged the country to assist in the investigation of the murder earlier this year of Oliver Ivanovic, a Kosovo Serb politician. Furthermore, the necessity to approximate its foreign and security policy with that of the EU, including on matters on Russia was highlighted. Finally, Belgrade’s continued stance on the Srebrenica genocide was criticized with MEPs stating that Serbia’s recognition of the genocide would be “a fundamental step on Serbia’s path to joining the EU.”

fYROM meanwhile was hailed for reaching a deal with Greece over the name of the country, which was “the most important event in the Balkans in 2018,” according to MEPs. Nonetheless, the country told to take measures against money laundering and conflicts of interest and to ensure judicial independence. The same resolution also urged the Hungarian authorities to extradite Macedonia’s ex-prime minister Nikola Gruevski. The resolution on Montenegro also placed particular emphasis on the need for reforms in the areas of rule of law, money laundering, anti-corruption, media freedom and organized crime.

Albania was praised for its effective judicial reforms, yet high levels of corruption remain an issue of concern for the members of the European Parliament. Tirana has been called on to work towards the betterment of its justice system and relax burdensome regulatory procedures, which impede investment.

Finally, the resolution on Kosovo called for visa liberalization without further delay. Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Slovakia and Romania – EU member states which have not yet recognized Kosovo – were asked to do so.

A resolution on Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet been adopted, due to the country’s complicated election system and post-election horse trading which has so far impeded the country from forming a government.