LOCAL PRESS

 

Brnabic: Everyone forgets I am a technocrat Prime Minister (FoNet)

 

One of Serbia’s biggest strengths is that we have a President and a Prime Minister working in unison, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic told FoNet. Brnabic, who describes herself as a technocrat, denies that Serbia is “trapped” but she supports a more efficient and responsible judiciary. She said that the term “trapped state” which was used in the EU Western Balkans’ Strategy, would not be applicable to Serbia. She explained that this term is not equally applied to all the states and territories in the Western Balkans but that Serbia is definitely not a trapped state. Answering several questions on her relations with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, his stepping out of the Constitutional competencies and her formal powers, she said that everyone keeps forgetting that she is a technocrat Prime Minister. She explained that she has no political party backing her and that the power she does have in leading the government comes from the President’s and the Serbian Progressive Party’s (SNS) support for her. Brnabic denied that this is disrespectful towards the institutions and the constitutional and Serbia’s legal regulations and added that such cases of technocratic prime ministers consulting the people in the parliamentary majority exist in other European and EU member states. “I answer to the parliament. Therefore, I must have a majority in the parliament in order to implement my decisions,” Brnabic stressed and added that she is not ashamed to say Vucic is her mentor because it is important that the public hears that because of the respect and the continuity for the institution. Speaking about Sinisa Mali as future finance minister, Brnabic said this was a completely joint decision of her and the President. When asked how did Mali deserve to become a minister, considering the numerous affairs during his political career, she said: “During his mandate as the Mayor of Belgrade, he showed everyone how a responsible fiscal policy is led in a time when Belgrade had the biggest debt in its history,” and that he “made an excellent result.” She denied allegations that the new State Media Strategy is being rewritten because of the EU’s pressure about the freedom of the press and the negative findings of all the relevant international and non-governmental organizations, including Serbia’s Progress Report.

 

Dacic on Kosovo partition, Ivanovic murder, lobbying (B92/TV Prva)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has told TV Prva why he believes partitioning the territory of Kosovo and Metohija is the solution to the dispute between Belgrade and Pristina. “I have been talking about a partition for about 10, 15 years, and I think it is the only possible and fast solution. However, this is not the only solution, all possible options should be considered,” he said. “For the West, the only option is the recognition of Kosovo’s independence. There is a lack of solutions that can be implemented, and there is also a lack of proposals. It would be good for everyone to present their proposals, rather than go with nationalistic positions that are not acceptable to either side,” Dacic said. He also commented on the statement of the Kosovo head of diplomacy, who said the answers to the questions about the murder of Oliver Ivanovic are in Belgrade. “That is a direct accusation that Belgrade is guilty of Ivanovic’s murder, while he had been put in prison by Kosovo Albanians, and I spoke against such a decision at the UN Security Council. Pristina is conducting an investigation and why there have been no answers is a question for the Kosovo authorities, but also for the EU, because it asked for security services to be integrated into Kosovo’s services,” Dacic said. According to him, the situation around the medieval Serbian Orthodox Monastery Visoki Decani - where Pristina attempted to build a road through a protected zone, but then apparently gave up on the idea under pressure from the EU and the US - was aimed at isolating the monastery, which could also lead to its demolition.

Asked whether it might be too late for Serbia to hire lobby groups to improve its position on Kosovo, Dacic said it was not too late because a lasting solution to the Kosovo issue is being sought. “We have not been without lobbying before, I said earlier that we gave money three times, but the effects were not there. It happened once during Kostunica's government, and the second time during the government of Tadic and Jeremic,” said Dacic, who was on both occasions also in the government, but did not specify when lobbyists were hired the third time.

As he pointed out, lobbying is the only legal way in which American society functions, while here, it has a negative connotation. “If we are a big country that does not need it... This is about the fact that we have no chance of changing the position of the State Department, but we have a chance to work with the new US administration,” Dacic said.

 

Stefanovic: No readiness of Pristina to resolve case of Ivanovic’s murder (Tanjug)

 

Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic has stated that Serbia is interested in resolving the case of the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, but that he doesn’t see also the readiness of the Pristina authorities. He appealed with EULEX to join more seriously the resolving of the case of Ivanovic’s murder, and pointed out there is not exchange of data in connection to this. Asked whether there are results into the investigation, Stefanovic says this is a prosecution investigation, but that Serbia put an effort to call EULEX, the Kosovo police service and the international community to exert pressure for the investigation to go faster, as well as to more intensively exchange data in order to discover the assassins and organizers, which is not the case.

“Serbia is interested in resolving this murder and we don’t have an obstacle to take part in this, and whatever we need to do, but I don’t see the wish of the other side,” Stefanovic told journalists on Sunday. Stefanovic appealed with EULEX to seriously understand the role it has in Kosovo and Metohija. “We will accept every invitation, we will take part in every meeting, to demonstrate that our police and prosecution that is conducting the investigation, are interested in resolving the murder. Unfortunately, I don’t see the readiness of the other side and I am not sure there will be any,” said Stefanovic.

 

Stefanovic: We must never give up from Brussels agreement (Radio Belgrade)

 

The Pristina side signed the Brussels agreement because they didn’t want to appear as negatives, but they knew they will never fulfill it, Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic told Radio Belgrade on Sunday. He says that Serbia must never give up from the Brussels agreement. “Remember when Vucic said four years ago: you oppose it now but you will see that we will be referring to it as we refer to Resolution 1244,” said Stefanovic, adding this agreement is our strongest base. He says the Pristina side signed this agreement because they wanted the Serbs to appear as evil because they don’t want to sign it. “They knew right away that they will not fulfill it. Now the ball is in Europe’s field,” said Stefanovic. Talking about announcements that the so-called army of Kosovo will be formed in Pristina, Stefanovic says there is not one single international document that would enable this. “Any kind of formation of an army without the will of the Serb nation and Kosovo Serb representatives would be violation of regulations that are envisaged in the legislature, but also of international regulations. Without holding to only the formally-legal, this would lead to the complicating of the security situation, it would cause conflicts and it would not contribute to stabilization and security of the region,” noted Stefanovic. He underlines that Serbia continues in talks with international partners and those who recognized independence of Kosovo to point to all things that can occur with such unreasonable, bad and hasty decision, aimed against interests of Serbia and the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. “we continue to fight with all possible legal and political means to prevent this from happening,” said Stefanovic.

 

Ghana will reconsider issue of status of Kosovo (RTS/Beta)

 

The parliaments’ speakers of Serbia and Ghana said on Monday that the West African country would reconsider the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state. After meeting his Serbian counterpart Maja Gojkovic in Belgrade, Aaron Mike Oquaye said he would suggest to Ghana’s president and the country’s foreign minister to reconsider the decision on Kosovo’s status.

Gojkovic said that the two countries have had traditionally good and friendly relations, and that they would mark 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2019, adding that Oquaye’s visit was the first by a high Ghana’s representative to Belgrade in the last six decades. She said the agenda of her meeting with Oquaye included the status of Kosovo and the state of Serbia’s heritage there. Oquaye said he advocated an improvement of the relations between Ghana and Serbia in the areas the two countries cooperated during the Non-Alignment Movement, adding the road to collaboration in other fields, like defense and agriculture, should be built. He asked Serbia to help his country to improve in many areas, including the political strengthening of women.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

B&H CEC: 72 political parties, 39 independent candidates submit application for taking part in October elections (N1)

 

Deadline for political parties and independent candidates to submit applications for participation in the upcoming general elections in October officially expired on Friday. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), 72 political parties and 39 independent candidates submitted their applications for participation in the elections. The CEC will carry out checks and verify the applications by June 9 and publish all verified lists of candidates by August 23. Representatives of SDA, HDZ B&H and SBB B&H submitted their applications for participation in the elections on Friday and stated that they expect to achieve victory as they did in 2014. SDA held a convention in Sarajevo on Saturday, on which occasion Sefik Dzaferovic was elected as the party’s candidate for the Bosniak member of the Presidency of B&H. Speaking about his election, Dzaferovic stated that it is a great honor, commitment and responsibility. He said it is not easy to be a candidate for such important position, and added that he is sure in his own victory, as well as in victory of SDA. At its convention held on Sunday, SDP presented results of intraparty referendum on selection of the SDP’s candidate for the post of a member of B&H Presidency. According to the results Denis Becirovic will be the SDP’s candidate for the post of the Bosniak member of B&H Presidency. Member of SBB B&H Presidency Damir Arnaut stated that SBB B&H bodies are doing their part of the job and that their candidate for the Presidency of B&H will most likely be known at the beginning of June.

HDZ B&H Vice President Marinko Cavara said HDZ B&H is ready to form coalitions with all parties that will be legitimate representatives of their peoples. Members of ‘Nasa Stranka’ (Our Party) also submitted their application for taking part in the elections on Friday, saying that after 10 years they are taking part in the elections at all levels. SDP B&H is expected to decide about its candidate for the post of the Bosniak member of the B&H Presidency on Sunday. Representatives of GS (Civic Alliance, Gradjanski savez) also submitted their application on Friday and, most likely, GS will participate in the elections together with DF. Leader of the ‘Independent Bloc’ Senad Sepic stated that they are still talking about their candidate for the Bosniak member of the B&H Presidency, while the reporter noted that Sepic may be a joint candidate of the ‘Independent Bloc’ and the ‘People and Justice’. Representatives of the NSRzB also submitted their applications for participation in the elections on Friday.

 

Businessman Pavlovic to run for post of RS President (TV1)

 

Bijeljina-based businessman Slobodan Pavlovic submitted his application to the B&H Central Election Commission (CEC) on Friday for participation in the general elections in B&H. Pavlovic filed an application to run for the post of the RS President. Pavlovic attracted public attention last year when he was arrested on suspicion of committing malversations when giving a loan of his ‘Pavlovic International Bank’ to incumbent RS President Milorad Dodik. After submitting the application, Pavlovic stated: “I believe that we will be united in the future. That is particularly important for our entire country. I think we will succeed a lot with that,” Pavlovic said.

 

RS President Dodik meets with Russian President Putin (RTRS)

 

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Friday. The meeting was held on sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. In a statement given following the meeting, Dodik stated that he used the opportunity and called on Putin to visit Banja Luka. Dodik explained that he called on Putin to attend opening of a Serb-Russian Center – that will be a place of religious and cultural gathering - that is under construction in Banja Luka. According to Dodik, Putin accepted his invitation and now it is all up to the RS to do its part of the job. During the meeting, Dodik expressed gratitude for everything that the Russian Federation did for the RS in terms of economy and politics, with the goal to protect basic interests of the RS. Dodik added that he informed Putin about many projects aimed to weaken the RS, with the fact that the US allocated USD 12 million to help media and (USD) six million for a program of prevention of Russian influence that are, according to Dodik, directed against the RS. Dodik added that the UK and many others have similar programs and stressed that the aim is to destabilize the RS and bring obedient people who are supposed to make the RS vanish. Dodik stressed that Putin is very-well informed about details and he clearly sees facts that concern the RS, adding that Putin’s message is a message of support, through the Dayton Peace Accords and the international law, as well as preservation of the international order. Dodik emphasized that Putin told him that the RS can count on Russia. According to Dodik, Russian support to economy of the RS is very significant and in this regard he mentioned that a Russian company will be working on reconstruction of two power plants in the RS. Dodik also took part in a plenary discussion held in St. Petersburg on Friday. Speaking about the role of the RS on the international level, Dodik assessed that the RS must strengthen its friendships with friends like Serbia, Russia, China and some European countries.

 

Kosarac: If SDA wants unitary B&H, we will fight for independence of RS (Oslobodjenje/ Srna)

 

Head of SNSD Caucus in the B&H parliament Stasa Kosarac stated that “Serbs in Republika Srpska (RS) understand very well and reject some of the dangerous messages presented during the Saturday’s SDA Convention, sent by the leader of the party and member of the Presidency of B&H Bakir Izetbegovic”, underlining that they know very well what Izetbegovic’s vision of B&H means – unitary B&H under Bosniak-Muslim domination. “If Bakir’s visit is unitary B&H, then SNSD’s visit is free and independent RS in which all the citizens are going to have the same rights,” said Kosarac. Kosarac statement came as a reaction to Izetbegovic’s statement regarding the reorganization of B&H, in which Izetbegovic said, “I think we will need to go through a process of maturing. We will have to simplify the system in B&H, reduce the number of stakeholders, reduce the number of constitutions, regions in B&H, cantons, entities”.

 

Croatian parliament adopts Law on Management of State Property, B&H could lose valuable property in Croatia (TV1)

 

The Croatian Parliament adopted the Law on Management of State Property on Friday. According to TV1, this means that B&H could lose valuable property in Croatia. The law was endorsed by 83 MPs, including MP Bozo Ljubic from the Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) in B&H. This has enabled putting the property with unsolved property-legal affairs in function, which applies to over 100 facilities that went to B&H based on the succession agreement. Therefore, Croatia now has the right to put the property that belongs to B&H with unsolved property-legal affairs at disposal of third persons on a 30-year period. If Croatia signs a contract with a third party and fails to come to agreement with B&H in the meantime, then a third party could obtain the right to own this property after 20 years of using it. Croatian authorities claim that the law aims to activate neglected facilities in Croatia. However, property of companies, citizens and institutions from B&H worth several billion could be permanently lost. B&H Deputy Attorney General Ismet Velic explained that this law represents a serious problem and it further complicates an already problematic situation in which B&H cannot protect its rights in Croatia. SBB B&H Vice President Damir Arnaut stated that the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) led by Chairman Denis Zvizdic (SDA) and the B&H Presidency with SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic as the current Chairman failed to prevent adoption of this law. Arnaut noted that B&H authorities “obviously showed they do not know how to protect interests of B&H”. HDZ 1990 leader Ilija Cvitanovic called for finding a solution for property of all B&H citizens in Croatia as well as other countries in the region.

 

MPs vote in Tolusic and Horvat as new Deputy PM and Economy Minister (HRT)

 

77 MPs voted in favor of appointing Darko Horvat the new Economy Minister and to have Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolusic also assume the role of Deputy Prime Minister, while the majority of the opposition boycotted the vote. After most of the opposition, led by the SDP, HSS and MOST, left the chamber, a total of 88 MPs remained to participate in the vote. The chair of the SDP bench in parliament, Arsen Bauk, explained why his party abstained from the vote.

“Rather than informing the public about the involvement of the government and its top officials in the Agrokor story, they are behaving as if it is business as usual and appointing new ministers. We will not participate in this and we will not serve as a backdrop as the HDZ regulates its internal relations, thereby giving legitimacy to something that would end in early elections in every normal country,” Bauk said. The Parliamentary Credentials and Privileges Commission has approved Darko Horvat as the new Economy Minister, and has also accepted the HDZ proposal to have Suncan Glavak assume his seat in parliament. Tolusic and Horvat were nominated by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic after Martina Dalic was forced to step down after emails of her correspondence with private consulting and legal firms in drafting the Lex Agrokor legislation were made public.

 

B&H protests Croatia’s state property management plans (Hina)

 

Commenting on the adoption of a law on state property management by the Croatian parliament on Friday, which will enable also the management of real estate in Croatia that is owned by other former Yugoslav republics, B&H Justice Minister Josip Grubesa said on Saturday that Croatia could not make unilateral decisions on B&H's property on its territory, and that that property was protected by the agreement on succession to the former Yugoslav federation. "Croatia has the right to regulate legal matters by laws on its territory but we believe that the issue of property which is protected under Annex G of the Succession Agreement must definitely be dealt with bilaterally, in cooperation with representatives of B&H," Grubesa said in a statement as carried by local newspapers. The minister called for signing an agreement to regulate property-rights relations between the two countries. The Croatian parliament on Friday passed the State Property Management Act, which will allow the State Property Management Ministry to manage the land intended for campsites, golf courses, hotels and other tourism facilities. Grubesa met with Croatian State Property Management Minister Goran Maric in Zagreb in February this year to discuss succession to the former federation. "Despite Minister Grubesa's clear efforts to have the talks resumed and to have the matter discussed at the highest level, that has not happened," the B&H Justice Ministry said. The two countries started talks on an agreement on property-rights relations back in 1997 but the agreement was never concluded. The B&H ministry said also that it had tried several times, but without success, to schedule a meeting with senior Croatian officials to discuss the implementation of Annex G of the Succession Agreement as the legal framework for dealing with property-rights requests. The law passed by the Croatian parliament will also enable the use, namely long-term lease of real estate without resolved property-rights status, such as neglected Yugoslav-era holiday complexes on the Croatian coast.

 

Montenegro’s ruling party wins Podgorica elections (CDM)

 

Preliminary results show the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, won a landslide victory at Sunday’s local elections in Podgorica. This party won 32 seats in the 61-seat city assembly. Ranko Krivokapic’s Social Democratic Party, SDP, is somewhere at the threshold to win seats and the final outcome is expected soon. The coalition made up of the Democrats and URA ranked second and got 17 seats, while the coalition consisting of the Democratic Front (DF) and Social People’s Party (SNP) got 8 seats in the city assembly. Local elections in Podgorica were held on Sunday and 134,991 citizens had right to vote. Parties that participated in the capital’s local elections are:

The list led by Ivan Vukovic, consisting of the DPS, the Bosniak Party (BP), the Liberal Party (LP), the Democratic Union of Albanians and the Montenegrin Party;

The list led by Slaven Radunovic, consisting of the Democratic Front (DF), the Socialist People’s Party (SNP);

The list led by Dobrilo Dedeic – the Serb Coalition;

The list led by Vladimir Cadjenovic, i.e. the coalition of the Democrats and Civic Movement URA;

Coalition of the SDP, Demos and free citizens, and Group of the citizens-Sasa Mijovic; United Montenegro (UCG), Albanian alternative (AA), Social Democrats (SD) and True Montenegro (Prava Crna Gora – the list led by Marko Milacic).

 

Wilson: Djukanovic will lead Montenegro into the EU (TV Pink M)

 

Damon Wilson, Executive Vice President of the Atlantic Council, said Montenegro’s decision to join NATO is historic, adding that he’s convinced Montenegro will soon enter the EU. He also emphasized this will happen during Milo Djukanovic’s presidential term of office. Montenegro’s accession to the strongest military alliance actually meant ‘no’ to Russia’s intentions for this small country and the Balkans as well, believes Wilson. “Now the Alliance protects this territory, which means no one will ever question the issue of Montenegro’s or any other NATO member state’s security. This, of course, doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges any more. We witnessed quite sophisticated mechanisms our Russian friends like to use, and if they might implement them in US, they will use them in MNE as well. As for the European integration perspective, I consider Montenegro will get what it desires,” claims Wilson. He also added that Montenegro’s got the president who governed the country through a difficult period: “He led the country towards the West and NATO, and he’s able to lead it to the EU. Even the statement of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, who ruled out any further expansion of the EU, won’t shake his optimism. Montenegro is capable of meeting expectations of its European partners, change their policy and speed up the defined agenda,” stressed Wilson.

 

Dimitrov and Kotzias defend national interests in New York, head to Brussels to continue dialogue (MIA)

 

Foreign Ministers of Macedonia and Greece Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias defended national interests at the two-day talks held in New York, but showed resoluteness to find a solution to the 25-year-long name dispute. There is no a final solution yet to Macedonia-Greece name dispute, but both parties are committed to continue the negotiations until they come to an agreement, UN mediator Matthew Nimetz said Friday in New York after two-day talks with the Foreign Ministers, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias. ‘We had meetings yesterday and today, one and a half days of talks. What I can say is that the issues are well defined. We do not have a final solution to the issues, but both sides are determined to do enough to reach an agreement and work hard to achieve it,’ Nimetz told reporters. He said the ministers are heading to Brussels and will continue their dialogue there. ‘The talks have intensified considerably and both sides have important positions as national interests are at stake. However, both sides recognize the importance of reaching an agreement and are determined to get there,’ Nimetz said.

Ahead of the new round of talks, Macedonia’s government confirmed it would hold to their position on the latest name proposal – the ‘Republic of Ilinden Macedonia’. Greece’s government however rejected the proposal. The government clearly stated that it was negotiating with Skopje on the basis of the four names, proposed by the UN, namely the package of suggestion tabled by mediator Matthew Nimetz, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Wednesday.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told Friday that Greece was not participating in the negotiations to give anything away. “We are not going to give away the name Macedonia, as some have claimed,” Tsipras told the Greek press. “We are going to take back something that was given away 70 years ago.” Tsipras believes that the name without a determinant “refers to the ancient Greek world and the great cultural heritage of Greek Macedonia,” and that Athens is negotiating to get it back, which, according to Tsipras, “is not easy.” The Greek PM said it was time for both countries to exist together, to cooperate and to live in peace for the benefit of the entire region. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras came under fire from the opposition on Friday for saying that an agreement with Skopje on a name that would include a qualifier in front of the term “Macedonia” would be a “great victory” for the Greek side. “The prime minister who has failed miserably in all the negotiations he has carried out for Greece had the nerve today to claim that the government is trying to take back and not give a name to Skopje,” New Democracy said in announcement responding comments made by Tsipras. “He obviously considers an unacceptable name like ‘Republic of Ilinden Macedonia’ a victory for the country,” the conservative opposition added.

 

Majority of the EU member states support opening accession negotiations with Macedonia (MIA)

 

The majority of the EU member states support opening accession negotiations with Macedonia once name dispute will be resolved with Greece. Once the name dispute is resolved, Macedonia will join NATO and by thus will faster and more decisively open the EU doors. Government sources told this to MIA in regard to the non-paper published in the media, which suggest that EU should postpone the opening accession negotiations with Macedonia and Albania for the spring 2019. On the other hand, it is a fact that there is a debate in EU in regard to preparedness of new enlargement. The essential and radical changes in the country built strong institutions, fair state and strong economy for a better life for all citizens. Macedonia is on the right track, and reforms are recognized by entire Europe and all EU member states. All EU member states believe that Macedonia should continue on this path and intensify the progress. This is also reflected in the latest European Commission’s Report whereat Macedonia is assessed as the best ranked in the Western Balkans and Turkey for implementing the recommendations in the Economic Reform Programme, the government said. MIA learns that non-paper draft is not prepared by the EU, but by two of its member states, France and the Netherlands and is related to different views of the member states regarding the EU enlargement. It was prepared before the EU-Western Balkans Summit, held on May 17-18 in Sofia. In the meantime, after the summit, the circumstances have changed. As Makfax news agency informs the non-paper reads: “For fYROM in spite of real changes in the general atmosphere in the country, the report does not demonstrate clearly substantial progress in the implementation of Urgent Reform Priorities. Implementation of new judicial reform is only “underway” and still requires a long-term process and a continuous change in behavior. Efforts are still needed to ensure merit-based recruitment and de-politicization of public administration (state capture). Fright against corruption and organized crime has not yielded sufficient results either: despite legislative and institutional framework in place, corruption remains prevalent in many areas and continues to be a serious problem, whereas the capacity of institutions to effectively tackle the corruption has shown structural and operational deficiencies, among which political interference,” adding that all these should be taken into consideration before making any decision related to enlargement.

 

A year after Zaev's win, Cabinet to reshuffle on Friday (MIA)

 

Parliament will hold a session to reshuffle the government on June 1st. MPs will pick new members of Cabinet, and voting should end by midnight. Also on the agenda is the appointment of deputy ministers. The Cabinet reshuffle coincides with the anniversary of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev's forming a new government. The proposed new Cabinet list includes Renata Deskoska as Minister of Justice, Arbr Ademi as Minister of Education, Asaf Ademi as Minister of Culture, and Bardil Dauti as Minister without portfolio. The proposed new deputy ministers list includes Andrej Zernovski as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Asim Musa as Deputy Minister of Health, Gjonul Bajraktar as Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy, and Sadik Bekiri as Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications. Details of the upcoming session were laid out during Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi's regular Monday meeting with MP group coordinators, which representatives of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE again did not attend.

 

DP, urgent meeting with allies after the latest protest (ADN)

 

The Democratic Party called in an urgent meeting its allies on Sunday evening to discuss the next steps to be followed against government. Just day before, thousands supporting Albania's opposition took to the streets for an anti-government protest, accusing the Cabinet of links to organized crime and calling for its resignation. Backers of the center-right Democratic Party, its ally, the left-wing Socialist Movement for Integration, and other smaller parties gathered at Tirana's main Boulevard Martyrs of the Nation to protest against the government. Holding national flags together with those of the US and the EU, opposition supporters shouted anti-government slogans such as "Rama go" - referring to Prime Minister Edi Rama. State Police started criminal proceedings against 20 demonstrators who participates on the last opposition's protest on May 26. They called for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj during a protest in the capital Tirana, accusing them of links to organized crime and drug smuggling. After analyzed the video recording, police identify 20 persons as the 'most aggressive' who created tensions and hit police officers. All of them are accused for objecting police officers. Some 11 police officers remained injured during the opposition's protest and one demonstrator. Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj thanked all police officers for the professionalism showed during the opposition's protest. "A special thanks to the State Police engaged to guarantee security during the opposition's protest. Professionalism and calm in fulfilling the tasks charged in this case were a sign of respect for the law and civic interest," Xhafaj said. General Director of the Trauma Hospital in Tirana, Gjovalin Bushi gave some details this Saturday over the health condition of the people injured during the opposition's protest this Saturday. In a press release, he declared that the condition of the injured appears to be stabilized. "Nine people were presented in the hospital this Saturday with various injuries and a journalist came 10 minutes before them. The situation of all the injured is good. The necessary examinations have been made to all of them. Three of the police officers have open wounds and will be observed by the doctors, while the rest and the journalist will leave the hospital very soon," said the Director.

 

US Ambassador denounces pressures on judges for Tahiri case (ADN)

 

The Court of Appeal is expected to give on Monday the final decision for the request of former Interior Minister, Saimir Tahiri, who requires the removal of house arrest against him.

Few hours ahead this decision, U.S. Ambassador, Donald Lu, made a strong appeal to civil society and media to strongly monitor the case, because some sources speak that pressures and bribes are being made against judges of this case in order to release Tahiri. "We have heard from independent sources that serious pressure are made against the judges and money are being given to them. The decision on Tahiri must be given based on facts and proves not on pressures and money," said Lu.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

BiH's SDP party elects candidate for upcoming general elections (Xinhua, 27 May 2018)

 

SARAJEVO -- Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Sunday elected its vice president Denis Becirovic as the candidate for member of BiH tripartite presidency at the upcoming general election. After the referendum that took place on May 24-26, 29,126 members of SDP party chose the candidate that will represent their interests in BiH Presidency. Denis Becirovic won 26,787 votes or 92.7 percent, secretary-general of SDP Party Irfan Cengic told Xinhua. After the referendum results were presented to the public, Becirovic addressed party members by saying that he is proud to be elected and that he accepts the candidacy with a great honor. "This is a joint project, the struggle of all of us for a more equitable state. A project that brings hope and perspective to the future," Becirovic said in his speech. Denis Becirovic, 43, is a an incumbent member of House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH and has been a member of SDP party for 25 years.

Becirovic will run as a Bosniak candidate for member of BiH tripartite presidency, which represents the three major ethnic groups of Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats. BiH will hold its general election on Oct. 7, 2018, the Central Election Commission announced earlier this month.