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LOCAL PRESS

 

Dacic: We want Serbian parliament elections to be organized in Kosovo as well (Beta)

Outgoing Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic has told a press conference that Serbia wants Serbian parliamentary elections to be organized in Kosovo as well, but that it can’t do this alone and without the help of the OSCE and EU. “We want the elections to be organized in the same manner as the previous parliamentary elections in 2012. We haven’t received a clear answer from the Pristina leadership as to whether they want or not, or they think this is voting of our Diaspora. They can think whatever they want, for us it is only a question whether this is possible to organize,” said Dacic. “We will resume the dialogue with Pristina on 12 February, and Thaqi and I will speak at the UN Security Council on Kosovo on 10 February. One of the topics of these talks will also be elections in Kosovo,” said Dacic.

 

Dacic: Recognition to Serbia’s leadership (Tanjug)

European and international officials recognized achievements of the Serbian leadership, as the achievements are much bigger and more important than anyone expected a year and a half ago, stated outgoing Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, who attended the Munich Security Conference. Dacic said that all the participants of the conference, from the leading U.S. senators to Secretary of State John Kerry and officials of traditionally friendly countries such as Russia have expressed strong support to actions of the Serbian leadership. Dacic, who participated in the panel “The dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina,” the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaqi discussed the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels on 12 February. Dacic said that he and Thaqi discussed controversial issues that should be resolved in the upcoming period. There will be no deadlock in talks with Pristina, since the dialogue is directly linked to progress in the European integration process, the Prime Minister added. Ashton honored Dacic and Thaqi for the agreements reached. Reminding that on 10 February, the UN Security Council will hold a session devoted to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, Dacic said that the Munich Conference is a counterpart to the economic conference in Davos, that it is a gathering where political and security issues are discussed, and that for Serbia it is of particular importance because it this year’s central theme is the issue of Kosovo and Metohija and the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Reminding that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is a century-old problem, the Prime Minister said that it should not be turned into a frozen conflict adding that he is aware that cooperation with Pristina will be crucial for progress in Serbia’s accession negotiations with the EU. Dacic said that he had talks with several world leaders who attended the conference, starting with OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, who is, as Dacic said, important to Serbia because of the organization of elections in Kosovo. Serbian Prime Minister added that he had talks with representatives of the new German government about the issue of asylum seekers and the possibility to place Serbia on the list of safe countries. “This would lead to the reduced number of asylum seekers, accelerate the procedures relating to a solution to these issues, and thus eliminate the danger of Serbia becoming a country where suspension of visa liberalization would be introduced,” explained Dacic.

 

Vulin: The most important is that mayor is Serb (RTS)

Outgoing Serbian Minister without Portfolio in charge of Kosovo and Metohija Aleksandar Vulin said that the Serbian Government will contribute to the stabilization of the situation in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, and that the aim is that a Serb be elected for the mayor in this city on 23 February. “We will do everything to ensure that the electoral process is carried out peacefully,” said Vulin. He said he does not yet know the fate of SDP Civic Initiative leader Oliver Ivanovic, although the appropriate court was to respond to the appeal on 31 January the latest. Vulin said that the state will support Ivanovic and fight for his right to be released as soon as possible.

 

Office for Kosovo and Metohija: New attacks against property of Serbs in Kosovo (Blic/Beta)

New attacks were carried out against property of Serbs in Klina, Central Kosovo, only 24 hours after house of Lazar Vucicevic in Klinavac was torched, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated. Predrag Pasic’s house in Klina was robbed, while the door and a window were smashed on the other, property of Dusan Mikic. “Encouraged by the lack of action of the Kosovo Police and the international community, the perpetrators have again sent a message to the Serb population in Metohija – to ousters not to return to their homes, and to those who have returned to leave as soon as possible,” reads the statement. “It is clear that authorities in Pristina do not want to protect Serb returnees in Klina and this is why the Office for Kosovo and Metohija asks the international community to take the necessary steps to protect Serbs and their property,” says the statement. The Office asks what the next night in Klina will bring, or maybe elsewhere in the province, “if those responsible for these crimes are not found and are deservedly punished”

 

Pressure on countries that don’t consider Kosovo a state to change stand (Novosti)

The obligation for Serbian officials and diplomats to maximally lobby against new recognitions of Kosovo remains in effect in the course of 2014 as well, Novosti was told at the Serbian Government. These activities will especially intensify after the launching of negotiations between Serbia and the EU new pressures on countries that don’t recognize the authorities in Pristina to change their stand once Chapter 35 on Kosovo opens. These pressures will be especially focused on the five EU member states that don’t recognize Kosovo, as well as on Asian, African and Latin American countries that haven’t done so either. At the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, which gathers 54 states, most of which don’t recognize Kosovo, outgoing Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic explained once again Serbia’s positions and commitment to dialogue as the only possible solution of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. According to the Serbian diplomacy data, 101 countries have so far recognized Kosovo. Snezana Jankovic, the State Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, says that many countries are under pressure to recognize Kosovo, but that this has brought only partial results: “We don’t expect a wave of new recognitions. We are explaining to all of our partners who haven’t recognized the unilaterally declared independence, what we are exactly doing in the dialogue with Pristina and what is our goal. We are stressing that there is no recognition of Kosovo nor can this be the final outcome of the dialogue at all, but that our goal is to enable stay and normal life of our citizens in Kosovo and Metohija.

 

Lavrov: Serbia is Russia’s strategic partner (Politika)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that relations between Serbia and Russia cannot only be described as very good, but that they have reached the level of strategic partnership. However, he added that close ties do not respond fully to the needs and capabilities of the two countries. There is significant potential in the Russian-Serbian relations in the fields of trade and economy, Lavrov said in an interview with Politika. As an example of the successful investment cooperation, he mentioned entry of Russian investor into the Serbian Oil Industry capital, which led to the situation where the Serbian Oil Industry not only stopped losing money but thanks to various taxes, it generates the most of money for the Serbian budget. Lavrov said that the agreement on the “South Stream” gas pipeline is an integral part of international law and that it cannot be unilaterally audited by Brussels. “Belgrade’s rapprochement with the EU is important to us as well as the start of official negotiations on Serbia’s EU membership; it does not harm our partnership, the implementation of major economic and infrastructure projects, including the energy sector. We believe that our Serbian friends think like this as well,” Lavrov said. Russian-Serbian relations cannot be held hostage by external factors, Lavrov said, adding that Russia and Serbia are connected through deep feelings of friendship, understanding and trust, the centuries-old tradition of closeness of the two peoples, and the memory of brotherhood-in-arms.

Since our last interview, the situation in the Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija has changed a great deal. How do you see the present moment?

“Of course, certain changes are occurring in Kosovo and Metohija, just as in the entire Balkans. Russia’s position remains unchanged – a sustainable and mutually acceptable solution must be based on UN Security Resolution 1244. We are ready to cooperate with Belgrade in the future as well in resolving the Kosovo issue, starting from the fact that the Serbian side resolves on its own what are its priorities when it comes to the work on this problem. We have in principle supported the establishment of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina towards creating prerequisites for improving the living conditions of the province’s population. We attach special importance to the necessity of alleviating the position of the Serb community. Nevertheless, progress in the negotiations is noted. We will agree with any solution that suits Serbia. At the same time, achieved progress should not be cause for complacency of the international community that must continue to monitor with greatest attention the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. Unfortunately, we see that difficulties faced on a daily basis by Serbian citizens in the province, especially in the enclaves, haven’t disappeared. As in the past, facilities of Serbian spiritual and cultural heritage are at risk – recently, with Russian help, work on the reconstruction of Serbian sanctities was completed, under the auspices of UNESCO, and we think this was not in vain. The case of human organ trafficking should be investigated in the most conscientious manner. Illegal trade in arms and drugs also causes disturbance. Other threats, including territorial, also remain.”

New Pre-election Discipline – Staff Hunting (Radio Serbia, by Andjelka Marisavljevic)

Wishing us good luck for the upcoming election, President Tomislav Nikolic marked the beginning of the pre-election campaign in Serbia. The tenth multiparty and seventh parliamentary elections will be marked by the shortest campaign so far that will last a month and a half. The beginning of the campaign shows that relations are still very complicated. Numerous protesters of the 1990s dreamed about the appointment and removal power. The essential condition was fulfilled after departure of Slobodan Milosevic, but it turned out that it is not sufficient to stabilize democracy. Announcing the dissolution of parliament only 18 months after its constitution, President Tomislav Nikolic described the situation saying that there is less conflicts in Serbia today and many politicians think very similarly about important tasks. This is why the campaign might bring big surprises. The main separator is not the difference between the party programs but between authority and ability to implement programs. The “staff hunting season” has been opened in Serbia.

Both position and opposition parties participate in the competition, especially the most powerful ones, the Serbian Progressive Party and the Democratic Party. It could be said that both parties have gone through a similar situation. After 5 October 2000, the then Democratic Opposition of Serbia found itself in a situation where it had all the power while not being ready for that. So they looked for the staff everywhere, and, as it turned out, often in wrong places. The 2012 victory of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), a new party that has radically changed its policy in relation to the Radicals, presented the leaders with a similar problem. The SNS leader Aleksandar Vucic was open and spoke repeatedly about the lack of serious, professional staff. Despite the enormous popularity and even the expected results according to which the SNS alone could take power, this party official reiterates that they do not want to govern alone. Vucic suggests that they will search for the best people, regardless of party affiliation. The crisis, it seems, is the least felt in the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) that has a good infrastructure, but this party has undergone serious programmatic changes and has been left with a lot of the old staff. So far, Ivica Dacic has handled the problem well, this brought him certain advantages in campaigns, but not when he was in power.

When it comes to the Democratic Party (DS), since it lost power a year and a half ago, it has performed poorly. Its new leader, Dragan Djilas, sacked the undisputed Boris Tadic, who, after a period of silence, decided to get involved in politics again. Having failed within the Democratic Party, he decided to leave the party. Only after that decision, it was found out that Dragan Djilas has also embarked upon the “staff hunting” and this is the staff that do not suit Tadic’s needs. Rumor has it that he snatched away the controversial outgoing Minister of Economy Sasa Radulovic, who might even be a candidate for a prime minister, as Djilas himself still remains in the race for mayor of Belgrade. No one is clear as to how a staunch advocate of economic liberalism could fit a social democratic profile of the party, but that is not very important in Serbia. Former Serbian president Boris Tadic does not want to retire, and some of his followers, who were expelled from the DS, announce a possible alliance with the United Regions of Serbia and Mladjan Dinkic. Some of us remember that during the post-election negotiations a year and a half ago, Tadic was adamant that he would not negotiate on the possible government with Dinkic.

Serbia’s political scene has been marked by wanderings and turncoats. However, the chances are that, regardless of the personnel crisis, the upcoming years belong to the SNS. There is still hope that the Progressives will have the strength not to repeat the errors of their predecessors. As for democratic processes, it is important that we have come to the point when the ruling politicians want to verify whether they still enjoy the support of voters. We can also hope that this time they will not carry sacks of some “stolen votes”. Therefore, we will need some of that luck President Nikolic mentioned in his message.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Lagumdzija and Dacic arranging joint session of B&H Council of Ministers and Serbian Government (Fena)

On the margins of the Munich Conference, B&H Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija, who is also the Deputy President of the B&H Council of Ministers, has talked with the outgoing Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic. Lagumdzija and Dacic discussed the possible date for holding a joint session of the B&H Council of Ministers and the Serbian Government and cooperation of the two states on the Middle Drina project. It was noted that the signed Protocol between the B&H Prosecution and the Serbian War Crimes Prosecution on cooperation in prosecuting perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide must be respected so that it would never again happen for citizens of both countries to feel unprotected by their own states. It was assessed that it was very important for the Protocol to be fully implemented in order to avoid unnecessary tensions and politicization as in the ongoing case.  “Apart from international and B&H courts, no one has the right to try B&H citizens. If this is not observed, then the B&H institutions would have to proceed according to the reciprocity principle, whereby a new cycle of insecurity of the entire region would be opened,” said Lagumdzija. “Resolving cooperation issues, based on equal relations and respect of all citizens in line with the Protocol between the two prosecutions is a prerequisite for continuing good cooperation. Reciprocity in good and evil is the basis of all our future relations,” said Lagumdzija. The interlocutors agreed that they would do everything towards resolving the existing problem as soon as possible so that these two states would be an example of successful regional cooperation for the benefit of all nations, stated the Office for Public Relations of the B&H Foreign Ministry.

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

Kosovo, Serbia Say Normalizing Relations Beneficial (RFE/RL, 2 February 2014)

MUNICH, Germany -- The prime ministers of Serbia and Kosovo say the process of normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina has benefited both sides.

Serbia's Ivica Dacic and Kosovo's Hashim Thaci also expressed gratitude on February 2 at the Munich Security Conference to EU foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton for leading the peace-making negotiations.

Both prime ministers said convincing their publics of the benefits of a peace deal had been among the greatest challenges to the diplomatic effort.

The two leaders also agreed they were in favor of building a new highway between Kosovo and Belgrade and suggested the EU fund the project.

Kosovo and Serbia seek eventual EU membership, which is dependent upon their regularizing of relations.

The three-day Munich Security Conference, which gathers global political leaders and defense officials, ends on February 2.

 

Snowden, Ashton, Kosovo and Serb PMs proposed for Nobel (EUbusiness, 31 January 2014)

(BRUSSELS) - Fugitive NSA contractor Edward Snowden, top EU diplomat Catherine Ashton and the premiers of Kosovo and Serbia were proposed for this year's Nobel peace award by European Greens and Socialist leaders Friday.

Snowden, currently in hiding in Russia, was officially named by the Greens group in the European Parliament in honour of "his contribution to the protection of our universal rights, including the right to privacy and freedom of expression".

The names of Ashton, along with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci, were personally put forward by the president of the powerful Socialists and Democrats group in the parliament, Hannes Swoboda.

Ashton brokered a ground-breaking agreement between the two last year aimed at closing the door on tension in the Balkans.

Both premiers have been linked to trouble in the wars that followed the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, Dacic as former spokesman for the late Slobodan Milosevic and Thaci as a one-time guerrilla fighter named in criminal probes including organ trafficking during the war.

Swoboda said they should be given the Nobel "not only as a reward for the progress achieved already, but also as a motivation, possibly as the last push that is needed for lasting peace."

Deadlines for nominations for the prestigious peace award are February 1, more than eight months before the announcement of the laureate.

 

Russia's Orthodox Culture Warrior Comes To The Aid Of Kosovo's Serbs (RFE/RL, by Jasmina Scekic, 2 February 2014)

NORTH MITROVICA, Kosovo -- It's a real Catch-22 trying to open a nongovernmental organization in a country you don't recognize. After all, it's hard to apply for registration from officials you regularly denounce as "occupiers."

This is the dilemma faced by Vitaly Milonov, a municipal legislator from the Russian city of St. Petersburg. A controversial figure, Milonov made international headlines last year as the author of a local law banning so-called "homosexual propaganda" that became a model for national legislation.

And earlier this month, Milonov treaded into Balkan politics when he announced the opening of a human rights NGO in Kosovo's ethnically mixed city of Mitrovica, near the border with Serbia.

Milonov says the purpose of his organization, which he calls the "Russian human rights center," is to help Kosovo's ethnic Serbian population, which he claims is being subjected to a "real genocide" under the rule of "Albanian occupiers."

Milonov explained his vision to reporters at a hotel in North Mitrovica on January 19: "It should be a center where there will always be both our monitors and representatives of the Serbian side so that we can efficiently carry out monitoring on human rights abuses by the Islamic-Albanian occupiers, the Turkish fascists, and send information in a timely fashion to Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church, and international public organizations."

Kosovo is a former region of Serbia that unilaterally declared independence in 2008. It has been recognized by 109 countries, including 23 of the 28 European Union member states. Serbia and Russia do not recognize Kosovo, although Belgrade has begun to normalize relations with Pristina under an EU-brokered mediation process.

About 90 percent of its estimated population of around 2 million people is ethnic Albanian, while some 4 percent is ethnic Serb. Much of Kosovo's ethnic Serbian population was displaced to Serbia during the fighting in Kosovo in the late 1990s.

Milonov says his new NGO is 100 percent "privately" funded and that he is participating as an individual rather than as a Russian official.

Among other things, Milonov alleges that troops of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission have frequently commandeered the private property of Kosovar Serbs. Such allegations come up periodically, but there has been scant evidence to support them.

'Anarchy' Or 'Positive Solution'?

Although Milonov's NGO has opened its doors, it is not legally registered. "As of January 2014, there has been no request submitted to our address, to the address of the Ministry of Public Administration, by any Russian nongovernmental organization," Zeqir Bekolli, an official with the ministry , which oversees NGO activity in Kosovo, explained to RFE/RL's Balkan Service.

As might be expected, opinion in Mitrovica is divided on whether Milonov's new initiative is needed.

Adriana Hodzic, a member of the Bosnian community and an activist in North Mitrovica, argues that unregistered organizations will lead to "anarchy." "I honestly think this anarchy should stop. Measures need to be taken to put such activity under control," she says.

On the other hand, Kosovar Serbs such as Nikola Jovanovic welcome Milonov's attention. "I don't think we can expect much from the authorities in Belgrade," Jovanovic says. "Therefore, the interconnection through Orthodoxy and Russia is something I see as some kind of positive solution for Serbs in northern Kosovo."

Fellow Mitrovica Serb Zorica Ristic agrees. "I would really like for this [NGO] to happen, for something like this to really be established," Ristic says.

Orthodox Agenda

Although Milonov is only a city legislator in St. Petersburg, he has gained national and international notoriety as the outspoken author of Russia's first law banning the propaganda of "nontraditional sexual relations" to minors. Russia has since adopted such legislation nationally.

Appearing in Kosovo, Milonov was combative and provocative. "European politicians used to tell you [ethnic Serbs in Kosovo]: 'Please, be patient. Be more polite toward the Albanian nation.' But from another hand, the Albanian nation is not going to keep with the peaceful initiatives," he said in English.

"The Albanian nation is going to push you out from this region -- because this is the main goal of this...I should say...occupant regime in this territory: to destroy all Orthodox Christians in this area."

He said his new organization will also pay for the construction of an Orthodox church in Mitrovica and will try to provide educational opportunities in Russia for Kosovar Serbs.

Milonov's initiative comes at a sensitive time, as EU foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton works to broker agreements between Kosovo and Serbia that would normalize relations between the central Kosovo government and the ethnic-Serb-populated part of northern Kosovo.

 

Vojislav Kostunica, a Very Consistent Nationalist (BIRN, by Bojana Barlovac, 3 February 2014)

This shy academic rallied Serbs against Slobodan Milosevic, but his obsession with Kosovo since then has helped marginalise him on the political scene.

Vojislav Kostunica was born in Belgrade, capital of Yugoslavia, in 1944.

As a young academic, he soon showed his willingness to defend those strongly Serb nationalist views that have come to define his political career.

At a time when dissent from the one-party regime could bring a lengthy prison sentence, dared to criticise Tito's reshaping of the Yugoslav constitution in 1974 along the lines of a loosely knit federation.

His outspokenness on the issue, dictated by a fear that the changes would reduce Serbian influence, led to his dismissal in 1974 from his post as law professor at the University of Belgrade.

Later on, his nationalism prompted him to leave the party he had helped to found, the Democratic Party, DS, after which he led his followers into the Democratic Party of Serbia, DSS, which stayed on the margins of Serbian politics during the Nineties.

Shy, not corrupt and a little known politician, in 2000 he beat Slobodan Milosevic in presidential elections. That same year, he supported the idea of rallying Serbia's disparate opposition forces against Milosevic.

After winning the presidential election, he was president of Yugoslavia from 2000 to 2003 before becoming Prime Minister of Serbia from 2004 to 2008.

Though a convinced opponent of Milosevic's his nationalism led him to oppose the extradition of Milosevic to The Hague war crimes tribunal.

His stance on the issue put him at odds with Serbia's pro-Western prime minister, Zoran Djindjic.

When illustrating his awkwardness, his opponents sometimes described him as a man without children but with 17 cats.

In reality, little is known about his private life. It was only in 2007 that Serbs found out what music he liked when he was heard singing along the songs of Serbian folk star Ceca at her New Year’s Eve concert.

In speeches he rarely missed the chance to speak on his favourite themes: the rule of law, morality and Kosovo as an indivisible part of Serbia.

"Serbia's position is that Kosovo is a part of Serbia," was his familiar refrain. "This is not empty rhetoric but a legal and constitutional formulation," he added.

He was the first to address a crowd of around 200,000 angry Serbs at a mass protest against Kosovo`s declaration of independence in February 2008, delivering an emotional speech. “Kosovo – that’s Serbia’s first name,” he said.

His rhetoric wowed the crowds but in the meantime Serbia's fragile economy continued losing strength, with the dinar losing 6 per cent of its value in the first two months of 2008.

Kostunica resigned on March 8, 2008 dissolving a coalition that was now too divided over the loss of Kosovo to carry on governing.

"A government that has no united policy cannot function, of course, and this is the end of the government," he said.

Since the 2008 elections, now back in opposition, he has continued critising any “compromises“ with Europe and the West on the all-important Kosovo question.

Even critics admit his consistency, saying he is one of the few Serbian politicians not to have changed his views with the times.

According to the latest polls, such consistency will probably help the Democratic Party of Serbia pass the 5 per cent threshold needed to enter parliament but not more.

Kostunica started the 2012 election campaign promoting his new anti-EU book entitled “Why Serbia, not the EU“ which will form the basis of the political platform for the May 6 elections.

"Serbia’s interest is in developing economic cooperation with the EU through agreements, but Serbia's interest is not to join the EU," he said at the promotion of the book in Kragujevac, central Serbia, on March 20.

 

Serbia Denies Compensation to Tortured Croat Prisoners (BIRN, by Marija Ristic, 3 February 2014)

A Belgrade court denied reparations to 12 Croatian citizens who were imprisoned and tortured in Yugoslav Army detention camps in Serbia during the 1990s conflict.

After a case that lasted for six years, Belgrade’s first basic court dismissed the 12 Croatian ex-prisoners’ lawsuit against Serbia for alleged torture, saying that the plaintiffs appealed for reparations too long after their imprisonment during wartime.

The ruling stated that the deadline for their appeal had passed five years after they were detained, adding that because no verdict has been reached in Serbian courts for this alleged war crime, a criminal act didn’t take place.

The Belgrade-based Humanitarian Law Centre (HLC) filed the suit in 2007 in the name of the 12 Croatian prisoners who were detained and physically abused in Yugoslav People’s Army prison camps in Sremska Mitrovica and Begejcid in 1991.

The HLC condemned the ruling, saying that the court had “found a convenient alibi for protecting the state”.

The Croatian Association of Prisoners of Serbian Concentration Camps also criticised the court’s decision.

“We are disappointed, but we will not give up on seeking justice, which includes the punishment of everyone that was involved in our detention and abuse,” said the head of the association, Danijel Rehak.

The HLC said it planned to file an appeal against the ruling, arguing that the court could extend the time limit set by the current law, because the plaintiffs are victims of such a serious crime.

The HLC’s lawyers also argued that Serbia failed to implement a UN convention that obliges its signatories to provide reparations to the victims of torture whatever amount of time has elapsed the time since the crime was committed.

Several international institutions, including the UN and the Council of Europe, have criticised Belgrade's mechanism for reparations because only people who have been very seriously injured can make claims.

The detention centre in Sremska Mitrovica was one of several military camps in the northern province of Vojvodina, near the Croatian border, that was run by the army in the 1990s.

Belgrade special court is currently hearing a case against former military reservist Marko Crevar, who has been indicted for war crimes against Croat detainees at a camp in Sremska Mitrovica in 1992.

The Hague Tribunal is also prosecuting former Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadzic for crimes committed there.

 

Macedonian presidential election set for April 13 (AP, 2 February 2014)

SKOPJE, Macedonia - Macedonian parliament speaker Trajko Veljanoski has set April 13 as the date for the country's presidential election.

It would be the fifth presidential election since Macedonia gained independence after the dissolution of former Yugoslavia in 1991.

Even though the president is elected by direct vote the post is largely ceremonial. The executive power resides with the prime minister.

Under the country's constitution, current President Gjorge Ivanov of the ruling conservative VMRO-DPMNE party is eligible for another five-year term.

None of the major political parties have announced their presidential candidate.

If not candidate gets an absolute majority in the first round of voting a runoff between the two leading candidates will take place two weeks later.

 

Early Election Fever Grips Macedonia (BIRN, by Sinisa Jakov Marusic, 3 February 2014)

As Macedonia gears up for presidential elections in spring, the political parties are increasingly preparing for the likelihood of a parallel general election.

Trajko Veljanoski, speaker of parliament, has set a date for the first round of presidential elections on April 13, with the second round due on April 27.

He declined to address growing speculation about early general elections on Saturday, however, saying that, as speaker, “the issue of possible early general elections is not in my jurisdiction. It is in the hands of the parliament".

Unofficial reports from Macedonia's main ruling party, VMRO DPMNE, say early general elections may be held together with the second round of the presidential elections on April 27. None of the presidential candidates is expected to win outright in the first round.

"Several options are being considered, but if the conditions for snap elections are right, this option seems most likely," a source close to the party leadership told Balkan Insight on Monday.

The VMRO DPMNE party, led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, is well placed for early elections. Polls show it is the favourite to win the contest.

A victory in April would secure four more years for the government, now in its third year since the June 2011 elections. Gruevski has been Prime Minister since 2007 and has won all of his subsequent terms after holding early elections.

“It is becoming ever more certain that early general elections will be held. In that case, we will be prepared,” the head of the State Electoral Commission, DIK, Nikola Rilkoski, said.

If snap elections take place in the second round of the presidential poll, it will slightly disturb the deadlines but none the less we will do our duty,” he added.

The Vice Prime Minister, Musa Xhaferri, a senior figure in the junior ruling party, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, also sounded favourable.

“Early general elections can provide a way out of the situation that the government coalition is in,” Xhaferi said, referring to the dispute between the DUI and VMRO DPMNE over fielding a joint presidential candidate.

He denied claims that the two parties are using the dispute as an excuse to push for early general elections.

Meanwhile, a recent opinion poll carried out by the Institute Dimitrija Cupovski, an NGO seen as close to the government, suggests that if snap elections are held, VMRO DPMNE would win 59 of the 123 seats in parliament, three more than it has now.

The opposition Social Democrats would win 36 seats, one less than they have at the moment.

The DUI would win 14 seats while their rivals in the ethnic Albanian camp, the Democratic Party of Albanians, would win seven. Each of these two parties, accourding to the poll, would lose one seat.

With some two months to go before the elections, none of the parties has revealed a presidential candidate. Both the main parties are reported to be mulling running candidates from outside their own ranks.

Unconfirmed reports say diplomat Srgjan Kerim, who presided over the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly, and current President Ivanov, top the list of potential candidates for VMRO DPMNE.

A relatively new name in the ring is that of Sasko Kedev, a well-known heart surgeon who was a VMRO DPMNE presidential candidate in 2004.

Stevo Pendarovski, a former advisor to Presidents Boris Trajkovski and Branko Crvenkovski, tops the list of potential opposition candidates.

Denko Maleski, a diplomat seen as close to the opposition, and who was Macedonia's first foreign minister after independence in the 1990s, has also been mentioned.

 

'Suspicious' Macedonian Procurements Increasing, Survey (BIRN, by Sinisa Jakov Marusic, 3 February 2014)

Macedonia last year signed almost 50 million euro worth of public procurement contracts that were not transparent, according to a new survey.

A new survey by the Centre for Civil Communications, CCC, a local watchdog, says that in the first nine months of 2013, Macedonia signed contracts worth almost 50 million euros by means of negotiation, without any call for bids.

“Most of these contracts were signed directly because... only one firm answered the bidding calls, so e-auctions could not be organized,” Sabina Fakic, of the CCC, said.

The CCC on Friday published results of its quarterly monitoring of public procurement procedures for the period July-September 2013, which showed the value of non-transparent contracts had increased.

Over the three-month period, these contracts were worth 21.3 million euro, which the CCC said was an increase by 52 per cent compared to same period last year.

The CCC said the main problem in Macedonia remained poor competition; one in three of the tendering procedures they monitored ended with the contract going to the only bidder that applied.

This trend implies “a major risk of signing procurement contract for higher prices than the actual market prices,” it said.

The report showed that in the third quarter of 2013, one tender in four was unsuccessful. The most common explanation was that the contracting authorities did not receive any bids that were acceptable or adequate.

The Centre has been tracking Macedonia’s public procurements procedures since 2008.

The reports on procurements are conducted in partnership with the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia and supported by the United States Agency for International Development, USAID.