LOCAL PRESS 

Dacic: We are grateful to the CSTO Member States for their continuous and principled support and non-recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija (Politika) 

At the invitation of the speaker of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, Serbian parliament speaker Ivica Dacic took part in the online Council session and 13^th Plenary Session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). “The Republic of Serbia has traditionally friendly relations with all the CSTO members - the Russian Federation, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and through cooperation in the CSTO we have the opportunity to strengthen them further. Therefore, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this session. As you know, the Serbian parliament has the status of an observer in the CSTO, and its delegation will always try to make a special contribution to the work of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly. Our continued cooperation, taking into account the difficult circumstances, clearly testifies to our recognition of its importance. The Republic of Serbia, with its policy of military neutrality and readiness to actively participate in the work of the CSTO in action, confirms the sovereignty and independence of its international position, is based on a principled policy led primarily by Serbia’s interests. This session is held in extraordinary conditions, at a time of great global challenges. At a time when the whole world is fighting the COVID virus, we are encouraged by the strong awareness that joint action is necessary to fight the pandemic, as well as to face all challenges. With that in mind, I would like to express my gratitude for the assistance provided to Serbia, especially to the military doctors and members of the specialized ABHO units of the Russian Armed Forces in terms of humanitarian cooperation, protection of the population, and to stress the readiness for its continuation to be able to face this global challenge more effectively. On this occasion, I would like to welcome the strengthening of all states that contribute to the stability of the international order, as well as associations that aim to ensure peace, security and stability. I welcome the cooperation with states that are committed to respecting the principles of international law, such as the principles of territorial sovereignty and integrity of the state, i.e. preservation of state independence. Let me stress that we very much appreciate and are truly grateful for the stance of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization - their continuous and principled support and the non-recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija, i.e. their respect for the universal principles of international law. I hope that this session will be successful, and the exchange of experiences will contribute to the deepening of cooperation between our parliaments and states.

Dacic: Serbia and B&H have lot in common and despite different views on past should turn to future (RTS)

 

Relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), Republika Srpska (RS) and Montenegro were topics of Monday’s meeting at the Serbian parliament building held between Serbian parliament speaker Ivica Dacic and speaker of the B&H House of Representatives (B&H HoR) Nebojsa Radmanovic. They agreed that cooperation between B&H and Serbia is good. During a press conference, Dacic said this was B&H’s parliament as well, explaining that B&H delegation was present in this building during time of Yugoslavia. Radmanovic shortly confirmed this statement. The two officials discussed relations between the countries, future plans and cooperation of parliaments. “B&H and Serbia have a very long border and the border agreement was never signed. It will, eventually, reach the parliaments and it will be signed” Radmanovic pointed out. He added that these two countries share an important matter, which is their paths towards the EU. He reminds that Serbia made significant progress on this path, by opening many chapters, while B&H is yet to receive its candidate status. During his visit to Belgrade, a discussion is being led in Sarajevo and Banja Luka on SDP B&H’s proposal of constitutional amendments. This proposal introduces the post of state president, two vice-presidents and a prime minister. RTS reminds that this is contrary to the Annex 4 of the Dayton Peace Agreement. Radmanovic said this proposal will not be passed, which is a similar message sent by other Serb representatives in B&H. Serbia gave its full support to Serb representatives in B&H in regards to this matter. “We respect the territorial integrity of B&H; 25 years have passed since the Dayton Peace Agreement 8 DPA); we also believe that changes in B&H need to be, if they should happen, then they should be result of agreement and consent of all three (constituent) peoples and both entities,” Dacic concluded. Radmanovic’s visit to Serbia comes at a time when relations between this country and Montenegro have been shaken by recent events. Serbia withdrew its decision on expulsion of the Montenegrin Ambassador, but Montenegro’s authorities did not do the same. Dacic said Serbia’s decision should be perceived as a sign of good will, and an indicator that Serbian officials do not wish to behave in this way or solve issues in such a manner. Radmanovic said some harsh words were said and hasty moves were made, which need to be solved through dialogue. He emphasized that ‘Mini Schengen’ initiative is the best way for countries to put their problems aside and cooperate for the good of the region, and each country in that region. Dacic said for media that B&H and Serbia have a lot in common and despite the different views on certain issues from the past they should turn to the future. “And we want to, through finding common denominators, continue our cooperation in the forthcoming period,” said Dacic. Dacic noted that the cooperation between the RS and Serbia does not come at expense of the relation with the B&H authorities. Radmanovic explained that a good example of functioning and “translating into practice what is written in the Dayton Peace Agreement are special and parallel relations between Serbia and the RS, which will continue”. Radmanovic reminded that Serbia is signatory of the DPA. He emphasized that the RS will resume to nourish special and parallel relations with Serbia. Dacic underlined that meetings between representatives of legislative authorities of Serbia and B&H should become regular in order to provide constant incitement to development of good-neighborly relations.

EU welcomes Serbia’s move not to expel Montenegro envoy – avoid unfriendly acts (N1) 

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi welcomed Serbian government’s decision to unilaterally withdraw the decree to expel Montenegro’s Ambassador to Serbia brought in retaliation for Podgorica’s declaration of Serbia’s Ambassador as persona non grata in Montenegro, N1 reported. According to N1, his call drew criticism from Montenegro’s Ambassador to Vatikan Miodrag Vlahovic, who told Varhelyi his statements about mutual expulsion of Belgrade and Podgorica diplomats “compromises and deeply undermines the seriousness and objectivity of the EU policy towards the Western Balkans”. Ana Pisonero, European Commission spokesperson, said that the good neighborly relations and regional cooperation were the foundation of the EU accession process. “Serbia and Montenegro are on a solid path to the EU, and the bloc calls on them to avoid acts that could imperil their friendly relations. The preservation of dialogue and the atmosphere of mutual trust are of extreme importance, especially between countries on the road to the EU”, Pisonero said. The Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi welcomed the decision of the government of Serbia to calm the tensions and preserve the dialogue in relations with Montenegro. “Respect for good neighborly relations and regional co-operation are a basis of the EU enlargement process”, Fabrizi said.

Selakovic to Falconi: Serbia devoted to normalizing relations with Pristina (Beta) 

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic met with French Ambassador to Serbia Jean-Louis Falconi and noted that the political dialogue and overall cooperation between Serbia and France were very intensive and were making constant progress, the Ministry said in a statement.

Selakovic underscored that France was one of Serbia’s most important economic partners and a major investor in the Serbian economy, and voiced the hope that in the coming period economic cooperation would intensify further, as well as that new French investments in Serbia would be realized. He went on to say that Serbia's full membership in the EU was one of the main strategic foreign policy priorities of the country and conveyed Serbia's interest in and commitment to becoming a full member of the International Organization of La Francophonie. Serbia is wholly devoted to normalizing relations with Pristina and for Belgrade that means reaching a compromise solution that will be sustainable, applicable and acceptable to both sides, with the implementation of all the existing agreements reached in this process over the past several years, Selakovic stressed.

Federicci: We are ready to intervene in case of tensions in Kosovo and Metohija (RTS) 

KFOR Commander, Major General Franco Federicci, said that the international military mission will take care of the protection of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and that patrols are organized on a daily basis, not only in the north, but in the entire territory. Federicci said this during an online conference held for several Pristina media, and added that he does not expect tensions should there be new arrests in connection with the Specialist Chambers. “At the moment, the situation is good, we have no indicators that the situation could change. KFOR is not involved in the work of the Specialist Chambers, it is completely outside our mandate, but we are certainly monitoring the situation and we are ready to intervene if there are tensions or protests due to the accusations,” he said. Asked what he thinks about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Federicci said that KFOR does not interfere in the implementation of the things agreed in the dialogue. He did not wish to comment on whether the fact that Belgrade is buying weapons from Russia poses a threat to Pristina, and reiterated that NATO and Serbia are close partners, that Serbia has good relations with NATO and that this has no influence on the KFOR mission. Speaking about a possible conflict in northern Kosovo, he said there were no indications that anything had changed around the security situation. At the same time, Federicci said that it was an absolutely good thing to increase the number of soldiers in the KFOR mission coming from the countries of the region - Croatia, Albania and North Macedonia.

Extremists building houses in burned Serb village (Politika, by Biljana Radomirovic) 

A settlement of 91 housing units is being built in the village of Svinjare, which was seriously damaged in the March pogrom in 2004, and which is located at the third kilometer from south Kosovska Mitrovica – in the part where the Serbian barracks was located before the war, taken over by the French KFOR after the arrival of the peace forces. The Albanian media reports that “91 houses are for children that are socially endangered, and this will resolve the problem of Mitrovica residents who do not have a roof above their heads”. The settlement is located in the valley of the village, and along with the houses that are built based on an agreement with the municipality of south Mitrovica, there will also be an ambulance, mosque, and a “facility for the needs of the investor”. The settlement is still in the construction phase, while, according to unofficial information of Politika, the Albanian families were supposed to move in already in November and would have received complete furniture along with the houses. Politika’s journalist has seen that nearly 80 percent of the houses have been completed in the part of the village where the construction works are ongoing, while the rest are in the construction phase. The construction of 51 houses is financed by the organizations “Orphans of the Balkans” and “Boys from Mitrovica”, but what is especially characteristic for the settlement sprouting in the village that burned to the ground in the pogrom is the fact that 40 houses are financed from the budget of the organizations “Qatar Four”, which has been declared extremist in certain states. i.e. it was pointed to its ties with terrorist circles in Syria. This didn’t bother Qatar to open 24 branches of this “humanitarian organization” throughout the world. One such was opened in Pristina several years ago. This organization that deals with “humanitarian work” operates in the Near East and has given, as speculated, millions of dollars to Al Qaeda and Al Nusra, terrorist groups that have been at war for years in Syria and Iraq. It is a public secret in the province, a well-informed source tells Politika, that this organization recruits Albanians for the war in these two states, as support to Al Qaeda and Al Nusra. Six years ago, the Kosovo police arrested two imams from Kosovska Mitrovica under suspicion of recruiting Albanians from Kosovo and Metohija for the war in these two states. As the police stated then, arrested was Ekrem Avdiu, imam and lecturer in the mosque in the Tamnik settlement, who was also member of the board of the Islamic community, as well as Enis Rama, imam of the Isa Beg mosque in the southern part of the town.  Our source notes that in the last government of Ramush Haradinaj, deputy Kosovo police minister, son of the famous hodja in Kosovo and Metohija, Abdu Selami Skodra often traveled to Qatar and Saudi Arabia. It is claimed that Selami Skodra is the only one from the Kosovo Interior Ministry who traveled to these two countries, while he had expectations that they would help him to arrive at the helm of the police and topple the then minister. The village of Svinjare was attacked on 18 March 2004 from all four sides – from the direction of Kosovska Mitrovica, Vucitrn and village of Pantina with which it borders, as well as from the direction of Kicic village that is located on the Kosovska Mitrovica-Pristina highway, but also from the back from the direction of Drenica. Before the very eyes of the French KFOR, Milorad Radivojevic, originally from Svinjare, tells Politika, all 145 houses were burned, while 580 Serbs barely survived. According to Radivojevic, there were 208 Serbs in the village on that day whom KFOR evacuated to the “Belvedere” barracks, while later on Svinjare villagers found refuge in Kosovska Mitrovica and Mali Zvecan settlement. An unsuccessful attempt of return was in 2005, when the Serbs tried to settle in again, but due to daily thefts, provocations and insecurity, they left the village again. There are now only two Serbs in the village, the Jovic couple, who is often the target of Albanian neighbors. They are stealing from poultry to agricultural mechanization, while they managed to break into their house and take everything while the Jovic couple was visiting their daughter.

REGIONAL PRESS 

 

SC Assembly accepts SC PM Nenadic’s resignation and casts vote of no confidence in SC government (O kanal)

The Sarajevo Canton (SC) Assembly held a session on Monday and, on this occasion, it accepted the resignation of SC Prime Minister Mario Nenadic and cast a vote of no confidence in the SC government. Nenadic's resignation was accepted with 23 votes in favor. No one voted against it, while nine representatives abstained from voting. This marked establishing of a new parliamentary majority, formed by People and Justice (NiP), Our Party (NS), and SDP Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and independent representatives in the Assembly Damir Niksic, Damir Marjanovic, Amra Junuzovic-Kaljic, Aljosa Campara, and Amela Hodzic. It is still unknown who the future SC Prime Minister and the ministers in the SC government will be, and that is expected to be announced in about a week. The SC Assembly also accepted the resignation of SDA's Mirza Celik from the post of the assembly speaker. The Bosniak Caucus nominated Elvedin Okeric (NiP) as a member of the SC Assembly Collegium to replace Celik.

Okeric stated: “We expect that the name of the Prime Minister-designate of the new government will be revealed in about a week or so. We will then see, in line with the constitution, which people should nominate the Prime Minister. According to that, we will agree on who will be the speaker of the assembly.” SBB B&H’s representative in the SC Assembly Zvonko Maric confirmed that SBB B&H endorsed Nenadic’s resignation and casting vote of no confidence in the SC government. However, Maric assessed that the Prime Minister-designate should have been nominated in order to enable further processes in the canton. According to NiP’s Elmedin Konakovic, the decision on who will be proposed for the SC PM-Designate has not been passed yet, but there is no need to rush things and the goal is to select the most quality staff. Okeric reminded that NiP as the party has the highest number of representatives in the new parliamentary majority and therefore, they should nominate the candidate for the SC Prime Minister-Designate. NS’ Vibor Handzic said that this party insists on continuity, i.e. they want to see NS’ Edin Forto as the SC Prime Minister again. Maric told reporters that he was surprised by the fact that new majority in the SC did not propose the new SC Prime Minister-Designate at the session on Monday.

 

SDP proposes changes to B&H Constitution similar to April Package from 2006; SNSD announces they will not support it (Hayat)

The B&H House of Representatives (B&H HoR) will convene on 9 December and changes to the B&H Constitution proposed by SDP will be discussed during this session. The changes proposed by the SDP Caucus are almost identical to the ones proposed in the April Package which was discussed in the B&H Parliament in 2006. Hayat reminds that in 2006, the April Package was supported by parties that are ruling right now but was ultimately rejected due to the disagreement of SBiH and HDZ 1990. The changes propose the reorganization of B&H institutions. The B&H Presidency would be remodeled into a post of one B&H President and two Vice Presidents. The B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) would be the B&H government and the Chairman of the CoM would be the B&H Prime Minister. The B&H Parliament would have more competences in regards to decision-making processes in more areas. MP of SDP in the B&H HoR Sasa Magazinovic said that he sincerely hopes the changes will be adopted because the parties that supported the 2006 April Package have a majority in the B&H HoR now. He added that they should not think anything bad about the predecessors in their parties who voted for the changes and it is a sort of test of consistency in B&H. Hayat notes that SBiH and President of the party Haris Silajdzic rejected the April Package because of the process of election of the B&H President and the Federation of B&H President. The package proposed for the Republika Srpska (RS) President to be elected via elections, while the B&H and FB&H President would be appointed in the respective parliaments. Silajdzic stressed that this means the only legitimacy would be present with the election of the RS President. PDP announced that they will not support the changes proposed by SDP on 9 December. MP of PDP in the B&H HoR Branislav Borenovic said that B&H currently has a good enough constitutional framework which ensures that everyone will work in accordance with their competences. He added that major changes to the Constitution can be adopted if they are supported by all representatives of three people with constituent status.  The SDA Caucus does not have a definite stance on the vote. MP of SDA Semsudin Mehmedovic said that they will reach one next Monday. SNSD announced that they will not support the changes to the B&H Constitution proposed by SDP. Delegate of SNSD in the B&H House of People (B&H HoP) Dusanka Majkic said that all ideas that can be achieved are welcomed, while this one does not have a chance to be supported. She explained that it is not possible for the changes to be adopted, since there is no consensus on anything in B&H right now. Majkic said that an agreement means for representatives to sit at one table and to reach an agreement in which direction B&H needs to move.

Alkalaj continues criticizing RS and Serbs and Croats as constituent peoples (ATV)

Permanent Representative of B&H to UN Sven Alkalaj has continued criticizing RS and Serbs and Croats as constituent peoples. The reporter comments that for Alkalaj, only Bosniaks are legitimate representatives of B&H. ATV reports that, at a Krug 99 online session held on Sunday, Alkalaj criticized B&H Ambassador to the US (Bojan Vujic). “Unfortunately, even in the Embassy we do not have a Bosniak, or Croat who would represent B&H, practically the Ambassador is a Serb, I hate to use those terms, but they are representatives of those parties that are not for B&H and with certain lobbyist payed from the RS it is certain they will do the opposite,” said Alkalaj.  Commenting on this, Chairman of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik said: “We will meet on many occasions unfortunately, and I will have the opportunity to say that Mr. Vujic does his work well and being criticized by Alkalaj is good. And Alkalaj is the one who goes to the US and the State Department while being the Ambassador to UN. It shows their readiness to privatize and make representing the country they love meaningless”.  The reporter comments that the B&H Foreign Ministry has not provided explanation for Alkalaj’s visit to the State Department, but Alkalaj bragged about it. At the Krug 99 session, Alkalaj said: “Dodik criticized me over going to the State Department. Of course, I went there, I was invited by them to discuss what is possible”.  The reporter comments that Alkalaj’s visit reminds of his attendance at the UN Security Council meeting, i.e. Alkalaj attended the meeting without the consent by the B&H Presidency. The reporter concludes by saying that the B&H Foreign Ministry has not commented on the Alkalaj’s speech at the Krug 99 online session, and the US Embassy to B&H has not reacted although they usually react to actions from the RS.

 

15th anniversary of B&H AF marked; Minister Podzic: So far, B&H AF implemented more than 70% of obligations from Program of Reforms (FTV)

 

On the occasion of marking the 15th anniversary of the B&H Armed Forces (AF), B&H Minister of Defense Sifet Podzic and Chief of B&H Armed Forces (AF) Joint Staff Senad Masovic summarized on Monday the achievements and the contributions made to the development of the defense system of the B&H AF. Namely, the B&H AF were established on 1 January 2006, following a defense system reform and transfer of competences in the field of defense from entities onto the state level. Adoption and implementation of the Law on Defense of B&H enabled the state to become responsible for ensuring a transparent, democratic, and civil control over the B&H AF. Podzic stated that the most notable results of work in the past year have been achieved through cooperation with NATO and he reminded that B&H participates in the peace support operations and military exercises. Podzic underlined that the achieved results have had positive effects on credibility of B&H as a partner to NATO within the Membership Action Plan (MAP) and realization of partnership goals through the Partnership for Peace Planning and Review Process (PARP). Masovic noted: “I must say that the quality individual, institutional, and collective training of members of the AF is the key prerequisite for strengthening all capacities and capabilities, as well as the combat readiness of the AF.”  Podzic stated that the Ministry of Defense and the B&H AF achieved good results over the last year despite of Coronavirus pandemic. He emphasized that 1,663 members of B&H AF participated in peace missions around the world. Podzic reminded that 74 members of B&H AF currently participate in three the UN’s missions and one NATO mission in Afghanistan. Podzic underlined that he expects competent institutions of B&H to increase defense budget so that B&H AF can resume with fulfilling of its obligations, primarily those from program of reforms. Masovic reminded of NATO exercises that was attended by some 1,000 forces and in which B&H AF units were assessed as successful and in line with NATO standards. He also stated that B&H AF and members of US armed forces jointly carried out exercise ‘Air to ground’ in 2020. He added that this exercise created ground for introduction of new skills of key importance for interoperability of B&H AF.

Turkovic asks Turkey to lobby for appointment of Oric’s attorney Cosic Dedovic to post of Judge of International Criminal Court (Glas Srpske)

B&H Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic sent letter to Turkish Foreign Minister Mehmet Cavusoglu asking for Turkey’s support for appointment of Jasmina Cosic Dedovic to post of Judge of International Criminal Court in The Hague. Cosic Dedovic was nominated for the post by B&H High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, but she did not get the approval of B&H Presidency, because she was member of the defense team of former RBIH Army Commander Naser Oric who was suspected of war crimes. After the rejection by B&H Presidency, Turkovic – with support of B&H Presidency members Sefik Dzaferovic and Zeljko Komsic – started lobbying for the appointment of Cosic Dedovic. An unnamed source told the daily that Turkovic is using para-diplomacy methods, which diplomats from other countries find shocking. Judges of the International Criminal Court are appointed by the UN in New York, and the member states wanted the candidate to have the approval of all constituent peoples in B&H. When this approval did not come, the source explained, Turkovic turned to Turkey hoping that Turkish representatives can convince other countries to accept Cosic Dedovic as candidate. Member of B&H Parliament’s Commission for Foreign Affairs Dusanka Majkic stated that Turkovic is moving from one diplomatic scandal to the next, which is a result of the fact that her policy is not created by B&H Presidency but by SDA. She announced that Turkovic’s letter to Cavusoglu will be subject of debate in B&H House of Peoples. B&H Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik earlier warned that Turkovic is abusing and violating diplomatic procedures.

Session of HJPC to be held on Thursday; Tegeltija: I have been continuously under surveillance (RTRS)

Extraordinary session of the B&H High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) scheduled for Thursday will be open for the public. President of the HJPC Milan Tegeltija confirmed for RTRS that the main topic of this session will be pressure this institution has been exposed to. Tegeltija stated that motive to schedule this session are doctored audio recordings that are result of continuous monitoring and wiretapping by intelligence or para-intelligence circles. Reporter noted that communication between Tegeltija and members of the HJPC in a closed group appeared in the public only few hours after it took place. Reporter wondered if there is anything disputable in this conversation: invitation to members of the HJPC to attend consultations in Banja Luka or his grounded suspicion premises of the HJPC have been illegally wired. The President of the HJPC underlined that he has not been informed about any court order to monitor him or any other member of the HJPC. In a statement for RTRS, Tegeltija said that the HJPC has been working under unsafe conditions and that even communication between members of the HJPC has been monitored.  Tegeltija stressed that this is not about support to him but to legality and safety. “We are not talking about Milan Tegeltija as a person, but about ambient in which members of the HJPC have been working”, explained the President of the HJPC. He also stated that goal of recent developments is elimination of him from the post of the President of the HJPC, as well as removal of all those who do not work in line with some policy, adding that he primarily refers to SDA. “I have been monitored and under surveillance in any possible sense, although all of this is absolutely illegal,” stressed Tegeltija. Reporter commented that no one has been dealing with origin of audio recording in which Tegeltija talks with former member of B&H HJPC Milijana Buha, adding that it seems illegal and para-intelligence acting became regular practice in B&H.

USA and Europe prepare plan for new security challenge, arguing that China is strengthening influence in the Balkans and encourages Euroscepticism (Dnevni avaz)

 

A detailed document prepared by the US Congress, which was recently delivered to Congress’ Foreign Policy Committee, noted that China plans to finance remake of the film classics ‘Valter Brani Sarajevo’ and ‘Most’, as part of the diplomatic offensive in the region of the Western Balkans. This information is part of the document which analyzes current activities of China in Europe and the region and proposes concrete methods of cooperation to fight increasing influence of Beijing. “USA and Europe increasingly agree that China represents significant political, economic and security challenge. Our next step is to turn this deep agreement into the concrete joint plan which will defend our interests and values”, reads the Report. Thus, Washington proposes refusal of malignant influence, strengthening of integrity of international organizations, fight against Chinese violation of fair competition regulations, investment into new technologies and prevention of security implications of Chinese strategic investments into energy, transport and digital infrastructure. Washington-based ‘Center for Strategic and International Studies’ issued a report at the end of the past year and concluded that Chinese influence in the region is strengthening and that slow progress towards EU integration enables and encourages this. “Western Balkans is a fertile ground, where due to economic stagnation, weak governments, corruption and high unemployment rate, the Chinese companies can easily take roots,” reads the Center’s study. While it is evident that Chinese economy is more active, the Congressional document noted that this economic offensive is without a doubt followed by a political one and in this regard the document of China- CEE Institute, based in Hungary recently published a document about political developments in B&H, which expresses skepticism regarding B&H’s European path.  Daily learns that promotion of Euroscepticism is one of the goals of Chinese activities in the region, because the EU integration of the region would prevent Chinese penetration.

 

Message to Serbia and Varhelyi: Montenegro will not withdraw its decision to expel Ambassador Bozovic (CdM)

Montenegro will not withdraw the decision to expel Serbian Ambassador, Vladimir Bozovic. Although European Enlargement Commissioner, Oliver Varhelyi, has welcomed Serbia’s decision to change its mind regarding Tarzan Milosevic and called on Montenegro to do the same, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have refused to even discuss it. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as Oliver Varhelyi, welcome the decision of the Government of Serbia to withdraw expulsion of Montenegrin ambassador to Serbia, as they had no any reason to do that. Ambassador Milosevic represents his country while respecting the Republic of Serbia, without interfering in its internal affairs,” the Ministry stated. Unlike Milosevic, Bozovic interfered in Montenegro’s internal affairs, with his interpretations of history, questioning Montenegro’s independence and autonomy, negating Resolution of the Parliament of Montenegro in illegitimate Podgorica Assembly. “Ministry of Foreign Affairs has brought ambassador’s attention to this matter several times and warned him this is unauthorized and non-diplomatic behavior. Unfortunately, it was all in vain. Therefore, Ministry and the Government will not withdraw the decision,” the statement said. Furthermore, incomprehensible statement made by Serbian PM Ana Brnabic actually implies that ambassador Bozovic was conveying official views of Serbian government, which is a confirmation of impolite interference into Montenegro’s internal affairs. “Unfortunately, this time Commissioner Varhelyi, failed to exchange fundamental information and opinions about the substance of the matter with his partners and friends in Montenegro. We believe that he would then understand better our relationship with the ambassador who has been constantly meddling into affairs and violating national interests of Montenegro,” the Ministry stated. Montenegro is completely committed to regional cooperation and good neighborly relations. “Therefore, we are convinced that our decision was correct, as we can’t tolerate undermining Montenegrin state and national dignity,” the Ministry concluded.

Pisonero about Varhelyi’s tweet: To refrain from any action that might jeopardize friendly relations between Serbia and Montenegro (RTCG)

The European Union call for refraining from actions that might jeopardize Serbia-Montenegro friendly relations, EC spokeswoman, Ana Pisonero has stated, commenting on the Twitter post of European Enlargement Commissioner, who welcomed Serbia’s decision to withdraw expulsion of Montenegrin ambassador. Asked if the European commission is acquainted with the historic context which is the base of the decision on expulsion of Serbian ambassador, Pisonero said that EC had a chance to express its view “yesterday and that the message was conveyed”.

Pisonero reiterated that respect for stable neighborly relations and regional cooperation were a foundation for enlargement process. She says that dialogue and mutual trust is of paramount importance, especially in candidate countries.

 

Picula: Not to irritate the host country is a golden rule (CdM)

Bilateral relations between states should be resolved by diplomatic means, and everybody should refrain from messages and assessments that might irritate citizens and institutions of the host country. It’s like a golden rule of diplomacy, EP rapporteur for Montenegro, Toni Picula, pointed out commenting on the events in Podgorica-Belgrade relations. “Good neighbors don’t fuel tensions, they resolve them. That has not been the case with Montenegro and Serbia for years. Whether artificial or real, such crises can become very serious,” Picula warns. He thinks that bilateral problems between states should be addressed with diplomatic approach. Picula expects the relations to normalize as soon as possible, especially as time and energy should be invested in dealing with economic and political challenges. As far as the parliament session on the new government is concerned, ER rapporteur doesn’t want to anticipate things. “I do not want to anticipate the course of events, but I expect it to take place within the envisaged legal procedure as we have witnessed since the elections until today. I believe that Montenegro needs a new government as soon as possible because a long time has passed since the elections. Montenegro must not lose it on unproductive internal political quibbling. Montenegro must get a new government as soon as possible in order to continue the necessary reform processes, I think that is the most important thing at the moment,” he said. What is important is Montenegro’s advancement towards the EU.

 

Krivokapic’s work program: To turn Montenegro into Luxembourg in four years (CdM)

Prime Minister-designate Zdravko Krivokapic will present on Wednesday work program of the government of Montenegro, which was published today on the website of the parliament of Montenegro. He says that his government is based on seven pillars, and that Montenegro will be similar to Luxembourg in four years. His list of priorities includes freedom of religion, freedom of the media, fostering good neighborly relations with the countries of the region, and encouraging the processing industry, food production… “The pillars on which our government House rests are in fact the elements that recognize the work in the European Union, and they are: The first pillar encompasses the green economy. The second pillar is digital transformation. The third pillar is regional cooperation and connectivity. The fourth pillar is improving competitiveness. The fifth pillar, as a rule, is not defined, however, considering that we want to express a special attitude towards all social problems, we have named it social protection. The sixth pillar is known as a society of equal opportunities. The seventh pillar is good governance, which we want to start in the process of integration towards the EU”, the prime minister-designate stated. Krivokapic says the task won’t be easy. “The situation we find can rightly be called a kind of coup. The situation in public finances is serious, the administrative apparatus is too cumbersome and inefficient, the epidemiological situation caused by COVID-19 is out of control, the health system is on the verge of collapse, medical staff is on the brink of endurance, the regularity of the educational process is questionable, unemployment is on the rise due to strong economic recessions, and citizens have long since lost confidence in institutions. The outgoing government has applied and is implementing the scorched earth scenario in order to make our work even more difficult, but that did not discourage us and we are aware that the current crisis can be overcome by reforms, fair and domestic management, knowledge and permanent work on strengthening the economy and rule of law. I have entered politics with my heart, love, faith and desire for a better future of Montenegro – love for Montenegro and the people, and with my heart to preserve the ancestral vow, with the desire to create a better future for us and our children,” Krivokapic said.

The task they are faced with 

“The task we are taking upon ourselves today, after the thirty-year rule of the DPS and their coalition partners is very difficult, the challenges are great, but even in this crisis, the only choice we have is to use the chance to get our Montenegro back on track. We therefore need the joint action of all Members of Parliament and all citizens. Cooperation with the Parliament is one of our major priorities. The executive power will not, as before, impose dictation to the Parliament, but will try to work together to do what is best for our citizens. We need to improve relations on our way to achieving our objective, and that is progress, security and a higher quality of life for all our citizens. The paths may be different, but good intention, along with the highest quality solutions, will be valued the most”, he notes.

How does he see Montenegro? 

“I would like to make Montenegro similar to Luxembourg in four years. I want us all to express more solidarity and be more human, to live in a state that serves to the man and where man serves to his country”, Krivokapic said.

Krivokapic’s list of priorities: 

• Cherishing good neighborly relations and friendship with other countries;
• Ensuring conditions for every citizen to elect their representatives in democratic elections;
• Reducing costs of public spending, which implies more work, order and abandoning privileges;
• Building trust of the public and total transparency of the work of public administration;
• Encouraging manufacturing industry food production, IT sector, tourism and all actions of economic development;
• Directing capital investments in strategic priorities of Montenegro – in energy and transport infrastructure primarily;
• Improving corporate management;
• Promoting human dual economy based on family farms in sectors of agriculture, mini-industry, wood processing and tourism;
• Measures of economic recovery and support for economy after coronavirus pandemic; Healthy environment;

  Availability of information and condemnation of all abuses before the court;
  Freedom of speech and protection of personal dignity. Also, Krivokapic’s list of priorities also includes the elimination of all forms of discrimination, freedom of religion, freedom of the media, cooperation with civil society in the realization and guarantee of personal freedom and human rights in accordance with the highest standards, restoring the reputation and integrity of the institutions of the national security system, as a basic prerequisite for citizens’ trust in their work, and education focused on creativity and talent recognition, sports development of children and youth who compete in sport spirit from kindergarten to university.

Socialist People’s Party will support the government of Zdravko Krivokapic (CdM)

Socialist People’s Party will support the government of Zdravko Krivokapic. “Recommendation of the Executive board on support the vote for the new Government of Montenegro was supported by unanimous vote,” the statement says. In this way, Main board of the SPP has authorized its MPs to vote for the composition of the new government. “With the formation of the new government, what people have been waiting for almost three decades will come true,” the statement said. SPP expects the new government to do its best to improve quality of life of citizens and establish legal order where there will be no any form of discrimination.

 

VMRO will blockade the government building and the Foreign Ministry (Republika)

“VMRO-DPMNE will block the government building and the Foreign Affairs Ministry for an hour and half today, in protest against the announced surrender by the PM Zoran Zaev regime in the dispute with Bulgaria,” announced VMRO-DPMNE. The opposition has been holding protests in Skopje and across the country for days, ever since Zaev’s BGNES interview in which he announced his new Bulgarian policy.

Merkel: Fighting for start of accession negotiations with Macedonia (Republika/DW)

Macedonia still has a chance to hold the first EU intergovernmental conference this year, during Germany’s EU Presidency, said Chancellor Angela Merkel at Monday’s video-conference with Members of the European Parliament, Deutsche Welle in Macedonian language reports. However, the chancellor said they were facing difficulties in holding the intergovernmental conference and that there was still a need for negotiations between Bulgaria and Macedonia.

“We are facing difficulties in holding the intergovernmental conference with Macedonia,” Merkel said. Albania, as she said, has made great progress, and she hopes Bulgaria and Macedonia will find a way out of the dispute. Merkel said she hopes Macedonia would start negotiations this year, while Albania would have to wait. In the case of Albania, the issue is a little different. Despite the progress, I can’t promise it will happen this year, but very soon, she said.

 

Vucic is no De Gaulle (ADN)

The Albanian Deputy in the Serbian parliament Shaip Kamberi does not believe that the administration of the new US President Joe Biden will raise the issue of changing borders between Kosovo and Serbia something which is strongly opposed by the EU, and especially Germany seeing it as a threat which can influence the entire Balkans through the 'domino theory'. In an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News MP Shaip Kamberi, who is the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the united Albanian opposition in the Serbian Parliament, spoke about the political discrimination exerted on Albanians in the Presevo Valley where the economic discrimination is another factor creating an insecure situation for the younger generation who are leaving for the EU countries. Kamberi whose career includes being a journalist and human rights activist was pleased with the support by Albania and Kosovo to the Albanian population in the Presevo Valley but looked forward to the harmonization of a joint plan of the governments in Tirana and Pristina together with the Albanian political spectrum in the Valley to finance concrete projects and a greater raise awareness of the question of Albanians in international structures. In a comment on the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue MP Kamberi thought: “Our goal is to raise the issue of the rights of Albanians in the Presevo Valley in the context of Kosovo's talks with Serbia in the spirit of setting common standards of mutual respect for the rights of communities. This is the last chance, according to us, which should be used. Otherwise, an eventual agreement between the two states would make it deficient if the issue of Albanians in the Presevo Valley is not addressed.” A strong critical voice in the current Serbian parliament Mr. Kamberi whipped ‘democracy’ in Serbia telling the full parliamentary hall in the inaugural plenary session on October 28 this year that the “situation of democracy in Serbia is worse than under former president Slobodan Milosevic… We cannot vote for such a government and parliament speaker.” Asked about that statement Kamberi told ADN that there was an angry reaction by the Serbian leader Vucic after his speech in parliament, especially following the request for the discovery of the mass graves in which there are remains of Albanian civilians. “A topic which had been "forgotten" in Serbia in recent years suddenly came to the surface. This angered the Serbian head of state. But, this is their problem,” he said. According to him, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his government are proving that they do neither intend to reach an agreement with Kosovo nor to redefine their relations with Albanians in the Balkans. “I am already seriously suspicious that the Serbian President is only trying to win time not to face the hot issue of Kosovo by playing the role of a balancer in the regional relations as a ridiculous copy of Tito's Yugoslavia. It is naive to expect Aleksandar Vucic to become a Charles de Gaulle!” said Kamberi in the following interview:
First of all, let me welcome you, Mr. Kamberi, to this conversation with Albanian Daily News, which has continuously reflected the course of events in the Presevo Valley. It would be interesting to learn from you about your ‘journey’ and of Albanians to achieve representation in the Serbian parliament. How much is such representation valued by the Albanian community of the Presevo Valley? 
Thank you for the space provided by ADN, because the Presevo Valley needs to be even more present in the media of the Republic of Albania and Kosovo. The participation in parliamentary elections of Albanians in Serbia dates back to 2007 when we participated in elections for the first time since the fall of Milosevic. However, it must be said that a large part of the Albanian political spectrum did not support this idea, and therefore they boycotted the participation in these elections. For many years there has been a profound divergence in political views for and against participation. The "boycotters" were justified by mentioning the lack of Serbia's readiness to recognize Albanians as equal citizens, while the "participants" had as their argument the removal of the discriminatory alibi used by Serbia according to which "it is the Albanians who refuse to exercise the guaranteed rights." In addition, it was the international community that has never justified the boycott policy. The year 2020 was the first time that five Albanian political parties jointly through a list participated in the general elections of Serbia. The acting Minister Gent Cakaj has made an extraordinary contribution. We also succeeded in increasing our representation from one to three deputies in these elections, but despite our representation power Serbia has not shown the will to consider the Albanian representative as a partner even this time.
Please, Mr. Deputy, can you tell us what role you hope to play in parliament in defending the rights of Albanians, and secondly being the only opposition voice how much seriously do the ruling authorities of Belgrade consider you? What contacts do you have with them and how are the issues you raise, especially the situation of Albanians, received by Serbs? 
Since we remain the only parliamentary opposition - three Albanian MPs and three Bosniaks, our commitment to the many issues will be reduced only to awareness raising, especially addressing the international community on issues that aggravate Albanians’ lives. In a political system such as that of Serbia, where everything depends on the will of one person rather than that on the government, being in opposition does not allow cooperation with the parliamentary majority. In the eyes of that majority you remain an "enemy" being in opposition, and in our case we are seen as both political and national enemies.
In the meantime how do you assess the current political, economic and social situation in Serbia given the consequences of the pandemic and in particular how is the situation of Albanians in the Presevo Valley when they are persistently considered by Serbia as 'permanent enemies'? I am particularly interested in the impact of this on the younger generation. 
The political discrimination exerted on Albanians in the last 20 years by the Serbian governments, has had a direct impact on the economic situation of our region. First, the presence of numerous military forces makes the image of the Presevo Valley dangerous for investment. Political uncertainties prevent our Diaspora, which is an important asset, from investing in this region. Meanwhile the criminal privatization of the economic assets at the time of socialism has caused the complete destruction of them. Therefore, in addition to the discrimination on ethnic grounds, the economic discrimination is another factor that creates an insecure situation for the younger generation who are leaving for the EU countries.
There have been cases when the highest official authorities of Belgrade have made promises to the highest officials of Tirana for positive measures in order to improve the situation of Albanians in the Presevo Valley. What is the truth about this and are you satisfied with what official Tirana is doing in support of the Albanian population? 
It is worth mentioning the last two decisions approved in Pristina and Tirana. The government of the Republic of Kosovo has approved the decision to open a special office for the Presevo Valley, while a decision to establish a Joint Fund for the Presevo Valley has been adopted by the governments of Kosovo and Albania. These are two decisions that could mark an important turning point in the institutional care of Pristina and Tirana for the Albanians here. But, these decisions must be accompanied by a concrete budget and action plan for being implemented. This year the Republic of Albania has distributed textbooks for primary school children to us through the Albanian National Council. These are important initiatives, but they should have a follow up. It is worth mentioning some donations that the governments of Pristina have given for concrete projects, especially the assistance worth 500,000 euros to fight the pandemic and the assistance given by the government in Tirana to the Albanian National Council. However, the commitment to improve the position of Albanians in the Presevo Valley implies the harmonization of a joint plan of the governments in Tirana and Pristina together with the Albanian political spectrum here in the region, needs special budget lines that would finance concrete projects and a greater raise awareness of the question of Albanians in international structures which support stability at the expense of democracy in Serbia.

The same can be said of the Pristina authorities, and in this frame what is your opinion on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, especially the idea of border changes? What is your position on this? 
The Albanians of the Presevo Valley are engaged in a dialogue sometimes slow and sometimes interrupted with the Republic of Serbia for 19 years in a row. This dialogue has caused many frustrations and disappointments among Albanians. It is a process that has produced only some modest results, which have not significantly affected the general situation of Albanians. It is very clear that without any major influence, in the first place by the international circles, Serbia will not be ready to take beneficial measures for the Albanians whom it considers "permanent enemies". Therefore, our goal is to raise the issue of the rights of Albanians in the Presevo Valley in the context of Kosovo's talks with Serbia in the spirit of setting common standards of mutual respect for the rights of communities. This is the last chance, according to us, which should be used. Otherwise, an eventual agreement between the two states would make it deficient if the issue of Albanians in the Presevo Valley is not addressed. It should also be made clear to Serbia and especially to the international community that an incomplete agreement will remain a source of future interstate conflicts and an obstacle to long-term peace in the Western Balkans.
Since we are talking about Kosovo there is a development that we can call dramatic: the trial in The Hague of some key UCK figures. How do you consider this occurrence and how is this being experienced in the Presevo Valley when it seems that the Milosevic genocide has passed into oblivion? 
Dealing with the past is an obligation of the Western Balkan states as a precondition for building neighborly relations. I hope that the Special Court does not create new injustices, especially not to use this process to relativize Serbian crimes in Kosovo, which is the goal of Aleksandar Vucic’s Serbia. Wars are not divided into clean and dirty. They are divided into right and wrong. In this context, the struggle of the Albanian people in Kosovo against Milosevic's forces was an anti-fascist war, a struggle against a doctrine which was implemented in the name of the Serbian people and state for the extermination of the Albanians. For this, the international community has condemned them with the bombings of 1999. This is a premise which should not be affected at no time and for no reason whatsoever.
You have presented as an alternative for improving the situation of the Albanians of the Presevo Valley its inclusion of this issue in the talks between Kosovo and Serbia. How much support does this option have and I want to note that in addition to the EU-mediated dialogue, there is another so-called economic dialogue mediated by the US and personally by the outgoing President Donald Trump? 
I do not believe that President Biden's administration will raise the issue of changing borders. The EU, and especially Germany, opposes this strongly as a threat which can influence the entire Balkans through the 'domino theory'. Therefore, in the context of these geopolitical circumstances, our demand is for reciprocity similarly with the rights of Kosovo Serbs.
Mr. Kamberi, you have already become a strong voice in parliament in defense of the rights of Albanians by denouncing Serbian discrimination. You have previously been a journalist and human rights activist. This attitude of yours has caused anger to the highest Serbian instances. Do you have contacts with the diplomatic corps in Belgrade, what is the position of foreign diplomats on the issues you raise and the fact that you are the only opposition voice in the Serbian parliament which is supposed to be multi-party? 
There was an angry reaction by the Serbian leader after my speech in Parliament, especially following the request for the discovery of the mass graves in which there are remains of Albanian civilians. A topic which had been "forgotten" in Serbia in recent years suddenly came to the surface. This angered the Serbian head of state. But, this is their problem. If they had the sincerity and good intention to redefine relations with the Albanians, then they themselves should have insisted on confronting their dark and criminal past in Kosovo. Trying to silence even those who talk about this topic, to hide the omitted crimes, A. Vucic and his government are proving that they do neither intend to reach an agreement with Kosovo nor to redefine their relations with Albanians in the Balkans. I am already seriously suspicious that the Serbian President is only trying to buy time not to face the hot issue of Kosovo by playing the role of a balancer in the regional relations as a ridiculous copy of Tito's Yugoslavia. It is naive to expect Aleksandar Vucic to become a Charles de Gaulle!

Op-Ed: Without the Western Balkans, the European Union would be incomplete (Tirana Times) 

A joint article by the Foreign Ministers of Austria and Germany, Sebastian Kurz and Frank-Walter Steinmeier on the occasion of the Western Balkans Summit in Vienna. Twenty years after the wars in the Western Balkans the region is peaceful and all the countries of the region strive to become EU-members. The significant progress achieved, however, should not be taken for granted. The region’s stability still rests on shaky foundations, and largely depends on support by the European Union. The prospect of EU membership has so far been the single most important incentive for the implementation of tough but necessary reforms and for sustained efforts towards reconciliation in the region. Our commitment to giving the Western Balkans a European perspective remains key to ensuring lasting stability in the region and to completing the transformation of the political systems, economies and societies in the region. Peaceful, stable, and democratic Western Balkans countries are in the strategic interest of the European Union. The Berlin Process, initiated in 2014 by Germany and carried forward this year by Austria, adds renewed momentum and reaffirms our commitment to this perspective.  The Vienna Summit on 27 August is the second in a series of five summits planned until 2018. Like the first summit in Berlin, the Vienna Summit will bring together Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers and Ministers for Economic Affairs of all Western Balkans countries as well as all relevant stakeholders from the European Union and international institutions. Its objective is threefold: first, to highlight the substantial progress achieved in the region, second, to reconfirm and reinforce the European perspective of all countries of the region, and third, to accelerate reforms, enhance economic opportunities and encourage cooperation in the region. Last year in Berlin, we agreed to focus on concrete projects, simply because the people of the Western Balkans expect tangible benefits from the path towards the European Union, in areas such as connectivity, employment, education, human rights, rule of law and democracy. As a backbone of economic development, the regional leaders agreed upon a regional core transport network and corresponding corridors. The European Commission is ready to commit 1 billion Euros until 2020 in support of this endeavor. This will help the Western Balkan countries better connect with each other and the EU. We also want to help in creating new economic perspectives for young people in the Western Balkans. Austria as well as Germany can offer effective expertise in this field, for instance through their dual vocational education systems. A regional youth exchange initiative, based on the highly successful Franco-German and Polish-German models, will be presented at the Summit. It should contribute to tearing down the still existing walls in the minds of young people and foster reconciliation. A vibrant civil society and free media are core pillars of any modern and successful democracy. Our Civil Society Forum will highlight their added value as forums for debate and peaceful settlement of social issues, as well as their vital role in holding governments to account. No doubt, a lot remains to be done, as the regrettable incidents in Srebrenica this year as well as the newly emerged migratory challenges show. Yet, there are a variety of impressive success stories. The EU has brought Serbia and Kosovo to the negotiation table. They have achieved impressive progress on the path to a comprehensive normalization of their relations. As a lot of questions still have to be tackled, we encourage Serbia’s and Kosovo’s leadership to keep up their commitment.  Recent good services by Commissioner Hahn in Skopje have led to an agreement between the main political parties. We call upon the parties to now pave the way for free and fair elections next April by swiftly and completely implementing the necessary internal reforms, thereby creating more equal opportunities for all political contenders. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the renewed EU approach contributed to focusing the attention on socio-economic reforms of which all people in the country will benefit. These examples show that the European Union’s engagement has a positive impact in overcoming the most difficult situations. The conference will also pay particular attention to the fact that the Western Balkan route has become the primary route of a growing number of refugees seeking protection in Europe. The recent events at the Macedonian border town of Gevgelja are a testament to this. These developments create significant challenges for border management and asylum systems in some Western Balkan countries as well as in EU Member States. Western Balkan countries too will have to assume their responsibilities to address these challenges. But they are not alone: We will discuss in Vienna how the European Union as well as individual EU member states can support Western Balkan countries in their efforts to improve border management and asylum systems.  On the 27th of August, we will renew our firm commitment to the European perspective for all the Western Balkan countries and pledge our continuous support for this region. The door to the European Union must remain open for the Western Balkans region in order to ensure that the European Union remains the most successful peace project in the world. Without the Western Balkans, the European Union is clearly incomplete. We are confident that the Vienna Summit and the continued Berlin Process will contribute to the ultimate goal of EU membership of all Western Balkan countries. Austria and Germany will wholeheartedly continue to support all efforts in that regard.