LOCAL PRESS 

Brnabic: Government will continue to investigate Ivanovic’s murder (Tanjug) 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic attended on Saturday at Saint Sava’s Temple a memorial service to Oliver Ivanovic, which started at 8.15 am sharp, which is the exact time when he was killed in Kosovska Mitrovica three years ago. In her address to the press, Brnabic stated that the government will not rest until this heinous crime is investigated, and that the probe will last as long as necessary, until the perpetrators and masterminds are found. She recalled that the relevant Serbian authorities did everything to investigate the case and to gather all the information, but that they were encountering great obstructions in Pristina at every step – from Serbian authorities not being allowed to be present during the inspection at the crime scene, to not being able to obtain a single piece of information that they asked for. She said that there were attempts to make political indictments which ended with a secretary being indicted, which speaks volumes about the seriousness of the investigation in Pristina and their intentions. If it were in Pristina’s interest to find the perpetrators and the masterminds of the murder, today’s epilogue would certainly be different.

Vucic: We have a picture of possible participants in Ivanovic’s murder (RTS/Tanjug) 

The state of Serbia will fight in every way to find those who committed the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Saturday. He pointed out that for several months now, our services have had a complete picture of those who would have a motive and who could be involved in such a serious and horrible crime. “They are doing their job, bearing in mind the impossible conditions, because we have not had effective control on the ground since 1999, and especially since 2010 and 2011,” Vucic said when asked by reporters that the case had not been resolved three years after Ivanovic’s murder. “What is missing is the fact that we could not be present at the investigation and we do not have direct evidence. For that, we need to get either some materials from the investigation or the direct confession of one of the participants,” explained Vucic. Yesterday, former Kosovo police officer Fadil Siljevici was found dead in the hills above Lake Badovac, and according to the Pristina media, he is on the list of witnesses for the Special Prosecutor’s Office in The Hague. Answering a question about that, Vucic said that this was not the first such case, reminding that the strangest thing was the death of a witness in the trial against Ramush Haradinaj, in a car accident in Podgorica a few years ago. “But I think it’s a question for the Europeans and Americans, who are the creators of the so-called state, so let them answer those questions for themselves. Unfortunately, many will lose their lives because of that, but we can’t change anything here,” said Vucic. He did not want to answer questions about the opposition in Serbia in front of the Chinese Ambassador, and when asked about the initiative of the opposition to form the Ministry for Elections, he ironically noted that it must have been a “full moon” over the past days.

Rakic: Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija must be under one flag (Novosti) 

The Serbs know that the relationship of the Kosovo institutions towards the Serbs is inappropriate regardless of the area concerned. Our performance inside these institutions is daily struggle where there are neither fair conditions nor minimum of respect of our people, but, despite the obstacles, we have no alternative but to fight and work. It is better that we fight the battle for citizens inside the institutions in Pristina than on the bridge in Kosovska Mitrovica or some other Serb place. This job was never and will never be easy, but it is at the same time an obligation for all of us, to be support to our people in difficult times, the Head of the Serb List Goran Rakic explains for Novosti the decision on participation in the elections in Pristina despite the fact that it had been shown that the Albanian authorities do not respect agreements. He says the Serb List has had clear goals from its establishment – for all Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, under one flag, to fight together with the state of Serbia and President Aleksandar Vucic for the protection of the interests of our people and other non0majority communities.

Judge Danica talks about Racak case: ​​Walker destroyed Serbs in Kosovo, it was all a fraud (Telegraf) 

Exactly 22 years ago, an armed conflict took place between the Serbian police, which carried out a lawful operation, and members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the village of Racak. During the clash, 40 Albanian terrorists were killed. However, the head of the OSCE verification mission William Walker claimed that the Serbian police carried out a massacre of innocent Albanian civilians. That served as the reason to start the NATO bombing of our country. After two decades and two years, Danica Marinkovic, at the time the head of an investigating team of the District Court in Pristina and the first to arrive in Racak to inspect the scene, tells Telegraf that Walker is an American spy and a Kosovo butcher, who destroyed the Serb people in Kosovo. She notes even after 22 years that everything was a clear fraud that served as an excuse to attack Serbia. “Nothing happened the way Walker said. It was all his premeditated plan, with the support of Western powers. The idea was to present Racak as a massacre of innocent civilians and for that to serve as a trigger for the (NATO) bombing,” Danica explained. The autopsies began on 19 January 1999. Forensic experts from Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis and Pristina, two Belarus experts and two representatives of the OSCE mission all took part. A Finnish team of forensic experts joined the autopsies on 22 January. “All the victims died from firearms wounds. There was no effect or traces of torture on them. There were no executions, mutilations, any kind of torture, or point-blank shootings. The average age of those killed was about 45 years,” says Danica. The Finnish team agreed with the autopsy results. However, their leader, Helena Renta, refused to sign it, saying she would do so when she came to Pristina again.

“After two (months), on 17 March 1999, Renta held a press conference in Pristina. She called the killings of ethnic Albanians a ‘crime against humanity’. She denied Serb reports that these were combatants, and claimed that they were all in civilian clothes. ‘Probably’ and ‘most likely’ were words used frequently during her presentation,” says Judge Marinkovic. The NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ, Serbia and Montenegro) began based on that statement, eight days later, on 24 March. Nine years after that, in 2008, in her memoirs, Helena Renta said that she wrote the report under pressure from the head of the OSCE mission in Kosovo, William Walker, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. She admitted that in the winter of 1999, Walker asked her to present the whole case as a Serbian crime. William Walker denied these statements made by Helena Renta. To make things even sadder, a monument to Walker has been erected in Pristina.

Danica Marinkovic was the first to arrive in Racak 

The armed conflict took place on 15 January, but Danica Marinkovic and the rest of the investigating team managed to enter the village only on the third day because they were being shot at from the surrounding hills during the previous two days. In Racak, they first found a large quantity of weapons, hand grenades, boxes of ammunition, military uniforms, bags full of weapons. “We sketched, recorded and listed it all, and then loaded it into a truck. It was immediately clear to me that Racak was a stronghold of the KLA, and not a village of innocent civilians, as Western powers later presented it,” said Danica. Associated Press and Reuters crews recorded everything Danica saw and wrote in her report. This footage, however, has never been broadcast anywhere. “When I was later called to testify about Racak, I mentioned the names of all the journalists and camera people who went with me, and asked that they be called to testify, but that never happened. The footage simply disappeared,” said Danica. As soon as she saw the bodies, it was immediately clear to her that an armed confrontation had taken place, and that any possibility of torture was ruled out. “It was clear that they were Albanian terrorists because they were wearing military insignia, boots, military belts, pants and jackets. After a search of the rest of the village conducted later, we came across the KLA headquarters, a barracks with bombs, hand grenades, ammunition. We even found a notebook with a schedule of guard duty,” Danica recalls every detail she saw. Judge Marinkovic, meanwhile, has been expelled from Pristina. “It happened after the signing of the Kumanovo agreement. I received information that I should leave Pristina because I would be the first to be arrested. I left, but first I photocopied all the documentation I had. About Racak and other events in Kosovo and Metohija, which I witnessed. Two days after I left Pristina, KFOR members, accompanied by Albanian terrorists, broke into my office and were quite unhappy that they did not find me there. They told me at the time they would skin me alive once they do find me,” said Danica.

Serving justice 

Until 2005, Serbia waited for justice to be served. Then, Marinkovic received a call from The Hague to testify about the Racak case. “I prepared the testimony directly with Slobodan Milosevic, who was charged with Racak. I went to his detention cell every day. He was stunned by the documentation that I preserved. Although I was able to refute many counts of the indictment against him, the court did not allow me to do so. I could only testify about Racak. And we took that down. Since my testimony, the words ‘Racak massacre’ were never mentioned again,” Danica stressed out. Unable to reconcile himself with her testimony, Prosecutor (Geoffrey) Nice went to Pristina to find evidence and witnesses against her statements. “He was angry, he even tried to plant a photo of a hill and a tree on it. And under the tree, the corpses of a child and a woman. I looked at the photo and saw that the ground was dry in the part where the corpses were. I saw green grass and leaves on the tree. I looked at him and said that the ‘Racak case’ happened on 15 January, that there was mud and snow everywhere and that there could not have been any grass and leaves in January,” she remarked. At that point, the International Tribunal dismissed the charges against Serbian generals regarding Racak. “Also, I had a list of the 40 dead who were identified, and the indictment says that 45 innocent villagers were killed. When we compared the list, only five names matched. They threw in the names randomly. If we hadn't proved the truth about Racak then, who knows what else would have happened to Serbia,” the judge said with trepidation in her voice.

Dodik: RS will give up on 9 January when USA gives up on 4 July (Politika)

In an interview for Sunday’s Politika, Serb member of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Milorad Dodik said that B&H is a divided country, where even those who act as if they do not see it are aware of adding that turning a head from the truth never produces solutions and benefits nobody. “I do not think that we should create borders and Chinese walls between us, but it is necessary to allow the peoples to manage their resources and not to see the danger in the others, to be scared for decades and to be constantly suspicious, constantly fighting and confronting on that relation, which is only exhausting us and wastes time,” said Dodik. Asked about marking of 9 January, which was once again marked by disputing of this date from Sarajevo, Dodik said: “We celebrated holiday and they failed in their disputing and they will not succeed. Ninth of January is not fabrication, Republika Srpska (RS) was established on this date and this is a historic fact… Serbs are celebrating 9 January and they will continue to do so, just as Bosniaks will continue to unsuccessfully dispute it, trying to internationalize the anti-laws of the Constitutional Court of B&H, which is not establishing its decisions on facts and the law, but by abandoning jurisdiction it is reaching politically motivated decisions. International Community is attending marking of 1 March in Sarajevo, even though there are no Serbs there and most often Croats either. Serbs will dispute the upcoming 1 March as well and all this speaks about an experiment called B&H – an uncompleted and unnecessary country. It would be normal to draw the line after 25 years and say that this was unsuccessful,” said Dodik. To author’s remark that congratulating of 9 January by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic provoked additional irritation, Dodik said that Vucic is a man who understands the RS and takes care of Serbs outside Serbia. “I deem we need to move forward- to integrate education, healthcare, transport, energy and everything else with Serbia. Ninth of January is designed as a problem only they could deal with us. They knew we will not give it up, it would be like the Americans giving up on the 4 July. Here, let Americans move their holiday for 5 July and we will move it for 10 January,” said Dodik. Asked if he expects additional pressures from new US Administration, Dodik said that the victory of Joe Biden encouraged certain circles which now announce constitutional changes and additional centralization, but Dodik underlined that every one of these reforms demands agreement of the RS: “They expect to move on with constitutional changes which would legalize crimes of the High Representatives and with that provide competencies to B&H which were taken by force from us. They want us to give up on our posts in decision making process in B&H, in order to turn into community where majority of votes would decide”. He underlined that any kind of discussion about constitutional reform has to acknowledge the right of the peoples to self-determination and referendum and only then they would talk. “Even now, as before, they are searching for way to be able to demonize Serbs and make dramatic processes. However, our posts are set. Army cannot be part of the Constitution and neither can judiciary and intelligence service because all that prove to be decadent. Are we supposed to agree to have our right of veto taken away from us and that out of 42 MPs the decisions are reached by majority of 22 and you already have 23 Bosniak MPs who get united regardless which party they belong to” said Dodik. He noted that every possible US initiative would be a chance for the RS to present its stance: “… to hear that B&H has no chance and that it would be better for Bosniaks to also abandon the concept about the country which they would dominate”. Asked about objections to the RS-Serbia projects of construction of hydroelectric power plans on the Drina River, Dodik noted that objections are coming from Bosniaks who have no problems with such projects the RS launched with Germany five years ago and the only problem for them is Serbia: “Serbia strengthened, the RS returned dignity.” Dodik said that he will pay a visit to Serbia soon and rehabilitate the talks on this project and construction of an airport in Trebinje, stressing they cannot allow the attempts to make their lives difficult: “This century has to be the century of our integration. There are assumptions for Serbia and the RS to merge one day into politically- territorial community and that is the goal we have to have. I am presenting this goal publicly, many laugh, but agree with it. Bosniaks are trapped in their idea about Bosnia which they would impose to Serbs and Croats and before that they will bring down Dodik and send him to jail and as soon as some new leader of Serbs appear he will be also criminalized and disputed. How is this different from what Turks were doing? It is enough of Greater- Sarajevo concepts”. Speaking about relations with Montenegro, he once again criticized behavior of Dritan Abazovic but stressed he has fair relations with PM Krivokapic and noted that authority in Montenegro is legally elected and what is important to the RS, they clearly showed their intentions towards Serbian Orthodox Church. Asked about announced departure of High Representative Valentin Inzko and arrival of Germany’s Christian Schmidt to his place, Dodik said that their stance is that there is no need to send the HR at all. He stressed that there is no more violence in this region and while he has nothing against Schmidt he does oppose the HR: “…he is not welcome here and will not be able to do anything”. He noted that Westerners are aware of the failures regarding the HR: “Introducing of Bonn powers was not in line with the Dayton and international law. Violating the law, they imposed the political system to us”. He repeated well known stances regarding the migrant crisis in B&H, stressing that causing of the migrant crisis has “nothing to do with us” and stressing that these are not the people who are fleeing from wars or misfortunes and many of them are without IDs and could be dangerous. He stressed that the IOM took care about migrants and they spent the 72 million Euros that the EU earmarked to them now insisting to have B&H institutions to get involved. He concluded that regardless of the EU threats, RS does not want to deal with this: “Migrants are a problem of Europe, not ours”. Dodik said that it would not be good if Bishop Grigorije would get into politics, arguing that it is necessary to separate Church from the state. Asked about the issue of the icon which he presented as a gift to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Dodik once again explained that none of Ukrainian bodies are searching for the icon and they asked Ukrainian institutions to submit the confirmation they were searching for the icon on the day it was presented as a gift to Lavrov. Dodik underlined that both B&H Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies and INTERPOL confirmed that nobody is searching for the icon. He underlined that Ukrainian institutions demand returning of the icon, but refuse to provide any proof that would support their claim. Dodik underlined that he believes that this is a way for Ukrainian institutions to settle their scores with him, because he supported the Russian side in the issue of Crimea. At the same time, he underlines that “Sarajevo cannot wait to open yet another judicial case… However, that is Sarajevo’s policy prepared for all Serbs”.

REGIONAL PRESS 

 

Leadership of Tuzla Canton Assembly and Tuzla Canton Prime Minister submit irrevocable resignations (O kanal)

SDP Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H)’s Sladjan Ilic has been appointed the new speaker of the Tuzla Canton (TC) Assembly. At the same time, SDP B&H's Vedrana Petrovic and SBB B&H’s Lejla Vukovic have been appointed the deputy speakers of the TC Assembly. Their appointments were preceded by irrevocable resignations submitted by former Speaker of the TC Assembly Zarko Vujovic, deputy speaker of the TC Assembly Boris Kresic and TC Prime Minister Denijal Tulumovic. Namely, SDP B&H put the vote on the removal of all ministers in the TC government, the TC Prime Minister and the leadership of the TC Assembly on the agenda of Friday's session of the TC Assembly. The leadership of the TC Assembly resigned immediately after that, not waiting to be removed. Kresic stressed that he did not want to be removed by eighteen hands that organized an illegal session of the TC Assembly. Tulumovic said that he resigned as the TC Prime Minister due to the fact that he does not want to cause damage to the TC reflected in the failure to adopt the budget for this year. Tulumovic stressed that he did not give in to the pressure of the OHR. "In my country, no one from abroad can exert pressure on me, but only people who are with me, who share both good and bad in this country with me," Tulumovic underlined. Representatives of SDP B&H and PDA, as the leaders of new parliamentary majority in the TC Assembly, expressed satisfaction with such an outcome, stressing that they believe that all of this is consequence of the OHR's reaction. Representatives of SDP B&H and PDA pointed out that revival of the TC will follow. The new majority in TC Assembly consists of SDP, SBB B&H, PDA and Our Party. Representatives of abovementioned parties stated that political blockade will be solved thanks to the fact both political blocs decided to follow recommendations of the OHR. After the Sarajevo Canton government, the executive authority in Tuzla Canton, gathered around SDA, was removed and judging by everything Zenica- Doboj government will follow. The report noted that with this, the power of SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic will collapse in three of the biggest cantons.

Deadline for publishing final results of Mostar elections expires in 3 days; SDP demands recount of votes; HDZ B&H calls on B&H CEC to resign (O kanal)

The deadline for publishing final results of local elections in Mostar will expire in 3 days. There is a big chance this deadline will be missed. SDP B&H decided to submit a motion to the Court of B&H, asking for recount of votes for all political subjects and candidates in Mostar and after, as they stated, many proof of election and post-election manipulations. At the same time, HDZ B&H on Saturday asked the Central Election Commission (CEC) of B&H’s members to submit irrevocable resignations, emphasizing that they must step down and respond for criminal activities that they enabled. Almost all actors point the finger of blame to the Mostar City constituency and its resignation. The opposition is quite dissatisfied with this situation, adding that there was never before such an election theft in this city. For this reason, SDP B&H sent a letter to representatives of the international community and they ask for all bags with ballots to be opened.  SDA MP in the Federation of B&H parliament Zijad Music said that he, alongside some of his party colleagues, is ashamed of everything that has happened. Zuljevic said that recount is the only option. He said SDP B&H expects the international community to maintain its credibility and that alongside the parties it will support the B&H CEC in opening all ballot bags so that votes can be recounted and final results determined. B&H CEC President Zeljko Bakalar also believes that recount is a good idea. The counting so far has contaminated and compromised the process, and given the fact that there are legal ways to deal with these issues, Bakalar says that the CEC will seriously consider recounting the votes from the beginning.

EC warns about repercussions for B&H if migrant crisis is not solved (Hayat)

The European Commission (EC) has asked the B&H authorities to complete their obligations so that migrant crisis in Lipa camp is resolved. The migrants previously complained about respiratory problems and skin diseases, which they contracted in the days they spent in improvised tents and containers under very low air temperatures. After the military tents were set up, the situation in this reception camp is better, but it is still far from satisfactory. The EC representatives sent a warning on Friday. “We have been discussing this issue over the last few days and, of course, we are in constant contact with B&H authorities, because at the end of last year, this matter became a burning one. Without getting into details, our communication over the standard diplomatic channels, and without me commenting what was written and that is in the public domain, I will recall two things. One is that situation with migrants at Lipa camp, or from the former BIRA camp, is unacceptable, and needs to be resolved urgently. With the EU’s help, together with international partners, we were able to make a small progress so that lives of these people are not endangered. But they still find themselves in a situation that is not sustainable and is very temporary,” said EC Foreign Affairs spokesman Peter Stano. The EC issued a statement on Friday, saying that the situation in the migrant reception camp Lipa is unacceptable, calling on B&H authorities to urgently solve the crisis. It was stressed that the failure of B&H authorities to solve the migrant crisis has negative effect on the international reputation of B&H and it could affect the European path of B&H. According to Hayat, the EU has been warning B&H authorities that B&H’s visa-free regime might be brought into question, unless they take seriously obligation to deal properly with solving of migrant crisis in this country. Stano reminded that EU High Representative Josep Borrell talked to Chairman of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik and clearly stated the expectations of the EU and warned about serious repercussions for B&H. He reminded that the EU together with international partners has worked in order to improve the situation in Lipa in such a way that their lives are not endangered, but the migrants are still in an unacceptable situation that needs to be permanent.

Tegeltija says B&H does not need new migrant camps, holds EU responsible for migrant crisis (Dnevni list)

Chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Zoran Tegeltija reminded that he said on the first day of his mandate that B&H alone cannot solve the migrant crisis and that the EU and others who created the crisis hold the biggest responsibility for this. Tegeltija said that the number of migrants in B&H is very high and those who are trying to present this crisis as a humanitarian issue are very wrong and “do not have good intentions towards B&H citizens”. Tegeltija assessed that B&H will be struggling with this problem until the policy on migrants worldwide changes. Tegeltija argued that borders in the east, including in some EU countries, are open for migrants and they are allowed to move freely towards B&H but then there are various kinds of obstacles at the border of B&H with Croatia where migrants are stopped on their way to the EU. “B&H needs to get not only financial assistance from the EU, but also data of security services so that all people of security interest can be banished from B&H immediately. I think preconditions for accommodation of all migrants in B&H will be more or less created with completion of Lipa camp. If insisting on increase of number of migrants continues after that, I think we will hardly be able to control it,” Tegeltija argued. Asked to say what he thinks about the request of Brussels for B&H to distribute migrants throughout B&H, Tegeltija said that he thinks nothing of it and reminded that the Republika Srpska (RS) already said that it does not want to have migrant camps in its territory. “At the same time, B&H institutions were sending messages that migrants are just tourists passing through B&H and there were no disputes about it. The Federation of B&H (FB&H) did not dispute the fact that the RS does not want to accept migrants” Tegeltija added and noted that the RS still maintains its stance while the FB&H is trying to change its stance. Tegeltija said that B&H CoM and B&H Ministry of Security will implement policies which come as a result of compromise “but it seems to me that we have no agreement at this moment”. “We have reached an agreement with the EU Ambassador and it was clearly stated that by construction of Lipa camp, Ciljuge camp in the Tuzla Canton and with existing Blazuj camp the needs of all migrants in B&H’s territory will be met and there would be no need for new camps at this moment,” Tegeltija concluded.

 

Kristo: Turning Croats into minority would lead to end of state of B&H (Vecernji list)

Vecernji list carried an interview with the speaker of the B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Borjana Kristo (HDZ B&H) who was asked, among other issues, to comment on announcement of the arrival of new High Representative (HR) Christian Schmidt. Kristo replied by saying she does not want to comment on any speculations or media announcements, arguing that recommendations of the European Parliament and the European Commission clearly stress that B&H cannot become an EU member as long as the OHR is in place. In addition, Kristo said the history will value the role and the moves of the OHR. Asked whether an agreement can be reached about changes to the Law on Elections of B&H in 2021, Kristo said that changes to the law, which would fully implement judgments/decisions of the Constitutional Court of B&H about legitimate representation of peoples and judgments/decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, are the necessity that must be implemented by the parliament of B&H and nobody else. She added by saying that since the next year is an election year, the changes must be carried out this year, which is also obligation from the Mostar Agreement.  Asked to comment on threats of SDA that they would ‘break the shackles’ in the 2022 elections, Kristo said that everyone in B&H must realize that B&H is a state of three constituent peoples and that the three peoples have the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of B&H, stressing that “further undermining of the rights and attempt to declare the Croats in B&H a minority is a Bosnian politicians’ adventure, which is a potential introduction into catastrophe and end of B&H as a state”.

 

Montenegro parliament rejects initiative of Bosniak party on adoption of resolution on Srebrenica genocide (CdM)

After the authorities in Montenegro have been changed on past elections, there are noticeable divisions within the country. One such dispute between political actors in that country revolves around B&H’s past and acknowledgment of crimes. Members of the Bosniak party in the Montenegrin parliament tried to include to the daily agenda the resolution on recognition of genocide in Srebrenica. That was a somewhat test for the government and especially for the movement led by Dritan Abazovic, as this called for a clear decision in the matter. The resolution was not included in the daily agenda. Representative of Bosniak party in the Montenegrin parliament Ervin Ibrahimovic said that adoption of this resolution would once again prove that Montenegro is willing to make strong and significant steps in protecting and preserving long-lasting peace in the region. Prior to the session of Montenegro’s parliament, the Bosniak party explained the reasons for submitting this initiative. Parliament speaker Aleksa Becic immediately put the initiative to a vote. Out of 41 MPs that voted, two voted in favor of the resolution, 21 were against and 18 abstained. The session was not attended by representatives of the Bosniak party, which initiated the proposal. After the vote, B&H’s public strongly reacted to the alleged betrayal of Suada Zoronjic, representative of Civic Movement URA, which was accused of not voting at the session. Zoronjic says that she was exposed to strong pressures and awful threats afterwards. Zoronjic said that she voted in favor of the proposal, but regardless of that she was threatened and called names. She points that proponents of the initiative were not present at the session, and if they were the resolution would have been adopted most certainly. Ibrahimovic explained this, saying that this session was illegal as there was no quorum for it to continue. They boycotted the session and believe the entire matter should be resolved by the Constitutional Court of Montenegro.

Montenegro wants to reset its relations with Serbia (CdM/DW)

New Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs Djordje Radulovic has chosen Germany for the first visit during his office. On the eve of the meeting with his German colleague Heiko Maas, he gave an interview to DW, in which stated that Montenegro wants to reset relations with Serbia.

Why did you choose Germany as the first country to visit as a Foreign Affairs Minister? 

Radulovic: I think that there are numerous reasons why Germany should be the first country to be visited by every new Minister of Foreign Affairs of any WB country. It is the country that strongly supports the EU enlargement processes, and it has played the role of a promoter of new member states… By visiting Germany I believe to be sending a clear signal as to which direction our country wants to take, and it is the full-fledged EU membership. This is also an opportunity for us to thank Germany for their support on our way to the EU, and the support they give to the new government in its efforts to implement reforms.

Do you expect any unpleasant questions regarding the latest developments in Montenegro during the meeting with Minister Maas? 

Radulovic: If the government could have done something better and differently, it has democratic capacities to listen to those who want to contribute to improvement. And Minister Maas is more than invited to make any suggestions and criticism.

Do you think that the disagreement between the new Montenegrin government and President Milo Djukanovic will hinder the work of the government in the long run and cause instability in the country? 

Radulovic: I hope that President Djukanovic will give up any plans to further obstruct the work of the government, which could possibly lead to protests and destabilization.

Does this dynamic affect the internal affairs and relations with neighbors, especially with Serbia? 

Radulovic: We have a “zero problem doctrine” with all the neighbors in the region which, as a region, may not be most grateful for promoting such a doctrine. Montenegro, even though not strong in economic or military terms, still wants to influence relations in the region by its example. This also applies to Serbia, with which we want to have the best relations based on the principle of two independent countries, mutual respect, and based on the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. And what is perhaps even more important, is that we want such relations to be systemic, so that regardless of who is in power, and even if the rulers do not agree on all issues, they should be close and cooperate. And in that sense, the new government really wants to reset relations with Serbia and start from the beginning. That is why I sent an invitation to Serbia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikola Selakovic, to come to Podgorica, and the Prime Minister Krivokapic did the same, by inviting the Serbian Prime Minister, Ana Brnabic. On this occasion, I also announce that the Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bujar Osmani, will be visiting us in a week.

You state full membership in the European Union as your main goal. But the EU is currently far from a new enlargement. Increasingly, WB countries are being offered alternatives to full membership, such as joining the European Economic Area (EEU), i.e. economic membership without political participation. How does Montenegro see such loud thinking? 

Radulovic: Economic area is something we already have through bilateral agreements. Too much waiting could diminish the faith of our citizens in this European idea.

Membership in the European Union also means solving fundamental problems in the WB countries that strive for full membership. Where do you see the main problems in that part of Europe? 

Radulovic: We must solve our mutual problems without the pressure of the European Union, and we should do that through constant dialogue. Talking about specific countries, I think that in the coming period we should focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina. All of us in the region should help B&H become as functional as possible and catch up with other countries when it comes to European integration. This requires a regional approach, but also the presence of the European Union.

Do you think that the institution of the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina should be retained? 

Radulovic: There are clear rules on when that institution should stop working. When B&H meets these criteria and becomes a functional state in the full sense, then its mandate should be terminated. But at this moment that is not the case.

Krivokapic met with Djukanovic, Becic and Abazovic (CdM)

President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic, parliament speaker Aleksa Becic, Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic, and Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic met to discuss issues important for the government, the opposition and all citizens of Montenegro – the functionality of the state, institutions and cohabitation. In a joint statement, it was noted that the meeting tackled issues regarding the functionality of the state, institutions and their further development, without which there is neither democratic nor economic progress of the country. “The readiness was expressed to pursue this interest as a common national interest and improve joint responsibility towards the need for further development of Montenegro as the European society, a better standard of living and individual freedoms,” the statement says.

Six ambassadors won’t go to consultations? (Antena M)

Six Montenegrin Ambassadors won’t be having consultations at the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They are: Nebojsa Kaludjerovic (USA), Darko Pajovic (China), Vera Kulis (Germany), Ivan Ivanisevic (France), Sanja Vlahovic (Italy) and Miodrag Vlahovic (Holy See). The reasons for their non-attendance are, according to Antena M, various – some are affected by health issues, some of them have problems to come to Montenegro due to much tighter coronavirus restrictions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister Krivokapic shocked the Montenegrin public after assessing that some ambassadors were working at the expense of the national interests, ordering all of them to buy one-way tickets and come to a meeting on 18 January in the capital, Podgorica.

 

Pendarovski confirms that Macedonia’s nominee for military representative to NATO failed the security check (Republika)

President Stevo Pendarovski confirmed that the Macedonian candidate for a military representative to NATO, colonel Zoran Sekulovski, failed the security check and will not be allowed to assume the position. Pendarovski said that he is the second Macedonian security official who failed the background check and will not be allowed to access NATO secrets.

Sekulovski is a top Defense Ministry official, who remained to serve in Yugoslav army during the bloody break-up of that country, before eventually returning to Macedonia to join the newly formed independent military. Pendarovski added that he expects a dozen people to be denied access to the security clearance. The checks are on possible contacts with what they refer to as malignant states, entities and individuals, essentially spy channels and communications. The other line that is being checked is high level corruption, Pendarovski said.

 

France sends a note of protest to Prime Minister Rama (Tirana Times/Top Channel)

The Embassy of France in Tirana has issued a note of protest to the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania against Prime Minister Rama. The Embassy considers as “inadequate” Rama's criticism against the EU for their lack of support towards the Western Balkans in the vaccination process, and even regards as “untrue” the claims made by Rama regarding the existence of stock vaccines that can’t be used by France. The Embassy reminded the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the EU donates each year a significant amount of money to Albania: “We want to remind that every year, the European Union is the biggest donator in Albania, with more than 100 million euro, in various sectors. Regarding the pandemic, the European Commission informed on the 8th of January, that the global portfolio of the EU with 2.3 billion doses wasn’t available only to the EU countries, but also to the neighboring ones” said the Embassy, adding that for the Western Balkans countries there’s a fund available of 70 million Euros as part of the IPA program. The note of protest continued by saying that “while France will reach its goal to vaccinate 1 million people until the end of January, the Prime Minister raised the question why France should have a stock of vaccines that cannot use, while it can share them with the others. Beside the untruth nature of this information [...] this Embassy considers that it is quite inadequate to attack in such a nominative way, a country which is an ally and a friend.” In an interview for Top Channel two days ago, Rama repeated his criticism against the EU, for not providing vaccines for Albania and the Western Balkans. During the interview, Rama mentioned also the case of France, by saying that “France has much more vaccines than those it has used so far […] what’s the point of having in stock vaccines that you cannot inject in one day, or even in a week or two, while you can say to the 6 countries that are outside the EU that you can take some of them, not too much, just two thousand, three thousand, 5 thousand, so you can start injecting the vaccine to those that are in the frontline  and are working 24 hours a day,” said Rama. “What could it cost them? Nothing,” said the Prime Minister.

Rama on the note of protest by France: I haven’t attacked any ally (Tirana Times)

After the note of protest issued by France to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, on Rama’s criticism against the EU and France for their handling of the vaccination process, came the response of Prime Minister Rama. While the Embassy of France considered as “inadequate” Rama’s criticism against the EU and France, Rama wrote on Facebook that the he has not attacked any ally: “I have not attacked any ally, much less France in this case! I have not forgotten and I do not forget that the European Union has helped Albania, since our country came out of the prison of dictatorship […] I have valued and continue to value the European Union, for a thousand and one reasons, including without a doubt the invaluable assistance it has given to Albania for 30 years now,” said Rama. The Prime Minister further added that “I have talked about a particular silence in a particular situation, and when it comes to the vaccine, I don’t remove any of the words that I have said! To leave out the countries of the region in the distribution of the vaccine against COVID […] there is no justification on that, and everyone can understand that, even those who acts as if they don’t,” said Rama. The Embassy note of protest came after Rama gave an interview for Top Channel, where beside the criticism against the EU, Rama mentioned also the case of France, as being a country that was leaving in stock vaccines that could have been used by other countries. On this matter, the Prime Minister said that he used France’s example just to “illustrate the idea that there is no reason why to not send to other countries some doses for the doctors, as long as they’re not being used in any country in the EU.” Rama continued by saying that the Embassy has taken his words “out of the context”, and that is why the note of protest would not make him change his mind.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES 

The Silent Persecution of Christians in Kosovo (National Catholic Register, by Solène Tadié, 15 January 2021) 

Arnaud Gouillon, a Christian humanitarian and newly appointed minister by the Serbian government, discusses the plight of the Christian Serb communities in Kosovo and why their disappearance from that region would be a terrible signal for all Christendom. 

The Christian Serbs of Kosovo have been undergoing severe and almost systematic persecutions since the 1990s within the context of the Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001), especially since the Kosovo War in 1999. Located at the center of the Balkans in southeastern Europe and bordered by Serbia, Albania, Montenegro and Macedonia, Kosovo has long been a disputed territory, for ethnic, religious and cultural reasons. When Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, 100,000 to 150,000 Serbs — most of whom are Orthodox Christians — chose to remain on this land, which they consider to be the birthplace of their culture and faith, despite the harsh economic context there and the difficult coexistence with the Muslim Albanian majority (representing 90% of the population). Christians, who were a majority on this territory for centuries, now represent only about 6% of the whole population. Yet this land still concentrates an impressive part of the Orthodox heritage, as well as Serbia’s most ancient monasteries.  While the underreported persecutions against Kosovo’s Christian minority have occurred over the past 20 years since Serbia lost control of the territory, the violence against them reached its peak with the March 2004 pogroms, during which 935 homes and some 30 Orthodox churches and monasteries were burned, leaving approximately 4,000 Serbs displaced. It is in this context that Arnaud Gouillon, a French citizen age 19 at that time, decided to found the NGO “Solidarité Kosovo” (Solidarity Kosovo), in order to assist the families living in Christian enclaves there. With the support of more than 12,000 donors from across France, the association has provided schooling for hundreds of Kosovar children over the years, as well as supplying 400 tons of food and clothes to Christian villages, which have a very restricted access to the job market and to public services because of the sensitive political context. Gouillon’s untiring commitment in favor of the Christian Serbs of Kosovo has earned him remarkable renown among the Serbian population and religious authorities. Indeed, the national press ranked him among Serbia’s 20 most popular people  in 2015, alongside famous tennis player Novak Djokovic. He was also the recipient of several prestigious national distinctions, including the Order of St. Sava, the highest distinction of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which he received from Patriarch Irenaeus in 2018. Now 34 years old and a naturalized Serb since 2015, he was recently appointed secretary of state in charge of the diaspora in the Serbian government last November. While discussing his singular path in this interview with the Register, Gouillon highlighted the stakes of the survival of this Christian presence in Kosovo. Their disappearance from such a historic land would be unprecedented in the history of the evangelization of Europe.

Why did you found Solidarité Kosovo in 2004, and what is the significance of the organization in the region today?

I saw the images of the anti-Christian pogroms carried out by Albanian extremists against the Serb populations of Kosovo on the television and was terribly moved by that at that time. Churches and villages were burning. ... It was horrible — all the more so because Kosovo, which is today predominantly Albanian and Muslim, is the historic cradle of Serbia and has one of the largest concentrations of Christian religious buildings in Europe. So, I decided to act, instead of remaining powerless. I was 19 years old at the time. Together with my brother and a few friends, we organized a Christmas convoy to bring toys to the children there. Sixteen years later, Solidarité Kosovo is the first humanitarian actor in the region. We fund long-term projects, to enable the inhabitants of the Serbian enclaves to survive in autarky [economic independence or self-sufficiency] (through farms, schools ...), and we have been maintaining the symbolic tradition of the Christmas convoy!

Some newspapers reported that you were banned from entering Kosovo in 2018, with no official reason. Did you find out why, eventually?

I never knew it officially. Unofficially, it is probably because my humanitarian actions in the service of an oppressed minority was disturbing for some people. Even today, I do not have diplomatic immunity, because most Serbian officials are banned from staying in Kosovo!

Why did you organize a new campaign to help the Serbs of Kosovo and Metohija last March?

It was an emergency aid meant to deal with the consequences of COVID-19. Beyond the disease itself, the lockdown has had destructive effects. Economically, the poorest have been particularly affected because of job losses, the lack of social assistance. ... With the arrival of spring, March is also the month when agricultural worksites are launched. There, everything was paralyzed. Thus, in addition to the health crisis, we were at risk of a serious food crisis. For the Serbs of Kosovo, who were already isolated in their enclaves all year-round, the lockdown has had a very difficult moral impact: It was like a double confinement! And on the medical level, it should be known that Serbian Christians are excluded from the health system of Kosovo. They can only go to a Serbian hospital, in the north of the province, or to another, in the south, where there are only two respirators. For all these reasons, it was vital to trigger an emergency operation.

What is the situation of Christians in Kosovo today?

Extremely difficult. The Serbs, who were the original population of Kosovo, have undergone a slow ethnic cleansing that has been accelerating since the war of 1999. Today there are just over 100,000 of them. They live in enclaves (in a street, a neighborhood, a village ...) which are open-air prisons from which they cannot get out without risking a skirmish. They are regularly attacked, beaten, looted and pushed to leave. They live in great poverty; they are systematically discriminated against; their schools are abandoned. They are condemned to a form of autarky. The objective of many radical Islamists is to eradicate the Serbian and Christian presence in Kosovo; hence, the importance of ensuring their autonomy and security.

I remember a couple who, after the third burglary they underwent, found a box of rat poison on the kitchen table. That was the last warning.

You report that there is still silent ethnic cleansing of Serbs in the region. Do you think that this hostility is still fundamentally religious, after the anti-Christian pogroms of 2004? 

In Kosovo, ethnic and religious issues are mixed. There is thus a general hatred of the Slavs that affects the Serbs, but also the Gorani people, who are Muslim, in the south of Kosovo. Solidarité Kosovo also provides support to them. In addition, there have been anti-Christian pogroms and the targeted destruction of 150 churches or monasteries in the last 20 years. In particular, we support the monastery of Visoki Decani, which is regularly targeted by Islamist terrorists but also by Kosovar Albanian media and politicians. It was attacked with a rocket launcher and defiled by a tag saying “The Caliphate is coming.” In 2016, the NATO forces stopped four jihadists armed with Kalashnikovs in front of the monastery’s gate. They were filmed by the surveillance cameras we have equipped the monastery with. We also built a security airlock, made of traditional stone, with iron gates. We still hope for the arrival, one day or another, of a peaceful cohabitation, because the majority of Albanians are moderate. But extremists are very powerful, and international condemnation of their abuses is very rare.

In 2017, you participated in the documentary Kosovo, une chrétienté en péril (“Kosovo, a Christianity in Danger”). What does this Christian presence in the region represent? What would be the consequences of its disappearance? 

For the first time since the evangelization of our continent, Christians would disappear from a European land. This is unprecedented — a terrible sign for European civilization, which must not happen. Culturally, the destruction of the Serbian and Orthodox heritage of Kosovo, classified as a UNESCO heritage site, would be an inestimable loss for humanity, because it is universal, as were the Buddhas of Bamiyan or the remains of Palmyra.

What are your relations with the Orthodox religious authorities in the region?

Excellent. Most of our projects are carried out in partnership with the Diocese of Kosovo and Metohija. I received the Order of St. Sava, the highest distinction of the Serbian Orthodox Church, from the hands of Patriarch Irenaeus. I was very affected by his death this year because I knew and respected him.

Where does your special affection for Serbia come from? 

The old Franco-Serbian friendship, which dates back to the 1870s [following the Franco-Prussian war), is very much alive in my family. For both my grandfather and father, it was strengthened with the two world wars. Personally, when NATO bombed Serbia in 1999, I saw it as an injustice. Seeing this country alone against all revolted me. I wanted to be on the side of the weak who are attacked in their own land, against the powerful who martyred and humiliated a people. Of course, back then, I did not imagine that, later, I would live in Serbia, obtain citizenship and be appointed to a high position by the government.

What does this appointment to the Serbian government mean to you? What do you hope to accomplish during your term of office? 

It is, of course, a great distinction for me, but it is above all a recognition for all those who have helped Solidarité Kosovo for the past 16 years. I am particularly thinking of a retired man who has been saving on his cigarettes to make donations to people poorer than him; of the volunteers who have been accompanying me on dangerous roads and who commit themselves without counting the cost; of all the Serbs of Kosovo who found the strength to survive, to bear witness despite persecution. My nomination by the government truly symbolizes the recognition of this collective effort. I would have done nothing without them. Until now, my energy has been focused on humanitarian work. Today, I can put myself at the service of all Serbs in the diaspora, working to build bridges, between their country of origin and their host countries. Serbs are hardworking, intelligent and respectful: I want to help them express their full potential wherever they are, anywhere in the world.