LOCAL PRESS 

Vucic, Botsan-Kharchenko: Level of bilateral cooperation high (Tanjug/RTV/RTS) 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko agreed on Monday Serbia and Russia had reaffirmed a high level of bilateral cooperation despite the difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic. At a meeting, they expressed the expectation that bilateral trade would be increased in the period to come and that ongoing joint energy and infrastructure projects would be completed and new ones launched, as well as that cooperation in the field of innovation and development of technology would be strengthened further, the presidential press office said in a statement.Vucic and Botsan-Kharchenko also said they were pleased the final sections of a Belgrade-Novi Sad railway line were to be laid down soon as the project brought significant changes to railway transport in Serbia. The parties discussed the situation in the region, particularly with regards to the latest worrying developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They noted that there was a need to ensure peace and stability. Botsan-Kharchenko once again extended his condolences over the passing of Serbian Ambassador to Russia Miroslav Lazanski, noting that Lazanski was to be credited for development of Serbia-Russia relations.

Vucic to Herzog: Israeli recognition of Kosovo disappointing for Serbia (Tanjug/N1) 

In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Israeli President Isaac Herzog agreed the development of Serbia-Israel relations should reflect the close historical ties between Serbs and Jews, marked by their joint suffering during WWII. Vucic noted that the recognition of the so-called Kosovo by Israel had been a disappointment for Serbia and its citizens but also expressed a desire for Serbia and the new Israeli leadership, to which he wished success in its work, to enhance bilateral relations, the press office of the Serbian President said in a statement. “We believe it is very important that, through cooperation, Serbia and Israel contribute to political and peaceful resolution of all disputes, conflicts and open issues,” Vucic said, adding that the conversation with Herzog would also contribute to better understanding between the two countries. Vucic said he expected that Herzog and Israel would continue to support the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue as the only way to solve the Kosovo and Metohija issue, which he noted was sensitive for Serbia. The two Presidents said they expected their countries to establish more frequent contacts to regularly discuss subjects of mutual interest. They agreed that bilateral economic cooperation was seeing steady growth due to increasing Israeli investment.

Israel is a major investor in Serbia, most importantly in the transport sector and real estate construction. Vucic and Herzog noted that there was more room to expand cooperation, including to boost bilateral trade, and said that opening a Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia office in Israel would be an additional impetus to achieving that objective. The parties expressed interest in enhancement of military economic cooperation, as well as in cooperation in the energy sector, culture, education and sports, the statement said.

Mitsotakis confirms Greece will not change its position regarding Kosovo (RTS) 

Serbian Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin talked today in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who once again confirmed that Greece’s position on non-recognition of the so-called false state of Kosovo will not change. After the meeting, Vulin said that he is especially grateful to Mitsotakis for the position of Greece not to recognize so -called Kosovo and that it will remain in positions of international law and strong support for Serbia, as well as for the fact that Greek policy will continue in the direction of the best possible relations with Serbia. Vulin, who has been the president of the Serbian part of the Mixed Committee with the Hellenic Republic since 2017, pointed out that the help that President Vucic sent on behalf of the Serbian people to the fraternal Greek people and Greece, is met with great and sincere gratitude. Serbia’s help is appreciated here, Prime Minister Mitsotakis recognizes it too and he once again expressed great gratitude on behalf of the Greek people and the Greek government for the help Serbia sent in putting out fires that are currently raging in Greece. He also added that help is always expected from Serbs, because you expect it from those with whom you are closest and with whom you share not only religion and geographical space, but also the same values, stated Vulin. Vulin added that he was very pleased to be able to convey expressions of solidarity on behalf of the President of Serbia and the Serbian people and show how ready and capable we are to help everyone who needs help. Vulin also said that Mitsotakis expressed his wish to visit Serbia and voiced hope that this will happen in the winter.  Vulin also met with President of the Republic of Greece Katerina Sakelaropoulou, conveying to her the most cordial and sincere greetings and expressions of sincere solidarity from President Vucic. He pointed out that in these difficult moments for Greece, Serbia has shown that it is a sincere friend and ally of the Greek people. The Minister said that he once again expressed his gratitude to President Sakelaropoulou and the entire Greek people for their principled position when it comes to the non-recognition of the false state of Kosovo. The President of Greece pointed out that the Serbian and Greek people are linked by a traditional friendship, which does not consist only of diplomatic support but also of concrete assistance, which was shown in these difficult times for Greece, and underlined that Greece greatly appreciates Serbia’s help in its fight against the raging wildfires.

A return precedent in Osojane (Danas, by Jelena Tasic) 

At the end of last week in the village of Osojane near Istok in northern Metohija, thanks to the Raska-Prizren Eparchy and the Gracanica House of Culture, 20 years have been marked since the first and only successful return of Serbs expelled from Kosovo and Metohija in 1999, after the introduction of the United Nations protectorate. So far, the only sustainable Serbian return counts 650 souls in Osojane and its surroundings, although no one knows exactly how many Serb refugees have returned to entire Kosovo and Metohija in the course of 21 years. The only one circulating is unofficial data that the percentage of Serbs returning to Kosovo and Metohija in the past two decades is less than two percent. To be honest, behind the return precedent in the Osojane Valley are the guarantees of the former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright, given at the request of the then Raska-Prizren Bishop Artemije (Radosavljevic). The Serbian Orthodox Church – the Raska-Prizern Eparchy and the Diocese of Montenegro and the Littoral played a crucial role on the ground, with the blessing of the then Serbian Patriarch Pavle and with the sacrifice of the nuns of the Pec Patriarchate. Thanks to the Church, and with the support of UNMIK, UNHCR and KFOR, the first returnees found themselves at the crack of dawn on 13 August 2001, on the fire pits of their Osojane homes. They replaced the hell of collective centers in Serbia proper with the hellish conditions of returnee life in Metohija, whose survival was guaranteed only by barbed wire and strong forces of the Spanish KFOR. The state of Serbia is helping returnees not only in Osojane, but without success to permanently solve the problem of their security and existence. There are several reasons for that - lack of a clear state and national strategy for Kosovo and Metohija, ignorance, political dilettantism, party profiteering… Belgrade never had a clear imperative plan for the return of Serbs to Kosovo and Metohija - it renounced their organized return to the cities, condemned them to “Serb reservations” by offering unrealistic “Potemkin villages”. Although the West demonstrated in 1999 that it was capable of quickly returning the Albanians and without checking whether they were precisely all from Kosovo and Metohija, Belgrade never consistently insisted or conditioned its negotiating participation and concessions with the return of Serbs, although this is an obligation of the international administration from UN Security Council Resolution 1244. There is now also Pristina, which unilaterally declared Kosovo’s independence in 2008 under the protectorate and, although it has a ministry for the return of Serbs, its priority is to create an ethnically pure Albanian space.

Von Cramon expects progress in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue after elections (N1) 

European Parliament Rapporteur for Kosovo Viola von Cramon told N1 on Monday the upcoming elections in Serbia and Kosovo would affect the Brussels dialogue, and that both leaders, Aleksandar Vucic and Albin Kurti, would be very careful in their moves towards voters until the end of the elections. She adds it is a matter of negotiations, but that she hopes that there will be progress in the dialogue after the elections. However, Von Cramon added she saw progress in meetings by the leaders, which she said could be seen as a success. She said she expected Vucic and Kurti to show leadership because they both had significant support in parliament and among voters. The goal of the negotiations was not to set preconditions and say what was wanted and expected from someone but to look at individual steps and results, Von Cramon told N1 and added she hoped both leaders were committed to European integrations and that they knew that it was not easy, but it was possible and that it would lead to success. Speaking about the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO), she said the tensions among the population were growing, and that it was why the participants in the dialogue and the EU should do more to reach people in northern Kosovo, not only Serbs, to make them feel integrated. She recalled that Pristina had committed itself to create the ZSO, but added that the institutions in the north of Kosovo should be integrated into the Kosovo system. Von Cramon said Kurti was a new prime minister with ambitious domestic plans and a wish to clear up old habits and patterns of corruption. Commenting on Vucic, she said the EU did not see reforms in Serbia, reiterating a need for them, including progress in the judicial system, and added Serbia’s government knew that and should strengthen pluralism, media freedoms for the opposition… However, she added the room for activists, the opposition, non-governmental organizations and independent media were narrowing, warning that was important for Serbia’s E u integration. Von Cramon recalled the EU donated a large sum of money to the reform of many institutions in Serbia, but that the government of Serbia does not speak publicly about it, and that it is not clear to it why this is so. She said the EU invested a lot in Serbia because the bloc believed Serbia was an important factor for regional integration. Von Cramon added that Serbia had the strongest economy in the region, so it was in the EU interest to transform it together with Serbia’s authorities. She also mentioned the fire at the landfill in Vinca and said there was a neglect of environmental problems in the country which was to the detriment of the citizens’ health.

Djordjevic visiting B&H (Beta) 

Liberation Movement leader Mladjan Djordjevic said on Monday that he had come to the Republika Srpska (RS) because that was where support was directly given to the Serbs and to the RS, rather than at the office of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Djordjevic said that the law against the denial of Srebrenica genocide, imposed by the high representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Valentin Inzko, but also the election of Christian Schmidt without consultations with the UN Security Council, and constant attacks on the Serb entity from Sarajevo, indicate that we are at a turning point for the fate of the RS. “It was because of those attacks that I believed it was important that I be here, to support our people and our Serb entity. This is where support is given to the Serbs and to the RS, rather than on Vucic’s sofa,” Djordjevic said in Srebrenica, alluding to a recent meeting at the Peace Villa in Belgrade which was attended, besides Vucic, by opposition representatives, including Dveri leader Bosko Obradovic and Enough Is Enough leader Sasa Radulovic. He described the law prohibiting genocide denial as “a continuation of the policy of the West to first declare the RS a genocidal creation, and then annul it on those grounds”. During his visit to B&H, Djordjevic will go to Bratunac, Srebrenica and Trebinje.

REGIONAL PRESS 

 

Washington and Brussels support Open Balkans initiative (Dnevni avaz) 

 

Asked to comment the Open Balkans initiative, Press Office of the US Embassy to B&H told the daily that USA supports the initiative. “Creating stronger economic and political ties in the region is additional incentive to the existing efforts to complete reforms which are necessary for EU membership. Regional integration and economic reforms are necessary if B&H wants to attract investments and secure sustainable economic growth. We encourage all six Western Balkan countries to use the recent momentum for further development and get to hard working in order to realize their joint commitment to establishing of a common regional market. Western Balkans has a huge unused potential which is reflected in the vision and efforts of its peoples to make it a successful and prosperous region which is fully integrated in the EU,” the US Embassy stated. According to the daily, this statement of the US Embassy clearly denied claims of B&H Presidency members Zeljko Komsic and Sefik Dzaferovic who claimed that the initiative does not enjoy the support of USA and EU, and who said that the initiative represents an attempt of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to create some kind of “Serb world” or a new Yugoslavia. In the meantime, Komsic and Dzaferovic appear to have changed their minds. Komsic’s advisor Slaven Kovacevic described Open Balkans as “Serb world which institutionally cannot be part of the EU integration process”. Dzaferovic stated that B&H will not join any initiative which is not part of the EU integration process. At the same time, opposition parties NiP, SDP and NS remain silent. According to the daily, the only one who recognized the significance of ‘Open Balkan’ is SBB leader Fahrudin Radoncic who claimed already in October that the initiative enjoys support of both Washington and Brussels who are proven friends of B&H. Former B&H Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija also spoke in favor of Open Balkans initiative and warned that by staying out of it, B&H faces the risk of being isolated. The daily concludes that the irresponsibility of Komsic and Dzaferovic who are obstructing B&H’s participation in Open Balkans initiative are bringing B&H in real danger of becoming “the Gaza Strip” of the region.

 

Cvijanovic: RS will have obligation to protect itself in case that arrests due to Inzko’s law begin (RTRS) 

In an interview with the Russian Federation’s news agency, RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic stated that the RS will have the obligation to protect itself in case of a risk and in case that arrests due to the former High Representative (HR) Valentin Inzko’s law begin. Cvijanovic assessed that the Inzko’s decision to impose amendments to the B&H Criminal Code that ban denial of the genocide is part of a strategy of pressure of the West. Cvijanovic stated that it is unacceptable that anyone including a foreigner imposes decisions and laws instead of parliaments and local institutions, adding that the current crisis can last until solving of the problem and the one who created the problem has the obligation to find the solution, i.e. the HR who in her opinion, now tells that this issue is a matter of the parliament. Cvijanovic said: “There, go to the parliament and discuss the law, ten years if necessary.” She asked why is this law so important and not laws that secure economic reforms and assistance in the social sector, increase of pensions and salaries. Cvijanovic added: “Why the HR does not help us strengthen economy, improve the social area? Why he does not help us attract foreign investments? It turns out that all this is unprincipled.” Cvijanovic also stated that no one in B&H including representatives of the West, but the RS, wants to talk about radical Islamists in B&H and the intention to confront this is missing despite of certain risks. According to Cvijanovic, mild sentences before the Court of B&H for those who return from foreign battlefields also cause concern. In her opinion, the solution for many current problems in B&H lies in decentralization. Cvijanovic argued that comparing the current situation with the original Dayton Agreement indicates that many competences were violently transferred to the level of B&H without making it more functional. Speaking about pressures of the West to the RS, she assessed that this is a global pattern that can be seen in the region. She said: “All those who impose the narrative about the ‘harmful influence of Russia in the world’ are promoting it here as well. As for pressures, there is always the same group of countries that is more active in promotion of integration of B&H in the NATO as well as its centralization. In my opinion, insisting on the centralization of the state represents the biggest problem and I am deeply convinced that B&H can survive only if it is decentralized, i.e. if there is enough room within B&H for Serbs, for Croats and for Bosniaks.” Cvijanovic reiterated that the RS supports the concept of cooperation with the NATO but not membership in this organization. Speaking about cooperation of the RS and Russia, Cvijanovic stated that the cooperation is developing in an excellent way and that Russian open approach for the cooperation is a big chance for B&H as well. She said: “We give more advantage to pragmatic approach. We are oriented to cooperation with everyone and I am convinced that Russia is important. It holds the second place on the list of foreign investors in the RS, but our foreign-trade exchange is not at a high level and this is the area in which we can intensify our cooperation.” Cvijanovic reminded that during the Coronavirus pandemic, the first material-technical assistance to the health sector came from Serbia and then from Russia which the RS appreciates while the EU reacted in a slow mode. Asked whether Inzko’s imposed ban on genocide denial was only part of a strategy of the pressure from the West, not only on the RS but also on Serbia and the Serb factor as a whole, Cvijanovic said she thought so. She pointed out that it is unacceptable for anyone to impose decisions and laws, and for a foreigner to pass laws instead of the parliament and local institutions. Cvijanovic was quoted as saying: “I believe that freedom of speech is under enormous threat. You forbid not only politicians but also the university community, scientists, researchers, to say anything on this topic because criminal proceedings will be initiated against them. They will be convicted and sent to prison. Do you realize how anti-democratic that is, to prevent people from talking about something?”.

Cvijanovic said that when it comes to the judiciary, there are institutions like the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H that the Dayton does not stipulate although the agreement reads that judiciary should act within institutions of the entities. She said: “I think that we made a big mistake because it is possible that we were not fully aware how serious the problem is at that time when similar laws were imposed and when competences of the RS were reduced. However, we have become more politically mature since then”. She added that in the country where there is no dialogue it is very complicated to speak about return of competences if the other side opposes. However, Cvijanovic said that she is not losing faith that this will happen some day and that everyone in B&H will understand that joint functioning in B&H is possible only if we return to the pattern that was stipulated in the Dayton. Cvijanovic underlined: “Consent was never given to this kind of B&H in which the practice implements what is contrary to the Constitution.”  Speaking about NGOs and those who should deprive the RS of its competences, she said that many organizations are used for support to some institutional attempts of other states to influence on the situation in some country which is something that is present at the global level. In her opinion, the most important thing for protection of the RS is the ability of its institutions to meet their obligations, to protect them and to have a clearly-defined position.

 

Miletic: Ruling parties and opposition in the RS are hypocritical when law banning genocide denial is in question (N1/Dnevni list) 

 

DF’s Zlatko Miletic commented for N1 the law banning genocide denial that Valentin Inzko imposed. Miletic said that apart from imposing this law, Inzko did not do anything else in B&H in twelve years. He also said that both the RS ruling parties and the opposition are hypocritical when this law is in question and now they claim that B&H institutions did not have a chance to resolve this issue, which is not correct in Miletic’s opinion since there was such an initiative in the B&H House of Peoples and they rejected it. Miletic reminded of Chapter 16 of the B&H Criminal Code, which reads that one of crimes against integrity of B&H is undermining of the constitutional organization of B&H adding that SNSD leader Milorad Dodik has already done this. He added that the Prosecutors’ Office should have already launched investigative activities against Dodik in order to prove this crime. Miletic is of the opinion that crime and not nationalism is the basic problem of B&H. He explained that if state institutions and the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H had been doing their job some people would have been in prison and they would not be threatening with war. Miletic also said that for two years he has been waiting for a reply from the Chief B&H Prosecutor about the efficiency of B&H prosecutors adding that he has information there are prosecutors who have been at this post for 20 years already and who have never done anything unlike the others who are overburdened with job.

 

Cubrilovic says Bosniak veto to latest RS parliament laws is expected (ATV) 

 

The Bosniak Caucus in the RS Council of Peoples (CoP) vetoed the law on non-application of the decision of Valentin Inzko and the law according to which calling Serbs and RS genocidal is punishable. RS parliament speaker Nedeljko Cubrilovic pointed out earlier that nothing else could have been expected. Cubrilovic believes that this is a common practice of the Bosniak Caucus in the RS CoP, who want to minimize and put aside everything that RS does.

 

Gligic discusses issue of vital national interest initiated by Bosniak Caucus in RS Council of Peoples and ban on genocide denial (ATV) 

 

The RS Council of Peoples (CoP) deputy speaker Vojislav Gligic discussed the issue of the Vital National Interest initiated by the Bosniak Caucus in the RS CoP and commented on the ban on genocide denial. Before Gligic’s interview began, the reporter pointed out that the RS CoP will hold a session on 17 August to discuss the issue of the Vital National Interest initiated by the Bosniak Caucus. Before asking Gligic to comment, ATV carried a feature on statements by the RS CoP speaker Nada Tesanovic and the RS CoP deputy speaker Mihnet Okic, from the ranks of the Bosniak people, on the upcoming RS CoP session. Tesanovic stated: “You know that the RS parliament adopted two decisions and two laws. There is a decision that enters into force temporarily, (and) the law on non-application of the decision of the HR which enacts the law amending the Criminal Code of B&H. We have a decision and a law. The second decision concerns the provisional entry into force of the law amending the RS Criminal Code and the law amending the RS Criminal Code.” Okic stated: “The Bosniak Caucus challenged a set of laws passed by the RS parliament at its last session, as the attack on the state of B&H continued. We have therefore postponed the planned holidays and initiated the (issue of) Vital National Interest. We expect that there will be no harmonization and all that should go to the RS Constitutional Court. Given that the (RS) Constitutional Court is also on vacation this month, we expect this to be discussed next month. If there is no reaction from the RS Constitutional Court, or international or some other actors, we expect this to go to the B&H Constitutional Court.”

When asked whether the request of the Bosniak Caucus to initiate the issue of Vital National Interest was justified, Gligic said that not only this request was not justified, but most of the requests of the Bosniak Caucus were not justified as well. Gligic pointed out that, since the RS CoP was established in April 2003, a total of 153 requests have been submitted to initiate the issue of Vital National Interest. “Out of those 153 requests, 99 requests were discussed by the National Council of the Constitutional Court and only seven were accepted. Which is to say that, most of these requests were unfounded,” said Gligic and added: “The RS parliament only reacted to the HR’s decision to impose the law. The (RS) CoP will not accept this request. Adoption of amendments to those two laws, that is for sure. This is followed by coordination with RS representatives and representatives of the (RS) CoP. I also do not expect anything to be harmonized there. The next step is the decision of the National Council of the Constitutional Court, so we will see what that looks like.” The law should legally enter into force after the RS Constitutional Court's decision, which is expected in mid-September, added the reporter. Gligic pointed out that it will definitely not happen before mid-September, but that he does not believe that all of this will not be solved by the end of September. When asked whether he expects the B&H Constitutional Court to challenge the law, Gligic replied: “After everything that has happened, I am not sure that their appeal will not be accepted. However, we have to wait. After that, we will see again what the reactions of the RS institutions will be.” When asked to comment on the imposed law by Inzko, Gligic pointed out that he thought the time of imposing laws was over and that he was surprised when it happened. Gligic said that everything that happened after the law was imposed was a forced reaction, primarily from the RS parliament and other institutions. Gligic claimed that, in the coming period, it should be expected that the RS institutions will react to any further decisions related to the imposition of the law. When asked whether the RS citizens can expect protection from the RS institutions, Gligic stated: “I think they should hope (for that) when they have promises from a (Serb) member of the B&H Presidency (Milorad Dodik), the government and RS parliament.” When asked if the unity of the Serb parties caused by Inzko’s latest decision would last, Gligic claimed: “I do not think that any relevant political party from the RS, which has its representatives, either in the RS parliament or in the B&H parliament, will allow itself to say one thing today and another tomorrow. This will also be punished by the citizens who go to the polls next year. I do not expect anyone to accept the imposed decisions after some time. They will remain unaccepted by the RS institutions.”

Tegeltija, Lukic slam SDP B&H for asking Dzaferovic and Komsic to file motion with B&H CC to declare Dodik as incompetent (EuroBlic) 

 

The daily reminded that the Article 8.7 of the Election Law of B&H stipulates that the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H is in charge of deciding on whether there is a permanent inability of a member of the Presidency of B&H to perform duties. SDP B&H asked members of the Presidency of B&H Sefik Dzaferovic and Zeljko Komsic to file a motion with B&H CC, in line with the Rules of Procedures of the Presidency of B&H, and request B&H CC to declare Serb member of the Presidency of B&H Milorad Dodik as incompetent. In that case, the daily noted, Dodik’s successor would be selected from among Serb members of the parliament of B&H as so called ‘replacement member’. Komsic and Dzaferovic have not reacted officially but circles close to them unofficially told the daily that “B&H CC is not a psychiatric ward in charge of establishing whether Dodik is incompetent and unable to work”. Dodik’s legal advisor Milan Tegeltija said that “SDP B&H’s call would have been funny if it weren’t sad” and added that it is obvious that political Sarajevo is not aware of dimensions and capacities of the current crisis, so it easily presents statements that have populist character and no legal grounds. Tegeltija argued that this is not about incompetence of Dodik at all, but it is only about the decision of all relevant political factors from the RS not to participate in making of decisions in B&H bodies except in the cases in which the RS interests need to be protected “for as long as this illegal situation, caused by Inzko’s decision lasts”. University professor Radomir Lukic warned that this is a constitutional matter regulated by the Constitution or constitutional law and he added: “Because there are no such laws, something like that cannot be carried out de jure. However, SDP B&H’s initiative is a sick initiative which again proves how Serbs and RS are perceived in B&H.”

 

B&H Court imposes detention against Savcic (RTRS) 

 

At a hearing held on Monday, the Trial Chamber of Court of B&H formed of judges Dalida Burzic, Zoran Bozic and Jasmina Cosic-Dedovic imposed detention against President of the RS Veterans’ Organization (BORS) Milomir Savcic. RTRS reminded that Savcic is accused of crimes against imprisoned Bosniaks in Nova Kasaba in July 1995 although at that time, he was on the Treskavica which is 50 kilometers away, where he stopped attacks of forces of the so-called RBiH Army. The Prosecutor’s Office of B&H filed a motion for his detention claiming that he violated restrictive measures previously imposed against him due to his public appearances given after imposing of amendments to the B&H Criminal Code that ban denial of the genocide, in which he commented on events related to the court proceeding. According to RTRS, former commander of the 65th protection regiment of the Main HQ of the RS Army Savcic is shocked with the decision of the Court of B&H. His lawyer Miodrag Stojanovic announced that they will appeal the decision within a three-day-long deadline but the appeal does not postpone carrying out of the decision and court police officers can detain Savcic at any time. Stojanovic said that according to the decision, detention will last until regular controls that are conducted each two months. The reporter noted that Savcic left the Court of B&H on Monday as a free man and a couple of hours later while he was on the way to Bijeljina, he found out about the detention. In a statement given via phone, Savcic said that what the prosecutor (Ibro Bulic) presented does not absolutely prove that he violated the measure in any way, adding that the news about the detention is making him feel shocked and surprised. RTRS noted that during the hearing before the Court of B&H, Bulic dedicated less attention to proving that Savcic violated restrictive measures by commenting on the case that accuses him of war crime, dealing more with his statements on the law that Valentin Inzko imposed. Commenting on this issue, Stojanovic said that two statements given to RTRS and ATV Banja Luka were the key for the Court of B&H to impose detention. The reporter noted that Bulic was especially bothered by the fact that during his public appearances, Savcic quoted the report of the International Independent Commission for Research of Suffering of All Peoples in Srebrenica Area 1992-1995 and he used the courtroom to belittle scientific effort of the international experts and thus, the RS as the RS Government formed the commission. RTRS noted that while generals of the so-called RBiH Army – accused of war crimes against Serbs – Atif Dudakovic, Ramiz Drekovic and earlier Sakib Mahmuljin come to the courtroom as free men to defend themselves, the Court of B&H wants to put the general Savcic behind the bars because he disobeyed the Inzko’s imposed truth, which is why Savcic’s message has the power of a reason that everyone will have to understand in the end. In this regard, RTRS quoted Savcic saying before the Court of B&H: “I have the right to my opinion. I will never be able to accept something that I know did not happen in that way. Here, I stand strongly convinced that I am innocent and in you being objective.” The BORS stated that Savcic deserved respect with his appropriate behavior towards judicial institutions and not a threat.

Dodik: Decision to impose detention to Savcic has nothing to do with law, this is political decision (RTRS) 

 

Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik said that the decision of the Court of B&H to impose detention to Milomir Savcic has nothing to with the law much less with justice. According to Dodik, this is exclusively a political decision of the Court of B&H. He announced that the RS will provide any kind of support to Savcic adding that he will not stay alone in this story. Dodik argued that the decision was not reached only against the general Savcic, but also against each Serb in the RS who does not think or talks the way Bosniaks like. Dodik said: “I can tell those who are doing this, that this will scare no one in the RS or destabilize it. This will only create even bigger resistance of each Serb towards this kind of B&H whose all elements are directed against Serbs and the RS.” Leader of SDS Mirko Sarovic condemned the decision that imposed detention to Savcic, adding that moves of the judiciary of B&H are incredible because while Serb generals are punished due to statements, Croatian officers are practically freed of accountability for mass crimes. Leader of PDP Branislav Borenovic said that it is incredible and shocking what the B&H judiciary is doing and he expressed support to the general Savcic in remaining persistent in fight and resisting to the pressure to which he is exposed. Leader of NPS Darko Banjac said that the RS and its institutions must fully support to Savcic.

 

Croatian Ministry of Justice and Public Administration: B&H Prosecutor’s Office requested international legal assistance in accordance with agreement signed by Croatian and B&H governments (BHT1/ATV) 

 

The Croatian Ministry of Justice and Public Administration has confirmed that the request by the B&H Prosecutor’s Office for taking over prosecution of suspected war crimes committed during the Bljesak (Flash) military and police operation had been received. BHT1 reports that official list of 14 retired Croatian Army generals suspected of committing war crimes during the Flash operation have not been officially published, but the informal list includes retired Admiral of the Croatian Army Davor Domazet Loso. In a statement for BHT1, Domazet said: “In my view, neither Sarajevo, nor Banja Luka, or Belgrade are as much to blame as is Zagreb, because it has been watching it silently for already 20 years now. They receive it and refer it to the State Attorney’s Office. With that, they do not pursue a sovereigntist policy. It should have been simply retuned, with a note: you have sent it to the wrong address.” BHT1 reports the B&H Prosecutor’s Office has not yet confirmed the names of generals from the list, nor whether the request refers to the Flash operation only, or to the operations carried out on B&H territory, i.e. ‘Maestral’ and ‘Juzni potez’ (Southern Strip). Croatian media speculate that the said persons participated in issuing order for non-selective bombing of civilian targets in Gradiska and Kozarska Dubica, where a number of Serb civilians were killed. The reporter comments that statements by some of the Croatian war generals, who said that the request by the B&H Prosecutor’s Office is “Bosniak pressure because of the Peljesac Bridge” confirm that such actions only additionally strain relations between B&H and Croatia. The reporter continues to say that Croatian President Zoran Milanovic went even further by publicly saying that the request is poisoning relations between the two countries. In a statement for the media on Sunday, Milanovic said: “It is a form of sabotage, i.e. poisoning relations between the two countries. The issue of technical nature whether we are going to cooperate or not is much less, compared to the fact that such indictments, i.e. investigations are received.” Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic also commented the request on Sunday, saying: “At the moment, I cannot prejudge what the State Attorney’s Office will do, but what it can certainly do is to, in the substantive sense, in the end reject it and thus resolve the issue.” The Croatian Ministry of Judiciary and Public Administration has informed that it had been determined the request does not include indictments, but it is a request “for provision of international legal assistance, submitted based on the agreement between the Republic of Croatia and the B&H governments”. The letter request that the B&H Ministry of Justice sent to Croatian competent authorities, requests them to take over the cases in which about 14 Croatian generals and officials of the Croatian Army are suspected of committing crimes during the operation Bljesak due to their participation in issuing of orders for shelling and killing of dozens of civilians in Bosanska Gradiska and Bosanska Dubica. According to the letter request, the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H established that they checked the aforementioned persons and established that they are Croatian citizens, i.e. persons who do not have B&H citizenship and that the crimes were committed from the territory of the Croatia and in line with the Article 35 of the Agreement between B&H and Croatia, they request to take over criminal prosecution in this case. The Croatian Ministry of Justice confirmed that they will thoroughly analyze the documentation pertaining to this request, while there is nothing binding in facts and legal qualification coming from B&H in this case for the Croatian judicial bodies. B&H Minister of Justice Josip Grubesa commented on this issue and said that a big political fuss about this is odd because the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H obviously believes that they should have sent the documentation in this case. State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Justice Josip Salapic said that in case B&H's request is rejected immediately, there is fear that the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H could possibly continue the proceedings in B&H. “This means issuing of international arrest warrant, so our citizens would no longer have free movement,” Salapic underlined. Salapic stressed that if this procedure in Croatia ends in a way that an independent investigation or any kind of action is conducted, then there are no longer conditions for any action by the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H. Former minister of Interior of Croatia Ivan Jarnjak stressed that Operation Bljesak was a just and successful operation for the Croats. “Serbia is terribly disappointed that Montenegro has now recognized the genocide in Srebrenica, and they simply want to transfer the whole issue to Bljesak, i.e. to Croatia,” Jarnjak underlined. Representatives of the Croatian government assure that they stand firmly behind Croatia’s national interests, as well as behind Croatian war commanders. ATV referred to the conclusion reached earlier and said: “That conclusion of non-cooperation, of this kind of procedure, is still valid. It is a much smaller problem of a technical nature, whether we will cooperate or not, than the fact that such indictments, i.e. investigations, arrive at all.” Plenkovic stated: “The military-police operations Bljesak and Oluja, which were first of a liberating character, operations that brought the Croatian integrity of the state territory again, are operations that we will be proud of. Nothing and no processes, no matter how they are initiated, will bring them into question.” Former minister of Defense of Croatia Ante Kotromanovic commented for N1 the request of the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H to Croatia by saying that the RS is to be held responsible for this request. Kotromanovic also said that the RS “is genocidal creation” and that Milorad Dodik “is a fascist”. Kotromanovic reminded that a similar request was delivered to Croatia at the time when Zoran Milanovic was the Prime Minister and he added: “I remember that, we rejected it with disgust. We adopted a resolution at the government session that this mission cannot be achieved,” Kotromanovic concluded.

HNS: Request of B&H Prosecutor’s Office is shameful attempt to criminalize Croatian Army and HVO (Oslobodjenje) 

 

The Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) reaction to the request of B&H Prosecutor’s Office sent to Croatian judicial institutions, seeking prosecution of 14 Croatian Army commanders who participated in the operation Bljesak. According to HNS, the request of B&H Prosecutor’s Office is a “shameful attempt of abuse of B&H institutions” which shows how “para-Bosniak” institutions are trying to criminalize Croatian Army as well as Croat Defense Council (HVO). HNS emphasized that the request is futile as it has no legal grounds and it is politically motivated. HNS also reacted by saying that existence of the case ‘Dubica’ and ‘Bosanska Gradiska’ are activities of para-intelligence Bosniak structures and pressures on the judiciary although as the reporter noted, the reports came from the RS MoI.

Komsic: No legal grounds for Prosecutor’s Office of B&H to launch proceedings against Croatian Generals (O Kanal) 

Croat member of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic stated on Monday that there are no legal grounds for the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H to launch proceedings against Croatian army wartime commanders for participation in the military and police operation Bljesak, but that proceedings can be eventually led regarding other actions in which the Croatian army took part the territory of B&H. Komsic previously reacted by saying that only Croatian prosecutor’s office is competent for crimes related to the operation Bljesak and Oluja. “In my opinion, there are no legal grounds for the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H to initiate such proceedings. Because, even if such a crime was committed, it was not committed either on the territory of B&H or against B&H citizens. The Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Croatia can only and exclusively be competent for such a thing,” Komsic was quoted as saying. “If the Flash and the Storm operations are in question, there are no legal grounds for the B&H Prosecutor’s Office to start such processes. Because, even if such criminal offence exists, it was not committed on the territory of B&H, nor against the citizens of B&H. The Croatian State Attorney’s Office has sole competence over such cases,” Komsic was quoted as saying. Commenting on the statement of Komsic that there is no legal ground for the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H to launch proceeding about operations Bljesak and Oluja, President of the RS Association of Families of Captured and Killed Soldiers and Missing Civilians Veljko Lazic stated that with the nonsense that he said about the operation Bljesak, Komsic is trying to preserve the Bosniak votes that elected him in the first place to this position. In his opinion, Komsic is also trying to ingratiates to the international community that is more and more against the Serb people which the latest move coming from the former HR Valentin Inzko proves. Lazic added that no one can say that the Serb people was not expelled from Croatia when there are videos and archives. Director of the RS Center for Investigation of War, War Crimes and Search for Missing Persons Milorad Kojic said that these are obviously crimes committed at the territory of the RS because the RS Ministry of Interior filed a report about this back in the 2007.

 

Miletic on launching of criminal procedures against Croatian Generals: Prosecutor’s Office is not truly and territorially competent for this case (Dnevni list) 

 

DF’s Zlatko Miletic commented for N1 launching of criminal procedures against Croatian Generals by the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H and he said that he does not see the reason why politicians are so upset about it. He explained: “I believe that the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H is not truly and territorially competent for this case since this is about the military operation conducted on the territory of Croatia. If the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H got information that some crimes were committed, based on the aspect of international criminal reports, it has the right to submit that case or a part of the cases to the Prosecutor’s Office of Croatia.” As for reactions of Croatian politicians, Miletic said that Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenakovic is much more moderate than Croatian President Zoran Milanovic, whose rhetoric in Miletic’s opinion is the right wing one. Miletic added that Milanovic does everything contrary to the relations with B&H and he undermines these relations.

Srebrenica Mothers criticize B&H Prosecutor’s Office actions vs CRO Generals (Hayat) 

 

The announcements that the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H seeks prosecution of 14 wartime Croatian Army generals and commanders on charges of committing war crimes during the operation Bljesak sparked reactions. The Association ‘Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Enclaves’ issued a statement, which reads that it is sad that the B&H judiciary is dealing with the issues of another country, while there are so many war crimes in B&H that have not been prosecuted yet. “Priority in B&H should be the cases of war crimes committed on B&H soil and not war crimes committed on the territory of another state. We call on the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H to direct the energy to cases which were labeled as A class of the ICTY and which in line with the adopted Strategy for Processing of War Crimes are priority in work of the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H,” reads the press statement.

Reactions to letter request of B&H to Croatia to take over cases of Croatian general suspected of crimes during operation Bljesak; Sarovic: They are practically freed of any responsibility with this move (N1) 

 

N1 reported that there were no reactions of the ruling officials from the RS about this issue. Leader of SDS Mirko Sarovic briefly commented on this issue by saying that the crimes happened at one part of the territory of B&H, i.e. the RS and the area is already known, as well as citizens who were killed in Dubica and in other cities during the operation Bljesak. Sarovic argued: “Practically with this move, they freed them of any kind of responsibility. They are freed and they will not he held accountable.” Commenting on this, Director of the RS Center for Investigation of War, War Crimes and Search for Missing Persons Milorad Kojic expressed skepticism in regard to the Croatian judiciary taking any concrete actions. “On the other hand, it has been 14 years since 2007, and the B&H judiciary was not interested in prosecuting these crimes and conducting investigation,” said Kojic for BHT1 in a telephone statement. “Knowing that Croatia does not want to act on requests for examination of witnesses in certain cases, I think it is very difficult and almost impossible to expect the Croatian judiciary to prosecute those responsible for the crimes in this case.” The same is expected by the highest Croatian officials, commented the reporter. The question was raised why is the B&H Prosecutor’s Office asking others, after more than two decades, to do the job they were supposed to do, commented the reporter. This question was raised by lawyers as well. Perhaps the goal was to amnesty war criminals, commented the reporter. Lawyer Slobodan Peric pointed out: “If these cases are handed over to Croatia, Croatia will never conduct the proceedings and prosecute those people, and B&H can no longer prosecute them because it forwarded the case there. All documents, original statements, original evidence, etc. were forwarded to the case. If this is true, then the one who did it should be prosecuted.” The President of the Association of Captured and Killed Soldiers and Missing Civilians of the City of Prijedor Zdravka Karlica stated: “No one has ever been held accountable for those Serb victims, except that we have three men from Kozarac who answered for the killings.”

 

Justice Ministry to ‘take into account state interests’ over Bosnia’s request (Hina) 

The Croatian Justice Ministry will take into account state interests and the interests of the 14 persons named in deciding what to do with the request for legal aid from the Bosnian Prosecutor’s Office received days earlier, state agency Hina reported, citing a ministry’s unsigned press release. The request asked for Croatian courts to take over the investigation into alleged war crimes related to the Croatian Army's 1995 Operation Flash in eastern Croatia near the border with Bosnia. “The ministry said everything would be done in line with international regulations and Croatian laws,” Hina added. The statement said that the ministry had received the letter “via diplomatic channels” on 6 August, and added that the letter did not concern any indictments. It did contain a request for international legal aid under the provisions of a bilateral agreement between the two countries’ governments on legal aid in civil and criminal matters. The ministry said the Bosnian Prosecutor’s Office suspected that 14 Croatian nationals – all of whom were senior Croatian military commanders at the time – had allegedly committed crimes which Bosnia and Herzegovina connected with Croatia’s Operation Flash. The Ministry said it would “conduct a detailed legal analysis of the documents delivered” to establish “if the prerequisites exist for taking over criminal prosecution” or if there are any obstacles “to refer the request for legal aid to Croatia’s State Attorney’s Office. The statement said that “the facts and legal qualifications” in the documents were not binding on Croatian courts in any way, and that the letter of request “cannot bring into question the legitimacy of the 1995 liberation operations Flash and Storm.” According to Croatian media, the Bosnian Prosecutor’s Office list includes wartime generals Pavao Miljavac, Mladen Markac, Marijan Marekovic, Davor Domazet-Loso and Luka Dzanko, as well as three generals that have died in the meantime – Petar Stipetic, Imra Agotic, and Ivan Basarac. Local media was unable to explain the details or circumstances of the alleged war crimes, although state officials – including President Zoran Milanovic, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic – have already dismissed the allegations as baseless.

 

Leposavic approved that SPC dioceses in Montenegro existed since 1220 (Dnevne novine) 

After Dnevne novine published the data obtained from the lawyer Nikola Belada, one of the founders of the 21. Maj Civic Initiative, which confirm that the dioceses in Montenegro – the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and the Diocese of Budimlje and Niksic, are registered as religious organizations of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), which have existed at the territory of our country since 1220, documents have appeared that confirm this. Therefore, criminal charges are announced against the Minister, if illegal solutions are not revoked.

Dnevne novine has been forwarded the decision signed on 10 June this year by the former minister of Justice, Human and Minority Rights Vladimir Leposavic, which literally reads that: “The Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church, founded in 1220, with its seat in the Djurdjevi Stupovi Monastery (Dolac, Berane), represented by the authorized person, Bishop of Budimlje and Niksic, Metodije (Ljubisa) Ostojic, was entered in the Unified Register of Religious Communities.” The same decision was issued for the Diocese of Budimlje and Niksic of the SPC, which is also claimed to have existed since 1220.

 

Zaev: Initiative Open Balkans is expression of strong political will of Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Albania (MIA) 

 

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev stated that all peoples that live in the Balkans have the same path, the same visions and the same values, which are European ones and not the policies of walls and divisions. He added: “Initiative Open Balkans is expression of the strong political will of Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Albania and the initiative of the biggest public interest and the goal is that peoples feel direct economic advantage of facilitation as soon as possible. Three peoples can do much more than one people only… Open Balkans is demonstration of progress… There is no more waiting and rejection. Everybody’s support is welcome in our, joint European journey and the EU’s support is most welcome, as our natural, expected partner, that we have been inviting for a long time. Albania, Serbia and Northern Macedonia will not stop integration due to unclear signals that Brussels is sending and which refer to the enlargement for which, until recently, they were convincing us that it is of strategic importance for the EU.”

 

Wildfire above Thirre-Kalimash tunnel, Kosovo to help Albania (ADN) 

 

Rruna Peak in Kukes has been engulfed by fire and Monday afternoon, the flames are still raging out of control, especially in the part above the Kalimash tunnel, where intervention is difficult. Latest update on the situation has revealed that the flames, aided by the wind, endanger a neighborhood in the village of Shemri, although measures have been taken to evacuate residents along with livestock. Meanwhile, assistance has been requested from Kosovo and the arrival of about 100 members of the Armed Forces and fire support are expected. However, intervention from the ground seems difficult, because while the fire at the top of Rruna in Kukes continues to be still out of control.