LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: Serbia demands dialogue with Pristina at all levels (Tanjug/RTS)

 

Serbia demands dialogue with Pristina at all levels and on all topics because that is extremely important, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday. Vucic added that he had said the same to EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak during a Belgrade meeting on Tuesday. "Serbia seeks, demands and wants dialogue with Pristina, at all levels. We want it to be held as soon as possible, as much as possible and as frequently as possible because we believe any dialogue has a beneficial and healing effect," Vucic said in a public address. "That is Serbia's official request," he noted. It is important to discuss all issues, in particular the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO), as well as energy, he said. "But also to try to create any, at least minimum trust between us so that we do not get into a situation we were in a month ago," Vucic said. Belgrade is always ready for dialogue and it does not want to accept a narrative that Serbia is in any way responsible for the lack of dialogue, he said. Responding to questions from reporters, Vucic also said the conversation with Lajcak had addressed topics ranging from solving the issue of missing persons to the establishment of ZSO, but declined to elaborate.

 

Gas price extremely important for Serbia

The price of gas is extremely important for Serbia and its citizens, Vucic said ahead of Thursday's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a public address, Vucic said that, if the price of Russian gas were to be 500 dollars per one thousand cubic meters, it would mean direct annual losses of 600 million Euros. He also noted that Serbia would indirectly be losing over 1 billion Euros a year because it would be unable to attract investors. A higher gas price would raise the operating costs of companies and drive inflation up, as well as increase the electricity price further, he said. "For us, gas is the crucial issue - right now, we have 128 million cubic meters of gas reserves, while we previously had up to 261 million," Vucic said. He explained that Serbia was now relying on its gas reserves on a daily basis to produce electricity, rather than have to import it at the current stock market price, which he said was five times higher than the production price in Serbia.

 

Meeting with Putin to address all key political issues

Vucic said he would have a very important meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday to discuss all key political issues, including Kosovo and Metohija. Vucic said he would inform Putin of all developments in the dialogue on Kosovo and Metohija and of the overall situation in the Western Balkans. "Regional issues are what is interesting to us but, quite certainly, I will be able to hear Putin's take on the situation in Europe, Asia and worldwide, and how we, as a small country, can find the best position in a turbulent world and protect our interests," Vucic said. He said Russia was Serbia's fourth-largest external trade partner and that there was much room for improvement of the bilateral trade volume with Russia. "We have already completed many discussions and talks with Russian partners. Tomorrow, after the meeting with Putin, I will be able to inform you of everything and the documents we have already agreed on and should sign," Vucic said. "The first thing that was agreed is a strategic Serbian-Russian programme of economic cooperation from 2021 to 2026, in various fields of economic development and trade cooperation," he said. He also said an agreement had been reached on the first phase of setting up a 15 million Euro radiopharmaceuticals center and added that everything had been agreed for the oil company NIS - majority-owned by Russia's Gazprom - to acquire the Pancevo petrochemical plant. The upcoming meeting between Vucic and Putin in Sochi will be their 19th to date.

 

Vucic: Serbia's economic progress also due to ties with Russia, China (Solovyev Live/Tanjug/Politika/RTS/RTV)

 

Politics is not about taking the easy route and Serbia has political and economic interests - it is a militarily neutral country and its economic progress is also due to friendly ties with Russia and China, says Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. In a recent interview for the YouTube channel Solovyev Live - released in its entirety on Tuesday ahead of Vucic's meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin - the Serbian president said Serbia had had an economic growth rate of around 6.7 percent in the past two years and that it had built more hospitals in the past seven years than in the previous 70 years. Serbia has succeeded in doing that also because it maintains friendly relations with Russia and China, Vucic said, noting that a large number of foreign investments were coming from the EU. When asked why he had taken the more difficult route by refusing to impose sanctions on Russia, Vucic responded that politics was not about taking the easy route and that Serbia had its political and economic interests. "Had we not had the gas pipeline and had we not been cooperating with Russia, we would have no gas today and would be paying 800-900 Euros for (one cubic m of) gas," Vucic said, adding that this would be economically untenable for Serbia. He said he was confident Serbia would have been told it was welcome to join NATO and then also the EU had it imposed sanctions on Russia. Vucic noted that he was a pragmatic and rational man and that Serbia had economic interests, but that "we cannot kill the soul of the Serbs so that I can get praised by some newspaper or some Western television channel." The essence is for Serbia to be sovereign and independent in decision-making, Vucic said, adding that Serbia's policy could never be hostile towards the Russian Federation. The President said he was open about that with everyone in the world. "Just like President Putin smiles when I say 'You know, we are on the European path', and says 'I know, I know - I know they will not take you in but you are on the European path', and he tells me that every time," Vucic said. "And because I do not want to deceive anyone or hide anything, I tell both the Europeans and the Americans: 'We have special, good relations with Russia and we do not want to erode them, so do not request that," Vucic said. Maintaining peace and stability - and, in that context, the good relations with Russia - is very important for Serbia, says Vucic. When Russia says international law needs to be respected, it is very important for Serbia, Vucic said. "Serbia is developing at huge speed and that is why we need peace and stability. That is why we respect those who respect our independence, our sovereignty and those who respect the resolutions of international law and (UN SC) Resolution 1244 on Kosovo and Metohija and the territorial integrity of Serbia," Vucic said. "Russia has always supported us on that issue, and I am grateful to President Putin for the support, and I am also grateful to Sergey Lavrov, Sergey Shoygu and all the people around President Putin for their fair treatment of Serbia," Vucic noted.

 

Brnabic: 2022 Budget to secure economic growth, higher standard of living (RTS/Tanjug)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated on Tuesday that the goals of the 2022 budget bill of the Republic of Serbia are the continuation of accelerated economic growth, construction of large infrastructure projects and the improvement of the living standards of citizens. Presenting the budget bill in the Serbian parliament, Brnabic said that the proposed budget for next year is developmental and envisages a growth of the gross domestic product of 4.5 percent. According to her, it will further improve the quality of life, increase the wealth of all of us and the entire country, and influence us to be stronger and more stable economically. She stated that it is planned to increase the minimum wage by 9.4 percent to approximately RSD 35,000, to reduce the contribution rate for the Pension and Disability Fund by 0.5 percent and to increase the non-taxable part of the salary from RSD 16,300 to RSD 18,300. She specified that salaries in the public sector will be increased by an average of 7.4 percent, and pensions by 5.5 percent, adding that pensioners will be paid RSD 20,000 each February. Brnabic stated that the planned budget revenues are in the amount of RSD 1,516.8 billion, which is an increase of 1.9 percent compared to this year's budget, while expenditures of RSD 1,717 billion were reduced by 4.23 percent. She pointed out that the budget deficit will amount to three percent of GDP, and at the end of this year it will be 4.9 percent, with the plan to reduce the deficit to one percent in 2024. As she explained, next year the public debt will be reduced to 53.8 percent of GDP which amounted to 56.5 percent at the end of October this year, and will reach 58.2 percent of GDP by the end of the year. She stated that a record budget for capital investments of RSD 485.8 billion is planned, which is 7.3 percent of GDP, emphasizing that the money will be used to finance investments in road infrastructure, health care institutions and environmental protection. She recalled that in 2020 and 2021, through three aid packages, the state paid more than eight billion euros to the economy and citizens, which ensured the growth of employment and GDP, making Serbia one of the most successful European countries. This year, the growth of the GDP of Serbia will be higher than seven percent, so the cumulative growth in the years of the pandemic will be approximately 10 percent, said Brnabic and added that 60,000 new jobs were created in the previous year. The average salary in Serbia will be higher than €600 at the end of this year, which makes the goal of €900 in 2025 achievable, and the average pensions to be between €430 and €440. According to her, foreign direct investments in Serbia for 10 months of this year amounted to €3.14 billion, which is 63 percent more than in the same period last year.

 

Mihajlovic: Unacceptable pressure on Kosovo Serbs (RTV/RTS)

 

Serbian Minister for Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic said today that the decision of the Kosovo Electricity Transmission System Operator (KOSTT) to no longer cover electricity costs in four municipalities in Kosovo where the majority are Serbs is the most brutal pressure on the Serb population. This is another in a series of lies and organized conspiracies against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. The debt of 17 million Euros that KOSTT reported until December 2020 is a lie, because until December, the supply of the north went directly from Serbia,” said Mihajlovic, and added: “KOSTT is the transmission system operator, and delivery to end users is done by the distributor. So, there is no evidence that this is about consumption in the north. KOSTT insisted on being a transmission system operator, and in this way it shows its inability to do so.” According to Mihajlovic, KOSTT was falsely certified on the property of the Republic of Serbia, and there is no basis for its use. “It should also be said that Pristina sold the distribution system to the Turkish operator, more precisely the network owned by the Republic of Serbia. The provisional authorities in Pristina also did not allow the work of Serbian suppliers and distributors, whereby the Brussels agreement was directly violated,” said Mihajlovic, and pointed out: “The goal is to leave the Serbs without electricity and in debt. To exert pressure on them and once again to tell them that they are not happy to be seen in their false state.” “Pristina is behaving unconstructively at the negotiating table in Brussels and only knows how to blackmail, and resolving the most important problems for a normal life of citizens is totally irrelevant to it. It is now clear why it is necessary to form the Community of Serb Municipalities as soon as possible, so that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija can live normally,” concluded Mihajlovic.

 

Selakovic: Relations and cooperation with France developing in spirit of strategic partnership (Beta)

 

In a meeting with newly appointed French Ambassador to Serbia Pierre Cochard on Tuesday, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said that overall bilateral cooperation had been developing in the spirit of strategic partnership, according to a release from the Serbian Foreign Ministry. Selakovic said he was happy with intense political dialogue, adding he hoped that French President Emmanuel Macron would visit Belgrade in the coming period and that he would meet with his French counterpart. Selakovic also said that France was among the top seven investors in Serbia, noting that French businesspeople had been continually expressing interest in Serbia and possibilities for doing business here. He also said that the Belgrade Metro Project was one of the most important infrastructure undertakings, but also underlined the importance of bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture and education.

 

Mojsilovic with NATO official about cooperation between Serbia and NATO (Tanjug)

 

The current political and security situation in the region, the cooperation between the Serbian Army and KFOR and the participation in joint Partnership for Peace (PfP) program activities were the topics discussed on Tuesday by Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Army General Milan Mojsilovic and Major General Francesco Diella, Director of the Cooperative Security Division of the NATO International Military Staff, the Serbian Defense Ministry announced. Participants in the meeting indicated their readiness to continue cooperation in areas of mutual interest and expressed expectation that overall relations will continue to develop within the PfP program, fully respecting Serbia’s policy of military neutrality, it was further stated. As announced, Diella will also attend a meeting with representatives of the Serbian Army's General Staff, where the capabilities of the Peacekeeping Operations Center, participation of the Serbian Army in multinational operations and their involvement in the Operational Capabilities Concept will be presented.

 

Lajcak: Lengthy, detailed discussion with Vucic (Beta)

 

EU special representative for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and other regional issues in the Western Balkans Miroslav Lajcak said on Tuesday that he had had a lengthy and detailed discussion with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. "In continuation of my discussions on the way forward in the EU-facilitated Dialogue, I had a long and detailed conversation with President of Serbia," Lajcak tweeted. The EU's special representative met in Vienna with Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti and with Pristina's and Belgrade's chief negotiators in the Brussels dialogue, Besnik Bislimi and Petar Petkovic respectively, in Brussels last week.

 

EU’s Min: No support for opening of new clusters with Serbia; note some progress (N1)

 

The EU ministers agreed on Tuesday that Serbia had made some progress but did not support the opening of new clusters in its accession talks with the bloc. The ministers added the country still had a lot to do. “Many ministers agreed there has been some progress in Serbia, which was positive. But there were some interventions about steps Serbia has to take to open another cluster. Primarily regarding the Constitutional changes that will be voted on by the end of this month. But, we’ll see. The general atmosphere is positive, and there is a support,” said Anze Logar, the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, currently the EU presiding country. In January, France takes over. The EU Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi attended the Council’s meeting on the enlargement and passed on the support of the European Commission (EC) for the opening of new clusters with Serbia. Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders echoed the message at a news conference. In October, the EC proposed opening Cluster 3 (Competitiveness and Growth) and Cluster 4 (Green Agenda and Sustainability). However, the process is still ongoing and is currently being addressed by Council working groups. A final decision could be made as early as next week. Serbia is expected to open at least one cluster at an intergovernmental conference scheduled for mid-December. Belgrade’s authorities were optimistic, hoping to open at least one, if not two clusters, following the latest EC report on Serbia’s progress which they described as the best so far. Some MEPs criticized the report for being too soft on Belgrade, primarily about the reforms in the rule of law, media freedom and some environmentalist issues.

 

ISAC Fund says majority of Serbians see Russia as ally, oppose NATO membership (FoNet)

 

The ISAC Fund said in a report that more than two thirds of Serbians believe that the West is promoting a decadent lifestyle. The fund’s GLOBSEC Vulnerability Index showed that “a total of 68% of Serbians think Western countries promote a morally corrupt and decadent lifestyle veiled behind “civil liberties”. It added that only 18% of Serbians see the European Union as a strategic partner, and 55% believe that EU integration threatens democracy and traditional values. “At the same time, EU integration is viewed as an opportunity to improve the lives of ordinary people,” the report said. The report is based on a poll of 1,000 people. “The government’s foreign policy orientation is mirrored in public attitudes. Compared to others in the region, Serbian society is particularly sympathetic towards Russia and China, antagonistic to NATO, and ambivalent about the EU,” it said. It said that the majority of the adult population (82%) perceives Russia as their traditional Slavic brother and as the country’s most important strategic partner (59%), while NATO integration is strongly opposed by 84% of adults and a slight majority of 52% support membership in the EU. “The public administration’s numerous flaws, including pervasive corruption, state capture, and an information space flooded by propaganda and disinformation, further impede the development of a more democratic and resilient society. Civil society and academia, nonetheless, provide a degree of resilience with academic freedom and freedom of assembly widely respected,” the report said. The report said that “71% of Serbians judge Russia to be unjustly blamed by the West for problems and 91% think that Russia does not represent a danger to Serbia”.

 

Pristina again bans Petkovic from visiting Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)

 

The provisional Pristina authorities on Tuesday again banned the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic from visiting the southern province, where he was scheduled to attend a religious festivity at the Visoki Decani monastery on Wednesday. During a visit to the province on 24-25 November, Petkovic was also due to visit several Serb low-income and returnee families and hand them much-needed assistance, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement. Noting that this was the fourth time Petkovic had been banned from visiting Kosovo and Metohija, the Office said that, however, no bans would stop Belgrade from continuing to help Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and invest in Serb communities there.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Dodik meets with Vucic ahead Vucic’s meeting with Putin (RTRS) 

 

Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Tuesday, ahead Vucic’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, scheduled for 25 November. RTRS reports that Vucic and Putin will discuss future delivery and price of natural gas, as well as the current issues and situation in B&H and Kosovo.

 

MEPs discuss situation in B&H: No one can endanger DPA and call B&H's integrity into question (FTV) 

 

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) discussed on Tuesday evening the situation in B&H at the request of the Greens/EFA group, following recent worrying political developments in B&H. The MEPs underlined that no one can endanger the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and call integrity of B&H into question. Several MEPs pointed out that the deep political crisis in B&H has been further exacerbated by increasingly provocative and separatist moves of Serb member of the B&H Presidency and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik. Opening the discussion on the situation in B&H in the European Parliament, Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anze Logar stated that the Council of the EU is committed to B&H's European prospects, stressing that the EU regrets the current crisis and the blockade of institutions in B&H. "The blockade is unacceptable. The citizens of B&H are concerned about issues that are crucial for their lives. Political leaders have to overcome this situation and focus on joint efforts that will enable reforms that will accelerate the European path. We hope that next elections will be held in accordance with the recommendations. The B&H Constitution is not in line with the Convention on Human Rights," Logar underlined. Logar stressed that the Council calls for electoral reform that would eliminate all forms of discrimination. The MEPs expressed support to EUFOR which, as Logar pointed out, contributes to safe environment for all citizens of B&H. Executive Vice President of the European Commission (EC) Valdis Dombrovskis stated that the EC is closely monitoring the situation in B&H, assessing it as worrying. "We ask that the leaders of that country work on de-escalation and seek dialogue, and not to increase tensions. It is really necessary for that country to have such an environment that it can receive funds from the EU, especially for the recovery from the pandemic. The situation in which leaders do not solve problems for citizens, from corruption to the departure of young people, is concerning," Dombrovskis emphasized. Certain MEPs stressed that Dodik is the biggest threat to peace not only in B&H but in the entire region. MEP Michael Gahler stated that it has a name and it is Milorad Dodik. "Why does not the Council speak clearly about it? This gentleman who has support of Belgrade and Moscow must declare himself. How will you, the Commission, talk to the High Representative about whether you are ready to strengthen Althea's mission or to send troops to both entities? Will we take and impose sanctions against persons that undermine integrity of B&H? Sanctions against Dodik and his allies - that is a clear task of this parliament," Gahler said. MEP Klemen Groselj stated that it is necessary to send a clear message to Dodik. "It does not only affect the region; it affects the whole European Union. It undermines the interests of the European Union. We cannot allow madness of nationalism to prevail again," Groselj underlined. MEP Tineke Strik pointed out that the Dayton Agreement is under pressure. "Milorad Dodik is playing a dangerous game and calling territorial integrity and sovereignty of B&H into question. We cannot accept that. I ask that the ministers of the EU impose sanctions against Milorad Dodik and (I ask) the entire international community not to make compromises on much-needed democratic reforms and to finally separate itself from ethnic and political divisions," Strik said. However, certain MEPs did not agree with the assessment that Dodik is to be blamed for the situation in B&H. MEP Tomislav Sokol said that B&H is faced with a political crisis. "However, Dodik's activities, although problematic, are not the main problem of this country. The main problem is Bosniak aspiration for political hegemony under the guise of civic B&H, especially over the Croats as the smallest constituent people," Sokol emphasized. Sokol stressed Croats in B&H have been deprived of the right to elect their political representatives. "This is a problem that can only be resolved by an urgent amendment to the Election Law in order to put an end to the outvoting of Croats once and for all," Sokol said.

 

Dutch parliament raises initiative on imposing EU sanctions against Dodik (BHT1) 

 

The parliament of the Netherlands adopted an initiative demanding authorities of this country to request partners in the EU to impose sanctions against member of B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik due to denial of Srebrenica genocide. BHT1 reports that 117 MPs in the Netherlands parliament supported abovementioned initiative, while 33 MPs voted against it. The initiative calls on the government of the Netherlands to advocate within the EU sanctions aimed directly against Dodik and his circle of power. The initiative asks the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs to send a letter to his colleagues from the EU Member States, in which he would call them to distance themselves from Dodik’s statements by which he denies the Srebrenica genocide.

 

Schmidt: RS army will not be formed (N1/VoA) 

 

High Representative (HR) Christian Schmidt is in official visit to the US, where he is expected to meet with US Department of State officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried. N1 reports that in an interview for the Voice of America (VoA) Schmidt discussed, among others, the current situation in B&H, emphasizing what the reaction of the international community should be in case Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik started with activities on forming of the Republika Srpska (RS) army. “The RS army will not be formed. Consequences of that are very clear, including my side as well. It should be clear that, if the things get complicated, the EU, EUFOR and NATO, via so-called command and Berlin Plus strategy, can increase their presence. I do not see the need for that at the moment, but I think that we need to be aware of the situation,” Schmidt was quoted as saying. He noted that after his meeting with NATO Secretary General last week, he would say that this is not increase of the presence, but presence which can be interpreted as dedication of the IC to contribute the implementation of Dayton. “This means there should be cooperation between the EU and NATO,” said Schmidt. Schmidt spoke about the goals of his stay in the United States and summarized the experiences of his diplomatic engagement in B&H. “We have to admit that Dayton is not respected, especially because of Mr. Dodik’s actions. We need to talk about how we will deal with it, what the future holds for B&H to somehow secure membership in the European Union, and what the next steps should be,” Schmidt said. Schmidt stated that he is hesitant in using Bonn Powers. Schmidt emphasized that Europe and the West have strategic interest to keep this region stable. Schmidt also stated that he received a lot of requests to remove someone from his position, adding that it had been done earlier. “This can be done only with help of stick and carrot. Sticks might be annulment of laws or amending of laws that do not meet requirements of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA). I have right of final interpretation. I have said there are instruments in my drawer and I have a key of this drawer. I know how to use it. No one should wrongly understand this is a sign I will never use them. We might come to such situation, but this is not a moment for it,” explained Schmidt.

 

Stoltenberg: Inflammatory rhetoric in RS is concerning (BHT1) 

 

Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg stated that inflammatory rhetoric in the RS is concerning. Stoltenberg underlined that united structure in B&H is important for security of this country, adding that NATO remains committed to political dialogue and cooperation with B&H. He added that NATO will resume to support reforms that are important for welfare of people in B&H. Stoltenberg noted that NATO’s open doors policy is registering historic success. “Balkans is in the heart of Europe, we have history there. We see some wrong movements in the region, especially inflammatory speech of Milorad Dodik, who undermines one of our greatest accomplishments, a multi-ethnic army in B&H,” said Stoltenberg.

 

Schmid stresses need for B&H institutions to start functioning in full capacity (O Kanal) 

 

Secretary General of the OSCE Helga Maria Schmid is paying an official visit to B&H and on Tuesday met with the B&H Presidency members Zeljko Komsic and Sefik Dzaferovic, members of Collegium of both Houses of the B&H parliament and members of the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) for Changes to the B&H Election Legislation. The focus of all talks was the blockade of the B&H institutions by the RS political representatives. Schmid stressed the need for the B&H institutions to start functioning in full capacity, advocating the avoidance of the rhetoric of division and secessionism. Schmid deems that the policy of division will not bring progress to anyone, but will negatively affect economy, investments and citizens of B&H. The statement issued by the Presidency of B&H reads that members of the Presidency pointed out need to implement key reforms, primarily those that refer to the Election Law, judiciary, education and combat against crime and corruption. Komsic informed Schmid that B&H went from 14 priorities of the EC into a situation in which its sovereignty and territorial integrity is put un danger, whilst its institutions are blocked that could have negative impact on whole of region and Europe. Dzaferovic said that the RS authorities can achieve their announcements only if they use illegal force against institutions of B&H, which would undermine peace in B&H. At the meeting with Schmid, Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik stressed that the RS is committed to the peace and respect of the Constitution and the DPA, and the same is expected from others. Dodik said that the RS respects territorial integrity and constitutional order of B&H, and that it does not have a plan to secede. “As for the RS, there is not threat to peace. We respect the Constitution and constitutional order, but we are against legal violence of unconstitutional B&H, imposing of laws and interference of foreigners. B&H can function, but the decisions must be made by B&H politicians,” Dodik was quoted as saying. Schmid stressed the importance of implementing key reforms, particularly the electoral reform, in line with international democratic standards, and the interlocutors agreed it was necessary to focus on economic development of the country and attracting investments that would allow better life for the citizens. Schmid expressed concern that, due to the current political crisis in B&H, the IAWG was unable to work for months or find solutions for improvement of the election process.

 

Covic talks to Plenkovic, Grushko, focus on Law on Elections (Dnevni list) 

 

HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic met with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic in Zagreb on Tuesday with whom he again talked about changes to the Law on Elections of B&H and the current situation in B&H. Covic posted a statement on Twitter saying: “There needs to be urgent stabilization and agreement on changes to the Law on Elections of B&H as high priority.” He also stressed that the three constituent peoples and their rights must be identical in order to prevent any sort of discrimination. Covic posted another Twitter message in which he said that he talked to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko. Covic stated (in the second Twitter message) that it is crucial that changes to the Law on Elections are completed in 2021, that constituent peoples must be equal in rights and representation and that there cannot be discrimination.

 

Grlic Radman and Varhelyi discuss situation in B&H and Western Balkans (Vecernji list) 

 

The daily notes that after many US and European officials visited B&H in last several weeks in attempt to unblock political processes in B&H and help the country get out of the institutional crisis, European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Oliver Varhelyi will be arriving to Sarajevo today (Wednesday). According to initial information, Varhelyi will meet leaders of political parties. During his two-day visit, the Commissioner should also meet with members of the Presidency of B&H and representatives of the Council of Ministers of B&H. According to the daily, one of topics of the meetings will be the EU path of B&H and the halt of the EU integration, adding that it is certain that Varhelyi will request unblocking of the state institutions and agreement on changes to the electoral legislation. Daily further writes it is important to note, in the context of electoral reform, that Varhelyi spoke on the phone with Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman on Tuesday. According to the daily, Grlic Radman again raised the issue of importance of electoral reform in B&H, and wrote in the social media that he and Varhelyi had “excellent exchange of opinion about the situation in the Western Balkans and challenges in the EU neighborhood”. The daily further reads that after Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto visited Sarajevo and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited Banja Luka recently, there are announcements that Orban will now visit Sarajevo and that Hungarian President Janos Ader will visit Sarajevo after Orban.

 

Croatian parliament’s Committee for Croats outside Croatia discuss electoral reform in B&H (HRT) 

 

The Parliamentary Committee on Croats outside the Republic of Croatia held session on Tuesday to present proposed changes to the Election Law in neighboring B&H. The aim of the amendments to the country's election law are designed to ensure the equal representation of the three constituent peoples in B&H - Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks. Zvonko Milas, State Secretary of the Central State office for Croats Abroad, said the “proposals make it clear that if the Election Law is not changed by the end of the year, the survival of the Croat people in B&H is in question”. The Institute for Social and Political Research in Mostar and the Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) in B&H said the proposed changes presented on Tuesday in Zagreb would be supported by Croats in B&H. Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Croats outside the Republic of Croatia Zdravka Busic stressed that Croatia was not interfering in the domestic politics of B&H. “We are obliged to do this and we will do everything in our power to make clear to our dear friends that Croats are a constituent people, and not some ethnic group” said Busic. Busic said that all participants of the discussion agreed that the Election Law is the key for survival of Croats in B&H. Committee member Nino Raspudic noted that the issue of amending of the Election Law is conditioned by political will. Raspudic accused Bosniak leaders in B&H of wishing for a continued delay in amending the Election Law so that they can form “authorities without legitimate representatives of Croats”.

 

Krivokapic, Varhelyi: Continued reforms will lead to Montenegro's membership in the EU (Gov. Press service) 

 

Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic met with European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi in Brussels. The officials agreed that continued reforms and work on strengthening institutions will lead to Montenegro's membership in the EU. We do not have and are not looking for an alternative to the European Union. It is possible that the lack of progress in certain segments of the accession process has left room for different, ill-intentioned interpretations. However, it should be taken into account that Montenegro has gone through a process of democratic transition in a short period of time, and consequently changed part of the personnel structure for conducting negotiations and started the process of reforms on several tracks. All this was necessary in order for us to take a stable course towards fulfilling the preconditions and achieving internal readiness for EU membership, the Prime Minister said.

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi expressed satisfaction with the meeting with the Prime Minister of Montenegro and said that the frequency of contacts at the highest level is a strong confirmation of Montenegro's commitment to become the next member of the European Union. He stressed the importance of intensifying the integration process and the readiness of the European Union to provide technical support to Montenegro. In the context of the European Union's annual report for Montenegro, the Prime Minister said that the Government was focused on meeting the provisional benchmarks for Chapter 23 and Chapter 24, and expressed the expectation that Montenegro would complete the remaining tasks by the end of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union (June 2022). During the meeting, PM Krivokapic informed the European Commissioner about the economic recovery and investment programmes "Europe Now!" and "Montenegro Now!". The officials agreed that maintaining good neighborly relations is key to preserving stability and further integration of the Western Balkans into the EU.

 

Krivokapic attends a working breakfast with GAC ministers in Brussels (Gov. Press service) 

 

Ahead of the regular session of the General Affairs Council (GAC), Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic participated in an informal working breakfast with the EU Ministers of European/Foreign Affairs. The breakfast was organized by Minister for the EU and Constitution of Austria Karoline Edtstadler. The meeting was an opportunity to acquaint the EU ministers, who are in charge of enlargement, with the intensive activities that Montenegro is undertaking on its European path. The Prime Minister informed his interlocutors about the current situation in Montenegro, especially in the context of European integration, which is the main strategic and foreign policy priority of the new Government. As a reliable NATO member, we want to use our position in the Alliance for a stronger political dialogue at the EU level. The Government is determined to make all capacities available for the fulfillment of the goal, i.e. full membership in the EU. The accession process is for us a period of work on internal reforms and strengthening of our institutions. Despite the fact that the negotiations have lasted for 9 years, due to the lack of political will of our predecessors to speed up the process, we in Montenegro have a very high level of citizen support for European integration, and it increased by over 10% after the election of the new Government, said the Prime Minister. Furthermore, he presented the activities on fulfilling the provisional benchmarks for Chapter 23 and Chapter 24. During the meeting he received support from the participants, the EU Ministers of European/Foreign Affairs, for the economic reform programme "Europe Now" and the investment programme "Montenegro Now". The ministers praised the Government's efforts to fight corruption and organized crime and reiterated their full support for Montenegro's EU integration. Montenegro's approach to good neighborly relations and full foreign policy compliance with EU foreign and security policy was also positively assessed. The meeting noted that the future of the Western Balkans is in the European Union, and that the candidate countries, as well as the member states, must give their contribution to preserving the values of a united Europe and further strengthening of the European Union.

 

Bulgaria’s veto remains, Macedonia did not meet the criteria for start of EU accession negotiations (Republika/BNR/MIA) 

 

There is no change in Bulgaria’s position on the start of EU accession talks with Macedonia at today’s meeting of the General Affairs Council, BNR reported, MIA reports from Sofia. The Bulgarian veto remains, although, according to a diplomatic source, Bulgaria’s planned sharp position, which was to be expressed before the Council, was not expressed due to the Struma highway tragedy. Bulgaria’s Permanent Representative to the EU, Rumen Alexandrov, first expressed deep condolences over the accident in which 45 Macedonian citizens were killed, noting that Macedonia does not yet meet the criteria for holding the first intergovernmental conference. He added that in recent months Sofia has proposed a number of options for resolving the pending issues as guarantees for the rights of people with Bulgarian self-awareness, and that Macedonia should take concrete binding obligations, some of which should be fulfilled in the short term, and others to be among the requirements of the future negotiating framework. Alexandrov said no progress could be expected before that happened. Slovenian State Secretary for European Affairs Gasper Dovzan, as reported by MIA from Brussels, said that a major focus of today’s meeting was on the Bulgarian-Macedonian dispute. I am glad that there is general support for the whole process, but there are still bilateral issues, especially raised by Bulgaria. But I hope that by the end of our EU presidency we will be able to solve the problems, this process must be positive, Dovzan said.

 

Slovenian EU presidency: A few more weeks to unblock Bulgarian veto; Hopes for solution (Radio Tirana) 

 

The ministers of European affairs met in Brussels to prepare for the 16 and 17 December summit. One of the main topics on their agenda was the enlargement of the European Union. At the final press conference, the Secretary of State of Slovenia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gasper Dovzan, focused on the ministers' discussions on enlargement: "We discussed enlargement. Discussions focused on some outstanding issues. I am pleased to see that there is a great deal of support for the whole enlargement process, but you know, there are some bilateral issues raised especially by Bulgaria, but I hope that in the time remaining during our presidency, we will be able to advance on this issue. This process should be positive and I hope that bilateral issues will be resolved constructively. I am speaking from experience. When Slovenia was a candidate country and was preparing to become a member of the European Union, it had to solve a bilateral problem with two member states of the European Union and in the meantime; a neighbor of ours was meanwhile negotiating with another member state. Therefore, we know how important good neighborliness is. "I hope we can take positive steps forward and we will do everything." As regards any signs from Bulgaria of a possible lifting of the Bulgarian veto on the opening of membership negotiations with North Macedonia in December, the Secretary of State said: In politics it is important to be optimistic. The role of a politician is to create space for a solution. This is what we are trying to do. I do not want to speculate on how the issue of enlargement will be resolved in the end, but what is important to understand is that enlargement is a chance for everyone. Enlargement processes have provided prosperity and improved relations between neighbors, and it is important to show the benefits of EU enlargement to those forces that are skeptical of the process. Asked about the credibility of the European Union enlargement policy created by the blocking of the official opening of negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia due to a bilateral problem between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, Secretary of State Gasper Dovzan stated: "When I spoke about the credibility of the European Union and the enlargement process, I took it honestly and seriously. Unfortunately, over the two years for various reasons, we have not noticed any step forward. This is not just a problem of the European Union. But we need to be honest and trustworthy and take steps forward when needed. We have seen today in the debate of the ministers many positive assessments, there have been steps forward mainly in Serbia and North Macedonia and in Albania and these steps should be rewarded. We have to do our part of the job, but decision-making works in this case on the basis of unanimity rules. The process of membership negotiations is the one that enables the transformation of candidate countries and creates benefits for both parties at the negotiating table." Ahead of the ministerial meeting, the Minister for Europe in the German Federal Government, Michael Roth, said that the current stalemate with Albania and North Macedonia poses a major problem for the credibility of the EU enlargement policy: "We have a major problem with the credibility of the EU enlargement process, because we are not united. It is the last chance to speak with one voice. We cannot start talks with North Macedonia and Albania due to a bilateral problem between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. This is a bilateral problem and must be resolved bilaterally. So, we have to give a clear signal. We cannot let the citizens of these countries wait. Here the European Union faces a major problem. The more democratic, stable and prosperous the Western Balkans are, the better it is in the interest of the European Union. We must show courage in foreign policy matters.” European affairs ministers will meet again on 14 December to discuss the possible setting of a date for holding the first intergovernmental conferences with Albania and North Macedonia, and with Serbia-Montenegro. Further, the enlargement dossier will go to the table of European leaders at the summit on 16 and 17 December.