LOCAL PRESS

 

Concrete steps for formation of Community of Serb Municipalities examined in Brussels (Tanjug/RTS/RTV/Politika)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said in Brussels yesterday that for the first time in the last several years, the most concrete steps for the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities were discussed at trilateral meetings, as part of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. After a meeting with Chief Negotiator of Pristina Besnik Bislimi and EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues Miroslav Lajcak, Petkovic pointed out that the main topic of the meeting was the continuation of the process of implementation and formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities, because that is the first obligation agreed in Ohrid. The discussions were long and difficult, but the Serbian side demonstrated constructiveness and respect of all its commitments up to its clearly stated red lines, Petkovic said after meeting. "It is important for us to hold discussions because that is the only way to protect peace and Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as to have normalisation of relations, because that is how we can preserve stability in the Western Balkans. We discussed ways to continue the implementation process and the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities because it is the first commitment agreed in Ohrid, and today was the first time we discussed in trilateral dialogue the most concrete steps to forming a Community of Serb Municipalities and what the steering team needs to do under agreements from 2013 and 2015, the first step being the presentation of the statute prepared by the steering team as part of high-level dialogue," Petkovic said. He noted that a declaration on missing persons had been agreed and would be adopted at a high-level meeting. "We were especially careful with all the terminology and we did not accept the term mentioned in the convention on enforced disappearances so that we do not endanger Serbia's interests," Petkovic said. He said energy had been discussed as well and that discussions with Pristina's power company would be continued to address distribution services, but added that vehicle licence plates had been addressed, too. "That is when I pointed out all the violations by Pristina in that regard, and violations of agreements from 2021 and 2022. We came out with constructive proposals that were rejected by Pristina," Petkovic said, adding that the most important thing was to resolve everything peacefully and that stopping ambulances and vehicles was not the solution. He concluded that discussions on the issue had primarily been with Kosovo Serbs and their security in mind. "We also discussed attacks. In any case, it was a significant series of questions, we will continue to talk and that is the only way to move forward," said Petkovic, who also heads the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

 

Vucic, Atlantic Council delegation talk relations between Serbia, US, Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Beta)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic talked on 4 April with members of an Atlantic Council delegation about relations between Serbia and the US, the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and European integration, as well as the situation in the region and the world. Vucic said that one of Serbia's foreign policy priorities was to further advance every area of cooperation with the US and recalled a call for establishing a strategic dialogue between the two countries, as well as stepping up political and military cooperation, a statement from his office said. Vucic reiterated that membership in the EU was Belgrade's strategic choice and that it remained committed to reforms. He thanked the US for its engagement in the dialogue with Pristina "for the purpose of achieving a compromise and sustainable solution for Kosovo that will secure lasting peace and stability in the region". He reiterated that Belgrade was committed to working on the implementation of agreements to the extent of its "lines in the sand". The Atlantic Council delegation said that it recognized the historic challenges that Serbia faced and that the US would continue its pragmatic engagement to preserve peace and stability and strengthen cooperation and connectivity in the Western Balkans, including strong support for the Open Balkans initiative, the statement says.

 

Brnabic with Sarrazin: Belgrade expects constructive support for the ZSO (Tanjug/RTV)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today with German Federal government Special Representative for the Countries of the Western Balkans Manuel Sarrazin about the improvement of bilateral relations, European integration, the current regional situation and the latest developments within the Berlin Process initiative. Brnabic said that Serbia is interested in strengthening the synergy with Germany, emphasising that in addition to the continuation of investment cooperation, especially in the high-tech sector, there are great opportunities for deepening relations in the fields of energy, auto industry, as well as science and education. She underlined that cooperation in the region is Serbia's strategic commitment with the aim of not only improving the economic development of the region, but also as an idea of connecting and uniting the Western Balkans and bringing it closer to the EU. Speaking about the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija, she highlighted Belgrade's commitment to preserving peace and stability and said that she expects constructive support that will enable lasting stability in the region with the implementation of existing agreements, and above all the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. Sarrazin underlined that the talks between Belgrade and Pristina are a good basis for further discussion and progress, and that the recent steps forward in the dialogue represent an important step on the way to the EU, and that implementation is key. He also emphasised the importance of further steps towards the establishment of a common regional market, underlining that he expects the results of the Berlin Process initiative to enable the creation of a more prosperous environment and provide concrete benefits for the residents of the region. The meeting was also attended by German Ambassador to Serbia Anke Konrad.

 

Regular, intensive exchange of opinions with Bundestag (Tanjug/RTV)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and Vice President of the German Bundestag Aydan Ozoguz assessed yesterday that bilateral relations between the two countries are at a very high level, especially in the field of the economy, in which Germany is Serbia’s first partner.

Dacic expressed satisfaction with the intensification of dialogue with Bundestag, which has a prominent place in the overall dialogue with Germany. During the meeting, the European integration of Serbia and the region was discussed, and Dacic and Ozoguz reached an agreement that regular and intensive exchange of opinions can significantly contribute to the acceleration of this process.

 

Orlic: Dialogue with Pristina remains burden on Serbia's EU integration (RTV/Tanjug)

 

Serbia's EU integration remains burdened by the issue of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, which is underway in difficult circumstances, Serbian parliament speaker Vladimir Orlic said at a meeting with Bundestag Vice President Aydan Ozoguz. "Establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities without delay is a commitment that must be met, and one Pristina has been avoiding in every way, even stepping up dangerous moves and attempts to cause escalation in recent days in order to later use it as an alibi for avoiding its commitments. Brutally and on a daily basis, Pristina is putting Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, their basic security and their fundamental rights under threat," Orlic said according to a statement released by the Serbian parliament. Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija get arrested and convicted to prison sentences without being guilty and without any evidence, and Pristina sends uniform-clad bullies armed to the teeth to the north of Kosovo and Metohija to harass even mothers with children, Orlic said. Serbs are even denied the right to speech and opinion, which is unthinkable anywhere in Europe in the 21st century, Orlic said. "In difficult circumstances such as these, we are implementing Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's policy responsibly, and we are committed to preserving peace and stability for all, because we know that, without peace, there is neither progress nor life at all," he said. During the conversation with Ozoguz, Orlic confirmed the good bilateral ties, accompanied by intensive political dialogue, the statement said. Orlic thanked Germany for the support it was providing to Serbia on its European path, and noted Serbia's commitment and progress in all fields that are a part of its reform process. Ozoguz highlighted the significance of open and sincere dialogue for preservation of peace for all in the Western Balkans, noting, at the same time, the region's significance for the EU. The statement said the parties had welcomed the dynamic bilateral economic cooperation, especially the record-high results in trade and investment. They expressed readiness to further strengthen parliamentary cooperation on all levels to also contribute to closer political ties between Serbia and Germany.

 

Belgrade insists trial of Kosovo wartimes guerrilla commanders is a trial of the entire organization (TV Pink/Beta)

 

The indictment against former leaders of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague was based exclusively on illegal detentions and it was a trial of the entire KLA and not of individual members, the Chair of the Committee on Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun, said on 4 April. Speaking to TV Pink, Drecun described German Ambassador in Pristina Joern Rohde’s statement that it was not the KLA on trial, but only individuals, as “shameful”, noting that “from German diplomats, one can only expect such statements”. “As much as the Albanians have been trying to show that this is not a trial of the terrorist KLA, this is actually a trial of that criminal organization. And the entire organization is described as criminal in the indictment. And now it will be presented, I am absolutely convinced that evidence will demonstrate that those heinous crimes were committed,” Drecun stressed. Speaking about protests in Pristina against the indictment, Drecun said that the Albanian community was not ready to deal with the crimes.

 

Milatovic: We need to work on regional cooperation as long as EU is our goal (Tanjug)

 

Montenegro's President-elect Jakov Milatovic said on Tuesday his country's potential membership in the Open Balkans initiative needed to be discussed by the next government in Podgorica, to be elected by a new Montenegrin parliament. "My political stance on that is very clear. Even before I became a minister in the government of Montenegro, a politician and president of Montenegro, I worked very much in the professional sense on advancement of regional economic integration in the Western Balkans, including at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, where I was employed," Milatovic told Tanjug in an exclusive interview. He recalled that outgoing President Milo Djukanovic had attended the initial meetings that had led to the establishment of Open Balkans. "Meanwhile, he changed his political narrative on Open Balkans," Milatovic said, adding that regional economic integration was an inseparable part of European integration. "As long as Montenegro's full EU membership is our goal, we must work simultaneously on everything that has to do with advancement of regional economic cooperation," Milatovic said. When asked about a visit to Belgrade and ways in which he wished to boost Montenegro's relations with Serbia, Milatovic noted that he had announced that his first visit as president would be a trip to Brussels, from where he said he would send a strong message of Montenegro's true European path. "As far as good-neighbourly relations are concerned, what is more normal than us in the Western Balkans having the best possible relations? Unfortunately, that is not how things have been, but it seems to me that the victory over Djukanovic gives all of us the hope that we will embark on a new era of additional stabilisation of good-neighbourly relations in Western Balkan countries, because that is exactly what the citizens expect from Montenegro and from us," Milatovic said. There has been enough friction, and a European future of the Western Balkans is "what awaits us all," he said. "Regional economic integration - be it what is already in place through the CEFTA agreement, what is underway under the umbrella of the Berlin Process or what has been launched by Western Balkan countries themselves, like Open Balkans - as well as everything that is beneficial to citizens and businesses in our countries, is something that needs to be supported and also worked on actively," Milatovic said. When asked if he expects that after the extraordinary elections, the Movement for Europe will now get the third level of government, i.e. the position of prime minister, since it won the most votes in Podgorica, and then the citizens gave him the most confidence as the movement's candidate in the presidential elections, and whether will perform in a coalition or independently, Milatovic said that it is still too early to talk about parliamentary elections. "They are currently being announced before the Constitutional Court. We have to wait to see the decision. The political position is that they should be as soon as possible and regardless of the performance, whether it will be a coalition in the pre-election or post-election sense, I think the essential goal is for Montenegro to get a politically stable government that will have strong support from the Parliament of Montenegro. and for the Assembly to be more politically realistic than the current convocation," said Milatovic. He reminds that now DPS controls almost 50 percent of the Assembly, with the forecast that in the next convocation it will be twice as much, and that the Movement Europe will certainly be the dominant factor now. When asked if he could promise the citizens that he would not disappoint them, Milatovic stated that the citizens already know the moral principles behind which he stands and all the values he promotes. "I think that it is precisely for these reasons that I received such a high level of support from the citizens, of which I am very proud, but it is a great responsibility, and precisely from the position of the president of the state, I want to be both a cohesive factor and a corrective factor, so I am sure that they I will not disappoint," Milatovic said. When asked about his arrival in Belgrade and how he wants to improve relations with Serbia, Milatovic recalls that he stated that his first visit will be to Brussels, from where he will send a strong message of Montenegro's true European path. "As far as good neighborly relations are concerned, is there anything more normal than that we in the countries of the Western Balkans have the best possible relations? Unfortunately, it was not like that, but it seems to me that this victory over Djukanovic gives all of us hope that we will enter a new era of additional stabilization of good-neighborly relations in the countries of the Western Balkans, because this is exactly what citizens expect from Montenegro. and from us", said Milatovic.

 

Lajcak, Chollet: Immediate implementation of agreements needed (Beta/RTS)

 

EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak said he spoke with US Department of State Counselor Derek Chollet about the meeting between Belgrade’s and Pristina’s chief negotiators held Tuesday in Brussels. Lajcak said in a Twitter post that he and Chollet agreed on the need to immediately implement all the agreements reached within the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. He said it was good to discuss the latest developments with Chollet and that he updated him on the dialogue and the chief negotiators’ meeting. “We agreed on the need for immediate implementation in good faith,” wrote Lajcak.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

FB&H VP Stojanovic signs decision on appointment of FB&H government (Nova BH)

 

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) Vice-President Igor Stojanovic (SDP Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H)) signed on Tuesday morning the decision of FB&H President Lidija Bradara (HDZ B&H) on appointment of the FB&H government. Stojanovic found three names from the list of nominated ministers disputable, and those are Sanja Vlaisavljevic, Anel Kljako, and Almin Hopovac due to constant media criticisms pertaining to these candidates. However, Stojanovic’s decided to sign the decision regardless of the fact that SDP B&H’s partners did not reconsider other candidates for the ministerial functions. Stojanovic admitted that he is dissatisfied by the fact that his demand for reconsidering the nomination of these three candidates was not met. “I am giving my consent, despite that, primarily because of the situation with the FB&H government. We currently have a government that has been in technical mandate for 4.5 years”, noted Stojanovic, and added that these three ministers are a better solution than to keep having the FB&H Government in technical mandate. SDP B&H leader Nermin Niksic, who is candidate for the FB&H Prime Minister, noted that the decision will not be voted on in an unconstitutional form, which would be in case only two members of the FB&H leadership sign it. Niksic said: “We are absolutely not considering adoption of any unconstitutional decision in the (FB&H) HoR, i.e. decision referred to the (FB&H) HoR, the FB&H President’s decision endorsed by only one Vice President is unconstitutional without the approval of another Vice President, and it will not be discussed and voted on. However, we will clearly demonstrate that we have parliamentary majority”. FB&H President Lidija Bradara on Tuesday held yet another meeting with the FB&H Vice Presidents on the formation of the FB&H government. Prior to that, FB&H Vice President Igor Stojanovic gave his consent to the Decision on the Appointment on the same day, which Bradara made on 30 March. FB&H Vice President Refik Lendo, however, maintained his original stance that he will not give his consent. Bradara will report to the FB&H House of Representatives (HoR) in line with the constitutional deadlines and her competencies, i.e. she will deliver the information with documentation related to the appointment of the FB&H government.

 

SDA: Political violence carried out by ‘Troika’ and HDZ in order to form FB&H government could culminate in criminal complaint against Bradara (O Kanal)

 

SDA issued a statement on Tuesday reading that “an attempt at political and legal violence carried out by the parties of ‘The Troika’ and HDZ B&H with the intention of forming a new convocation of the FB&H government in violation of the Constitution of the FB&H could culminate in the coming days.” “Although the deadline of thirty days is expiring, FB&H President Lidija Bradara (HDZ B&H) refused to consult with the Vice-President Refik Lendo regarding the composition of the new government, and instead of a political agreement with the Vice-President representing the Bosniaks, she signed the decision on the appointment of the Prime Minister and ministers. If it happens that President Bradara submits the decision on the appointment of the government of the FB&H to the House of Representatives without the signatures of both Vice-Presidents, a criminal complaint will be filed against her. A criminal complaint will also be filed against responsible persons in the Parliament of the FB&H who would possibly introduce an unconstitutional proposed decision into the procedure,” SDA said in a statement. SDA has stated that the respect for the rule of law and stipulated procedures, especially the Constitution of FB&H, is the absolute priority and interest of every citizen in the entity. SDA reminded that the Constitution of FB&H defines, among other issues, sensitive inter-ethnic relations and balances, in other words rights of constituent peoples, including the Bosniaks, who make 70.4% of population in the FB&H and who are, at this stage of formation of authorities, represented by Lendo.

 

Boskovic: FB&H HoR Collegium to pass conclusion on FB&H government appointment depending on what it gets from FB&H leadership (Dnevni list)

 

Deputy speaker of the FB&H House of Representatives (HoR) Mladen Boskovic (HDZ B&H) has confirmed for Fena news agency that the FB&H HoR Collegium will meet today (Wednesday) to discuss further activities related to convening the next FB&H HoR session. According to Boskovic, the Collegium can discuss all possibilities regarding further work of the FB&H HoR, including the Decision of Appointment of the FB&H government, which has to be confirmed by the FB&H HoR. “By this moment, the parliament of the FB&H has not received anything from President and Vice Presidents of the FB&H Lidija Bradara, Igor Stojanovic and Refik Lendo”, said Boskovic adding that, when it comes to formation of the new FB&H government, the Collegium will pass a conclusion depending on what it gets from the FB&H leadership (FB&H President and Vice Presidents).

 

Kristo hands over countersigned Financing Agreement for EU Energy Support package to Sattler (BHT1)

 

At the ceremony held in Sarajevo on Tuesday, Chairwoman of the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Borjana Kristo handed over the countersigned Financing Agreement for the Energy Support Package for B&H, amounting to EUR 70 million, to Head of the EU Delegation (EUD) to B&H Johann Sattler. BHT1 reports that parties to the Agreement said it aims at providing assistance to the most vulnerable households dealing with the consequences of inflation, as well as assistance in energy transition in B&H. According to Kristo, the funds will be directed towards the most vulnerable categories and the payments will be made via social protection institutions in the FB&H, Republika Srpska (RS) and the Brcko District. Addressing the press conference, Kristo said that the funds at the level of B&H will be distributed in a way that “66.6 per cent goes to the FB&H, 33.3 per cent to the RS, and the rest, i.e. one per cent, goes to the Brcko District. Therefore, each institution that receives these funds should behave transparently and responsibly in terms of allocation and spending of the funds. Those are actually conditions to continue to use these funds”. BHT1 reports that Sattler underscored that the entities and the Brcko District now have the task to agree on model of disbursement, so that funds reach persons who need them the most. Addressing the press conference, Sattler said: “Since we do not have the statistics, there will be calls for people to apply, they will be checked and then the decisions will be made. In the Brcko District, this is the only authority where we have statistics, a database of poor households”. Kristo also said the funds will be transferred directly to the B&H’s budget, which has not been the case in the past, noting that funds will be distributed adequately. “The concrete assistance within this package will be provided to housing units, in terms of energy efficiency, as well as to small and medium enterprises, which are the basis of our economy”, said Kristo. Sattler noted that B&H will receive the first tranche in the upcoming days, as soon as local authorities file the official request, and reminds that the financial assistance for B&H is part of the EUR 500 million Energy Support Package for the Western Balkans.

 

Ademovic meets Sattler: There is no alternative to EU path (Oslobodjenje)

 

B&H House of Peoples deputy speaker Kemal Ademovic met on Tuesday with Head of EU Delegation to B&H Johann Sattler. Ademovic thanked Sattler for EU’s support to B&H on its Euro-Atlantic path and emphasized that full membership in NATO and EU is B&H’s main priority. He added that B&H authorities are rightfully expected to do everything in their power to achieve that goal as soon as possible. Sattler said that the EU is a great friend to B&H and underlined that the EU will continue to cooperate with B&H and support it on its European path. Sattler emphasized that the future of B&H lies in the EU and that there is no other alternative.

 

Becirovic meets UK Ambassador Reilly (FTV)

 

B&H Presidency member Denis Becirovic met with UK Ambassador to B&H Julian Reilly on Tuesday. Becirovic and Reilly agreed that the formation of the authorities at the entity level should also be completed and that reform processes should be intensified with the aim of integrating B&H into the EU and NATO. Becirovic pointed out that regardless of the absurd attempts of certain destructive politicians in RS, political, economic and defense cooperation between B&H and the United Kingdom will intensify in the coming period. Becirovic thanked Ambassador Reilly for the support for B&H’s European and Euro-Atlantic path. Ambassador Reilly said that the UK remains permanently committed to the progress of B&H.

 

Nesic and Brdo Process conference: EU integration is essential for security and stability of Western Balkans (Dnevni avaz)

 

B&H Security Minister Nenad Nesic attended the ministerial conference of the Brdo Process in Portoroz, Slovenia. On that occasion, Nesic stated that acceleration of the European path is essential for a secure and stable future of the Western Balkan region. He underlined that granting the EU candidate status was an important step forward for B&H. Nesic stressed that the political goal of the new convocation of B&H Council of Ministers is dedication to work on EU integration process. Nesic reminded that all obstacles for full cooperation with EUROPOL has been removed, and that B&H has started with activities leading to cooperation with FRONTEX. Talking about migration, Nesic said that B&H is committed to intense cooperation and coordination with countries of the region, as well as the EU. He emphasized migration management and prevention of trafficking as key priorities. Nesic asked the EU for assistance, underlining that the key to EU’s securities does not lie only within the EU borders, but also beyond, including the Western Balkans. He added that B&H will continue insisting on readmission of illegal migrants to their homelands.

 

Representatives of UN Women in B&H and twelve municipalities and cities in B&H sign memorandum of understanding for purpose of promoting gender-responsible management of public finances and resources (FTV)

 

Representatives of UN Women in B&H and twelve municipalities and cities in B&H signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday for the purpose of promoting gender-responsible management of public finances and resources, and improving capacity and responsibility in that area. During the signing of the memorandum, it was stated that twelve municipalities and cities in B&H, in the framework of the formation of the budget, decided that priority should be given to women whose engagement would improve the wider social community. FTV stressed that the insufficient participation of women in public and political life in B&H is the best indicator of discrimination based on gender. UN Resident Coordinator in B&H Ingrid Macdonald said that “if we look at the participation of women in political life and the number of women appointed to positions, we see that after the last local elections, only five women were elected as heads of municipalities.” “Or if we look at participation in the B&H Parliament, only 18 percent are women and that is six percent less compared to the last convocation,” Macdonald pointed out. FTV emphasized that responsible budgeting has failed at all authority levels, from local to state, and this is not the case in Europe. According to FTV, the introduction of program budgeting would be the first step towards gender-responsible policies in &iH, which would also mean the first step towards gender equality. Representatives of the Sarajevo Municipality of Centar reminded that about 70 percent of jobs in this municipality belong to women, which is certainly a good step towards the introduction of gender-responsible budgeting. Head of the B&H Agency for Gender Equality Samra Filipovic-Hadziabdic expressed the hope that program budgeting will soon be introduced as one of the conditions of the public administration reform. “So that we will have the opportunity to introduce gender-responsible budgeting in an easier way,” Filipovic-Hadziabdic said.

 

Milatovic: It is not realistic for Montenegro to withdraw the recognition of Kosovo's independence, and that is a matter that is very clear (Nova S)

 

Is his victory a victory for the "Serbian world", does the church interfere too much in Montenegrin politics, what are the first steps to guarantee that he will remain honest in politics, the new President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic, said in an interview for Nova S.

Jakov Milatovic, who defeated Milo Djukanovic in the presidential elections, with a turnout of almost 70 percent, says that Sunday was a historic day for Montenegro. "A three-decade regime was defeated, which symbolized divisions, which symbolized a captive state, institutions captive to crime and corruption, and an economic destruction of our economy. The first step in recovery, with the victory over Djukanovic, was already taken on Sunday. More than 70 percent of citizens came out, I got almost 60 percent, so the victory was big and convincing. However, the challenges are great. Roll up your sleeves. I hope that after the parliamentary elections, with the new government and me in the position of president, that things will get better," said the new president of Montenegro. When asked whether the decision on the recognition of Kosovo's independence by Montenegro will now be withdrawn, Milatovic said that it is clear. ""It is not realistic to expect the withdrawal of recognition of Kosovo and that is a matter that is very clear," said Milatovic and added: "We support everything that Belgrade and Pristina agree on, and I believe that the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina would be significant for all countries in the region. In this sense, Montenegro wants to be a good neighbor, which will somewhere promote good neighborly relations". Milatovic also said that Montenegro is truly moving towards Brussels, and that is why his first visit will be to Brussels. "I want the best possible relations with Serbia, and when I was minister of economic development, I always put that in focus. Serbia is the largest country in the Western Balkans, and it is completely natural that my visit to Serbia will also follow after Vucic's invitation", said Milatovic and emphasized that it is important for him that all these visits result in tangible results for citizens and the economy.

 

Numerous people arrested on the basis of warrants issued by the European prosecutor (HRT)

 

A series of arrests were made in Rijeka and Medjimurje this morning on orders from the European prosecutor. Among those taken into custody are close associates of former Rijeka Mayor Vojko Obersnel of the SDP. The people arrested on Tuesday morning are suspected of the misappropriation of funds earmarked for the construction project of a waste sorting plant near Rijeka. Rijeka's incumbent SDP mayor Marko Filipovic said he had little additional information about the arrests: "The City of Rijeka and I as its mayor, do not conduct investigations, nor do we have any concrete information as to what the investigators were looking into or who the questioned. The fact is that they did conduct an investigation, not just in the city's offices, but also in public service companies, specifically the waste removal company, of which Rijeka is the majority owner." Former Rijeka mayor Vojko Obersnel expressed his shock over the arrest of many of his former close colleagues, including the former Chief of Staff of the Rijeka City Council Irena Milicevic and the former director of the city’s waste removal company Jasna Kukuljan: "I have to admit that I'm surprised by this morning’s events. Both Irena Milicevic and Jasna Kukuljan worked with me for years, and I have complete confidence in them. Obviously, I believe they are completely innocent. Given that I know them well, I am sure that they weren't involved in any illegal activities, and I believe that this will be demonstrated throughout this process.” Commenting on the arrests, Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Sime Erlic said that other than what is being reported in the media, his ministry does not have any additional insights into this morning's arrests: "We as a ministry, as a managing body for making use of European funds, have our own system for controlling the spending of those funds. We cooperate with all bodies that deal with regulating the spending of European funds. But the European public prosecutor is completely independent in its work, and they initiate procedures, such as the one we witnessed this morning, in line with their investigations, which of course, they conduct in secrecy. So, I can't say anything more about it at this time." Tuesday's arrests were also commented on by the opposition. MOST MP Marin Miletic noted that the same people have been in government in Rijeka since the Second World War: "I hope people close to the church don't hold this against me, but I personally believe that even the pope should be elected very couple of years. In Rijeka the government hasn't changed since 1945. It is not good when someone assumes a position and holds that position for ten, fifteen or twenty years. Even if you're the holiest and best person alive. It's like the ring of power from The Lord of the Rings, it changes you. And that's my response. Everyone is involved in this." Former SDP Party president, who split with his party after his removal as party head and formed the Social Democrats with other disgruntled members of the SDP Davor Bernardic had this to say about the arrests in Rijeka: "Numerous rumours have circulated surrounding Vojko Obersnel and his method of governance. There were suspicions and even investigations, but I can't comment on that because I have a very limited number of facts. But obviously I believe that every corruption case, regardless of which city is involved, should be identified and punished."

 

Milatovic: Montenegro will follow EU policy towards Russia and strengthen ties with Serbia (AP/CdM)

 

Montenegro’s president-elect Jakov Milatovic is pledging to speed up the small country’s bid for membership to the EU and to adhere to the bloc’s policy line toward Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, Milatovic says he will advocate for stronger ties with Serbia and other Balkan neighbors. “One of the key foreign policy priorities for Montenegro, as well as myself as the new president of the country, will be to speed up the country’s EU accession so that Montenegro hopefully becomes the next EU member within the next five years of my mandate,” Milatovic told The Associated Press in an interview on Monday. The president-elect’s commitment to EU membership appears to belie widespread accusations by pro-Western groups in Montenegro and in Serbia that he is a puppet of the pro-Russian leadership in Belgrade. Milatovic, a 36-year-old Western-educated economics expert, won the presidential runoff election in Montenegro on Sunday, defeating pro-Western incumbent Milo Djukanovic who has been in power for more than three decades in the small NATO member nation. A political novice who was backed by Montenegro’s governing majority that included pro-Serb and pro-Russian groups, Milatovic won around 60% of votes in Sunday’s poll, according to independent pollsters. Djukanovic has conceded defeat. Official results are expected later this week. Milatovic said that the key reasons for Djukanovic’s defeat were his long-held grip on power along with allegations of rampant corruption throughout his rule. “This is why we like to say we defeated one of the last dictators in Europe,” Milatovic said. “This is why I truly believe that the victory yesterday in this tiny Balkan state is also a big European victory, a victory of European values.” This was Djukanovic’s first loss in an election since he first entered politics in the former Yugoslav republic in the early 1990s. During his decades in power, the 61-year-old switched from a pro-Serbian communist to a pro-Western politician. He had served as the country’s president twice and as a prime minister seven times. During his tenure, Djukanovic has often been accused of corruption and of pressuring the judiciary to ignore numerous cases involving graft. He has often denied illegally accumulating a large fortune for himself and his family. Milatovic, speaking in English, said that his predecessor “is really a symbol of a regime that ruled the country using organized crime and corruption.” “Those three things, a significant economic decline, organized crime and corruption, and really a very slow European integration are the symbols of (Djukanovic’s) regime,” he said. Relations between Serbia and Montenegro have deteriorated since Djukanovic took the country out of its union with Serbia in 2006 and later into NATO in 2017. During the election campaign, Djukanovic said voters were choosing between membership in the EU or joining the “Serbian World” – a facsimile of the “Russian World.” Milatovic said he will try repair relations with Serbia as well as other neighboring Balkan states. “I believe that the future of the all the Western Balkan countries is in the EU, and I think Montenegro can be for sure the first one to enter,” Milatovic said referring to neighboring Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Albania. In terms of relations with Russia, Milatovic recalled that “Montenegro is strongly, 100% pursuing the foreign policy of the EU and this is going to stay.” “So fully-fledged policy of the EU is the one Montenegro should pursue in the future, and it is particularly important now when it comes to the Russian aggression against Ukraine,” he said. “There is nobody in Europe, and in Montenegro obviously, who can support invasion of one country against another sovereign country.” The EU on Tuesday congratulated Milatovic on his election and said it “looks forward to working with all political stakeholders to help Montenegro stay firmly on the EU strategic path.” Although the presidency is largely a ceremonial position in Montenegro, it influences the political trends in the country.

 

Milatovic: Montenegrin foreign policy is always aligned with the EU, rhetoric on the relationship between Montenegro and Serbia to be European (VoA/CdM)

 

The newly elected President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic tells Voice of America that as president he will be absolutely committed to the country's European path and that Montenegro can become a member of the EU during his mandate, stressing that Montenegrin foreign policy "will always be fully aligned with the EU". "I really believe that in the next five years, Montenegro can become a member of the EU. It won't fall from the sky, you have to roll up your sleeves, you have to focus on that thing. From the position of president, I will absolutely be committed to our European path," Milatovic said in an interview with the Voice of America. Milatovic said that "if Montenegro fulfils its part of the job, it is in the interest of the EU that Montenegro becomes its full member as soon as possible, so that they too send a message that the extension is still alive”. Milatovic announced that as the President of Montenegro, he would first visit Brussels, in order to send a "symbolic and important" message that "Montenegro did take an important step towards full membership in the EU and with the weekly victory in the elections". Milatovic also said that his "Movement Europe now has firm positions when it comes to the foreign policy of Montenegro", stating that it is "credible membership in NATO, true European integration and good neighborly relations". Milatovic said that "their partner, even after the extraordinary parliamentary elections, will be the one who works on that background", and added that "whoever doesn't - won't". Speaking about relations with Moscow, Milatović said that "Russia committed an aggression somewhere, against a sovereign country like Ukraine" and that Montenegro joined the sanctions introduced by the EU, adding that "he wants the war in Ukraine to end as soon as possible." "Montenegro's foreign policy is, and always will be, fully aligned with EU policy, and that will be the basis of the foreign policy that I will promote as president," said Milatovic.

 

Rhetoric on the relationship between Montenegro and Serbia to be European

Speaking about the future relations between Montenegro and Serbia, Milatovic believes that the rhetoric must be different in all addresses. "That rhetoric simply cannot be the rhetoric of the nineties anymore. It must be European, citizens expect that... and only with such rhetoric can we all move forward together," he said. Milatovic, who advocates for the Open Balkans initiative, says that it is "first of all an economic story that arose from the countries of the region, primarily Serbia and Albania", and that it is "completely complementary with other economic integrations in the region, such as the Berlin Process ". It is easiest to stand aside and say that it is the aspiration of these or those. I think we should stop with that rhetoric. This is the rhetoric of those who do not know how to offer Montenegrin citizens anything else tangible," says Milatovic. He emphasizes that the number one priority is the full membership of Montenegro in the EU, but "the foundation and parallel process of everything are, of course, regional economic integrations." "Regional economic integration in the Western Balkans is an inseparable part of European integration," claims Milatovic. The winner of Sunday's elections assessed that his victory was "a victory for a reconciled Montenegro", as well as that it was "convincing and convincing", and that his first steps as president of the country will be based on this background. "We sent a message that there have been enough divisions in Montenegro and that we need to turn over a new leaf," says Milatovic.

 

Partnership only with like-minded foreign policy positions

The newly elected President of Montenegro considers the support he received from the ruling majority to be sincere, and states that "you don't have to agree with everyone to stand up in a common block for a common goal, as was the case in the second round of the presidential elections." He recalls that, during the pre-election campaign, he discussed the presidential elections with the majority parties, but that "he has not yet had any discussions regarding the parliamentary elections". He states that such talks will be in focus only after the parliamentary elections, but he does not rule out that, as he says, "there will be some discussion about it when we finally get the date of the parliamentary elections". Milatovic also reminded that before the Constitutional Court is an initiative on the evaluation of the constitutionality of the decisions that Djukanovic, as head of state, made in connection with the Decree on the dissolution of the Assembly and the announcement of extraordinary parliamentary elections for June 11. and states that "it is important that the court decides on this as soon as possible", so that, as he says, "there will be predictability of the process in the coming period". When asked if this means that, if the Constitutional Court challenges Djukanovic's decision, his decision, as the new president, would go in the direction of postponing the date of the election or, possibly, proposing a new mandate, Milatovic replied that "first we should wait for the decision of the Constitutional Court". "But if the decision of the Constitutional Court is like that... a court is a court. We have to learn in Montenegro that there is a division of power. From the position of the President of Montenegro, I do not want to comment in advance on what that decision might be, I can only invite them to make it as soon as possible so that there is political predictability in the country", says Milatovic and adds that "his political position is that Montenegro should have parliamentary elections as soon as possible in order to get a politically stable government". Milatovic says that now he cannot talk about the future composition of the government and the assembly, indicating that the citizens will decide on that. He claims that the European Movement will now have a significant political presence. "The legitimate political right of every political party is to influence the processes, but if you know who you are and what you are, you don't have to join coalitions with those who don't suit you politically," says Milatovic and adds that "DPS as a party which has not been reformed, in terms of programming, is absolutely not suitable". Asked to comment on his earlier statements that "at this moment he completely excludes cooperation with the DPS", Milatovic states that cooperation with the party of the current president is "absolutely undesirable", and that, "from the position of the president of the state, he will give the mandate to whoever shows that has a majority in the Assembly". "My political position is that cooperation with the DPS, now, after these parliamentary elections that will be held in June or September...but will be in the next few months, is absolutely undesirable," said Milatovic.

 

MFA: Finland's accession will strengthen security throughout the Nordic region and NATO as a whole; Milatovic welcomed Finland's accession to NATO (CdM)

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro announced that they are honoured to welcome Finland as a full member of NATO. "Finland's democratic institutions will contribute to the unity and credibility of NATO as we continue to safeguard the stability of the Alliance. Finland's accession will strengthen security throughout the Nordic region and NATO as a whole," the Ministry said on Twitter. They look forward, they add to the completion of the ratification process for Sweden as soon as possible, which is in everyone's interest. The newly elected President of Montenegro and one of the leaders of the Europe Now Movement, Jakov Milatovic, welcomed Finland's accession to NATO. "I look forward to working together to strengthen our cooperation within the Alliance," Milatovic wrote on Twitter.

 

Montenegro is committed to the efforts of the Alliance aimed at strengthening the security of the Euro-Atlantic area (CdM)

 

Prime Minister in technical mandate and head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dritan Abazovic, was in Brussels yesterday, on the occasion of participating in the meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of NATO member states, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. Abazovic emphasized Montenegro's commitment to continuing to provide support to Ukraine, particularly stressing our commitment to preserving the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of this country, within its internationally recognized borders. In the context of Russian aggression, Abazovic referred to the importance of preserving stability and security in the wider area of the Western Balkans, with special emphasis on the intensification of integration processes. "Montenegro is strongly determined to actively participate in the formulation and implementation of allied policies and decisions that are made with the aim of protecting the Euro-Atlantic area," he said during the meeting. The first day of the ministerial meeting began with the NATO-Ukraine Commission session, in which the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba also participated, and during which the key topic was Russian aggression against Ukraine and the implications of the conflict for allied security. The special focus of the April meeting, which also marks the 74th anniversary of the signing of the Washington Agreement, is the joining of the Republic of Finland to the Alliance, as the 31st member country, and as of yesterday, NATO headquarters is richer for another flag. Finland, as an ally, will significantly contribute to the operation of the Alliance and the creation of a safer Euro-Atlantic area. During the two-day meeting of the NATO foreign ministers, the ministers of Sweden, Ukraine, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea, as well as the high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, will also participate.

 

Mickoski prepared to discuss the Croatian proposal at a meeting of party leaders (Republika)

 

Mickoski prepared to discuss the Croatian proposal at a meeting of party leader VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski said that he is prepared to discuss the proposal to amend the Macedonian Constitution in line with the Constitution of Croatia during a meeting of party leaders. The proposal became a hot political issue after the Government itself praised the Croatian Constitution as a model – because it includes numerous ethnic minorities and would mean it is acceptable to include the Bulgarian minority as well. But Mickoski pointed out that Croatia is founded as a nation state of the Croats and agrees to use this model if Macedonia will again be declared the nation state of the Macedonians. “I’m prepared to explain this proposal before anybody and anywhere. If I am invited to a meeting of party leaders, I will put forward this proposal” said Mickoski. Albanian parties, which are crucial for the survival of the current government, have refused the proposal outright. But it allows VMRO to shift the responsibility for amending the Constitution on them. Amendments can’t be made with support from at least some VMRO members of Parliament and in a few months, Macedonia may be in a situation that Albania opens its EU accession talks while Macedonia remains stuck by the Bulgarian veto. “I believe that a pro-European Government, like the one led by DUI and its minor partner SDSM, will not endanger Macedonia’s European path and will accept the proposal that is now on the table” Mickoski added.

 

Taravari says that when it comes to constitutional amendments, the Croatian model is unsuitable and cannot be applied; instead, we should follow the Swiss model (MIA)

 

The president of the Alliance for Albanians, Arben Taravari, against the opposition's request to apply the Croatian model of the Constitution during the constitutional amendments, says that it is inapplicable in the country. Regarding VMRO-DPMNE's opposition to the constitutional amendments and the reactions in the country regarding the proposal to replace the criterion "20 percent" with the "Albanian language", Taravari believes that comparisons with Croatia are not appropriate and reiterated the party's position that North Macedonia and Croatia cannot be compared, considering the data from the last census, according to which Macedonians in the country are 54 and Albanians 30 percent. "In Croatia, more than 90 percent of the population are Croats, and in North Macedonia, the population configuration is completely different. I refer to the last census, 54 percent are Macedonians, 30 percent are Albanians and other ethnic communities. If we want to compare ourselves, let's compare ourselves with Switzerland or Belgium or with other countries that have a relatively similar configuration as North Macedonia," Taravari told MIA. According to him, if there are no constitutional amendments as a prerequisite for starting negotiations, we are threatened with a veto from Bulgaria and, as he emphasizes, we will have a decades-long standstill, similar to the Bucharest veto of 2006.

 

Justice Ministry requests nomination of representatives in constitutional amendments working group (MIA)

 

The Ministry of Justice has sent written requests on Tuesday for the nomination of representatives in the working group on the constitutional amendments. According to a press release from the Ministry of Justice, requests were sent to the Office of President Stevo Pendarovski, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Secretariat for European Affairs, parliamentary political parties and experts with knowledge in constitutional law. The deadline for nominating representatives is 10 April 2023. “The request states that in the interest of fulfilling our task from the negotiating framework adopted by 27 EU member states, political unity is necessary in order to secure the European perspective of our country. To that end, it is necessary to nominate a representative with knowledge in the field of Constitutional Law, who would actively participate in the working group during the drafting of the constitutional amendments,” said the Ministry of Justice in the press release.

 

Geer encourages Macedonia to amend its Constitution in line with the Bulgarian demands (Republika)

 

EU Ambassador to Macedonia David Geer said that the eventual decision to amend the Constitution and include the Bulgarian minority in it would be a sovereign decision. Echoing a recent comment from the Austrian President, Geer also said that the changes to the Constitution won’t be that “dramatic” and that including Bulgarians in the Constitution won’t affect the national interests of the country. Bulgaria refuses to offer any reciprocity, such as recognizing the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria, or to agree that it won’t use the veto in the future, after this concession.

 

Macedonian and Bulgarian historians made some progress in aligning their positions on the Archbishopric of Ohrid (Republika)

 

Dragi Gjorgjiev, head of the Macedonian team in the joint historic commission with Bulgaria, said that they have reached some progress during their meeting last week on the historic narrative about the Ohrid Archbishopric. The two teams are aligning the historic narratives of the two countries – generally using the Bulgarian narrative as baseline, as Bulgaria blocks Macedonia’s EU accession talks until their nationalist requests are met.We had some alignment. But we didn’t reach a full joint recommendation. There are still some misunderstandings, an areas where the role of the Archbishopric is seen differently. We insist to emphasize its role in the spread of Christianity, rather than some political moments of the history of the institution, Gjorgjiev said. Bulgaria wants the important church to be represented as Bulgarian in character and its role in spreading Christianity across the world to be seen as a Bulgarian contribution.

 

Marichikj – Klein: Hungary supports N. Macedonia’s EU integration, negotiations must not be blocked (MIA)

 

Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European affairs, Bojan Marichikj, held a meeting Tuesday with the Hungarian Ambassador to North Macedonia, Andras Klein, with whom he discussed the EU negotiations process, current political topics and opportunities for boosting bilateral relations and co-operation between the two countries. “We must remain focused on North Macedonia’s EU path and the tasks from the accession negotiations during 2023 as well, and for us, it is important to know that we have the support of Hungary in the negotiations process and our efforts to fulfil our goal,” said Marichikj at the meeting. According to the Secretariat for European Affairs, Ambassador Klein stressed that Hungary provides clear support for North Macedonia’s EU membership and said that the country must not allow itself to block its negotiations. Klein added that Hungary will continue to work on enlarging the EU with the countries from the region, and North Macedonia can count on Hungary’s technical assistance and support in the implementation of reforms and meeting EU standards. “Marichikj and Klein agreed that North Macedonia has already taken the most important step towards the EU, but that a political consensus and responsibility from all stakeholders are necessary for further implementation of the reform agenda,” said the Secretariat. In that context, Marichikj and Klein stressed the importance of the reforms in chapter 23 and 24, as well as the importance of reforms in the judiciary, the independence of the judiciary, as well as the fight against crime and corruption, for which the Government has the necessary political will and capacity, said Deputy PM Marichikj. The excellent bilateral relations between the two countries were also discussed at the meeting, and opportunities were assessed for further improvement of co-operation in various areas, in order to accelerate the Euro-integrations. “To that end, Marichikj spoke about new Hungarian investments, as well as a new initiative for an infrastructure project that will connect the region with Europe,” said the Secretariat for European Affairs.

 

Stoltenberg: NATO support includes technical support and stronger co-operation to fight disinformation (TV21)

 

We are providing help and support to North Macedonia that is facing different types of hybrid and cyber threats. The support that NATO and Allies are ready to provide to North Macedonia includes technical support and stronger co-operation to fight disinformation, says NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. At a press conference ahead of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Stoltenberg was quizzed by TV21 on the type of support that North Macedonia is getting from the Alliance in coping with the problem of hybrid threats and false bomb threats, to which the Secretary-General said a set of different steps was agreed between the Government and NATO officials during their recent visit to Skopje. "These steps are both short and longer term, which NATO and Allies can take to support North Macedonia in defending against the hybrid campaign it is facing. I actually also discussed this with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia recently and, of course, NATO is there to help and support Allies as we now provide help and support to North Macedonia that is facing different types of hybrid and cyber threats. The support that NATO and Allies are ready to provide to North Macedonia includes technical support and stronger co-operation to fight disinformation. And I would like to also commend the government of North Macedonia for the quick and detailed work in developing the co-operation programme we have agreed," said Stoltenberg. A NATO expert team led by Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy James Appathurai paid a visit to Skopje in early March. On that occasion, Appathurai said North Macedonia is not dealing alone with this problem and has NATO's support.

 

Osmani congratulates Finland on joining NATO (MIA)

 

FM Bujar Osmani extended greetings to the Finnish government upon the accession of the country in NATO. “On the very day on which we celebrate NATO and what it stands for, we welcome among us a new member. NATO unites us, protects us, and through it we become stronger. Happy NATO Day, and welcome Finland. Today we are alliance of 31 member-states, and very soon 32 once Sweden joins as well,” Osmani said.

 

Osmani-Tajani: Italy's enhanced focus on Balkans more than welcome (MIA)

 

Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani met with Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani, discussing North Macedonia's EU accession process, regional dynamics and renewal of the interest for Initiative I8 among North Macedonia, Italy, Albania and Bulgaria along Corridor VIII. FM Osmani welcomed Italy's renewed and enhanced focus for the region, aimed to speed up the process of the countries' EU integration while promoting dialogue and co-operation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release. "We have been a responsible and credible EU and NATO partner, we have contributed to the joint support for Ukraine, we present our knowledge and expertise in the EU screening, and we are committed to making the constitutional changes so that we open the Fundamentals cluster as soon as possible," said Osmani. He reaffirmed North Macedonia's interest for enhancement of the co-operation through the I8 Initiative, towards accelerating infrastructure, energy, digital and communication investment projects along Corridor VIII, while at the same time serving as a political platform for enhancement of political, economic, security, cultural and social co-operation. Interlocutors also exchanged opinions on North Macedonia's OSCE Chairpersonship and Italy's support in the management of the Organization's current challenges, reads the press release.

 

The representative of the WB in Albania, Salinas: Investment of 900 million Euros for several projects! The 3 pillars we will focus on (Radio Tirana)

 

The representative of the World Bank in Albania Emanuel Salinas, during a conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama, said that they discussed several projects that the World Bank will finance. Salinas said that there are three main pillars where they will invest, while he emphasized that 900 million euros will be invested in the 4 years of project implementation.

"I am pleased to be here on behalf of the World Bank, we have gathered for something that we have never had in the history of partnership with Albania. A lot has been achieved through cooperation, where the WB is committed to you in the next 4-5 years. We are committed to focus more new jobs for the Albanian population, especially for youth and women, we put the emphasis on the best part, better jobs. In the future, our challenge is to create better workplaces. To create incentives for people to work here. The second pillar is human capital as we all know, we are worried about the number of people leaving Albania, but we can strengthen the human capital here, improving education, health and social protection. Much has been achieved in this regard. We think there is scope to do more in the future. Thirdly, the third pillar focuses on resistance to sustainability. It seems like every year there is a very big crisis. We need to increase resilience to reduce the impact of some of these events in the future, we are very happy to launch this new partnership framework. We presented this framework to the board in Washington. We are encouraged and humbled and aware that we are taking time away from our government colleagues when we want to work beyond business hours. The new partnership framework makes 900 million Euros available to Albania. We expect another project to be approved soon. We have worked on a project that will treat bridges at risk from natural shocks. It is a strong and quite large program. Together with the Ministry of Finance, we have worked to increase Albania's fiscal resistance. We are grateful to the ministry. With the UK we will work to increase the resistance of agriculture to climate change. Another project will be for the Vjosa River, as it was designated as a Protected Area and we will work together. We have many projects. We are grateful to you as you have an unparalleled commitment. The commitment to Albania is to realize all this. We look forward to you holding us accountable,' said Salinas.

 

Rama-Salinas: Justice Reform has been conceived so that there are no untouchables (Radio Tirana)

 

Prime Minister Edi Rama said that the Justice Reform has been conceived so that there are no untouchables in Albania. In a joint press conference with the representative of the World Bank in Albania Emanuel Salinas, the Prime Minister responded to the interest of journalists on the Transparency International report on the level of corruption in the country. "Transparency International is not talking about corrupt governance, to be clear, because of course the number 1 job of anyone with a microphone and a pen is not to distort the source of information on which they then raise arguments. Transparency International talks about corruption, which is not a partial phenomenon, but a general phenomenon and it does not say the government, it says: 'in all sectors of life, all powers'. It talks about the executive power, the judicial power and the fourth power which is the media, which is another important source of corruption", said Rama. Stopping here, the Prime Minister added that "corruption in the media is of a criminal level because it is based on blackmail, fining businesses, fining public actors for undeclared financial benefits". "It is understood that they are criminal, but it is not all the media, so there are media that do their duty. It does not occur to me to say that your media is corrupt or has something to do with corruption. But within the fourth power there are very corrupt and even criminal segments, money laundering and fiscal evasion on a large scale. We talked about exploitation of work and employees, there is also exploitation of journalists in Albania", said Rama. Based on the journalist's question, Rama clarified that the fact that there are already ministers in prison shows that the Justice Reform is retributive.

 

NATO's 74th anniversary, Begaj: Resolute to strengthen security (Radio Tirana)

 

Albanian President, Bajram Begaj congratulated today the 74th anniversary of the founding of NATO. In a post on social networks, Begaj praised NATO's contribution to the defense of freedom and democracy. "Happy anniversary to NATO! 74 years in defense of freedom, democracy and Euro-Atlantic values. Albania together with other allies determined to strengthen security in the region and everywhere", writes Begaj. Founded on April 4, 1949 in Washington, NATO originally had 12 founding countries: 10 European countries, the United States and Canada. Albania is part of NATO since 14 years ago. In June 1992, Albania applied and was officially admitted to the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. While, on March 19 1993, for the first time, the NATO Secretary General, the late Manfred Verner, visited Albania.