LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: China's support to Serbia on Kosovo issue extremely important (Tanjug/RTS/Politika/RTV)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at a meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday the friendship between the two countries had endured the test of difficult times and that, amid a very complex situation in Kosovo and Metohija, China's support to Serbia was extremely important. "My plea, Mr President, is that, due to the very complex situation we have in the region and in Kosovo-Metohija, in a part of Serbian territory, I may have an additional opportunity to inform you of that because the support of the Republic of China - political and any other - is extremely important to us. My plea to you is to encourage even more strongly the arrival of Chinese businesspeople and Chinese tourists," Vucic said at the meeting with Xi. He also reiterated his greatest plea - an invitation to Xi to pay a visit to Serbia again. "We eagerly await it and we believe we will welcome you in the best possible way because we now know all the things China has done for Serbia, and I ask you to consider again the possibility of visiting our country," Vucic said, thanking Xi for his hospitality. He said Serbia was the only country in Europe that had never joined any declaration against China. "I am very happy, honoured and privileged to have the opportunity to speak with you here today. The largest part of the Serbian government - nearly all ministers - are accompanying me on this visit, which speaks of our attitude towards China and the respect we have, as well as of our expectations," Vucic told Xi. He agreed with Xi's statement that the Sino-Serbian friendship had stood the test of difficult times. "And I must say that, amid pressure on the Republic of Serbia that is not small, our country is the only country in Europe that has never joined declarations criticising or attacking China on any issue. When it comes to Hong Kong, Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan or any other issue, we have always been on the side of China and the One China policy, and that will remain so," Vucic said. He also said Serbia was seeing progress in all areas of social life and that the Belt and Road initiative, launched by Xi, had brought much good to Serbian citizens. "We have done very important infrastructure works in our country and they are still underway, we are building roads and rail lines together," Vucic said. He noted that Serbia supported China's initiatives on global development, global security and a global civilisation. Vucic said he had had an extremely friendly discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping on all important topics, including the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Vucic said the meeting had addressed respect of the norms of international law and what Serbia was going through, as well as double standards and a lack of respect of the UN Charter and UNSC Resolution 1244. "We were met with understanding from our Chinese friends. We also discussed other things we need, from cooperation in all fields of economy and business to cooperation in military technology," Vucic said, adding that China was Serbia's only source of more modern and more sophisticated arms and military equipment at this time. He said they had discussed infrastructure ties and a growing number of Chinese investments. He noted that two out of Serbia's top three exporters were Chinese companies. Vucic said introduction of new flights between Serbia and China had been discussed as well and that Serbia was interested in flights to Shanghai and Guangzhou. He said a FTA with China, signed earlier in the day, was a great step forward for Serbia. Commenting on EU reactions to the deal, he said Serbia must survive by the time it joined the EU. Vucic also said he had had a very important meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto in Beijing and added that he expected Kenya not to recognise the so-called Kosovo. He also said he expected Ruto to visit Serbia. "I had a very long conversation with President Ruto and I think we understood each other well on the matter of respect of international public law. You can never speak in someone else's name, but as far as we are concerned, I think we did a good job and we expect him to come to Belgrade soon," Vucic said. He said he had met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and invited him to visit Serbia. Vucic said he had also spoken with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Hungarian PM Viktor Orban and many other officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I saw President Putin and we spoke briefly, very briefly, we did not have a bilateral meeting," he said.

 

Raising Serbia-China cooperation in field of defence to higher level (Tanjug/RTV/Politika)

 

Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic met yesterday with Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China General Zhang Youxia, as part of the Third Forum for International Cooperation "Belt and Road" in Beijing, which he is attending as part of the official delegation of our country. Vucevic said that Serbia leads an independent foreign policy and, despite all pressures, continues with a responsible policy of peace and stability, and added that our country remains committed to respecting international law and fully implementing the agreements reached so far. He pointed out the importance of mutual interest in improving defence cooperation between Serbia and China. He explained that military technical cooperation is the most developed segment of cooperation in the field of defence, with the assessment that the most concrete progress was made in this area in the previous period. During the meeting, the modalities of cooperation in the segment of equipping unmanned aerial vehicles and air defence systems were also discussed, which are an important element of the defence of our airspace and our country. The interlocutors also examined the possibility of further development of military-military cooperation, cooperation in the field of military medicine, as well as military educational cooperation.

 

Cooperation with China in field of disaster risk reduction (Tanjug/Politika)

 

Serbian Interior Minister Bratislav Gasic and Chinese Minister of Emergency Management Wang Xiangxi signed in Beijing yesterday the Memorandum between the Serbian Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Emergency Management of the People’s Republic of China on cooperation in the field of disaster risk reduction and emergency management. This memorandum will allow for a more efficient cooperation between the two states in the field of prevention and emergency response. The Memorandum on cooperation in the field of workplace safety and health was also signed.

 

Three important contracts for infrastructure development in Serbia signed in China (Tanjug/Politika/RTS/RTV)

 

The Serbian Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure signed in Beijing yesterday three commercial contracts with Chinese companies related to the construction of infrastructure in Serbia. On that occasion, Minister Goran Vesic pointed out that the value of these contracts is approximately €4 billion and that they bring almost 300 kilometres of new roads. According to him, the first contract refers to the high-speed road "Smile of Vojvodina", which starts at Backi Breg and goes through Sombor, Kula, Vrbas, Becej and Novi Becej, Kikinda and finally to Srpska Crnja. Vesic explained that the second contract signed refers to the construction of the highway between Belgrade, Zrenjanin and Novi Sad, which will be 105 kilometres long, and the design of which is being completed and the works are expected to start next year. The Minister added that the third contract signed refers to the purchase of five Chinese high-speed trains, adding that we received five trains for €54 million, which means that we will now have high-speed trains that will run on the Belgrade-Budapest line.

 

Jovanovic: By fiber connectivity, Serbia is among leaders in the Balkans (Beta)

 

Serbian Telecommunications Minister Mihailo Jovanovic said in Beijing yesterday, within the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, that by fiber-optic availability, Serbia was one of the leaders in South-East Europe. “By the Fiber Development Index, Serbia is among the leaders in South-East Europe. More than 75 percent of households have access to fast internet, while the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications has launched a project to provide fast and reliable internet connections to the remaining 25 percent of households in rural areas by the end of 2025,” Jovanovic said after a meeting with Huawei representatives. The meeting discussed ways to enhance cooperation between Huawei and the Serbian government, focusing on further development of fiber infrastructure in Serbia’s rural areas, according to a release from the Serbian Ministry. It added that Huawei was committed to investing in education and development of young IT talents. One of Huawei’s ongoing projects is “Seeds for the Future,” which has been realized in Serbia for more than a decade, selecting more than 150 students from various schools and universities.

 

Bulgaria’s tax on transit of Russian gas a move against Hungary, Serbia (Tanjug)

 

Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Peter Szijjarto underlined yesterday in a joint statement that the decision of Bulgaria to introduce a tax on the Russian gas that is delivered through its territory is a hostile move aimed against Hungary and Serbia. This new Bulgarian regulation threatens the safe energy supply in Hungary and Serbia. The EU did not impose sanctions on the delivery of natural gas from Russia and therefore the argument of the Bulgarian Prime Minister is totally false. This decision undermines European solidarity and jeopardises the energy security of both EU member states and candidate countries. Hungary and Serbia will harmonise their positions and respond to this controversial decision by Bulgaria accordingly, it is said in the joint statement.

 

Petkovic: With his moves, Kurti is dealing fatal blow to process of normalization of relations (Tanjug/RTV)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said today that Prime Minister of Pristina's provisional institutions Albin Kurti is disrupting normalization of relations with Belgrade. "With his statements and actions, Albin Kurti is dealing a fatal blow to the process of normalization of relations with Belgrade every day, and is saying in front of all international actors that he has no intention of forming the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) that guarantees important collective rights and security to the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija. After the Berlin process (summit), a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the clear words of French President Emmanuel Macron and their joint messages about the importance of returning to dialogue and respecting previous agreements, and before the arrival of the 'big five' where everyone wants the formation of the ZSO, Kurti says that is not happening," stated Petkovic. His question for the international community is for how long they will stand by as Kurti is destroying the dialogue. "In the same way last year after the summit of the Berlin Process he (Kurti) unilaterally and illegally dismissed the (police) commander for the northern region, Nenad Djuric, based on nothing, contrary to the spirit and the letter of the dialogue and thus violated all agreements, which was a prelude to Pristina's unprecedented violence in the north of the province. That's why the question arises - How long will the international community silently watch as Kurti is destroying the dialogue and commitments made more than ten years ago in Brussels? Kurti, as a follower of Adem Demaqi and the Greater Albania idea, has been systematically undermining the process of normalization for more than two and a half years, and he is obsessively attacking Aleksandar Vucic, because Vucic is a man who sticks to the letter of dialogue and the signed agreements, advocates for peace and normalization of relations and strongly defends the rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, not allowing Pristina to trample on the previously reached agreements," Petkovic stated.

 

Meeting on media laws successful (Politika/Tanjug)

 

At the meeting on draft media laws, attended by representatives of the OSCE Mission, the EU Delegation, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway, the Serbian government, the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, representatives of working groups, as well as representatives of journalist and media associations, significant progress in harmonising the positions on the Law on Public Information and Media and the Law on Electronic Media has been made. During the meeting, which was hosted by Ambassador of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Jan Braathu, and with the participation of Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Ambassador of the EU to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway Kristin Melsom, representatives of the Journalists’ Association of Serbia UNS, the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia NUNS, the Association of Independent Electronic Media ANEM , the Press Council, the Association of Online Media, the RAB Association of Serbia, the Trade Union of Journalists of Serbia SINOS and Local Press, the participants thoroughly considered all articles of both draft laws. Through a constructive dialogue, a high degree of agreement was reached on the texts of the draft laws, while the controversial issues that existed were clarified. All participants in the meeting agreed that the texts of the draft laws, finally agreed upon at the meeting, represent a step in the right direction towards the regulation of the media scene in the Republic of Serbia. The deliberation process was conducted in an inclusive manner, with understanding among all parties, which resulted in the agreement of all meeting participants. This represents a significant step forward in relation to the existing legislation. With certain reservations of certain media and journalist associations regarding certain proposed solutions, it was agreed that both draft laws be forwarded for adoption at the next session of the Serbian government. The new laws will further strengthen the foundations for the improvement of the media scene, while strengthening the role of the media as guardians of democratic values in society. At the meeting, the importance of finding a way to maintain dialogue between trade unions, the media and media and journalist associations was highlighted, which was marked as one of the main goals for the next period. The Serbian government sincerely thanks all partners for their dedication and contribution to this important process. This meeting represents an important step towards the further implementation of the Media Strategy.

 

EU parliamentarians call on the EU to prepare sanctions against those responsible for the Banjska attack (Beta)

 

Members of the European Parliament have called on the Serbian authorities to fully cooperate in the investigation into the attack in the village of Banjska, north Kosovo, on 24 September, and on the EU and its member states to, based on the investigation findings, prepare targeted sanctions against the organizers, financiers and executors of the attack in North Kosovo. The motion for a Resolution on the recent developments in the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, including the situation in the northern municipalities in Kosovo, “calls for the EU and its member states to intensify their work with the Kosovo institutions, EULEX and KFOR, to shed light on all the details surrounding this attack and to identify and bring to justice all those responsible for its planning, financing and execution”. The EU Parliament published the text on 17 October, on which MEPs will vote on 19 October. The document also “calls on Serbia and Kosovo to denounce all forms of violence and acts of provocation, refrain from unilateral actions that could undermine peace and stability in the region, and instead actively work towards a peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue facilitated by the EU”. The leaders of Kosovo and Serbia are called “to reaffirm their commitment to the Ohrid Agreement and previous EU-brokered agreements and to engage actively and constructively in the EU-facilitated dialogue to resolve outstanding issues and normalize relations, while avoiding any rhetoric or actions that might hinder the dialogue process.” The motion also “calls on the Serbian authorities, high-ranking political representatives and officials to refrain from employing derogatory language in connection with the EU-facilitated negotiation process, EU policies in the Western Balkans and the overall EU enlargement process, as such conduct may lower public support for EU policies and EU enlargement in general”. Kosovo is called “to address all the remaining shortcomings of the election process and to implement the related recommendations of the EU Election Observation Missions in full and ensure a free and fair election process for all political parties”.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Court of B&H: Mirsad Strika will be presiding judge in case against Dodik (O Kanal)

 

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) decided that process against Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik will be led by judge Mirsad Strika. Decision comes one day after the first hearing, at which Dodik showed disrespect towards the Court and tried to explain why he, allegedly, does not understand the indictment. Strika has been working for several decades now, and in that time, he performed many judicial functions. Strika was appointed a judge of the Court of B&H in 2019, and he was part of the trial panel in ‘Respirators’ case. Strika was selected by CMS random system in rotation of nine judges. Strika is experienced judge and great professional, who was in charge of cases against Zdravko Mamic, Goran Zubac, Dragan Mektic, Fahrudin Radoncic, as well as ‘Damask’ case, which regards returnee fighters from Syria.

 

Attorney Pucar: Everything about indictment against Dodik and Lukic is absurd, this process should never have happened  (ATV)

 

Guest was attorney Miljkan Pucar, s legal representative of Acting Director of the RS Official Gazette Milos Lukic. Pucar commented on the process against RS President Milorad Dodik and Lukic, charged with non-execution of decisions of (High Representative) Christian Schmidt. Pucar said that everything about the indictment is absurd and that this process should never have happened. Pucar stated: “Everything about it is absurd. We have a lot of matters which are absurd. The constitutionality of B&H, that we are an independent and democratic state, is contradicted by this thesis of the Prosecutor's Office. The UN Charter states that only an independent and democratic country can be a member of the UN. Article 78 states that anyone under a protectorate cannot be a member. Does this mean, if there is a convicting verdict, that we will be erased from the UN? Why? Because someone passed a law in violation of our Constitution and the Parliament that was elected. In every democratic state, the parliament makes the law and no one else.” Asked about the plea hearing that took place before the Court of B&H on Monday, Pucar replied that the hearing seemed bad to him, adding: “The reason is that this procedure should not have happened. The Prosecutor’s Office has a thesis that is dangerous for B&H. We considered that the Court should respect the defense's applications and dismiss the indictment. The Prosecution's thesis with which they want to achieve something, but we do not know what, is that the constitutional order does not exist in B&H. The Constitution of B&H clearly states that only the parliament can pass laws. Also, the Constitution of RS states that the RS parliament passes laws.” According to Pucar, the laws passed by the RS parliament, when they are in accordance with the Constitution, need to be signed by RS President and the RS Official Gazette publishes it after that. The attorney emphasized that justice is slow and that in urgent criminal proceedings you cannot reach an indictment so quickly, especially not in non-urgent cases. However, the attorney added that in this case, in a short period of time, an investigation was carried out and an indictment was issued. Elaborating on the issues with the indictment, the attorney noted: “The four-page indictment is represented by three prosecutors and one expert associate. We who work before the Court of B&H know very well that in cases where we have 150-page indictments, one prosecutor and one expert associate represent them. In complex cases, you may have two prosecutors.” In his opinion, this is a politically motivated indictment, and the indictment is not based on the law. "I would not comment on politics. I do not know about the existence of prejudging, but there are many indications that are not normal in this procedure," he concluded.

 

Prosecutor’s Office of B&H confirms that it is not conducting investigation against HR Schmidt (Srna/RTRS)

 

The Prosecutor’s Office of B&H confirmed that it is not conducting the investigation against (High Representative) Christian Schmidt after B&H Security Minister Nenad Nesic submitted a report of security agencies about Schmidt and his stay in B&H. The Prosecutor’s office of B&H stated: “As we have already replied, the Prosecutor’s’ Office has not received from law enforcement agencies a report on a committed crime, which is under competence of the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H.” RTRS also reported and added that according to Nesic, judging by all evidence, Schmidt is not a legitimate HR and he expects from the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H to open a case file.

 

State level coalition partners agree on adoption of two laws (FTV)

 

FTV comments that the blockade on the political level has been interrupted. Reporter added that the ultimatums remained, but the adoption of two important European laws was announced - on courts and on preventing money laundering. With them, we would be one step closer to the European Union, and then back to the old problems, FTV concludes. FTV added that expelling of foreign judges from the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H remains a point of disagreement. It was further stated that the leaders of the state-level coalition again put B&H's European path at the top of the list of priorities. After the B&H House of Peoples (B&H HoP) adopted five European laws, the law on the courts of B&H and the law on preventing money laundering came next. The goal is a better image of B&H in international circles. HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic said they want to adopt these two laws before the EU officials come to B&H. “It seems to me that we will have a faster dynamic around all other laws as well, because we have already determined and defined a date”, Covic told a press conference. “We send a strong and firm message to the EU representatives, we expect them to keep their part of the agreement, even though we are aware that there are divisions among them as well”, pointed out SDP B&H leader Nermin Niksic. FTV comments that whether these laws meet EU requirements or are for the sake of political interests - has long been under question adding that the Law on Courts of B&H is in focus of interest. Golubic argues that due to the issue of the transfer of competencies, it became a point of disagreement among the coalition partners, while the ruling authorities in RS are criticized for trying to reduce the criminal jurisdiction and legal power of the Court and the Prosecutor's Office of B&H. The law on prevention of money laundering is also on the table, which is important for B&H's European path, but also its financial stability. FTV explains that if this law is not adopted, B&H will be put on the MONEYVAL gray list. B&H Security Minister Nenad Nesic (DNS) recalled that the meeting regarding the law on preventing money laundering was moved to the beginning of next week. “I expect that law to be before the parliamentarians by the end of October”, Nesic stated. “Finalize by the end of the week and try to adopt the procedure by the end of the month”, added SNSD leader Milorad Dodik. One Milorad Dodik, and two opposing views, comments reporter wondering: “Did he play along in his political games or is he calculating the calculations perfectly in his favor? Although, at least at the moment, he promotes the agreement and adoption of European laws, at the same time he does not give up on the well-known ultimatum. Without the expulsion of foreign judges from the Constitutional Court of B&H, there can be no discussion. He also presented a proposed solution to the partners. HDZ B&H accepted, ‘The Troika’ rejected the offer.” “The election of two judges would come from the RS, four would be elected in the Federation of B&H (FB&H), and these three, since they would not be foreigners but B&H citizens, would be elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of B&H”, Dodik explained his proposal. Lawyer Asim Crnalic believes that the conditions for such solutions are not met. “We will be forced to pass the Law on the Constitutional Court of B&H, which will also regulate the composition of that court”, Crnalic added.

 

Berlin Process summit held in Tirana, EU officials asked for acceleration of integration of Western Balkans countries (O Kanal)

 

O Kanal reports on the Berlin Process Summit that was held in Tirana. European leaders have called for speeding up the accession of the Western Balkans countries to the EU. Regional political leaders said that they strongly opened the door to the EU. In all this, some see empty messages and promises, while others see a great chance for B&H on its EU path, comments Zukancic. “The summit passed in very fruitful discussions, with an open exchange of views and a real sense of friendship. This is a difficult moment for every country and the challenges we all face together are exceptional due to the successive crises that have hit us”, assessed Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. “It is a good sign that the Berlin Process has now been held for the first time in a Western Balkans country. It is even better that all prime ministers from the region came here and that we could all talk to each other. This shows how dedicated the countries are to this process and how important it is for bringing the Western Balkans closer to the European Union, because it really is time for that”, said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen stated that the Western Balkans is “the best friend that the EU can have”, and she called for accelerated work on bringing these countries towards the Union, so that “we can prove that it is possible for us to have sustainable peace and sustainable prosperity”. Chairwoman of the B&H Council of Ministers (B&H CoM), Borjana Kristo, said that the summit is an opportunity to jointly approach solving challenges in order to reach a common goal, which is the membership of all the countries of the region in the EU. She said that the path to full membership is not easy, but that one must show determination and approach serious reforms in all segments of social life, because the expansion of the EU to the countries of the region is essential for maintaining long-term peace, stability and prosperity both in the region and on the European continent.

 

Opposition’s no-confidence vote against FM fails (Hina)

 

The motion for a no-confidence vote against Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman, which was submitted by the conservative populist Most party over the minister's failure to declare dividend income of €2.1 million from the company owned by his family, was on Tuesday supported by 48 MPs while 77 were against it. The motion of no-confidence was thus rejected by the majority. During the debate, some of the opposition lawmakers claimed that the company was privatized by his father because the family had supported the HDZ party. They also insisted that Grlic-Radman lied about his declaration of assets. Grlic-Radman did not declare €2.1 million he had received in dividends as a co-owner of the Agroproteinka company. This came to light amid the African Swine Fever crisis because Agroproteinka is the sole company in Croatia licensed to dispose of dead or euthanized animals. Davor Ivo Stier of the HDZ party said that Agroproteinka had concluded the job with the state about disposal of euthanized carcasses before Grlic-Radman became the minister. Stier said that the minister had declared the shares he has in the company in his declaration of assets, he had paid taxes, but he only forgot to declare the profit in his declaration of assets. This is where he erred. He will bear the consequences and the Conflict of interests Commission will decide on that, Stier said, explaining that the Commission found that the minister did not abuse his office. This is the second time in a year that the minister has survived a no-confidence vote. The previous no-confidence vote against Grlic-Radman was moved by the right-wing DP Party, which accused him of failing to fulfill any foreign affairs goal.

 

Milatovic: It’s not good that we’re going to have minority govt, and that the Bosniak Party won’t be part of it; I wouldn’t like it if Picula was used by some local politicians (CdM)

 

I’m glad we have a closer picture of what the government should look like, but it’s not good that the Bosniak Party won’t be part of it, whereas other ethnic minority parties are going to join it, assessed the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic. Following the opening ceremony of the First International Conference ‘Montenegro Financial Markets’, the President pointed out that he had always been saying that Montenegro needed an inclusive and stable government. “This is the third time Montenegro’s going to get a minority government, which might indicate that we aren’t mature yet. It’s good that the government’s going to get the support of the majority of MPs. There are some good and also some less good things. It’s good that Montenegro will get a government at some moment”. President Milatovic claims that he didn’t meddle in the formation of the government. “I expressed my clear political views – that we need a government which would be backed by the majority in parliament so that we may nominate people in the justice system, make some progress on the road to the EU and that we need an inclusive government. Now it’s all up to Spajic”. Commenting on the census issue and the fact that the European Parliament is going to discuss it, President Milatovic said that he wouldn’t like it if Tonino Picula was used by some local politicians to represent “their voice in the European Parliament”. “It wouldn’t be good for Picula either,” he noted.

 

Milatovic: We should do everything to speed up the process and for Montenegro to become the first next member of the EU (CdM)

 

The President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic met with the heads of the negotiating groups on the topic of Montenegro's progress on the road to European integration. He expressed satisfaction with the holding of the meeting and emphasized the importance of a quality and professional negotiation structure in that process. "I wanted to further emphasize your work and commitment to accelerating the European path of our country. You know that I have an intensive international activity in this sense, which is why I wanted to get informed and to get a cross-section of the situation together, in order to further focus on this issue ahead of the next report on the state's progress. European integration is the most important topic in Montenegro and our main common denominator, and therefore we should do everything to speed up the process and our country becomes the first next member of the EU", said Milatovic. He informed the participants of the meeting about the priorities in internal and foreign policy, the key meetings and summits in which he participated in the previous period, and the strong support shown by numerous countries for the acceleration of Montenegro's European path. State Secretary of the Ministry of European Affairs Milena Blecic Zizic presented Montenegro's achievements so far in the negotiation process, after which all participants spoke in detail about their work in separate chapters, and marked the key priorities and challenges they face in the areas of action. The participants of the meeting agreed that the officials involved in the negotiation structure have been doing serious work for ten years, which is confirmed by the fact that several chapters are actually ready to be closed, but that according to the new methodology, Montenegro must first meet the temporary standards in chapters 23 and 24. that 2/3 of the temporary benchmarks for these chapters have been met and that issues in this area are expected to be a priority of the new convocation of the parliament and the new government. The chapters that are actually ready to be closed concern the areas of public procurement, commercial law, intellectual property, entrepreneurship and industrial policy, as well as foreign relations, transport, energy, etc.

It was also assessed that one should not minimize what has been done and the success so far and that political will and determination are needed to further accelerate the process of European integration. In this context, it was announced that the negotiation structure needs to be adequately organized and protected from political influence, and that it is of great importance to strengthen the capacity of the public administration for tasks directly related to the process of European integration. In conclusion, President Milatovic said that the EU integration process is a joint task that requires the connection and cooperation of all branches of government and institutions, and that only in this way can the desired results be achieved.

 

Picula: Montenegro misses its opportunities, the SPC is unfortunately an active political factor in the country, the census should not be used as a political tool to polarize society (CdM)

 

Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur for Montenegro Tonino Picula said that Montenegro has opened all chapters, but that none has been closed in the last six years, and that it is still formally a leader in integration. "All other countries have progressed, while Montenegro is missing its opportunities," Picula pointed out. The political situation in Montenegro is, it seems, constantly burdened by blockades, and the political scene is dominated by confrontations. Support for membership, he added, was limited to formal declarations, while, as he said, certain actors advocated the policy of external actors. "Almost 80 percent of Montenegrin citizens unequivocally support the country's entry into the EU. This information should bind all political actors in Montenegro and could serve as a cohesive factor in a highly polarized society. I especially want to emphasize this in the context of the formation of the new government and the expected vote in the Assembly next week," said Picula. He also highlighted the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church. "Which, unfortunately, is an active political factor in Montenegro and is often used as a means of external interference in domestic political processes", stated Picula. He praised the fact that Montenegro is fully aligned with the EU's foreign policy. "And in terms of sanctions against Russia, we certainly appreciate that as well. We also welcome the appointment of three judges of the Constitutional Court as a step towards solving the constitutional crisis", added Picula. Picula said that they are not talking about boycotting the census but supporting the census as a contribution to the development policy of each country. "What we are proposing is that the census should not be used as a political tool to polarize society. Removing the blockades would be a constructive precondition for its maintenance in a transparent manner without political interference," said Picula.

 

Varhelyi: Montenegro to stop the period of political unpredictability; Bilcik: Politicians to act responsibly, please stay on the EU path (CdM)

 

European Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said that Montenegro was considered the country that has made the most progress on the EU path, but in recent years it has lost focus and missed certain opportunities. "We lost precious time, and we agree with this House that Montenegro must move forward, and this is only possible if this period of political unpredictability is stopped," said Varhelyi. In particular, he adds, they are worried that the institutions of Montenegro are not functioning. "The parliament is not yet functional after the elections, and what is needed is a strong majority in the parliament that will be able to fulfill key tasks and implement the necessary reforms. Likewise, we hope that a stable European government will be formed very soon, and it is important to underline that the longer institutions do not function, the more vulnerable they are to external influences, destabilization, hybrid threats and other dangers," said Varhelyi. He adds that it is in the common interest to speed up the negotiation process. Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Stabilization and Association Vladimir Bilcik said that while we wait for the formation of democratic institutions after the elections, Movement Europe now has a unique opportunity to take the first step in speeding up EU rapprochement. "Those who are against the EU and those who are trying to increase their influence in Montenegro could threaten this path, because they will certainly not bring the country closer to the EU. Therefore, I call on all politicians to act responsibly. Please stay on the road to the EU. That's the only way we have a long-term common future," said Bilcik.

 

Kovachevski - Scholz: North Macedonia to resume European path, strong support from Germany (MIA)

 

Germany's reaffirmed strong support for realization of the next step in the plan for EU accession by taking significant decisions was in the focus of the meeting of Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the sidelines of the Berlin Process Summit in Tirana late on Monday. The meeting, also attended by Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj, tackled North Macedonia's European prospects and the country's EU accession negotiations, and current developments in the region, the government said in a press release. Chancellor Scholz provided strong encouragement and support for realization of the next step in the plan for EU accession by taking significant decisions. He welcomed the government's efforts for continuation of the Euro-integration process and progress in meeting membership criteria, while noting the importance of consensus on strategic issues in the citizens' interest. Kovachevski said the opportunity must not be missed and stressed that North Macedonia needs integration not isolation, whereas a vote for the constitutional amendments is a vote for North Macedonia's European future. Interlocutors agreed that acceleration of integration processes is in the interest of the region's political and economic stability, as well as its security, while EU membership leads to economic and societal development, social justice, democracy, rule of law and better life for citizens. Kovachevski thanked Scholz for Germany's principled support and commitment, both in the process of accession negotiations and through the Berlin Process as catalyst for regional cooperation. The two leaders also discussed the specific benefits of the Berlin Process, aimed at raising the level of political cooperation, which represents a very significant element on the Euro-integration path of North Macedonia and the region. Discussions also referred to the most important aspects of bilateral cooperation, considering that Germany is one of the most dedicated partners in the EU integration of the Western Balkans, reads the press release.

 

Rama: Relations with France boosted as a result of its re-engagement in the region (Radio Tirana)

 

Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that the President of France Emmanuel Macron will lead a process of re-engagement of the European Union in order to reunify Europe, to build two rails of a train where on the one hand each country will do its homework, meanwhile the EU will continue efforts to reform internally. In the joint press conference with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, who is making his first visit to our country, Rama said that after  waiting for at least a century , the French head of state is coming for a bilateral visit in Albania. Rama said that this visit is much more than a formal visit. "It is a friendly visit and it is a commitment visit to further boost a relationship between France and Albania that, if we look at all the concrete data, we figure out an unexpected but also long-awaited development in recent years as a result of a re-engagement of France in the region and through the direct engagement of President Macron in search of a very concrete and much more productive relationship for the EU and for the Western Balkans", said Rama. This relationship, according to him, should exceed the traditional process of European integration and be able to give the countries of the Western Balkans the opportunity to join Europe without falling into the trap of the tradition of the integration process at every step. "In my point of view and thankfully for President Macron, this should continue based on the merit of each country, but it should not be allowed to become a reason for anxiety and uncertainty in relation to the European future of our countries. The anxiety and uncertainty comes due to the EU's need to expand on the traditional path in conditions where autocracies are gaining an advantage over democracies as a result of being able to make strategic decisions and make them quickly," Rama said. The Prime Minister appreciated the fact that President Macron, in his speech in Tirana, said very clearly that EU expansion should not hinder the reunification of Europe. "For this I am very hopeful that the President will lead a process of EU re-engagement in order to reunify Europe to build two rails of a train where on the one hand each country will do its homework, while the EU will continue efforts to reform internally. The relations of the EU with each country will be very deep, with an impact on our economic and social life", said Rama.

 

Macron: Visit to Albania, re-engagement in our relations (Radio Tirana)

 

The President of the Republic of France, Emmanuel Macron, stated that it was a mistake that no French president has visited Albania until today and that this official visit is a form of repairing the mistake. At the joint press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama at the Prime Minister's Office, Macron said that he was happy to be in Albania for this official visit.

"I am happy to be by your side today at such a difficult moment for our Europe that has been subjected to the world's slipping, the return of war on its territory with what Ukraine is experiencing for more than one and a half years, with the return of the war in the Caucasus and unfortunately the return of terrorism in our country. And here I want to mention our Belgian and Swedish friends, because I told you yesterday that Brussels was attacked last night, and 2 Swedish citizens were affected by this terrorist attack. So, I'm thinking about our Belgian and Swedish friends at this moment," Macron said. "I was saying that being by your side today means which marks a form of re-engagement of France in your country and in the region, because it was a deep mistake that since 1912 and the establishment of diplomatic relations there had not been a President of the French Republic, not only to visit you, but also to make a piece of road together. So, it was the moment to do it", said Macron. Macron reiterated that, "this official visit was a form of repair, a form of fixing the mistake if I can express it. Anyway, it is a form of re-engagement and reinvention of our relationship", he underlined. But, Macron emphasized, "I don't want to go back to the past, but to the future. The delegation accompanying me shows our will".

 

Albania-France, 4 cooperation agreements are signed (Radio Tirana)

 

Albania and France signed four cooperation agreements during President Emmanuel Macron's official visit to Tirana. These agreements, signed in the presence of President Macron and Prime Minister Edi Rama, which aim to strengthen bilateral relations, marking a significant step five years after the signing of the Declaration of Strategic Partnership between the two countries. The first agreement, a guide for economic cooperation between Albania and France, was signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, and Delegate Minister of Foreign Trade, Attraction, and Diaspora of the French Republic, Olivier Becht. The second agreement was a memorandum of understanding for mutual cooperation between the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania (represented by the State Agency for Strategic Programming and Aid Coordination) and the French Development Agency (AFD). The memorandum was signed by Assistant Director of the State Agency for Strategic Programming and Coordination, Ilir Beqaj, and Cyrille Bellier, the Director for the Balkans, the Middle East, and Asia. The third agreement in the field of cinematography was signed by the President of the National Center for Cinema and Animated Images, Dominique Boutonnat, and Minister of Culture, Elva Margariti. The fourth agreement was a declaration of intent between the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Albania and the Ministry of the Interior and Overseas of the French Republic, focused on enhancing police cooperation in the ballistic field. The agreement 'Regarding the strengthening of police cooperation in the ballistic field,' which aims to fulfill the need for operational exchange of ballistic forensic information, was signed by Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Albania, Taulant Balla, and the Ambassador of the French Republic in Albania, Catherine Suard, announced the Prime Minister's Office. The main focus of four cooperation agreements and memorandums signed during this visit: the first addresses the fight against illegal immigration, the second covers economic cooperation, the third pertains to collaboration in the field of art and culture, and the fourth outlines cooperation between the Albanian and French police.

 

Albania abstains from the resolution submitted by Russia to the UN Security Council (Radio Tirana)

 

At the UNSC meeting, Albania abstained from the draft resolution presented by Russia because the text failed to adequately address all critical issues, including the condemnation of terrorist attacks by Hamas, the Mission of Albania to the UN announced today. The United Nations Security Council must come together in condemning terrorism, addressing many of the urgent and critical needs on the ground, including the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and the protection of civilians everywhere, the Albanian Mission in the UN said in a response.

 

There is no preferential lane in the integration process (Radio Tirana)

 

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said during the joint press conference with the President of France Emmanuel Macron, that the European Union will have to give more space to the countries in the process of integration, offering them in parallel with the technical process of integration and a development, a path for these countries. The head of the Albanian government, responding to the interest of the media, said that the European Union, in these difficult times, should reduce bureaucracy and be more practical with the countries that are in the process of integration into the European family. "Of course, it will take some time for the very clear message of the President (Macron) last night and today, which is an innovation for the approach to the region, to be realized by all those who are very interested in this process, but who are also used to seeing this process only in the traditional way. And your question is actually an expression of what we all have learned for many years, with the idea that this process is on a path of reforms and evaluations by the Brussels bureaucracy, which ends with membership," said Rama. "While the truth is that every day more and more, in a world that is becoming more complicated, the necessity of breaking, of complementing this traditional path, with a parallel path, where countries are given more space and where the Union of Europe, as the President calls it, to become a practice and become more and more tangible from both sides. Therefore, the very question that, since we are the Europe of the Balkans and not another part of the Balkans in Europe, to ask for a preferential lane, starts from a wrong basis," said Rama. "There is no preferential lane in this process, we are not and we do not want to be more and more the Europe of the Balkans, to have a preferential lane to reach the EU. But because we must continue in the spirit of that trust, since the times of Skanderbeg, to our [National] Renaissance people, and then to our people, who over the centuries have loved Europe as their own, when the EU did not exist at all," he continued. Rama. "I really hope that the President (Macron) pushes this concept and that this concept is embraced by the EU and turns into a mechanism that enables us to what started yesterday at the Summit as a parallel path of development, while we walk on the technical path of integration, in order that it expands. The new growth plan is the first stone, which means that for the first time in the history of integration processes, countries that are in these processes will benefit from more financing and will benefit from access to the European common market, which until yesterday it only happened when you became a full member of the EU. Therefore, I would beg you all to understand that Albania does not care about a date. The first is because any date that can be decided by anyone will remain another unrealized meeting due to the way Brussels works," said Rama.