LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: State policy does not change in a day or two (Radio Serbia, by Mladen Bijelic)

Serbia is strategically oriented towards the EU, but we also want good relations with Russia, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on the margins of the conference entitled Belgrade Dialogues. The strategic goal of our country is the European Union, but Serbia has traditionally good relations with Russia that it has managed to maintain so far, stressed the Serbian Prime Minister. “State policy does not change in a day or two,” he said, commenting on Germany’s position on Serbia’s relations with Russia and Ukraine, stating that Berlin expressed the highest praise and clear support to the government’s economic reforms. Serbia is preoccupied with its own reforms and problems and does not want to deal with global problems, or to be a mediator in the conflict, Vucic pointed out stating that it sincerely wishes for starvation in Ukraine to stop and peace to be established. The first round of dialogue, which was completed in the early morning hours, Vucic described as difficult, but we have “reached a maximum at this time and managed to ensure a large number of judges and prosecutors in northern Kosovo”. However, now the main problem will be how to provide such number of judges of Serbian nationality who will work in the courts in this part of the province, the Prime Minister explained. In response to a journalist’s question regarding topics to be discussed, he explained that the EU, as well as Pristina, insisted on some of their subjects, and that the most important thing for Serbia is the Union of Serb Municipalities and the property issue. As he said, one of those topics will be certainly on the agenda at the next meeting. He could not specify when the negotiations will continue as it was not agreed. “I also informed EU High Representative Federica Mogherini that Serbia expected to quickly open the negotiating chapters and that Brussels has to evaluate the effect of Serbia,” the Prime Minister told reporters, explaining that Serbia did all that was needed and that the EU is to assess whether it is sufficient. He also said that Serbia is on the toughest and the best path and that he is confident that it will be well organized, modern and prosperous country. Speaking about the fact that Albanians are leaving Kosovo and Metohija en masse, Vucic explained that Serbia is undertaking all measures in agreement with Germany, Austria and Hungary. “Freedom of movement cannot be breached, and Serbia, together with its European partners, will be solving this problem,” Vucic said.

 

Dacic: Great success turned into great abuses (Tanjug/RTS)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has pointed to the abuses of the Belgrade-Pristina agreement on the freedom of movement for Kosovo residents and assessed that this issue does not only concern Serbia and Hungary, but also the EU. It is obvious that now there is an abuse of the freedom of movement, said Dacic in Budapest after talks with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto. Recalling that Serbia, according to that agreement, is obliged to let through Kosovo residents, even though it doesn’t consider their documents to be valid because it doesn’t recognize independence of Kosovo, Dacic noticed that what used to be interpreted as great success has now become a possibility for abuse. Serbia, and I assume Hungary as well, are not countries that are the goals of these migrations. That is why the EU should tackle these issues more seriously, said Dacic on the occasion of a large number of illegal migrants from Kosovo into Hungary.

 

Djuric: Better general atmosphere for Serbs in the province (RTS)

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric told the morning broadcast of Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) that he expects the agreement signed in Brussels to reflect on the opening of the chapters in the negotiations with the EU. Djuric says that the agreement implies that the Serbs will have, apart from the police administration for the region of the north of the province, also a court headed by a Serb, and that there will be a larger and sufficient number of Serbs judges and prosecutors north of the Ibar River. “This is important because not a single Serb judge or prosecutor has been in the system of provincial institutions since 2008,” Djuric pointed out and noted that the Serbian delegation headed by Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic fought in Brussels for every letter, comma, every prosecutor and judge, which is also evident by the agreement. Djuric pointed out that people are missing in order to fill in all posts in these institutions, but that he is sure that they will be filled, since it is very important for the Serbs to take part in them. Asked how does one motivate the Serbs to take part in the work of the institutions, Djuric says that the people living there are the first ones fighting for Kosovo and Metohija, then the Serbian government, and then all other institutions. “The Kosovo Serbs and those who represent Serbs cannot be the only ones carrying it; this must also be done by scientific and cultural institutions. We didn’t have enough initiative from other institutions,” said Djuric. He said there is also a series of open questions that was discussed in Brussels, and that one of them is assigning a special dialing code for Kosovo. “There is a draft of the agreement that should enable Telekom Serbia to normally operate on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, which is not the case at present. They would like to receive a dialing code without anything, which didn’t pass,” explained Djuric. According to him, Vucic insisted until the end for the Union of Serb Municipalities, as the central part of the Brussels agreement, to be on the table and this topic was dominant in the talks with the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini. Djuric adds that they mentioned in Brussels the issue of illegal migrants from Kosovo and Metohija, and that the EU representatives are concerned because of this and wonder what had caused this wave. “For us it is important that Serbia started to take measures to improve the material situation of our people in Kosovo and Metohija. The Serbian government policy will not only increase presence in Kosovo, but it will also see that the quality of life of our people becomes better,” said Djuric.

 

Serbs receive court in Mitrovica (Novosti)

The Basic Court in Kosovska Mitrovica will be in charge of seven municipalities: North Mitrovica, South Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zvecan, Zubin Potok, Srbica and Vucitrn. It will be headed by a Serb, and the prosecutor will be an Albanian. These are the key details of the agreement on the judiciary between Belgrade and Pristina initialed by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Isa Mustafa, the Head of the Kosovo Albanian delegation. The Serbian delegation thinks that it is especially important that a Serb will be heading the Basic Court, because it delegates cases to judges. It is also important that the Serbs will not have to go to the southern part of Mitrovica, for example, to get a divorce or similar things, since there will be judicial branches in Zubin Potok and Leposavic, in charge of common and non-common pleas and criminal offences which are punishable by up to ten years. These branches will have only Serb judges and clerks. Serbian Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic tells Novosti that the agreement is absolutely favorable for our fellow nationals: “It is very important that a Serb is the president of the court. Also, on the territory under the jurisdiction of the court the number of Albanians is four times greater, but the Serbs have 25 judges and the Albanians 24. We will have an equal number of employees and an equal number of prosecutors. The agreement absolutely protects the interests of the Serbs.”

Total number of judges in the north 24

14 Serbs                         10 Albanians

4   Department of serious crimes        4

5   Department of general crime         4

5   Department of the Appellate Court 2

Court personnel in the north:

54 Serbs/26 Albanians

Total number of judges in the south 25

14 Albanians                   11 Serbs

Juvenile Department

Department of common and non-common pleas

Department of delinquents

Court personnel in the south:

54 Albanians/26 Serbs

Prosecution will be located in the north

Chief prosecutor is an Albanian

9 Serbs     Deputy prosecutors   8 Albanians

Prosecution personnel:

24 Serbs/24 Albanians

 

EU has at least six more conditions for Serbia (Blic)

The agreement on the judiciary will not be sufficient for opening chapters in the negotiations between Serbia and the EU, Blic has learned from several western diplomatic sources, who stress that the Brussels agreement on the judiciary is “an important Step” but not the last one for the decision on the opening of Chapter 35 on Kosovo. Germany insists that precisely the Kosovo chapter be opened first in the membership negotiations between Serbia and the EU, and requests as a condition “full implementation” of the Brussels agreement on normalization of relations. Great Britain is close to this position, while France and Italy think that Belgrade should be rewarded in case of progress with Pristina. In any case, there are at least six more obligations from the Brussels agreement that have not been implemented, like the agreement on the Union of Serb Municipalities and the dialing code for Kosovo. Blic learns that the EU council of Ministers should examine in March or April the negotiations with Serbia on accession. In theory, Blic’s sources state, there is a possibility for the Council to approve the opening of Chapters 23 and 24 on rule of law and to leave Chapter 35 for later, but this will be possible only if Germany agrees, which is unlikely.

What does the EU request

1. Agreement on the Union of Serb Municipalities

2. Dialing code for Kosovo

3. Energy - status of the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS) and Gazivode

4. Permanent border crossings

5. Agreement on civil protection in the north

6. Opening of the bridge on the Ibar River in Mitrovica

 

Erler: Impossible for Serbia to have neutral mediatory role (Politika/Tanjug)

Member of the Bundestag and special representative of the German government’s OSCE chairmanship in 2016 Gernot Erler, said in Belgrade that it is impossible for Serbia to have a neutral mediatory role between the EU and Russia. Serbia is on the path toward the EU, which implies a gradual implementation of the EU common foreign and security policy, the German official said at the conference entitled Belgrade Dialogues. The EU rightly expects Belgrade to implement the common foreign and security policy, and commitment to EU values which include adherence to international law, implementation of agreements, and respect of countries' territorial integrity, he said. Erler said that there is no room for a neutral position there, but only for a clear commitment. If Serbia opted against the shared values, it would certainly contribute to strengthening these political forces in Europe that would like to see a slowdown in EU integration, he said. Erler said that not only is Serbia a candidate country, but it has also officially opened the negotiations last year, and voiced hope that the country will soon open the first chapters in its accession negotiations. Pointing to Serbia’s 2015 OSCE chairmanship, Erler said that historical and cultural ties that Belgrade has with Moscow are well-known. He said that no one criticizes these ties, or brings them into question, but rather they are seen as a chance for restoring trust in the OSCE’s work. Erler said that Serbia’s domestic policy agenda is impressive, adding that he would like to see the opposition’s greater engagement in the reform processes. As regards the relationship with Pristina, Erler said that any good news in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is important, and noted that Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic brought from Brussels the good news from the field of judiciary. The news is important, particularly when it comes to Chapter 35 that opens the door to all fields in the EU entry talks. The dialogue is also of great political importance for Europe, Erler said, adding that there is consensus in the EU for enlargement to the Western Balkans.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

MP’s from the SNSD and DNS left the session (Srna)

The MP’s from the SNSD and DNS walked out of today's session of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of B&H, after their repeated request that the agenda should include the motion for a dismissal of the Chairman of the House Sefik Dzaferovic was not supported. The Chairman of the SNSD Caucus in the House of Representatives Stasa Kosarac petitioned on a behalf of the Caucus that the agenda includes the motion for Dzaferovic’s dismissal. Kosarac emphasized that this point of the agenda is being proposed because of the existence of serious allegations and extensive supporting documentation, which was supplied by the former Vice-President of the FB&H Mirsad Kebo to the B&H Prosecutors office, which causes a serious suspicion that Dzaferovic during the war failed to prevent and prosecute war crimes against Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kosarac appealed to the delegates, to separate the political from criminal responsibility and to facilitate judicial institutions to do their job. This is the third session of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of B&H where the members of the SNSD Caucus have left the session because the accepts to includes the motion for Dzaferovic’s dismissal were not supported.

 

Pavic: Statement on EU integration to be signed (Srna)

President of Democratic People’s Alliance (DNS), Marko Pavic, stated he would sign the statement on European integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), since most of the suggestions made by this party had been incorporated into the original text of the statement. Pavic said that the basic DNS’ principles have been taken into account, i.e. observance of B&H institutions, Dayton Peace Agreement, constitutions of B&H, the Republika Srpska (RS), and the Federation of B&H, as well as institutions implementing primarily the economic and social measures contained in the statement, as they fall under the full competence of the entities. “The most important principle that is contained in the preamble is that everything will be carried out based on the Dayton Peace Agreement and the constitutions of B&H and the entities,” Pavic said at a press conference held in Banja Luka following the session of DNS presidency. He noted that the party’s stance that this statement and the actions stemming from it do not include transfer of competences from entities to B&H level was not explicitly incorporated, but that this is understood based on the stated principle of observance of constitutional order of B&H. “DNS is a pro-European party, on the European integration course, and we want the road to the EU to be as short as possible,” Pavic emphasized. He added that there are some speculations implying that after the statement is signed the police will be under pressure, or that there will be pressure for the privatization of Elektroprivreda, and similar, but DNS will never accept the privatization of public resources. “DNS will not support unitarisation of B&H and privatization of public resources,” Pavic stressed. He added that the original version of the statement was fatal to the constitutional order of B&H, and that the opposition then kept silent and accepted it, but that they do have something to say now, after DNS, SNSD and SP managed to incorporate the observance of the constitutional order. “Because of their submissive politics, they were ready to push RS into the abyss, from which there would be no return. I cannot say that the first draft is the same, nor can I talk about my contribution to the final version of the statement,” underlined the leader of DNS. He concluded that the statement introduced a change to original EU’s goals regarding B&H, i.e. the earlier issues relating to Sejdic-Finci decision, coordination mechanism and military property, and that an emphasis is now placed on social and economic issues. President of Socialist Party (SP) Petar Djokic on Tuesday signed the statement on principles of EU integration of B&H. Prior to the signing, the executive board of SP Main Board accepted the statement defining the observance of the Constitution of B&H and the General Framework Agreement for Peace in B&H, as well as constitutional competences distributed amongst the institutions of B&H, cantons and municipalities. The executive board considers the statement acceptable, as the text had been revised in accordance with the objections made by SNSD-DNS-SP coalition partners, Socialist Party said in a statement. At the session held in Banja Luka, results of the elections held in the newly-established municipality of Stanari were reviewed, and it was concluded that there is increased voter confidence placed in SP, this having been confirmed by SP winning two councilor seats and achieving third best result at the municipal level.

 

B&H Presidency - export of weapons to Ukraine is not foreign policy interest of B&H (Fena)

The B&H Presidency adopted at the regular session an opinion that the export of weapons and military equipment from B&H to Ukraine at the moment is not in the interest of the foreign policy of B&H, because it does not contribute to regional security, stability and current international diplomatic efforts to achieve a peaceful solution to the crisis in Ukraine.

 

Dodik and Kraak about the possibilities of economic cooperation between the RS and the Netherlands (Fena)

Improvement of economic cooperation between the Netherlands and the RS was the dominant topic of the meeting of the RS President Milorad Dodik and Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in B&H Jurriaan Kraak. In this regard, Dodik, among other things, informed the Dutch Ambassador that the RS is preparing a set of legal solutions that would improve the business environment in the RS. At a meeting in Banja Luka they have also discussed the recent initiative of the EU, which should enable faster movement of B&H towards the EU, which will find its place today in front of the delegates of the RS National Assembly, reads the press release issued by Dodik’s cabinet.

 

Prime Minister Cvijanovic received the Ambassador of Hungary to B&H (Srna)

The RS Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic received today the Ambassador of Hungary to B&H, Mr. Jozsef Negyes, during his inaugural visit. Improvement of economic cooperation and possibilities for stronger regional cooperation primarily with regard to infrastructure projects were in the focus of the meeting of Prime Minister Cvijanovic with the Hungarian Ambassador.

Prime Minister and the Ambassador of Hungary agreed that good cooperation between the RS and Hungary already existed particularly in the areas of cultural and education exchange and expressed mutual interest to improve relations in other areas as well. Prime Minister Cvijanovic emphasized that the RS had relevant economic potentials and resources that should be better communicated to potential foreign investors. The interlocutors exchanged views about the renewed approach of the EU toward B&H and possibilities of applying experiences and good practices of Hungary in the process of B&H accession to the EU.​

 

 

Another proof of fabricating journalism of Zaev, Kabranov and Soros media (Kurir.mk)

Opposition portals are reaching the top of the manipulations and began to deny themselves. This last example is classic proof of fabricated journalism of SDSM leader Zoran Zaev and his journalistic servant Aco Kabranov and other opposition media under financial support of the Soros Foundation. The portal Libertas of Aco Kabranov yesterday afternoon announced two utterly contradictory news, through which believe it or not, he has denied himself. Libertas first, at 19 o’clock released information for the visit of the Minister of Finance Zoran Stavreski to London, reporting his statement that “financial areas are of interest to the British.”

In the same article, in the subtitle, it was reported that “the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski yesterday and held number of meetings with representatives of the business community in London.” Just few hours later, Libertas reported with manipulative text “Jankulovska is sad, Stavreski angry at the government session after the release of wiretapping,” writing that “the Prime Minister yesterday afternoon convened meeting with ministers from his cabinet.” With this, Libertas and Aco Kabranov are denying themselves. Opposition portal was caught in their lie, as forget that just few hours before reporting the manipulative text for Stavreski and Jankulovska said that the Minister of Finance is in London, which means that article about alleged government meeting that Stavreski was not angry, is nothing but just pure fabrication of Kabranov because Stavreski was not in the country at all that day (Monday) as writes Libertas. Opposition media with their manipulations began to deny themselves. This is another proof of fabricating journalism of the opposition led by Zoran Zaev, Aco Kabranov and other Soros media that after the good old principle took the news, citing the announcement of Libertas.

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

Serbia tries to stop massive migrant exodus to EU (AP, by Ivana Bzganovic, 11 February 2015)  

SUBOTICA, Serbia - Serbian security forces stepped up patrols and deployed an elite unit Wednesday on its border with Hungary, trying to halt a torrent of migrants that has triggered alarm in many European Union countries. The last few months have seen a massive exodus of mostly Kosovo Albanians fleeing poverty and unemployment in search for a better life in the European Union. Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Residents must cross through Serbia to reach Hungary, a member of the 28-nation EU. Serbian authorities say about 1,000 asylum seekers are caught daily by either Hungarian or Serbian border guards as they try to cross illegally through forests and freezing rivers. The migrants also include many Syrians, Afghans, Iraqis and others. Some 23,000 asylum seekers reached Hungary during the first six weeks of 2015, compared to 43,000 in all of last year, Hungarian authorities said. Officials in Kosovo estimate at least 100,000 Kosovo Albanians have left since last summer. "We want to earn some money to feed our children," a Kosovo Albanian man caught on the border Tuesday by Serbian police told The Associated Press. He refused to be identified by name, fearing legal consequences. "We don't see a future in Kosovo. ... Back home, there are no jobs. We cannot live." Once migrants are inside Hungary, they can travel freely to most other EU nations. Many are seeking asylum in richer EU countries such as Germany, Austria, France or Sweden, and some even try to smuggle across the English Channel to Britain. Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, on a visit to Hungary, described the figures as "truly alarming" and pledged that Serbia will do "everything possible" to stop the migrant flow. "This is a European issue and the European Union has to take this issue seriously," said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

___

Dusan Stojanovic from Belgrade, Serbia, and Pablo Gorondi, from Budapest, Hungary, contributed.

 

Bosnian Serb Deputies Mull EU Declaration (BIRN, by Elvira M. Jukic, Srecko Latal, 11 February 2015)

The Republika Srpska assembly on Wednesday began debating the declaration that is supposed to unblock the country’s EU path - which has been delayed by political intrigues.

The President of Bosnia’s Serb-dominated entity, Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, will sign Bosnia's EU declaration, but only once it is debated by the entity assembly, scheduled for Wednesday, officials said. According to the new EU initiative for Bosnia, launched at the end of 2014, once the declaration is adopted by Bosnia’s state parliament and signed by leaders of all 14 parties represented in it, the EU will activate Bosnia’s Stabilization and Association Agreement, thus moving the country ahead in the EU accession process. After Bosnia’s tripartite presidency drafted the declaration last December, Dodik quickly rejected it. The presidency prepared a second draft in mid-January, which Dodik – under pressure from German and UK officials – tentatively accepted on condition that the entity assembly debate it first. The main board of Dodik’s party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, met on Tuesday to discuss the disputed declaration. Some EU officials and European diplomats are concerned that Dodik is using the debate over the declaration to play political games with the opposition bloc of Bosnian Serb parties and two main Bosniak parties, which have made a coalition to form a state government in Bosnia without the SNSD. “Everything that Dodik is doing now seems to be aimed at ensuring that the SNSD is accepted into the state coalition. If that fails, he seems determined to further weaken the state and switch the main decision-making process to the entities,” a Western diplomat told Balkan Insight. The debate in the Republika Srpska assembly on the EU declaration is expected to start with Dodik’s introductory speech. The chair of the Bosnian Presidency, Mladen Ivanic, a Serb from the opposition bloc, will also address the assembly.

 

Bosnia’s ‘Politicians with War Baggage’ Under Fire (BIRN, by Denis Dzidic, 11 February 2015)

Victims’ associations and human rights advocates have condemned the appointment of two elected officials who have been accused of having connections with war crimes during the 1990s. A recently-elected Serb MP and a high-ranking Bosniak lawmaker have become the focus of concern in Bosnia and Herzegovina about politicians who are accused of having murky past connections to war crimes. The Bosnian prosecution last month raised a genocide indictment against Dragomir Vasic, a former police chief who was elected a lawmaker in the country’s Serb-led Republika Srpska entity parliament last year. Vasic last week denied the charges against him and refused to hand in his resignation, but the president of the Mothers of Srebrenica association representing victims of the 1995 massacres, Hatidza Mehmedovic, argued that people accused of such crimes should not be allowed in positions of authority. “This is something worrying and those persons should not be MPs or in other political offices,” Mehmedovic told BIRN. “They should be sentenced, so they are in jail, primarily in order to send a message to younger generations, because each child has earned to right to have a childhood, a free and normal life, but believe me this is worrying and today we have young people who are more entrenched in hatred than their predecessors,” she said. Vasic was the commander of the Zvornik police headquarters and chief of the Public Security Centre in the town in the summer of 1995, when Bosnian Serb forces killed more than 7,000 men and boys and forcibly removed 40,000 civilians from Srebrenica. He was elected to the Republika Srpska People’s Assembly in last October’s general elections as a candidate of the Serb Democratic Party founded by Radovan Karadzic, who is on trial in The Hague for genocide in Srebrenica and other crimes during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There has also been heated debate in recent weeks about the potential removal of Sefik Dzaferovic, a high-ranking Bosniak official who was recently elected as the president of the Bosnian parliament’s House of Representatives. Dzaferovic’s reputation was hit by allegations from a former party colleague who sent thousands of documents to the Bosnian prosecution about war crimes against Serbs, which he alleged Dzaferovic was involved in while he was a police commander in Zenica during the conflict. Dzaferovic denied any wrongdoing and no charges have been laid against him, while requests from the leading Bosnian Serb party for his dismissal didn’t even make it onto the agenda of a recent parliament session. But Nedeljko Mitrovic, president of the Families of the Captured, Killed Fighters and Missing Civilians of Republika Srpska organisation, said he believed that Dzaferovic has no place in politics any more. “All those who are connected, directly or indirectly with war crimes, or have information about missing persons, should be removed from political, and legislative or executive powers in Bosnia and Herzegovina in every way,” Mitrovic told BIRN. “The court and prosecutions on all levels should act swiftly on criminal reports filed by any individual, especially when high-profile officials make them, and prosecute those cases,” he said. Bosnian human rights advocate Aleksandra Letic said that she believed that people in public office should undergo a vetting procedure to clear them of any connections to wartime crimes. “A state that wants to stop impunity and a culture of new dehumanisation of those who suffered enough from 1992 to 1995 should find a way to deal with those who are suspected of crimes, and also those who have been sentenced and finished their sentences, so they are not allowed to be in positions to affect people’s lives,” Letic said. “This is a grey area, but from a human rights standpoint, victims’ rights should be respected and those persons removed,” she argued.

 

Croatia Readies for New President's Inauguration (BIRN, by Sven Mikelic, 11 February 2014)

Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic is getting ready for her ceremonial inauguration on Sunday in the Croatian capital, which a number of presidents from the region will be attending.

Croatia's newly elected President, Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, is finalising preparations for her inauguration on Sunday. The candidate of the opposition centre-right Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, she won the second round of the elections in January against the incumbent, Ivo Josipovic, by a smallest margin ever – just 32,509 votes. As required by the constitution, Grabar Kitarovic has signed out from HDZ membership, sending her written request to the party president, Tomislav Karamarko. In her letter she thanked the HDZ for their support in her election campaign, pledging to battle for "the values that we all share: patriotism, protection of national interests and the struggle for a better life. “With new Croatian unity we will achieve a better Croatia of which all citizens can be proud”, she added. High-ranking politicians from home and abroad as the media and members of the public are expected to cram into Zagreb's historic St Mark’s Square for the ceremony. Approximately 1,000 people will be present and the organization of the event will cost around 78,000 euro. Attending will be presidents Borut Pahor of Slovenia, Andej Kiska of Slovakia, Janos Ader of Hungary, Gjorge Ivanov of Macedonia, Bujar Nishani of Albania, Atifete Jahjaga of Kosovo, Filip Vujanovic of Montenegro, and all three members of Bosnia and Herzegovina's presidency, Mladen Ivanic, Dragan Covic and Bakir Izetbegovic. Bulgaria will be represented by Parliament Speaker Tsetska Tsacheva and the Czech Republic and Poland by the chairmen of their respective senates, Milan Stech and Bogdan Borusewicz. Serbia's President, Tomislav Nikolic, will be conspicuous by his absence - a sign of the frosty relations between Serbia and Croatia.