LOCAL PRESS

 

Amendola announces new Italian investments (Tanjug/RTS)

Italian companies operating in Serbia are very pleased with the conditions here and new investments are expected, Italians Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Vincenzo Amendola said during a meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. Vucic and Amendola discussed possibilities for improving economic cooperation, which has affirmed Italy as Serbia’s most significant partner. On behalf of Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Amendola told Vucic that Italy was immediately launching preparations for the next Western Balkan conference as part of the Berlin Process to ensure it brought concrete results in implementing infrastructure projects and helped economic growth and security in the region.

Vucic thanked the Italian government for its continued support in European integration and assistance in Serbia’s judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organized crime.

 

Italy launches preparations for EU-Western Balkan conference (Tanjug)

Italy has launched preparations for the next EU-Western Balkan conference, which it will chair, Italians Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Vincenzo Amendola said at a meeting with Serbian parliament speaker Maja Gojkovic. All political groups in the Italian parliament support the European integration of Serbia and the Western Balkans, he said. Amendola proposed that the parliamentary aspect of cooperation be organized according to the same model to strengthen the process additionally, the Serbian parliament said in a statement. Gojkovic agreed, noting that regional stability was significant for Serbia and that it would continue to work on strengthening cooperation in the Western Balkans. “Through parliamentary diplomacy, the parliament will continue to contribute to improvement of regional relations, which will be a priority in our work, in addition to continuing the reform processes and aligning the legislation with the EU,” Gojkovic noted. She thanked Italy for supporting Serbia’s EU integration, noting the support was a proof of friendly relations.

 

Nuland: Serbia a partner, we are not asking it to choose (Tanjug/Politika)

The U.S. understands that Serbia has traditionally strong ties with Russia and it sees no contradiction with Belgrade having good relations with both Russia and the United States, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said in Belgrade Monday. The U.S. is proud to have Serbia as a partner, she said after a meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. “We understand that Serbia has long ties with Russia. We don’t see any contradiction with Serbia having a good relationship with Russia and a good relationship with the US - we would never ask friends or allies to choose,” Nuland said. The U.S. will always support Serbia on its European route, she said. Nuland also highlighted the role Serbia has in the region, in regional cooperation and reconciliation. The U.S. also sees as very important the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, she said. “The U.S. is enormously proud to be Serbia’s partner as Serbia continues on its democratic transition, strengthening rule of law, strengthening media freedoms, strengthening the environment for investments, and we are particularly proud to support Serbia’s European choice,” she said.
Earlier in the day, Nuland also had separate meetings with Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, a parliamentary delegation and a group of civil society representatives, including Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic and Rodoljub Sabic, Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection.

 

Vucic: Serbia investing great deal in stability (RTS)

Vucic and Nuland met in Villa Bokeljka in Belgrade on Monday. Nuland and Vucic addressed a joint press conference following the meeting. Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) carried the press conference. On this occasion, Vucic was asked by reporters whether he spoke with Nuland about the regional issues such as Srebrenica commemoration and marking of operation “Oluja” (Storm). Vucic said they did not specifically speak about these issues. However, Vucic noted that he can only say that Serbia will respect the decision of Bosniaks that none of Serbian officials are welcome in Srebrenica. Vucic noted that he is sorry that this situation is the way it is and underlined that Serbia will continue investing efforts into improvement of relations between Serbs and Bosniaks. He added that stability of B&H and the entire region, as well as relations with B&H, are of key importance.

 

Stefanovic, Keefe discuss police cooperation, migration (Tanjug)

Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic met in Belgrade with British Ambassador Denis Keefe to discuss the successful cooperation between the two countries' police forces and the problem of irregular migration. “Cooperation between the two police forces in the fight against corruption and organized crime has been improved over the past two years," Stefanovic said, noting that the UK was a significant partner. Stability in the Western Balkans, as a basis of progress in the region, is one of the UK’s priorities, an Interior Ministry statement quoted Keefe as saying. Regardless of its political decisions, the UK will support Serbia on the European path, Keefe also said. Stefanovic briefed Keefe on the measures Serbia was taking with regards to irregular migration, noting that the country was fully committed to solving the issue.

 

Two Guantanamo detainees to be transferred to Serbia (Tanjug)

Two individuals formerly in U.S. custody at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility are to be transferred to Serbia, the U.S. Department of State has announced, thanking Serbia for the “generous assistance”. “The United States appreciates the generous assistance of Serbia as the United States continues its efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. This significant humanitarian gesture is consistent with Serbia’s leadership on the global stage,” the U.S. Department of State said in a press release. “On 11 July, the Department of Defence announced the transfer of a Tajik national, Muhammadi Davlatov, and a Yemeni national, Mansur Ahmad Saad al-Dayfi, to Serbia. Each detainee was unanimously approved for transfer by six US government departments and agencies,” the statement said.  “Serbia joins 30 other countries which, since 2009, have extended resettlement opportunities to over 100 detainees,” it also said.

 

DSS: Transfer of prisoners from Guatanamo to Serbia humiliating, immoral and dangerous decision of Vucic’s regime (Tanjug/Blic)

The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) has assessed that the transfer of prisoners from the U.S. Guantanamo military camp to Serbia is politically, legally and morally unacceptable. “Closing down the Guantanamo torturing camp under pressure of the world and domestic public is more than justified, as much as it is an irrational decision of the Serbian authorities to stand behind, by accepting prisoners, the bestial methods of CIA investigations and atrocities justified by the fight against terrorism, reads the statement. The DSS has announced that if at issue is a transfer of prisoners for whom there is evidence that they are terrorists, the question is who will be responsible if Serbian citizens become targets of attacks in retaliation or taken hostages so terrorists, who had been transferred to Serbia, would be released. The DSS warns that this decision was passed without the knowledge of the public, even without the knowledge of the Serbian Justice Ministry or Interpol. It is obvious that secret action of this government has become a manner and that citizens do not learn important information from Serbian state institutions, but from foreign officials and foreign journalists. We request the Prime Minister of the technical government Aleksandar Vucic to try to explain to Serbian citizens his dangerous, irresponsible, immoral, and humiliating for the state, decision to transfer the prisoners from Guantanamo to Serbia, reads the statement.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Izetbegovic: Denying of genocide crossed the line (Dnevni avaz)

Chairman of the B&H Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic commented the fact that two decades after the genocide the victims are facing denying of the genocide in spite of verdicts from the courts. Considering that 21 years after the genocide, Srebrenica citizens appeal not to be betrayed again, Izetbegovic said that only persistence can help them, arguing that the most important thing for Srebrenica people, security and jobs “are not in our hands”. Izetbegovic noted that they are trying to help indirectly, but “we have to be persistent and determined in hope that those who did what they did in Srebrenica 21 years ago, will grow tired and who today with their denials and raising of the issue are wounding Srebrenica people and all of us, again.”

 

Dodik: Jovanovic uses Srebrenica for self-promotion (RTRS)

Commenting on the fact that LDP leader Cedomir Jovanovic attended the commemoration of the 21^st anniversary of the Srebrenica massacres despite the fact that Head of Srebrenica Municipality Camil Durakovic announced that Serbs are not welcome, RS President and leader of SNSD Milorad Dodik stated in Banja Luka on Monday that Jovanovic is using the commemoration in Potocari for self-promotion and promotion of his insignificant political party. Dodik also underlined that, by saying that genocide happened in Srebrenica, Jovanovic is falsifying history.

 

Cvijanovic: There should be no problems related to holding of special session of RS Assembly on census (EuroBlic)

RS Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic said that she does not expect to see any problems with regard to holding of a special session of the RS Assembly, having in mind that all Caucuses agreed that the matter of census must be discussed. Cvijanovic said that she hopes that the Law on Census (of the RS) will be adopted. “The government intervened although some claimed that the law will not be adopted by the end of the autumn. We really worked hard to do this part of the job so that we can publish our census results,” Cvijanovic said.

 

RS Assembly to hold special session on census results publishing on Wednesday (Nezavisne)

The RS is planning to have the Statistics Institute of the RS publish their own census results by the end of the year; unofficially, population of the RS is little over 1,150,000, which is some 60,000 less than published by the Statistics Agency of B&H. Director of the RS Statistics Institute Radmila Cickovic stated that according to a proposal law, which is to be discussed by the RS National Assembly on Wednesday, they have a 30-day deadline to process the census data. “After data processing program is adopted, deadline for publishing of census results is six months, but it can be done before,”said Cickovic and underlined that this is rather complex process. A special session of the RSNA is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, and all political parties in the RS have agreed on it. RS Assembly speaker Nedeljko Cubrilovic stated that the stance of the political parties in the RS is such that the law must be adopted and census results published at the level of the RS. RS Assembly deputy speaker Nenad Stevandic stated he expects full agreement on the issue.

 

RS will settle all its liabilities (Srna)

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik has said that the RS will settle all its liabilities and that there will be no delays in the process, noting that the arrangements with the IMF are fully politically motivated. “These arrangements have nothing to do with what they are trying to present - that this is assistance in the stabilization of either account or social sector. This is exclusively about political matters,” Dodik told reporters in Banja Luka. He has stressed that the RS had neither an arrangement with the IMF nor such kind of assistance in the last two and a half years, but even now it has the prepared funds for pension disbursement and there will be no hesitation in this regard. According to him, the RS will settle all its liabilities, in difficult conditions, but without delays that those in the Federation of B&H would like to witness. “They have chosen this theory exclusively to impose additional problems on the RS. The RS is not the sole recipient of that money; if they do not want it, no problem, we will solve our problems addressing to some other side,” said Dodik. He has said he is sorry for needlessly accepting the arrangement with the IMF once he was a Prime Minister, only because of the situation in the Federation of B&H. The IMF has postponed the loan arrangement with B&H because FB&H Prime Minister, Fadil Novalic, and Chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers, Denis Zvizdic, refused to sign already agreed a Letter of Intent to the IMF.

 

FM, veterans minister talks to veterans about Serbia’s EU entry negotiations (Hina)

Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miro Kovac and Veterans’ Minister Tomo Medved on Monday held talks with representatives of veterans' associations and told them that Croatia could block Serbia’s EU entry talks in Chapter 23 should Serbia start applying its law on universal jurisdiction for war crimes in the former Yugoslavia against Croatian veterans.

After the meeting which was closed to the public, Kovac said that on its path to the EU Serbia would not be able to apply the said law and that the country would have to cooperate in finding missing people and their remains. Serbia will also have to exchange information with Croatian authorities and enable war victims access to the judiciary, namely to justice, Kovac said adding that war victims would be entitled to damages. He also said Serbia will have to respect and apply all verdicts handed down by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Asked if Croatia could prevent Serbia from issuing indictments against Croatian citizens, Kovac said there was a bilateral way and that it would be best if such issues were resolved bilaterally.

There is also a European framework, he said, adding that the rule of law was the fundamental principle of the EU functioning. It is now Serbia's obligation to prevent the application of that law on Croatia and this obligation is part of the negotiating framework, Kovac said adding that if it wanted to make progress towards the EU, Serbia will have to apply and respect those criteria. He added that a review would be carried out every six months to see if Serbia was respecting this obligation. Veterans’ Minister Tomo Medved said it was clear that Croatia was given a tool by which it can assess progress .every six months

 

Vujanovic called elections in Montenegro for 16 October (CDM)

It is now official: elections for deputies in the parliament of Montenegro will be held on 16 October 2016. Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic has issued a Decision on calling the elections for deputies of the Parliament of Montenegro. “Elections will be held on 16 October 2016. This decision shall enter into force upon its adoption and shall be published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro,” Vujanovic said in a statement issued by his office.

This is the tenth parliamentary election since the introduction of the multi-party system and fourth in the independent Montenegro. Previous elections for Montenegrin deputies were held on 14 October 2012. Back in the day, most mandates – 39 – were won by the “European Montenegro” coalition (DPS, SDP, LP), which in post-election alliance with parties of minority peoples made majority which formed the government.

 

Meta to pro-Serbian opposition: We will have a relationship with Serbia just like with Montenegro (CDM)

When part of the pro-Serbian opposition entered the Montenegrin parliament with a transparent “The people of Montenegro did not recognize you, Kosovo is the heart of Serbia”, President of the Albanian Parliament, Ilir Meta, told them Albania is improving relationship with Serbia daily, and that they hope the relations will soon be just like with Montenegro. However, deputies of Nova and DNP could not hear Mr. Meta because they decided to boycott his speech in the Montenegrin parliament. “I assure them that we are focused to work together for the benefit of the region. And this, no doubt, applies to Serbia. I want to assure them that relations between Albania and Serbia are in satisfactory progress. We hope that they will reach the level of relations that we have with Montenegro,” said Meta during the inaugural speech in Albanian language in Montenegro’s parliament. As far as the message on the transparent, Meta said Albania highly values Montenegro’s decision to recognize the independence of Kosovo. “Relations between Montenegro and Albania are strong and exemplary in the Balkans. You have a great country which we have at heart. Albanians will never forget the pledge of Montenegro which provided hospitality to thousands of Albanians from Kosovo in '99, and made them feel welcome in Montenegro,” said Meta. He added he is honored to be the first Albanian who got the chance to speak in Montenegrin Parliament in his native language. “This is a visionary step. I thank you for the realization of the vision of Montenegro as a modern country that is integrated into Euro-Atlantic structures,” said Meta, who at the end of his speech received a thunderous applause from present MPs.

 

Macedonian leaders to meet in effort to resolve political crisis (Independent.mk)

Representatives of the four main political parties ­ signatories of the Przino Agreement are set to meet Tuesday in effort to resolve the political crisis in Macedonia. EU and U.S. Ambassadors, Aivo Orav and Jess Baily respectively, will also attend the meeting. Ambassador Orav said after yesterday’s talks in the Skopje­based EU residence there is still no agreement but certain progress has been made, hoping for more headway today. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State Victoria Nuland, who paid a visit to Macedonia on Monday, also urged for swift agreement after meeting leaders of VMRO­DPMNE, SDSM, DUI and DPA. “There has obviously been some progress to implement those agreements, but now it is time to complete the work and set Macedonia on the course for free and fair elections. The major parties have been talking about how to get to elections for some time even before I arrived. Today I saw all four major party leaders and I must say that I leave Skopje encouraged by what I’ve heard and that in coming days we hope the negotiating teams can join around the ideas that are on the table now and chart a course toward elections,” said Nuland.

 

Jolevski-Carpenter: Macedonia strongly committed to Euro­Atlantic integration (Independent.mk)

The Republic of Macedonia is strongly committed to its Euro-Atlantic integration, and the country's efforts are unquestionably supported by NATO members, particularly by the United States, Minister of Defense Zoran Jolevski and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Carpenter concluded at their meeting Monday in Skopje. “We belong in NATO. This is being founded on the overall political consensus and overwhelming public support in Macedonia,” said Jolevski as cited by the Defense Ministry (MoD) in a press release. According to him, activities being conducted by the MoD, reforms improving the standards of servicemen and those aimed at modernizing the army as well as the established high inter-operability with NATO armies are proving that Macedonia isn’t lagging behind as it remains prepared for the next step – NATO membership. Everything we do, Jolevski added, is beneficial for Macedonia’s bid to join NATO. “In particular, it is extremely beneficial for ourselves, our readiness to serve as guarantor of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Macedonia.” Minister Jolevski said efforts were being made to improve the education and training of ARM members as the army was being modernized intensely – a process in an advanced stage that was planned in line with all NATO standards. The visiting U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense thanked Macedonia and the Macedonian Army for producing excellent results and showcasing top capabilities in peace missions, particularity in Resolute Support in Afghanistan. Carpenter reiterated the support of the U.S. for Macedonia to join NATO saying he hoped the accession bid would be fulfilled as soon as possible. “We want you as a partner in peace missions, exercises and training. We are aware of your capacities and without a doubt you will become part of NATO,” he added. As part of his visit to Macedonia, Carpenter visited the ARM General Staff and the Joint Operations Command, i.e. the first mechanized infantry brigade, where he was informed about the ongoing activities on the border with Greece in relation to the migrant crisis. He also visited the Pilot Training Center.

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

US transfers two Guantánamo Bay inmates to Serbia (Reuters, 12 July 2016)

The transfer reduced the number of detainees as the Obama administration pressed ahead with its long-held goal of shutting the widely condemned facility

Two inmates from the US military prison at Guantánamo Bay were transferred to Serbia on Monday as the Obama administration pressed ahead with its long-held goal of shutting the widely condemned facility at the US naval base in Cuba. The transfer of Yemeni national Mansur Ahmad Saad al-Dayfi and Tajik national Muhammadi Davlatov to Serbia reduced the number of detainees at Guantánamo to 76, with 27 of those approved for transfer once an appropriate country can be found, US officials said. “The United States appreciates the generous assistance of Serbia as the United States continues its efforts to close the Guantánamo Bay detention facility,” Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement, calling it a “significant humanitarian gesture”. It was the first time the United States has transferred Guantánamo Bay prisoners to Serbia, a Pentagon spokesman said. After meeting Serbia’s Prime Minister-designate Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Victoria Nuland, the US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, said the Obama administration was grateful to Serbia for taking the two inmates. Vucic said Serbia acted in line with good cooperation it has with the United States.  “Other countries took over (inmates), Germany took them, it was natural (for us) to do that ... I think this speaks well about our country and that this is a good signal for the future,” Vucic said.  The transfers came just a day after another Yemeni national, Fayiz Ahmad Yahia Suleiman, was transferred to Italy. Davlatov, 37, also known as Umar Hamzayevich Abdulayev, was approved for transfer nearly six years ago by six US government departments and agencies. Al-Dayfi, 37, also known as Abdul Rahman Ahmed, was approved for transfer in October by a review board that determined his detention was no longer necessary for national security, the defense department said in a statement. The Obama administration had notified Congress of its intent to transfer the two men, as required by law, a state department official said on condition of anonymity. President Barack Obama had hoped to close the prison during his first year in office in 2009 but has faced opposition from many Republican lawmakers as well as some fellow Democrats. Most of the inmates remaining at the prison have been held without charge or trial since being detained following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Al-Dayfi traveled to Afghanistan in mid-2001, trained at an al-Qaida training camp, and was wounded by a coalition airstrike, according to a US military profile last year. While a secret 2008 military assessment made public by the WikiLeaks anti-secrecy group portrayed al-Dayfi as a high-threat al-Qaida member, the military profile released last year said he probably exaggerated his involvement with al-Qaida. No al-Qaida leaders have identified him as a member, it said.  Davlatov was a member of the Islamic Movement of Tajikistan who was thought to have received training at an al-Qaida camp, according to a 2008 secret assessment by a military task force made public by WikiLeaks.

 

New Migrant Crisis in the Making in the Balkans (AP, by Dusan Stojanovic, 12 July 2016)

Afghan migrant Zaher Rajawi can't believe his bad luck. He's stuck only a few short steps from European Union soil in a Balkan refugee camp that is gradually turning into a humanitarian nightmare amid scorching heat. Hundreds of migrants arrive daily to Serbia's border with Hungary, packing inside a makeshift tent settlement without toilets, showers and with only one tap of running water as Hungary introduced new measures meant to try to keep them out of the EU. "This is the problem. There's no toilets, no place to take a shower. It is very difficult for us," Rajawi said. "They (the Hungarians) let each day only 15 people. If (they let) more, it gets better for us. Because, we are human, we need human rights here." In what appears to be another refugee crisis in the making in Europe, the numbers are surging at this camp and other ones on Serbia's border with EU country Hungary. The numbers have been growing since last week, when Hungary introduced forced deportations of migrants caught within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of border fences. Hungary has also restricted the number of people who can apply for asylum in the country to 15 a day. Smugglers are helping most of the would-be refugees to make their way into Serbia through Bulgaria and Macedonia. Once in Serbia, they first arrive in Belgrade before spreading out to the different places on the border with Hungary. At the makeshift camp in Horgos, most of the people are Afghans. About 30 kilometers (20 miles) east, another camp holds mostly Syrians. The settlements are for those who want to cross into Hungary legally by applying for asylum. The majority of migrants try to cross illegally, mostly with the help of people smugglers. On Monday, children cried as mothers shielded their young ones from scorching summer heat on a barren plain with only a few trees in Horgos. Men tried to collect enough food to keep their families fed at a dusty tent city in the no man's land between Serbia and Hungary. Hungary's restrictions are causing a bottleneck at the border. More than 1,000 have already piled up in the Horgos camp, which is starting to resemble the sprawling refugee settlement on the border between Greece and Macedonia. Greek authorities cleared out that camp in April after dwellers had held out hope for months that Balkan border closures might be reversed. The new Hungarian rules, reinforced by a heavy army and police presence, allow their security forces to return across the border to Serbia the migrants detained within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of the Hungarian border fences protected by razor wire. That basically means Hungary wants to all but halt the flow across its border, and empty its refugees camps by returning migrants back to Serbia. Hungary has already returned 621 people they caught within that border radius in the week since the measures were introduced, according to police figures released Tuesday. Hungarian authorities have also prevented 1,359 migrants from crossing right at the border in the same time period. Thousands of migrants have still been making their way through the Balkans and central Europe, many using people smugglers who take them over borders unnoticed. The U.N. refugee agency says the number of refugees and migrants on the Serbian side of the border with Hungary has doubled to above 1,300 since last week— the majority of them women and children. More than 1 million migrants crossed the Balkans last year to reach Western Europe before the route officially closed in March. Mohammad Mortada from Kabul says he is willing to wait to cross to the EU, but isn't sure for how long. "For us it is OK, but children cannot tolerate living in here," he said. "Dust and everything, the sun, hot weather, it's very difficult for them." Serbian officials are also unhappy as the Hungarian measures have led to the pileup of migrants on their side of the border. "That means that the Balkans route still exists and Europe and our neighbors are turning a blind eye," Serbia government minister Aleksandar Vulin said. "Serbia will not allow itself to become a (European) parking lot for the migrants." Near the makeshift camp in no man's land, there is a fish pond where men migrants take a swim to cool down and clean up. Hungarian border guards watch tentatively just a few meters over the razor wire fence. Local Serbs are unhappy as they say the migrants pollute the waters while shampooing. The local Serbs tried to scare them away. "They said there are crocodiles in the pond," said Mohammad, 18. "We told them, crocodiles? No worry, we escaped from much bigger threats ... Afghanistan."