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LOCAL PRESS

 

Insurance fees not collected at administrative crossings (B92, 8 January 2014)

The payment of cross-border insurance policies at the administrative crossings in northern Kosovo did not start on Monday, despite earlier announcements.

Drivers who entered northern Kosovo from the direction of central Serbia were not required a cross-border insurance policy on Monday at Jarinje, Tanjug's on-site reporter said.

At other administrative crossings between central Serbia and Kosovo, this type of insurance has been introduced earlier.
For example, vehicles with Belgrade license plates entering Kosovo from central Serbia at the Merdare or Bela Zemlja crossings pay weekly insurance of 20 euros.
The payment of cross-border insurance policies was planned to start on Monday, as members of the Kosovo police informed drivers at these crossings a few days before.
Leaflets in Serbian, Albanian and English were distributed to the drivers to inform them about the fee.
The Serbs in northern Kosovo protested against the announced cross-border insurance and warned that if the police continued to distribute leaflets, they would block the Jarinje and Brnjak crossings and the roads leading to them.
Serbia's Minister without Portfolio in charge of Kosovo Aleksandar Vulin told Tanjug earlier that no insurance fees would be paid for vehicles crossing the administrative line with Kosovo as of January 8, stressing that nothing can be implemented on the ground unless it was previously agreed on in Brussels.
The distribution of unsigned leaflets at administrative crossings forced us to voice a strong protest to EULEX officials, as they are the ones who have to guarantee that everything that is happening at the administrative line is in accordance with the Brussels agreement, said Vulin.

 

Dejan Pavicevic: The Oath without any logos (Vecernje Novosti, 9 January 2013)

Liaison officer in Pristina Dejan Pavicevic stated, regarding the municipal sessions in northern Kosovo, that the establishment of municipalities will be status neutral.

- At today's meeting in Brussels we will insist that the constitution of municipalities in northern Kosovo is carried out in accordance with the principle of status neutrality.

A post-election dilemma has emerged because the interim authorities in Pristina, namely the Ministry of Local Self Government, demands that the invitation for holding the municipal assembly constituent sessions in northern Kosovo must contain the logo of the so-called “Republic of Kosovo” and the mark of the Government of Kosovo.

* Is it possible to implement status neutrality in the north, if the repeated constitutive session in Gracanica was held by the "rules"of Pristina?

- The municipality of Gracanica, which operates by the Kosovo system existed before. However, in the north of the province elections were held in a different way,  under the new status neutral system for the first time, so the electoral cycle must be carried out in a status neutral manner to the end.

* Is there a deadline for the formation of local government and what will happen if it is breached?

- It is 45 day deadline, which implies the time from repeated elections in certain polling stations. It is divided into three "terms" of fifteen days. In the first term, a session is convened the mayor, in the second, the oldest councilor, while in the third, the final term, session shall be convened at the request of the majority of councilors.

 

Dacic: Round not been scheduled yet (Vecernje Novosti, 8 January 2014)
The Prime Minister said that the date of the next meeting with Hashim Thaci has not yet been agreed.
Despite the insistence of Brussels, Belgrade asks that the next round of dialogue with Pristina not be held until after the first Serbia-EU intergovernmental conference, scheduled for 21 January.

As Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said for our newspaper, the date of the next meeting with Hashim Thaci has not yet been agreed upon:

- I have not confirmed 17 January, as suggested term for a new meeting between Belgrade and Pristina delegations. The Prime Minister believes that the dialogue should be continued only after the start of negotiations between Serbia and the EU, in order to avoid the impression that new pressures are being placed on Belgrade about finding a solution to the issue of justice in Kosovo.
The previous round of the dialogue, held on 13 December 2013, ended without agreement because of Thaci’s insistence that three municipalities with the Albanian majority - South Mitrovica, Vucitrn and Srbica – be under the jurisdiction of the basic court in North Kosovska Mitrovica - which would undermine the ethnic structure of employees against Serbs. That would also undermine setting up the pillars of justice of future Community of Serbian municipalities, whose formation is inhibited by Pristina on every step of the way.

 

Monument to Serbian poet torn down in Kosovo-Metohija (Tanjug, 9 January 2014)

PRISTINA - A monument to Lazar Vuckovic, the most famous Serbian poet from the province of Kosovo-Metohija, was torn down on Tuesday in Gornje Selo, a village in the south of the province, Radio KIM reported on Thursday.

The poet's bust is missing, the writer and journalist Zivojin Rakocevic told the radio station.

"Members of the Vuckovic family who live in Strpce and Lazar's brother Slobodan Vuckovic, who is now a returnee to Gornje Selo, have called me to confirm that the monument is damaged and that the bust is missing," Rakocevic said.

"On Christmas Day, this was a clear and horrifying message to the Vuckovic family and all of us Serb returnees that we are not welcome here," Rakocevic said.

Just several kilometers away, in the village of Drajcici, the demolition of a 109-year-old Serbian school started ten days ago, Rakocevic said, adding that it is clear that someone is intent on keeping displaced Kosovo Serbs from returning to the region of Sredacka Zupa.

Hazir Berisa, the police spokesman for the province's southern Prizren region, said that the investigation is complete and that there are no suspects in the case, but that the motivation for the theft of the bust could be the material that it was made of.

Lazar Vuckovic drowned in 1966 at the age of 30, when his boat capsized in Lake Ohrid, Macedonia.

The Lazar Vuckovic Literary Meetings - a notable literary event in the former Yugoslavia - are held in the province of Kosovo-Metohija.

 

Gov't office: Another method of intimidating Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug, 8 January 2014)

The Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija condemned late Wednesday the tearing down of a monument dedicated to Serbian poet Lazar Vuckovic on Orthodox Christmas Day in Gornje Selo, a village in the southern province of Kosovo, warning that the incident is yet another method of intimidating Kosovo Serbs to keep them from returning to their homes.

This is a more than clear message to Serbs that their return to the region of Sredacka Zupa has is not welcome, a statement from the Office said.

"Knowing from experience that the Pristina authorities will not do anything to find and punish the perpetrators of this act of vandalism, we demand that the international authorities react and protect Serbs in the province, their property, and the graves and monuments to their dearest ones," the statement said.

The monument to the most famous Serbian poet from Kosovo-Metohija was torn down on January 7, on Orthodox Christmas Day.

Not far from the site, in the village of Drajcici, the demolition of a more than century-old Serbian school started just days ago, the statement of the Office said.

 

Miscevic: No changes in visa waiver for Serbian citizens (Tanjug, 8 January 2014)

Tanja Miscevic, Serbia's lead negotiator with the EU, stated on Wednesday that nothing will change for the citizens of Serbia with the enforcement of a mechanism allowing for temporary suspension of a visa waiver for the biggest source countries of asylum seekers, including Serbia.

“The greatest challenge for us is to find a solution to a potential problem we may have with bogus asylum seekers. This means that nothing will change for any Serbian citizen with the enforcement of this decision,” Miscevic said for Radio and Television of Vojvodina.

She underlined that at one point this mechanism will be a serious challenge for those that have the so-called bogus asylum seekers.

The mechanism allowing for temporary re-introduction of the visa obligation will come into force in the EU on Thursday, but both European and Serbian officials think that for now Serbia is not directly endangered and they expect a joint solution to the problem to be found soon.

The European Commission stated on Wednesday that so far no EU member state has requested suspension of a visa waiver for the Western Balkan countries.

 

Start of EU talks "historic for Serbia and W. Balkans"(B92, 8 January 2014)

The EU-Serbia intergovernmental conference scheduled for Jan. 21 will be a historic moment both for Serbia and the Western Balkans, says the Greek ambassador.

Ambassador Constantine Economides made the comments on Wednesday in the light of the official start of the Greek EU presidency.

"This will officially mark the start of the accession negotiations between the EU and Serbia. It will be a historic moment both for Serbia on its EU pathway and the enlargement process in the Western Balkans as a whole. Greece intends to offer full support to Serbia in the process of the EU accession negotiations," the ambassador said.
Greece will officially assume the EU presidency for the fifth time at a ceremony in Athens, Economides noted.
The previous Greek presidencies were historically related to important steps in the EU integration process. The goal of the country's current presidency will be to achieve tangible results in the priority areas: job creation, EU integration, eurozone, borders, mobility, migrations, and the EU Integrated Maritime Policy, the ambassador said.
Greece's previous EU presidency in 2003 saw the adoption of the Thessaloniki Agenda for the Western Balkans, which confirmed the European perspective of the regional countries and specified the priority steps that the countries should take on their EU pathways.

 

Kacin on two-day visit to Belgrade as of Thursday (Tanjug, 8 January 2014)

European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin will start a two-day visit to Belgrade on Thursday during which he will meet with Serbian top officials.

He will confer with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's lead negotiator with the EU Tanja Miscevic and other officials, Kacin's press service said.

Kacin will also visit the Serbian parliament, where he will meet with Natasa Vuckovic, chairperson of the European Integration Committee, Aleksandra Tomic, vice-chairperson of the Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee, and Dijana Vukomanovic, member of the European Integration Committee, the parliament said in a release.

The EP rapporteur will pay a visit to Belgrade ahead of the adoption of a report on Serbia's progress in the EU integration process in the EP on January 16.

The draft resolution on Serbia, which Kacin has prepared on the behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, commends the Serbian government for its commitment in the EU integration process and encourages it to continue to implement reforms, particularly in the areas of judiciary, the fight against corruption, public administration, protection of minorities and vulnerable groups, and freedom of the media.

The document also states satisfaction over the Brussels agreement and calls on the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina to maintain a constructive approach and continue with the implementation of all agreements reached to date.

The draft resolution also points to the EP's support to the visa liberalization for the Western Balkan countries and urges the EU member states not to abuse the visa waiver suspension mechanism.

 

"Unconditional withdrawal of genocide lawsuits"(Vecernje Novosti, 8 January 2014 )

Marko Đurić says that the state will not withdraw its lawsuit against Croatia for genocide and "create a way out for others" at the expense of Serbia.

Instead, Serbia is in favor of mutual withdrawal of the two countries' lawsuits, this adviser to President Tomislav Nikolić told the daily Večernje Novosti.

"We will not unilaterally and with any kind of conditions withdraw the genocide lawsuit against Croatia, so that we can, at the expense of our state and national interests, create a way out for others, who created the problem themselves. Our message was, and remains: let us withdraw unconditionally the lawsuits, and turn to the future," Đurić said on Tuesday. He pointed out that Serbia's message was that the lawsuits should be withdrawn unconditionally, and that the country was ready to resolve all outstanding issues, including the issue of missing persons. Croatia first filed its suit before the International Court of Justice, and Serbia later reacted with a counter-suit. Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusić said recently that her country was ready to talk about the withdrawal of its complaint, "if the Serbian side is ready to provide information about the missing."
"The situation with the genocide lawsuits is inflicting great damage to our republics. It creates the basis for continuous maintenance of poor inter-ethnic relations and sends a very bad message to the world that the region has not overcome hatred and bloody historical divisions deepened by the war that had a fratricidal character," said Đurić. Asked about the negotiations between Belgrade and Priština conducted in Brussels, Đurić said that the main topics that Serbia wants to discuss this year is Serb participation in Kosovo institutions, the rights of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the legal framework for the functioning of the community of Serb municipalities. Đurić said that "early elections in Serbia in which Serbs from Kosovo would also vote, and the Serb Progressive Party win, would secure government positions and reduce the room for maneuver for those who play on divisions within Serb ranks."
He pointed out that a possible halt in the negotiations induced by "some move of the Kosovo Albanians," would do a disservice to their community, but added that it was up to Priština to make the assessment.
This comment came in reaction to announcements of Vice President of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo Ahmet Isufi that this party will no longer support the negotiations because its officials believes the talks are detrimental to Kosovo.

 

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Celebrations in the region; incidents in Croatia (Politika, 9 January 2014)

The most joyous Christian holiday of Christmas was celebrated by Orthodox believers in Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, but the celebration throughout Croatia and on Christmas Eve was marked with incidents, Tanjug reports.

Cyrillic panels on buildings of local institutions were destroyed in Vukovar again, which was condemned by the President of the Serbian National Council Milorad Knezevic, while the Croatian state leadership, on this occasion, did not react.

Just before Christmas, at the Orthodox cemetery in Čepinu, near Osijek, morgue and several dozen graves were damaged, and an incident took place in Split, Hina reported.

The Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan of Zagreb, Ljubljana and all of Italy, John, led the worship service yesterday in Zagreb’s Church of the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord. After the solemn liturgy, a Christmas message of the Serbian Patriarch Irenej was read, but the parts that relate to the Orthodox believers in Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro were omitted. - Hina reported.

Metropolitan John also served the liturgy the night before, attended by Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic and Parliament Speaker Josip Leko, and a representative of Croatian President Ivo Josipovic.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were marked in Vukovar-Srem County, particularly solemnly in Vinkovci temple of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, where the liturgy was served by Bishop John Lipljanski.

Orthodox believers in Montenegro celebrated Christmas officially, but this time divided between those who support the Diocese of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the canonically unrecognized Montenegrin Orthodox Church, which was established only in 1994, the agencies recalled.

The Central Holy Liturgy at the Cathedral Church of Christ's resurrection in Podgorica was served by Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Amfilohije, in the presence of a large number of believers and Serbian Ambassador in Podgorica Zoran Bingulac. Christmas Message of Serbian Patriarch Irenej was read.

Christmas is celebrated in churches in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republika Srpska and throughout the Federation, in the cities where Orthodox Christians live, with the Yule log burning, and the morning and evening liturgies at which Christmas Message of Patriarch Irenej was read. At the Cathedral Church in Banja Luka, the liturgy was served by Bishop Ephraim, who said that in these joyful festive days one should remember "the suffering of the crucified and covenant of Kosovo, the cradle of national soul and the noblest sentiments.”

Liturgy was attended by the President of the Republic of Serbian Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister Zeljko Cvijanovic, reports Tanjug.

In Sarajevo, a lot of faithful gathered in the courtyard of the Old Orthodox church at the center of Sarajevo, the liturgy was served by the Sarajevo priest Vanja Jovanovic. Christmas parade with Yule trees were organized in Prijedor, Bijeljina, bruises, Zvornik, Doboj, Sokolac, East Sarajevo and elsewhere, while in Trebinje Yule was burned in Freedom Square, and a festive liturgy was served at the Cathedral Church.

The birth of Jesus Christ was celebrated yesterday in Macedonia and Christmas liturgies were served in all Orthodox Churches throughout Macedonia, MIA news agency reports.

The main celebration was in the church of St. Clement of Ohrid in Skopje, where the liturgy was served by Archbishop of canonically unrecognized Macedonian Orthodox Church, Stefan.

 

Patriarch: Repubika Srpska needs unity and goodness (Tanjug, 9 January 2014)

Republika Srpska and Serbia need unity in all that is good, Serbian Patriarch Irinej said in Banjaluka on Thursday, calling on Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina to remain faithful to God and their religion.

Following a liturgy on occasion of Republika Srpska Day and the day of Saint Stephen, the Republika Srpska patron saint, he noted that a large number of political parties exist in the Serb republic entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It is a shame that they are quarrelling, as they should share the same objective for the benefit of the people, Patriarch Irinej said.

He urged Republika Srpska officials to work on everything that is for the good of the people, who suffered greatly in the past war.

"Today, we are forced to live scattered around the world... and the Church is there to embrace the people, to guide them and preserve their name, language and culture. This has been its great mission in the past, and it will continue to be in the future," Patriarch Irinej said after the liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The liturgy was attended by Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, Parliament Speaker Igor Radojicic, Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic, Serbia's Minister of Justice and State Administration Nikola Selakovic and other guests.

The Fena news agency reported that the marking of the Republika Srpska Day is not acceptable to Bosniaks living in the entity.

Deputy Parliament Speaker Ramiz Salkic said that the Bosniaks' refusal to attend the celebrations is no denial of the Bosnia and Herzegovina constitution, but a legitimate way of demonstrating non-acceptance of decisions that have been made in the past without Bosniaks and against their interests.

 

Can a crescent also be a symbol of the state of Montenegro? (Novosti, By V. Kadic, 8 January 2014)
Bosniak parties will initiate an amendment of the Law on State symbols of Montenegro
Is there a place for the crescent to be included in the state symbols of Montenegro? Can, "Luna and the cross" — which Montenegrin Bishop-Prince Petar Petrovic Njegos charecterized in ‘The Mountain Wreath’ as “two horrible symbols,” go together? Will Montenegro’s law on state symbols have to go for modification because of the demand of Bosniaks?

Suljo Mustafic, Deputy Speaker of the Montenegrin Parliament, and member of the Bosniak Party, which participates in Montenegro’s coalition government, asked before Christmas, that love towards the country by the members of the Islamic faith "that was built up over the centuries" needs to be demonstrated in Montenegro’s symbols.

That, he says, requires only political will, and legal amendments and then the matter should be left to the heralds who will symbolically display "the real social content of our state."
Political Director of Montenegro’s main ruling party, the DPS, Tarzan Milosevic, responded to Mustafic that the state symbols are already clearly defined by Montenegro’s Constitution.

- Anyone who thinks that the symbols should be corrected, can take advantage of their constitutional right, and with the support of three-fifths of voters arrange symbols in a different way, in a referendum. In our opinion, the state symbols reflect, in the best possible manner, the historical, cultural and traditional values of Montenegro as a civic and multiethnic society - Milosevic says.

A member of the Democratic Front Milan Knezevic assesses that Bosniak Party announcement to initiate the amendment of the Law on the state symbols is a logical consequence of coalition relations with the DPS and its leader: Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic.

- Anyone in Montenegro knows that it was Djukanovic who, in order to gain enough support at the referendum on Montenegro’s independence, promised to create a cross-border region of the Sandzak of Novi Pazar and to increase the percentage of power allocated to the political representatives of Bosniaks in the future government.

Because of this, I perceive the Bosniak Party’s attitude as seeking that Djukanovic act on a promise which he long ago guaranteed - Knezevic says.

- On the other hand, our initiative to remove the hymn the stanzas written by the war criminal Sekula Drljevic, and to add to the existing state banners a National flag, is seen as subversive and anti-state, even though our ancestors created and freed Montenegro in blood under both flags.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

Balkans: The year ahead (The Economist, by T.J., 8 January 2014)

Ex-communist Europe

THIS year promises to be an important year for the western Balkans and here are some of the important stories we expect to cover:

The biggest and flashiest Balkan news event will be the commemoration of the centenary of the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28th 1914, which sparked the First World War. The issue is a divisive one in Bosnia as we have noted here in our sister magazine, Intelligent Life. Many Bosniaks and Croats view Gavrilo Princip, the assassin, as a terrorist. Serbs see him as a liberator.

Big showpiece events taking place in Sarajevo in June include a major cycle race  featuring former Tour de France stars and a performance of the Vienna Philharmonics in the city’s Austro-Hungarian city library building (pictured), which was burned down at the beginning of the Serbian siege of Sarajevo in 1992. Workmen are now racing to restore it.

In Serbia the big question is whether early elections will be called. Most likely they will take place by the end of this month. The result looks set to change the balance of power in government. Aleksandar Vucic, the deputy prime minister and leader of the largest party in parliament, is likely to become prime minister. However, as many analysts have pointed out, those who have called early elections in recent years have all had nasty shocks. Mr. Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party is almost certain to remain the biggest party but it might not do as well as its members calling for an election hope.

In Croatia the mood is one of introspection. In his new year’s message the president, Ivo Josipovic, talked of disappointment since joining the European Union in July. He went as far as to ask whether Croatia had only been wearing a mask to enable it to gain membership. A Social Democrat, he and his government, are facing a resurgent right, but the main challenge is extra-parliamentary. Following the defeat of the government in its opposition of a referendum against gay marriage in December, the use of Serbian Cyrillic in the Vukovar region is now on the agenda. The Catholic Church and militant former soldiers are playing leading roles.

In the wake of last year’s historic agreement between Kosovo and Serbia brokered by the European Union’s foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, much of the first part of the year will be taken up with implementing it. New municipalities in Serbian majority areas need to begin operating and problems are already emerging. According to the agreement an association of Serbian municipalities now needs to be formed and its competences need to be defined.

The really big unknown in Kosovo this year relates to the Special Investigative Task Force of the EU’s police and justice mission. It was set up in the wake of a report by Dick Marty, a Swiss prosecutor for the Council of Europe, which was officially published in January 2011. The report implicated Hashim Thaci, Kosovo’s prime minister in drug smuggling and murder and accused his former Kosovo Liberation Army guerrillas of harvesting the organs of murdered prisoners in 1999. Mr. Thaci has always dismissed the allegations are ridiculous and later this year the SITF should either vindicate or indict him and other important Kosovar politicians. In rather dramatic contrast Mr. Thaci and Ivica Dacic, his Serbian counterpart, have been nominated for this year’s Noble Peace Prize by members of the American Congress.

The economy and high unemployment continue to plague the whole region, though the last few months have seen some encouraging indicators. They only serve to show however just how reliant the western Balkan economies are on the fate of the euro zone in terms of demand and remittances, despite much excited talk of Russian and Chinese investment. Indeed Milan Bacevic, a Serbian government minister, has announced that China is to invest €10 trillion ($13.5 trillion) in the Balkans and central and Eastern Europe and that Belgrade is to be the centre for its infrastructure projects. Sadly, this figure, which he insisted was correct, and represents a little less than the entire American GDP is unlikely to be right. If it was, that would be the Balkan story of the century, let alone the year.

 

Winter drought leaves Kosovo with drinking water shortages (CTV, 8 January 2014)

BATLAVA, Kosovo -- In 2013, winter brought heavy rains and flooding to Kosovo. The year before that, it was blizzards and snow drifts. Now it's a drought.

An official said Wednesday that some 400,000 people in and around Pristina, the capital, could face reduced supplies of drinking water, given a dramatic fall in the levels of the two artificial basins they get it from.

Arieta Mjeku, a spokeswoman for the regional water supply company, said strict reductions must be imposed if the winter drought continues. Mjeku said some areas are already on limited water supply.

Mid-January could bring much needed snow, but the receding waters in the two lakes have exposed large sections of cracked, dry earth.

Kosovo, a territory of 1.8 million people, seceded from Serbia in 2008.

 

Serbia, Croatia Trade Demands Over Genocide Lawsuits (BIRN, Marija Ristic, 9 January 2014)

Serbia will only drop its genocide lawsuit against Croatia if Zagreb withdraws its own suit, but Croatian officials want Belgrade to provide information about wartime missing persons first.

Serbia wants the mutual withdrawal of the two genocide lawsuits filed by Zagreb and Belgrade at the International Court of Justice, but it will not act unilaterally, Marko Djuric, an adviser to Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, told daily newspaper Vecernje Novosti on Wednesday.

“Our message was, and remains: let us unconditionally withdraw the lawsuits and turn to the future,” Djuric said.

“The situation with the genocide lawsuits is inflicting great damage on our republics. It creates the basis for continually maintaining poor inter-ethnic relations and sends a very bad message to the world that the region has not overcome hatred and the bloody historical divisions deepened by the war that had a fratricidal character,” he added.

However Croatian foreign minister Vesna Pusic said on Saturday that Zagreb was only ready to discuss the withdrawal of the lawsuits after Belgrade provides information about Croatians who went missing during the 1991-95 war in her country.

She said that Serbia had made some progress in terms of war crimes prosecutions recently, but Belgrade still needed to do more.

“There were some improvements when it comes to prosecuting those suspected of and charged with crimes. If Serbia is ready to provide data about the missing persons, we are ready to agree on the withdrawal of these lawsuits,” Pusic said.

Croatia filed genocide charges against Serbia at the International Court of Justice in 1999, also demanding that Belgrade punish all perpetrators of war crimes during the 1990s conflict, return looted cultural property and pay for wartime damages.

In response, Serbia submitted a counter-claim in 2010, maintaining that Croatia was guilty of genocide against Serbs during and after the war.

Pusic’s statement drew criticism from Serbia’s Coalition of Refugee Organisations, which argued that Croatia has not yet found missing Serbs or prosecuted those responsible for its  1995 military operations Storm and Flash which saw many Serbs flee the country.

In an open letter, Miodrag Linta, a Serbian MP who is the president of the coalition, also said that the Croatian government “has not shown real political will to find a fair and lasting solution to the key problem of hundreds of thousands of expelled Serbs”.

 

Croatia court backs ex-top spy's extradition to Germany (EUbusiness, 8 January 2014)

(ZAGREB) - A Croatian court on Wednesday backed the extradition of the country's former top spy to Germany, in a step towards calming a row between the European Union and its newest member.

The Zagreb court approved Germany's request for the extradition of Josip Perkovic under a European Arrest Warrant (EAW), which regulates extradition between EU member states, a tribunal's spokeswoman Ivana Calic said.

Perkovic is sought by Germany for alleged involvement in a 1983 murder of a Croatian political immigrant.

The ruling is not final and Perkovic's lawyer said he would file an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Perkovic, a former Yugoslav secret service agent and Croatia's ex-head of intelligence, was arrested on January 1 after the country lifted a limitation it had imposed on extraditions within the EU.

He was released two days later pending a final decision on his extradition.

In the same case, Germany seeks another former secret service agent and a court is to rule on his extradition on Thursday.

Perkovic, who denied any links with the murder of Stjepan Djurekovic, opposes his extradition to Germany claiming he would not have a fair trial there, his lawyer Anto Nobilo said.

The issue sparked a dispute between the EU and Croatia right after it joined the bloc last July.

Just days before becoming a member, Croatia changed its domestic law implementing the EAW.

The change in the law made it impossible to extradite persons wanted for crimes allegedly committed before August 2002, the date the EAW was introduced.

The move left the Balkan country sharply at odds with its 27 partners, notably Germany, which was seeking Perkovic's arrest.

Following the dispute with Brussels, Zagreb eventually amended the law in October.

Local media have speculated that Zagreb was reluctant to extradite Perkovic as he may hold compromising information on influential people in Croatia.

But the government denied such reports, saying its aim was to protect veterans of the 1990s independence war from being investigated by the EU.

Since January 1, Croatia has arrested 10 people wanted within the EU.

 

Bosnia's Bakir Izetbegovic fully supports Turkish PM (World Bulletin, 7 January 2014)

Member of Bosnia's Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic expressed his full support to Turkish PM and expressed solidarity of his party with Turkey's ruling AK Party

Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bakir Izetbegovic and son of the country's founder Alija Izetbegovic expressed his full support to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the government of Turkey and "brotherly Turkish people".

Izetbegovic spoke by phone with Turkish PM Erdogan on Monday and exchanged views about recent developments in Turkey and situation in Bosnia, said a statement released by Bosnian Presidency.

"The Turkish government led by PM Erdogan accomplished significant political and economic success in last decade which carried Turkey to the world stage, as it deserves. I am confident that PM Erdogan will insure stability and continue reform processes for further progress and strengthening of Turkey. A strong and stable Turkey is in the best interest of Bosnia and Herzegovina and all our region," said Izetbegovic.

During the talk, the two leaders have also discussed strengthening of economic cooperation between the two countries. Izetbegovic expressed expectations to see more Turkish investments in Bosnia.

"Speaking about realization of the credit in the amount of 200 million BM - Bosnian marks (approximately 100 million euro), that the Turkish government designated to the development of economy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in the settlements of returnees, Izetbegovic informed Erdogan that so far invested 150 million BM brought good results, such as 1,740 new working places and creating new economy atmosphere in the settlements of returnees," statement added.

Premier Erdogan reiterated the readiness of Turkey to continue supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially its economic development and Euro-Atlantic integration, and added that Turkey pays attention to Bosnia's integration in NATO.

Izetbegovic also conveyed greetings from president of the Party of Democratic Action (PDA) Sulejman Tihic and the solidarity of PDA with AK Party.

 

Turkey assists Balkan countries in developing judicial institutions (Southeast European Times, By Klaudija Lutovska, 8 January 2014)

The Turkish Co-operation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) implements projects to build and equip courts, and train judiciary employees

Turkey is assisting legal reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Macedonia and Kosovo by providing the three judiciaries' infrastructure, technology and know-how to function more effectively.

Officials from the Turkish Co-operation and Co-ordination Agency (TIKA) said they have implemented numerous projects aimed at developing judicial institutions, primarily courts and prosecutor's offices.

"TIKA's role is to share Turkey's experiences with other countries through co-operation partnerships," Teoman Tiryaki, TIKA program co-ordinator in Macedonia, told SETimes. "We hope the implemented projects will contribute to the more effective functioning of the legal system."

TIKA has been active in Kosovo since 2009, when it helped construct and equip the country's constitutional court.

"We started from scratch. There was no infrastructure. They [Turkey] assisted us to build the courthouse," said Enver Hasani, president of the constitutional court of Kosovo.

Following the construction and equipping the court, TIKA organised training for Kosovo judiciary employees in Turkey.

"Now they continue to support us in our research," Hasani added.

Last month, TIKA donated computer and court communication equipment to Macedonia's constitutional court and helped create the court's databases.

"Thanks to TIKA, the constitutional court will work by using the new technology, including computers and other latest court equipment," Elena Gosheva, president of the Macedonia constitutional court, told SETimes.

The equipment was placed in 30 offices and will greatly improve the court's communication and information storage, and will ensure the docket will be cleared as scheduled, said Macedonian Constitutional Court spokesman Jugoslav Milenkovic.

"The speed of searching and retrieving information as well as the quicker and safer internal and external communication are ... helping us approach EU standards," Milenkovic told SETimes.

TIKA has also provided equipment to the appellate court in Skopje and the municipal courts in Tetovo and in Gostivar.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), TIKA has been present since 1995 and has implemented several infrastructure projects, including construction of a library for people with poor eyesight.

"Based on proposals by local communities and their priorities, we direct our projects by offering technical assistance in their implementation," said Zulkuf Oruc, TIKA director for BiH.

TIKA is providing financial assistance and technical equipment to the Sarajevo municipal court. The project includes reconstruction of the court building, building a modern courtroom, an administrative office hall and special rooms for protected witnesses.

Turkey Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin visited BiH in November and said the two countries agreed that their high judicial and prosecutorial councils will improve co-operation.

One of the goals is to enable BiH to efficiently process war crime and organised crime cases, which necessitates strengthening institutions on all levels and ensuring improved working conditions.

Officials said there is a need for a separate, adequately equipped building to house the prosecutor's office, and they are eager to share Turkey's best practices in jurisprudence and court management.

"Turkey has a strong, well-organised judicial system and its experiences are very useful for us because they can be easily transferred to our country," said Milorad Novkovic, president of the BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council.