LOCAL PRESS

 

Officials told not to travel to France for three months (Beta, Vecernje Novosti)

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday that Serbia did not break diplomatic relations with France after that country refused to extradite Ramush Haradinaj. However, "he stressed that he will not allow somebody to trample on Serbia," Beta has reported. Vucic said that he asked officials and employees in the ministries not to travel to France over the next three months.

Speaking to reporters, he pointed out that the government's only move has been to send a note of protest to France, but that this is "not big deal" because Serbia and Croatia last year exchanged 20 such notes.

Addressing France, he asked: "How come you trusted the Serbian judiciary when those guilty of (killing) your national (Brice Taton) were prosecuted, but today you do not trust the Serbian judiciary when Ramush Haradinaj should be put on trial?"

The daily Vecernje Novosti reported on April 29 that the Serbian government had ordered all government officials and employees in the ministries, as well as directors of public companies, to cancel their planned business trips to France, and not to arrange any visits or activities in France over a period of three months.  The newspaper said this was one in a series of responses to the decision of a French court to reject Serbia's request for the extradition of former KLA leader Ramush Haradinaj, who is suspected of war crimes committed in Kosovo in 1998 and 1999.

 

Dacic: Our reaction to Haradinaj decision was appropriate (B92)

Ivica Dacic says Serbia's authorities took "appropriate" measures in the wake of a French court's decision not to extradite Ramush Haradinaj.

The first deputy prime minister and foreign minister said the withdrawal of the Serbian ambassador to France for consultations and three months of non-participation in conferences in France represent "a measure by which Serbia has shown its opposition to the decision."

Speaking in Belgrade on Monday, Dacic said that Serbia is "a country that respects itself - and our obligation toward the victims is not to silently accept the decision of the French court."

"We could have cut diplomatic relations, withdrawn our ambassador and expelled theirs, but we opted for this measure and I think it was appropriate," he said. According to the Serbian government, Dacic added that France "did not have to acquit Haradinaj, but could instead have launched proceedings against him."

 

Djuric has "no answer" to question about dialogue resumption (Tanjug)

The release of former "Kosovo Liberation Army" commander Ramus Haradinaj is a display of great hypocrisy, says the head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija, Marko Djuric, noting that, as a result, he had no answer to the question whether Belgrade and Pristina would resume their dialogue. Belgrade sees Haradinaj's release as a grave insult to the victims and to the Serbian and the international judiciary, and Djuric believes it steps up the pressure on Belgrade

 

Defense minister tours southern border with Macedonia (Beta)

Defense Minister Zoran Djordjevic on Monday visited Serbia's joint military and police forces deployed along the southern border with Macedonia.

The security situation is stable, Djordjevic said, adding that there is currently "no indications" that citizens' lives or property might become endangered. That does not mean, he added, that the army, the police, and other security services are not monitoring the situation.

"The situation is being monitored around the clock and we adapt the engagement of our forces in line with that," Djordjevic said.

 

Vucic: We are not interfering in internal relations in Macedonia (Tanjug)

Serbia is not interfering in internal relations in Macedonia, Serbian PM and President-elect Aleksandar Vucic said Monday, appealing to all actors for calm and adding that stability in the Balkans was the most significant. Responding to questions about developments in Macedonia and whether Serbia recognized the election of Talat Dzaferi as Macedonian parliament speaker, Vucic said peace and stability were what was important for Serbia and that it is not interfering in Macedonian internal affairs.

“Friendly nation lives there to whom we wish peace and stability – said Vucic. He said that Serbia is a small country to which it is important that the region is peaceful and stable.

“It is important to us that everything is peaceful and stable in the Balkans. It is to us the keep the stability in the country” said Vucic.

 

Turkish president invited to visit Serbia (B92)

Prime Minister and President-elect Aleksandar Vucic has invited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit Serbia. Vucic did this during his meeting in Belgrade on Friday with Turkish Ambassador Tanju Bilgic. According to the Serbian government, Vucic said that "relations with Turkey and its people continue to be on a constant rise" and "conveyed gratitude to Turkish companies investing in Serbia, and especially for the assistance provided in difficult times."

Vucic and Bilgic "also discussed the activities of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA)," the government said on its website. The Serbian Prime Minister "expressed his full support to various projects of the TIKA, such as the renovation of the building of the High Court in Novi Pazar and reconstruction of Belgrade's maternity hospital in Zvecanska St."

"We want to attract an even greater number of Turkish investors and organize meetings with businessmen from Turkey, in order to build confidence of those who are already doing business in our country, as well as to increase the scope of economic cooperation," Vucic said.

Bilgic "stressed that Turkey needs good relations with Serbia as a key country for peace and stability in the Balkans," and "announced the arrival of new businesses from his country that are willing to expand their operations in some Serbian cities."

"Both the Turkish president and the Serbian Prime Minister are strong leaders who make strong decisions," the diplomat said, and agreed with Vucic that "cooperation between the two countries is on the right track."

Vucic spoke about his invitation to Erdogan during an interview he gave to RTS, to say that Serbia-Turkey relations are "of great importance - we want to be a good partner to that country."

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

Croatia and Gradiska mark 22nd anniversary of operation “Bljesak” (BHT1)

The 22nd anniversary of military operation “Bljesak” (Flash) was marked in Western Slavonia, Croatia, on Monday. On that occasion, the state leadership, led by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, as well as numerous veterans and citizens, laid wreaths and lit candles in Okucani to pay their respects to the defenders killed in the military operation, in which the Croatian army and the police liberated the western Slavonia region 22 years ago. Addressing those present, Plenkovic stated that the military operation “Bljesak” was one of the most important operations in the Homeland War, which created conditions for peace in Croatia. Plenkovic said that authorities of this country will very soon adopt comprehensive law on rights of war veterans and their families. Grabar-Kitarovic stressed that Croatia must never forget those who sacrificed their lives to liberate this country.

At the same time, the 22nd anniversary of the killing of 280 Serbs in Croatia, during military operation “Bljesak” in 1995, was marked with a memorial service. Addressing reporters, President of Republika Srpska RS and leader of SNSD Milorad Dodik stated that stealing of land, expulsion and ethnic cleansing of Serbs from Western Slavonia was an organized state project of Croatia. Reporter noted that while Croatia marked the anniversary of the operation as a liberation action, honoring its soldiers for recovering the territory of western Slavonia, the RS mourned the victims that were either killed or expelled from their homes. Dodik also stated that Serb people suffered whenever they did not have a state. Dodik was quoted as saying: “Now when we have a state, they are bothered by it.” According to Dodik, “there is no Serb freedom without Serb state”. Dodik noted that killing of Serbs in operation “Bljesak” was a tragic event for Serb people “even though Croats mark it as their great victory”. Dodik underlined that Croats mark this as great victory “because they expelled women, children, unprotected residents of Serb ethnicity”. Dodik claimed that Serbs in West Slavonia were unable to defend themselves because the UN forces deprived them of their weapons.

 

RS Government sends report to UN SC (RTRS)

The Republika Srpska (RS) Government sent on Friday a report to the UN Security Council (UN SC) in which it was pointed out that the RS does not seek secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), but it asks for strict compliance with the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA) and that it works on implementation of the decentralized Dayton system, which is not an obstacle to B&H’s membership in the EU. The report was sent jointly with a letter of RS President Milorad Dodik, addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the occasion of the upcoming debate at the UNSC on the situation in B&H.

In the report, the RS Government reminds of “unconstitutional moves” taken by Bosniak member of B&H Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic in the previous period, including revision of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling in the case of B&H’s genocide lawsuit against Serbia that Izetbegovic launched despite disapproval by other two members of B&H Presidency. According to the report, Izetbegovic and his supporters from the international community tried to undermine the legal status that entities and constituent peoples in B&H have on the basis of the DPA.

“Izetbegovic disputed the legitimacy of the RS by his request for the marking of the RS Day to be banned. Although the RS has harmonized the legal regulations on the RS Day in order to implement the decision of the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H from November 2015, SDA and its allies have accused the RS of defying the CC”, the report reads, adding that even the US officials who support the SDA’s plans have unlawfully interfered with B&H’s internal issues and threatened with sanctions in case that their demands are not met. The report further says that SDA continues to use the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H as a political weapon against the RS officials, noting that the judicial institutions in B&H need thorough reforms, measures aimed at prevention of discrimination of war crime victims based on ethnic affiliation, as well as to prevent political interfering with decisions of the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H.

“It is necessary to reform the B&H CC, which is an institution under huge political pressure in which functions reserved for foreigners have nothing to do with B&H’s sovereignty and membership in the EU”, the report concludes. In the report, the RS officials also reminded of other threats to security and progress in B&H, as well as of methods SDA uses to “turn B&H into jihadists’ shelter.”

 

HDZ B&H: 2018 general elections can be called into question if amendments to Law on Elections of B&H are not adopted (RTRS)

HDZ Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) stated on Saturday that the 2018 general elections can be called into question if amendments to the Law on Elections of B&H are not adopted. The statement came one day after the delegates in the Croat Caucus in B&H House of Peoples (HoP) sent proposal of amendments to the Law on Elections of B&H into parliamentary procedure.

the HDZ B&H’s proposal defines no changes when it comes to the election of the Serb member of B&H Presidency, while changes regarding the election of the Bosniak and Croat members of the B&H Presidency are expected to be discussed in the Parliament of B&H on May 4. The proposal also stipulates changes in the method of election of delegates to the Federation of B&H House of Peoples (HoP) and implementation of the decision of the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H on the electoral process in Mostar.

Commenting on the HDZ B&H’s proposal, Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik stated on Saturday that Serbs do not want for anyone to elect their representatives and it is logical that Croats do not want that either but they want that they themselves can elect their representatives when it comes to member of the B&H Presidency. He said that he supports the HDZ B&H’s proposal. According to the proposal of the Croat Caucus in B&H HoP, the Croat and Bosniak members of the B&H Presidency will be elected by forming three ad hoc election areas in the Federation of B&H, which would give the right to each of the constituent peoples to elect its own member of the B&H Presidency.

Commenting on the proposal, Croat member of B&H Presidency and HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic explained that the bottom line is to prevent the situation in which the Croat member of the B&H Presidency is elected by dominantly Bosniak votes.

SDA has not yet presented an official stance on the HDZ B&H’s proposal, but according to previous statements the party is against any kind of division of B&H.

 

 

Croatia

 

Petrov: No other way out other but for Maric to no longer be Finance Minister (Hina)

Bridge President and Parliament Speaker Bozo Petrov said on Monday there was no other way to overcome the current political crisis but for Zdravko Maric to no longer be minister of finance, and that it was up to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic to show if he had at least 76 hands in parliament or if a new parliamentary election should be held.

Deputy Parliament Speaker and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) secretary-general Gordan Jandrokovic said on Monday the Bridge party claimed a legitimacy that did not result from the support of the electorate but from the assumed role of crime fighters, and that Bridge was "becoming a group of dangerous people."

Zagreb mayor and Work and Solidarity Party president Milan Bandic said on Monday a reshuffle of the parliamentary majority was a done deal and that there would be no snap parliamentary election.

 

Montenegro

 

Montenegrin Assembly unanimously in favor of joining NATO (CDM)

The Montenegrin Assembly on Friday voted unanimously in favor of Montenegro's membership in NATO. 46 members of the Assembly from the DPS, the Bosniak Party, the Social-Democrats, the Croatian Civil initiative, the "Albanians Resolutely" coalition, and the SDP all voted in favor, Montenegrin media are reporting.

The only opposition party represented on Friday was the SDP, with others boycotting the work of the Assembly.

DPS leader and Montenegro's former Prime Minister and president Milo Djukanovic said:

"We are not joining NATO in order to fight wars, but the opposite. When they tried to drag us into a war with the whole world, as in 1999, we were wise and said that it is not our war and that it was a private war, meant to preserve the positions of political structures in Belgrade. We opposed such a sinister interest. War is not our interest. We want to adopt a European system of values, and European countries are the backbone of NATO."

Nothing will be the same in Montenegro now that the historical decision of the Parliament has been adopted, Minister of Foreign Affairs Srdjan Darmanovic said.

“Regardless of the messages sent by DF, most people understand that Montenegro has changed its international position”, he said. He added that historical decisions carry divides, more often than not, encouraged from foreign addresses.

“Russia’s statements would worry us if they had come from a democratic country”, he said, repeating that Montenegro does not wish for conflicts with Russia. “We have economic cooperation with Russia, and Russia has interest in Balkans. It will be hard to normalize the relations, but we believe in better days to come”, Darmanovic said.

 

Markovic: We are clean in our relations with Moscow (Pobjeda)

Prime Minister of Montenegro Dusko Markovic said speaking to Pobjeda daily that joining NATO will help Montenegro build a better international position.

“It represents a long-term guarantee of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. Conditions will be created for a stable economic progress, further strengthened by EU membership. Membership in NATO gives a clear answer in regards to our future. Montenegro is becoming increasingly important at the international scene”, Markovic said. The decision has historical significance, “Montenegro earned this position, since it has always fought on the winning side of history. Many of our ancestors sacrificed for civilizational values during two world wars. Only know we are repaid for our contribution”, Markovic said.

He also commented on relations between Montenegro and Moscow.

“Our history spans three centuries. We had our ups and downs, cooperation and friendship, but also times of misunderstandings. Lately we have been going through such a phase. Our choice to decide our own future and offer the best perspective to our citizens cannot be a sin in the eyes of Russia”, Markovic was clear. “Moscow should understand that we must make our decisions and support that through equality and partnership. We are ready to renew our cooperation”, Markovic said.

Markovic also spoke of opposition’s request for repeating the elections. “It is not reasonable to expect that we overturn democratic elections. We have no rights. We are ready and open for a dialogue with opposition once they renounce such unreasonable notions”, Markovic said. Their boycott and blackmail “new elections or nothing” point to their lack of readiness to deal with politics seriously. Despite their pressure, this government will have a full mandate. “We are working tirelessly to fulfill our promises. Citizens must have recognized it”, Markovic said.

 

fYROM

 

EU, US, OSCE and NATO: We are seriously concerned that authorities failed to prevent the attack (Meta)

The EU delegation in Skopje, the US Embassy, OSCE Mission and the NATO Liaison Office in a joint statement strongly condemned, as they say, the organized attack on Parliament.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the organized attack on the Parliament which took place on 27 April. We express serious concern that the authorities failed to prevent it and did not provide the necessary security to Members of the Parliament and journalists present. An attack on a state institution which is at the heart of democracy is an attack on democracy itself”, reads the joint statement.

In the statement, they go on to say that they expect that these crimes will be investigated swiftly, organizers and perpetrators of the attacks will be brought to justice and courts will act independently.

“We also expect that the state institutions will rapidly draw the necessary implications and take appropriate action. We call on all actors to behave responsibly and to contribute to a peaceful democratic process which must be allowed to run its course. We call on all citizens to exercise restraint, avoid provocations and remain calm. Violence is not a way forward for the country and its society”, adds the statement.

 

Nuhiu: MOI and Chavkov are responsible for the chaos at Parliament and I’m stepping down (Meta)

The Minister of Interior, Agim Nuhiu, condemned the incidents at Parliament and said that certain parts of the ministry’s structures did not do their jobs properly and they will be held responsible. He said that as minister, he had insisted on the creation of the operational headquarters since the protests started, and it included some of the MOI’s high-ranking officials.

“The operational headquarters had prepared plans for three possible situations: For peaceful protests, for electing a Parliament Speaker and for the election of a government. For the position of manager at the headquarters, the Director of the Public Security Bureau within the MOI, Mitko Chavkov was chosen. I want to inform the public that yesterday since the situation escalated until 20:00 pm, the manager of the headquarters Chavkov was unavailable, even though I called him on his personal phone,” said Nuhiu.

The Minister of Interior said “Unfortunately, it is obvious that MOI is under the influence of certain political structures. I feel a moral responsibility because during this period of four months I wasn’t able to remove the influence of politics from the managing positions and that is why I have requested to step down, but I assure you that I will do everything to create conditions for a peaceful transfer of power,” said Nuhiu.

 

Gruevski at a meeting with Hoyt Yee: The election of Xhaferi is illegal (Meta)

We don’t support physical violence, but at the same time we condemn the political violence that was done by SDSM on the institutions, the rulebook, the laws and the Constitutions, is what was told by VMRO-DPMNE’s representatives to the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Hoyt Brian Yee.

At the meeting, VMRO-DPMNE has announced its opinions about the latest occurrences, the political situation and the aspects for overcoming the crisis. VMRO-DPMNE’s representatives have said that for them the political violence on the Constitution, the laws and the rulebook on part of SDSM was the reason for the people’s rage, and additional provocation was the intonation of the Albanian anthem at the Parliament.

 

Zaev at the meeting with Yee: Everyone to support the democratic processes for a new government! (Meta)

A support was given for the democratic processes in the Republic of Macedonia which after the credible elections have continued with the election of a new president of the Parliament from the ranks of the parliamentary majority, and will result in the election of a new government in Macedonia, said SDSM in its announcement. The announcement informed about the today’s meeting between the SDSM’s president Zoran Zaev, the deputy president Radmila Shekjerinska and the general secretary, Oliver Spasovski, with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Hoyt Brian Yee and the US Ambassador in Macedonia, Jess Baily.

“The new president of the Parliament was elected legally and legitimately, in accordance with the Rulebook, the laws, and the Constitution. We are continuing to move the processes forward, wisely and with dedication, and in the forthcoming period, we shall start the process of forming the new reformatory government” Zaev has said, announced SDSM’s press release.

The party president announced in front of the US diplomats “that Gjorge Ivanov shall receive a notification from the new parliamentary president that there is a democratically formed parliamentary majority and shall request from the President of the state to act in accordance with the constitutional obligation to assign the mandate for forming the government.” President Zaev has announced that the future government is ready to cooperate with the future opposition in the interest of the reformatory processes “but at the moment it is most important that VMRO – DPMNE to accept that it is an opposition party now and to stop the tensions”.

 

Ivanov and Hoyt Yee: The obstacles for forming a government can be overcome, but only by not endangering the unitarity (Meta)

After the meeting with the Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US State Department, the Macedonian President stated that the obstacles that are preventing him from assigning the mandate are surmountable only if there is a real determination on part of the party leaders. At the same time, Ivanov has requested assistance on part of the USA in order to help the parliamentary majority to help gain the mandate. Still, he stressed that the platform of the Albanian parties is insurmountable.

“President Ivanov stressed that if there is a real leadership among the presidents of the parliamentary parties, the legal and the political obstacle for assigning a mandate for forming a government can be surmountable. The Macedonian president had asked the US, as Republic of Macedonia’s strategic partners, to help in removing the obstacles and to allow the parliamentary majority to get the mandate” said the press release issued by the president’s cabinet.

Also, Ivanov had condemned “every political and physical violence in the Republic of Macedonia and stressed that the solutions should be found only through a dialogue”.

“The precedent with which a practice is introduced and the illegal is becoming legal is undermining basic democratic principles” said Ivanov. During the meeting with Hoyt Yee, he said that he demands that SDSM’s party leader to fulfill the publicly given word that “he will come together with the coalition partners and will provide guarantees for strengthening the state’s unitarity and that everything will be in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia.

“The Tirana Platform cannot be a predicament nor a basis for forming a government in the Republic of Macedonia stated the Macedonian President,” said the press release issued by the president’s cabinet.

 

Ahmeti and Hoyt Yee: Xhaferi was elected legitimately and has the support of the US and the EU (Meta)

The support from the US and the EU for the new Parliament Speaker, Talat Xhaferi, who was elected in a legitimate way, means that Trajko Veljanoski is no longer the chairman of Parliament, said DUI party leader, Ali Ahmeti, at a press conference after meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, Hoyt Brian Yee, which took place today at the residence of the Deputy Ambassador.

“After everything that happened at Parliament, it is about time everyone becomes aware that the country is headed in a negative direction and they have to accept the new reality, the Speaker of Parliament”, said Ahmeti, saying further that the election of Talat Xhaferi was conducted legitimately. Ahmeti stressed that DUI is determined to continue with the process of constituting the new government. Regarding the withdrawal from office which was announced by the Minister of Interior, Agim Nuhiu, due to his moral responsibility after the way he felt after the violent protests at the Parliament, Ahmeti said that the Minister had full support from the DUI party and other parties, however, it makes no sense to withdraw now, at a time when there is no authority that could accept his resignation.

 

Hoyt Yee: A Parliament Speaker has been elected, political leaders should debate in Parliament (Meta)

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Hoyt Brian Yee said in his statement after two days of meetings in Skopje, condemned the violence in Parliament and he said that a new Parliament Speaker has been elected. For him, there is no dilemma about a parliamentary majority having the responsibility to form a new government, but at the same time, he said that all dilemmas need to be discussed by political leaders in Parliament. Hoyt Brian Yee said that he is under the impression that all political leaders are aware of the seriousness of the situation and should take responsibility to calm the situation and resettle the debate back in the home of legislation.

“We are especially concerned about violent and cowardly attacks after the parliamentary majority elected the new Parliament Speaker. It is extremely important that the political leaders find a way to end the crisis in the country. It is important for leaders to find a way to let the parliamentary majority propose a government and government program”, said Yee. In his statement for the media after yesterday and today’s meetings with political leaders in Macedonia, Hoyt Yee said that he had constructive conversations, passed on the interest of the US for stability in the Western Balkans and he supports the legitimate demands of the citizens for a stable and prosperous future of the country.

 

Albania

 

PM Rama expresses readiness to negotiate DP’s return to June 18 parliamentary elections (ATA)

Prime Minister Edi Rama voiced confidence that the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) would participate in the June 18 parliamentary elections, expressing readiness to hold talks with DP leader to resolve the political deadlock.

“I remain almost fully confident that DP will from falling into abyss and return to enter the parliamentary polls. I do of course remain ready to meet DP leader at any time in order to negotiate his party’s return to the democratic battlefield of June 18 elections. Otherwise, the DP we know it will sooner or later become a memory of the past,” PM Rama told a weekly communication on Sunday.

Socialist government head said via Facebook “the next 48 hours will be decisive for the DP to make the u-turn.” PM Rama also told his Facebook followers that Socialist Party had already registered candidates for the June 18 polls.

The DP-led opposition coalition did not register candidates for upcoming parliamentary polls by the Saturday midnight deadline. The opposition has vowed to block voting with “civil disobedience,” starting with a local city hall election in a western town of Kavaja on May 7.

 

Basha : DP will emerge stronger from battle for free, fair elections (ATA)

The main opposition Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha stated Sunday his party would emerge stronger from what he called “the battle for free and fair elections”, referring to a two-month long protest campaign asking for a technical government to take the country to the parliamentary elections.

Responding to a statement by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who reiterated his readiness to hold talks with DP leader to resolve the political stalemate, Basha said that opposition had chosen true freedom, pluralism and democracy.

“Edi Rama’s entire career has been built by buying everyone and everything. The only thing he has failed to buy is the Democratic Party,” Basha replied via a Facebook statement. DP and opposition – Basha went on writing – have chosen freedom, pluralism and true democracy. “This is the just cause for Albania’s European future. DP will emerge stronger from this battle whereas Albania will have its New Republic, a truly Western republic,” opposition leader stated.

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

Dacic unlikely to become PM (IBNA)

What would be the role of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) in the government when current prime minister resigns and starts its presidential term; Socialist leader Ivica Dacic may succeed Aleksandar Vucic and become Prime Minister, report Belgrade media. Still, Dacic is reserved over that idea. Dacic, according to his own words, did not even think about it when he was deciding to support Vucic in presidential race earlier this year, as he told N1 TV. “Socialists would probably be happy”, he admits.

When asked what he would change if he becomes PM Dacic replied: “You shouldn’t ask me that because that issue is absolutely not in the agenda now. I cannot talk on hypothetical things”.

Dacic, who already was PM from 2012 to 2014 and is now foreign minister, added that “those who were seen by the newspapers” to succeed Vucic would certainly not overtake his current role. Sociologist Jovo Bakic shares Dacic’s opinion.

“As the PM, Dacic would undoubtedly boost SPS, and therefore it should not be expected from Aleksandar Vucic to allow that”, Bakic said. He argues that SPS’s decision to take part in Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) coalition was bad for Socialists; only party bosses took advantage from coalition, Bakic claims.

Dacic says that SPS has become stronger after recent elections in five municipalities, adding that his party has “preserved its identity” following the presidential elections. “We have not supported the SNS candidate, but chosen Aleksandar Vucic as the nominee of all of us. Everybody knows who am I, I’m the president of the Socialist Party”, he insisted.

Djordje Vlajic, a journalist, told N1 that SPS’s decision to uphold Vucic was pragmatic; but giving up from its own candidate would have consequences, he added.

“The unconditional support and, I would say, even more than that, have certainly influenced on losing the part of the identity within the SPS. In long terms, that would not contribute (to SPS)”, Vlajic said.

According to the latest polls conducted by IPSOS agency, SPS would get eight percent if elections were held today. That is almost half of the votes it has gained in 2016 elections.

 

Vladimir Putin's sphere of influence edges closer to EU as Serbia accepts Russian weaponry (Express)

Vladimir Putin’s sphere of influence edged closer towards western Europe after Serbia announced plans to massively increase its defence industry and complete the purchase of Russian weaponry – despite the Balkan nation previously claiming it wanted to join the EU.

Zoran Djordjevic, the Serbian Defence Minister, proudly declared 800 new jobs would be created by the need for pilots and operating staff for the new Russian fighter jets, alongside the opening of two helicopter repair centres. While Vucic has said he wants to lead Serbia into the Brussels bloc, he has been pushing for deeper ties to longtime ally Russia – with the Kremlin even endorsing the 47-year-old.

The former ultranationalist Vucic promised his signature to Putin on the delivery of fighter planes, battle tanks and armored vehicles to Serbia before he has even taken office. The move has sparked fears of an arms race in the western Balkans, which Russia considers its sphere of influence.

Vucic, in his election victory speech, said: “A huge majority of people in Serbia support continuation of the European path for Serbia, along with preserving our traditionally good ties with Russia and China.”

Opponents have accused him of muzzling the media and intimidating voters. They worry that he will use his new appointment to appoint a figurehead successor as prime minister and transforming his office into a more powerful post, as Putin did in Russia.

US Senator John McCain said: “I think Vucic is trying to walk a very fine line between East and West.

“He realizes that his population, particularly the young population, are western oriented. They don’t want to be like Russia. Yet at the same time, the orientation historically has been to Russia.”

Mr. Djordjevic rejected claims the deal represents increased Russian influence, but that is shows Serbia is willing and able to compete on its own. The minister, speaking at an international security conference, said: “Our parliament is now working in a draft law on the production and transportation of arms and ammunition which, if enacted, would allow foreign ownership of maximum 49 percent of Serbian property.

“There is a great deal of foreign interest in investing in Serbia. This would facilitate defence production and make it cheaper too. In some cases we would be ready to engage in joint production and possibly to launch a number of joint ventures.”

Serbia, which in the 1990s was seen as pariah of Western Balkans for its central role in wars that followed the collapse of Yugoslavia, expects to complete negotiations on EU membership by 2019. Many Serbs remain skeptical about joining the bloc and view Western European countries as outspoken advocates of the 1999 NATO bombing to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians in the former province of Kosovo, in which thousands of civilians had been killed.

 

Moscow: Montenegro defies democracy by ratifying NATO membership without referendum (RT)

The ratification of Montenegro’s NATO membership by a parliamentary vote instead of a referendum is a violation of democratic norms, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said, adding that Moscow reserves the right to protect its national security after the move.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has expressed “deep regret that the current leadership of (Montenegro) and its Western backers didn’t heed the voice of conscience and reason.”

“The adoption of fundamental acts, affecting the key issues of state security, by the vote of individual MPs on the basis of a formal majority without taking into account the opinion of the country’s people is a demonstrative act of violation of all democratic norms and principles,” the statement read. The ministry said that the will of around half of the population was ignored by the Montenegrin authorities with the NATO vote.

“What cynicism should one have to state unabashedly that there was no need to clarify the opinion of the people for such a decision, like the Montenegro president, Filip Vujanovic, did the other day,” it said.

During the “shameful” NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 there were casualties in Montenegro as well, with children being among the victims, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Blaming those deaths on Serbia, which is accused of having provoked the interference from the US-led military bloc, is a “hypocritical” interpretation of events, the ministry said.

“Those who voted in the Skupstina (parliament) for joining NATO under the pretext of an imaginary Russian threat should take responsibility for the consequences of implementing the plans of external forces, seeking to deepen the division in Europe and the Balkans, drive a wedge into the historically rooted friendly relations of Montenegrins with Serbs and Russians,” the statement read.

The Russian ministry said that “given the potential of Montenegro, the North Atlantic Alliance is unlikely to receive significant 'added value' thanks to the inclusion of its 29th member.

“But Moscow can’t ignore the strategic consequences of this step. Therefore, we reserve the right to adopt such decisions that are aimed at protecting our interests and national security,” the Foreign Ministry said.

Earlier on Friday, the Montenegro parliament ratified the law on the country’s accession to NATO, with all 46 lawmakers (out of the total of 81) present at the session supporting the country’s inclusion into the bloc. The move took place in absence of the main opposition party, the Democratic Front, which instead staged a protest, demanding a referendum on whether to join NATO.

The vote in the Montenegrin parliament followed the decision by US President Donald Trump to approve the country’s membership bid on April 11. Accepting Montenegro into NATO will send a message to other aspirants that the “door to membership in the Euro-Atlantic community of nations remains open,” the White House said at the time.

Montenegro, a country with a population of around 622,000 people that seceded from Serbia in 2006, was granted a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) in 2009. Since then the country remained split on the issue, with protests against NATO across the country only intensifying as the republic drew closer to becoming a member of the bloc.