LOCAL PRESS

 

Serbia turning to the future, preparing to build bridges in the region, Vucic said at inauguration (B92, Tanjug)

Serbia is prepared to take a step forward from the mythology of the past, because it is aware that progress is not possible without peace and stability, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday evening, at a reception celebrating his inauguration, agencies reported.

At the ceremony at the Serbia Palace, he told the leaders of the Western Balkans that Serbia is prepared to build bridges with them across “the abysses of the past and to build roads, and to work together on economic development.”

“We don’t have to build a new Yugoslavia, but [we should] work on a better tomorrow for our poor citizens,” said Vucic, adding that there is no progress without peace and stability. “Serbia is prepared to change anew, and every day, and to not dream of enemies, but to create friends in reality,” he said. Vucic said that he knows that the region has to share pillars around which a common future is built, and added that Serbia has not task more important than to share with its neighbors the conviction that it cannot be better for one if it is bad for someone else.

“We want peace. There is no topic that we don’t want to discuss, and there is no abyss that we don’t want to bridge,” he pointed out. Vucic said that Serbia is a land of the bold, where people are the priority. He said that his generation is prepared to change, do away with bad habits, tame mentality and take “a step forward, a step with which misfortune turns to fortune. We want tomorrow, and we want it today. Serbia has stopped hoping for death and wants to live. We want people with ourselves and peace with others,” Vucic said. He added that Serbia was never late anywhere, and that it will not “be late for the future either.”

Serbia wants good relations with great powers, Vucic said and added that he doesn’t want to “create an abyss” in relations with the great powers. “We are on the European path; there we want to build good relations with the USA, but we are also proud of our good relations with Russia and China” said Vucic.

 

Vucic has series of bilateral meetings with foreign officials in Belgrade (Tanjug, Beta)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met on June 23 and 24 with representatives of foreign states and organizations visiting Serbia to attend a reception following his inauguration as Serbia's new president. Vucic met with European Commissioner of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, Russia's deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, a vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Ji Bingxuan, and Hoyt Brian Yee, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs.

The new Serbian president also met with Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Yury Khachaturov, saying that Serbia wanted to maintain its military neutrality, but wanted to develop cooperation and bilateral ties with CSTO members. At her meeting with Vucic, Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller supported Serbia's efforts to maintain stability and support regional cooperation, the Press Office of the Serbian President reported. Vucic also met with his Montenegrin counterpart, Filip Vujanovic, Macedonian President Djordje Ivanov, two members of the Bosnia and Herzegovina presidency, Mladen Ivanic and Bakir Izetbegovic, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitanovic, a former chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schroder, and Slovenian President Borut Pahor.

Serbia's new President met with Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Andrew Leslie, Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti, an international affairs adviser to the Palestinian President, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Mikheil Janelidze, the press office said. Vucic also met with Moroccan Speaker of the House of Representatives Habib El Malki, the Turkish speaker, İsmail Kahraman, the Belarus trade minister, Vladimir Koltovich, Prime Minister Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet, and others.

 

Dacic: Dialogue to continue once governments are elected (Tanjug, VIP)

The dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina should be continued at the presidential level after the new governments of Serbia and Kosovo are formed, the acting Serbian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Monday.

“I do not believe that I will take part (in the negotiations); this is a matter of format, which, to be honest, is mostly determined according to the function carried out by (the President of Kosovo Hashim) Thaci”, Dacic told reporters in Belgrade. He said that it was “more logical for this dialogue to be continued in the format of presidents” and that he believed that this would take place once the governments in Belgrade and Pristina were elected.

There was speculation in Belgrade, even before the then Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic announced that he would nominate himself at the presidential elections, that the European Union and the US wished to see, as the chief negotiators, Vucic and Thaci, as the key political figures in Belgrade and Pristina respectively. This was impossible to carry out while the first was in the position of Prime Minister, and the other was President. With Vucic’s arrival on the position of the Serbian President this formal obstacle has been removed.

 

Dacic: Next Government will solve status of Humanitarian Centre in Nis (Beta, Vecernje Novosti)

Serbia's acting prime minister, Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on June 26 that the Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center in Nis had been a politicized issue for years, and that the country's next government would have to resolve it. After a refugee housing conference at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade, Minister Dacic said to reporters that he had signed a document on the establishment of the center with (the then Russian minister in charge of emergency situations), Sergey Shoygu. As he put it, Serbia clarified all misunderstandings it had at the time with the EU, but "a major politicization of the issue followed nonetheless."

"The suggestion was that the staff (of the Russian-Serbian Center in Nis) should enjoy a status equal to that of administrative and technical staff at an embassy, the status the NATO and U.S. troops already have, not diplomatic or extra-territorial status," the Serbian foreign minister explained, adding that no humanitarian workers were at the Center.

The Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center was opened in Nis, in April 2012. The Russian staff, together with its Serbian peers, help in cases of emergency and natural disasters. The Center might be closed if Moscow's request is dismissed that it should be given special status based on an agreement on the terms of the stay, privilege and immunity of the staff.

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Chepurin said on Monday that no one could understand why the status of employees in the center has not been solved. During the visit to Nis, Chepurin said that without a proper status, the Serbian-Russian Humanitarian Center had no chance of development. He added that everything was clear regarding the center and that everything about the center was written in a document signed by the authorities of Russia and Serbia at the beginning of 2013.

When the reporters asked him to comment on the suspicion that the center in Nis was “a spy one”, Chepurin said the door of that center was open and “everyone can come and see what the employees are doing.”

Vecernje Novosti wrote on Tuesday that Belgrade might look for a solution in giving diplomatic immunity not only to the Russian staff in the center in Nis, but also to the members of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency that are coming to Serbia. The daily also wrote that the EU had already asked the FRONTEX members to get diplomatic immunity, but Belgrade was not ready to give it.

 

Reynders: Criteria for freedom of media must be met (Beta)

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders has said that freedom of the media is an integral part of every democratic state, adding that, the criteria Serbia has to meet in that field in its EU accession process cannot not be negotiated.

In an interview to BETA ahead of his visit to Belgrade on June 27, Reynders said that in its reports, the European Commission for two years now has assessed that "in the field of freedom of expression and media no progress has been achieved" in Serbia.

He said that reports were very clear in terms of analysis and recommendations. "As in any other field under Chapters 23 and 24, the criteria is not negotiable, they have to be met within what we call fundamental matters come first" Reynders noted .

According to him, "the media scene where media outlets can operate freely and responsibly offer a variety of divergent views, with respect for human dignity and without employing intimidation, hate speech and slander, is an inseparable element of every democracy."

Recalling that the recently adopted resolution by the European Parliament "is very specific on that matter," Reynders stressed that freedom of the media "is a part of the global rule of law," which Belgium, as one of the EU founders, "is sincerely committed to and will remain so."

 

Parliament adopts amendments to the Law on Ministries, Government to have two more ministries (VIP)

The Serbian parliament, on Monday, adopted the amendments to the Law on Ministries, by which the founding of two new ministries is foreseen – that of the protection of the environment and for European integration.

In the elaboration it is stated that the founding of the ministry for European integration had been proposed due to significantly bigger obligations and the volume of the tasks in the process of association to the EU, while the founding of the ministry of the environment had been proposed bearing in mind the importance which the preservation and protection of the environment have concerning the quality of the lives of the citizens and their health.

With the adoption of these amendments to the Law, the Office for European Integration has been terminated since its tasks will be taken over by the newly-formed ministry. In favor of the adoption of the law, 157 MPs voted, while 11 were opposed and two refrained from voting. The adoption of this Law is the first step in the process of the forming of the new government headed by the up-to-now Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Ana Brnabic.

Brnabic’s proposal for the make-up of the new government is expected in parliament, and according to the writing of a part of the Belgrade press the debate on this proposal and the submission of the exposé will take place on Wednesday.

The adoption of the amendments to the law was preceded by an entire day of parliamentary debate in which a part of the opposition MPs expressed their opposition to the forming of the ministry for European integration, considering that Serbia’s membership in the EU – seeing that the majority of its members recognized the independence of Kosovo – was not in accordance with the officially proclaimed government policy that Kosovo is held to be an inseparable part of its territory.

At the session there were also unsuitable speeches by the conservative opposition MPs who disputed Brnabic’s nomination because of, among other things, her sexual orientation.

 

Two new ministries to be formed, govt. composition emerges (Blic)

Serbia's new government, to be led by Ana Brnabic, will have 18 ministries and three ministers without portfolio. The Serbian National Assembly late on Monday adopted changes to the Law on Ministries that envisage forming two new ministries - of environmental protection and EU integration. 157 members of the Assembly voted in favor, 11 were against, while two abstained.

According to earlier announcements, Brbanic will present her government's program and composition on Wednesday.

The cabinet:

Ana Brnabic - Prime Minister

Ivica Dacic - First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister

Nebojsa Stefanovic - Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister

Rasim Ljajic - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism, and Telecommunications

Branko Ruzic - Minister of State Administration and Local-Self government

Jadranka Joksimovic - Minister for European integrations

Dusan Vujovic - Minister of Finance

Goran Knezevic - Minister of Economy

Branislav Nedimovic - Minister of Agriculture

Zorana Mihajlovic - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure

Goran Trivan - Minister of Ecology

Aleksandar Antic - Minister of Mining and Energy

Nela Kuburovic - Minister of Justice

Aleksandar Vulin - Minister Defense

Mladen Sarcevic - Minister of Education, Science, and Technological development

Zlatibor Loncar - Minister of Health

Zoran Djordjevic - Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social issues

Vladan Vukosavljevic - Minister of Culture and Information

Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic - Minister without ortfolio in charge of Demographics and Population Policy

Milan Krkobabic - Minister without portfolio in charge of Regional Development and Coordination of work of Public Enterprises

Nenad Popovic - Minister without portfolio in charge of Innovations

 

Vulin and Djordjevic to rotate ministerial positions (Vecernje Novosti, Alo)

The up-to-now Minister of Defense, Zoran Djordjevic and the Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy Aleksandar Vulin will exchange their departments in the future Serbian government, Djordjevic confirmed to Alo tabloid. This has confirmed the speculations which have circled the political and media circles for some time now, and which announced this rotation.

Djordjevic said for the daily’s website that in the new government which will be headed by Brnabic, he would take over the Ministry which was up to now headed by Vulin.

“It is a great honor for me that the future Prime Minister asked me to be a part of her team. I will accept the honor with great satisfaction, since this testifies that I have done my work diligently and responsibly as the Defense Minister”, Djordjevic said.

Vecernje Novosti on Tuesday, however, claimed that the US “exerted enormous pressure” on the Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic in order Vulin not to be appointed to the position of the Minister of Defence.

“According to information the daily has learnt, Vucic was given a signal by the US Ambassador Kyle Scott that Washington was vigorously against the intention Vulin to take over the ministry of defense, although the switch was practically agreed with Djordjevic,” the article reads.

“Our well-informed sources carried that the US is against Vulin because of the strong rhetoric he tends to, especially in the context of relations with the ethnic Albanians and Croats, and they believe it would be very dangerous the system of defense to be given to him,” the daily wrote.

“Nevertheless, despite these non-diplomatic recommendations, Vucic is determined to appoint Vulin to a new post, and he does not want to give in to the American demands” Vecernje Novosti added.

Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday denied that he was under pressure because of the decision to appoint Aleksandar Vulin as Serbia's new defense minister. Vucic said he "had no objections" that he might present to PM-designate Ana Brnabic, and that only minor changes will be made to the government's composition.

"The basis of the government is the same. I have been informed about the changes, as the leader of the largest party. I've had no objections that I would tell Ana about. I believe this government will continue to do a good job," he said. "Nobody called, it goes without saying that pressure cannot be exerted, but nobody tried, either. I don't want to play the hero, really, nobody asked me about that," Vucic said.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

Almost all regional leaders conveyed messages of peace from Belgrade on Friday evening (TV1)

Almost all regional leaders conveyed messages of peace from Belgrade on Friday evening, when they attended a solemn inauguration of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Addressing the reporters, they all stressed the same priorities – achieving better cooperation, communication and joint regional and interstate projects.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency member Bakir Izetbegovic stated that regional leaders will exert efforts to meet certain promises given to each other earlier, such as improvement of relations between B&H and Serbia and their closer cooperation.

B&H Presidency Chairman Mladen Ivanic stressed that Vucic and Izetbegovic are both obliged to show political readiness given everything what was happening in B&H.

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic assessed that Vucic is very venturesome man and expressed her belief that many things can be achieved through honest and open talks. “We should not fool ourselves and think that this can happen overnight. There will be many obstacles and maybe even stumbling on that path, but it is very important that there is good will on both sides”, Grabar-Kitarovic said.

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik stated that Serbia is without a doubt the most important country in the region and he expects that with President Aleksandar Vucic they will manage to increase the cooperation to an even higher level. “We have carried out many projects with Serbian Government and Prime Minister Vucic and with President Vucic we want to increase this cooperation to an even higher level and to secure the best possible relations in political sense as well, within Agreement on Special and Parallel Relations” said Dodik.

 

Ambassador Moore: There is no possibility to postpone general elections next year; B&H will have to change its Constitution because of EU (Vecernji list)

Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Ambassador Jonathan Moore, asked, how he sees “outcome of the crisis” related to motion submitted by (fmr. B&H HoR Speaker) Bozo Ljubic regarding election of delegates to the Federation of B&H House of Peoples since deadline for changes to the Law on Elections (as ordered by the Constitutional Court of B&H) will expire on July 6. Moore replied by saying there is still time to change the Law on Elections, reminding that the law cannot be changed five months prior to the elections.

“There is still time for the changes, but for us it is clear that the elections will take place next year. There is no possibility of postponing them. I hope that reforms will be a reaction to the court decisions and that the law will be fixed”, said Moore. This triggered journalist to say that the election results will be impossible to implement because there will be no election of the Federation of B&H House of Peoples, asking if it makes sense to have the elections in such circumstances. Moore reiterated there is no possibility to postpone the elections, arguing there is almost one year left to change the law, which is in the hands of politicians, especially in the Federation of B&H.

Asked if there is room for ‘Dayton 2’, Moore briefly replied that Dayton is not a movie or a series that that there will be no Dayton 2. Asked what can be done in terms of changes to the Constitution, Moore replied by saying there is a possibility of political leaders finding common ground for changes to the Constitution. The Ambassador argued that the Dayton-Constitution is a live document, which can be changed like in other democratic countries. He went on to say that everyone is clear, which is also the EU’s message, that the Constitution of B&H will have to be changed several times on the EU road since those are condition for the EU membership.

 

Possible blockade in formation of state and Federation of B&H authorities (EuroBlic)

Sources claimed that the Constitutional Court (CC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) might annul articles of the Election Law of B&H concerning election of delegates in the House of Peoples (HoP) of the Federation of B&H Parliament next month because B&H Parliament failed to harmonize the Election Law with B&H Constitution within the given deadline of six months. The daily reminded that this deadline was set after B&H CC partially accepted the appeal of Bozo Ljubic for assessment of constitutionality of provisions of the Election Law of B&H concerning election of Federation of B&H HoP delegates which, according to Ljubic, allowed other people to elect Croat representatives in the Federation of B&H Parliament.

Delegate in B&H HoP Mario Karamatic stated that in case B&H CC decides to erase these articles of the Election Law of B&H, it will be impossible to establish the Federation of B&H or state authorities after elections in October next year. “Therefore, if we want to have a functional country after 2018 general elections, we will have to change the Election Law of B&H latest by February next year”, Karamatic said. However, as the daily reminded, changes to the Election Law of B&H, especially those proposed by HDZ B&H, have reached a standstill. Namely, Bosniak MPs requested protection of the vital national interest after HDZ B&H proposed changes and B&H CC still has not presented its stance on the request of Bosniaks.

In the meantime, HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic stated that B&H is facing reorganization and announced that Croats will “live in the area freed by HVO”. The daily noted that Covic did not explain if this means possible activation of the story on Herzeg-Bosnia, while Deputy President of HDZ B&H Borjana Kristo did not want to comment on Covic’s statement. Kristo only briefly said that Covic “presented stances of bodies of the party and of the Croat People’s Assembly (HNS)”. SDA also announced it will send its proposal of changes to the Election Law of B&H in the parliamentary procedure but it still has not done that. Croat parties claimed that the proposal they presented was in great part harmonized with SDA because of which it is unclear to them why SDA “is playing tactical games now”.

 

Croatia

 

Vucic is making steps towards Zagreb. Is it time for careful dialogue with Serbia? (Vecernji list)

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar- Kitarovic was one of main starts at the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected Serbian Presidnet Aleksandar Vucic. Grabar- Kitarovic, who held a bilateral meeting with Vucic, stated that Serbia and Croatia do not have to be friends, adding that “much water will pass through Sava and Danube” before this happens, but she added that it is time to be pragmatic and it is time to cooperate on series of issues for sake of improving of relations in South East Europe. Also, it is said that Croatia will support Serbia on its path to the EU. According to unofficial information, the meeting behind the closed doors with Vucic, was good and everyone expect improving of relations between two countries. Grabar- Kitarovic’s close associate, told daily that Serbia and Croatia are heading towards solving of open issues and the progress will be visible before the end of year. President’s associates are very satisfied by the talks between Grabar- Kitarovic and Vucic, stating that the agreement is not to present the details in public. Daily reads that President’s special envoy, Mate Granic accompanied her to Belgrade, which suggests that Granic is also working on the agreement with Serbia. President’s Cabinet also stated that they expect support of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, being that Grabar- Kitarovic almost has no operational competencies.

 

Croatian and Serbian Presidents meet in Belgrade: We do not need to pretend to be friends (Vecernji list)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said, after a meeting with his Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic that he believed the relations between the two countries and the two peoples could be improved by the end of the year.

In a statement to reporters, Vucic said that he spoke with Grabar Kitarovic about specific problems and was very pleased with the meeting. He added that talks with the Croatian President would be resumed soon in Dubrovnik, where the traditional Dubrovnik Forum will be held on 1 July.

“We should not rush. It is not easy, we have a lot of issues which burden our relations, but I believe that in the next six months, or by the end of the year, we can achieve more significant results. That would be good news for Serbs in Croatia and Croats in Serbia, as well as for the improvement in bilateral relations between Serbia and Croatia, and between Serbs and Croats in general”, said Vucic.

Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic stated that it was about time for Serbia and Croatia to make a positive step forward in their mutual relations so they can address numerous open bilateral issues, including collective security and other challenges. President Grabar-Kitarovic said on the eve of the meeting with Vucic that it was essential for the two countries to be pragmatic in their relations. She visited Belgrade in order to attend Vucic’s official inauguration.

“Serbia and Croatia do not have to be friends, but there are some issues in which we need to work together. When it comes to our relationships, I will repeat what I said in Vukovar – we do not need to pretend to be friends because a lot of time will have to pass before we become friendly states. However, we need to be pragmatic,” said the Croatian President.

“This is an opportunity to make this step forward – not just to improve relations in the south-east Europe. We have to solve all that is painful – from humanitarian issues to the issues of missing persons, archives, so the so-called universal jurisdiction for war crimes. We need to look into the present and the future pragmatically,” said Grabar Kitarovic.

Croatian President said earlier that she would discuss with Vucic how far has the process of implementing the Subotica Declaration progressed. “There are positive steps regarding infrastructure, but some projects of functional nature need to be constructed”, said Grabar Kitarovic, pointing out that they would discuss the status of Croats in Serbia. “When it comes to the position of the Croatian minority, there is still no respect for the fundamental right of the Croatian minority to have one guaranteed representative in the Serbian parliament and guaranteed representatives at the lower levels,” said the President.

 

Montenegro

 

Montenegro the closest country to the EU membership (Pobjeda)

The government's commitment is to complete accession negotiations by the end of its mandate and prepare the country for membership. Therefor we will direct all efforts and intensify the work of the entire state administration. So, we will do everything that is up to Montenegro, said Minister of European Affairs and Montenegro's chief negotiator with EU Aleksandar Andrija Pejovic.

He points out that it is realistic to expect that Montenegro will become a member state in the mandate of the next European Commission.

In an interview with newspaper Pobjeda, he estimated that Montenegro is closer to the membership than any other country from the region.

"During five years of accession negotiations, we have opened 28 out of 33 chapters and we are on the right path to enter into the process of opening the remaining five chapters in the following months after the completion of final benchmark in Chapter 8, the Competition. Also, by the recent interim closure of Chapter 30., the External Relations, we have entered a new phase of the accession process where we will focus on working on meeting the closing benchmarks and closing the chapter, ie the conclusion of the negotiation process. Both the European Commissioner and other senior EU officials and Member States have repeatedly stated that Montenegro is the country that has made the most progress in the accession process and is closest to membership. It is therefore realistic to expect Montenegro to be admitted to the mandate of the next European Commission" said Pejovic for Pobjeda.

"With that aim we will direct all efforts and intensify the work of the entire state administration. So, we will do everything that is up to Montenegro in terms of achieving our internal readiness for membership, as we have designed with our key strategy paper, the EU Accession Program, defining plans and setting deadlines for completing alignment of domestic legislation with European regulations, and strengthening administrative capacities through establishment of necessary institutions and staff training. However, as this is the process that results from relations between the two sides, the candidate and the EU, much depends on the European Commission which has influence and contributes to the pace of negotiation, "Pejovic said.

 

fYROM

Ivanov – Vucic: Open issues between Macedonia and Serbia should not be politicized (Meta)

We must address all open questions through a dialog and the competent institutions have find solutions, stated President Gjorge Ivanov after his meeting with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic. He added that the meeting was constructive and agreed that open questions should not be politicized” stated Ivanov.

“Wherever the problems are, there solutions should be found. We should not politicized and not to give a special meaning to questions which are institution’s responsibility”, stated Ivanov. When Ivanov was asked if at the meeting was discussed the idea regarding a common regional market, he answered that it was in the interest of the whole region and it both countries would be responsible. The political dialog between the two countries is expected to continue when President Vucic is next in the Republic of Macedonia.

 

Hahn: All responsible actors to concentrate on the tasks ahead (MIA)

After all events I have witnessed in this country, I am glad to see new dynamics of events aimed at improving the lives of all citizens in the country. My message today to everyone is to concentrate on the tasks ahead. All responsible actors, and here I include the opposition and the judiciary and other institutions should work to create a modern society that will work for prosperity of all citizens regardless of their background. This has been stated by EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn at the joint press conference with PM Zoran Zaev after his attendance at the special government session dedicated to urgent reform priorities.

He announced the visit of Priebe on Tuesday with a team of experts that will help in regard to urgent reform priorities whose implementation is not only to please EU officials but to improve the living conditions of the citizens in the country. On Wednesday he also announced the arrival of the delegation of the EC Enlargement Directorate to Macedonia. Hahn commended the positive steps by the Government with the visits to Bulgaria and Greece because, as he said, the establishment of good neighborly relations is of significant importance.

PM Zaev said that the government opens a new chapter in regard to reforms for EU integration and Hahn’s attendance at the government’s session is a strong signal that EU integration is no longer a dream, it is a reality.

 

He pointed out that the goal is country to receive positive evaluation by the European Commission and to get a clear unconditional recommendation for the start of EU accession negotiations by the end of the year. For that purpose, today, before Han we have presented an action plan - a roadmap which should be finalized by July 1 including the reforms in key areas such as rule of law, independent regulatory bodies, free media arising from the Przino Agreement, the Priebe Report, the Framework Agreement and the EC Progress Reports on Macedonia.

We have defined short-term, medium-term and long-term goals which are intended for European Commission in the autumn to remove the conditional recommendation for the start of the accession negotiations, and during next year, the EU member countries to focus on discussion to determine the date for the start of accession negotiations EU with Macedonia. Implementation of the reform priorities for the EU will also mean the opening of NATO doors, Zaev said. He pointed out that the government will lead the reform process inclusively and urged the parliamentary opposition to join the planned reforms.

We expect responsibility from everyone because our goal is common - positive changes and Macedonia’s membership in the EU and NATO. If we all act mutually in the country, the success will be mutual. It will be a success for the Republic of Macedonia and for all its citizens. This is a top government priority. I assure you that Macedonia is on right path, on the European path, Zaev said.

Hahn is also scheduled to meet officials of VMRO-DPMNE, DUI, BESA and the Alliance of the Albanians.

 

Zaev: By July 1st, “Roadmap” will be ready, it will lead us to negotiations for EU membership (Meta)

The Government is working on their action plan called “Roadmap”, which should be finalized by July 1st, and covers all the reforms in key areas such as the rule of law, professional state institutions, independent regulatory bodies and freedom of the press. This was stressed by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev at a joint press conference with EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn after a government session dedicated to the urgent reform priorities which Hahn participated in as well.

“We defined short-term, medium-term and long-term reform goals with which we intend the European Commission to remove the conditionality of the recommendation for the start of the pre-accession negotiations in autumn, and next year, the member states of the European Union should focus on establishing a starting date for pre-accession negotiations of the EU with the Republic of Macedonia”, said Zaev.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the reform process will be run by the Government inclusively and called on the parliamentary opposition to join the process.

At the press conference, European Commissioner Hahn said his message to everyone today is to concentrate on the tasks which lay ahead.

“All responsible actors, including the opposition, the judiciary and all relevant institutions, should work to create a modern, well-functioning society, a country that will work in the interest of all citizens, regardless of their affiliation”, said Hahn. Hahn pointed out that the first experts will begin to arrive tomorrow to assist the government with the reforms, including German expert, Reinhard Priebe.

When asked about the name dispute with Greece, Zaev said that he is convinced that there is a solution for everything and that “a lot of things depend on us, but here, we need help and support from our neighbors.”

In relation to the name dispute, Hahn said that this is an issue for the two countries to work on, adding that the Commission’s positive recommendation is closely linked to the progress that will be made in implementing the urgent reform priorities.

 

Gruevski’s to Hahn: VMRO-DPMNE will support all the reforms that are in the interest of the citizens (Meta)

The activities that refer to the integration processes should be implemented and VMRO-DPMNE will support all the reforms that are in the interest of the citizens, stressed the leader of the opposition party, Nikola Gruevski during a meeting with the European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn.

Gruevski, as was announced by VMRO-DPMNE, at the meeting has stressed that the goal of the Government led by SDSM shouldn’t be just receiving a positive report, such as the ones that Macedonia had before the political crisis, but a positive recommendation for starting the talks for an EU membership. A member of the Hahn’s team, Kyriacos Charalambous, regarding the meeting wrote a comment on his Twitter account that the Euro – Commissioner has “encouraged Gruevski to contribute to the EU-reforms since the support of his party is needed especially when it comes to bilateral relations with the neighbors.”

VMRO-DPMNE has stressed “certain concerning tendencies” that, as was stressed by the party, “are reflecting negatively on the current situation by building a negative climate in the state and as a result, it is reflecting negatively on the democratic capacity.”

 

Bulgaria and Greece to Macedonia: If you want membership in the EU and NATO, respect history (Meta)

The countries in the Balkans must respect history and develop good neighborly relations if they want to join the European Union and NATO, concluded Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and his Greek counterpart, President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, at their meeting in Athens yesterday.

Radev’s visit to Athens comes at a time when the focus of the EU’s enlargement to the Western Balkans is growing. Sofia has previously officially announced that one of the main points of its chairmanship of the Council of Europe in 2018 will be exactly the enlargement of the Union.

Pavlopoulos, according to the Bulgarian news website “Vesti“, stressed that it is necessary to work on creating a strong and united Europe and that Greece supports the entry of countries from the region into the EU and NATO. However, he noted that there are conditions to be met and that neighboring countries should respect international law and European achievements. He also accused Turkey of not respecting cultural and historical values.

“Lacking respect for history, civilization and culture already sends us bad signals. One cannot ignore the disrespect of a world cultural heritage site such as the church “Hagia Sophia”, said the Greek president, referring to last week’s Koran reading at the temple in Istanbul.

The Bulgarian President has a similar stance, and stressed that without mutual respect for history, negotiations with the EU cannot begin.

“Both Greece and Bulgaria support these countries and will continue to support them, but they need to fulfill the conditions for membership. Very important conditions for the Balkans are good neighborly relations and mutual respect for history. They should be a compulsory requirement for starting membership negotiations”, said Radev.

 

Albania

 

Albania Parliamentary Elections 2017 – Turnout and Preliminary Results (ATA)

The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced that turnout in the Parliamentary elections 2017 held in Albania on Sunday is 43.88 %.

The governing Socialist Party is ahead with 49% of the votes after ballot counting of 37 16 ballot boxes from a total of 5362 countrywide. According to the data provided by the Central Election Commission up to 18:08 the Socialist Party has received 51 63 34 votes or 49 percent as compared to the Democratic Party 30 78 93 votes or 29 percent.

The Socialist Movement for Integration is ranked the third with 15 44 71 votes or 15 percent, the forth is Party for Justice, Integration and Unity with 53 870 votes or 5 percent, Social Democratic Party of Albania 6771 votes or 1 percent and LIBRA 12 577 votes or 1 percent.

 

Mogherini, Hahn praise Albania elections, vow to engage with new government to support EU integration, reform process (ATA)

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, and the EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said in a joint statement on Monday that Albania’s June 25 parliamentary elections took place in a calm and orderly manner.

The EU foreign policy chief Mogherini and Commissioner Hahn noted that citizens benefited from a broad political offer at an important stage of Albania’s EU integration process.

“According to the preliminary conclusions of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, the electoral contestants were able to campaign freely and fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression were respected. The electoral framework generally provided an adequate basis for the conduct of democratic elections. We take note of the reserves expressed by observers regarding the politicization of electoral bodies and the inconsistent application of the law. We expect appropriate follow up to the preliminary findings of the Election Observation Mission will be ensured, notably regarding allegations of vote-buying and pressure on voters as well as interference by unauthorized party activists, which can undermine public confidence in elections,” the two EU senior officials said in their press statement.

Once the electoral process has been completed – they go on saying – Mogherini and Hahn express readiness “to engage with the new government to support the reform process and proceed on the EU integration process. The continuation of the justice reform and the fight against drug trafficking and cultivation will be of particular importance in this respect.”

The two also look forward “to continuing our partnership with Albania to promote regional cooperation and good neighborly relations.”

 

U.S. Embassy congratulates election process: Voting conducted efficiently and peacefully (ATA)

United States Embassy in Tirana congratulated today via a press statement, Albanian citizens on exercising their democratic right to vote on 25 June parliamentary elections.

“The United States congratulates the citizens of Albania for exercising their democratic right to vote in the parliamentary elections on June 25, 2017. Voting was conducted efficiently and peacefully in the majority of polling places. We commend the dedicated poll workers and observers who worked through a national holiday and the extreme heat to carry out their duties.

International observers witnessed incidents of vote buying, photographing of ballots, and intimidation of voters. Elections officials and law enforcement responded to many of these complaints resulting in some arrests.”

U.S Embassy press statement underlines also that “While some electoral violations witnessed were serious and should be addressed, they were not so widespread as to change the overall outcome of the elections.”

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

Without giving up on Kosovo, Serbia will not join EU, Russian Official Rogozin claims (Sputnik)

Serbia would have a good Government, but the conditions would be such that it would never be accepted in EU and one of them would be for Serbia to give up on Kosovo, Russian deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview for Sputnik news agency during the ceremonial inauguration of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Rogozin stressed that Serbia would never give up on Kosovo, because “not a single most pro-western Serb will never betray his homeland”, and without giving up on Kosovo, Serbs would never be accepted in EU. He claimed that thus Serbia’s joining to the EU would be a long-term process, as it was the case with Turkey, or “they will divide you in pieces and then accept you one part at the time”. Rogozin said that he was confident that European integrations would not disturb relations between Serbia and Russia.

Rogozin believed that a game between EU and Russia was ongoing about attracting Serbia closer, but, the game actually did not exist. He explained that Russia and Serbia would always be together, while for Serbia it would be important to have good relations with European countries.

He announced that Serbia would soon get MiG-29 fighter planes and when asked when would this happen, he said the President would tell you. Rogozin did not specify which one, Russian or Serbian. Serbia should receive six MiG-29 airplanes from Russia as a donation and their delivery was announced late last year. Official explanation in Serbia was that a signature of Russian President Vladimir Putin was awaited. For the repair and modernization of these six “donated” MiG-29s, as well as the four it already owned, since their resources should expire in 2018, Serbia should pay 185 million EUR.

After opposition of USA to Russian-Serbian humanitarian center in Nis, Rogozin said that the center was created in order to avoid transfer of forces and assets from Moscow in case of firefighting need, but to do it in Serbia. Rogozin said that he did not grasp why was USA so “scared” of this humanitarian center, when it only included just a few Russians and “two cats and several dogs that bark so loud you can hear them in Kosovo”. He ironically stressed that another four members of Russian civilian service were almost retired at the center in Nis “will be an unbelievable threat for American state security”.

In regards of allegations that Russian missed a chance to stop NATO influence in the Balkans, Rogozin emphasized that Montenegro was for Serbia the same thing as Ukraine for Russia, and that a membership in NATO was essentially against Serbia, not Russia and that “a conflict was created between brothers and sisters”. He accused USA that they “sowed this seed of hostility”.

 

Tactical Europeanization: Why Serbia’s decision to appoint an openly gay PM is no great leap forward for LGBT rights (LSE EUROPP)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has nominated Ana Brnabic as the country’s next Prime Minister. Brnabic, whose appointment is now largely a formality, will be Serbia’s first female and openly gay Prime Minister. Koen Slootmaeckers argues that while many observers outside the country have portrayed the appointment as a step forward for LGBT rights in Serbia, the decision says far more about Vucic’s attempts to advance the country’s EU accession process.

 

As the BBC put it, “Just a few years ago, the appointment would have been unthinkable. But EU hopeful Serbia can present it as proof of increasing tolerance.” And although the BBC remained cautious in its interpretation of the political meaning of the appointment, its local correspondent, Guy De Launey, argued that the symbolism of Brnabic’s appointment carries real weight. Whilst the EU has not yet formally commented on the developments, one can anticipate Serbia will be commended for their progress on LGBT rights. Indeed, already on Friday, the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI Rights, shared the news on its Facebook page as “Wonderful news from Serbia”. However, should we really consider the appointment as proof of the progress made in Serbia? When the appointment is placed in its full context, the answer is arguably no. The news that Serbia is set to have its first openly gay and female Prime Minister has generated a response from the global LGBT community and Western media that can best be described as ecstatic. As the news developed on the evening of 15 June, my Twitter and Facebook feeds were overwhelmed with people congratulating Serbia for this ‘historic’ appointment: a double first for the county. Many media outlets noted that given less than a decade ago the 2010 Pride parade in Serbia was marred by riots, the appointment of Ana Brnabic demonstrates remarkable progress for the country.

 

Tactical Europeanisation

 

I would not wish to claim that the appointment of an openly LGBT person as Prime Minister has no positive implications for LGBT people in Serbia. One can optimistically imagine, for instance, that it sends a message to LGBT people that they can make it professionally in Serbian society even if they are open about their sexuality. But it is important to be cautious with such interpretations, particularly if we are to take these political developments as proof of Serbia’s progress from a country where less than a decade ago LGBT people were beaten on the streets while organizing a pride parade.

 

Indeed, rather than taking this development at face value and considering it as a sign of Serbia’s progress in LGBT rights, the appointment of Brnabic is a continuation of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s politics of tactical Europeanization. Under this approach, LGBT issues are used to speak to the EU’s self-proclaimed LGBT-friendly identity without engaging with LGBT issues domestically.

 

In the past, and again with the appointment of Brnabic, international observers have often responded to small improvements in LGBT rights with great enthusiasm, as if every small step taken in the Serbian context towards the protection of LGBT people represents a major shift in the country – moving from backwards and homophobic to modern and LGBT friendly. Such a superficial reading not only reifies a problematic East-West dichotomy, but more importantly, it hides the underlying politics in which LGBT rights have been instrumentalised by the Serbian government to guarantee and advance Serbia’s progress in the EU accession process.

 

Indeed, the latest developments are merely a continuation of existing practices in Serbian politics regarding LGBT issues. My research on LGBT rights in Serbia has shown that advancements in the protection of LGBT rights are to be read against the context of Serbia’s EU accession process, as ‘homonationalist’ moves to demonstrate Europeanism without engaging with the lived experiences of LGBT people in Serbia.

 

The tactical use of LGBT rights becomes even more visible when one considers the Pride Parade events. When Pride reappeared in Belgrade in 2014, this was done with an eye on the political capital the government would gain by successfully protecting such events (as shown here and here). The return of Belgrade Pride is best understood as what can be labeled ‘tactical Europeanization’, i.e. an act of compliance to communicate to the EU a readiness to Europeanize by aligning oneself with certain ‘European norms’. International observers have treated Pride as a litmus test for Europeanisms and the protection of the 2014 and subsequent Belgrade Prides were aimed largely at advancing the EU accession process. For example, consider the anti-discrimination legislation which was adopted in 200as part of the EU visa liberalization process. Despite being in place for almost a decade, the implementation of the law remains minimal. Here, the lack of political engagement and will to stop the discrimination of LGBT people is a significant barrier to the implementation. My research has shown that the institutions which are responsible for protecting citizens from discrimination (the ombudsman and the commissioner for the protection of equality) often face indirect political pressure to speak out on the topic, but not to pursue politically sensitive cases. The country’s anti-discrimination strategy (2013) and action plan (2014) remain under-implemented and little is being done to improve court practices regarding anti-discrimination cases or to improve treatment of LGBT victims by police officers. Tackling the roots of hate crimes and discrimination remains a topic that is low on the political agenda.

 

This being the case, the uncritical engagement of international observers with Serbian LGBT politics has done a great deal of harm. While Serbia was widely commended by international observers for holding Pride events, the Pride parade itself has been ‘co-opted’ by the state, making it a ritual march void of local LGBT politics. Indeed, Vucic – who described Pride as a leisurely walk – used the event to emphasize the state’s (or his) power and sovereignty. The militarized nature of the Pride parade transformed it into a ‘Ghost Pride’, i.e. a state tolerated manifestation of Pride which takes place in a militarized ‘transparent closet’ that keeps LGBT people’s visibility strategies invisible and outside the public sphere.

 

A real step forward?

 

The appointment of Brnabic represents a similar instrumentalisation of LGBT issues to distract international observers from what is actually happening. Several elements of the recent developments suggest that the new PM might not have a significant impact on LGBT lives in Serbia. First, there is the fact that although Brnabic is appointed as Prime Minister, Vucic reportedly clarified that she would only lead the technical working of the government, while the current acting Prime Minister Ivica Dacic – known for his homophobic statements – is set to oversee the political workings of the new cabinet. Such a division of labor makes it relatively unlikely that the government will take tangible actions to improve LGBT people’s lived experiences. In fact, it is quite likely that Brnabic will become a shield for EU criticism on Serbia’s LGBT record. And in all likelihood, the EU will fall for it, as how can one perceive a country with a gay Prime Minister to be homophobic?

 

Aside from the international politics underlying the appointment, there is little hope that the new Prime Minister will improve the lives of LGBT people in Serbia. Although she may be a suitable role model for the country’s LGBT population, it is doubtful whether she will have a significant impact on wider attitudes towards LGBT people. In fact, the comments made on Brnabic’s sexual orientation, both by herself and Vucic, might actually reinforce the commonly held opinion that any discussion of sexual orientation should be kept “within four walls”.

 

Consider, for example, the statements made when Brnabic was first appointed as a minister last year. At the time, Vucic said that he was only interested in her results and that “her personal choices” do not interest him. Similarly, she commented on the commotion around here sexuality by saying: “Hopefully this will blow over in three or four days, and then I won’t be known as the gay minister.” Although I do not want to claim that Brnabic’s sexual orientation should be made the central point of discussion, the constant displacement of it to the private sphere does not help in overcoming the stigma that exists in Serbia around LGBT issues.

 

Against this background, the appointment of Brnabic should be welcomed with some healthy skepticism and should not be taken as more than it is. It is a politically symbolic appointment, but we should wait for concrete achievements on the ground before we conclude that Serbia has made progress in protecting LGBT people. I would urge those observing Serbia from a distance (also those within the European institutions) to listen more closely to individuals who have been engaged in analyzing Serbia’s politics in greater detail. Indeed, many of those with greater proximity to the topic have argued that appointing Brnabic not only contributes to the further consolidation of Vucic’s semi-authoritarian power, but also serves as a smoke screen to divert attention away from the increasing democratic backsliding within the country. Hopefully the coming months and years will prove this skepticism wrong, but it is about time international observers realize that symbolic politics are just that, symbolic.

 

Appeals court: Dutch partially liable for some 300 victims of Srebrenica massacre (Reuters)

A Dutch appeals court on Tuesday confirmed that the Netherlands was partly liable for the deaths of some 300 Muslims who were expelled from a Dutch U.N. base after the surrounding area was overrun by Bosnian Serb troops. The ruling by the Hague Appeals Court upholds a 2014 decision that Dutch peacekeepers could have known that the men seeking refuge at the base in the village of Potocari would be murdered by Bosnian Serb troops if forced to leave -- as they were. The ruling is seen as exceptional as the United Nations enjoys immunity from prosecution. However the Dutch case is an almost unique in holding a state participating in a U.N. peacekeeping mission liable for its actions.