LOCAL PRESS

 

Dacic: Serbia appreciates Israel’s stand on Kosovo (RTS)

 

At the opening of the conference dubbed “Years of Jubilee”, dedicated to celebrating 25 years since the renewal of diplomatic relations with Israel, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic pointed to the rich tradition of Serbian-Jewish friendship that resonated with the greatest historical challenges that both nations met. It is also an opportunity to emphasize a common orientation towards the future and further strengthening of relations and cooperation, mutual understanding and closeness, he pointed out, noting that Serbia highly appreciates Israel’s principled stand on not recognizing Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence, which, without a doubt, positively reflects the quality and content of overall relations. “Kosovo is our Jerusalem,” said Dacic, adding that he personally thinks that it was a mistake to terminate diplomatic relations with Israel during the time of former Yugoslavia. “Unfortunately, Yugoslavia had to break up in order for us to renew diplomatic relations. This probably best speaks of the specific relationship of the Serb people within the former Yugoslavia towards the state of Israel and the Jewish people,” said Dacic.

 

Dacic: Croatia’s lawsuit against five former JNA generals is propaganda (TV Pink/Tanjug/RTV)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic says that Croatia’s lawsuit against five former JNA generals for the bombing of Banski Dvori in Zagreb in 1991 was pure propaganda. Dacic pointed out that Croatia has been designated as an aggressor by the Hague Tribunal. “This is an internal political demand and propaganda, because Croatia is not doing well. Croatia has been marked as an aggressor. It has been marked in the Tribunal; Serbia has not been marked by any act,” he told TV Pink. Dacic added that the Croats got themselves into something they would like to leave, but are having a hard time. The Serbian official recalled a statement made by former Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, who he said he was happy that his wife was not a Serb. “Imagine if I came out and said I’m happy that my wife is not an Albanian or a Croat. As he spoke, so he built a society,” Dacic emphasized. For years there has been contemplation, he continued, and perhaps it was a mistake that the Serbian parliament never made any declaration or condemned Croatia's genocide in World War II. “If it’s to go like that, we can talk and seek war compensation for World War I, too, because they attacked us,” Dacic concluded.

His comments came after the Croatian police held an extraordinary press conference on Wednesday, announcing that after 26 years of intensive and complex investigations the case of the attack on the Banski Dvori site, the seat of the Croatian government of the time, had been finally solved. At the time of the attack Tudjman was in the building, one part of which was completely destroyed, having a meeting with Stipe Mesic and Ante Markovic. Croatia is now accusing six high-ranking JNA (Yugoslav People's Army) officers for the bombing - five from Serbia and one from Croatia.

 

Sports associations join internal dialogue (RTS/Tanjug)

 

At the sixth round table within the internal dialogue on Kosovo and Metohija, representatives of sports organizations presented their views. Representatives of sports associations underlined that the Serbian government passed a recommendation on how athletes from Serbia need to behave in case when they are organizers of international competitions, and how when they compete abroad against them. They requested the government to improve the current recommendations and that it is clearly stated how to behave at competitions abroad or as organizers of international competitions.

Serbian Minister of Youth and Sports Vanja Udovicic has stated that sport organized the largest conference and discussion on the internal dialogue on Kosovo and Metohija. “We heard what problems our athletes face both on the domestic and international field. We had a proposals supported with arguments on how resolve some matters. I am sure that we will come out with a constructive solution that is not important only for the sports system, but for all of Serbia,” Udovicic told reporters at the gathering.

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric pointed out that Serbian sport is uniting in order to give its contribution to achieving Serbian interests in Kosovo and Metohija.

 

Prosecution requests 28 years in jail for Seselj (Beta)

 

Prosecutors at the United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague on Wednesday called the Appeals Council to overturn the ICTY decision to free Serbian Radical Party (SRS) leader Vojislav Seselj and sentence him under the indictment for crimes committed in Croatia, B&H and Serbia’s northern Vojvodina province between 1991 and 1993. The written appeal on the Seselj verdict which was handed down by judges at the Hague Tribunal on 31 March last year said that the prosecution feels the SRS leader should be found guilty and sentenced to 28 years in prison. As an alternative, prosecutor Mathias Marcussen proposed to the Appeals Chamber on Wednesday that Seselj should be retried if the appeals panel judges refuse to convict him. He said justice was not met and that if the ruling to free him was not overturned it would be an insult to the victims and would undermine the credibility of the court. Marcussen repeated the prosecution assessment that the final ruling in the Seselj trial was unreasonable and unjustified adding that the panel did not take into account a large part of the evidence of crimes committed in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. He said the judges reached the wrong conclusion that there was no joint criminal enterprise that Seselj was involved in with the aim of permanently and violently expelling non-Serbs from parts of Croatia and B&H which Serbs consider to be theirs.

“I did not even watch [the hearing], I was asleep at the time,” Seselj told Beta after the appeal was heard in The Hague. “I’m done with that,” he added.

 

Djilas to run for Belgrade mayor (Beta/NIN)

 

Dragan Djilas, the former Belgrade mayor and the Democratic Party leader, has said that will run for Belgrade mayor and that there is still time to be a candidate of a single ticket backed by the opposition. “I have decided to run for Belgrade mayor and to do everything in my power to stop the downfall of Serbia’s capital city,” Djilas told NIN. “Now I can put my signature and guarantee with all my assets that everything that depends exclusively on us, and not on the state authorities, will be done within 12 months of assuming power in the city,” Djilas said.

Djilas also said he was assured that there was still time to reach an agreement and make him a candidate on a single ticket backed by the opposition. “And I believe that we will easily come to an agreement if party leaders act primarily as Belgraders and only then as party leaders... I know that a large number of voters think: ‘There is no chance, they will win again.’ And I am telling you - they will not! There is a chance! When Slobodan Milosevic was in power, we thought that he would hang onto power for another 100 years, but he was toppled,” Djilas said.

 

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

B&H HoR to discuss set of laws on excise duties (ATV)

 

Collegium of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) House of Representatives (HoR) decided on Wednesday that B&H HoR will discuss the set of laws on excise duties in urgent procedure on Thursday, which triggered revolt of some parties.

Following the session, Denis Becirovic (DF) said that SNSD, SDA, HDZ B&H and SBB B&H are trying to make citizens poorer, together with some representatives of international institutions. “Especially with the Head of EU Delegation to B&H Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, who should leave the country,” he said.

B&H HoR Deputy Speaker Sefik Dzaferovic (SDA) said that every political party is entitled to its own stance, but added that when it comes to laws, the final decision is with B&H HoR. He said he believes that HoR will accept to discuss the laws in urgent procedure, and after that to adopt all three laws.

Aleksandra Pandurevic (SDS) said that members of the Collegium were informed that this is violation of procedures and added that if the laws are adopted, they will file a motion before B&H Constitutional Court.

B&H HoR Speaker Borjana Kristo (HDZ B&H) said that procedures were not violated and reminded that it is not the first time that one House suggests the other one to adopt something in urgent procedure.

Lazar Prodanovic (SNSD) said that the procedure and the agenda are in line with B&H Constitution and the Rules of Procedures, and added that one House can suggest the other one to discuss a law in urgent procedure.

Reporter said that the Thursday’s session may be the most turbulent session since the beginning of the year.

 

Dodik: RS will suspend all activities with regard to MAP application (FTV)

 

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik has stated in Banja Luka on Thursday after the meeting with Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin that the RS will suspend all activities with regard to MAP application. He added that all RS representatives must respect this decision having in mind the adopted Declaration on Military Neutrality. Dodik stressed that the NATO supports one side only in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and that is the Bosniak one and the RS will reject all proposals regardless of the fact that this is about the NATO. Dodik also said that this will be done having in mind the fact that the RS’ military property, first of all barracks, is being taken away from the RS and there was an attempt to do this through the Court of B&H, by taking way the property in Han Pijesak. Dodik reminded that RSNA recently adopted Declaration on Military Neutrality and that the RS does not want to have a border on Drina River, which would be the border of some military alliances. He added that the RS does not hide this stance and it will follow the stance of Serbia regarding this issue. Dodik concluded that military neutrality suits the RS since they cannot ignore the fact that NATO bombarded Serb people and consequences of this are still felt.

 

Dodik backed activities of the Russian Humanitarian Mission in RS (Srna)

 

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik backed activities of the Russian Humanitarian Mission in RS, pointing out that its operations will improve the cooperation with the Russian Federation even further. Dodik met with a delegation of the Russian Humanitarian Mission in Banja Luka on Wednesday to talk about the possibilities of implementing the mission’s projects in education and health care and its future operations in RS, the presidential office reported in a press release. The delegation was headed by Evgeny Primakov, head of the Russian Humanitarian Mission and advisor to the speaker of the State Duma on international politics and humanitarian issues.

 

Bosic: I have learned in Brussels that EU is considering new policy towards Western Balkans that would imply accelerated EU integration of these countries (TV1)

 

Deputy speaker of B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Mladen Bosic (SDS), speaking about the EU path of B&H, said that he learned in Brussels that the EU is considering a new policy towards the Western Balkans that would imply accelerated EU integration of these countries.

“The motive for that is not the prosperity but rather the fear of other international factors here, like Russia, Turkey, China, and even Saudi Arabia”, he assessed. Bosic believes that such policy would be good regardless of the motive. In addition, Bosic stressed that all political factors in B&H seem to realize that B&H should move on this path. “I believe the change could take place at the beginning of the next year, primarily in the EU’s stance towards this region. Unfortunately, as I can see, their assessments show that B&H takes the last place out of all countries in the region, except for Kosovo”, he concluded.

 

Pacolli: No country in region including B&H can prevent or postpone Kosovo’s admission to NATO (Klix)

 

Foreign Minister of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli criticized B&H at a meeting of U.S. - Adriatic Charter A-5 in Skopje. He said that no country in the region including B&H can prevent or postpone Kosovo’s admission to NATO. He asked Deputy B&H Foreign Minister Josip Brkic: “I know that B&H is one of the countries which prevent this admission. I would like to ask my Bosnian colleague: Why do not you want that Kosovo becomes part of NATO? Does this cause internal problems for you? I do not think that it does. Are you dissatisfied with the treatment of Bosnian minority in Kosovo?” He also said that B&H authorities are aware that Bosnians and Albanians get along well.

 

Former interior minister Orepic leaves MOST (Novi list)

 

Former Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic, who on Tuesday announced that he would leave the MOST Parliamentary Group, said on Wednesday he was sorry that MOST president and former Speaker of Parliament Bozo Petrov and MOST’s Member of Parliament Nikola Grmoja were persisting in not taking concrete steps in the direction of implementing necessary changes within MOST, which they are undoubtedly aware of, together with all other members of the party presidency, the parliamentary group and the party main committee, reports Novi List.

MOST president Bozo Petrov said that he did not understand Orepic's motives for leaving the party’s parliamentary group. “If there was ever a place where he could realize his desires, passions and ambitions, then MOST was that place. He was our minister,” said Petrov.

MOST political secretary Nikola Grmoja expressed his astonishment with Orepic's decision. “As for activities within MOST, everybody can see there is complete freedom and that members of Parliament who have come from other parties are free to express their opinion. Therefore, I do not see any problem; this is quite strange,” he said. Orepic announced that he had decided to leave the MOST Parliamentary Group, pointing out that the politics of conflict which the party was leading were “narrowing the space for realizing the idea of MOST itself.” Commenting on the split in MOST, SDP president Davor Bernardic said on Wednesday that Orepic could possibly join SDP. “We are an open party, everyone can join us, especially people who will support us in our programme,” Bernardic said. Orepic became Interior Minister in January 2016 in the HDZ-MOST coalition government led by Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic. In October 2016, he was reappointed to the post in the second HDZ-MOST government led by new Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. After the ruling coalition collapsed in April this year, Orepic was dismissed by the Prime Minister, together with other MOST’s ministers.

 

European Parliament supports Croatia’s entry into Schengen zone (HRT)

 

At a thematic debate during its plenary session in Strasbourg, European Parliament supported Croatia’s entry into the Schengen zone. According to expectations from Croatian members of European Parliament this should take place in 2019. During the session individual representatives noted that “there should not be first and second class countries when it comes to Schengen.” It was also noted that Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania will have an important role in protecting the EU border and that “within the EU there cannot be a second class country and it is not fair to exclude these three countries from the zone without borders.”

“This is the first time that within this institution, the European Parliament, something that is our national strategic interest was placed on the session agenda as a priority topic. Events that took place in 2015 demonstrate how important it is to be on the right side of the Schengen border,” noted Tonino Picula whose group initiated the debate. He expects Croatia to fulfill all criteria for accession to the Schengen border regime by the end of next year. Picula noted that during the debate Croatia practically received advance support for membership. “This perhaps suggests that there may not be a political block on Croatia’s entry into the Schengen zone,” noted Picula.

 

Croatian soldier dies in Lithuania (Vecernji list)

 

The Ministry of Defense has announced that a 41-year-old Croatian soldier died in Lithuania.

“A member of the Croatian contingent who was part of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence mission in the Republic of Lithuania died on 12 December 2017 at the Rukla barracks in Lithuania. The soldier fell ill in the barracks and was provided with emergency medical help. Unfortunately, after the resuscitation attempt, the soldier has died,” announced the Ministry of Defence. According to unofficial information, after having fallen ill, the soldier was attended by a German medical team. Croatian soldiers in Lithuania serve together with the Germans.

The 41-year-old soldier was a participant of the Homeland War from the Bosanska Posavina region in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the autopsy will determine the exact cause of death.

 

Serbian PM: We do not hide anything about the terrorist attempt in Montenegro (RTCG)

 

There is no information that we do not share when it comes to terrorism at the parliamentary elections day in Montenegro in 2016, said Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabic.

She said she did not read the statement of the DPS leader Milo Djukanovic that "Serbia's security services knew that terrorism attempt has been prepared in Montenegro last October, before a group of Serbian citizens in Podgorica was arrested." Brnabic said that even if such knowledge had existed, it would not be a cause for criticism towards Serbia. "Regional relations, including relations with Montenegro, are excellent, despite the open issues that exist among all the countries of the region," said Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabic, adding that the most important thing was that there was an ongoing dialogue. "So I think that as far as Montenegro is concerned, there is nothing we have not been talking about directly, that we did not agree on and that there is no information we did not share," Brnabic said. "Serbia shares all the security information with its neighbors in the best possible faith in order to maintain the regional stability that is really difficult to accomplish. Also, in order to demonstrate that we are one of the pillars of the regional stability and that we help whenever we can" said the Prime Minister of Serbia.

 

Montenegro took over a one-year presidency of A5 (CDM)

 

Minister of foreign affairs of Montenegro Srdjan Darmanovic took part in the ministerial meeting of the US-Adriatic Charter (A5) held in Skopje, which was also the final activity within the Macedonian presidency of the charter. Montenegro is to take over the presidency as of January 2018. Darmanovic congratulated Macedonia on the successful chairing the charter and emphasized that it was of particular importance to Montenegro, bearing in mind that during that term the country join NATO. “He assessed a long-term stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans are in the interest of all members and observers of A5 and that European and Euro-Atlantic integration as well as strengthening regional cooperation are the best guarantors for achieving this goal,” the ministry said. Darmanovic also said that the US-Adriatic Charter was one of the most important regional mechanisms for cooperation in the field of security and integration, and that this was demonstrated during the entire Macedonian presidency.

He reminded participant that Summit A5 held in August in Podgorica, when US Vice President Mike Pence and Heads of State and Government of the countries of the region strongly supported and confirmed their commitment to integration processes in the Western Balkans.

 

Zaev believes that through dialogue, he will persuade the opposition back to parliament (Meta)

 

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev did not want to announce whether the meeting with the coalition partners on the filling of vacant ministerial posts, including that of the Ministry of Health, was held. Zaev said that as soon as there is a resolution for new members in the government, the public will be told. “You know that there are vacant seats for MPs that need to be filled by the State Election Commission (SEC). The SEC is resigning, but work should continue until Parliament determines the resignations. All these things need to be completed so that we can legally and formally implement the procedures, including the completion of the government” said Zaev. Asked how he would involve the opposition in this process, who are boycotting work in Parliament because of the detainment of six MPs of VMRO-DPMNE due to the violence that occurred on 27 April, Zaev said that the debate would an open, debate and believes that dialogue can find solutions.

 

Besa asks that the Law on Languages be changed to the “Law on the Albanian Language” (Meta)

 

The President of the Committee on European Affairs Artan Grubi, stopped the debate on the draft Law on the Use of Languages, because MP Fadil Zendeli from the Besa Movement did not want to leave the parliamentary rostrum after Grubi did not give him the floor to speak.

Through the amendment, Besa requested that the title of the law be changed and instead of the “Draft Law on the Use of Languages”, the “Draft Law on the Use of the Albanian Language” should be included. Minister of Justice, Bilen Saljii did not accept this amendment and said that what Besa really wants with the amendment is false patriotism. Besa’s parliamentary group were banging on the tables, demanded a procedural remark, but Grubi gave the floor to MP Wessel Memedi. Fadil Zendeli went on to the rostrum and started to give an explanation in Albanian for the submitted amendment, after which Grubi ordered a break until the conditions for re-maintaining the Committee were created.