LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic very unpleasantly surprised by Slovenian president (Tanjug/B92)
• Brnabic: Kosovo independence unacceptable for Serbia (Beta)
• Vucic wants support for declaration on survival of Serbs (Beta)
• Dacic: Dialogue with Pristina precondition for stability of region (government website/Beta/RTS/Tanjug)
• Burundi withdraws recognition of Kosovo independence (Beta)
• Belgrade sends protest note to Barbados over recognition of Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Djuric: Belgrade will pose questions about Ivanovic’s murder (Tanjug)
• Djuric: Decade of encouragement for separatist movements (RTS)
• Mogherini optimistic about Belgrade-Pristina agreement (Tanjug)
• Lavrov: ‘Wicked practice’- EU pushes Balkans to choose either West or Russia (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik confirms he will run for B&H Presidency; reactions (Srna/BNTV)
• Durakovic confirms he will run for RS President in general elections (Fena)
• Insulting poster taped on building of Serbian Embassy in Sarajevo; reactions (Faktor.ba)
• Gutic gets removal, Kukic gets bomb! (Dnevni avaz)
• RS President visits Serb community in Karlovac (ATV)
• B&H CoM adopts answers to EC Questionnaire (BHT1)
• There are no legal and legitimate elections without changes to Law on Elections (Dnevni list)
• Covic: There will be no talks on elections in Mostar (RTRS)
• US Embassy expresses concern over purchase of 2,500 rifles for RS Police (Oslobodjenje)
• EUD comments procurement of rifles for RS Police (Oslobodjenje)
• US Embassy: We are not planning any training that would include usage of firearms that the RS is purchasing from Serbia (NAP)
• Consent requested from B&H institutions before issuing permit for RS MoI’s purchase of firearms (BHT1)
• Salkic: Single curriculum in Serbia and in RS represents most severe form of disrespect of B&H sovereignty (Hayat)
• Court of B&H: Saric acquitted of charges for genocide in Srebrenica (Oslobodjenje)
• Delegation of Croatian parliament pays visit to B&H (Dnevni avaz)
Croatia
• Serbian minority in Croatia demands separate territorial unit (Jutarnji list)
• Slovenia says Croatia is bad model for future EU Members (Hina)
• Juncker: No EU Accession for Western Balkans countries with border disputes (Hina)
• Croatian and Russian Foreign Ministers meet (Hina)
Montenegro
• Collapse of the opposition: we can reach an agreement but in our way (CDM)
• Kosovo’s government adopted annex to border demarcation agreement (CDM)
• Montenegro and Albania are leaders in European integrations, says Mogherini (MINA)
fYROM
• Macedonia's road to EU and NATO needs to be unblocked, says MSC chairman (MIA)
• Hahn very confident name dispute will be solved by end of June (MIA)
• Stoltenberg calls for flexibility in name negotiations (Meta)
Albania
• Rama proposes one President for Albania and Kosovo (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Serbs won't back Kosovo recognition for EU seat, president warns (Reuters)
• Serbian Orthodox Church faces economic blockade — Russia’s OSCE envoy (TASS)

LOCAL PRESS

• Great potential for boosting economic cooperation with Russia (Beta)
• Activities to strengthen economic cooperation with Russia agreed (Beta)
• Important role of OSCE for respect of human rights in Kosovo and Metohija (Beta/Tanjug)
• Fabrizi: Series of recommendations on how to improve media situation in Serbia soon (Beta)
• Fabrizi: problems between neighboring countries to be resolved before joining EU (RTS)
• Varadi: Kosovo de facto not part of Serbia (TV N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Purchase of large quantities of equipment and armament for RS MoI raises concerns in local and international public (BHT1)
• Niksic and Inzko discuss developments related to amending of Election Law of B&H (FTV)
• SDP Presidency fears SDA and HDZ B&H actually do not want amendments to Law on Elections (Oslobodjenje)
• Wigemark warns about attempts to exert political pressures on judiciary (EuroBlic)
Croatia
• Vucic’s visit divides Croatian MPs (Hina)
• Anti-Vucic protestors shocked with President Grabar-Kitarovic’s belittlement (Index.hr)
• Vucic in Vrginmost: You expect my humility, but you won’t see it (HRT)
• Croatia and Serbia to appoint war reparations task force (Hina)
• Did Croatia help Vucic improve his image in the West? (Vecernji list)
• Plenkovic expected to discuss issue of Election Law of B&H in Brussels (HRT1)
Montenegro
• Opposition willing to enter presidential race but still has no candidate (CDM)
• NOVA acknowledges Serbs are a minority (Pobjeda)
• Pahor urged Kosovo to ratify the demarcation agreement with Montenegro as soon as possible (CDM)
fYROM
• Dimitrov, Kotzias meet Nimetz in Vienna (MIA)
Albania
• President Meta meets European Parliament delegation (ADN)
• EU accession negotiations, Kukan calls for unity (ADN)
• Electoral reform, OSCE/ODIHR suggests corrections (ADN)
• Changes in diplomacy, President Meta signs 4 decrees (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Brussels Finally Got the Western Balkans by the Horns (EUinside)

LOCAL PRESS

• Serbs love those who love them - FM meets with Austrian VC (Beta/Tanjug/B92)
• Djuric: Brussels informed that we are ready to continue dialogue with Pristina (RTS/Tanjug)
• Ruzic: We need to strengthen inter-municipality cooperation (RTV)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik comments Vucic’s visit to Zagreb (ATV)
• Vucic - Grabar-Kitarovic: Croat member of B&H Presidency has to be elected by Croats (TV1)
• Wigemark: EU and IC will continue helping but will not impose solutions for changes to Law on Elections of B&H (EuroBlic)
• SDP B&H will send proposal of changes to Election Law into urgent procedure (Hayat)
• Dodik: I will not run away from candidacy for office of B&H Presidency member, if elected I will raise issue of state judiciary institutions; third entity would stabilize B&H (FTV)
• Dodik stated that arming of the RS Ministry of Interior will continue (BNTV)
• Konakovic says he left SDA because certain individuals in party protect crime, “SDA has strong influence on judiciary” (TV1)
• Security commission waits for Mektic’s report on paramilitary units (N1)
• US Embassy urges institutions to investigate potential threats (N1)
• Izetbegovic meets UN’s Dieng, underlines importance of legal framework to prevent denial of genocide (Oslobodjenje)
Croatia
• Plenkovic and Vucic discuss war reparations, MP heckles Vucic (Hina)
• Croatia and Serbia give themselves two years to solve border issues (Hina)
• Presidents meet with religious leaders (HRT)
fYROM
• Zaev-Erdogan: Support for settling the name dispute with Greece, more intensive economic cooperation (MIA)
• Turkey's parliament voices support for Macedonia's bid to join NATO (MIA)
• Sela is against the name of “Gorna Makedonija” without translation (Meta)
Albania
• Borders management, Albania - EU agreement signed (ADN)
• Albania, progress in freedom of expression (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Western Balkans must break down trade barriers (Politico)
• Arms shipment to Bosnian Serbs stokes EU fears (The Guardian)
• ‘Macedonia’ in FYROM Name Unavoidable, Tsipras says (Greek Reporter)

LOCAL PRESS

• Serbian and Croatian presidents did not talk about the past (Tanjug/B92)
• Continued support of Austria to European integration of Serbia (RTS/Tanjug)
• Building new relations with US on grounds of former cooperation (Beta/RTS)
• Dacic: Important visit to Suriname (Beta)
• Djuric: Positive trend in relations between Serbia and France (RTS/Tanjug)
• Kosovo Serbs: Wonderful to know that the state stands behind you (RTV)
• Serbian Justice Ministry: Pristina delivers documentation on Ivanovic murder (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Mektic says Serbs must acknowledge genocide in Srebrenica; Mektic denies allegations (Vecernji list)
• Dodik: Srebrenica is place of suffering of both Bosniaks and Serbs (Glas Srpske)
• Statements of Mektic on genocide in Srebrenica spark strong reactions (RTRS)
• Covic: Amendments to Election Law of B&H top priority issue for Croats (N1)
• Inzko: Changes to constitutional organization require agreement of constituent and other peoples (Slobodna Dalmacija)
• Konakovic announces leaving SDA, but not post of SC Prime Minister (TV1)
• Foreigners want formation of third bloc in RS (EuroBlic)
• Netherlands Embassy evacuated due to bomb threat (Fena)
Croatia
• Serbia to help Croatia in search for missing persons (Dnevnik.hr/Hina)
• Protest held on Ban Jelacic Square against Vucic visit (HRT)
Montenegro
• Djukanovic’s up on arms over Berane election results (CDM)
• Jovicevic gives up; Brkovic and Tadic-Mijovic opposition’s presidential candidates? (CDM)
• Democrats to provide full support to opposition’s candidate (CDM)
• Hahn: There are no additional conditions for Montenegro (CDM)
• Demarcation with Montenegro must not be overturned (RTCG)
fYROM
• Grubi meets with Nimetz in New York and tells him DUI want a dignified solution (Meta)
• Janushev: SDSM and DUI are competing with each other which party is going to make appeasements with the name (Meta)
• Russia wants its cooperation with Macedonia to flourish further (MIA)
• Russian MFA on Strategy for the Western Balkans: Our principle is not “with us or against us” (Meta)
• Over 64 percent of Macedonian citizens favor EU accession, 66 percent want NATO membership (MIA)
• Zaev-Yildirim: Turkey supports Macedonia for NATO membership, bilateral cooperation to be promoted (MIA)
Albania
• Has Albania fulfilled the criteria for EU accession? (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Vucic Hands Files on Missing Serbs to Croatia (BIRN)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights
Thursday 8 February 2018
LOCAL PRESS

• Dacic: Establishment of Community of Serb municipalities of vital importance for Serbia, Serbs in Kosovo (Politika/RTS/Beta/Tanjug)
• UNSC: Russia and US present opposing views on Kosovo (Beta)
• Vucic: Huge obstacles on EU path - citizens to decide what to do (B92/Tanjug)
• Brnabic: Serbia committed to meeting obligations on road to EU (Beta/RTS)
• Hahn: Agreement on normalization is an empty paper (Beta/B92/RTS)
• Joksimovic: EU Strategy – incentive for Serbia (RTS)
• Drecun doesn’t believe that Pristina will resolve Ivanovic’s murder (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Mogherini: New Strategy for Western Balkans is historic opportunity for countries in region (BHT)
• Wigemark: We neither can nor we want to impose solutions; OHR’s intervention re Law on Elections would mean step backwards (Dnevni avaz)
• Cavara meets members of SBB B&H, insists for SBB B&H to stay in power (FTV)
• Ivanic meets Grabar-Kitarovic in Zagreb (BHT1)
• Bosnian Croats and Bosniaks trade war crimes accusations (Jutarnji list)
• OHR will not impose solutions regarding Mostar City status and electoral rules (Hayat/Dnevni avaz)
• Inzko concerned about increasing tendency of glorifying war criminals, denying of genocide and war crimes (Dnevni avaz)
Croatia
• Prime Minister: No disagreements about Serbian President’s visit (Hina)
Montenegro
• Becic gave up: He won’t be a presidential candidate (CDM)
fYROM
• Zaev: We want a solution for the name, but not at all costs – we changed the Constitution once (Meta)
• Hahn: Solution for name dispute is possible only with leadership and statesmanship (Meta)
• VMRO-DPMNE: Zaev should reveal which name he will accept as a geographical heading (Meta)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Kosovo: Despite differences, potential for trust among political leaders remains, Security Council told (UN News Centre)