LOCAL PRESS

Vucic visiting Cuba (Beta/B92/Tanjug)
Dacic: Serbia not to react to US decision regarding Jerusalem issue (RTV)
Djuric congratulates Serb List (Politika)
Serbian parliament adopts 2018 budget law (RTS/Beta/Tanjug)
Participation in EU peacekeeping missions important for Serbia (FoNet)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
NATO HQ in Sarajevo reacts to Dodik’s statements (Glas Srpske)
Dodik’s statement on suspension of activities on MAP activation causes fierce reactions (BHT1)
Dodik: Covic follows Croatian stance, while SNSD follows Serbian stance on NATO (FTV)
B&H HoR adopts proposal of Changes and Amendments to Law on Excise Duties of B&H (Klix)
Increase of excise duties will cause chain reaction, cause grave consequences for citizens (Fena)
Hahn, Wigemark, Cormack welcome adoption of set of laws on excise duties (Dnevni avaz)
Wigemark: If I am persona non grata because of excise duties, Commissioner Hahn must be too (Nezavisne)
B&H HoR adopts Bosic’s Declaration on Sarajevo- Belgrade motorway route (RTRS)
Mogherini to meet Western Balkans officials on Monday (Fena)
Croatia
Croatia’s MEP Jakovcic wants EU to ban fascist symbols (Vecernji list)
fYROM
Besa will no longer participate in the debate for the Law on Languages as it was a “political theatre” (Meta)
Government reshuffle imminent (MIA)
Zaev-Iotova: 2017 - significant for Macedonia-Bulgaria relations (MIA)
Dimitrov: EU membership remains top priority of Macedonia’s foreign policy (MIA)
Nimetz’s Brussels meeting - first attempt in three years to break the deadlock (MIA)
Albania
Rama blames opposition for floods situation, tensions in parliament (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Youth Olympics Kindle Hopes of Unity for Sarajevo (BIRN)

• Dacic: Serbia appreciates Israel’s stand on Kosovo (RTS)
• Dacic: Croatia’s lawsuit against five former JNA generals is propaganda (TV Pink/Tanjug/RTV)
• Sports associations join internal dialogue (RTS/Tanjug)
• Prosecution requests 28 years in jail for Seselj (Beta)
• Djilas to run for Belgrade mayor (Beta/NIN)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H HoR to discuss set of laws on excise duties (ATV)
• Dodik: RS will suspend all activities with regard to MAP application (FTV)
• Dodik backed activities of the Russian Humanitarian Mission in RS (Srna)
• 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)
• Pacolli: No country in region including B&H can prevent or postpone Kosovo’s admission to NATO (Klix)
Croatia
• Former interior minister Orepic leaves MOST (Novi list)
• European Parliament supports Croatia’s entry into Schengen zone (HRT)
• Croatian soldier dies in Lithuania (Vecernji list)
Montenegro
• Serbian PM: We do not hide anything about the terrorist attempt in Montenegro (RTCG)
• Montenegro took over a one-year presidency of A5 (CDM)
fYROM
• Zaev believes that through dialogue, he will persuade the opposition back to parliament (Meta)
• Besa asks that the Law on Languages be changed to the “Law on the Albanian Language” (Meta)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 13 December 2017
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic, Macron discuss cooperation; Macron confirms visit to Serbia (RTS)
• Dacic in Brussels: Unacceptable enlargement strategy “entire region in single package”; continuation of dialogue with Pristina under EU auspices (RTS/Tanjug/Beta/government website)
• Vulin: Zaev has not kept his word (Tanjug)
• Djuric: We are ready to give additional political impulse for better economic cooperation (RTS/Tanjug)
• MICT to consider prosecution’s appeal in Seselj case (B92/Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Izetbegovic: B&H will never accept that its foreign policy is based on positions of Serbia or Croatia (Klix)
• Serbian Ministry of Defense delegation visits B&H (NAP/ Srna)
• B&H CoM defines draft of basis for negotiations and agreement with Serbia on joint locations on border crossings (BHT1/ATV)
• „Hamdija Abdic et al“ group released pending trial (TV1/FTV)
• Prosecutor’s Office of B&H protects Atif Dudakovic from liability for war crimes (EuroBlic)
• OSCE project on war crimes cases closed down (FTV)
• HNS’ and SDA’s proposals of changes and amendments to Law on Elections will fall in Parliament of B&H this week (Vecernji list)
Croatia
• President under pressure to take away medals from convicted officers (Vecernji list)
Montenegro
• West, not Russia, is organizing coups (RTCG/CDM)
fYROM
• Zaev: Macedonia supports Pristina-Belgrade dialogue (MIA)
• Zaev promotes Macedonia’s stable business climate to Kosovo businessmen (MIA)
• Zaev-Veseli: Macedonia, Kosovo strive toward EU and NATO membership (MIA)
• Zaev: Over 75 percent of our citizens favor Macedonia's EU and NATO membership (MIA)
• VMRO-DPMNE MPs refuse to take part in parliament’s activities after arrests (Meta)
• Government mulling prospects for international probe into Diva Naselba case (MIA)
• Nimetz: The name issue can and should be resolved next year (MIA)
• Baily: Rule of law and the fight against corruption are conditions for a NATO accession (Meta)
• Palmer: Washington expects Macedonia to be NATO's 30th member (MIA)
Albania
• The deadline expired, seven candidates for Provisional Chief Prosecutor (ADN)
• Chief Prosecutor deadline, Rama’s last appeal to Basha (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Macedonia's Biggest Problem: It's Called Macedonia (The National Interest)

LOCAL PRESS

• Mikser: Pace of negotiations will continue to depend on progress in normalizing relations with Pristina; Hahn: Future focus primarily on rule of law and normalization of relations with Kosovo (RTS/Beta)
• Vucic: Russia sanctions, Kosovo recognition would make us champions (RTS/B92)
• Decision to open two chapters political – EU (Tanjug)
• EP: EU needs to refocus on Western Balkans (Tanjug)
• Kazakhstan firmly supports Serbia’s territorial integrity (B92)
• LDP: Оpening of chapters positive, Kosovo becoming an increasing burden (Tanjug)
• Internal dialogue, open trade issues between Belgrade and Pristina (RTS/Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Military Attaché of B&H Embassy to Netherlands Enes Jahic arrested for war crimes against Serb civilians (TV1)
• Dodik: Huge mistrust in Court and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H (Srna)
• Commission to overcome problems between two political blocs in the RS falls apart (BNTV)
• Working group for preserving national identity of Serb people discusses Agreement on Special Parallel Relations of RS and Serbia (RTRS)
• FUP arrests Abdic and four more people suspected of murder of HVO General Vlado Santic (FTV)
• B&H Prosecutor’s Office to request court to abolish acquitting verdict in Oric case? (RTRS)
• Dodik and Covic meet in Banja Luka to discuss current political situation in B&H and region (TV1)
Croatia
• Croatia expects Slovenia and Hungary to stop blocking its OECD bid (T portal)
• Commemoration held for Praljak (Novi list)
Montenegro
• Serbian file on attempted terrorism was created long before 16 October (Pobjeda)
• This is why DF returns to parliament (CDM)
• Civic opposition ready for protests (CDM)
• Rogozin sent party colleagues to support Knezevic and Mandic (Pobjeda)
• Russia tries to destabilize the Western Balkans using misinformation (CDM)
• Boskovic: Montenegro supports B&H on its NATO path (CDM)
• Thaci sees Montenegro’s accession to NATO as the best news this year (N1)
fYROM
• Zaev: Talks have not reached stage of new names (Republika)
• Zaev-Haradinaj: Diva Naselba will not affect Skopje-Pristina relations (MIA)
• Ahmeti meets Palmer (MIA)
• Macedonia - NATO DPRC meeting in Brussels (MIA)
Albania
• Meta hosts Vujanovic (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Brussels is back into the Balkans, if selectively (Politico)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Monday 11 December 2017
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Serbia made some brave but unpopular political decisions regarding Kosovo (Blic/Tanjug)
• Brnabic: 2018 budget developmental, standard-oriented budget (RTS)
• Yee: US interested in all Balkan countries becoming strong and prosperous (N1)
• Defense Ministry: Serbian peacekeepers in DR Congo safe (Tanjug)
• Five countries blocked chapter 33 of Serbia’s EU talks (Tanjug/Beta)
• The Stamp of Brussels and US (NIN)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• PIC SB political directors express grave concern over divisive rhetoric of B&H politicians (N1)
• Ivantsov: Communique was full of traditional theses that do not reflect true situation in adequate way (Glas Srpske)
• RS officials reject criticism from PIC SB Communique (Glas Srpske)
• Izetbegovic, Yee discuss changes to election legislation in B&H (Nezavisne novine)
• Covic, Yee discuss complex political situation in B&H (TV1)
Croatia
• Croatian parliament to adopt declaration on joint criminal enterprise (Vecernji list/N1)
• Poll: Most voters disappointed with government (Dnevnik)
• Croatian officials respond to Slovenian foreign minister’s lawsuit threat (HRT)
• Four drunken Croatian soldiers, including chaplain, kicked out of NATO mission (Jutarnji list)
Montenegro
• Djukanovic: Neither Moscow nor Washington blackmailed me (Pobjeda)
• Vujanovic: Djukanovic to run for the country’s presidency in 2018 (CDM)
• Local election beating triggered opposition to end their boycott (Pobjeda)
• Krajisnik’s presence at the anniversary of Podgorica Assembly described as scandalous (Pobjeda)
fYROM
• VMRO-DPMNE’s Central Committee to summon Congress to elect a new president (Meta)
• SEC head Cicakovski steps down from post after public outcry (MIA)
• Yee dismisses rumors that he will be the next US Ambassador to Macedonia (Meta)
• Tsipras: If Skopje makes a concession then 2018 can be a positive year (Meta)
• UN envoy Nimetz to meet name issue representatives in Brussels (MIA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Serbia eyes buying more Russian military helicopters — president (TASS)