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LOCAL PRESS

 

Dacic: European Council to verify EU decision, anything else is wrong (RTS)

Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic has stated in Sofia that he expects the European Council to confirm that the first inter-governmental conference of the EU and Serbia will be held by the end of January at latest, because any other decision would be wrong and it would slow down the process of normalizing Belgrade-Pristina relations. It is a general assessment that great progress has been achieved in the last year and a half, but I expect the first conference no later than the end of January, Dacic specified after the meeting with his Bulgarian colleague Plamen Oresharski. The Serbian Prime Minister has thanked Bulgaria for the support to Serbia on the European path. I hope for similar support next week, when the main meetings will be held in Brussels, relating to the date of the first inter-governmental conference between Serbia and the EU, Dacic stressed.

 

Serb mayors ready for talks with Thaqi (Novosti)

“We are ready to talk with everybody and about all issues that are in the interest of our citizens, but we will in no way launch topics that will indirectly or directly affect the status of Kosovo and Metohija,” Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantic tells Novosti on the occasion of Thaqi’s expectations to meet with the Serb mayors, but also the message that they will not be able to integrate into municipal institutions if they don’t respect the Kosovo laws. “One of the steps in the process of normalizing relations with the provisional institutions in Kosovo and Metohija were the elections, but they don’t mean that we have in any way recognized independence of Kosovo,” said Pantic. He says it is implied that the Union of Serb Municipalities will be something very different from the Association of Kosovo municipalities: “If we wanted an NGO we would have not required guarantees from the EU for the formation of the Union of Serb Municipalities with certain jurisdictions. They will be transferred by passing a constitutional law in the Serbian parliament. That is also part of normalizing life in Kosovo and Metohija and I think that nobody should halt and condition the Serbian Government. The EU has clearly stated that it is neutral in status and we expect it to behave in such a manner.” Meeting Thaqi is unthinkable for Zubin Potok Mayor Stevan Vulovic: “I agree that talks can resolve problems when possible. However, the fact is that Pristina doesn’t have an answer to any of our questions. We have been elected to preserve Serbian institutions in Kosovo and Metohija. I don’t know how somebody wants to snatch us from our own state and create their own state from our state?”

 

Vujicic: Agreement was for money to go to Komercijalna and not to Reifessen Bank (Politika)

Danijela Vujicic, the head of the Serbian (Srpska) Civic Initiative list in Kosovska Mitrovica, assessed yesterday for Politika that the decision of the Pristina authorities to charge fees at the administrative crossings through accounts of the Reifessen Bank as of 14 December, was unilateral and contrary to the Brussels agreement. Vujicic says that the decision of the Pristina authorities to pass such decision is a result of the fear that all of the money collected at the administrative crossings will go to north Kosovo and that Pristina wishes to prevent such distribution of income with this decision. She recalls that an agreement was reached, at the request of the Serbian side, in the Brussels dialogue for the Komercijalna Banka to enter the Kosovo billing system because it does business through the Dinar, which is the main currency of the payment system in the north, and that excise and income from customs are paid through it. That money should then be transferred to a fund for north Kosovo that still hasn’t been established. Vujicic stresses that she had received confirmation from EULEX that they didn’t take part in the decision-making, but that they had only been informed about the decision. She also stressed that this unilateral move by the Pristina authorities will lead to dissatisfaction of citizens, because all basic foodstuffs, including the press, which north Kosovo receives from Serbia proper, will arrive with considerable delay to the north, while subsequent distribution of money will be much more complicated over the monetary conversion.

 

Excavations launched in Rudnica (Tanjug)

The Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office and the Commission for Missing Persons launched excavations at the site in Rudnica, municipality of Raska, which is believed to hold the remains of 250 people. On instructions issued by the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office, excavations at the Rudnica site will be carried out according to the method of forensic archaeology so as to establish the credibility of information about a mass grave. The preliminary examination was attended by members of the Serbian Government Commission for Missing Persons, Working group for missing persons of the Kosovo interim government, members of the Serbian Ministry of Interior, EULEX and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Chairperson of the Commission for Missing Persons Veljko Odalovic said in an interview for the Radio and Television Novi Pazar that the Commission wishes the excavation to remove all dilemmas about the site. “We examined the site on several occasions. We acted on the information received from EULEX. This is a serious and difficult matter, which is why we allocated substantial funds for the investigation of the site,” he said. The Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office discovered a potential mass grave at the Rudnica site in Raska, southern Serbia, which according to witnesses contains the bodies of 250 Kosovo Albanians. The Prosecutor's Office believes that the remains were transported there during the withdrawal of Serbian forces from Kosovo in June 1999 and that the action was conducted by the members of the then Special police unit. The issue of the mass grave at Rudnica was launched by the Pristina working group and UNMIK back in 2004 and unsuccessful examinations were performed in May and June 2007.

 

Aligrudic: Dialogue to be conducted under UN auspices, not EU (Tanjug)

The vice president of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Milos Aligrudic has pointed out that a satisfying and sustainable solution cannot be reached for the situation in Kosovo and Metohija if the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is conducted under the EU auspices. At the session of the Political Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE in Paris, Aligrudic said during the debate on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija that the EU was blackmailing Serbia with the so-called European path in order to reach non-constitutional and illegal agreements with Pristina and thus force Serbia to give up part of its territory, the DSS said in a statement. “Only the dialogue on the status under the UN auspices can give lasting and sustainable results,” concluded Aligrudic.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

B&H Prosecution launches investigation over non-implementation of the Sejdic-Finci ruling (Fena)

The B&H Prosecution has launched an investigation against an unknown perpetrator over non-implementation of the Sejdic-Finci ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, because of which B&H has been left without 45 million Euros from the IPA funds of the EU. This has inflicted damage to all B&H citizens, causing their bitterness as well as dissatisfaction of the international community, the Prosecution said in a statement. Fena reports that the Special Department for Organized and Industrial Crime and Corruption has already issued the order on launching an investigation against an unknown perpetrator and certain investigative activities are already being conducted and evidence is being collected. The Prosecution states that non-implementation of the ruling of the European Court inflicts immeasurable damage to the European path of B&H, prevents the flow of EU funds, as well as the realization of EU pre-accession projects.

 

Izetbegovic: We remain on same positions regarding Sejdic-Finci issue (Fena)

Another in a series of attempts to reach an adequate and acceptable for all solution when it comes to the implementation of the Sejdic-Finci ruling has failed, Fena reports. The meeting among party leaders of the B&H Federation has ended and the SDA vice president Bakir Izetbegovic addressed the press, pointing out that there had been no new proposal: “We will not go far without additional patience of all participants. I wouldn’t single out anyone, but we all remain on the already well-known positions. We can’t accept any ethnic regions in the B&H Constitution. I hope the continuation of the process will bring more compromise, and less stubbornness,” said Izetbegovic.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

Serbia Counts on South Stream for Energy, Says PM Dacic (Novinite, 11 December 2013)

The Prime Ministers of Bulgaria and Serbia, Plamen Oresharski and Ivica Dacic met in Sofia on Wednesday morning.

Their main topic of discussion was the South Stream gas pipeline, which is set to pass through both Balkan countries.

Last week, the European Commission advised Bulgaria and other countries participating in South Stream to re-negotiate their agreements with the Russian side.

"As far as the European requirements regarding South Stream, we will try to comply with them maximally after we hold talks", stressed Oresharski.

His Serbian counterpart was more firm, stating that the project is of crucial importance to his country and should go through under any circumstance.

"Serbia has a huge interest in seeing this project realized, since we cannot be left to depend on a single gas supplier, which is currently Ukraine. We had winters with heating shortages as a result of this monopoly", said Ivica Dacic.

He added that the South Stream project will boost his country's economy, besides making it more energy sufficient.

Both Prime Ministers agreed that the best scenario would be for Brussels and Moscow to reach a compromise on the project as soon as possible, in order for its construction to proceed.

 

Serbia, Croatia prepare for genocide trial (Southeast European Times, 11 December 2013)

Despite talks between Serbia and Croatia on dropping the mutual charges of genocide during the 1990s conflict at The Hague's International Court of Justice, both sides have begun to prepare for trial.

The first hearing is scheduled for March 3rd.

Serbia Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said a trial would slow the stabilisation of relations between Serbia and Croatia, but he added that a court decision of the truth would also help put an end to all unresolved issues.

"We are prepared for this trial and we have a very solid legal team," Dacic told reporters.

Croatia has given Serbia three conditions for dropping the charges: resolving the problem of missing persons, solving various crimes and defining the Danube border.

"To even discuss withdrawing the charges certain conditions must be met, but they are not. The most important thing is to resolve the status of missing persons. There is also the question of prosecuting the persons who committed the crimes, restitution of cultural property and other," Croatia Justice Minister Orsat Miljenic told Vecernji list in October.

Foreign Affairs Minister Vesna Pusic agreed.

"There are prerequisites that must be met to even begin thinking about the discussions of withdrawal," Pusic said.

Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic said that Serbia wanted to settle out of court in order to alleviate the tensions between the two states. He said that Serbia filed the countersuit 10 years after Croatia filed the suit, hoping that officials in Zagreb would drop the charges.

"Regrettably, the Croatian leaders may have been ready to drop the charges, but they lacked the courage due to the pressure of the public," said Ljajic.

Ljajic told SETimes that a trial could give the two countries a new start.

"I suppose it will probably come to the trial, I am leaving some room for hope that we will come to an agreement. However, I absolutely don't believe that it is possible for Croatia to win this trial. It is important that we come out of that process as the side that, at the very least, hasn't lost, and to build our relations with Croatia on those new foundations," Ljajic said.

But many are hoping the lawsuit will be withdrawn.

Sonja Biserko, president of the Helsinki Human Rights Committee and a civil activist from Belgrade, was cited as a witness for Croatia. She told SETimes that she has been targeted and pressured because of this.

"My name appearing on the witness list of the Croatian side in the lawsuit against Serbia for genocide is obviously a calculated move, aiming to expose me to more pressure and harassment, to scare me out of the country," Biserko said.

She said that dropping the charges would be a sign of maturity of politicians and society on both sides, bringing them one step closer to establishing a better regional co-operation.

Maja Bobic, secretary-general of the European Movement in Serbia, said Croatia has a responsibility to foster stable regional relations since it joined the EU.

"Croatia should respect European postulates and lean toward co-operation with neighbouring countries, and be the one to initiate the final reconciliation in the region," Bobic told SETimes.

What steps can be taken to ensure the withdrawal of the genocide lawsuit in the International Court of Justice? Tell us your thoughts below.

 

EU slashes financial aid for Bosnia in dispute over ethnic rights (Deutsche Welle, 11 December 2013)

Brussels has halved financial aid to Bosnia because of a "failure" in making the constitution fair for all ethnicities. While Croats, Muslims and Serbs enjoy equal status, smaller groups are judged to be sidelined.

The European Commission's deputy director general for enlargement, Joost Korte, told a Sarajevo news conference on Tuesday that Bosnia's politicians had failed to make the proper adaptations to the constitution.

"Don't underestimate the political consequences of this," Korte said. "These are clear signals to the leadership of this country that there is a consequence for failure to act."

EU member states voted to cut the aid to Bosnia over that country's failure to change its constitution to give ethnic minorities more rights. The decision means Bosnia faces a drop in funding this year of 45 million euros ($62 million). A financial aid package to run from next year until 2020 has also been placed in jeopardy.

Under the painstakingly-constructed peace deal that ended Bosnia's 1992-1995 war, Muslims, Croats and Serbs are considered granted special status when it comes to running for political office.

Despite its debt crises, the EU remains attractive in the Balkans, with all countries seeking accession. Iceland and Turkey, in contrast, question whether they should enter, while Great Britain considers leaving. (17.04.2013)

The country is composed of two "mini-states," one belonging to Serbs and the other shared by Bosnian Muslims and Croats. The two semi-autonomous regions are united under a parliament and three-member presidency.

Minorities not deemed "constituent peoples" are barred from running for either the presidency or parliament. In 2009, the European Court of Human Rights issued a ruling that this discriminated against other ethnic groups - in particular, Jewish and Roma Bosnians.

Negotiations to change the constitution are said to have stalled because of political bargaining, with Bosnian Croats keen to win greater protections of their rights before any deal is done.

Bosnia is behind other former Yugoslav republics on the path to any future entry into the bloc. Croatia and Slovenia are already members, while Montenegro has already begun accession talks. Serbia is due to begin its own accession negotiations by January.

 

Bosnia investigates loss of EU funding (Associated Press, 11 December 2013)

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The Bosnian prosecutor's office says it is investigating who is at fault after the European Union halved the country's funding because its squabbling leaders have not changed the constitution to allow more rights for minorities.

The EU announced it would cut funding this year by 45 million euros ($62 million) because of a lack of action on a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that it must amend its constitution.

Power in Bosnia is split between three main ethnic groups and minorities are excluded from leadership. A Roma and a Jew sued the country in the EU court and won, but politicians have argued for four years over implementing the ruling.

Bosnian prosecutors said Wednesday that disrespect for the ruling has deprived the country of badly needed money.

 

Bosnia's most popular musician has a goal: To help poor Roma kids study music (Associated Press, 10 December 2013)

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina - Bosnia's most popular musician is searching for talented Roma children to help them get an education in music.

On Tuesday, 63-year-old former rock star Goran Bregovic visited Sarajevo's biggest Roma settlement of Gorica. That's the same name he has given his new foundation, which will provide scholarships to Roma kids who wish to study music but can't afford to.

Bregovic has built an international career on film music inspired by traditional Balkan and Gypsy tunes. He says it's time to give something back to this underprivileged group that has inspired so many European composers.

Nearly half of the Roma in Bosnia are illiterate. Most live in makeshift settlements in extreme poverty and operate on the margins of society.