LOCAL PRESS

 

Nikolic: France support on Serbia’s EU path (RTS)

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic told French Prime Minister Manuel Valls that France was great support to Serbia on its EU path and that it had proved a true friend during the recent floods. He said that the words inscribed on the Monument of Gratitude to France in World War I: We Love France Just as it Loved Us, was inscribed also on the hearts of the Serbian people. Nikolic stressed that Serbia was dedicated to peace and stability in the region and was therefore active in the dialogue with Pristina, but will never recognize independence of its southern province of Kosovo. He pointed out the so-called Great Albania project to the French Prime Minister, adding that the increasing frequency of Albanian provocations in the region could turn into a problem of larger scale, which even the EU would not be able to solve. Valls commended Serbia’s reforms and EU course, stressing that the EU is the right way for a better future. He also called for intensified bilateral economic cooperation. He was also interested in Nikolic’s view concerning the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, and Nikolic responded that Serbia would not do anything to destabilize Bosnia-Herzegovina, but that the EU should invest more effort into making that country a functional one.

 

Dacic: Rights of all ICTY indictees should be respected (Politika)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said he could not say what the decision of the Hague Tribunal will be when it comes to provisional release of Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj, but added Serbia expected the rights of all tried before that court to be respected. “I think there is very little room here for our comments, considering the fact that our diplomatic representatives are in constant contact with Seselj and the ICTY, but Seselj does not allow any comments on that topic,” said Dacic.

 

Ljajic: ICTY trying to find way out for itself (B92)

The Head of the Serbian National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY Rasim Ljajic says that by releasing Vojislav Seselj, the ICTY is trying to find a way out of the situation it created with the unduly long trial. Ljajic observed that the decision was made in a highly accelerated procedure - which has not been the case previously. “The moment we received the letter of Presiding Judge Jean Claude Antonetti that asked the government of Serbia to declare itself, to all intents and purposes in two to three hours, about the conditions and about providing guarantees for Seselj’s provisional release, it was clear that the decision was already made, considering this was the first time that such a short deadline was given to provide guarantees,” he told Radio B92. Ljajic stressed that this was also the first time that the accused has not been asked to declare himself on the conditions imposed by the Tribunal. “This decision was above all motivated by the Tribunal’s intention to extract itself from a situation of its own making, brought on by the inappropriately long trial in the process against Seselj,” said Ljajic.

 

Nikolic, Dikovic: Serbia attached to military neutrality (Tanjug)

With the participation of Serbian army members in the forthcoming military drills with units from Russia, U.S. and Balkan countries, Serbia will show its attachment to the military neutrality policy, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and Serbian Army Chief of Staff Ljubisa Dikovic agreed at a General Staff meeting. They underlined that Serbian Army members had shown a high degree of professionalism and training in numerous military missions worldwide, whereby they set the new high standards in peace forces’ activities. Nikolic commended all the units that took part in a military parade on 16 October and especially thanked the commanders for their successful organization and realization of that event. The unity of the people and army and a high degree of trust placed by the citizens in the Serbian Army was shown on that occasion, stressed Nikolic.

 

Vulin: Vucic enabled Seselj’s arrival to Serbia (TV Pink)

Serbian Minister for Labor and Employment Aleksandar Vulin has stated that Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has enabled for Vojislav Seselj to come to Serbia. Vulin told the TV Pink morning broadcast that every citizen in Serbia has the right to be treated and to be protected, but that on the other side, there are attempts to use Seselj’s arrival directly against Vucic and as something that should destabilize Serbia and that this will not be allowed. “Do not frighten Vucic in any way, you will not succeed,” said Vulin. He added that Vucic “was offered and that the West had always used this as means of blackmail and pressure – if you don’t change the policy when Russia is at issue, if you hold the parade, if Putin is such a dear guest, you will see that we will find a way to destabilize Serbia”.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Dodik writes to UN Secretary-General (Srna) 

The Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik has sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stating that, on 12 October, the RS voters elected the new convocation of the national assembly and the president of the RS, thus continuing the uninterrupted series of free and just choices made over 19 years following the Dayton Peace Agreement. In his letter to the UN Secretary-General, which was submitted together with the 12^th Report of the RS to the UN Security Council, Dodik noted that the RS electorate has granted another mandate to the coalition currently in power, thus ensuring the continuation of new government’s work on the program of reforms mentioned in this report. Dodik clarified that the report provides an overview of government’s policies aimed at strengthening of the RS’ economy, support to reforms of the institutions at the B&H level, strengthening of the Dayton organization of B&H, and closing of the counterproductive Office of the High Representative (OHR). “I kindly ask that you forward this document, the Report and its four enclosures to the members of the Security Council. In case that you or members of the Security Council should need any further information, other than those contained in the Report, or answers to any possible questions, it will be my pleasure to provide them to you,” Dodik said in the letter to Ban Ki-moon. The RS government has submitted the 12^th Report of the RS to the UN Security Council, tackling RS’ priorities relating to the improvement of economic capacities, institutional reforms at the B&H level, protection of de-centralized constitutional organization of B&H, and closing of the OHR.

 

Dodik: It is nonsense to keep Seselj detained for decade or more without a judgment (Oslobodjenje)

The RS President Milorad Dodik said today that it is nonsense that the ICTY is “holding” Vojislav Seselj for 12 years in detention without conviction. “It tells you in what way and how the ICTY operates, irrelevant of whom it concerns - Dodik told media reporters in Banja Luka.

He cannot believe that individuals are being treated that way, having in mind all the Universal Declarations of Human Rights. “Now we can see that the ICTY has massively violated these rights, in this and other cases, and holds these people in detention for much longer than it is in any legal system possible and permissible,” claims the entity’s president.

 

Komsic presents DF goals to Ivanic and Covic (Oslobodjenje)

Zeljko Komsic, president of the Democratic Front (DF), held his first official meetings with Mladen Ivanic, president of the PDP and member of the Alliance for Change, and Dragan Covic, president of the HDZ B&H, today at the B&H Presidency. “It is interesting that everyone agrees on some basic matters that should be done first on the state and entity levels of government,” said Komsic. They mainly spoke about B&H’s Euro-Atlantic and NATO path, with emphasis on the coordination mechanism and the registration of “perspective immobile” military property.

IIvanic expressed interest in the matter of military property. That is politically clear to us, so we talked about what it means from a legal point of view,” said Komsic. He presented to his interlocutors the goals on which the DF will insist – the Euro-Atlantic path, i.e. resolving the coordinating mechanism and registration of “perspective immobile” material, admitting that he “doesn’t know whether agreement will be reached with the electoral victors.” He concluded that the broadest possible coalition in Sarajevo is good for the stability of the country.

 

Izetbegovic-Komsic meeting in Sarajevo (Oslobodjenje)

Bakir Izetbegovic, vice president of the Party for Democratic Action (SDA), and Zeljko Komsic, DF president, held a meeting in Sarajevo. After the meeting, Izetbegovic briefly addressed reporters by saying that he had met with Komsic two or three times in the past two weeks, and “naturally, there were discussions of the possibility for a coalition.” “We have agreed that this could be exclusively on the basis of a clear program that will quickly enable moving the country from this stalemate. I expect Komsic’s response in the next two days,” said Izetbegovic.

B&H’s Euro-Atlantic path, and then a very concrete fight against organized crime, and a set of measures that will “create” jobs, are the principles that the new composition of the B&H Presidency will advocate, said Izetbegovic.

 

New round of name talks on 12 November in New York (Republika)

UN Special Envoy in the name dispute between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Greece Matthew Nimetz has called for a new round of talks between representatives of both countries on 12 November in New York. FYROM Ambassador Vasko Naumovski and Greek diplomat Adamantios Vassilakis are to attend the meeting. According to the information published by the UN, meetings will be held at the UN Headquarters, where Nimetz will first meet with each of the representatives separately, followed by a joint meeting with Naumovski and Vassilakis. The goal of the meeting, the UN press release reads, is to continue the efforts for finding a mutually acceptable solution on the name issue. The last round of name talks were held during September’s session of the UN General Assembly, where FYROM Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki met with his Greek counterpart Evangelos Venizelos. After the meeting, Minister Poposki stated Greece in still not interested in active name dispute resolution.

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

France vows firm support to Serbia on path to EU membership (EUbusiness, 6 November 2014)

(BELGRADE) - During a rare official visit to Serbia, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls vowed Thursday to provide firm support to the Balkan country on its path towards European Union membership.

"Today Serbia is a candidate to join the European Union. France offers it a fraternal hand and will continue to accompany it through all necessary phases and to the end of the process," Valls told reporters after meeting his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic.

"Serbia's European destiny" should neither be questioned nor doubted, Valls said in Belgrade.

Leaders of the nation of 7.2 million began talks in January on accession to the 28-member bloc, in which it agreed to gradually bring its policies into line with EU norms.

Valls, however, reminded Serbia of the importance of good relations with Kosovo.

"Serbia could and should continue to make progress," in its dialogue with Kosovo because, "it will help convince those EU member states who should be" on Belgrade's commitment to joining the EU, he added.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, which Belgrade has fiercely rejected while still considering the territory its southern province.

However, under EU auspices, Belgrade and Pristina concluded in April 2013 a landmark deal on normalisation of their relations.

Valls also discussed opportunities to develop economic ties between the two countries.

He expressed regret over the fact that France is only the 10th largest direct foreign investor in Serbia, indicating it could provide expertise in infrastructure and transport projects.

Valls, who was accompanied by a 35-member delegation of French businessmen, listed agriculture and energy as possible areas for future growth in trade that has been increasing since 2012 and exceeded 700 million euros last year ($865 million).

Vucic told Valls France is a potential partner in major Serbian infrastructure projects such as the plans to expand Belgrade Airport and the city's metro system.

Before leaving Serbia on Friday, Valls was to meet Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and visit Obrenovac, the town most severely hit by floods in May that claimed dozens of lives and caused almost two billion euros in damage, which France has helped repair.

 

UN Judges Approve Provisional Release of Serb (AP, 6 November 2014)

United Nations judges have approved the provisional release on humanitarian grounds of an ailing Serb ultranationalist awaiting verdicts in his long-running war crimes trial.

In an order Thursday, judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia said Vojislav Seselj can be released to seek medical treatment in Serbia on condition that he does not interfere with victims or witnesses and that he returns to the tribunal if summoned by judges.

Serbian doctors who visited Seselj recently say he is suffering from colon cancer that has spread to his liver.

The 60-year-old Seselj has been in custody in The Hague since surrendering to the tribunal in 2003. He pleaded not guilty to charges including using hate speech to incite atrocities in Bosnia and Croatia during the Balkan wars.

 

Russia, Serbia To Hold Joint Military Drills (RFE/RL, 6 November 2014)

BELGRADE -- Russia and Serbia are preparing to hold their first-ever joint antiterrorist exercises on Serbian territory.

RFE/RL's correspondent in Belgrade reports that six IL-76 aircraft from Russia arrived at a Belgrade airport on November 6.

Russian media quoted Defense Ministry officials in Moscow on November 5 as saying units from paratroopers in Tula will take part in the joint maneuvers, which are scheduled in the coming days.

The exercises will be held near the city of Nikinci in the northern province of Vojvodina.

Serbian military analyst Ljubodrag Stojadinovic told RFE/RL that joint maneuvers with Russian troops on this scale have never been held in Serbia.

He added that in holding the maneuvers, Moscow is trying to demonstrate that it has allies in Europe.

 

Serbian Media Freedom Debate Marred by Splits (BIRN, by Gordana Andric, 7 November 2014)

A six-hour debate in Serbian parliament on media freedom revealed familiar divisions between pro and anti-government politicians and journalists.

After a six-hour debate on media freedom on Thursday in Serbian parliament, the culture and information committee urged the authorities to “vigorously react” to censorship and potential pressures on journalists to ensure pluralism of opinions survived in Serbia.

The committee said the media have a legally guaranteed right to work freely, and that this right formed the basis of a democratic society.

The debate was marked by quarrels between opposition and ruling party deputies and between journalists from pro-government and independent media.

Snjezana Milivojevic, a media expert and a professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, left the session before the end, saying she felt disappointed with the low level of arguments and with the insults flying between the two sides.

“We should have discussed censorship in the media but that did not happen,” Milivojevic said afterwards.

Journalists and editors attending the session divided mainly over whether censorship currently exists in Serbia.

Vukasin Obradovic, head of the Independent Journalist Association of Serbia, NUNS, said the media suffered from censorship and from attempts to stifle critical thought.

“Censorship is when there are no critical questions for the Prime Minister at a press conference, and when, even when there are some, journalists just get personal insults,” he said.

Ivana Vucicevic, director of the public broadcaster Studio B, said she had experienced no pressure under Serbia's current government, but had done so under the previous Democratic Party-led government.

However, Predrag Sarapa, a Studio B employee whose show, "Sarapa’s Problem", was axed recently, claimed his programme was dropped as a result of political pressures from the now ruling Serbian Progressive Party.

Slobodan Georgijev, from BIRN, called for a public hearing on the pressures on the media. He urged parliament to invite media owners, marketing agencies as well as the authorities to sit down and discuss the overall situation in the media in Serbia.

 

EU, US Welcome UK-German Joint Initiative On Reform In Bosnia (RTT News, 6 November 2014)

The United States and the European Union have welcomed a recently announced British-German joint initiative on reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The new initiative, announced by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in Berlin on Wednesday, promises to revive Bosnia's currently stalled bid to join the European Union if its politicians sign up to the necessary institutional reforms.

"The aftermath of recent elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina provide an opportunity for the country's leaders to pursue the reforms necessary to build a more effective, democratic and prosperous state," US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement.

"In the coming months, we will work closely with our European partners to support the adoption and implementation of such reforms and accelerate Bosnia and Herzegovina's progress toward European and Euro-Atlantic integration," she added.

Separately, European Union's High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini also welcomed the joint UK-German initiative aimed at getting Bosnia and Herzegovina "moving again on the reform track so it can proceed on its EU path."

"We all agree that after the recent elections Bosnia and Herzegovina should not remain in a stalemate. Good work has been done in the past by the EU and its international partners to assist the country in overcoming its challenges. But a new spirit is needed to effectively deal with reforms which are the key not only for the EU way of the country, but also and mainly for its citizens' lives," she stressed.

Hailing the joint initiative announced by her German and British colleagues as "timely," she added: "I will take this reflection forward at the first opportunity, at the next Foreign Affairs Council on 17 November, when we can have a more thorough discussion with all EU Foreign Affairs Ministers."

 

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Media summaries are produced for the internal use of the United Nations Office in Belgrade, UNMIK and UNHQ. The contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership.