LOCAL PRESS

 

Nikolic: Serbia respects specificity of Kosovo (TV Prva/Beta)

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic has stated that Serbia respects specificity of Kosovo by negotiating with the authorities in Pristina. “The Constitution is before me. I know that the President of Serbia is elected in Kosovo, and that Serbia’s jurisdiction does not extend throughout Kosovo. Serbia has recognized the specificity of Kosovo since we are negotiating with them, but it didn’t recognize independence,” Nikolic said in an interview to TV Prva. He says he is trying not to violate the Constitution and that Serbia will try not to amend a single document that would allow Kosovo to be considered as an independent state. “According to the Constitution, Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia. According to our wish, our will and expectations, it is an integral part of Serbia,” said Nikolic. Asked about the agreement that Serbia is supposed to sign during the closing of Chapter 35, Nikolic says that he is not afraid of this agreement, but that he would like to know what it states so he could sincerely take a stand on it.

He says he would like to know whether Germany is requesting with this agreement from Serbia to silently recognize Kosovo and allow it to become a member in all world organizations. Asked about amending the Constitution, Nikolic said he didn’t have jurisdiction to amend the Constitution or to propose any law. Speaking about the refugee crisis, Nikolic says that Serbia cannot remain a country with open borders if everybody around it closes them.

 

Nikolic: If Kosovo is condition - EU doesn’t have to accept us (Danas/Tanjug/B92)

“I hope that the recognition of Kosovo will never be a condition for Serbia’s EU membership,” Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic has said. “If that is a condition - they don’t have to accept us,” he told Danas. “We hear assurances from Europe that it is not a condition. If this is a condition for our membership in the EU, they don't have to accept us, but at least we will regulate the state in the 34 (accession negotiations) chapters. But if each chapter will say that this and the other issue will be resolved in accordance with the Pristina constitution and legislation - then it will be very difficult to find our way in all the chapters,’ Nikolic said. According to him, the EU, as in the case of the migrant crisis, is showing how fragile it is when it comes to relations between Serbia and Pristina. “It shows, on the one side, a remarkable influence on Serbia, and on the other powerlessness in front of Pristina’s demands, and that is what puzzles and worries me,” said Nikolic. Speaking about Chapter 35 that relates to Kosovo, he stressed that “we do not know how Chapter 35 is practically envisages, nor what the closing of the chapter with a legally binding agreement will look like”. “I have not seen it the draft, nor have I heard it in any conversation with (EU) commissioners, who said that awaits us and that we should be ready for it, and that Europe cannot give up on it - because it is the request of Germany,” he said. The Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo, said the president, should be formed. “That has been signed in Brussels, but now Pristina sees it is in fact a path towards the Serbs having their own whole within their territory, and many rights, and that's where the claims that it is not in accordance with their constitution come from”. “What shall we do now, having signed that agreement in Brussels? If the Pristina side puts it under a question mark, why wouldn’t the Serb side do the same, that is - how we will continue to negotiate if there is no community of Serb municipalities? It will be very difficult and there Aleksandar Vucic will be put to a great test,” said Nikolic. Speaking about the planned early parliamentary elections, he said that April 24 would be a very acceptable date, and that Vucic would not resign, but would rather ask that the parliament be dissolved.

 

Serbian parliament ratifies agreement between Serbian government and NATO (Politika)

The Serbian parliament ratified on Friday the Agreement between the Serbian government and NATO Support and Procurement Organization (NSPO) on cooperation in the field of logistic support, which will ensure, as the government claims, conditions for successful engagement of the Serbian Army in multinational operations. The Serbian government indicates in the explanation that NATO transferred jurisdictions to the NSPO supervisory committee to conclude the agreement on cooperation with Serbia, “whereby it is implied that by concluding this agreement Serbia will not be assigned the status of a NATO member state nor will Serbia claim the right to such status”. It is underlined that within Serbia’s engagement in the Partnership for Peace Program, the Serbian Defense Ministry “recognized the need” for establishing cooperation with NSPO.

 

Vucic: Serbia remains neutral (Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has stated that Serbia remains a military neutral country, but that NATO is necessary as an ally to protect the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. In reaction to some criticism over the agreement between Serbia and NATO, he responds that at issue is political hypocrisy of those who are boasting as defenders of Kosovo Serbs, but weren’t capable of “even defending the mosques”. “Are we asking NATO to protect the Serbs in northern Kosovo yet we are not allowing it to come to northern Kosovo? And where did you see those NATO soldiers? ... I will protect the Serbs even when they have a resolution in the UN, even though a large part of the government is against this,” he said. He explained that Serbia bears all costs of joint actions with NATO, and recalled that this agreement was signed by someone else, but that he doesn’t think there is anything bad for Serbia here. He says that the government is protecting the people in Kosovo and Metohija with a wise and smart policy and that this is the key issue, adding that he doesn’t have the time to engage in party politics and to respond to them.

 

Dacic: If Slovenia, Croatia close borders, we will have to do the same (Tanjug/Radio Deutsche Welle)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic called on the EU to come up with a common approach to the refugee crisis, stressing that if Austria and other countries on the Balkan Route shut their borders, Serbia would have to reconsider its policies. Dacic pointed out that Serbia had up to now had a fair and constructive approach to the issue, and had been praised by the entire world for that. “In 2015, we had 600,000 migrants pass through Serbia and what is cause for us to worry further is the absence of a unified approach from the European Union. And these individual measures and steps that are taken by certain countries are something that brings us into a very difficult situation,” Dacic said in an interview with Radio Deutsche Welle on Saturday. Dacic said it was a very peculiar phenomenon that the migrants had never opted to change the route set in the beginning. “They never opted to go maybe through Kosovo, and one of the reasons was because Serbia was always a helping hand to them,” Dacic said, adding that it was important to see if the borders were going to be closed and what everyone was going to do next.

 

Djuric: New investigation urged in case of murder of 12 Serbs (Tanjug)

On the 15 anniversary of the bus bombing in Kosovo that killed 12 Serbs, the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric said it was impermissible that the case has not had a court outcome. He says that even 15 years after the grave crime, the perpetrators have not been found. The same is true, he added, in the cases of the murder of Serb children in Gorazdevac, the killing of 14 farmers in Staro Gracko, and of the Stolic family in Obilic. Djuric observed that it is also unknown who is setting on destroying and fire to Serb homes and desecrating Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries in Kosovo almost on a daily basis. “It is a distressing fact that this case has been closed, while the only suspect, Florim Ejupi - who was convicted to 40 years in prison in the first-instance process - was set free in 2009 by the Supreme Court of Kosovo due to lack of evidence,” Djuric said. “We expect and we demand from the international community and competent organs in the province to renew as soon as possible the investigation into this and all other cases of attacks on Serbs, to solve all unsolved crimes, and justly punish direct perpetrators and those who gave the orders. Only then can we hope that life in Kosovo and Metohija will be safe and secure, that justice and law will be equal for all and that ethnically motivated murders will not go unpunished,” Djuric said.

 

14 Serbs accused of committing war crimes (Tanjug)

The Basic Court of Pec has issued an indictment against 14 Serbs from Klina, northwestern Kosovo, charging them with committing war crimes in Kosovo in 1999. A warrant for their arrest has been issued, Tanjug reported. Radio Kontakt Plus reported that the suspects were Serbs from the region of Pec. Lawyer Ljubomir Pantovic told Tanjug that the Special Prosecution Office, which had jurisdiction over war crimes, was handling a great number of cases in which Serbs are prosecuted for war crimes and the case from Pec confirms it. “War crimes can only be committed during a war and these have been committed in 1999 and here only the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Criminal Code can be applied, not the Kosovo one, which is much more restrictive,” he has been quoted as saying, and adding: “I’m not surprised by this, there’s also the ‘Djakovica group’ of 15 persons with warrants out for them - a period of time is coming when we will be facing a small avalanche of such criminal proceedings.”

 

ICTY: Seselj trial verdict to be announced on 31 March (Tanjug/B92)

The ICTY will announce its verdict in the trial of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) leader Vojislav Seselj on 31 March. The Serbian authorities are requested to take all necessary measures to ensure the defendant is in The Hague on the day of the verdict announcement and to inform the trial chamber about any problems that might possibly arise in the implementation of this order no later than 15 March. “It does not interest me. I have heavily defeated the Hague Tribunal. After 12 years in prison, they literally kicked me out of the Scheveningen prison,” Seselj told Tanjug. He pointed out that he was not interested in verdicts of the Hague Tribunal or anything in connection with it and would not go there voluntarily.

Stefanovic: ICTY behavior irresponsible (TV Pink)

Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic told TV Pink that the behavior of the ICTY was irresponsible and the requirement to ensure SRS leader Vojislav Seselj’s attendance at the sentencing hearing was a hidden attempt at weakening the position of Serbia and destabilizing its government. Stefanovic said that day after day, the tribunal was trying to make Serbia’s position more difficult, and it was not about an individual or a particular judgment, but rather an attempt at destabilizing the government. “They want to create a weaker government ... a weaker Serbia, which would not have such a good negotiating position in the dialogue with Pristina and one that will not be able to pursue an independent policy.”

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Court of B&H confirmed the indictment against Radoncic and others in its entirety (Klix)

The B&H Court confirmed the indictment against Fahrudin Radoncic, Bakir Dautbasic, Zijad Hadcijahic and Bilsena Sahman brought by the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H on February 5, 2016, the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H stated. The indictment was confirmed in its entirety in relation to all defendants and all counts in the indictment. The mentioned persons are charged with, among other things, organizing and becoming members of an organized group of people, organized and run by Fahrudin Radoncic, and, by acting, making mutual compacts and by performing mutually connected activities in the period from December 14, 2015 until January 12, 2016, committing the following criminal offenses:

Fahrudin Radoncic, crimes of conspiracy to commit criminal offenses (Art. 249 of the Criminal Code of B&H), obstruction of justice (Art. 241 of the Criminal Code of B&H) and giving awards or other forms of benefits for trade in influence (Art. 219 of the Criminal Code of B&H).

Bakir Dautbasic, crimes of conspiracy to commit criminal offenses (Art. 249 of the Criminal Code of B&H), obstruction of justice (Art. 241 of the Criminal Code of B&H) and giving awards or other forms of benefits for trade in influence (Art. 219 of the Criminal Code of B&H).

Bilsena Sahman, crimes of conspiracy to commit criminal offenses (Art. 249 of the Criminal Code of B&H) and obstruction of justice (Art. 241 of the Criminal Code of B&H).

Zijad Hadzijahic, crimes of conspiracy to commit criminal offenses (Art. 249 of the Criminal Code of B&H), obstruction of justice (Art. 241 of the Criminal Code of B&H) and giving awards or other forms of benefits for trade in influence (Art. 219 of the Criminal Code of B&H).

The prosecutor will seek to prove the allegations in the indictment and the guilt of the mentioned persons by examining 27 witnesses, analyzing the findings of four expert witnesses, and attaching more than 160 pieces of material evidence.

 

Former Chief Prosecutor of B&H: It is tragicomic what Radoncic is charged with (Dnevni avaz)

While being a guest at the “Central Dnevnik Senada Hadzifejzovica” – central news program of Face TV, a distinguished Bosnia and Herzegovina lawyer and a former Chief Prosecutor of B&H, Vasvija Vidovic said, among others, that the situation in B&H judicial institutions is catastrophic, since there are no more professionals such as former Chief Sate Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic. He, performed that duty from 2003 to 2008 when he resigned, and now he is a notary public in his hometown Travnik. In his interview for Dnevni Avaz Jurcevic for the first time publicly speaks about the reasons why he suddenly nine years ago, despite many years of successful career, gave up the vocation of “dispensation of justice”. Let us recall that in 2008 he first went on a sick leave, which was followed by his resignation and he never went back to work in the judiciary. All that was preceded by a sort of lynch carried out by some media, but the legal fact is that no accusations have ever been proven nor any proceedings initiated against Jurcevic.  “I am at their disposal for whole my life, let them prove any crime, if they can, if they have anything, but that is out of question as they do not have anything. I worked solely as a professional, I did not know different, neither is it allowed to work in any different way in the judiciary. Due to the big pressure I was subject to, I got sick and went on sick leave. But, it is very difficult to fight the invisible forces. I only removed myself, because I saw that suitable judges and prosecutors are coming. Unfortunately, the suitable ones. I underline that” – reveals Jurcevic, adding that it was the main reason he did not want to return to work in the judicial institutions.  Commenting the current work of the B&H judiciary, former Chief Prosecutor says he is disappointed. “Unfortunately, professionalism in B&H is no longer valid. The way of selecting judges and prosecutors and who is telling them who is going to be appointed, leads the judiciary to some other direction from professional. I can see that only the suitable ones are now getting through. And the suitable one does not necessarily mean that he/she is suitable for a political party, there is suitability for something else, you know what I mean” – says Jurcevic. When asked to be more precise about what he meant, he replied he would have had much to say, but he did not want to “denounce or point to anyone, because I said enough”. “The judiciary is a subject to influence. I will not say it is under political influence, but there is an influence. There are various interests, of this and of that kind. When I was Chief B&H Prosecutor I have never had any direct pressure from local politicians, but I had other types of pressures” – he added.  According to Jurcevic, to be able to work at the State Prosecutor’s Office, a person must have a career and the knowledge gained at all levels of the judicial system. To prevent what is happening to us now. And here they bring people from who knows what kind of private companies, interest groups and spheres…They bring them to the Prosecutor’s Office and they are creating some new future for us. It’s not going to work that way. It is like a tower of cards. The judicial system is going to collapse in this way and it is collapsing already. The reform that has been done, it urgently has to go to the reform number 2 and bring these things in order - underlines Jurcevic. Commenting the arrest and detention of Fahrudin Radoncic, the leader of SBB, for whom many professional and distinguished people think he is a victim of politically mounted process, Jurcevic says he cannot speak about the facts of this particular case since he is not aware of them, but from what he saw in the media he concluded that it is “tragicomic what Radoncic is charged with”. “According to me it is a shame to do it that way. To detain somebody in such a pompous way for obstruction of justice. If Mr. Radoncic is, as we all hear, charged with obstruction of justice in another country, that it is tragicomic. I don’t look at that as a prosecutor, but as a citizen. It would be the same as if someone from B&H obstructed the work of judiciary in the Netherlands or South Africa. Ridiculous. And they make such a big fuss of that. I suppose he got in someone’s way in some other routes – believes Jurcevic. As one of the reasons why Radoncic got in someone’s way, Jurcevic sees the success Radoncic has achieved in his work for years.

​

Mogherini impressed with success that B&H managed to achieve (Nezavisne)

Chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers, Denis Zvizdic met in Munich with EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, with whom he talked about the European path of B&H, as announced from the Information Service of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of B&H. While talking on the submitting of the application for membership in the European Union, which will take place on Monday, the 15th of February 2016 in Brussels, the High Representative Mogherini said that she is impressed by the success that B&H managed to achieve in the short term, since the beginning of the last year until today.

 

Dodik: European path must be manipulation free (Srna)

The Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik has said that the submission of the B&H applications for EU membership represents some progress and expressed his satisfaction that the honor to submit the application belonged to B&H Presidency Chairman Dragan Covic, whom the largest merit over persistence in this path also belongs to. “In respect of the application itself, it actually represents some progress and we have never opposed it, unlike the manipulation attempts on the European path.He has recalled that RS established forms of Coordination mechanism on the European path through the decision of the Assembly, considering that the RS’s constitutional responsibilities for certain issues must be dominantly respected. He has also noted that this coordination is essentially affirming the position that the parties in B&H – RS and the Federation of B&H – should agree on these issues. “Any favoring of the joint institutions of B&H is a violation of the constitutional order, because these institutions do not have competences over many issues and cannot be involved in the discussion and decision-making process on them. Therefore, RS cannot accept this coordination mechanism that was, beside its knowledge, apparently adopted at secret sessions and dinners. Although, there are indications that it was declared by the Chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers Denis Zvizdic himself, that the ministers, especially those from RS, let that happen afterwards over the collegial reasons, which shows unacceptable practices when it comes to the representation of the RS’s interests," said Dodik.  He pointed out that it is incomprehensible that someone coming from RS favors B&H authorities, knowing that the Constitution says that the agreeing parties in B&H are entities only, not the joint institutions.Noting that the joint institutions of B&H are not elected but selected, Dodik said that all RS representatives in such institutions are exclusively provided for as delegates to represent RS. "In order to represent RS, the delegates have to coordinate and respect the RS institutions’ positions, which does not cross the minds of the new group of delegates at the state level, thus this is a betrayal of a basic concept and a new practice attempting to impose the competences of the joint institutions of B&H on the entities institutions, which RS has been fighting against for years with all its strength, that precisely those of the SDS, the PDP and the NDP have now demystified," said Dodik.He said that it was anyhow superfluous to use that way to make preparations for the submission of EU membership application.Dodik has welcomed the opportunity for B&H to obtain a candidate status, but, as he has mentioned, it will be very hard in this way. He has also added he is skeptical believing it will take a long for B&H to move forward from the candidate status. “But the candidate status makes many things possible for B&H itself. However, those who shamelessly believe in Europe should have a look at what is going on in Europe. Europe ten years ago is not Europe we have today. There are many ongoing issues that cannot be solved and it will change its internal structure,” said Dodik.According to him, the current alleged optimism, which those rushing towards Europe show, will be justified when something gets changed in Europe, and we do not even know what is being changed. "Europe is persistently looking for the model of its internal existence, which is very hard," Dodik said in a statement given to Srna.He has said that being optimistic is a prude and a belated theory today when the application is being submitted, while Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi states that "Europe is an orchestra playing at sinking Titanic.""This statement should concern everyone, because it says best which is status of Europe today, thus making a specific assessment of what to do next and how to move would be politically and practically wise to do, instead of shamelessly following the path on which you have done nothing over past 20 years, when many did gain benefits and privileges on this particular path. Today, B&H gets nothing from its path towards EU," concluded RS President Milorad Dodik.

 

B&H application for  EU membership (Fena)

The Federation of B&H Prime Minister Fadil Novalic congratulated the people of B&H on the occasion of submission of the application for membership of our country in the EU. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Bert Koenders, received on 15^th of February, on behalf of the member countries of the EU, and as the Chair of the Council of the EU, the B&H application for the EU membership. A Member of the European Parliament EU Tanja Fajon, said that 2016 will be written down in the history of B&H as the year when the country submitted the application for membership in the EU, and thus confirmed its wish to join the European family.

 

Inzko congratulates the citizens of B&H on their application for the EU membership (Fena)

“Allow me to congratulate all the citizens of B&H on this historic day. While you have always been Europeans, today you have taken an important and symbolic step towards one day becoming equal citizens of the EU alongside half a billion of your fellow Europeans. Today begins an important stage on the journey to achieve this objective. What lies ahead are many new opportunities, but also transition and change, some of which will be difficult but necessary to give you and your families the future you deserve. That is why the most important thing that needs to happen today is that that we see a renewed commitment from the authorities in B&H to work harder and more closely together than ever before to take the country forwards. Roll up your sleeves B&H and seize this opportunity with both hands”, said the High Representative Valentin Inzko from Brussels.

 

Krivokapic: Police no longer an obstacle, an agreement on ANB and the media to follow (CDM)

After the eighth meeting of the parliamentary group negotiating the creation of conditions for free and fair elections, the Speaker of the Parliament and the mediator of the process, Ranko Krivokapic, has said that the police issue has not been an obstacle any more.  “On the other hand, we should agree on the National Security Agency (ANB) and the media issue in general,” he explained. At the same time, the working group agreed that additional three themes should be included in the final agreement. “The issue of minister assistants, opposition representation at the local level and the participation of the opposition in state-owned companies,” said Krivokapic. The formulations are not disputable. The decisions are disputable, he added. He reiterated that the outcome of the negotiations was expected to be known until the end of the week. “Friday is the day when we are supposed to have a final text on the 'take it or leave it' principle,” said Krivokapic. All parties, except from the Democratic Front and the Democrats, are participating in the parliamentary dialogue.

 

Montenegro started negotiations with NATO (RTCG)

Montenegro began negotiations on accession to NATO, it was published on the website of the Alliance. "With the beginning of the negotiations Montenegro has today made a significant step towards membership in NATO", it was written on the official website of the Alliance. It is stated that the membership talks will cover the political, military and legal issues and will be an opportunity for both parties to clarify the outstanding issues. After the talks, the next step is that NATO members sign the Protocol of Accession, after which Montenegro, with the invitation, will begin to participate in meetings of the NATO. Montenegro will be able to accede to the Washington Treaty and thus become 29th member of NATO, after all member states ratify the Protocol of Accession. The negotiations will be led by Deputy Secretary General of NATO for Political Affairs and Security Policy, the Greek ambassador to NATO Thrasyvoulos Terry Stamatopulos. Montenegrin delegation is led by the ambassador to NATO Dragana Radulovic. Opening the talks, Stamatopulos said that this was a sign of progress that Montenegro has made since the restoration of independence, and that by joining the Alliance it will strengthen its security and sovereignty. Minister of Defence Milica Pejanovic-Djurisic said in an interview for Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG) that the negotiations will likely last until April. She said that representatives of the ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the National Security Agency, the Directorate for Protection of Classified Information and the Mission of Montenegro to the Alliance are in the Montenegrin negotiating team. Pejanovic-Djurisic stated that the negotiations do not differ much from the previous course of integration. "There is not much difference compared to the MAP (Membership Action Plan) process. It is only slightly modified story, but there are still constitutional areas to be treated in the talks. These are the rule of law, the fight against organized crime, and the support of public opinion", said Pejanovic Djurisic. According to her, Montenegro is expected to present a plan for the continuation of reforms.

 

Judicial Council President: Special Prosecutor exerts pressure on Judiciary (MIA)

The Special Prosecutor’s Office used its spectacular announcements at the recent press conference in order to exert pressure on the judiciary, said Judicial Council president Branko Uskovski on Monday. "We have seen these days that the judiciary's independence and the presumption of innocence of judges have been violated through direct or indirect pressure on the judicial system, unfortunately also coming from newly established institutions", said Uskovski. "The Special Prosecutor's Office used spectacular announcements at their recent press conference in order to exert pressure on the judiciary. As a party in the procedure, they do not have the supremacy over the other party, which is solely under suspicion. By providing a description of the alleged crime and the job positions of the persons, the Office put pressure on the judiciary, but also violated the presumption of innocence of judges", stressed Uskovski.At last week's press conference, the Special Prosecutor's Office said it has launched an investigation into case dubbed "Titanic", involving criminal association, violation of voting rights, electoral fraud, disposal of election materials and abuse of funds in the 2013 election campaign. Administrative Court judges and State Election Commission members are also being investigated.

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

Leaders of Bulgaria and Macedonia met with V4 prime ministers in Prague (Prague Post, 16 February 2016)

How to handle the refugee crisis and in particular the Western Balkan route used by refugees entering Europe through Greece was the topic of the second part of a 25^th anniversary meeting of the Visegrád Group (V4), held in Prague on Feb. 15.

Prime ministers of the V4 countries — Bohuslav Sobotka (Czech Republic), Beata Szydlová, (Poland), Viktor Orbán (Hungary) and Robert Fico (Slovakia) — met with Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to discuss the topic.

The V4 ministers agreed that implementing policies at an EU level was the top priority for the year. They called for addressing the causes behind the migration wave, such as ending the war in Syria. “Unless we put the decisive steps rapidly into practice and thus improve the management of the most exposed parts of the European Union’s external borders and stem the migratory flow, the situation risks deteriorating beyond our control. Such a development would put the cornerstones of the European integration, especially Schengen and the principle of free movement, at risk,” the V4 prime ministers said in a joint statement. “Stepping back in this area would question the very foundations of the European Union and would have strong negative economic, social and symbolic impacts. Moreover, it would also produce harmful effects for the security and stability of the Balkans region,” they added. Implementing the European Border and Coast Guard and implementing the European Union-Turkey Joint Action Plan were two concrete areas where they called for action. The prime ministers called for dismantling criminal groups involved in people smuggling rather than just diverting the routes. The V4 prime ministers also voiced the need for an alternative backup plan that includes sharing data with third countries and increased cooperation. “With the very foundations of the European Union at stake, the Prime Ministers of the Visegrád Group countries call on all European Union Member States to take common, rapid and decisive action: the key strategic objective now is to preserve Schengen, which can only be achieved by regaining control over the European Union’s external borders,” the V4 ministers said. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the European Union enlargement process with Macedonia as well as with other Western Balkans countries.

 

Austria to strengthen border checks to channel migrant flow (Reuters, by Kirsti Knolle and Francois Murphy, 16 February 2016)

Migrants avoiding Austria's new border control point will not find easier routes elsewhere, Chancellor Werner Faymann told a news conference on Tuesday, because countries along the migration route had coordinated a "domino effect" of border restrictions. Hundreds of thousands of people have gone through Austria's Spielfeld crossing with Slovenia on their way from the Balkans towards Germany, many of them Syrian refugees, since the two countries threw open their borders to them in September. Both countries have taken a similar number of asylum seekers in proportion to their populations, a much larger share than most in Europe but still a far smaller burden than Syria's neighbors Lebanon and Jordan. Austria has already said it will halve asylum applications from 2015, and last week Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz told Macedonia to be ready to "completely stop" the flow of migrants across its southern border, adding that Austria would soon do the same. "The domino effect along the Balkan route is developing according to plan," Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner was quoted as saying by Austrian newspaper Kurier. Austria is determined not to let the end of its open-door policy at Spielfeld mean travelers can simply divert to other crossing points from Slovenia or Italy. "We have issued an order to prepare the technical basis to be immediately able to introduce border controls at the Brenner crossing and at the Arnoldstein crossing," Faymann said. A fence at the Brenner pass, a cross between Austria and Italy, would be the first anti-migrant blockade on the border of a founding member of the European Union, and it would split the small town of about 2,000 inhabitants in two. The newly built border-control management system at Spielfeld, which can handle several thousand people a day, is secured by a roughly four-km (2.5-mile) fence. Austria temporarily imposed controls on trains carrying migrants through the Brenner pass last year during a Group of Seven summit in Germany. Hundreds of migrants had to camp out near Italian railway stations until the extra border security was suspended. The highway that runs through the pass is one of the busiest commercial thoroughfares between Italy and northern Europe, though it was not clear whether Austria's stepped-up controls would include the highway.