LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: Serbia to get new government before UK gets new prime minister (Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister-designate Aleksandar Vucic said he was not certain the new Serbian government would be formed before the 19 July opening of new chapters in the EU accession talks. Vucic reiterated the government would certainly be formed within the legal timeframe and that he still did not know its exact composition, but that it would consist of capable people resolved to carry out reforms. “We will have a government before the UK gets its prime minister,” Vucic told reporters jokingly after attending the laying of the cornerstone for a school gym in Grabovac, a village near Obrenovac. Strategic reforms and the way of thinking are the problem in Serbia and this must change to enable the country to catch up with some EU member states in the next 15 years, Vucic said. “That will require in-depth, strategic reforms and that is why we are looking for solutions and for people who will more courageous, even if the public wants them out after a month,” Vucic said.

 

Dacic: Decision result of firm position, but also recognition (Beta/Tanjug)

The EU’s decision to open Chapters 23 and 24 in Serbia’s accession talks is exclusively a result of the Serbia’s firm and resolute position, but also recognition for the consistent and pro-reform policy of the Serbian government and Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said. The policy of the government of Serbia and Prime Minister Vucic was fully verified by the leaders of Europe’s most significant countries and the EU itself at Monday’s Paris summit, Dacic noted in a written statement submitted to media Tuesday. Serbia made it clear to the EU that it sought mutual respect and that it would not tolerate blackmail and humiliation, the statement read. “That is the only way to defend our state interests along with continuing our European path. I hope that the EU has learned the lessons and that there will be no more double standards with respect to Serbia,” Dacic noted.

 

Nikolic: We expect opening of chapters in coming days (Tanjug)

We expect Chapters 23 and 24 in the EU accession talks to be opened in the coming days as a positive signal that the EU appreciates all that Serbia has achieved so far, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said Tuesday. “Serbia remains firmly on the path of European integration because it still considers the EU to be an organization where it can achieve significant prosperity for its citizens despite the problems facing Europe today,” Nikolic said at separate meetings with Greek and Bulgarian Ambassadors Constantine Economides and Angel Dimitrov. Greece is satisfied with the announced opening of the Chapters 23 and 24 with Serbia - the two countries have stable friendly relations and Greece is glad about any step forward that Serbia makes towards full EU membership, Economides said. Dimitrov, too, highlighted the significance of the opening of Chapters 23 and 24, noting that it was very important that Serbia’s progress on the path towards the EU was not slowed down as a result of the problems facing the EU at this time.
Dimitrov said that Bulgaria wanted Serbia to join the EU as soon as possible and that he was certain that its EU integration would be successful, the presidential press office said in a statement.

 

Selakovic: Opening of Chapters 23 and 24 brings certain future (RTS)

Serbian Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic has declared that the opening of Chapters 23 and 24 brings Serbia many work and effort, but also higher certainly into the future, and underlined that Croatian demands have not been built into the these chapters. He said that the fact the most difficult chapter – Chapter 23 is being opened, is important. “It is not easy negotiating Chapter 23. This is a political chapter. Chapter 24 is mostly technical. Countries traversing the same experience, in particular those negotiating under new criteria, such as Montenegro, tell us that they are preparing for hard work,” Selakovic explained.

 

Vucic heralds talks on Belgrade-Pristina airline (Beta)

Serbian Prime Minister-designate Aleksandar Vucic announced that he would meet with EU officials in Brussels to discuss the opening of a Belgrade-Pristina flight, again. After talks with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Paris, Vucic said that statistics had shown that a large number of passengers on the initial Belgrade-New York flights were coming from Kosovo and Albania. Vucic underlined that the opening of a new line with Pristina would considerably increase the number, making Belgrade a new regional center, the Serbian cabinet reported after the Vucic-Rama meeting.

 

Mufti: No terrorism-related critical situations reported in Presevo, Bujanovac, Medvedja (Beta)

The mufti of the Islamic Community of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja Nexhmedin Sacipi said that problems existed in Serbia’s three southern municipalities, but that thanks to the Imam, there were no critical situations related to terrorism. Sacipi, who as part of the new leadership of the Islamic Community of Serbia has been recently appointed a deputy Reis ul-ulema, told Beta that part of the problem was that the Islamic communities of Sandzak and Kosovo had extended their influence to the three municipalities.

 

UNMIK issues 36 international arrest warrants (Tanjug)

UNMIK has issued 36 international arrest warrants on behalf of the Kosovo authorities, Kosova Sot reports. Jan Malekzade from the UNMIK Public Information Office said that at present there were 36 valid international arrest warrants, but didn’t specify what the charges were.

 

Rama: Kosovo separates us the most (Novosti)

Relations between Serbia and Albania have recently been characterized by a very conflicting atmosphere. On one hand, incidents with “Greater Albania” choreography have become regular, while on the other, good-neighborly cooperation is being potentiated, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama tells Novosti, adding that Kosovo is the highest point of disagreement between the two states.

In your opinion, what is the biggest problem between Serbia and Albania?

“Without doubt, Kosovo. Non-recognition of Kosovo is a sign that there still isn’t readiness to openly face the past and future. But, in the meantime, this is not something that should pose an obstacle for us becoming closer, to get to know each other better, to work and trade together. Things will, thus, be better for all.”

Have you discussed all these circumstances with Prime Minister Vucic?

“We have conducted friendly talks. Of course, we know what we disagree on - we disagree deeply on Kosovo. But, I must point out that even relations between Serbia and Kosovo have been making good progress. This has been achieved thanks to the leadership of Aleksandar Vucic and, on the other side, Hashim Tachi, Isa Mustafa and others, who had enabled progress in the dialogue between Serbian and Kosovo. This is good and it should continue this way.”

Can you understand how much Kosovo is important for Serbia?

“It is unnecessary that we understand each other in everything. At the same time, we have agreed to agree on all those issues that are beneficial for our citizens. I was very happy that I was able to host young Serbs in Tirana and to see young Albanians who are travelling to Serbia.”

 

Hungary plans to send 17,000 migrants to Serbia (B92)

Hungarian authorities plan to send 17,000 migrants back to Serbia, who reached that country by transiting through Serbia. The plan is to send back small groups of people. B92 learned on Wednesday that 190 migrants crossed the border into Serbia last night - and did so through improvised passages in the Hungarian border wall rather than via the Horgos border crossing.

The return of migrants is being done at night, by creating an improvised point somewhere along the fence. Hungarian army and police patrol the fence around the clock. B92’s TV crew at the border was told that video recording was prohibited. Our reporter saw a transit center at Horgos with about 500 people in tents waiting to enter Hungary legally. Some 30 people are let in per day - 15 through Horgos, and 15 through another border crossing, Kelebija. As for media reports about tensions and extraordinary events at the border between the two countries, including deployment of helicopters and drones, none of that was evident on Wednesday - the situation was calm. Asked to comment, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, who was visiting Obrenovac, said on Wednesday that Serbia would not change its policy toward migrants and that he believes in Angela Merkel’s policy. He told reporters that Serbia in the past period acted seriously and responsibly when it comes to migrants, and added: “And that is how it will behave in the future. I am neither nervous nor scared. Those are boyish games being played, if I were to deal with it in that way, I would not seem serious to myself.”

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Vucic: There are no problems between Serbia and B&H (Radio Sarajevo)

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said in Paris that he believes that disputes related to the anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide should not be interpreted as a problem between Serbia and B&H. “I would not say that there are problems on the relation Serbia – B&H. I was attacked in Srebrenica last year, we tried to improve our relations in all possible ways, we never send any request to find the attackers,” said Vucic. Then, said Vucic, came the information that the Serbian leadership is forbidden to go to Srebrenica, after which we decided not to go. “Then someone said, “did they think that they will buy us with 5 million’, although no one said that, and then they said, “it was in some newspapers”. There’s nothing more you can say to that. You can just leave time to pass,” said Vucic, adding that they also spoke about the marking of military operation “Storm (Oluja)”. When asked by Croatian reporters why the “Storm” happened according to his opinion, Vucic said that Croats celebrate this day while for Serbs it is the saddest day, adding that Serbs and Croats will never have the same view on the past, but they can at least have the same view on the future. “I had good conversations with the President of Croatia, and it is important to continue with them, and we will completely fulfil our obligations under the Agreement. You celebrate Storm, and we will regret it, but when it ends at the end of August, we will invite you to see how the Croatian minorities live and work in Serbia,” said Vucic. According to him, things are not all pink, but they should overcome the problems in an honest way.

 

Ivanic, Bosic: We will accept Vucic’s invitation for meeting (BN TV/Euro Blic)

Serb member of the B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic stated that he still has not received the official invitation from Serbian Prime Minister (Designate) Aleksandar Vucic to attend a meeting intended to gather Serb politicians in B&H. However, Ivanic announced that he will certainly attend the meeting if and when he receives the invitation. Speaker of B&H House of Representatives (HoR) and SDS leader Mladen Bosic also said that he intends to attend the meeting, if and when he receives Vucic’s invitation. Bosic said that finding ways to overcome deterioration of political situation in the region may be one of the topics of the meeting. He underlined: “Unlike others, we claim that the response lies in calming down the situation in the region and prevention of new conflicts, which is also the interest of Serbs, not only in Republika Srpska (RS) but also in Serbia. Unfortunately, there are political parties in the RS as well that strive for even greater deterioration of circumstances, which is very risky and dangerous for the RS and the future”. According to Bosic, the future of the RS lies in finding ways to end poverty, create more jobs and strengthen economy of the RS. The meeting is expected to take place shortly after the Summit of Leaders of Western Balkans Countries, which took place on Monday in Paris. The daily also noted that it is quite interesting that Bosic confirmed he will accept this invitation, although he has stated on several occasions that he has no intention to sit at the same table with SNSD leader Milorad Dodik. Vucic stated that Serbia will continue to support the RS because it is its “natural and legal obligation” to do that.

 

Ivanic is not obstacle, pressure exerted on Dodik (Euro Blic)

Sources claimed that the B&H Presidency members Dragan Covic and Bakir Izetbegovic did not manage to present B&H Presidency member Mladen Ivanic as the culprit for the blockade of European path of B&H during their meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The source also noted that Merkel said during the meeting that there are many politicians in B&H who talk nicely about the EU but are doing nothing to assist integration. “I am sure she did not refer to Ivanic, although she was aware of his stance that there can be no adoption of the adapted Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) before the census results are reviewed”, the source noted. The source also reminded that Merkel believes that it is necessary to wait and see what experts and European officials will say about publishing of the census results. “The first indication that something is happening behind the scene was obvious the day after the census results were published, when Head of EU Delegation to B&H Lars-Gunnar Wigemark said that it is necessary to wait until September to see if the census results in B&H were in line with European standards”, the source said and noted that it was wise from Ivanic that he shifted the responsibility for the adaptation of the SAA onto RS President Milorad Dodik. The source also assessed that it seems as if the announced meeting of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic with Ivanic, Dodik and SDS leader Mladen Bosic was actually scheduled upon an initiative of Germany and added: “It is expected that Vucic will exert pressure on Dodik over the SAA at this meeting, both because of B&H and because of European integration of Serbia”. In return, Germany promised additional financial assistance to B&H farmers. Inset ‘What does review of census mean?’ – Ivanic told the daily that his request on review of census results was made because of the necessity to correct the data with help of new method of data processing. “By this method, some 196,000 citizens would be included too but as a special group that does not live in B&H”, Ivanic explained and added that, thanks to application of this method, the percentage of Bosniaks would drop below 50%. “I expect the reaction of the Statistics Agency of B&H or reaction of European institutions. Should there be no such reaction, then I think the RS should publish its own census results,” Ivanic concluded.

 

We will discuss SAA after elections (Oslobodjenje)

Head of PDP Caucus in the Republika Srpska (RS) Assembly and PDP Secretary General Miroslav Brckalo told the daily that the issue of publishing of the census results, considered a fraud by the RS political parties, has destabilized political situation in B&H and adaptation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) was collateral damage. “We must see the situation clearly and the fact pointed out by representatives of agricultural producers on potential enormous losses for the sector of agricultural production such agreement would bring. We are in a standstill now and we can expect the start of resolving the things after the local elections, when the inter-ethnic tensions decrease, as well as those between political parties. However, the question is whether the international community is going to have enough time to wait on B&H,” stated Brckalo. PDP-NDP MP in the Parliament of B&H Momcilo Novakovic believes that the issue of the SAA adaptation should not be conditioned by the census issue. “If the census is not relevant, then it is not relevant and we should not condition it with the Agreement, or if the Agreement is detrimental to the RS it cannot get better if we improve the census,” said Novakovic, but noted there is always a possibility of a political agreement and concessions. Commenting the SAA itself, Novakovic said that he does not believe a compromise will be easily reached. He noted that the Presidency of B&H should have put the topic on its daily agenda, because if the Presidency discussed the SAA adaptation and dismissed it, it would create conditions to continue negotiations with the European Commission. “Now we are in a position where there are no further negotiations or adoption. That is the worst possible position and the Presidency of B&H has made a serious mistake,” noted Novakovic. Commenting the session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on July 18, Novakovic said that scheduling of the session has not ensured meeting of the conditions in B&H, as the country has failed to meet either of the two most important conditions – adoption of the Coordination Mechanism and adaptation of the SAA. SDS MP in the Parliament of B&H Borislav Bojic stated that B&H will not launch negotiations with the EU until it adapts the SAA: “We have postponed this issue for three years. There are parts of the SAA problematic for meat and dairy producers. All levels of authority must deal with the problem and the issue of damages.”

 

Everything is possible with Dodik (Oslobodjenje)

Oslobodjenje carried an interview with Head of SDA Caucus in the House of Representatives of the B&H Parliament Amir Fazlic. Commenting the fact that Republika Srpska (RS) has refused to accept adaptation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), he said that such decision of the RS authorities is detrimental to the people in B&H in both entities. “We should look at far-reaching consequences of the Agreement and their decision, not at some short-term issues. In my opinion, the only right path for B&H is the path towards the EU and the European processes. The sooner the RS politicians see that, the sooner the RS citizens are going to have it better,” said Fazlic. Asked why the tensions then, he said: “I do not know, everything is possible with Dodik. We will see in the upcoming days. There are often some unpredictable moves, but I am more concerned about the public in the RS, although there are more and more of those who understand that the European path is the only one.” Asked if this situation can influence their coalition at the state level, Fazlic said there are no any major issues at the moment but the RS politicians must declare their dedication to the European path. Commenting the work of the Council of Ministers of B&H, Fazlic noted that they did a lot of work and opened some important issues, fulfilling many of the obligations on the European integration path.

 

RS government completing drafting of law on which the census results for RS will be published (RTRS)

The Republika Srpska (RS) government’s working group is completing drafting of the proposal of the law based on which the results of the 2013 population census in B&H will be published for the territory of the RS. The RS representatives remain persistent in their stance that they will not recognize the census results recently published by B&H Agency for Statistics. According to Director of the RS Institute for Statistics Radmila Cickovic, the RS will start processing the census data as soon as all the necessary conditions are met. As one of the guests in the RTRS’ current affairs magazine “Aspekt” broadcast on Monday, Cickovic reminded that the RS Institute for Statistics was warning on several occasions Director of EUROSTAT and Chairman of the International Monitoring Operation (IMO) on the Population and Housing Census in B&H Pieter Everaers of the omissions made by B&H Agency for Statistics. She referred to Everaers’ statement that B&H Agency for Statistics has responsibility to implement the recommendations given by the IMO, as well as that it is necessary to carry out validations and to ensure a sufficient level of quality of the census results. She announced that the IMO team will make the final evaluation of the census results by October. Experts warn that the published census results will keep reflecting the absurdity of B&H until the final evaluation is done. They deem that as long as the RS has no legal conditions for publishing of its own census data, the demographically incorrect, useless and unlawful indicators will be dominant. The reporter reminded that all the collected data that are in the ownership of all three statistical institutions in B&H, and are currently located in the central processing bureau in Istocno Sarajevo, will be transferred to the IT systems of all statistical institutions after processing. This means that the RS Institute for Statistics will have an access to this database as well.

 

Unreasonable move worthy of condemnation (Dnevni avaz/Dnevni list)

Minister of Foreign Affairs of B&H Igor Crnadak was daily’s ‘Person of the Day’ for his decision to ban all his staff from participating in any activities related to organizing of a mass burial in Srebrenica on July 11. “It is hard to find words for such move of the state Minister, but it is clear that Crnadak has offended, not only all the victims but common sense of every well-meaning individual… With this excess, he became a serious candidate for a clown of the policy of justifying the crimes, although he knows that cannot bring anything good to him, the RS citizens and especially his party,” wrote the daily. Dnevni list daily carried a statement issued by SDA, which condemned decision of Minister Crnadak, who banned employees of the Foreign Ministry of B&H from taking part in activities pertaining to organization of the commemoration at Potocari on July 11. SDA is request from all state institutions, including the Foreign Ministry, to abide by obligations stipulated by the Constitution and the laws, which includes participation in organization of the commemoration at Potocari. The party further noted that it respects views of Srebrenica-based associations and Head of Srebrenica Municipality Camil Durakovic that people who deny the (Srebrenica) genocide are not welcome to the commemoration.

 

Kovac: EU’s position is that Serbian law on war crimes cannot apply to Croatia (Hina)

If Serbia wants to make progress on its path towards European Union membership, it cannot apply its own law on regional jurisdiction in war crimes prosecution to Croatia, according to the EU’s common position that was presented by Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miro Kovac in Zagreb on Tuesday. Croatia has repeatedly demanded that Serbia repeal its law on regional jurisdiction over war crimes by which Serbia declared jurisdiction for trying war crimes committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia after 1 January 1991 regardless of the nationality of perpetrators and victims. Speaking at a press conference, Kovac said that the text of the EU’s common position on the opening of Chapter 23 in accession talks with Serbia was agreed on Tuesday, adding that one of the transitional benchmarks was the need to avoid conflicts of jurisdiction in war crimes prosecution. “I am very happy that, when it comes to Chapter 23, we have succeeded in including in the common EU position everything that is important for the rule of law, for us in Croatia, for the EU,” Kovac said. Asked to comment on the statement by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic that Serbia had no intention of repealing the law on regional jurisdiction in war crimes prosecution, Kovac said: “You will have to ask Mr Vucic what he meant by that. I just gave you an idea of what Serbia would have to do on its EU path, which criteria it would have to meet. In this particular chapter that means avoiding a conflict of legal jurisdiction in prosecuting war crimes.” “The Serbian law concerning the prosecution of war crimes cannot apply to Croatia,” he stressed. Kovac said that the common position was yet to be confirmed by an intergovernmental conference, which could be held soon. The transitional benchmarks also include full cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, the application of the national and international obligations of Serbia in protecting minority rights, cooperation with neighbors in shedding light on the whereabouts of the war missing and ensuring the rights of victims, including the right to compensation for war victims. “Serbia now has a chance to move forward. It's all up to Serbia,” Kovac said. “The criteria have been established and these are the criteria of EU member states. We hope that we have helped with our contribution, that we have shown, despite the referendum in Great Britain, that we believe in the survival of the EU and in the enlargement process.” “We want a cool-headed, rational cooperation with Serbia, without verbal conflicts and without going back to the past, to the Second World War, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. There's no need for that. We have to clear up what is behind us, discuss the problems, tackle the problems, but look forward, rather than attack each other with verbal escapades,” the Croatian minister concluded.

 

Bojovic: I advocated for a change in policy (Pobjeda)

Vice president and co-founder of URA, Rade Bojovic, left this party due to the long, conceptual disagreements with the policy pursued by its leaders. Bojovic did not agree that URA should enter the transitional government without legitimacy won at the election, and also fiercely opposes the party’s plan for independent appearance in the October elections. “The reasons for my leaving GP URA are the product of extended conceptual disagreements regarding the understanding of practical politics and positioning of URA on the political scene. First of all, I advocated the policy of deviation from the rotten Montenegrin political class and simultaneously uncompromising and long-term recognition of a statehood-oriented, pro-Western, and anti-division reformist policy. This policy meant opposition to DPS, but also distancing from the amateur, anti-state opposition. I was an opponent of populist and irresponsible policies such as it is enough to just make DPS go away, meaning that I thought that URA should be developed into a political vanguard to lead the opposition alternative,” Bojovic told Pobjeda. Former Vice President of GP URA believes the party never should have participated in the interim government of Milo Djukanovic, without having won the election legitimacy. “I was an opponent of participation in the so-called transitional government because I thought GP URA, as a political group, does not belong there without electoral legitimacy. I also thought that such a government only reinforces Djukanovic and discredits the ‘constructive’ opposition for several reasons. Finally, I oppose the pre-election coalition appearances of URA due to two major reasons. The first concerns the need for someone newly formed to first test their electoral legitimacy, while the second reason is related to my belief that URA does not need to be a lawyer and political guarantor of others' failures and calculations, or unacceptable policies,” Bojovic told Pobjeda.

 

Kosovo: For seven years about 32,000 people have given up on their citizenship (Telegraf.mk)

The number of Kosovo citizens who wish to leave the country and to give up Kosovo citizenship is on the increase. "In the first quarter of this year 847 citizens submitted requests to the department for citizenship urging to be removed from the register of Kosovo citizens. 16 of them are refused, 55 are pending while the remaining are no longer citizens of Kosovo", the newspaper "Flaja" states. A country with which they mostly replace Kosovo is Germany. Of the total number of requests, 728 are Kosovars who are now living in this country, after which comes Austria with 58 requirements. "The difficult economic situation and the lack of perspective in Kosovo and the welfare they receive in some of the West European countries are the main reasons that caused the Kosovars to leave. The average monthly income in Kosovo is EUR 350 while in the Western European countries the lowest average amounts to EUR 1,500", according to the famous sociologist Ferdi Kamberi. The statistics of the Ministry of Interior Affairs confirmed that in the last seven years about 32 thousand persons have given up of the Kosovo citizenship.

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

Paris Summit Boosts Serbia's EU Hopes (BIRN, by Sinisa Jakov Marusic, 5 July 2016)

The Western Balkans Summit in Paris produced good news for Serbia's accession talks after Commissioner Johannes Hahn said Croatia had agreed not to block the opening of two important chapters.

The EU integration process of the Western Balkans remains alive but needs new energy, senior participants at the Western Balkans Summit in Paris said on Monday. "The enlargement perspective of the Western Balkans is alive and as valid as ever," Commissioner Johannes Hahn said at the summit dedicated to the region's EU perspectives, addressing fears that the UK's negative vote on the EU on June 23 could have a negative impact on further EU enlargement. During the summit, Hahn also tweeted that the summit was already bearing results, announcing that Croatia, which had opposed the start of Serbia's EU accession talks, had given its consent for the opening of chapters 23 and 24 in the Serbian talks, dealing with the rule of law, the judiciary and human rights. The summit that gathered top EU and Balkan leaders, diplomats and finance ministers, comes against a background of serious questions over the EU’s future after British voters opted to leave the EU. The six Western Balkan nations that suffered through wars and political breakups in the 1990s worry that they now face more obstacles to their membership bids as the EU struggles to stay together. "There is much work ahead of us. I cannot say the doors will be wide open but we will have an opportunity to speed up our EU accession, if we do our job right," Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said in Paris during the summit, conveying the hopes of other Balkan leaders as well of support for their EU accession bids. This year’s summit is part of the Berlin Process, a five-year process started in August 2014, marked by yearly summits held to underline the EU's commitment towards the Western Balkans. Last's years event was hosted by Austria. The focus of the initiative is on Balkan countries that are not yet EU members: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. "Euro-integration remains our top priority" macedonian PM Emil Dimitriev said at the summit. "I expect concrete agreements from Paris that would confirm the support for the process." In his speech at the summit's Economic Ministreal, Commissioner Hahn underlined several key endeavors led by the EU in the region aimed at boosting its economic performance while the countries prepare for EU membership. Hahn noted plans to strengthen the rule of law and economic governance in all countries of the region, to ensure long-term development. "One of our biggest challenges for preparing the Western Balkans countries for the EU is restructuring the economic model, to ensure that all countries are functioning market economies, and driven by export and investments rather than import and consumption," Hahn said. He added that the EU is working closely with the countries' governments on developing a hydropower master-plan for the Western Balkans, adding that it is of key importance that more emphasis is put on regional energy trading and on opening up the rail-traffic market. He announced 96 million euros for three railway infrastructure projects in Serbia, Albania and in Kosovo and an additional 50 million euros for green environmental measures. Before the summit, the Civil Society Forum staged a debate including politicians and 200 civil society representatives on the socio-economic and political challenges facing the region. The conclusion of most participants was that the civil society must be strengthened across the Balkans to offer democratic support amid weak governments and often declining respect for basic civil rights. Ahead of the summit, the Regional Youth Cooperation Office of the Western Balkans, RYCO, was also promoted. The Prime Ministers of Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Montenegro signed an international agreement on the establishment of the office, which will start operating on January 1, 2017.

 

Brexit poses challenge to EU expansion (Financial Times, by Neil Buckley, 5 July 2016)

At the Cité Universitaire in Paris on Monday, delegates to a Balkans youth forum whooped and snapped selfies as they celebrated creation of an EU-backed youth co-operation office to foster reconciliation across the former Yugoslavia and Albania. At a business conference in the French capital earlier, economy ministers from six aspiring EU members from the Balkans had talked up their reform plans and investment opportunities. Later, at a summit hosted by French president François Hollande and attended by Germany’s Angela Merkel, Balkan leaders discussed security and agreed on a €450m infrastructure programme, one-third funded by the EU. If the Brexit vote 11 days earlier had chucked a large spanner into the works of future EU enlargement, participants in the annual EU-western Balkans get-together were determined to give an impression of business as usual. “The British decision doesn’t change anything about the commitments that have been made with regard to the Balkans countries,” said Mr Hollande. Johannes Hahn, EU enlargement commissioner, agreed. “[Brexit] doesn’t mean that [EU] enlargement, particularly to the western Balkans, has come to an end. Quite the opposite,” Mr Hahn insisted. “There are very good reasons to enlarge, and I and the European Commission are determined to do so.” For all the official denials, however, the British referendum result represents a serious challenge to future EU expansion, not just for existing candidates including Serbia, Albania, Montenegro and Turkey, but longer term aspirants such as Ukraine. The UK had long been a vocal proponent of extending the bloc into ex-communist central and eastern Europe even as many EU states were losing their appetite for enlargement. It, too, backed off as a referendum campaign dominated by immigration unfolded. Its exit could make EU enlargement even more unpalatable for the bloc’s remaining donor states by driving up the cost. “Clearly the whole EU enlargement project is dead in the water now,” says Timothy Ash, an emerging markets strategist at Nomura. “The EU27 has its head in the sand [in] thinking the political appetite . . . is still surviving.” Even if expansion is not entirely halted, its supporters fear the EU could become so preoccupied with Brexit negotiations that membership talks with candidates and efforts to prepare countries further down the queue could suffer. The prospect of EU membership has been a powerful incentive for pro-democracy reforms in the 11 ex-communist states that have joined since 2004, and in aspiring members in the Balkans. Without that prospect, maintaining the reform momentum could be difficult. For an organisation that rose from the ruins of Europe after the second world war, that could complicate efforts to cement peace in the Balkans two decades after the post-Yugoslav conflicts. As Mr Hollande noted, the Balkans youth co-operation office established by this week’s summit is modelled on a Franco-German Youth Office set up in 1963. Waning EU influence in the Balkans could also open the door further for Russia, which has cultural ties with countries in the region through shared Slavic roots and the Orthodox Church. Milo Djukanovic, prime minister of Montenegro — which has faced angry criticism from Moscow over its coming accession to Nato — said even before the Brexit vote Russia had taken advantage of “disturbances in the global scene” to reassert itself in the region. “Russia . . . is trying to use the new situation for better penetration into the international scene. It’s very important that Balkan states have a clear vision of their future,” he said. He and fellow Balkan leaders on Monday played down the impact of the UK, but they conceded deep reforms of the EU were probably needed for enlargement to continue. “Brexit [was] a shock, not only for Boris Johnson,” quipped Edi Rama, the Albanian prime minister. During Britain’s referendum campaign, the urbane premier had mocked Brexiter Michael Gove’s suggestion that the UK would be fine with a relationship with the EU similar to Albania’s. “I very much hope that Brexit will serve as a shock for the EU to become more human, more able to serve the people of Europe, and more courageous in the path of the design of the founding fathers,” Mr Rama added. “It is not the project that is wrong. It is wrong to stop accomplishing it.” Yet amid Monday’s smiles at the Cité Universitaire, some Balkans youth representatives were quietly concerned. Milica Skiljevic, a member of Serbia’s National Youth Council, said she was reassured that the EU was still sending the right signals to the region, but the Brexit vote had “put us in a difficult position”. “Certainly, I’m a little bit cautious,” she added.

 

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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.