LOCAL PRESS

 

Serbian government annuls Pristina’s decree on property (RTS/Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has stated that the Serbian government has adopted a decision declaring null and void Pristina’s decree on taking over Serbian real estate property in Kosovo and Metohija, as in the case of the Trepca mining complex. Since the beginning of the Brussels talks, it has been clear to us that Pristina would make such a move, Vucic told reporters.

He also said that Pristina representatives have always refused to discuss property within the dialogue. “Thus, we consider Pristina’s move, which is nothing else but seizure of someone else’s property, null and void,” said Vucic.

 

Vucic: Five disputable things with Pristina and no one reacting (RTS/Politika)

 

In the last ten days, five things, which should be alerted about, happened in the relations between Belgrade and Pristina, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday in Sarajevo at the summit of the prime ministers of the Western Balkans states, electronic media reported.

Vucic stressed that problems should be clearly addressed and discussed openly and he remarked that Serbia had always been criticized “loudly”, “often too loudly”, and when there was agreement that Serbia was not responsible for something, this was either shoved under the carpet or it was quietly spoken about it in order not to get someone else angry. He said he was not looking for a conclusion, assistance or support on this issue, but he must point out the things that happened.

Firstly, there was an initiative for creation of the Kosovo army, which is contrary to the Brussels agreement and out agreement with NATO, then there was a declaration on suspension of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, which did not come from Belgrade, but from Pristina, Vucic said.

He added that this was followed by a request for taking the property of former Yugoslavia (SFRY) and Serbia “although they never wanted to discuss this matter in Brussels since they claimed there was no need to talk about it”.

Fourthly, there is creation of a new special department for trials to Serbs, Vucic added wondering what kind of additional message this was.

Fifth, there was arrest of the mayor of Ranilug Gradimir Mikic, with an explanation that he was transporting posters with Vucic’s photo and with the accusation that he thus caused national, religious and racial hatred.

It is nice that prime ministers of the countries of the Western Balkans will adopt a new declaration, but I fear that quarreling and conflicts will continue after the summit, Vucic declared on Thursday in Sarajevo. In an address at the summit of six prime ministers from the Western Balkans, he asked hosts not to call “states” all representatives, because he isn’t doing it. “This has to do with Serbia’s sentiments, and I am not saying this because of the campaign,” Vucic declared after Isa Mutafa was introduced as president of the state of Kosovo, although no symbols or flags of Kosovo were displayed at the summit. “If I had said something in B&H calling someone else a country, as you did with Kosovo here, and I think Bosnia didn’t recognize it and that the EU has to have a neutral approach, you would have all left this summit”, Vucic declared.

 

Djuric: Kosovo and Metohija – post-conflict zone with minimum rate of returns in the world (RTS)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djuric told the morning news of Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) that it is concerning that the political climate has essentially not changed when it comes to the Kosovo Albanians and that matters similar to the 17 March 2004 are similar. He says that one of the biggest failures of the international community is the fact that on the streets of Pristina, Pec, Djakovica and Obilic there not even dozens of Serbs who were expelled. He stressed that Kosovo and Metohija is a post-conflict zone with the minimum rate of returns in the world. “Seventeenth March was conducted under the false pretense that some of the Serbs expelled Albanian children in the village of Cagra and we see various reasons for exerting pressure,” says Djuric. “If you look at the reactions to the latest events when it comes to the army and a series of other issues, look at what was happening yesterday. Vucic clearly said what is going on, look at the army, seizure of property, attacks on Mikic, pressures on Serbs, all events with the elections in Kosovo and Metohija and many other pressures. None of the representatives have an answer to what Vucic had stated and one can see there is no support in the way it had been in the previous period,” said Djuric.

 

Radomirovic: Cadaster proof of what is Serbian property (Tanjug)

 

As much as 58 percent of Kosovo’s territory - including state, private and socially- and church-owned real estate - is property of Serbia, its citizens and institutions, and the state has the original cadaster documentation to prove this. “The material in our possession is enormous, and protected at Geozavod in Belgrade. For years, the (Kosovo) Albanians have been requesting that we return the documentation because of the legal uncertainty for all Kosovo citizens, but we have no reason to return it as we would not improve the position of the Serbs by returning the cadaster,” Slavica Radomirovic, former head of the Kosovo and Metohija Cadastre, told Tanjug. This documentation is now Serbia’s firmest argument against the illegal decision of the Kosovo government to seize all immobile property of Serbia in the province. Radomirovic warned that the efforts to usurp Serbian property have been ongoing for a long time, and that Pristina has set up its own cadaster service based on forgeries. A technical agreement had been reached to define the issue of property in Kosovo during the EU-sponsored Belgrade-Pristina dialogue by comparing the originals from 1999 to Pristina’s reconstructed cadaster documents - but this eventually came to nothing. The comparison was to be done by Belgrade, Pristina, and the international community - but when the Albanians realized that their forgeries would surface in the process, the negotiations died down. Radomirovic said that she in 1999 personally organized and took part in relocating the documents, as NATO troops were entering the southern province. She was joined by her colleagues from Vranje and Kursumlija, and by numerous volunteers, who carried out tons and tons of paper from the cadaster’s archives in Kosovo and brought them to Belgrade. The original documentation is incomplete only for seven municipalities, Radomirovic explained, but stressed that there are copies of all documents. According to some assessments, the value of the property that Pristina is now trying to seize reaches ten billion euros, and includes land, buildings, business premises, state-owned companies, and sporting venues.

 

Zakharova: Forming of Kosovo army against UNSCR 1244 (Beta)

 

The forming of the army of Kosovo represents an absolutely irresponsible move, which is extremely dangerous for the Balkans and for Europe as a whole, the spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said on March 16. At a regular news conference, Zakharova stated that the forming of the army of Kosovo was against Resolution 1244 of the U.N. Security Council, which envisages the deployment of armed forces in Kosovo solely on the basis of a decision of the U.N. Security Council. "We believe the transformation of the Kosovo

Security Force into the real army of Kosovo, despite the stand of Belgrade and the Kosovo Serbs, is an absolutely irresponsible move. Moreover, it is extremely dangerous for the Balkans and for the whole of the European continent," Zakharova said.

 

Rebic presents arguments in Lyon against Kosovo’s membership in Interpol (RTS/Novosti)

 

Director of Serbia’s Police Vladimir Rebic met in Lyon with the Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock to whom he presented the reasons of Serbia’s opposition against Kosovo’s request for membership in the organization, agencies reported a press release issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The request was considered at the meeting and we clearly put forward our reasons of opposition primarily bearing in mind the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and the fact that the Brussels dialogue was underway, which did not consider the issue of Kosovo’s joining the Interpol in any of its counts, Rebic said.

 

Around 7000 migrants in Serbia (Beta)

 

There are presently around 7000 migrants in Serbia and there is enough room for all of them in refugee centers around the country, Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Issue Aleksandar Vulin declared. Vulin said that, despite claims of EU representatives, the West Balkan route still hasn’t been closed.

A representative of the Asylum Protection Center Rados Djurovic said that between 6000 and 8000 migrants were currently staying in Serbia, that 6,500 were accommodated and the rest were without accommodation.

The spokesman of the Commissariat for the Refugees and Migration, Ivan Miskovic, said that the EU lacked a unified policy on the migrant crisis. “Serbia is prepared for any scenario, because nobody asks us whether we are prepared - we must be. We monitor what others do and we behave in accordance with what others along the route do,” Miskovic said.

 

Jeremic: Opposition should control election in Kosovo (RTS)

 

Same rules should apply at the polling stations in Kosovo as in other parts of Serbia and it should be made possible for representatives of the opposition to have their members in the election boards and be present during the vote count, the presidential candidate Vuk Jeremic said on Thursday. “Fair and equal conditions for all the participants, which do not exist today, should be ensured in this election. Today, our representatives in the state election commission will ask that the election in the territory of Kosovo should be held just as in any other part of Serbia, that the same rules should apply, and this practically means that the opposition candidates should have their members in the election boards and to be present during the vote count,” Jeremic said in Raska. He said that the authorities must ensure the same rules in the election as in Raska, if they believe the Kosovo was in Serbia.

 

Seselj: Whole government to end up in prison if they recognize Kosovo independence (Novosti)

 

If I become president, I will introduce a state of emergency and arrest all government members if they decide to recognize Kosovo’s independence, the leader of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) Vojislav Seselj declared on Thursday, media report. “Kosovo must never be recognized and the preamble of the Serbian Constitution must never be deleted,” he said. Seselj does not believe that Vucic would accept signing a legally binding accord with Kosovo at the end of Serbia’s euro-integration process. Commenting on the heightening tensions between Belgrade and Pristina, Seselj said that, as president, he would insist on the discontinuance of the Brussels dialogue until the implementation of the agreement of the Community of Serb Municipalities “in a qualitative way, not just as an association”.

 

Stamatovic leaves SNP (Politika)

 

Presidential candidate Milan Stamatovic said that he decided to leave the Serbian People’s Party (SNP) because its president Nenad Popovic resigned from the program objectives and decided to support Vucic. Stamatovic said that the SNP program objectives since its foundation were opposition to joining the EU, closer cooperation with the Russian market, decentralization, support for the Republika Srpska and keeping Kosovo in Serbia. However, SNP leaders departed from the agreement with the people, the reason why I decided to leave the party, Stamatovic said in a letter sent to Popovic.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Summit of Western Balkans Prime Ministers takes place in Sarajevo (N1)

 

The Summit of Western Balkans Prime Ministers was held in Sarajevo on Thursday. The Summit was attended by Chairman of B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Denis Zvizdic, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic, Macedonian (FYROM) Prime Minister Emil Dimitriev, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa. The Summit was held in presence of European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Angelino Alfano. On this occasion, the Prime Ministers signed a joint statement which, among other things, reads that the Western Balkans remains committed to the perspective of joining the EU. Among other specific topics discussed at the conference was the need for economic integration of the region, formation of customs union of the region and establishment of information system that would increase exchange of data between customs services. Addressing the Summit, the European Commissioner stressed that several countries in the region are going through “serious internal crises and ethnic tensions, adding that this needs to be solved “between friends”. Zvizdic explained that the aim of this Summit was to present and define common interests and initiatives for the Western Balkans Summit, which is scheduled to take place in Trieste in July. Zvizdic said that the Prime Ministers spoke about the key issues in relations between the countries in the region but also their commitment to the EU path. According to Zvizdic, implementation of the Reform Agenda resulted in positive economic indicators in B&H. Zvizdic deems that the European perspective of B&H is important because, as he added, it means peace and socio-economic stability. Zvizdic noted that European perspective of the Western Balkan countries needs to be preserved primarily for the sake of stability and prosperity of the whole region, as well as the EU. Asked about a dinner with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday evening, for which Serbian media reported that the situation was tense, Zvizdic said that the dinner was very friendly and relaxed. He said Prime Ministers of Kosovo and Albania, Isa Mustafa and Edi Rama respectively, attended the dinner too, and added that they spoke about some everyday topics, not politics. Asked about allegations that Vucic criticized him for calling Kosovo a state, Zvizdic said that Kosovo should be treated according to some rules, while Vucic only wanted to warn that everyone should have the same treatment. When it comes to the press conference after the Summit, Zvizdic explained that all Prime Ministers expressed wish not to address the media, therefore only him and European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn gave the statements.

Vucic said that conversations are always beneficial. However, Vucic expressed fear that, after the Summit, disputes in the region will continue. The Serbian Prime Minister announced that Serbia will invest great energy into future regional cooperation. Although statements of all Prime Ministers were announced, Vucic avoided addressing the media and just briefly said while passing by that the Summit was great. He also said they did discuss issues, because the issues should not be avoided.

 

Serbian PM Vucic’s interview with BHT1 (BHT1)

 

In an exclusive interview for BHT1, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said that there were no tensions in relations between Serbs and Bosniaks during the Summit of the Western Balkans Prime Ministers, which was held in Sarajevo on Thursday.

"This is of crucial importance for both sides. We managed to reach an agreement with the Chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Council of Ministers Denis Mr. Zvizdic on almost all things and ideas," Vucic underlined adding that there are political problems in relations between Serbs and Bosniaks. There were almost no disagreements between the Republic of Serbia and B&H," Vucic stressed. Vucic said that it is important to understand each other well when it comes to things from the past that are bothering and hurting us. "I am proud of the fact that we seem to understand that when it comes to Bosniaks. I would also like people in B&H to see things from the Serbian angle," Vucic stressed.

Asked whether he believes that relations between B&H and Serbia would be further relaxed if Serbia admitted that genocide occurred in Srebrenica, Vucic said: "You are not speaking about someone's emotions and about someone recognizing a difficult and terrible crime that happened somewhere, in this case in Srebrenica. You are speaking about a thing whose consequence would be punishment of Serbs in a way. I do not think that someone's satisfaction should be in punishing another... I think that it is much more important to discuss essential things and what we really think about that."

Speaking about the B&H's motion for the revision of its lawsuit against Serbia for genocide, Vucic said that it was clear from the get-go that the revision will not be approved. "Everyone knew that and I wonder why B&H did it. I did not understand the meaning of that. And let us not forget that when B&H's motion for the revision was rejected by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), I did not rejoice and I did not gloat. I said that I am not rejoicing because I know that there are people who are sad, dissatisfied and unhappy because of the ICJ's decision," Vucic underlined.

Asked whether he expects to win the first round of upcoming presidential elections in Serbia and how those elections could affect relations between Serbia and B&H, as well as relations in the region, Vucic said that it will be a difficult match. "It will be ten against one. In order to win, one must have more votes than ten other candidates. That will not be easy, but I am counting on the citizens and I believe that we will win," Vucic said.

 

Vucic briefly meets with Dodik after summit in Sarajevo (RTRS)

 

Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik and Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic met at the Administrative Center of the RS Government in Istocno Sarajevo on Thursday. Dodik and Vucic discussed the current economic and political issues. The two officials particularly focused on development projects in the RS as well as regional projects such as construction of expressway Sarajevo-Belgrade. They both expressed content with the construction of bridge Bratunac-Ljubovija, which has entered its final phase. On this occasion, Dodik was informed about the results of Vucic’s recent official visit to Berlin. Following the meeting, Dodik addressed a press conference, while Vucic did not have time to do so. Speaking about details from their meeting, Dodik said that Vucic expressed interest for providing assistance in implementation of development projects in the RS and that this is expected to be specified through cooperation of Governments of the RS and Serbia. In this regard, Dodik singled out advancement of the University of Istocno Sarajevo and its connections with research institutions in Serbia and construction of a new hospital in Istocno Sarajevo as the priorities in terms of cooperation in strategic projects in the RS. Dodik pointed out that the most important thing is to create new jobs in the RS with the help of Serbia’s positive experience.  “We concluded that it is necessary to re-discuss the needs here in the RS, at the level of governments (of the RS and Serbia), after which Serbian authorities would assess the assistance they can provide”, Dodik underscored. Dodik expressed the RS’ readiness to implement regional projects such as construction of expressway Sarajevo-Belgrade, but only on the route that would go through the RS territory. Dodik further explained: “We have nothing against it. However, we are very interested in taking part in determining the route.” Dodik expressed support for Vucic’s initiative to form a customs union in the region. Commenting on Vucic’s political performance, Dodik said that the current Serbian Prime Minister is the only leader that can bring stability during the current general crisis in the region, also assessing that Vucic has been recognized as such leader by Germany and the EU.

 

SDA: Summit of Western Balkan PMs shows B&H’s dedication to stability in region and cooperation (Oslobodjenje)

 

SDA issued a press statement on Thursday welcoming the Summit of the Prime Ministers of Western Balkans held in Sarajevo in the presence of EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and other European officials. The organization of the Summit, is confirmation of the dedication of current convocation of the Council of Ministers of B&H to stability and cooperation in the region, as well as the EU integration process. “We are convinced that this Summit will yield concrete results in the process of Euro-Atlantic integration, strengthening of economic cooperation, especially in the sectors of infrastructure and better use of resources,” reads the statement, in which the party requests the Council of Ministers of B&H to send harmonized amendments to the Law on Excise Duties to the parliamentary procedure as soon as possible.

 

Komsic: Summit did not bring anything concrete, only messages what needs to be done (FTV)

 

DF leader Zeljko Komsic, speaking about the Summit of the Western Balkans Prime Ministers said the fact that something like that happened in Sarajevo is good, and added that the ambient was not bad at all. However, he said, the Summit did not bring anything concrete, only messages what needs to be done. Komsic wondered why B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Chair Denis Zvizdic did not use the opportunity to ask Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic to exert pressure against RS, to enable visa liberalization between B&H and Kosovo. Speaking about Vucic, Komsic said he is not in easy situation, being between Russia and the EU, but added that he manages to balance between the two for now. He said it is a good thing that Vucic chooses EU path, but added that he will have problems with Russian influence. According to Komsic, the Summit and presence of EU officials is good, but hesaid it came a little late.

 

EP: EU must not remain passive to the events in Montenegro (CDM)

 

Montenegro is the most successful candidate country and its everyday reforms prove its willingness to join the European Union, MEPs agreed on last night’s session. MEPs also noted strong Russia’s influence on the processes in Montenegro and invited the competent authorities in the country to examine the Russian meddling with the October elections as soon as possible. MEP Ivica Tolic said that pro-Serbian opposition in Montenegro would like to prevent the European process. Therefore, as he said, their boycott is not surprising. He added that the European Union must not be a passive observer of events in Montenegro.  “We wonder what EU’s role in the accession process of Montenegro is. May we be passive observers of what is happening in Montenegro, especially when it comes to Russian influence,” Tolic said.

The majority of MEPs is satisfied with the pace of Montenegro’s accession, noting that Montenegro should serve as a role model for other candidates with its 26 open chapters. MEP Ian Borg said that negotiating on chapters 11 and 19 was an indicator that Montenegro was ready to meet EU standards. MEP Julian King said that Montenegro was progressing towards the EU, but concrete results were necessary. “Parliament is half empty because the opposition is boycotting it. We share the concern and send Commission’s message to the partners that it is important to keep the discussion within the institutions. The boycott is not good a good solution anywhere, especially not in a candidate country,” he said. King added that the competent authorities should ensure a swift investigation into the attempted coup on Election Day.

“This would facilitate the political tension and contribute to the creation of concrete results in the fight against crime and corruption”, he said.

MEPs have adopted a resolution on Montenegro for last year. The report on Montenegro was supported by 471 lawmakers, 98 of them were against and 41 abstained.

 

Rallies for united Macedonia resume in Skopje, across whole country (MIA)

 

Rallies of the 'Civic Initiative for United Macedonia' resumed Thursday on Skopje, across the country, with protesters reaffirming their demands for preserving Macedonia's unitary status and rejecting the so-called 'Tirana platform'. Once again over 150,000 citizens have been taking to the streets of 31 cities to voice their opposition to the 'Tirana platform', bilingual state, Macedonia's federalization, said Bogdan Ilevski, one of the rally organizers.

 

Ivanov: Macedonia is example of double standards and hypocrisy of international order (MIA)

 

Double standards of the liberal order have denied us our identity right, but also the right for prosperity, said President Gjorge Ivanov in his address at the 5th Global Baku Forum on Thursday. Ivanov stressed that Macedonia's independence started by celebrating political liberalism and order, while the idea for freedom had the power to transform the society, the President's Office said in a press release. "Macedonia is the only country in the UN that has no right of its identity. It is denied the right for self-identification, the fundamental right of every individual and country in the international order. Macedonia is also stripped of its right for prosperity through the hindering of its NATO and EU integration. This shows the hypocrisy of this international order by its double standards", stressed Ivanov. He said the order is in crisis, not the idea of freedom, while asking if this instability is just a passing episode or a defining moment in global history. Referring to Europe, he said its future should be seen as a period of transformation and preparation for the challenges of the third millennium. "Today, when left and right populism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, exclusion, borders emerge on the European political stage, a new idea should be offered. This is a time of Europe's recreation, its metamorphosis", underlined President Ivanov. During the visit, Ivanov is scheduled to meet with host, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Albanian counterpart Bujar Nishani.

 

Zbogar: In Brussels there is great interest about the situation in Macedonia (Meta)

 

During his stay in Valandovo, the Euro Ambassador Samuel Zbogar said that the Przino Agreement has led to a solution, but there are still things that have to be implemented.

“When we look back at the Przino Agreement we shall see that it was an arduous process but it has resulted in a solution. There are certain things that have yet to come out of it, the reformatory priorities. We hope that the next government will devote itself to fulfilling the reforms – said Zbogar during the promotion of the “EU for You” project. When asked about the visit of the EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn, Zbogar said that it hasn’t been confirmed yet. “We have no formal confirmation, but there is a great interest in Brussels about what is happening in Macedonia” said Zbogar.

The European Commission has still not confirmed whether Hahn will visit Macedonia. Brussels pointed out that the working agendas for all Commissioners for the upcoming working week are published on Friday. Telma television, citing diplomatic sources, reported that Hahn will be visiting Macedonia for a few hours next Tuesday, to speed up the process of resolving the political crisis and to convince President Gjorge Ivanov to reconsider his decision and award the mandate to the leader of SDSM, Zoran Zaev, to form a government. However, it is uncertain whether Hahn will meet Ivanov, as the President after visiting Azerbaijan will then visit Hungary, and on March the 24th, he will be visiting Australia.

 

Russia: Foreign interference into Macedonia must stop (Meta)

 

Russia has called for foreign interference into Macedonia’s internal affairs to stop, said the Russia’s Ambassador to the OSCE, Aleksandar Lukashevich. “It is necessary to stop external interference in the internal affairs of Macedonia and to respect the right of Macedonian citizens to independently decide their own destiny in accordance with the fundamental democratic principles. We call upon all political forces in Macedonia and foreign mediators from the EU and US to follow the road for solving the internal situation in Macedonia through dialogue, within the context of the existing legal democratic procedures by respecting the procedures and decisions of the legitimate government, by bearing in mind the improvement of the stability and the social harmony in Macedonia,” said the speech by Lukashevich during the session of OSCE’s Permanent Council that was also published on the website of the Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Russian diplomat stressed that despite the will of the Macedonian people, some forces are trying, by using the Albanian minority, to bring to power politicians that lost at the elections in Skopje. “They give an inter-ethnic color to the inner political process by imposing the “Tirana Platform,” an openly provocative document which aim is to undermine the Constitutional order in Macedonia with the direct involvement of the president of the Albanian government”, said Lukashevich. The permanent representative of Russia in OSCE also stated that causing inter-ethnic tensions in Macedonia is extremely dangerous, not only for the country, but for the whole region as well.

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

EU Tells Balkans to Quit 'Playing With Fire' and Work Together (Reuters, by Daria Sito-Sucic, 16 March 2017)

 

SARAJEVO - The European Union told Balkan leaders on Thursday to quit "playing with fire" and set aside their political quarrels in order to take advantage of what was described as the bloc's renewed concern for the region. EU commissioner Johannes Hahn was speaking at a summit of six Balkan countries that want to join the EU but are growing concerned at the resistance from some EU states to taking in any new members from ex-communist Eastern Europe. The prospect of EU membership has for years been the main driver of reform in the Balkans after a decade of war and upheaval in the 1990s. But with Britain's vote to leave the bloc, the rise of right-wing populism and debate over the future shape of the EU, expansion has been placed firmly on the backburner. Analysts and diplomats say this has severely diminished the EU's leverage in the Balkans, an overwhelmingly poor region troubled by ethnic tensions, endemic corruption and a worrying drift towards authoritarianism. The West says Russia is taking advantage, forging alliances and exacerbating tensions. After an EU summit last week at which the bloc reiterated its commitment to the region's "European perspective", Hahn met the prime ministers of Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. "I really cannot recall a time like now when member states and others actively approached – even pushed - me to check what items could be quickly delivered to the Western Balkans to support the region," he told the summit in a televised session. "Use this rare window of opportunity," he said. "I don't think you can afford to squander this positive climate through domestic confrontations and blaming neighbors." Otherwise, he said, "we end up in a really awkward spot - with a stream of bad news slamming the window firmly shut. This is playing with fire." Hahn, who deals with the EU's expansion to other countries, appeared to allude to Russia when he warned of "unprecedented levels of involvement from further east" and said United States policy towards the Balkans under President Donald Trump was still unclear.

The summit, organized by Bosnia and the EU, focussed on regional economic cooperation and infrastructure projects. It was held against a backdrop of political crisis in Macedonia, parliamentary boycott in Montenegro, angry exchanges between Serbia and its former Kosovo province and the threat of further fragmentation in Bosnia. Each of the six countries represented are at various stages on the road to EU accession. They discussed the possibility of forming a regional common market of 20 million people. But Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic was skeptical. "It's nice that we shall produce yet another declaration," he told the Serbian state news agency Tanjug. "Only, as soon as this day is over, we'll have fights and clashes again."

(Additional reporting by Maja Zuvela in Sarajevo and Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade; Editing by Matt Robinson and Tom Heneghan)

 

Karadzic Contests Prosecution Appeal for Tougher Sentence (BIRN, by Denis Dzidic, 16 March 2017)

 

Radovan Karadzic asked the UN court to reject a prosecution appeal to increase his sentence to life imprisonment and find him guilty of genocide in seven more Bosnian municipalities in 1992.

Former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic filed a motion to the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague on Thursday, asking the UN war crimes court to throw out the prosecutors’ appeal. Karadzic said that although there were “significant mistakes” in last year’s first-instance verdict, the court should not reverse the part of the ruling that acquitted him of genocide in seven municipalities in 1992. The Hague Tribunal sentenced Karadzic to 40 years in prison in March last year, pronouncing him guilty of the genocide of Bosniaks from Srebrenica in 1995, the persecution of Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, terrorising the population of Sarajevo and taking UN peacekeepers hostage.

Both the prosecution and Karadzic filed appeals against the verdict. In his response to the prosecutors’ appeal, Karadzic noted that genocide in the municipalities in 1992 had not been proved during the trial. The verdict said that although conditions in Bosnian Serb detention camps in the municipalities in 1992 were terrible, the court could not conclude that the camps were established with the aim of “destroying Bosnian Muslims as a group”. Karadzic said in his appeal that although conditions in the Susica, Omarska, Keraterm, Trnopolje and Karakaj detention camps, as well as other detention camps set up by the Bosnian Serbs in Foca, were bad for individuals held there, they were not destructive for Bosniaks as an ethnic group. “Bearing in mind that very few people died due to bad conditions in this case, it cannot be said that the conditions in the detention camps were created to ensure the disappearance of Bosnian Muslims,” Karadzic said. He also insisted that the court had determined that “the acts of resettlement of people, even in case of forcible resettlement, were not equal to genocidal acts, considering the fact that they do not necessarily result in destruction of a group of people”.

Hearings for both appeals against the verdict will be scheduled at a later date.

 

Albania warns Macedonia not to bring ethnic twist to crisis (EurActiv/AFP, 17 March 2017)

 

Albania yesterday (16 March) warned Macedonia, where Albanians make up around a quarter of the population, not to try and turn a political crisis into an ethnic one. Earlier this month, Macedonia’s rightwing president, Gjorge Ivanov, refused to give Social Democrat Zoran Zaev a mandate to form a coalition government with ethnic Albanian parties. The Albanian demands, he said, would undermine the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ivanov’s move was swiftly denounced by the opposition as a “coup” and condemned by the United States and the European Union, which Macedonia aspires to join. But thousands of Macedonians agree with the president and for the past two weeks have taken to the streets, chanting patriotic slogans and urging unity. Their main problem is with the demand to make Albanian an official language in this Balkan country of 2.1 million inhabitants.

Albania’s President Bujar Nishani yesterday met with Ivanov on the sidelines of an international forum in Baku. Nishani “voiced concern over general political situation and inter-ethnic relations in Macedonia”, a statement from his office said. And he warned “that attempts to turn the political crisis into an ethnic crisis could have serious consequences for everyone,” it added.

The problem appeared to be settled in 2001 following a peace accord which ended a seven-month ethnic Albanian insurgency that left more than 100 people dead, with the deal providing more rights for the minority. But snap elections in December, part of an EU-brokered deal aimed at solving long-running political troubles, has reawaken the issue in the former Yugoslav republic. Russia has warned that the push by Tirana to introduce Albanian as a second language in Macedonia amounts to foreign interference and is contrary to the Macedonian constitution. Russia also says the EU plays a “detrimental role” by supporting the so-called “Albanian platform”.