LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: Draw line today - or defend rest of Serbia later (Tanjug/B92)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has warned that unless the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is solved, in 20 years we will lose everything. “You don’t want a delimitation with Albanians? No problem, tell people to get ready to defend Vranje (a town in the southern part of central Serbia) in 40 years’s time. Don’t you think that our people are leaving even today? In the address that I will make, I will present all the data,” Vucic said on Friday. This was his reply when reporters asked about an open letter sent by the Serbian Orthodox bishop of Raska and Prizren, Teodosije, who warned that a partition of territories would lead to the expulsion of Serbs from the southern province, i.e., Kosovo and Metohija, and put the Serb cultural heritage there in danger. Vucic noted that the best answer to that is already contained in a journalistic question, namely the one that asked isn't what Bishop Teodosije is warning about already happening today. Vucic added that world powers and foreign services have the same argument as to why they don't want ethnic borders. “Something, surely, is better than nothing,” the president said. He accused many others, especially his political opponents of in reality wanting no solution for Kosovo. “They want to be safer today, and tomorrow? What do they care...,” Vucic went on.  The essence, according to the president, is in his opponents seeing the issue of Kosovo as the best ground on which to bring down his rule. Vucic also said he would go public with a proposal for a solution - if I can reach agreement with someone on something, since it has not been possible to reach it with Albanians. “I will not answer in detail and thoroughly yet, but I will answer everyone in Serbia and around the world. I will unambiguously say which world powers and foreign services have the same argument. We don’t want ethnic boundaries, but we want a Kosovo state, an Albanian state in Kosovo, to pay 650,000 euros to our Church. That we want, from this non-existent state,” Vucic observed. He also announced that he would talk about all that another time, and stressed that unlike the others he would not be washing his hands off the issue in a Pilate-like manner. At the same time, Vucic emphasized that nobody will give us either a partition, or anything like it. “They don't want to give us anything. They want to make it impossible for Serbia to succeed, to dedicate itself to its future,” he said. And his critics, he continued, also want to be safer today - and what does anyone care if we will have a future, children. “It’s better to have nothing than to have something,” Vucic said, channeling his critics. The president also believes that many before him had a much greater chance of doing something, but did nothing. “They could have gotten a lot more, while today we almost have no chance of getting anything,” Vucic said.

 

Brnabic: Opportunity for new chapters with US (RTS)

 

Serbia and the United States fought on the same side in all important wars, and that the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Serbian flag flying at the White House in honor of the Serbian people represents a great day and an opportunity for new chapters in our relations, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said. On this occasion, a ceremony will be held at US Congress where apart from Brnabic, representatives of the Senate, as well as representatives of the State Department, will address the audience. “The US and Serbia fought in all important warns on the same side, on the side of good and we have been traditionally close friends and excellent partners. This has certainly changed over the last few decades and I have hoped that with these meetings and this ceremony we will have the opportunity to open a new chapter in the relations between our two countries, I think it is something that would be good for both sides,” Brnabic told Radio Television Serbia (RTS) in Washington. On the first day of her visit to Washington, Brnabic held several meetings with members of the US Congress, with whom she discussed the overall bilateral relations between Serbia and the United States. Brnabic met with congressmen Ted Poe and Emanuel Cleaver, co-chairs of the Serbian Caucus. She thanked them for their engagement in the Serbian Caucus and the promotion and affirmation of topics and issues of importance to Serbia. Brnabic also met with Senator James Risch, who is also a member of the Senate Foreign Policy Committee. Brnabic and Risch spoke about current political issues in the Western Balkans and the improvement of relations between the US and Serbia. In her talks with congressmen and senators, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic pointed out that Serbia is open to a partnership dialogue with the US. In particular, I would like to emphasize the importance of retaining the existing scope of KFOR forces in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the American participation in that mission in order to protect the Serb community and preserve stability in Kosovo and Metohija, Brnabic pointed out. The US officials have positively assessed the engagement of members of the Serbian Army in peacekeeping missions under the UN and EU mandate, as well as cooperation with NATO within the Partnership for Peace program.

 

EU gives Pristina extra time on ZSO - and what that means (Tanjug/B92)

 

EC spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic says the EU expects all agreements reached within the Kosovo dialogue to be implemented without delay. “Kosovo gave the mandate to the Steering Team to draft the statute of the Community, that is, the Association (of Serb Municipalities, ZSO), which is in progress and will take time,” Kocijancic told Tanjug on Wednesday.

About ten days before the deadline runs out given to the Pristina authorities to draft the statute and thus start implementing the agreement on the establishment of the ZSO, the EU says they expect all agreements reached within the framework of the dialogue on the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina to be implemented without delay. “This applies in particular to the agreements on the Community/Association of Serb Municipalities, and the agreement on energy,” said she. Asked by Tanjug whether the EU, as the mediator in the talks between Belgrade and Pristina, knows how far the drafting of the statute of the ZSO - which should be completed by 4 August - has progressed, Kocijancic said that work is ongoing, and requires time." Earlier, when asked how the EU plans to react if the deadline is not respected, and the ZSO statute is not adopted, Kocijancic replied that she did not want to speculate on work in progress. That EU expects the agreement on the Community of Serb Municipalities to be fully implemented without delay, is something also announced by the EU commissioner for enlargement negotiations, Johannes Hahn. “The agreement envisages that the draft Statute of the Association or the Community should be done four months after the start of work on the draft. The Kosovo prime minister gave the mandate to the Steering Team to start working on the draft on 4 April, meaning the deadline is 4 August,” Hahn told Tanjug in mid-May. Even then, Hahn did not answer when asked by the agency what would happen if the deadline was not met, and - would such an act disguise render meaningless the entire course of the dialogue.

 

Patriarch Irinej won’t apologize for offending Montenegro (Beta/Novosti)

 

Serbian Patriarch Irinej would not apologize to Montenegro for offensive words about the position of the SPC and the Serbs in the coastal republic, a daily reported on Tuesday.

Novosti carried a statement from the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), confirming that Patriarch Irinej would not excuse himself for saying that his church in Montenegro lived like in the times of the Ottoman Empire while the Serb were in the same position as in the Croatian Nazi puppet state during the WWII. Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic and President Milo Djukanovic, said earlier on Tuesday they expected an apology. Official Belgrade has so far kept mostly silent about the Patriarch’s accusations, apart from Nenad Popovic, Minister without portfolio, who said earlier on Tuesday that he supported Irinej and that the Montenegrin authorities “conduct a systematic identity genocide” over the Serbs there. Dveri MP and member of the parliamentary Board for the Diaspora and Serbs in the region, Ivan Kostic, in a written statement said that Irinej’s allegations were “extremely important, since they have finally placed the extremely difficult position of the Serb community in Montenegro in the center of media attention”. Contrary to this, the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG) of former ombudsman Sasa Jankovic, announced on Tuesday that the Patriarch’s statement represented “extreme speech which does not contribute to the resolution of the problem but rather makes it worse”.

 

Obradovic on future opposition cooperation (Beta)

 

Dveri leader Bosko Obradovic said in Cacak, on July 24 that the party was open to cooperating with other opposition parties to oust the present government headed by Aleksandar Vucic, but that this required a common platform to rally the opposition, with an emphasis on keeping Kosovo. The leader of Dveri said he hoped that, by the end of July or beginning of August, the opposition front in the up-coming "great political battle in the fall" would be known because the authorities "will be pushed against the wall in the next several months to sign a binding agreement with the non-existent state of Kosovo and allow its entry into the U.N.." "Dveri can participate in an opposition alliance which would clearly state that there is no recognizing of Kosovo, that the Serbian Constitution and Resolution 1244 need to be honored, and that there is no signing of a legally binding agreement on any other decision allowing Kosovo membership in the UN or something similar that leads to recognizing Kosovo's independence," Obradovic said.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Covic: B&H will never be divided (TV1)

 

During an informal meeting with representatives of media organized in Sarajevo on Tuesday, Croat member of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Dragan Covic stated that B&H will never be divided, adding that he and Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik have never created joint policies in this direction. Covic underlined: “B&H is my homeland, no matter how much some (persons) remain silent about this and I will do everything to make it a successful homeland, where you and I and our successors will be able to live a good life. Of course that I see it (B&H) primarily as a European country, as part of the Euro-Atlantic project. In my opinion, there is no other project for B&H. Of course, I see B&H organized by the will of the three constituent peoples and every citizen of B&H”. Covic noted that he is discontent with the fact that B&H still has not got the status of the EU candidate and with the dynamics of policies conducted within B&H, adding that failure to adopt changes to B&H Election Law is the biggest failure of all. “Today, we are in a phase without any kind of solutions, with attempts of some political parties to find solutions for implementation of election results in another way, by differing from stances of B&H Constitutional Court”. According to Covic, chances for changing of the election legislation failed and no, they wait for the elections. “When it comes to the elections, I am deeply convinced that we will have legitimate representatives of the constituent peoples after the elections and that we will not have to wait too long to form the executive authorities. I even believe that this will be done much faster than it was the case in previous situations”. Commenting on the proposal of the law on constituencies and the number of mandates in the Federation of B&H Parliament, Covic stated that the five Bosniak parties insisted on the proposal, which he assessed as “legal violence or an attempt to transfer a classic state-level problem to lower levels”. In his opinion, relations between Croats and Bosniaks are not at a very-satisfactory level in the past year or two, due to such attempts which aim to impose solutions to others saying what is good for them and what is not. Reporter reminded that High Representative Valentin Inzko stated recently that Covic’s goal is to change constitutional order of the Federation of B&H and Dodik’s goal is division of B&H. Covic rejected abovementioned claims by saying that “if this was not ridiculous, it would be sad.”

 

B&H FM Crnadak meets Maltese FM Abela (TV1)

 

B&H Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak met with Maltese Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela in Sarajevo on Tuesday. The two officials discussed cooperation between B&H and Malta and the European path of B&H. Abela emphasized that Malta fully supports the European path of B&H, adding that the process requires a series of reforms and difficult decisions. In this regard, he also said that Malta is ready to share its experience to B&H. Abela reminded that Malta was one of the first countries in the world that recognized independence of B&H. Crnadak stated that they discussed ways to improve cooperation in the field of trade, tourism and ways to help B&H to progress and move forward. Crnadak also added that Abela met with B&H Minister of Foreign Affairs and Economic Relations Mirko Sarovic on Monday.

 

NATO Commander Bissell: MAP activation is political decision, we will continue to help B&H (Dnevni avaz)

 

Commander of the NATO HQ in Sarajevo Marti Bissell stated that the issue of activation of the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) for Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is a political decision that must be passed by the NATO members. She pointed out that the NATO HQ in Sarajevo is going to continue to offer support to B&H in the Euro-Atlantic integration process. “We are going to continue to monitor B&H’s progress on that road,” said Bissell.

 

Zaev: fYROM, B&H should improve their relations (TV1)

 

TV1 broadcast an interview with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYROM) Prime Minister (PM) Zoran Zaev carried out during his visit to Mostar on Monday. Speaking about relations between the fYROM and B&H, Zaev stressed that the two countries should work on improving lives of citizens and improving of overall relations. Asked whether he is still an optimist due to difficult negotiations with Greece on the name dispute and many problems in the fYROM, Zaev stated that he is a big optimist. “It is really hard, a difficult process is ahead of us, but this will make things more magnificent in the end. Probably, this is how things should be”. He reminded that the fYROM is closer to become a full NATO member state and that July 2019 was set as a date of opening of accession negotiations with the EU. “All the effort that we make is worth it, due to the future of our country”. Asked why he accepted the mandate to form a technical government 100 days before elections in his country, Zaev stated that his Government made compromises that they observe as democratic steps forward. According to Zaev, over 80 percent of people in the fYROM support the NATO path of the country, while over 75 percent of people support the EU path. Zaev said that after ratification of the agreement on the name dispute in the parliaments, the FYROM and Greece have to work a lot, in terms of regulation of relations between the two countries. Asked whether the fYROM managed to solve ethnic problems, Zaev said that the fYROM is a multi-ethnic country like B&H, with the final goal of securing the same rights and the same obligations for all citizens. Commenting on the role of Russia in the Balkans, he said that Russia is a friend of the fYROM that wants to build friendly relations and improve cooperation with Russia, but warned that for the fYROM, there is no alternative for the EU and the NATO. In the end of the interview, Zaev stated that he believes in the idea of formation of the Balkans’ customs union and all other ideas that go to the benefit of peoples in the Balkans.

 

Members of B&H Presidency, B&H CoM and police agencies meet and discuss migrant crisis (N1)

 

The members of the B&H Presidency organized the first meeting on migrant crisis on Tuesday with members of the B&H Council of Ministers (B&H CoM) and the security agencies in B&H. After the meeting, relevant B&H CoM ministers and directors of the security agencies did not wish to give statements to the members of the press. The meeting lasted almost two hours, but no concrete solution for accommodation of migrants was found. Serb member of the B&H Presidency Mladen Ivanic said that B&H is unable to politically sustain the present number of migrants. “They are not welcome in any environment and this has nothing to do with their nationality or anything of the sort”, said Ivanic. He proposed strengthening of B&H borders and even suggested closing borders with B&H’s eastern neighbors. “Many people in B&H institutions are unaware of the problem our country faces. The only realistic solution for this is better border control because without it, we will never stop this process. At the next Presidency session, I will insist that a detailed border-control plan is made so that those people would know that they cannot go through here,” Ivanic said. The next session of the B&H Presidency is scheduled for August 1. Ivanic also noted that one should ask why B&H became a part of the migrant route. He concluded that the reason for this is that other countries are better at controlling of their borders. “We must know, at any given moment, what is going on in B&H. That is of key importance. I refer to the humanitarian aspect and the security aspect. We do not have to bring politics into that. You cannot bring yourself in a situation where someone comes to you and says, now I speculate that there have been 100, 200 or 300 entries into B&H. And then we speculate where they have entered the country. We have a sufficient number of police officers, much more than we need, based on any standard,” said Ivanic.

 

Croatian and Israeli Presidents discuss ties and historical issues (Hina)

 

Croatia and Israel should investigate every possibility to intensify cooperation, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said in Zagreb on Tuesday after meeting with her Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin, who called on the two countries to look to the future as well as learn lessons from the dark moments in the past. Croatia and Israel, as Mediterranean countries, should investigate every possibility to intensify cooperation between the north and south coasts of the Mediterranean, from common heritage to the common issues we encounter today, such as migration and security, as well as common possibilities in energy, agriculture, tourism, industry and other economic branches, Grabar-Kitarovic told reporters. Cooperation can also be intensified in high technology and culture. We have a firm foundation for raising our relations to a strategic level, she said. Croatia and Israel are located in historically turbulent regions and undergoing transition, she said, adding that Croatia was Israel's friend, ally and reliable partner in the European Union, NATO and the UN. She said today's talks between the two countries' delegations focused on military and economic cooperation. The procurement of F-16 Barak fighter jets brings the cooperation in defence to a brand-new level, she said. This isn't just a military equipment sale but the first step in the long-term strategic relationship between Croatia and Israel, she added. She said Croatia's Defence Ministry was pleased with the negotiations that would result in the signing of a contract, and that she was more than optimistic the delivery contract would be signed in the autumn. Grabar-Kitarovic said she was also pleased about the interest of Israel's defence industry to invest and cooperate in Croatia. There is huge potential to establish mutually useful relations between our industries and defence sectors, she said, adding that a conference on the two countries' defence industries would be held tomorrow. The two presidents also spoke about historical issues and the suffering of the Jewish population in the territory of present day Croatia and education about the Holocaust. Primarily, I would like to emphasize that the democratic foundations of modern Croatia have firm roots in anti-fascism and the Homeland War in which Croatia, as a sovereign state, defended itself from aggression. This is clearly stated in the Croatian Constitution, which at the same time guarantees and protects the fundamental democratic values of all Croatian citizens – the rule of law as well as human and minority rights, the Croatian president said. She recalled that every Croatian government thus far has expressed deep respect for all Holocaust victims. Croatia takes very seriously its cooperation with all institutions in Israel and elsewhere and by doing so it is preserving the memory of the Holocaust and its victims. Croatia has continuously proved its active and deep commitment to global determination in the fight against anti-Semitism," Grabar-Kitarovic said. She recalled that, to this day, a total of 117 Croat nationals have been declared Righteous among the Nations, adding that in April 2015 she attended a ceremony at which Dr. Stanko Sielski was posthumously awarded the Righteous among the Nations medal by the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial centre. On Wednesday, Rivlin and Grabar-Kitarovic will visit the Jasenovic Memorial Centre and pay their respects to all victims of the WWII Ustasha-run death camp there. Reuven Rivlin is the third Israeli president to visit Croatia but the first one on an official state visit. Moshe Katsav visited Croatia in 2003 and Shimon Peres visited in 2010. He expressed satisfaction with cooperation and growing trade between the two countries that are looking to the future together. But we also have to know our past which wasn't always easy and had many dark moments from which we have to learn, Rivlin said and underscored that it also had a lot of heroes, referring to 117 Croats proclaimed Righteous Among the Nations. Each of them was a light in the dark, he said and added that even today we have to face threats of hate and terror. We have to protect our peoples in the war against terror. We have to cooperate so our peoples can be safe. We have to defend our peoples and our values and we will do that together, he added. President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic conducted a working state visit to Israel in July 2015 and on that occasion met with President Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjahu and Knesset Speaker Yuli-Yoel Edelstein. During that visit she also visited the Yad Yashem memorial centre and expressed her "deepest remorse," for all Holocaust victims in Croatia killed during the Ustasha Nazi-puppet regime in WWII. During her visit, she quoted the words by Israeli poet Haim Hefer in Hebrew: "In front of you, the Righteous, I bow." During her talks she expressed understanding regarding Israel's security and said that Zagreb would be Israel's voice in the EU.

 

Croatian and Austrian foreign ministers discuss Schengen Area and illegal immigration (HRT)

 

The Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister met with her Austrian counterpart in Zagreb yesterday. The focus of their talks was on Austria's six-month mandate as president of the Council of European Union, migration and security. The main focus of the Austrian presidency of the Council of the European Union is migration. For Croatia it is imperative that it join the Schengen Area and in this way avoid becoming a new 'hot spot' for illegal immigrants.

Given that Croatia is on the migrant route, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejcinovic Buric noted that it is important that Croatia join the Schengen Area as soon as possible. "The Schengen acquis was formulated before the current global order, at a time when it was impossible to imagine any problems in terms of illegal migration," the minister said.

Austrian Foreign Affairs Minister Karin Kneissl said that it is necessary to clearly distinguish between those who have the right to asylum and those who are illegal immigrants. "It is important that we agree on adequate mechanisms and that they are implemented at our borders," she said. The Austrian Minister was also received by President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, with whom she discussed strengthening economic ties between the two countries, Croatia’s joining the Schengen Area, security in southeast Europe and continued EU enlargement in the region.

 

Croatia supports Ireland in Brexit negotiations (Hina)

 

Croatia supports Ireland in its efforts to stop the UK's exit from the European Union from undermining the progress achieved in Ireland, first and foremost the soft border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said in Zagreb on Monday after meeting with his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar. Zagreb was the first stop on Varadkar's tour of three European capitals during which, according to Irish media, he will discuss Brexit and the possibility of not reaching an agreement on it with London. Speaking at a joint press conference, Plenkovic said "Croatia will support Ireland in its efforts for the future regime on the border between the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to keep the minimal aspects" of the current state of affairs. "It's a gradual technical approach that will cause the least damage. Our goal is for the future regime not to cause any political instability in Ireland, in which we agreed with Varadkar." Dublin believes that existing solutions should be adhered to until future relations between the UK and the EU have been comprehensively determined, Varadkar said, adding that he had told Plenkovic how much Ireland appreciated Croatia's solidarity and understanding. Ireland is preoccupied with Brexit, notably regarding Northern Ireland, Varadkar said. It is necessary to guarantee that all signed protocols remain in force, notably regarding the relations between Ireland and Northern Ireland, he added. It is important to understand all of Ireland's concerns, given its particular position, notably the border with Northern Ireland, Plenkovic said. For Croatia, it is important that the Brexit negotiations end in such a way to "match the general positions taken by the European Council, while satisfying Ireland's interests in the process," he added. Plenkovic said he had warned before the Brexit referendum that it was a "risky undertaking" in which, he added, everyone had lost. Former British PM David Cameron, who initiated the referendum, lost, as did the UK, which is increasingly seeing the manipulation by populists who "tried to interfere in our referendum too," he said, recalling that he had clashed over these matters with Brexit advocate Nigel Farage. The European project lost too "because for two years it dealt only with this issue, and Ireland is the most affected by this situation," he said, adding that it was now necessary to agree "a deal on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom and see clear outlines of the future contractual relationship." Varadkar also met with President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, telling her he supported Croatia's entry to the Schengen and euro areas. He offered Croatia assistance in the exchange of experience in chairing the Council of the EU, which Croatia will do in 2020.

 

Only integration can bring stability to the WB (CDM)

 

Integration is another word for stability of the Western Balkans, says the President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic at the meeting with his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella.

During the meeting, Djukanovic pointed out to a very important role of our country in salvaging and promoting stability and progress in the region. “Montenegro and Italy are continuously improving their relations, especially in terms of Montenegro’s accession to NATO and EU integrations,” said President Djukanovic. He showed his respect for the support Italy provided at the bilateral, and European/Euro Atlantic level as well. “Such a position of Italy has been extremely significant to us, especially in terms of dealing with instabilities in the Balkans. That is why I say the integration would be another word for the stability of the Western Balkans” stressed Djukanovic. Mattarella, on the other side, mentioned that Italy strongly supported the EU enlargement policy, underlining that Europe could not be complete without the Western Balkans. “Montenegro opens chances towards the EU as the leader in the EU accession process.” The President of Italy said Montenegro’s integration process affected its overall economic and democratic development, as well as acceptance of EU values, which was in the best interest of the region and the EU. In the end of the meeting, both presidents noted that the two states have had a wonderful bilateral cooperation at the economic level, especially in the energy field. But, of course, there are other areas for linking these two countries, e.g. culture, environmental protection and education, which can be reached through mobility scheme programs and other programs for learning Italian, the presidents have concluded.

 

Zaev: Close to EU and NATO membership, irresponsible ultimatums are unacceptable (MIA)

 

We are very close to the realization of Macedonia's strategic goals - EU and NATO membership - and we will not let irresponsible ultimatums risk the process. We remain committed to solutions that enable conditions for a fair referendum in the citizens' interest, said Prime Minister Zoran Zaev at Tuesday's meeting with Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office. "The law is equal for all, amnesty for political crime is impossible, we will not buckle under the pressure and renounce from the rule of law," said PM Zaev. Zaev told Roth that Macedonia has opened a new chapter in its history when receiving a date for the start of the EU accession talks and the NATO membership invitation, in a time when European unity is of enormous importance, the Government said in a press release. The PM highlighted Germany's exceptional support in the transformation of the political crisis in Macedonia and the comprehensive reforms. Minister Roth said Macedonia can count on Germany's full support, stressing that the coming referendum is a decisive moment for Macedonia's European future. According to him, all relevant political stakeholders in the country, including the opposition, should take the responsibility, reads the press release.

 

Opposition VMRO-DPMNE leader Mickoski meets German Minister Roth (MIA)

 

Opposition VMRO-DPMNE leader Kristijan Mickoski and German Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth, voiced satisfaction Tuesday in Skopje with the good relations between Macedonia and Germany. VMRO-DPMNE is sincere supporter of Macedonia’s accession to the European Union and NATO, Mickoski told Roth. Mickoski also notified that the unilaterally binding agreement signed with Greece was detrimental to Macedonia’s interests and hence he could not support it, VMRO-DPMNE said in a press release.

 

Politics is not a game, all political actors must take responsibility, says Roth (MIA)

 

The future of Macedonia is in NATO and the EU, and that is not only my personal point of view, it is the joint position of the EU institutions and all 28 member states. I would love to see Macedonia on my side, in Europe, in the near future, because stability, peace, prosperity and democracy in the Western Balkans are the key. But, without the name agreement, I don't see a chance for you to join the EU and NATO. This was stated by Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office, in Skopje at a debate "EU perspectives of the Macedonian youth". "That's why we have to keep our promises and Macedonia has to keep its promises. It's not only an obligation of the government, it is also an obligation of all political actors to take responsibility for the whole country! Politics is not a game! This is why you matter so much. We need you and I encourage you to stand and fight for your rights, to raise your voice," Roth told representatives of youth organizations. Macedonia has lost a generation waiting, said Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov, who joined the debate. "Patriotism requires constant commitment, it's not an empty, selfish nationalism. It takes courage and responsibility to face the hurdles and to open an opportunity that will release the potentials of young people in the society." He said that the region was still addressing issues of uncertainty. "And it is very important for the future of Macedonia to join NATO so that we stop asking ourselves what kind of problems and care we are going to have in five year, ten years from now." According to Dimitrov, it is also very important for Macedonia to 'catch the train', because Europe is going through a transition of its own. "We have no time to lose, we don't know if another train is coming and we must not miss this one. "The best chance our country has is to become a European democracy with good education, with responsible politicians and with free media, with independent judges," the Minister stressed.

 

Kosovo gov't expected to rescind tariff measure (MIA)

 

The Kosovo government is expected to declare its position about the decision under which it increased tariffs for fruit and vegetables, Ljupco Nikolovski said Tuesday. The Minister of Agriculture said he expected Kosovo to rescind the measure. "The decision has to be cancelled. All talks imply this. We are in constant communication with the Kosovo authorities. The government in Kosovo is expected to hold a session by the end of the day. I personally believe there will be a new moment in the next few hours," Minister Nikolovski told a press conference. According to him, all options will be considered to cover damages caused by the Kosovo measures, which has suspended the export of produces from Macedonia. Adequate reciprocal measures will be taken, Nikolovski said. Damages estimated at nearly €3 million have been registered in the past few days. It can greatly affect the local economy, say Macedonian businessmen and urge Kosovo to withdraw the measure. According to the Association of Chambers of Commerce, Kosovo's decision is 'politically biased and does not correspond with the needs of the market.'

 

Deputy Chief of US Embassy: Albanian politicians fear vetting (ADN)

 

The Deputy Chief of US Embassy in Albania, David Muniz, has reacted on Tuesday after parliament failed to vote the new law on 'Magistrates' which predicts a new status for Judges and Prosecutors in Albania. According to him, Albanian politicians failed. "It was only a simple amendment to the Law on the Status of Judges and Prosecutors to meet a basic requirement of a functioning judicial system that allows young students to enter the Magistrates School. Albanian politicians had the opportunity to take this simple step forward and open the doors to a new class of students, but did not do so. Vetting is moving faster, and Albania needs new judges and prosecutors to protect the rule of law. Apparently, politicians are afraid of the rule of law and therefore did not work together to support the School of Magistrates and Judicial Reform," said Muniz.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Hungary's Orban Offers Montenegro Help in 'Defending' its Borders (BIRN, by Dusica Timovic, 24 July 2018)

 

Montenegro, seeing a rise in migrant and refugee numbers, says a Hungarian-style border fence is not necessary, yet.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban offered on Tuesday to help Montenegro "defend" its borders from a rising number of migrants and refugees, but his Montengrin counterpart said there was no need yet for a Hungarian-style fence. Making his first official visit to the tiny Adriatic country, Orban reiterated that the Balkan route for migrants and refugees trying to reach the European Union should remain closed. Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia have each seen an increase in numbers heading north to EU member Croatia since the beginning of 2018 – a total of 6,700 from January until the end of May, more than twice the number registered in these three countries for the whole of 2017. Local media reports suggest the vast majority come from Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Palestine and Iraq. After talks with Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic, Orban said "Europe is still making serious mistakes." "I told Prime Minister Markovic that if they have issues with migrants, Hungary is willing to help, because when Montenegro defends its borders, it does not only defend Montenegro but Hungary and the entire EU as well," Orban was quoted as saying in a press release from the Montenegrin government. “The EU needs Montenegro too," Orban told a press conference, and appeared to link EU enlargement plans – according to which Montenegro could join the union by 2025 – and the issue of illegal migration. It does not matter if countries have good economic and political perspectives if they are unable to protect their territory and cultural identity, he said. "You very well know the Hungarians' attitude; our position is the protection of the identity and territorial integrity of Hungary." Relations between the EU and Hungary have been strained by the strict anti-migration and anti-refugee positions of Orban's government. In 2015, Hungary built two rows of razor-wire fence on its southern border with Serbia after hundreds of thousands of migrants passed through. In May, it offered to donate a fence to Montenegro but Podgorica said it was not necessary, "so far". Markovic thanked Orban for the gesture, but said: "For now, there are no reasons for that."

 

Greek-Russian Relations at Crossroads (Strategic Culture Foundation, by Andreas Andrianopoulos, 24 July 2018)

 

The political landscape of Greek-Russian relations has suddenly darkened. What exactly is the matter? It is almost impossible to cull any accurate information enabling us to clarify the situation and shine a light on recent developments.

Let’s first sweep the picture clean of inaccurate assertions and unfounded claims. Commentators who almost always turn to the anti-Western narrative immediately took to the field. The Greek government, they claim, is trying to earn its credentials vis-à-vis NATO and the US. Although nobody has ever required such a demonstration of allegiance from Athens. Under the present circumstances Greece is not going to win any points with such behaviour. With the agreement at Prespa Lake and Athens yielding to FYROMacedonia's membership in NATO, the Greek government has already earned what it could from like-minded Western European capitals. A breakup with Russia would not have added anything to Athens’ pro-Western arsenal. At a time when the US is blaming Germany for being friendly with Russia and other European states — namely Austria, Italy, and Hungary, among others — appear to be moving closer to Moscow, what would an anti-Russian gesture by Greece signify? How could Athens expect to capitalize on this? I cannot honestly discern any direct benefit for Greece. Likewise, why would Washington pressure Athens to adapt such a hostile attitude? What would the Americans expect to earn at a time when the US president himself reiterates that in Vladimir Putin he sees a man he can fully understand … and make a deal with...

On the other hand, as far as bilateral relations are concerned, Athens' relationship with Moscow has been seriously wounded — without any clear benefits for Greece. Putin has made it clear how he would react if faced with a repeated challenge: "If you squeeze a spring as far as it will go, it will snap back hard. You must always remember this". One should not overlook the fact that some months ago a meeting was called off between the Greek and Russian government ministries that had been aimed at fostering economic cooperation between the two countries. The reason given was the unexpected appearance at the meeting of some Crimean politicians — the Russians maintaining however that the Greek side had been forewarned and had not raised any objections at the time! In the end the episode was brushed aside without any major repercussions, at least public ones. But it was an issue nevertheless...

At the last occurrence, culminating in the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Athens there is enough ambivalence as concerns the matter. The main issue being discussed is a possible Russian effort against the Prespa agreement, objecting in order to nullify FYROM’s future membership in NATO. Two comments must be made here. Only Northern Macedonia can render the agreement invalid at this point, not Greece. Even if the Greek parliament fails to ratify the agreement, the northern Macedonians will automatically become members of the Atlantic alliance. In order for that to happen the government in Skopje merely needs to satisfy the requirements set out by the Prespa agreement and stipulated by NATO. It is ridiculous to think that Russian diplomats are not fully aware of this situation. Why then, as some observers insinuate, should they try to nudge Greece into walking out of the agreement? As for NATO, it is doubtful that the Russians do not recognize that the attitude of the US and of its president, who recently met with Russian officials and with President Putin himself in Helsinki, poses a greater threat to the cohesion of the alliance than the membership of tiny FYROM. My opinion is that the various reports on the issue are making the matter seem much weightier than it really is. My assessment is that Moscow is much less concerned about it than is generally acknowledged.

There is, however, definitely an issue. Otherwise we would not have reached the point of repatriating diplomats. One should never overlook the fact that great powers are usually burdened by many decision-influencing centres. Sometimes they are working outside of the official process that the governments dictate. Russia can hardly be an exception. Often the tentacles of such decision-making centres reach the state machinery. This has happened in Greece in the past, when a retired Air Force pilot attempted to bomb parts of Albania. We saw it again in the case of a fugitive from Turkey, the Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. In the US it is very often the case that various agencies take initiatives without the knowledge of the central government authorities. With Russia, the issue of Orthodox Christian belief is quite important. Adherence to those principles can potentially prompt actions and moves without the knowledge or approval of a central authority. Unfortunately, I am not privy to specific information. But I believe that my ideas make logical sense. Why should the Kremlin jeopardise a carefully cultivated cordial relationship with Athens just to pursue a dead-end policy on the issue of Skopje? After all, that’s an issue of paramount importance to Greece! And it could not possibly produce any fruitful results...

There are people in northern Greece who have often involved themselves in issues of vital importance to Greece without the slightest official authorisation or coordination with the aims of the Greek state. Some of them refer to Russia as a sister Orthodox power, without having been entrusted with such authority. On the other hand, one should not overlook the fact that Greece carries a grudge against the Kremlin for having embraced Turkey in recent months, supplying it with missiles and accepting its friendly overtures on the Syrian front, although aware of its diverse inclinations concerning the future of that region. It is not impossible that such sentiments may have culminated in and led to the recent crisis between the two states. Notwithstanding the above, there is a wider issue contributing to the current misunderstandings. Russia has always been a puzzle for anyone attempting to do business with her. They find it difficult to comprehend her reactions and behaviour. Almost all are reminded of Winston Churchill's words describing Russia: "It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma". What few people remember is the rest of Churchill's phrase: "But perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest".

Some years later he explained: "I am convinced that there is nothing they [the Russians] admire so much as strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect than for weakness". No country can expect a positive appraisal if it does nothing but beg and offers little or no policy coordination. These words might adequately explain Russia's attitude towards other countries and its posture towards various global affairs.