LOCAL PRESS

 

Government continues implementing measures to combat violence (Tanjug/RTS/RTV/Politika)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic presented yesterday in the Serbian parliament the Report on the security situation in the Republic of Serbia in the aftermath of the mass murders in the "Vladislav Ribnikar" elementary school in Belgrade and in the area of Smederevo and Mladenovac - in Malo Orasje and in Dubona. At the beginning of her address, at the third session of the First regular sitting of the parliament, Brnabic expressed her condolences to the families of the victims of the two mass murders that took place in May. She stated that there are 327 educational institutions in the Belgrade area, including 199 elementary schools, 103 secondary schools and 25 schools for primary and secondary education. Prior to 3 May, 140 school police officers were engaged on improving the security situation in schools, covering 205 schools, of which 140 elementary and 65 secondary schools which were assessed as being more vulnerable in terms of security, while the rest were covered through regular service, she. Brnabic pointed out that, after the tragic event in the "Vladislav Ribnikar" elementary school, on the same day, the police administrations were ordered to contact the principals of all schools, to analyse the security situation, as well as to intensify police work near the schools, while after the mass murder in the vicinity of Mladenovac and Smederevo, an urgent, visibly increased presence of the police in public places was ordered. A total of 12,368 police officers are engaged in 1,832 schools, both state and private, the Prime Minister said and emphasised that police officers are obliged to be in schools during classes, the arrival and departure of students, as well as to focus on early recognition of possible risks and threats. According to her, 25 shooting ranges have been checked, and 26,339 weapons handed over so far. Brnabic said that the government continues implementing measures to combat violence, and that the most important measure is the disarmament of Serbia. She confirmed that the electronic system for reporting violence against children will start operating tomorrow on the platform “I Protect You”. According to her, in accordance with the government's work programme to 2026 and the priority of improving the safety of children, young people and educational workers in educational institutions, activities were undertaken to launch an electronic violence reporting system for citizens, competent authorities and institutions within the national platform for the prevention of violence involving children. It is the platform “I Protect You”. In addition to videos, with lectures on various topics related to safety and peer violence, the system for reporting violence has been created on the platform, to be used by citizens, competent authorities and institutions, she. Brnabic added that in one place, through the Triage Team established within the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, all competent authorities will monitor every report of violence against a child and the course of its resolution. According to her, the status of the report will be available at any time, and citizens will also be able to submit reports to the Triage Team, monitor their progress and outcome. She pointed out that the police focused their activities on preventive action, noting that police departments throughout Serbia have the obligation to check at the beginning of each year the state of security of students and schools in the previous school year, and to make an analysis of the cooperation achieved with all educational institutions. According to her, since 2018, 327 police officers have been trained to work as school police officers, while during the 2022/23 school year 3,385 lectures, forums, workshops, student visits to the police and socialising of students with the police were organised. The safety of children, students and schools is one of the priorities in the work of the police. The police continuously monitor the situation and, in accordance with the assessments, direct their activities related to preventive action and educational campaigns, Brnabic pointed out.

 

Brnabic: There will be no caretaker government or violent media shutdowns (Tanjug/RTS)

 

In response to an opposition leader, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said in the parliament on Friday there would be no caretaker government or violent shutdowns of media outlets. "You said our time is up - that might be true, but the citizens will have a say about that. We will ask them and they will have their say, but you will not be able to usurp the power before that," Brnabic told Dveri leader and MP Bosko Obradovic. She added that there was no way to form a "caretaker expert government" without the people's will and without any institutions, in the streets. "Everything is alright, our time is up, we will go to elections, we will resign... We will continue to fight as the opposition for a Serbia we dream of. We will also continue to fight for roads, rail lines, young people, education, for culture and health care, and for a Serbia that finally can, and dares to, pursue an independent foreign policy," Brnabic said. "In the meantime, there will be no caretaker governments, violent shutdowns of any media outlets or assignment of (broadcasting) frequencies the way you want it, without institutions," she said. In a debate on the security situation in the country in the wake of two mass shootings earlier this month, Obradovic proposed the formation of a caretaker government that would introduce urgent measures to prevent violence.

 

Opposition protest as Brnabic speaks (N1)

 

Opposition MPs stood with pictures saying What’s Funny when Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic started speaking at Thursday’s parliament session. The opposition MPs held up the picture from Brnabic’s Twitter post ridiculing last Friday’s protest in Belgrade, The photoshoped image of herself, President Aleksandar Vucic and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali in triplicate had the caption: There are more of us than last time. Her tweet came after opposition Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) leader Dragan Djilas posted a photoshoped image of the column of marching protesters in Belgrade. Djilas apologized for the picture later. Brnabic was in parliament for a debate on her government’s report on the recent mass shootings, a report by the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) and an initiative to form a board of inquiry to investigate the mass shootings, as well as an opposition demand for the dismissal of Internal Affairs Minister Bratislav Gasic.

 

Petkovic: Occupation started today, Kurti wished to provoke war (RTV/Tanjug)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said that the occupation of Albin Kurti and Erden Atic, who is the so-called mayor of the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, began today, as well as that Kurti wants to expel the Serb people and stage the war most openly. At the press conference, he said that the symbol of the occupation is a cloth displayed on the municipal building, which for Serbs it is not, and added that it will remain there as long as the occupation, and added that talks between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and EU special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak. Vucic warned Lajcak of all the consequences of Kurti’s provocations, which could turn into the biggest crisis so far. That with its actions, Pristina wants to expel the Serb people from Kosovo and Metohija and that they want to provoke war most openly,” Petkovic stated. He added that with the swearing-in of Erden Atic in the municipality of North Mitrovica today, the “occupation of the north of Kosovo and Metohija has officially begun, carried out by the prime minister of the provisional Pristina institutions Albin Kurti”. “And the symbol of that occupation is also that cloth that they displayed on the building of the municipality of North Kosovska Mitrovica. For us, it is not and will never be a flag that will stand there and last as long as the occupation itself, which means not for long,” he said. He pointed out that history “teaches and shows us that every occupation has an end”. “This will end when the Serbs choose the moment. In the last 100 years, there have been many occupation flags that have flown in Kosovo and Metohija. Both Mussolini’s and the flag of Hitler’s Third Reich, but all of them were defeated and outlived by the Serbian tricolor. It will be the same this time as well,” concluded Petkovic. He added that it is “absolutely unacceptable and inadmissible” that the candidate who won 553 votes leads the municipality of North Kosovska Mitrovica. He reminded that the candidate of the Serb List Milan Radojevic won 10,833 votes, or 91.12 percent of the votes, in the previous elections. “It is clear to you that someone who does not have any legitimacy cannot represent the citizens of that municipality. We have 45,000 registered voters in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, and a total of 1,567 voted. Of these, 13 were Serbs, i.e. persons of Serb nationality. Practically only 11 because two of them are elderly people who didn’t know what kind of elections they were going to,” explained Petkovic. He added that such elections cannot be legitimate because 98 percent of the Serb people live in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, and that 0.029 percent of Serbs turned out. “Shame on Albin Kurti, but also on that part of the international community that supported these container elections in which the Serbs did not participate and which they boycotted because they showed that they do not care for democracy, that they do not care for democratic principles. And today’s announcement which talks about how both sides should refrain from violence, it says enough that there is no willingness to go in the direction of normalization and that all this Kurti is doing because he got support of someone,” Petkovic stated. He pointed out that Belgrade will continue to be with the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija. “We will be there on 1 June, when the Serbs have left a deadline for both the international community and Kurti to come to their senses to stop all provocations towards the Serbs, to stop the arrests, with the stopping of vehicles with KM plates, the illegal decisions on expropriation, with the shooting of innocent people, to finally stop all that, because Albin Kurti has nothing to look for in the north of Kosovo. The Kosovo police have no right to be present in the north of Kosovo,” concluded Petkovic.

 

Serb List: We managed to preserve peace by superhuman efforts (N1)

 

After the new North Mitrovica mayor was sworn in on Friday, leader of Serb List Goran Rakic said that they managed to preserve peace thanks to superhuman efforts and to prevent the people from responding to the provocations by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s regime. We showed that we are committed to peace, Rakic told a media conference. “We showed that even when the false elections were held, and peace was preserved today by superhuman efforts,” he said, adding he fails to see that anyone else, “especially in Pristina”, is looking to preserve peace. If the basic rights of the Serb people in Kosovo continue to be denied, a decisive response from the Serb people will follow on 1 June. “We will defend the Serbs’ right to remain at their hearths with all available means,” stressed Rakic, noting that the 1 June deadline is given to Kurti’s regime, Quint representatives and the international community. The new mayor of North Mitrovica Erden Atic took oath of office on Friday, officially beginning his term of office.

 

Boosting regional cooperation in field of defence (Tanjug)

 

The Serbian Defense Ministry stated that Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army General Milan Mojsilovic participated yesterday in the 16th conference of the chiefs of general staff of the Balkan countries, held in Sofia. The theme of this year’s conference was “Military connectivity in the region and military mobility as a special contribution to partnership in the Balkans – finding innovative ways for integration and cooperation”, and the chiefs of general staff of the Balkan countries had an opportunity to exchange experiences and positions on other relevant topics too, which are important for the further development of regional cooperation in the field of defence. During his speech, Mojsilovic confirmed the commitment of the Serbian Army to the further development of this regional initiative, primarily through the improvement of military-military cooperation and the strengthening of trust between the armed forces of the member countries, which is of particular importance in the conditions of the current security situation at the global level. During his visit to Sofia, the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army had separate bilateral meetings with Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army Admiral Emil Eftimov and Chairman of the EU Military Committee General Robert Brieger, with whom he discussed the scope of military-military cooperation and the possibilities for its further improvement. The forum of the chiefs of general staff of the Balkan countries brings together the chiefs of general staff of the armed forces of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Romania, North Macedonia, Turkey and Montenegro, with the aim of strengthening military-military cooperation of the Balkan countries and a model of response to contemporary security challenges, risks and threats. High representatives of the EU and NATO, as well as the chiefs of general staff of the armed forces of Croatia and Slovenia participated in this year’s conference as guests, according to the statement of the Ministry of Defence.

 

Chollet: Avoid provocation in northern Kosovo (N1)

 

State Department Counselor Derek Chollet said on Thursday that he told top officials in Belgrade and Pristina that provocative actions in northern Kosovo should be avoided. He repeated the same sentence in separate Twitter posts about phone calls to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti: Emphasized all parties should avoid provocative actions in the north. His post about the call with Vucic said that the US continues to push for immediate progress on the Community of Serb Municipalities and return of Kosovo Serbs to local institutions. The post about Chollet’s call with Kurti said that normalizing relations with Serbia via the EU-facilitated Dialogue and implementing the ZSO will open doors for Kosovo, including eventual mutual recognition.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

HR Schmidt: State-level law on property must specify what is owned by state and what by entities and Brcko; I agreed with Commissioner Varhelyi that something constructive is happening in B&H (FTV)

 

FTV carries an interview with High Representative (HR) Christian Schmidt, pre-recorded in the OHR building in Sarajevo. Commenting on the issue of the state property in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), Schmidt said that there needs to be a fair division and distribution, he noted that this is not a political issue and said that he read Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik’s interpretation of the Dayton Agreement. Schmidt added that legal aspects should first be discussed. Asked if the OHR can clear this situation up, Schmidt pointed out that the working group in charge of the state property issue already held three meetings. Schmidt explained why names of the members of this working group are not revealed in public, noting: “These are experts who are not public personalities in the first place, but legal experts, and they can contribute together with us there. So, I do not want to decide on that issue by decree. No, I want us to sit together, to think together about how the B&H parliament can make a state law.” The HR added that the state law does not mean that it must say that everything belongs to the state. The HR elaborated: “It must include what is in ownership of the state, what of the entities, and what of Brcko; other to the cantons or municipalities, depending on the rules and needs. We can also contribute in that segment. I also have international experts from various countries who contribute. I am also supported by people from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and other European countries. I must say that I was left with a very strong impression of how many smart people we have in that working group." He added: “I do not want to decide on that issue with a decree.” With regard to the criticisms that such an important process related to state property is non-transparent, the HR specified that this working group is not preparing a law, which is actually a task for the B&H Parliament, and he noted that transparency is not called in question. “So, these experts, this working group, they do not make any law, they only make proposals, and it remains for the legislative body to make a law in the state parliament. That is why it is only their contribution in their work. When we get to the detailed issues then there will certainly be public discussions for the office holders and everyone else, and my colleagues in the law department, and I myself insist on that”, he emphasized. Commenting on Dodik’s announcement of secession if the decision on state property is imposed, Schmidt stated that Dodik should not set conditions but rather specify what he wants, adding: “Throughout the day, comments are being made about what is written in Annex 1 of the Dayton Agreement, and these are exactly the points that need to be discussed - what is written in which law and how we will do it fairly together. Basically, I have to say that he has already contradicted himself because he wants to enter into a discussion, and I would recommend him to accept my legal existence. He has already established that I am somewhat stubborn and that, regardless of whether something is said in Sarajevo or Banja Luka, I do not look back on everything that is said in that way. I am here and I want to do something for the citizens of this country. And his ideas about secession have nothing to do with it.” Asked how Dodik could be prevented from denial of genocide, Schmidt replied that the situation in this regard is difficult but that the B&H parliament should deal with it. Schmidt reminded that former HR Valentin Inzko imposed amendments to the B&H Criminal Code regulating genocide denial issue and he finds that this law should be respected more intensively. Schmidt emphasizes that such cases must be prosecuted out of respect for the victims. "It is a question of the rule of law. I spoke with the prosecutor’s office, and I announced that we will enable the support of a German state prosecutor’s office that dealt with Holocaust issues. If it were found that the law was not worded properly, then I am here again”, stressed Schmidt. Reflecting on the work of the current B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) in the first 100 days of their mandate, Schmidt welcomed the fact that both the CoM and the Federation of B&H (FB&H) government passed “some good decisions”. Schmidt confirmed that, in their conversation, he agreed with European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Oliver Varhelyi that “something constructive is happening” in B&H. Asked for a comment to allegations that his decision that enabled formation of the FB&H Government favors HDZ B&H, Schmidt replied that he does not know who is interested in such a solution, but he reminded that HDZ B&H had carried out blocking in the FB&H Government in previous mandates. He thus urged the B&H’s elected representatives to carry out their job. Given that – in an interview for ‘Voice of America’ (VoA) – he had referred to ‘Troika’ as “the reform Bosniak bloc”, Schmidt specified that that is how ‘Troika’ calls themselves. Schmidt said that, when it comes to the coalition at the state level, the program they created is certainly reformist and it includes European integration and the implementation of European standards. “This does not mean that other parties cannot do it. I know that many, including SDA, in any case, have a very pro-European line, but we do not have time for too many possibilities”, Schmidt said. Asked how the issue of implementation of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings in B&H can finally be resolved, Schmidt answered that he regrets to see that Chairwoman of the B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic was not present at the Council of Europe (CoE) summit in Reykjavik, and he reminded of the need to eliminate discrimination through ECHR ruling implementation. Schmidt stressed that the ‘Sejdic-Finci’ ruling is the best known, adding: “I know it is not simple, the Dayton Constitution is not simple, but solutions must still be found, and they can be found together with the CoE, and the Venice Commission as well. It is a task that concerns everyone, and I think that the proposal made by the EU last year can help. That ruling is among the 14 priorities. They should show their willingness to do so. It will also be necessary for the ethnic political forces to prepare for the fact that there will be a slightly stronger, more tolerant structure in the Presidency. There has to be some way to resolve the issue of ‘Sejdic-Finci’ ruling and other rulings. I will mention my optimism again, I have the feeling that, despite all the criticism, we are in a phase where we are starting, and I think we are heading towards better times.” Speaking about the B&H public’s attitude towards him as the HR as well as in the context of citizens’ protests in front of the OHR, Schmidt pointed out that protests and debates are normal in democracy and said: “I am not normality in democracy. Democracy looks different. I am an auxiliary tool for sticking to the Dayton Agreement and for it to be respected. Every protest, if it is peaceful, is fine. Sometimes I would like the protests to go a little more towards the parliament, and to remind what the parliament should do, without me imposing it.” Asked what his next steps will be, Schmidt stresses that “this is not an announcement”, but people want transparent elections and the relevant institutions in B&H should enable this. “People want transparent elections. People's trust in how fair the voting is, as we all know that in B&H, is not that strong. This must be strengthened, and that is why there is the so-called election integrity package, and we want to have, for example, electronic voting in the next local elections. That is one task for the institutions and the Parliament in the coming months and I will be happy to help in that segment,” concluded the HR.

 

ATV learns who are members of OHR’s team working on state property issue; RS Attorney General's Office: There are no decisions at B&H level when it comes to property (ATV)

 

The Office of the High Representative (OHR) did not reveal to the public who are the experts that are working on a text that could be sent to the B&H parliament as the draft law on state property. ATV exclusively learned who should be members of the Working Group. Some have already given up because they say the Working Group is already doomed to fail. The OHR's secret experts dealing with property issues are no longer a secret. ATV learns that the team convened by the office for legal affairs of the OHR includes the former attorney general of B&H Mladjen Mandic, professor Milos Trifkovic from Sarajevo, and the dean of the Faculty of Law in Zenica (Larisa Velic). Mandic is an SDS member who continued to participate in discussions with Bosniak, Croat and international experts. In a telephone statement, he said that he was not going to tell ATV anything, and after that he hung up. The former human rights ombudsman of B&H, Ljubinko Mitrovic, was supposed to be a part of the team, but he left the group after the first meeting. “I simply understood that my further participation would be completely unnecessary, incoherent, and that there was nothing for me to do because there would not be any solution to the complete situation, and that is why I left the working group immediately after that first session”, Mitrovic explained in a telephone statement. ATV learns that the group was formed to give an opinion on the property issue and not to make any decisions. A message from the RS Attorney General's Office - there are no decisions at the B&H level when it comes to property. “Once again, we emphasize that it is a well-known fact that property-legal affairs are exclusively within the jurisdiction of the RS. And the RS continues to develop projects, lease concessions, manage forests on the territory of RS as it has for the past 30 years”, points out RS Attorney General Milimir Govedarica. The FB&H media report that the expert team discussed the legal and technical ownership of forest assets. There was no need for this because the forests of the RS are already registered at the RS level, says RS Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Savo Minic. “During the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the question arises: What did we then distribute by 51 to 49 (percent)? What was being drawn? What is distributed within those lines? Land, water, forests were distributed. So, the territory was divided. It is divided in terms of entity competencies. And that is the end of the story”, Minic underlines.

 

US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hears Special Envoys for Western Balkans, Derek Chollet and Gabriel Escobar; Chollet says we will not allow Dodik to break up B&H (N1)

 

The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations heard the Special Envoys for the Western Balkans, Derek Chollet and Gabriel Escobar on Thursday. At the hearing before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the relations between Kosovo and Serbia were presented as a key obstacle to the stability of the Balkans. Commenting on the failure of the negotiations between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Chollet and Escobar pointed out that they are not satisfied with any side, especially the Serbian side. Menendez also said he expects for representatives of the (US) administration to explain to him what America’s plan for the region is, taking into account that he mostly sees pressure exerted on Kosovo for forming the Community of Municipalities with Serb majority (ZSO), but he does not see pressure exerted on Serbia. He criticized Serbian President Vucic, saying he is deceiving the Western diplomats because he claims he did not agree to the Ohrid Agreement. “By controlling information, undermining civil society, Vucic continues to promote the national Serbian narrative of a great Serbian nation, i.e. the ‘Greater Serbia’, which resembles (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's vision of a ‘Greater Russia’”, Menendez emphasized. He recalled the close ties between Vucic and Putin and that Serbia refuses to join the EU in sanctions against Russia due to this country's aggression against Ukraine. Answering the question on whether the ZSO with Serb majority could become a “factor of obstruction” in Kosovo, like the RS is in B&H, Escobar said the goal of the administration is to avoid such a scenario. “We have repeatedly told Kosovo that we will help them shape the Community into something that is a European model that does not violate the sovereignty or constitutional structure of the country, or its functionality. Our desire is to use the Community to remove what Serbia is doing in the north of Kosovo, and to put it in Kosovo structures that they control and that are subject to Kosovo laws”, said Escobar. When it comes to B&H, it was stated that concerns about its future still remain, and that the calls from RS for secession are alarming. N1 stressed that the US senators were curious and quite knowledgeable about the situation. The senators asked whether Vucic is connected to criminal groups in Serbia, as the New York Times wrote recently, but also how Chollet and Escobar intend to avoid Kosovo becoming the RS, because it is clear from the example of B&H that something like that cannot work. Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Robert Menendez said that in B&H, it is worrying that the OHR has strengthened rather than weakened ethnic tensions with the latest amendments to the Election Law. “We have to ensure the protection of the rights of Jews and Roma and other minorities," Menendez underlined. Speaking about B&H, Chollet pointed out that it is important that there is peace. "As we both pointed out, secessionist and nationalist rhetoric is deeply, deeply worrisome and very dangerous, because it is incendiary for the entire region, but we will not allow (RS President and SNSD leader Milorad) Dodik and those close to him to break up B&H. We are very dedicated to corruption because it burdens Serbia and many others, it is the fuel for the dysfunctionality of B&H", Chollet said. N1 noted that the US senators were suspicious of the role of the High Representative, wanting to know whether his decisions brought more harm than good, whether he favored Croats, why Bosniaks are so dissatisfied, and why there is no progress in B&H. Escobar informed the US senators that High Representative Christian Schmidt has solved a long-standing problem of the FB&H government. “Ethnonationalist political leaders from all constituent peoples - Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks - often pursue narrow personal and political gain rather than the public good. The United States is now engaged in an intensive effort to strengthen the international community’s work to uphold the Dayton Peace Agreement. The High Representative used his Bonn Powers to ensure that elections were held last October and to break a four-year deadlock on the FB&H government formation. The United States strongly supported these difficult but necessary decisions,” Escobar pointed out. The US senators said that it is clear that Dodik is a threat to B&H’s stability and integrity, but what about the relationship between Bosniaks and Croats. "Not all Bosniaks are dissatisfied, but one ethno-nationalist party was against it, but it opened the door to the formation of the authorities in the FB&H, and slightly weakened the imbalance between the RS, which dominated for a long time because there was no government of the FB&H to oppose it. But what should be done? We must push B&H even more strongly into EU integration and we must empower the next generation of politicians who are not ethno-nationalists,” Escobar concluded. Chollet stated: “We are also focused on the serious challenge in B&H. 29 years after Dayton there is still peace in B&H, but it is a very uneasy peace. Pervasive corruption, flammable rhetoric and the democratic backwardness of leaders. We are deeply concerned because this attacks the basis of the Dayton Agreement. Secession and nationalistic rhetoric are causing deep concerns. We made it clear that we oppose such activities that will not pass without consequences, and we directly acted in case of RS President Dodik. We will not allow that Dodik and those who support him torn B&H apart.” Escobar also commented Dodik’s behaviour, stating: “We are deeply alarmed by Dodik and his anti-democratic actions. In cooperation with partners, we will attempt to dissuade him from his secessionist and divisive rhetoric. We still support the ALTHEA Mission to preserve territorial integrity of B&H and we will continue to use sanctions in the US against those who seek to undermine institutions and the Dayton Peace Agreement.”

 

Dodik: B&H can survive exactly as it is written in Dayton Agreement and Constitution, and not in way that certain ambassadors interpret it (RTRS)

 

RS President Milorad Dodik said on Thursday that he finally agrees with an American official regarding the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. “Just as Derek Chollet said today (Thursday) that the US wants full implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, I want that too, as well as respect for the Constitution of B&H, the way it is written. I also agree that America's strength should be felt by all those who violate the Dayton Agreement, and I believe that Michael Murphy, who is expressing his personal frustrations here, will feel that strength first,” Dodik wrote on Twitter. Dodik emphasized that B&H can survive exactly as it is written in the Dayton Agreement and the Constitution, and not in the way that certain ambassadors interpret it. As for Chollet’s story about ethno-nationalism, Dodik assessed that it is not a sustainable qualification because peoples in B&H are a constitutional category and the Dayton Peace Agreement is based on the constituent status of peoples.

 

According to Cvijanovic’s instructions B&H was neutral regarding register of damage for Ukraine (RTRS)

 

According to the instructions of Serb member and Chairwoman of the Presidency of B&H Zeljka Cvijanovic, B&H was neutral in Reykjavik on Wednesday regarding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. According to Cvijanovic’s instructions, at the summit in Iceland, representative of the B&H Mission in the Council of Europe (CoE) Ivan Orlic voted against the establishment of a register of damage for Ukraine as the first step towards an international compensation mechanism for victims of Russian aggression. Cvijanovic explained that the resolution should not be supported, not only because of the non-harmonized position of the B&H Presidency, but also because the United Nations, not the CoE, is authorized to establish the register. Former diplomat Luciano Kaluza said that the Cabinet of the Serb member of the B&H Presidency well recognized the intention and powers of the CoE in this case and requested that the establishment of such a register is done at the level of the United Nations. “That is that on the basis of the UN Charter and after the end of the conflict, a single register be formed that will include all parties,” Kaluza said.

 

Mehmedovic wants establishing of register or war damage caused by Serbia’s and Croatia’s aggression of B&H (Dnevni list)

 

SDA representative in the B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Semsudin Mehmedovic has called on the EU Delegation (EUD) to B&H to immediately request from the Council of Europe (CoE) to establish war damage register caused by Serbia’s and Croatia’s aggression of B&H, on basis of ICTY’s verdicts and other facts about destruction. According to Mehmedovic’s statement, he strongly welcomes establishing of the register for Ukraine, arguing that it is cynical that one country is entitled to reparations, whilst other country, which also suffered aggression, is not. In his words, this has to be fixed immediately, otherwise Serbia and Croatia will be sent a signal they can again launch aggression and destroy B&H without getting punished.

 

NATO views energy as security issue; USA and EU emphasize importance of ‘Southern Interconnection’ for diversification of energy supply in B&H (Nezavisne)

 

When the war in Ukraine started and Russia blocked gas delivery to EU member states, it became clear that energy is an important security issue. However, last winter showed that Europe and its allies were prepared for such scenario, and after the initial shock, Europe managed to stabilize its energy supplies and avoid the worst-case scenario. Today, natural gas price is lower than before the outbreak of war in Ukraine, with the tendency to go even lower. One of the reasons for successful overcoming of this crisis is the fact that NATO recognized energy as a security sector already at the Bucharest Summit in 2008 and started including it in its plans and policies. In 2012, NATO established the Energy Security Center in Lithuania, where military and civilian experts coordinate activities related to stable energy supply and strengthening of energy efficiency. Unlike NATO, B&H does not pay a lot of attention to the issue of energy security, notes the daily. RS wants to connect to the gas pipeline in Serbia delivering Russian gas via the ‘New Eastern Interconnection’. This will not provide energy source diversity. FB&H on the other hand wishes to build the ‘Southern Interconnection’ to the gas pipeline in Croatia delivering gas from different sources. However, this project has been on hold for years because politicians from Sarajevo and Mostar cannot agree how the project should be implemented and by who. The daily further notes that USA and EU thought about security of energy supply in B&H, which is why ten years ago, the European Commission included construction of new high-voltage powerlines, higher share of green energy in the mix and diversification of gas supply to B&H in its plans ten years ago. The EU expressed its willingness to finance gas diversification projects in B&H back in 2019, but nothing happened. The European Commission stated that ‘Southern Interconnection’ is one of the most important projects in the EU Economic and Investment Plan for Western Balkans. The EU also recently allocated EUR 70 million through the Energy Support Package, assisting households and businesses with covering their energy costs and transitioning to green energy. The US Embassy to B&H stated that energy diversification is an important element of security which includes construction of new gas pipelines, integration of renewable energy, energy conservation and reform of energy policies. The Embassy welcomed the EU’s efforts to identify key regional energy projects and emphasized the importance of the ‘Southern Interconnection’ gas pipeline which can end B&H’s dependency on one supplier. “We call on FB&H Parliament to adopt the law on ‘Southern Interconnection’ without further delays, and we call on FB&H Government to secure funding for this significant project as soon as possible. This process can and should start immediately”, the US Embassy stated. (Publishing of this article was partially funded by a grant provided by the US Department of State).

 

US State Department’s Report on Religious Freedoms addresses issue of Dodik’s rhetoric and agreement between B&H and IZ B&H (Dnevni avaz)

 

US State Department’s Report on Religious Freedoms, in part speaking about B&H, once again mentioned RS President Milorad Dodik. “In its report covering 2021 and issued in March, the Islamic Community Commission highlighted in its 2021 report the rhetoric of Serb then member of B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik, who referred to Bosniaks as “Muslims,” which the report said reduced the ethnicity to a religious group, while not mentioning religious affiliation when referring to Croats and Serbs”, reads the Report. The Report also addressed the issue of agreement between state and IZ B&H. “During the year, the B&H Presidency failed to consider an agreement drafted in 2015 between the state and the Islamic Community that, if approved by the Presidency and parliament, would recognize and regulate Islamic dietary restrictions in public institutions, public and private sector employee accommodations for daily prayer, and time off to attend Friday prayers as well as one-time travel to Mecca for the Hajj.  According to an Islamic Community official, the B&H Presidency did not take the agreement up for consideration due to opposition by Serb then member of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik, who blocked consideration of the agreement during his tenure from November 2018 to November 2022 and publicly stated that the agreement would grant greater rights to Muslims than to other religious groups.  The Islamic Community official disagreed with Dodik’s assertion.  The Islamic Community Commission report for 2021 stated that failure to consider and approve the agreement constituted discrimination against Muslims and their religious rights.  The report also said that delaying and blocking the process of harmonizing the draft agreement had a negative impact on freedom of religion and discriminated against the Islamic Community and Muslims, in contrast to the other two main religious communities – the Serb Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church – both of which have agreements with the national government in place, although they are not being implemented”, reads the Report.

 

Djukanovic: We agreed that there are many challenges; Milatovic: We are political opponents, but we are committed to state position (CdM)

 

The second meeting between the President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic and the newly elected President Jakov Milatovic was held in Podgorica. They discussed the activities of the handover of duties. Djukanovic said that he believed that Montenegro would continue to move successfully along the path of European development and wished Milatovic a successful term of office. Milatovic thanked Djukanovic for the constructive talks and emphasized that it was in the interest of Montenegro to get a reform and stable government. “We continued last week’s dialogue, the idea of which is to contribute to the democratic transition of this part of the government, to contribute to institutional continuity. As a practice this is welcome and sheds light on growing democratic capacity. The idea of dialogue is a contribution to the democratic transition of this part of the government. The talks were interesting, we talked about the regional, European and global political framework, about many aspects of internal politics”, said Djukanovic after the meeting with Milatovic. He emphasized that they agreed that there were many challenges and that it was important for Montenegro to establish internal political stability and progress towards its goal – the European Union. “Today we have finished the second conversation. Both talks were constructive. They are in the background of the needs of internal and external politics. The talks are a good example of a democratic transition of power. They are an example of the democratic practice showing how the transition of power should take place in Montenegro in order to send a message to the EU. I want to thank Djukanovic for the constructive discussions. We are political opponents, but we have shown that we are dedicated to our role in the state position”, Milatovic said after the meeting.

 

CEDEM survey: Europe Now supported by 29.1% of citizens, DPS 24.1%, DF 13.2%, Democrats 11.1%, URA 4.4% (CdM)

 

If parliamentary elections were to be held next week, the European Now Movement would be supported by 29.1% of the citizens, and the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) by 24.1%, according to the latest survey by the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM). The survey, which was carried out by CEDEM at the beginning of May, shows that the Democratic Front (DF) has the support of 13.2% of the respondents, Democrats 11.1%, the Bosniak Party 5.2%, URA 4.4%, Social Democratic Party (SDP) 2.1%, SNP 1 ,9%, Albanian Forum and Social Democrats each 1.9% and SPP 1.11%. The director of CEDEM, Milena Besic, said that there was a drastic increase in the rating of PES compared to the survey from December last year, while a trend of falling support was registered for DPS. She emphasized that 38.1% of citizens believe that Montenegro is moving in the right direction, 29.8% that it goes to the wrong direction, while 32.1% has no opinion on the matter. The newly elected President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic, is the most popular politician in Montenegro with an average rating of 2.78. Second in popularity is the leader of Europe Now Milojko Spajic with a rating of 2.47, and the third is the leader of Democratic Montenegro Aleksa Becic – 2.46. In the fourth place are the current President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, and the Prime Minister of Montenegro and the URA leader, Dritan Abazovic, with a rating of 2.36. According to the results of the first annual survey of the Political Public Opinion of Montenegro carried out by the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM), 42.3% of citizens are dissatisfied with the performance of the government of Montenegro, headed by the outgoing PM Dritan Abazovic, while 36% are satisfied. CEDEM adds that 22.7% of respondents stated that they were mostly dissatisfied with the work of the government, and 19.6% that they were very dissatisfied. CEDEM says that 21.5% are mostly satisfied, and 14.5% are very satisfied, while 21.6% have no opinion. The survey was conducted from 1 to 14 May on a sample of 1,003 respondents. If the census was organized today, the majority of Montenegro citizens would declare as Montenegrins (42.8%), while 32.8% of them would declare as Serbs, suggest results of the research carried out by the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM). According to CEDEM’s data, 8.7% of respondents declared as Bosniaks and 4.9% as Albanians.

 

Abazovic on CEDEM survey: Commissioned, it has its purpose (CdM)

 

At the cabinet meeting, outgoing PM Dritan Abazovic referred to the CEDEM survey that was presented yesterday in Podgorica. Among other things, CEDEM survey has shown that 42.3% of citizens are dissatisfied with the performance of Abazovic’s government, while 36% of them are satisfied. Abazovic said that “not even commissioned public opinion surveys can dispute” that Montenegro is on the right path. “I am not a supporter of believing in public opinion polls, especially not the ones shown today, and I think they have their purpose. But, just to make one thing clear – first of all, the majority of Montenegrin citizens think that the country is going the right way. Even commissioned public opinion polls can no longer dispute that. Second, trust in the government, we have a statement that I think is incorrect because I was looking at something else. What has been published shows that almost half of the population supports the efforts of the government of Montenegro”, said Abazovic.

 

Abazovic: Ukrainians make up about 5% of the population in MNE, and in terms of that, we are the first in EU (CdM)

 

PM Dritan Abazovic spoke at the general debate United for Europe during the 4th Summit of Presidents of States and Governments of the Council of Europe. “Today, Montenegro has the largest number of Ukrainians ‘per capita’ in Europe, because they make up about 5% of our total population, and everyone feels safe and comfortable,” stressed PM Abazovic during his presentation, adding that despite the strong sanctions against the Russian Federation, today in Montenegro there is also a certain number of Russian citizens who live together with Ukrainians and do not have any problems. Abazovic stated that this was a historic event for Montenegro since it was participating in this Council format for the first time since gaining independence, at the same time expressing satisfaction for being in Iceland, a friendly country that first recognized Montenegrin independence in 2006. “Montenegro has stood by Ukraine since the first day of the aggression of the Russian Federation and we will do our best to support our friends until the end,” he said, adding that we should start thinking about the reconstruction and rebuilding of Ukraine immediately, without waiting for the end of the war.

 

Kovachevski-Aggeler: US support ahead of next steps in Euro-integration process (MIA)

 

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski met Thursday with United States Ambassador Angela Aggeler, who conveyed Washington's commitment for continued support provided to North Macedonia while acknowledging the Government's decisions towards ensuring a prosperous future within EU and NATO. The meeting is part of the regular dialogue with the U.S. Ambassador on mutual relations and follows last week's visit of PM Kovachevski to the United States, the Government said in a press release. Kovachevski thanked Aggeler for the unequivocal support from State Secretary Antony Blinken, considering the next steps in North Macedonia's Euro-integration process. Interlocutors highlighted the commitment for development of bilateral relations, as NATO allies and as countries that share common values, reads the press release.

 

President Pendarovski meets EC officials Koopman and Matuella (MIA)

 

President Stevo Pendarovski held a meeting Thursday with Gert Jan Koopman, Director General, and with Michela Matuella, Acting Director for the Western Balkans at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, focusing on the current situation in the country, the progress of the screening process, relations with the neighborhood and the Western Balkan region in the context of the Euro-integrations, as well as the EU enlargement process. At the meeting, Pendarovski, Koopman and Matuella exchanged opinions and information over the current situation and perspectives of the countries in the region, in the broader geopolitical and security context, caused by the war in Ukraine. President Pendarovski, expressed gratitude over the continued EC support for Macedonian Euro-integrations, and noted the need for accelerated EU integration for the Western Balkan countries which will positively affect the security, the overall political processes and reform agenda, as well as the Euro-optimism in the region.

 

Marichikj meets Koopman and Matuella, agree on importance of continued reforms (MIA)

 

Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj met Thursday with Gert Jan Koopman, Director General of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, and Michela Matuella, Acting Director for the Western Balkans at the DG, discussing the screening process, possibility for progress in the EU accession negotiations and implementation of the reform agenda. Deputy PM Marichikj voiced expectation for further support from European institutions on the reform agenda and the pending processes on the EU path, noting it will contribute to maintaining the country's European course and stability of the entire region, the Secretariat for European Affairs said in a press release. Koopman and Matuella highlighted the need for maximum use of the screening process as a mechanism to accelerate key reforms and in making progress within the EU accession negotiations. Marichikj thanked European institutions for the continued support and excellent cooperation, adding that the Government is committed to the Euro-integration process and continuation of the accession negotiations, reads the press release.

 

Kovachevski meets Koopman and Matuella: Firm support and expectations over N. Macedonia’s next step in EU integrations (MIA)

 

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski met Thursday with Gert Jan Koopman, the European Commission’s Director General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, and with Michela Matuella, Acting Director for the Western Balkans at the EC Directorate General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, said the Government in a press release.

At the meeting, it was stated that the European Union expects the region to progress quickly, and to that end, the EU’s support for North Macedonia during the next step of its Euro-integrations was conveyed. According to the Government, it was assessed that North Macedonia has a historic chance to progress and provide a European living standard for the citizens. In that context, it was concluded that there is a need to adopt important decisions with the contribution of all political entities in the country. At the meeting, it was stressed that North Macedonia’s EU progress contributes to the region and to European peace and stability, and all political entities in the country are expected to take this into account. The press release said the importance of adopting the constitutional changes was also discussed at the meeting, as well as the need for the MPs to support the amendments in parliament. PM Kovachevski thanked the high European representatives for the EU’s support over the fulfilment of the country’s strategic goals. “We practice a European system of values: in the area of fully respecting human rights, and as an example for a successful, functional multi-ethnic democracy; with complete government transparency and a jump of 19 places in the area of press freedom; through efficient and firm alignment with EU foreign policy on Ukraine. The government is actively working on the necessary reforms that are a part of the European agenda, on the solutions tackling the challenges of the global crisis, on important infrastructure projects that connect the country with the region and Europe. The Government is firmly committed to achieving new success in the Euro-integrations, because they mean a better living standard and a European quality of life for the citizens, and we expect that this will be taken seriously by all politicians, MPs and political parties in the country,” said PM Kovachevski at the meeting with Koopman and Matuella.

 

Kovachevski – Sarrazin: Strong support from Germany over next steps, N. Macedonia should be part of EU (MIA)

 

The current political events in the country and the Euro-integration processes and challenges were the topic of discussion at Thursday’s meeting between Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski and the German Federal Government’s Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin, said the Government in a press release. The meeting was also attended by the German Ambassador to North Macedonia, Petra Drexler. At the meeting, PM Kovachevski expressed the government’s commitments to fulfilling the country’s strategic goal – full-fledged EU membership. Sarrazin stressed Germany’s strong support for the country’s Euro-integration process and the next steps. In that context, Kovachevski and Sarrazin also discussed the upcoming process of amending the Constitution. According to the government, the Prime Minister stressed that North Macedonia is on the path that leads to progress and prosperity, and that is EU membership, which is why broad support for the constitutional changes is necessary. He voiced hopes that all political parties will come together and work on the reform processes with the goal of a faster EU membership.

 

Marichikj – Sarrazin: Political parties to reach consensus, be proactive so country can make progress toward EU this year (MIA)

 

Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj and Germany's Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Manuel Sarrazin met Thursday to discuss North Macedonia's accession negotiations with the European Union, the EU's enlargement policy with the Western Balkans as well as the latest developments in domestic politics. According to the Secretariat for European Affairs in a press release, Deputy PM Marichikj said the state was fully committed to the EU negotiations. He also said he was optimistic regarding the state's being able to fulfil its obligations to the EU within the required timeframe. "Starting the accession talks is an incentive for us to accelerate our integration and continue the reforms, which will provide our citizens with a better quality of life," Marichikj is quoted as saying in the release. He also voiced his hope that EU member states would support North Macedonia in speeding up its accession, the release adds. Marichikj briefed Sarrazin on the ongoing screening process with the EU, as well. They also spoke about the national reform plan aiming at rapid progress in strengthening the rule of law, the justice system, the fight against corruption and other areas of importance for the country's European path. Sarrazin, according to the release, said North Macedonia was on the right track to achieving its strategic goal. At the same time, he said, the country needed to focus on its obligations arising from the EU negotiation framework, the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and the fight against corruption so it would be able to maintain the momentum toward the EU. Marichikj and Sarrazin agreed that North Macedonia should make new progress toward the EU this year by opening the first cluster on Fundamentals, the release notes. Germany's special envoy confirmed the unwavering support of the country's European partners, while pointing out that it was even more important for all domestic political parties to achieve consensus and be proactive in the EU integration process. Sarrazin also reiterated the German positions on EU enlargement and current geostrategic events in Europe. He said Germany was North Macedonia's steady partner on the road to EU and would advocate for the integration of the region into the EU as soon as possible.

 

New request for military aid has arrived from Ukraine: Defense Minister (MIA)

 

A new request for additional military aid has arrived from Ukraine, it is classified and currently being reviewed by the General Staff of the Army, said Minister of Defense Slavjanka Petrovska on Thursday, in answer to a journalist’s question. “I think, last week a new request arrived from Ukraine, of course it is classified and currently being reviewed by the General Staff of the Army in order to assess if we can help and to what degree, and if we get a positive opinion of course we will appropriately inform the public. Of course, as long as there is a need for North Macedonia’s aid, we are open to provide it,” said the Defense Minister. Petrovska reiterated that the request is classified, adding that all previously adopted decisions have been declassified and are available to the public. “What we have delivered so far and the decisions we made, have been declassified, and I think they are published on the Ministry’s website, except for the quantities. However, the type of equipment that we have donated is publicly available,” said Defense Minister Petrovska.