LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic, Dodik lay wreaths at Petrovac Road memorial (Tanjug/B92/RTS/RTV)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik on Friday laid wreaths at the Petrovac Road memorial near Bosanski Petrovac, RS, erected on the site where the Croatian air force bombed Serbs who were fleeing Croatia on 7 August 1995. Ten people, including four children and a 20-year-old girl, were killed and more than 50 other civilians, many of whom were children, were wounded in the massacre, which took place during Croatia's military operation "Storm". "For 28 years, I have thought about this place countless times, hearing how the column of refugees passed through this road, how our people suffered. 10 people were killed here, 4 children, just because they were Serbs. Children 6, 10, 11 and 13 years old... We erected this memorial cross twice, the first time it was a wooden cross, then they tore it down, then we erected a small aluminium cross, then they tore it down, then we erected this one three times bigger, and if they also tore it down, we will erect even bigger one to show that we do not accept the killing of children. We Serbs try to show respect for other people's victims, but do not make us forget the Serbian children, to renounce our hearth, our name and surname. We do not ask others to remain silent, but we will no longer be silent about our victims. To make the hypocrisy worse, when you show them the facts, they tell you that you are a warmonger, that you are bringing unrest," said Vucic and added: "We Serbs respect other people's victims, but don't make us forget our victims, our murdered children." "We don't ask others to keep quiet about crimes against their people, but we won't keep quiet about crimes against our people either. Children were killed here. And I wondered where those planes came from. And to make the hypocrisy even greater, when you tell them that, they tell you that you are a warmonger. They don't understand that we are building the future with this, if we don't remember the children who were killed just because they were of Serbian origin," said Vucic. "What is important for us is to see how to help this region, to help Glamoc and Drvar as well, these are not easy times, RS is under pressure. And I was glad when I saw you joking with President Dodik, it's good that you have such a spirit, but the situation is serious, and we will always be with our people. Belgrade used to turn its head away from the people across the Drina, but that will never happen again. We will never again allow anyone to persecute our people and let it go unpunished ", said Vucic and added: "We must do everything possible to bring those who are guilty of killing children to justice."

 

Dodik: We used to hide the suffering of the Serbs - until the arrival of Vucic (B92/Tanjug)

 

RS President Milorad Dodik addressed the public after laying wreaths at the memorial on Petrovacka cesta. Dodik pointed out that Serbia was inclined to push all those events into oblivion so that others would not get angry, until Vucic came to power. "We were gathered here by President Vucic, a man who did not hesitate to make a memorial here, and now he has come, like a true patriot, a man who loves the Serbian people wherever it is. I want to say that Serbia was inclined to push all those events into oblivion so that others would not be angry, until the arrival of Vučić. His predecessors did not want us to make a film about Jasenovac so as not to anger others. This indicates what the mentality was about our sufferings, and today all that has changed. Long live the RS, long live the Republic of Serbia and long live President Aleksandar Vucic," said Dodik in his address.

 

Vucic: Serbia must not give up its support for the RS, no matter what force asks to impose sanctions against our people (RTS)

 

Guest of RTS central news was Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. He spoke of his two-day visit to RS, which commenced on Thursday, and about political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and the region. His visit to the RS started with a visit to the Osovice Monastery, where Vucic spoke with RS President Milorad Dodik and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije. Since the meeting was not open for the public, there were speculations as to what were the discussed topics. Vucic says that they discussed “key issues for the Serb people, the RS and the entire position of our people in the region, relations with the world, the pressures our people are exposed to”. Vucic assessed that things have not been the same since the US issued sanctions for the entire RS leadership, as well as sanctions that were issued for Serb people in Kosovo. These are not simple things for us, and things are now getting more complicated, the Serbian President stressed. Those complications come in political, but also in economic form, he adds. Vucic said that Serbia will reveal its official position regarding these sanctions on Friday. Serbia, the President pointed out, “has no right and must not give up its support for the RS, no matter what force asks to impose sanctions against our people, members of our nation”. “As much as we can, even if we are the last on earth, we cannot change our people and we will stand by our people”, Vucic promised. Speaking about the mentioned meeting, Vucic said he would not share many details as this was a closed meeting, but he confirmed that they spoke of Serbia’s further support for the RS. “We alone wanted to analyse the situation and see what is, in a smart, rational, serious and responsible way, possible to be done”, Vucic said. On Thursday, Vucic visited the construction site of a kindergarten in Srbac – which is one of the examples of Serbia’s investments in the RS. Since 2014, Serbia has invested more than EUR 1 billion in various projects in the RS. Asked if Friday’s meetings will be focused on topics of further cooperation and future projects, Vucic said “we are talking about everything”, and the main focus now is to help the four municipalities, that are outside the RS, on the territory of the Federation of B&H (FB&H) – Grahovo, Drvar, Glamoc and Petrovac – where most of the residents are Serbs. Vucic confirms that a lot of municipalities asked Serbia to help with donations, and he said Serbia will try and help all of them in the future. Vucic points out that situation in Serbia is not ideal. Not because this country has an issue with money, but Serbia must align with certain rules and standards to keep its economy stable, while helping others. Vucic stated that inflation in Serbia is falling significantly for the first time and is now at 12.5 percent. “So, we are slowly moving towards what is eight, nine percent by the end of the year”, Vucic added, but he warned of the possibility of oil price increases. He also spoke of political stability, and the issued sanctions, and said it would be naïve and irresponsible to say that sanctions do not matter. They are important, and they lead to a question as to what you can do to improve the situation, Vucic stated. Gone are the days, the President pointed out, “when Serbia built a wall on the Drina River and set up blockades and spoke against the people of the RS in order to, I guess, make a better position for itself”. “We have to support each other, and we will continue with the projects. In every municipality of the RS, the Republic of Serbia has built, or is building, a kindergarten, school, bridge, fields - football, basketball, we are renovating a lot of things and you have seen the most modern fields and school in Banja Luka. We gave that money, and it is a lot of money”, Vucic underscored. On the occasion of the ‘Oluja’ anniversary, he added, on Friday he will go to the ‘Petrovacka cesta’ (Petrovac road) to pay his respects to the children who were killed just because they had a Serb name and surname. Vucic said no insults that are said against Serbian officials will stop them from honouring these victims. “Before that, we never ran away, unlike others, to honour the members of another nation, to bow our heads before their victims, and I think that this is our advantage in relation to them, because we are able to show respect for their victims”, the Serbian President underlined. The President was asked to comment on last year’s indictment that was filed against four Croatian officers that were commanders on the ‘Petrovacka cesta’. However, names of the pilots that were directly involved in the attack on the column of Serbs on this road are not yet revealed. Vucic was asked if he believes Croatia will provide this information, so that this case is closed once and for all. He did not wish to comment this case much. He said he is only glad that today’s officials in Serbia showed they are different from their predecessors, and that they are willing to talk about this case, and not just ignore it. Vucic said they do not fear what might be written by media in Zagreb, or in Sarajevo, or what someone from Brussels might say about this move. Vucic says it would be devastating for him, and he would not be able to sleep at night, if he ignored this case and forgot about the children killed on the mentioned road. Justice must be served, and those that killed Serb children on Petrovac road must be punished, the President underlined. He concluded by saying he is satisfied that Serbia initiated this case, but he said any further comment from him might be perceived as meddling into the case, and he would like to avoid that. Vucic said crimes were committed by both Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks, on all sides, and he will always call for justice and accountability for the crimes committed. On Friday, for the first time in the RS, the Day of Remembrance of all the Serbs killed and exiled during ‘Oluja’ will be marked in Prijedor. Many people that fled, found refuge in Prijedor and other cities across the RS. Vucic said a 36-year old woman will speak on Friday about the journey of the column of Serbs from Serb Krajina, and how she as a small child was able to survive and overcome the horrors she saw on that road.  If you look at the percentage of Serbs in Croatia today compared to 1991, Vucic points out, it is clear what happened. “I see that some of our people, even in Croatia, I guess to please them, they talk about the exodus, about everything else. They never say ethnic cleansing, and not to say something more difficult. I think that when you look at it carefully, then it is clear to you what happened there”, the President pointed out and added that he believes that the 30th anniversary of ‘Oluja’ will be marked in Belgrade. This year is the 28th anniversary, and Vucic said next year, the anniversary might once again be marked in the RS – maybe in Banja Luka or other places where Serbs found refuge during the war. Vucic, when asked how he sees Russia's influence in Serbia today, above all in the media mentioned in the text by the German author Martin Kessler, and how much he looks in the direction of Moscow, repeated that he never said that he was advocating for the ‘Serb world’, and that he was primarily working on protecting national and state interests through raising the economy of Serbia. Vucic emphasized that he would rather have people talk about his work results, then to make up stories and try to present him as “the bad guy”. My dream, Vucic continues, is to strengthen and develop Serbia for our future generations. “Then they move into the realm of the irrational, because in their campaign they have to explain why they have to protect their child in Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and on the other hand, why Serbs everywhere in the region have to be guilty, like the Serbs in B&H. Since all of them are supposedly small for them, because they have to find a big enemy to deal with, then there is always a confrontation with me as the President of Serbia, that is, with Serbia”, Vucic explains. As for the influence of Russia and the Russian media, he says that of course there is that, but that it has nothing to do with Serbian policies. “I am the one who will conduct politics in accordance with the interests of the Republic of Serbia”, said Vucic. He said that we should not shut down the media because they are on the side of the West or on the side of Russia. “I do not want to do that, I do not want to participate in it. They have their own opinion, you have the right to say what you want”, the President pointed out. Vucic emphasized that Serbia’s policy is neither aligned with policies of Russia, or policies of the West. “Our policy is Serbia. The policy that I lead and the policy that I will lead while I am the President of the Republic, and that is until 2027, is an independent Serbia, which has its own foreign policy goals, and is on the European path, but which will not destroy traditional friendships, no matter what anyone asks, from media employees, no matter who asked for anything in any other way”, Vucic stated. He said they want to preserve Serbia and have all the opportunities available to it. He explained that the propaganda against Serbia is conducted from fake platforms on social networks, where some present themselves as pro-Russian, but in fact they are for the West, and vice versa. “Then we realize that it comes from a neighbouring country that is a member of NATO. And under the direct influence of some others, it is doing this in order to separate a part of the population that is patriotic and patriotically oriented from the state of Serbia and turn them against them, lest they start a revolution on the territory of Serbia”, stated Vucic and added that this refers to one of Serbia’s southern neighbours. Serbia, he says, is exposed to all these hybrid tricks on a daily basis. “Soon we will talk a little more about it. To see what kind of tricks they all use”, Vucic concluded.

 

Serbia will never turn its back on RS (Politika/Tanjug)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic visited yesterday, together with the highest representatives of RS, the newly built kindergarten "Serbia", in the municipality of Srbac, RS. President of RS Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister of RS Radovan Viskovic, member of B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic, as well as ministers in the government of Serbia Sinisa Mali and Nikola Selakovic were also on the tour. In his address to the gathered citizens, Vucic said that Serbia respects the integrity of B&H, but that it must never renounce the fact that the Serbs on both sides of the Drina are the same people, that they have the same language and the same alphabet. The situation is neither easy nor simple for us due to the increasingly difficult pressures, both on Serbia and RS, due to the increasingly difficult situation in Ukraine. What is important for people in RS to know is that Serbia will always respect international public law, but that it will never forget or renounce its people, he emphasised. According to him, there will never be any more blockades on the Drina, turning the head aside when talking about the position of our people. We will fight to be our own, to survive, to preserve our name and surname, without touching anyone, the President said. He announced even more significant economic support from Serbia to the RS, because, as he pointed out, the main blows will be to show that RS cannot survive. If someone else wants to help Bosniaks, Croats, anyone in Serbia, everyone is welcome. We would be happy if they invested in our country and named their facilities "B&H" or "Croatia". We will continue to invest in RS and no one can stop us from doing that, Vucic pointed out. The new kindergarten covers more than 1,600 square metres and will be able to accommodate about 200 children. Serbia and RS jointly invested about 2.1 million convertible marks (€1.07 million) in the construction of the facility. In the next phase, the construction of a children's playground, parking lot, and access road is planned.

 

Vucic thanks Serbian Patriarch for patience, understanding (Tanjug/B92/RTS)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday thanked Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church for his patience and understanding during a meeting at the Osovica monastery in the RS municipality of Srbac earlier in the day. The meeting, which addressed the most significant national issues, was also attended by RS President Milorad Dodik. In a post on his Instagram, Vucic wrote that the "always wise and mild words of Patriarch Porfirije unite, bring together and spiritually strengthen all of us who are fighting everyday challenges and the difficult ordeals our people is again facing". "That is why we are grateful for every word and the endless patience and understanding he showed for us at this meeting, too, in a discussion about issues that are not easy at all, and our clergy will continue to pray for unity of Serbs wherever they may live. Thank you, Your Holiness," Vucic concluded.

 

Vucevic meets with Minister Karan in Banja Luka: "Internal affairs and defense cooperation progressing" (Tanjug/RTV)

 

Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic met today in Banja Luka with RS Minister of Internal Affairs Sinisa Karan. The meeting was attended by the chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army General Milan Mojsilovic. During the meeting, cooperation in the field of defense and internal affairs was discussed and it was noted that it is successfully taking place in the common interest. Also, part of the meeting was devoted to cooperation in the field of education, given that based on a training contract concluded with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the RS, cadets of the Police Academy of the RS are trained at the University of Defense in Belgrade. At today's meeting, Ministers Vucevic and Karan discussed the current political and security situation in the region and in the world. The meeting was attended by Assistant Minister for Material Resources Nenad Miloradovic, and cabinet chiefs of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Zarko Micin and Brigadier General Goran Momcilovic.

 

Miscevic: Serbia ready for opening Cluster 3 for two years now (Beta/Tanjug)

 

Serbian Minister of European Integration Tanja Miscevic stated on Thursday that progress in Serbia’s EU negotiations had been made in various fields and reiterated that Serbia was ready for the opening of Cluster 3, and that it was working on the opening of Clusters 2 and 5. “The most concrete work is taking place on the opening of Cluster 3. Serbia has been completely ready to open Cluster 3 for two years now, and we are monitoring that issue through talks with representatives of member states, so that political conditions could be harmonized,” Miscevic said at the session of the European Integration Committee of the Serbian parliament. While presenting the government’s report on the accession negotiations with the EU for the period from January to June 2023, Miscevic added that work was also being done on the opening of Clusters 2 and 5, according to a statement posted on the Ministry's website. In her words, Serbia’s main goal in the previous period was to show progress in all fields, with a special emphasis on the rule of law, and the assessment of progress could be seen in the semi-annual document of the European Commission, published in May this year. Cluster 3 encompasses the following negotiation chapters: Information Society and the Media, Taxation, Economic and Monetary Policy, Welfare Policy and Employment, Entrepreneurship and Industrial Policy, Science and Research, Education and Culture, Customs Union.

 

Second phase of withdrawal of police around municipal halls in north Kosovo starting on 4 August (Beta/RTS)

 

The Kosovo police announced on Thursday that the security situation in municipalities in the north of Kosovo was good and that they would start the second phase of withdrawing from and around the municipal buildings in Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok. The statement said that the assessment of the situation and further measures had been performed with the EULEX and KFOR missions, within the agreement on the de-escalation of the situation in the north. Within the second phase, 25 percent more of Kosovo special police will be withdrawn from the north of Kosovo. Earlier, one quarter of policemen deployed in and around the municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo were withdrawn, in keeping with the agreement on de-escalation, reached on 10 June by Kosovo Deputy Premier Besnik Bislimi and EU envoy for the dialogue Miroslav Lajcak.

 

Ponos: People are sick of ruling party (Beta)

 

The President of the Serbia Center Party Zdravko Ponos said on Thursday that he did not expect the demands of the citizens protesting against violence to be fulfilled, but that civil disobedience would shake the regime in Serbia headed by President Aleksandar Vucic. In an interview with Beta, Ponos said that attendance of protests was important, but that perseverance was more important. Asked about whether the new phase of the “Serbia Against Violence” protests, which the technical organizers have announced as of September, would force the authorities to fulfill the people’s demands, Ponos said it would not. “It will not. Attendance is important, but perseverance is even more so. Things are good in that regard. The summer has advanced but the protests are going on. I believe they will intensify when school starts. However, the regime is used to this type of pressure. They will be shaken by gestures of civil disobedience that paralyze the system, paralyze the authorities, that make Vucic respond in a way that shows his true colors, his character and that of this regime, and unveils the true image of the appalling reality,” stated the president of the Serbia Center Party. Asked to assess the effects of the “Serbia Against Violence” protests so far, Ponos said that the fact that the regime had not fulfilled any of the demands did not mean that the protest was unsuccessful. “It is successful because it is persistent, because the people are not giving up. It is successful because it has eliminated fear, and that is very important, especially in the interior of the country. It is successful because it has projected to the world the image of people who have risen against an authoritarian regime and the violence that the regime nurtures as its cult,” Ponos said.

 

Dveri: Authorities in Belgrade must publicly extend support to RS leadership (Beta)

 

Dveri movement vice-president Ivan Kostic said on Thursday that the Serbian leadership must harmonize its stances with RS where the legitimacy of the international community's High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt was concerned and with regard to US sanctions against the highest representatives of that entity. "The latest attacks on the Republika Srpska leadership have created the need for Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian Cabinet to reexamine their stances on the issue of giving legitimacy to the high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt," Kostic said in a statement. He said that the Serbian president had greeted Schmidt during an official visit to Belgrade whereby he "needlessly gave him legitimacy." "His legitimacy is not recognized by the leadership of Republika Srpska, but also Russia and China as permanent members of the UN Security Council, because he was not elected for his mission by the United Nation's highest body," the vice-president of Dveri said, adding that this was recently confirmed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Speaking of U.S. sanctions against RS' top officials, for supporting a Law on the Non-Implementation of Bosnian Constitutional Court Decisions, Kostic said that "this is yet more proof that the collective West no longer has the democratic capacity to solve Bosnia's piled up problems".

 

Two Serbs banned from entering Kosovo and Metohija for 3 years for allegedly organizing unrest in the north (Kosovo Online/Tanjug/Politika)

 

The basic court in Pristina sentenced Sinisa Jevtic and Ivan Sekulic, two Serbs who were arrested for allegedly organizing unrest in the north of Kosovo and Metohija at the end of May, to six months in prison and an additional sentence in the form of a ban on entering Kosovo, lawyer Milos Delevic has confirmed for Kosovo Online. The prison sentence was replaced by a money fine. In addition to being sentenced to six months in prison, Jevtic and Sekulic are also banned from entering Kosovo and Metohija for three years. They were arrested at the Jarinje administrative crossing at the end of May. "Sinisa Jevtic was sentenced to six months in prison today. At the suggestion of the defense, his prison sentence was replaced by a fine in the amount of 5,700 euros. The family collected the money, today I will pay the fine as his defense attorney and I expect that he will be released during the day," Jevtic's attorney Milos Delevic told Kosovo Online. Jevtic and Sekulic were charged with the crimes of "participating in a protest" and "hooliganism" and their names were on Albin Kurti's list of persons he accused of organizing unrest in the north. Kurti claims that Jevtic and Sekulic are members of a Red Star supporters' group.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Vucic begins two-day visit to RS; Serbian Patriarch Porfirije meets with Vucic and Dodik (RTRS)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has arrived in B&H for an official visit on Thursday. Vucic, RS President Milorad Dodik and Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Porfirije met in the monastery Osovica in Srbac. RTRS reported that they discussed the most important national issues and challenges. The two presidents said that the monastery Osovica symbolizes faith, hope, unity and the power for all Serbs. RTRS noted that the messages came at the time of strong pressures on leadership of the RS and attempts of some Western states and the Bosniak political circles to accuse Banja Luka of undermining of the Dayton Agreement. Vucic said in Srbac on Thursday that Serb people in RS only takes care of their homes, and they want to live on the land that belongs to them. He pointed out that he is happy that today, officials of the RS and Serbia could talk for a very long time in the monastery Osovica about issues that are important for the Serb people. He reiterated that Serbia respects the territorial integrity of B&H but at difficult times and because of big foreign influences, it cannot, it has no right and it must not turn its back to the RS. Vucic said: “It is up to us to preserve our people, all other peoples and to try to secure peace. That is it. I cannot speak to the public about the concrete things that we talked about.” Patriarch Porfirije said that at the meeting in the monastery Osovica in Srbac, he had a chance to hear about challenges of the Serb people. Porfirije said that they agreed about the need to invest everything in preservation of peace and developing understanding among peoples. According to Porfirije, they also emphasized the importance that Serbia continues to help the RS and the Serb people in all segments. Porfirije also expressed gratitude to the Bishop of Banja Luka Jefrem for the welcoming ceremony and paternal advices.

 

Vucic: Serbia respects B&H, but loves the RS and it will continue to help its people; Dodik: B&H exists only in international, legal and political sense of the word and in no other way (ATV)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic began his two-day visit to RS in Srbac on Thursday. Vucic first held a meeting with RS President Milorad Dodik and Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Porfirije, following which, Vucic, Dodik and B&H Presidency member Zeljka Cvijanovic visited ‘Serbia’ nursery school in that local community, whose construction was co-financed by the Serbian government and the RS government. Serbia allocated around BAM 800,000 and the RS over BAM one million for that purpose. ATV reports that on the occasion, Dodik thanked Serbia and Vucic for helping the RS and he thanked Vucic for creating a joint program for projects in local communities in the RS that will enable Serbia’s presence. Vucic said that Serbs are one people on two sides of the Drina River, and that Serbia will continue to support the RS. Addressing the present, Dodik thanked Vucic for accepting the invitation to meet in Sabac and “for creating a joint program to have communal and infrastructural projects in all municipalities in the RS that will enable presence and visibility of Serbia’’, one of them being ‘Serbia’ nursery school “the best thing we can offer to our children, educators, and security to parents, with Serbia and the RS being behind it.” Addressing the present, Vucic said: “Today we had talks that were not easy, talks that were long, honest and open, with the RS leadership. This is not a simple situation for anyone due to increasing pressures on Serbia, but also on the RS, due to difficult international situation. But it is important for the people in the RS to know that Serbia will always respect international law, but it will never forget or renounce its people. There will never again be blockades on the Drina, we will never again turn our heads away when it comes to the status of our people”.  Vucic told the citizens of Srbac that Serbia respects B&H but loves the RS and that it will continue to help its people. Vucic toured the kindergarten ‘Srbija’ in Srbac which was built with the help of funds provided by the Republic of Serbia. Vucic also said “we are one people that lives on both sides of the Drina River and there will never be blockades on the Drina again.” “We will give even more significant economic support to the RS in the future, as much as we can, because what we know will be the main blow is to show that the RS cannot survive and that someone else is needed from the outside to do, I do not know what, who would we have to beg and at the same time make great political concessions. Accordingly, as much as it can, the Republic of Serbia will always help its people and the RS. We have nothing against it if someone else in Serbia wants to help Bosniaks,” Vucic underlined, adding that Serbia will continue to invest in the RS “and no one can stop us from doing that, nor can they stop us from respecting B&H and always loving the RS”. Dodik thanked the President of Serbia which on the basis of the Agreement on Special and Parallel Relations has invested more than one billion EUR in the RS since 2014. Dodik expressed his gratitude to the Republic of Serbia and its leadership for feeling and helping the RS. "It is important to us because of the money, of course, and material resources, but it is also important to us because of the feeling that this help is coming from that side. Believe me, that is perhaps even more important in some moments," Dodik said. Vucic stated that Serbia will respect international law, but in difficult moments it will not turn its back on the RS. “In difficult times, due to great external pressure, Serbia cannot, has no right, must not and will not turn its back on the RS, regardless of what we know will be, to be completely honest, an additional burden on the back of the Republic of Serbia,” Vucic pointed out. Vucic added that in accordance with the Agreement on Special and Parallel Relations, the Dayton Peace Agreement, and the UN Charter, Serbia will do everything it can to help the people of the RS. Vucic rejected speculations that he dreams of Greater Serbia and Serb world as propaganda. “Why are you lying that my dream is to create a Greater Serb world, a Greater Serbia? Since you cannot get such a statement from me, or repeat where I said it, or show through actions that I did it, then you analyse my dreams and spout nonsense. And with that German propaganda, what will we do then? What are you making up? Do you want me to tell you what I dream about in the political sense? I dream that we will be remembered for the fact that we managed to save the people from war, without trampling on any of the vital national and state interests…I dream to build Serbia, to help everyone in the region and to be helped by everyone from the region. I dream that we have higher salaries and pensions, I am proud of what we have achieved - that we have more roads, railways, hospitals, schools. But how far we have come with their propaganda by Western machinery, you can understand when they started to analyse my dreams. I did not know it was possible, but now I realized that even journalists can analyse my dreams. Can you believe how far it has come? By the way, I have not heard or seen (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin for a year and two months. And I know that their state officials have done so on several occasions,” Vucic emphasized. Dodik stressed that he did not say a single word about the destruction of the territorial integrity and endangering the sovereignty of B&H. Dodik said that B&H exists only in international, legal and political sense of the word and in no other way. He underlined that B&H is composed of the two entities and three constituent peoples, while the RS brings its territory within B&H. According to Dodik, nothing was made (constructed) in the RS and no institution was named ‘Serbia’ to irritate someone in Sarajevo. In this regard, Dodik said that he heard Vucic saying that if someone gave him money for construction of a kindergarten, he would name the facility ‘Bosnia’. Dodik added: “Of course, there is no such a thing. But there is something else. They want to lecture everyone. Whoever comes here, they want to say what we should do. This is like their country. This is not their country. This is the RS, a country of the Serb people and others who want to live here. We are the ones who make B&H and not the other way around.”

 

Vucic’s interview for Avaz: I do not play double games regarding B&H (Dnevni avaz)

 

The daily carried an interview with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who is currently visiting B&H. Asked to comment his meeting with RS officials, Vucic said that they discussed economy, position of Serbia in the region, situation in B&H and the RS. Vucic added that they also discussed the sanctions against RS officials. “We talked about how they reflect on public finances and economy. We talked about Serbia’s support to important projects. And of course, there were no conspiracy issues or anything else. Unfortunately, whatever you do, you will never be good enough. But I am used to that already. When you look like you are guilty and somebody tries to lynch you, you get used to everything and listening to everybody”, said Vucic. He reiterated that Serbia’s official stance is that it always respects the territorial integrity of B&H. He noted that Serbia is ready to help everybody, but people in the RS expect Serbia’s help and Serbia will provide it. Vucic said that Serbia is also ready to support Bosniak communities. He reminded that Serbia approved opening of B&H consulates in Nis, Krusevac and Novi Pazar. He underlined that cooperation and normal relations are much better than pointless conspiracy theories and conflicts. Vucic refused to comment the latest US sanctions against RS officials, explaining that he will speak about them on Friday. However, he underlined, Serbia is taking the situation very seriously. He reminded that the entire RS leadership, the Director of Serbian Security-Intelligence Agency and some Serb leaders from Kosovo are under sanctions. He noted that only Serb officials are facing sanctions, and nobody else in the region. Vucic said that it will be necessary to consider economic effects and political obstacles caused by the sanctions and unite. Asked to comment the claims that Serbia is a factor of instability in the region and that it supports RS President Milorad Dodik who makes unconstitutional decisions and rejects Christian Schmidt as High Representative, Vucic replied: “I am always very honest and fair. And I never play any double games regarding the issue of B&H, the issue of Kosovo or anything else. Everything I think, I say publicly”, Vucic noted. However, he added, some officials from Sarajevo do not wish to hear what he is saying and accuse him of speaking differently behind the closed doors. Vucic argued that it is such speculations that cause problems in the region, and not his support for some unconstitutional activities in B&H. Vucic emphasized that he personally and Serbia fully support the constitutional order of B&H established by the Dayton Peace Agreement with defined rights of three constituent peoples and two entities. Vucic stated that he strongly supports economic cooperation of B&H and Serbia. He underlined that the ‘Open Balkan’ initiative is the future. Vucic argued that the future will depend on the smart people in the region, and not on the people who long for conflicts because they cannot achieve anything in peace.

 

RTRS ‘Dnevnik Plus’ hosts Dodik to discuss visit of Vucic to RS on occasion of marking of anniversary of operation Oluja (RTRS)

 

Guest of RTRS was RS President and leader of SNSD Milorad Dodik live via a video link from Laktasi. According to Dodik, the monastery Osovica in Srbac was not chosen by accident as the place of meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Porfirije. Dodik said that they chose the monastery as it represents the continuity in this area, adding that they discussed all current issues that were on the agenda. He stated: “We talked to representatives of the church, i.e. primarily without our Patriarch. It was a well-composed conversation, part of the continuity that we already have for a longer period of time, to talk whenever we meet about the most important issues for the RS and Serbia, for the Serb people in general. These are complex times that become more and more difficult, day by day, bearing in mind the global world and global forces that – regardless of the fact that Serbia and the RS try to act within the international law – there are tendencies that want to annul the international law and to create a problem for the RS, in terms of its subjectivity, and for Serbia, in terms of Kosovo. This is a framework that we can always discuss. We want peace and stability here, Serbia also wants this (…) without war, to try to solve open political issues via political means.” Dodik said that on Friday, the RS and Serbia will jointly mark the anniversary of the killing of Serbs in the Croatian military and police operation of ‘Oluja’ on Friday. In this regard, he announced joint forums of the governments of the RS and Serbia, a session of the council for special relations and then, a strategic forum of the RS and Serbia – that includes presidents, prime ministers and governments and Serb member of the B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic – that will discuss all current issues. In this regard, he mentioned infrastructure, i.e. an agreement on further construction of the highway Raca-Bijeljina and open issues, like the airport in Trebinje, the issue of Buk Bijela hydropower plant and many other issues.

 

SDA condemns decision to mark remembering of Serb victims of ‘Oluja’ in Prijedor (Klix.ba)

 

SDA has issued a press release on the occasion of the decision of the Serbian leadership, the RS and Serb Orthodox Church to mark the anniversary of ‘Oluja’ in Prijedor. SDA views this decision as a new provocation and insult for victims of Serb crimes in this city. SDA added that the political and military leadership of Serbia is very much responsible for all crimes committed in B&H, noting that all plans for the attack on B&H were created in Belgrade. SDA argues that if Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, RS President Milorad Dodik and Patriarch Porfirje want to remember victims of ’Oluja’, then they should bravely go to Croatia and do what they intend to do in Prijedor. SDA added that all three of them are very much aware what happened in Prijedor years before ‘Oluja’. SDA concluded that choosing Prijedor as the place to mark ‘Oluja’ although it has nothing to do with it, the message is being sent that the dream about ‘Greater Serbia’ still lives in heads of a part of Serb political and religious elite. SDA also said that the leadership of Serbia, especially President Vucic, who glorified the war criminal Ratko Mladic and advocated the killing of 100 Muslims for one Serb, should show remorse. SDA’s Nezir Pivic, said that Serbia cherishes anti-civilizational principles by denying the genocide. Pivic underlined that coming to Prijedor where 102 children were killed is at least a provocation, adding that this is not a way to build good-neighborly relations. Pivic also said that one of the biggest problems represents the fact that Serbia offered shelter to those who were convicted or accused of war crimes.

 

Becirovic meets Schmidt to discuss attack on constitutional order of B&H (FTV)

 

Upon his demand, member of B&H Presidency Denis Becirovic had an urgent meeting with High Representative Christian Schmidt in Sarajevo on Thursday. According to statements issued following this meeting, which was closed for the public, topics important for stability of B&H were discussed. The statement issued by Becirovic’s cabinet reads that the member of B&H Presidency emphasized that protection of the constitutional order of B&H is a precondition to intensify the Euro-Atlantic integration and that the international community needs to end separatist acting and attacks on foundations of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) as soon as possible. It further reads that newest sanctions imposed by the US are justified and it is necessary to stop the attack on the constitutional order of B&H. “Key institutions which guarantee peace and security are the High Representative and Constitutional Court of B&H. These institutions cannot be a subject of trade with actors of the attack on the constitutional order of B&H”, said Becirovic in his statement. The Office of High Representative’s (OHR) statement reads that two officials exchanged stances on attempts to jeopardize constitutional-legal order of B&H, adding that the OHR monitors situation and keeps all options open. The statement further reads that political actors need to respect the DPA and constitutional framework of B&H and direct their efforts towards implementation of 14 key priorities and other important reforms necessary for B&H to move faster towards the EU membership. Becirovic also expressed hope that the international community will react in a decisive and in a concrete way to separatist moves of Dodik. Becirovic and Schmidt also discussed sanctions, recently imposed by the US on the RS officials, saying that sanctions are justified. After the meeting, Becirovic said for the media in Sarajevo that there is no topic is more important than the protection of the constitutional order of B&H and that politicians who undermine and relativize it are working in favour of Dodik’s policy. The media in the Federation of B&H reported that Schmidt conveyed that “all instruments” to protect the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) are on the table. The reporter notes that the meeting was held ahead Becirovic’s visit to London and reminds that he earlier met with Ambassadors of NATO countries and the EU in B&H during which, as usual, he complained about the RS.

 

Niksic says he is satisfied with atmosphere that characterizes work of FB&H government (Fena)

 

In an interview for Fena, FB&H Prime Minister Nermin Niksic stated that he is satisfied with the atmosphere present in the FB&H government in the first 100 days of its work. He said that this is about a new approach which is based on mutual trust, agreement, compromise and consensus. He believes that this approach will make possible faster reacting to numerous challenges, as well as a new reform impetus and more efficient acting with regard to resolving the issues that the FB&H citizens have been facing with and which burden their everyday life for a longer period of time. Niksic noted that this approach has already resulted in concrete moves - adoption of a set of energy sector laws, which are important for the European path of B&H, and the law on protection of civilian victims of war.  He also announces more intensified engagement of the government, new legal projects including a set of fiscal laws, which should result in a better position of workers, but also improve the environment for economy and contribute to competitiveness of economic subjects of the FB&H. Niksic also said that he prefers systematic solutions, unlike those enforced, short time ones. Among his priorities, Niksic stated a more efficient fight against corruption, organized crime which, among other things, imply applying of the Law on Prevention of Corruption and Organized Crime adopted in 2014. Niksic also expressed satisfaction with the fact that all items were unanimously adopted at previous sessions, which in his opinion confirms correctness of the policy of compromise, agreements and talks, and not looking for the things over which there will be disputes, divisions and creating of unnecessary tensions. As for the things which were planned but were not implemented in the last 100days, Niksic said that based on the communication with citizens and representatives of ruling political parties, he has an impression that it is the fact that the story on changes in the public companies, agencies, administrations etc. was not completed. He added that this proves that they did not come to power with a goal to deal with the issue of personnel, removals, but to try to harmonize and implement programs and policies that they agreed about. He added that they plan to bring to abovementioned companies and agencies people who will impellent the policy of the government. Asked to comment on labor rights, PM Niksic said the FB&H government is dedicated to giving its contribution to regulating and protecting workers’ rights, as well as creating better climate for business people in the FB&H. Niksic also warned that one must be aware of some people trying to use protest rallies and pressures against the government in order to achieve something that is not realistic. He further noted that a set of fiscal laws should be defined in next ten days or so, including the law on contributions and the law on minimum salaries, aim of which is to protect workers and improve the companies’ competitiveness. PM Niksic stressed he hoped the laws in question will be in the parliamentary procedure by end of September, in order to enter force next year. Talking about the issue of cooperation between the FB&H government and the FB&H parliament and criticism related to inefficient legislative authorities, Niksic says the opposition parties are complaining, but they forget when they were in power that both the executive and legislative authorities were not functioning, not convening for months. He added by saying it has been confirmed that the FB&H parliament is functioning and that it was evident there is parliamentary majority during the confirmation of the FB&H government and adoption of set of energy laws. “I want to use this opportunity to tell the citizens of the FB&H that the FB&H government will really do everything in its power to have a stable situation in the whole of B&H, that we will continue with the policy of compromise, discussion, agreement, and search for solutions. Maybe some people, who are in some other political positions, can engage in politicking, politicize some things that are not for politicization, however, the FB&H government must deal with the real, everyday life problems of the citizens and we will deal with it to that extent and as much as we have the opportunity and can,” Niksic underlined. Niksic also said that he held a series of talks about the situations he was going through in his first term as FB&H Prime Minister, such as the bankruptcy proceedings in the company 'Zrak', and talks with the trade unions of the company 'Krivaja' and mines in the FB&H, and he pointed out that they were all convinced that the FB&H government would be on their side and try to fulfil their justified demands.

 

Croatian President included on list of persons denying Srebrenica genocide (Hina)

 

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic was put on a list of persons who denied or relativised to the greatest extent the Srebrenica genocide, committed against Bosniaks by Bosnian Serb soldiers and police in July 1995. The Srebrenica Genocide Denial Report is published annually by the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Centre, a governmental institution whose management board is appointed by the Council of Ministers of B&H. The document was compiled by a four-member research team, which analysed the period from May 2022 to June 2023 through the data available in the media. Milanovic was included on the list of ten persons or media outlets who had during the year relativised the nature of the crime that occurred in Srebrenica. Bosnian Serb leader, Milorad Dodik, was on top of the list. In the summary, the team said that thanks to the entry into force of the amendments to the Criminal Code of B&H, which made denying war crimes confirmed by rulings of domestic or international courts a criminal offence, fewer such statements or claims were recorded in the past year compared to previous years. However, they said that a considerable number of such statements had still been observed. They also noted that no one had been charged or convicted for this. Over the course of a year, researchers identified 90 different statements questioning the genocide in Srebrenica or its scale in Bosnia or neighbouring countries, while a year earlier there had been as many as 693 such statements. “Active denial” of genocide was recorded in 53 cases, relativisation in 26 cases, support for the perpetrators in nine cases, and recognition of the crime, but not genocide, in two cases. After Dodik, the largest number of statements denying the genocide were made by Branimir Kojic, president of the Organisation of Families of Captured and Killed Fighters and Missing Civilians from Srebrenica, and Miodrag Linta, a member of the Serbian National Assembly, and the document describes them as the main deniers of the genocide. They are followed by tabloids from Serbia Informer and Alo, while Croatian President Milanovic is sixth on the list. He is followed by Radovan Kovacevic, a member of the House of Peoples of B&H, and Nenad Kecmanovic, a former advisor to Milorad Dodik. The authors of the document noted that the inclusion of Milanovic in this list was a key change compared to previous years and that his “appearance as a denier of genocide and a person who relativises that crime is significant due to his high political position and the influence he has as the president of the Republic of Croatia”. As an example of Milanovic’s negative attitude towards Srebrenica, the document only quotes his statement from November 2022, in which he argued with members of the Mothers of Srebrenica association. Milanovic then said he had never denied the extent of the killing and massacre in Srebrenica as some denied the Holocaust, but that legal qualifications were something else. His statement is now used as evidence of his denial of the genocide.

 

Djukanovic: What a smart person is ashamed of, Abazovic is obviously proud of; he doesn’t see he is politically disgraced for all time (CdM)

 

The former president of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic has reacted to the text written by Caretaker PM Dritan Abazovic on the occasion of the anniversary of signing the Fundamental Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church. Djukanovic repeats that the signing of the Fundamental Agreement is the biggest betrayal of Montenegro after 1918. “Presumably counting on the shallowness and short memory of Montenegrins, the Prime Minister suggests to us that renouncing the sacred treasure and cultural-historical identity of Montenegrins is a political feat that should be celebrated. For so much insolence, it is not enough to be only a traitor and a pathological liar, you also need to be without a shred of morality. Insulting the common sense of Montenegrins, he used everything that a charlatan can think of to explain his wrongdoing”, Djukanovic stresses. “Montenegro was in the wars of the 1990s and in the bombing of the FRY in 1999, it confirmed its openness, humanity, self-sacrifice, solidarity… It confirmed politically in 2022 that this was not an accidental rise by giving the most important political position in the country to a member of the minority nation, who earned a few percent of support in the elections. Perhaps someone could try to relativize this great step forward of modern Montenegro in the affirmation of multi-ethnic democracy by claiming that it was forced by getting rid of the former apostolic government, which did everything to turn civil and secular Montenegro into a Serbian and theocratic state under the administration of the Serbian Orthodox Church”, Djukanovic points out. “No one can dispute that by giving the Prime Minister’s Office to a representative of a minority nation without electoral trust, Montenegro has taken a step of seven miles, inconceivable not only in the region, but also in the wider environment, demonstrating a sincere belonging to the political model of multi-ethnic democracy”, says Djukanovic. In return, Djukanovic stresses, Abazovic “gave himself the right to behind the scenes (I’m convinced out of self-interest) behind the backs of the professional, scientific and a great deal of the politically relevant public, rapidly overcome the historical, centuries-old controversies of Montenegrin-Serbian relations. With that signature, he renounced the cultural-historical and national identity of Montenegrins, and thus the real basis for the existence of the independent state of Montenegro”. According to Djukanovic, “our unfortunate Prime Minister” would like to cancel and erase the memories of Montenegro’s historical achievements, “not taking into account the fact that it is not a thing for him to do. Not on any basis. Let’s just remember how many times we have heard from representatives of the Bosniak and Albanian people in Parliament that they do not want to give a prevailing opinion in Montenegrin-Serbian political disagreements that have deep historical roots. (…) I’ve said it and I’ll say it again: the only thing worth about him is that he’s Albanian. To what extent he is a follower of the authentic rooted tradition of the Albanians in Montenegro is another issue”, says Djukanovic. Abazovic, adds Djukanovic, certainly does not have the right to solve such significant problems taking into account a low percentage of electoral legitimacy. “And even less to celebrate that high treason as a feat and mock the common sense and dignity of Montenegrins. I believe that the day is not far when Abazovic will bear responsibility for high treason, not only politically. What a smart person is ashamed of, Abazovic is obviously proud of. He does not see that he has been politically disgraced for all time”, Djukanovic concludes.

 

Osmani discusses constitutional changes with Geer, Jan Kop, Meyer (MIA)

 

At his meetings Thursday with EU Ambassador David Geer, Dutch Ambassador Dirk Jan Kop and Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Skopje Eric Meyer, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani discussed current events in the country and especially the latest developments regarding the proposed constitutional changes needed to continue the accession negotiations with the EU, an official press release said. FM Osmani stressed the unique opportunity the country has to provide "a decent European future to our citizens." "This time we have the key," Osmani is quoted as saying in the release, which adds that he expressed his thanks to "international friends who provided serious guarantees and support to the country in this process". The foreign minister said the state would continue to work on internal reforms and on aligning the legislation with EU laws according to the European Commission recommendations. Meeting participants also talked about regional issues, especially in terms of the European integration of the Western Balkans. "Current security and geopolitical challenges, the required long-term and efficient reform process in all regional countries, and the need of reconciliation and solving open bilateral issues have strained relations in the region so the European perspective has to maintain the Balkans' transformative power," Osmani said.