LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic, Schieb discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug/RTS)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and German Ambassador Thomas Schieb discussed today bilateral relations, the situation in the Western Balkans, in particular the Belgrade-Pristina relations, and specific new German investments expected to take place in the foreseeable future. Vucic said he was pleased to have had an opportunity to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel again recently in Davos. Vucic and Schieb noted Serbia-Germany relations were at a historic high, which they said was a firm foundation for constant improvement of political dialogue and an impetus to economic cooperation. Schieb said the German Embassy in Belgrade was strongly supportive of the current trend of increasing investments, as well as providing assistance in business contacts. Vucic pointed to Schieb to the consequences that the taxes on Serbian goods, as an irresponsible unilateral measure by Pristina, have on relations and stability in the region. He once again stressed Serbia’s readiness to continue the dialogue after Pristina gives up the unjustified taxes that endanger, apart from the Serbian economy, the daily life of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. Schieb has stated that Germany strongly supports the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and voiced hope that conditions will be created for its resumption.

 

Dacic: I’ve been around world 25 times campaigning for Serbia (TV Pink/Tanjug/B92)

 

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic says now is the right time internationally to make progress in resolving the Kosovo issue. He pointed out that Albanians are delaying and waiting for these circumstances to change. Dacic told TV Pink that it is a question what will happen in the US after the next presidential election and whether an administration that is not favorable for Serbian interests will return to power. “That administration was not so much Obama’s as it was Clinton’s,” said Dacic, adding that another question is whether Joseph Biden’s return would be good for Serbian interests. Stating that the situation should be used to make some progress, Dacic pointed out that the Albanians are delaying and waiting for things to change. “For us, this is also an option, to wait,” Dacic said, adding that he believes Kosovo will never become a member of Interpol, UNESCO, or the UN. Speaking about statements by Kosovo’s leaders on delineation, he said that it was a cacophony coming from Pristina with the aim of not reaching any solution. Dacic also expects the number of UN member states that recognize Kosovo to soon fall below half of the total number of countries. “That creates a completely new picture, so they will not be able to make any political move without agreeing with Belgrade,” said Dacic, adding that since April 2014, when he became the foreign minister, only nine states have recognized Kosovo, while 13 have revoked their recognition. According to him, 91 countries certainly did not recognize Kosovo, but there are many that formally did, but are not voting in Pristina’s favor in international forums. Among them are Egypt, Peru, Oman, the Central African Republic, said the head of diplomacy, and added that as the minister he has so far been around the globe 25 times in order to campaign for Serbian interests. Dacic reiterated that it was now a convenient international moment to solve the Kosovo problem, as the US administration is open to a compromise between Belgrade and Pristina, while that the current European Commission is ending its mandate this year.

 

Dacic: Everybody condemned taxes, majority condemned decision of army formation (RTS)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has shown that the past UNSC session that it was necessary for us to fight for Kosovo to remain on the agenda, because the representatives of the provisional institutions in Pristina, or so-called Kosovo, experienced a complete debacle at this session. “First they didn’t expect that the session would be held at all, and you saw that Vlora Citaku had said this is a charade, as she put it, and thus insulted those who reached agreement with us, since it turned out that they are in some theatre,” said Dacic. “Kosovo will be discussed in the UN Security Council in the next two years. Everybody condemned taxes, the majority condemned the decision on the formation of the Kosovo army. It was big surprise for Vlora Citaku when she heard from the US representative that taxes should be momentarily abolished,” said Dacic. He says that the proportion is ten towards five, in terms of recognizers and non-recognizers of Kosovo. “Five countries that are non-recognizers, but along with that, Peru, the Ivory Coast, and even Belgium, spoke so fiercely against the moves of the Kosovo authorities that Pristina representatives reacted very nervously, even insulted the member states. Even Russian Ambassador Vasilii Nebeznya said ‘if this was a charade to you why are you coming to these kinds of sessions at all’,” said Dacic. He said it occurred for the first time at a SC session that not a single country called other countries to recognize Kosovo, said Dacic. Asked whether taxes will be abolished or not, Dacic says we will see what will be the reactions from Pristina, and that they have ten different statements every day. Upon return from the US, Hashim Thaci said that dialogue should be unconditionally continued, but Dacic says he always gives such statements when he returns from Washington, yet when he returns to Pristina it is a totally different story. “There were stories that it was actually Veseli who talked in Haradinaj, who is Thaci’s man, for taxes not to be 30 percent increased as he wanted, but 100 percent,” says Dacic, adding they are all playing good cop, bad cop, and that they actually do not want to do that. “Pressures will certainly continue, because they have no where further to go. Serbia will not continue the dialogue if taxes are not abolished, this is no conditioning, this is simply one logic,” said Dacic. Asked how he assesses the statement by the Russian Embassy in London regarding the statement by the British Ambassador in the Security Council that Pristina has the right to its own army, Dacic responds that we have gone far from the fact that Kosovo has a plan that it can do whatever it wants. “Most of the countries thought, without counting Great Britain, US and so forth, that this is a wrong decision and that it needs to unfold in accordance with Resolution 1244, so-called Constitution of Kosovo. Russia is, naturally, the strongest one in support to us and it openly opposed this,” explained Dacic. “I think this was a very positive SC session, but it doesn’t mean that it will now automatically result in the situation improving in Kosovo and Metohija,” concluded Dacic. Dacic also commented the visit of Dragan Djilas and Vuk Jeremic to Brussels and said he was informed by diplomatic circles that the EU asked Djilas and Jeremic what their response is to EU integration, what they think is the future when it comes to EU integration and what is their stand regarding Kosovo. “They didn’t reply anything, and not the protesters ask the authorities what we think about it. Well, let them ask why are they leading the protests,” said Dacic.

 

SzS MPs boycotts Serbian parliament (Beta/Tanjug)

 

The opposition Alliance for Serbia (SzS) has decided to boycott the Serbian parliament session that opened on Monday to debate amendments to existing and new laws. SzS MPs told reporters in parliament that they took the decision because they felt it was their obligation towards the people who have been protesting across Serbia and the Agreement With the People that all the parties in the group signed.  According to Democratic Party (DS) MP group chief Goran Ciric, the boycott is message from the opposition to the people taking part in the protests. “We the signatories of the Agreement With the People are serious people and one of the articles of that document calls us to leave all institutions and we are implementing that. Opposition members of local assemblies will do the same and we will hold conferences every half hour to talk about the laws on the agenda. Everyone should know that there are two parliaments in Serbia now – the violent usurper parliament and the democratic parliament which will meet in the parliament hall,” Dveri leader Bosko Obradovic said.  The SzS MPs said they are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Mladen Sarcevic as well as everyone else in the executive authorities and parliament speaker Maja Gojkovic for violations of the law and constitution, Popular Party deputy leader Miroslav Aleksic said and warned that laws are being introduced en masse by institutions which have been taken over by one man. The Independent MPs group joined the boycott despite the fact that it is not an Alliance member. That group signed the Agreement With the People.  The press conference was held by Goran Ciric (DS), Bosko Obradovic (Dveri), Sanda Raskovic-Ivic (People's Party), Miroslav Aleksic (People's Party) and independent MP Jovan Jovanovic. The session is being attended by MPs from the ruling coalition and the Serbian Radical Party (SRS), Liberal Democrat Party (LDP) and League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV) which are not part of the ruling coalition nor of the SzS.

 

Jeremic: Opposition leaders can expect a call from Vucic, there are no secret deals (N1)

 

When you have so many people in the streets, you cannot ignore them away. You have to meet them. Opposition leaders can expect a phone call from President Aleksandar Vucic to hold a meeting and discuss how to end this madness. There are no secret deals,” the leader of the People’s Party Vuk Jeremic told N1. He said the government would change after the new election, but this election will not be held under “these circumstances.” He added that the opposition in Serbia will continue to pressure the authorities through protests and other legal means. Asked whether he would like for early election to be called, he said it would only further unite the opposition. “I believe everyone would join the opposition front. We have already planned our future steps, and our first step was forming the Alliance for Serbia (SzS) where some parties have set aside their differences. Our next step was the Alliance for the People, and the third and final step is to change the government after the regime is forced to reform its worsening autocratic order,” Jeremic said. Speaking about the protests across Serbia, Jeremic said they were completely spontaneous and funded by their participants. The SzS does cover some of the costs, he noted, but these were minor costs.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Dodik and Covic calling on Bosniak representatives to form government (Srna)

 

Leaders of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) Milorad Dodik and Croatian Democratic Party (HDZ) Dragan Covic call on the Bosniak side to start forming the government at the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) State level as soon as possible as the relevant requirements have been met. “We always have a situation where the Bosniak side requests something and then ‘entraps’ the whole structure and nothing can be carried out. We are now appealing to them to finish this together,” Dodik told the press after a meeting with HDZ chief Dragan Covic in Mostar on Sunday.  It will be clear in the coming days whether it is an organized obstruction of the government formation and if it is a plan that can be discerned, he said. “Apparently nothing can move quickly in B&H. This is our appeal - handle your situation and come to us to agree about who has to do what, in accordance with the Constitution,” said Dodik. He added he had informed Covic about the recent talks with EU officials in Brussels and that the topic was the formation of government.  “It is inexcusable to be so far behind on the formation of the government bearing in mind that the Serb and Croat teams are already definite. The HDZ and SNDS are the leaders of the two teams. We are waiting for the Bosniak side to consolidate the political will,” explained Dodik.  Dodik said the two parties’ delegations also discussed the reform of the election legislation and that the SNSD backed the idea of one people not having someone else choose their own representatives. "The main element of instability in B&H is taking the positions which belong to someone else. The Sejdic-Finci ruling should be considered in that framework,” said Dodik, recalling that B&H was a country with two entities and three constituent peoples. HDZ leader Dragan Covic said they had agreed to finish the job of forming the State level government within two weeks. Covic added he had already spoken with Fahrudin Radoncic, the leader of the Union for a Better Future of B&H (SBB) and announced a meeting with the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) for Wednesday, 13 February, saying he would expect an agreement to be reached. “The meeting was very good and the HDZ confirmed its partnership with the SNSD,” said Covic. Apart from Dodik, the SNSD delegation including the party vice-president Zeljka Cvijanovic, secretary general Luka Petrovic, and presidency member Slavko Mitrovic, Stasa Kosarac and Zoran Tegeltija.  The HDZ delegation also included the party vice-president Borjana Kristo, and senior officials Vjekoslav Bevanda, Davor Cordas and Zdenko Cosic.

 

SDP decided not to go into coalition with national parties (Fena)

 

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) General Committee decided, after almost 12 hours discussion, to be the opposition, and reached the decision not to start negotiations with the national parties on the formation of power at the state level of B&H and the Entity of Federation B&H, Fena reports. There were 61 delegates voting against the coalition, 31 of which were for the coalition, while the 6 did not vote. After the session, President of SDP B&H Nermin Niksic read out the conclusions highlighting that the General Committee made the decision that SDP would not be in coalition with the national parties – SDA, HDZ B&H and SNSD. “The SDP General Board believes SDA has destroyed any possibility for SDP entry at the state and federal level with crucial support in the election of HDZ and SNSD delegates to the homes of the people of Federation B&H, enabling them to have absolute control and blockade of all processes in B&H. GO SDP believes SDA played a double game all the time, on the one hand calling the SDP and BH bloc in power to protect the state while at the same time taking advantage of every opportunity to strengthen the position of HDZ and SNSD,” said Niksic. With representatives at all levels, the party will continue to affirm and support B&H’s path to EU and NATO, will call on equality of citizens and peoples in the whole of B&H, and on economic and social reforms.

 

RS Commission for Srebrenica keeps drawing criticism (N1)

 

Lower levels of government cannot form commissions to question international courts’ verdicts, especially those by UN courts, B&H Human Rights and Refugees Minister Semiha Borovac said after Republika Srpska (RS) decided to form commissions to deal with the suffering of Serbs in Sarajevo and the suffering of all peoples in the area of eastern town of Srebrenica. “The formation of this Commission is a malicious attempt by the lower level authorities to question and diminish crimes that took place during Bosnia’s 1992-1995 war, which were characterized by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) characterized as genocide,” Borovac said. She called the Commission a “Quasi-body with neither the legitimacy nor the legality to question crimes committed between 1992 and 1995, especially not the already established facts by international courts which are internationally recognized and accepted.” “Lower levels of government cannot form commissions to question international courts’ verdicts, especially those by UN courts,” she stressed and characterized its formation as a malicious attempt by RS authorities to harass the genocide victims and their families continuously. The largest Bosniak party, the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) said that no political commission could change or question the truth about the war in Bosnia and the legally established facts. “We call upon the RS authorities and the authorities of neighboring Serbia to finally face the truth about the genocide in B&H, instead of trying to diminish historical facts,” the SDA said.

 

US Embassy and OHR condemn the formation of commission for Srebrenica (Fena)

 

Both the US Embassy to B&H and the Office of the High Representative (OHR), which oversees the peace implementation in the country, condemned the formation of commissions for the suffering in Sarajevo and Srebrenica saying that this would not help the recognition of truth and reconciliation among peoples. "The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) have both concluded that what happened in Srebrenica, in July 1995, was genocide. Everyone should respect court decisions and bravely face and accept the truth, regardless of how painful it was," the US embassy said. "We support the Peace Implementation Council’s 2018 decision condemning the RS  parliament’s decision to reject the 2004 Commission for Srebrenica’s report which confirmed that between 7,000 and 8,000 people disappeared from the Srebrenica region." The OHR recalled that the international community’s body in charge of monitoring the OHR’s work and interpretation of the Dayton Peace Agreement which ended the war in B&H, the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board (PIC SB) condemner the RSNA’s rejection of the 2004 report and their decision to form new commissions for Srebrenica and Sarajevo. "The PIC SB reiterated that both international and local courts characterized the events from July 1995 as genocide," the OHR stated.

 

Police arrests three attackers on Serbian water polo players; Government strongly condemns the attack (Hina)

 

Police in the southern coastal city of Split have arrested three young men on suspicion of attacking three Serbian water polo players on the city's waterfront promenade on Saturday. Two attackers are still on the run, local police said on Sunday morning. The police said that a club jersey that had been taken from one of the players had been found with one of the men that were brought in on Sunday morning. The three players are members of Belgrade's Red Star Water Polo Club who had arrived in Split for a game against the local side Mornar BS, which was scheduled for 8.30pm on Saturday. The match was cancelled because of the incident.

The Croatian government strongly condemns this attack by hooligans, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has discussed the incident with Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic and Split Mayor Andro Krstulovic Opara, government spokesman Marko Milic told Hina. The attack was earlier condemned by the Croatian Water Polo Federation, the Croatian Olympic Committee and many athletes and politicians.

 

Greek parliament ratifies neighbor's NATO accession protocol (Nezavisen vesnik)

 

The draft bill "Ratification of the Protocol of the North Atlantic Treaty for the Accession of North Macedonia" was ratified by the plenary of the Greek parliament on Friday after securing a majority of 153 votes. During the roll-call voting procedure, all SYRIZA members plus eight independent deputies voted in favor; one independent voted present; while 5 of 6 absent deputies had voted against the draft bill by absentee ballot. "I welcome as of tomorrow, North Macedonia, a friend country," Alexis Tsipras said, declaring his pride for the MPs who voted for the Prespa Agreement, because they did the right thing, as he said. Athens will send a Note Verbal to Skopje on Monday, informing that Greece has ratified the Prespa Agreement and the NATO Accession Protocol, says Alternate Foreign Minister Geirgios Katrougalos. Katrougalos explains the next steps following the Greek parliament’s green light to the Prespa Agreement and the NATO Accession Protocol. “A Note Verbal will be sent on Monday and afterwards North Macedonia will inform the UN and member-states that have recognized it under the constitutional name to use the new name in the future. Of course, its obligations related to the change of institutions, streets, documents that have the old name begin on Monday, as agreed” says Katrougalos. Asked if the neighboring country will be obliged to use the new name as of next week, Katrougalos responds positively and adds that the Prespa Agreement is clear regarding this aspect.

 

Hahn: I'm confident that EU member states will acknowledge this remarkable achievement in June (Nezavisen vesnik)

 

EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn has stated that EU will give the green light for the opening accession negotiations this year if reforms are implemented. Commissioner Hahn salutes the signing of the NATO Accession Protocol and says the name row settlement with Greece is a decisive step towards the Euro-Atlantic integration of “the future Republic of North Macedonia”. “Given the efforts it took to achieve the signing of the NATO protocol, for which the Prespa Agreement paved the way, I can just applaud all political leaders involved. This is yet another historic decision achieved by the country’s leadership. The NATO integration of the future Republic of North Macedonia will contribute to the security and stability of the Western Balkans and of Europe as a whole,” says Hahn. NATO and EU accession, he adds, are processes of their own, with specific conditions and procedures, but both contribute in parallel to the stability and peace and are based on same principles such as democracy and rule of law. “The Prespa Agreement, which paved the way to signing the NATO protocol, is also an important step towards EU integration, as our Western Balkan Strategy published a year ago, defines reconciliation and good neighborly relations as one of the central conditions for EU accession,” notes Hahn. Hahn expresses confidence that EU member states “will acknowledge this remarkable achievement in June. Of course, there has also to be tangible progress in the implementation of the reform agenda, on which all efforts should be focused now. If the historic success of the Prespa Agreement is accompanied by a solid track record of reforms – and as far as I have seen, the Government is working hard to achieve this – I am confident that member states will give their green light for opening accession negotiations this year. It’s also a question of the EU’s credibility, because if our candidate countries deliver, we have to deliver on our promises too,” said Hahn.

 

Osmani – Palmer: Macedonia expects US support in the upcoming period as well (Meta)

 

The Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bujar Osman, during a working visit to Washington met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Matthew Palmer at the US State Department. He told Palmer that the success of signing the NATO protocol is a result of the strategic partnership between the United States and Macedonia, which he said he expects to continue in the future. “The US is more than a strategic partner to Macedonia, but probably the most important friend, whose presence and active participation have been achieved for the most important turning points of our country’s independence,” Osmani said. The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that Macedonia is expecting the support of the United States in the upcoming period, namely full membership in NATO and the beginning of EU accession negotiations. “Macedonia has no open political issues, and again occupies the central position in the Balkans, as the main partner of the United States, the EU and NATO in promoting democratic and western values ​​in the region,” Osmani added. As part of his visit to the US Senate, Osmani also met with Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, who informed him of his initiative, along with Senator Jeanne Shaheen, to recommend to the EU Council in June, this year, confirm the decision to start the negotiations. Johnson suggested that the text of the resolution is expected to be finalized and put on the agenda of the Senate early next week.

 

The presidential elections will be held on 21 April (Nezavisen vesnik)

 

Parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi announced the presidential elections in the country for 21 April. If a second round is needed - something that is almost certain - it will be held on 5 May. The term of the current President of the country, Gjorge Ivanov, ends on 12 May. The term of office of the President of the country lasts five years. At the same time, processes are intensifying in the parties to nominate their candidates in the presidential election. VMRO-DPMNE's main opposition party will present its candidate at a party meeting to be held on February 16th. Among the most important contenders for VMRO-DPMNE's nomination, from the nine who have submitted a candidacy, are the Constitutional Law Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Skopje Gordana Siljanovska (64) and the MP of the party Vlatko Gjorcev (41). In Zoran Zaev's ruling Social Democratic Union party (SDSM) there seems to be a dilemma about the nomination of his candidate in the presidential election. Indeed, so far, no candidate names have been announced. The only thing known is that the SDSM will choose its candidate at a party conference to be held on 3 March. According to Skopje's media, the front-runners to receive SDSM's vote in the presidential election are Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov, Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski and the National Co-Ordinator of Macedonia for NATO, Stevo Pentarovski, who was also a candidate for the party in the last presidential election and was defeated by Gjorge Ivanov.

 

Zaev: There is a possible consensus on a presidential candidate, we have a dilemma over early elections (Meta)

 

SDSM has not yet defined its position on whether to hold early elections, because the dilemma is whether to go for a new mandate or focus on EU integration and receive a date for accession talks with the EU, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said. “The dilemma over whether to announce early parliamentary elections is between two options – whether to choose a whole new mandate that is appealing to politicians, so that we can deliver economic effects, reform effects and improve the overall life or to put the interest of the state before the parties, and not to give any excuses to those member states who are against enlargement. Macedonia is waiting for a positive decision at the EU summit in June, where I believe that the European Commission, which is at the end of its mandate, wants to leave its legacy,” says Zaev. He added that in the coming days they will also talk with coalition partners, political parties outside the coalition, parties that are not parliamentary, and consult with them, as he says, many important citizen associations, make surveys and analyzes in terms of finding the best candidate for the presidential election. Regarding DUI’s statement that they will not support a presidential candidate from the SDSM Congress, Zaev said that they will choose a candidate together through a joint analysis.

 

Local elections on 30 June, List of SP candidates unveiled (ADN)

 

The Socialist Party (SP) has decided that the official confirmation of the candidates for Mayors that will run in the June elections, will be done during the congress that will be gathered on 30 March. SP has promised to carry out an analysis of the work done by the current Mayors, so then can make the final selection that will pass in the decision-making of the headship and then of the congress. Prime Minister Edi Rama has made the first confirmations of the candidates. The candidates in SP till now are:

Tirana - Erjon Veliaj;

Durres - Adrian Cela or Vangjush Dako;

Elbasan - Gledian Llajtja;

Korce - Sotiraq Filo;

Fier - Armando Subashi;

Shkodra - Senida Mesi;

Gjirokastra - Flamur Golemi;

Vlore - Dritan Leli;

Lushnje - Tatja Pirro;

Librazhd - Kastriot Gurra;

Berat - Ervin Demo;

Lezha - Pjerin Ndreu;

Malesia Madhe - Tonin Marinaj;

Kukes - Safet Gjici;

Himara - Jorgo Goro.

 

Ruci: Albania will probably ratify Macedonia's NATO Accession protocol on Thursday (ADN)

 

Albanian parliament speaker Gramoz Ruci has told Macedonian Ambassador Danco Markovski that the NATO Accession Protocol would be ratified very soon. “The first possible date for the ratification is during the next parliament session on Thursday,” said Ruci and added that the government has already passed the decision. Ruci and Markovski discussed the NATO Accession Protocol, friendly relations and enhancement of bilateral economic cooperation.

“I welcome the NATO Accession Protocol of North Macedonia, a long-awaited historic achievement of a neighboring country that we share a common Euro-Atlantic future with” said Ruci. He added that despite the heated political environment in Albania, all parliamentary political parties have said they would endorse the NATO Accession Protocol. Ambassador Markovski thanked speaker Ruci for Albania’s continual support to Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic integration efforts.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

London ignores threat that "Kosovo army" will pose to Serbs — Russian Embassy (TASS, 8 February 2019)

 

LONDON, The UK and other Western countries are ignoring the treat that forming the army in self-proclaimed Kosovo will create for the territory's Serbian population, the Russian Embassy in London said in a statement released on Friday. "We would want to remind once again that the prospect of creating the so-called 'Kosovo army' presents a direct threat to Serbians residing in the territory's north and this drastically increases the potential for emergence of a new source of tensions in the Balkans. It is surprising that Western representatives persistently ignore this obvious fact that was mentioned, for instance, in the last half-year report by the head of the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] mission in Pristina," the embassy said adding that EU efforts at mediating failed. "Instead of adhering to voluntarily assumed commitments on normalizing the situation in the region, they [EU member-states] are in reality turning a blind eye to flagrant violations of international law," the embassy added. "As we noted earlier, Pristina's decision to transform Kosovo's security forces into full-fledged 'armed forces' represents a flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 which allows only for multinational contingents under international control to be present on this territory. At the same, the decision runs counter to Kosovo's 'constitution'," the Russian Embassy noted. "We regularly draw attention of representatives of countries of the Western bloc at different platforms to this outrageous fact, but certain supporters of Kosovo's independence refute our arguments under various pretexts. The British, in particular, insist on some special 'legal interpretation' of the aforementioned resolution which seems to align very well with their own concept of 'rules-based order'," the embassy said.