LOCAL PRESS 

Orlic: European Parliament recognizes legitimacy of new parliament (RTV/Tanjug) 

Co-Chair of the European Union - Serbia Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) Vladimir Orlic expressed satisfaction with the 12th meeting stressing that it was clear evidence that the European Parliament recognized the legitimacy of the new parliament, despite some messages from the EP after the 2020 parliamentary elections which called the legitimacy of the Serbian parliament into question. “This meeting is clear evidence that such reckless statements were a complete failure. In the democratic world and in Europe, the will of the citizens of Serbia expressed in the elections is recognized, and it is good that it is so,” he said. Orlic said that the parliament has been working at full capacity for months and expressed hope that the pandemic conditions will allow the European Parliament to soon start working in the same manner. He said that the turnout of the Serbian elections, held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, was very good. That turnout was higher than in the elections in Croatia, held soon after the ones in Serbia. He also stated that 21 electoral lists participated in the parliamentary elections, 18 of them opposition, comprising more than 40 opposition political parties, movements and other organizations. The report of the Regulatory Agency for Electronic Media (REM) showed that the media representation of the participants in the elections was uniform, Orlic said, adding that the ODIHR report stated that the elections were conducted efficiently, despite the pandemic, and that there were opportunities to conduct election campaigns for all participants, respecting the fundamental freedom of expression and assembly. After the constitution of the new legislature, the parliament continued to work efficiently, he stressed, eliminated the use of urgent procedure almost completely, considered all reports of independent institutions and for the first time discussed the Progress Report on Serbia, which noted the country’s overall progress, in the plenum. “That is proof that our commitment to EU membership is not only declarative, but that we give concrete results,” he said. Speaking of the situation in the media, Orlic informed the members of the European Parliament about Serbia’s progress on the Fraser Institute’s Human Freedom Index list, ranking better than in the previous year and significantly better than in 2010 and 2011 which were critically bad for the country according to the Human Freedom Index. He also briefed the MEPs on the new report of the London Economist, according to which Serbia is still in the same group of democratic states as the US. In addition, Orlic said that based on the NUNS database on attacks on journalists, the number of physical attacks in 2020 was significantly lower than in 2008, which was particularly worrying. “The number of physical attacks on journalists in 2020 would certainly have been significantly lower if we had not had violent demonstrations when hooligans led mass attacks against journalists. The same people who used violence bigger than the one we see in the Netherlands today, violently broke into this parliament where we stand today and tried to set it on fire. Fortunately, we managed to preserve our institutions, the citizens’ property, human lives and protect journalists. The political inspirers of this violence, the same people who boycotted the elections, boycotted every dialogue and boycotted the European Parliament are no longer in the parliament and therefore there is no hate speech in it today,” he said. Orlic added that there is no substantial progress in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina due to Pristina’s ignoring its most important obligation, and that is the final establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities. “The credibility of the European Union as a mediator in this dialogue has been seriously shaken due its tolerating Pristina’s behavior. And everyone should be aware of that, he said. Orlic, as well as the other members of the parliament’s delegation to SAPC, emphasized Serbia’s commitment to EU membership and expressed confidence that the new enlargement methodology would accelerate the negotiation process and Serbia’s progress in EU integration. In her address, Serbian Minister for EU Integration Jadranka Joksimovic said that the enlargement policy had taken a back seat in the previous year, but she expected it would be revitalized this year and understood in the context of revitalization of the EU itself. She stressed that Serbia is ready to apply the new methodology in the pre-accession negotiations and would continue to responsibly conduct the reform processes. The participants of the meeting exchanged views on the state-of-play of the pre-accession talks and relations between the EU and Serbia. The effects of the implemented economic reforms, judicial reforms, rule of law and media freedoms were also discussed, as well as the need to continue the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and the importance of regional cooperation, which all has an impact on Serbia’s progress in European integration. The 12th meeting of the SAPC was held in video conference format.

The meeting was co-chaired by Orlic and Tanja Fajon, Head of the European Parliament delegation to SAPC, with speeches delivered by Joksimovic, Ana Paula Zacarias, Secretary of State for European Affairs on behalf of the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council, Catherine Wendt, Head of the Unit for Serbia, Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations on behalf of the European Commission, and Elsa Fenet, Head of the Western Balkans Division, on behalf of the European External Action Service.

Bilcik: European Parliament ready for Serbia inter-party dialogue (FoNet) 

Rapporteur for Serbia Vladimir Bilcik MEP said on Thursday that the European Parliament is ready for the second stage of the dialogue between Serbian ruling and opposition parties, warning that time is getting short before the Spring 2022 parliamentary elections. “We hope that the talks between Serbian parliament speaker Ivica Dacic and European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs chair David McAllister will take things a step forward so that we can continue the dialogue as soon as possible,” Bilcik told an online meeting of the EU-Serbia Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee. He warned that there is not too much time for the inter-party dialogue, adding that “we are prepared to contribute to improving the political conditions for competitiveness”. He said that the dialogue is important to the European Parliament, European Commission and European Union member states that are following the process. I believe we achieved good progress in the first stage of that dialogue, he said and voiced regret that some political parties boycotted the elections and the hope that they will take part in the next stage and the elections. Bilcik said that the European Parliament was concerned over the influence of Russia and China in the Western Balkans during the pandemic. “We are facing the challenge of manipulative campaigns, the spread of misinformation,” he said.

Fajon: No opposition in Serbian parliament is not good news (Beta) 

Tanja Fajon, co-chairperson of the Serbia-EU Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee, has said it is not good news that there is no true opposition in the new Serbian parliament. At an online session of the Committee, Fajon said Serbia had a new parliament since 2020, one dominated by the ruling coalition and lacking a true opposition. “That isn’t good news for the role the parliament has of oversight over executive authority, which remains formal, or for the further enhancement of parliamentary culture,” Fajon said. Ana Paula Zacarias, secretary of state for European affairs of Portugal, which is currently chairing the European Union, has said that enlargement policy was a strategic investment in peace, stability and security of the EU's neighbors and that Portugal's chairmanship would focus on advancing the enlargement process.

Serbian government adopts Program of economic reforms for period from 2021 to 2023 (Tanjug/Beta) 

At Thursday’s session, the Serbian government adopted the Bill ratifying the Agreement between the government of the Republic of Serbia and the government of the Republic of North Macedonia on Cooperation in Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, which will improve cooperation between the two countries. The cabinet also adopted the Bill ratifying the Agreement on Status between the Republic of Serbia and the European Union on Actions Implemented by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Serbia. The adoption of this law will establish a legal framework that will comprehensively regulate all aspects of coordination necessary for the implementation of actions of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency that may take place in our territory and will be the basis for the adoption of operational documents on joint cooperation. The government of Serbia also adopted the Bill ratifying the Agreement on Educational, Cultural and Sports Cooperation between the government of the Republic of Serbia and the government of the United Mexican States.

The Decree on determining the Program for the promotion and popularization of innovations and innovative entrepreneurship for 2021 was adopted, for which RSD 70 million was provided.

In this way, the state wants to encourage citizens, especially young people, to think in an entrepreneurial way, as well as to encourage them to establish their own innovative and technological startup companies. The government also set aside RSD 100 million for the implementation of the Program for Support to the Development and Promotion of Women's Innovative Entrepreneurship for 2021. In order to prepare for participation in the process of economic and fiscal surveillance of EU member states, the government adopted at today's session the Program of Economic Reforms for the period from 2021 to 2023, as a candidate country for EU membership. Under the Program, priority structural reforms will cover: energy and transport markets, agriculture, industry and services, business environment and the fight against the gray economy, research, development and innovation and digital transformation, reforms in the field of economic integration, education and skills, employment and the labor market, as well as health and social protection.

French Ambassador: Europe should be spoken about positively in Serbia (Beta) 

French Ambassador to Serbia Jean-Louis Falconi stated that the topic of the Serbian program of the on-line international conference Night of Ideas (La Nuit des idees) was closeness and new solidarity in Serbia, Europe and France. “The topic of the Serbian program of the Night of Ideas event is closeness – new solidarity in Serbia, Europe and France, and Europe should be spoken about positively in Serbia,” Falconi said while presenting the Serbian program of the event which was marked on Thursday, over the course of 24 hours, in more than 100 countries. Falconi has stated that he was of the impression that Europe was viewed in Serbia as a place of coercion. “Reforms are necessary, but Europe is not a place of coercion, but one that provides for various possibilities and an exchange of information and ideas,” Falconi said, adding that this was why Europe should be spoken about positively in Serbia, because Europe is the perspective of democracy. The French Ambassador said it was good that the Night of Ideas event, where people who are not politicians can also speak, was being held in Serbia.

REGIONAL PRESS 

 

B&H CEC files report with Prosecutor’s Office of B&H against Dodik for verbal attack against B&H CEC member Bjelica-Prutina (O kanal)

 

The Bosnia and Herzegovina Central Election Commission (B&H CEC) filed on Thursday a report with the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H against B&H Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik for spreading ethnic hatred, i.e. for a verbal attack against B&H CEC member Vanja Bjelica-Prutina. B&H CEC stated that they decided to file a report against Dodik after the Prosecutor's Office did not initiate a proceeding ex officio due to the fact that Dodik verbally attacked Bjelica-Prutina in two of his public addresses. High Representative Valentin Inzko condemned Dodik’s “racist and personal attacks” against the B&H CEC member. “His statements regarding Bjelica-Prutina’s marriage and her surname are unfounded, bad, shameful and unacceptable. Legislative bodies in B&H already have a response to such dangerous provoking of hatred, which is considered as a criminal offense according to the Article 145 of the Criminal Code of B&H. The Prosecutor's Office will react ex officio very soon for sure,” Inzko said in a statement. He also called on Dodik to publicly apologize to Bjelica-Prutina. The B&H CEC thanked to all international officials and individual officials in B&H for their support, noting that the B&H CEC will continue to work as an independent body in accordance with the law despite all the pressures. CEC especially thanked Head of the OSCE Mission to B&H Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, Swedish Ambassador to B&H Johanna Stromquist, UK Ambassador to B&H Matthew Field and Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to B&H Ekaterina Dorodnova for their support to the CEC and Bjelica-Prutina.

 

Plan to turn Srebrenica into district confirmed by ‘My Address: Srebrenica’; Dodik: Srebrenica was and remains part of RS territory (ATV)

 

Recent reports about plans of international and domestic intelligence agencies to turn Srebrenica into a district were confirmed on Thursday. Namely, the initiative ‘My Address: Srebrenica’ stated on Thursday that all domestic and international institutions in B&H need to open the dialogue and find a solution for the special status of Srebrenica within the B&H Constitution and changes to the B&H Election Law for the municipality of Srebrenica based on the census made in 1991. They explained that with this the position of Srebrenica would be permanently secured and the minimum of justice would be served for better relations of all citizens of Srebrenica and within B&H. According to ATV, the biggest advocator for this idea is former B&H Minister of Security Sadik Ahmetovic. Chairman of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik said that this request is just a dream. He stressed that Srebrenica was and remains part of the Republika Srpska (RS) territory and any initiative that suggest otherwise will not even be considered. Dodik stressed that such a topic cannot exist on the agenda and it cannot be put on the table. He confirmed that he knows about the fact that agents of various intelligence agencies have been working in Srebrenica and the negative activities of the Intelligence-Security Agency (OSA B&H) as well. Dodik is convinced that the leadership of OSA B&H is supporting directly those who want to give Srebrenica a special status. PDP leader Branislav Borenovic said on Thursday in Banja Luka that the current RS authorities have no response to any of important issues and he added that it is important for opposition parties to gather around a platform that will be defined in the upcoming period of time.

RS parliament Collegium adopts additional item to agenda of next session which implies discussion on request to HR to present report on implementation of civil applying of DPA in period 2009-2020 before RS parliament (RTRS)

 

At its session held on Thursday, the RS parliament Collegium adopted an additional item to the agenda of the next session of the RS parliament. This item implies discussion on information concerning the request to the High Representative to present a report on implementation of civil applying of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) in B&H in the period 2009-2020 before the RS parliament. Representatives of the ruling coalition in the RS claim that the High Representative is obliged to present the report on his work before international and domestic institutions, adding that refusal to do so represents violation of the Constitution of B&H.  They will propose a conclusion to the RS parliament that will request High Representative Valentin Inzko to present the report on his work. According to RTRS, the opposition deems that there is no purpose in discussing this topic and that is why they did not support including of this item in the agenda. Some opposition representatives deem that this request is nothing but politicking. Head of SDS Caucus in the RS  parliament Miladin Stanic underlined that SNSD are part of authorities at B&H level, adding that they should propose presentation of Inzko’s report at B&H level first. PDP’s Jelena Trivic said that they were informed about the proposal to include the new item in the agenda of the next session of the RS parliament only at session of the Collegium. Trivic added that they should have been consulted so that political parties in the RS parliament can jointly adopt conclusions that the High Representative did violate his powers. Head of SNSD Caucus Igor Zunic underlined that the abovementioned item was proposed on time. Zunic said that in this case there should be no differences between the ruling majority and the opposition. He added that the opposition is not allowed to discuss these issues due to the orders of their foreign mentors. Zunic said that Trivic is spreading false information since materials on certain agendas are not delivered to the Collegium and everything was done in accordance with the rules of procedure. Zunic also said that if Inzko does not fulfill the demand of the RS parliament he will violate the DPA. “We have a representative to implement and improve it, that is the point,” said Zunic.

Stefanek discusses migrant crisis in B&H with Cikotic; Stefanek: Our job is not over yet (Nova BH)

 

During his visit to B&H that is supposed to end on Friday with the visit to the migrant camp Usivak, Council of Europe (CoE) Special Representative on Migration and Refugees Drahoslav Stefanek met B&H Minister of Security Selmo Cikotic in Sarajevo on Thursday and discussed issues related to the migrant crisis in B&H. Nova BH noted that after meeting B&H Minister of Human Rights and Refugees Milos Lucic on Wednesday, Stefanek said that he will offer some solutions but he will talk about it only after meeting with B&H officials but on Thursday, he only mentioned recommendations and not solutions. The reporter noted that thus, we could hear everything that we listen as of the beginning of the migrant crisis in B&H: that eastern borders should be strengthened and that migrants should have better conditions which is missing for years and which is causing concerns among citizens of B&H, B&H authorities and the EU. Addressing a press conference following the meeting, Stefanek said that the job is not over yet, and B&H bodies will get the opinion of the CoE soon. When it comes to reactions to Stefanek’s meetings with B&H officials in the Una Sana Canton (USC), the reporter noted that both citizens and authorities in the USC expect a solution. USC Minister of Interior Nermin Kljajic said that they are convinced that the international community will pressure the RS and areas where Croats live - just like they did in case of the local elections in Mostar - and enable that the entire B&H bears the burden of the migrant crisis. Cikotic underlined that they agreed migrants will not be allowed to go to the EU “in some wave”, neither they will be “packed in some vehicles” and transported to their countries of origin. He added that abovementioned issue requires all-encompassing and systematic approach.

 

Croatia demands apology from Serbia for calling Knin “Serbian occupied town” (Hina)

Croatia demanded an apology from Serbia on Thursday after a member of a Serbian delegation referred to city of Knin as "Serbian and occupied" and expressed hope that the Serbian flag would again fly over it. Milos Stojkovic, a humanitarian worker and theologian, was in a delegation led by the state secretary of the Serbian Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government who visited Serb communities in the Sibenik-Knin County on the occasion of a Serbian religious holiday. While climbing on the Knin Fortress, Stojkovic filmed a video in which he greeted his friends from the “Serbian occupied territory.” “We are in our Krajina again, this is Knin, long live Serbia,” he said. The video, originally posted on Facebook, was later removed. “Here they celebrate the so-called Operation Storm, the pogrom of the Serbian people, and we are here to show them as much as we can that this here is still the Serbian Krajina,” Stojkovic said, pointing the camera towards the top of the fortress and saying: “There on the top is their flag, God willing we will fly ours one day, this is occupied Serbian Knin.”

From 1991 to 1995 Knin was the center of the so-called Republic of Serbian Krajina, a breakaway territory under the control of local Serbs who rebelled against the Croatian authorities. The town was liberated in August 1995 in a military offensive dubbed Operation Storm. The Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has strongly condemned this “scandalous act and message that grossly insults Croatia and promotes the defeated ideas of a Greater Serbia.” The ministry expressed regret that such unacceptable statements were made by a person who was part of the official Serbian delegation, “for which we expect an official apology and unequivocal distancing,” it said in a statement, adding that it would send a protest note to Serbia.

 

State leadership meets to discuss ways how to go ahead with the controversial census (Republika)

The government is preparing a high-level conference with the head of the Statistics Bureau to discuss the controversial census planned for April. President Pendarovski, Prime Minister Zaev, speaker Xhaferi and key government ministers will meet with Bureau chief Apostol Simovski and mayors. The government is pushing ahead with the census despite opposition from the VMRO-DPMNE party, which objects to the fact that the census will count emigrants as actual residents and provides few security precautions against double counting. But a deal seems to be struck between the ruling SDSM and DUI parties, with DUI insisting that the census must put the Albanian share of the population at least at 25 percent, despite its heavy emigration rate, and SDSM apparently eager to oblige. SDSM and DUI also rejected a VMRO proposal to postpone the census for the summer, when the coronavirus epidemic would hopefully tone down, and are ignoring concerns from citizens about letting canvassing teams into their homes.

Dimovski: The public did not learn who are the legal experts that Pendarovski consulted about the Census Law (Republika)

The former MP of VMRO-DPMNE Ilija Dimovski said that there are no illogicalities in the Law on Census, but the whole law is illogical, because, as he says, it is not a law on census of the population in the Republic of Macedonia, it is a law for determining the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia. Dimovski says that a month ago data was released on how many citizens there are in Macedonia, pointing out that in every normal country a census is conducted of the population currently living in the country. We have the exact number of citizens published a month ago and we have that information. The meaning of having a census in all normal countries is to determine the number of population living in Macedonia. We will not reach that number, because this law, as it is set, does not require it at all. It does not require it because the political elite in power is afraid of the results of the census in terms of large migrations that have occurred in the last 30 years and the unpredictability of the numbers in terms of ethnic representation of all communities in Macedonia and possible repercussions how the Republic of Macedonia functions, Dimovski added. He believes that the reaction of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE regarding the census is justified because the parliament did not accept any amendment of VMRO-DPMNE’s group in Parliament, and because President Stevo Pendarovski should have called one of the MPs from VMRO -DPMNE to explain the amendments. He asks who the experts are, who reviewed the law. We did not learn who are the legal experts Pendarovski consulted. It is non-transparent. Let him say – we consulted with these 10 and those legal experts said “yes, we think this law is good”. Then we are in the clear. And not now, after the phrase, I consulted with five legal experts. Who are those legal experts, Dimovski asks.

Zaev: I believe in a solution with Bulgaria without disputing the Macedonian identity and language (Republika)

The Macedonian identity and language have never been up for negotiations and it will never be. We can get another 100 ultimatums, another 10 times veto and blockade, we will not discuss these issues. I expect from Bulgaria a clear recognition of the Macedonian identity and language, said Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, answering a question posed by MP Blagica Lasovska from VMRO-DPMNE in Parliament. We claim that we do not need EU membership that does not recognize and accept the Macedonian language and identity. We do not believe in such an EU, stressed Zaev, adding that they were creating ideas with the Bulgarian side to find a solution. He believes that an agreement and a solution will be reached with Bulgaria because, as he said, we have proved that we can reach an agreement. He called on the opposition to work together to double the success.