LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: The barricades will be removed, but... (B92)

 

After the meeting with the Crisis Staff from the barricades, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addressed the public around midnight. "We had a conversation that was anything but easy," he said. "We gave people the papers, and there is nothing bad about it... We had difficult conversations, but we were very honest with each other. As I understood it, this was the conclusion of the Headquarters from the barricades. People told me that they did not want to go against their country," said Vucic. "I begged them, I left them alone to make a decision and then they handed me what they were putting together at the barricades," he added. "Serbs do not believe in institutions, we only believe in the state of Serbia and that is why we demand a clear word from you personally that we have support for what follows. If the terror continues, we will close the north of Kosovo forever to the institutions of Pristina, we ask for a guarantee that you will never recognize independence of Kosovo," he said. "If they start arresting Serbs because of the barricades, whatever you do after that, I stand behind you," he said. "Barricades will be removed, but mistrust has not been removed," said Vucic. Earlier in the evening, Vucic spoke with Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija who expressed the problems they face every day due to the terror of Pristina. "Let's talk before we go to war," Vucic said after police officer Filipovic's presentation. "They have nothing to threaten me with. You saw the way I talk to them, so tell the people if I'm a coward or if I tell them everything and much worse than you. But we have to run the country. We have to talk. But you always knew that in me you have both a brother and a father," said Vucic. "Have I ever retreated, have I put someone else's back? No, I said, I stand behind the barricades because it is my people and I stand with my people," he added. "Since I heard that they are preparing difficult conditions for me, just think once more what we are getting with this? Because I am able to tell you five hundred things what we are getting with this. There is not a single bad sentence for us," said Vucic. Vucic said that the conversation with the Crisis Staff from the barricades will be closed to the public. "You have to tell me what the plan is. Because I have a plan and I said what I have. And you have to tell me what your plan is. You are heroes... The question is not whether someone is afraid or not. The question is not how to perish but how not to perish", explained Vucic.

 

Filipovic: There is no life for the Serbs while there are special "thugs" in the north of Kosovo and Metohija

Aleksandar Filipovic, a policeman, until recently the head of operations in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, explained why the Serbs left the institutions. "It is important for me to emphasize that I went to school in Kosovska Kamenica, that I was educated in Belgrade, and that I am a professional. We wanted to integrate, so that people would be better off, and their mouths are full of law enforcement, and I tell you that law and justice do not exist in the so-called Kosovo. As for those very things, I can talk until the morning, but in the last year and a half it has become unbearable. We were forced to leave the institutions. We could not change anything on the field, this became evident with the arrival of the special forces." Filipovic says that Albanians claim that all the people in the north are corrupted criminals, which is not true. "You have a situation where they defend Serbian products. I want my children to drink the milk that I drank, and they automatically pushed people into the gray zone, and then we all suddenly became criminals. For instance, a few months ago, they stopped one of our fellow citizens who was driving mineral water and beer, they fired 400 rounds to stop the truck. He started to run, he was shot at, and when he fell down, they mutilated him beyond recognition. I sent my policemen to see what was going on, and they told me that he was disfigured so much that they didn't recognize who he was. We sent an ambulance, and they detained and searched them. Beware, they didn't allow the ambulance to help the injured. The inspectorate said there were no elements of a criminal offense," he said. Filipovic reminded that in the end the Minister of Police of the so-called Kosovo said that all this was a justified use of force. "When ambassadors come to meetings with us, do you know what a humiliation it is that there is no basic level of decency and respect. They look at the ceiling, their gaze wonder to see whether the television is on. When you add all that up, there was no other solution but to leave the institutions. How much slaps, blows and mistreatment by those special forces we went through, no one knows. And our people are proud and silent. When they file a report, no one is punished. Everyone seems to be deaf to it," said Aleksandar Filipovic. He added that there is no life for the Serbs while there are special "thugs" in the north of Kosovo, and that the north is not the so-called state of Kosovo. "They don't have any element of statehood. They don't implement their powers, nor the law. So, my opinion, and I convey the opinion of my colleagues, is that the president was too lenient. Whatever guarantees these people from the West give, we know how easily they trampled on them. "They did not adhere to any letter. My opinion, and that of my police officers, is that if we remove the barricades, they will hunt us like rabbits," said Filipovic. The policeman thanked the President once again and said that he knows what he is dealing with, but that the Albanians will not stop there, but will continue with terror.

 

Dejan Pantic arrived home

President of Serbia said that he did not come to tell fairy tales and that he knows that problems should be expected in the coming period as well. "I know what kind of madman we are dealing with in Pristina," said Vucic. Vucic said that he received the news that Pantic had arrived home. "We have shown in the past days that we exist as a people in Kosovo and Metohija. We expect Dejan Pantic to be home with his family at any moment, since the barricades are now being bypassed. Their request was for ROSU to bring him, but EULEX managed to do it. It is a significant symbolic victory. What we have in the papers, that the people who were at the barricades should not be prosecuted, we have that written unequivocally," said Vucic. "Can we really believe in everything and are we sure how Kurti will behave... I'm not sure and I don't believe it," Vucic said. "Albanians have been organizing a lot of things against us for years, if not decades, and they were waiting for the right moment. We should build peace with them," said Vucic. "If we manage to agree on something tonight, I will greet more than two and a half thousand of our soldiers here and thank them. But I think that our goal must be peace and to push Serbia forward," he added. The resigned president of the Provisional Authority of Leposavic Municipality, Zoran Todic, said that this is only a part of the people who have been fighting to survive in Kosovo for 23 years. "The barricades are not the first barricades, but a form and method of Serb resistance to stay in Kosovo and Metohija. We should not be divided into Serbs north and south of the Ibar. The people who stayed south of the Ibar accepted many things imposed on them by the Albanians and the international community. From the first day when the army of the FRY left Kosovo, our people in the north organized themselves. We stayed alive only because we put up a fight," said Todic. Vucic asked Todic to openly say what they expect from Serbia. "The improvement that is felt in Serbia is also felt by us there. Renovation of buildings, housing construction, this has not happened in the past 30-40 years. We are aware that if Serbia is strong, we can also expect that improvement. We do not have a problem with the Albanians, but with the authorities from Pristina. I know that you are under pressure. I can imagine how it is for you, and I want you to persevere, and you have always had the support of the people. We are on our own here. I want to say that we are really against the terror and repression that we are experiencing for a year or more, it has happened before but never with this force, I am determined to stay living down there. I would not like the country to have a problem, we all need peace. Albanians too. There is enough space in Kosovo for all of us", Todic said.

 

"This will be a long and difficult evening"

"And when you achieve almost everything, they will never be satisfied, because they are dissatisfied with their position. I expect that tonight they will come with demands for me and for Serbia. I believe that we have achieved some important things at the legal level. For the first time, we have something that does not apply to the Albanian and NATO sides. Today, for the first time, we received something related to our rights, and that without the consent of the local Serbs, there cannot be a presence of the Pristina forces in the north of Kosovo and Metohija. This is a big deal for us, as is the fact that we succeeded to save the word barricade in the text. I fought all night," said Vucic. "It's the first time that we haven't run away, that we haven't taken shelter. We are ready to help our people. It's not our goal to not preserve the peace. I will accept any decision. It will be a difficult and long evening," Vucic said. "What is the alternative, to kill each other? You know what is in this place. The entire General Staff, we are all ready to help our people. But it is not our goal not to preserve the peace. But I will accept any decision, and I have accepted that burden. For me, Kosovo and Metohija is Serbia, and it will never be anything else. They are my brothers and sisters. This will be a difficult and long evening. I think they will ask for it to be without the presence of journalists, so you will ask them later if so be it," Vucic said. Vucic stated that we are talking to people who do not respect Resolution 1244, and who bombed this country.

 

Brnabic thanks Vucic, Kosovo Serbs for commitment to peace (Tanjug)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on Thursday expressed enormous gratitude to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Serbs for finding the strength to respond to brutal terror and aggression with "nearly endless patience, commitment to peace, a wise policy and dialogue with all those who were in any way capable of helping preserve peace". "Unfortunately, I do not believe this is the end of Kurti's provocations, but I hope and I believe the international community will ensure respect of agreements reached in the past 24 hours to preserve this moment of peace and stability so that we turn to implementation of the Brussels agreement," Brnabic posted on Twitter. She also thanked international partners for helping to save peace.

 

Petkovic: We have guarantees (Tanjug/RTS)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic announced yesterday that Belgrade received stronger guarantees than ever from the USA and the EU that the demands of the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija, which are why they are at the barricades, will be met. Petkovic confirmed at an extraordinary press conference that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will take a helicopter to the administrative line and that he will talk with the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija regarding the removal of the barricades. He said that during today's conversation, Vucic asked the Serbs to withdraw from the barricades, and that they will make a decision on this after the meeting with the president. According to him, the best news today is that Dejan Pantic was released to house arrest, which shows that he is not guilty of any kind of terrorism. After 19 days of detention, he will be with his family tonight, as confirmed by EULEX, the Head of the Office repeated and added that Prime Minister of Pristina's temporary institutions Albin Kurti could already be heard reacting to the case. Also, as he added, the big and important news is that Nikola Nedeljkovic has arrived in central Serbia, and we managed to shorten his scandalous prison sentence by two months. Petkovic pointed out that guarantees have arrived, that is, that a joint statement from the US and the EU has been received in which the second request is clearly fulfilled - it is confirmed that there are no arrest or prosecution lists for those who participated in peaceful protests or at the barricades. We know that the Serbs do not trust Kurti. Now, with this statement, our people at the barricades are protected, he underlined. The third request includes the guarantees we received from KFOR, where they clearly stated and confirmed that the Kosovo security forces cannot go to the north of Kosovo and Metohija without an agreement with KFOR and four mayors from the north of the province, he said. That statement becomes a source of formal and substantive law, a kind of agreement, we have an agreement that applies to all parties, which includes Belgrade, but also the Serb people in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, which shows the necessity of respecting everything agreed so far, Petkovic emphasized. He said that in the coming period, the state will continue to fight for the remaining demands of the Serbs to return to the institutions, and that is, above all, the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

 

EU, US concerned over situation in northern Kosovo, call for restraint (Beta)

 

The EU and US expressed concern on Wednesday over the ongoing tensions in northern Kosovo and called on everyone to show maximum restraint, urgently take measures to de-escalate the situation and refrain from provocation, threats and intimidation. The spokesman of the European foreign minister, Josep Borrell, and the deputy spokesman of the US Department of State, Ned Price, declared in a joint statement that the EU and US were working with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti on "finding a political solution with the aim of reducing tension and reaching agreement on further steps, in the interest of stability, security and well-being of all local communities," the European External Action Service has announced. "We welcome the assurances of Kosovo's leadership about the non-existence of the lists of Serbs who would be arrested and prosecuted over peaceful protests/barricades. At the same time, the rule of law must be honored and any form of violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," the joint statement reads. The US will support the EU's work through its EULEX mission, which will continue to closely monitor all investigations and subsequent proceedings, with the aim of promoting of honoring of human rights, in keeping with its mandate. The US and EU expect Kosovo and Serbia to begin creating the atmosphere conducive to reconciliation, regional stability and cooperation, for the benefit of their people, the two spokesmen said, adding that all obligations from the dialogue had to be implemented fully and without delay.

https://www.state.gov/joint-statement-on-the-escalating-tensions-in-the-north-of-kosovo/#:~:text=The%20European%20Union%20and%20the,provocations%2C%20threats%2C%20or%20intimidation

 

KFOR: Kosovo forces need our permission to enter northern Kosovo (Beta/Politika)

 

The NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR) announced on Wednesday that the Army of Serbia was only obliged to inform KFOR if it intends to approach the administrative line with Kosovo to less than a kilometer, and that the security forces of Kosovo needed KFOR commander's approval to enter northern Kosovo. "After claims about Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic and the chief of General Staff of the Army of Serbia, Gen. Milan Mojsilovic, having visited the units of the Army of Serbia deployed in the Raska area, around two kilometers from the administrative line with Kosovo, it has to be underscored that the Army of Serbia does not need KFOR's approval for moving and training in the territory of Serbia," the statement reads. It was added that, according to existing agreements, the Army of Serbia is only obliged to inform KFOR "in the case of one of its units having to approach the administrative line to less than one kilometer", and that information is delivered to KFOR by the Joint Implementation Commission, whose mission is to ease communication and understanding between the KFOR commander and the Serbian security forces. As for the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), according to existing agreements, "their deployment in northern Kosovo requires the approval of KFOR commander," the NATO-led mission has announced. "In keeping with its mandate, KFOR may engage with legitimate representatives of the local community in northern Kosovo within this process," it was stated.

https://twitter.com/nato_kfor/status/1608133103335120897?s=12&t=ONnldUDGjKtL46vx8enong

Djuric: Pristina lost a blank check to the US and the international community for its behavior (RTS)

 

Serbian Ambassador to US Marko Djuric states that we must rationally and coolly take stock of what happened in the previous 20 days. “If we do that, we will see that the barricades of peace, as I call them, in a dignified, peaceful and decisive way, with strong support and cooperation with the state authorities of Serbia, resulted in the fact that today we have two freed Serbian prisoners,” says Djuric. “I invite the citizens of Serbia to familiarize themselves with the other two elements of the talks that were held and the agreement that was reached, which was materialized through the joint statement of the EU and the US on the one hand and the statement of KFOR on the other,” says Djuric. “Today, we have two new sources on the table of material law and political reality in the north of Kosovo and Metohija. This means that since yesterday, for the first time, we have international guarantees from KFOR and NATO that are valid for everyone related to the sending of Kosovo security forces to the north, with the obligation of consultation of the Serb community,” adds Djuric. He states that until now this obligation existed only in a letter between the then Kosovo president Hashim Thaci and the then general secretary Rasmunsen. “Those who know the law understand that we have now gone one step further in terms of the legal protection of the position of the Serbs in the north,” emphasizes Djuric. Speaking about whether Washington was the main mediator of the talks, Djuric says that he played a correct role in these talks, and that he is not saying this just because it is in the Serbian national interest to improve relations with the US. “This is because I saw in practice that Pristina lost a blank check to the US and the international community for its behavior,” adds Djuric. When asked who participated in the talks from the American side, he says that he immediately contacted the US special envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar, as well as the US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill, and that they were in contact with the US representative in Pristina by Geoffrey Hovenier.

 

Hill: Kosovo crisis requires political solution (Nova.rs)

 

The current crisis in Kosovo requires a political solution which can be found through dialogue, US Ambassador Christopher Hill said in interview for Nova.rs. He said that everyone involved is trying to get to the point where the situation calms to tackle political issues which need to be resolved. The Ambassador said that he understands the frustration of the Kosovo Serbs. “The Serb community has been in Kosovo for centuries and has the right to know what their future will be”, Hill said. He warned that the barricades put up by the Serbs in northern Kosovo following the arrest of several of their countrymen are an evident problem which the Serbs see as a protest. Ambassador said that he understands why everything happened, but that its time for the people who set up the barricades to remove them. Hill added that the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) is an agreed obligation and “we are now dealing with ways to implement it”.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

RS parliament adopts Proposal of Law on Immovable Property (BHT1)

 

The Republika Srpska (RS) parliament adopted on Wednesday the Proposal Law on Immovable Property Used for Functioning of Public Authority with 45 representatives voting in its favor, four against it, and 15 representatives abstaining. At its session held on Wednesday, the RSNA discussed the Proposal Law on Immovable Property Used for Functioning of Public Authority. BHT1 reports that Director RS Administration for Geodetic and Property-Legal Affairs (RUGIP) Dragan Stankovic said the reason to adopt the Law arises from the fact that the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Constitution established the public authority of the RS and the institution of B&H and the RS Constitution stipulates that the RS regulates and ensures obligation and property relations. “It means that it is necessary to create conditions to register immovable property in public records with specific rights and holders of those rights. That would ensure uninterrupted legal transaction resulting in economic development of the RS and local self-government units, as well as of all citizens, and this law will enable that”. RS ‘Movement for the State’ representative Ramiz Salkic (SDA) said the adoption of the Law is unconstitutional, because the matter can be resolved only in the B&H parliament. Salkic also called on the RS authorities to use the opportunity and reach an agreement with HDZ B&H and ‘The Eight’ and “make everything legal” in the B&H Parliament. Addressing the session, Salkic said: “It is a good opportunity to resolve the issue in the right place, i.e. the B&H Parliament, because that is the essence of the B&H CC’s decision on the previous law, i.e. this parliament does not have the competence to regulate this legal matter”. RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic also confirmed that the new law is only a modification of the old one. Addressing the media, Viskovic said: “We will never give up on the property in the RS. Therefore, the B&H CC can pass a decision hundred times. Each time, we will respect the court decision, change a letter or a coma and adopt a new lawy”. RS SNSD’s representative Srdjan Mazalica stated that B&H does not have the competence over the property. “It’s competence has not been explicitly mentioned in the Constitution of B&H, unlike in the RS Constitution. This means that thee RS can and needs to organize and practically dispose of the property on its territory”, Mazalica noted.

 

Dodik: There will be no discussion about property, it belongs to RS (Hayat)

 

The RS parliament representatives continued to discuss the proposal of the law on immovable property, used for functioning of the public authorities. RS President Milorad Dodik addressed a press conference on Wednesday and said that despite cooperation with political parties from Sarajevo, there will be no agreement on the state property because, as Dodik said, the property does not belong to the state but to the entity instead. Dodik stated: “The Constitutional Court, without any constitutional basis, especially the Dayton basis, made some decisions that cannot withstand any constitutional scrutiny, and this is something they are abusing”. Dodik said that the Constitutional Court constantly threatens that their decisions must be implemented. Dodik commented that they do not have to be implemented and that the Constitutional Court should know that they will not implement them.  Dodik stated: “The RS cannot give up on its property. Now we see that a spin is being created that aims to somehow defend B&H assets. We will not share our property with B&H. We absolutely will not share it. This is the question on which it will be (seen) whether there will be B&H or not. All those who come into this issue from the other side, have to have that in mind”. Dodik added that they are trying to form new authorities at B&H level. Dodik stated: “There are now people sitting across, who would like us to resolve some issues. I really recognize their desire at the moment. I want to continue to build a constitutional B&H with them, and not an unconstitutional B&H”. Dodik said that Constitutional Court is not a relevant court because “it is their Court; it is not our Court”. Dodik also stressed that former High Representative Paddy Ashdown did not dispute the ownership. "He (Ashdown) passed a temporary law that prohibits the disposal of the state property of the RS, thereby recognizing us as a state," Dodik underlined. Dodik repeated that the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H with foreign judges and "two motivated Bosniaks" made decisions without a constitutional and Dayton basis that cannot withstand any constitutional verification. Dodik also said the issue was resolved by the DPA and the B&H Constitution and there is no need for the B&H CC to further address it, noting that the B&H CC’s decisions “remain irrelevant” for the RS. The officials in the Federation of B&H (FB&H) reiterated on Wednesday that a motion will be filed to the B&H CC as “the only interpreter of the B&H Constitution”. Dodik said: “We will not put the decision on the agenda or agreement at the level of B&H. For us, the issue has been resolved and it remains resolved. We will continue to keep the issue in the focus of the RS through our decisions, laws and regulations whether someone likes it or not. There will be no discussion about that issue. If there is no discussion about other issues, well goodbye then. We have no problem with that”. Dodik underlined that regulation on property of the RS will never be adopted at B&H level in any form. He emphasized that depriving the RS of forests, land, roads and hydro power plants will not happen, at least not while he is in power in the RS. Dodik stressed that the Constitutional Court (CC) of B&H cannot be used to threaten the RS with it, adding that it is “inquisition court.”

 

RS opposition says RS government harmonized law on property with OHR decisions (BN TV)

 

A heated multi-hour discussion on the RS government’s new proposal regarding the law on immovable property ended in the RS parliament. The new law was proposed because the previous law of the same name was disputed by the Constitutional Court of B&H. Now, the RS government harmonized the law with the decisions of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and thus, they recognized Christian Schmidt as the High Representative, according to the RS opposition. The representatives of the RS opposition reacted harshly because, as they pointed out, the new law is a recognition of Schmidt as High Representative, because it is in accordance with Schmidt’s decision that the original law on property was unconstitutional, as well as due to the interpretation that the issue has to be solved at the B&H level. The Leader of the ‘List for Justice and Order’ Nebojsa Vukanovic said that if they propose such a law as a reaction to Schmidt, it means that they essentially recognize him. PDP representative Igor Crnadak pointed out the possible political games of the ruling authorities with the representatives of the’ Movement for the State’ in the RS, as well as the members of the B&H Presidency from the ranks of the Bosniak and Croat people. Crnadak stated that it is very unusual that representatives of the ‘Movement for the State’ support this new law on property, considering that their political option does not support what the RS parliament is doing regarding the law on property. Representatives of the opposition parties reacted by saying that ownership and managing is not the same, while Vukanovic stated that the new law was actually taken from the law of the former HR Paddy Ashdown from 2007. “This legal solution represents giving up on the position that the property in question is ownership of the entity. Because, the new law explicitly states it does not refer to that property and that the status of the property of the Socialistic Republic of B&H will not change until adoption of a law that regulates ownership over immovable property”. RS SNSD representative Srdjan Mazalica said: “This Law does not represent backing down before either Christian Schmidt or the B&H CC. The RS is adopting a new law. It practically confirms everything from the old law”.

 

Becirovic: State property belongs to state not entities (Oslobodjenje)

 

Member of B&H Presidency Denis Becirovic stated that he wants to clearly underline that according to the provisions of B&H Constitution, the state of B&H continues the international-legal subjectivity of Republic of B&H and the state of B&H is an owner/successor of the entire state property. “Milorad Dodik has to know that entities and other lower authority levels can use the property which they need for preforming of their individual competencies, to the extent in which they could be authorized by the law adopted by the Parliament of B&H. Also, Dodik needs to stop with senseless statements in which he says that he will not share the property with B&H, because he cannot share what is not his. The state of B&H and state property are relics which cannot be part of any political trade,” Becirovic wrote in his statement. He concluded that state property reflects statehood, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, which belong exclusively to state of B&H and not the entities. Becirovic also said that under the provisions of the B&H Constitution the state of B&H continued the international legal personality of the Republic of B&H, based on which it is the titleholder of the entire state property. “Only the state of B&H has the exclusive competence to – by the decisions of relevant state bodies – regulate all issues related to state property. Those decisions must be respected by entities and lower levels of authority”, Becirovic was quoted as saying.

 

Other reactions to the RS parliament adoption of the Proposal of Law on Immovable Property (BHT1/FTV)

 

Addressing the press conference on Wednesday, SDP B&H representative in the B&H House of Representatives Albin Muslic commented on the proposal of law on immovable property of RS and he reminded that B&H Presidency member Denis Becirovic clearly stated that the B&H CC’s decisions must be complied with, “in case of an issue that is contrary to the B&H Constitution and laws, we in SDP will support the implementation of those decisions with no exceptions”. B&H Presidency member Zeljko Komsic reacted to the moves of the RS parliament with which one wants to bring the state property down to the entity level. Komsic stated that the parties of 'The Eight' should condition the procedure for the appointment of the new B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) with SNSD's withdrawal from the adoption of the anti-constitutional Law on Immovable Property. SDP B&H leader Nermin Niksic Wednesday reacted to RS President and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik's message that the property will not be a subject to negotiations in the new authorities and that it belongs to the RS. Niksic stated that Dodik's latest actions deviate from the signed coalition agreement on the formation of authorities at the B&H level, and that the parties of 'The Eight' do not plan to make any compromises and go against the interests of B&H. "I sincerely hope that what we signed and what we promised to do will be implemented. Of course, what Mr. Dodik has been doing and saying lately deviates from that agreement, and it does not occur to us to make any compromises or concessions when it comes to the state of B&H. The institutions of the state of B&H must decide on the property of B&H, on the property of the state," Niksic pointed out. SDA reacted to the adoption of the Proposal of the Law on Immovable Property Used for the Functioning of Authorities in the RS parliament. SDA stated that the adoption of the Law on Immovable Property is a continuation of the hopeless attempt of the RS parliament to threaten the constitutional and legal order and sovereignty of B&H. "The answer to this attempt by the RS parliament, as well as to every previous one, will be given again by the SDA legal team by preparing a motion that will be submitted by the authorized proponents. We call on the High Representative to use his powers and repeal the unconstitutional law, and to finally sanction those responsible for violating the Dayton Peace Agreement," SDA said in a statement.

 

Dodik: RS is stable; RS is thankful to the EU for support for some infrastructural projects but the RS will not allow any political blackmails because of that (ATV)

 

While addressing press conference in Banja Luka on Wednesday, RS President Milorad Dodik said that despite to all challenges the RS has been facing, it did good things for its citizens, adding that thanks to authorities of this entity, the RS is a stable society in regards to political, institutional and security aspects. “The RS has been economically and socially stable in this year, it had balanced budget and it settled all international obligations. Pensions and salaries are paid on time”, explained Dodik. Dodik went on to saying that implementation of a number of important infrastructural and other projects are underway, including construction of several sections of motorway. Talking about the fact that the status of the EU candidate country has been granted to B&H, Dodik said that he is not delighted, adding that it is a geopolitical decision aimed to make B&H join the joint foreign policy of the EU towards Russia. He stressed that the RS will not be changing its foreign policy in this regard and Russia will remain an important partner of the RS.  The RS President underlined that the RS resumes to support Serbs in Kosovo, because their human rights have been violated. He concluded that the RS will stay in a constitutional B&H, adding that otherwise, there is no need for it. Dodik repeated that they will not give up earlier plans on returning of RS competencies, but he failed to provide details when this issue would be discussed. He underlined that forming of RS army, agency on medicines and high judicial and prosecutorial council is on the agenda, but the authorities will decide when these issues will be discussed. “Army is not part of constitutional arrangement in B&H. This is part of arrangement agreed by entities. This does not mean we are content with this. RS wants the competencies provided to it by the Dayton Agreement. Srpska advocates demilitarization, because provisions for B&H Armed Forces are increasing and they are completely unnecessary,” Dodik said.

 

B&H HoR confirms appointment of Kristo as B&H CoM Chairperson; Kristo presents her exposé: Focus of future work will be on B&H’s EU and NATO path (FTV)

 

The B&H House of Representatives (HoR) confirmed on Wednesday the appointment of Borjana Kristo (HDZ B&H) to the position of a Chairperson of the Council of Ministers (CoM) of B&H. 23 MPs in the B&H HoR backed Kristo's appointment, while 15 MPs were against it. Before the vote in the B&H HoR, Kristo presented her exposé to the MPs in which she put the focus on the EU and NATO integration, but also changes to the Constitution and the B&H Election Law. Kristo presented her exposé through nine chapters, among which the EU integration of B&H is in the first place. Kristo said that it is important, especially after the encouragement from Brussels, to return to the conditions that the European Commission put before B&H. Kristo emphasized the importance of reforms, singling out among these reforms limited changes to the Constitution of B&H and the Election Law of B&H. The NATO path of B&H occupied one chapter in Kristo's exposé. "I am aware of the fact that B&H is a state of three constituent peoples - Croats, Bosniaks, Serbs - and all other citizens who live in it, and that in B&H we must have full political consensus on every political issue, and this also applies to issues of the NATO integration," Kristo underlined. According to Kristo, the period of the past few weeks should be an example of B&H's vision in favor of higher goals, that is, in favor of B&H. She said that they will continue to advocate strongly equality of the three constituent peoples in B&H. Kristo presented her exposé which reads: “The status of (an EU) candidate obliges us to closer cooperation and greater efficiency in all areas of activity, especially in the area of the rule of law, human rights, which includes, among other things, the implementation of the decision of the Constitutional Court of B&H on the legitimate representation of constituent peoples in institutions. Discrimination against any individual is unacceptable in a democratic society, especially discrimination against an entire people. In order to solve this problem, we must work on limited changes to the Constitution of B&H and amendments to the Election Law, which must be harmonized with the decisions of the Constitutional Court of B&H and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. Now that B&H has the candidate status, we must focus on fulfilling all remaining conditions in order to open membership negotiations, which needs to be done as soon as possible”. Kristo pointed out that the political responsibility for the EU integration is not only on the B&H CoM, but also on other levels of authority in B&H. “In addition to the European (path), the NATO path is also an important foreign policy priority for B&H. NATO integration is not only a military but also a political alliance, which shares the values of freedom, democracy, pluralism and consensus. It is committed to supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of B&H, peace, stability, reform processes in B&H and the Euro-Atlantic path of our country, both through partnership cooperation and through political, practical and operational engagements.”

 

B&H HoR MPs Mehmedovic, Bosic, Borenovic, Dunovic criticize Kristo’s exposé (Hayat)

 

The exposé, presented by the newly appointed Chairperson of the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Borjana Kristo, did not mention how to help the citizens to deal with inflation, there was no mention of the VAT reduction, there was no reform of the tax policy, and there was nothing concrete about the NATO path of B&H. Because of these facts, SDA and DF were against appointing Kristo as a Chairperson of the B&H CoM, commented the presenter. SDA representative in the B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Semsudin Mehmedovic stated: “What we did not recognize in Borjana Kristo's exposé is little concern, or no concern at all, about the social status of B&H citizens. First of all, it has not been mentioned whether there will be any reform regarding the reduction of VAT on basic foodstuffs, which many European countries are resorting to”. During the reading of the exposé, Kristo pointed out that intensive work will be done on the path to the EU, but the question is how, commented the reporter. SDS representative in B&H HoR Mladen Bosic said that the authorities that are currently being formed at B&H level are evidently the authorities of continuity. Bosic said that they will most likely continue to do what they did in the past four years and added that SNSD and HDZ B&H primarily carried out blockades in the past four years. Those in PDP said that Kristo’s exposé was light political reading without key and concrete things.

 

SDP’s Muslic: Kristo is committed to start resolving accumulated issues; Vulic has great expectations from Kristo; Expectations of other B&H HoR MPs from Kristo (Nova BH)

 

Commenting on the exposé, presented by the newly appointed Chairperson of the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Borjana Kristo, SDP B&H’s representative in the B&H HoR Albin Muslic said that the CoM Chairwoman is committed to start resolving the accumulated issues. “We, as ‘The Eight’, are also committed to resolving them”, Muslic noted. SDP B&H’s representative in the B&H HoR Zukan Helez confirmed that he will be nominated as one of the intraparty candidates in SDP B&H for the B&H Minister of Defense, but he does not know if SDP B&H will end up nominating him as the official candidate for this ministerial post. SNSD’s new coalition partner SDP stated that B&H’s membership in NATO is unquestionable because all the necessary documents have been adopted, added the reporter. Helez said that bodies of authority made strategic decisions and now it is only up to the B&H CoM to work and to harmonize the standards of B&H Armed Forces with NATO. SNSD representative Sanja Vulic said she is glad that B&H institutions were formed in record time. Vulic said that the interest of Republika Srpska (RS) is to realize all projects of strategic significance for the RS, i.e. hydro power plant Buk Bijela, gas pipeline, Trebinje Airport and others.

 

Covic and Plenkovic discuss stabilization of political situation and authority formation in B&H (Dnevni list)

 

Deputy speaker of B&H House of Peoples (HoP) and HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic met with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic in Zagreb on Tuesday. During the meeting, Covic and Plenkovic discussed the stabilization of the political situation in B&H through efforts to quickly form authorities after the general elections in B&H, upcoming changes to the B&H Election Law with an emphasis on B&H Presidency, as well as the obtaining of candidate status for membership in the EU. Covic assessed that political circumstances in B&H are stabilizing after the general elections and signing of the agreement on guidelines, principles and goals of activities in the executive and legislative authorities. Covic said that the issue of changes to the Election Law of B&H remains open and must be completed within the next six months. Covic thanked Plenkovic for efforts invested in solving of numerous challenges Croat people in B&H was exposed to for decades and for its strong advocating at the European and international level. Plenkovic expressed his satisfaction with the fact political dialogue in B&H is stabilizing and he said that Croatia will remain B&H’s most reliable partner. Plenkovic also said that he expects the authorities at all levels in B&H to be formed soon with legitimate representatives of Croats, including the Council of Ministers (CoM) of B&H with Borjana Kristo at the helm. Plenkovic also thanked High Representative Christian Schmidt for making interventions to the Federation of B&H (FB&H) Constitution and Election Law of B&H, which proved itself to be useful for both protection of interests of Croat people and functionality of B&H. Plenkovic reminded that Croats were again outvoted during the general elections when it comes to the election of the Croat member of the Presidency of B&H and he added that quick formation of the authorities as well as obtaining of the candidate status represent a strong encouragement for B&H and all political stakeholders to accelerate reform process and reach an agreement on changes to the Election Law of B&H.

 

Croatian Minister: Croatia monitors situation in Kosovo (N1)

 

Croatian Minister of the Interior Davor Bozinovic said on Dec. 28 that Croatia was monitoring the situation in Kosovo, underlining that all open issues had to be resolved in a dialogue. “We are monitoring the situation in Kosovo. The reports that have reached us cannot be neglected, and we can’t say we are not concerned,” Bozinovic was quoted as saying by the regional N1. The minister said that it’s very important to resolve all open issues “at the table, through a dialogue,” adding that European diplomacy would play a more active role in the process.

 

Plenkovic congratulates Kristo (HRT)

 

The B&H House of Representatives (HoR) confirmed on Wednesday the appointment of Borjana Kristo (HDZ B&H) to the position of a Chairperson of the Council of Ministers (CoM) of B&H. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic congratulated Kristo. HRT1 carried an interview with newly-appointed Chairwoman of the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Kristo. Asked about the priorities in the program of work of the B&H CoM, Kristo stated that the Euro-Atlantic integration of B&H is certainly one of the priorities. “Priorities also include the rule of all and the social and economic reform”, Kristo specified. Elaborating on the priorities of the future convocation of the CoM, Kristo stated that amendments of the Election Law of B&H, required by the EU, should be carried out in order to secure political stability of B&H as well as to ensure legal security. Kristo noted that implementation of reforms is very important, adding: “Social and economic reforms are important for the period of crisis and inflation.” When it comes to the EU candidate status that has been granted to B&H, Kristo thanked the EU member states for giving B&H the opportunity. Kristo especially thanked Croatia, which – as reporter noted – is responsible for B&H receiving candidate status for membership in the EU. The CoM Chairwoman assessed that B&H has received encouragement through the candidate status. “We can expect the effects of this decision, in my opinion, in the economic sense, but also in terms of the consolidation of B&H society”, the CoM Chairwoman stressed. She added that “this kind of decision has formal, social and economic, and even political significance for the whole B&H”. According to Kristo, Croatia has done a lot for the position of Croats in B&H. Asked about B&H’s relations with the neighboring countries, Kristo underlined that B&H must understand its relations with its neighbors and work on them, and that it should also commit itself to the rule of law, but also to human rights. Kristo stated that all three constituent peoples need to have their rights guaranteed and they should be represented in the authorities by “legitimate representatives”. She concluded that HDZ B&H has entered a program coalition with SNSD and The Eight and expressed content with their intra-coalition relations.

 

Zivkovic: Voting for amendments to Law on Local Self-Government continues constitutional order collapse (CdM)

 

“Tuesday night’s vote on amendments to the Law on Local Self-Government, which after the vote on amendments to the Law on the President, are a continuation of the collapse of the constitutional order of Montenegro, is not surprising”, the head of the DPS caucus Danijel Zivkovic has stated at the press conference. He has added that betrayal and selling of national interests is underway in Montenegro. Zivkovic has stressed that there was the parliament speaker Collegium where they discussed the election of judges of the Constitutional Court. “One out of four candidates will be from underrepresented people. The public invitation lasts for 15 days. The goal is to have an operational Constitutional Court as soon as possible”, Zivkovic has pointed out. According to him, they had a clear position on non-participation in the working bodies of the plenum due to the unconstitutional behaviour of the current parliamentary majority. “We have an interest in the work of the Constitutional Committee. The parliamentary majority is trying to form a government. The best qualification of that process was given by Milan Knezevic, who previously said that this process was the “revival of a political corpse”, Zivkovic has said. He emphasizes that the current parliamentary majority is trying to form a parallel legal order. “Outgoing PM Dritan Abazovic shows with his statements that he is not at all concerned that Montenegro has deviated from the European path. Treason and sale of national interests is at work in Montenegro”, says Zivkovic.

 

Damjanovic: Those who wanted to provoke snap elections and additional instability won’t succeed in it (CdM)

 

At the cabinet meeting, the Minister of Finance Aleksandar Damjanovic has commented on adoption of the budget. He says that some individuals, with the intention of “preventing the adoption of the budget”, wanted to “provoke snap elections and additional instability”. “43 MPs, government constituents and part of the parliamentary majority voted for the budget bill, which I hope will contribute to the stabilization of not only financial and economic flows during the next year, but also political flows”, adds Damjanovic. He believes that with the act of adopting the budget, a “good route” has been made and that Montenegro is heading towards the path of political, financial and economic stability. MPs have adopted the budget of Montenegro for the next year. A total of 43 MPs voted and all were in favor. The budget for next year is projected at €2.852bn and it is also determined that Montenegro can borrow up to €600m next year. Funds are planned for increasing pensions and public sector wages. The parliament adopted a proposed decision on borrowing for the year 2023. The MPs submitted 119 amendments to the proposed 2023 budget, the total fiscal effect of which is €170m. Planned budget expenditures are €2.852bn. Compared to the previous year, they are higher by €165.62m (6.2%). One of the key budget features is the planned transfers for social protection amounting to €785m (34%) of total budget expenditures. Taking into account the projected revenues in the next year, as well as the planned expenditures, it is expected that the deficit of budget spending will amount to 5.9% of GDP (€366m). The government claims that this budget will enable the preservation of the standard of living of citizens, the achievement of sustainable economic growth and the provision of orderly, sustainable and timely financing of all obligations.

 

SDT: No announcement of Podgorica election results before Constitutional Court’s ruling (CdM)

 

The Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) has confirmed that the results of the elections in Podgorica cannot be announced before the Constitutional Court’s ruling. This is stated in the SDT’s decision sent to the President of the Municipal Election Commission of the City of Podgorica Veselin Vukcevic by State Prosecutor Vukas Radonjic. “The fact that the law does not foresee a solution in a situation where the Constitutional Court  is dysfunctional due to an insufficient number of judges, such situations cannot be resolved, through an isolated interpretation of one or some legal provisions, in a way that would violate the spirit of the Constitution and the law, i.e. in this concrete case, the law and the constitutional protection of the electoral process and the right to vote, when it is requested by authorized subjects, and guaranteed by the Constitution of Montenegro, MPs and the Law on the Constitutional Court of Montenegro”, the SDT’s decision reads. “If the unfairness that was established in the election procedure had a significant impact on the election result, the Constitutional Court by decision annuls the entire election procedure or parts of that procedure, which must be accurately stated, that is, individual actions in the procedure that must be accurately marked”, which is more one of the reasons why the final results of the election cannot be announced, while the appeal proceedings before the Constitutional Court are ongoing.

 

Kovachevski: 2023 not an election year (MRT)

 

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski has said that 2023 will not be an election year because the EU screening is still ongoing. “The screening is set to finish in November 2023 and we will not interrupt the process after 17 years of waiting. Second, the energy crisis will not stop and institutions managing the economy have to be operational. Third, many decisions must be passed in the Parliament, decisions that require broad societal and political consensus, one that elections cannot ensure,” says PM Kovachevski in an interview with the Macedonian Radio Television (MRT). He says having elections at the expense of strategic issues is absolutely unacceptable. “I can understand VMRO-DPMNE’s position since they are completely held hostage by Levica. The opposition’s narrative is currently steered by Levica and (leader) Dimitar Apasiev, considering that VMRO-DPMNE has no position on any issue, nor has ever had a position, a vision or commitment. We all witnessed the change in their positions regarding the EU accession: first they publicly accepted the Bulgaria Friendship Treaty, then their leader said he would support the constitutional revision only to backtrack later, while afterwards saying that he would support the changes if European institutions provided some kind of a guarantee, followed by no support whatsoever. This is how not having a position on the most important issue for the country looks like,” says Kovachevski. The PM believes that MPs and political parties will have the vision and courage to take decisions allowing North Macedonia to continue on its EU path. “Many more decisions will have to be made in various sectors, such as health, judiciary, energy, environment etc. These will not be easy decisions but they will put North Macedonia on the level in which EU members operate,” says Kovachevski. All 120 MPs must demonstrate responsibility and support North Macedonia’s EU accession, leaving partisan interests aside, because citizens want to be part of EU and the people’s future is a duty for all political parties represented in the Parliament, says Kovachevski. “A Government needs 61 MPs to govern. North Macedonia needs a two-thirds majority to finish the EU integration path as soon as possible. This two-thirds majority will not be the last decision in the EU accession process. We need reforms, EU accession is not a process of one person, of one party, but of the entire state. Not 80, not 90, not 100, not 110 but 120 lawmakers have the duty to make decisions that will ensure a better future for current and future generations,” says Kovachevski on the issue of the constitutional changes. According to him, it is now clear that the panic stirred in the public at the time when the European proposal of the French Presidency was discussed in the Parliament had been done on purpose. “A hysteria was generated in the society that we would be assimilated, that we would be Bulgarized, that we would lose the Macedonian language. What happened was just the opposite – we launched the EU accession negotiations on July 18, we signed the Frontex agreement on October 26 in Macedonian language, without any footnotes, asterisks or explanations. An agreement signed in all EU languages, approved by Greece and Bulgaria. Second, a Macedonian language center has opened in Greece. Third, a Bulgarian cultural center opened in Skopje, sponsored by Bulgaria’s official institutions. The Media Information Agency (MIA) opened an office in Sofia. This is the path to building good-neighborly relations,” says Kovachevski. The PM notes that the country cannot make progress by spreading internal tensions, by spreading distrust in neighbours, “because EU values rest on goodneighborly relations.”

 

VMRO-DPMNE puts forward proposal for early elections in May, party’s position over constitutional revision unchanged (MIA)

 

The opposition party VMRO-DPMNE has put forward a proposal for early parliamentary elections to be held between May 14 and 21, 2023. According to the party, the election campaign would be launched April 25, and the purpose of the elections would be to reset the system and introduce greater stability. VMRO-DPMNE said the political situation in the country is currently intolerable both between and within some parties, i.e. in SDSM, DUI and Alternativa. Given that the ruling party is currently of the completely opposite position, i.e. that early elections are not necessary and the regular elections should be held in 2024, the opposition party said it will use all mechanisms to achieve its goal and will be creative in finding a way for the elections to take place. VMRO-DPMNE’s position remains unchanged in relation to constitutional amendments, i.e. the party doesn’t support constitutional amendments. Currently, as to whether the party would support such amendments if the proposal for early parliamentary elections were accepted, VMRO-DPMNE said it was a serious process that the party will approach seriously, taking into account all aspects of the importance of the issue. The party added that it supports European Union membership, noting that if elections are held, it will state in detail and transparently in its election program that the country will continue on the EU path. Regarding Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani’s announcements that talks securing support for constitutional changes will intensify as of next week, VMRO-DPMNE said it doesn’t have a problem with participating in such meetings if invited, but it will reiterate its position that’s already known to the public. During Wednesday’s briefing, the opposition party presented a survey according to which if elections were held now, VMRO-DPMNE would get 19.4 percent support, whereas SDSM and DUI 6.4 percent. As regards who the party would like to see as partner in the future government, VMRO-DPMNE said it would be the opposition Albanian parties. Although the party agrees they don’t have the strength that DUI currently has, there’s still belief that there is great dissatisfaction among the voting body of ethnic Albanians who believe they could encourage certain changes in that regard. According to VMRO-DPMNE, it’s harmful that DUI had such monopoly power. VMRO-DPMNE believes the presidential elections will be unsuccessful, not specifying whether it will participate, as all decisions were made by party consensus, and currently there was consensus for early elections.

 

AfA not against early elections, gives priority to Euro-integration process (MIA)

 

The Alliance for Albanians (AfA) is not against early elections but the country’s Euro-integration process is its priority, said party spokesperson Naim Bajrami on Tuesday. “We are always prepared for elections but the Euro-integration process has always been a significant priority since the party’s emergence on the political stage,” said Bajrami. The AA spokesperson was quizzed over Besa’s position of conditioning their support for the constitutional changes to incorporate Bulgarians in the Constitution on holding early elections next spring. Alliance for Albanians has also called for the Albanian Language textbook for fifth-graders to be immediately withdrawn from use. “Recently, DUI entered textbooks and texts of the most sensitive age groups too. DUI has already entered as an example in the textbook. More specifically, it is in the lesson about abbreviations where examples of countries and international institutions are referred to,” Alliance for Albanians spokesperson Naim Bajrami said on Tuesday. According to the party, that is “scandalous abuse” of textbooks for partisan propaganda and indoctrination of children. VMRO-DPMNE, too, criticised Ali Ahmeti’s party, saying it should be part of a police bulletin as a criminal structure instead of being in a textbook. Regarding the mistakes in the History and Society textbook for fifth-graders, the reactions have continued too. “The National Commission for Textbooks considers expert opinions. However, it does so without analysing the texts. The responsibility for the mistakes lies with the reviewing commission,” the National Commission said, in response to the Education Ministry’s stand that it decided for the textbook with mistakes to be accepted and printed.

 

Parliament adopts amendments to decision on a state of crisis due to migration influx (MIA)

 

Parliament adopted on Tuesday the amendment to the decision approving the extension of the deadline for the existence of a state of crisis in part of the territory of the country due to the high risk of increasing number of entry and transit of migrants through the territory of the Republic of North Macedonia and for the purpose of protecting public health from illegal migration in conditions of the coronavirus pandemic declared by the World Health Organization and prevention of its spread, which threatens the safety, health and property of the population. The decision was adopted with 44 votes in favor and 22 abstentions. VMRO-DPMNE MPs abstained in a vote, because, as MP Dragan Kovachki pointed out, the decision should refer only to migrants and not to the COVID-19 crisis. “COVID-19 crisis should not be mentioned at all in this context because that matter has been overcome a long time ago, and we have not received a changed decision until today, because we are putting ourselves in a situation of voting for something that is not. The second thing is that the Ministry of the Interior should have its own capacities to fight the migrant crisis,” Kovachki said. He added that the flow of migrants has increased and 30 to 40 people are discovered on a daily basis, for which the government is responsible. The draft law on cooperatives was also on the agenda of today’s session, but since there was no representative of the proposer of motion, this item will be discussed at the next session.

 

Tensions in the north of Kosovo/Xhacka: Barricades, the work of criminal groups, it is time for dialogue (Radio Tirana) 

 

The tensions in the north of Kosovo have been considered by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhacka as a scene "recalling the dark days of the 1990s during the period of the Yugoslav regime". Through a press statement, also published on her Facebook social network, the head of Albanian diplomacy commented that the barricades in the north were not set up by popular anger, but by criminal groups. According to her, Albania is together with Kosovo in this difficult situation, stating that "it is not the moment nor the time to carry out military threats". "We are regretfully following minute by minute the appearance of an artificially prolonged crisis in the north of Kosovo and we are deeply concerned by the escalation of tensions. The barricades that have been erected in the north, not by some wave of popular anger, but by a group of notorious criminals, are not simply preventing the normal course of life. They are also scenes that remind you of the dark days of the 1990s, which our region left behind once and for all, together with the former Yugoslavia that went away. 2023 is coming soon! This is not the time to make military threats or unacceptable attacks against Kosovo Police, KFOR and EULEX Police. This is the time for dialogue and cooperation," Xhacka writes. According to her, this dangerous confrontation must end and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. "We are with Kosovo in this difficult situation and we call on the Serbian authorities not to justify either the barricades or the criminal groups that refuse to remove them. Playing with fire is a very bad idea for the future of all our children," Xhacka writes.

 

Tensions in the north of Kosovo, Xhacka: Dialogue with the US and the EU to find a solution (Radio Tirana)

 

The Albanian government has reacted again to the tensions in the north of Kosovo through the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Europe Olta Xhacka. According to her, the situation can only be resolved through dialogue, since there will be no armed conflict between the armies of Kosovo and Serbia, because the entire region is at risk. The head of Albanian diplomacy underlines that the two leaders in Serbia and Kosovo should sit down and talk with the USA and the EU to find a solution, since "every other path is destined to fail". Xhacka insists that neither the Serbian army will enter Kosovo, nor the Kosovo army will enter into any armed conflict, but it is all about a display of internal politics and has nothing to do with interests of ordinary people. "This is extremely dangerous and must be stopped for the sake of our entire region. Serbia must stop supporting with unjustifiable reasons the building of barricades in the north of Kosovo and finally understand that the so-called "Kosovo & Metohija" has fled. Forever! The barricades do not protect any Serb in Kosovo, they only undermine our common future. Albanians and Serbs are two of the largest nations in this region and they are "condemned" to find a sustainable path to a future common. We call on the two leaders to sit down and talk. We call on the EU/USA to insist on it. Anything other than dialogue is doomed to failure. Unfortunately!"- writes Xhacka on Twitter.