LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: I pointed out to bin Zayed what Belgrade can accept in dialogue with Pristina (Tanjug/RTS/RTV/Politika)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan in Belgrade on Wednesday, pointing out the difficulties facing Serbia and what Belgrade can accept in the dialogue with Pristina. "I said that Serbia's word means much more than someone's offer to sign something, but that, of course, there are things Serbia cannot even talk about," Vucic said at a press conference with bin Zayed. Vucic noted that the discussions with the sheikh were very important because he had previously visited Pristina. "I also received information about what his impressions are," Vucic said. Thanking the UAE for supporting Serbia, Vucic said bin Zayed had outlined the present situation in the Gulf region, where he said nations lived in peace after years and decades of no dialogue and, in some cases, even wars. "Today, everyone is talking to each other, and they have established long-term peace. Full stability. That is somehow visible in ever-improving relations further in the west, in the relations between Turkey and Greece," Vucic said. He noted that the UAE wanted to see such relations established in the Balkans as well. "That is our desire, too, because there is definitely no doubt that we believe normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations is substantial," Vucic said. He added that he was not as optimistic as many others but that Belgrade would do its best for true normalisation of relations with Pristina. He said he had extended "a special invitation to the president of the UAE" to also discuss the Open Balkans as "all of his and the UAE's political stances and investment and economic support are of great significance to Serbia". He said many issues had been discussed with the UAE delegation. "They are especially interested in creating mechanisms - be it in six months or a year or two - to prepare everything for private investments in case normalisation does take place. They would certainly participate to a significant extent in what is referred to in the documents themselves as a donor conference," Vucic said. He said he was confident Serbia-UAE bilateral ties would continue to progress in the future. Bin Zayed said a strategic partnership with Serbia was growing year by year in various areas of mutual interest, in particular in the economy and trade. He said non-oil based goods trade had risen from around 13 mln dollars in 2012 to approximately 127 mln dollars in 2022, but noted that UAE-Serbia relations focused not only on the political and economic aspects but also on ties between the two nations. He added that the UAE was home to over 5,000 Serbians employed in many sectors, such as entrepreneurship, education, health care and the aviation industry and that over 39,000 tourists had visited the UAE in 2022. He noted that Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed's visit to Serbia in October 2022 had also confirmed the UAE's commitment to building bridges and aspirations to achieve peace, security and prosperity in the region, which he said was the fundamental characteristic of the UAE-Serbia partnership. The closed-door meeting between Vucic and bin Zayed was followed by a plenary meeting also attended by Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic and UAE Ambassador to Belgrade Mubarak Saeed Al Dhaheri.

 

Petkovic: In the Daclaration there is no term “enforced disappearances” (RTS)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic pointed out that in the text of the Declaration on Missing Persons, which was agreed in Brussels on Tuesday, thanks to the efforts of Belgrade, the term “enforced disappearances” was rejected, which is a legal category defined by an international convention and which would imply the direct legal responsibility of the state of Serbia for all cases of disappearances during the conflict in Kosovo and Metohija. Petkovic pointed out in the statement that Belgrade did not allow this and did not allow it in this declaration, as well as that Pristina’s plan was thwarted. “Instead of that term, the term ‘forced disappeared’ was adopted, which is not a legal category and is not found in any international convention, but only describes the circumstances under which the disappearance occurred and therefore cannot produce any legal effect for the interests of the state of Serbia, nor its responsibility,” explained Petkovic. He stated that because of this, it is quite clear that Pristina and Andin Hoti are deceiving and disillusioning the public with incorrect interpretations that the term “enforced disappearances” is accepted and that they will be able to demand the responsibility of the state, because this is absolutely not true and he knows it. “Besides the obvious politicization of this highly humane topic, it is understandable the dissatisfaction of Pristina, which failed in its plan to accuse Serbia of all cases of disappearances in Kosovo and Metohija and to attribute the atrocities of the so-called KLA to Belgrade, which was their intention from the beginning, which we saw through and thwarted,” Petkovic stated. “Unfortunately, Pristina continues to politicize this topic and use it for daily political calculations and its own internal political circumstances, but we will be guided exclusively by facts and arguments, as before,” concluded Petkovic, the Office announced.

 

Vucic to French Senators: Serbia committed to Kosovo dialogue (FoNet)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told a delegation of French Senators on Wednesday that Serbia is committed to the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue as demonstrated by the fact that a declaration on missing persons was agreed by the chief negotiators in Brussels. A press release from the president’s cabinet said that Serbia has a serious and responsible approach to the process to normalize Belgrade-Pristina relations. It said that the president told the member of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces Committee that Belgrade wants to reinforce its political dialogue and economic cooperation with France as one of its most important bilateral partners. The press release quoted the Senators as saying that their visit shows France’s continuous interest in Serbia and the Western Balkans and “stressed the determination to strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas of common interest”.

 

Orlic meets with French Senate delegation (RTV/Tanjug)

 

Serbian parliament speaker Vladimir Orlic met yesterday with a delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces of the Senate of the Republic of France, headed by the Committee Deputy Chairman Olivier Cigolotti. The officials declared the bilateral relations between the two countries traditionally close and in constant progress, primarily thanks to intensive political dialogue at all levels. Cigolotti said that the aim of the French Senate delegation’s visit is to further strengthen the friendly ties between the two parliaments and their working bodies and committees. He confirmed that Serbia can count on support for full membership in the International Organisation of La Francophonie and took the opportunity to praise the results our country had achieved in the numerous reforms conducted within the framework of European integration, encouraging their implementation in order to speed up the accession process. Orlic praised the successes the two countries are recording in the field of economy, emphasising the importance of the numerous capital projects Serbia is implementing with French partners. He informed the members of the French Senate delegation about the daily violation of the basic human rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija by Pristina, endangering their basic security, declaring this attitude towards the Serbian people unimaginable in 21st century Europe. He pointed out that in recent weeks, Pristina has been intensifying dangerous moves and trying to provoke an escalation in order to avoid the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. "Last year, 150 ethnically motivated attacks on Serbs were recorded in Kosovo and Metohija, since the beginning of this year there have already been more than 30. While our people are arrested without proving guilt or providing evidence, and sentenced to prison terms for verbal offense, villains shoot at our children and are released to their homes. We are practically the only ones fighting for dialogue, implementing the state policy of President Aleksandar Vucic, which means a serious and responsible attitude, preserving peace and stability for everyone. This is the only way can we create new results in the economy, infrastructure and in all other areas," said Orlic.

 

Vucic meets with Guinea-Bissau's Embalo (Tanjug)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalo in Belgrade on Thursday. At a press conference with Embalo, Vucic said they had discussed significant matters, including preservation of territorial integrity. He said they had agreed to increase the number of students from Guinea-Bissau who would be given Serbian scholarships. "They will be our ambassadors, they will get to love Serbia and they will represent our interests in the best possible way," Vucic said. He added they had also reached an agreement on cooperation in the fight against terrorism and said he believed it would be taken to a higher level. "We also agreed cooperation in agriculture and the seed industry and, since he is chairman of ECOWAS, I asked him that the countries support our bid to host Expo. That is also a good opportunity and promotion of Serbia," Vucic said.

 

Serbia, Guinea-Bissau sign agreements on cooperation

Serbia and Guinea-Bissau signed two agreements on cooperation in Belgrade on Thursday.

At a Palace of Serbia ceremony also attended by Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Umaro Sissoco Embalo, State Secretary at the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Goran Aleksic and Guinea-Bissau FM Suzi Carla Barbosa signed a MoU on establishing a mechanism of political consultations between their ministries.They also signed an intergovernmental agreement on abolishing visas for holders of official/diplomatic and special passports.

 

Dynamic development of economic cooperation between Serbia, USA (Tanjug/RTV/Politika)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked yesterday with US Senator from the state of Montana Steve Daines about bilateral relations and the further steps to improve cooperation between the two countries. Brnabic wished welcome to Daines, who is coming to Belgrade from the city of the same name in Montana, and pointed out that the relations between Serbia and the USA have significantly improved in the past few years, while economic cooperation, despite challenges at the world level, is developing very dynamically in various spheres, with special reference to the fact that the USA is currently Serbia's largest partner in the export of services. The two sides exchanged views on important issues of energy security, dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, regional cooperation and global trends. The meeting at the Serbian government was also attended by Serbian Ambassador to the USA Marko Djuric and US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill.

 

Regulations controlling work of judiciary in line with European standards (Tanjug)

 

Serbian Minister for European Integration Tanja Miscevic informed yesterday German Federal government Special Representative for the Countries of the Western Balkans Manuel Sarrazin about the reform of the judiciary, the implementation of which is ongoing, after the adoption of a set of laws that enable greater independence of the courts and prosecutor's offices. During the meeting, the most important reforms implemented by Serbia in the European integration process were discussed, as well as regional cooperation and the assistance that Serbia is ready to continue providing to Ukraine. Presenting the government's activities on the implementation of obligations from the accession process, the Minister announced that a draft of the new strategy for the fight against corruption will be ready in May, as well as that two drafts of the amended media laws will soon be ready for public debate. The interlocutors also discussed ways to improve the functioning of the single regional market, so that all economies and citizens in the Western Balkans could benefit from its additional liberalisation. Sarrazin assessed that the quality of regulations that control the work of the judiciary is good and in line with European standards and pointed out that it is important that the application of these regulations is such as to contribute to the culture of strengthening professional and ethical norms among holders of judicial functions, and to the strengthening of European values, and first and foremost to a better legal security for all citizens.

 

Drecun speaks with delegation of Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (Politika)

 

The Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Ukraine Milovan Drecun met yesterday with a delegation of the Group of Friendship with Serbia in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, to discuss the current political situation and opportunities for improving interparliamentary cooperation. Drecun said that Serbia and Ukraine are friendly countries, sharing close ties that date back to the 18th century. He stressed that Serbia is committed to further developing and improving this cooperation, especially between the parliaments, emphasising the importance of parliamentary diplomacy, which adds to the development of political relations, as well as relations in the fields of economy and culture. Drecun expressed his regret for the current situation in Ukraine, pointing out that Serbia itself had experienced difficult moments during the 1990s and the NATO aggression against our country. He said that Serbia's position on the war in Ukraine is unambiguous and clearly expressed in the National Security Council’s Conclusion, adopted by the government of Serbia on 27 February 2022. He stressed that Serbia is committed to respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of every state, as one of the most important principles of international law, and at the same time thanked Ukraine for its principled position on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija and for supporting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He also pointed out that Serbia had supported the resolutions, declarations and decisions in the UN, OSCE and the EU concerning the situation in Ukraine, stressing that our country is an advocate for peaceful resolution of disputes and that it supports all efforts aimed at negotiations, however, when considering the introduction of restrictive measures against any country, including the Russian Federation, it will be guided exclusively by the protection of its own vital economic and political interests. In the course of the conversation, Drecun expressed the hope that the war and the suffering of the people would be stopped as soon as possible and that Ukraine would rebuild and resume normal life. He particularly emphasised Serbia's readiness to participate and help in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. The members of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation, Ihor Kopytin and Fedor Venislavsky, thanked Serbia for its principled stance and support for resolutions and declarations in the UN and other international organisations. They also indicated that they understand the Serbia’s specific position in the current circumstances, expressing their belief that both Serbia and Ukraine have a common future in the EU. Kopytin and Venislavsky, as well as Ukrainian Ambassador to Serbia Volodymyr Tolkach, thanked Serbia for its humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The officials agreed that it is extremely important to further deepen interparliamentary cooperation, especially through regular contacts between the members of parliamentary friendship groups, as well as through cooperation on issues of mutual interest at a multilateral level, within international parliamentary organisations and forums. They also agreed that there is room to increase economic exchange between our two countries. Drecun also emphasised Serbia's readiness to support Ukraine's European integration, by sharing its knowledge and experience of the none-too-easy process.

 

Basta strongly condemns Russia in conversation with Ukrainian MPs (RTV/Tanjug)

 

Serbian Minister of Economy Rade Basta, the first minister of the Serbian government who publicly advocated the imposition of sanctions on Russia, conferred on Wednesday with MPs from Ukraine Ihor Kopytin and Ihor Herasymenko, as well as with Fyodor Venislavsky, a member of the Supreme Government Committee for National Security and Defense, and strongly condemned Russia’s war policy in a conversation with them. “Let me express our deep regret for the situation and the war in Ukraine. We have a clear and unequivocal position that an attack on a sovereign state is a gross violation of international law”, Basta said. Basta also voiced his hope that the war would end as soon as possible, primarily for the sake of Ukraine, but also for the sake of Europe and the whole world. “On our side, there is a desire to improve economic cooperation and participate in the reconstruction of the Ukrainian economy”, Basta said. The interlocutors agreed that there was room for additional improvement of economic cooperation for mutual benefit, according to a press release of the Ministry of Economy.

 

MP: Speaker doesn’t allow Zelensky’s envoy to address journalists (Beta)

 

Aleksandar Olenik, a member of parliament of the “Together for Vojvodina – Vojvodinians” coalition, said that the Serbian speaker Vladimir Orlic decided on Wednesday not to allow an Ukrainian MP to address journalists in the parliament hall. “We have ended a meeting with Ukraine’s delegation at the parliament of Serbia. Three Ukrainian MPs are visiting. Vladimir Orlic didn’t allow one of them, Fedir Venislavskyi, a representative of the Ukrainian president, to speak to journalists in the parliament hall. It’s an embarrassment for all of us,” Olenik said to Beta. The Serbian MP also posted on Twitter the photographs of the meeting with the Ukrainian delegation. Olenik said to Bet that after the ban, Venislavskyi and he addressed journalists outside the parliament building. It was the first official delegation of Ukraine’s legislature, the Verkhovna Rada, visiting the parliament of Serbia after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Olenik said that with his Ukrainian counterparts he discussed firmer ties, as well as more extensive Serbian assistance to Ukrainian people. The delegation included Ihor Kopytin, Fedir Venislavskyi and Igor Herasymenko. The Ukrainian MPs visited Serbia at Olenik’s invitation.

 

Stano confirms Missing Persons Declaration agreed (N1)

 

European Commission spokesman Peter Stano told N1 on Wednesday that the chief negotiators from Belgrade and Pristina agreed the text of a declaration on missing persons as the first step in line with the Basic Agreement Implementation Annex. Stano said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti will uphold the declaration at their next meeting. He said that negotiators Petar Petkovic and Besnik Bislimi discussed the implementation of all the articles in the agreement and annex at their meeting in Brussels on Tuesday as well as urgent issues including energy and vehicle license plates. He said more talks on all issues are needed to achieve progress adding that both sides agreed to meet again. According to Stano, the EU expects Serbia and Kosovo to meet all the obligations they accepted in the agreement and annex and implement them immediately. They should also avoid any counterproductive activities and statements which could upset the implementation of the agreement and stability on the ground, he said.

 

Borrell: EU to endorse Belgrade-Pristina declaration on missing persons (Tanjug)

 

EU foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell announced on Wednesday the EU would endorse the text of a Belgrade-Pristina declaration on missing persons, agreed by the chief negotiators of the two parties in Brussels on Tuesday. "The agreement they reached on the text on the declaration on missing persons during yesterday’s chief negotiators meeting is a first step. We will endorse it at leaders level at the next high level meeting I will convene," Borrell wrote in a post on his official Twitter account. "The parties must avoid any escalations. Translation of their commitments into their European paths is ongoing," he added. "Serbia and Kosovo made a commitment on the Agreement on the path to normalisation and its annex. The EU expects both to honour all obligations from it and start implementing asap," Borrell also noted.

 

UN Security Council to discuss new report on UNMIK on 27 April (Tanjug)

 

The UN Security Council will meet on 27 April to discuss UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' new semi-annual report on the work of the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), a source at the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to Tanjug on Wednesday. An announcement on the UN website said the session would take place in the afternoon New York time. The session will be chaired by the Russian Federation.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Novalic et al.’ case: Novalic, Hodzic and Solak sentenced to total of 15 years in prison, Milicevic acquitted of charges for negligent performance of duty (Nova BH)

 

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) rendered and pronounced its first-instance verdict in ‘Novalic et al.’ case on Wednesday sentencing Federation of B&H (FB&H) Prime Minister Fadil Novalic, owner of the ‘Srebrena malina’ Fikret Hodzic and suspended Director of the FB&H Civil Protection Administration (FUCZ) Fahrudn Solak to total of 15 years in prison, i.e. four, five and six years in prison respectively, in relation to procurement of 100 Chinese respirators valued at BAM 10.5 million in 2020. FB&H Minister of Finance Jelka Milicevic was acquitted of charges for negligent performance of duty. Nova BH reports that the verdict was pronounced by the Trial Panel composed of Chair Branko Peric, and judges Braco Stupar and Goran Radevic. On the occasion, Peric said that during the Coronavirus pandemic “respirators were a global matter of life or death”, managing in complete lockdown and chaos was of crucial importance and states and their officials were trying to find the respirators in any possible way. “Representatives of states went to China with bags filled with cash. Some countries declared purchase of the respirators a state secret. They were buying complete stocks of the respirators because no one knew what would happen in future and how many of them would be necessary. No one knew how the pandemic would develop and what the extent of catastrophe would be. Many countries bought thousands of the respirators that remain unpacked even today. Is any prime minister in the world on trial for that?”, said Peric. He also referred to “screenshot of a message by defendant Fikret Hodzic” used as evidence against Novalic, noting “I can probably guess which Asim it is, but an objective observer of this trial cannot know who Asim is and why Asim is important in this case. In judicial practice, such facts could not be used as evidence. The Court does not base its decisions on presumptions and opinions”. Nova BH reports that judge Stupar read the verdict and carries video footage in which Stupar said that the Court of B&H established that the first aggravating circumstance with regard to defendants “is the fact that the defendants undertook premeditated criminal and corrupt activities in the public procurement procedure and during the pandemic, using their offices and powers for the purpose of siphoning and misappropriating portion of money for the benefit of the third defendant. Premeditatedly and illegally overpaid respirators- as proven and as it will be reasoned in detail in the written copy of the verdict– of problematic quality and limited use are the consequence of incorrectly implemented public procurement procedure”. Stupar also said that the Court found that the third defendant Hodzic and accused legal entity “were chosen non-transparently and deliberately to purchase the respirators. It is evident to the Court from the fact that this entity was chosen and referred by the first defendant, together with a certain Asim who clearly has good relationship with the first defendant, which stems from the presented evidence”.

 

Novalic on Court of B&H’s first-instance verdict: This is only continuation of political persecution I am subjected to (Nova BH)

 

Nova BH carries that FB&H Prime Minister Fadil Novalic has reacted to the Court of B&H’s first-instance verdict in the ‘Novalic et al.’ case, according to which he was sentenced to four years in prison for abuse of office or power. “Today’s decision, delivered by outvoting Trial Panel Chair Branko Peric, is only the continuation of political persecution I am subjected to. Enormous pressure from the public and atmosphere of lynch have followed this process since the very beginning. The struggle continues and I believe that the final victory of justice. This only the half time’’, wrote Novalic on his Facebook account. Addressing the media after the pronouncement of the verdict, Novalic’s defense lawyer Vasvija Vidovic said she was not surprised by the verdict “because, unfortunately, it was presented to the public in exactly this form. On the other hand, I am not surprised because it has been clear to me, as a good observer of political developments in this country, since the beginning that there is a plan with a specific objective”. Vidovic also said that Novalic’s arrest in 2020 was welcomed by many political officials, including HDZ B&H’s Marinko Cavara and SDP B&H leader Nermin Niksic, and the US Embassy to B&H also got involved in the case. “That showed a tremendous interest to finalize the case like that. Why is that the case? The time will tell”, said Vidovic. She also referred to judge Branko Peric’s dissenting opinion, noting that she did not expect anything different from Peric “a man of great integrity, a pre-war judge, and a man of extensive knowledge”. The defence lawyers announced appeals against the court decision.

 

US Embassy strongly rejects accusations that they influenced judgements in ‘Respirators’ case, or any other judicial proceedings (Dnevni avaz)

 

US Embassy to B&H posted a statement on Twitter concerning the Wednesday’s, first instance verdict in case ‘Respirators’ against FB&H Prime Minister Fadil Novalic, owner of the ‘Srebrena malina’ Fikret Hodzic and suspended Director of the FB&H Civil Protection Administration (FUCZ) Fahrudin Solak. “The United States strongly supports independent and courageous law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial institutions that work on behalf of the citizens of this country to investigate, prosecute, and punish corruption, which is plaguing B&H’s democracy and economy, and which is driving so many citizens of this country to leave and build lives for themselves and their families elsewhere. Survey after survey and metric after metric underscore that citizens do not trust these institutions and that corruption is getting worse. We have always urged B&H’s judicial institutions to hold the powerful accountable for their actions. Accusations that the United States Embassy influenced any aspect of these, or any other judicial proceedings are false and misleading. We strongly reject them”, reads the statement. The US Embassy to B&H strongly rejected the allegations of attorney Vasvija Vidovic that the Embassy influenced the verdict to Novalic and other individuals tried in the ‘Respirators’ case.

 

Niksic denies lawyer Vidovic’s accusations (Nova BH)

 

The Court of B&H rendered and pronounced its first instance judgement in ‘Novalic et al.’ case Wednesday, sentencing FB&H Prime Minister Fadil Novalic, owner of the ‘Srebrena malina’ Fikret Hodzic and suspended Director of the FB&H Civil Protection Administration (FUCZ) Fahrudn Solak to total of 15 years in prison. SDP B&H leader Nermin Niksic, who was directly accused by Novalic’s defence lawyer Vasvija Vidovic of giving statements that could have potentially influenced the Court of B&H, denied such allegations, noting he never wished the verdict of conviction for Novalic and that he expects fair and unbiased trial for all citizens, including Novalic. Niksic stated that he needs to comment on the verdict given that he was directly accused of putting pressure on judiciary by Novalic’s attorney, denying that he has ever said anything that represented the pressure or influence on judicial bodies in his case.

 

SDA comments verdict vs. Novalic: Verdicts reached under pressure of politics and foreign ambassadors (Dnevni avaz)

 

SDA issued a statement on Wednesday, stating that they deem that the verdict of the Court of B&H in the case against F&H Prime Minister Fadil Novalic is politically motivated “with a goal to remove from the power the strongest Bosniak party at any price”. “It is concerning for the entire society that the verdict, instead by principles of legal profession and based on evidence, was reached under the pressure of politics and foreign ambassadors, which was confirmed by a Presiding Judge of Judicial Council in his descending opinion”, reads SDA statement. The statement further reads that the verdict has been known for couple of days now, arguing that media reported about it even before it was rendered. “If we accept the practice that judicial verdicts are not rendered by the courts in line with the law, but by the will of foreign diplomats, then we will not need judiciary. In that case, every citizen can wonder who will be the next one that some ambassador will decide that needs to be sentenced. Just as we will not need elections in case the government will be formed within the embassies”, reads SDA statement. SDA stated that the trial to Novalic was politically motivated, and the decision was influenced by politics and foreign ambassadors. SDA reminded of many other affairs that were never resolved or taken to court. It also said that this case and the verdict are connected to the current formation of the FB&H authorities. “Novalic’s case, in many aspects, reminds of the process against former FB&H President Zivko Budimir who was, a decade ago, an obstacle for SDP B&H and HDZ B&H for forming a government together, so he was arrested and was tried in a mounted process. After years of trial, Budimir was acquitted of serious accusations, but the process against him will forever remain as an example of a mounted process”, SDA statement said. SDA stressed that what proves that this was a staged process is that the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H has not indicted any of the HDZ B&H, SNSD and SDP B&H leaders. SDA said that this political party believes that, despite pressures, Novalic “will prove his innocence” in the second-instance process.

 

Radoncic: This judgement restores citizens’ trust in rule of the law and raise their expectations that independent judiciary can be established in B&H (Dnevni avaz)

 

Commenting rendering of the judgement in case ‘Respirators’ against FB&H Prime Minister Fadil Novalic, owner of the ‘Srebrena malina’ Fikret Hodzic and suspended Director of the FB&H Civil Protection Administration (FUCZ) Fahrudn Solak, SBB B&H leader Fahrudin Radoncic welcomed this judgement and said that he firmly believes that independent judiciary could not render such verdict if Bakir Izetbegovic and Osman Mehmedagic remained in the posts. He also addressed the fact that judge Branko Peric accused “a daily” and US Embassy and that attorneys also put the US Embassy in negative focus, shows that they do not have strong evidence and use the sphere of politicizing. In the end, Radoncic stressed that judgements such as this, restore citizens’ trust in rule of the law and raise their expectations that independent judiciary can be established in B&H. Radoncic concluded that Prosecutor’s Office should investigate how many people died because of use of faulty respirators.

 

HR Schmidt meets with FB&H leadership, says functioning of FB&H institutions is prerequisite for efficient and strong B&H (FTV)

 

High Representative Christian Schmidt held consultations with the leadership of the FB&H on Wednesday. "The functioning of the FB&H institutions is a prerequisite for an efficient and strong B&H. The formation of the FB&H Government is therefore the highest priority for everyone," Schmidt was quoted as saying after the meeting with FB&H President Lidija Bradara (HDZ B&H), FB&H Vice-President Refik Lendo (SDA) and FB&H Vice-President Igor Stojanovic (SDP B&H). Bradara’s office stated that Schmidt called for the continuation of the dialogue. The abovementioned meeting comes on the eve of completion of the deadline for the formation of the new FB&H government. Lendo, Stojanovic and Bradara informed Schmidt that they have failed to reach the agreement unanimously approving the appointment of the new FB&H government. Lendo reiterated his previous stance that he does not approve the government in which SDA does not participate and that the decision on appointment of the new FB&H government cannot be discussed as it is unconstitutional and unlawful. Stojanovic told reporters after the meeting that Schmidt is aware of his responsibility, and he needs to resolve the situation because credibility of the Office of the High Representative (OHR). He assessed that Lendo’s insisting on SDA’s participation in the government structures at any cost and without having partners represents an obstruction. However, SDA stated that Lendo’s refusal to sign the decision on the appointment of the new FB&H government does not represent obstruction because SDA needs to be part of the executive authority given that SDA staff is part of the FB&H leadership. Following the meeting, Bradara submitted the decision on the appointment of the FB&H government to the FB&H House of Representatives (HoR). The reporter notes that in the final hours before the deadline to form the new FB&H government expires, HR Schmidt met with the FB&H leadership. Schmidt did not reveal if he will invoke the Bonn Powers and impose a decision to unblock the government formation without a signature of one Vice President, and the OHR issued a brief statement based on which not much can be concluded. “HR Schmidt inquired about the steps taken towards the establishment of the FB&H Government”, it was written on the OHR Twitter account.

 

Sattler meets Stojanovic, discuss formation of authority at FB&H level (Dnevni list)

 

Head of the EU Delegation to B&H Johann Sattler met with FB&H Vice President (VP) Igor Stojanovic on Wednesday to talk about formation of authority at the FB&H level. “We talked about the formation of the FB&H government and the need to end the process quickly, after more than four years of the technical mandate”, said Sattler, who also assessed the meeting with VP Stojanovic was constructive. Sattler added there were also talks about key reforms that are expected from the FB&H government, including reforms aimed at strengthening fight against corruption. Sattler talked on Wednesday with the FB&H leadership (FB&H President Lidija Bradara and VPs Refik Lendo and Stojanovic) about the issue of formation of new FB&H government.

 

Dodik proposes contract between the RS and FB&H regarding issue of state property (RTRS)

 

The SNSD Executive Committee concluded on Wednesday that the political and economic situation in Republika Srpska (RS) is stable and that there are no challenges that could threaten them, SNSD leader Milorad Dodik said after the Committee's session. Dodik pointed out that all institutions are functioning, both at the RS and the local levels. When it comes to the economic situation, he stated that all obligations have been settled and growth in exports and the number of employees has been recorded. “The situation is good, the RS does not see any challenges in this regard, inflation is decreasing and is lower than in December. So, the economic indicators are good”, pointed out Dodik and reminded that pensions were increased by 13.5 percent in January, as well as benefits for veteran categories. He also said that an increase in salaries was recorded in the RS. Dodik said that the political situation at the B&H level is worse than before and that there is a greater degree of interference of the international factor in internal issues. He emphasized that the RS demands that investment and development projects coming from the RS are urgently put on the agenda, in accordance with the agreement that preceded the formation of the authorities at this level. Dodik also pointed out that the RS wants the issue of property in B&H to be resolved by an agreement between the RS and the FB&H, in which it will be stated that the property belongs to the entities. “Any other movement is inadmissible and unacceptable and will not be carried out”, he said and repeated that the issue of property is a big problem, but that it will not be discussed until the entities make a proposal. Dodik said that at the session of the Executive Committee, the situation in SNSD was discussed, that is, the internal party elections and the determination of the date of the assembly of this party. Dodik also commented on SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic's new attacks on the RS, which he referred to as ‘genocidal creation’ and in which he accused the RS leadership of committing joint criminal enterprise, Dodik said: “There is no genocide, it is a way that Izetbegovic wants to use to return to the scene, The RS Srpska is legal. We are still thinking about B&H formed in line with the Constitution but, depending on the situation, we have a plan. We do not depend on B&H, we only have problems because of it”.

 

NATO Foreign Ministers’ two-day meeting ends; Continued support to B&H, Georgia and Moldova reaffirmed; Grlic Radman and Blinken discuss B&H; Grlic Radman: We talked about B&H being sustainable only if Dayton Agreement is respected (HRT)

 

During the two-day meeting in Brussels that closed on Wednesday, NATO Foreign Ministers focused on the direct military assistance to Ukraine, global consequences caused by Russia’s invasion on that country, and Russia and China extending their trade and defense ties in the context of consequences for China in case it provides military assistance to Russia. During the meeting, it was reiterated that NATO will continue to provide support to countries directly affected by Russia’s negative influence, i.e. B&H, Georgia and Moldova. Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman also met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, and the focus of their meeting was on B&H and the Western Balkans countries. Addressing the press conference after the meeting, Blinken said: “This was a very good opportunity for us to talk about important work we do within NATO, but also about Croatia’s vital role in the Western Balkans integration in Europe and its increasingly important role with regard to energy”. Addressing the media, Grlic Radman said: “We talked about B&H being sustainable only if the Dayton Agreement is respected, so we stressed the importance of guaranteeing equality of the three constituent peoples and other citizens”.

 

Plenkovic in North Macedonia: support on path to the EU (HRT)

 

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic is on an official visit to North Macedonia, where he is meeting with the state leadership, and also addressed members of the Sobranja, the North Macedonian parliament. Meetings with representatives of religious communities and the Croatian community and representatives of Croatian companies are also scheduled in Skopje. Among other things, Plenkovic said that North Macedonia will certainly become a member of the EU in a few years. “Andrej Plenkovic first met with North Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, and the topics of the conversation were the strengthening of bilateral relations and the strengthening of economic cooperation,” reported Tamara Markovic from Skopje for HRT.

 

Support on the path to the European Union

Croatia once again expressed its support for North Macedonia on its way to the European Union - that country received candidate status more than 17 years ago, and the path to European integration proved to be a difficult process for it. That is why Zagreb's support regarding this issue is extremely important to Skopje. In a joint statement, Kovacevski pointed out that the visit of Andrej Plenkovic, whom he called a dear friend, comes after his visit to Serbia and Slovenia, expressing his satisfaction that he can talk with his colleagues who "truly understand the region and the circumstances in which we find ourselves". He said that his government and he personally continue to work towards strengthening relations with Croatia. “We are connected to Croatia not only by our shared past, but also by our desire for a better shared future. Croatia is among those who most loudly and consistently support our European integration,” said Kovacevski. He expressed his desire to strengthen economic and trade cooperation. The opening of EU negotiations with North Macedonia was first blocked by Greece, so the country agreed to change its name from Macedonia to North Macedonia and this allowed it to join NATO. The second blockade was later caused by Bulgaria's demands that question the Macedonian national identity and language. Now it is demanded that North Macedonia include the Bulgarian national minority in the constitution. “The process of constitutional amendments is a structured process and based on the best practices and experiences, a proposal will be drawn up, which will then be put up for discussion,” Kovacevski said. Commenting on the Swiss and Belgian models as possible solutions, he said: “I think we also have the Macedonian model. We have always fought for the Macedonian state, Macedonian language, identity.” Plenkovic characterized the relations between the two countries as excellent, friendly and of high quality. “I think that North Macedonia will certainly become a member of the European Union in a few years, and Croatia has been helping it wholeheartedly and without any conditions for years,” said the Croatian Prime Minister. He added that North Macedonia was often unjustifiably slowed down on the European road. Plenkovic expressed satisfaction that trade cooperation reached almost 300 million euros. “We are especially glad that a large number of Macedonian tourists visited Croatia, you achieved around 290,000 overnight stays last year,” he said. Plenkovic also met with President Stevo Pendarovski, and he is also met with the President of the Assembly, Talat Xhaferi. The Prime Minister is accompanied by the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Davor Filipovic and the parliamentary representative of the Albanian, Bosniak, Montenegrin, Macedonian and Slovenian national minorities Emina Lekaj Prljaskaj.

 

Western Balkans Quad welcomed by Plenkovic (Hina)

 

Croatia looks favourably on all regional initiatives, particularly those aimed at moving towards the EU's foreign policy positions, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said Wednesday in Skopje regarding the informal regional initiative launched by North Macedonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called "QUAD", to promote full alignment of the Western Balkan countries with the EU’s foreign and security policy, which includes North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. "There are certain countries in the region that don't have a consistent and clear position towards joining the EU's foreign policy. So, I believe that these common positions will contribute to the dynamism of the European path of the four countries and increase credibility," Plenkovic said at Wednesday's joint press conference with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski. According to him, the issue of aligning with the EU's visa policy is particularly important, because it is one of the sources of illegal migration from certain countries in the region to the Union. "The European Parliament and the European Commission follow all those data and trends, and when it comes to foreign policy positions, I believe that the Republic of North Macedonia is 100 percent aligned with the EU. I believe that is a common-sense policy for the whole of Europe," said Plenkovic. On the topic of regional initiatives, PM Kovachevski pointed out that the country is a member of NATO, it is 100 percent aligned with the EU's international policy since day one of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and is part of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), as well as the Berlin Process. He added that North Macedonia, alongside Serbia and Albania, is also a member of the Open Balkan initiative, which is significant for the regional connection of three neighboring states. He reiterated that North Macedonia is a country whose foreign policy is 100 percent aligned with the EU's foreign policy, and a NATO member it is 100 percent aligned in terms of support to the Ukrainian people.

 

DIK determines final election results: Jakov Milatovic formally confirmed as President of Montenegro (CdM)

 

The State Election Commission (DIK) has determined the final results of the presidential election, according to which Jakov Milatovic won 58.88% (221,592 votes), and Milo Djukanovic 41.12% (154,769 votes). This has formally confirmed that Jakov Milatovic was elected as the President of Montenegro. The DIK president, Nikola Mugosa, says that the report from the Municipal Election Commission of Savnik has not yet been received, that is, it has not yet been included in the final results. It’s recalled that the second round of presidential election was held on 2 April 2023. A total of 542,154 citizens had the right to vote.

 

Milatovic on Sunday celebration: I saw MNE and EU flags (Dnevnik)

 

The newly elected President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic has said that the European Montenegro won in Sunday’s second round of presidential election. “On Sunday, there was a victory in Montenegro, over the regime that was overpowered. I am a man who is a European politician. That is why I defeated the regime so strongly. I think that an even stronger European future awaits Montenegro and that we will never return to the rhetoric of the past, whose symbol in Montenegro was, after all, Djukanovic, who emerged in the war years of the 1990s,” says Milatovic in an interview for Dnevnik. He has also commented on the pictures that arrived from Montenegro – the Serbian flag, three fingers in the air, exclamations “this is Serbia”. “Everyone sees what they might want to see. I saw a dignified victory with Montenegrin and European flags. Imagine, after 34 years, an almost dictatorial regime is overthrown. It was a historic day for Montenegro. Djukanovic was the head of Montenegro when we, as a country, trotted in European integration. If he had wanted, we would be in the EU now, but it was the opposite. European Montenegro won on Sunday,” Milatovic has pointed out.

 

Djukanovic resigns from position of DPS leader (RTCG)

 

The leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Milo Djukanovic is to resign from that position. Acting DPS leader will be Danijel Zivkovic, the current DPS caucus head, TVCG reports. Djukanovic has announced the decision to resign at tonight’s session of the party’s presidency. A session of the party’s executive committee is scheduled for tomorrow, 6 April 2023, when the decision will be formalized. Djukanovic has repeatedly announced that there will be changes in DPS, He has recently announced that he will no longer be the leader of that party. Djukanovic previously said that his withdrawal was on the table at the Congress in 2021, but then it was concluded that it was not the time for that. Milo Djukanovic has headed DPS since 1998.

 

Abazovic: MPs will terminate parliament mandate after Milatovic’s inauguration (CdM)

 

Outgoing PM Dritan Abazovic says that the termination of the parliament mandate belongs to the MPs, and that, according to him, they have decided to terminate its mandate after the inauguration of the new president of the state, Jakov Milatovic. Commenting on the decision of the inspection stating that Milo Djukanovic should demolish “his illegally built buildings in the Kocani village in Niksic, because they are in conflict with the valid Spatial-Urban Plan of the Municipality of Niksic” and whether this was initiated now because of the upcoming elections, Abazovic says that he does not care about whose such buildings are. He has stated that they undertook a major action to remove illegal buildings throughout Montenegro, announcing that there will be more such interventions. “I am not interested in people by name and surname. Whether the owner of the building is Milo Djukanovic, Dritan Abazovic or I don’t know who – I am absolutely not interested in that. The inspection must comply with the law. I tried to solve everything I found as soon as possible. I am not interested in the first and last name”, Abazovic has told reporters in Berane after signing the Memorandum of Cooperation regarding the valorisation of the Aeropark in that city. The question is not for the government or the line ministry, the question, he says, is for Djukanovic, as he was “building illegally”. “He has 20 days to remove it himself,” Abazovic has stressed.

 

Komsic: Milatovic flirts about the "Serbian world", wrapped in cellophane of the Open Balkans (CdM)

 

Member of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic (DF) stated that it is not clear what value system is represented by the newly elected President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic, assessing that some of his views indicate support for the idea of a "Serbian world", packaged through the "Open Balkans" initiative. "I think that Milatovic has not expressed himself, it is unclear which value system he prefers." There is flirting, which sends shivers down our spines and chills, there is flirting about the Serbian world, wrapped and unwrapped in the cellophane of the 'Open Balkans'," said Komsic. He said that he supported Milo Djukanovic in the presidential elections in Montenegro, because it was support for civic Montenegro, a member of NATO and a good neighbor. Komsic stated that after the first round of elections, it was clear that Milo Djukanovic would lose the elections, but that the support he gave was support for civic Montenegro, a member of NATO and a good neighbor. We could have kept quiet, then you are a hypocrite, if someone asked you who you would support, the easiest thing to say is I have no idea, I am not interested, and you are lying," he said. Commenting on the remarks of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, that B&H interfered in the internal affairs of Montenegro, with the support of its highest officials from the Federation of B&H, Milo Djukanovic, Komsic said that "Vucic obviously overestimates the possibilities and capabilities that B&H can interfere in the affairs of another country". He added that B&H cares about maintaining the current level of friendly relations and understanding with Montenegro.

 

As the government ignores the “Croatian model” proposal, Plenkovic arrives to Skopje (Republika)

 

The Kovacevski government choose to ignore the proposal from the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party to amend the Constitution in line with the Croatian constitution. This would include a large number of minorities in the Preamble, closing the politically difficult issue of the Bulgarian minority, but would declare Macedonia as the nation state of the Macedonians. Meanwhile, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic arrived in Skopje. Plenkovic urged Macedonia not to lose hope with the constant delays in the EU accession process and to adopt changes to the Constitution in line with the Bulgarian demands. Plenkovic did not the endorse the Croatian model of a statehood for one nation and minority rights for all other ethnic groups but said that Macedonia should adopt a constitution appropriate for its society. This moment is how. You should take it with bold and strategic decision, said Plenkovic who is the latest EU politician to urge Skopje to agree to the Bulgarian demands. Plenkovic is expected to be the latest in the long list of EU officials who are calling on Macedonia to accept the Bulgarian demands and amend its Constitution.

 

Kovachevski: No need for a leaders' meeting, process of constitutional amendments is structured (MIA)

 

The process of constitutional amendments is structured according to the law and the Constitution, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski in response to a journalist’s question regarding the Croatian model of constitutional amendments. Kovachevski said that he can’t be the one to decide what’s acceptable or not. He believes the working group within the Ministry of Justice should come up with a proposal that works for the Macedonian society, according to the applicable laws and what is expected for the country's future as a future EU member. The PM rejected VMRO-DPMNE’s proposal to hold a leaders' meeting because the positions of the political parties are already well-known. “The working group within the Ministry of Justice, composed of experts, is already on it. It will create a proposal which will then be put up for debate, based on best experiences. There are political parties that talk about other amendment models, you mentioned the Croatian model, another party mentioned the Swiss, and that is why we need to sit down as experts and create a proposal that suits our laws and society. I am neither in favor nor against it,” the PM said at Wednesday's joint press conference with Croatian PM Andrej Plenkovic. He said he was in favor of adopting amendments that will help the country open up the clusters after November and become an EU member state by 2030, with a protected language, identity and culture which will enrich the EU’s culture. Kovachevski noted that a leaders' meeting was held in December, when all leaders of the parliamentary parties were invited to discuss the most important strategic issues for the country. “We had no power cuts, no price shocks, and we provided for anti-crisis measures for the citizens etc. The second main issue was harmonization in terms of the need for constitutional changes in order to continue European integration in accordance with the adopted negotiating framework by the Parliament with a majority of the votes. All party leaders agreed that it’s necessary to adopt constitutional amendments, except for one that said nothing and two that didn’t show up. That’s why we don’t need another leaders' meeting,” the PM said. 2 A leaders' meeting is not an institutional format to bring specific solutions, it’s a format for everyone to share their political opinions in regards to a certain issue. “Constitutional debates are led within an expert working group where every party delegates its own representatives and then amendments are defined based on constitutional law and regulations, to then be put up for public debate,” Kovachevski said. Parallel to the amendments being publicly debated, they also enter parliamentary procedures where “we have the democratic, visionary and strategic capacity as a country to implement these decisions and open the clusters after a successful completion of the ongoing screening phase, which is going well, according to Brussels”. In response to Croatian reporters in terms of the integration and initiatives that North Macedonia is a member of, Kovachevski said that the country is a NATO member, fully aligned with the EU’s international policy since day 1 of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, part of the Berlin process etc. “We are also part of Open Balkans, an initiative that connects Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia, based exclusively on the four liberties of Europe – free movement of people, goods, capital and services. We are moving non-tariff barriers between countries, enabling faster worker flow without work permits, trade has increased by 25%, and all other meetings are informal. The fact of the matter is that, yes, we are a country that has harmonized its policy to the EU's foreign policy 100% and is 100% in harmony on the part for supporting the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom as a NATO member state,” Kovachevski said.

 

Mickoski met with Andrej Plenkovic (Republika)

 

VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski met with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who is also leader of VMRO’s sister party HDZ. The two leaders discussed inter-party cooperation, but also the current political, economic and EU-integration situation in Macedonia. Macedonia needs to be part of the large European family, as an equal partner, and for that we need the support of friendly Croatia, Mickoski said, while pointing to the problems the country has with spiking inflation and the high poverty rate.

 

Kovacevski rejects Mickoski offer to meet and discuss the Bulgarian demands (Republika)

 

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski refused the offer from opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski for a meeting of party leaders to discuss the Bulgarian demands for constitutional amendments. Such meetings are not held on TV or during visits to construction sites. They are done in expert groups where all parties should have their representatives, said Kovacevski. Yesterday Bulgaria came out with a request that their representatives are included in the talks to prepare the amendments, further complicating the already difficult process.

 

Osmani: NATO open door policy and EU enlargement – significant investments in regional and European security (MIA)

 

This is a historic moment for the whole Alliance, which makes us even stronger and more secure, and represents a significant step forward for transatlantic unity. Finland’s NATO membership represents a positive message for all aspirant countries who share the same values. We expect Sweden to join us as well, ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, who participated in the two-day NATO Ministerial Meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday. The meeting was held in light of Finland joining the Alliance, and it demonstrated the strong unity of all allies and the firm support of NATO’s open-door policy, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release. In the press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Osmani stressed the need for NATO and EU’s strengthened engagement in the Western Balkan countries, underscoring the fact that NATO’s open-door policy and EU enlargement represent significant policies for maintaining regional and European stability. At the meeting, the foreign ministers focused on the political and security challenges faced by the Alliance, as well as the preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius. “The strong unity of all allied countries in the condemnation of the Russian military aggression, as well as the commitment to boosting political and practical assistance for Ukraine, were stressed at the meeting. Concretely, opportunities were reviewed for an increase in the financial support provided to Ukraine through the Comprehensive Assistance Package, as well as the country’s needs for a post-conflict recovery and reconstruction,” said the press release. Earlier, on the sidelines of the meeting, Foreign Minister Osmani met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and State Department Counselor Derek Chollet. According to the MFA, the meetings focused on the cooperation and activities within the US–North Macedonia Strategic Dialogue; regional current events; support for the agreement reached between Kosovo and Serbia; and the latest political developments in the country. Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and State Department Counselor Derek Chollet on the sidelines of the NATO Ministerial Meeting in Brussels. Chollet and Blinken voiced their strong support for North Macedonia’s EU-integration process, as a shared strategic interest of the country and the U.S. towards promoting overall regional stability.

 

Osmani meets Blinken, Chollet: US strongly supports North Macedonia's EU integration (MIA)

 

Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and State Department Counselor Derek Chollet on the sidelines of the NATO Ministerial Meeting taking place in Brussels on April 4-5. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they talked about bilateral cooperation and activities within the US–North Macedonia Strategic Dialogue; regional current events; their support for the agreement reached between Kosovo and Serbia; and the latest political developments in the country. Blinken and Chollet voiced their strong support for the European integration process of North Macedonia as a shared strategic interest of the country and the United States toward promoting regional stability. Osmani continues his visit to the NATO headquarters in Brussels to participate in the NATO Foreign Ministers' second day of talks.

 

Celibashi meets with the ambassadors of the EU and the USA: The elections are a test for democracy (Radio Tirana)

 

The head of the CEC, Ilirjan Celibashi had a meeting with the EU and US ambassadors. "At the CEC with EU ambassador Christiane Hohmann and US ambassador Yuri Kim, we addressed the preparations for the Local Elections of May 14, 2023, the misuse of state resources for the campaign, the occurrence of vote buying, the transparency of election financing and the integrity of the candidates", writes Celibashi. Ambassadors Hohmann and Kim emphasized that the May 14 elections are a real test for the advancement of Albanian democracy and that all eyes of international partners are on them. Compared to the elections of 2021, this pre-election period of 2023 shows a doubling of the reporting of state entities to the CEC, the banning of about 20 public events and a tripling of the number of CEC sanctions. "I assured Ambassadors Kim & Hohmann that the CEC will remain ethically impartial and will only operate in accordance with the law. I expressed my gratitude to the EU and US ambassadors for their strong and continuous support to the CEC," writes Celibashi.

 

Xhacka: Stain of shame should be removed from the heroic war of Kosovo; We will not stop until the approval of the new Resolution (Radio Tirana)

 

Olta Xhacka considered the meeting that took place on Tuesday (April 4) between NATO Foreign Ministers, with the expansion of the Alliance with the newest member, Finland, to be a 'historic moment'. Xhacka described Finland's membership in NATO as a strong message to Russia and its illegal aggression in Ukraine. NATO-EU cooperation, threats affecting the security of the Euro-Atlantic area and support for Ukraine, was the focus of this meeting.

For her part, the minister informs that she emphasized the importance of EU-NATO cooperation, especially in the region, while she appreciated, among other things, the achievement of the Ohrid agreement between Kosovo and Serbia thanks to international mediation. "Kosovo's war for independence cannot be rewritten. We respect the principle of equality before the law and the court that was created by the decision of the Assembly of Kosovo, but bearing in mind the accusations that paved the way for this special court with the will of those who today have been taken as defendants to cleanse Kosovo of this stain. What has been happening for more than two years is harmful. It seems clear that there is no evidence that the KLA has committed war crimes and that the leaders and commander of a movement for liberation from oppression and protection from ethnic cleansing are unjustly accused as war criminals," said Xhacka, as she demanded justice. The minister said that the unfair stain of shame should be removed from Kosovo's heroic struggle for independence. According to her, true justice is needed for the crimes of the Milosevic regime, including the discovery of the location of the burial sites. "This is part of the commitments of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue which must be fully implemented, in order to leave behind the tragic past and look to the common European future", she added. Further, the Minister guaranteed that Albania is making persistent efforts to bring justice. "Kosovo Specialist Chambers were established after the 2011 Resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which, as I mentioned, included accusations unsupported by any facts or evidence by a reporter of the Council of Europe, about the trafficking of human organs ", she emphasized as she brought to attention the resolution approved a year ago by the Assembly, where claims of human organ trafficking during the war were considered unfounded. Xhacka said that the deputies who are part of the Albanian delegation to the EC General Assembly have collected all the signatures for a new resolution, on the resolution of 2011. Xhacka guaranteed that "Our efforts will not stop until this new resolution is approved and the heroic struggle for the liberation of Kosovo is cleansed of this shameful stain".