LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic meets with Ziadeh (Tanjug/RTV)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic today received the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations and Head of UNMIK Caroline Ziadeh, with whom he discussed the upcoming session of the UN Security Council, where a report on the work of UNMIK, as well as the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina will be presented. President Vucic said that the security situation in Kosovo and Metohija is complex, and in that context he emphasized that we consider it important to have timely and adequate responses by the UN to numerous incidents, provocations and unilateral acts of Pristina that violate UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and threaten the rights and security of Serbs and other non-Albanians. The President reiterated that Serbia insists on preserving peace and stability in the region, respecting international law and implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1244. UNMIK chief Ziadeh expressed support for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and emphasized the need to translate political commitments into concrete actions for the benefit of Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija. The interlocutors agreed that continuous consideration of the issue of Kosovo and Metohija in the UN Security Council is essential so that the international community is regularly informed about the situation on the ground.

 

No progress in implementation of obligations undertaken by Pristina (Tanjug)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic spoke yesterday with the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations and Head of UNMIK Caroline Ziadeh. The meeting discussed the last six-month report of the UN Secretary General on the work of UNMIK, which will be discussed at the upcoming session of the UN Security Council on UNMIK on 27 April. On this occasion, Dacic pointed out the importance that Serbia attaches to the UN, as well as the engagement of the UNMIK Mission on all issues of importance for the consistent implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, as well as the status-neutral acting of the UN in Kosovo and Metohija. He expressed concern about the current security and political situation in the province, especially in the context of frequent incidents against Serbs and unilateral moves by Pristina, which further increase tensions. The conversation also discussed expectations from the recent agreements reached in the dialogue on the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. Dacic pointed out that Serbia is committed to dialogue as the only way to normalize relations, but that the essence lies in respecting what was previously agreed upon. In this context, he emphasized that there is still no progress in the implementation of the obligations undertaken by the other side, primarily in connection with the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities and once again pointed to our “red lines” in the dialogue process. Ziadeh expressed her gratitude for the support to the work of the UNMIK Mission and expressed the expectation that the good cooperation will continue in the future, according to the statement of the Foreign Ministry.

 

Petkovic condemns wounding of Serb man (TV Prva/RTV/Tanjug)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said this morning that the Kosovo police Rosu unit last night shot Milan Jovanovic near the Bistrica Bridge on the main Leposavic-Kosovska Mitrovica road. Petkovic also said that the victim was in a state of shock when was transferred to KBC Kosovska Mitrovica where he underwent surgery, and that his condition is now stable. "I spoke with his sister Nadica and the doctors. Milan's wound is on the right side of the chest and he was a few millimeters away from losing his life," Petkovic told TV Prva and condemned this attack, reports Tanjug. He said that Jovanovic Milan Jovanovic is a calm family man, a father of three, a taxi driver. As for the Kosovo police saying that it was not them who shot Jovanovic, Petkovic asked why then, they are refusing to show footage from the cameras at the scene of the incident.

 

Petkovic: Part of the opposition went wild at the meeting of the Committee on Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said that part of the opposition went wild at yesterday's session of the Committee on Kosovo and Metohija, behaved violently and left the session. Petkovic, who said came to the session of the Committee for Kosovo and Metohija to present the report of his Office, as well as everything that was discussed in Brussels and Ohrid, in this sense mentioned the leader of the Serb Movement Dveri Bosko Obradovic, the president of the Serb Party Zavetnici Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski, as well as deputies from the People's Party (NS, Narodna Stranka), while, according to him, deputies from the New DSS did not even appear at the Committee session. "We witnessed a new instance of violent behavior and rampage of opposition representatives at the meeting of the Committee on Kosovo and Metohija. I came to present to the deputies the report of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and everything that we discussed during the last round of dialogue in Brussels, but also about all important matters, including both the EU proposal and the annex, i.e. the document on implementation that we discussed in Ohrid," Petkovic told reporters during a break in the Committee's meeting. He added he had everything ready to talk openly and to answer all the questions of the members of the Committee on Kosovo and Metohija. "Not even five minutes had passed after the beginning of the session,  as the chairman of the Committee had not even declared it had started, when Bosko Obradovic, Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski, Jeremic's (NS) deputies started to shout, to insult, to outvote Drecun, to stand up, to create chaos demanding some kind of addition to the daily agenda, and all in order to repeat the scenario from the special session on Kosovo and Metohija," said Petkovic. He recalled that at that special session, which was attended by President Aleksandar Vucic, the same political organizations, according to him wanted to cause violence and complete chaos. "These representatives of the opposition are not interested in the topic of Kosovo and Metohija, what is being negotiated in Brussels, nor the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija," said Petkovic and added that today "all the lies of Bosko Obradovic, Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski and deputies from the People's Party have been exposed". Petkovic says that the fact that the session was closed to the public bothered the opposition, and asked if he is supposed to reveal Belgrade's plans to Albin Kurti. "Am I supposed to endanger the lives of our people in Kosovo? You see every day what is happening and how Pristina is trying to expel Serbs from Kosovo," said Petkovic. He added that he was there to answer all questions, and repeated that it will never be allowed for so-called Kosovo to become a member of the UN. "And because we have a clear conscience and because we fight day and night and prepare for every meeting, I can look everyone in the eye and say what I am doing and in what way President Aleksandar Vucic is fighting to protect this country, to preserve peace stability and constitutional order," Petkovic stressed. Petkovic believes that the reason for such behavior by the opposition is that he "spoiled their plans". "Stamenkovski requested that a committee meeting be convened urgently. I immediately responded to Milovan Drecun's invitation and came with all the papers, and when I showed up, it was obvious that they were perplexed," said Petkovic and added that the opposition called a press conference in advance, where they wanted to talk about Kosovo and Metohija not being discussed.

 

Opposition parties walk out of Committee for Kosovo and Metohija as addition to agenda refused (Beta)

 

The Serbian opposition announced on Monday that they had walked out of the Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, because the chair of the Committee Milovan Drecun had refused to amend the agenda so as to include a discussion on the European Union’s agreement to normalize ties between Kosovo and Serbia. The Oath Keepers’ MP Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski, also a deputy to the chair of the Committee, said to reporters in the Parliament building that the agenda included only last year’s “stale” report by the Office for Kosovo, which had been discussed by the parliament already, adding that Drecun didn’t allow her to speak at the session of the Committee and explain why the opposition wanted the agenda amended. A member of the Committee, the Dveri movement’s MP Bosko Obradovic, said that six opposition members of the Committee left the session when Drecun “refused to let any of them talk, refused to add a debate on the Franco-German agreement to the agenda, and refused to open the session to the public.” A People’s Party MP, Sanda Raskovic Ivic, also a member of the Committee, said that the opposition had requested a debate on the EU agreement, because it had been negotiated by “one man, without the approval of either the government or the parliament.” The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said to reporters during a break that part of the opposition “threw fits, acted violently and eventually walked out of the session,” which he was attending “prepared to answer any question from the members of the Committee”.

 

Opposition describes parliament procedure as unacceptable (Beta)

 

Radomir Lazovic of the Green-Left parliamentary group said on Monday that the Serbian parliamentary opposition had agreed that the existing modus operandi of the Parliament of Serbia was unacceptable, and that the manner in which sessions were scheduled and run should be altered. After a second meeting of the parliamentary opposition parties, the MP said he was a “big optimist” as to technical cooperation between them at the parliament of Serbia. “It is absolutely clear that the existing parliamentary procedure is unacceptable. We have reached a consensus that the sessions need to be called under regular procedure, and that there’s enough time to include opposition motions in the agenda. We have also agreed that a similar consensus should be reached regarding the work of the media and attacks against independent media, as well as electoral requirements,” the opposition MP explained. Lazovic said that the opposition would prepare specific proposals as to how to improve the work of the parliament, including a rotating presidency, because, as he put it, it shouldn’t be Orlic’s exclusive prerogative to decide what the parliament should look like. “It is truly significant to have diametrically opposed organizations, like the rightists on the one hand, and us on the other, which have agreed that the parliament should not look like this. We are witnessing an open abuse here – no opposition motion can be put on the agenda – but that seems not to be enough, since they have decided not to call a session at all,” the Green-Left coalition whip said.

 

Dacic responds to Pristina: Blinken, too, visited Central Asia last month (TV Prva)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Monday Pristina had a problem with his recent visit to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan even though it did not have a problem with the fact US State Secretary Antony Blinken had travelled there last month. The three Central Asian nations do not recognize the so-called Kosovo. Speaking to TV Prva, Dacic said they were friendly countries to Serbia and that he had become the first Foreign Minister of Serbia to visit them. "President Vucic believes we need to embark on cooperation with those large countries. I think there is great potential for cooperation," Dacic said. Does Pristina expect Serbian representatives to be lobbying for recognitions of the so-called Kosovo, he asked. Speaking about his discussions during the visit to Central Asia, Dacic said: "We did not even talk about Kosovo and Metohija so much." He added that Serbia had "ridiculously small" volumes of trade with the three countries. He said that, during the visit to Uzbekistan, he had addressed cooperation aimed at solving Serbia's problem of workforce shortage as Uzbekistan had a regulated system and a state agency in charge of employment abroad. He said 600-700 Uzbeks were working in Serbia right now. "Those countries have a traditionally good attitude towards us and there should be visits and development of cooperation," Dacic said. He also noted that there were ten countries in the Pacific region that Serbian officials had never visited.

 

FSS writes to UEFA over situation in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)

 

The Football Association of Serbia (FSS) on Monday wrote to UEFA over the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and Pristina's ban on competitions organized by Serbs in the province.

The urgent letter to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and Secretary General Theodore Theodoridis was signed by FSS President Dragan Dzajic and Secretary General Jovan Surbatovic. "Dear Mr Ceferin, it is with great concern that we inform you that the interim institutions in Pristina have over the past several days been exerting illegal and inhumane pressure on football clubs based in the autonomous province of Kosovo and Metohija whose members (footballers and officials) are of Serb nationality. The interim institutions in Pristina are intimidating footballers and sports professionals of Serb nationality by banning them from training in their own stadiums and organizing local competitions," says the letter. The nature of the threats is such that the footballers', coaches' and football officials' human right to work, as well as their right to engage in the sport of football and the freedom of association into sports clubs, is being jeopardized, the FSS said in the letter. "Members of football clubs in Kosovo and Metohija are being threatened with arrest and prison sentences if they continue the process of training and competing in local football league competitions. Such a practice is contrary to the European Sports Charter of the Council of Europe and also represents a violation of the UN Convention on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms." "We ask you that, with your own authority and the authority of the office you perform, advocate for the described practice to end. We are asking for your help as we want to avert in a timely manner an escalation of the problem and an escalation of potential violence that can be provoked and caused by illegal moves by the interim institutions in Pristina," the FSS said in the letter.

 

MoD: Platinum Wolf exercise exempted from moratorium (Tanjug/RTV)

 

The Serbian Ministry of Defense said on Monday that, by a 16 March decision of the Serbian government, the international military tactical exercise Platinum Wolf 23 had been exempted from a moratorium on planning, preparation and execution of exercises with foreign partners at home and abroad. In a statement, the ministry said the reason behind the decision was fulfilment of commitments undertaken by Serbia with regards to multinational operations. It also said the exercise aimed to maintain the existing level of interoperability of Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) units for participation in multinational operations. The Ministry issued the statement in response to Dveri MP Bosko Puskic, who had demanded that it be cancelled due to being unconstitutional. The Ministry said the international exercise had been held seven times between 2014 and 2021 and that it taking place this year in no way represented a precedent, but a continuity of international cooperation that the SAF was only benefitting from and that helped it advance its operational capabilities. In collaboration with several partner countries with which Serbia is participating in multinational operations, the Platinum Wolf exercise will take place in Serbia from 16 through 30 June.

 

Dveri calling for cancellation of Platinum Wof exercise as it “stomps” on Serbia’s  military neutrality (Beta)

 

Serbian Movement Dveri on Monday urged Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic to "immediately cancel the announced disgraceful military exercise Platinum Wolf in southern Serbia, of our army with the NATO alliance, under the conductor baton of America, which stomps on the concept of Serbia's military neutrality." Dveri MP and a member of the parliamentary Defense and Internal Affairs Committee Borko Puskic told reporters outside the Defense Ministry building that the decision to hold that exercise was "anti-constitutional and causes suspicion that the government is not leading a sovereign policy but rather carrying out orders from U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill". Puskic said the decision to hold the exercise was also "illegal" because soon after the start of the war in Ukraine the government had issued a conclusion that all activities related to military exercises with foreign partners would be suspended.

 

Djilas: Our direction is Europe (N1)

 

Leader of the opposition Party of Freedom and Justice Dragan Djilas told N1 that what the opposition in Serbia will offer in the next elections is far more important than when they will be held. “We should clarify what we are offering the people. I know it is better when you mention Vucic and get into a discussion, an argument, because the media report on that, and people read that – but that is a one-time thing. In order for the people to vote for us we need to offer a policy, some solutions and a clear direction. Our direction is Europe. There is no other direction as far as we are concerned,” said Djilas. The Party of Freedom and Justice leader recently asked Vucic to say when Belgrade and parliamentary elections will be held because Serbia is at a crossroads and its citizens should say whether or not they want a European Belgrade and a European future for Serbia. The government says it will meet the request that is also coming from some other opposition parties. Is the opposition ready for early elections that could be held already in November? “In the previous elections the Serbian Progressive Party and other parties got less votes than the parties that thought the city should be managed differently. There was a difference of 70,000 votes and Aleksandar Vucic himself said that the issue of legitimacy is very important, and promised that elections would be held within a year,” said Djilas. He noted that the Party of Freedom and Justice has been asking for these elections from the very start, adding that the time has also come for early parliamentary elections. “The depth of the crisis is noticeable every day and it is clear to many in Serbia that Ana Brnabic’s and Ivica Dacic’s government is unable to respond to all that,” said Djilas. He said he has been traveling Serbia for a month and trying to explain to the people his party’s platform as well as to hear what problems they have. Drawing a parallel with the situation in Montenegro, Djilas said the opposition has been in power there for three years now, so it was not in the same position as the opposition in Serbia. “Montenegro is a country in which the most popular television is the Vijesti professional television station, the most read is the Vijesti portal, there is no Pink or Happy, there are no tabloids, no destroying of political rivals, no persecution of journalists via media whose lives are being destroyed. So over there it is possible to win,” said Djilas. He condemned the government’s attacks on the media outlets owned by United Media. “There is a harangue, a campaign that will expose everyone who works in those media to some risk and danger,” said Djilas.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

SDP and NiP leaders criticize last Dodik’s statement on secession of RS (FTV)

 

In an interview for Serbian Politika daily, Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik presented new threats about secession of the RS from Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). He emphasized that the RS is administratively prepared for it. Dodik underlined that the possibility to reach an agreement within B&H still exists, but without foreigners. He stressed that B&H will be functional until representatives of three constituent people are present in its institutions. The RS President underlined that he will attempt to convince Croat representatives to participate in “one-off” withdrawing from B&H institutions along with them. Dodik’s partners from HDZ B&H still have not reacted to this statement. Leaders of SDP and NiP – parties that are coalition partners of Dodik’s SNSD at B&H level – reacted to secession threats. Leader of NiP Elmedin Konakovic said that they are committed to do their job seriously and not to react to every statement. Konakovic added that when it comes to most concerning statements on secession, it is necessary to say it is out of question. “Withdrawing from institutions and any blockades are the most detrimental for citizens of the RS”, explained the leader of NiP. SDP leader Nermin Niksic expressed hope Dodik’s statements will remain at the level of the statements aimed to exert pressure on representatives of the international community. Our Party failed to provide official reactions to Dodik’s statements. Niksic wrote on his Facebook account that an attempt to convince Croats to leave the state institutions is “a direct threat and attack’’ on functioning of institutions of B&H. “It is an additional reason for us, as co-signatories to agreement, to be cautious in our relations. There should be no doubt that any attempt to realize the threat and attempt to divide B&H would provoke our appropriate reaction”, wrote Niksic. The reporter notes that while B&H Minister of Defense Zukan Helez, who is a member of SDP, is saying “we have a response to threats”, and SDP’s leadership failing to comment on the issue on Monday, the opposition political parties are of view that SNSD’s coalition partners do not have an adequate response to Dodik’s threats. People and Justice (NiP) member Aljosa Campara responded to Dodik’s statements by saying:” Those are his classic and worn out statements, he often repeats to survive on the political scene. We are used to such statements and destructive attempts that lead to nothing.” Campara responded to accusations about mild reactions of ‘The Eight’ to Dodik’s statements by stating: “Of course we reacted in the way we did. Regarding their comments on the situation, I feel that they were much closer partners with Dodik for a number of years.”

 

SDA: Dodik’s secession threats are result of double standards of the international community and B&H judiciary (Dnevni list/Nova BH)

 

Reacting to recent statements of RS President Milorad Dodik, SDA issued a statement saying that Dodik’s threats with the secession of the RS are the last alarm for the B&H judiciary and the international community. According to SDA, Dodik’s provocative denial of genocide and open announcement of secession is direct consequence of weakness and double standards of the international community, which is closing its eyes to the secession policy of the RS authorities and continues to disempower the Bosniaks in the entity, whist at the same time it international community is practicing strictness towards the Bosniak representatives. The party went on to say that instead of using their mandate and authority and stop Dodik, part of members of the Peace Implementation Council and the OHR are using the authorities in an attempt to discipline Bosniaks who are against the secessionist policies. SDA added by saying it is high time the international community gave up on irresponsible, shortsighted and cowardly policy, and for the local judiciary to penalize the secessionists. SDA Vice President Adil Osmanovic said that Dodik’s threats are nothing new, but political parties within ‘The Eight’ have failed for the umpteenth time with regard to SNSD and reaction to its policy. In a telephone statement, Osmanovic said that political parties within ‘The Eight’ “are too scared of SNSD’s moves, i.e. that they (SNSD) may make a decision at one point they no longer want to be with ‘The Eight’ political parties at the level of the (B&H) Council of Ministers and in the parliamentary majority, so they allowed themselves to be too quiet and not to react to such irresponsible and dangerous statements, which is unacceptable”. Osmanovic also stated: “What worries us here is, once again, the silence of HDZ B&H regarding such unconstitutional and anti-Dayton statements made by Milorad Dodik. I feel that HDZ and “The Eight” had very mild reactions.”

 

Komsic: It is dangerous to hope that foreigners will stop Dodik (Dnevni list)

 

Reacting to recent statements of RS President Milorad Dodik, Croat member of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic stated that it is dangerous to hope that foreigners will stop Dodik. Komsic said: “There is no single reason to hope for it. At this moment, Dodik does not have the way to secure existence to these people, who would allegedly withdraw (from state institutions). I believe that this will not happen now. However, Dodik will certainly continue to exert pressure in this direction and to set bigger and bigger demands.”

 

Mesalic: ‘The Eight’ does not have adequate response when Dodik’s threats are in question (Nova BH)

 

DF asked SDP how they plan to stop Dodik. DF representative in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) House of Representatives (HoR) Mahir Mesalic said via video link he is of view that ‘The Eight’ does not have an adequate response, reflected in them “delivering key offices in security sector to SNSD. At the same time, we know that the fourth delegate (in the B&H HoR) from RS was delivered to SNSD by some people from that notorious ‘The Eight’, or ‘The Six’ or ‘The Troika”. Mesalic also stated: “When we were warning them about these attacks on the country of B&H and its sovereignty, certain B&H political parties, that are based in Sarajevo, were assuring us that Dodik has changed only because they signed a coalition with him.”

 

Borenovic says Dodik fulfilled small number of his promises (O Kanal)

 

Leader of PDP Branislav Borenovic commented on recent statements of RS President Milorad Dodik and underlined that these are empty threats. He underlined that Dodik has been promising many things over the last 15 years, adding that all promises he failed to fulfil Dodik attempted to summarize within two days. Borenovic said Dodik’s statements are narrative heard so many times in the past “that, playing with emotions of our people, suffered failure dozens time, used exclusively with the aim to introduce unrest, confusion and win political points. We heard nothing new”. Borenovic joined in the condemnation of Dodik’s statements stating: “This is a distraction from the huge issues that the RS faces, one of which is the liquidity of the budget. I have to say that not all obligations towards budget consumers are being paid from the budget. Payments from the budget are late.”

 

B&H Prosecutor’s Office confirms cases against Dodik regarding genocide denial (Nova BH)

 

The Prosecutor’s Office of B&H confirmed for Nova BH that several cases have been formed against RS President Milorad Dodik in a capacity of a reported or suspected person. The Prosecutor’s Office of B&H informed that several cases are underway and in relation to Article 145a of the B&H Criminal Code (Incitement of ethnic, racial and religious hatred, conflicts and intolerance), according to which acting prosecutors are verifying allegations from filed reports. Nova BH reports that several reports have been filed against Dodik with the same goal, i.e. calling Dodik to account for multiple denial of the Srebrenica genocide and violation of the Law on Amendments to the B&H Criminal Code that prohibits genocide denial imposed by former High Representative in B&H Valentin Inzko in July 2021.

 

Cvijanovic reacts to Becirovic’s request towards Kajganic, says Bosniak politicians should deal with FB&H and stop attacking RS (Srna/RTRS)

 

Serb member and Chairwoman of the B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic says the Bosniak politicians constantly calling on some High Representatives, the B&H Constitutional Court judges, even prosecutors, “does not surprise me because they are the only thing they have at their disposal, but not enough to create the country they dream of”. When asked by Srna to comment on B&H Presidency member, Denis Becirovic’s request, addressed to Chief Prosecutor Milanko Kajganic, for informing him about what he has done against the RS officials in property registration cases, Cvijanovic told Becirovic to also ask for information about the FB&H officials and institutions that failed to implement dozens of decisions of the very same court. “By the way, it would generally be better for him to deal with the FB&H where he was elected and try to solve the FB&H government establishment first, without pulling Christian Schmidt's sleeve to solve it for them, then the shameful phenomenon of 'two schools under one roof', warmongering and insulting rhetoric of religious and political representatives, and finally deal with numerous unexecuted decisions of the B&H Constitutional Court”, Cvijanovic emphasized. As for the property, Cvijanovic clarified in her Srna statement, that if it belongs to B&H or if it is intended to regulate it there, then it would not have been requested 10 or more years ago to transfer immovable military property to the B&H Ministry of Defense. “And whatever Becirovic and others say, as far as I am concerned, that is where the issue begins and ends. Let them deal with the FB&H and show their political ability there, instead of attacking the RS”, Cvijanovic emphasized.

 

SDA Collegium requests emergency session of HoR FB&H, also call for meeting with HDZ B&H and SDP (FTV)

 

SDA Collegium issued a statement on Monday calling on High Representative Christian Schmidt not to pass decisions that are in opposition to official decisions of the FB&H House of Representatives (HoR). SDA also demanded from a Chair of the Constitutional Commission of the FB&H HoR to urgently organize a session of this commission in order to implement a conclusion adopted at the last session of the FB&H HoR. This conclusion obliges the Constitutional Commission to propose – within the period of 15 days - amendments to the FB&H Constitution that would provide a permanent solution for implementation of results of elections. SDA called on the FB&H leadership to organize a meeting with leaders of SDA, HDZ B&H and SDP to solve the issue of the appointment of the FB&H government. In a statement to Hayat, SDA MP in the B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Semsudin Mehmedovic commented on HDZ B&H's attitude towards the FB&H. Mehmedovic said that HDZ B&H is misusing the membership of the Republic of Croatia in the EU and NATO because it is placed in a vassal relationship with HDZ of Croatia. “It seems to me that it (HDZ B&H) is here only a political satellite that implements the interests of the Republic of Croatia in B&H, exploiting its national wealth,” Mehmedovic said. Mehmedovic stressed that one could endlessly enumerate all the interests of the Republic of Croatia that HDZ B&H secured in B&H, mentioning only a few such as the Peljesac Bridge. “Therefore, I believe that a decision that would lead to Mostarization of the FB&H would have catastrophic consequences,” Mehmedovic underlined.

 

James Rubin meets Montenegrin officials (RTCG)

 

Special envoy and coordinator of the US State Department's Center for Global Engagement, James Rubin, said Monday in Podgorica that after talks with Montenegrin officials and party leaders, he was convinced that Montenegro won’t be close to Belgrade or Moscow. With the meetings in Podgorica, Rubin began his visit to countries in the region where, as previously announced by the State Department, he will discuss the fight against Russian disinformation. He also told reporters in Podgorica that he believes that the fight against disinformation will be a priority of the new Montenegrin government. "If Russian disinformation dominates the space here, it will be difficult to make progress. What I have heard from the leaders here, and what has encouraged me, is that they will be focused on us and on the EU," said Rubin. He emphasized that there are a number of media outlets in Montenegro that spread disinformation from Russia and China and that the government should urgently deal with this problem. “For example, Russia and China repeat that there are biological weapons factories in Ukraine, even though it has been proven that this is not true, or that somehow the United States wanted this war, which is also nonsense," he said.

 

Abazovic wants to protect constitutional order better than Constitutional Court: Circus ahead of parliamentary elections (CdM)

 

Outgoing PM Dritan Abazovic says that he did not say that he was against the parliamentary elections scheduled for 11 June, but since the Constitutional Court will not protect the legal order of Montenegro, then, he says, another branch of government has to do it. When asked how he comments on the statement of the Europe Now official Andrej Milovic that Abazovic’s proposal to invalidate the decree of the current president of the country, Milo Djukanovic, on the dissolution of the parliament and the decision to call elections, is a great ignorance of the law and the constitutional legal system of Montenegro, Abazovic says that the Constitutional Court did not decide either in favour or against it. As he points out, if we want to introduce an autocracy in Montenegro so that the president can dissolve the parliament at any moment, then let the “great lawyers” say so. “If it is possible, no problem, just inform the new president, Jakov Milatovic, that during his five-year mandate, he can dissolve the state parliament every second he thinks he should. If that’s what Milovic says, then I won’t comment anymore. The fact that someone gets upset shows you that you have hit a nerve”, Abazovic points out. He claims that he is not against the elections.

 

Abazovic: Katnic’s biggest mistake is that he didn’t arrest me, and mafia’s that it didn’t kill me (CdM)

 

The biggest mistake of the former chief special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic is that he did not arrest me, said outgoing PM Dritan Abazovic. Katnic vehemently accused Abazovic of having ties to the Skaljari organized clan and that he did not arrest him due to strong obstructions in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. When asked why the decision according to which the Ministry of Internal Affairs grants citizenships based on the decision made by the government of Zdravko Krivokapic shortly before the vote of no confidence was not annulled, Abazovic pointed out that the Ministry of Internal Affairs made decisions in accordance with the Law. When asked whether the government considered the dismissal of the director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Milan Gazdic, Abazovic said that this case was also a preparation for the parliamentary elections. He stated that he also asked the relevant minister, Ana Novakovic Djurovic, if this information was correct, which she denied. Abazovic claimed that he had no information on who had pressured Gazdic, but that he had heard that Gazdic was under pressure from investors.

 

Nikoloski: Under the Bulgarian proposal, the Macedonians will be put on equal footing with the Bulgarians (Sitel TV)

 

If the request for constitutional amendments is accepted, Macedonians will be made equal to the Bulgarians in the Constitution, warned VMRO-DPMNE Vice President Aleksandar Nikoloski. During a Sitel TV interview, Nikoloski reiterated that VMRO wants to have the Croatian constitutional model introduced in Macedonia, with full recognition for all minorities, but after the country is clearly defined as nation state of the Macedonians. Under our proposal, we have a nation state of the Macedonians and minorities who live in it. If we accept the SDSM and DUI proposal, the Macedonians will be placed on even footing with the Bulgarians, considering that the minorities are now represented as parts of their nations. This is contrary to history and reality and undermines the decisions of ASNOM and the creation of the Macedonian state, Nikoloski said. The process of constitutional amendments is stuck at the very beginning as VMRO-DPMNE refuses to participate in the committee that would draft the amendments and demands early elections instead.