LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: We will not support UN membership for Kosovo (RTS/Tanjug)

 

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom in Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said they had discussed the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and that he had reiterated Serbia's position that it would not support UN membership for Kosovo. "We also discussed the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and, to avoid any dilemmas, I reiterated Serbia's positions that Serbia will meet the commitments it has undertaken but that it will not support Kosovo's membership in the UN and in specialised UN agencies and institutions, and that I have informed of this clearly all participants in the talks and the other side - Borrell, Lajcak, Scholz, Macron, Blinken and everyone around the world we have spoken with," Vucic said. "Today is the tenth anniversary of the Brussels agreement. You must form a Community of Serb Municipalities with substantial powers, and when you do that, Serbia, which has always kept its word - including after the Brussels agreement - and will do so in the future, will do its part of the job," Vucic said in a message to Pristina. "But there is no playing games with that, you must meet that commitment, and it is only after you have met it that we will do our part," he added. As a sign of good will, we might do something unilaterally, but that has nothing to do with Pristina's obligation to fulfil agreements completely, he said. "It is only after that that we will do all the other things because it is not a commitment undertaken in February or March this year or in November last year - it is a commitment that has existed since 19 April 2013," Vucic noted.

 

Dacic: Brussels agreement our greatest achievement since 1999 and UNSCR 1244 (TV Prva/RTV/Tanjug)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Wednesday the Brussels agreement was Belgrade's greatest political achievement since 1999 and UN SC Resolution 1244, and something tangible Serbia had attained for Kosovo Serbs.  “That is why Pristina is avoiding that - if it was something of no value, they would have implemented that a million times already,” Dacic told TV Prva in a comment on the tenth anniversary of the Brussels agreement, whose main aspect is the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities. Over the past decade, Serbia has experienced the hypocrisy of the international community, he said. That is why Serbia will make essential efforts to ensure the Community takes shape as defined by the Brussels agreement, he said. Dacic also said the 2 May round of high-level dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina would be difficult. “Pristina will be trying to avoid all that,” said Dacic, who was Serbia’s prime minster at the time the Brussels agreement was signed on 19 April 2013. The position of the Serbian President is very clear - the Community of Serb Municipalities must be formed before we can continue discussions, Dacic noted. Dacic said “it is as if we are experiencing collective amnesia today”, because the European Parliament has approved visa liberalization for Kosovo despite the fact that Kosovo has not fulfilled any of its obligations under this agreement. Dacic said that Serbia is not against visa liberalization for Kosovo in principle, but that the timing makes its seem “like it is a reward for something”, even though Kosovo has not met its obligations, the first of which is the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. The Minister said the Community of Serb Municipalities would be “the first form of some kind of self-organizing of Serbs in Kosovo,” and the first “authentic organization”, because so far we have only had “Serbian bodies in Kosovo”.

 

Dacic: There is no alternative to political dialogue (Tanjug/RTS/RTV/Politika)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday in Strasbourg consistent respect of international law was the best and the fastest way of achieving stability and well-being in the international community. In an address that marked the 20th anniversary of Serbia's Council of Europe (CoE) membership, Dacic noted that Serbia fully respected all CoE mechanisms and that the country had changed to a great extent in the past 20 years, developing in all societal spheres in line with the free will of its citizens. He noted that the CoE, too, had changed, developing and expanding its scope of work and aligning it with global trends. In the past several years, it has become evident how vulnerable we are when it comes to global challenges as we have faced a migrant crisis, a pandemic and armed conflicts and, more recently, food and energy supply problems, he said. "Challenging times call for important decisions, but those decisions should not exclude a significant principle - the principle of solidarity," he said. A war has been raging in Europe for over a year now, Dacic said, calling on relevant international actors to use all their capacities to stop the war in Ukraine as soon as possible. "Based on its own bitter experience, Serbia's message is that there is no alternative to political dialogue," Dacic said, adding that Serbia was appealing for giving talks and democracy a chance. "Serbia has always adhered consistently to the principle of international law, the principle of the inviolability of borders and respect of the territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine," Dacic said. To Serbia, it is important that CoE standards also be implemented in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, too, Dacic said.

 

Membership of “Kosovo” will not be on agenda of Wednesday's meeting of Council of Europe (Tanjug/RTS)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said yesterday in Strasbourg that there will be no discussion about the membership of the so-called of Kosovo in the Council of Europe at tomorrow's session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. In a statement to journalists in Strasbourg, where he is attending the commemoration of 20 years of Serbia's membership in the Council of Europe, Dacic pointed out that the fact that someone is talking about it, as well as visa liberalisation, in the days when the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Brussels Agreement is being marked, from which Pristina has carried out nothing, represents an act of great hypocrisy towards Serbia. He stated that high-level talks on the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities will begin in May and added that the conditions for the discussion on the membership of the so-called of Kosovo in the Council of Europe and that such a thing would be contrary to the idea of showing unity before and at the Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik. Dacic, speaking about the decision of the Council of Europe to grant visa liberalisation to the citizens of Kosovo, assessed that it was a shameful way of emphasising the message that Kosovo, in fact, does not have to implement anything.

 

Djurovic: Quint states pressuring Iceland to put Pristina's CoE bid on agenda (Tanjug)

 

Serbia's Ambassador to the Council of Europe (CoE) Aleksandra Djurovic said on Tuesday in Strasbourg the Quint states were exerting great pressure on Iceland, which chairs the CoE Committee of Ministers, to put the so-called Kosovo's CoE membership bid on the body's agenda. Djurovic said Serbia had succeeded in keeping that issue off the agenda of a Committee session scheduled for Wednesday. "However, it is very uncertain what will happen next. There is a possibility of a country proposing at the start of the meeting that the item be added to the agenda. It can be added by simple majority, but no decision can be made on such an item because no draft decision has been distributed ahead of the meeting," Djurovic explained in a statement to Tanjug. She noted that the Serbian delegation had several discussions with Iceland's ambassador in the past several days, and added that Iceland was under pressure over the issue, especially from Germany. She said some countries intended to propose the holding of an extraordinary Committee meeting by the end of this week. "We are still working on preventing that from happening," Djurovic said. She said pressure over the issue had been stepped up ahead of next week's session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE.

 

Petkovic: Next round of dialogue to address concrete steps to establish ZSO (RTS)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic told Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) on Wednesday the next round of high-level dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina would address a Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) in Kosovo and Metohija and concrete steps to establish it. "It has been agreed that the next round of dialogue should address the ZSO and that we get into the most concrete steps, but not in the way Kurti wants, but in the way it was agreed in 2013 and 2015 - the monitoring committee should explain a draft statute of the ZSO, after which a discussion on that would take place," Petkovic said. He said the statute needed to contain "all provisions stated in the general principles from 2015". Petkovic reiterated that the ZSO represented the key condition for the process of normalisation of relations and that this had also been confirmed by the Ohrid agreement. Unlike Belgrade, which has met all its commitments, Pristina has been trying to obstruct dialogue in every possible way and avoid the establishment of the ZSO, as well as to make life more difficult for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, as evident from daily attacks and incidents, Petkovic said.

 

Odalovic: Ten years of not doing anything – Kurti doesn’t want ZSO, but would like to take everything that suits him (RTS)

 

Veljko Odalovic, the Chair of the Serbian government’s Commission for Missing Persons, tells RTS that the Brussels agreement is “a dead letter on paper” for two of the three signatories. On this day, 10 years ago, the Brussels agreement was signed. The agreement on the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina was initialled on 19 April 2013 by the then prime minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic, and the prime minister of the interim institutions of Pristina Hashim Thaci, as well as the high representative of the EU for foreign policy and security Catherine Ashton. The signed agreement has 15 points, six of which refer to the ZSO. Veljko Odalovic said that the saddest thing is that for two of the three signatories these are dead letters. “Only Serbia entered into it in good faith and with good intentions. We believed that the agreement would be implemented. Today we have gone backwards, in Pristina you have structures that clearly say that they will not do that. This was not done by Thaci, Haradinaj, Mustafa, Hoti, or Kurti, but no one responds to the international community as loudly and brazenly as Kurti,” stated Odalovic. “If we had known that ZSO would not be formed, we would not have entered into any arrangement. It is no coincidence that these are the first points. With the support to participate in local elections, the next phase is for all police officers who remained living in Kosovo to be unconditionally integrated into the Kosovo police services,” says Odalovic. He explains that this is because the text of the agreement and the implementation plan clearly state that they remain to work on the territories where they have remained to live and they are in accordance with the Brussels agreement, should reflect the majority in the ethnic areas. “It was not easy to convince Serbs to go to the elections, people to wear that uniform. The Serbs who believed in us who spoke with them then understood that it was a big fraud by the EU and Pristina. Now, after 10 years, we are much further from what we had,” Odalovic said. Kurti, he notes, does not want the ZSO, but would like to “take everything that suits him from the buffet”. “It is a part of Serbia for us. We were not the ones who said do not grant visa liberalization. But let them analyze the reasons today. What has happened since 2009 when they did not grant visa liberalization to Pristina and now. We have a much worse situation, murders, arrests, burnings. This is the message of those who manage these provisional institutions today that there is no place even for Serbian churches,” Odalovic said.

 

Office: Explosive device thrown at St. Panteleimon Church in Prizren (Tanjug)

 

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated that an explosive device was thrown at St. Panteleimon Church in Prizren last night, with which the extremists wanted to set the entrance door to this sacred site on fire. It was only by sheer luck that a passer-by was there at that moment and with a quick reaction managed to put out the fire that engulfed the outer wall of the church and damaged the entrance door. The examples of endangerment of lives of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, their property and the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church are getting more and more extreme and they are followed by incendiary statements by Pristina politicians, in which they express clear intolerance towards everything Serbian. With a policy of lack of condemnation, arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of such crimes, they only encourage hooligans to strike against the Serbs even more strongly and aggressively. What causes additional worry is the fact that the eyes of the international community do not see the level of endangerment of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, moreover, the foreign diplomats in Pristina present this area as some kind oasis of peace and religious tolerance, but the real situation on the ground proves them wrong almost daily, reads the statement.

 

Hill: I too would like to know why ZSO hasn’t been created 10 years after Brussels agreement (Beta)

 

US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill said on Tuesday ahead of the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Brussels agreement that it was high time the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo was formed. "What I can guarantee you is that we will not give up until it happens," Hill said, adding that the Serbian people needed to trust that agreements would be realized. Another reason is that these communities in Kosovo need to know what the future has in store for them because they were not created yesterday, they have been in Kosovo for years, said Hill, and added, "I really want to assure you that we will treat this obligation with the greatest seriousness". Asked to comment on US special envoy James Rubin's statement that "Serbia is one of the main bases of Russian disinformation in the region", Hill said that Rubin should be asked what he meant, but that the US was doing everything to advance cooperation with Serbia in many different areas. Hill refused to comment on a decision by local Serbs to boycott elections in Kosovo, saying that he would not like to make comments that would make EU special representative Miroslav Lajcak's job harder.

 

EU confirms formation of committee on Monitoring Implementation of Serbia-Kosovo agreement (Beta)

 

On Tuesday, the EU confirmed that a joint committee on monitoring the implementation of the agreement on the path to normalization between Kosovo and Serbia and an annex for its implementation had been established. The committee was created 30 days after a high level meeting within the Belgrade and Pristina dialogue in Ohrid, North Macedonia, as envisaged by the annex on implementation, the European External Action Service has said. The joint monitoring committee will be chaired by Miroslav Lajcak, EU special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Kosovo will be represented by its ambassador in Brussels, Agron Bajrami, while Serbia will be represented by its chief negotiator Petar Petkovic. The committee will meet regularly in Brussels. The description of the joint committee's duties is supposed to be finalized and adopted at its first meeting, which will be after the next high level meeting slated to be held in Brussels on 2 May. The annex was arranged at a meeting between Aleksandar Vucic and Albin Kurti in Ohrid on 18 March, while the 30-day deadline expired on 18 April.

 

Ten years pass since signing of First Brussels agreement (Beta)

 

On 19 April 2013, then prime minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic and former Kosovo premier Hashim Thaci signed the First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalization of Relations between Belgrade and Pristina, informally known as the Brussels agreement. The first Brussels agreement had 15 articles and envisaged the formation of a Community/Association of Serb-majority Municipalities and the integration of the police and judiciary in north Kosovo into the Kosovo system. The agreement allowed the Serb community to vote in local elections according to Kosovo laws, and for an agreement on telecommunications and energy to be reached by June 2013. The signatories pledged not to block one another nor incite others to block the European integration of the other side. The authorities in Belgrade claim that they have met all of their obligations from the Brussels Agreement and accuse Pristina of not meeting just one obligation - the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

MPs from FB&H HoR hold meeting in Sarajevo; NiP’s Delic says if HR imposes decisions, those decisions should be in favor of civic commitment and in favor of bringing B&H closer to EU and NATO (Hayat)

 

Hayat reports that on Tuesday one witnessed something that rarely happens in the political life of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Namely, as Hayat stressed, various consultations and meetings were held in as many as three locations in Sarajevo on Tuesday, and the goal was to find a way to form the new Federation of B&H government (FB&H), as well as to find a solution to all possible future blockades. Hayat reminded that MPs in the FB&H House of Representatives (HoR) held a meeting in the FB&H Parliament building, representatives of SBiH and NES held consultations with the OHR’s legal team in the OHR building, while representatives of HDZ B&H and ‘The Eight’ held a meeting in the B&H parliament building. Hayat pointed out that everything that was happening in the OHR and the B&H parliament building spilled over in some way to the events in the FB&H parliament. Hayat asked several FB&H lawmakers whether they are on the path of any solution and all the MPs said that they are against any imposition of decisions by the High Representative, especially one-off decisions. MPs in the FB&H HoR tasked the constitutional commission with finding solutions in the coming period that will resolve any type of future blockade in the formation of the FB&H government and the authorities in the FB&H in general. NES MP in the FB&H HoR Irfan Duric said that one can only assume what the solutions of the High Representative will be. “What will happen after those solutions of the High Representative, it is perhaps impossible for us to comment today (Tuesday), because we do not know. The moment it happens, if it happens and how ever it happens, then we will all take a position. Until then, we stand firm in this. Talks are desirable in every respect. Tomorrow (Wednesday), we have a continuation of these talks about amending the Constitution and amendments to the Constitution to find a better solution, so that we do not have any blockades in the coming period,” Duric underlined. People and Justice (NiP) MP in the FB&H HoR Adnan Delic said that if the High Representative imposes decisions, those decisions should be in favor of “the civic commitment” and in favor of bringing B&H closer to the EU and NATO “which is the commitment of our coalition partners as well.” “Today (Tuesday), as before, we have shown the unity of this coalition, the unity of ‘The Eight’. We will stand behind all good and concrete proposals which primarily go in favor of the citizens of the FB&H,” Delic said. SB&H MP in the FB&H HoR Admir Cavalic said that SBiH shares the opinion of its partners regarding the High Representative's interventions and amendments to the Constitution of the FB&H. SDP B&H MP in the FB&H HoR Damir Masic said: “we will always advocate that between the Middle Ages and the future of Western Europe in the 21st century, we move towards the 21st century.” “And for that reason, we are angry with the High Representative who, on the election night, made completely unnecessary interventions on both the Constitution and the Election Law and completely complicated political life in B&H,” Masic underlined.

 

Representatives of NES and SB&H hold consultations regarding formation of authorities in FB&H with OHR’s legal team (Nova BH)

 

Nova BH reports that immediately after the meeting of MPs of the FB&H House of Representatives (HoR) held in the FB&H parliament on Tuesday, NES leader Nermin Ogresevic and SB&H leader Semir Efendic held consultations with a legal team from the Office of the High Representative (OHR). Although no one from SB&H wanted to give an official statement, SB&H MP in the FB&H HoR Admir Cavalic said in a brief conversation that the OHR legal team wanted to hear their proposal for changes in the FB&H Constitution aimed at avoiding High Representative Christian Schmidt imposing solutions. After the consultations, Ogresevic said that changes in the FB&H Constitution surpass political interests, stressing the importance of how changes will be made now because that will reflect on the future. Addressing the media, Ogresevic said: “The issue of the (FB&H) Constitution is not an issue of whether we are on the side of SDA or on the side of SDP. It is an issue or regulating our lives and relations, and this country’s perspective. Therefore, by initiating this issue and thinking about the character of constitutional changes, we were guided by that, not by this dimension that is often put in the foreground compared to the dimension that this is about the Constitution”. The reporter notes that NES and SB&H’s position is that they do not want to be in a government formed by imposition, which raised the question if the parliamentary majority in the FB&H HoR is in question, however both NES and SB&H confirmed they remain committed to the agreement signed within ‘The Eight’, and they make any new decision if HR Schmidt imposes a temporary solution. NES and SB&H are expected to have meetings on Wednesday with SDA, DF and HDZ 1990 representatives in the FB&H HoR to discuss changes to the FB&H Constitution. Ogresevic said that positions were discussed during the meeting in the OHR. “We presented them with our views on this process and the constitutional crisis we have. Of course, our position has been known from before, that the issue of the Constitution and amendments to the Constitution is a key and supra-political, supra-party issue for us. That is why a couple of months ago we pointed out that we are not for short-term solutions and that we think that what is done to the Constitution now that we have to take into account how it will be reflected in the next period, in the next election cycle,” Ogresevic underlined. Ogresevic added that the SB&H-NES bloc is a part of the process when it comes to the parliamentary majority in the FB&H parliament. “The matter of the Constitution is not a question of whether we are siding with SDA or SDP B&H or HDZ B&H. It is a matter of arranging our lives and relationships and the prospects of this country. We would not really want to be an imposed government and bear such an epithet,” Ogresevic said. Hayat stressed that SB&H and NES are important because their hands in the FB&H House of Representatives (HoR) are necessary to confirm the appointment of the new FB&H government. However, NES and SB&H previously confirmed that they will not be the part of the parliamentary majority in the FB&H parliament if the High Representative passes a one-off decision on amendments to the Constitution of the FB&H which would mean that ‘The Eight’ and HDZ B&H would no longer have enough hands to confirm the appointment of the FB&H government. In that case, another option would be to convince HDZ 1990 and HRS to side with ‘The Eight’ and HDZ B&H. Hayat noted that according to certain sources, the US Ambassador to B&H is negotiating with the leader of HDZ 1990 to side with ‘The Eight’.

 

The Eight’ and HDZ B&H representatives discuss FB&H government formation and functioning at B&H parliament (Nova BH)

 

Representatives of the ‘The Eight’ and HDZ B&H met Tuesday at the B&H parliament to discuss formation and functioning of the FB&H government. The meeting was attended by ‘Our Party’ leader Edin Forto, NiP leader Elmedin Konakovic, SDP B&H representatives and FB&H President Lidija Bradara (HDZ B&H). Nova BH reports that at the beginning, journalists were informed that media statements were not planned since it was a working meeting, however Bradara did address the media while the meeting was ongoing. On the occasion, Bradara said that partners confirmed the ruling coalition has not been brought into question, all activities are underway as planned and there should be no issues in that regard. Nova BH reminds that NES and SB&H earlier called into question the FB&H government functioning if High Representatives (HR) in B&H Christian Schmidt imposes a temporary decision, and reports that Bradara said for the media that none of political parties within ‘The Eight’ withdrew their signatures from the agreement on the FB&H government, noting that it would be illogical that a political party with a minister in the new government votes against that government. When asked by journalists to comment on decisions being imposed, Bradara said that HDZ B&H supports talks and agreements among local actors before any decision is imposed. Addressing the media, Bradara said: “Today we covered all relevant topics regarding functioning at all levels and, among others, appointment of the FB&H government. We informed each other about activities – mine and others. This morning we also held a meeting, the FB&H President and Vice Presidents. So, activities and arrangements are still ongoing. I hope we will have government soon, in any way (possible). As far as I am concerned, I have repeated it several times, I appointed the government and it is waiting for the confirmation in the (FB&H) parliament, and I hope that will happen as soon as possible”. The reporter notes that talks and negotiations on unblocking the FB&H government formation have been held over the past several days, however it seems that despite all talks there is still no agreement. The reporter concludes by saying that all eyes are on HR Schmidt so that the process is unblocked, and all are hoping that will happen very soon. Bradara said that HDZ B&H is against new impositions by HR Schmidt. “Activities and agreements are still ongoing. I hope that we will have a government soon in any way. As far as I am concerned, as I have already repeated several times, I appointed the government, it is awaiting confirmation in the Parliament. I hope that the confirmation in the Parliament will happen as soon as possible, because the citizens of the FB&H are waiting for it. This country deserves an opportunity, it deserves for one to finally start working intensively on the problems that concern all citizens of the FB&H. Our partners assured us that the parliamentary majority is stable, and we really did not talk about that today (Tuesday). We will see. No one knows what the decision of the High Representative will look like and whether he will make it at all. What I always wanted was for us to come to an agreement and to use the power of arguments to convince each other of our arguments. So, in any case, next week is ahead of us, so we will see in any case,” Bradara said.

 

Konakovic: Focus of meeting was on forming of FB&H government (Fena/Dnevni avaz)

 

Following the meeting between HDZ B&H and ‘The Eight’ delegations, held in B&H Parliament’s building, NiP leader Elmedin Konakovic told Fena, stated that focus of the meeting was on appointing of the FB&H government. “This was another in series of meetings which we are holding on regular base within this coalition, parliamentary majority. Today’s meeting did not last long, around 45 minutes, and the participants only went through current issues at the level of Council of Ministers, they agreed about following activities and naturally the focus was on appointing of FB&H government”, said Konakovic. He noted that they are now waiting for solutions, “the only one that seem impossible is for FB&H Vice President Refik Lendo and SDA to understand that they need to respect parliamentary majority or second, which is more realistic, that the High Representative Christian Schmidt will unblock the process in the following days”. “Today we coordinated some activities, in order to be ready for the fact that we will soon be in opportunity to confirm FB&H government”, said Konakovic.

 

Goganovic: RS’ representatives in B&H MoD and Commission for Cooperation with NATO to suspend cooperation with NATO (O Kanal)

 

B&H Deputy Minister of Defense Aleksandar Goganovic stated at the press conference in Istocno Sarajevo on Tuesday that Republika Srpska (RS)’ political representatives in the B&H Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the B&H Commission for Cooperation with NATO will suspend cooperation with NATO. Goganovic said that this is not a whim but rather a political response to “all those who undermine the Constitution of B&H”. Goganovic noted that this is a response to the anti-Dayton activity and the undermining of the system of defense. "The Dayton Peace Agreement clearly defined that all decisions must be made in accordance with the agreement of the two entities and the three peoples. The imposition of NATO integration as the main foreign policy goal is not an officially adopted policy at the B&H level," Goganovic emphasized. Goganovic accused B&H Minister of Defense Zukan Helez and other political representatives of ‘Troika’ of being responsible for this decision. He added that Helez’s public statements and his activity in the B&H MoD often violate the legal provisions and the legally defined competences. Goganovic said: “In accordance with positions and instructions from the RS highest officials, in the upcoming period - as for political representatives from the RS – cooperation with NATO will be suspended, at the level of the (B&H) Ministry of Defense but also at the level of the Commission for Cooperation with NATO and, as we heard at the press conference, at the level of the (B&H) Council of Ministers and the B&H Presidency. I note that suspension of cooperation with NATO is not our caprice, and we are not happy about it, but that is our political response to all who violate the B&H Constitution.”

 

Helez reacts to Goganovic’s statements: I must react when someone in B&H says they will secede from B&H (O Kanal)

 

B&H Minister of Defense Zukan Helez reacted on Tuesday to the accusations that B&H Deputy Minister of Defense Aleksandar Goganovic presented against him and in which he said that he violates the legally defined competences. In his reaction, Helez stated that he does not lead mono-ethnic delegations anywhere, stating that Zoran Sajinovic from the rank of Croat people and Ivana Gluhovic from the rank of Serb people were in the delegation in Brussels. Helez noted: “I am sorry that they did not send someone more serious so that we could work. People cannot understand that there are not three ministries here. There is just one ministry here. I, Zukan Helez, am the Minister of Defense, he (Goganovic) is my deputy, and he should act like that. I do not lead mono-ethnic delegations anywhere, and it is my right to, when someone invites me, go and visit that country. I am not interested in how they will cooperate with NATO. However, I do not comment on what anyone has said nor am I interested. But if someone, anyone, says that they will secede from my state of B&H - well, I am not the Minister of Agriculture, I am the Minister of Defense of B&H and I have to react.” Helez also said: “I call all hotheads to come to their senses and start working. We signed the agreement. A man from his own party in the Presidency of B&H signed the NATO path of B&H. There is no going back now. No return. I was glad to hear the statement of HDZ B&H leader and speaker of the House of Peoples (Dragan Covic) that this is an unquestionable path of B&H. Documents were adopted and we need to respect those.”

 

Helez after returning from the USA: There will be no secession of RS (Dnevni avaz)

 

Speaking for the daily upon his return from the USA, B&H Minister of Defense Zukan Helez said that USA firmly stand by B&H’s side, guarantee peace, stability, integrity and sovereignty of B&H. The daily comments that Helez visited all of the most important addresses in the US- White House, State Department, National Security Council and Pentagon. “There will be no secession of RS, this is a unanimous stance of all of my collocutors. Nobody can undermine territorial integrity and sovereignty of B&H. US closely follow the events in the region and B&H and have a prepared answer in case of such attempts. This is why I would suggest to all those who advocate such nonsense, to get back to work, to work together so we would all be better – Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks. To avoid useless quarrels, because it is certain that everyone who wants this will encounter a fierce response. There is no dilemma there”, said Helez. Daily reads that Helez earlier stated that B&H will certainly become a NATO member and that there is readiness within NATO for this step. In the meantime, the daily comments, B&H expects significant assistance from member states, based on conclusions from the NATO Summit in Madrid. “This assistance package of EUR 54 million will be secured by NATO member/states bilaterally. They are providing funds from their budgets”, said Helez. He explained that the package includes nine projects in defense sector and three in security sector, including the equipment for protection from cyber-attacks. Inset ‘Successful cooperation’- reads that during his visit to the USA, Helez met with civilian and military officials of Maryland that B&H has been successfully cooperating for years.

 

Fitschen says German government decided to deny loans to RS for four infrastructure projects because it cannot direct German taxpayers' money into entity whose leadership uses secessionist rhetoric and attempts to weaken country as whole (BN TV)

 

German Ambassador to B&H Thomas Fitschen has said that the German government decided to deny loans to RS for four infrastructure projects in the amount of EUR 105 million, and at the moment it is not approving new projects either. “The reason is that we cannot direct German taxpayers' money into an entity whose leadership uses secessionist rhetoric and attempts to weaken the country as a whole. Our support should serve to bring B&H into the EU. I cannot even estimate how much private investments the RS misses out on because German companies believe that the political climate in the RS is too insecure for long-term business engagements, “Ambassador Fitschen was quoted as saying. Ambassador Fitschen noted that Germany is still involved in humanitarian projects in the RS, for example, humanitarian demining projects that it finances. Ambassador Fitschen also reminded about the housing project for refugee families in the RS which was largely financed by German and EU funds.

 

FM: Croatia can help Albania on its EU journey with knowledge and experience (Hina)

 

With its knowledge and experience, Croatia can help Albania on its journey to European Union membership, Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman said on Tuesday during a working visit to the Balkan country. “Croatia strongly supports Albania’s EU journey and continues to actively help ensure that the accession negotiations go as quickly and as smoothly as possible. Croatia is ready to provide Albania with political and technical support on its European journey with its knowledge and experience,” Grlic-Radman said at a joint press conference with the Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhacka. Albania has had the status of a candidate country since June 2014, and in July last year the EU organised the first intergovernmental conference with Albania, at which accession negotiations were opened. Croatia and Albania, allies in NATO, “traditionally have strong and excellent relations without outstanding issues,” the Croatian Minister emphasised. Grlic-Radman and his Albanian colleague discussed stability, energy security, connectivity, regional cooperation and joint efforts in multilateral forums in current geopolitical circumstances. Economic cooperation with Albania is on an ascending line. Total trade with Albania increased by 56.5% in 2022, Grlic-Radman said. In order to achieve even better economic cooperation, the two friendly countries need better transport connectivity, he added. He emphasised that the Adriatic Sea is important for both countries and that “the protection and prevention of pollution of the Adriatic and the coastal area is of strategic importance.” Grlic-Radman, together with the Albanian Minister of Education and Sports, Evis Kushi, participated in the opening of the elementary school, the renovation of which was financed by the Croatian government through the “Croatia Education Recovery Support” program. “This school is not just a building, but a symbol of hope and resilience. We all remember the devastating earthquake that hit Albania in November 2019 and caused great destruction and loss of life. Today we are happy to have been able to play a role in the reconstruction efforts through our largest bilateral development project of cooperation so far,” Grlic-Radman said at the opening of the renovated school. The Minister thanked the Albanian government, local authorities and UNDP Albania for their partnership and cooperation in the implementation of the project. “This school is equipped with modern equipment and technology, which makes it a ‘smart’ investment for the future. We believe that education is the foundation for a better future, and we are proud to have been able to support the community in this way,” said the Croatian minister.

 

Agriculture Minister to propose emergency measures as crop farmers sound alarm (Hina)

 

Due to excessive grain imports from third countries, primarily Ukraine, prices of grains are at record-low levels and Croatian farmers are in an unfavourable situation, Croatian Chamber of Agriculture (HPK) members told Minister Marija Vuckovic on Tuesday and she promised to propose the adoption of emergency measures at EU level. HPK head Mladen Jakopovic said the current situation on the grain market was due to the lifting of trade barriers between Ukraine and the EU, with Ukrainian grain, which was previously exported mostly to northern Africa, now ending up in European countries because that is more favourable for Ukrainian producers. The price of grains has thus dropped to record-low levels, which puts the domestic farm sector in a very unfavourable situation ahead of the harvest, which should start in a few months, he said. Noting that current grain prices were untenable, HPK Crop Farming Committee head Petar Pranjic said the current price of wheat is around €180 per tonne while the actual price should be between €280 and 300. Crop farmers want Brussels to protect the Croatian market and compensate them for the losses incurred, he said, noting that because of solidarity with Ukraine they did not want to ask for the introduction of customs duties on Ukrainian imports. Mato Brlosic of the HPK said that farmers in the EU must comply with certain standards, such as the use of plant protection products, which makes production more expensive compared to production in third countries, including Ukraine. “We are not against Ukrainian grains or Ukrainian farmers but we want the European Commission to compensate us for the increased costs it imposed on us,” said Brlosic.

 

Minister will present proposals to Council

Minister Vuckovic said that she would explain the situation in detail at a session of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council next week and present possible consequences for Croatia and the EU, as well as put forward proposals regarding changes to market regulations as well as emergency measures for crop farmers, to be applied across the EU.

 

PM: Grain imports from Ukraine not jeopardising Croatian market for now

The Croatian market is not jeopardised by the import of grains from Ukraine for the time being, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Tuesday after three European countries banned grain imports from Ukraine to protect their markets from cheap Ukrainian grains. Slovakia on Monday joined Poland and Hungary banning grain imports from Ukraine, which have been causing pressure on their national agricultural markets, and a similar decision is being considered also by other eastern EU members, Reuters reported on Monday. Pressure has been growing for Brussels to define an EU plan to regulate the import of grains from Ukraine, which are cheaper than those produced by EU countries. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Zadar, Plenkovic said the purpose of assistance to Ukraine to export its grains was to help African countries threatened by famine due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has disrupted supply chains, not to jeopardise EU agricultural producers. He said that the government was monitoring the situation and that the impact of Ukrainian grain imports on the markets of Slovakia, Hungary and Poland had evidently been greater than on Croatia’s. “We do not see such a level of threat to the Croatian market for the time being,” he said.

 

Rakocevic: We are creating a new personnel offer; Vucurovic: Elections certain, Montenegro is moving forward (RTCG)

 

In the show "Duel" on the Parliamentary channel, MPs from the Democratic Front Jovan Vucurovic and DPS Nikola Rakocevicspoke about current political issues. Answering the question about the legitimacy of the work of the Parliament of Montenegro after the President Milo Djukanovic issued the Decree on its dissolution, Vucurovic said that the Assembly must perform its work and cannot disappear because of the Decree issued by the President. "The Assembly must function, and elections must be held on 11 June." Commenting on the proposal of Prime Minister in the technical mandate Dritan Abazovic that the newly elected President Jakov Milatovic, upon taking office, put the Decree of Djukanovic out of force, Vucurovic said that the elections on June 11 are certain. "And Abazovic's position is already ad acta, we have positions for and against, but holding elections on 11 June is inevitable, and his position on that topic is irrelevant," said Vucurovic. Answering the same question, Nikola Rakocevic said that the Assembly performs its function despite the fact that the Decree was passed. "The Constitutional Court will determine whether the acts adopted during that period are harmonized with the Constitution. I think that after the adoption of the Law on the President, the Assembly lost its legitimacy," said Rakocevic. He said that the proposal of the Prime Minister in the technical mandate of Dritan Abazovic to repeal the Decree is another indicator of political adventurism. "It is about political adventurism with the aim of retaining the position of prime minister," Rakocevic said. When it comes to pre-election or post-election coalitions, Vucurovic said that the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) has proven in its activities so far that it is always in favor of the broadest coalitions, and that it took part in one of these coalitions in a big victory in the 2020 parliamentary elections. "NSD has shown that it is always in favor of the broadest coalitions, and now we will be if someone has coalition capacity, but not with DPS," Vucurovic said. As he says, after the elections, it is clear that the NDS can be in a coalition with the parties that won on August 30 and with the Europe Now Movement, because a two-thirds majority is needed for reforms. "And I think that after June 11, we will succeed in reaching a two-thirds majority in order to push Montenegro forward," said Vucurovic. DPS MP Nikola Rakocevic said that the party is currently focusing on creating a new approach to voters. "We are also working on creating a new personnel offer in order to make the superior policy of DPS even more attractive. We will talk with the minorities and civic parties and come to a position together on whether it is wise for the values we stand for to go in coalition, or each with their own offer", announced Rakocevic. He assessed that after the elections in June, Montenegro needs a stable government. "After the elections, we believe that we need a stable government, represented in the parliament in the widest possible political cohesion, and anyone who inherits the values of civil and multi-ethnic Montenegro and who sees Montenegro in the west, as a member of the EU and a member of the NATO pact, is acceptable to us," he believes. Rakocevic. He added that it is clear from the description who is not acceptable to them, and that it is about parties that "fight for the interests of another country and not the national interests of Montenegro".

 

MFA: 24 hours for VMRO-DPMNE to provide apology to FM Osmani (MIA)

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked for an apology Tuesday from VMRO-DPMNE due to, they said, lies spread during the holidays concerning Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani’s address at the meeting with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares Bueno. “Twenty-four hours have passed since VMRO-DPMNE’s lies were proven wrong, and the party is yet to apologize. As a lesson for the future for a party caught in a lie, we will give them an additional 24 hours to apologize to the Ministry and to the public for disturbing it during the holidays. With this, it is becoming obvious that VMRO-DPMNE’s accusation represents a conscious attempt at inciting interethnic tensions and division in society, which is proven by the wording and timing of the manipulation shared by VMRO-DPMNE,” said the MFA in a press release. The fact that the attempt to manipulate the public was done during the holidays, according to the MFA, represents an additional insult to the citizens of the country, for which they expect an apology. “Since the beginning of his mandate, the Foreign Minister has always addressed the domestic public in both official languages,” added the Ministry. VMRO-DPMNE asked Osmani to resign on Monday, accusing him of not using the Macedonian language as the country’s official language at the meeting with his Spanish counterpart.

 

VMRO-DPMNE: Kovacevski is unable to control Bujar Osmani (Republika)

 

Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani is humiliating the whole of Macedonia and is undermining the Ohrid framework treaty with his violation of the use of the official Macedonian language, said the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, reacting after Osmani spoke in Albanian during his recent meeting with the Spanish Foreign Minister. While Dimitar Kovacevski fails to act as a Prime Minister, Bujar Osmani disrespects the rule of law and allows himself to use Albanian in an official meeting with a foreign minister, even though according to the Constitution, the Macedonian language is only to be used in official meetings. Osmani is a minister of Macedonia and is paid by Macedonian citizens. The least he could do is apologize and resign, the party said. Osmani defends himself by pointing to a video of the subsequent press conference, where he spoke in both Albanian and Macedonian.

 

Danielsson and Sohlstrom meet Marichikj and Mickoski in Skopje (MIA)

 

Sweden’s Deputy Minister for EU Affairs, Christian Danielsson, and Director-General at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Torbjorn Sohlstrom, visited Skopje on Tuesday as representatives of the EU Presidency of the Council of the EU. According to the Embassy of Sweden in Skopje, Deputy Minister Danielsson met with Deputy Prime Minister Bojan Marichikj as well as with Hristijan Mickoski of VMRO-DPMNE. The themes covered included North Macedonia’s progress on the path to the EU, the process on constitutional amendments and Sweden’s reform cooperation program, which is aimed at assisting North Macedonia’s EU integration, the Embassy of Sweden said in a press release.

 

Begaj: Croatia, a good example for the integration of Albania in the EU (Radio Tirana)

 

President Bajram Begaj received Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman in a meeting. The focus of the meeting between them was the strategic partnership between the two countries and bilateral relations. Begaj states that Croatia is a good example for Albania and the region within the European Union integration process. "The excellent relations and strategic partnership between Albania and Croatia were the focus of the meeting with Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman. "Croatia, a good example for Albania and other countries of the Western Balkan region in the framework of the EU integration process", writes Begaj on the Facebook.

 

Meeting with the Croatian Minister, Xhacka: Croatia concrete technical expertise for the integration of Albania in the EU (Radio Tirana)

 

Croatia will help Albania with concrete technical expertise. This was announced by Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka after the meeting with her Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlic-Radman. In the statement to the media, Xhacka said that the focus of the discussion was the organization of the joint meeting of the two governments for the first time. The Foreign Minister said that cooperation will be key to face the security challenges. She did not fail to mention the appreciation for the continuous support that Croatia has given and is giving to Kosovo while stressing that they will work harder to advance cooperation for the benefit of the region. "I am pleased to congratulate him on Croatia's achievements, such as the entry into the Eurozone and Schengen. What Croatia has achieved does not just make us happy as a good neighbour, but shows us that the work to carry out reforms pays off. We discussed the integration process and let me remind you that Rama has asked his counterpart for the help of negotiation experts for our process, issues of cooperation in the field of integration, in the focus of our bilateral agenda. Croatia will continue to be an unreserved supporter of our EU integration process not only politically, but also with concrete technical expertise. We also discussed a number of activities that will be organized for the first time, such as the joint meeting of the two governments. While they appreciated the upward trend of exchanges, we must work harder to further develop economic and commercial cooperation, so we will hold the sixth commission in the second half of this year. We would welcome more private investment. I am optimistic that we will know how to cooperate in order to advance the cooperation between us", said Olta Xhacka. The Croatian Minister also said that Croatia will provide support for Albania to move forward on the path of EU integration. "I am grateful for meeting Olta Xhacka. We have often met at other international conferences and all of them have given us the opportunity to exchange our views on various issues of common interest. As for bilateral relations, both are allied countries of NATO, we have always had excellent relations. During every meeting in Albania, Croatia has supported and will continue to support Albania's journey towards the EU. Croatia is ready to offer political and technical support to Albania to carry out the transmission of all its knowledge and experience for the integration of Albania in the EU. Our economic cooperation is on the upward trend. We believe that better connections in transport will increase economic cooperation and bring people closer to each other," said Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman.

 

Croatian Foreign Minister: Albania-Croatia airline should be built! Protection of the Adriatic Sea of strategic importance (Radio Tirana)

 

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman has emphasized the need for a direct airline between Albania and Croatia. According to Minister Grlic Radman, the realization of a direct airline between the two countries would bring the two countries closer to each other. "We believe that better connections in transport will increase economic cooperation and bring people closer to each other. If we create a direct airline between the two countries, it will be even better. I am confident that this visit will contribute to the further growth of relations between the two countries", said Grlic Radman. The Croatian Minister gave special importance to the protection and prevention of pollution of the Adriatic. According to him, the Adriatic Sea is of great importance for Croatia and Albania and its protection is of strategic importance. He further focused on the cooperation between the two countries, saying that during 2022, trade exchanges have increased by 56.5%. "The cooperation between us is on an upward trend. Trade exchanges will increase by 56.5% during 2022, but we can achieve much more if we further strengthen our cooperation. The Adriatic Sea is very important for both countries. The protection and prevention of pollution of the Adriatic and all coastal areas are of strategic importance. Better connections in transport, road, sea, air will increase economic cooperation", Grlic Radman stressed.