LOCAL PRESS

 

Dacic: Stoltenberg understands situation in Kosovo and Metohija (TV Pink)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Friday President Aleksandar Vucic's recent meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had been fair and that Stoltenberg understood the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. Speaking to TV Pink, Dacic said Stoltenberg had established a very fair, human and direct relationship with Vucic. "The discussion was fair, in terms of a call on KFOR to perform its tasks. That is crucial for further developments, so that Serbia's desire for de-escalation is unquestionable," Dacic said. A de-escalation is not a responsibility of Serbia as it has done nothing to complicate the situation, he said. He also said an announcement by Pristina's PM Albin Kurti that he would withdraw 25 percent of police forces deployed in the north of Kosovo was a trick. "As defined by the Brussels agreement, police in the north of Kosovo are made up of Serbs and there should be no ethnic Albanian police there. What 25 percent? None of them should be there," Dacic said.

The Brussels agreement and all other agreements are being grossly violated in Kosovo and Metohija and Serbs are subjected to terror and arrested on a daily basis, often without evidence, Dacic said.

 

Vucevic: Arms acquired by Pristina flagrant violation of UNSCR 1244 (TV Prva)

 

Serbian Defence Minister Milos Vucevic said on Friday arms Pristina had acquired from Turkey should not be underestimated as they did pose a military threat, but noted that they were no match for the military potential of the Serbian Armed Forces. Speaking to TV Prva, Vucevic said Turkey's delivery of five Bayraktar UAVs to Pristina was the most flagrant violation of UNSCR 1244 and the 1999 Military Technical Agreement from Kumanovo. Under those acts, KFOR can be the only military formation in Kosovo and Metohija until a return of Serbian forces, but Pristina is bypassing this, which poses an additional security threat to Serbia, Vucevic said. "The Bayraktar is an offensive weapon and howitzers are offensive weapons. They (Pristina) are evidently preparing a military arsenal for offensive actions as well. They are arming themselves but you should not forget the fact that they are sending their officers to training to various NATO countries. They have joint exercises, which were suspended this year due to (Pristina PM Albin) Kurti's policy, and they are building their future military potential. Serbia must process that well intelligence-wise and act accordingly," Vucevic said. Serbia expects KFOR, as the guarantor of security to all citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, not to allow anything that goes beyond reached agreements and to be a corrective factor, he said. He noted that NATO as an alliance was not taking part in the establishment of a new Albanian army whose goal would be a unification of Albania and Kosovo andetohija through Kurti's policy. "Those topics are not pleasant at all and Serbia must handle them politically, through diplomacy and dialogue, while the other, defence and military component, is always ready if there is a need to react," Vucevic said.

 

Petkovic: Pristina wants no de-escalation, Brussels meeting just a show to it (TV Pink)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said on Friday the most recent meeting in Brussels had absolutely confirmed Pristina was not ready to head towards de-escalation and that going to Brussels was just a show to it. Pristina talks about de-escalation but when the time comes to implement that, they want no trilateral meetings, no agreements and no de-escalation, Petkovic told TV Pink. "We were ready to meet with them. Otherwise, why would we go to Brussels at all? Whether I like to meet with Bislimi is another matter, but it is my job to discuss difficult topics. This has nothing to do with negotiations and responsibility anymore. They are just feigning negotiations and going to Brussels is just a show to them," Petkovic said. Nothing is more important than de-escalation, he said. "But the 'Kosovo Police' is still in and around municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo and Metohija and the harassment of Serbs continues. The situation is not great in the south either - in Strpce, Gracanica, in the Kosovo Pomoravlje. The most important thing is to solve the crisis and that the false mayors, the police and Kurti's occupiers, for whom there is no place in the north, are withdrawn," Petkovic said. The EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak was told all that, Petkovic said, adding that discussions on de-escalation had been Brussels's official agenda. "We have met two of three commitments - not the third one, because it goes in parallel with Pristina's commitment. When they withdraw the police, the citizens outside the municipal buildings will withdraw, too," he said.

 

Finalising negotiations in field of free movement of people, capital, goods and services (Tanjug/RTV)

 

Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Nikola Selakovic met yesterday with Minister of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of North Macedonia Jovana Trencevska, who is on a two-day visit to Belgrade. On that occasion, Selakovic pointed out that, following the political and economic initiative of the two countries within the Open Balkans initiative, the two ministries have a significant role, through the national employment services, in establishing a system of unique work permits for all citizens of Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania. The goal is to enable the freedom of movement of the workforce, Selakovic said. The Minister announced that a memorandum of cooperation between the two ministries will be signed, which will enable direct cooperation between professional services in the ministries, centres for social work, but also in other areas such as work and employment, veterans' disability protection, and protection of persons with disabilities. Trencevska said that it is a mutual desire to finalise the negotiations that have been conducted in the field of free movement of people, capital, goods and services, thereby facilitating the movement of citizens in both countries.

 

Potential World Bank investments in science, innovation in Serbia (Tanjug)

 

Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation Jelena Begovic continued her visit to the US with meetings in Washington, where she spoke with Executive Director and representative of Serbia at the World Bank Dominique Favre and Director of Strategy and Operations for the Europe and Central Asia region Carolina Sanchez. The meeting looked at potential World Bank investments in science, innovation and the startup ecosystem. Also, the Bio4 Campus project was presented at the meeting and discussions were held about the Project of Acceleration of Innovation and Encouraging Growth of Entrepreneurship, which is already being implemented in Serbia and which aims to bring about a change in the scientific ecosystem itself through the transformation of scientific institutes, to increase the innovative activity of scientific institutes, as well as the number of startup companies. Further investments and plans, primarily for the Bio4 campus, were also discussed. We agreed to start discussions on further support through the presence of various experts in Serbia, who will help us to further develop Bio4 Campus and to increase the number of startups that are formed from the institute. We mentioned that it would be good, since there is interest from some faculties to get involved in that project and to expand that project to the faculties. In this way, we would involve the entire scientific community and harmonise with contemporary events, Minister Begovic said. Dominique Favre said that he is impressed by the innovation ambition shown by Serbia. It was very important to see how the World Bank reacts to the proposals made by Minister Begovic when it comes to artificial intelligence and biotechnology, said Favre. According to him, there are not many countries that come to the World Bank with the desire to exchange such experiences, and in the case of Serbia, it went very well and promisingly. I am looking forward to seeing concrete cooperation and partnership between Serbia and the World Bank, said Favre. Favre is one of the 25 executive directors of the World Bank board and represents 9 countries, including Serbia, which he is very proud of, as he points out, especially after the meeting with the World Bank.

 

Belgian Wallonia delegation visits Serbia to check sources of military equipment exports (Beta)

 

A delegation from the Wallonia region in Belgium visited Serbia on 17- 19 July to verify exports of military equipment based on permits granted to the New Lachaussee company by the regional administration, the Serbian Ministry of Defense announced on 20 July. The foreign delegation was able to establish the veracity and transparency of Serbia's position with regard to the moratorium on exporting products manufactured by the domestic arms industry to Russia and Ukraine for the duration of the armed conflict between these two countries. The delegation from Wallonia was hosted in Belgrade and other cities in Serbia by the Jugoimport-SDPR public company, which made it possible for the Belgian partners to look at the production and exporting of weapons and military equipment. "In this way, all of the false accusations and insinuations regarding the alleged exporting of equipment to Serbian companies by the Belgian company" as well as weapons and ammunition produced using this equipment to Russia, which have the sole goal of harming Serbia's foreign political position and its international reputation, were refuted, a statement said. After media reports mostly in Belgium, the Wallonia region in the south of the country, suspended last week the export licenses of the defense industry in Liege for its suspected violation of a ban on exporting ammunition to Russia through Serbia. The affair was exposed by a whistleblower from the KPMG audit company who said that indications were uncovered according to which Serbia was a stop in ammunition exports.

 

Hunger striker in parliament (N1)

 

Law student Dimitrije Dimic who has been on hunger strike in front of the Serbian Presidency building since Monday was taken to parliament on Thursday by an opposition MP. Dimic is on hunger strike demanding that President Aleksandar Vucic meet the demands made at the Serbia Against Violence protests for the past two months. Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) official Vladimir Djukanovic approached him on the lawn in front of the presidency on Wednesday to try to convince him to give up the hunger strike. Opposition MP Djordje Stankovic invited him into the Serbian Parliament building. He told Danas daily that he saw that as his obligation. “Dimitrije Dimic has started a very brave undertaking. It is my obligation as MP to bring him into parliament and try to make sure the public sees and hears him,” Stankovic said. The MP said he wants Dimic to stop his hunger strike, saying that some other way to fight should be found.

 

Unclear appointment procedures go in favor of (il)legal Schmidt (Blic, by Boris Knezevic)

 

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sent a reply to Serb member of B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic and said that only the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) is in charge of the appointment of High Representative. Professor of international relations at the Regents University in London Neven Andjelic told the daily that, in fact, the procedure of the appointment of the High Representative has never been clear. “This position was not established by the UN or any UN body, including the PIC. Christian Schmidt is the first High Representative who was not unanimously appointed by the PIC. The entire situation is problematic because even the term ‘international community’ is not precise, so one can raise the question who is a part of the international community and whose High Representative is it, as well as what is the procedure of his appointment within the PIC. As far as I can recall, the role of the UN is not executive in that matter and therefore Guterres’ reply is a reflection of such situation”, Andjelic noted. Andjelic also reminded of the way in which some former High Representatives were appointed and noted that Valentin Inzko was appointed by the PIC and reminded that some Croatian media reported on the appointment of Miroslav Lajcak in 2007 by saying that “although a formality, this appointment still needs to be confirmed by the UN Security Council and EU Council”. “Therefore, this is a clear confirmation of unclear procedures and rules in which politicians interpret everything to suit their own current interests”, Andjelic concluded. Political analyst Cvijetin Milivojevic assessed that the PIC, neither in line with the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) nor in line with the Annex which stands for the Constitution of B&H, has the authority to appoint the High Representative. “It is more than clear that some kind of an imaginary body, called the PIC, cannot appoint the High Representative. This is a self-proclaimed body which exists neither in the DPA nor in the Annex that stands for B&H Constitution and it was not appointed by the UN Security Council either. Knowing that there have been speculations in public lately that Christian Schmidt might use the Bonn Powers to impose certain decisions or even remove Milorad Dodik from the position of the RS President, one can raise a logical question with which mandate he can do that? He can try to do it, but the question is who will respect such hypothetical decision and who would implement it”, Milivojevic said.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Guterres replies to Cvijanovic’s letter: UN is not signatory of DPA and it is not member of PIC, which is the only relevant body for the appointment of HR in B&H (Klix.ba)

 

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has replied to the letter sent by Serb member of the B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic, who asked from Guterres that the UN submits relevant documents important for B&H, that is, a decision of the UN Security Council on appointment of Christian Schmidt as a High Representative. The portal learns from diplomatic sources that Gutters replied to Cvijanovic over the B&H Mission with the UN and he said that the UN is not a signatory of the DPA. It was also added: “The UN is not a member of the Peace Implementation Council either, which is the only relevant body for the appointment of the high international representative in B&H.” Guterres reminded that UN SC documents are at the disposal of public at the UN’s official website. His reply also reads that the UN Secretariat remains committed to support to B&H on its road to sustainable peace and development. Gutters concluded: “We hope that in the future we shall continue the cooperation with all elements in the state which lead to that goal.”

 

OHR: It is clear that Schmidt has been HR for two years (N1)

 

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has replied to the letter sent by Serb member of the B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic, who asked from Guterres that the UN submits relevant documents important for B&H, that is, a decision of the UN Security Council on appointment of Christian Schmidt as a High Representative. The OHR, briefly commented on the issue saying that this is not news to them. “It is clear that the High Representative has been the High Representative for two years,” the OHR said in a statement.

 

Cvijanovic: If this is true Guterres' response, then it merely proves that UN is instrumentalized (Srna)

 

To Srna’s inquiry to comment the response of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to her letter, where he stated that UN is not signatory of DPA nor member of PIC, which is relevant for appointment of the high representative in B&H, member of B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic said that she saw this response only in the media, but added that if this is true Guterres' response, then it merely proves that UN is instrumentalized, because this unfortunately repeats the words of one of the representatives of UN Security Council member states, which the mentioned representative is presenting during the talks with representatives of other countries, when tries to persuade them that the RS should be sanctioned. “Now, it would be logical to ask the UN why they wasted time and confirmed the appointments of a series of high representatives with UN SC Resolutions, if they have nothing to do with this? What is the purpose of your database which contains decisions of earlier appointments? Have they usurped someone's rights and did the job which is not theirs? And why, for example, they have put the appointment of Christian Schmidt on the agenda, which by the way, failed to obtain the support of the UN SC, if they have nothing to do with this?” Finally, Cvijanovic asked, what this means in the context of Constitutional Court of B&H, which in 2006 rendered a decision that high representatives have to be verified by the UN SC. “So, this is a general scheming game, because this response is created as a fruit of pressures and not the response worthy of such global organization and international law. I think they are tangled into their own improvisation and that this is a shameful, very shameful situation. I even have to admit that it seems to me that the response is written by someone else and that Guterres was only brought in position to sign it,” said Cvijanovic. She noted that this also proves the usefulness of B&H diplomatic network, because it is senseless that the response reached media before her Cabinet, where they are obligated to send it. “It is obvious that the Serb member is under blockade of the Foreign Ministry, so they first have to analyze the content and submit it only if it suits them,” said Cvijanovic.

 

Stevandic: Cvijanovic’s letter is diplomatic victory of the RS (RTRS)

 

RS parliament speaker Nenad Stevandic stated that the letter of Serb member of B&H Presidency Zejka Cvijanovic is a diplomatic victory of the RS and this Cvijanovic’s diplomatic move proved that there is no relevant Resolution of the UN Security Council confirming the appointment of Christian Schmidt to the post of a High Representative. Stevandic stated that by not delivering the mentioned Resolution, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres confirmed that it does not exist. Stevandic, who declared the Secretary General of the UN as an unauthorized interpreter, explained that the analysis made by domestic constitutional law experts states that out of the eight High Representatives, who performed these duties in B&H, six of them were appointed at the UN Security Council, through a resolution. Stevandic noted that for one of them - Christian Schmidt - there was an intention, but that the resolution was not adopted. “It is not true that the Security Council, the Peace Implementation Council is the relevant body for the appointment of a High Representative, because the appointment is made by the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council, so this would be an incredible failure of the UN if this were true, and the consent to his appointment is given by the UN Security Council... Only when these two conditions are met, the appointment procedure is considered to have been followed,” Stevandic underlined.

 

Lukic: UN should know that the appointment of HR is the exclusive right of UN Security Council prescribed by Annex 10 of DPA (RTRS)

 

Legal experts stressed that the PIC is not an internationally established body, and that the appointment of a High Representative is approved exclusively by the UN Security Council. Professor and member of the legal team in Dayton Radomir Lukic said that the UN should know that the appointment of a High Representative is the exclusive right of the Security Council, prescribed by Annex 10 of the Dayton Agreement. Lukic noted that by referring to the PIC, the United Nations shows that it is leading a Western policy of arbitrariness and imposition because PIC, as he explained, is a self-appointed body that was not established by international legal documents. “It should not be forgotten that this body actually took it upon itself to authorize the High Representative to change a number of the highest legal acts in B&H, including the constitutions of federal units or entities, cantonal constitutions and their laws,” Lukic said.

 

Lawyer Ognjen Tadic confirms that Guterres’ response to Cvijanovic is forgery (RTRS)

 

Lawyer Ognjen Tadic confirmed for RTRS that the response of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to Serb member of the B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic, which was first sent to the media, is a forgery. Tadic said that in Guterres’ official letter, it is stated that the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) is the relevant body which, as he said, was never disputable, but that through the falsification of the translation it was suggested that Guterres said that only the PIC is participating in the process of appointing a High Representative in B&H. Tadic pointed out that that there is a hoax on the scene directed by political Sarajevo. “But confirmation, as he himself indicates by saying that one should look at the decisions of the Security Council, is the exclusive responsibility of the UN Security Council. How did it happen that a falsified translation was released from New York in which the word “only” was inserted to destabilize the political situation in B&H? It will most likely have to be checked by inviting the head of the B&H Mission to the UN, Zlatko Lagumdzija, to tell where such a falsified translation came from, which created chaos in B&H today (Thursday) and disturbed a completely clear situation, which is that B&H does not have a high representative because there is no Security Council decision that would allow such a thing,” Tadic underlined.

 

Other legal experts comment on appointment of HR (N1/BHT1)

 

Legal expert Enver Iseric explained that according to Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, it was very precisely said that the High Representative will be appointed in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. However, as Iseric pointed out, this does not mean that when appointing a High Representative, the Security Council will pass special resolutions to appoint the High Representative. Legal experts who took part in drafting of the DPA deem that questioning the legitimacy of Schmidt as the HR is absolutely groundless and it is part of a diplomatic trick. Legal expert Sulejman Tabakovic assessed that B&H Presidency member Zeljka Cvijanovic’s letter sent to Guterres is “reckless”, explaining that the UN is a deponent of international agreements – not the signatory, and therefore the UN cannot give mandate but it only takes a note of submitted reports.

 

Russian Embassy: Guterres’ response is confirmation Schmidt’s candidacy for post of HR was not approved (Srna)

 

The Russian Embassy to B&H issued a statement, noting that the response of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the request of member of B&H Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic, clearly and unambiguously confirms that the UN Security Council’s Resolution on approving of candidacy of Christian Schmidt for the post of High Representative, did not exist, because if it had, Guterres would precisely listed the number and date of the decision. “Decisions of ‘Westerners’ to ignore the UN SC during the approval of Schmidt only confirms that the West consistently destroys the system of international law. B&H is, in this case, the western laboratory for destruction of international law,” reads statement. The Embassy further reminded that German citizen, Schmidt is illegally obtaining the post of High Representative, being that two permanent members of UN SC do not recognize him in this capacity, so the post of High Representative remains vacant. The Russian Embassy lists the arguments for legal experts: “Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) appoints (designates) the High Representative, the UN SC approves this candidacy (agrees) and this procedure is applied for every High Representative. As for all former High Representatives, with exception of Christian Schwarz-Schilling, the UN SC has agreed the appointment through relevant resolution. Agreement on Schwartz- Schilling was secured via exchange of letters between the UN SC President and UN Secretary General. In other words, the UN SC was there,” reads Embassy’s statement. The Embassy stated that it were “Westerners” who always insisted on adoption of the UN SC Resolution, so that every High Representative, in their opinion, would have a foundation for use of ‘Bonn powers’. The statement further reads that in Schmidt’s case, the violation of procedures started already within the PIC SB: “Westerners have treacherously- contrary to clear and principled stance of Russia- violated principle of consensus in the process of selection of the candidate and imposed their decision by “arithmetical majority”, under the cover of “abstract interpretation” of Dayton, therefore via method which is blatantly used in all cases when “Westerners” need to find a legal framework of their stance.” The statement reads that the West acts in line with their favorite “rules that the world relies on”: “Russia offered options for overcoming the current situation, including for Schmidt himself. Concretely, via adoption draft resolution of the UN SC, which Moscow and Beijing proposed. However, “Westerners” refused this, intentionally turning the situation into legal anarchy.”  Therefore, the Embassy repeated, Schmidt is illegitimate High Representative- the post of the High Representative in B&H is vacant.

 

US Embassy: PIC is body that appoints the HR, UN SC’s approval is not needed (BHT1)

 

The US Embassy to B&H stated that the PIC is body that appoints the HR and that the UN SC’s approval is not needed.

 

RS parliament adopts proposal of amendments to RS Criminal Code defining defamation as criminal offense (BHT1/O Kanal/AJB/BNTV)

 

The RS parliament adopted on Thursday the proposal of amendments to the RS Criminal Code defining the defamation as a criminal offense. Forty-seven MPs voted in favor of the law, despite expert analyses, assessments and warnings by journalists, activists, representatives of the NGO sector and international organizations that the law criminalizing the defamation will limit the freedom of speech and opinion. The proposal differs from its previous form as the term ‘insults’ was removed as a criminal offense from the proposal, as well as by lower fines for the criminal offense of defamation. RS parliament speaker Nenad Stevandic stated that there are many reasons that were disputable for the law adoption and there was even an idea to take neutral stance, but that “insults that we experience over the past couple of days” give motivation to vote in favor of the law. He assessed that the law adoption is a first step towards regulation of media space and all other laws that are yet to be adoption. Stevandic said that he respects rights of media adding that there is no reason for concern for those who speak the truth. Stevandic also said that the law will also target politicians. Stevandic also said: “Insults we have been subject to over the past several days motivate us to vote in favor of this Law, not thinking it is ideal, but thinking it is the first step toward regulation of the media space and all other laws to be adopted soon, even at a cost that we amend this one soon.” The reporter comments with adoption of the amendments it is highly likely that the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s way of controlling the media will soon ensue in the RS, with the only difference that the media in the RS will be controlled by RS President Milorad Dodik. O Kanal reminds that B&H was the first country in the region to decriminalize defamation and in July 2001, the RS parliament adopted the Law on Protection from Defamation according to which defamation was misdemeanor. PDP leader Branislav Borenovic pointed out that everyone had the opportunity to show who they are, but unfortunately most of the representatives showed either that they are spineless in their attitude or blind people who unconditionally, out of conviction, follow SNSD leader and RS President Dodik as a blind leader and his crazy ideas. “Both official and unofficial proponents, and every representative who voted today for changes to the Criminal Code that criminalize defamation, committed a crime directed against RS and our people, and they will be left with a permanent mark that they fought for dictatorship and darkness”, Borenovic noted. “Shame on them, if they have any shame at all. However, regardless of this attack on freedom of public speech, let them know that there will always be those of us who will not be silenced and who are not afraid of them”, pointed out Borenovic.

 

EU, UN, CoE and OSCE issue joint statement condemning criminalization of defamation in RS (Klix.ba)

 

The EU in B&H, UN, Council of Europe and OSCE Mission to B&H issued a joint statement condemning adoption of amendments to RS Criminal Code criminalizing defamation. “The UN, the OSCE Mission, the Council of Europe and the EU Office in B&H are dismayed that the RS parliament today re-criminalized defamation. Freedom of expression is a fundamental right and a fundamental European value. This move contravenes the international human rights commitments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is inconsistent with its European path as it is not in line with the 14 key priorities of the European Commission’s Opinion, in particular key priority 11 on an enabling environment for civil society, and key priority 12 on the freedom of expression. Where criminal defamation laws exist, they risk being misused against journalists, human rights defenders and other civil society actors for performing their legitimate role to investigate and inform the public on issues public interest, which is fundamental for the functioning of any democratic society. The amendments represent a regrettable and undeniable major step backwards in the protection of fundamental rights and undermine the effective functioning of democracy in the RS. We also recall the recommendations that were provided by United Nations, OSCE and Council of Europe bodies and human rights mechanisms which urged the RS Srska authorities not to recriminalize defamation and instead manage issues around defamation through improved media regulation and civil legislation. We also recall similar appeals made by civil society organizations, including journalists associations. We will continue to provide our full support to any constructive and substantive discussion or process on how to further align legislation across Bosnia and Herzegovina with international human rights standards to which the country is legally bound. We will also pursue our active support to the important work of responsible and independent media actors and organizations in the RS and beyond”, reads the joint statement.

 

US Embassy on adopting law criminalizing defamation: Those who introduced and supported this repressive legislation have moved RS one step further down path toward authoritarianism (BHT1)

 

The US Embassy to B&H reacted on Thursday to adoption of amendments to the RS Criminal Code that criminalize defamation in the RS. The US Embassy to B&H states that adoption of the legislation criminalizing defamation threatens the ability of citizens to speak freely and of the independent media to report about the truth, jeopardizing B&H’s democracy and its Euro-Atlantic future. “Those who introduced and supported this repressive legislation have moved the RS one step further down the path toward authoritarianism. This undemocratic legislation serves only to benefit the ruling coalition’s efforts to consolidate power and avoid accountability”, the US Embassy said.

 

UK Embassy: Criminalization of defamation stifles freedom of speech (Oslobodjenje)

 

The UK Embassy reacted to adoption of amendments to RS Criminal Code criminalizing defamation. “Disregarding democratic values and justified opposition, the RS parliament today adopted legal provisions making defamation a criminal offense. This stifles freedom of speech, endangers citizens' rights and shows authoritarian desperation. This legal act should not have been passed”, the UK Embassy stated.

 

Joint statement not signed after EU-B&H Stabilization and Association Council meeting in Brussels; Kristo says she expects B&H to open accession negotiations by end of year (O Kanal)

 

The reporter notes that there were no signatures on the joint statement after the EU-B&H Stabilization and Association Council meeting held in Brussels on Wednesday, but there was criticism of behavior of individuals from the RS, however there is too much criticism but no concrete actions. O Kanal reports that the EU officials criticized unconstitutional decisions of the RS, and commended the work of the B&H Council of Ministers. After the meeting, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that from “a country of stalemate, B&H has come to be “the country of opportunities”. He also said that statements from the RS are against the country’s EU perspective and that they go in the direction away from the EU.  Addressing the press conference after the meeting, Borrell said: “Certainly, we have the capacity to react if the situation deteriorates. We have tools. But we will not use them unless it is strictly necessary. My role is to encourage leaders to resolve the situation through dialogue, and I welcome the dialogue and welcome any proposal that can come from anybody who has the good will to try to contribute that the country turns to a constructive agenda in line with the European perspective’’. The reporter notes that unlike Borrell, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi was not so open in his statements, instead he just commended the B&H CoM’s work. Addressing the press conference, Varhelyi said: “When it was proposed last year to grant B&H the candidate status, we managed to do something that seemed impossible. B&H is important to the EU, and exactly for that the candidates status is something that should still convey a clear message, that this is for the people of B&H. Elections showed determination of the people of B&H toward the EU, because they brought into power political leaders who formed the authority, adopted budgets at a speed we did not see for a long time’’. O Kanal reports that B&H CoM Chairwoman Borjana Kristo noted after the meeting that numerous topics were opened which should contribute to B&H’s faster accession to the EU. Addressing the press conference, Kristo said: “I am confident that at this pace and with such work of the institutions of B&H in accordance with (their) competences, we should open negotiations for the EU membership towards the end of this year’’. O Kanal reports that Senior Analyst at the Berlin-based think tank European Stability Initiative (ESI) Adnan Cerimagic emphasized that it is good that B&H is setting ambitious goals for itself. “But it would be much more important, in addition to those goals, to work on creating environment in B&H that will lead to agreement on the 14 priorities which will not include unilateral actions, which will not include maximalist demands, and which will create environment in which other actors in B&H can show willingness to compromise and make difficult decisions,” said Cerimagic via video link. O Kanal reports that Cerimagic also said in order for B&H to initiate accession negotiations, the European Commission (EC) should first recommend opening of negotiations to the EU Member States, and added the requirements should be fulfilled in order to achieve that and B&H’s politicians should be willing to make difficult compromises.

 

Zakharova: Demonization of Serbs as genocidal people is unacceptable, contradicts international law (RTRS)

 

Commenting on the commemoration of the 28th anniversary of the crimes in Srebrenica, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova said that the demonization of the Serbs as a genocidal people is unacceptable, contradicts international law and does not contribute to the achievement of genuine inter-ethnic peace. “We believe that the events from 1992 to 1995 should be interpreted by scientists and historians, not politicians,” Zakharova was quoted as saying. Zakharova pointed out that in recent days various fabrications have been published in the media in B&H about Russia's position on Srebrenica and that Moscow interprets it as a deliberate provocation of the West. Zakharova reiterated that Russia advocates for an objective investigation and punishment of the guilty regardless of their ethnicity.

 

European Council extends mandate of EUSR in B&H Sattler for one year (BHT1)

 

The European Council adopted on Thursday a decision to extend the existing mandate of EU Special Representatives (EUSR) in B&H Johann Sattler for one year, until 31 August 2024. The European Council reminded that Sattler is the EUSR in B&H since 1 September 2019 and his mandate is to ensure continued progress in the Stabilization and Association Process, with an aim of a stable, viable, peaceful and multi-ethnic and united B&H, cooperating peacefully with its neighbors and is irreversibly on the path towards the EU membership. The European Council also extended the mandates of the EUSR for Kosovo, South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia for one year.

 

Becic after meeting with Spajic: We accept PES’ principles, Montenegro should have strong, stable, reform government (CdM)

 

The leader of Europe Now Movement (PES) and potential PM-designate Milojko Spajic talked yesterday to the leadership of Democrats – Aleksa Becic, Boris Bogdanovic and Momo Koprivica, about the formation of a new government. After the meeting, Becic said that the meeting confirmed the decisive cooperation between the Democrats and PES, and added that the principles proposed by Spajic’s movement were acceptable to them, and that Montenegro should have a strong, stable reform government based on those principles. “We witnessed another high-quality meeting that confirmed the decisive cooperation between us and PES. Today, the principles established by PES were on the table. Those principles are compatible with our programme directions and we have informed our colleagues from PES that we accept those principles. Montenegro should have a strong, stable, reforming government that will rest on those principles”, Becic told reporters after the meeting. He added that, in agreement with his colleagues and the candidate for PM-designate, he would see what the following steps were.

 

Djelosaj after meeting with Spajic: Basis of everything is from government to be stable and as long-term as possible (CdM)

 

The president of the Europe Now Movement (PES) and potential candidate Milojko Spajic spoke today with the representatives of the Albanian Forum Niko Djeljosaj, Ferhat Dinos and Nikola Camaje about the formation of the government. “We have our own principles and I presented them to PES today. We have our programming commitments. The basis of everything is for the government to be stable and as long-term as possible. We are all separate entities that have agendas. For us, the foreign policy orientation of the government is very important, since Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, NATO membership, recognition of Kosovo’s independence,” said Djeljosaj after the meeting.

 

Spajic ends meeting with SNP-Demos delegation; Jokovic: We reached high degree of accord on priorities and principles (CdM)

 

The meeting of the leader of PES and potential candidate Milojko Spajic with the representatives of the coalition SNP-Demos on the formation of the government has ended. The meeting with Spajic was attended by Vladimir Jokovic, Miodrag Lekic and Dragan Ivanovic. “We responded to the invitation of Spajic, who is reputed to be a future prime-minister designate. We got acquainted with the principles for forming the government. What is important to us is what the government will deliver to the citizens. We achieved a high degree of agreement on priorities and principles. We were assured that they want the SNP to be part of the government,” said Jokovic after the meeting. “The proposed principles for the formation of a new government are acceptable to the Socialist People’s Party, and this was recorded during today’s conversation with representatives of the PES. We agreed that we should move towards the formation of a stable government, and the SNP will provide a full contribution to that goal,” said Vladimir Jokovic today after a conversation with the current leader of PES Milojko Spajic. Jokovic added that further negotiations should be effective and conducted in good faith in relation to the written principles on which the work of the future government will be based.

 

Mickoski: Draft constitutional changes dramatically worsening country’s position, too late for consensus (MIA)

 

VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski said Thursday that after the publishing and forwarding of the draft constitutional amendments to parliament, the country’s position is dramatically worsening because, he said, it will have an impact in the future as well. “Now,” stressed Mickoski, “the only consensus that can be reached with the Prime Minister is over a date for elections.” According to Mickoski, there was no need for the government to come out with a draft text at the moment and by doing so, he said, it has made a mistake. “First of all, the public should be aware, and we as a political party have said this many times in the past, that there was absolutely no need for a draft to appear in the public now, because the first step, which requires 80 MPs, is a step determining the need to open the Constitution. And if there is no two-third majority and 80 MPs, then the process ends there. If there is a two-third majority, then we enter the second step, which requires a majority of 61 MPs, and this is when the text of the draft-changes is to be discussed. There was absolutely no reason for this to happen now. In this way, the government and Kovachevski and the others, have made a third mistake in a row,” said Mickoski. The first essential mistake, said Mickoski, “was the fact they entered a process without political and societal consensus, when they secretly negotiated with Bulgaria, and as a result of those secret negotiations the French so-called proposal emerged.” The second mistake of the government, according to the leader of the opposition, is that they entered a process of accepting the task, despite, he said, “the clear position of the largest political party and the large majority of citizens that there is no political nor societal consensus.” Mickoski said he couldn’t understand the President of the country, Stevo Pendarovski, and Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, who, according to him, are inflicting great, historic damage to the country. “They are incomprehensible to me. I have never seen people that hate their own country and people so much. To hate them so much and inflict such historic damage, I have never seen this not only on the political stage in Macedonia, but beyond, as well. And they enter a process in which they know they can’t deliver, but they think that by doing so, they might make some foreign factors of influence like them, so they can remain on the political stage a little longer,” said Mickoski. Regarding the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bujar Osmani, Mickoski said he can’t blame him because he understands that Osmani “looks after his own personal and partisan interests above all, and then is also careful that the interest of a part of the Albanian people, who are our compatriots, isn’t impacted as well.” Mickoski urged the Foreign Minister to visit the surrounding countries and “more than a hundred universities in the world” in order to hear what language is being spoken. “I don’t have any remarks here, because he clearly said that the Macedonian language is only limited to these 25.000 square kilometers, i.e., the present country of Macedonia, and that a dialect doesn’t exist in any other place. Since he already visited Albania, and heard the Macedonians in Pogradec and Pustec, I would like him to go to Gora in Kosovo, to go to the Pirin part of Macedonia, to the northern part of Greece, Aegean Macedonia, to go to the southern part of Serbia, and to visit more than a hundred universities in the world where Macedonian language departments exist, so he can hear what language is being spoken there,” said Mickoski. According to Mickoski, the policy of the current government is for the country and the people to be “pushed up against the wall” and then say “go see with the opposition, we are unable to deliver.” “Which is why I would like to say clearly, that the sooner this policy, and these politicians cease to be a part of the Macedonian political stage, the sooner we will exit this gloom and have certain predictability. Because the future VMRO-DPMNE government, regardless if it is a matter of a national issue, an issue in the field of the economy, tax reform, or something else, will never enter a meaningful discussion without a political consensus, and even societal consensus if that is necessary,” said Mickoski. Asked if there is still a chance for a consensus to be reached, the leader of the opposition said it is too late. “With Prime Minister Kovachevski we can now discuss only one consensus, and that’s about early parliamentary elections. Everything else is a part of the response I gave previously. We can only sit down for talks if it is to agree on a date for early parliamentary elections,” said Mickoski.

 

Aggeler: What you achieve is what matters most, not what Radev says (MIA)

 

I haven’t spoken to Escobar after his statement, nor to Radev, but it’s not important to focus so much on what they are saying, but on what has been achieved here, because, at the end of the day, if the people here are committed to the EU, it doesn’t matter what Gabriel or Radev are saying, said United States Ambassador to North Macedonia Angela Aggeler in answer to a journalist’s question at a press conference Thursday. Asked by MIA to comment on the latest statement of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Special Representative to the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, in which he announced an engagement with the new Bulgarian Government in order to prevent further blockades of the country’s EU integration, and on the statement of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev that the constitutional amendments are only the first step of a series of demands to follow, Aggeler said what is important for the citizens and the Euro-integration process is that the state focuses on what it needs to achieve on that path. “Even though a lot of things are being said in this country, in Bulgaria, in the rest of the countries of the region, still, everyone wants to see the country move towards EU membership,” said Aggeler. The Ambassador stressed that Escobar maintains intensive contacts and communicates with all stakeholders in the process, and she said Escobar’s greatest hope is that North Macedonia and the region are doing everything they can in order to move towards European and Euro-Atlantic integrations. The Special Representative to the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, before the House Foreign Affairs Committee (Subcommittee on Europe) hearing on US engagement in the Western Balkans on Tuesday said that Washington supports the process for constitutional changes that will enable North Macedonia's accession to the EU, and is also engaged with the new government of Bulgaria to ensure it makes no new demands. “To further its EU aspirations, the government of North Macedonia has committed to enacting a constitutional change to recognize its Bulgarian minority. We strongly support this difficult but necessary step, and we are also engaged with the new government of Bulgaria to ensure it makes no new demands once North Macedonia fulfills its commitments under existing agreements,” Escobar said. While commenting on the draft-constitutional amendments on Wednesday, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said it is the first very important and obligatory step, but not the last one. “The fulfillment of the two signed protocols, which are an integral part of North Macedonia’s EU negotiating framework, is of exceptional importance. Finally, the issue of guaranteeing constitutional equality for the Bulgarians in North Macedonia can move forward,” said Radev.

 

President Begaj hosts a farewell meeting with Hohmann (Radio Tirana)

 

The President of the Republic Bajram Begaj received today at the farewell meeting, the Ambassador of the EU in Albania, Mrs. Christiane Hohmann. During the meeting, President Begaj appreciated the role of Ambassador Hohmann in the important task of representing the EU delegation in Tirana. The Head of State pointed out that Ms. Hohmann came to head of the delegation just a few days after Albania opened membership negotiations with the EU a year ago. For the Head of State, EU membership is the biggest strategic objective of Albania and Albanians. At the end of the meeting, President Begaj wished success to Mrs. Hohmann in her career.

 

Nikolla receives Hohmann, Albania is advancing with fast and determined steps towards the EU (Radio Tirana)

 

The speaker of the Assembly of Albania Lindita Nikolla received the EU Ambassador to Tirana Christiane Hohmann on the occasion of the end of her mission in Albania. Nikolla thanked Ambassador Hohmann for the excellent cooperation with the Assembly and institutions of Albania. "You served in Albania for less than a year, immediately after the decision to open negotiations, but the good things we built together go beyond the limits of one year. The EU Delegation in Tirana and you personally contributed to the success of the screening process. As was ascertained during yesterday's meeting of the National Council of European Integration and the 16th Meeting of the EU-Albania Stabilization-Association Parliamentary Committee, Albania is advancing with fast and determined steps towards the EU and is leading the processes of regional cooperation and integration. As the chairing country of the Berlin Process for 2023, Albania contributes as a factor of stability, peace and Europeanization in the region." Ambassador Christiane Hohmann thanked President Nikolla for the open and fruitful cooperation with the Assembly and appreciated the role of the Assembly in facing the challenges of the full EU integration, underlining that Albania has all the potentials and possibilities for fast EU membership. "I am leaving Albania, leaving here a part of myself and taking a part of Albania with me," said Ambassador Hohmann.

 

EC, Albania is estimated to have made progress towards membership (Radio Tirana)

 

One year after the start of the procedures for the membership talks, Albania is estimated to have made a more valuable progress for the opening of the first chapter of the talks with the EU. The result that was announced as an ambition by the Albanian government a few months ago, made its way to the European Council on Thursday. The European Commission submitted to the member countries of the EU the report of the first so-called basic group chapter for the membership talks. The ambassador of the EU who declared this the day before in Tirana, although she was restrained, appreciated the timely achievement that gives the opportunity to the European executive to conclude the report on Albania. The first group chapter is one of the 6 group chapters for which Albania will negotiate with the EU. It includes public procurement, judicial statistics and fundamental rights, justice, freedom and security as well as financial control. By determining their current levels in Albania, the EU will negotiate on its part during the talks to reach European levels in these areas.

 

Tensions in the north of Kosova, Rama: EU to act for the implementation of the Basic Agreement! The region cannot become a hostage of the Kosova-Serbia crisis (Radio Tirana)

 

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has asked upon the EU to act to ensure a "quick implementation" of the Basic Agreement between Kosova and Serbia. In a post on Twitter, while spreading the announcement of the EU Envoy for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, about the meeting with the two chief negotiators, Rama writes that the region cannot become a hostage "to an endless crisis" between Kosova and Serbia. According to the head of the Albanian government, it cannot be allowed that Northern Kosova turns into a "small Donbas" or that the dialogue becomes "a blaming game of the Old Balkans". "The EU must act decisively to ensure a swift implementation of the Framework Agreement. Our region cannot become hostage to an endless crisis between Kosova and Serbia. Neither can we allow that Northern Kosova, where the border between organized crime and local politics is unclear, to become a little Donbas due to the rise instigated by Russia, nor the Dialogue to become a blame game of the Old Balkans, due to the lack of a real and strong will of the parties involved in it! Discussions are good, but what the region needs is progress before it is too late," writes Rama. In the frame of the dialogue between Kosova and Serbia, the EU envoy Lajcak held a meeting with the chief negotiators of both countries this Wednesday (July 20) in Brussels. After the meeting, the chief negotiator of Kosova, Besnik Bislimi, said that Lajcak's drafts were one-sided and that they pay more attention to Serbia's demands. Lajcak himself reacted with a post on Twitter, where he wrote that a long list of issues related to the dialogue was discussed at the meeting, starting with the implementation of the agreement reached on February 27 between Kosova and Serbia and the de-escalation of the situation in the north. He added that there will be further discussions.