LOCAL PRESS

 

Ukraine is Serbia’s friend, I don’t see a single problem in relations with Kiyev (TV Happy)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that Ukraine is a “friend” of Serbia and added that he does not see “any problem” in relations with that country. Vucic assessed that Kiyev will not change its position on the recognition of Kosovo’s independence, despite the announcements of certain Ukrainian politicians about the country’s readiness to recognize Kosovo. “I don’t believe that Zelensky will do that. Whatever decision they make, they would destroy all their principles on which their position is based,” Vucic told TV Happy. Vucic stated that many things are changing in the world and will continue to change, and that we must not turn a blind eye to it, or even squint and pretend not to understand it, but that regardless of that, Serbia’s goal must remain a path to Europe for a million reasons, but above all to live in a democracy. “Much is changing, and it will only change. Our policy must be such that we go and talk in Brussels, Berlin, Paris, Rome and all the centers of Vienna, Budapest, Athens, Sofia, Bucharest, Zagreb and Ljubljana and all the others, about how Serbia can move forward on the European path, but we must not close our eyes or even squint at what is happening in the world and pretend not to understand,” Vucic said. Vucic stated that everything he would do regarding sanctions against Russia would be misinterpreted by our people. “If I were to introduce sanctions against Russia, they would say “an anti-patriotic move”, and until then I am guilty of not introducing sanctions against Russia. If I were to introduce sanctions against Russia, they would say “now we will have higher gas prices, we had historical ties with Russia”. To be completely honest: it is impossible to please our people and I have not tried to do that for a long time,” Vucic said.

 

Vucevic: Kurti wants to ethnically cleanse Kosovo (TV Prva/Beta)

 

Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is doing everything to ethnically cleanse Kosovo of Serbs. “That is his political agenda, he does not want any political agreements, or the Community of Serb Municipalities,” Vucevic told TV Prva, adding that “Kurti is working to create an environment in which the Serbs will say we cannot survive here any longer, we have to go to Serbia proper”. “His problem is that Serbia is politically tougher and that our people in Kosovo and Metohija are persistent, prepared to endure and to fight against that oppression and terror,” the Minister said. Vucevic said “a scenario that Kurti wants” has to be avoided, and that is “a conflict between Serbia and NATO, in which he is some Zelensky”, and stressed that Serbs in Kosovo must be assisted in every way. He noted that the Serbian Defense Ministry signed Thursday with domestic defense industry companies contracts worth 9.7 billion Dinars, which works out to roughly 80 million Euros. The Minister explained that 6.2 billion Dinars worth of new weapons and military equipment will be delivered to the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF), while 3.5 billion Dinars worth of weapons and military equipment will be exported to an Asian, Arab country. Asked if there was any pressure on Serbia to give up its military neutrality, Vucevic said “military neutrality is unpopular with those who align with blocs”. He said “you can read between the lines that it is not likeable that you’re militarily neutral, but we pursue our policy because we were elected by our citizens”. “There is pressure on Serbia to give up its military neutrality, but no one will tell you you can’t be militarily neutral, but rather – maybe we should cooperate more closely. They know how to phrase that nicely,” said the Minister, adding that NATO “has occupied a part of our country”.

 

Contracts for delivery of weapons, military equipment for SAF signed (Beta/Politika)

 

The Serbian Defense Ministry signed Thursday with defense industry companies and Jugoimport-SDPR public enterprise contracts for the delivery of modern weapons and military equipment, said the Ministry in a press release. It quoted Defense Minister Milos Vucevic as saying that several companies signed contracts worth 9.7 billion dinars (1 euro – 117 dinars) with the Defense Ministry, but also with each other, “of which 6.2 billion dinars worth of new weapons and military equipment will be delivered to the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF)”. “This is a fantastic result, almost unimaginable only a few years ago,” the Minister said. “Our defense industry, with Jugoimport-SDPR as an integrator, will prepare 3.5 billion dinars worth of weapons and military equipment for export, which also indicates our competitiveness and a good position on third markets, i.e. on the international market,” said Vucevic. This, of course, increases the contribution of the military industry to the total gross domestic product of the Republic of Serbia, and is “great support for the Serbian Defense Industry in safeguarding jobs,” the Minister added. The contracts for the delivery of modern complex combat systems and ammunition were signed by representatives of the Ministry of Defense, Zastava Oruzje, Krusik Holding Company, FAP Corporation, Zastava TERVO and Jugoimport-SDPR.

 

EU: Measures possible against Serbia is it fails do de-escalate in Kosovo (Beta)

 

If the EU Member States estimate that Serbia does not contribute to the de-escalation of tensions in Kosovo, Belgrade will also be placed under necessary measures, EU Spokesman Peter Stano announced in Brussels on Thursday. “All we do, we do in coordination with the 27 EU members and our foreign partners, primarily the United States. We will impose the necessary measures also on Serbia, if the member states assess that, in the current atmosphere and considering the current context, Serbia is not doing anything to reduce tensions,” Stano said in a reply to a reporter’s question in Brussels. The measures against the Kosovo government, he added, were imposed “because of their inability to start behaving in a European manner and take the necessary steps towards de-escalation.” “Our approach is balanced, all measures are reversible, naturally, and depend on how the partners behave,” Stano said.

 

Stefanovic: Serbia least harmonized with EU foreign policy (Beta)

 

The president of the Serbian parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Borko Stefanovic said on Thursday that a new analysis, showing that Serbia is 52 percent harmonized with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU, less than all other EU candidate countries, proved that the current regime of the Serbian Progressive Party and Socialist Party of Serbia was “determined to keep Serbia in a constant state of isolation and wandering”. In a statement, published by the opposition Freedom and Justice Party, of which he is vice-president, Stefanovic declared that the fact that Serbia had been assessed as the country that was the least harmonized with the EU showed that the regime in Serbia “absolutely does not want to lead the country into the EU”. “They do not want it because they know that, by joining the EU, Serbia would be a country where corruption is destroyed, where the rule of law and media freedom exist, and not a country in which the authorities are detached from the people and steeped in corruption and violence,” he said. In his words, the Progressives’ regime is visibly “and deliberately leading Serbia into isolation, while protecting their corruptive deals and trampling over the dignity of every man” in Serbia. “For the fact that we are now definitely separated from our continent and our future in Europe, we can thank exclusively the Serbian Progressive Party’s regime, which knows that direction Europe means direction freedom and elimination of corruption, but it cannot function in such environments and that would mean its political demise,” Stefanovic added.

 

Lawyer of arrested Kosovo Serb wants Kurti as defence witness (Tanjug)

 

The lawyer of a Kosovo Serb arrested by the Pristina authorities wants Pristina's PM Albin Kurti to appear in court as a defence witness in his client's trial. In a statement to Tanjug, lawyer Dejan Vasic said Dragisa Milenkovic was suspected of war crimes allegedly committed in Kosovo and Metohija in 1998 and 1999. Vasic's request for Kurti to be named a defence witness was filed during Wednesday's hearing of Milenkovic before a Pristina court. Vasic said he believed Kurti would accept the request. "For his part, Kurti should say a few words about the suspect's credibility and his treatment of the current PM and former detainee Albin Kurti, whom he kept company while he was in a cell and brought him books to read, and with whom he spent a lot of time in conversations," Vasic said. Milenkovic was arrested by the so-called Kosovo's special police in his home near Gracanica on 21 June for allegedly physically abusing ethnic Albanians during the time he was working as a prison guard in Lipljan. "Dragisa is practically blind but two bullets that are still in his body near the spine are causing the biggest problems to him. They are greetings from the man who has done all this to him and who has reported him to the police, falsely and without any grounds," Vasic said.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Viskovic: Germany’s decision is continuation of political pressures on RS (ATV)

 

Commenting on the German Federal government’s decision to terminate four infrastructural projects in Republika Srpska (RS), RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic said that Germany’s decision to suspend “credit arrangements” in the RS is the continuation of political pressures on the RS with the aim to force “giving up on the fight for its right with economic coercion”. Viskovic reminded that several years ago, credit arrangements were agreed with the German KfW Development Bank for construction wind park Hrgud, restoration of generators in the Hydropower Plant ‘Trebisnjica’ and construction of the wastewater treatment plant in Gradiska. “All these projects are in different, mainly preparatory, stages and they were supposed to be implemented mainly with KfW’s loans. We are sorry that the German government decided to make such move, especially because our every move is the fight for respecting and consistently implementing the Dayton (Peace) Agreement”, Viskovic was quoted as saying. ATV reports that Viskovic also said that, regardless of the decision, the RS will try to find another “financing model” within reasonable time to implement all projects of great importance for citizens and the RS.

 

Dodik says RS has friends, is not isolated (ATV/RTRS)

 

RS President Milorad Dodik said for RTRS that the RS has friends and is not isolated, and announced numerous meetings with world leaders, i.e. a new meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic by the end of August, then with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, noting that the RS has never had more friends who understand its position and who are willing to help it. “The RS has a clear path and has many friends. The RS has shown that it is not isolated. Orban has recently been in the RS, President Vucic has recently been in the RS. As I said I will meet with those I already mentioned by the end of the year, I will also meet with at least two global leaders who are not Biden but are some others who also have a global power that is dominant. I will certainly meet again with President Putin this year. And we are working to meet with the first man of China. I am planning to go to China in October or November and meet with them”, said Dodik.

 

Komsic reacts to indictment against former members of RB&H Army: Another attempt to equalize victims and war criminals (FTV)

 

Member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency and leader of DF Zeljko Komsic reacted to the indictment against former members of the RB&H Army Ahmed Sejdic, Ferid Buljubasic and 11 more persons. Komsic stated that obviously, this is another well-figured attempt to change the character of war in B&H via production of statistical elements that are being used for equalizing victims and war criminals. Komsic added that it would be good if Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H Milanko Kajganic begins to file indictments – because of his own integrity and impartiality – against those who were shelling citizens of Sarajevo who were waiting in lines to get water or bread and who were shelling children on playgrounds.

 

Milatovic proposes Spajic for PM-designate (CdM)

 

President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic has proposed that the leader of the Europe Now Movement (PES) Milojko Spajic be the PM-designate for the new government formation.

“Taking into account the views of the political entities that participated in the consultations, as well as the provisions of the Constitution of Montenegro and the Law on the President, I will propose to the Parliament of Montenegro that Milojko Spajic be the PM-designate for the formation of the 44th Government of Montenegro. This marks the beginning of the next phase, which entails reaching a political agreement and forming a parliamentary majority that will elect the Government of Montenegro”, said President Milatovic at the press conference at the President’s House in Cetinje. He pointed out that the constitutional term for proposing the program and composition of the government would start from the day of appointment of the PM-designate and last for the next 90 days. “I expect from Spajic, but also from all political actors participating in the negotiations on the formation of the government – responsibility and expediency in this process”, emphasized President Milatovic. He believes that Montenegro needs a stable, political government and “undisputed European and reform profiles, whose constituents in the Parliament will decisively contribute to the implementation of the necessary appointments in the judiciary, open a dialogue on electoral reform”. Milatovic also said that Spajic received a great responsibility today. He also explained that if Spajic is unable to form a government, he can return his term of office. “At that moment, the law stipulates that I conduct a new round of consultations and give the mandate to someone else”, President Milatovic explained.

 

Spajic’s 90-day deadline begins to run: Will he manage to form government? (CdM)

 

President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic nominated his party colleague and leader of the Europe Now Movement, Milojko Spajic, as the PM-designate for the formation of the 44th government. The Constitution clearly specifies that the PM-designate has 90 days to assemble the cabinet and work program of the future government. After that, the parliament of Montenegro decides at its session whether to support the PM-designate. Spajic received the support of the majority of parliamentary parties for the mandate, but not for the formation of the government, so the negotiations will not be easy. The Democratic Party of Socialists and the URA Civic Movement, with which he does not want to negotiate, and the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) and the Democratic People’s Party (DNP), which are still negotiating to enter government, did not give Spajic any form of support. If the new executive power is formed within three months, it means that it can only be elected in the middle of November this year. There is also the possibility that if Spajic sees that he cannot form a government, he will return his term of office to the President. And the last option – if an agreement on the government is not reached, we would go to the polls again. At this moment, there is another problem, which is that the political entities have not yet reached an agreement on the parliament speaker. According to the Constitution, the parliament speaker proposes to the parliament the PM-designate for the government formation.

 

Taravari: AA to leave government now if VMRO-DPMNE votes for constitutional changes (TV 21/MIA)

 

Alliance of Albanians (AA) leader Arben Taravari says the party is ready to leave the government now if VMRO-DPMNE votes for the constitutional amendments. "Amid this important period for the country, if VMRO-DPMNE says that AA should leave the government so that they vote for the constitutional changes, we will exit the executive even today. They will form a broad government, vote for the constitutional amendments and let's go to the polls," Taravari told TV21. He says the resignations of the DUI ministers and public officials is child's play. "These moves seem as childish, considering the seriousness of the period that North Macedonia is going through. AA is a party that takes decisions on its own, considering all circumstances, the will of the membership but also Albanian votes in North Macedonia," says Taravari.

 

Aggeler: Ball is in your court, up to citizens and leaders to decide to move forward towards EU (Kanal 5 TV/MIA)

 

I hope very much that MPs, leaders and members of all political parties, again, recognize this pivotal moment for this country and make decisions that are for the good of the citizens and not in the interests of their particular political or personal aspirations. This country can and will benefit enormously from membership in the EU and membership in the broader Trans-Atlantic community, said the US Ambassador to North Macedonia Angela Aggeler in an interview for Kanal 5 TV on Thursday, asked to comment on the opposition’s refusal to vote for the constitutional amendments. “It is the stated goal of this country, and almost 80 percent of the citizens of this country want to be a part of the EU. The path forward is very, very clear and, again, it is my hope that the leaders and elected officials, who were elected in order to do the right thing for the benefit of their citizens, make those tough choices now, and move their country forward to greater prosperity, greater stability and greater opportunity,” said Aggeler. “I hope once again,” the Ambassador stressed, “that the citizens of this country ask of their elected officials, and ask of their leaders of their various parties to do the right thing, to move this country forward towards the EU, because that is the stated goal of the citizens of this country, it has been since independence, and I hope that the leaders of the citizens have the courage to move forward with those changes.” Regarding the acceptance of the so-called French Proposal, the Ambassador said that the politicians she has spoken with, who were a part of the negotiations, feel very strongly that this was the best deal possible for the country. “It has to be the leaders of the two countries that are able to have these discussions to move forward. It is in the best interest of this country, however, to resolve the differences that they have, to meet the agreements that they made last summer. To be quite honest, I wasn’t here last summer, I was not part of the group of people who reviewed the French Proposal and who decided to move forward with it. But I have spoken with, not only the American side, but those leaders here who were a part of it and they feel very strongly that the position that was offered was the best deal possible for this country to move forward with accession. So, now the question is how to move towards the European Union because therein lie all sorts of economic growth opportunities for this country, that I believe it needs and it wants. And so, it is my hope that we stop looking to the past and some of those historical contexts, stop worrying about previous grievances and compromises and instead look to the future,” said Aggeler. The Ambassador added that she believes that historians will look back at this moment in time as a very critical moment for the country and will look at the leaders of the different parties and how they behaved, and either applaud their choices or condemn them. Regarding the perspective of the country’s relations with Bulgaria, Ambassador Aggeler said it is important to know that both the new Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Bulgaria have indicated that they want to see the country in the EU. “And I take them at their word. But the important thing in my view is what this country and its leadership does now, and not so much what happens in Sofia. My hope is that, again, we look to the future and not to the past, and not to these grievances, and focus on what needs to be done. As we say in the United States, regardless of your political or historical context, the ball is in your court, it is the decision for the citizens and leaders of this country to decide to move forward towards the European Union. And, very importantly, the only way to move away from pressures from any EU capital and its governments is to join the EU and that is my hope for this country,” stressed Aggeler. “I understand it has been difficult,” said the U.S. Ambassador, “but these negotiations between North Macedonia and Bulgaria are bilateral in nature, and they must be.” Regarding the statements of certain politicians that the Negotiating Framework can be renegotiated, Aggeler reminded that the EU has been crystal clear in saying what is required of the country to move forward in European accession and become a full, participating, valued member of the Euro-Atlantic community. “That is to meet the requirements of the agreement they made last summer, and then to move forward with the various processes of accession. What is fake news, is the suggestion that anyone can renegotiate last summer’s agreement. That is fake news. What is also fake news is that there is a better deal out there that we haven’t discovered. Ambassador Geer from the EU here in Skopje, and Brussels, have been very, very clear that this is the requirement to move forward. So again, rather than getting caught up in historical context and various grievances then I think what is required of the officials that citizens of this country have elected is for them to act in their best interest and move forward towards the EU, that is where economic growth opportunities, educational, social, trade, all of these other opportunities exists and I very much hope that they make those tough choices,” said Aggeler. Corruption continues to be one of, if not the biggest challenges facing this country. It was when I was here before, but frankly, it has also been a systemic problem since independence 31 years ago. So, one cannot blame one particular government or institution, said Aggeler. “It is the responsibility of the judiciary and every government and, frankly, of the citizens, because corruption does not happen by itself. I can’t be corrupt all by myself. It requires decisions and choices by individuals, and by citizens and officials. So, I hope very much that there’s a real change,” stressed Aggeler. The Ambassador added that she believes the European integration process addresses those very issues and would be an enormous help.

 

Rama: Kurti stubborn and maximalist, should have made different choices (La Stampa/Radio Tirana)

 

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama told the Italian newspaper La Stampa that Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti was stubborn and a maximalist and that he would have acted differently in his position. When asked whether the war in Ukraine slowed down or favoured Tirana's EU membership, Rama said he hoped it would speed up the full integration of the countries from the region into the EU. "It is no longer just a financial issue, but above all a geopolitical issue. In the long term, it would be good for the Western Balkans to access without delay, so as not to leave black holes and space for third parties that have already created problems for the region," Rama said in an interview with the Italian newspaper. Asked if he was worried that a new front would open in the Balkans, given the tensions in Kosovo, and that Bosnia was "always on the verge of breaking out", he replied that there was so much to worry about, but also that 10 years ago there it had been unthinkable that Balkan leaders sat at the same table. In response to the statement that relations are not simple even today and that he did not meet Albin Kurti during his visit to Pristina, while Vucic continues "flirting with Russia" and Dodik threatens with the secession of Republika Srpska, he says that "Serbia must be looked at differently". "Serbia must be looked at differently, it has a very serious aggressor past, it is the creator of ethnic cleansing, which it must leave behind. They have built their foreign policy like a corridor of mirrors between the West, Russia, and China. They have to make a decision, but I think they will choose the West, the democratic world," Rama said. He also states that the conflict in Kosovo can become huge, even if on a small scale. "The situation of the Serbian minority in the north can be a small Donbas. Putin's dream. But Serbia cannot be Russia, even if it wanted to be," Rama says. When asked what the Kosovo Prime Minister was doing wrong, Rama replied that he respected him, but that he would have acted differently. "I respect that, but I would have made completely different choices. He is stubborn and a maximalist. He has a fantastic opportunity, the Franco-German peace plan. Agreements do not stay on the table forever. Then history makes you wait," Rama pointed out. When asked if Turkey could find the key to solving the Ukrainian conflict, Rama said that no one, not even Erdogan, had the magic keys to change the "imperialist, anti-democratic and chauvinistic vision like Putin's". "All wars end on the political table, but, unfortunately, they will continue for a long time," Rama added.