LOCAL PRESS

 

Brnabic: I did not give any dates regarding elections during government session (Tanjug/RTV)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on Friday addressed the public. Brnabic denied that she gave any dates regarding the parliamentary elections, and added that some media published incorrect information. "I did not say that at the government session, information you received from the people who attended the session is not correct," Brnabic stressed. She added that she believes and hopes that elections will be held in December, and that they are ready for them. "I think it's better to hold them sooner rather than later, I said that my resignation is on the table and that the opposition, if it wants elections, should start talking about technical details." The prime minister also stated that some media published incorrect information about the date without checking the accuracy of this information, and that these outlets did that based on "gossip". Speaking about who determines the duration of her mandate, Brnabic pointed out that the opposition demanded that the Belgrade and parliamentary elections be called by the end of the year. "President Vucic did not determine the duration of the government, we want to meet the opposition half way - those who threatened with civil disobedience, harassment of citizens, blockade of roads, if parliamentary and Belgrade elections are not called by the end of the year." As for next year's state budget, she said that it will be adopted before the dissolution of the current composition of the Serbian parliament. "We are a responsible government. The budget is ready, I expect it will be in the Assembly at the beginning of October and we will proceed with the adoption of the budget. The adoption of the budget will enable an additional increase in pensions, an additional increase in wages in the public sector and an increase of the minimum wage, which will be more than 400 Euros for the first time in Serbia," Brnabic said in response to a journalist's question of whether the budget of Serbia will be adopted before the dissolution of the Serbian parliament. She added that everything that the government has promised will be fulfilled. When asked by a journalist if she had information about who were the armed men in Banjska and what was the role of Milan Radojicic in that, Brnabic replied that the media outlet that asked her that question was reporting "each word of Svecla as if it were true". "Svecla says that someone is being treated at the VMA, and you rush to see if they are really at the VMA. I believe that you all have all the information, ask Pristina," she said. She added that the N1 journalist did not tell the truth when she said that the government was silent for three days regarding the events in Banjska, since President Aleksandar Vucic spoke on the same day, last Sunday, at 8 pm. Ana Brnabic also said today that the terror carried out by Prime Minister of Pristina's provisional institutions Albin Kurti continues against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, something that both she and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic have been warning about so far. When asked about the events in the north of Kosovo, she said that since this morning, the Kosovo police have been conducting searches in the Serb municipalities in the north, that they entered the Clinical-Hospital Center Kosovska Mitrovica, and added that Albin Kurti's terror continues. "Albin Kurti's terror against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija continues, which is completely expected in accordance with everything we have been saying and what President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic has been saying for months, the terrorizing and harassment of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija," said Brnabic. After the opening of the first industrial biological wastewater treatment plant in Belgrade, at the Smurfit Kappa doo factory, she pointed out that Kurti's only goal and desire is to expel all Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. "We are monitoring the situation, we are also talking to KFOR, the international community, and since this morning President Vucic has had meetings on that subject, I also spoke with the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic, the terror continues," concluded Brnabic. She also pointed out that the first industrial biological plant for the processing waste water in Serbia is being put into operation today, and that this is a turning point for our country. "This is a good day to remind ourselves of the deadline of December 31, 2025, when all business entities in Serbia who produce wastewater from technological processes must build a wastewater treatment plant, and that is the deadline that will be met." She added that there is still work to be done on collecting waste water by building sewage networks and building a waste water treatment system. "For those projects, we earmarked as much as 4.5 billion Euros, over one billion euros in the city of Belgrade itself."

 

Situation in Kosovo and Metohija most dangerous to date, Vucic tells Danish FM (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Thursday and informed him of developments in Kosovo and Metohija, noting that the situation there was the most complicated and the most dangerous to date. Vucic said the events of September 24 were the clearest indicator of Pristina's intent to thwart any agreement with Belgrade and normal life for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, the presidential press office said in a statement. Vucic especially noted the importance of further international presence in Kosovo-Metohija and called on representatives of the international community to take all necessary measures to prevent dangerous and irresponsible moves by Pristina and protect the Serb population in the province, as well as to ensure a withdrawal of special forces of the so-called Kosovo Police from the north of Kosovo and Metohija. Noting that Serbia was ready to work on continuing the EU-facilitated dialogue, Vucic said Belgrade had met all its commitments from the Brussels agreement. He said the fragile peace in Kosovo and Metohija was being preserved thanks to temperate reactions by Serbs there, who he said were investing enormous efforts to resist all the pressure from the Pristina regime. The parties also discussed Serbia's EU membership and Vucic said Serbia appreciated Denmark's support in the accession process. Vucic and Rasmussen also exchanged views on all topics of mutual interest, including boosting economic cooperation and cooperation in the IT sector, as well as on the environment, biotech and culture.

 

Denmark's support for Serbia's European path, reform processes (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic spoke yesterday with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark Lars Lokke Rasmussen about bilateral cooperation, European integration of Serbia, as well as the current situation in Kosovo and Metihija. The Prime Minister pointed out that Serbia, through investments in innovations and the IT sector, as well as accelerated digital transformation, strives to create new economic values, which will achieve the long-term stability of our country. She assessed that Danish investments in Serbia achieved good results, adding that she expects that favorable economic trends will contribute to greater interest of investors and companies from this country. She noted that the two countries can achieve potential cooperation in the areas of innovation, biotechnology, but also health care and green energy, areas in which Denmark achieves enviable results. The head of Danish diplomacy conveyed Denmark's support for Serbia's European path and all the efforts it invests in reform processes. Brnabic and Rasmussen pointed out, bearing in mind the current events in Kosovo and Metohija, that the preservation of peace and stability is of crucial importance, and in that sense they pointed out to the necessity of calming tensions. Brnabic emphasised the importance of further international presence in Kosovo and Metohija and the implementation of the Brussels agreement, in order to preserve peace and stability and protect the Serbian population in the province.

 

Readiness for further intensification of cooperation between Serbia, Denmark (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic met yesterday with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark Lars Lokke Rasmussen. During the open and friendly conversation, mutual interest and readiness for further intensification of cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the Kingdom of Denmark in all areas of mutual interest was highlighted. At the joint press conference after the meeting, Dacic pointed out that he was glad that we managed to achieve progress in the field of economic cooperation, which was a record last year, and reminded that Denmark belongs to the group of 20 largest foreign investors in Serbia. The head of Serbian diplomacy stated that during the talks, issues from the domain of bilateral political and economic cooperation, dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, as well as current international issues were discussed. We want to preserve peace in Kosovo and Metohija, we want to prevent the loss of human lives, we want to look objectively at the situation and the causes of all the problems that exist, such as non-respect and non-fulfilment of the Brussels Agreement, which was signed 10 years ago with the guarantee of the EU, the head of Serbian diplomacy pointed out. He said he primarily refers to the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities, which, along with the greater security role of KFOR, would enable the preservation of peace and an attempt to normalize the situation. Dacic thanked Denmark for supporting our European integration and added that, in addition to the desire to follow the European path, we have the need to protect our state and national interests, thinking, above all, of the rights of the Serbian people living in Kosovo and Metohija. The officials agreed that there is room for improvement of bilateral cooperation in various fields, especially in the field of economy. Rasmussen pointed out that the possibilities for further cooperation were discussed, that there are a lot of Danish companies investing in Serbia, and that there is definitely room for more. We have good tendencies in the last few years, Rasmussen said and noted that there is agreement to sign intergovernmental agreements, especially in the field of health and energy sector. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark emphasised that he believes that Serbia's future lies within the European family, stating that Denmark remains committed to helping Serbia on that path. I am a little worried about the situation in the region. I am concerned that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is on hold, which is frustrating considering that we had positive moments during the spring, the Danish Foreign Minister said.

 

Petkovic: We have evidence one of Serb victims in Kosovo was shot and killed in cold blood, while wounded (Tanjug/RTS/RTV/Politika)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic yesterday held an unscheduled news conference regarding the recent events in the southern province of Serbia. He said that one of the Serbs killed on 24 September in the village of Banjska, Bojan Mijailovic, was executed brutally, in cold blood, after he was wounded and after he surrendered and was lying on the ground. Petkovic also clarified that Serbia has evidence that the Serbs did not clash with the Kosovo police that day, but with trained terrorists whose goal was to kill them. "I called today's conference in order to inform the domestic and international public about everything that happened during the conflict in Banjska. First of all, to inform everyone why the Kosovo police refused to have EULEX participate in investigative operations. Why is everyone silent now? Why is nobody except President Vucic talking about the fact that the Kosovo police secured the scene and investigated on their own, and did not allow EULEX to participate in the investigative actions and evidence (collection). Why didn't EULEX come forward and say that the Kosovo police banned them (from participating). EULEX did not take part in the investigation because the Kosovo police wanted to hide the evidence and the truth. The Serb victims were killed in cold blood, in a brutal and cowardly way. Serbia has the evidence, the photos and statements from protected witnesses about what actually happened, and their words were also confirmed by polygraph tests. Bojan Mijailovic, the father of a 6-year-old and a 9 months old baby, was executed brutally, in cold blood, after he was wounded and after he surrendered and was lying on the ground. (He was) shot point blank in the head. We will examine the bodies of the other two Serbs (who were killed), and that is particularly important," he said. He added that clashes are one thing, and brutally killing a helpless man is another. "As the days pass, there will be evidence that will expose the lies of Pristina, but also its accomplices from the international community who call Serbs terrorists, while referring to hired killers as law enforcement. Yesterday, we asked for an additional autopsy from EULEX, and today I also requested it from Lajcak. For four days they have been trying to hide the bodies. They are asking the family of Igor Milenkovic to come and provide a (DNA) sample for identification, and since both his father and mother have passed away, they want to torment his children. The mother did not agree with that. EULEX was also not there in order to hide who was in the ranks of the Kosovo police that came to kill Serbs in the village of Banjska, and we have evidence that there were professional killers who joined the Kosovo police with the intention of clearing the entire area and killing all Serbs," he said. Petkovic added that Serbia's only demand is that KFOR be present in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, that the Kosovo police withdraw, since the Serbs see it only as an occupying force. "Since the beginning of the year, six Serbs have been shot, not one Albanian until this tragic event. Also, the Kosovo police are hiding the fact that he was killed by explosives, instead of someone killing him. They set up barricades with explosives. They lied that we were going to send in the Army, it was not even put on high combat alert. They lied about (finding) a vehicle belonging to the Gendarmerie (Serbian police), instead, it was imported from Croatia, and about Milan Radoicic being injured and treated at the VMA. They will lie day after day, because the ultimate goal is to show a connection between the local Serbs and the Serbian Army, which does not exist. We warned and pleaded with the international community to restrain Albin Kurti, because unless that happens, the Serbs will react. Remove the Kosovo police and the terrorists brought in to kill Serbs. We demand an independent investigation, we insist that our pathologists examine all the bodies, especially the bodies of Bojan and Igor," he said. The families of the victims have identified them, Petkovic also confirmed. "Bojan was completely disfigured. The entire right side of his head was blown off. It could only be done (by a bullet fired) at close range. When we submitted a request to participate in the autopsy, they suddenly informed us that it had already been done, who knows what they did and lied about, but the whole truth will come out. On 24 September, it wasn't the Kosovo police or law enforcement agencies that were in the north of Kosovo and Metohija (Banjska), it was a terrorist gang," he stated. Petkovic added that in the days ahead, more information will be obtained, as well as that it will be checked in detail what exactly happened that day in the north of the southern province.

 

Stano: EU against glorification and mourning of terrorists (RFE/Beta)

 

The EU is fundamentally opposing the glorification and mourning of criminals and terrorists, EU spokesman Peter Stano stated on Thursday, commenting on Serbia having proclaimed a day of mourning after the clash in the village of Banjska in northern Kosovo. Stano said that, on 25 September, the day of mourning in Kosovo, the EU Office in Pristina flew the EU flag at half-mast to honor the “victims of the horrific terrorist attack on 24 September”, while the EU Delegation in Belgrade did not do so on 27 September, on the day of mourning in Serbia. “Attackers must never be equalized with victims,” Stano said in a written statement to Radio Free Europe (RFE). EU officials are insisting on an investigation into the attack in Banjska and will decide how to act based on its results. Stano told reporters in Brussels that the EU, together with its partners in the region and the US, was very involved in the investigation of the armed clash in Banjska and that “what happened on Sunday has to be unveiled because there will be consequences”. “The very clear stance of the EU,” Stano said, “is that what happened was a terrorist attack and that it should be investigated who are those responsible for it, involved in it or planned it, and that they must be brought to justice, while the EU will give its judgment after that is clarified”.

 

Raska-Prizren Diocese says it doesn’t need Pristina’s help (FoNet/Politika)

 

The Diocese of Raska and Prizren said Thursday that is not able to accept the interference of Kosovo institutions in the life of the Church and the assumption of protection of Banjska Monastery following the recent armed conflicts. We primarily see this initiative as a political act aimed not only at placing the religious and cultural heritage of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) in Kosovo and Metohija under the political control of Kosovo institutions but also as a step towards further degradation of our basic religious freedoms and rights and the cultural appropriation of our churches and monasteries, reads a statement by the Diocese of Raska and Prizren issued in response to Kosovo Culture Minister Hajrulla Ceku’s announcement of the Ministry’s initiative to assess and repair the damage at Banjska Monastery caused during recent armed conflicts. The Diocese of Raska and Prizren said it is “capable of engaging independent experts to assess the incurred damage, to restore what has been damaged with our own resources and the contributions of our benefactors, as has been the case with other churches and monasteries damaged or nearly destroyed by K/Albanian extremists over the past two decades.” “We believe it is essential to repair the damage, and our Diocese has been working for years with the help of local and international benefactors to restore and protect our holy sites, including Banjska Monastery, a significant legacy of Saint King Stefan Milutin from the 14th century,” said the Diocese. “Mr. Ceku’s statement refers to an early Christian church, overlooking Banjska’s status since the 14th century as one of the most important sanctuaries of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the burial church of St. King Milutin, significantly restored in recent years,” read the statement. The Diocese of Raska and Prizren added that it has been facing continuous denial of the church’s spiritual and religious identity in Kosovo and Metohija for years, with Minister Ceku leading this trend.

 

ROSU stormed the north of Kosovo and Metohija; Armored vehicles sent (B92/Radio Kontakt plus/Kosovo Online)

 

Today, new incidents. As media reported early this morning, members of the special unit of the so-called Kosovo Police, ROSU, broke into KBC Kosovska Mitrovica. This was confirmed for Kosovo Online by the director of that institution, Dr. Zlatan Elek. "They are conducting a search of the laundry room and certain offices at the entrance to the hospital. Without any knowledge of the hospital administration and hospital management, Dr. Dragisa Milovic and I, as the director, established contact with them, they told us that they have a search warrant from the Court. They are still in the hospital premises, there is great anxiety among patients and employees," says Elek. Radio Kontakt plus, however, states that the operations of the so-called Kosovo police has been carried out in at least three places: Kosovska Mitrovica, Zubin Potok and Zvecan. At least five vehicles of Kosovo Police was sent to the north of Kosovska Mitrovica. "A police operation is underway in connection with the latest event in Banjska, so far no arrests have been made," said the acting commander of the Kosovo Police for the North region, Veton Elshani, confirming that the operations are being carried out in the northern part of Mitrovica, Zvecan and Zubin Potok. As reported by Kosovo Online, armored vehicles of special units of the so-called Kosovo police officers are also located near the Gray cafe in North Mitrovica, which is located 10 meters from the "Danica Jaramaz" pre-school facility. Parents bring their children who are terrified by the sight, EULEX is also present. The so-called Kosovo police announced on Facebook that they are carrying out the order of the competent court for checks at five locations in three municipalities in the north of Kosovo. "These operations are carried out in connection with the recent events in the village of Banjska. The police operation is carried out by the relevant units of the Kosovo Police, with the presence of the prosecutor on the spot. The Kosovo Police informs citizens on this occasion that they should not worry. Control orders are carried out in coordination with EULEX and KFOR," the Kosovo Police said.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced: Continuation of terror on the north (B92)

 

On the occasion of ROSU storming the hospital in Kosovska Mitrovica, Office for Kosovo and Metohija strongly condemned another attempt to intimidate Serbs. "This morning, in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, the brutal and excessive demonstration of force by Kurti and his special forces, armed to the teeth, violently stormed the Clinical and Hospital Center of Kosovska Mitrovica, as well as several other private facilities in the north," it is stated in the press release of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija. "In a fit of terror, they broke down the door at the entrance to the KBC, ransacked some rooms and marched through this central Serbian health facility on Kosovo and Metohija, although the management of this health institution told them that there was no need for a demonstration of force and that they could look at what they were interested in. About 15 ROSU armored vehicles took part in this operation, and EULEX members watched the entire action without reaction," the statement added. As they said from the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, this operation caused additional shock and fear for both patients and employees, and "Kurti's police officers deliberately chose for their demonstration of force and patrolling armored vehicles in time when employees go to work and children go to school and kindergartens in order to further bring unrest into the Serbian community". "Around a hundred of the most serious patients are in a particularly severe state of shock, who witnessed this brutal and unannounced action, as well as the children of the high school of medicine who are coming to practice at the hospital at this time. It is clear that Kurti and his police are using the events of last Sunday from Banjska as an excuse for the continuation of terror in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, and this operation was carried out with the clear aim of destabilizing the north of Kosovo and Metohija, so that the Serbian community cannot live normally, receive treatment without fear of the intrusion of armed phalanxes, take children to kindergartens and schools," it is concluded in the statement.

 

SPS: Attack in Kosovo shows that repression against Belgrade, Kosovo Serbs must decrease (TV Prva/Beta)

 

Socialist Party of Serbia MP Snezana Paunovic said on Thursday that a clash between Serbs from Kosovo and local police in the village of Banjska should be a sign that repression both against the people of the southern Serbian province and the authorities in Belgrade needed to decrease. She told TV Prva that KFOR needed to take on its full role, which was why it was in Kosovo, but added that she did not expect that to happen. She voiced the hope that the events in Banjska would be concluded in facts "and not assumptions that they were caused by terrorists or a criminal group." "Simply, they must understand that it is about Serbs who have been enduring their terror for 25 years. That had to culminate somewhere," Paunovic said. One Albanian police officer and at least three Serbs were killed in a clash between a group of Kosovo Serbs and police in the village of Banjska.

 

Jeremic: Rejection of Franco-German plan, return of institutions to Kosovo is national interest (Beta)

 

People's Party president Vuk Jeremic has said that protecting the country's national interests and Serbs in Kosovo meant a decisive rejection of the "Franco-German" plan for Kosovo's independence, the return of Serbian state institutions to the north of the province, primarily the police and judiciary, as well as mounting a strong international diplomatic initiative. "The People's Party demands an urgent session of the Serbian parliament on Kosovo and Metohija and this proposal will be jointly proclaimed with the parties of the state-building opposition, the Serbian Movement Dveri, Serbian Party the Oath Keepers, the New Democratic Party of Serbia, and the Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia," Jeremic said in Lajkovac, where the People's Party municipal chapter held an electoral assembly. The People's Party quoted Jeremic as saying on Thursday that he would propose that the parliament adopt a resolution on Kosovo which would define the concrete steps that Serbia needed to take to protect its national interests, which would be binding for all. He stressed that it was necessary that Serbia be united in saying "a decisive 'no'" to Kosovo's independence and a "decisive 'yes'" to protecting Serbs and Serbian shrines.

 

Lazovic says regrets lack of concrete information on attack in Kosovo (Danas/Beta)

 

Green-Left Front MP Radomir Lazovic said on Thursday that he regretted that there was no concrete public information on the events in Banjska in Kosovo two days ago. In an interview with Danas, he said that it was possible that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had not known that the attack in Banjska was going to happen, but that this opened some important new questions. "How is it possible that the agencies that control absolutely everything in Serbia, are surveilling the opposition, monitoring people, making fabrications and media campaigns and thereby keeping this government in power do not know what is going on in Kosovo?," Lazovic asked. He added that it was virtually impossible for movements on that scale to pass undetected by the Security Information Agency, army and police and that if, moreover, President Vucic had not been aware that the attack would happen, then a serious shift in power and control of the situation in northern Kosovo was happening.

 

Zelenovic: Protest organizers will run together in elections (N1/TV Nova)

 

The political organizations that have been organizing the Serbia Against Violence protests will run on a single election ticket if the elections are held in December, and we will begin defining this agreement starting Monday, said Together for Serbia leader Nebojsa Zelenovic on Thursday. “The 17th of December is an excellent date to stop the downfall of Serbia. A meeting of three parties was organized today in Belgrade – the Democratic Party, Together, Srce (Heart) – to discuss the controlling of the Belgrade local elections. On Monday we will start working on the details of this agreement. Before we signed the Agreement for Victory we had an agreement that, if elections are held in December, we would run on a single election ticket,” Zelenovic told TV Nova. He said the ticket will include the political parties that are the formal organizers of the anti-violence protests. Zelenovic said he believes in the format created by the opposition, but that it should be expanded to include “others who are true opponents of this regime”. “Those would also be the non-governmental organizations, the party Srce that organized local protests, upstanding individuals. As for the Right, I don’t know what will happen,” he said.

 

Source from SNS: Elections at all levels on 17 December (Beta)

 

A source from the helm of the Serbian Progressive Party told Beta on Thursday that elections at all levels would be held on 17 December. Commenting on the resignations of several mayors and municipal chiefs in Serbia’s interior, the party official said that all municipal heads and mayors would resign in the coming days, so that local elections could be held simultaneously with the parliamentary, Belgrade and provincial ones. “The party helm has ordered all municipal heads and mayors to resign. Elections at all levels, except presidential, will be held most probably on 17 December,” the source said. The mayors of Smederevo and Leskovac and the municipal head of Kucevo resigned on Thursday. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated on 27 September that elections could be held already on 17 December, but did not say at which level. Earlier, the opposition asked that parliamentary and Belgrade elections be held by the end of this year.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

RS parliament adopts Draft Law on Special Registry and Publicity of Work of Non-Profit Organizations (FTV)

 

The Republika Srpska (RS) parliament adopted in Banja Luka on Thursday the Draft Law on the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations. This law stipulates that non-governmental organizations that receive donations from abroad are labeled as agents of foreign influence. The draft law was adopted with 48 votes of the ruling majority. Only 11 representatives were against, and six MPs abstained from voting. The draft law was adopted despite the calls of the EU delegation (EUD), OSCE and numerous other organizations. Organizations that are partially or fully financed with funds from other countries will be registered in a special registry of the Ministry of Justice of the RS and will receive the label of agents of foreign influence. This is another law that RS President Milorad Dodik announced a few months ago, in the midst of a conflict with representatives of the US and UK embassies as well as the OHR. The ruling majority assessed that the political influence of the non-governmental sector must be reduced. RS SNSD's MP Srdjan Mazalica said that this is not a hostile law towards the NGO sector. According to SNSD, this law will only follow the practice of the EU. The draft that was adopted will go to a public discussion within 30 days, when it will come before the RS parliament MPs again in the form of a final proposal. The opposition still warns this is a characteristic of authoritarian regimes, whose goal is to suppress all critical voices and target people working in the civil sector. RS SDS' MP Vukota Govedarica warned that labeling non-profit organizations as foreign mercenaries or agents increases the risks of physical violence against those entities.

 

Representatives of NGO sector harshly criticize Draft Law on Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations (N1)

 

N1 reports that the RS parliament Thursday adopted the draft law on so-called foreign mercenaries (Draft Law on the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations). N1 stressed that after the media, the authorities in the RS have attacked the non-governmental sector that is financed from foreign sources. At the same time, as N1 noted, the RS authorities have additionally paved the way for “governmental non-governmental organizations” to obtain budget funds. According to SNSD's proposal, the Law on the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations will be submitted to a public discussion that will last thirty days. N1 stressed that the non-governmental sector does not expect anything from the public discussion. N1 pointed out that through the discussion in the RS parliament, it was hinted that the term 'agents of foreign influence' will be determined more precisely, which is only one of the disputed segments for non-governmental organizations. For the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Transparency International (TI), the entire text of the Law on the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations is more or less controversial and discriminatory. Representative of the B&H TI Srdjan Traljic said that the B&H TI pointed out that it is ironic to talk about transparency, about the publicity of the work of non-profit organizations, while millions allocated to non-governmental organizations financed by the authorities are hidden. N1 emphasized that besides the Law on the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations, the RSNA also adopted the Draft Law on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest which will legalize what until yesterday was a conflict of interest. Accordingly, elected officials and advisers will now be able to be in the bodies of associations that are financed from the budget, if they do not receive compensation for that work in the non-governmental sector. Representative of the Helsinki Parliament of Banja Luka Citizens Aleksandar Zolja pointed out that “governmental non-governmental sector” is thus placed in a privileged position, and critics in the registry for the sake of transparency that already exists. Zolja added that democracy in the RS has been reduced to a simple majority in which arguments have no force. Zolja stressed that in this case, the arguments speak of the fact that the draft is restrictive in many respects.

 

PIC SB Ambassadors: RS government has been trying since 2013 to introduce law that would place civil society organizations under government’s close scrutiny (Dnevni list)

 

The Peace Implementation Council Steering Board (PIC SB) Ambassadors has warned that the RS government has been trying since 2013 to introduce a law that would place civil society organizations under the government’s close scrutiny and restrict their ability to exercise their democratic rights. “The Draft Law on Special Register and Transparency of Work on Non-profit Organizations will limit the civic space for a functioning and independent civil society further and pose a significant threat to the overall state of human rights and democracy in B&H”, reads the PIC SB Ambassadors statement. It further reads that the recent re-criminalization of defamation in the RS and this new law go against the very notion of democracy because they limit political pluralism and serve to intimidate political opposition. “It will prevent free, critical debate, further narrowing an already shrinking civic space in the RS. The Ambassadors of the Peace Implementation Council’s Steering Board (PIC SB) strongly support an independent media and civil society and underscore the right of both to work without harassment, fear, or undue pressure”, added the statement. The PIC SB also urged the RS parliament representatives to vote against the proposed law.

 

EU expresses serious concern about recent legislative initiatives and announcements in RS that run counter to EU path of B&H (FTV)

 

The EU expressed seriously concern about the recent legislative initiatives and announcements in RS that run counter to the EU path of B&H, including the Draft Law on the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations labelling NGOs as “foreign agents” which has been adopted in the first reading by the RS parliament on Thursday. “The final adoption of the Law would directly contradict the repeated commitments of the RS leadership to advance B&H’s European integration, and specifically key priority 11 on civil society and key priority 12 on freedom of expression and of the media. We deplore the recent entry into force of amendments to the RS Criminal Code, reintroducing criminal penalties for defamation, which has imposed unnecessary and disproportionate restrictions on independent media and civil society and constitute a regrettable and undeniable major step backwards in the protection of fundamental rights”, reads the EU’s statement.

 

US Embassy condemns adoption of law on registry of non-profit organizations (Dnevni avaz)

 

The US Embassy to B&H condemned the decision of the RS parliament to adopt the proposal of Law on Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations. “The RS parliament’s recent adoption in the first reading of the draft Law on the Special Register and Transparency of Work of Non-Profit Organizations represents yet another move by the RS government to limit fundamental freedoms and civil liberties of residents of the RS.   This legislation will place NGOs under increased pressure, make them vulnerable to prosecution for legitimate activities, and reduce their ability to provide important social services for the public. This legislation pushes the RS toward greater authoritarianism and sacrifices the RS residents’ interests in a democratic and prosperous future to the narrow, selfish interests of an RS leadership intent on enriching themselves at the expense of the people they claim to represent”, reads the Embassy’s statement.

 

Dodik: Murphy should comment on US law on non-governmental organizations, which is more rigid than one proposed in RS (RTRS)

 

Reacting to the statement of the US Ambassador to B&H on the adoption of the Draft Law on the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations in the RS parliament, RS President Milorad Dodik wrote on the platform X that US Ambassador to B&H Michael Murphy should comment on the US law on non-governmental organizations, “which is more rigid than the one proposed in the RS.” “Since we are talking about a more benign version in relation to the existing American law, does this mean that there is an authoritarian regime there,” Dodik wrote on the platform X.

 

Dodik: No talks about the property-those who want to impose solutions are descendants of murderers of Serbs (Srna)

 

In an interview for Srna, RS President Milorad Dodik said that the property is not red, but a definitive line and no talks will be led about this and in case someone intervenes on this issue has to be aware that they scheduled a session of the RSNA where independence will be declared. He noted that the West would not accept this, but there are many countries which understand the position of the RS and which deem that interventionists crossed the line. “Issue of the property is a done deal and there are daily attempts to return it in the agenda. Property which was solved by Dayton Peace Agreement all of a sudden became an issue during the time of Paddy Ashdown,” said Dodik. He noted that there are also attempts to impose the term of the state when talking about Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), stressing that this is only the case in international-legal sense, but not when it comes to internal organization. “The Constitution says it all. There is no internal sovereignty there, it is on the entities. Foreigners want to bring down all that in an attempt to devaluate the RS,” said Dodik. He deems that the law does not function on the international scene, but there are characters who do not want to accept such arrogant power which portrays through the US Ambassador and story about false Christian Schmidt. “Behind them stand the power of America and sterile and crawling Europe toward America. They will not quarrel with America because of position in B&H. They have issue how to maintain their neo-colonial property in Africa. It is not foreign to them to make colonies. They steal from them the national resources and they are doing this under the cover of story about democracy. They are trying to do this in B&H as well,” said Dodik. He noted that RS weakness is the fact they stand against the power, but its advantage is that Serbs have character and solved issue through legal and international documents. “They do not acknowledge this. Why should we then accept their interpretation of Agreement on Succession?”, said Dodik. He repeated that the Constitution regulated that all property in the RS belongs to it: “They want to change the Constitution. There is no agreement that can change the Constitution. Entire leadership of the RS is under US and UK sanctions just because they know that we will not put this issue on the agenda. When someone from the West offers you a hand, then know this is a lie. When you are offered a hand from the East, you should know that the agreement will be honored.” Dodik further noted that he cannot trust good intentions of those who are illegally in the country, such is Schmidt who referred to RS politicians as “monkeys in a circus” and pointed out his past and paying of respect to Nazi officers from the WWII. “He is a fascist trash who came here to give some lesson to us. Look at his biography. Why should I not be proud of the fact that both my grandfathers were in the partisans, that my family suffered in Jasenovac and at Kozara? Now I should say that this was senseless and that those who were killing them, which are Schmidt’s ancestors, were right. This is not and cannot be fine,” said Dodik. He noted that grandfathers of numerous German officials, but also of former High Representatives in B&H, were wearing suits of fascist officers. Dodik stressed that German Envoy who visited the RS and B&H Manuel Sarrazin has imperialistic demands and wants to underestimate, humiliate and rule. “Germany is asking for a cemetery to be built at Kozara, where they will relocate mortal remains of Germans who were killed here in the WWII. I said that this will not be the case and then I am not a good guy. You came here to kill our people. Shame on you. We have been killing us in the past century and you cannot seem to give up on that,” said Dodik. He added that “good intentions” of US, UK and Germany could have been seen in WWI and WWII, NATO bombarding and “taking away of Kosovo”: “Is there anything positive?  Is there something they did that was positive toward Serbs? They want economy not to succeed here so they would get cheap labor force.” He noted that tragedy of Serb people is that foreigners were overly-acknowledged in the past and they were given more importance than they had, noting that they are third-grade officials. Dodik noted that throughout the history, Bosniaks always welcomed the foreigners, ambassadors and consuls and there are many examples in the history speaking about their servitude character. He further noted that on several occasions Schmidt tried to stage that they have met, by taking surprise photo with him: “Instead having the decision of UN Security Council, you look to take a picture. What do I have to talk about with a man who says that we are monkeys in the circus?  How other should I label him than as fascist trash.” He noted that his statements are not objected by Bosniaks “who want Serbs to disappear from here”: “They know that when the RS disappears- there will be no Serb here. There is a realistic power balance in B&H, and it is based on three constituent peoples, on unsuccessful B&H and everything that B&H represents, which is imagination and attempt to maintain it through intervention of international factor.” President Dodik assessed that Slobodan Milosevic, who defended Serbia and the Serb people, ended very badly, which is the destiny of politicians here, and that many were making mockery of his (Milosevic’s) statement that foreigners attack him not because of him, but because of Serbia. According to Dodik, many people in the RS have joined forces to say that Dodik identifies himself with the RS, which, according to Dodik, is not true. “Individually yes, but I do not think I am everything in the RS. But I think I am exposed now in a way and that they are using the old pattern in which, firstly, the leader is bad, then his family, so they fabricate crime, corruption”, stated Dodik. He further stated: “How can I trust a court in which Muslims try me. A Muslim prosecutor, a Muslim judge. Apart from that, the prosecutor is illegal in the appointment procedure, and the judge defended Naser Oric in The Hague, and then here she reached verdicts in some cases and acquitted all Muslim generals. And Milorad Dodik is a criminal because he does not respect Schmidt. And now I have to believe that she is objective”. Dodik stressed the court (Court of B&H) was imposed by the Western international community and that trial of him will not be just a trial of Milorad Dodik but will be a trial of the court as well, stressing that the Serbs have no need or desire for war, and that all issues will be resolved through political process. Dodik reiterated that the RS has no war option and that, at the end of the day, it will defend itself and not attack anyone. “We will protect our freedom and country, the state called the RS. It is internationally recognized in a limited capacity, it lacks international recognition in terms of being UN member, but it does not have to be our aspiration”, said Dodik. The RS President further said: “I have been hearing everything from the opposition, who went to see Schmidt, a fascist, and requested that he removes Milorad Dodik, a grandson of Partisan fighters from Kozara. They requested it. Now they swear they did not”. Dodik stressed a strong RS should be the main goal of the authorities and the opposition and that the authorities managed to stop the transfer of competences. Dodik deems that there is no much political will in the Federation of B&H (FB&H) to discuss key political issues, such is the Constitutional Court, because there is a fear from losing the current practice to enact decisions against the RS, noting that 99% of all decisions of the B&H CC were against the RS and aimed to affirm some story about B&H. He underlined that these decisions are enacted with votes of three foreign and two Bosniak judges. Stressing that this is irrational, Dodik noted that the arguments that sovereignty and territorial integrity of B&H is being undermined do not stand because nobody is touching the territory of B&H. “Territory of B&H is sum of territories of two entities. We brought into B&H our space and our statehood. We functioned independently for four or five years and showed we can be a state, with all the weakness we had,” said Dodik. He concluded that Serbs are the only people in the Balkans which was always ready to fight for their freedom and for defense of their state, home and family.

 

Minister Helez: Relations between B&H and Croatia are on upward trajectory; Orban's regime is similar to that of Dodik and Putin; Kurti played wisely; Serbia supported terrorists, the whole EU turned against what Vucic did (FTV)

 

B&H Minister of Defense Zukan Helez (SDP B&H). Commenting on the Thursday’s meeting he had with Croatian Minister of Defense Mario Banozic in Sarajevo, Helez said that there is a need for strong lobbying by Croatia and he think they are ready to provide that. “We repaired the previously shaken relations between B&H and Croatia. We agreed that, through Croatia, NATO covers our skies, so there will be no overflights like when Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik went with (Croatian President Zoran) Milanovic to Hvar. He will be able to fly, but when he has a permit," explained Helez. He points out that relations between B&H and Croatia are on an upward trajectory. Elaborating on these relations, he said: “The only thing is that Milanovic’s statements are a little incoherent, and when it comes to (Croatian Prime Minister Andrej) Plenkovic and the others, the statements are mostly positive and support us. Croatia's position is very important. We need it and there is no need to argue, and I think they are willing to enter the Euro-Atlantic integration.” In addition, Helez confirmed that it is true that he is lobbying to increase the number of EUFOR members in B&H. “Find me a politician who in three days will talk to three ministers of defense. The minister of Norway, Croatia and tomorrow (Friday) with the minister of defense of Austria. I will also have a meeting with the ministers of Germany and Turkey. And it is not by chance that those are these countries. Norway is the contact embassy with NATO, and the general secretary is also from that country, I am going to Austria to extend the mandate of Althea, it is problematic who will be the commander. Let us try to extend the mandate of the commander who is Austrian, because the commander is coming from Hungary. We have nothing against Hungary but considering (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orban’s attitudes and positions regarding B&H, we must react to try to prevent that. Orban's regime is similar to that of Dodik and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin”, stressed the B&H Defense Minister. When asked if he has any objection to the expansion of the composition of EUFOR in B&H, where part of the units is made up of the Croatian army, the B&H Defense Minister answered: "That was defined a long time ago and I would not fall into those traps. It is completely irrelevant. We have members from so many countries, it is a multi-ethnic composition. It is important for us to have peace here and to preserve stability. Given what happened in Kosovo, (Kosovo Prime Minister) Albin Kurti played wisely. At one point, Kosovo was on the political defensive. With this terrorist act, Serbia supported terrorists, the whole EU turned against what (Serbian President Aleksandar) Vucic did.” He also added that Vucic has been threatening for years with statements that the Serbian army is on standby, stressing: “They are powerless to do anything. We are monitoring it all. We are not on any alert. We are still not threatened by anyone. Security checks say there is no danger." With regard to allegations about Dodik’s plan to escape from B&H and where he plans to escape due to facing an indictment for non-execution of the High Representative’s decisions, Helez stated: “I do not know any resident who believes that if there is a verdict that Dodik should go to prison, that he will lie in prison, because he has a house in St. Petersburg, an apartment in Moscow, and around Belgrade. There is only one logic, but of course I had intelligence information, that he is already preparing who should succeed him. Vucic did not give him the support to run away from there, but another European country with which Dodik, the only one he has good relations with, will be given two hours of space to leave.”

 

Ursula von der Leyen: Croatia is a success story (HRT)

 

The leading politicians of the European People's Party (EPP) have gathered in Split to discuss current topics and preparations for next year's elections for European Parliament. Hosting the meeting of the EPP’s gathering was Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, whose HDZ is a member of the EPP. He was joined by the heads of the European Commission and the European Parliament, Ursula Von der Leyen and Roberta Metsola, and other top officials from the EU and various member states. Participants agreed that the key issue that will dominate the coming months ahead of the European Parliament elections will be the fight against inflation and raising the quality of life of EU citizens. Addressing the gathering the President of the EPP, Manfred Weber, said that the EPP is facing an election that will decide on the future for Europe and its citizens. He pointed out that the EPP is the largest party in Europe and that it wants a convincing approach on how to shape the future, security and protection of Europe for everyday life: "Our topics are inflation, living costs and housing problems. We want to solve these problems at the national level. Another priority is migration. We have to reduce the numbers, which are too high. The state has to decide who gets in, not the traffickers. We have to have a humanitarian approach, help the refugees and strike a balance," Weber said at the opening. For his part Prime Minister Plenkovic said that the EPP's intensive activities in Croatia have been ongoing in recent days: "This is a sign that we have the support of our friends from within the EPP, but also an opportunity to think about solutions for the Europe of the future. All countries are facing problems. The first is security, which arises from multiple crises. One of the crises is the COVID pandemic, then Russia's attack on Ukraine and the threat of illegal migration. The second big issue is the competitiveness of the European economy. We must be in solidarity in times of crisis. Regarding the perspective of the procedure expansion for neighboring countries in our region, we have a lot of expertise, knowledge and we expect the EC's progress report, and we think that our neighbors should speed up the reform process in order to be ready for the next phase of negotiations." Plenkovic added that the EPP will remain united and support Ukraine as long as it manages to avoid social fracture and maintains social peace in member states: "The EPP as the main leading party should find a solution to fight against demagogy on all parts of the political spectrum in all member states. Their arguments exploit all crises and topics in a bid to attack all governments from any angle that suits them. But they offer no answers or solutions to the problems faced by citizens and the economy.”

 

Grlic Radman: Montenegro admits aggression, Croatia can expect ship’s return (Hina)

 

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said on Thursday Montenegro admitted that Yugoslav People's Army members from Montenegro had participated in the aggression on the Dubrovnik area in the early 1990s and that this was a sign that one could expect it to return the Jadran training ship. We received a note which says that Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) members from Montenegro participated in war operations in the Dubrovnik area, he said in Split at the opening of an exhibition on the Jadran. That means they admit they carried out the aggression and stole the ship, he said, adding that this is a good sign and that Croatia can expect Montenegro to return the Jadran. The note arrived at the Croatian Foreign Ministry this morning, informing Croatia that equipment, stolen when Montenegrin JNA soldiers took part in war operations in the Dubrovnik area with the support of Montenegro’s then governments, was found in Montenegro, said Grlic Radman. Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic said on Tuesday that during an inventory of the assets of the country’s airports, they found equipment suspected to have been stolen from Dubrovnik airport when the JNA shelled the city in 1991 and 1992, and that Croatia would soon be notified. Grlic Radman said “it is a fact that he (Abazovic) said that was a shameful episode for Serbia and Montenegro.” The 60-metre-long sailing ship was built in 1933 and was entered in the fleet registers of Croatian ports until 1991, when it departed from its home port of Split for Montenegro for an overhaul and never returned. It remains a bilateral dispute between Zagreb and Podgorica. “Croatia will never give up on its property… if the ship had not departed for an overhaul, nobody would be asking where it is. It would be where it belongs, in Split,” Grlic Radman said at the opening of the exhibition. In late July this year Montenegro marked the 90th anniversary of the ship, which prompted Croatia to lodge a protest note with Podgorica for “appropriating its property”. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said at a regional gathering in late August that he wanted the ship to be returned to Croatia because of its symbolic importance for “many Croatian seamen who trained and worked on it.” Abazovic said at the event that his country is “also presumably entitled to something from the dissolution of Yugoslavia,” emphasizing that he is not one of the politicians that use “rows in the region to score cheap political points.” “On the contrary, I support full reconciliation. I also want people to find the common ground on much more complicated issues,” Abazovic said. Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic said during a visit to Zagreb in early September that the ship was owned by Montenegro, but that Podgorica was open to dialogue on the matter, while Croatian President Zoran Milanovic called for a financially sustainable solution to the problem, noting also that there were more important topics than that.  Grlic Radman said in Split that the return of the ship required the good will of the neighbor to discuss the issue. “And we can see that that has not happened in the past 30 years… there was much stalling, there was talk of commissions, etc. That never yielded any results,” Grlic Radman said, adding that there were other, “legal and political mechanisms” and “arbitration”, to resolve the dispute.

 

Bogdanovic: Let’s first find majority, then we’ll do the rest (Vijesti)

 

Although PM-designate Milojko Spajic has announced that his Europe Now Movement (PES) has started collecting signatures of support for the leader of the Democrats Aleksa Becic and his candidacy for the parliament speaker, that party says that before the election of parliament speaker, a parliamentary majority must be formed and an agreement on exercise of power made. Democrats MP and general secretary of the party Boris Bogdanovic has told Vijesti that the party cannot be held accountable for the fact that there is no unblocking of the Parliament. According to him, it would not be politically pragmatic to expect that one majority would constitute the legislative and the other the executive power, and that such an arrangement would represent “seeds of future instability” and could lead to a blockade of the executive power’s work even before its formal election. Bogdanovic emphasizes that the absence of consensus on the election of the government represents the absence of consensus on the constitution of the legislative power, which must be preceded by an agreement on the exercise of power.

 

Milatovic: New EU enlargement date somewhat discouraging (MINA)

 

The new date mentioned in the context of the enlargement of the EU – 2030, is somewhat discouraging, especially for the countries that are the most advanced in that process, says the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic. After the meeting with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bethel, he said that in the previous period, there was a lack of stronger communication between Montenegro and the Montenegrin authorities and the capitals of the EU member states. He added that this was exactly the goal of his visits – to strengthen the presence and communication between Montenegro and the member states. According to Milatovic, Luxembourg, as a small country similar to Montenegro in many respects, can be a strong voice of support for Montenegro on its further path to the EU. “The new date mentioned – 2030, is a bit discouraging, especially for the countries that are most advanced in that process, and here, above all, I am thinking of Montenegro”, says Milatovic. He has added that this is exactly the message he wants to convey to the capitals of the EU and EC member states – that Montenegro, in the context of the enlargement process, is the most advanced of all countries. He has repeated he believes that the accession of Montenegro to the EU can be a good signal to all other countries of the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe that the enlargement process is still alive.

 

Xhaferi urges solidarity at CoE Conference of speakers of parliaments (MIA)

 

Parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi spoke about the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the role of national parliaments in Ukraine’s reconstruction during the Council of Europe's European Conference of Presidents of Parliament held in Dublin, Ireland. "Today we have gathered here not only as our countries' representatives but also as guardians of justice, peace and values that connect us as a global community," parliament speaker Xhaferi said. He noted that the topic of discussion "has weight that extends beyond our immediate concerns." "It speaks of our commitment to respecting the principles of international law, human rights and the sanctity of nations," Xhaferi pointed out. The consequences of the Russian war against Ukraine, he said, reverberated worldwide, leaving behind a trail of destruction beyond the infrastructural damage. "As we address the consequences of this war," he pointed out, "we also need to recognize the critical role that national parliaments play in shaping Ukraine's future narrative." "As lawmakers, we have been given the duty to shape the course of our nations' destinies. Today, we are expanding this responsibility to include a broader vision. A vision of solidarity that knows no borders, a commitment to help a nation in trouble," he said. Ukraine's resilience, he continued, was proof of "the indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people and the values they hold". In his speech, Xhaferi urged nations to offer not only sympathy but also unwavering support to Ukraine. He described the Council of Europe's Action Plan for Ukraine as "a comprehensive roadmap for resilience, recovery and reconstruction. "But let's not forget," Xhaferi said, "that the success of these efforts depends on our commitment and ability to turn dialogue into resolute action." Noting that threats to peace transcended traditional borders, Xhaferi said the role of parliaments "in maintaining democratic security and rules-based multilateralism cannot be underestimated." "The shadow of hybrid warfare and the specter of instability point to the importance of our collective vigilance. By fostering partnerships, sharing knowledge and responding to new challenges together, we can safeguard our societies' foundational principles," he said. More than 350 delegates are attending the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament, which is held every two years under the auspices of the Strasbourg-based Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, hosted this year by the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Irish Parliament. The first European Conference of Presidents of Parliament was held in 1975. It takes place every other year, in Strasbourg or in a host country. Topics on the agenda include prominent political issues.

 

Petrovska: Partnership with Vermont not only signed document but constant support (MIA)

 

The Ministry of Defense celebrated Thursday the 30-year partnership between the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia and the National Guard of Vermont. In her speech, Minister of Defense Slavjanka Petrovska said the partnership was a source of constant support. "This partnership is not just a signed document. It has been a helping hand and constant support throughout all these 30 years," she said.  "Thirty years of over 350 activities: exercises and training that more than 1,800 army members took part in, but also an exceptional mission. A difficult, complicated, dangerous, but successful nonetheless – the joint mission of Macedonian and American soldiers in Afghanistan in 2010," Petrovska said. The defense minister said the partnership had contributed to the current success of the Macedonian Army, which she said was an allied army investing in its capacities and successfully performing missions and drills with other allied armies. "I am glad that the positive example of our defense cooperation has increasingly been applied in other sectors of our country. May the 40th anniversary be marked by even greater successes and, of course, the most important, lasting friendships," Petrovska said. Major General Gregory Knight, the adjutant general for the Vermont National Guard, said the successful partnership between the two countries was owed to the persistence and dedication of the people who were part of the cooperation. Noting that he had been actively participating in the partnership for almost half his life, Knight said that it was crucial to pass on the knowledge and experience and make the next generations even more successful. North Macedonia and Vermont have been in the US National Guard State Partnership Program since the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau program began in 1993.

 

Rama: Belgrade should have had distanced itself from the criminal group, the EU to condemn the declaration of national mourning in Serbia (Radio Tirana)

 

"Belgrade should have distanced itself from the criminal group that attacked with weapons and took the life of the police officer Afrim Bunjaku." This is what Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama declared at the conference held this Thursday in respect to the event that happened on September 24 in Banjska, north of Mitrovica. "I am expressing the very serious concern as never before in these 10 years about the high risk of the situation in the north of Kosovo. We listened very carefully to yesterday's statement by Brussels spokesperson who said that there can be no other statement without the results of the investigation. We could have agreed with this (statement) if at least Serbia had distanced itself from the criminal group and had immediately announced the opening of a serious and independent investigation. Unfortunately, instead of investigating the event provoked by the Serbian criminal group, the Republic of Serbia declared a day of national mourning," said Rama. Albanian Prime Minister once again called on the EU to condemn the declaration of national mourning by Serbia and the honoring by Belgrade of the criminal group that terrorized the north of Kosovo. Meanwhile, the head of Albanian government said that no possible investigation can change the simple facts to be classified as facts in extreme opposition to any democratic principle and to be condemned as such by the EU. "What investigation does the EU expect, by whom, from the Justice authorities in Kosovo? We would agree with this too, but I did not hear the EU spokesperson say it and I don't think the EU would accept for granted the results of the investigation from Kosovo. Despite the fact that the special forces of Kosovo went to prevent the terror initiated by the Serbian criminal group, is the EU investigating impartially? Even that, I did not hear, and I don't know if the EU has engaged any mechanism in this direction. If we hear this, we would be relieved in some way, but only in this direction. What we asked in our communication with our friends in Brussels and what we are asking for today is the unequivocal condemnation of the murder of a police officer in the north of Kosovo by a criminal group and all condemnation of the absurd act of national honoring by Serbia of some criminals in non-state military uniforms and armed who appeared in Banjska with the language of heavy weaponry and were annihilated by the defenders of the constitutional order of Kosovo," Albanian Prime Minister was stating.

 

Berlin process/ Conclusions of Finance Ministers Ministerial Meeting of Western Balkans approved (Radio Tirana)

 

Tirana was the center of the meeting of the ministers of economy of the countries involved in the Berlin Process, of the representatives of the European Union, who discussed the Common Regional Market (TPR), as an objective towards the Single Market of the EU. In the framework of Albania's chairmanship of the Berlin Process, as well as for the preparation of the next Summit of the Berlin Process, which will take place on October 16, 2023, in Tirana, the Forum of Ministers of Economy of the Berlin Process reflected the achievements, priorities and the main challenges in the implementation of the Action Plan for the Common Regional Market. According to the press release, the ministers also discussed the advancement of regional integration through the Berlin Process, as an important instrument for accelerating the region's economic cooperation with the European Union. At this meeting, the conclusions were also approved, which were published by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The ministers emphasized that the early alignment with the EU Single Market has been achieved through trade agreements between the EU and its candidates, through Stabilization-Association Agreements and through CEFTA, between the candidates themselves. These agreements are important to achieve the first level of economic convergence and a free trade area, as a first step towards EU membership. The ministers expressed strong support for the further economic alignment of the Western Balkans with the EU Single Market, through the EU enlargement process, as a mutual benefit for the region and for the EU. Ministers called for the further extension and acceleration of integration into individual EU programs and policies, as defined in the methodology of the EU accession negotiations. Further implementation of the European Commission's Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, which aims at closer integration of the region with the EU, focusing on trade in goods, e-commerce and integration into sustainable value chains, is appreciated as a valuable step in the future. The ministers asked for the expansion of cooperation with the EU, to create foundations on the current important examples such as the CEFTA - Transport Community (TCT) initiative that presents the Green Lanes within the Western Balkans, their expansion to border crossing points (BCPs) with the EU and the RCC-led initiative to reduce roaming costs between the WB6 and the EU. The ministers also appreciated the connection of the Memorandums of Understanding between the four countries of the Western Balkans and the three neighboring EU member states, which enabled the electronic exchange of customs data, with the aim of speeding up the clearance of goods and reducing the waiting time. The ministers invited the remaining countries of the Western Balkans to conclude similar agreements with their neighboring EU member states. The ministers called for new efforts to be made to improve the EU-Western Balkans customs cooperation, in order to fully implement the respective memoranda. Currently, their implementation is hampered by restrictions on customs cooperation. Ministers welcomed the EU's decision to extend the Trans-European Transport Network to the Western Balkans and stressed the need to improve regional road and rail infrastructure. Ministers welcomed the adoption of the EU's Safe and Sustainable Transport Program at the WBIF Board Meeting in Oslo. Ministers welcomed the work on the road map for taking forward the Green Lanes, EU-CEFTA/Western Balkans, for the establishment of coordinated border management at EU-Western Balkan border crossing points, as well as the proposal for a second phase of the Facilitation Program of Trade and Transport (FPTT). The second phase should support the implementation of the map of measures related to trade and the improvement of border crossing infrastructure. Taking into account the achievements under the Regional Supplier Development program implemented by the Western Balkan Chambers Investment Forum 6 (WB6 CIF) and welcoming the role played by the private sector in the implementation of the TPR, the Ministers expressed strong support for the continuation of this program led by WB6 CIF. Ministers supported the further linking of this program with national support mechanisms in the region, to ensure the participation of SMEs in multinational supply chains and the creation of new regional partnerships between BP6 companies. Ministers welcomed the continuation of cooperation through the Regional Challenge Fund (RCF) in the Western Balkans initiated by BMZ and KfW and implemented by the Investment Forum of Western Balkan Chambers 6 (WB6 CIF) to support youth employment and economic growth. They support the continuation of this program through vocational training and job creation to offer young people better prospects in their country. Ministers welcomed the recent announcement by EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on a New Development Plan for the region. Ministers encouraged the proposal to work together on joint projects inspired by the success of current EU initiatives in digital transformation and the green agenda such as WiFi4EU, 5G, cross-border corridors and sustainable and smart mobility. Ministers agreed that this new EU policy should provide effective and result-oriented means to bring the citizens and businesses of the Western Balkans closer to the EU Single Market.