LOCAL PRESS

Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to continue in the fall (Novosti)

Even though outgoing EU High Representative Catherine Ashton is trying to gather once again Belgrade and Pristina officials at the Brussels table, the continuation of the dialogue on normalization of relations will not occur before September, Novosti learns. Calm is not only at the high level, but working groups of the two sides that deal with concrete solutions have not been meeting as well. Novosti was told in Brussels that the EU has invested much effort in the negotiations and it doesn’t want to miss the opportunity to complete the commenced process. Ashton’s spokesperson Maja Kocijancic tells Novosti that she expects the government in Pristina to be formed soon: “This would accelerate the resolution of many challenges, including the resumption of the dialogue.” Even though elections for the European parliament were held last month, which will automatically determine the new composition of top European institutions, the current composition of the European Commission remains on duty until the end of 2014, meaning that Ashton will have half a year to make a new shift in the dialogue.

Kosovo Serbs to meet Vucic (Novosti)

Kosovo Serb leaders will meet today or during the weekend with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, with whom they will discuss possible participation in the future government in Pristina, but also the dispute on reserved mandates in the provincial assembly. “Official elections results will be announced when the counting of votes of displaced persons is finished, which is expected in the course of next week,” the leader of the Serb list Aleksandar Jablanovic tells Novosti. He points out that the same rule on distribution of mandates should apply for the Serb community as for the Albanians, and according to these rules the Serb list won more than 16 seats. Other Serb representatives claim they will not enter any “political mathematics” before they know the final number of Serb votes. For now it is certain that out of the ten guaranteed mandates, nine will be for the Serb list, while one will most probably go to the Progressive Democratic Party led by Nenad Rasic.

Serbian parliament adopts decision on participation in multinational operations (RTS)

The Serbian parliament adopted today the plan for using the Serbian Army and other defense forces in multinational operations in 2014 and the decision on participation of Serbian Army members in multinational operations in 2014. The adoption of these documents creates the possibility for engaging Serbian Army members this year in seven new UN multinational operations and one EU operation, apart from the six UN and two EU operations where they are already present. The new missions that the Serbian Army will join if it receives an invitation from the UN or EU, will be in Western Sahara, Mali, Kashmir, South Sudan and Sudan, and this would imply increase of the number of Serbian soldiers in international missions from around 300, as much as they are deployed at this moment, to 420.

Serbia and RS to mark together 28 June (RTS)

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic announced in Belgrade that Serbia and the Republika Srpska (RS) would mark on 28 June Vidovdan – the day of the Serbian battle against the Ottoman Empire in Kosovo in 1389. At a press conference with the RS President Milorad Dodik, film director Emir Kusturica and Serbian Culture Minister Ivan Tasovac, Vucic explained there are several reasons to observe Vidovdan together, including the marking of the centennial of the start of the First World War and the opening of Andricgrad, a town dedicated to famous writer Ivo Andric, in Visegrad, RS.

Deniau: Donors’ conference for Serbia in July (Tanjug)

“A donors’ conference to raise funds for the overhaul of consequences of floods in Serbia and the region will be held in July,” said French Ambassador to Serbia Francois-Xavier Deniau at a reception marking the centennial of the start of the First World War. He said that the conference, to be organized by France, represented an excellent illustration of the fact that the French-Serbian friendship has its roots in history and that it was projected in the joint future of an increasingly closer alliance within the European family. The preparations for the gathering are under way and are being held in cooperation with the EU, he said.

REGIONAL PRESS

Central ceremony of start of the Great War to be marked in Andricgrad, RS (Srna)

At a session in Banja Luka, the government of the Republika Srpska (RS) decided that the central ceremony marking the centennial of the Sarajevo Assassination and the start of the First World War should be held in Andricgrad, near Visegrad, on 28 June. “Serbia, as a state, will be attending the ceremony and several accompanying events will be organized, it was said in talks between the RS President Milorad Dodik and Serbian Culture Minister Ivan Tasovac. Dodik said that not a single official from the RS will be attending the ceremony in Sarajevo on the same occasion as the anniversary has been politicized there. The same message was sent by a member of the B&H Presidency representing Serbs Nebojsa Radmanovic, who pointed out in a letter to the EU that the authorities in Sarajevo have put that event in the context of the civil war in B&H in 1990s and thus neglected the basic ideas of reconciliation.

Croatian fans set on fire B&H flags (Klix.ba)

Following the soccer match between Brazil and Croatia, unknown perpetrators set on fire five B&H flags and the premises of the Patriotic League in Kiseljak, the police confirmed. “Apart from the flags, part of the premises that was also set on fire is the office of the Patriotic League. The case was reported to the police, which conducted an on-site investigation,” Klix.ba quotes the President of the Patriotic League from Kiseljak Senad Bejtic as having said. He said that he considered this an attack on the state, because state flags were set on fire. Kiseljak is a place near Sarajevo with a Croat majority population.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Kosovo becomes member of Venice Commission of Council of Europe (RIA Novosti, 13 June 2014)
Kosovo became the 60th member of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe (CE). According to ITAR-TASS, spokesman of CE Secretary General Daniel Holtgen said that the decision was made after the Committee of Ministers meeting. The Venice Commission is an expert advisory body to the Council of Europe on constitutional law. Prior to the adoption of Kosovo it consisted of all 47 states and 12 other CE countries - Algeria, Brazil, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, the United States, Tunisia, Chile and South Korea. Another six states, Belarus, Argentina, Canada, Uruguay, Japan and the Vatican participated in it as observers or associate members. Commission gives an opinion on requests of parliaments, governments and heads of states, the Council of Europe and the European Union. Legal position of the Venice Commission is reflected in more than 50 decisions of the Strasbourg Court. "35 member countries voted for this decision. Six states have opposed, six - abstained. Kosovo is not included in any other institutions of CE," he said.
According to Holtgen, "the most important thing is that now Venice Commission's recommendations in relation to" the republic "will be given without notice." Prior to this, in official documents regarding Kosovo, the authors used to put a standard note: "All references herein Kosovo, territory, institutions and communities should be understood in full compliance with Security Council Resolution 1244 of the United Nations and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo".
Furthermore spokesman CE Secretary General pointed out that Strasbourg can now expect a formal request from the government of Kosovo to join the Council of Europe. "Such request may be received before the end of this year," he suggested.
Serbia, Belarus set to increase economic cooperation (APA, 12 June 2014)
Baku- Trade between Serbia and Belarus quadrupled since last year and its value now exceeds 200 million U.S. dollars with the potential to rise even more, visiting Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said Thursday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
In a joint press conference after meeting with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, the two leaders agreed that economic relations between Serbia and Belarus were expanding, especially in areas of mechanical engineering, agriculture, transport, energy, as well as food and wood processing.
"Economic cooperation is the foundation of relations between our two countries. The value of exchanged goods rose four times since Nikolic visited Minsk (in March 2013). Our aim is to increase it to 500 million U.S. dollars," said Lukashenko.
He underlined there were several Belarus-Serbian joint companies and that his country was ready to establish more of them in order to employ workers from both countries and export products such as tractors, trucks and buses to third markets.
A joint statement signed by both presidents stressed their countries' will to respect international law and the goals of the United Nations to continue cooperation.