LOCAL PRESS

 

Dacic: Trump interested in resolving Kosovo issue (TV Happy)

 

“Trump is interested in resolving the Kosovo issue. Trump needs a foreign policy success and this would be a lasting solution for Kosovo that cannot be reached without a solution with Serbia,” Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told TV Happy. He says Trump has realized that this cannot occur without agreement with Serbia, and that the Albanians also realized this,  as well as some European countries. “Now is the right moment, the Americans are in a hurry over elections. Mogherini is also in a hurry. On the other side, those who don’t wish a solution, they are not in a hurry,” says Dacic, alluding to the stand of the provisional institutions in Pristina.

“If Biden returns, I don’t know how it will reflect on Serbia, honestly, since there is his boulevard in Pristina. We will not be happy with this administration, that is why I cheer for Trump, since he defeated Clinton, if nothing else,” said Dacic. He announced that new withdrawals of recognition of independence of Kosovo would occur, recalling that 13 countries had already done so over the past five years. “Serbian citizens, the number of UN member states that recognize independence of Kosovo will soon fall down to below half,” said Dacic, adding his goal was for six more countries to withdraw recognition for this to occur. He explains that out of 193 UN states, 91 surely didn’t recognize Kosovo, some did but do not vote, and Serbia needs 97 votes in order to have majority. “In order to be 100 percent sure, we need six more countries. I want these six countries to finalize, and then to retire,” said Dacic.

 

Dacic: Belgrade’s position in negotiations is delineation (Tanjug/RTV)

 

Belgrade’s proposal in the negotiations with Pristina is the idea on delineation, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said. Asked by a journalist whether Belgrade’s official position for resolving the Kosovo issue is to discuss delineation, he said: “To resolve our problem in such a way, that is our official offer.” Dacic says the possible delineation has not been defined yet even though the idea is in play. Dacic says that President Vucic has given the idea on delineation in principle, that this is a principle and the only realistic way of reaching compromise, but that this idea has not been elaborated in the dialogue. “When he started talking about this, about delineation, that we want something like that at all, everybody jumped and attacked him. Only two options existed so far: either Kosovo is a province, or it is independent, nothing else was discussed,” said Dacic. Asked what does delineation, which was proposed by Vucic, imply, Dacic says this was only an idea that needs to be placed on the agenda and to be materialized.

 

Kenya does not recognize Kosovo (RTS/Tanjug)

 

Serbian parliament speaker Maja Gojkovic began her visit to the Republic of Kenya, first in the history of parliamentary relations with the country, with a meeting with the speaker of the parliament of Kenya Justin Muturi, who had invited her. Gojkovic and Muturi signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the two parliaments, institutionalizing the parliamentary cooperation and opening up new opportunities to intensify cooperation between the parliamentary committees and friendship groups, as well as at the multilateral level. Gojkovic stressed that this is a historic visit being the first parliamentary visit in the history of relations between the two countries and the first visit of any kind in decades. The two countries share more than just historic ties, they continue to build their friendship to this day, said Gojkovic thanking Kenya for not making decisions contrary to Serbia’s interests in international forums. Gojkovic thanked Kenya for not recognizing the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija and respecting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. She went on to brief Muturi on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and Pristina’s unilateral acts such as the establishment of the so-called Kosovo army and imposition of a 100% customs tax on goods from Serbia proper and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Muturi said that Kenya respects UNSC Resolution 1244 and, as a country that believes in and respects international law, does not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija. Muturi said that Kenya’s stance on the matter will remain firm, adding that he supports dialogue and finding a sustainable, peaceful solution. Gojkovic and Muturi agreed that the Memorandum of Cooperation opens a new chapter of the two countries’ shared history as it makes it possible to intensify cooperation between the committees on foreign affairs, defense, agriculture, education, health, culture as well as between parliamentary friendship groups, and to exchange experiences of the legislative process and the parliament’s supervisory role. Gojkovic said that the goal is to encourage the MPs and governments to work toward advancing overall cooperation and have it reach and exceed heights it previously had in the Non-Aligned Movement. Gojkovic said, to encourage this cooperation, the Serbian parliament established a friendship group with Kenya, and invited parliament speaker Muturi to come and visit Serbia.

Gojkovic also met with the speaker of the Kenyan Senate Kenneth Lusaka who opined that the long and friendly relations between the two countries, dating back to the times of Kenya’s independence and cooperation in the Non-Aligned Movement, are an excellent basis to keep developing the relationship further in the changing new world. Speaking of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija, Lusaka restated that Kenya respects international law and stands firm by its position. Gojkovic and Lusaka also discussed the cooperation in international organizations such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union where the two countries’ respective delegations are very active, and Gojkovic invited the Senate Speaker to the 141th IPU Assembly to be held in Belgrade in October.

 

Mogherini: Talks morning after Pristina drops taxes, I’ll lock us in (B92/Tanjug)

 

Until Pristina lifts, suspends, or revokes taxes on goods from central Serbia, there are no conditions for continued dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini told reporters in Brussels on Monday. “Until then, I do not see the conditions for a successful new round of talks in the dialogue. Having said that, at the moment when the conditions would be there, I am ready not only to call for a high-level meeting of the dialogue on the following morning, but also to lock us up for however long it takes, be it one week, one month or three months. I am sure we can usefully benefit from a positive environment, if we get it, to achieve a comprehensive agreement, legally binding, on full normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. But I wait for the right conditions to be there and so far I have not seen moves in that direction,” she said.

 

Djilas meets Zaev in Skopje (RTS)

 

The founder of the Alliance for Serbia (SzS) Dragan Djilas has visited North Macedonia at the invitation of this country’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. “Zaev and Djilas discussed the situation in the region, and especially underlined the importance of the efforts of everyone, both the authorities and the opposition, at improving relations between the two countries and two friendly nations,” the SzS announced. Djilas congratulated Zaev on the reached historical agreement with Greece, stressing that he had deservedly found himself among the nominees for the Nobel Prize for peace, together with his Greek colleague Alexis Tsipras. He says they discussed the current situation in Serbia, as well as the two-month citizen protests. Starting from the fact that they share the same social-democrat values, Zaev and Djilas agreed cooperation of the Social-Democrat Alliance of Macedonia and the organization that Djilas will form in the following period, it is concluded in the SzS statement.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Covic: No agreement on formation of authorities at B&H level (Srna)

 

No agreement was reached on the formation of authorities at the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) level at a meeting held between the leaders of the SNSD, HDZ and SDA, Milorad Dodik, Dragan Covic and Bakir Izetbegovic, Covic has said. Covic told reporters after the meeting that they only agreed to meet again in two to three days. He assessed the meeting, that was held in the office of the Chairman of the B&H Presidency, Milorad Dodik, as a great progress. Dodik and Covic insist that a candidate for the chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers be nominated as soon as possible, but the Bosniak and Croatian members of the Presidency, Sefik Dzaferovic and Zeljko Komsic, are making it conditional upon B&H’s path to NATO. Covic has said that he is optimistic that a chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers will be nominated soon and that the authorities at the level of B&H will be formed. “I do not see a reason to procrastinate a decision on nomination of a chairman” Covic told reporters after a meeting with the leaders of the SNSD and the SDA. He has said that they did not discuss people to be nominated to the Council of Ministers, noting that it is necessary to distribute ministries first. Covic has said that the HDZ B&H presidency held a meeting in Mostar and agreed that the Federation of B&H Parliament, namely, the Federation of B&H House of Peoples, needs to be formed as soon as possible, that the Federation of B&H budget needs to be adopted and that Bosniak and Croatian members of the Federation of B&H House of Peoples need to be nominated. “Everything will be done on Wednesday, we have a necessary majority to do it,” Covic has concluded.

 

Dodik: SNSD unavoidable factor in establishment of authority at B&H level (Srna)

 

SNSD Leader Milorad Dodik has stated that this party is unavoidable factor in the establishment of authority at the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) level, as it has the capacity in both the House of Representative and the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of B&H.

"The SNSD with its coalition partners and the capacity it has nine deputies in the House of Representatives, and four out of five deputies in the House of Peoples are the SNSD members, we are an unavoidable factor" Dodik told reporters after the meeting with the leaders of the HDZ B&H, Dragan Covic, and SDA, Bakir Izetbegovic. Dodik, who is also the chairman of the B&H Presidency, has said that there is no particular problem that the chairman of the Council of Ministers is from the ranks of Serb people, Zoran Tegeltija, adding that this could have been done even before the New Year, as the Collegium of the House of Representatives was formed. "We believe that this should have been done before, and then we could have been dealing with some other issues," Dodik said, adding that the SNSD's position is that the formation of the Council of Ministers should be completed. According to him, "old holders of power" in the joint institutions of B&H employed more than 400 people after the elections, which is unacceptable. Dodik has said that after establishing the authority, we will see how this incorrect and illegal employment will be solved, which secure livelihood for all former officials. "I am of the opinion that it is not good. Political options that are given power should appoint their own people. We will never get a compact structure to deal with jobs in this way, but will deal with political craziness about many things," Dodik has said.

 

Results of early Elections for Mayors in B&H (Fena)

 

According to preliminary, unofficial and incomplete results of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), the highest number of votes in the early elections for Mayor of Doboj won an independent candidate Boris Jerinic, who won 89.40 percent of the vote.

HDZ candidate Stjepan Piljic was elected as mayor of Domaljevac-Samac municipality, while candidate of SNSD Nebojsa Karac received the highest number of votes in the early elections for the mayor of Ribnik municipality. For the Mayor of Bosanski Petrovac, the highest number of votes was given by Independent candidate Dejan Prosic (29 percent), while SDA candidate Mersudin Nanic is the new chief of Buzim. According to preliminary results, SNSD candidate Dusica Runic is the new head of the Drvar municipality, and SNSD candidate Mirko Curic received the most votes in early elections for mayor of Trebinje. Independent candidate Milorad Gligic received the highest number of votes in the early elections for the mayor of Bosansko Grahovo municipality, and SDA candidate Aldin Sljivo received the highest number of votes in the early elections for the mayor of Kakanj municipality.

 

Kovacevic: Convincing election victory confirms SNSD dominance (Srna)

 

Convincing victory achieved by candidates of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) in early mayoral elections in several local communities in Republika Srpska (RS) and in Drvar in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirms the party’s dominance in the political scene, SNSD spokesman Radovan Kovacevic told Srna. "The election has confirmed that people have the most confidence in the SNSD and we can even say they have confidence only in the SNSD” said Kovacevic.  The SNSD is grateful for the support from citizens and congratulates its candidates and a joint candidate backed by the party in Doboj, he said. "We don’t want to gloat in any way. We expect the new mayors to perform their duties with ultimate responsibility and start finishing the work their residents expect done as soon as possible. We will have maximum support from the Government and all other institutions of RS” emphasized Kovacevic. In the early mayoral elections held on Sunday, SNSD candidates won in Trebinje, Ribnik and Drvar, while the joint candidate backed by the party triumphed in Doboj.  The SNSD lost the race in the remaining two municipalities in the Federation of B&H - Bosanski Petrovac and Bosansko Grahovo. SNSD vice-president Zeljka Cvijanovic has said that the SNSD is the winner of early local elections and that the election results are expected. Cvijanovic has said that it is good that the elections passed without any problems. “I refer to Trebinje, Ribnik and Drvar, as well as to the candidate for Doboj mayor. I congratulate all the winners. I expect the work to resume without any hindrances and communities where elections were held to continue to cooperate with the Republika Srpska Government in the implementation of numerous projects, as was the case until now, which voters recognized” Cvijanovic told RS Radio. Early local elections were held on Sunday in two cities and seven municipalities in RS and the Federation of B&H.

 

Law on amendments to law on B&H flag unconstitutional (Srna)

 

Bearing in mind that the procedures for adopting amendments to this law have not been completed, it can be concluded that the B&H flag has been unconstitutionally and illegally hoisted at the buildings of the judicial institutions for years. The Law on Amendments to the Law on B&H Flag, which stipulates that no other flag may be hoisted next to the flag of B&H stipulating fines in case it happens is invalid, unconstitutional and has never been confirmed in the B&H Presidency nor this decision has ever been published in the "Official Gazette of B&H", B&H Presidency General Secretariat confirmed to Srna. B&H Presidency General Secretariat’s reply to Srna that the procedure for adoption of these amendments, which is defined by Article 1 paragraph 6 of the B&H Constitution, regulating the symbol issue, has never been completed. "B&H will have at its disposal the symbols determined by the decision of the Parliamentary Assembly and confirmed by the Presidency of B&H," the Constitution reads. However, the B&H Presidency has never completed its part of the job. "Granting approval to the Law on Amendments to the Law on B&H Flag ("Official Gazette of B&H "23/04/) has never been reviewed at the sessions of the B&H Presidency. Accordingly, no decision was published in the Official Gazette of B&H" said Secretary General of the B&H Presidency, Zoran Djeric. The complex issue of B&H symbols display began to unfold when B&H Presidency Chair Milorad Dodik demanded the RS flag to be hoisted in the Presidency building, which caused series of reactions by the remaining two members of the B&H Presidency and continuous condemnations, primarily by Bosniak politicians and academic community. It could be heard then that the amendments to the Law on Flag of B&H prohibit the display of any other flag next to the B&H flag, and in case something similar happens, fines will be imposed. However, no one has ever said that the law they were referring to, in fact was not adopted as the procedures were not completed until the B&H Presidency makes a decision and publishes it in the "Official Gazette of B&H". The first Law on the Flag of B&H adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly was published in the Official Gazette of B&H No. 19/01 and the content of that law passed the entire constitutional procedure as it was confirmed by the B&H Presidency’s decision which was also published in the "Official Gazette of B&H" no. 28/01 of November 13, 2001. Amendments to this Law on B&H Flag, to which the opponents of RS’s flag being taken into joint institutions are referring, were adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of B&H and published in the Official Gazette No. 23/04, but it has never been confirmed by the Presidency of B&H, which the reply by Secretary General to the B&H Presidency to Srna also confirms. The chronology of the events proves that the amendments to the Law on Flag of B&H from 2004 are not in force since the constitutional procedure defined in Article 1 paragraph 6 of the B&H Constitution has not been implemented. The amendments to this law, which have never been adopted, stipulate that no other flags may be displayed next to the flag of B&H, except in the case of the B&H Armed Forces, but also that the flag of B&H will be hoisted on the buildings of the Court and the Prosecutor's Office of B&H, as well as the Central Election Commission. Bearing in mind that the procedures for adopting amendments to this law have not been completed, it can be concluded that the B&H flag has been hoisted unconstitutionally and illegally at the buildings of the judicial institutions for year, since the B&H Presidency has yet to declare about these amendments and decide whether to confirm them.

 

Ratko Mladic complains to The Hague Tribunal about his deteriorating health (Fena)

 

Former Bosnian Serb Army commander Ratko Mladic, who is appealing against his first-instance conviction for genocide and other crimes, has again complained to the UN court in The Hague that his health is deteriorating. “My health continues to fail. I am not a doctor, so I do not know what is causing that” Ratko Mladić told a status conference at the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague on Monday. The 75-year-old former Bosnian Serb Army commander said however that medical documents provided by staff at the UN Detention Unit staff reiterated in that his condition was stable and unchanged. Mladic has had several serious health problems while in detention and has suffered two strokes and one heart attack. He has repeatedly complained about the medical treatment he has received in detention. In May last year, his request for contempt of court proceedings against healthcare officers at the UN Detention Unit was rejected. Mladic’s defense claimed that they were responsible for the deterioration of the defendant’s health. Prior to that, the former Bosnian Serb military chief’s lawyers have asked for the pronouncement of his verdict to be postponed, for doctors to punished and for Mladic to be released for treatment, insisting that he has not received adequate care at the Detention Unit and that he needed hospitalization. In November 2017, the UN court sentenced Mladic to life imprisonment, finding him guilty of genocide in Srebrenica, persecution of Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, terrorizing the population of Sarajevo and taking UN peacekeepers hostage. Mladic was acquitted of genocide charges in six other Bosnian municipalities. Both the defense and the prosecution are appealing. Mladic has been held in detention since May 2011, when he was arrested in Serbia and sent to The Hague.

 

Macedonia learned from Montenegro to solve problems by itself (Pobjeda)

 

Small countries like Montenegro and Macedonia, must act smartly since we don’t have much resources and we must use the best we have. I think that’s the whole logic of the Alliance. We can’t all be specialized in all issues but we can have advantages in some of them and offer them to our allies, said Macedonian Minister of Defense, Radmila Sekerinska, during the NATO summit held in Brussels last week. In the conversation with Montenegrin journalists, Sekerinska said that during the entire negotiation process with NATO, official Skopje had great support of Montenegro. “When we got the new government in 2017, several days later Montenegro entered the Alliance and I was invited to deliver a speech at the ceremony in Skopje organized by the Montenegrin Embassy. I said then, and I still think so, that Montenegro serves us as an inspiration and that even in the hardest of circumstances, one should think about the strategic objective. You’ve been through a very difficult political period, and we’ve even been through the violence and very deep political crisis. Despite everything, we managed to unite our state” said Sekerinska. She points out that her department has had a very intense cooperation with Montenegrin Ministry of Defense. They used our experience as an example. She states that Macedonian transition won’t be easy. “Resources are required, people are necessary, we must act fast. We have been working a lot with my Montenegrin counterpart and did so many projects of bilateral cooperation and transformation of armed forces,” said Sekerinska. Asked if Macedonia is faced with strong Russian pressure, just like Montenegro, she said that there had been several statements made by official Moscow related to Macedonian NATO accession being an act against Russia. “We want to be on good terms with Russia too, but our strategic objective has been defined since 1993. EU and NATO membership is our goal. We don’t agree with those saying that Macedonian NATO membership means NATO expansion towards the east. We decide about our own future but we want good relations with everyone,” said Sekerinska.

 

Zaev and Ahmeti cannot agree on a joint candidate, but agree that they can have one (Meta)

 

At the moment, we have not agreed on a joint, consensual presidential candidate, but we have concluded that there is a basis for us to come up with such a candidate. After party consultations this week, we will discuss the matter again, but after party consultations take place, said Prime Minister and SDSM leader Zoran Zaev, after the meeting with DUI leader Ali Ahmeti.

At the summit between the two parties – coalition partners in the government, there was talk of more possible names for joint presidential candidates, but Zaev did not want to disclose any of the names. When asked if he himself was considering running, he said that for now, he will remain in executive power. “You know that before anything else, I am an economist, I am devoted to the economy and to the reforms ahead, so for now, I remain in executive power,” Zaev said.

 

SDSM and the coalition have reached an agreement for a joint presidential candidate (Meta)

 

A general agreement on a leadership level was reached, for the parties of the Coalition led by SDSM to stand behind a joint candidate for a president of the state and for joint campaigning at the forthcoming presidential elections, starting from the first round, informs the party. “It was agreed that wider consultations within the parties themselves to continue, that are part of the coalition, for the selection of the most appropriate joint candidate for the country’s president. SDSM’s President, Zoran Zaev, in the name of the Coalition, will continue the consultations with the parties of the Albanian block of the government’s coalition, including other parliamentary and nonparliamentary parties, from the government and the opposition, for the possibility of finding a joint candidate for a president of the state, a candidate that will be supported by the citizens,” said the press release.

 

Opposition decides to burn mandates, EU-US Ambassadors meet Prime Minister (ADN)

 

At a time when the opposition decided to burn the MP mandates, EU Ambassador Luigi Soreca and US Ambassador Leyla Moses-Ones, arrived in the Prime Ministry on Monday afternoon.

The two diplomats are holding a meeting with the Prime Minister Edi Rama and the topic of discussion is thought to be precisely the political situation created in the country after the protest of February 16th. A few minutes before this meeting, the Democratic Party (DP) Leader, Lulzim Basha received the support of his allies of other parties, who unanimously decided to give up MP mandates. EU Rapporteur for Albania in the European Parliament, Knut Fleckenstein has reacted on the last decision of the opposition to burn all MP mandates. Fleckenstein said that this is not the first time that EU face this kind of situation with the Albanian opposition which want to refuse to be part of parliament. But he reminded that the opposition's duty is to offer a political alternative out of the ruling majority. "It is in the opposition's hand and its MPs to decide if they want to give up from their mandates or not," said Fleckenstein.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

On Kosovo: 3 presidents and a prime minister (politico.eu, by Andrew Gray, 19 February 2019)

 

Trump and the EU are calling for a peace deal — but interviews with key players show it’s a big ask.

MUNICH — The good news is they got on really badly. That’s about the only thing the presidents of Serbia and Kosovo agreed upon after an acrimonious public debate at the weekend that laid bare how hard it will be for them to seal a peace deal, even two decades after the 1998-1999 war between their nations. Both Kosovo’s Hashim Thaçi and Serbia’s Aleksandar Vučić said their bad-tempered exchange was useful because it buried any false hopes that they will reach a quick agreement. Still, they face strong Western pressure to push ahead. In their discussion at the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of leaders, lawmakers and policy experts from around the world at a luxurious hotel, Vučić and Thaçi traded accusations about the war and argued over who is to blame for the current breakdown in the EU-sponsored dialogue meant to tackle their differences. But the EU and the U.S. are urging the leaders to get things back on track. Donald Trump has written letters encouraging them to pursue a deal, which would draw a line under the last in a series of wars that tore Yugoslavia apart in the 1990s. For the EU, an accord would greatly reduce the chances of the frozen conflict between Serbia and Kosovo flaring back to life. Both the EU and U.S. are also keen to bind the Western Balkans closer to the West, thus reducing the influence of Russia, Turkey and other rival powers in the region. At the heart of the dispute is Kosovo’s status. The territory, whose population is mainly ethnic Albanian, declared independence from Serbia 11 years ago and has been recognized by more than 100 countries. But Serbia regards it as a breakaway province and that view is backed by countries such as Russia, China and five EU members. Western leaders hope the end of a long-running dispute between Balkan neighbors Greece and the now-renamed North Macedonia will encourage Kosovo and Serbia to follow suit. In Munich, Johannes Hahn, the EU’s commissioner for relations with its neighbors, urged Vučić and Thaçi to aim for a deal before the current Commission’s term ends in the fall. But Saturday’s rancorous debate shows just what a tall order that is. Over the weekend in Munich, POLITICO spoke to three men who will determine how things play out — Vučic, Thaçi and Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj — as well as Montenegrin President Milo Ðukanović, whose country borders both Kosovo and Serbia. Critics of all four leaders say they preside over “stabilitocracies” — governments that claim to support Western values but are authoritarian and corrupt. Vučić and Djukanović are facing street protests while Kosovo has been hit by strikes. But none of the four looks likely to be leaving the political scene any time soon.

Here’s a summary of what they had to say.

 

Aleksandar Vučić: Looking for a legacy

In a hotel meeting room on Saturday evening, Vučić’s voice boomed in frustration at some points while at other times he spoke almost in a whisper. He made clear he won’t go back to the negotiating table until Kosovo lifts 100 percent tariffs imposed on Serbian goods last November in response to Belgrade’s efforts to block Pristina’s membership of police agency Interpol. But if the tariffs are scrapped, he said, he would go “immediately back to Brussels” to resume dialogue.

Informed that Haradinaj, the driving force behind the tariffs, had said they would only be removed once a final deal is reached, Vučić replied: “I thought that he was irresponsible but not that irresponsible.” He called for outside powers to exercise “positive pressure” on all sides — making clear they want to see a deal and offering incentives to help bring it about. But he said: “It’s more about us, Serbs and Albanians, to tell you the truth.” He said the two sides have to be free to discuss where to draw a common border — even though talk of a possible land swap has triggered condemnation in the region and split international powers. Vučić played down the EU’s enthusiasm for the idea that the North Macedonia deal could generate momentum for a settlement between Serbia and Kosovo. “It shows that Europe needed some good news, more than it is very much relevant regarding the situation between Belgrade and Pristina,” he said.

“It cannot be compared … It’s 100 times more difficult.” But, he stressed, a deal had to be done: “Otherwise we’ll face a catastrophe.” Vučić said he is motivated by a higher purpose than day-to-day politics in pursuing a deal with Kosovo that may be unpopular at home. “I believe in someone’s legacy, that’s what I would like to see,” he said.

 

Hashim Thaçi: Man in the middle

The former political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrilla group that fought Serb rule, Thaçi finds himself in a tight spot. Last year, he raised the idea of “border correction,” under which some of Kosovo’s territory may be traded away in an effort to secure a deal. But the deal hasn’t happened and his rival Haradinaj, a former KLA commander, has won popular support for imposing the tariffs on Serbia and ruling out any border change. Speaking to a small group of reporters in a corridor of the Munich hotel, Thaçi made clear he takes a softer line on the tariffs than Haradinaj. He suggested they could be dealt with in a parallel process while talks over the peace deal resume. “Politics is about being creative,” he said. Asked if Kosovo was now speaking with two voices, he switched from Albanian to English to reply: “We have one voice — everybody’s for dialogue, for negotiation, and for the agreement.” On his relationship with Haradinaj, he said: “Even inside a family, people have differences … We were co-fighters and we won the war and we worked for the independence together and now we work for the final agreement.” Although Kosovo’s parliament has now established a negotiating platform that rules out border changes, Thaçi declined to say the idea is off the table. “We have to come to an agreement on where the border is, and recognize each other’s border,” he said. As for Vučić’s tough on-stage rhetoric, Thaçi said he is unmoved. “I’m used to his drama and his acting,” he said. Thaçi is likely relying on international pressure to get Haradinaj to move on the tariffs and help ensure he retains a big say in any negotiations with Belgrade. “We must listen to the advice of the United States and the EU,” he said.

 

Ramush Haradinaj: The hard-liner

The battle between Haradinaj and Thaçi has further complicated efforts to reach a deal. Both men are lobbying hard for support from European and American politicians, with international public affairs companies advising them. In an interview on Saturday, Haradinaj didn’t hold back. He took aim at EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini for not ruling out border changes and said Thaçi has no choice but to drop the idea. He said Serbia should see recognizing Kosovo as a moral duty, to atone for killings and other war crimes by Serb forces. “Recognition should be coming as an apology for tragedies caused to our country, our people,” he said. Haradinaj said it would be “unlawful and unconstitutional” for Thaçi to pursue border changes now that parliament has agreed its negotiating stance. “He has not much room to maneuver,” he said of the president. “He will find his way to cope with that.” Haradinaj said Mogherini’s stance on border change is a “big mistake.” “She harmed not only our region but Europe as well,” he said, suggesting the idea would be seized upon by Russia's Vladimir Putin to redraw boundaries on the territory of the old Soviet Union. Despite his hard-line rhetoric, Haradinaj said “with political will, an agreement is possible this year.”

 

Milo Ðukanović: Worried neighbor

Ðukanović has held power far longer than even other regional veterans such as Vučić and Thaçi. His party has been in government continuously since 1990. He suggested the international community should have stuck to the line that border changes are taboo. Some countries, such as Germany, still support that stance but the U.S. and the EU have given Belgrade and Pristina the green light to explore changes. “This whole story about the change of borders has now been put on the table and I would say it got a certain level of legitimacy from the international community,” Ðukanović said. He referred back to the wars of the 1990s, during which nationalists advocated drawing borders along ethnic lines. (Both Ðukanović and Vučić were allied early in their careers with Serb nationalist leader Slobodan Milošević before switching to pursue more pro-Western foreign policies.) “Everyone should be very, very careful when presenting any solution that involves a change of borders in our region,” Ðukanović said.

He said the North Macedonia deal shows what could happen when leaders on both sides conclude a deal is in their interests. But he said even if Kosovo and Serbia reach a settlement, there will be an even tougher nut still to crack. “After this problem, we will be left with the most serious problem in the region, that’s Bosnia,” Ðukanović said. The peace deal that ended the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina is widely seen as having left the country with a highly dysfunctional political system. “We will have to deal with Bosnia in a much more serious way … with a wider range of participants,” he said. “It will be very complicated to find a formula for Bosnia.”