LOCAL PRESS

• Dacic: Socialists will never betray Serbs in
  Kosovo and Metohijs (Tanjug/RTV)
• Ljajic: CEFTA is clinically dead (Politika)
• Stoltenberg: I understand bombing is difficult
  topic for Serbs (TV Prva/B92)
• Findings of Commission probing consequences of
  NATO attacks (Beta/B92)
• Jeremic: Protests boil down to Vucic’s
  resignation and free, fair elections (RTV)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

• Dodik: Belgrade needs strength for negotiation
  process with Pristina (Srna)
• Principles of authority formation agreed (Srna)
• Ten principles of forming authority at B&H
  level (Srna)
• Council of Ministers and Security agencies to
  give answers immediately (Srna)
• Ministry of Security gets three days to provide
  information on Croatian Intelligence agencies (Srna)
• Dodik: ICTY not just court, not in service of
  reconciliation (Srna)
• September 9 - Remembrance Day of NATO bombing
  victims (Srna)

Montenegro

• Protests political, ready to talk (RTCG)
• Djukanovic: Perspective of the Western Balkans
  can only be European (CDM)

Republic
of North Macedonia

• Serbia sees Macedonia as the base used to
  organize protests against its government (Republika)
• “Srbija Danas” sees Greater Albania in Zaev-Rama
  meeting (Meta)
• Russia will begin referring to Macedonia as
  “North Macedonia” (Republika)
• France and the Netherlands still reluctant to
  back the start of EU negotiations with Macedonia (Republika/MIA)

Albania

• German Embassy respects opposition's decision of
  'burning' mandates (ADN)
• President Meta appeals for dialogue not to deepen
  crisis (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Western Balkans show improved labour market
  performance (Emerging Europe)

LOCAL PRESS

Dacic:
Socialists will never betray Serbs in Kosovo and Metohijs (Tanjug/RTV)

On the
occasion of 15 years since the pogrom of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, the
leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Ivica Dacic has received
SPS representatives of municipal and district boards from Kosovo and Metohija.
Dacic pointed out that the Socialists will never betray the Serbs in Kosovo and
Metohija, as well as the need for the SPS to work in continuity on supporting
and aiding the provincial organization towards achieving the necessary
conditions for life and survival of the Serbs in the southern Serbian province.
He especially underlined the need for the contribution of the SPS personnel in
performing important state functions to be more expressing towards spreading
the truth on the position of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. Support was
given at the meeting to the commitment of the First Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic on protecting the Serbs and the maximalist efforts
he is investing in diplomatic activities on spreading the truth in the world on
the real position of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. The Kosovo Serbs assess
as immeasurable contribution the withdrawal of recognitions of independence of
so-called state of Kosovo by 13 countries, continued activities towards
rejecting the request for membership in UNESCO and Interpol, as well as special
commitment of Ivica Dacic at the UN Security Council sessions on Kosovo.

The
President of the SPS provincial board Zvonimir Stevic especially marked the
problems faces by the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija in all areas, both in the
north and south of the Ibar River – in Gracanica, Pomoravlje, Kosovska
Kamenica, Gnjilane, Novo Brdo, Vitina, Sirinicka zupa, Strpce, Orahovac, as
well as in Gorazdevac, Klina and Istok. In talks of representatives of Kosovo
Socialists from all areas, they acquainted the SPS leader Ivica Dacic with the
unsustainability of the state-of-affairs in areas where they live, and they
especially pointed to the pressure of the Albanian authorities and constant
incidents and attacks on the Serbs that have been registered over hundred only
in the first half of last year. Even though they are facing almost impossible
living conditions in the province, the representatives of the Socialists from
Kosovo and Metohija voiced firm resoluteness for staying in their homes. They
agreed to continue the regular coordination towards creating conditions for
improving the life of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. The meeting was
attended by high SPS officials Vladan Zagradjanin, Slobodan Milosevic,
Veljko Odalovic, Snezana Paunovic, Dejan Radenkovic and
Ugljesa Markovic.

Ljajic:
CEFTA is clinically dead (Politika)

Serbian
Trade Minister Rasim Ljajic told Politika that,
objectively, the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) is on infusion
and requires recovery in order to maintain life. He stresses that the agreement
founded in 2006 became debatable after Kosovo introduced the 100 percent import
duties on goods from Serbia. Ljajic added Serbia was losing a million Euros per
day. “If CEFTA couldn’t prevent this, the very existence of the agreement on
free trade is under question,” Ljajic said. He says we could form some kind of
CEFTA plus, but it is difficult to implement any agreement without the EU
support.  According to him, the EU must be more included. It needs to put
all issues on the table, remove the trade barriers, adjust the certificates and
liberalize trade,” Ljajic said. He added that at the moment, goods were kept up
to 30 hours at the crossings which, according to him, was a loss of 30 million
hours. “We managed to solve all open issues with North Macedonia, with Bosnia
out of 13, nine are resolved. Goodwill and coordination are necessary,” Ljajic
said.

Stoltenberg:
I understand bombing is difficult topic for Serbs (TV Prva/B92)

NATO will
not withdraw from Camp Bondsteel and will protect all citizens of Kosovo and
Metohija, says Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "We are there to protect all people including the
Serb community," Stoltenberg said in an interview with TV Prva,
and stressed that NATO has no plans to reduce the presence of its troops in
Kosovo. Asked about his view of NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia two decades later,
Stoltenberg said that NATO's task was to end the war and a humanitarian
catastrophe, but also prevent the loss of civilian life. "Every loss of
civilian life is a great tragedy," the official said, adding that he
understands that bombing is still a painful and difficult issue. He said that
he did not expect Serbia to forget the past, but that there should also be
looking at the future and possibilities of cooperation. "Europe is full of
countries that have a complicated past, but they have found ways to progress
together and go to the future," the NATO official said, referring to
Sweden and Norway, France and Germany. As he said, NATO respects Serbia's
position that it does not want to be a member of the alliance and remain
neutral, but it also respects Serbia's desire to be a NATO partner in the fight
against terrorism, floods and the like.

Findings of
Commission probing consequences of NATO attacks (Beta/B92)

“Children
born between 1999 and 2015 have been exposed to a toxic factor that caused them
to be susceptible to malignant diseases,” an investigation by a commission set
up to look into the consequences of NATO’s 1999 bombing of Serbia, presented on
Tuesday, showed this. The Commission’s president Darko Laketic told
reporters at the Serbian parliament that this study focused only children,
because they are less exposed to other risk factors such as smoking.

The
research was conducted in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health named
after Dr. Milan Jovanovic Batut, and showed that the most common tumors in
children aged up to four years are neuroectodermals, while those five to nine
years of age most often suffer from blood tumors.  Leading tumors in
children aged 10-14 and 15-18 are brain and solid tumors, respectively.

“This
research unambiguously shows that several generations in a certain sensitive
period have been exposed to some factor that made them more susceptible to
falling ill with certain malignant diseases, compared to other generations of
the same age,” Laketic said.  Laketic added that Serbia has the funds to
investigate the consequences of the NATO bombing, as well as the experts, but
that he was not certain the country has sufficiently sophisticated equipment -
and will have to either purchase it or rely on foreign partners who have that
equipment. “I have Italians in mind, who handed over the entire documentation
of their commission and offered help with biochemical or toxicological
analyses,” Laketic said. He assessed that the bombing, that started on 24 March
1999, and lasted the following 78 days, had left unprecedented consequences on
Serbia, which he said was a country-victim. It is also a country that must, not
only for its own, but also for civilizational reasons, preserve the truth as a
warning and a lesson to itself and to others. “I’m not sure there is a common
national awareness of the suffering of Serbia in the NATO aggression of 1999,
but such a tragedy in all of Serbian history cannot and must not be forgotten,
or be downplayed or adapted to the needs and interests of large or small
powers,” he said.

Jeremic:
Protests boil down to Vucic’s resignation and free, fair elections (RTV)

Popular
Party leader Vuk Jeremic said on Monday that all the demands by the
opposition and people protesting across Serbia boiled down to President
Aleksandar Vucic’s resignation and an agreement on free and fair
elections.  Jeremic said the protest could become more radical in terms of
civil disobedience before the 13 April deadline for the demands to be met. “The
least painful way out of the current crisis is to call fair elections with free
media six to nine months before they are held. If the authorities refuse that
demand, my opinion is that we should start various forms of civil disobedience
from breaking off classes at universities to blocking traffic and
institutions,” he told Radio and Television of Vojvodina (RTV).
He said things were speeding up, adding that events over the weekend had
changed the situation with more protests to come. Jeremic said the months of
protests, the events at in RTS and protest in front of the
presidency building had shaken Vucic who he said was “showing signs of psychic
destabilization” which is clearly reflected in the arrests of children over the
protests and his latest meetings with foreign officials.  “Dragan Djilas
and I spoke to representatives of the European Council on Foreign Relations after
their meeting with Vucic. They told us that Vucic said that the opposition
controls the RTS because its management was appointed while we were in power.
That can only mean that he is ready to voice notorious lies at any moment or
that this is a case of psychological delirium – in other words he is either a
liar or crazy and I think it’s both,” Jeremic said. The former Serbian foreign
minister said that the West does not want to see Vucic stepping down before he
fulfills his promise to reach an agreement with Kosovo which would then become
a UN member while Serbia would “permanently renounce part of the Kosovo through
demarcation”.

REGIONAL PRESS

Dodik:
Belgrade needs strength for negotiation process with Pristina (Srna)

Serb member
of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Milorad Dodik
believes the latest events in Belgrade are not good for Serbia and that the
time picked to send such a message from the country which needs strength for
negotiation processes with Pristina is wrong. Dodik asserted it would be
logical if all national and political forces in Serbia assembled round the
negotiator, and that everything they need to resolve in politics should be done
in accordance with elections. “Every kind of street events or instability makes
me believe they was created or imposed on Serbia to reduce its power and
strength. That’s how I see it. The legitimately elected institutions and
legally elected president of Serbia should be respected and in relation to that
all things resolved on the day of elections. As far as I can see, that is the
topic of the conversation there - to get to an election,” Dodik told the press
in Banja Luka.

Principles
of authority formation agreed (Srna)

Leaders of
the SNSD, HDZ B&H and SDA, Milorad Dodik, Dragan Covic and
Bakir Izetbegovic, agreed on the text of the statement on the principles
of forming the authorities at the level of B&H in Sarajevo on Monday
evening. The text contains 11 items, from the passing of law to European
integration. There was no discussion on the distribution of ministries in this
evening’s meeting. The meeting was held in the B&H Presidency building in
Sarajevo. SNSD Leader, Milorad Dodik, has stated that it is agreed that the
constituent peoples will get three ministries each in a new Council of
Ministers, and that the Council of Ministers will not be formed until the end
of March. "Having the Council of Ministers formed by the end of March and
before the arrival of Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European
Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, would be good, but it is
impossible as the procedures do not allow it," Dodik told reporters after
a meeting. Dodik said that the Presidency session will be convened when a full
agreement on the establishment of authorities at the B&H level is reached.

"We
thought that we would finish something, but they are delaying things
again," Dodik said.

He
confirmed that the statement on principles of forming a government, which reads
that the Constitution and laws, as well as the positions of all relevant levels
of government in B&H are respected, was agreed at the meeting.
"Article 3 of the statements reads that the integration processes will
continue in accordance with the Constitution and laws, but also with the
positions of other levels of government in B&H," Dodik said.
Commenting on the NATO Membership Action Plan, he stressed that nothing was
respected until 2013, which has now suddenly become a life issue. "We
respect the position of the Republika Srpska (RS) parliament, which reads that
path to NATO is not in the interest of RS and we will act accordingly. If
somebody expects us to change such position in order to enter the Council of Ministers,
then I thank them not for the Council of Ministers," Dodik said. The SNSD
leader reiterated that the procedures related to the formation of the Council
of Ministers after the elections are clear. According to him, it was agreed
that the constituent peoples would get three ministries each in a new Council
of Ministers.

 B&H
HDZ Leader Dragan Covic says that harmonized statement on the principles
of forming authority at the B&H level lists what should, in principle, be
done in accordance with the Constitution and laws. "We have a harmonized
statement on those principles based on which the authority at the B&H level
should work. Now we should try to look for a second step," Covic told
reporters after the meeting. According to him, the statement, which contains 11
items, reads everything that should be done in accordance with the Constitution
and laws. "The statement contains nothing particular, apart from the list
of what should, in principle, be done in accordance with the Constitution and
laws. It precisely lists everything, from the election law, integration
processes, other laws and I believe that nothing is omitted. I believe that we
will not even sign it," Covic said. He said that the distribution of
ministries in the Council of Ministers was not discussed in the meeting because
Izetbegovic requested that these talks be attended by the SDA delegation.

Ten
principles of forming authority at B&H level (Srna)

Leaders of
the SNSD, HDZ and SDA, Milorad Dodik, Dragan Covic and Bakir Izetbegovic,
agreed on ten principles of forming authority at the B&H level, the first
of which is to respect and implement the General Framework Agreement for peace
and its 11 annexes, including the European Convention on Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms, Srna learns from its source in Sarajevo.
Srna’s source emphasizes that the second principle refers to respecting the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of B&H as an element of its
international subjectivity, which is the best guarantor of sustainability of
peace and stability, while respecting the Dayton constitutional structure. The
third principle relates to the continuation of integration processes in
accordance with the Constitution and laws, aligning the positions and interests
of all levels of government in B&H. The leaders agreed that it is necessary
to implement all the rulings issued by local and European courts related to the
B&H Election Law in order to ensure the constitutional and institutional
equality of constituent peoples and citizens, as well as their legitimate
representation throughout B&H, in accordance with the Constitution of
B&H.

 "The
representation of constituent peoples and others is to be ensured in the
institutions at all levels of government in accordance with the constitutions,
while the selection and appointment are to be made according to the criterion
of candidate’s proven competence. To adopt laws and implement measures
necessary to prevent and eliminate discrimination based on ethnic, religious,
ideological or other affiliation and to ensure equality in exercising the
rights to employment, education, social and health care," is the fifth
principle agreed by the leaders of the SNSD, HDZ and SDA. The sixth principle
provides for intensive work on harmonization of local legislation with EU regulations
through the coordination mechanism of the European integration process in
B&H, in order to meet the required conditions for B&H's accession to
the EU, with socio-economic reforms focusing on resolving life issues in
B&H. In the process of B&H's progress towards EU membership, it is
necessary to gradually create the conditions for the institutions of B&H to
assume full sovereignty and end the mandate of the OHR in B&H.

 Srna’s
source states that the seventh principle provides for improvement of economic
development by accelerating the construction of transport, energy and digital
infrastructures, which is of strategic interest to B&H and the region. The
eighth principle reads that measures need to be intensively implemented to
ensure the sustainable return of expelled and displaced persons, and the ninth
principle provides for the independence and competence of the rule of law
institutions to continue efficient combat against all forms of extremism,
organized crime and corruption. "Continue with building good neighborly
relations with Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, while resolving open issues on
the principles of reciprocity, mutual respect and respect for international
law," reads the tenth principle of forming authority at the level of
B&H, agreed by the leaders of the SNSD, HDZ and the SDA. Harmonized
statement on the principles of forming authority at the level of B&H reads
that the three leaders are aware of the responsibility towards the peoples and
citizens of B&H, noting that the current progress is insufficient from the
point of view of the population’s needs, but it represents a good basis for
further political, economic and social reforms and the development of B&H,
as the best response to negative demographic trends and the young people’s departure,
as well as the needs for building a stable, economically prosperous and
socially just society of equal opportunities.

 "We
are ready to form and ensure the stable functioning of the authorities in
B&H, which will continue to implement the necessary legislative,
socio-economic and social reforms that will focus on solving the daily life
issues of citizens, and offer responsible management, rule of law, security and
prosperity," reads the statement agreed by Dodik, Covic and Izetbegovic.

Council of
Ministers and Security agencies to give answers immediately (Srna)

HDZ B&H
leader Dragan Covic stated today in Mostar that the HDZ B&H had
asked the Council of Ministers in caretaking capacity and security agencies to
immediately give statement and answers on the Salafi Affair, adding that the
activities of illicit intelligence services is present everywhere in B&H.
Covic said that the Salafi Affair, in which the Croatian intelligence service,
Croatian diplomats, journalists, including some HDZ B&H officials were
allegedly involved in recruiting Salafi members in order to portray B&H as
a dangerous terrorist base, is purposely placed prior to the conference on
amendments to the Constitution organized in Neum to obscure everything uttered
there. Due to the affair, reported by a Sarajevo portal and confirmed by Dragan
Mektic, Security Minister in the Council of Ministers in caretaking
capacity, Covic stressed that it was about coordinated misinformation in order
to achieve a certain goal in the public. "Mijo Kresic is a deputy
security minister and we find it interesting that they failed to communicate,
while the world was informed. The names of a respected journalist and a
diplomat are mentioned there. This issue is to be resolved by the Council of
Ministers and security agencies as soon as possible," Covic told
reporters. He stressed that speculating about this information is unacceptable,
pointing out that it is sensitive and dangerous topic related to radical groups
and terrorism. I cannot highlight who is the ultimate target of these games by
illicit intelligence sector in B&H, but this is not good. You cannot accuse
somebody publicly without having a single fact," said the HDZ B&H
leader. He warns that all this is undermining security. "When through the
state institutions contribution is made to say something for what you do not
have any grounds, then we should start worrying about ourselves and our
safety," Covic said. Answering the question why Croats in B&H do not
organize illicit intelligence service in response to the Bosniak one, Covic
said the Croats are not allowed to do it, neither can they. "We have to
behave in accordance with the Constitution. It would be a paradox to respond to
illicit activities with illicit activities. It is anarchy. We, as the fewest
constituent people, abide by the system, the constitution and legislation. This
Constitution, until the other one is passed. We must end illicit activities in
B&H. They are present everywhere in B&H," Covic said. Dragan
Mektic, Minister of Security in the Council of Ministers in caretaking
capacity, was heard last week in the Prosecutor's Office of B&H over
allegations that Croatian intelligence officers and diplomats were recruiting
members of the Salafi movement for weapons smuggling in B&H. Mektic
confirmed his allegations at the hearing. The B&H Prosecutor's Office
formed the case in order to urgently establish all the circumstances and
allegations made in the media related to the alleged recruitment of members of
the Salafi movement for weapons smuggling in B&H, in order to portray
B&H as a terrorist base.

Ministry of
Security gets three days to provide information on Croatian Intelligence
agencies (Srna)

The B&H
Presidency sought from the Ministry of Security in the Council of Ministers in
caretaking capacity to provide this institution with comprehensive information
about the allegations made publicly concerning the activities of the Croatian
Intelligence Agency and Croatian consul general within three days. This
conclusion was made at the extraordinary session of the Presidency, this
institution announced. The Prosecutor’s Office of B&H formed the case on
March 14 to urgently establish all the circumstances and allegations made in
the media concerning the alleged recruitment of members of the Salafi movement
for weapons smuggling in B&H, while the Prosecutor's Office of B&H
heard Dragan Mektic, caretaker Security Minister in Council of
Ministers, the day after.

Dodik: ICTY
not just court, not in service of reconciliation (Srna)

The
Chairman the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik said on the eve of a
verdict that will be handed down to the first RS president, Radovan Karadzic,
that it is the opinion of the RS public that the ICTY is not a just court and
that it is not in the service of reconciliation. “Affairs in the ICTY we have witnessed
of late in connection with the disappearance of evidence and many other things
communicated to the public by people who work in the court and judges who
worked there certainly do not contribute to trust in decisions the court made
earlier and the ones it will make in the future,” Dodik told reporters. RS
President Zeljka Cvijanovic said that, based on earlier experience, she
is not optimistic at all when it comes to final rulings of the international
court at The Hague and those pronounced at the level of B&H since she has
not seen a single one yet that served reconciliation or justice.
“Unfortunately, international courts, and very often the court at the level of
B&H, worked in keeping with a pattern. We mostly had political decisions,
namely, a political framework was made which was then filled with final court
rulings,” Cvijanovic said. She said that the result is a huge mistrust in the
judiciary and the situation where there is no reconciliation or cohesion in
B&H, which should have been the priority goal of the establishment of such
courts. Cvijanovic said that the 2003 Criminal Code was applied in B&H for
many years for crimes committed during the war and that it pertained mostly to
Serbian perpetrators, and when it comes to perpetrators from among other
peoples, the SFRY Criminal Code was applied which was in force at the time of
the commission of these crimes. She said that RS many times pointed out that
B&H is the only place where laws are applied retroactively, and that it
took many years to reach the court in Strasbourg and for someone to say that
this is not right, but that despite this, institutions at the level of B&H
refused to implement solutions in keeping with the court decision. The
second-instance verdict to Radovan Karadzic is set to be pronounced on March 20
at 14:00. The second-instance verdict will be pronounced after appeals
against the first- instance verdict, by which Karadzic was sentenced to 40
years in prison, filed by both the defense and the prosecution, are reviewed.
The trial of Radovan Karadzic began in October 2009. The first-instance verdict
was pronounced on March 24, 2016, and it was appealed by both the defense and
the prosecution. Karadzic was arrested in Serbia on July 21, 2008, and was
transferred to the ICTY on July 30.

September 9
- Remembrance Day of NATO bombing victims (Srna)

September 9
will be marked as a Remembrance Day of the victims of NATO bombing of Republika
Srpska (RS), RS Government’s Committee for fostering traditions of liberation
wars unanimously decided. The proposal for this event to gain republican
significance was given by a deputy in the House of Representatives of the
Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), Stasa Kosarac,
thus this event will be listed the 27th in the calendar marking the most
important dates of the history of the Serb people from this area, the Ministry
of Labor, War Veterans and Disabled Persons Protection of RS announced. A
report on implemented markings of important historical events in the past year,
as well as a proposal for the marking program for this year, were adopted at
today's session of the Committee in Banja Luka. The proposed decision on the
appointment of members of the Organizing Committee for memorial service and
paying tribute to the victims of the genocide committed by the Independent
State of Croatia in Donja Gradina on May 5 was adopted. On November 23 last
year, SNSD deputy in the House of Representatives of the B&H Parliament,
Stasa Kosarac, sent proposal to RS government’s Committee for fostering
traditions of liberation wars to mark September 9 as a Remembrance Day of the
victims of NATO bombing of RS, in accordance with the initiative previously
launched by the RS News Agency - Srna. In the letter to the
Committee, Kosarac recalls that Srna launched an initiative and published a
series of articles that immortalized the testimony of NATO aggression in RS and
the victims of bombing with ammunition containing depleted uranium. He points
out that a brother and a sister, Radmila and Radenko Galinac, were among the
first victims of the NATO bombing of RS, who were killed on September 9, 1995,
on a demolished bridge near Semizovac, when NATO pilot savagely killed them
after the bridge collapsed. At Srna’s proposal, an initiative to mark the Remembrance
Day of the victims of NATO bombing was launched on August 26 last year in
Andricgrad.

Protests
political, ready to talk (RTCG)

The
authorities are ready to talk with those who formally lead protests and discuss
all issues that represent their interest, said the President of Montenegro Milo
Djukanovic. The President said that the protests in Montenegro are tried
to be presented as civil ones, although, as he states, it is clear that
political structures stand behind them. According to Djukanovic, protests in
Montenegro, Serbia and Albania are an obvious indicator of the progress of the
Western Balkans. "Today, protests are seen as a legitimate way of
expression of political interests. We repeat that it would be normal to replace
the protests led by opposition with parliamentary dialogue" said
Djukanovic. He stressed that protests are tried to be presented as civil ones,
although it is clear that political structures are behind them. "We are
ready to talk with those who formally lead protests and discuss all issues that
represent their interest. There is no question about this issue nor potentially
conflicting situations in relation to authorities and participants of the
protests" Djukanovic said. The president says he recognizes a common thread
in all protests that are happening in the region. That is, says Djukanovic, the
idea of changing power without the electoral process.

Djukanovic:
Perspective of the Western Balkans can only be European (CDM)

“Unfortunately,
today nobody knows what the future of the EU will be like. Regardless of that
fact, I’m convinced that the future of WB can be European and European only.
Being involved in politics for so long, I sometimes wonder how the next
generations will look at what we are doing today. Are they going to appreciate
what we had achieved? What will they think of the thing we could have achieved”
said the President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, during the lecture in
the German Association of Foreign Policy (DGAP) on the subject “Political
perspectives of the Balkans and Montenegro and their relations with the Europe
in 2019”. The lecture is being held in Berlin. He said that we all knew that
different paths lead to different future. “We also know how to take into
consideration different perspectives. But if anything has been constant in the
last two and a half decades in Montenegro, it’s our intention to be modern,
open, safe and prosperous country, which is part of Europe with same qualities.
The future of all of us is certain only if we have a common perspective. I
think this is the real outlook on the future”, said the President.

 According
to him, integration had never been a one-way street. “It’s not just the
relation between Montenegro and Balkans and the EU, it’s also about the
relation between the EU and our country and the region. That’s why I see the
Berlin process as high-quality upgrading of the European policy aimed at WB,”
said the President. He added that some more committed relations of the EU was
of crucial importance for tackling the remaining open questions in the region.
“The example of the Prespes agreement is very stimulating. The agreement
reached between Skopje and Athens is a real indicator that even the most
difficult problems can be overcome if there’s a political will of leaders and
benefits that for both sides. It’s essential that North Macedonia is on its way
towards NATO, with the real possibility of opening negotiations for the EU
accession. I believe it can be inspiring for the continuation of the dialogue
between Belgrade and Pristina. If that problem settled, the entire region, and
Serbia, would be more relaxed. It would inspire Serbia to dedicate more to the
European perspective. The most difficult question of all is the question of the
functionality of B&H,” said the President. Djukanovic said that it “is very
difficult to talk about any perspective without understanding the more recent
past and the present”. He pointed out that Montenegro “was one of the six
republics where there hadn’t been wars and tragedies during the breakup of
Yugoslavia”. “We were an oasis of security and a shelter for a great number of
refugees and displaced persons. It was a time of sanctions against the last,
two-member Yugoslavia whose part was Montenegro. It was time of warfare,
shortage of all kinds, inflation… In order to defend its economic system,
several years later, Montenegro formalized German mark (DM) as its only
currency. Thanks to that, in 2002 already, the EUR becomes our currency. Those
were radical changes, not only financial and economic but also, mental and
social changes. And they have definitely defined the direction of the
development of Montenegro,” pointed out President Djukanovic. Almost 13 years
ago, under the auspices of the EU, Montenegro regained its independence. “At the
end of 2008, Montenegro applied for the EU membership, and in 2012 it entered
into accession negotiations. We opened 32 out of 33 negotiating chapters, we
became leaders in the integration process. In June of 2017, Montenegro became
NATO Member. We had enormous support of our international partners, and Germany
had one of the most important roles,” said Djukanovic. Struggling with the
retrograde politics in Montenegro, that opposed to independence and
integration, was very hard and very risky. “However, we succeeded because from
the very first day we had a clear vision. We wanted to bring Montenegro back to
its European home, we wanted it to be part of the European system of values. A
factor of the contemporary European civilization. We also had a firm determination
and capacities to overcome all the obstacles. However, let me just acknowledge
a fact: a strategic political battle in the WB is still being fought on that
front. Now, will we follow the idea of integration, or will some of us, miss
another, maybe even the last chance, under the pressure of domestic retrograde
politics, supported by political centers which oppose Europe? We, in
Montenegro, believe that we had made smart decisions and achieved partial
objectives. We are still trying to provide more dynamic development and
European-quality lifestyle for our citizens”, said the President.  The
President pointed out that one of the key economic values of Montenegro is the
openness of the economy. “Montenegro is an open country and it is a part of global
trends. That openness isn’t related to the economy only. We have done a lot to
unite some differences that existed, we don’t have unsettled questions with our
neighbors. We have two bilateral agreements signed. They refer to border
regulations, the only two agreements of that kind at the territory of former
Yugoslavia,” concluded the President of Montenegro.

Serbia sees
Macedonia as the base used to organize protests against its government (Republika)

A series of
links between Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and businesspeople close to the
Serbian opposition, as well as a recent meeting in Skopje, are at the forefront
of Serbian official allegations that Zaev’s government is involved in the
unruly protests in Belgrade over the past several days. Serbian President
Aleksandar Vucic drew a direct parallel between how Zaev was anointed
Prime Minister of Macedonia – given illegal wiretaps, international backing to
appoint a partisan special prosecutor and staged a “colored revolution”,
apparently in order to sacrifice long-standing Macedonian positions on the name
issue with Greece and redefine inter-ethnic relations with the Albanian
minority. There is a group of criminals from Belgrade who want to work in
Skopje. These are bandits which we threw out from here, Sasa Mirkovic,
Zoran Basanovic, all mere thieves, one of them was caught stealing
panties in a shopping mall in America and now he is a very important adviser to
Zaev. Don’t worry, we will protect all the people in Serbia, Vucic said in his
address following the violent protests over the weekend in the Serbian RTS
public radio-television, and in front of his office in Belgrade. Zaev
surrounded himself with several businessmen tied to the opposition parties in
Serbia during his Colored revolution. One of them, Zoran Basanovic, is a
Serbian folk music producer who was active in Vucic’s SNS party, before being
thrown out of it for alleged corruption. In 2012 he and his wife were detained
in a mall in Miami after trying to get away with clothes and linens worth 5.000
USD. After Zaev took over the Government of Macedonia, he appointed Basanovic
his adviser, and he recently organized a meeting between Zaev and Serbian
opposition leader Dragan Gilas who took part in the storming of the RTS
building. Eric Burns, American media consultant from the far-left wing
Media Matters from America organization, who has been working with Zaev over
the past several years, was also present at the meeting, said Serbian
journalist Dragan Vucicevic. My friend Ramush Haradinaj (the Prime
Minister of Kosovo) is prepared to partially finance the downfall of Vucic if
you pledge to recognize the independence of Kosovo as soon as you take over,
Vucicevic claims that Zaev told the Serbian opposition leader during the
meeting.

Vucic
himself raised this comment, half-jokingly saying that “I did not take
Haradinaj’s threat to depose me seriously, I thought he was joking, but now I
see he was serious and has serious supporters in the plan”, lumping Zaev with
the Kosovan Prime Minister and accusing them of a plot against the Serbian
Government. The style of the protests in Serbia, with youth posing in dramatic
fashion against the backdrop of riot police officers, while protest organizers
seeming desire a confrontation, drew immediate parallels to the protests Zaev
staged against the conservative VMRO-DPMNE led Government of Macedonia. At one
point, a nationalist politician allied with Zaev similarly tried to storm the
Macedonian Radio Television building – now renamed into the nondescript
“National Radio Television” as part of Zaev’s deal to remove all mention of the
Macedonian national institutions. Following the imposed “solution” to the
Macedonian name issue, through the Prespa treaty which renames and redefines
the country, its national identity and history, Zaev has frequently said that
this solution should be used to resolve other disputes in the region. The main
such issue is the status of Kosovo, which claims independence but Serbia
refuses to acknowledge its secession. Following the meeting in Skopje, Serbian
Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin said that Macedonia is now the base of
operations to fund and organize opposition protests in Serbia, much like
Budapest was used to prepare the protests against Milosevic in the 1990-ies.

“Srbija
Danas” sees Greater Albania in Zaev-Rama meeting (Meta)

The Serbian
news portal Srbija Danas sunk to a new low, as some Serbia
websites pretend to call themselves the media in order to post comments in the
form of news. Namely, broadcasting the integral news from the Serbian state
news agency Tanjug on Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev’s
visit to Tirana for talks with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama,
SrbijaDanas from the above and in the form of a headline, wrote “Rama is making
greater Albania bigger: he’s preparing a Kosovo Schengen” for all neighboring
countries. The news, taken from Tanjug begins with the fact that at the
meeting, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama pledged to apply the “Schengen model”
with North Macedonia and other countries in the Western Balkans, and not only
with Kosovo”. However, among Rama’s quote that “the Schengen model should be
implemented throughout the region, with Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, and
Montenegro, with the conviction that all countries in the region will enter
this process. Our borders must become transitory like the borders in the
European Union”, to the claim that Rama” is making Greater Albania bigger” has
no connection. That is, the term “Greater Albania” was not mentioned at all in
the text, and there is no explanation as to where a commitment to simply
crossing borders, which will still exist, will mean the creation of a Greater
Albania. So, even in Rama’s entire statement, there is neither an allusion to
any new enlarged state, nor did Srbija Danas imply such a matter, which would
at least somewhat support the commentary’s claim from the headline. In other
words, with a comment in the form of a headline and a completely different
story, the Serbian news site made a hybrid of comment and news, one as the
headline, the latter as the article.

Russia will
begin referring to Macedonia as “North Macedonia” (Republika)

Russia
informed the Macedonian Foreign Ministry that, in the future, it will use the
name “Republic of North Macedonia. In the Russian note it is stated that it has
received the information from the Macedonian Foreign Ministry that under the
Prespa treaty and in line with the constitutional amendments, the country has
changed its name. The Russian Foreign Ministry replies that it will refer to
Macedonia as the “Republic of North Macedonia”. Russia was highly critical of
the process to rename Macedonia and its apparent main outcome – to bring the
country into NATO. President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Affairs Minister
Sergey Ivanov condemned both the content of the Prespa treaty and the
way in which it was rammed through the Macedonian parliament.

France
and the Netherlands still reluctant to back the start of EU negotiations with
Macedonia (Republika/MIA)

Regardless
of overwhelming support amongst EU countries for the start of negotiations with
our country, several Western European countries – most notably France and the
Netherlands – are still reluctant to back this process, Hungary’s Foreign
Minister Pcter Szijjarto has said after a working breakfast with Nikola Dimitrov
and Bujar Osmani. Speaking to MIA on Monday, he said that
Paris and The Hague were still reluctant to support the launch of negotiations,
saying the Western European ‘friends’ were not as sensitive because they were
detached from the region. Eastern European countries, as well as Italy and
Ireland, have extended staunch support, it was reported. Hungary, Szijjarto
said, believes that a decision must be reached in June over EU negotiations
with Macedonia and the country has already sent its own seasoned diplomat to
work for the country’s foreign affairs ministry. After arriving in February, he
is there to offer his assistance regarding the integration process and whatever
North Macedonia needs in order to accelerate the process. We are always here to
help, the Hungarian Minister told MIA. He said he regretted the fact that the
European Commission this year would release its progress reports later than
usual. They are expected to be released in late May after the European
Parliament elections. But, the Netherlands remains more reserved. The country’s
Foreign Minister Stef Blok, after attending the working breakfast, said
that the Netherlands was focused on Macedonia delivering reform-oriented
results. It’s important that North Macedonia continues to show progress. The
Netherlands is strict and just when it comes to changes of (accession)
conditions. We think it is of utmost importance for North Macedonia to show
tangible results, especially considering the fight against corruption and
organized crime. We give the country credit for solving the name dispute, but
it doesn’t make the efforts to improve other areas any less important, Blok
told MIA. In addition to reform adoption, the member countries want to see
reforms being implemented, Didier Reynders has said. It will matter to
us to see the European Commission report and check first-hand that progress is
being made. The name dispute was one of the preconditions and it was
exceptionally fulfilled. Now, we want to see reform implementation. We realize
that the implementation process is always the most complicated part, the
Belgian Foreign Minister told MIA. Belgium, he noted, considers it very
important that every country is valued according to its own merits and that
there are no ‘packages’ of countries being admitted. Still, Belgium is not as
skeptical as France and the Netherlands as it advocates for the doors, both in
NATO and the EU, to remain open. Hopefully, in the coming months, we will be
able to open an accession process, which is a long one. Even is negotiations
are opened, the procedure is very long, chapter by chapter many EU demands have
to be met. Nevertheless, we are glad we’ve seen this determination to solve the
name issue, which resulted in NATO doors being opened. Now, we are prepared to
open them in the EU if the criteria are met, stated Reynders.

German
Embassy respects opposition's decision of 'burning' mandates (ADN)

The German
Embassy headquartered in Tirana, through a statement this Monday, reacted on
the current political situation in Albania. Ambassador Susanne Schutz
said that the current political reforms should continue while declared that she
respects the opposition's decision to burn mandates. She added that, above all,
the place where political debate should be conducted, is the parliament.
"Albania is ahead of the important decision-making of the European Union
regarding the launching of membership talks. So now we should not waste time
while reforms started to advance and to achieve other concrete results in the
five key priorities. We respect the decision of each MP and their followers on
lists for the surrender, acceptance or rejection of the mandates. The Federal
government will continue to cooperate in the future with the current government
democratically legitimized as well as the mandate holders in the
Parliament" said the German Ambassador. She added that the implementation
of OSCE / ODIHR recommendations remains an important component in building a
solid electoral system in Albania, which can enjoy citizens' trust.

President
Meta appeals for dialogue not to deepen crisis (ADN)

President
of the Republic, Ilir Meta spoke about the current political situation
in Albania. During an interview with the media, the Head of the State declared
that parties should dialogue to solve the political situation and not deepen
the crisis.

Mr.
President, are you willing to initiate a dialogue between the parties and how
do you assess the violence against protesters?

Meta:
The subject of the activity, I had the pleasure to attend with Monsignor
Vincenzo Paglia, had to do with the culture of love, opposite to the culture
of rejection. I believe that is useful also for the critical question you are
posing.

President
Meta will you take the initiative for an inclusive round table?

Meta:
I want to assure you and all Albanians that the President has taken all
possible steps, well in time, to avoid this serious political, constitutional,
institutional crisis, which is now framing also as a crisis of
representation.  It's regrettable that parties have precipitated and are
still rushing to deepen this crisis. Still it is my obligation to once again
appeal for reflection by all, because we have to safeguard the interests of the
country and of the citizens who request normality. At the same time, we have to
continue to enhance Albania's contribution as a factor of stability in a region
that is still facing important challenges. This internal context does not help.

Do you have
a comment on the stance of the international representatives?

Meta:
I think that the Albanian political class must take its own responsibilities
and cannot hide behind any international representative, as has happened
insofar. All issues must be resolved through dialogue, in transparent and
principled fashion, far from trading or even misuse of individual international
representatives.

Mr.
President, has the report of SIS (SHISH), talking about the risk of Russian
influence in Albania, come to your office?

Meta:
We are well aware of an, unfortunately, often toxic Russian influence in our
region, but I do not believe that this is the case in Albania. We would like
that Russia respect the choice of all the peoples of this region to integrate
in the European Union and in NATO, although it remains its right to react
otherwise. Nevertheless, we must not degrade Russian threat in simile to the
"Anglo-American peril" during our dark past, to conceal the real
roots of this constitutional, political, moral representative crisis, which has
been created by us and requires reflection from all. Thank you!

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Western
Balkans show improved labour market performance (Emerging Europe, 19
March 2019)

Labour
market performance in the Western Balkans continued to improve, albeit at a
slower pace than the previous year and despite stronger economic growth in the
region. According to the Western Balkans Labour Market Trends 2019 report,
prepared by the World Bank and the Vienna Institute for International Economic
Studies (wiiw), about 68,000 new jobs were generated between the second quarter
of 2017 and the second quarter of 2018, compared to 231,000 a year earlier. In
contrast, GDP growth in the region increased from 2.5 per cent in 2017 to 3.9
percent in 2018. Albania and Montenegro reported the strongest job growth in
the region, with 3.3 per cent each, followed by North Macedonia with a 2.1 per
cent increase. The majority of new jobs were created in industry and services.
Women continued to be underrepresented in Western Balkan labour markets, but
more than half of the employment increase benefited them. On average, regional
labour markets recorded improvements in activity rates (up 0.5 percentage points
to 62.8 per cent) and employment rates (up one percentage point to 52.9 per
cent), but they remained far below European standards. Unemployment reached
historic lows in most Western Balkan countries. The region also experienced a
substantial decrease in long-term unemployment, from a peak of 1.5 million
people in 2011 to 776,000 people in the second quarter of 2018. Still,
unemployment remained a significant challenge in the Western Balkans, where
levels were two to three times higher than in EU peer countries. Wages and
labour costs remain significantly lower in the Western Balkans compared to the
EU, and there has been no clear convergence in recent years. “In addition to
the positive though fading momentum in employment developments, the recent
trends in productivity and wage growth are worrying and need to be tackled by
policy makers to assist both convergence and employment,” said Robert Stehrer,
scientific director of the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies.
The report finds that the taxation of labour income in the Western Balkans is
comparatively high for low wage earners and workers with dependents, given the
region’s low progressivity and infrequent use of family allowance in income tax
regimes. Low-wage earners are at a particular disadvantage in the formal labour
market in terms of their net take home pay and the relative high cost of hiring
them compared with medium- or high-wage earners.