LOCAL PRESS

 

Masked and armed ROSU units stormed Serb houses; 6-hour harassment, 2 arrested (RTS)

 

To the teeth armed and masked members of the Kosovo police, ROSU, broke into several Serb houses in Strpce, Sevac and Brezovica just before 6 a.m. yesterday morning. Two people were arrested in the action of the police and the prosecutor's office in Strpce, and according to the decision of the prosecutor, they were detained for 48 hours.

 

Customs officer N.G. and President of the Board of Directors of "Ski Center Brezovica" S.I. who are suspected of the crime of accepting bribes, RTS reported, as members of the Kosovo Police ROSU broke into several Serb houses in Strpce, Sevac and Brezovica early this morning, as well as in the building of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Strpce.

 

"Under the pretext of continuing an action called "Brezovica", about 15 members of ROSU, with long barrels aimed at old men and women, searched Serbian houses, harassed locals, blocked the work of the municipality and obstructed the functioning of normal life with vehicles," said the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic. The Basic Prosecutor's Office in Urosevac announces that it will file a request against the arrested for detention in the Basic Court in Urosevac. The prosecutor's office in Urosevac states that it is suspected that criminal acts of abuse of official position, taking and giving bribes were allegedly committed, RTS reports.

 

"At the same time, they broke into the building of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Strpce, and according to the information from the field, they are still in the mentioned facilities," said Petkovic. He emphasizes that this action comes the day before the Pogrom over the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, committed on March 17, 2004, which shows that the action has nothing to do with any alleged fight against corruption, but its only goal is to intimidate the Serbian people, expelling the remaining Serbs from their centuries-old hearths in this way.

 

"The fact that Albanian politicians timed the previous action on Christmas Day, just before the celebration of Christmas, the most important holiday of Serbs, also testifies to that," said Petkovic. Despite these bestial pressures, he emphasized, Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija will not waver or break and we will continue to preserve peace and stability in these times of crisis that have befallen Europe and the world.  On the other hand, the statement says, the intention of Albin Kurti and his followers is obvious, to provoke an unbalanced reaction of the Serbian people and cause a new destabilization of the situation on the ground. "We will inform all international representatives about the latest provocation directed at Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, because the so-called showdown with corruption must not be an excuse for intimidating and harassing the Serbian people who live in difficult and specific conditions," Petkovic said.

 

Petkovic: The idea was to erase every trace of Serbian survival and life in KiM (RTS)

 

Eighteen years ago, in a wave of Albanian violence, 19 people died in two days, eight Serbs, 4,000 Serbs were expelled, about 1,000 houses were destroyed, and 39 churches and monasteries were destroyed and desecrated. Six towns and nine villages were ethnically cleansed. The organizers of the March pogrom have not been revealed yet.

 

The director of the office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, said that March 17, 2004 was one of the most difficult days in the recent history of Serbia. That is the date when the pogrom and ethnic cleansing of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija (KiM) took place, Petkovic pointed out.

 

"In the outpouring of hatred and the attack and wave of violence by Albanian extremists, 19 people were killed that day and on March 18, 4,012 Serbs were expelled from their centuries-old homes, 935 Serb houses were destroyed, 35 churches and monasteries and lodgings, of which some medieval ones were burned and destroyed,” said Petkovic. He reminded that the Mother of God Ljeviska, a church that is on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage, was also burned at that time. All this, he says, happened in the so-called period of peace before the eyes of the international community, when those who were obliged to protect the Serbian people in KiM only watched the people flee from a horde of Albanian extremists, among other things, it is a stain on the face of the international community.

 

According to him, the Serbs who were killed then, who were expelled, were abandoned, not only by the international community, but also at the time, the official Belgrade, because no one at that time had the opportunity and did not want to protect the Serbian people in KiM. "Today, the Serbian people in KiM are grateful to President Aleksandar Vucic, who is the only president who openly, clearly and loudly said that no more pogroms and storms will ever happen to the Serbian people again," said Petkovic. Even 18 years later, there is no justice for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, no one has yet been held accountable for the suffering of our people in Kosovo and Metohija, for the burning of churches and monasteries, said Petkovic.

 

"Everything that happened in KiM at that time, including other events, especially the terrible ones when our young men were killed in Bistrica, then the suffering of Serbs, the massacre of 14 reapers, or the terrorist attack on the Nis Express bus in Livadice, no one so far was held responsible for those grave crimes, and many others against the Serbian people in KiM", says Petkovic. That is why we must insist that justice be served, until the killers and the perpetrators are found, the state of Serbia will not give up the search for truth and justice, said Petkovic.

 

"That ideology of hatred on March 17, 2004, which is perhaps best shown in the picture when Adem Kurti demolishes the cross from the top of the church of St. Elijah or all those crying faces, burned Devic, burned dormitories of the Holy Archangels or burned seminary, it all happened almost in two days when over 9 cities and many villages where Serbs lived were ethnically cleansed, " Petkovic pointed out. Someone obviously planned that, says Petkovic, and points out that this was a coordinated action aimed at expelling the Serbian people. "But that ideology of hatred was not only directed towards Serbs, but the idea was to erase every trace of Serbian survival and life in KiM" Petkovic stated.

 

When it comes to dialogue, Petkovic says that the Serbian side insists on that all the time, because, as he says, no matter how difficult the issues on the Brussels table are, it is better to negotiate than to have incidents on the ground. Today, 161 of them, including yesterday's terrible incursion of ROSU into Strpce, when they almost targeted women, old men in Serbian houses in Sirinicka Zupa with long barrels, and then raided and held our workers, who are employed in the temporary branch of the municipality, hostage for several hours Strpce. "It is absolutely unacceptable, as an event that takes place the day before March 17, I guess they want Pristina to send a message that Serbs in Zupa will end up like other Serbs ended up on March 17," Petkovic said, adding that the Serbian people still remain loyal to their state of Serbia and trust President Vucic.

 

"We will do everything to preserve peace and stability, because in these difficult times of crisis in all of Europe and the world, we need to keep our heads cool and simply see what is all that is necessary to go in the direction of normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina,” said Petkovic. On the anniversary of the pogrom, a memorial service will be held in Gracanica, and the central manifestation and events will be at the National Theater, where the top officials of Serbia will be present, Petkovic said.

 

Jevtic: Police action and arrest in Strpce is pure politics (RTS)

 

The president of the municipality of Strpce, Dalibor Jevtic, stated that yesterday's action of the police and the arrest of two people in that area has a "pure political background", because of which, he says, the residents there are rightly upset. Dalibor Jevtic stated that the actions of the police in Strpce are aimed at intimidating the remaining Serb population in that municipality. "Under the pretext of fighting corruption, someone gave himself the right to carry out actions which, in my personal opinion, are aimed only at intimidating the remaining Serb population in the municipality of Strpce," Jevtic told the media in Strpce. He stated that he was especially worried about the fact that, as he heard, during the intrusion into the premises of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Strpce, the workers were ordered not to come to work until further notice. "It is another confirmation that this is pure politics and nothing else," Jevtic said. He asked international representatives whether the Albanians in the interim government in Pristina have support for what they are doing. "In that sense, their responsibility should be sought," Jevtic pointed out.

 

Lajcak: An agreement on some specific topics is close (RTS)

 

EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak says the two sides' agreement on some specific topics is very close. Lajcak pointed out that they are in daily contact with the institutions of Pristina and Belgrade in order to find a solution for holding elections on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija (KiM), which were called in Serbia for April 3. He stated that the day of the elections is approaching, so the political agreement must be reached very soon between the two sides "which would not violate the constitutionality of the so-called Kosovo and which would enable Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to exercise their right to vote." "I cannot say that the meeting was not held, because we discussed various topics and issues together for 11 hours, separately with Besnik Bisljimi and Petar Petkovic," said Lajcak. He pointed out that it is no secret that expectations are different, both for Belgrade and Pristina.

 

When it comes to the issue of the missing persons, Lajcak said that it is a very sensitive topic that does not require only a political commitment. "The issue of missing persons is a sensitive humanitarian issue and it is the issue in the interest of both sides, both for Kosovo and Serbia. The EU wants to solve the fate of thousands of missing people. That is why we want to agree on measures and mechanisms to speed up this work process and the essence of this whole issue," Lajcak said.

 

Serbian President discusses EU oil ban with Russia, US and EU (TV Pink)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters in Novi Sad on Wednesday that he discussed the European Union decision to ban imports of Russian oil with Russia, the US and the EU before taking any decision.

 

“I was informed on Tuesday evening about the EU Council decision which seems strange to us and we have been discussing it with all our partners in Russia, the US and EU. We are still analyzing the lengthy decision and I can’t pass political judgment on it,” he said and added that the essence of the decision is that the EU is leaving open the possibility of doing business with Gazpromneft but that third countries that have majority Russian-owned refineries and oil companies can’t import Russian oil.

 

“So, they haven’t punished themselves, they haven’t punished the Russians, they punished us. I don’t want to discuss the unbelievable repercussions. That is a huge problem which we are resolving,” he said. Vucic said that the issue was discussed with the Russian earlier in the day. “There are three options… If Serbia is not exempt from that decision, we will inform you of the next steps in the next 48 hours,” Vucic told TV Pink. He said that talks on the price of natural gas from Russia would not start before the April 3 elections, adding that he believes that Serbia will get a good price.

 

Serbia supports launching OSCE's Moscow mechanism for war crimes investigation in Ukraine (Beta)

 

Serbia has supported the launching of the Moscow Mechanism, initiated by the member countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) after consultations with Ukraine. The Moscow Mechanism is to consider the possible violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Ukraine, cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity by Russia, which is supported in the war by Belarus, it was announced by the OSCE on March 16. The launching of the mechanism was initiated on March 3 by 45 states, including Serbia.

 

The last time the Moscow Mechanism was launched was in 2020, to investigate alleged human rights violations in Belarus. The initiative enables the participating states to provide expert groups, to assist in resolving issues or problems pertaining to human rights.

 

The Moscow Mechanism for the investigation in Ukraine has been supported by Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Holland, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Great Britain and the U.S.

 

Borrell: Public opinion in Serbia is more susceptible to Russian propaganda (N1)

 

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that the fact that Serbia supported the resolution condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine in the UN should not be overlooked, but that public opinion in Serbia is more susceptible to disinformation from Russian propaganda. Borrell said that the situation should be viewed in a broader sense.

 

"Russia's efforts to justify military action, which is an invasion, are strong. In every country there is that, somewhere it influences public opinion. In Serbia, public opinion is more susceptible to disinformation from Russian propaganda in an attempt to justify aggression against Ukraine, citing genocide, that President Zelensky is a fascist, I don’t know how someone can believe in that but reminded that Serbia has voted on the UN resolution on Ukraine. Borrell also said that it is the obligation of everyone who wants to join the EU is to harmonize their policy with EU policy. "On the European path, there is an obligation to harmonize with the foreign policy of the EU. Serbia does not have such a high degree of harmonization, unlike other countries," he said.

 

Borrell said that Russia would inevitably try to strengthen its "already strong enough influence in the region", and said that the war would have consequences for the whole world, which would be reflected, above all, in the increase in food and energy prices. That, he adds, will be a significant blow to the global economy. "We have to explain to the citizens what is happening. You have a lot of propaganda and misinformation from Russia. We have to face it, explain what is happening and what the consequences are. First of all, we need to provide the right information to the citizens.

 

Vucic: Serbia has enough basic agricultural products (Beta)

 

Serbia has enough basic agricultural products for the needs of its population and will allow controlled exports to neighbouring countries to the extent that will not endanger the needs of the citizens of Serbia, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters in Novi Sad said on Wednesday. “We will give others as much as was contracted and as much as we feel we can give without endangering the needs of the domestic population. First to the countries in the Open Balkan initiative and then to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro as our closest neighbours,” Vucic said.

 

Meanwhile, the European Commission increased the import quotas for certain types of steel from Serbia, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) said on Wednesday. The European Commission just redistributed the steel quotas that were earmarked for Russia and Belarus. “We believe that this change in European Union regulations will benefit our steel industry companies which are also large exporters,” PKS official Bojan Stanic said. He recalled that the exports of the Serbian steel industry to the EU have been limited with quotas for several years even though a free trade agreement was in place.

 

Austrian chancellor visiting Belgrade (RTS)

 

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer arrived on a one-day official visit to Belgrade, and a solemn reception was prepared in front of the Palace of Serbia. Nehammer was welcomed by the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, along with the guard and the anthem of the two countries. After the reception, private meeting of Nehammer and Brnabic followed, and then a plenary meeting of the delegations, after which the two prime ministers address a joint press conference.

 

Ahead of his visit to Serbia, Nehammer announced that he was coming to Belgrade to convey Austria's position that the EU would not be complete until the countries of the Western Balkans joined it. He reminded that Austria is the most important trade partner of Serbia and that more than 400 Austrian companies have provided 22,000 jobs in our country.

 

Brnabic said at the joint conference that the partnership and friendship between Serbia and Austria, and strong ties between the two countries, politically and economically, have been confirmed, since Austria is one of Serbia's closest partners. The Prime Minister thanked Austria for the support that Serbia enjoys on European integration, citing former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who, as she says, has personally done a lot for Serbia and the entire Western Balkans and our European integration, to keep enlargement on the EU agenda. "In Austria, we always had a partner we could rely on," Brnabic emphasized.

 

Economically, the Prime Minister pointed out that Austria is the second most important partner after Germany in total investments. Austrian companies have so far invested 2.585 billion euros in Serbia, employing more than 22,000 people, while in 2021, trade of 1.36 billion euros was recorded, which is 28 percent more than in 2020, the Prime Minister stated.

From 2010 to 2020, the level of trade increased 1.7 times, Serbian exports to Austria 1.9 times, and imports from Austria 1.8 times. "It is an encouraging trend, good for all citizens," Brnabic said. She pointed out that the topic of conversation was also the war in Eastern Europe.

 

"We talked openly. I know that many in the EU are worried that instability will spill over into the Western Balkans. I have made it clear that Serbia will continue to play the role of one of the pillars of stability in the Western Balkans, that we will continue to be an exporter of peace and stability, and that we will not allow instability or crisis to spill over to this part of Europe, "said the Prime Minister of Serbia. She added that since 2014, Serbia has done a lot to change, both politically and economically, to be a strong and stable state that can come to the aid of partners and neighbours in the Western Balkans. "We must not endanger that, but we must defend and we will defend stability, and the EU can fully count on Serbia," Brnabic said. She reminded that Chancellor Nehammer is not the first time in Serbia, since he came as the Minister of Police, and added that there is already excellent cooperation between the two countries in the fight against crime, corruption and the peace crisis.  "I believe that we will find a way to respond to these challenges in the best way and preserve European peace and stability," Brnabic stated.

 

Serbia's position is to condemn the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity, but does not want to impose sanctions on Russia, and this, although not fully welcomed by the EU and other partners, nor by the Russian Federation itself, is the principled position of the country that went through the 1999 aggression, and before that through sanctions, from which the citizens suffered the most, sad Brnabic.

 

Asked by an Austrian journalist to describe relations with Russia, whether they have changed since the beginning of the attack and whether Serbia can change its position within the EU and join the sanctions, Brnabic said that relations between Serbia and Russia are traditionally very good, because the two countries are linked by history, tradition and religion, but nowadays also by energy. Brnabic said that, in that sense, today's relations between Serbia and Russia are not much different from the relations of any other European country, which is largely dependent on Russian gas. "We have good economic and political relations, and have they changed since the beginning of the war in Ukraine? Yes, because 75 percent of our economy is made up of investments from the EU, and those companies have to impose sanctions on Russia, which affects our economy,” said the Prime Minister. For example, a cement plant owned by an EU company cannot import anything from Russia or export anything to Russia, which applies to all companies from EU countries, from car parts manufacturers to IT companies. All this, she underlines, is a great challenge for our economy.

 

"Serbia's position is to condemn the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and respect it, but we do not want to impose sanctions on Russia. This is not something that is fully welcomed by the EU, other partners or Russia, but it is our principled position of the country that went through aggression "In 1999, and before that it was under sanctions for many years, and ordinary citizens suffered," Brnabic said. Serbia is in a very specific situation and, in addition to the pressure, it is a country that respects international law and principles, concluded Brnabic.

 

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer stated today that Serbia is a geostrategically and geopolitically important partner of Austria, and in an unprecedented time and invasion of Ukraine, it is important to send the message that the countries of the Western Balkans belong to the European Union and Europe. Nehammer stated that "it is true that the concern is great because Russia has great influence in this region, China has an interest in positioning itself, and as far as security policy is concerned, it is also the interest of an EU member to say that we belong together, that we will find solutions to the problems we need to overcome. " Austria is extremely dependent on Russian gas, and the question for us in the future will be how to get rid of dependence on fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said in Belgrade today. Nehammer said that Austria has long relied on renewable energy sources, emphasizing that 75 percent of the electricity in that country comes from such sources, and 25 percent from gas. "We have to make progress here in order to get rid of that dependence, but it cannot happen overnight, it is a long-term project," Nehammer said, adding that at this moment Austria should think about this problem in the short and medium term.  He emphasized that the Austrian government is working to ensure the safety of the people for the next winter, because, he says, there is a great fear among the citizens that they will run out of energy. "We are also focusing on the international market in order to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels such as oil and gas in the long run and to reduce it in the long run," said the Austrian chancellor.

 

Aleksandar Vucic and Karl Nehammer met in the building of the Presidency, and the President of Serbia warmly welcomed his guest in front of the Presidency building. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic and the Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic, as well as the Ambassador of Austria to Serbia Nikolaus Lutterotti.

 

President of Serbia received letters of credence from the newly appointed ambassadors of Algeria, the Republic of Korea, Libya and Egypt (B92)

 

"I received letters of credence from the newly appointed ambassadors of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Fatah Mahrez, the Republic of Korea, Lee Jeong, the Libyan state of Mohammed Galbun and the Arab Republic of Egypt, Bessel Salah," Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Instagram.

 

President Vucic, received the credentials of the Ambassador of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Fatah Mahrez, who conveyed the greetings of President Abdelmajid Tebun, as well as the invitation for an official visit. With greetings to President Tebun and a warm welcome to Ambassador Mahrez, President Vucic expressed satisfaction with the traditionally friendly relations between Serbia and Algeria, as well as the expectation that bilateral cooperation in various fields, which is currently below existing opportunities, will gain momentum.

 

President Vucic emphasized the importance of the visit of Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane for Serbian-Algerian relations last October, during the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade, the Serbian President's Office for Media Relations announced. President Vucic and Ambassador Mahrez discussed a number of topics of common interest, including further steps in developing bilateral relations. The two interlocutors expressed the expectation that new agreements will be signed soon, which will enable more diverse cooperation, as well as that the work of the Joint Committee for Cooperation will be activated. Ambassador Mahrez said that cooperation with Algeria opens up opportunities for Serbia to cooperate with other countries on the African continent. President Vucic especially thanked Algeria for its principled position on respect for international public law and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia in connection with the non-recognition of the so-called self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo. Ambassador Mahrez said that Algeria, like Serbia, preserves its independence in decision-making.

 

Jelena Milic named Serbia’s Ambassador in Croatia (VIP, Danas)

 

Jelena Milic, once a leading pro-NATO lobbyist and fierce critic of the Belgrade regime’s role in the wars of the former Yugoslavia, has been appointed ambassador of Serbia in Croatian capital Zagreb, a statement said on Wednesday. Well known political analyst, and founder of the Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies think-tank, Milic toned down her views significantly in the past few years to openly side with the Vucic regime. It isn’t clear how she could be named ambassador to a country with a number of open issues dating back to the 1990s with Serbia without any diplomatic qualifications.

 

Namely, in complete opposition to her decades-long commitment to dealing with the war criminal past of the government from the 1990s, which includes the Serbian Radical Party, whose Secretary General was Aleksandar Vucic, Jelena Milic is the director of an NGO with an explicit NATO-oriented, came up with a plan to divide Kosovo. The proposal on the division of Kosovo, as Jelena Milic stated at the time, is what the West should consider as the least bad solution.

 

Vucic also named Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) official Zarko Obradovic as head of Serbia’s permanent mission at the OSCE in Vienna. Obradovic is a former Education Minister whose term in office was marred by scandal when school finals tests were stolen.

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina 

 

EU HR Borrell visits EUFOR base in Butmir, he underlines importance of peace and security, says B&H must fulfil 14 conditions from EC’s Opinion (N1)

 

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell visited Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) on Wednesday. First, Borrell visited the EUFOR base in Butmir near Sarajevo where 500 members of EU military forces lined up in his honour. Head of the EU Delegation to B&H Johann Sattler was also present.

 

The reporter noted that during the visit, Borrell mostly spoke about security-related issues, but also about blockade of institutions of B&H and the EU path of the country, as well as about the war in Ukraine and its possible impact on the Western Balkans. Borrell underlined the importance of peace and security and stated that everyone has a role in preservation of peace and security, adding that their engagement should not last forever. Speaking about the situation in Ukraine, Borrell said that it is important to respond with unity and strength like the EU did and in this regard B&H remained committed to European standards. In his opinion, the fact that B&H remained committed to the EU standards in this case is very important under the circumstances of Russian invasion that unfortunately returned the war on the European territory again. Borrell stated that this will definitely change their way of thinking, their investments in defense, security energy and food adding that this means stability and security of the Western Balkans can be jeopardized, which is why they put special emphasis to the issue of security and blockades of institutions. According to Borrell, functionality of B&H should be strengthened, as well as the fight against corruption and this is a path forward. Borrell stated that the future of B&H and the region is in the EU but institutions of the EU want to see steps forward and not blockades. Borell said that rules are very clear and need to be respected so that the European Commission (EC) can propose to the European Council to give the status of the EU candidate to B&H and this is why it is necessary to implement the key reforms, the 14 conditions from the EC’s Opinion so that the council could reach a unanimous decision.

 

Asked what could be the EU’s response to possible escalation of relations in B&H, Borrell stated that he does not want to answer this question and give negative forecasts, as he would rather speak about what should be done in order to avoid this scenario. He emphasized that the EU will do everything to extend engagement of peace operations in B&H in November, when this issue comes to the agenda of the UN General Assembly.

 

Borrell stressed that the presence of EUFOR forces should not cause concern among B&H citizens, since they are a sign of security and a guarantee for peace. He said that the EU is dedicated to the preservation of stability of B&H. Borrell stressed that the importance of peace is undeniable. He said that there are no threats to the peace of B&H and they felt the need to deploy more forces in B&H to enable a faster response in the case of a crisis. Borrell called on B&H officials to work on the future of B&H together. He said that rules are clear and they need to be followed, and reforms need to be implemented in order for B&H to receive the EU candidate status.

 

Borrell meets Dodik, Izetbegovic, Covic (N1)

 

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell held a number of meetings during his visit to Sarajevo on Wednesday. He met leaders of all parliamentary parties and they discussed how to unblock institutions, reforms, the EU path. Following the meeting with Borrell, SNSD leader Milorad Dodik said that he does not understand why everyone speaks about how to unblock institutions when the institutions are working; he attends sessions of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency, while the B&H Parliament held a session on Wednesday. In this regard, Dodik stated that thus, he does not know what are they talking about.

 

Asked does he still support formation of the Republika Srpska (RS) high judicial and the prosecutorial council, Dodik said that the RS National Assembly (RSNA) will decide about this issue, while he will support the policy of the RSNA. According to Dodik, Borrell believes that the law on the RS high judicial and the prosecutorial council should not be adopted for a while, until June, July and he will inform the RSNA about the aforementioned Borrell’ stance. Dodik added that thus, the RSNA will decide and not him.

 

Leader of SDA Bakir Izetbegovic stated that Borrell insisted on stabilization of the political situation in B&H and that Dodik accepted to unblock institutions. According to Izetbegovic, Borrell reiterated several times that he expects not to go further with the RS high judicial and the prosecutorial council and the agency for medicinal products and medical devices. In his opinion, the things that the RS begun working will stop. The officials also discussed changes to the B&H Election Law and it was underlined that the elections must be held this year. Izetbegovic said that there is already consensus on technical changes to the B&H Election Law. Izetbegovic confirmed that negotiations on the B&H Election Law will continue on Wednesday.

 

HDZ B&H Dragan Covic did not give any comments for media. However, Covic said after a session of the B&H House of Peoples (HoP) that they agreed about the article 4,5 of the Constitution of B&H, i.e. the limited changes so that they could solve the issue of Houses of Peoples (HoPs) and the B&H Presidency. According to Covic, they also agreed about a proposal for the Federation of B&H (FB&H) HoP on the manner of election of legitimate representatives in the Croat Caucus and in other caucuses. He added that their stances about ways to elect two representatives – the one who represents the Croat people and all others and the one who represents the Bosniak people and all other citizens in the FB&H – stay divided. Covic stated that there were different ideas and as far as competences of HoP are concerned, they are defined in the Constitution in a precise way and no one can talk about this.

 

N1 reminded that HDZ B&H insisted to change everything in one package, while Izetbegovic claims that now, there is an agreement on this issue while Dodik said that technical changes in this way are out of question. According to Dodik, the RS National Assembly should discuss this issue.

 

FTV carried that Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia in the EU External Action Service (EEAS) Angelina Eichhorst arrived in B&H to mediate the negotiation process in the upcoming days, which is supposed to last until the weekend.

 

Borrell meets with members of B&H Presidency, they discus current situation and EU path of B&H; Borrell says EU membership is future of B&H, but it requires fulfilling of some conditions (Hayat)

 

Following series of meetings with Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) officials and political leaders in B&H held on Wednesday, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell stated that B&H will become part of the EU, adding that this requires fulfilling of necessary conditions. Following the meeting with Borrell, B&H Presidency issued a statement reading that collocutors of this meeting discussed the current political situation in B&H as well as the EU path of this country. It was added that Borrell emphasized the EU resumes to provide support to the EU path of B&H, and that it requires fulfilling of necessary conditions. The statement also reads that it is necessary to unblock all institutions in B&H in order to talk about future steps.

 

Following the meeting, member of B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik addressed media and said that the crisis in B&H is not current, but this country has been undergoing the crisis for years and it is hard to expect it will be solved. He underlined that there is a continuous crisis in B&H, adding that there is no will to do something in this regard. “There are politics here which want to impose something that is not in line with the Constitutions and legislation”, explained member of B&H Presidency Dodik. He stressed that such B&H cannot function and survive. Also, Dodik emphasized that technical changes of electoral legislation cannot be agreed and adopted without representatives of Republika Srpska (RS). He also stated that there is no country in the world where electoral rules are imposed by external factors. “When it comes to the Federation of B&H (FB&H), we are prepared to support the agreement concerning election of members of B&H Presidency”, stated Dodik, adding that concept of election of delegates in the FB&H House of Peoples (HoP) needs to be acceptable for the RS.

 

After the meeting of leaders of B&H ruling and opposition political parties with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, Head of the EU Delegation to B&H Johann Sattler wrote on Twitter: “Josep Borrell has passed clear messages today to the coalition and opposition leaders about the need for an end to the political crisis to refocus on the EU path and reform. We saw good example last week with adoption of key laws in the B&H House of Representatives as a result of opposition initiatives.”

 

Opposition leaders meet with Borrell: EU expects B&H to implement key reforms (N1)

 

The European Union expects Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) to fully align with the EU on Russia and the country to implement necessary reforms, leaders of opposition parties in B&H said after meeting with EU High Representative, Josep Borrell.

 

Mirko Sarovic, the leader of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), said that it was clear from the meeting that there will be no financial help from the EU for projects in Republika Srpska (RS) until the situation in the country improves. He argued that this is something that will surely hurt RS citizens. He said that the return of political representatives from the RS entity to the state institutions was also discussed. RS officials have been boycotting B&H institutions since last year.

 

The SDS leader said he pointed out at the meeting that talks on implementing reforms defined in the European Commission’s Opinion on B&H’s EU candidate status could bring RS officials back to the table.

 

However, Sarovic said that “everything seems to be hanging in the air”. “I’m not sure Borrell understood where he came, he’s completely confused on some things. There is no progress with those who have been leading B&H for the last three years, and a chance for them to leave as soon as possible is the only hope for this country,” he said. “He did not understand that those he was talking to would deceive and lie to him,” Sarovic said, referring to Borrell’s meeting with the leaders of B&H’s strongest three ethnic parties.

 

Borrell also met on Wednesday with the leaders of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), Bakir Izetbegovic, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Milorad Dodik, and the leader of HDZ B&H, Dragan Covic.

 

The leader of the opposition SBB, Fahrudin Radoncic, said the meeting was constructive.

“The messages were as we expected, that the EU will pay more attention to B&H,” he said, adding that Borrell stressed that strategic issues must be resolved, including changes to the election law and the normalisation of Croat-Bosniak relations. “I believe that this is a good thing today, that it should be an incentive for all of us to complete our obligations earlier and we will continue negotiations on changes to the Election Law tomorrow,” Radoncic said.

 

The leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Nermin Niksic, said that the EU expects B&H officials to come up with solutions for electoral reform that are in line with European standards. “We had the opportunity to hear Borrell, who said very unequivocally that he expects the political leaders of B&H to very clearly express support for the positions of the EU when it comes to aggression against Ukraine. He expects us to work on finding a solution in line with European standards,” Niksic said. Niksic pointed out that B&H is one of the few countries in the world where state officials have expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Of course, this has an effect on B&H, and a solution must be found with such people in accordance with European standards,” Niksic said.

 

Kalabukhov: B&H's membership in NATO is now in realm of fantasy because there is no consensus on that in country itself (Nezavisne)

 

Russian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Igor Kalabukhov has stated that it is not in Russia's interest to transfer the events from Ukraine to B&H. Commenting on the current situation in Ukraine, Kalabukhov said, among other things, that as far as he and Russia are concerned, they bring peace and liberation from the Nazi threat, and that people in Ukraine live peacefully. "People in B&H do not have to fear Russia," Kalabukhov said in an interview with FTV. He said that all those countries that imposed sanctions against Russia are on the Russian list of enemy states. "B&H is the only one, with Serbia, which is not on the list of enemy states now. We have great interest in B&H. Economic. Business people in B&H also have an interest in cooperating with Russia in some areas," Kalabukhov said, adding that Russia supports everything that is a well-intentioned agreement, compromise and reflects the priorities and wishes of the people in B&H. "What is secession really? Who raised the issue of the secession of Republika Srpska (RS)? These false fantasies dreamed of by our European colleagues, they say that all B&H citizens dream of being part of the EU. What is the EU now? What is their recipe? Like in a circus. If you do that, we will give you money. If you do not, you will get beaten up. That is the process of joining the EU," Kalabukhov underlined.

 

As he explained, Russia wants the best possible relationship with Bosniaks as a constituent people in B&H. "Believe me, there are no hidden intentions towards B&H. Russia as a state, as a people, as a civilization never has any hidden intentions. And especially as the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to B&H, I say that there are no hidden intentions in relation to B&H. What (Serb member of the B&H Presidency Milorad) Dodik is doing is a matter of internal agreement," Kalabukhov emphasized.

 

Kalabuhkov further said that Russia is interested in the stability of B&H and the Balkans. He pointed out that Russia, as a witness to the Dayton Agreement, supports dialogue and compromise and that it is for what B&H decides. "If B&H decides to be a member of anything, it is an internal matter. But the other thing is our reaction. On the example of Ukraine, we have shown what we expect. If there is a threat, we will react," Kalabukhov underlined. He believes that "it is the West that poses a threat to B&H's security due to the claim that Russia is allegedly preparing a plan." "That is toying with the people in B&H, that Russia is allegedly preparing some plan. We have no plans. We will react by analyzing the strategic and geopolitical situation," Kalabukhov pointed out. He stressed that B&H's membership in NATO is now in the realm of fantasy because there is no consensus on that in the country itself and, according to him, that will not change just like that. Kalabukhov has said that B&H has the right to decide whether or not to join NATO but he warned that Moscow also keeps the right to respond to such a possibility in line with its interests.

“If B&H decides to be a member of any alliance, that is an internal matter. Our response is a different matter. Ukraine's example shows what we expect. Should there be any threat, we will respond,” Kalabukhov told the FTV. Kalabukhov said that it was the West that was actually posing a threat to B&H's security by claiming that Russia “is allegedly preparing a plan. We do not have any plans. We will respond having analysed the strategic and geopolitical situation,” the ambassador said, adding that B&H's membership in NATO was now not reality anyway because of the lack of consensus on the matter in the country, which was not likely to change that easily. Kalabukhov underlined that there is no mechanism for excluding Russia from the Peace Implementation Council.

 

Bosnia Presidency Chairman condemns Russian Ambassador's threats (N1)

 

Zeljko Komsic, the Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency, strongly condemned the statement by Russian Ambassador to B&H Igor Kalabukhov, who warned that Russia would react if B&H became a NATO member state. By “threatening to B&H,” Komsic stressed, the Russian ambassador referred to the example of Ukraine. “I strongly condemn the threats that the Russian Federation's Ambassador to B&H presented commenting on a possibility of B&H becoming a NATO member state. The Russian ambassador's message that Russia's reaction would follow, where he mentions the example of Ukraine against which Russia committed an aggression, is unambiguous, but is at the same time unacceptable for B&H,” Komsic said. He noted that Bosnia's decision to join NATO can be only the decision of its institutions, and not a cause for an attack on the country.

 

“We are aware of the change in the position of the Russian Federation regarding the decisions of the institutions of B&H, which the Russian Federation earlier respected, and that this has not been the case in the last few years. However, as the Chairman of the Presidency of B&H, I am obliged to condemn and reject the threats, which are not only threats to B&H, but also threats to peace and stability in the Western Balkans,” said Komsic.

 

Croatia 

 

Milanovic reacts to military planes flying over Zagreb (HRT)

 

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic used on Tuesday his powers as a supreme commander of the armed forces to ban military over flights above the capital, Zagreb, and other cities. The ban came as Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic praised a joint French-Croatian military exercise on Tuesday, which included jets flying over several Croatian cities. Milanovic ordered Admiral and Chief of the General Staff Robert Hranj to immediately investigate “disturbances” caused to the citizens of Zagreb resulting from Tuesday’s joint air exercise. Plenkovic and Milanovic disagree over the flyover of military planes over Croatian cities. Milanovic ban flyover at height below 600 meters, Plenkovic says Milanovic has no competencies over this.

 

Plenkovic in Madrid on drone crash: This could have been any European capital (Hina)

 

During a visit to Spain on Wednesday, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic addressed the crash of a military drone in Croatia last week and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

 

Before meeting with his host, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister Plenkovic made a stop at NATO's Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejon. There he spoke with the commander of the base, Lieutenant General Fernando De La Cruz. One of the key issues they discussed was last Thursday's crash of a Soviet-era military drone in Zagreb, which luckily did not cause any deaths or injuries. Croatia has raised concerns about why neither NATO nor its neighbours and allies Hungary and Romania warned Croatia the aircraft was headed its way. It is still unclear to whom the aircraft belongs.

 

"I think it is important for the Spanish public and media to understand that Croatia is still under the influence of this grave incident that occurred last Thursday during our European Council meeting in Versailles, when an armed drone, which was carrying explosives, fell literally in the middle of our capital, Zagreb, flying over one thousand kilometres from Ukrainian territory, through Romanian and Hungarian airspace, and fell 50 meters from the biggest student dormitory in the center of Zagreb," said Plenkovic during a press conference with Sanchez.

 

Plenkovic said Croatia was still investigating the incident. "This could have been any other European capital. We all need to remain alert in the context of Russia's invasion into Ukraine,” he added. He said both Croatia and Spain were united in the condemnation of the invasion and in support of sanctions targeting Russia.

 

"Nobody wants this war except one person. I think it is also very important to share that we do not have anything against the Russian population but we all have something against the regime of one person and the war of one person, Vladimir Putin," said Prime Minister Sanchez. Sanchez added that it was important that the EU provide humanitarian assistance and military capability to a country that is suffering from an illegal and unjustified invasion.

 

Montenegro 

 

Abazovic: I have almost finished my work, the minority government is currently supported by minorities, Black on White and the SNP (CDM)

 

Mandator for the composition of the new government, Dritan Abazovic, stated that the process of forming a minority government is nearing completion, and that he has almost finished his part of the job. Abazovic claims that for now, the minority government is supported by minorities, Black on White and the SNP. "I am satisfied with the meetings. We are moving towards the finish. Minority parties, the Black on White Coalition and the Socialist People's Party are what should make up the government at the moment.

 

Abazovic said that it was acceptable for him to have the SNP in the Government. "I don't know if they have a Greater Serbia background. I will only form a government dedicated to civil Montenegro. "SNP leader Vladimir Jokovic signed an agreement with the Civic Movement URA and other signatories of the Memorandum, which unequivocally states that Russia committed aggression against Ukraine," Abazovic said. According to him, the vice president of GP URA, Milos Konatar, is ready to take over any position in the country. "I will try to bring closer the positions of the SNP, SDP and SD. It is bad to reduce politics to a personal level. But if there is no possibility to find an agreement, some of them will not be in the government. It is uncertain whether the SDP and SD would support a government comprising the URA, SNP and minorities. The policy I pursue is clear and unambiguous. "95% of the government has been formed," Abazovic pointed out. Abazovic did not announce that there would be another attempt to bring the positions between the SDP, SD and SNP closer. "Tomorrow I will talk to representatives of SDP, SNP and SD," he added.

 

As far as the DPS is concerned, their behaviour is more correct than of some others from the beginning. The DPS had four conditions, very acceptable to me as a prime minister. There is nothing controversial about that. "One refers to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the other to Covid measures, the third to the preservation of existing and finding new investors, and the fourth to the unblocking of the European path," Abazovic emphasized.

 

He assures that the Assembly will be unblocked by the prevailing view that Strahinja Bulajic cannot hold citizens and the political system hostage. "If the DF wants to humiliate the state institutions of Montenegro, it will do the greatest damage to itself - it will disgrace itself." If Bulajic does not want to schedule a session, then someone else will. The criminal responsibility is also what Bulajic is doing. That we are waiting for someone by 2023 to schedule a session. I understand the party's interests, but he cannot hold Montenegro hostage.

 

In recent days, there has been a public debate about the minority government, especially due to criticism of the SNP, which hasn’t publicly announced their stance when it comes to Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Also, many from the opposition say that the SNP, as a pro-Russian element of that future government, is given too much power.

 

Djukanovic: Montenegro welcomes the order of the International Court of Justice that Russia urgently suspends all military operations in Ukraine (CDM)

 

Montenegro welcomes the order of the International Court of Justice, which calls for an immediate cessation of all military operations by Russia on the territory of Ukraine, said the President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic. "Every member of the United Nations, and especially the permanent members of the Security Council, has a responsibility to respect the decisions of the main bodies of the World Organization" Djukanovic wrote on Twitter.

 

Cabinet meeting interrupted; Krivokapic unwilling to vote for sanctions against Russia (CDM)

 

The cabinet meeting, at which the decision on the introduction of sanctions against Russia due to the attack on Ukraine was supposed to be made, has been interrupted, CDM has learned.

 

PM Zdravko Krivokapic demanded that this decision not be made by the Government but by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was opposed by Foreign Minister Djordje Radulovic, explaining that it was the constitutional competence of the Government, and that the Prime Minister wanted to absolve himself of responsibility for sanctions. After a heated argument, Krivokapic adjourned the session. The ministers waited for an hour for PM Krivokapic, as well as the Ministers of Finance and Social Welfare and Economic Development Milojko Spajic and Jakov Milatovic, respectively. While waiting for the arrival of the mentioned three, the outgoing Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Sports, Vesna Bratic, said that she would vote against sanctions against Russia.

 

“The reason for the cabinet meeting interruption is not only of the procedural nature, but also because of the expressed disrespect and indecent behaviour of Minister Radulovic towards PM Zdravko Krivokapic”, the Government has stated.

 

North Macedonia 

 

The EU diplomat, who promised a will instead of a date, demands that the country continues with the reforms (Republika)

 

Josep Borrell, the high representative for foreign affairs who angered the Macedonian citizens when he said in Skopje that he could not promise us a date but only a will, came out with a new statement about the region. In an interview with N1, he pointed out that Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina have the same request – acceleration of the EU road, which, according to him, is acceptable. But all countries must fulfil their tasks, not because of membership, but because of the citizens. Some of the segments are the fight against corruption, overcoming the difficulties of the past, the economic perspective, the strengthening of democracy, said the EU representative.

 

Deputy PM Grubi asked Ambassador Byrnes for greater US involvement in the dispute with Bulgaria (Republika)

 

First Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi asked US Ambassador to Macedonia Kate Byrnes for increased US involvement to get Bulgaria to lift its veto against Macedonia’s EU accession talks. The two met today to discuss the war in Ukraine and the strategic partnership between Macedonia and the US. Grubi emphasized the need of increased American and European assistance when it comes to the dispute between Skopje and Sofia, his office said in a statement. Grubi and Byrnes also discussed about the talks with the US Bechtel company, that will be given exclusive right to develop the east – west Corridor 8 in Macedonia.

 

Osmani-Le Drian phone call: Clear and unambiguous messages of support from France for readiness to start negotiations (Republika)

 

Macedonia’s European dossier in light of the French EU presidency and the potentials for progress in the country’s EU integration process were discussed Thursday by Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani in a phone call with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean-Yves Le Drian. They also talked about the course of the political dialogue with the Republic of Bulgaria and of course the situation in Ukraine and how they are reflected in the Western Balkan countries, on the stability and security of the region and Europe as a whole.

 

Minister Osmani congratulated his French counterpart Le Drian on his leadership of the French Presidency of the Union in these difficult times, emphasizing that the unification of the EU encouraged the entire democratic world, and especially the countries in the region. During the phone call, clear and unequivocal messages of support were received from France; messages about our country’s readiness to start negotiations, as well as the role of France in this process. Osmani also informed Le Drian that Macedonia has achieved 100% compliance with the Common Foreign and Security Policy and in that context stressed that the European perspective of the country and the region is an essential contribution to sustainable regional and European stability.

 

Albania 

 

Minister Xhacka: We will work with the allies to end war in Ukraine (Radio Tirana)

 

The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Olta Xhacka, received on Wednesday in a meeting the Special Envoy of the OSCE Presidency, Artur Dmochowski. Xhacka said that Albania fully supports the Polish Presidency in leading the OSCE at this crucial time for peace and security in Europe. Xhacka also underlined that Albania is committed to the order based on international rules and will work closely with the allies to stop the war in Ukraine. "Great meeting with the Special Envoy of the OSCE Presidency, Artur Dmochowski. We fully support the Polish Presidency in leading the OSCE at this crucial time for peace and security in Europe. "Albania is committed to the order based on international rules and will work closely with the allies to stop the war in Ukraine," Xhacka said in a Twitter reaction.

 

Xhacka calls on Russia to obey the order of the Court (Radio Tirana)

 

The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Olta Xhacka, reacted after the decision of the International Court of Justice on the aggression against Ukraine. Xhacka said that she welcomes the decision of the International Court of Justice for temporary measures for the immediate suspension of military operations by Russia or by any organization or individual.

 

"Albania fully supports the prosecution of every crime committed in Ukraine and calls on Russia to obey the order of the Court," Xhacka said. "I welcome the decision of the International Court of Justice on the interim measures for the immediate suspension of military operations by Russia or by any organization or individual. Albania fully supports the prosecution of every crime committed in Ukraine and calls on Russia to obey the court's order," Xhacka said in a Twitter reaction.

 

Peleshi: Albania in full support of Ukraine's sovereignty, condemns the violation of international law by Russia (Radio Tirana)

 

NATO Defense Ministers held an extraordinary meeting at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, where the main focus was the situation in Ukraine after the occupation by Russia. The Minister of Defense, Niko Peleshi, delivered a speech, clarifying the position of Albania in full support of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, and strongly condemned the violation of international law by Russia. He pointed out that Albania joined without any hesitation other NATO and EU countries, which imposed sanctions on Russia, and expressed the full readiness of the Albanian government to provide humanitarian aid and assistance to Ukraine.

 

As regards the increasing vigilance and measures to strengthen the eastern and south-eastern wing of the Alliance, Peleshi added that our country has confirmed its stance that it is ready to implement its obligations as a valuable and reliable ally side by side with other allies. In conclusion, Minister Peleshi asked the Alliance for increased attention and careful analysis of the Balkan region, although the focus remains on the situation in Ukraine. He said the conflict should be controlled and kept outside NATO borders, as Russian influence in the Balkans is considered a real threat to the region.

 

The Secretary General of the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, condemned the Russian aggression against Ukraine and reaffirmed the full political support and continued military assistance from NATO to Ukraine. He also stressed out the need to strengthen the Alliance Deterrence and Defense, especially east and southeast of its borders, where for the first time since its inception, NATO is deploying Response Forces in these countries. This ministerial precedes the NATO Extraordinary Summit, which will take place in Brussels on March 24.

 

Balla: EU enlargement process should be accelerated (Radio Tirana)

 

During a three-day visit to Berlin, the chairman of the SP parliamentary group, Taulant Balla, and two representatives of SP, Etilda Gjonaj and Toni Gogu, met with a number of representatives of German policy responsible for foreign and enlargement policies.

 

In an interview with DW, Balla said that the time has come to give an acceleration to the enlargement process and asked for Germany's help. I believe that it is the right moment to think about a real acceleration of the process of membership of the Western Balkan countries in the European Union. The crisis in Ukraine should make us all here in Europe think of a greater union of Europe, including within it the countries of the Western Balkans as soon as possible.

 

Basha loses loyal MPs as calls for his resignation become overwhelming (Tirana Times)

 

Lulzim Basha, who, pending a court ruling, legally remains chairman of Albania's main opposition Democratic Party, is facing calls for resignation by almost every MP the party elected in last year's elections. The calls, which have now come from even the most loyal MPs in his faction, follow the party's dismal showing in administrative by-elections earlier this month, in which DP ended up as a third party, gaining fewer votes than the House of Freedom, a coalition between a DP faction led by Sali Berisha and the Socialist Movement for Integration.

 

Basha told the media this week he would do "whatever is in his hands" to unify the party, but did not utter the word "resignation" and appears to want to hang on to the post, despite having the majority of the party against.  He made the comments at the end of a DP parliamentary group meeting in which MP after MP, including the deputy chairs he appointed, called on him to resign.

 

DP's poor showing in the March 6 by-elections led to two deputy chairs resigning -- Agron Gjekmarkaj and Grida Duma, who then asked Basha to follow suit.  Basha loyalists and deputy chairs Enkelejd Alibeaj and Jorida Tabaku as well as General Secretary Gazmend Bardhi have also called for a change at the top, albeit they have not been as vocal as others and have not resigned themselves. They and some other of the former Basha supporters want guarantees that Berisha would not be allowed to run for chairman, seeking unity through a third candidate.

 

"What is clear is that we will have to find a solution beyond the two individuals who have caused this problem, and as long as there is a problem caused by two individuals, we will both have to step back to find a solution to the problem," Bardhi said.

 

Berisha, the party's historic leader, has made it clear he intends to take over again when the party votes for a new chairman.  "The only solution is to unite by returning to allow a free vote," Berisha's group said in a statement. "Whoever is afraid of the free vote of the Democrats, has no morals to demand the vote of the Albanians. Every Democrat must understand that exclusions and the lack of a free vote are the death of a political force."

 

Albania’s ruling Socialist Party won five out of six mayoral by-elections on May 6, with a divided opposition losing everywhere except in its stronghold of Shkoder, which was won by the candidate of the House of Freedom faction. The Basha-led DP lost everywhere except in Rrogozhine, indicating which faction has more support among DP voters. The by-elections were a test for factions of the deeply divided opposition.  Three groups within Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party are now vying for control. The largest supports Berisha, the second wants a third candidate and Basha supporters now appear to be in third place.

 

Delegates representing a large portion of the party convened in an assembly on Dec. 11, voting to sack the party’s incumbent leadership and approving changes to the party’s constitution. The delegates represented supporters of former Prime Minister Berisha and others who say they want change in DP, following a string of electoral and political defeats.

 

Incumbent Chairman Basha and his supporters say the Dec. 11 assembly was illegal and that his mandate has three more years to go. They held a rival assembly on Dec. 18 and purged all critics from key posts.

 

DP has seen months of internal turmoil following the loss of the April 25, 2021 general elections for an unprecedented third time. Shortly after the elections, the U.S. State Department publicly designated Berisha, who had not held public office since 2013, as involved in "high-level corruption.”

 

Basha announced in September that Berisha would be expelled from the DP parliamentary group. The decision led to Berisha launching a comeback movement within the ranks of the Democrats against Basha, but Basha opponents have been unable to legally dislodge the incumbent from the party's headquarters. An attempt to do so by force turned into ugly scenes of violence earlier this year.