LOCAL PRESS

 

Selakovic: Situation in Kosovo and Metohija far from normal (Politika/Tanjug)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said on Wednesday the situation in Kosovo and Metohija was far from normal and stable and that, by refusing to establish a Community of Serb Municipalities, Pristina was not only undermining the dialogue with Belgrade, but also sending a message that Serbs should disappear from the southern province. Addressing a UN Security Council session on a semiannual report on the work of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Selakovic said Serbs and other non-Albanians in the province were "facing each new day with great apprehension because they are uncertain if their fundamental human rights could be violated or denied". "Such feelings are a reaction to the instability generated by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina. The goal of Pristina, based on everything we have been witnessing on the ground, is to have even more Serbs and other non-Albanians leave Kosovo and Metohija and to terminate any form of cultural and national diversity," he said. He noted that the report should have been "more elaborate and explicit when it comes to the assessment of events and their causes, so that we can examine the developments in Kosovo and Metohija more comprehensively and in the true light". "There are evident problems in Kosovo and Metohija, and it is necessary to precisely identify the causes in order to solve them. Creating an artificial balance and putting a sign of equality between the two sides when looking at crisis situations does not contribute in any way whatsoever to reaching a substantial solution to the problem. Unless we clearly define what causes the problems, they will recur and become more complex. For all persons living in Kosovo and Metohija, it is extremely important to send a message from this meeting to those who have the authority in their hands and who have the capacity to change the situation for the better. And that message should point to the need to establish interethnic trust by having the provisional institutions in Pristina respect the agreements reached, implement what was agreed and harmonize their actions with international standards regarding the rule of law and human rights," he said. Selakovic noted that, on 16 January, the "Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina, contrary to UN SC Resolution 1244, but also to all democratic principles, banned the organization of a referendum in Kosovo and Metohija on amending the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia in the field of the judiciary". "Despite the great efforts of international factors, including the countries of the Quint and the European Union, to ensure that this does not happen, Pristina repeated this illegal act and made it impossible to organize the presidential and parliamentary elections of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija on 3 April this year. We note that this was the first time since 1999 that citizens in Kosovo and Metohija were prevented from participating in the elections of the Republic of Serbia, which was a violation, among other things, of the clearly defined mandate of the OSCE Mission regarding the organization of elections. By doing so, the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina once again demonstrated their discriminatory character and sent a message that unilateralism is the principle on which they act," he said. "In the same way, that is - unilaterally, on 20 September, the Provisional Institutions deployed special police units, with armored vehicles, at two administrative crossings to central Serbia, which confiscated license plates of vehicles from the north of Kosovo and Metohija and central Serbia. The manner in which this was done showed that their goal was clearly to intimidate Serbs from the north of the province, and what came as a consequence was a justified revolt of the local population," Selakovic said. "The Serbs who are victims of such actions do not find the wounds to be as painful as the terror that is carried out daily by Pristina against the Serbian people, both south and north of the river Ibar," he said. "I have just quoted the words of Srecko Sofronijevic from the town of Zvecan in Kosovo and Metohija, uttered while he was lying in a hospital bed. On 13 October, members of the special police shot him in the back with a firearm, when they made an incursion into the north of the province for the ninth time, contrary to the Brussels agreement, that is - illegally. We would prefer it if his name was included in the Report we are discussing today," Selakovic said. "Fear of uncertainty among Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija is also caused by the work done by the judiciary, which acts on secret indictments, contrary to all international standards. The sad reality is that today in Kosovo and Metohija, if you are a Serb, you can be sentenced to many years in prison on the basis of unverified or contradictory witness statements, without irrefutable and unambiguous material evidence. This indicates the practice of passing judgments according to one’s ethnicity, not according to law and justice. The malignant nationalism of the authorities in Pristina is manifested through ignoring the political representatives of Serbs in institutions thus making decisions without their participation and readiness to permanently remove the leaders of the Serb community through politically mounted investigations and judicial proceedings. This creates an atmosphere of complete insecurity and leads to the exodus of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. To illustrate this, let me remind you of the events in the municipality of Strpce on 21 December 2021, in which 11 Serbs were arrested, including former mayor and vice president of the Serb List, Bratislav Nikolic, who is still in custody under the alleged fight against corruption. On that same occasion, the employees in the municipality were informed that they were no longer coming to work, which brought into question the existence of dozens of Serbian families," the Minister said. "Pristina has been openly saying for a long time that the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities, envisaged by the Brussels Agreement, will not be allowed. This not only undermines the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, but also directly humiliates international factors, primarily the European Union. With such statements, Pristina sends a message to the Serbian people in the province that they should not count on the exercise of collective rights, and such disenfranchisement should ultimately lead to Serbs disappearing entirely from Kosovo and Metohija," he said. Unfortunately, there are still many ethnically motivated incidents, hate speech, intimidation, violations of the right to a fair trial, threatening the rights to the freedom of movement and religious rights, desecration of churches and cemeteries, and instead of spending a good part of your precious time listing them, a non-paper was distributed to you detailing the recorded incidents against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija during the reporting period. The number and nature of incidents, and only in the reporting period there were 63 according to our records, unequivocally speaks of the high degree of threat and exposure to continuous discrimination against the Serb and other non-Albanian population. The cause-and-effect relationship between the issue of the return of displaced persons and the number of incidents on ethnic grounds is obvious. In such conditions, the reasons why there are still more than 200,000 internally displaced Serbs and other non-Albanians from Kosovo and Metohija in the Republic of Serbia are easy to understand. We are convinced that it is in this context in particular that UNMIK could and should play an important role," Selakovic said. "We welcome the UN Secretary General’s call for enabling the return of internally displaced persons. To this end, concrete measures are needed to ensure, inter alia, the safety of returnees and full respect for the property rights of displaced persons. We did not get the impression that the institutions in Pristina have the political will to change the situation for the better. We are witnessing the opposite. Serbs are intimidated in various ways, encouraged to leave their homes, and displaced persons are discouraged from returning to their places of birth. Such a practice is not in line with the values and principles publicly proclaimed by Pristina. We would like to see a clear political will and measures to prove that discrimination on national grounds is not a desirable social value in Kosovo and Metohija, and that coexistence is possible and necessary. The fastest and most efficient way to do that is to respect valid international legal documents and concluded agreements," he said. Selakovic stressed that Serbia would continue to "constantly draw the attention of the international community to the problems in Kosovo and Metohija". "Serbia is committed to the respect of international law and full implementation of UN SC Resolution 1244, which includes further UNMIK engagement and the presence of KFOR, as a guarantor of peace and security. It is equally important that these international missions continue to operate in undiminished capacity, taking into account what has been said in today's debate," he concluded.

 

Continued UNMIK engagement on an undiminished scale crucial (Tanjug/RTS)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic pointed out Wednesday in New York, in a conversation with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, that continuous consideration of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija before this body is essential Serbia, as well as for the international community. Ahead of the session of the UN Security Council, Selakovic underlined that the UN is the most important international organization for Serbia, and emphasized that the continuation of UNMIK's engagement in an undiminished scope and with an unchanged mandate is of key importance. He informed the Secretary General about the frequent attacks on Serbs, their property and facilities of the Serbian Orthodox Church, explaining that these incidents unequivocally indicate the threat to our people and the fragile security situation in the province. Selakovic reiterated that Serbia is absolutely committed to preserving peace and security and that he will continue to insist on the protection of the Serbian population in Kosovo and Metohija. During the conversation, the Minister paid special attention to the problem of internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija, and at the same time informed Guterres about the situation in the region, emphasizing that Serbia is consistently a pillar of political stability in the Western Balkans. As he pointed out, Serbia provides its full contribution to the UN and the preservation of international peace through participation in UN missions around the world, stating that with more than 260 blue helmets we are third in Europe and first in the region in the UN contribution to UN peacekeeping forces.

 

Selakovic: Gervala is abusing UN Security Council (Tanjug)

 

During the session of the UN Security Council dedicated to the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic rejected the accusations of the representative of Pristina Donika Gervala and said that she was abusing the Security Council to speak against UNMIK and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. "Instead of talking about problems on the ground, disrespect of human rights, abolition of political freedoms, more than 2,000 people missing, the ignored crimes committed by Kosovo Albanians, Gervala tells us about her political wishes and goals, abusing the Security Council to speak against UNMIK and the president of Serbia," said Selakovic. "Vucic is also your president, Mrs. Gervala Schwartz, and you should show respect when you talk about the president of your country," said Selakovic. He said that it is true that so-called Kosovo is the result of a separatist movement, terrorist activities, drug trafficking, and that "Gervala can teach us lessons about how something of the kind would never happen". "Gervala tells us about the butcher from the Balkans, but does not mention that the real butchers from the Balkans are former so-called President Hashim Thaci and former so-called parliament speaker Kadri Veseli, who are both currently in The Hague, in custody of the war crimes court for the KLA crimes," said Selakovic. He stressed that Serbia is an independent, sovereign state, with clear goals that include the European path and respect of her traditional friends, and that accusations against Serbia of being someone's representative represent disrespect of this body and the UN as an organization. "Serbia is the pillar of peace and stability in the region and that is what the leaders of almost all member-states here say. When it comes to regional stability and cooperation, the contrast between Vucic and Albin Kurti has never been greater and more obvious. While the president is building bridges of cooperation, such as the Open Balkan initiative, Kurti is destroying and undermining the dialogue process," Selakovic pointed out. He stated that Kurti was the political commissar of the so-called KLA and cited some examples of KLA crimes. Selakovic also said that Gervala speaks about them being a democracy, but, he added, they are not even able to respect their own constitution and in that context, he mentioned the example of the Serbian medieval monastery of Visoki Decani. "Gervala represented only herself, not an independent recognized country, a member of the UN, and that will remain so, because their reason and motivation is not to gain independence, but to create a greater Albania, not a so-called independent Kosovo," said Selakovic. Responding to Minister Selakovic, the Kosovo representative assessed that it is a pity that today's Serbia is not able to distance itself from Slobodan Milosevic and his crimes, as well as that she has her own president and that is Vlosa Osmani. She accused Selakovic of trying to falsify facts and create the impression that the Serb minority is endangered in Kosovo. Gervala also mentioned Swiss prosecutor Dick Marty, who had prepared a report about the crimes he accused Albanians from Kosovo of committing, and reminded that information has emerged that Serbian intelligence services were allegedly preparing his murder. At the same time, she made accusations and claims that the Serbian intelligence services have a "long tradition in killing political actors and opponents". She also claims that Serbs in Kosovo are protected by a most modern constitution that gives them, she said, "exceptional rights to participate at every level of institutions". Reacting to Gervala's statement about Dick Marty, Selakovic spoke again to say that this was unverified information appearing in the international press that caused great damage to the reputation of Serbia and its intelligence services. "Serbia is open for cooperation with foreign partners and expects those claims to be verified as soon as possible," said Selakovic. He added that such information cannot be misused in this UN body, because it can only damage the trials conducted by the Specialist Chambers for KLA war crimes that are underway in The Hague by putting pressure on witnesses in human organ trafficking cases. Selakovic stressed that Serbia appreciates Dick Marty for the courage he showed despite the danger when he published his report in the Council of Europe, detailing the terrible crimes committed by the so-called KLA.

 

Vucic, Lajcak discuss continuation of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug/RTS)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met on Wednesday with the EU special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, Miroslav Lajcak, to discuss a continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and, in particular, the significance of the Brussels Agreement, signed nine years ago. Vucic said there was still no progress on implementation of Pristina's commitments, in particular when it comes to forming a Community of Serb Municipalities, and added that Serbia expected respect and full implementation of reached agreements. Lajcak said he would continue to fully engage on a continuation of the EU-facilitated dialogue without further delays, adding that EU member states expected the two sides to implement all agreements reached in the dialogue process over the past ten years. Vucic noted that Serbia was supporting Lajcak's activities, efforts and intentions to reach a solution through a policy of compromise, rather than through ultimatums or imposed solutions, out of a desire for there to be understanding for Serbian state and national interests as well, rather than just for Albanian national interests. Vucic thanked Lajcak for his commitment, adding that he is always welcome in Serbia, the presidential press office said in a statement.

 

Vucic concerned over threats coming from Pristina (Tanjug)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday Belgrade was hoping for a continuation of the dialogue with Pristina at high level, but noted that he was very concerned over threats coming from Pristina. Speaking to reporters, Vucic said he had conveyed to EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak his concern over Pristina's threats, failure to respect the Brussels Agreement and unwillingness to fulfil agreements, as well as over its seizure of power generation facilities and violent actions over vehicle registration plates. "My plea to Pristina and the EU is that they take care of those who keep saying every day that they are under threat, while their only goal is to attack Serbs and put them under additional pressure, as well as to mount further actions, above all, in the north of Kosovo. We ask them not to do that. It is important for stability in the region, for all our people - Serbs and (ethnic) Albanians alike - and for maintaining peace," Vucic noted.

 

Lajcak: Next high-level meeting discussed with Vucic (Tanjug)

 

EU special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak said on Wednesday he had held a discussion with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic about the way forward in the dialogue and a new high-level meeting between Belgrade and Pristina. "Today in Belgrade, I had an in-depth discussion with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic about the issues currently on the agenda and the way forward in the dialogue, including the next high-level meeting," Lajcak said in a post on his official Twitter account.

 

Vucic: We belong in EU but must protect what is ours (Tanjug)

 

Serbia belongs in the EU and needs to continue on its European path, but it must also protect what is ours, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday. "We must protect what is ours and our independence in decision-making, at least until we become an EU member state. Because everything is different when you are a member of a club, but even then, no one takes your voice, your brain or your tongue away from you," Vucic told reporters when asked to comment on the EU's dwindling popularity in Serbia. It is important that Serbia is on the European path because of the values we aspire to and because of economic progress, as well as because someone would have to say - where else does Serbia belong except in such company, Vucic said. He said one of the reasons for declining popular support for EU integration was that Serbians often heard words from the EU that meant pressure over Kosovo or over the issue of imposing sanctions on Russia. "A significant part of the people is against that - 76 percent are against sanctions and 13 percent are in favor, and when you take all that into account, it is relatively easy to explain the decline of the EU's popularity," Vucic said. According to the latest Ipsos opinion poll, 44 percent of Serbians are against European integration and 35 percent support it, while the remaining 21 percent said they did not know or declined to answer.

 

Brnabic: Freedom House report disgraceful (Tanjug/RTS/RTV/Politika)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on Wednesday slammed as disgraceful the latest Freedom House report, according to which Serbia has been the most regressing Western Balkan country in the past year, while Pristina has made the most progress. Anyone who knows at least a little about the political circumstances, human rights, media freedoms and rule of law knows that is not true, Brnabic told reporters in Kursumlijska Banja, southern Serbia. "In 2021, we finished a public debate and completed a process of constitutional amendments, and on January 16 we had a successful referendum that, for the first time in the history of Serbia, ensures full prosecutorial and judicial independence," Brnabic said. She noted that, on the other hand, the number of attacks on Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija had risen by 20 percent last year. That culminated in Pristina's ban on participation of Kosovo Serbs in the referendum and, subsequently, in the April 3 Serbian elections, Brnabic said. "Pristina banned a fundamental human right, the right to vote, and then you have Freedom House saying that Serbia has made the biggest regression and Kosovo the biggest progress," Brnabic said. Speaking about the situation in Serbia's southern province, Brnabic said the situation was complex, primarily due to Pristina's behavior. "Pristina does not want to engage in negotiations. That is clear to Washington, Brussels, Paris, London and Berlin. We will see what they will do about that. Nine years have passed since the Brussels Agreement, we still have no Community of Serb Municipalities, and Pristina is openly saying it will not implement the Brussels Agreement and that, for them, it does not exist," Brnabic noted.

 

Will Russia leave PIC as well because of failure to recognize OHR (Politika, by Mladen Kremenovic)

 

The Russian Embassy to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) announced that Russia will suspend financing of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and wondered whether this could mean Russia will decide to withdraw from the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) as well, Politika writes. Namely, the Russian Embassy to B&H confirmed Russia will no longer participate in financing of the OHR because “Christian Schmidt cannot be considered as the High Representative without consent of the UN Security Council (UN SC)”, but the Embassy also reminded that Russia is a member of the PIC Steering Board (PIC SB). Politika also reminded that even Schmidt encouraged dilemmas on whether Russia is still active in the PIC because, after he imposed a decision on suspension of the Law on Immovable Property of the RS, he said that he would have been grateful if Russia supported his decision in the PIC and added that “Russia decided to suspend its participation in the PIC”. Oslobodjenje daily recently reminded that US Ambassador to B&H Michael Muprhy too presented his stance on the participation of Russia in the work of PIC, but the Embassy of Russia to B&H denied claims that they withdrew from the work of the PIC SB. “There is no mechanism for suspension of our participation in the work of PIC. Principled stance of Russia on illegitimacy of Mr. Schmidt as the High Representative is well known. However, this does not have to mean that we are not participating in the work of the PIC SB. Russia is willing to consider the possibility of renewal of cooperation with Mr. Schmidt should he obtain the necessary consent of the UN SC for this position,” the Russian Embassy stated. Klix portal wondered what is Russia doing in the PIC at all if it fails to respect the High Representative. Klix also reminded that Moscow prevented the address of Schmidt before the UN last year, after which the PIC presented its stance with a dissenting opinion of Russia that the support of the UN SC to the appointment is “desirable, but not necessary”. Chair of the Presidency of B&H Sefik Dzaferovic said that this is a matter for Russia but he added: “I just know that Russia expresses a non-critical support to all stances coming from the RS in the PIC and this is not the way things should be done. What will happen with their membership – I do not know, to be honest”. Serb member of the Presidency of B&H Milorad Dodik said that, although he believes B&H does not need the PIC, he will tell Russians – if they ask for his opinion – that they should stay in the PIC “because it is very important to make sure voice is heard against unreasonable stances of those who violate the Dayton (Peace Agreement) and blame everyone else of violating it”.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

B&H Presidency members meet with US senators in Sarajevo (Hayat/BNTV)

 

Hayat reports that yet another US diplomatic offensive is underway and the goal is to help B&H and countries of the region. After their visit to Serbia on Tuesday, members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Armed Services paid a visit to B&H on Wednesday. They met with B&H Presidency Chairman Sefik Dzaferovic, Serb member of B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik and Croat member of B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic in Sarajevo on Wednesday. The senators are members of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party who are united when it comes to the counties of the region and their problems. Addressing the press conference after the meeting, the senators said that they held a series of successful meetings with B&H officials earlier on Wednesday and discussed a number of topics - including the stability in the region, influence of Russia and China, sanctions, Russian aggression in Ukraine, etc. US Senator Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic Party) of New Hampshire stated that what they heard at the meetings will be communicated with the US Senate and they will talk about the importance of continuous engagement in B&H and the region, as well as about the importance of the current developments and Europe’s future. “It was nice to hear reinforced interest of people in B&H for the EU and NATO path,” Shaheen stressed. US Senator Chris Murphy (Democratic Party) of Connecticut said that this is a critical moment for B&H and a moment in which the US should extend a hand of partnership to B&H in order to ensure that the country can build sustainable state-level institutions and strong entities. He reminded that he told B&H Presidency members that their problems are understandable. Commenting on the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the senators stated that it is important to condemn all the sufferings that happen in Ukraine. As for the influence of China and Russia in the region, they stressed that all countries need to give priority to their own interest and make sure that they do not depend much on any country, which was proven true during the Coronavirus pandemic. The participants of the meeting discussed bilateral cooperation, the EU integration of B&H and the Western Balkans and the general elections in B&H. They also touched upon the perspective for young people and extending the EUFOR Mission in B&H, among other topics.  B&H Presidency members expressed gratitude to the US Senate delegation for their previous support and efforts for B&H. The senators said that the US continues to support the EU integration of the Western Balkans and stressed support to B&H’s territorial integrity. They called on B&H leaders to work on functionality of institutions and to give priority to peoples’ interests. Senator Murphy said that he told B&H Presidency members that their problems are understandable as the US is also a multiethnic country. Senator Tillis stated that he wants to convey a message to B&H citizens that he and his colleagues are united in support to B&H’s aspirations towards an engaged civic society.

 

Rangel presents draft report on B&H to members of AFET (N1)

 

European Parliament's Standing Rapporteur for B&H Paulo Rangel Wednesday presented a draft report on B&H to members of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET). In the draft report, Rangel stated, among other things, that elections in B&H must be held and that the EU should use sanctions. "This means that Serbs need to become involved in the process in good faith, working in everyday institutions of life, as well as that Croats and Bosniaks need to finalize an agreement because they have all the conditions to do that to allow the October elections to take place in a normal way. If we do that, I believe that even with some I would say delays in meeting some of the key priorities, it could probably prove to be a great opportunity to have a candidate status. However, if nothing is done, and if no one wants to seize that moment, then this is something I really think will be a missed opportunity," Rangel underlined. The draft stresses two key problems as the main obstacles to the implementation of fourteen priorities from the European Commission's (EC) Opinion. N1 stressed that after Rangel represented his draft report on B&H to members of AFET, the main conclusions that can be drawn are that nothing was done in B&H in terms of the EU integration in the past year and a half since the previous report. Rangel stated that there was minimum hope that an agreement at least on the B&H Election Law would be reached, adding that the fact that this did not happen caused great disappointment in the European Parliament. Rangel underlined that minimal shifts in meeting the fourteen priorities - which is the key recommendation of his draft report - would send a message to the EU that there is political will among the B&H politicians to move on, but that the EU has not seen such political will so far. N1 stressed that this is why B&H remains without the status of the candidate for membership in the EU and perhaps without money from EU funds which are now conditioned by the progress on the European path. In his report, Rangel called on the EC to continue to finance B&H in the context of development of democratic institutions, but also not to hesitate to impose sanctions if the need arises in the way the United States has done it in the context of destabilization of B&H for which Rangel blames the Republika Srpska (RS) leadership. N1 stressed that during the debate on the report on B&H in AFET, no views were heard that were too different from what was said in the report which Rangel presented. However, as N1 noted, interesting proposals were heard during the debate, including the one to abandon the concept of constituent peoples and switch to the concept 'one man - one vote'. Rangel's report will again be found before AFET next month when amendments will be discussed and when the report should be adopted so that it could be discussed at the plenary session of the European Parliament.

 

Dodik: Property belongs to RS and so it will remain (RTRS/FTV)

 

After the meeting with US senators, the Serb member of B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik arrived to Banja Luka to participate in the gathering ‘Freedom’ which was organized due to the decision of the High Representative to B&H Christian Schmidt to suspend the Law on Immovable Property of the RS. The representatives of the RS authorities arrived before the gathering started and were welcomed by citizens with music. RS authorities have previously said they will support the gathering. Dodik stated: “I am glad to have had the opportunity to attend here a magnificent gathering of the people of the RS, a dignified, very civilized gathering in which not a single word of hatred was expressed or any instructions were given to anyone, not even to those who make mistakes, except to ask for understanding that this is a People's Republic and that the people have the right to take care of it and to defend it. It is a fact that the Veterans’ Organization, together with organizations derived from the Homeland War, organized such a magnificent gathering. Of course I supported it. I believe I was right (to do so). I do not want to say anything about those who did not support it. It is their choice, just like it was my choice to support such a gathering, together with my associates. It was already decided about the property. There is no need to further decide on it. It was decided in Dayton, and previously in Geneva and New York, when it was said that the territory of the RS is made up by 49 percent.” "This is a clear message of the people. Everything has been resolved here. Property belongs to the RS and so it will remain. No foreign interventions, no false representatives, judges of the Constitutional Court who judge outside the law, they are inquisition for the RS, they are not jurists, they are politicians motivated only by one desire which is to harm the RS. I understood that we are right when we say that it will not be decided on that at the B&H level because B&H is not the one that is owner of property and there is no need to discuss that in any form. That can only be discussed by the two entities and nothing else," Dodik underlined.

 

Cvijanovic: We belong to the RS and the RS belongs to us (RTRS/Srna/Glas Srpske)

 

Commenting on the gathering ‘Freedom’, RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic said "we belong to the RS and the RS belongs to us". Cvijanovic added "we will not give up on anything we got with the Dayton Agreement". "Clear messages were sent from here that property belongs to the RS, that we have the Dayton Agreement and that it defined our territorial organization, but also our constitutional and political system and that we should stick to that, that there is no explanation or reason to regulate that property at the B&H level," Cvijanovic underlined. Cvijanovic also stated that leadership of the RS cannot please to political Sarajevo and change the Constitution in an unconstitutional way, giving up on its constitutional rights and competences just because someone wants unitary and centralized state.

 

Nesic only opposition leader from RS who attended gathering 'Freedom' (RTRS)

 

RTRS reports that out of five opposition leaders in the RS, only one - DNS leader Nenad Nesic - attended the gathering 'Freedom' which was held in Banja Luka on Wednesday. RTRS stressed that the rest of the opposition leaders said that this is a party rally. Nesic told the media that unity is key at a time when the RS is being attacked. Nesic stressed that it is incomprehensible to him that the rest of the opposition is "trading with the RS" and that they hate SNSD leader and B&H Presidency member Milorad Dodik more than they love the RS. "I absolutely do not care who is the organizer. What matters is the goal and the goal is for the RS to survive. We have to achieve Serb unity in every way," Nesic underlined.

 

RS opposition boycotts protest ‘Freedom’ (RTRS/ATV/BNTV)

 

The RS opposition boycotted the protest that the RS Veterans’ Organization (BORS) organized in Banja Luka on Wednesday under the title ‘Freedom’, which was organized to express opposing to (High Representative) Christian Schmidt’s imposed decision on suspension of the RS Law on Immovable Property Used for Functioning of Public Authority. According to ATV, the RS opposition do not seem to share the opinion of the ruling coalition in the RS and the veterans that Schmidt crossed the red line with his decision. ATV also carried that the RS opposition boycotted the protest under the pretext that this is a rally of the ruling coalition in the RS. The RS opposition harshly criticized BORS for organizing this protest. SDS leader Mirko Sarovic stated that it is necessary to remain united in defending the RS’ interests, yet he claims that SNSD is behind the protest ‘Freedom’. “All we have been able to see in recent days is the manipulation of the veterans’ population with one single goal and that is to save the ruling authorities. The current authorities tried to use BORS for political party purposes,” Sarovic noted. PDP’s representative in the RS parliament Ljubisa Krunic stated: "Part of BORS that organized a gathering that, using the name of veterans, protects the disastrous policies of SNSD towards the RS, are accomplices of this party in humiliating the veterans’ population.” Mayor of Banja Luka Drasko Stanivukovic did not attend this protest, although it took place in Banja Luka, and his excuse for the absence was that it is a political rally. Leader of PPD Branislav Borenovic underlined that SNSD has been attempting to misuse the BORS, because they did not have courage to organize abovementioned gathering. PDP stated that the invitation it received from the BORS which organized the gathering was not signed. The RS opposition stated that the ruling parties led by SNSD are behind the ‘Freedom’ protest that was held in Banja Luka on Wednesday, stressing that they have mobilized the employees in the RS institutions to join the protest. The opposition said that this clearly shows that this rally was actually prepared by SNSD leader Milorad Dodik’s regime that manipulates the RS veterans. President of the DNS City Board in Bijeljina Milos Stanisic stated that SNSD hides behind the veterans who were brought to the verge of existence during Dodik’s rule. He reminded that many of the veterans do not have their homes 25 years after the war in B&H and the compensations they receive are miserably low, adding that SNSD is the main culprit for that.

 

Dzaferovic condemns threats to Schmidt sent from gathering in Banja Luka (BHT1/FTV)

 

Chairman of B&H Presidency Sefik Dzaferovic condemned death threats against High Representative Christian Schmidt conveyed by some participants of gathering ‘Freedom’. Dzaferovic called on police agencies to apprehend and process persons who conveyed death threats against High Representative Schmidt. Dzaferovic pointed out these threats were even more scandalous as they were stated in the immediate vicinity of the Serb member of B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik.

 

Baerbock sends letters to members of B&H Presidency (BHT1)

 

After her recent visit to B&H, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock sent follow-up letters to members of B&H Presidency. The letter sent to member of B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik reads that Germany believes it is of key importance that all political actors respect institutions at B&H level and to participate in overcoming of political blockades and opening of viable perspective for its future. Baerbock added that it is important aspect for international financial assistance and foreign investments. The letter further reads that Germany will resume to strongly advocate reform process in B&H and overcoming of current political crisis in this country. It was stated from the Presidency of B&H that content of letters sent to other two members of B&H Presidency is similar to the content of the letter sent to Dodik.

 

Sejdic: I do not think I will get to see implementation of ‘Sejdic-Finci vs. B&H’ judgment (Dnevni list)

 

One of the plaintiffs against B&H before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and representative of the Roma Information Center ‘Kali Sara’ Dervo Sejdic commented on the ‘Sejdic-Finci vs. B&H’ judgment. He stated that we still wait for implementation of the decision of the ECHR although the court reached the judgment in his favor 12 years ago. According to Sejdic, he does not think he will live enough to see the current political environment implementing the judgment. Sejdic stated: “I said - either removal of the current political structures in the general elections 2022 in October or to wait a little bit more for biological removal of this generation.”

 

Abazovic: I see nothing disputable about Ranko Krivokapic being head of diplomacy (TVCG)

 

The fact that a minority government has been formed shows that the step towards creating a society of compromise has been made, Prime Minister-designate Dritan Abazovic said in an interview for TVCG. He does not see anything disputable about Ranko Krivokapic being in the government. However, he does not want to reveal the names of future ministers until the parliament session is scheduled. According to Abazovic, the government of Zdravko Krivokpic, of which Abazovic was also a member, fell because it did not have communication with the MPs, and that will be a challenge for the new government. “We must become a society of compromise”, Abazovic said, adding that he was ready to open a dialogue with the opposition.

 

Elections in Podgorica, Bar, Danilovgrad and Kolasin scheduled for 19 June (CdM)

 

Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic has decided to call elections in Podgorica, Bar, Danilovgrad and Kolasin for 19 June. This decision, as the President’s cabinet states, enters into force on the day of its adoption, and will be published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro and in the Official Gazette of Montenegro – Municipal Regulations.

 

Miljanic to be minister without portfolio in charge of fighting corruption (CdM)

 

The current state secretary at the Ministry of the Interior Zoran Miljanic (Civis) is to be the minister in charge of the fight against corruption in the minority government, CdM has learned.

According to CdM, Adrijan Vuksanovic, the President of the Croatian Citizens’ Initiative, will also be the minister without portfolio. As Prime Minister-designate Dritan Abazovic announced yesterday, the new government will have 20 ministers and 18 ministries. This means that two ministers will be without portfolios – Miljanic and Vuksanovic. A session of the parliament of Montenegro is to be held on Thursday, 28 April. Yesterday, the URA MP Milos Konatar, wrote on Twitter that 46 MPs requested that the session be scheduled for 28 April in Cetinje at 12 o’clock.

 

Kovacevski: Next week it will be known whether anything will be done about the “Vanco Mihajlov” association (Republika)

 

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski said Thursday that next week the steps that will be taken regarding the registration of the citizens’ association “Vanco Mihajlov” in the country and the opening of the cultural centre under that name in Bitola will be known. Previously, Kovacevski stressed, all aspects of this issue will be considered, after which a decision will be made on further steps. According to him, the opening of this centre on Saturday is, as he stressed, nothing more than a provocation, because it awakens the spirits of the past, given that it is a person who was a collaborator of both Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy, but also Pavelic’s NDH. Thus, that person cannot be a bridge for the future of friendship between the two nations and as a bridge for the European path of the country. This event is only a provocation, which does not lead to improving relations and finalizing a successful dialogue by reaching an agreement that will mean the rapid opening of negotiations with the EU, he said. Kovacevski believes that we should build bridges of friendship with neighbouring countries, and look to the future. If we go back to people from the past who have different opinions in different countries, and according to what you say have different opinions, it will not be in anyone’s favor and will only affect bad relations between citizens and between the two countries. We are a country that is determined for EU membership and which through dialogue plans to do so and of course all EU member states should approve the negotiating framework as soon as possible, said Kovacevski. With Bulgaria, the Prime Minister stressed, the solution should be sought and based on European values, maintaining the dignity of the citizens of both countries, their mutual respect, but also respect between politicians and all institutions in Bulgaria and in Macedonia. If we do not lead the solution and the talks on those principles, then it is very difficult to reach a solution. I hope that there is room to sit down and conduct talks in the future on the basis of such principles, Kovacevski said. Asked to comment on Bulgarian President Rumen Radev’s statement that Macedonian history is based on the lies of communism and not on historical facts, the Prime Minister said he had not seen it.

 

Osmani-Levits: Start of EU talks of vital significance for Macedonia and Europe (Republika)

 

The NATO membership of both countries and their contribution to the security and stability on the European continent is of enormous importance, says Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani after a meeting with Latvian President Egils Levits, who arrived for an official visit to Macedonia on Wednesday. Osmani said that the focus of their talks was the current political and security challenges, as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a Baltic country with a keen eye for geopolitical risks, Latvia remains our consistent supporter on the road to the EU, with the view that the start of accession negotiations with the EU is vital for both our country and Europe, Osmani wrote. Our intention is to join the Three Seas Initiative, which is currently chaired by Latvia and has twelve EU member states between the Baltic, Black and Adriatic Seas, including landlocked countries such as Macedonia, he added.