LOCAL PRESS

 

EU, US parliamentarians want policy on Kosovo, Serbia reconsidered (Beta/RTS/RTV)

 

A few dozen European and US parliamentarians addressed a joint letter to the officials of the United States, Europe and Great Britain, requesting that the policy on Kosovo and Serbia be reconsidered. The letter, addressed to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and British Foreign Minister James Cleverly, was signed by foreign affairs parliamentary committee chairs from ten states, and another 56 parliamentarians from the European Parliament and Great Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Austria, Italy, Germany, Holland and other states. The letter signed by, among others, the chair of the British Committee on Foreign Affairs, Alicia Kearns, her counterpart in Bundestag Michael Roth, the chair of Bundestag’s Committee on European Affairs, Toni Hofreiter, expressed concerns over the current policy the EU, the US and Great Britain had pursued towards Serbia and Kosovo, requesting that it should be reconsidered. “Kosovo is a sovereign country and a functioning democracy. This fact should form the basis of our common policy towards the current crisis.” the signatories stated on Twitter on 7 August. “Serbia’s attempts to disrupt democratic elections in Kosovo must be publicly denounced as foreign interference, and concrete action must be taken to hold Serbia accountable if it continues to undermine free and fair elections. That will help facilitate future elections with full participation of all communities in the municipalities in the north,” the letter reads. The signatories added that the West needed to consider a policy of deterrence diplomacy to resolve the ongoing crisis, make it possible for the EU-mediated dialogue to give positive results and for the Ohrid agreement to be implemented. They also wanted a return to balance and proportionality in dealing with Kosovo and Serbia. “The current approach is not working. We ask that the international community learn from our past and ensure that we do not pursue Belgrade-centric policies in the Balkans,” the letter went on to say.

 

Brnabic: Letter, tweets by Kearns, Roth prove Kurti has support for undermining peace (Tanjug/Beta)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said on Tuesday a letter a group of politicians had sent to top US, EU and UK officials, as well as tweets by Alicia Kearns, Michael Roth and Bob Menendez, were more than welcome as they provided "living proof that Kurti does indeed enjoy full support and encouragement for undermining peace and stability in the Balkans" while avoiding implementation of reached agreements and for undermining the fundamental human rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. In a Twitter post in which she responded to the politicians' call to Western countries to protect the so-called Kosovo from Serbia, Brnabic noted that Kurti was "avoiding the implementation of reached agreements". "All anyone needs to know about democracy & rule of law in Kosovo* is this: (1) since the beginning of this year, 6 Serbs were shot by members of the Kosovo* security apparatus – and no one was held responsible; (2) a member of the Kosovo* police, who shot at a 11-year-old boy and a 21-year-old young man on Christmas Eve, has been released from custody and is now a free man; (3) since the beginning of Kurti’s administration in 2021, to date, 32 Serbs were unlawfully arrested, with some of them imprisoned for over 20 months without any charges, in addition to enduring torture, maltreatment, and daily insults on national basis," Brnabic noted. "The most striking example of the (lack of) credibility and objectivity of those who initiated this letter is that Alicia Kearns managed to become one of the rare individuals whose public statements had to be refuted by KFOR," Brnabic added. "When Kearns alleged that the Serbian Orthodox Church is smuggling weapons into Kosovo*, KFOR, as the military mission of NATO, stated: 'There is no evidence regarding the alleged smuggling carried out… in Orthodox churches by ambulances.' Despite this clear statement from KFOR, Kearns continues to parade these lies, even within this letter. And that summarizes all anyone needs to know about the letter itself," she noted.

 

Vucic hosts lunch for outgoing Chinese Ambassador (Tanjug/Politika/RTS/RTV)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hosted a farewell lunch for outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo on Monday. "Recollecting all the difficult and the beautiful moments of her tenure in Serbia, anecdotes from construction sites as well as concerns we have shared. Bringing back numerous memories of meetings, agreements reached and agreements and contracts signed on major projects that have changed the face of our Serbia, brought new jobs and provided security to many families," Vucic wrote in a post on Instagram. "In a year that marks the tenth anniversary of the start of the Belt and Road initiative, we recapped the results of the cooperation and friendship with China, which became even stronger in times of great challenges, when the great country helped Serbia overcome even the most difficult moments," Vucic added. "We are endlessly thankful to Ambassador Chen Bo for the enormous efforts she has invested in the strengthening of the Serbia-China friendship and, especially, to President Xi Jinping, who has demonstrated great respect towards Serbia and an openness to partnership and cooperation, even though we are a small country," Vucic said. He added that Chen was also "a sincere friend of Serbia and our people, who deeply respect her and whose hearts she won on day one". "For that reason, Serbia will always be her second home," concluded Vucic, who welcomed Chen with a large bouquet of flowers.

 

Upward trend in defence cooperation between Serbia, Egypt (Tanjug/RTV)

 

Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic started his visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt with a meeting with Minister of Defence and Military Production of that country, General Mohamed Ahmed Zaki. Vucevic was formally welcomed, with a line-up of members of the Guard of the Egyptian Armed Forces and the playing of national anthems, after which, in the presence of delegations, he began a conversation with the host. He assessed that this visit is another confirmation of good cooperation between Serbia and Egypt and the two defence ministries, expressing determination for further development and improvement of relations in the areas of military-technical, military-educational and military-military cooperation. He emphasised that Serbia's long-term strategic commitment is to maintain the status of a militarily neutral state, without membership in any of the existing military-political organisations, but that this does not mean the absence of the will to improve cooperation with all relevant actors in the field of international relations, especially security and defence. Vucevic also used the opportunity to invite the Egyptian minister to participate in the International Fair of Arms and Military Equipment "PARTNER 2023", which will be held in September of this year in Belgrade. Zaki highlighted the importance of continuing and improving defence cooperation between the two countries, and singled out military-technical and military-military cooperation as areas of special importance.

 

Lawyer of arrested Kosovo Serb appeals custody decision (Tanjug)

 

The lawyer of a Kosovo Serb arrested by Pristina's authorities on Sunday confirmed to Tanjug on Monday he had appealed a decision by the Pristina Basic Court to place his client in 30-day custody. Zarko Zaric, a returnee to the Ljubozda village near Istok was arrested in the village on charges of alleged war crimes committed against civilians between 1998 and 1999. Zaric is a former commander of a police substation in the Rakos village. Nebojsa Vlajic, the lawyer of Serb Momir Pantic, who was arrested at the Merdare administrative crossing two days ago, confirmed to Tanjug that he, too, would appeal a decision to remand Pantic in custody. Vlajic said earlier that Pantic was suspected of alleged command responsibility for certain events that took place in the Istok municipality during the war in 1999.

 

Aleksic says signature collecting to start soon, expects party founding in September (N1/Euronews)

 

Former People's Party vice president Miroslav Aleksic has said that he will launch signature collecting for his new political organization, the People's Movement of Serbia, on 10 August, and that he expects to collect the 10,000 signatures needed to make the organization a full political entity by September. "It's been brewing for a long time. There have been problems in the party for a year or two. New ones emerged when we entered the parliament. I took issue with the incessant squabbling with the opposition instead of promoting our platform," Aleksic told TV N1 on Monday. Aleksic said the People's Party did not have democratic elections, which is why he did not run for party president. Aleksic stepped down from all posts in the People's Party, including as whip of that party in the Serbian parliament. Representatives from a large number of local party councils followed suit, as did MPs Slavica Radovanovic, Djordje Stankovic and Borislav Novakovic. People's Party vice president Vladimir Gajic said on Monday that the "political parting" of ways in the party began in October 2022, when party president Vuk Jeremic signed the Declaration on the reintegration of Kosovo into the constitutional and legal framework of Serbia. Gajic told Euronews Serbia that "the culmination happened with the unsuccessful attempt at a hostile takeover of the People's Party" by the group rallied round Aleksic. "Someone outside the People's Party tried to place it under political control and align with one bloc... There are all sorts there -- not just other opposition parties, but also foreign embassies, media outlets, a lot of interested parties," said Gajic, also an MP. Gajic stressed that the People's Party insisted on resolute opposition against the "French-German" deal on Kosovo's independence and was against introducing sanctions against Russia.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Becirovic meets former B&H Army general Dudakovic: Without 5th corps members, Bihac would have suffered Srebrenica’s destiny (Dnevni list)

 

Dnevni list daily reports that on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of unblocking of Bihac and the Krajina area, member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Denis Becirovic met with former commander of the 5th corps of the Army of B&H general Atif Dudakovic. Becirovic recognized the general’s huge contribution to defense of Republic of B&H during the war and to post-war building of defense system in B&H. Becirovic stated that members of the 5th corps, which was led by Durakovic, honourably defended B&H during total siege of Bihac and Krajina, stressing it is a fact that must be said loud and clear because had it not been for the 5th corps soldiers, Bihac would have suffered the destiny of Srebrenica. Two collocutors agreed that now, during the peace time, it is necessary to continue to advocate preservation of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of B&H, arguing that B&H’s path to the EU and NATO is an unstoppable process.

 

RS officials react to Becirovic’s meeting with Dudakovic; RS officials say this is warning that Sarajevo does not shy away from new war crimes (RTRS)

 

RTRS comments that while the families of Serb victims await justice for the brutal murders in Western Krajina in 1995, Bosniak member of the B&H Presidency Denis Becirovic glorifies the mastermind of these crimes, Atif Dudakovic. Becirovic awarded the former commander of the Fifth Corps of the so-called Army of the Republic of B&H (RB&H), who is accused of war crimes, a “recognition for contribution to the fight for the defense of B&H”. This is an act of humiliation and an attempt to deny Serb victims - this is the message of institutions and organizations stemming from the defense-patriotic war. They say that the meeting between Becirovic and Dudakovic is a warning that Sarajevo does not shy away from new war crimes. They ask whether there will be American and British sanctions against Becirovic. Republika Srpska (RS) Minister of Labor, War Veterans and Disabled Persons' Protection Danijel Egic says that Becirovic, by glorifying the war criminal accused of murdering 300 Serbs, proves once again that he leads a Serb-hating policy. “Becirovic hereby proves what we assumed and what the Serb people can expect from joint institutions and Bosniak politicians, which is the denial of the RS and their efforts to destroy the RS”, Egic stated. By order of Dudakovic, in the fall of 1995, everything Serb was erased from the municipalities of Bosanski Petrovac, Krupa, Kljuc and Sanski Most in the western Krajina. More than 890 civilians and 470 captured soldiers were killed. The youngest victim was nine, the oldest 99. In the attack of the Fifth Corps, more than 30 Serb villages and 38 Orthodox places of worship were burned. “Behind the Fifth Corps, the so-called Army of the RBiH, remained Serb killing grounds, a wasteland, over 120,000 Serbs were expelled from the municipalities of Western Krajina in a complete ethnic cleansing. With this, Bosniak representatives gave legitimacy to all these actions and in a way, it was said that it is legitimate to commit crimes against Serbs”, emphasized Acting Director of the RS Center for Research on War, War Crimes and Search for Missing Persons Viktor Nuzdic. The court proceeding also shows this. Although the indictment for war crimes against Serbs, against Dudakovic and 15 members of the Fifth Corps of the so-called RB&H Army, was officially filed in October 2018, there is still no final verdict. Nuzdic asks the B&H judiciary if there were elements of influence on witnesses in a meeting in Bihac. “If such an important person as a member of the Presidency publicly says that Atif Dudakovic has an immeasurable role in the defense of B&H, this sends a message to all potential Bosniak witnesses who were ready to testify about these crimes, and it is not surprising that the witnesses withdraw their testimony very often”, Nuzdic stressed. President of the Assembly of the RS Organization of Families of Captured and Killed Fighters and Missing Civilians, Branimir Kojic, points out that Becirovic sent a clear message to the families of Serb victims – that they will not shy away from new war conflicts. “He tells us Serb families that Dudakovic will be amnestied before the Court of B&H, and that they will probably release him. This is another blow for Serb families and for B&H”, Kojic assessed. Western embassies and the international community are immune to justice for the Serb people, and there was not even a word of condemnation of the meeting in Bihac. Head of the SNSD Caucus in the B&H House of Representatives (B&H HoR) Sanja Vulic says that the IC officials support the crime against the Serb people and give encouragement to the political Sarajevo to support those who committed the crime against the Serbs, because, as she says, their only goal is an Islamic or unitary B&H. Kojic calls on the embassies to react. Member of Serb Caucus in B&H House of Representatives Milan Petkovic said that Dudakovic should have been serving a prison sentence long time ago and not be free while advising the Bosniak Presidency member. He also said that B&H is the country of absurd, where it is an honour to meet and glorify a “war crime with the suspect.” Serb delegate in B&H House of Peoples Snjezana Novakovic Bursac said that this meeting only illustrates how Becirovic is trying to “burn all the bridges of understanding and political fairness among the peoples in B&H and neighbouring countries.” B&H HoR member Miroslav Vujicic (SNSD) said that Becirovic's behaviour and his glorifying of Dudakovic is the finger in the eye to the families of the Serbs killed in the operations led by former commander. He also said that Becirovic proved to be “more extreme in the politics than SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic.” DNS leader Nenad Nesic said that he has not heard “heavier and more dangerous words” for a longer period of time, adding that they pose more threat to stability and the peace in B&H than Becirovic's words about Dudakovic’s “honourable battle.”

 

German soldiers in EUFOR mission in B&H staying for another year (Nezavisne)

 

The mandate of Bundeswehr troops in the EUFOR mission in B&H is about to expire, a year after the German Bundestag decided to return their soldiers to the mission. The German embassy to B&H told the daily that the German government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared the region off the Western Balkans a top security-political priority immediately after he took office. Russian invasion of Ukraine was cited as the main reason to return the German troops to the EUFOR, which, as the embassy said, led to instability in the Western Balkans so Germany decided to get back to the EUFOR mission. The embassy also noted that Bundeswehr participates in the international missions only within collective security alliances together with the partnership nations. “Since the return, Bundeswehr and its partners are contributing to security and stability of B&H. Germany and Bundeswehr are proud that they can give their contribution. It is an impressive success that security and stability have been maintained since the end of the war, and all nations that contributed to that can be proud of that. Germany and Bundeswehr are only a part of it,” the embassy said. The EUFOR has not responded to the daily's question on this matter. The daily reminds that some 50 German soldiers are a part of the mission in B&H, who were deployed to the HQ in Sarajevo and local communities across the country. In accordance with the EU's decision from the last year, the number of the EUFOR troops was increased from 500 to 1,100, which includes German soldiers as well. The German government said on its website that the main goal of their engagement is the protection of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and their central task the support to the successful implementation of the DPA. “Given the internal political tensions in B&H, German engagement is a clear sign of the commitment to the permanent stability of B&H,” the government said. It also mentioned “ethnic divisions” between the Bosniak and Croats on one and the Serbs on the other side as daily routine. “This development is dominating the politics and blocking the progress and reform processes,” it stressed. B&H Ministry of Defence also published fresh information about the mission, which says that Bundeswehr was already present in B&H from 2004 to 2012 but that the current political situation requires the new German engagement. “This is happening in the background of the anti-legal Russia's attack against Ukraine and there is a danger that Russia could try to exert pressure on the EU through destabilisation of the Balkans,” the ministry said. The daily reminds that the EUFOR Althea mission is the only operation in the area of the common defence and security policy within the Berlin Plus agreement between the EU and NATO, where the EU took over the responsibility for the security and military missions on the European soil. These days a formal decision on Hungary taking over the EUFOR command from Austria is expected as well.

 

SIPA arrested suspect for planning terrorist attack under ISIL guidance (N1)

 

Police arrested B&H national Mirza Kapic, with the place of residence in Zenica, under the suspicion of keeping contact with radical ISIL structures and allegedly planning a terrorist attack on a religious facility in B&H, according to the Prosecutor's Office of B&H. After questioning the suspect, competent prosecutor of the Department for Terrorism asked the Court of B&H to issue detention warrant for the suspect. “Mirza Kapic, born in 1980 in Banja Luka, living in Zenica, the national of B&H, was previously convicted for the criminal act linked to terrorism and stay at foreign warzones. The activities of the arrest of the suspect as well as the raid of the facilities he is using were implemented in a coordinated operation by the Prosecutor's Office of B&H and SIPA (State Investigation and Protection Agency) at the order of the Court of B&H”, said the Prosecutor's Office of B&H. According to the press release, the suspect is charged with “making a contact through electronic means of communication, mobile phones and computer, with people who support radical movements and support structures of the so-called ISIL,” and that in this correspondence he “expressed a desire to carry out an explosive attack on a mosque in B&H at the end of July of this year”. He also asked the persons he communicated with “for the guidelines for the production of an explosive device with a detonator via a mobile phone, expressing his intention to attacks scholars of the Islamic community who publish proclamations against the Mujahedeen and who report supporters of radical movements and ISIL to law enforcement agencies in B&H”. The Prosecutor's Office also said that the suspect was prevented from further action by members of the SIPA and the Prosecutor's Office. Detention measures were requested due to the risk of the suspect obstructing the investigation, concealing the evidence and influencing the witnesses or accomplices as well as committing the offence or completing the actions he started.

 

Milatovic concluding consultations on new premier designate (RTCG)

 

Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic is set to conclude consultations with political organizations in the Montenegrin parliament on picking a premier designate to form the 44^th cabinet of Montenegro on 8 August, the president's information office said in a press release. The statement read that Milatovic spoke with the representatives of the ethnic Albanian parties Albanian Alliance and the Democratic Union of Albanians separately on 7 August. "In the following consultations, Milatovic met with representatives of CIVIS headed by Srdjan Pavicevic," and will conclude them with a meeting with the representatives of the Albanian Alternative and United Montenegro. Last week, Milatovic had consultations with officials of the Europe Now Movement, the Democratic Party of Socialists, the New Serb Democracy, the Democrats, the Bosniak Party, the Democratic People's Party, the United Reform Action Civic Movement, the Social Democrats, the Socialist People's Party and the Croat Civic Initiative.

 

Jokovic: Government should be formed with broad support, agreement possible in August (RTCG)

 

The leader of the Socialist People’s Party (SNP) Vladimir Jokovic has told the RTCG portal that he is optimistic when it comes to negotiations relating to the composition of the new, 44th government. He adds that in his opinion the future government should be formed with broad support in parliament. Jokovic believes that agreements on the composition of the government could be concluded in August. Jokovic has emphasized that any prolongation is not good and that it is necessary for the parties to agree on their demands as soon as possible. “Of course, each political party has its own problems, goals and demands, and all of that needs to be harmonized, but the bottom line is that we work together for the benefit of Montenegro and fulfil the expectations of the citizens as well as keep the pre-election promises made by political entities”, Jokovic has stressed.

 

Nimanbegu: In Montenegro, a lot done to prevent Spajic from getting mandate (CdM)

 

“The conversation was open. We talked about numerous issues, about the structure of the future government, about our view of priorities. We said that it was important for the Albanian people that the next government worked on affirmative action and development of the Albanian people as well as all other peoples”, says FORCA leader Genci Nimanbegu after the consultations on the PM-designate with the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic. He claims that a lot of work is being done in Montenegro to ensure that the leader of Europe Now Movement (PES) Milojko Spajic is not given a mandate. “We believe that Milojko Spajic should be given a mandate to form the future government and we expect the President to have a responsible attitude on this issue. If we find a common language, we will be happy to participate in the government. In Montenegro, a lot of work is being done to ensure that Spajic is not given a mandate. That’s what I told the President. The participation of heterogeneous subjects in the government can lead to the vulnerability of the government as it was in the past. The PM-designate must keep in mind that the formation of the government is not only political, but also programmatic”, Nimanbegu has told reporters in Cetinje.

 

Zenka: Stable government would consist of PES and Together coalition (CdM)

 

“I am pleasantly surprised. We had a constructive conversation in terms of the formation of the government. I expressed the opinion that Montenegro needs a stable and decisive government with personnel ready to face all challenges. That government would consist of Europe Now Movement (PES) and the Together coalition. That government would be stable, and it would have a credible majority”, DUA leader Mehmet Zenka told reporters after consultations on the PM-designate with the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic. Zenka added that DUA found it acceptable for PM-designate to be from the PES list. “The public already knows who the PM-designate will be. It’s Milojko Spajic and we don’t see any problem with that. It is in our interest to form a government that cares about minorities. I said that to the President and was met with a positive attitude. We have nothing in common with groups that deny the values I care about. I think that other minority parties are of the similar attitude”, Zenka stressed.

 

Osmani: Real deadline for constitutional amendments is end of parliament's term (Sitel/MIA)

 

Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani is an optimist that the constitutional amendments will be adopted, noting that the government's primary goal is November, but the real deadline is the last day of the incumbent parliament. "I am an optimist it will happen. Of course, the primary goal is November because of the administrative calendar due to the screening, but the real deadline is the final day of the incumbent parliament, namely up until the next elections. We will work until the last day to ensure support, considering there are no counterarguments. I believe we have won the first battle, because we have not seen any resistance from experts or anyone else in regard to the content of the constitutional amendments," FM Osmani told Sitel. According to him, there are no arguments against the constitutional revision and "this is the opposition calculating for the next elections". On whether the need for constitutional revision will pass at the parliament session set to begin on 18 August, the FM says everything is now in the hands of the speaker. "He is the one to decide, in line with the Rules of Procedures and coordination meetings with MP groups. Based on what he said, he will hold off the vote after the debate ends, so that political parties are consulted," says Osmani. Osmani says the video he posted, in which he explains the Negotiating Framework, was a way to get out of the propaganda umbrella that the citizens are under at the moment. Osmani told Sitel the propaganda against the constitutional amendments is in full steam but lacking arguments and debate, only abusing people's feelings for partisan profit. "I am trying to get out of that propaganda noise and tell citizens it is not true. I come out, shatter all pillars of their narrative, and they have not denied anything. This was another example of me being attacked on everything but the content. No one came out to quote at least a single sentence from the negotiating framework in order to refute my claims," says Osmani. On Article 5 of the Negotiating Framework, the FM says there is neither a written report nor a vote within the EU. "It is simply an affirmation that North Macedonia has bilateral treaties with Bulgaria and Greece, that good neighbourly relations are important for progress, but there will be no written report on Article 5. The European Commission will not say at any time 'this is the level that has been reached', member-states will not vote, Bulgaria will not say 'let's see how far we have come with the implementation and vote on this'," says Osmani. He explains that the EC provides annual written reports on the realization of the Acquis. "There will be no written report on Article 5, there will be no vote in the EU. This is the key point that I want to communicate to the citizens," says Osmani. Of course, he adds, good neighbourly relations will be taken into account. "Poor relations with a neighbour, an EU member-state, will hinder progress, for sure. But the EU will not put the agreements with Bulgaria and Greece or Article 12 reviews on the agenda. There will be no such thing, and this is important to highlight. That is why I say in the video that the treaty will not be a step on the ladder we climb towards the EU," says Osmani. He adds that Bulgaria can always find an alibi to hamper the process. "It can say 'the Vardar river waters are not clean and that is why I am not letting you in'. But what it cannot say is 'let's see how far the Friendship Treaty has been implemented, what progress has the history commission made. The Negotiating Framework does not give Sofia this right," says Osmani.

 

EU membership, Albania has made steps forward (Radio Tirana)

 

One year after the start of the first Albania-EU intergovernmental conference for EU membership, the country is considered to have made steps forward and the results are very encouraging. However, a press recent release by the EU officials says there is still room for improvement. The part of legislation that revision needed is that of public procurement, in order to include the general principles of transparency, equal treatment, competition of free and non-discrimination. Relative to the field of statistics, it is required to build a statistical infrastructure based on the principles of impartiality, reliability, transparency, confidentiality of individual data and distribution of official statistics. Referring to the financial control legislation, the material requires adoption of internationally recognized frames and standards, based on the principle of decentralized managerial accountability. On the other hand, referring to the legislation on Justice, Freedom and Security, it is said that EU policies aim to preserve and further develop the Union as an area of ​​freedom, security and justice, while pointing out that in respect to the legislation on the judiciary and fundamental rights the EU policies in the field aims to create an independent and efficient judiciary system.