Serbia & the EU

Internal affairs minister Ivica Dačić affirmed Serbia’s continued priority regarding EU membership. While Belgrade’s prospect of economic progress is significant, shared values between the EU and Serbia are an equally essential determinant of joining. This he said at the opening of the economic summit in Belgrade adding that Serbia is committed to resolving pending problems while seeking to preserve its national interest. Energy development and economic cooperation should further integration and not serve as dividing factors in the region, stated Dačić at the summit that hosted 40 participants and 200 delegates. Central themes discussed at the summit included regional economic stability, EU accession, macroeconomic stability, development of the Serbian economy, structural change, foreign investment policies in agriculture, telecommunications, trade, energy and environmental protection. Meanwhile, Ištvan Pastor, president of the Hungarian alliance Vojvodina, stated that Serbia was not to receive EU candidacy as long as Belgrade not change its law on the restitution of property. The determination of the law, said Pastor, is a candidacy wager that influences Serbia’s accession as Hungry contemplates its position over the above question. Nevertheless, Serbia is looking toward accession to the Union. According to public statements made at the first regional conference with attendees from Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia, reforming the public administration sector is viewed as the focal priority on the road to EU accession. Good governance, for instance, is indicative of the quality of life as well as it is a key factor for economic competitiveness and growth as stated by Milan Marković, minister of human rights, public administration and local self governance. Marković stated that the quality regarding public services are at “the same” level throughout the region adding that the public sector, financed with taxes from the citizenry, ought to provide quality services and secure economic growth. The minister pointed toward the regions’ historic cooperation as well as “the terrible events of the past” emphasizing that finding renewed trust through cooperation will correct the difficulties experienced. This, Marković said, is the biggest challenge as well as it is a political priority of the regional governments. Governmental reform is but one step to cooperation as proven by states that have joined in 2004.

Serbian endeavor at reform is possibly paying off. Bečki Prese reported that Serbia has good chances regarding negotiation talks with the EU while negotiations on admission are not concrete. To be sure, the current situation in Kosovo nearly jeopardized Belgrade’s position, yet, Serbia, according to the report, has worked on reforming its judiciary as well as fighting corruption. The decisive act, however, was Ratko Mladić’s and Goran Hadžić’s capture and extradition to The Hague. These notions were affirmed by Milica Delević, the Serbian governments EU integration office director, adding that the EU is most likely to advocate a solution for northern Kosovo prior to Serbia’s admission.

“Milica Delević: Očekumem pozitivnu preporuku EK”. Politika Online. accessed October 8, 2011. www.politika.rs/rubrike/Politika/Milica-Delevic-Ocekujem-pozitivnu-preporuku-EK.lt.html

“Srbiji status kandidata?”. Ekonom East Group. accessed October 7, 2011. www.emg.sr/vesti/srbija/165726.html

“Reforma uprave prioritet na putu ka EU i zahtev građana”. Ekonom East Group. accessed October 6, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/165669.html

“Pastor: Srbija bez candidature zbog zakona o restituciji”. Ekonom East Group. accessed October 4, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/165381.html

“Dačić: Članstvo u EU priorited Srbije”. Ekonom East Group. accessed October 3, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/165256.html

Serbia

Vice president of the progressive party (SNS) Aleksandar Vučić pronounced the current government of Serbia the “worst ruling body ever” given that it indebted the state by 5.7 billion Euros. There are no perspectives for the state while the fabrics remain closed. Yet the leading politicians, said Vučić, remain silent on these issues adding that on the 29th of October on which the SNS marks its third year of existence, the party will unveil its political, economical and social plan.

Turning to Serbia’s battle against corruption, Čedomir Čupić – member of the anti corruption board – stated that resolving “big” corruption scandals would send a clear message regarding Serbia’s intentions. When seeking to resolve corruption, cooperation between differing state institutions including efficiency regarding persecution at the courts is imperative. Čupić thus recalled unresolved scandals thus questioning the effectiveness of the judiciary. While the courts are thought of as independent, questions regarding the judges remain. To this end, said Čupić, the anti corruption committee should receive greater investigative and executive functions – a notion met with agreement by justice minister Slobodan Homen. The minister stated that it is not ruled out that the agency be entrusted with greater responsibility in the fight against corruption.

Regarding human rights, Serbia received positive feedback from the United Nations (UN). The UN has thus prepared a series of action so as to demonstrate to the international community that Serbia has become a state that pays attention to human rights as UN resident coordinator William Infante stated. According to Infante, Serbia can be proud to serve as a model for inter-parliamentary and mutual cooperation between institutions dealing with human rights at the “Human Rights and Parliament” conference at the Serbian parliament.

“Čupić: Rešavati krupne afere”. Ekonom East Group. accessed October 4, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/165432

“Vučić: Vlada zadužila zemlju za 5.7 milijardi evra”. Ekonom East Group. accessed October 4, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/165403

Serbia & Kosovo

Investigations regarding the events of late September are still under way. Koha Ditore, a Kosovar news outlet, reported that the attack on KFOR soldiers was planned by a businessman named Zvonko Vaselinović – the same man as reported to having organized the opening of alternative roads around the administrative crossings. Vaselinović, however, denied these, as well as allegations that tied him to illegal cigarette and oil trade. Koha quoted Erhard Drews, the new KFOR commander, who witnessed the attack on KFOR soldiers adding that 10 soldiers have been wounded. The toughest job, according to EULEX, was to get an exact number as to how many Serbs were injured. According to ongoing investigations, the incidents transpired when a truck headed toward the barbed wire surrounding the KFOR base. Against a soldiers warning, the truck did not stop instead colliding with a KFOR soldier whose weapons the truck driver sought to seize. Another KFOR soldier opened fire on the truck driver upon which Serbian citizens on the barricades started to throw explosive devices toward the KFOR base as Koha Ditore reported. A similar version of incidents was published by B92 quoting Vuk Drašković, head of the Serbian Renewal Movement Party (SPO), who affirmed that the same conclusions were presented at the parliamentary committee on security. Before this news release, representatives of Kosovar Serbs and the Ministry for Kosovo argued that KFOR soldiers opened fire on unarmed Serbs as well as the ambulance. However, state secretary for Kosovo Oliver Ivanović stated that he does not share Vuković’s views. Ivanović bases his knowledge on the incidents regarding the administrative crossing Jarinje on eyewitness accounts as well as on those Serbs who have been injured. According to these versions, a Serb drove a truck toward the KFOR base with the intention of burying the barbed wire that was put in place by KFOR soldiers. The barbed wire was erected with the intention of blocking the road near the Jarinje crossing. KFOR soldiers, meanwhile, sought to halt the truck driver. Upon the driver’s refusal to halt the truck, a KFOR soldier sought to pull the driver out of the truck which led to “a reaction” of the other Serbian people on the barricades leading to the KFOR solders’ opening of fire on advancing Serbs. Witnesses also claimed that both, rubber bullets as well as live ammunition were shot at the demonstrating crowd, according to the eyewitness account quoted by Ivanović.

Meanwhile, Serbians in northern Kosovo still guard the barricades according to a schedule citizens have established so as to secure continued presence in Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvečanu, Zubini Potok and Leposavica. The Serbian Kosovars on the Jarinje and Brnjak crossings stated that despite the changing weather conditions, they will not abandon the barricades until the Kosovar customs officers leave the administrative crossings. Present are, despite the start of the school year, students as well as pensioners among other people. Since closing the Jarinje crossing, there has not been a single car or pedestrian traversing the route despite the EULEX’s announcement by which the crossing was reopened.

The current situation in northern Kosovo meanwhile is affecting the economic sector of Serbia as German investments were halted allegedly over the development there. The German ambassador to Belgrade Wolfram Maas did not specify if in fact the “Kosovo crisis” led to the delay of investment. German investors, however, are following the development on the border closely. According to recent survey, a German pharmaceutical company lost 1.5 million Euros due to the prohibition of delivering goods from Serbia to Kosovo.

Tasić, Jelena. “Državnim organima Srbije sam na raspolaganju 24 sata dnevno”. Danas.sr. accessed October 7, 2011. www.danas.rs/danasrs/politika/drzavnim_organima_sam_na_raspolaganju_24_sata_dnevno.56.html?news_id=225410

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Novi Pazar / Sandžak

Tomislav Nikolić, head of Serbia’s Progressive Party (SNS), stated upon a meeting with Muamer Effendi Zukorlić, Mufti of the Serbian Islamic community, that all Serb citizens are threatened, not only Bosniaks residing in Serbia. Nikolić asserted nobody living in Serbia could safely assume to be guaranteed a job, a perspective, education, medicinal treatment or a secure pension. He did not wish to get into the discussion as to whether Bosniaks were proportionally represented in courts or police forces simply adding that there is room for improvement. Nikolić stated that Zukorlić had to date plentifully proven that the rights of Bosniaks were jeapordized. “I join Zukorlić’s view and say the rights of Serbs are threatened too”, said the leading SNS politician. In response to the meeting, Zukorlić stated that only time will show as to whether Nikolić will prove himself to be a fair leader. The great injustices against the Islamic community and Bosniaks must thus be removed, an action by which Nikolić could demonstrate that he is different from the politicians that have been in power thus far. However, Nikolić’s statements demonstrate that there is no difference between the Serbian and Bosniak communities. The government, says Zukorlić, hitherto tried to portray his activism as a dividing factor contributing between an alleged gap between the respective communities. The meeting had other positive effects as explained by Zukorlić. People on the street, Serbs as well as Bosniaks, greet him on while he feels that citizens are happy about the discussion Nikolić and Zukorlić had. In the focus were five as of yet unresolved questions including the unification of the Islamic community, the return of confiscated territory to the Waqf (plot and/or buildings for religious and/or charitable purposes), accreditation of the International University, the allowance that the illegally excluded teachers be granted the right to resume their work as well lifting the ban on the Bosniak National Council.

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