Serbia

Serbia’s minister for EU integration Božidar Đelić stated that he will not withdraw his resignation upon Serbia’s failure to secure EU status. Prior to December 9^th, Đelić declared his utmost confidence that Serbia was to be granted membership adding that he would resign as minister of EU integration should the Union’s decision be otherwise - the EU meanwhile postponed Serbia’s membership status to February/March 2012. Đelić, however, stated that the EU integration remained to be the most favorable strategic goal for Serbia while the upcoming decisions on Serbian integration will remain contentious. The reason for this, said Đelić, was that the EU was in its greatest crisis, economically as well as institutionally.

President Boris Tadić also discussed systemic changes as he stressed that Serbia’s institutional transformation has been recognized by all EU member states. The president, however, pointed out that next year will not be a decisive year whereby citizens are to recognize noticeable alterations in their living standard. Anybody who releases contrasting statements, according to Tadić, is not truthful. Instead, he pointed toward the successful infrastructural improvements regarding the repair of roads and bridges. The biggest problem for Serbia is her trade deficit. There is no solution without increasing exports which is part of the decade long chronic problem regarding Serbia’s economic downward trend. A report released by the ministry of finance indicated that Serbia’s debt amounted to €14.48 billion Euros – in other words, Serbia’s debt amounts to 44.8% of its gross domestic product (GDP) and has therefore grown since the 2010 fiscal period when debt amounted to 42.9% of its GDP. According to the law on budged systems, Serbia’s debt is not to exceed 45% of its GDP.

The president further stressed that as long as Serbia’s economy remains in dire straits; there will be no solution to the Kosovo question. Solving Serbia’s economic problems is therefore of greater significance than the Kosovo question, according to Tadić, as economic growth allows for improved international relations while resolving the central question of existence regarding Serbia’s citizenry. The economic question is the defining problem of our day and there is no state that can survive in political isolation, said the president adding that whatever political situation a state is about to make, it is central to take into consideration that the world is interconnected. Serbia, moreover, must avoid backward policies that lead to political unrest and instability. Tadić also stated that Serbia’s goal must remain EU membership despite the Unions economic problems while doing so does not stipulate that Serbia is no longer allowed to pursue economical and political cooperation with other states. In addition, the president questioned those who propose to “freeze” the current conflict in time as well as how and with whom’s help to resolve the conflict in the future while inquiring the opposite spectrum of politicians that proposed a complete reversal of decisions taken thus far. Who, Tadić asked, will explain to Serbs living in Kosovo that they will lose rights thus far attained should the Ahtisaari plan be implemented? The president thus stressed that Serbia ought to strive to promote a policy that includes a future with the EU as well as Kosovo. Cooperation to resolve the Kosovo question with other states, including “Washington, Moskau, Brussels, Peking as well as Albanian interlocutors” if of utmost importance while Serbia must pursue balanced politics. What matters in the end, however, is the voice of Serbia’s citizens.

Rasim Ljajić, minister of labour, employment and social affairs, stated that by deciding against Serbia’s EU status, anti European politicians gained strength. Ljajić explained that Serbia must continue to implement institutional reforms adding that doing so would remain important even if Serbia were to be denied membership status again in March of 2012. The minister also stated that Serbia has not given up on implementing UN Resolution 1244. Ljajić, however, cautioned politicians to refrain from being too secure regarding political success should Serbia be granted membership status pointing toward Croatia’s HDZ election debacle despite securing EU membership.

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Serbia and KiM

Boris Tadić announced that UN Resolution 1244 still provided the legal basis by which the Kosovo question can be resolved adding that he has a clear political plan as to how to resolve the problem. He did, however, not specify what the exact steps toward the goal of resolving the Kosovo problem were. The president explained that the request for Serbia to recognize Kosovo’s independence was on the table during negotiations with the EU while Serbia denied doing so. In clarifying Ivica Dačić’s statement, Tadić elucidated that the EU did condition Belgrade’s recognizing of Priština prior to Serbia’s recognition of EU membership status. However, not in the manner of Dačić’s words. Ivica Dačić had earlier stated that Serbia is only to be granted EU membership status lest she recognize Kosovo. Head of the EU delegation to Serbia Vincent Deger too demented such allegations stating that the EU at no point in time stipulated that Serbia must recognize Kosovo prior to being admitted as a prospective member to the Union. Deger added that such a stipulation would be futile given that five out of 27 members state themselves did not recognize Kosovo. Tadić clarified that resolving the Kosovo question is a political battle adding that he is sure that Serbia’s European partners will understand that accepting a sovereign Kosovo is a possibility that is unacceptable to Serbia. Moreover, Europe will understand that without a Serbian state located centrally in the Balkans, there will be no peaceful and stable future as is in the interest in all of Europe. Tadić concluded his speech by thanking Russia’s contribution of humanitarian aid to Serbs resident in Kosovo adding that no one humanitarian convoy aught to be stopped “especially not if the convoy is destined for Serbs resident in Kosovo who are truly the most vulnerable ethnic minority in Europe today”.

Earlier this week, a convoy carrying humanitarian aid destined for Serbs in Kosovo was halted at Jarinje and Brnjak as reported by the Russian news agency ITAR-TAŠ. Russian ambassador to Serbia Aleksandar Konuzin thus stated that the EULEX mission is once again no longer neutral subjecting the delivery of humanitarian aid to questions of politics. The delivery is stated to include mobile aggregates, blankets, food items and cots.

“Dežer: Priznavanje Kosovo nije uslov za kandidaturu”. Politika Online. accessed December 14, 2011. www.politika.rs/rubrike/Politika/Dezer-Priznavanje-Kosovo-nije-uslov-za-kandidaturu.lt.html

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“Tadić: Srbija nije prihvatila zahtev da prizna Kosovo. Politika Online. accessed December 13, 2011. www.politika.rs/rubrike/tema-dana/Tadic-Zahtev-da-priznamo-KiM-iznet-u-poslednjim-trenucima-pregovora-Srbija-ga-nije-prihvatila.lt.html

Bosnia i Herzegovina (BiH)

Head of South East Europe’s anti terrorism team Dževad Galijašević told Srna that the head of Bosnia’s Islamic Community Mustafa Cerić was given a large amount of money to support the Wahhabi movement in BiH. Galijašević, in an answer to the open letter written by Cerić, stated that he did not invent the problems that plague the Islamic community today. In his open letter, Cerić wrote that the “moving story” about Wahhabis was an invention by self-styled experts on terrorism comparing the treatment of Muslims in the region to the Jews in Spain during the inquisition in 1492. Galijašević further stated that the religious and political support is a real problem for Bosnia inviting Cerić to explain his repeated comparison of Bosniaks to Wahhabis adding that the Bosniak public does not support Wahhabi’s while he, Cerić, does. Galiješavić further stated that it would actually be better if Cerić were to explain how “he organized the planting of a bomb” under the Islamic Community (IC) that wounded the prior head of the IC effendi Jakub Selimoski as well as other murders taking place prior to Cerić’s ascendance to the post of the IC’s helm. Another question involved the finances of the IC.

In related news, the collegiate news paper Dnevni Avaz accused Bakir Izetbegović who is a member of the BiH government, to have protected members of the Wahhabi movement for years. Questions directed at Izetbegović include why he has protected the movement for years, what exactly his role was in “Islamsizing ” the Bosnian Army to the damage of Bosniaks as well as how many mujahedeen had exactly passed through his office between 1992 and 1997. The article further accused Izetbegović of playing a role in BiH’s mafia and criminal activity in cooperation with companies/groups such as Al-Šidi from Riyadh, BBI Centar, BiH’s Telekom and the OKI Company. Moreover, the doors to BiH’s EU accession are slated to remain closed on account of Izetbegović which will further hinder the state to prosper. A statement released by Izetbegović countered that such accusations had negative impacts on BiH, especially on its citizens. Furthermore, according to Izetbegović, none of the above accusations are truthful.

“Avaz: Izetbegović godinama štiti vehabije”. Vesti Online. accessed December 18, 2011. www.vesti-online.com/Vesti/Ex-YU/187936/Avaz-Izetbegovic-godinama-stiti-vehabije

“Cerić dobio novac da podrži vehabije”. Vesti Online. accessed December 18, 2011. www.vesti-online.com/Vesti/Ex-YU/188257/Ceric-dobio-novac-da-podrzi-vehabije