Kosovo i Metohija (KiM) and Serbia

Head of Priština’s delegation for dialogue with Belgrade Edita Tahiri announced that Kosovo will not accept stipulations of cooperation between Serbia and Kosovo under the heading of UN Resolution 1244. Tahiri criticized Serbia regarding the standstill in dialogue between the two states due to Belgrade’s continued insistence on the resolution. Tahiri contended that regional cooperation can-not develop along the stipulation of the resolution and the guidance of UNMIK adding that Serbia no longer has any legal nor political basis on which to continue its Kosovo policy. Kosovo, said Tahiri, is an independent state. However, Tahiri assured that Priština seeks to continue its dialogue with Belgrade and hopes to do so this month.

“Priština: 1244 blokade na Kosovu”. RTS. January 20, 2012. http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/Politika/1029878/Priština%3A+1244+blokade+na+Kosovu.html

Republika Srpska (RS)

As the news-outlet B29 reported, the president of RS allegedly received threats from the Wahhabi community. The threat, according to the article, was posted on the internet website of www.balkanskiemirat.com stating that “we will come for your head too, you liar”. According to reports released by Politika, Snews and Danas etc., the threat was issued by Hatab Hajrulah and came as a reaction to Dodik’s statement that the decision to discontinue the investigation regarding the Dobrovoljačka Ulica (volunteer street) crime of Sarajevo was simply a political one. The incident goes back to 1992 and concerns an encounter between the Yugoslav Army, the Green Berets and a Bosnian Army Unit by which fatalities occurred on both sides. According to B92, Hajrulah is a member of the Wahhabi movement and has regular appearances on the internet under the rubric “The Corner for the Hatab Moment” (Kutak za Hatabov trenutak) while also uploading movies about terrorism to the internet. Police director of RS Gojko Vasić meanwhile assured that that his department is doing their utmost to ensure Dodik’ safety adding that the comments are supposed to instill fear, and do not indicate an actual plan for the execution of a terrorist plot.

“Vehabija preti Dodiku”. B92. Accessed January 20, 2012. http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php??yyyy=2012&mm=01&dd=20&na_id=575429

“Dobrovoljačka – planirani zločin”. POLITIKA. Accessed January 20, 2012. http://www.politika.rs/rubrike/Hronika/Dobrovoljachka-planirani-zlochin.lt.html

Bosna i Herzegovina (BiH)

President for the organization “Mothers of Srebrenica” (Srebreničke Majke) Hatidža Mehmedović does not wish for the presence of Turkish movie directors at the film festival Emir Kusturica “Kustendorf”. The reason for Hatidža’s decision, according to the Turkish newspaper Hurijet, was the likely attendance of Nuri Bilge Džejlan who co-produced the film “Once upon a time in Anatolia” (Bilo Jednom u Anadoliji) and explained her opposition to Džejlan’s profiteering on the basis of so many lives lost. In Mehmetović’s words, “I do not know how Kusturica feels when he hears about how many of our kids have died, but he lost value to us when he collaborated with the muruders”. The paper recalls Kusturica’s function as a member of the jury at the Golden Orange film festival and his subsequent withdrawal from the position due to criticism he received in Turkey regarding the war in Bosnia.

Between April 6^th 1992 and January 1^st 2006, 26 people were stripped of their Bosnian nationality which was done in accordance with the department of revision and naturalization of foreign nationals. The ministry for civil affairs, however, was unable to publicize the reasons as to the nature of the incidents that lead up to the ministries decision. In addition, there are 20,000 cases that need to be reviewed by the 1^st of March this year. Because of the sheer volume of cases, however, it is unlikely that the ministry will complete them in time. Reviews regarding the naturalization process of foreign individuals started on the 1^st of December of 2009 while 24,507 pending cases were transferred for review on the 29^th of March 2010. Focus reported that under the leadership of Vjekoslav Vuković individuals from “Afroasian” states were most often stripped of citizenship in addition to those that had proven links to terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda.

The news agency Radio Televizija Srbije (RTS) reported that special forces for the state investigation and protection agency arrested Nusret Imamović who is allegedly leading the Wahhabi community of Gornja Maoča. Following the news agency Sarajevo X, his brother, Eldin, as well as Jasmin Mustajbašić were also arrested. Nusret Imamović was long known to lead the Salafists of Gornja Maoča and beyond. Imamovič, according to the article, lived for some time in Austria where he reportedly became one of the closest collaborators of Muhamed Porča. RTS further reports that the group resident in Gornja Maoča is among the most radical of BiH. In the past ten years, the group has been under investigation for alleged acts of terrorism including the planting of explosive devises on the route were former president Clinton’s was planned to pass. The Croatian and Italian police, further, thwarted an alleged attempt by the group to plant a bomb during the funeral of John Paul II. After Imamović’s capturing, the police searched the location for evidence relating to the organized crime and corruption cases. As confirmed by the authorities, the searches were conducted so as to gather evidence in the pending case against Mevlid Jašarević. Darko Trifunović, in an analysis of the case, stated that Imamović’s capturing was not only tied to Jašarević’s case, but allegedly also points to “reliable evidence” according to which the Wahhabi movement is planning attacks on Europe. Trifunović stated that the Wahhabi group of Gornja Maoča has long been involved in the production of materials by which young Islamic extremists are recruited of which some have participated in the attack on U.S. troops in Frankfurt, Germany. Trifunović further stressed that the Jašarević incident must not be viewed as an individual incident. For evidence, Trifunović points toward attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan that occurred on the same day as Jašarevič’s shooting transpired in Sarajevo, BiH.

As Vesti Online reported, four Wahhabis arriving in a green Volkswagen with Swiss license plates sought to buy property near the residence of RS’s president Dodik near Bakinci by Laktaš. Individuals belonging to a Wahhabi group reportedly sought to buy property form Croat as well as Serb returnees and offered up to 300,000 Bosnian KM for properties of which the value is thought to be substantially less. Wahhabi’s arrived in the area starting last July offering money or gold to those who agreed to sell their property. Mirko Agatić, a Croat owner of property in the area reported that these individuals came and introduced themselves simply as Muslims upon asking if he was willing to sell his property. Agatić, in an effort to render an offer impossible, said he would sell his property for no less than 200,000 Euros. Afterward, employees working on a highway near Banja Luka reportedly found a bag with documents in Arabic, a Qur’an and two camouflage uniforms while later a box with ammunition and mines was found near Dodik’s house.

“Vehabije: Dajemo 300,000 KM za bazu blizu Dodika”. Vesti Online. accessed January 27, 2012. http://www.vesti-online.com/Vesti?Ex-YU/197737/Vehabije-Dajemo-300000_KM-za-bazu-blizu-Dodika

“Uhapšen vođa vehabija, planirao terorističke napade širom Evrope”. Press Online. Accessed January 26, 2012. http://pressonline.rs/sr/vesti/vesti_dana/story/199965/Uhapšen+vođa+vehabija%2C+planirao+terorističke+napade+širom+Evrope.html

“Uhapšen Nusret Imamović”. RTS. Accessed January 25, 2012. http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/11/Region/1033070/Uhapšen+Nusret+Imamović.html

“U protekle dvje godine u BiH 26 slučajeva oduzimanje državljanstva”. Mostarlife. Accessed January 25, 2012. http://mostarlife.com/u-protekle-dvije-godine-u-bih-26-slučajeva-oduzimanja-državljanstva

“Majke Srebrenice zovu na bojkot Kustendorfa”. Mondo. Accessed January 20, 2012. www.mondo.rs/s231113/info/ex-YU/Majke_Srebrenice_zovu_na_bojkot_Kustendorfal.html

Sandžak

A team of experts composed from various fields from Novi Pazar, are expected to present a plan that is to render the city of Novi Pazar and surrounding areas attractive for foreign investors as well as for tourists. There are several proposals around which the new and improved image of Novi Pazar is to revolve including the promotion of historical and cultural monuments, traditional culinary specialties from the area as well as the surrounding mountains of Golije. However, member of the tourist organization of Novi Pazar Husein Memić stated that jeans also should be promoted when talking about a new “brand” for the city. Many people, sais Husein, associate Novi Pazar with high quality jeans and Novi Pazar should return to promote its true and positive value instead of the constant political infighting the area has seen lately through. According to Husein, the constant political disagreements had a negative effect on the interest tourist show for the region and left a noticeable mark on the industry. Tigrin Kačar, while agreeing with Memić, adds that monuments and their upkeep should be central to the new “brand” of Novi Pazar. Monuments, says Kučar are a tourist attraction in other states while here, they are just a pale reminder of the past. Marko Vujačić who represents “Progres” also believes that Novi Pazar needs to overhaul its image adding that the city should become the greatest city in this region of Serbia. Kučar explains that Novi Pazar is home to the youngest population of Europe as well as to a great wealth of cultural and historical heritage in addition to distinct local products. Together, these factors create a strong basis for a positive rebranding of our city on which Novi Pazar is expected to spend around € 300,000. Remaking the image of Novi Pazar will contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic situation in addition to improving the living standard of Novi Pazar’s citizens.

Around 150 businessmen from Turkey in addition to professionals from BiH, Serbia and Montenegro were expected to visit the “Balkan Textile Fair” between January 26^th and January 28^th in Novi Pazar. Overall, there are 54 companies out if which 40 are from Turkey, while the other 14 are from Novi Pazar.

President Esad Džudžević of Sandžak’s Bosniak National Council (BNV) extended his efforts regarding the draft for the declaration on the status and implementation of Sandžak Bosniaks of Serbia. The document refers to Bosniaks of Sandžak, Serbia, as a minority group that is denied a national identity as well as individual and collective human rights. Džudžević reportedly sent a draft of the document to the head of the OSCE mission of Serbia Dimitrios Kypreos, head of the European parliament (EP) delegation to Serbia Eduard Kukan, vice chair of the EP delegation to South East Europe Jelko Kacin, OSCE high commissioner on national minorities Knut Vollebaek, secretary general for the council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland, head of the EU delegation Vincent Degert and director of office of South and Central Europe at the U.S. department Jennifer Brush as well as to every embassy present in Serbia. The document is divided into ten points including that: The BNV demands for the authorities’ prosecution for human rights violations and crimes committed against Bosniaks of Sandžak during the 1990’s; the immediate termination of court proceedings against 20 Bosniaks that advanced the program for the return of refugees and exiled Bosniaks – especially those from the boarder regions; the reorganization of the police, judiciary and other public services of Sandžak, that the six municipalities of Tutin, Novi Pazar, Nova Varoš, Sjenica, Prijepolje and Priboj be acknowledged as separate regional governments and that the economic and infrastructural development in the region be intensified while greater investments ought to be apportioned to Sandžak. Also, the BNV seeks the merger of the Islamic community of Serbia wile the seat thereof should be placed in Sandžak and proposes an inter-religious dialogue. Further, the BNV vigorously opposes the rehabilitation of Draža Mihailović and četnik movements. These stipulations, according the document, must be fulfilled in order for Bosniaks of Sandžak to accept Serbia as their homeland. Džudžević is reported to believe that the above systemic changes will solve the problems in the area.

“Bošnjacima se osporava pravo na nacionalni identitet”. Dnevni List Danas. Accessed January 24, 2012. http://www.danas.rs/danasrs/drustvo/bosnjacima_se_osporava_pravo_na_nacionalni_identitet.55.html?news_id=232663

“Najviše gostiju iz Turske”. Blic Online. Accessed January 25, 2012. http://www.blic.rs/Vesti/Srbija/303371/Najvise-gostiju-iz-Turske

“Džins kao brend Novog Pazara”. Blic. Online. Accessed January 23, 2012. http://www.blic.rs/Vesti/Srbija/302936/Dzins-kao-brend-Novog-Pazara