This Week in the News 

Bosnia i Herzegovina (BiH)

Muslims in Europe are isolated and are constantly forced to defend themselves, adjust and assimilate or else, they are forced to live in the ghetto. The West has granted Muslims various minority rights, but they still are still unhappy, why? First, they are not only an imagined minority, but also a real one. Second, societal behavior toward Muslims has not changed and they are thus still on the margins of the society, and left to solve their own daily troubles. The West is realizing too late that this isolation contributes to the emergence of fundamentalism and terrorism. Terrorists are not telling us that they will live better in the company of virgins in paradise. Instead, they are telling us that they want to dye because they cannot live humanely here on earth. Islam, for many, became a tool of social and political resistance. Women are wearing the headscarf not solely as a symbol of dignity, no. The headscarf is an image that symbolizes resistance – a symbol that is provoking. Yet, why, one wonders, is it so provoking when even Mother Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, wears a headscarf? Why is covering one’s body thought of as provoking while women all over Europe display their naked bodies in red-light districts? These days we are listening to politicians who argue for better and more inclusive immigration. Angela Merkel even said that multiculturalism and assimilation has failed. The better question to ask, however, would be if multiculturalism ever existed? The new generation will plow the way. The third generation no longer wishes to work on construction sites or shipyards like the first generation, and they no longer want to live in ghettos like the second generation. Meanwhile, for those who would like to see Islam disappear from Europe, Bosnia presents a special problem. The problem with Bosniaks is that they own their land, a country, while being Bosniak is autochthone with being Muslim. Bosnia is therefore something of an oddity for Western Europe, and one it will have to get used to.

BiH authorities and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to continue negotiations on May 16^th 2012 as was confirmed by the head of BiH’s IMF mission in Sarajevo, Costas Christou. Christou stated that all he could confirm now, was that BiH’s authorities showed interest in renewing the IMF program. Before the talks, BiH’s economic situation must be assessed, then, we can talk about the new credit arrangements. BiH’s president of the council of ministers Vjekoslav Bevanda explained that renewing the BiH – IMF partnership was necessary as he believes that this will be the only way to bring BiH’s finances in order. Finance minister of the Federation of BiH Anto Krajina stated that he is ready to cooperate with the IMF. Republika Srpska’s (RS) finance minister Zoran Tegeltija too agreed to cooperate with the IMF.

“BiH uskoro započinje nove pregovore sa MMF-om”. Slobodna Dalmacija. Accessed May 11, 2012. http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/BiH/tabid/68/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/173286/Default.aspx        

“Muslimani, getoizacija ili zbogom”. Al Jazeera Balkans. accessed May 11, 2012. http://balkans.aljazeera.net/makale/muslimani-getoizacija-ili-zbogom   

Serbia

According to election headquarters in Novi Pazar, Rasim Ljajić’s Social Democratic Party of Serbia (SDP) received the most votes during the municipal elections. By 10pm May 6^th, the SDP had received 2o percent, or 4,315 votes, the Democratic Action Party (SDA) got 2,587 and the Bosniak Democratic Community (BDZ). According to the same source, the SDP also received the most votes in Prijepolje while the SDA won in Sjenica and Tutin. Representatives of Muamer Zukorlić stated that his greatest support came from Sandžak based municipalities.

The Belgrade parliament will look as follows: 73 seats went to the “Turn Serbia” coalition lead by Nikolić’s Progressive Party (SNS), the coalition “For a Better Life” lead by Tadić’s (DS) received 68 seats. The third strongest coalition is centered around Ivica Dačić’s Sociaist Party (SPS) with 45, followed by the “Reversal” coalition lead by Čedomir Jovanović with 20 seats. 16 members will represent the “United Regions of Serbia” movement, the “Alliance of Vojvodinian Hungarians” have five representatives, the “Democratic Action Party” of Sandžak and the coalition “Together” will each have one seat.

The German analysis portal “Deutsche Welle” (German Wave) explained that overall, Serbia did not stray far from its political course regarding its elections. Voters decided to stay on the course toward EU integration. Serbs, in other words have put continued trust in the parties that hitherto represented their interests. This comes despite Serbia’s current situation. The country is crushed under the weight of the economic crisis, unemployment has reached unprecedented heights, and people are not being paid regularly, corruption blossoms. Nevertheless, Boris Tadić (DS) has good chances to renew his mandate as president in coalition with Ivica Dačić (SPS). In all, Milošević’s successors appear to be the biggest successors of the parliamentary elections as the SPS recorded the largest voter increase. They are now confident to start new negotiations regarding their coalition. SPS leader Ivica Dačić who until now was minister of the interior could now become a strong competitor to Tadić. Meanwhile, Tomislav Nikolić’s SNS is not likely to take over the government. Serbian voters, amidst the widespread economic misery, opted for the lesser evil. Voters know what to expect while strong headway toward EU accession is probable. Also, one can expect continued dialogue and normalization of relations with Kosovo. The EU will likely ask of Serbia to discontinue the parallel institutions and to abandon her influence there. Nevertheless, the DS’s loss of 1/3 of the vote illustrates that voters are disappointed with the ruling coalition’s efforts regarding the slow economy. The government’s main task will be to reform Serbia’s political climate and further pursue EU accession. The judicial system has to be reformed, firms must be privatized and corruption and the organized crime must be fought more effectively. For all these reasons, it will be interesting to see how the presidential race will play out between Nikolić and Tadić. Tadić has a slight advantage, but also good chances that the socialists will support him. However, it is not sure yet that he will be re-elected. Even if Nikolić were to win the second round, it would not be so fateful for Serbia’s elections. Nikolić’s party has not yet rid itself from its dark past. After breaking away from he radical party lead by Vojislav Šešelj, the party has not dealt with its past in which it supported paramilitary troops during the 1990’s war. However, the schism was only tactically as Nikolić is unable to govern for as long as Šeśelj is in The Hague. But, even if Nikolić were to win the elections, Serbia’s way toward the EU would not be jeopardized.

According to the Rijaset of Serbia’s Islamic Community, the election results in Serbia illustrate that mufti Muamer Zukorlić does not enjoy support in Sandźak. All Muslims should unite within a single Islamic Community (IZ). The Rijaset pointed out that one characteristic worth noting is that the parliamentary elections were a victory for parties that opted for integration, and a defeat – at all levels – for parties with radical agendas. Zukorlić who received 20 percent of the vote, so the Rijaset, is completely defeated. It is a statement by the Bosniak community of Sandžak that they support the basic principles of Islam that area also applicable to legal regulations. Zukorlić, meanwhile also proved to have stepped out of the framework of these frameworks and thus ceased to be a mufti. The Rijaset announced that thus, all conditions are fulfilled for the reunification of Serbia’s Islamic Community. The Rijaset urged all religious officials, imams and religious teachers to formally embrace the unified Islamic Community. The Rijaset also called on relevant state authorities to resolve the issue of registration of churches and religious communities to enable equality of Serbia’s Islamic Community with all other religious communities in Serbia.

“Ujedinjene muslimana, bez Zukorlića”. Mondo. Accessed May 14, 2012. http://www.mondo.rs/s243810/Info/Hronika_i_Drustvo/Rijaset-_Ujedinjenje_muslimana_bez_Zukorlica.html     

“Od dva zla birači u Srbiji izabrali manje”. DW.DE. accessed May 14, 2012. http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,15934022,00.html             

“Democrate 68, naprednici 73!” Kurir. Accessed May 14, 2012. http://www.kurir-info.rs/ovako-ce-da-izgleda-novi-parlament-clanak-213550      

“Vesti iz zemlje”. Beta press. Accessed May 11, 2012. http://www.beta.rs/?tip=article&kategorija=vestiizzemlje&ida=2695603&id=&ime=     

This week in the news:

Serbia

Serbia does not effectively control the administrative crossing between Kosovo and Serbia as reported by the European Commission, while an insufficient number of cases are filed against the organized crime. While Serbia has established an institutional framework in the field of justice, freedom and security, Belgrade so far has not implemented these rules nor has the government increased its capacity to further cooperation between the relevant institutions to successfully carry them out. Serbia must undertake greater measurements in policies that deal with migration, border control, the fight against organized crime, drug and human trafficking, money laundering and terrorism while reforming its police, judicial and customs cooperation. Though Serbia has established a framework under which to combat drug trafficking, the area is still the major route across which drugs are smuggled. Between August 2010 and September 2011, 1.9 tons of drugs were seized in Serbia; that is an increase in 0.7 tons from the previous year. Porous borders between BiH, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia are in part adding to setbacks regarding the fight against human and drug trafficking. In addition, lack of adequate databases and information exchange is hindering progress.

Regarding Sandžak policies, the president of the Executive Council of the Bosniak National Council (BNV) Džužević Esad stated that it was high time the government convened the inaugural session of the state council on the basis of elections held last year. Doing so, according to Esad, was the only way of overcoming the power vacuum in the region adding that further neglect would be detrimental to the state as well as to Bosniaks. At a news conference held last week, he maintained that the government is playing a “dirty game” as the failure to recognize any council presented the state with an alibi of ignoring or blocking Bosniak rights under the laws of the constitution. The government does not recognize the current BNV’s structure not does it wish to form a new one yet does not call for new elections either. This bestows the state with a comfortable position as the government can prevent the BNV from exercising its rights guaranteed by the constitution.

“Džužić: Prljave igre sa pravima Bošnjaka”. SandzakNews. accessed October 22, 2011. www.sandzaknews.com/vjesti/drustvo/422-dzuzevic:-prljave-igre-sa-pravima-Bosnjaka.html

“EK: Unaprediti kontrolu administrativne linije”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed October 17, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/166457.html

Serbia and Kosovo

A meeting was held on the 18th of October near the barricades by Jagnjenica near the village of Zupča where the first KFOR convoys arrived so as to remove the barricades by the administrative crossings. Discussions were held between Slaviša Ristić, major of Zubin Potok, KFOR lieutenant Klaus Hunger and other representatives of the local government. The meeting was held in light of the KFOR posed ultimatum by which barricades were to be removed this week. Upon the convoy’s arrival, Ivica Dačić, deputy prime minister and minister for the interior, appealed to Serbian citizens not to confront KFOR troops while simultaneously cautioning KFOR forces not to apply force as the barricades “were not created by criminals”. Oliver Ivanović, state secretary for Kosovo and Metohia (KiM), instead proposed to find a solution through diplomatic channels. Jelena Trivan, vice president for the Democratic Party (DS), stated that the fact that KFOR has not removed the barricades in addition to having extended the timely ultimatum shows that the Serb leadership is doing its job. Trivan pointed toward discussions held between Serbia, Brussels Washington and NATO adding that the Serbian leadership is seeking to find a solution for the problems in northern Kosovo.

On October 20th, however, KFOR and EULEX forces again planned on removing the Brnjak barricades having replaced them with checkpoints for vehicles. KFOR troops stretched out barbed wire were Serb citizens had earlier stopped a KFOR convoy and set up barricades near the Brnjak crossing. In response, Serb citizens from Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvečana and Leposavica travelled by bus and private vehicles so as to join the protestors in Zubče and Jagnjenica. When KFOR soldiers attempted to remove the barricades, soldiers “repeatedly” fired teargas thereby “easily” wounding more than 20 people while an additional eight KFOR soldiers were injured. As of October 20th, KFOR soldiers were about 300 meters from the barricades were “dozens” of demonstrators have gathered thus far.

The parties present at this week’s meeting agreed upon the following six points:

1) That UNMIK forces be activated in place of KFOR troops

2) That dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia be returned to the UN Security Council

3) That Serbian military and police forces return to northern Kosovo

4) That barricades remain in place in northern Kosovo under the guise of KFOR troops

5) Refusal of agreements reached so far between Priština and Serbia (that Kosovo remain a vital part of Serbia including that decisions made by the public authorities of Serbia be executed in KiM)

6) To remove the cause leading to the erection of the barricades, meaning the Kosovar boarder control

The results hailed at the meeting are, however, according to head of Belgrade’s negotiation team for Kosovo Borislav Stefanović, unrealistic and an unpleasant surprise for Serbian authorities as well as for individuals in the international community. The demands made are driven by political interest maintained Stefanović adding that the outcome reflects the interests of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS). Instead of swapping international missions, the minister said, one should think about as to how to facilitate supplies for KFOR troops which in turn would lower tensions on the Jarinje and Brnjak border. Stevanović also questioned the preposition by which further dialogue was to be held under the guise of the UN Security Council as Serbia had agreed to EU mandates which in turn have been adopted by the General Assembly reminding that these are binding. In any case, there are too many states that have recognized Kosovo’s independence as of yet in addition to the fact that the Security Council is divided regarding the question on Kosovo. Stefanović, however, agreed that all decisions taken by Serb authorities ought to be binding for northern Kosovo as well as for the rest thereof.

“Zahtevi kosovskih Srba uglavnom neostvarivi”. Politika Online. accessed October 21, 2011. www.politika.rs/rubrike/Politika/Zahtevi-kosovskih-Srba-uglavnom-neostvariv.lt.html

“Kfor se vratio u bazu, Srbi nude ograničeno kretanje”. Politika Online. accessed October 19, 2011. www.politika.rs/rubrike/Politika/Kfor-se-vratio-u-bazu-Srbi-nude-ograniceno-kretanje.lt.html

“Kfor na barikadi u Zubču”. B92. accessed October 18, 2011. www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=10&dd=18&nav_id=550340

“Kfor se vratio na bazu, akcija odložena za sutra”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed October 18, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/166535.html

“Jelena Trivan: Na putu smo rešenja za sever Kosova”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed October 18, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/166510.html

“KFOR ukljana barikade”. B92. accessed October 20, 2011. www.b92.net/info/vesti/index/php/?yyyy=2011&mm=10&dd-20&nav_id=550932

Sandžak

SandžakNews reported about the general irritation that ensued throughout the Sandžak area following Mufti Muamer Zukorlić’s and head of Sebia’s Progressive Party Tomislav Nikolić’s meeting last week. According to the article, the news came as a shock to general population most of whom do not understand the Zukorlić – Nikolić coalition as the Sandžak population does not wish to cooperate with radicals. Nikolić is the successor to Vojslav Šešelj who is indicted by the ICTY for war crimes committed during the war in Bosnia.

Regarding Zukorlić’s earlier call for Bosniaks to boycott the population census, the online paper reported in the minister for labour and social policy and head of the Social Democratic Party (SDPS) Rasim Ljacjić’s words that the Mufti’s call to so ended as a fiasco. By the first four hours, according the Ljajić, it was becoming clear that the majority of Bosniaks were going to show up for the census thus proving that the population was politically mature. As for Zukorlić, the Mufti explained that his call for the boycott was a reaction to the Serbian regime. The census, according to Zukorlić, is likely to be falsified with or without citizen’s participation. The difference between those choosing to boycott, however, lies therein whether or not Bosniaks chose to partake in the process of falsification.

“Ljajić: Bojkot doživeo fijasko, Zukorlić: Popis će falsifikovati”. SandzakNews. accessed October 22, 2011. www.sandzaknews.com/vjesti/drustvo/4203-ljajic:-bojkot-doziveo-fijasko-,-Zukorlic:-popis-ce-falsifikovati.html

“Sandžak ljut zbog zbližavanja Nikolića I Zukorlića”. SandzakNews. accessed October 22, 2011. www.sandzaknews.com/kolumna/65-sandzak-ljut-zblizavanja-Nikolica-I-Zukorlica.html