REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Belgrade, 19. 05. 2010.
CONTENT:
SERBIA – EU
- DELEVIC: TERRITORY IN KEEPING WITH SERBIAN CONSTITUTION
- BRAMMERTZ: no doubt SERBIAN GOVERNMENT WILLING TO ARREST FUGITIVES
- DELEGATION OF EU COUNTRIES' EMBASSIES IN BELGRADE VISITED BANAT
- HAGUE: LONDON ADVOCATES ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS INTO EU
- EUROPEAN AFFAIRS FUND STATUTE ADOPTED
SERBIA
- TADIC: THERE WILL BE FUNDS FOR FLOOD DEFENSE
- SERBIA TO FORM WORKING GROUP FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH ISRAEL
SERBIA – ECONOMY
- TADIC: JUMKO AND SIMPO OF STRATEGIC VALUE TO SERBIA
- DJELIC: I EXPECT POSITIVE OUTCOME OF TALKS WITH IMF
- DRAGUTINOVIC: SPECULATORS DEPRECIATE DINAR
- SERBIA CONSIDERS CONSTRUCTING NUCLEAR PLANT IN BULGARIA
SERBIA – REGION
- KOSOVO INTERIM GOVT INVITED TO SARAJEVO CONFERENCE
KOSOVO – METOHIJA
- NO SURPRISES AT UN SECURITY COUNCIL SESSION
- TURK: SLOVENIA SUPPORTS BELGRADE-PRISTINA TALKS
- CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF: BIGGEST THREAT COMES FROM KOSOVO
SERBIA – EU
DELEVIC: TERRITORY IN KEEPING WITH SERBIAN CONSTITUTION
BELGRADE, May 19 (Tanjug) - Director of the Office for European Integrations Milica Delevic has stated that Serbia is getting prepared for a European Commission questionnaire in order to be able to reply in two or three months at the most, underscoring that in the reply the territory will be stated as specified by the Constitution of Serbia. The frequently asked question is whether Serbia may progress further in the integration process with the unresolved issue of Kosovo's status and a first formal obstacle might be this seemingly simple question, daily Blic wrote. "We will state the territory according to the Constitution. On the other side, the part of the territory that government had assumed responsibility for the implementation of reforms from the moment the international administration had assumed the governing of Kosovo is clear," she said for Blic. She pointed out that the EC is getting prepared to send us the Questionnaire as soon as the Council of Ministers makes a decision and that we are getting prepared on the questions Montenegro and Albania had received.
BRAMMERTZ: no doubt SERBIAN GOVERNMENT WILLING TO ARREST FUGITIVES
THE HAGUE, May 18 (Tanjug) - Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY Serge Brammertz said that he does not doubt the Serbian authorities' willingness to arrest Mladic and Hadzic, but that the question still hangs of why they have not been arrested yet, even with all the effort put in. Brammertz told a news conference at the ICTY that he has not finished his report on Serbia's cooperation with the tribunal, which he is scheduled to present to the UN SC at the end of the month, and added that it is still too early to draw conclusions. The prosecutor noted that he is satisfied with the level of cooperation from the Serbian National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY, but that it is much harder to give a technical evaluation of the search for the fugitives. According to Brammertz, he tries to be as technical as possible in the description of Serbia's cooperation, leaving it up to the proper European authorities to state a political opinion on how far Serbia has come in fulfilling the conditions needed to join the EU. Brammertz said that he advocates the practice of imposing conditions when deciding on EU enlargement. The prosecutor stated that he thinks the conditions are justified, because those who want to be part of the EU have to uphold the rule of law and fight crime. Brammertz confirmed that Hadzic and Mladic will be tried by employing the so called residual mechanism, which will be established after the ICTY is shut down to process any fugitives caught after the tribunal is dismantled.
DELEGATION OF EU COUNTRIES' EMBASSIES IN BELGRADE VISITED BANAT
ZRENJANIN, May 18 (Tanjug) - A delegation of EU countries' embassies in Belgrade visited Zrenjanin, in scope of the program to stimulate dialogue in Serbia's cities and municipalities. Austrian Ambassador Clemens Koja, Swedish Embassy Counselor for Political Affairs Bjorn Linderfalk and First Counselor of the EU Delegation to Serbia Jose Bustamante assessed at a joint press conference that the purpose of their visit is getting acquainted with the stance the local governments have in respect of reforms linked to the process of Serbia's EU integration. First Counselor Bustamante said that a total of EUR 20 mil has been invested so far in this municipality from the EU funds, and assessed that the visit represents an opportunity to learn about the plans of this city and to expand cooperation in all fields. Swedish Embassy Counselor Linderfalk recalled that his country has been very active in terms of EU enlargement and that it will continue on the same course when it comes to Serbia and its EU accession. "All EU members want to see Serbia as part of their family," said Austrian Ambassador Koja, for whom this is the third visit to Zrenjanin.
HAGUE: LONDON ADVOCATES ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS INTO EU
Madrid, May 18 (Beta) - The new British government advocates the admission of Turkey and countries of the Western Balkans into the EU, the European media quoted British Foreign Secretary William Hague as saying. Hague, who attended a meeting of high officials of the EU and Latin America in Madrid, pointed out that it would be a huge mistake if Turkey and the Western Balkan countries were not admitted among the European 27. The new British foreign minister stated this, although he estimated that the EU was facing great economic difficulties. He reiterated that the government in London was prepared to cooperate in everything in order for the financial breakdown to be avoided, because this would also affect Great Britain. In policies towards the Balkans, Hague is notably close to the stands of the U.S., which means that the EU should primarily remain a large zone of free trade and not be turned into a tighter economic and political structure. British analysts and media agree in their estimates that Hague's policy will follow that of the U.S. in the Balkans and believe that, regarding Bosnia, he would insist on a centralized and unitary state as a precondition for Bosnia and Herzegovina's admission into the EU and NATO. Political circles in London believe that Hague could appoint a special envoy for Bosnia, and the unofficial candidates are: the former special representative for B-H, Paddy Ashdown, and perhaps Chris Patten, the former EU commissioner who is now the advisor to the new British PM, David Cameron.
EUROPEAN AFFAIRS FUND STATUTE ADOPTED
NOVI SAD, May 18 (Beta) - The management of the newly established European Affairs Fund adopted a statute which will be handed for adoption to the Vojvodina administration, Fund chairman Sandor Egeresi has said. Egeresi, who is also the speaker of Vojvodina's assembly, told a news conference that the fund would continue to work in the interest of Vojvodina, provincial institutions and its citizens, just like the office for European Affairs until it changed its name. The Office for European Affairs was renamed several months ago to "the European Affairs Fund." "We want to work more actively with EU preaccession funds and in this way open the doors for Vojvodina to Europe," Egeresi said. Fund director Predrag Novikov said that the Office for European Affairs had so far been in charge of passing European experiences on to provincial institutions, and that the European Affairs Fund would pick up these duties. "Vojvodina has been a leader so far where European funds are concerned and it is our obligation to help others in this. It is extremely important to have cooperation on the local, provincial and republic levels within a joint strategy and strategic goals, which is the country's acceptance into the EU," Novikov said.
SERBIA
TADIC: THERE WILL BE FUNDS FOR FLOOD DEFENSE
TRGOVISTE, May 18 (Tanjug) - President Tadic expressed his expectation that the budget revision for 2010 or 2011 will allocate funds for the reconstruction of the bulwark for the flood defense in Trgoviste minicipality, which was struck by a heavy flood upon the overflowing of the Pcinja River. Tadic expressed his satisfaction over the fact that government allocated RSD 15 million for the emergency assistance for the Trgoviste municipality, pointing out that the repair of the damages will require much larger funds as well as the engagement of the Infrastructure Ministry.
SERBIA TO FORM WORKING GROUP FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH ISRAEL
BELGRADE, May 18 (Tanjug) - Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said that she expects the government to form a working group to negotiate with the Israeli company which is claiming EUR 36 million from Serbia after courts ruled in its favor in a satellite lease dispute. Asked if the government has discussed "the satellite affair", Malovic told reporters that the issue has not yet come up. I expect we will form a working group that will negotiate with the Israelis, she said. In 2008, Serbia lost the case before the International Court of Arbitration in Paris and was ordered to pay EUR 36 million to the Israeli company for violating the satellite lease signed in 2005 by Prvoslav Davinic, Serbia and Montenegro's Defense Minister at the time. Serbia later appealed to the court in London, but lost again and had to pay RSD 1.38 million in court costs. In 2005, Davinic signed a contract with Israeli company ImageSat, which was never realized. Davinic has been charged with abuse of office.
SERBIA – ECONOMY
TADIC: JUMKO AND SIMPO OF STRATEGIC VALUE TO SERBIA
BELGRADE, May 18 (Tanjug) - President Tadic stated that the companies like the Jumko textile industry and Simpo furniture industry are of strategic value to Serbia, but that no one can count on infinite subsidies from the state. During his visit to the Jumko company which employs 1, 760 workers and is situated in Vranje, a town in the south of Serbia, Tadic said that the government will keep in mind the fact that the economic perspective of southern Serbia lies in the recovery of former giant firms in that region. Closing great industrial complexes in the south of Serbia could be dangerous for the country, and the government will bear it in mind, the president pointed out. Subsidies could be reasonable and justified only if they provide perspective, Tadic told. According to him, Jumko has got potential but is fighting tough competition, and the only way for it to survive at the market is to offer better prices and quality. Tadic commended the current company management for reinitiating the production process and paying wages to the workers. "I think we will be able to solve the problems in Jumko step by step," Tadic said.
DJELIC: I EXPECT POSITIVE OUTCOME OF TALKS WITH IMF
BELGRADE, May 19 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic expressed his expectations that the outcome of the talks with the IMF will be a positive one, evaluating that the talks are more serious now than six months ago. He specified that the talks will end by the end of the week and that the IMF mission representatives are planned to publicize the results of the talks on May 24. Djelic said for Studio B that three key decisions had been left for this stage of the talks and that one of them refers to unfreezing of wages and pensions. "We have to do it in a realistic way, instead of giving out money that does not exist," said Djelic, adding that the harmonization of pensions with the mid-term wage growth is also a topic of the talks.
DRAGUTINOVIC: SPECULATORS DEPRECIATE DINAR
BELGRADE, May 19 (Tanjug) - The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) should continue in the future to prevent sudden changes of the dinar exchange rate, which are the consequence of speculative strikes, Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic has stated. For Blic, Dragutinovic underscored that the amount of foreign exchange reserves guarantees that the domestic currency will be defended from speculatory strikes. Responding to a question on what the state would do to prevent a downfall of the dinar, Dragutinovic said that "the state will contribute to an increase of foreign currency offer in the country by drawing the credit funds for the construction of infrastructure, which would stabilize the dinar rate." The changes of the rate so far are not dramatic, and in respect to the country's economic status they may be evaluated as desirable, she said. "The changes of the dinar rate in the past year and a half were mainly gradual, and both the real sector and citizens had enough time to adjust to the new rate. Serbia's foreign trade and payment balance show significant improvement signs, which did not happen by itself. The dinar depreciation, as well as the reduction of the domestic expenditure, particularly that of the state, contributed to that," she said.
SERBIA CONSIDERS CONSTRUCTING NUCLEAR PLANT IN BULGARIA
BELGRADE, May 19 (Tanjug) - Minister of Energy and Mining Petar Skundric stated that Serbia has not still made a decision regarding the participation in construction of a nuclear power plant in Bulgaria, adding that the talks on the issue are underway. "The decision has not been made so far, but we are getting ready to do that since it would be in the interest of Serbia, regional and European countries," Skundric stated at the fourth annual conference on energy organized by the Economist Media Group. Skundric said that during his recent visit to China, he conferred with representatives of the Chinese government on a financial arrangement and a credit support to Serbia's participation in the project. He underscored that if Serbia decides to take part in the construction of the nuclear power plant in Bulgaria, it will violate the legal obligation concerning moratorium on nuclear power plant construction in the territory of Serbia. Skundric said that Serbia could become the regional leader in energy, if the most important projects in the sector were realized, adding that about nine billion euros should be invested in these projects in the following five to seven years. One of the projects is the package arrangement that is intended for the Kostolac thermo-electric power plants and mining, the minister said, adding that he discussed the arrangement with the Chinese partners. According to him, China should secure 85 percent of the arrangement's funds, while the total amount of the project is USD 1.250 billion.
SERBIA – REGION
KOSOVO INTERIM GOVT INVITED TO SARAJEVO CONFERENCE
PRISTINA, May 18 (Tanjug) - Kosovo (interim) Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci told the BBC that Pristina has received an official invitation to attend the regional conference EU - Western Balkans on June 2 in Sarajevo. Kosovo will be represented at the conference on equal footing with other participants, he said. Asked whether the representative of Kosovo will be accompanied by a representative of UNMIK, Kuci said Kosovo will have its representative at the conference and that he will be independent, as noone else can represent the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo. UNMIK spokesman Russell Geekie told the BBC meanwhile that UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier expects to get an official invitation to attend the Sarajevo conference. Zannier's participation in the Sarajevo conference was discussed with the organizers from the EU and his attendance is expected, Geekie said. Serbia believes that the Pristina authorities must be represented in the presence of UNMIK, in keeping with the Resolution 1244, which is the sole document accepted by all EU member-states, while Pristina insists on being represented as an independent state at the same level as the other countries of the region.
KOSOVO – METOHIJA
NO SURPRISES AT UN SECURITY COUNCIL SESSION
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, May 18 (Tanjug) - State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija Oliver Ivanovic said that nothing surprising happened at the UN SC session dedicated to the situation in Kosovo. Ivanovic told that at the SC meeting the stances of Serbia and ethnic Kosovo Albanians were presented clearly, and added that it was a good thing that UNMIK chief Zannier confirmed in his report that the situation in the province is tense. "The life of the (Serb) returnees to Zac proves that ethnic Albanians do not want to give up on armed attacks and insist on realizing their interests using weapons," Ivanovic said. He pointed out that all eyes are now focused on The Hague, and that everyone expects the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on Kosovo independence, which is expected to have serious political consequences and bring the opposing parties to the negotiating table.
TURK: SLOVENIA SUPPORTS BELGRADE-PRISTINA TALKS
BELGRADE, May 19 (Tanjug) - The President of Slovenia Danilo Turk said his country would support a new round of talks between Belgrade and Pristina, and added that the political will of the sides involved in the negotiations would have to be of "autonomous and authentic nature, and not artificial and that imposed from the outside." "I call for a best possible direct communication between Belgrade and Pristina, and for a dialogue aiming to solve the problems that burden the Kosovo Serbs," Turk said for the Belgrade daily Danas.At the same time, he reminded of the Slovenian stance that "Kosovo independence is an irreversible process."Pointing out that he is encouraged by the relations between Serbia and Slovenia, Turk stressed that his country is committed to a speedier EU integration of the West Balkans, despite all the fatigue certain EU member states have shown in this respect. The Slovenian president said that he does not believe that the advisory opinion by the ICJ will be of radical character. "It is not a verdict, but an advisory opinion. It will explain matters, but it will not change the decisions that have already been made,".
CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF: BIGGEST THREAT COMES FROM KOSOVO
BELGRADE, May 19 (Tanjug) - At present, the unilaterally declared independence by Kosovo and Metohija poses the biggest threat to Serbia, Chief Of General Staff of the Serbian Army Col.Gen. Miloje Miletic has stated. "The territory of Kosovo and Metohija is a stronghold of organized crime and it is currently the biggest security challenge for Serbia," underscored Gen. Miletic for Vecernje Novosti. When asked whether he expects a new wave of violence in Kosovo after a decision by the ICJ, he replied that a "violent threat is an already approved method the Kosovo Albanians use to impose pressure on the international community." "If the court decision is not in keeping with their interests, which I sincerely hope it is not going to be, destabilization and violence are possible. I have received assurances by KFOR commander that their troops will prevent any such event," said Gen. Miletic. Underscoring that "according to the experience so far, any instability in Kosovo and Metohija directly jeopardizes security in the region as a whole, particularly in the south region of central Serbia," he said, adding that the Serbian Army "is ready to respond to such a scenario and has enough capacity to secure peace in the area." Gen. Miletic also said that there is a need to hold high-level meetings with KFOR and those meetings will become more frequent in the future. In regards to the army reform, Gen. Miletic underscored that the crisis had not seriously affected the reform of our defense system and that Serbia will at last have a professional army by the beginning of 2011, the latest. Our army will have 30,000 people, with an active reserve force, it will be well trained, armed and ready to respond to all security risks, said he, underscoring that there is no single obstacle to completing the process within the set period.