Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia: daily survey of 23 February 2009

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA - MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

 BRITISH, NORWEGIAN EMBASSIES SUPPORT KIM RADIO

SERBIA - RUSSIA

SPECIAL FOCUS ON COORDINATION TO SOLVE KOSOVO’S STATUS

MOSCOW, Feb 20 (Tanjug) - Foreign Ministers Sergei Lavrov of Russia and Vuk Jeremic of Serbia on Friday dedicated special attention to the coordination of efforts aimed at finding a fair solution for the status of Kosovo-Metohija, based on the international law, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "It was stressed that it was needed to help that the International Court review the request of the UN General Assembly and decide whether the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo was in accordance with international law," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement after the meeting between Jeremic and Lavrov. The statement said that some other issues in connection with the present situation in the Balkans had been reviewed during the meeting where the agreement on the no-visa regime between the two countries had been signed. The interlocutors exchanged their views on the strengthening of security and cooperation in Europe, from the aspect of conclusion of a comprehensive agreement on Euro-Atlantic security, the initiative on which was launched by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Moscow said that Jeremic and Lavrov had stressed the high level of Russian-Serbian relations, which had potential for a further dynamic development in the spirit of strategic partnership. The progress was praised in the realisation of top-level bilateral agreements concluded during the visit of Serbian President Boris Tadic to Moscow on December 24, 2008. The statement stressed the importance of progress in joint energy projects, envisaged under the Russian-Serbian inter-governmental agreement on oil and gas cooperation, signed in Moscow on January 25, 2008. The agreement envisages the construction of a part of the South Stream gas pipeline in the territory of Serbia, Banatski Dvor underground gas storage facility as well as the modernisation and taking of the leading position in the Balkans of the Oil Industry of Serbia, whose majority owner is Russia’s Gazprom Neft, the statement said.

RUSSIAN, SERBIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS PLEASED WITH ENERGY DEAL

MOSCOW, Feb. 22 (Beta) - Serbian and Russian foreign ministers Vuk Jeremic and Sergei Lavrov voiced on Feb. 22 their satisfaction with the implementation of an energy agreement signed by both countries. "The strategic projects from the energy agreement are being realized successfully, in accordance with deadlines, and we have agreed to do everything to keep them going forward," Lavrov told a news conference after the talks. He said that the way that implementation of the agreement was progressing after Serbian President Boris Tadic’s visit to Moscow "confirms an interest in building strategic partnership relations" and the maximum development of overall relations. There is a mutual interest in new projects in the areas of transportation, infrastructure, and investment, Lavrov added. Jeremic said he was "very pleased" with the way and rate at which the energy arrangement was being actualized, adding that "I am absolutely sure" that the Serbian NIS oil company "will be the strongest oil company in the Balkans" with the support of both governments. He said that the Serbian government would invest maximum effort to implement the South Stream gas pipeline project as soon as possible, and added that the gas crisis in January "has removed all doubt" as to the pipeline’s necessity. Jeremic said that there "are no open questions" in the bilateral relations between Serbia and Russia and that the energy agreement "opens a wide space for other strategic projects."

JEREMIC: WITHOUT PRESSURE ICJ WILL NOT BACK INDEPENDENCE

MOSCOW, Feb 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic stated in Moscow on Saturday that unless there are political pressures, there is no chance the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would advise in favor of Kosovo’s self-proclaimed independence. "After that, no country will recognize Kosovo, and it will not be able to join international organizations," Jeremic said in an interview with Russia’s daily Kommersant. "Then, there will be only two ways out of such a situation: Kosovo will either remain some kind of a semi-state, or it will start negotiations with Belgrade," specified Minister Jeremic. Jeremic also said that the ICJ will hold its first session on April 17 and that it is not expected to make a decision before mid-2010. SERBIA

DACIC: POLICE AND CITIZENS HAVE THE SAME GOALS

BELGRADE, Feb 20 (Tanjug) - Serbian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said Friday, at the presentation of a public opinion poll on the work and the reforms in the Interior Ministry, that the citizens and the police have the same goals - fighting crime, drug-trafficking and corruption. "Our goals and those of the citizens are the same," Dacic said speaking about the results of a public opinion poll, ordered by the Law Enforcement Department of the OSCE mission in Serbia. Dacic said that the poll, the first such since 2002, shows that the police are ranked as fourth in society according to how much the citizens trust them and that the citizens said that the priorities are the fight against drug-trafficking, crime and corruption. According to the poll, conducted by the Strategic Marketing Agency, 93% of subjects said that the police should primarily act as a service of the citizens. About 55% of subjects consider that corruption is present in the police force, 37% said that the police respect human rights, while 74% believe that the police have no influence on setting their operational priorities. About 74% of those polled believe that politicians influence the work of the police, 77% described this as unacceptable. About 74% said that the police are protecting the interests of the government and 66% that police are protecting the interests of parties. About 36% of subjects described the police as a service of the citizens, while 70% believe that the police genuinely wish and want to fight crime and corruption, the poll results show, adding that the citizens know how to recognize and respect good work of the police. The poll also shows that the citizens believe that local governments should have greater influence on the police, and that they personally are mainly affected by drugs trafficking, organized crime and corruption. Dacic and OSCE Serbia mission head Hans Olla Urstad agreed on the need to continue the reform of the Interior Ministry and to exchange experiences with the police forces of other countries. Urstad said that the joint aim is to bring the police closer to the citizens, noting that the poll shows that the citizens trust the police, but also have great expectations from them. The poll was conducted in November 2008 on a sample of 1,054 subjects and is the result of the years-long cooperation between the Interior Ministry and the OSCE Serbia mission.

DONATION FROM GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTRY

BELGRADE, Feb 23 (Tanjug) - German Interior Ministry donated ten off-road vehicles and corresponding computer equipment to the members of the Serbian border police. The donation protocol was signed by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Ivica Dacic, and Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of the Interior Peter Altmaier. The donation includes two Land Rover jeeps, seven Lada off-road vehicles and two boat trailors to be used by members of Serbian border patrol.

PAJTIC: STATUTE WILL BE ADOPTED BY END OF MARCH

BELGRADE, Feb 21 (Tanjug) - Vojvodina Executive Council President Bojan Pajtic has stated that he expects the Statute of Vojvodina to be adopted by the Serbian parliament by the end of March. "It is important to us that both the bill and statute get included in the agenda of the republic parliament in March and to adopt them by the end of the month in order for the province assembly to be able to adopt the budget by March 31, because temporary financing expires then. The Serbian parliament president made a public promise," Pajtic said in an interview published by Politika on Saturday. According to him, after province secretaries and republic ministers harmonize the text of the bill on Vojvodina’s competencies, the republic government will propose it to the parliament and forward it to the Vojvodina Assembly. "So, the statute will not be returned to Vojvodina. We will discuss proposed text and amendments to the statute, which will mean technical and terminological harmonization of the statute with the law on competencies. After that, the amendments will go to the republic parliament," clarified Pajtic.

COMMISSIONER: SERBIAN WORKERS MUST NOT BEAR THE BURDEN

BRUSSELS, Feb. 20 (Beta) - On Feb. 20, the European Commission announced that the fact that members from Eastern and Central Europe had joined the EU was a political and economic success, while European Commissioner Olli Rehn stated that the general economic and financial crisis must not bring into question the Union’s further expansion to the Balkans. "The Serbian workers must not pay the price of the Wall Street blunders," Rehn stated at a joint press conference with the European Commissioner for Monetary Affairs Joaquin Almunia. Rehn also warned that "EU expansion must not be used as an excuse for the crisis and the errors of financial capitalism." He added that he disagrees with a part of the European Commission’s analysis which states that there is certain stagnation in the Balkans in the process of EU association, but he also said that attention must be paid to the inflow of economic recession and the financial crisis in the area. The European Commission’s report states that the joining of new members into the EU in 2004 and 2007 has increased their income per capita by almost a third. Economically, the expansion has led to an increased life standard of the new members, and enabled the old members to enhance export and investments, it was stated in the analysis of the EU’s executive body. Rehn particularly underlined that expansion was a key factor for economic competitiveness, and serves to "solidify stability, democracy and a legal state in Europe." The European Commission’s analysis warns that "the economic crisis and the protectionist measures which result from it have threatened to reduce the benefits created by the EU’s unified market."

MESIC SAYS CROATIA AND SERBIA HAVE TO COOPERATE

BELGRADE, Feb 23 (Tanjug) - The differences between Serbia and Croatia are the consequence of Croatia’s Kosovo recognition, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic has assessed in an interview with the Serbian Radio Television (RTS). He underlined that the cooperation between the two countries, which "will reach a high level," was important for the integration of both countries in the EU. "I see a friend in the Serbian president. Therefore, this cannot represent an obstacle for the expansion of cooperation. But Croatia has recognized Kosovo, and this has caused certain misunderstanding," Mesic said in the interview which will be broadcasted on Monday. "Our cooperation will continue, it is certain that it will get better and that it will reach a high level. We are part of the region that has to join Europe. In order to be admitted in the EU, we have to fulfill certain standards," Mesic underlined, and added that the two countries "can do a lot in that respect if they cooperate."

OSCE: COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHERN SERBIA NEED TO COOPERATE

BUJANOVAC, Feb. 20 (Beta) - The new OSCE Office Coordinator in Bujanovac Jeroen de Vries on Feb. 20 stated that it is of crucial importance that all communities in Southern Serbia "jointly participate in the work of the local and state institutions in Bujanovac and Presevo." De Vries told BETA that the OSCE Office will strive to contribute to such a development of events, underlining that he will try to be objective during his mandate when it comes to the Southern Serbia communities. He added that he cannot comment on the situation in Southern Serbia, as he has not spent enough time in the area. There are problems that need to be overcome, such as the active participation of all communities on the local level, the issue addressed by my forerunners. It is clear that there is no perfect ethnic balance regarding employment and sharing in public and state institutions, but there is good will, and we will work together, the OSCE official stated. He also added that the OSCE "is already indirectly engaged in the improvement of the economic situation, because it is very active in the establishing of better social and political conditions in the region, which is a precondition for further economic progress."

SERBIA – ECONOMY

DINKIC: DEFICIT INCREASE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS SITUATION

BELGRADE, Feb 21 (Tanjug) - Minister of Economy and Regional development Mladjan Dinkic has evaluated that it is unrealistic to expect Serbia to end this year with a deficit of 1.5% of the GDP and that it will have to be increased to 2.5% or 3%. "It is unrealistic to expect Serbia to end this year with a deficit of 1.5%. Much more developed countries will be unable to close the year with a three-percent deficit, let alone 1.5%. Romania has gone up to 7%, which we should not follow, but I believe that the deficit level between 2.5% and 3% of the GDP is appropriate for this situation," Dinkic said in an interview published by Blic Novac. According to him, Serbia’s deficit might be financed from foreign loans and in the securities market. Minister Dinkic believes that the VAT must not be increased and that reduction of pensions and wages is out of question, but that some other expenditure should be cut and, probably, the budget deficit increased.

BAJEC: ECONOMIC GROWTH BETWEEN 0.5% AND 1%

BELGRADE, Feb 22 (Tanjug) - Adviser to the Serbian prime minister for economic issues Jurij Bajec has stated that an economic growth from 0.5% to 1% may be expected in Serbia this year, evaluating that the earlier forecasts on economic trends in 2009 were "too optimistic." In his statement with Tanjug, Bajec said that it is realistic to expect a budget revision in April, because it was projected on the basis of the planned economic growth of three percent in 2009, but that a new arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a two-billion-dollar loan should be agreed before that, which is actually a prerequisite for the budget revision. "I presume that talks with the IMF will be completed by April and that a budget revision may be carried out based on that," said Bajec. Bajec also said that the calculations based on which the initial GDP growth of three percent was planned in 2009, based on which the budget was planned and agreed with the IMF, were not realistic. This is also indicated by the trends in the first months of this year and the reduced budget expenditure.

LOMBARDY GOVERNOR INTERESTED IN COOPERATION WITH SERBIA

BELGRADE, Feb. 20 (Beta) - Lombardy Governor Roberto Formigoni said on Feb. 20 that the Italian region is interested in joint projects with Serbia in order to develop the use of renewable energy. "In accordance with EU strategy, we are interested in the projects for reusable solar and hydro energy, producing biomass and building thermo power plants," Formigoni told the Belgrade media. He said that the goal of his oneday visit and the meetings of the economicpolitical Lombardy delegations in Belgrade was to discuss with Serbian officials the areas in which they could deepen economic and trade relations. He said that mostly energy and infrastructure traffic and health look to be the most interesting fields. "We are especially interested in the ambitious plans for developing transportation routes, which were presented to us by (Serbian) President (Boris) Tadic," Formigoni said. The governor of Italy’s most developed region said that Serbia has the conditions needed to increase its speed of EU integration, stating that the Union should consider beginning the implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement and the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement.

KOSOVO AND METOHIJA – SITUATION, REACTIONS

BOGDANOVIC: WE DON’T TO ASK PRISTINA FOR PERMISSION TO GO TO KOSOVO

PRISTINA, Feb 21 (Tanjug) - Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic has stated that the ministry has no contacts with the Kosovo government, and even less so any need to ask them for permission to go to Kosovo. "For all visits and stay in Kosovo and Metohija Serbian government representatives address UNMIK or EULEX, as the only legitimate international missions in the province, which is currently under a U.N. protectorate, according to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244," Minister Bogdanovic told Tanjug. Bogdanovic said that the authorities in Belgrade and the vast majority of the Kosovo Serbs do not accept institutions of the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo, which is why there is no reason for anyone from the Serbian government to ask, directly or indirectly, Pristina for a permission to go to Kosovo and Metohija Interior Minister of the Kosovo provisional government Zenun Pajaziti stated late on Friday that the Kosovo government had prohibited Minister Goran Bogdanovic, for whom a request to travel to Kosovo had allegedly been submitted indirectly, from entering the territory of Kosovo.

IVANOVIC: SERBIA’S OFFICIALS REQUEST ESCORT ONLY

BELGRADE, Feb 22 (Tanjug) - Serbia’s officials never ask for permission to go to Kosovo, since, under UN Security Council Resolution 1244, it is part of Serbia, "and for as long there are international representatives here, we will not need permission," State Secretary of the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija Oliver Ivanovic stated on Sunday. "They may not prohibit us from entering, and no one will observe their possible prohibition," underscored Ivanovic in his statement with Tanjug on the occasion of the statements made by Kosovo officials that the Kosovo government will prohibit visits by high-ranking Serbian representatives. Ivanovic said that he is afraid that "this, actually, is a beginning of a conflict which Kosovo Albanians are causing intentionally, aiming at diverting the attention of their own public from the grave economic situation." He clarified that Serbian officials address UNMIK when they travel to Kosovo but not to ask for permission but to request escort, "because they feel unsafe during their visits to Serbian enclaves and, generally, to the Serbian community." On the occasion of the statement by Kosovo Interior Minister Zenun Pajaziti that the government had prohibited visits to Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic, Ivanovic said that there had never been any reason for them to request permission, but that only a request for escort had been made.

KOSOVO PREMIER: SERBIA SHOULD FORGET ABOUT KOSOVO

PRISTINA, Feb. 22 (Beta) - Kosovo Premier Hashim Thaci on Feb. 22 stated that the Kosovo government is standing by its decision to prohibit Serbian high representatives who disrespect the new constitutional order from entering Kosovo. "That’s just the beginning," Thaci said, commenting the decision to ban the visit of Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic. "Laws will be respected in Kosovo. Serbia should forget about Kosovo," Thaci said. Also, high representatives from the Kosovo police told the press in Pristina that they will implement every decision made by the Kosovo government on forbidding Serbian high officials to enter Kosovo. Kosovo Police General Director Sheremet Ahmeti said that "the measures of not allowing someone to enter or even arresting them can also be applied to Serbian President Boris Tadic, if he attempts to enter Kosovo." "All those visiting Kosovo, but not as ordinary citizens, should have the consent of the Kosovo government. We will apply measures stipulated by the law in all circumstances," Ahmeti said. Officially, Pristina has set the condition that every official who wishes to visit Kosovo should respect Kosovo’s institutions and laws.

IVANKO: UNMIK WILL NOT WITHDRAW FROM RESOLUTION OF TECHNICAL ISSUES

PRISTINA, Feb 21 (Tanjug) - UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko has stated that direct talks between Belgrade and Pristina on technical issues were no longer UNMIK’s priority, but that UNMIK did not plan to fully withdraw from the attempt to resolve those issues. The Pristina-based daily Zeri quoted Ivanko as saying that the issues on which the talks should have been held need to be resolved. The current process may be described as shuttle diplomacy or any way you like it but there are issues that require solutions and it would be good to solve them, said Ivanko. UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier has said that the European Union should play a bigger role in order to help the process of technical consultations and that is why he has met with the EU envoy in Serbia in Belgrade, said Ivanko. He also said that in any case, UNMIK does not plan to fully withdraw from the attempts to resolve the so-called technical issues between Kosovo and Serbia. We are trying to distribute engagements of international factors, said Ivanko, adding that, for example, UNMIK should not discuss the rule of law now since EULEX took over the responsibility in this field on December 9, 2008.

KERMABON - EULEX TO BE FULLY OPERATIOAL BEFORE END OF WINTER

PRISTINA, Feb 20 (Tanjug) - EULEX Mission head Yves de Kermabon said in Pristina on Friday that EULEX would be fully operational before the end of winter and added that it had achieved significant results in police and customs. After a meeting of the coordination body for the rule of law in Kosovo, Kermabon said that the Mission was increasing and that it currently had 1,600 members, international judges, prosecutors and police and customs officers and that about 800 members of the Mission from Kosovo were working together with them. We have so far established the judiciary in all regions, with the exception of northern Mitrovica. EULEX judges have started with court proceedings and are also engaged as counselors and in monitoring activities, he said. He said that the transfer of cases from UNMIK judges and prosecutors to their EU Mission colleagues was underway.

BRITISH, NORWEGIAN EMBASSIES SUPPORT KIM RADIO

PRISTINA/BELGRADE, Feb 20 (Tanjug) - The British and Norwegian Embassies in Pristina said in a statement that they had signed a memorandum of understanding with the KiM Radio on Friday in order to ensure information program for the Serb and Roma communities in Kosovo. The governments of Great Britain and Norway supported the KiM Radio’s project of community radio programs aimed at providing different information broadcasts on key topics, including gender-related, economy, health and minority issues to Serbs and Roma, it was said in the statement, a copy of which was sent to Tanjug. The KiM Radio will broadcast programs in Serbia and Roma, including investigative reports, news analyses, studio interviews and reportages. The programs will raise the awareness about different issues and facilitate communication between political representatives and communities in Kosovo, the statement said.

For further information:

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia