Belgrade, May 6, 2010

SERBIA – REGION

JEREMIC: THIS WAR WILL BE WON
ANCONA, May 5 (Tanjug) - Serbia has declared total war against organized crime, which is the biggest threat to the prosperity of the entire region, and hopes that the other countries in the region will do the same, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said at the meeting of Council of Ministers of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative. "The overall aim of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative is to promote regional integration. Its ultimate success is predicated on the existence of a strong foundation of the rule of law. Its main opponent - its nemesis - is regional integration of an altogether different kind: one that is in the service of organized crime," Jeremic said. "Sinister gangs of murderers, drug dealers and money-launderers operate in our part of the world, leaving only havoc and instability in their wake. Their transnational networks pose the most direct danger to our prosperity," he added. According to him, the zero-tolerance policy that Serbia, led by President Tadic, is pursuing against organized crime means that absolutely no one will be permitted to stand beyond the reach of law and that the Serbian judiciary institutions and police will continue their relentless pursuit of crime bosses and their collaborators. "In order to fully rid ourselves of this scourge, we must work more closely together, for its nefarious reach affects us all. We hope that all member states will make fighting organized crime a priority. For our part, we will stay the course until we prevail. This war will be won,".

JEREMIC ABUSED JOSIPOVIC STATEMENT, SAYS CROATIAN MINISTRY
ZAGREB, May 5 (Tanjug) - In a speech in Ancona, Italy, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic misquoted what Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said during his recent visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatian Foreign and European Integration Ministry spokesman Mario Dragun said. "In this manner, Serbian politics has abused Josipovic's statement in which he expressed regret," Croatian media reported citing Dragun. "The Foreign Ministry expected such a strategy and we know how to respond," he added. "All the speakers," Dragun went on to say "focused on the future, mutual cooperation and EU integration, except Jeremic, who spoke in a hostile fashion about the past and the topics that had no place at such a meeting." The Croatian ministry's reaction followed Jeremic's statement at the AdriaticIonian Initiative meeting. Jeremic, among other things, said that Serbia "is encouraged by the fact that in his address to the Bosnian Parliament, Josipovic expressed deep regret over the policy Croatia pursued during the rule of Franjo Tudjman that provoked human suffering and division in Bosnia," reported Croatian media.

FRATTINI: ADRIATIC-IONIAN MACRO-REGION TO BE FORMED BY 2014
ANCONA, May 6 (Tanjug) - Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has announced the forming of a new Adriatic-Ionian macro region by 2014, on the model of the Baltic Sea macro-region which has already started operating, and the Danube region which is yet to be launched. Frattini pointed out that the aim of the strategy is not to double the existing European institutions, but rather to facilitate cooperation in the area of economy and infrastructure, rural development, small and mid-sized companies, as well as tourism and culture. The final aim of this ambitious plan is to integrate the Western Balkan countries into the EU, Frattini said after the 12th conference of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, the Italian agency ANSA reported. The future of the Southeast Europe is within the EU, it was concluded in the declaration adopted at the meeting chaired by Frattini and attended by foreign ministers of Albania, BiH, Montenegro, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. The Adriatic-Ionian Initiative was founded in Ancona ten years ago, on May 20, 2000, and its members are the seven Adriatic and Ionian Sea coastal countries: Albania, BiH, Montenegro, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and according to the principle of membership succession, Serbia.

GRUJICA SPASOVIC: TADIC DID NOT ENDANGER REPUBLIKA SRPSKA
BANJA LUKA, May 5 (Tanjug) - Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina Grujica Spasovic has stated that President Tadic has not put Republika Srpska (RS) in danger by signing the Istanbul declaration. Tadic did not jeopardize RS interests when he signed the Istanbul declaration with Chairman of the BiH Presidency Haris Silajdzic and Turkish President Abdullah Gul, said Spasovic, explaining that Tadic wanted to normalize Serbia's relations with BiH by signing that document. "Serbia would not sign a document that threatens RS. I think that some of the reactions from RS were too strong and without basis, especially since they started with the criticism even before seeing the entire document," Spasovic told the RS edition of the Press daily. He thinks that the declaration cannot hurt the relations between Belgrade and Banja Luka, regardless of all the criticism and negative interpretations, adding that it does not harm BiH or any of its parts, including RS, in any way. Spasovic hopes that the whole affair will now be seen rationally and the misunderstanding will have no serious consequences to the relations between Serbia and RS.

SERBIA

TADIC CONGRATULATES VOA MEMBERS ON THEIR DAY
BELGRADE, May 6 (Tanjug) - President Tadic congratulated members of the Military Intelligence Agency (VOA) the Agency Day, May 6. "With its work and achieved results in the past period, the Military Intelligence Agency has contributed considerably to the strengthening of security in the Republic of Serbia," Tadic said in his message. "I am confident that you will continue to work on building a modern military intelligence service in the coming period, and that you will carry out tasks professionally, giving your full contribution to the overall security of the Republic of Serbia," underscored. The VOA members mark May 6 in memory of the same date in 1920, the day when the Decree on founding the Intelligence Department of the General Staff of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes went into effect.

TADIC CONGRATULATES SAF GUARD
BELGRADE, May 6 (Tanjug) - President Tadic congratulated Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) Guard members on the celebration of unit day May 6. "Continuing the 180 year-long tradition of the Serbian Gvardia, and thanks to your training and professionalism, you have gained the reputation of SAF's elite unit," Tadic said in his message. "By realizing the tasks within your purview you have contributed to the standing of the Serbian army and state," he pointed out. Members of the Guard, SAF's elite unit, will mark the unit's 180th anniversary in Pozarevac on Thursday, in the presence of top state and military officials. The first guard unit, Gvardia, was formed by the order of Prince Milos Obrenovic in Pozarevac on May 6, 1830.

BRAMMERTZ BEFORE UN SECURITY COUNCIL ON JUNE 18
HAGUE, May 5 (Tanjug) - On June 18, Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY Serge Brammertz and its President Patrick Robinson will present to the UN SC a regular semi-annual report on the cooperation of Serbia and other countries in the region with the Tribunal, ICTY representative Christian Chartier said. Before this, Brammertz will come to Serbia on May 12 and 13 for a regular visit, during which he will confer with President Tadic and Prime Minister Cvetkovic, War Crimes Prosecutor Vukcevic and the President of the National Council for Cooperation with the Tribunal Rasim Ljajic.

SERBIA & FRANCE SIGN CUSTOMS COOPERATION MEMORANDUM
BELGRADE, May 5 (Tanjug) - Serbian and French customs services have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation at Belgrade and Paris airports Nikola Tesla and Roissy Charles de Gaulle. The document was signed by Directors of Serbia's Customs Administration Petronijevic and Director General of French Customs and Excise Jerome Fournel, the Customs Administration said. Cooperation will include exchange of information on illegal trade, drugs, and fighting illegal imports, exports and transit.

KONUZIN: HISTORICAL AND HUMAN JUSTICE ACHIEVED
BELGRADE, May 5 (Tanjug) - Russian Ambassador Alexander Konuzin commended the Belgrade city authorities' decision to once again name three streets in the capital after the Red Army, Marshall Tolbukhin and Gen Zhdanov, pointing out that historical and human justice has been achieved. The names of the Soviet and Yugoslav heroes and of the liberating army will remind the people of Belgrade of our common heroic past, Konuzin said in a statement. I am glad the city authorities made this decision ahead of the 65th anniversary of the victory over fascism.This makes for an even greater celebration, he said.

POVEJSIL: CERTIFICATION OF SECURITY AGREEMENT IS PRECONDITION
BELGRADE, May 5 (Tanjug) - Belgrade will be able to choose from a variety of tools of the Partnership for Peace once the NATO Office of Security certifies the Security Agreement on protection of classified information between NATO and Serbia, said Czech Ambassador to NATO Martin Povejsil. In an interview on the internet portal Transconflict.com, Pojvesil noted that Belgrade "has been using some of them already within the framework of the Individual Partnership Program (IPP), such as specialized seminars, courses, symposia or trainings." "However, for participation in most of them the certification of the Security Agreement is a precondition, which so far has been an obstacle for full-fledged participation of Serbia in the Partnership for Peace," said ambassador who finished a visit to Serbia.

OSCE MISSION, U.S. EMBASSY WANT MEDIA INTIMIDATION PROBED
BELGRADE, May 5 (Tanjug) - The OSCE Mission to Serbia and the U.S. Embassy called on prosecutors to thoroughly investigate threats to journalists and the cabinet to uphold free speech. Culture Minister Nebojsa Bradic announced the introduction of a new media strategy in the near future. "Attacks on and threats to freedom of the media must not be tolerated," U.S. Ambassador Mary Warlick said at Dance with Danger, a regional conference on investigative journalism. The ambassador added that "current and past incidents and crimes against journalists must be seriously investigated and measures taken accordingly." The role of the government in every democratic country, according to Warlick, is to create conditions for freedom of expression and protect those who exercise this basic right. She stressed that there is no democracy without freedom of the media. "Investigative journalists in Serbia are exposed to verbal threats and physical assaults while reporting on activities of criminal, violent and extreme forces," the ambassador noted, adding: "Verbal threats are very dangerous, particularly if they are made by organized, extremist groups and must not be ignored." OSCE Mission to Serbia Head Dimitrios Kypreos said the murder of three Serbian journalists during the period of transition proves that transition is not easy. Bradic said his ministry's media strategy will be unveiled shortly, adding that it will contribute to the development of investigative journalism in the country.

NEDOPAS PRESENTED WAR VETERANS WITH MEDALS
BELGRADE, May 5 (Tanjug) - Ukrainian Ambassador in Belgrade Victor Nedopas presented Serbian war veterans with medals of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War from 1941 to 1945. By a decree issued by Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych on April 2, 52 veterans were awarded medals and 29 of them attended the ceremony at the Union of War Veterans of the National Liberation War (SUBNOR). Ambassador Nedopas said that President Yanukovych's decree honors the Serbian people who valiantly fought fascism. He pointed out that the 65th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War is a good time to remember the joint efforts of former Soviet, Yugoslav and other anti-Hitler countries in the fight against fascist conquerors. Russian Ambassador Alexander Konuzin said he is very pleased that officials from former Soviet countries - Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Azerbaijan - attended the ceremony for the Serbian veterans. We were all the winners and you are the heroes of that war, Konuzin said and thanked the veterans for not surrendering to the occupying forces but fighting for victory for themselves and for all of us. I think your fight is not over yet, as sadly many in your country have forgotten that Serbia was a winner in World War Two, Konuzin said to loud applause from the veterans.

SERBIA – EU

DJELIC PRESENTS SERBIA'S EUROPEAN AMBITIONS TO BUNDESTAG
BERLIN, May 5 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic presented Serbia's achievements and ambitions in EU integration to the German Bundestag's Committee on the Affairs of the EU. Djelic told that he presented Serbia's accomplishments over the last two years to the German MPs and asked for their support in getting the EU Council of Ministers to start the ratification of the SAA in June. He added he hoped that the Council will turn over Serbia's EU candidacy bid to the European Commission at the same session or soon after. Djelic said that he assured his hosts that Serbia is ready to help in the fight against organized crime and to cooperate in the field of infrastructure, science and technology and the investments that German and other European companies can make in Serbia. Commenting on Kosovo, Djelic said that "even though Germany's official position remains the same," MPs from all political parties raised the issue of a possible final solution, which, Djelic believes, "means considering the interests of Belgrade too." "In that sense, I am encouraged by the MPs' message - they realize the current situation is unsustainable and additional efforts will be needed. It is certainly in the interest of our country to find a sustainable solution for Kosovo and that is not possible without Belgrade," Djelic concluded. Germany wants to keep track of Serbia's integration into the EU in a friendly manner, chairman of the German parliament's Committee for EU Affairs Gunther Krichbaum said, after Djelic's visit to the committee. "We are sure that stability in the entire region can be achieved only if Serbia becomes a member of the EU, but the matter in question is much greater. Development, wellbeing, democracy, and the rule of law can expand much better within the EU," Krichbaum told reporters after the committee's meeting. Djelic pointed out that Serbia "is not asking for any privileges or the option of taking a shortcut to the EU," but said the country needed "a credible prospect of joining the EU, so that it can continue with its responsible policy with the citizens' support" and launch EU membership talks by the end of the current government's term in mid 2012. Asked whether Serbia's accession to the EU is conceivable without prior recognition of Kosovo, conservative politician Krichbaum replied: "I believe it is important to make swift progress in the procedure of Serbia's accession to the EU. If status issues were reopened, they would severely slow down and block this process, and it is important for the people of Serbia to see the prospect of joining the EU soon, even though the term 'soon' should be understood as relative, because Serbia is facing a long road of reforms. I would like the negotiations to be led without additional baggage," Krichbaum said.

KRICHBAUM: CONDUCTING NEGOTIATIONS WITH SERBIA IS USEFUL
BERLIN, May 6 (Tanjug) - Chaiman of the Committee on the affairs of the EU of the German Bundestag Gunther Krichbaum stated that the official position of the German government and parliament is that conducting negotiations with Serbia on EU integration is useful. Krichbaum pointed out that Serbia has future within the EU, adding that, apart from a series of technical conditions that all countries needed to fulfill, Serbia needs to complete some specific tasks. We want Mladic and Hadzic to be extradited, Krichbaum stated for the BBC radio. My impression is that the two of them are still in Serbia, even though the Serbian government denies it. Anyhow, there are yet plenty of things to be done and this will be not only one of Germany's requests, but the request of other countries as well, he added. Serbia will have to do something regarding Kosovo, Krichbaum said, adding that if Serbia wants a EU perspective, the country must find ways to cooperate. Krichbaum said that he is aware that Serbia's positions on Kosovo will not change overnight, adding that process take years.

SERBIA – ECONOMY

DJELIC: SERBIA TO HELP MAKE BATTERIES FOR ELECTRIC CARS
BERLIN, May 5 (Tanjug) - Serbia is supposed to take part in a German project for making electric car batteries, and the Fraunhofer Society, the largest German research centre, might establish an office in Serbia, Deputy Prime Minister Djelic has said in Berlin, according to a report by Deutsche Welle. After his meeting with Germany's Minister of Education and Research Annette Schavan, Djelic said that Germany is the greatest scientific power in Europe, announcing that the Fraunhofer Society, which employs more than 14,000 researchers in 80 offices throughout Germany, might soon open its doors in Serbia as well. The research in Serbia would focus on information technology and biomedicine, said Djelic, noting that it was agreed for Serbia to participate in a German project to make batteries that would facilitate the development of electric cars. There will be other initiatives, but it is very significant that Germany has recognized Serbia as a small but very ambitious country when it comes to science and technology, said Djelic.

COOPERATION WITH NORWAY LIKELY TO IMPROVE
BELGRADE, May 5 (Tanjug) - Minister of Trade and Services Milosavljevic stated that the visit of the Serbian political and economic delegation to Norway, headed by President Tadic, was successful, adding that cooperation with that country is likely to improve in the period to come. Milosavljevic told that Norway is the third largest investor in Serbia (after Austria and Italy), primarily owing to the purchase of Mobtel company by Telenor, one of the world leaders in telecommunication. He pointed out that the Serbian delegation met with the president and management of the Telenor company, who are satisfied with the cooperation with the Serbian government and their business activities in Serbia. The participants of the talks discussed the possibilities for improvement of cooperation in several sectors, and Norwegians showed interest in cooperation in the area of energy, fish processing and machine industry, Milosavljevic said.

KOSOVO – METOHIJA

FITZGERALD: TAKING DOWN BASE STATIONS IS FRUSTRATING MOVE
PRISTINA, May 5 (Tanjug) - Commander Allied Joint Force Command Naples Admiral Mark Fitzgerald said that taking down base stations of Serbian cell phone operators is a frustrating move by the Kosovo authorities and asked everyone to find a peaceful solution. Fitzgerald said this in Pristina after a meeting with KFOR Commander Markus Bentler, who warned that KFOR will not tolerate any operation that jeopardizes the return of displaced persons and the safety of all Kosovo citizens. The interim Kosovo authorities disabled a number of base stations owned by two Serbian cell phone carriers in Kosovo two weeks ago, leaving over 100,000 Serbs without phone lines. Fitzgerald said that KFOR will fully support EULEX and the Kosovo police in the fight against organized crime and corruption and also called on the Kosovo authorities to increase transparency in carrying out operations. He said that EULEX has jurisdiction over fighting organized crime and corruption, but that KFOR will act if asked to do so. Fitzgerald commended EULEX's recent operations in fighting organized crime and expressed support for its continuing work on implementing laws and the rule of law. He said does not want to meddle in the work of Kosovo institutions, but asked the government for more transparency in its decision making.

FULE: NO CONSENSUS ON KOSOVO STATUS, ONLY ON ITS PERSPECTIVE
PRISTINA, May 6 (Tanjug) - EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule stated that there is no consensus within the EU regarding the status of Kosovo, but that official Brussels has reached full consensus which guarantees that Kosovo will become a part of the general European perspective for the Western Balkan region. Prior to his visit to Kosovo, Fule said that there is a will to ensure that no Balkan country remains outside the EU. For the BBC, Fule said that the EU member states requested from the European Commission at the end of 2009 to make progress in certain areas. These areas imply the improving of political dialogue with Kosovo representatives, considering the possibility of strengthening trade relations and movement of people, including the possible dialogue on visa abolishment, so that Kosovo would obtain a status that three countries of the Western Balkans already have, he underscored. He will meet with Taci, Besim Becaj and other Kosovo and international representatives.

TACI: EULEX'S LYNCH OF KOSOVO INSTITUTIONS
PRISTINA, May 6 (Tanjug) - Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Taci has said that EULEX's recent search of the Ministry of Transport and Post-Telecommunication represented a lynch of Kosovo institutions, and urged the EU Mission to immediately provide proof that millions of euros of state-owned funds have been misappropriated by Minister Fatmir Ljimaj. Commenting on EULEX's police operation, Taci told the Radio and Television of Kosovo that although a week had passed from the search, he has still not received any evidence on Ljimaj's possible abuse, and demanded that justice be not prejudged just for the sake of someone's personal or political interests. Neither I, nor anyone else in the Kosovo institutions have received any explanation whatsoever of what happened. What we only have are the statements by EULEX officials, Taci noted. He added that the government has dismissed the possibility of Ljimaj's resignation.Taci said that Head of the International Civilian Office Pieter Feith is the one that is most responsible for the police operation, and qualified the official's statements as prejudged.