By Naser Pajaziti
In the recent days, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has appeared a very optimistic man, while he’s trying to reflect this optimism among the citizens too, who are more worried about the fact that they’re being impoverished on a daily basis. His optimism has to do with the solution of the name contest, while attempts are under way to give way to a solution.
Zaev is clear that this is something that cannot be easily swallowed by the southern neighbor, Greece. All hopes are on the international community, which is being seen as the savior. In Skopje, it is now clear that only the international community will manage to find compromise with the Greek side, in order for the solution to be accepted in Skopje afterwards. The current government is thinking on the country to be accepted as part of NATO under the reference “FYROM”, while the name dispute to be solved within a year. Meanwhile, Skopje is requesting time on issues such as the name change of “Aleksandar Makedonski” airport, of the highway bearing the same name and the removal of the giant monument of Alexander and Philip II in the center of Skopje.
While Athens is very clear on its red lines, the reactions coming from Skopje don’t seem to be provoking any effects. Macedonian opposition led by VMRO-DPMNE is careful in its reactions, considering the referendum as very important in deciding on the new name.
The ones that are raising their voice are marginalized associations and academics “charged” of nationalist behavior, but even they are not threatening the process. Some say that there may be strong reactions if a proposal comes up avoiding “Macedonia” or “Macedonian” in the country’s name.
Meanwhile, there are many expectations from the meeting that will be held in New York, summoned by the UN intermediary, Mathew Nimetz. Besides the talks that will be held in New York, NATO’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg will also hold a visit to Skopje to offer his support, but also to exert his pressure against FYROM’s establishment. /balkaneu.com/
Note: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect IBNA’s editorial policy
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Positive assessment of Kotzia’s visit to Skopje
Diplomatic sources from both the Greek and the fYROMacedonian sides regarded Nikos Kotzias’ visit to Skopje as positive. Each meeting removes suspicion and opens communication channels to resolve differences, they commented when speaking to IBNA on condition of anonimity.
Convergence is gaining ground and differences seem to be minimized, without this essentially meaning that a definitive solution has been found. However, it is positive that there is willingness from both sides to find common ground in the debate about the name issue and on the individual matters that remain as thorns hurting the impending agreement.
The joint decision of the two ministers, Nikos Kotzias from the Greek side, and Nikola Dimitrov, from the fYROMacedonian one to minimise the leaks of their discussions, ensures that the parameters of the agreement on the name issue are not shaped by external factors.
Their unpredictable “ally” in this endeavour are the internal political developments that remove the spotlight from the talks.
In Athens, scandal-mongering, economy issues and the continued detention of two Greek soldiers in a prison in Edirne for illegal entry into Turkey, distracts citizens and journalists from the talks.
In Skopje, the continued refusal by the President of the country to sign the Law on the use of the Albanian language as an official state language, reaches constitutional aversion; at the same time, the investigation of the Special Prosecutor of Corruption of politics and regular citizens makes the daily agenda be moved away from the name issue.
The two governments are determined to take this effort to the end, for the benefit of the two countries, but also for the stability and security of the region.
The political scene in the fYROMacedonia seems to be refreshed and to ge getting away from the obsessions of nationalist and conservative rhetoric that formed a lost decade for the country with the practices of former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski. In Greece, it seems that there is the desire to support an honest and fair solution. This is the desire of the international community too, which, without interfering, supports the resolution of the bilateral dispute by all means.
The next meeting of Nikos Kotzias and Nikola Dimitrov will be in Vienna on March 30, in the presence of UN Secretary-General Matthew Nimetz will ensure the that talks so far become a fact, thus paving the way for the new round of discussions until the finishing line…. / IBNA
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Alleged terrorist on INTERPOL red warrant
INTERPOL has issued a red warrant for BiH citizen Alija Keserović (23), who is allegedly associated with terrorism and the IS.
Media in BiH reported that for Keserović, who was born in the small city of Bužim in West Bosnia, a red warrant was issued at the request of the judicial authorities of BiH for the criminal offenses of organising terrorist groups and the illegal association with foreign para-police formations. He is the 20th citizen of BiH for whom INTERPOL is looking for links to terrorism. It is a shepherd who served to Bilal Bosnić, an informal leader of the Wahhabi community in BiH, who was sentenced to seven years in prison. According to data from security services, Keserović is in Syria since 2014.
Two years ago, Keserović appeared in the propaganda film “The Islamic State” under the title “Structure of the Hilafet” in which this terrorist organization praised numerous “war successes”.
According to media, Keserović’s friend, Naser Arnaut, who was also on the warrant, died 15 days ago in a raid in Syria.
Nobody knows the exact number of BiH citizens who have left the country to join the ISIL forces, but the law enforcement agencies in the state are ready to investigate any such person and to bring them to court. BiH laws say that these persons can be sentenced to time in prison if they join foreign forces or propagate the departure on battlefields abroad. The most known person sentenced for that kind of crime is Bilal Bosnić, Keserović’s boss, who held lectures about the “holy and righteous struggle” for the freedom of Islam in Syria and Iraq. He was sentenced to seven years of prison, but many of his followers went to fight in these countries.
One of returnees who are sentenced is Osman Abdulaziz Kekić, who has been prosecuted for illegaly establishing the group and joining foreign paramilitary or para-police formations, in connection with departure to the Syrian and Iraqi battlefields and joining the structures of the IS terrorist organisation.
On first instance, the court acquitted Kekić of the charges, but in the second instance, after the procedure was conducted, he was found guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison. Third instance BiH High Court, increased the sentence to one more year. BiH Prosecution Office expressed satisfaction, saying that the sentence is in accordance with the crime committed.
“To date, for the illegal formation or association with foreign paramilitary or para-police formations, the BiH Prosecution Office has indicted 24 people. There have been no acquittals for these crimes and all the accused have been found guilty,” the Prosecutor Office statement said.
In co-operation with other police and security agencies, the BiH Prosecution Office permanently work in the discovering and prosecution of persons that committed crimes linked with terrorism. The direct result of that work is the arresting of the Russian citizen, Akhmad Altamirov (24), who tried to enter BiH at the Sarajevo International Airport, two days ago. INTERPOL issued the warrant because of his involvement in the illegal military formation, as a member of a terrorist group. Moscow police demanded the international warrant for Altamirov two years ago…. / IBNA
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Montenegro extradites Bosnian Serb war suspect
Slobodan Knezevic is a suspect of war crimes that Montenegro extradited to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The war crimes he might be connected with took place in the village of Miska Glava, where 120 Bosniak civilians were captured, detained and killed in July 1992. As written on Balkan Insight, “The prosecution suspects” Knezevic of having participated in their arrest” and the killing of one of them while in captivity, before the mass killing of the rest of the persons.
“The Bosnian state court ordered Slobodan Knezevic into custody on Friday after he was extradited from Montenegro, arguing that he might try to abscond or interfere with the proceedings by influencing witnesses and accomplices”, the website reports…. / IBNA
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Serbia cancelled handball match with Kosovo for fear of tensions
During an altogether tense political period between Belgrade and Pristina a much loved sport has to pay the ‘animosity’s’ price, too. This is handball.
On Friday and due to security reasons as it said, according to the Serbian newspaper Blic, the Serbian government cancelled the same day’s game between the Serbia and Kosovo junior women’s handball teams, a qualifier for the World Cup.
More specifically, the country’s Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said that “he wanted to avoid any violent clashes between Serbian fans and police.
Speaking to Tanjug news agency on Friday, minister Stefanovic said the following: “Could we arrange for this match to be held? For sure. But what would be the price? Conflicts between our people and police over things we do not believe in [and] are contrary to our interests. So we aren’t ready for the police to beat people in order to ensure a match goes ahead that is contrary to all our stances.”
The government called off the match after videos showed Serbian fans heading to Kovilovo, near Belgrade, where the match was supposed to take place, singing nationalist songs”, Balkan Insight reports.
The Kosovar ambassador to the U.S., Vlora Citaku, blamed Serbia for playing a “double game” as the game was called off on Friday, that is the day when the presidents of the two neighbouring states would meet in Brussels in order to debate how to cool off the tension in bilateral ties and ease them.
“President Thaci of Kosovo and President Vucic of Serbia are in Brussels for yet another round of dialogue for normalisation. Meanwhile, as they meet, government in Serbia decided to ban their Women U20 Handball Team from playing Kosovo team”, was Citaku’s post on Twitter…. / IBNA
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Albania Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati at a hearing in the German Bundestag
During his visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati, in addition to meetings with German MPs from various political parties, held a hearing in the Parliamentary Commission on EU Affairs with the presence of rapporteurs for Albania in the Bundestag. This hearing is part of an intensive communication with the German parliament, especially with the MPs engaged in EU affairs and the Western Balkans region.
Minister Bushati made a presentation of Albania’s progress in the area of reforms and in addressing the five key priorities. He briefed the MPs with the country’s expectations about the process of the launch of accession talks.
During his address, Minister Bushati expressed his gratitude for Germany’s support in the EU enlargement process and in particular in the promotion of Albania’s efforts in this context.
Minister Bushati stated that Albania has made concrete steps to advance in its EU integration path, underlining the need to preserve the momentum created in implementing reforms through advancement of relations with the EU.
In this context, Minister Bushati informed the MPs about the progress of justice reform, focusing on the vetting process, the results achieved in the fight against organized crime and corruption as well as the close cooperation with law enforcement agencies of partner countries. He also mentioned the role of our country as a factor of stability in the region.
On his part, the Chairman of the Bundestag EU Affairs Committee, Gunther Krichbaum, praised the progress made by the Albanian government in addressing the five key priorities, highlighting the need for accelerating implementation of the undertaken reforms, especially the judiciary, given its impact on the life of every Albanian citizen.
Minister Bushati encouraged the Bundestag to continue supporting this transformating journey for our country, carrying out all the undertaken reforms, in the framework of opening membership negotiations based on merit and the fulfillment of the reform process.
In the course of his visit to Germany, Minister Bushati held a meeting with the Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee in the Bundestag Dr. Norbert Röttgen. Both interlocutors exchanged views on the EU state of affairs, the perception of the enlargement process and the European perspective of the Western Balkans. /balkaneu.com/
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