Germany is not planning to follow France and other countries in introducing compulsory Covid-19 vaccinations for parts of the population, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday.

-We do not intend to go down this road- Merkel said in Berlin after visiting the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) public health agency. 
-We are at the beginning of the phase in which we are still promoting (vaccination), where we have more vaccines than we have people who want to be vaccinated- she said.
After a slow start to its vaccination campaign earlier this year, Germany sped up its drive over the summer and had by Tuesday fully vaccinated 42.6 percent of adults, with 58.5 percent vaccinated at least once.
But demand has slowed over the past two weeks, with the number of jabs given on Monday at its lowest since February.
With the highly contagious Delta variant now dominant in Germany and the RKI saying at least 85 percent of adults will need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, some have been calling for a new approach. 
Wolfram Henn, a genetics specialist at Saarland University and a member of the German Ethics Council, which advises the government on its vaccination strategy, called on Tuesday for jabs to be made compulsory for teachers.
-Teachers and educators, by virtue of their choice of profession, have a very special responsibility towards the people entrusted to them and their families- he told the Bild daily.
French President Emmanuel Macron had on Monday announced mandatory vaccinations for healthcare staff, retirement home workers and others working with vulnerable people from September, in line with similar moves in Greece, Italy and Britain.
But Merkel said she did not believe the German government could "gain trust" by following a similar path. 
-I think we can gain trust by advertising vaccination and also by letting as many people as possible in the population (...) become ambassadors for the vaccine from their own experience- she said.

Germany sped up its drive over the summer and had by Tuesday fully vaccinated 42.6 percent of adults, with 58.5 percent vaccinated at least once

Merkel: We are at the beginning of the phase in which we are still promoting (vaccination), where we have more vaccines than we have people who want to be vaccinated

Merkel says jabs in Germany will remain voluntary

Pope Francis, 84, continues to recover and will return home "as soon as possible" from hospital following surgery on his colon, the Vatican said on Tuesday.-The Holy Father is continuing his planned treatment and rehabilitation, which will allow him to return to the Vatican as soon as possible- spokesman Matteo Bruni said.The pope was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on July 4 after suffering from a type of diverticulitis, an inflammation of pockets that develop in the lining of the intestine.The Vatican initially said he would be in hospital for about a week, and the pope led the Angelus prayer from his hospital window on Sunday.On Monday, Bruni said he would stay for a "few more days".-Among the many patients he (the pope) has met during these days, he addressed a special thought to those who are bedridden and cannot return home- Bruni said on Tuesday.Francis is in the same suite used by Pope John Paul II, who also lead the Angelus prayer from there.The Argentine pontiff temporarily ran a fever last week but a chest and abdomen scan and other tests revealed no particular abnormalities.

The pope was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on July 4 after suffering from a type of diverticulitis, an inflammation of pockets that develop in the lining of the intestine

Pope Francis to return home 'as soon as possible'

An investigator from the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H is coordinating the work of authorized officials involved in the process of exhumation and search for the remains of victims of the last war at the Kazani site near Srebrenica.

The team at the site includes a doctor-forensic pathologist, representatives of the Institute for Missing Persons (MPI) of B&amp;H, workers and mechanization, as well as police officers of the Srebrenica Police Station, who secure the location, the Prosecutor's Office said.
According to preliminary information, the remains of a Bosniak victim, who was killed in 1993, should be found at the site.

According to preliminary information, the remains of a Bosniak victim, who was killed in 1993, should be found at the site

Exhumation and search for human remains ongoing at Kazani site near Srebrenica

Europe's largest airline group Lufthansa said Tuesday it was retiring "ladies and gentlemen" as an on-board greeting in favour of gender-neutral alternatives.

A spokesman for the German company told AFP the move was intended to make all passengers on board feel welcome, including those who do not identify as male or female.
-Crews are being instructed to choose a greeting that includes all passengers- he said, adding that "dear guests" or a simple "good morning/good evening" would be used instead.
The new policy, which will be phased in gradually, applies to German flag carrier Lufthansa as well as the group's Swiss, Austrian, Brussels and Eurowings airlines.
The company said it was responding to a "discussion that is rightly being held in society" about non-binary gender identification and a desire "to value all guests on board".
Germany has joined the international debate about more inclusive language to take into account diverse gender identities and an increasingly multicultural society.
In recent days major cities including Berlin, Munich and Hamburg said that their transport networks would stop using the word "Schwarzfahren" (black riding) to describe travel without a ticket in response to complaints the word had a racist taint.&nbsp; &nbsp;

"Dear guests" or a simple "good morning/good evening" would be used

The new policy, which will be phased in gradually, applies to German flag carrier Lufthansa as well as the group's Swiss, Austrian, Brussels and Eurowings airlines

Germany's Lufthansa opts for gender-neutral plane greeting

France's competition regulator on Tuesday slapped Google with a 500-million-euro ($593-million) fine for failing to negotiate "in good faith" with media companies over the use of their content under EU copyright rules.

It is "the biggest ever fine" imposed by the Competition Authority for a company's failure to adhere to one of its rulings, the agency's chief Isabelle De Silva told reporters. 
In a ruling published on its website, the Competition Authority also ordered the US internet giant to present media publishers with "an offer of renumeration for the current use of their copyrighted content", or risk paying additional damages of up to 900,000 euros a day.
A Google spokesperson said in a statement to AFP that the company was "very disappointed" by the decision. 
-We have acted in good faith during the entire negotiation period. This fine does not reflect the efforts put in place, nor the reality of the use of news content on our platform- the company insisted.
-This decision is mainly about negotiations that took place between May and September 2020. Since then, we have continued to work with publishers and news agencies to find common ground.-The long-running legal battle has centred on claims that Google has been showing articles, pictures and videos produced by media groups when displaying search results without adequate compensation, despite the seismic shift of advertising revenue online.
In April 2020, the French competition authority ordered Google to negotiate "in good faith" with media groups after it refused to comply with a new EU law governing digital copyright.
The so-called "neighbouring rights" aim to ensure that news publishers are compensated when their work is shown on websites, search engines and social media platforms.
But last September, news publishers including Agence France-Presse (AFP) filed a complaint with regulators, saying Google was refusing to move forward on paying to display content in web searches.
In particular, the Competition Authority rebuked Google for having failed to "have a specific discussion" with media companies about neighbouring rights while negotiating over the launch of its Google Showcase news service, which launched late last year.
News outlets struggling with dwindling print subscriptions have long seethed at Google's refusal to give them a cut of the millions of euros it makes from ads displayed alongside news search results.
The search giant counters that it encourages millions of people to click through to media sites, and it has also invested heavily in supporting media groups in other ways, including emergency funding during the Covid-19 crisis.
Google announced in November that it had signed "some individual agreements" on copyright payments with French newspapers and magazines, including top dailies Le Monde and Le Figaro.

It is "the biggest ever fine" imposed by the Competition Authority for a company's failure to adhere to one of its rulings

A Google spokesperson said in a statement to AFP that the company was "very disappointed" by the decision

France fines Google 500 mn euros in news copyright row

Members of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) submitted a report to the Sarajevo Municipal Court this morning on the actions and activities taken at the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo (KCUS), it was confirmed to "Avaz" from this police agency.

The agency's inspectors acted on orders from the Sarajevo Municipal Court last week. These are four orders to seize documentation.
- Reports and attachments of the report were submitted to the Municipal Court in Sarajevo and the Prosecutor's Office of the Sarajevo Canton - Luka Miladinović, SIPA spokesman, told "Avaz".
As a reminder, on July 5th, SIPA members seized documents on the treatment of Palić and Hota, patients who died three months ago in this health institution under very strange circumstances. On June 11th, the lawyer of the Palić and Hota family, Damir Koldžo, filed a criminal report against Sebija Izetbegović, the director of KCUS and other doctors, which is why the Court issued an order to exclude this documentation.
The activities of this police agency were carried out under the supervision of the SC Prosecutor's Office, which is conducting an investigation into serious crimes against human health and abuse of position or authority.
We learn that SIPA has also taken over cases related to the treatment of all patients who have stayed in KCUS from the opening of the COVID ward until its closure.

These activities began after 13 anesthesiologists wrote to the KCUS Administration complaining of poor conditions during the treatment of COVID patients. However, SIPA did not find all the documentation related to the part about the formation of a special COVID department and the problems with oxygen and installations.
The question is also whether the complete documentation related to the allegations of family members that KCUS falsifies patient documentation with the aim of concealing the truth about the manner of death, is also seized.
Now it is the turn of the SC Prosecutor's Office, which formed the KCUS case in early April, but did not question all the actors.

The agency's inspectors acted on orders from the Sarajevo Municipal Court last week. These are four orders to seize documentation

Izetbegović: Reported to the SC Prosecutor's Office

SIPA submits report to Court and Prosecutor's Office: What was found and seized from KCUS on COVID patients

This morning, the Service for Foreigners Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina undertook operational activities aimed at controlling the movement and stay of migrants in the area of ​​the city of Bihać and relocating migrants from the Krajina Metal facility to the temporary reception center Lipa.

The inspectors of the Service for Foreigners Affairs, with the assistance of the Ministry of the Interior of the USC, inspected the facility where they found 253 migrants, mostly citizens of Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Migrants were transferred from the abandoned facility to the temporary reception center Lipa, where their medical examination, identification and registration are underway, as well as accommodation in the preventive isolation part of the temporary reception center.
The activity is a continuation of continuous operational activities of the Service for Foreigners Affairs on the relocation of migrants from abandoned facilities to temporary reception centers in order to better manage migration processes, in coordination with local authorities in the Una-Sana Canton.

Their medical examination, identification and registration are underway

They are mostly citizens of Bangladesh and Afghanistan

SFA B&H relocates 253 migrants from Krajina Metal facility to the Lipa center

The main hearing on the disciplinary lawsuit against the Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H Gordana Tadić continued yesterday before the members of the First Instance Disciplinary Commission of the HJPC.
Tadić is charged with negligence in the performance of official duties, ie deliberate disregard of the obligation and order of the HJPC to assign Prosecution cases to prosecutors through the automatic distribution system (TCMS) during her term as chief prosecutor.
Last week, two witnesses were questioned and material evidence was presented, while yesterday the accused prosecutor Tadić and the director of the HJPC Secretariat Admir Suljagić testified. In that way, the disciplinary procedure was completed.

Disciplinary prosecutor Alena Kurspahić-Nadarević requested that Tadić be imposed measures for non-fulfillment of obligations and decisions of the HJPC, while her defense assessed that no violation had been committed, which was repeatedly established by lawyer Vlado Adamović.
However, yesterday Adamović also referred to the new report against Tadić, which was sent to the HJPC, UDT and the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H by the director of ISA, Osman Mehmedagić Osmica, ten days ago.
Adamovic said that this was an old report which was already the subject of consideration and which was rejected by the HJPC. More precisely, this is "evidence" for which it was determined in 2019 that Tadić did not commit any misdemeanor.
In this way, before the closing remarks of the State Prosecutor's Office and defense, Osmica tried to put additional pressure on the members of the HJPC in order to suspend and remove Tadić from this position at any cost. This confirms Avaz's earlier allegations that this is stale information.

In this way, before the closing remarks of the State Prosecutor's Office and defense, Osmica tried to put additional pressure on the members of the HJPC in order to suspend and remove Tadić from this position at any cost

Lawyer Adamović: Osmica submitted a report to the HJPC against Tadić, which was rejected in 2019

POTPIS ISPOD SLIKE: Specialized education
The Faculty of Dentistry with the clinics of the University of Sarajevo organizes a "Non-cyclical study - DENTAL IMPLANTS FROM BASIC TO ADVANCED" which will be held in the period from 10 to 14 July 2021.
This specialized education is designed to provide dentists who already have basic knowledge of dental medicine a sufficient amount of information from theoretical and practical knowledge for future independent work in the field of basic and advanced implantology.
After this type of education, the participants are trained to work independently in the field of dental implantology, the UNSA Public Relations Department said.

<h2>It is organized for the second time</h2>

Prof. dr. Muhamed Ajanović, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry with clinics of the University of Sarajevo, emphasizes that the "Non-cyclical study program - DENTAL IMPLANTS FROM BASIC TO ADVANCED" is being organized for the second time and is the result of hard work of the management of the Faculty of Dentistry and the University of Sarajevo. Dean Ajanović emphasized the immeasurable importance of this program in promoting new technologies and the importance of education in the field of implantology, and the pronounced benefit for the community through the availability of expensive dental services to the socially endangered category of the population.
He also expressed hope that cooperation between experts from the academic community of Bosnia and Herzegovina and experts from the academic community of the United States will continue at a higher level.
Rector prof. dr. Rifat Škrijelj sent words of support to the Faculty of Dentistry with the clinics of the University of Sarajevo on the path of strengthening the capacity and staff with the aim of its even greater affirmation and international recognition.
He also thanked the professors and institutions that for the second time make a serious contribution to the education of domestic researchers and associates of the Faculty of Dentistry with clinics, and provide serious support to patients and training to students.
As it was announced, during the four-day education at the Faculty of Dentistry with clinics in Sarajevo, the lecturers are dr. Maurice Salama DMD, Dr. Howard Gluckman BDS, Ph.D. Muhamed Ajanović, Ph.D. dr. Lejla Kazazić, Ph.D. dr. Selma Tosum Pošković, and dental technician Amar Canajas.

The biggest donor of this scientific event is the company Ritter Implants GmbH &amp; Co. KG, and the director of the company Basil Batah points out that in this, as well as in other countries, there is a huge need for tooth replacement and that the implant is the best way. - I am sure that our donation for this event at the Faculty of Dentistry, a first-class institution that gathered the best professors and teachers in the world, will ensure successful education and help citizens - says the director of Ritter Implants, and emphasizes the importance of additional training. 99% of cases of implant rejection in the world are due to lack of practical training.
- So, success in implantology can be greater with proper education, and at the Faculty of Dentistry with clinics of the University of Sarajevo, participants will receive perfect training - he added.
The Faculty of Dentistry and clinics performs this program in cooperation with Dental XP, Atlanta, USA, a partner that has so far successfully implemented a very large number of these types of specialized educations around the world.
Speaking about Dental XP, Dr. Maurice Salama, a scientific editor, points out that Dental XP is the largest online education in the world, the world's number one online dental education community with over 225,000 members worldwide. Also, Dr. Salama emphasizes that the practical education organized at the Faculty of Dentistry enables all participants to progress:
- So, we educate professors, train local students, train our own students, and help local patients. It is a really nice thing to be able to help and improve every level of the patient experience, through the experience of students, doctors, professors, and thus be of benefit to everyone - says Salama.

After this type of education, participants are trained to work independently in the field of dental implantology

Prof. dr. Muhamed Ajanović: Specialized education

The Faculty of Dentistry holds a specialized education that brought together the world's top experts in the field of implantology

Cyprus is to pay compensation to the families of the four Egyptian farm labourers who died in the island’s wildfire at the weekend, the interior minister announced Wednesday.

The cabinet approved a budget of over 5.2 million euros ($6.1 million) to compensate people who lost their homes and businesses in the blaze, including families of the four Egyptians aged 24 to 36.
One of the Egyptians was a father of three, and another victim had four children.
Extending his condolences to their families, Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said they would receive 95,000 euros each and an additional €30,000 for each child.
Nouris said provisions would also be made for the Egyptian victims’ children to be granted scholarships at higher education institutions in Cyprus when they finish school.
The deadly wildfire raged for two days before it was brought under control on Monday.
Fanned by strong winds, the blaze broke out Saturday and swept through southern parts of the Troodos mountain range before being reined in by water bombing by Greek and Israeli aircraft.
The fire, described as the worst since the independence of Cyprus in 1960, destroyed nearly 100 homes and businesses, damaged power lines and forced the evacuation of 10 villages.
The four Egyptians died trying to escape the village of Odos, where they worked on a tomato plantation.
A 67-year-old farmer was arrested and remanded in custody on suspicion of causing the blaze, a charge he has denied.

One of the Egyptians was a father of three, and another victim had four children

A helicopter flies over the forest fire in Cyprus

Cyprus to compensate families of Egyptian victims of wildfire

Kazakhstan on Tuesday marked the 23rd anniversary of the establishment of its capital, Nur-Sultan, which was built from scratch.

Capital City Day, also known as Day of Nur-Sultan, is marked every July 6 as a public holiday.
Declaring its independence on Dec. 16, 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan decided to move the nation’s capital from Almaty in the south to the northern city of Akmola in 1997.
The decree was signed by Kazakhstan's then-President Nursultan Nazarbayev, despite strong criticism from government officials, parliamentarians and intellectuals.
-There were very few supporters of this decision at that time, and I understand this. Because the Soviet Union had collapsed, we went our own way. There was not even money to pay the pension in the country- said Nazarbayev, commenting on the decision.
As a result, work began on rebuilding Akmola -- a small city with harsh winters and under-developed infrastructure -- as the capital of Kazakhstan.
In 1998, the name of the city was changed to Astana, which means “capital” in Kazakh.
World-renowned architects such as Norman Foster and Kisho Kurokawa took part in the construction of the city. The important symbolic and state buildings and social facilities in the capital were built by Turkish construction companies.
While the population of the city was initially 300,000, it reached 1.2 million as time passed.
The capital has not only become the country’s political, economic and tourist center but is also a national brand.
Following Nazarbayev's resignation as president on March 19, 2019, the name Astana was changed to Nur-Sultan by parliament upon the proposal of his successor, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Capital City Day, which is marked with colorful events throughout the country every year, is being celebrated with limited cultural events this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Capital City Day, also known as Day of Nur-Sultan, is public holiday celebrated every July 6

In 1998, the name of the city was changed to Astana, which means “capital” in Kazakh

Kazakhstan marks 23rd anniversary of capital’s establishment

A search team found the remains of 19 people Wednesday after a passenger plane crashed in Russia's remote far eastern Kamchatka peninsula and the governor promised relatives "all necessary help."

The An-26 plane flying from Kamchatka's main city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the coastal town of Palana with 28 people on board disappeared and crashed on Tuesday.
Search teams later found wreckage of the plane near Palana after it was believed to have flown into a cliff. 
-Fragments of 19 bodies have been found- the regional branch of the emergencies ministry said in a statement.
The 28 people on board included six crew and 22 passengers, including two minors. All were presumed dead.
More than 50 people combed the coast of the Okhotsk Sea, officials said.
The search operation -- complicated by fog, strong winds and waves -- was halted for the night.
Kamchatka is a vast peninsula popular with adventure tourists for its abundant wildlife, live volcanoes and black sand beaches.
Governor Vladimir Solodov declared a three-day mourning period beginning Wednesday and said families of the victims would receive 3.5 million rubles ($47,000).
In Palana, Solodov also met with relatives of those killed in the crash and promised them "all necessary help." 
He said authorities would "do everything to help them live through this tragedy," his office quoted him as saying. 
In a telegram to the Kamchatka governor, President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences. 
Officials have said the plane -- built in 1982 -- was in good condition and passed safety checks. 
Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes and incidents, said it was looking at three potential causes of the accident: poor weather conditions, technical malfunctions, or pilot error.
An-26 planes, which were manufactured from 1969 until 1986 during the Soviet era and are still used throughout the former USSR for civilian and military transport, have been involved in a number of accidents in recent years.

The An-26 plane flying from Kamchatka's main city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the coastal town of Palana with 28 people on board disappeared and crashed on Tuesday

Search teams later found wreckage of the plane near Palana after it was believed to have flown into a cliff

19 bodies found from plane crash in far eastern Russia

Investigators in Germany on Wednesday searched the homes of two men suspected of helping to plan last year's deadly terrorist attack in Vienna, federal prosecutors said.

Named as Kosovan Blinor S. and German Drilon G., the pair are accused of meeting the attacker through the radical Islamist scene and knowing about the planned rampage but failing to report it.
On November 2, 2020, convicted Islamic State sympathiser Kujtim Fejzulai killed four people in the Austrian capital before being shot dead by police.
It was the first major attack in Austria in decades and the first blamed on a jihadist.
Blinor S. and Drilon G. had been "in close contact with (Fejzulai) via social media for some time before the attack", prosecutors said. 
The suspects, who live in Osnabrueck and Kassel, are accused of travelling to Vienna to visit Fejzulai for several days in July 2020, shortly after he procured the automatic rifle used in the rampage.
They stayed overnight in his flat and met other members of the Islamist scene from Austria and Switzerland, the prosecutors said.
DNA from participants in these meetings has since been found on the weapons used in the attack, as well as on the ring worn by the attacker.
It is likely the pair knew Fejzulai was planning the attack "due to their close personal relationship" with him and "their common radical Islamist convictions", the prosecutors said.
The two men are also accused of trying to conceal their connections to Fejzulai by deleting mobile phone chats and social media content on the evening of November 2, 2020, shortly before the attack.

Named as Kosovan Blinor S. and German Drilon G., the pair are accused of meeting the attacker through the radical Islamist scene and knowing about the planned rampage but failing to report it

It was the first major attack in Austria in decades and the first blamed on a jihadist

Two under investigation in Germany over 2020 Vienna attack

SDA President Bakir Izetbegović, as a guest on Hayat television, once again confirmed that he plans to run for the Presidency of B&amp;H.
-I would be happy for Mr. Radončić to enter the race again, races with him are always interesting, he has his temperament and his way, so it would be interesting and fun to enter a race with him and Nikšić, possibly with Zvizdić, if he gets support, it will not be boring that's for sure - Izetbegović announced succinctly and conciliatory.

Of course, there is no doubt that his optimistic words and compliments are just a bluff that has completely different goals beneath the surface. And the goal is to invite as many opponents as possible for the Bosniak member of the Presidency in the 2022 elections.
It is significant that in the same interview, Izetbegović recalled 2010, when, allegedly as an outsider, he managed to beat Silajdžić and Radončić in the race for the Presidency. It was in 2010 that the multitude of rivals in the elections enabled him to "win as an outsider", with officially only 20,000 votes more than Radončić, but with numerous irregularities and an enormous number of annulled votes.
The same thing happened again in 2014, when he had about forty thousand more votes than Radončić, followed by Emir Suljagić, Bakir Hadžiomerović, Sefer Halilović, Mustafa Cerić and many others.
It is clear why Izetbegović and the Party of Democratic Action like as many opponents as possible and the more fragmented opposition. Thirty years of SDA rule also meant controlling those who count the votes, and votes are always easier to steal when you have a multitude on the ballots, not just two or three options.
Thirty years of power also meant 30 years of resource control. Resource control therefore meant controlling the lives and jobs of a good portion of the electorate, all of which ultimately meant controlling votes.

Instructed by the experiences of the previous elections, the part of the opposition gathered around „the troika“ decided to run in the local elections at the micro level of the Sarajevo Canton with joint candidates for mayors. As a result, they „swept“ the SDA from the capital.
It is clear to Izetbegović that the number of dissatisfied with the catastrophic results of the policy of him and his party in society far exceeds the number of SDA supporters. A joint opposition candidate would certainly mean Izetbegović's convincing defeat in the elections. Therefore, it is clear that in the coming months, the SDA will make great efforts to break up the opposition with various intrigues, pressures and tempting offers, and to bring a disorganized orchestra against itself in the 2022 elections.
The biggest challenge for the opposition by 2022 will be to go to the polls in one piece and with joint candidates. Anything else would mean victory for the SDA even before the election.

Significantly, after months of frantic attacks and accusations by the SDA machinery against political rivals, Izetbegović suddenly decided to use a conciliatory tone towards opposition leaders and even called on opposition parties to work together to resolve the Election Law to meet international verdicts.
Izetbegović's apparent extension of the hand to the opposition a little over a year before the elections, in the midst of strong scandals and catastrophic policies, aims to create the impression that the SDA is not the cause of the problem that needs to be removed, but a legitimate partner in the fight for a common goal. However, this lowering of the tone and the attempt to soften the opposition and break it up more easily is too naive and too transparent even for Izetbegović.

It is clear to Izetbegović that the number of dissatisfied with the catastrophic results of the policy of him and his party in society far exceeds the number of SDA supporters

Izetbegović: Nostalgically remembers 2010

What is Bakir afraid of?

Director for Western Europe, Western Balkans, Turkey and the United Kingdom in the European External Action Service Angelina Eichhorst spoke in an exclusive interview with „Dnevni avaz“ about what changes to the B&amp;H Election Law are needed, as well as the Constitution and the Dayton Agreement.&nbsp;

Negotiations are under way to make amends to the B&amp;H Election Law. What changes are needed to make the upcoming general elections transparent?
-We had really good meetings today (yesterday, Op. cit.), very clear messages were sent. As Ambassador Sattler and Ambassador Nelson repeated, one message of togetherness, one transatlantic message, if I may say so. But, somehow, also a message that is close to a lot of citizens. On the one hand, you have verdicts of the European Court of Human Rights, a significant number of cases and verdicts in those cases that needs to be implemented.
On the other hand, you have the possibility of amending the Constitution, you have a number of recommendations of the Venice Commission, OSCE, ODIHR/GRECO, so you have all the things to be considered in the context of the Election Law, work on the elections for the Presidency, House of Peoples. .. Most citizens, in fact, more or less know what are the issues that needs to be addressed. It is also part of the package from the Opinion of the European Commission or, in short, B&amp;H's path to the EU.
Today (yesterday, Op. cit.) the clearest message was that there is one awareness of importance, and not only importance but also urgency. That is the year when there are no elections, you now have the opportunity. The EU, of course, wants the elections to take place next year, and to that end we are doing all of this to improve the electoral framework. We are aware that this is a complex matter, it is easy to say, eliminate discrimination or election fraud, but it entails a lot of work. The basic thing is, get involved, get to work. An Interdepartmental Working Group has been established, which includes all actors. A lot of work has already been done, they have already met several times. It is very important that they can meet outside the media, therefore, not always under the spotlight. 
In short, there are clear messages about what needs to be done. Now, the question remains what are the attitudes of different political entities. We need to see where some, perhaps, common grounds is and what could be a winning combination, not for two, but for all sides. 
Because we really want a solution that will satisfy everyone, not something that would satisfy the leading parties. We want something that is satisfactory to all political actors and to society as a whole. Today (yesterday, Op. cit.) we had lunch with one part of the opposition. We remain engaged at the level of Brussels, of course, with the full support of our colleagues on the ground, Ambassador Satler and his associates, member states. We will consistently follow that in Brussels as well. We have all the mechanisms that can lead to results. This is quite ambitious, but I don't think it's impossible.

General elections are schelduled for next year. Do we have enough time to implement all the necessary changes to the Election Law?
-Yes, this is actually a good question, from my experience in such processes, when there is political will and when it is clear to people what needs to be done, and the question remains how it should be done, I think it is possible. If nothing else, some of the steps can be implemented. I can’t guess if they will be successful in modifying any of these aspects, because these are quite demanding things.
Amendments, changes of regulations, so it's really a lot of work, but what's important is that you always have a moment in life when you draw the line and say - okay, we've made some strides, now it's July and the European Union will too talk about the situation in B&amp;H. You have a session of the Council in July, we have a big summit in October, so we will reconsider the situation in B&amp;H. Of course, next year's elections. But there are usually those political moments where everyone somehow wonders - well, what's going on here?
And I really think that it is in the interest of all subjects for the answer to be "it happens that we are working on it, we are ready to find a solution". This would not be the first time, I know that there have been a lot of attempts in the past, packages ... I just said in a conversation with Ambassador Sattler that we do not look back at all and do not refer to some earlier model names. I'm not saying that we are starting from scratch, but this is now an attempt to look forward once again, without talking about how it used to be, and come to a solution.
When it comes to the rule of law, where have we failed and what changes are needed?
-Maybe to formulate it differently and think differently as well - where we were successful. But I think that Ambassador Sattler has repeated this many times, there are, indeed, concrete amendments to the law, as well as laws that need to be adopted. They can’t stay in drawers forever. We are talking about the Law on Public Procurement, the Law on the HJPC. As for, in particular, the Law on Public Procurement, there is a real opportunity at the end of July for its adoption. We are only talking about the adoption of legislation here.
But it is not only the legislation that matters, you must also have an electoral framework, within which citizens believe that elections are conducted in accordance with the principles of transparency, where any embezzlement of election results is prevented, citizens, if they go to the polls, their vote matters . That is the essence of any democratic process, so that you know, if you voted, that your vote is recognized. But it is not only a question of the rule of law but also of functionality. If at the FBH level you do not have the necessary elements and tools, if you do not have the appointment of ministers, if you do not have decision-making structures, then it is simply not easy.
I know it's not easy. But, again, we need to somehow look at what has been done and that may have been one of the key messages of these meetings. The agreement in Mostar was implemented. You had elections in Mostar after 12 years. So this is one example of an extremely important agreement that has been agreed upon very concretely. An agreement has been reached, implemented, elections have been held, you have a mayor, you have a strategy for working on war crimes cases, which has now been adopted.
Then, there are several steps that have been taken in the context of public administration reform, so certain steps have been taken, but we must not forget that the dynamics there have been slow, perhaps too slow. There are a lot of activities of the international community as well, but I think we have a lot of new, young voters, but also people on the political scene who clearly want to address these issues.

Many say the Dayton Peace Agreement is the brake on B&amp;H's progress. What changes are needed in the agreement and the B&amp;H Constitution in order for the country to make progress?

- You may have already heard this in the statements of High Representative Borrell, during his visit to B&amp;H last year, I was also with him and I think it was very clear that Dayton exists as a framework in which everyone acts, but we want to see B&amp;H make that transition from Dayton to Brussels.
And these really aren’t just some mere phrases, but we want to see real work. And that means working on European standards, working on the acquis. Because one day when you open negotiations on the joining EU, you have to work on taking over the whole acquis. You are now still in the phase when you need to realize 14 key priorities from the Opinion of the European Commission. There have been some issues that may be simpler and can be resolved sooner than others, but, in general, it is a framework. So this transition from Dayton to Brussels is a good guideline where the future of this country lies.
How far have we progressed on the European path? What else do we have to fulfill?
-It's a little harder question in the sense that we're not here to judge anyone. But, in principle, everyone knows clearly what are the priorities that need to be met. We should not forget the economy or socio-economic reforms in general, we talked about that as well. But here, I will say it as follows - progress is not fast enough, it is too slow. Your work on realizing the priorities from the Opinion can bring you closer to what we all want, and that is candidate status, and generally speed up your accession process. And the only message for now is to continue to work hard and give priority to the functionality of institutions, adopt the necessary laws and show everyone in B&amp;H that progress is possible.

A new High Representative, German politician Christian Schmidt, is coming to B&amp;H in August. What changes will Schmidt make?
- We, of course, work closely with the OHR and will continue to work closely, no doubt. The OHR has played a very important role in harmonizing the Mostar agreement. Thanks to our presence and commitment, we have an entire EU program where we work closely with the OHR and we will definitely continue to do so. The OHR has a very clear fulfilling mandate, the so-called 5 plus 2 agenda, which is important to us.
We are focused on Opinion, on the implementation of Opinion. All EU member states have agreed on that. I don't think it's a person who matters, just that person. It is simply an important institution as such. We have good relations. We agree with them, we act constructively within its framework and in addition you have an overall European agenda. And we, of course, try to ensure complementarity, synergy to work on achieving common goals. I think that's clear.

At the end of April, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, stated that you are behind the non-paper on resolving the Kosovo issue. Also, in the last few weeks, the story of non-paper related to B&amp;H is current... 
- I think that question has already been asked and that we have given an answer. We don’t make non-papers, non-questions or anything like that. A lot of media attention went to that non-paper story, which I think upset and confused the public, it didn’t help at all.
Especially when you have a very clear direction, a clear path and clear messages about what the EU wants, not only for B&amp;H but for the whole region. Well, now that others appear with some of their other agendas, then we can only urge you to make one reasonable assessment based on your own knowledge and information available. We focus only on what matters. I can only say, stay on your set course, don't be distracted by various distractions in the media. Stick to the set path.

Changes to the Election Law are possible if there is political will, she pointed out

Eichhorst: Accelerate the process of joining EU

Angelina Eichhorst for "Avaz": Make the transition from Dayton to Brussels

The Parliament of Kosovo has passed a resolution on Wednesday condemning the Srebrenica genocide.

A total of 89 MPs voted in favor of the resolution, no one was against or abstained. Before the vote on the Resolution, the representatives of the Serbian List left the Parliament.
Ten Serb lawmakers left the session when Bosniak lawmaker Bahri Shabani took the floor to argue the draft of the resolution, Kosovo media reports.
On the eve of the 26th anniversary of the genocide committed against Bosniaks in Srebrenica, members of the Kosovo Parliament, at the suggestion of the Bosniak community living in Kosovo, voted and adopted a Resolution on the Srebrenica genocide.
The resolution includes a ban on denial of the Srebrenica genocide and is an act of solidarity with the suffering of Bosniaks in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
With the adoption of the Resolution, Kosovo joined many democratic countries and international institutions that condemned the genocide in Srebrenica and showed solidarity in condemning the crime.

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News

Merkel says jabs in Germany will remain voluntary

Pope Francis to return home 'as soon as possible'

Exhumation and search for human remains ongoing at Kazani site near Srebrenica

Germany's Lufthansa opts for gender-neutral plane greeting

France fines Google 500 mn euros in news copyright row

SIPA submits report to Court and Prosecutor's Office: What was found and seized from KCUS on COVID patients

SFA B&H relocates 253 migrants from Krajina Metal facility to the Lipa center

Lawyer Adamović: Osmica submitted a report to the HJPC against Tadić, which was rejected in 2019

The Faculty of Dentistry holds a specialized education that brought together the world's top experts in the field of implantology

Cyprus to compensate families of Egyptian victims of wildfire

Kazakhstan marks 23rd anniversary of capital’s establishment

19 bodies found from plane crash in far eastern Russia

Two under investigation in Germany over 2020 Vienna attack

What is Bakir afraid of?

Angelina Eichhorst for "Avaz": Make the transition from Dayton to Brussels

Parliament of Kosovo passes a Resolution on the Srebrenica genocide