Pope Francis called the Syrian civil war one of the worst humanitarian crises of current times on Sunday, saying its 10th anniversary should spur all to seek “a sliver of hope” for a devastated nation.

In mid-March, 2011, peaceful pro-democracy protests developed into a multi-sided conflict that sucked in world powers, killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions more.
-I renew my heartfelt appeal so that all sides in the conflict show a sign of good will so that a sliver of hope can open up for the worn-out population- Francis told several hundred people in St. Peter’s Square for his weekly blessing and message.
Syria had seen “every type of violence and enormous suffering by the population, particularly the most vulnerable, such as children, women and the elderly,” said the pope, who last Monday returned from a trip to bordering Iraq.
He also called for a “decisive” commitment by the international community to end fighting and help reconstruction and economic recovery.
He then led the crowd in prayer for the “beloved and martyred Syria.”

In mid-March, 2011, peaceful pro-democracy protests developed into a multi-sided conflict that sucked in world powers, killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions more

Pope Francis gives a news conference aboard the papal plane on his flight back after visiting Iraq, March 8, 2021.

Pope says 10th anniversary of Syrian civil war must spur peace efforts

A leftist Greek militant, serving several life terms in prison for 11 murders, has decided to end a 66-day hunger strike, his lawyer said on Sunday.Dimitris Koufodinas, 63, a member of the dismantled November 17 guerrilla group, is being treated in intensive care in hospital near the high-security prison of Domokos in central Greece. He has refused food since Jan. 8, demanding to be transferred to Korydallos prison in Athens.
In a message posted online on Sunday, Koufodinas thanked supporters for their solidarity, a statement his lawyer Ioanna Kourtovik confirmed meant that he was ending his hunger strike.
-He chooses life- Kourtovik told Reuters.
The decision resolves an increasingly sensitive problem for the conservative government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose own brother-in-law was killed by Koufodinas.
Sympathizers and civil rights activists, including members of the leftist opposition, have held a series of protests, accusing the government of intransigent and arbitrary treatment of Koufodinas. The government has rejected the criticism, saying it would not yield to blackmail.
Authorities had rejected Koufodinas’ request for a transfer citing a recent prison reform and a rise in COVID-19 cases in the region of Korydallos, where he served part of his sentence and where other convicted members of the Marxist group are held.
In his statement, Koufodinas, who suffered kidney failure last week, said protests in support of his strike showed the power of resistance.
-Before the force of these struggles, I declare that I’m among you, in heart and mind- he said.
Over three decades, November 17, named for the date of a 1973 student uprising against the then junta, conducted a campaign of assassinations, targeting U.S. military personnel and foreign diplomats as well as Greek politicians and industrialists.
Its leaders were arrested in 2002, two years before the Athens Olympic Games. In a high profile trial, Koufodinas, nicknamed “Poison Hand” for his cold-blooded killings, was convicted along with 14 others of 23 murders and dozens of bomb attacks, which he never denied.

Koufodinas has refused food since Jan. 8, demanding to be transferred to Korydallos prison in Athens

Protesters wear protective face masks during a demonstration on Syntagma square in solidarity with jailed member of the disbanded leftist militant group 'November 17', Dimitris Koufodinas, who is serving multiple life terms for several crimes, including a series of murders and is currently on hunger strike, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Athens, Greece, March 3, 2021.

Greek militant in jail for life to end hunger strike, lawyer says

London police faced a backlash from the public and politicians on Sunday for their heavy-handed tactics in breaking up an outdoor vigil for a woman whose suspected killer is a police officer.The disappearance of Sarah Everard, 33, as she walked home on the evening of March 3, has provoked a huge outpouring of grief and dismay in Britain at the failure of police and wider society to tackle violence against women.
Police had denied permission for a vigil on Saturday evening at London’s Clapham Common, near where Everard was last seen alive, citing regulations aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.
But hundreds of people, mostly women, gathered peacefully at the park in defiance of the ban to pay their respects to Everard throughout the day, including Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge.
Late on Saturday dozens of police officers marched into the crowd to shouts of “shame on you”. Scuffles broke out and officers dragged women away from the scene.
“Last night people were very, very upset, there was a great deal of emotion, completely understandably, and the police, being as they are operationally independent, will be having to explain that to the Home Secretary,” safeguarding minister Victoria Atkins told Sky News.
Home Secretary Priti Patel, the minister in charge of policing, described footage of the incident as “upsetting”. The BBC reported she had ordered an independent inquiry after an initial police report left some questions unanswered.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also said he was not satisfied with police chiefs’ explanation of the events and officers’ conduct must be examined.
An image of officers handcuffing a woman as she lay on the floor was widely shared and condemned on social media.

The woman, Patsy Stevenson, told LBC radio: -The main point that everyone was trying to get across when everything happened is that women don’t feel safe, they don’t feel safe walking down a street and that’s the bare minimum we should feel the freedom to do.-
She said she was fined 200 pounds for breaching COVID regulations.Everard’s murder has resonated with woman across the country, prompting thousands to share on social media their experiences of violence and sexual assaults perpetrated by men, and vividly describe the daily fear they feel.
A steady flow of quiet mourners visited the site of the vigil on Sunday, placing flowers around a bandstand.
-I feel very angry that they think that they have the right to dictate how we mourn and how we react- 24-year old student Lilith Blackwell told Reuters at the bandstand.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball defended the officers’ actions and said they were faced with a very difficult decision.
-Hundreds of people were packed tightly together, posing a very real risk of easily transmitting Covid-19- she said.
A police officer charged with Everard’s murder appeared in court on Saturday. Police discovered her body on Wednesday in woodland about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of London. The court heard that her body was found in a builder’s refuse bag, and identified using dental records.

Hundreds of people, mostly women, gathered peacefully at the park in defiance of the ban to pay their respects to Everard throughout the day, including Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge

People clash with police during a gathering at a memorial site in Clapham Common Bandstand, following the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard, in London, Britain March 13, 2021.

London police face backlash after dragging mourners from vigil for murdered woman

A joint naval exercise carried out by Israel, France, Greece and Greek Cypriot administration in the Mediterranean Sea concluded on Friday, the Israeli military said. 

Helicopters as well as naval vessels participated in the weeklong exercise, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a statement.
Search and rescue trainings were held as part of the exercise, Adraee said.
The purpose of the annual exercise is to increase cooperation between the fleets of participating countries and to deepen professional knowledge, he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Weeklong joint naval exercise with 3 countries concludes on Friday, says Israeli army

The purpose of the annual exercise is to increase cooperation between the fleets of participating countries and to deepen professional knowledge

Israel holds drill with France, Greece, Southern Cyprus

Russian police detained around 200 people, including several prominent opposition figures, at a meeting of independent and opposition politicians in Moscow on Saturday, the interior ministry said.The detentions come amid a crackdown on anti-Kremlin sentiment, following the arrest and imprisonment of opposition politician Alexei Navalny who returned to Russia in January after recovering from a nerve agent poisoning in Siberia.
The Moscow forum, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, was a gathering of municipal deputies from all over the country, Andrei Pivovarov, the event’s organiser and executive director of Open Russia, a British-based group founded by exiled former oil tycoon and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, told radio station Echo Moskvy.
As the forum got underway, police entered the building and began detaining attendees and taking them to police vans waiting outside, video footage from TV Rain and Russian news agencies showed.
The Moscow branch of Russia’s interior ministry said around 200 people had been detained and that an investigation was underway.
Police said those detained were not following the appropriate anti-coronavirus health measures even though footage showed most of them wearing masks. They said some of those attending the forum had links to an “undesirable organisation”.
-A significant portion of participants lacked personal protective equipment- the police said. -Members of an organisation whose activities are considered undesirable on Russian territory were among the participants.-OVD-Info, which monitors the detention of political protesters and activists, put the number of detainees at more than 170.
-The finale of the short forum was very symbolic: deputies in police vans and masked police twisting people’s arms- one detainee, opposition politician Ilya Yashin, wrote on Facebook.
-But no one promised us freedom on a silver platter. Russia will still be free.-Vladimir Kara-Murza, vice-president of the Free Russia Foundation, a Washington-based non-profit organisation, shared a picture from the inside of a police van after he was detained.
TV Rain said Yevgeny Roizman, the former mayor of Yekaterinburg, and Moscow city councillor Yulia Galyamina were also detained.
Open Russia is one of more than 30 groups that Moscow has labelled as undesirable and banned under a law adopted in 2015.

The detentions come amid a crackdown on anti-Kremlin sentiment, following the arrest and imprisonment of opposition politician Alexei Navalny

Former Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky poses for a pictured after an interview with Reuters in central London, Britain, January 18, 2021.

Russian police detain around 200 people, including leading opposition figures, at Moscow meeting

A London police officer appeared in court on Saturday for the first time after being charged with murder in a case that has caused widespread concern in Britain about women’s safety.Wayne Couzens, 48, is charged with the kidnap and murder of 33-year-old Sarah Everard, who disappeared on the night of March 3 while walking home in south London after visiting a friend.
Everard’s remains were found on Wednesday in woodland around 50 miles away in southeast England.
Her killing has brought an outpouring of personal accounts from women of their own experiences and fears of walking streets alone at night, and calls for action to tackle this.
Couzens, wearing a grey tracksuit, spoke only to confirm his identity at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court and remains in custody.
His lawyer did not enter a plea to the charges before a fuller court hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Couzens joined London’s Metropolitan Police in 2018 and guarded foreign embassies before his arrest.
Campaigners had planned a vigil to commemorate Everard to take place on Saturday evening near where she disappeared.
However, organisers cancelled the vigil on Saturday morning after police warned them that they could risk arrest for breaching COVID restrictions on outdoor social gatherings.
-In light of the lack of constructive engagement from the Metropolitan Police, we do not feel that we can in good faith allow tonight’s event to go ahead- organisers from the group Reclaim These Streets said in a statement.
Members of the public laid flowers on Saturday morning at the bandstand in Clapham Common in southwest London, near where the vigil had been planned to take place.
-We take no joy in this event being cancelled, but it is the right thing to do given the real and present threat of COVID-19- Metropolitan Police Commander Catherine Roper said.
Under current COVID rules, people in England are usually only allowed to meet outdoors with one person outside their household.

Wayne Couzens, 48, is charged with the kidnap and murder of 33-year-old Sarah Everard

A police van believed to be carrying British Police Officer Wayne Couzens who is charged with the murder and kidnap of 33-year-old Sarah Everard arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Britain, March 13, 2021.

London policeman in court after woman's murder provokes outrage

A few days ago, the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo issued a final verdict (65 0 P 775988 19 P) by which the defendant internet portal "Slobodna Bosna" is obliged to pay 3,000 KM in damages to the Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H Gordana Tadić due to published defamation and lies.
This court upheld the first-instance verdict of the Municipal Court stating that the defendant "Slobodna Bosna" is obliged to reimburse Prosecutor Tadić for the costs of the litigation in the amount of 1,089.16 KM, as well as the pronouncement of the verdict on the internet portal www.slobodna-bosna.ba.
The explanation of the verdict states that prosecutor Tadić filed a lawsuit against the publisher of "Slobodna Bosna" on July 18th, 2019, for damages due to defamation.

The lawsuit was filed because of the text published on the portal "Slobodna Bosna" on July 17th, 2019, entitled: "New scandal of Gordana Tadić: In the official documents of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H Neum is treated as a foreign country".
The text, which is characterized as defamation, states that Gordana Tadić stayed in Neum and on July 7th this month she was accommodated in the hotel "Jadran", which costed the taxpayers 263.57 KM " .
However, prosecutor Tadić pointed out that the obvious intention of the defendants (Slobodna Bosna) was to present defamatory content and that untrue content had been published, which the Court eventually accepted.
Considering that all the accounts of the "Slobodna Bosna" portal, more precisely the publisher "Press-Sing", are blocked, as confirmed to us, the Tadić legal team submitted a proposal for execution on movable property.

The explanation of the verdict states that prosecutor Tadić filed a lawsuit against the publisher of "Slobodna Bosna" on July 18th, 2019, for damages due to defamation

Due to lies about the work of prosecutor Tadić, the "Slobodna Bosna" portal must pay 3,000 KM in damages

The Office of the Disciplinary Prosecutor of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of B&amp;H, headed by Alena Kurspahić-Nadarević, should very soon file a disciplinary lawsuit against Ranko Debevec, President of the Court of B&amp;H, regarding allegations of abuse of office and corruption.

We remind you that several disciplinary cases have been filed against the head of the Court of B&amp;H, and the report that he committed the criminal offense of abuse of position or authority under Article 220 of the B&amp;H Criminal Code and several corrupt acts was submitted to the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H in mid-March 2020.
More precisely, the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, upon the report against Debevec that he abused his official position by not declaring property in Spain and dual citizenship, formed the case on March 18th last year and officially informed the Office of the Disciplinary Prosecutor about it.

Debevec was later reported for inappropriate contact with the accused ISA director Osman Mehmedagić, who was tried in the Court of B&amp;H, as well as a number of other abuses of office. All these allegations are being investigated by the Office of the Disciplinary Prosecutor, which officially launched a disciplinary investigation a month ago. After the disciplinary lawsuit is filed, Debevec is facing temporary removal from the office of President of the Court, which is also stated in Article 77 of the Law on the HJPC of B&amp;H.

The law clearly states that a judge or prosecutor may be temporarily removed from office “if disciplinary proceedings have been instituted for a disciplinary offense and the Chamber finds that disciplinary liability cannot be properly established without the judge or prosecutor being temporarily removed from office duties during the proceedings. "
However, the temporary suspension is valid only for the duration of the disciplinary proceedings. In the case of initiating a criminal investigation by the Prosecutor's Office, which is also very certain, the Chief Disciplinary Prosecutor is obliged to propose his suspension, until the investigation is completed.

This means that Debevec could be relieved of his duties very quickly, and in that situation the Court of B&amp;H would be headed by Judge Davor Jukić. In addition, Debevec does not benefit from the report to the Office of the Disciplinary Prosecutor, filed on September 17th last year, for inappropriate attempt to pressure and influence the undertaking of prosecutorial checks in the case against him. The report was filed by prosecutor Vedrana Mijović, who charged and formed a case against Debevec.

The report alleges that Debevec put pressure on her by sending her text messages in an attempt to stop or redirect the flow of prosecutorial checks on allegations in the criminal charges against him.
- From the messages sent to me, a clear and unambiguous conclusion can be drawn that, using his influence, the President of the Court of B&amp;H found out that I, as the acting prosecutor, sent requests to the HJPC and CS Ministry of Interior for the submission of official data at their disposal about him - Mijović stated in the report to the HJPC Office.
All these evidence sent to the Office of the Disciplinary Prosecutor speaks in favor of the fact that the head of the Court of B&amp;H committed numerous violations of the duty of a judge.

<h2>Inaccurate citizenship information</h2>

The Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H, by inspecting the personal file, determined that Debevec provided incomplete and inaccurate information when applying for the position of Prosecutor, Judge and President of the Court of B&amp;H and filling in the application form for the positions of judge, prosecutor and expert associate, in which he did not state the fact that he also uses the name Ranko Debevec Kaveson,and that, in addition to B&amp;H citizenship, he also has Spanish citizenship, which indicates that he committed a disciplinary offense prescribed by Article 56, item 19 of the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of B&amp;H – it is stated in the information of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H.

The procedure for determining disciplinary responsibility must be completed within a year from the day of filing the official lawsuit, according to the Law on the HJPC.

The following week, it will be a year since the report to the Prosecutor's Office against Debevec for non-reporting of property, the HJPC was also informed

The head of the Court of B&H, Ranko Debevec, is facing suspension

The Appellate Division of the Court of B&amp;H rejected the lawyer's appeal against the decision of this judicial institution to extend the detention of Zijad Mutap and Hasan Dupovac, who are suspected of organized crime and aiding the perpetrator after the criminal act in the "Dženan Memić" case, for another two months, "Avaz" has learned.&nbsp;Mutap, father of Alisa Mutap, ex-girlfriend of the fatally injured young man Memić, with whom she was together in Great alley in Ilidža and Dupovac who at the time of the accident was head of the Traffic accident department of the SC Ministry of Interior, SIPA arrested a month and 10 days ago by order of the Prosecutor's Office.We would like to remind you that their detention has been extended due to the danger that they could influence witnesses or conceal evidence while at large. In addition, the state prosecutor emphasized that there is a danger of disturbing the order and peace if the suspects are not ordered into custody.
The Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H announced the expansion of the investigation, and the appeal of Prosecutor Hasan Ćazimspahić was accepted, so their detention was extended on the grounds that there is a danger of disturbing law and order if the suspects are not remanded in custody.

They have had their detention extended due to the danger that they could influence witnesses or conceal evidence while at large

"Memić" case: Court of B&H rejects lawyer's appeal, Mutap and Dupovac remain in custody for two more months

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zoran Tegeltija participated via video link in the Tirana Digital Economic Forum, the Council of Ministers of B&amp;H announced.

He addressed a panel entitled "The EU and the Western Balkans: Fulfilling a Long-awaited Promise", attended by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of the North Macedonia Zoran Zaev and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi.
Tegeltija expressed the disappointment of all B&amp;H citizens in the global system of vaccine procurement, which showed an unjustifiably high level of inefficiency, saying that he believes that procurement through the system with the EU will work.
-We are facing great challenges in 2021. The first is how to successfully carry out vaccination in our countries, and the second is how to mitigate the economic consequences of COVID-19 through investments in both the public and private sectors, which still has a strong impact on our economies- said Tegeltija.
He thanked the Government of Serbia, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, for their help to Bosnia and Herzegovina and some other countries in the region when it comes to supply of vaccines. Chairman Tegeltija said that another amount of vaccines, which were donated by the Government of Serbia, is coming to B&amp;H today.
-It is disappointing for us that vaccines, which are global good, have grown into goods that are procured on the market under very unfair conditions. Maybe we from a small country like B&amp;H can hardly understand that, but we think that we had to do much more in that regard- said Chairman Tegeltija.
Chairman Tegeltija emphasized the importance of investments and realization of infrastructure projects with the aim of connecting B&amp;H with its neighbors.
-We are ready to do everything to make regional cooperation as successful as possible and to show that the region of the Western Balkans belongs to Europe both economically and in any other way- concluded the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He  expressed the disappointment of all B&H citizens in the global system of vaccine procurement

Tegeltija addressed a panel entitled "The EU and the Western Balkans: Fulfilling a Long-awaited Promise"

Tegeltija: We are ready to show that the Western Balkans belongs to Europe

Director of the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirsad Vilić and his deputies Ranko Vuković and Ivica Bošnjak received today in an inaugural visit the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to B&amp;H Igor Kalabukhov.

Vilić wished the newly appointed ambassador successful work in his diplomatic mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and informed him about him the competencies of the Directorate, as one of the police agencies at the state level, and its role in the B&amp;H security system.
Ambassador Kalabuhov thanked for the welcome and expressed confidence that the good cooperation so far would continue to the benefit of both countries, stated the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of B&amp;H.

Vilić wished the newly appointed ambassador successful work in his diplomatic mission

Ambassador Kalabuhov thanked for the welcome and expressed confidence that the good cooperation so far would continue to the benefit of both countries

Ambassador Kalabuhov visits B&H Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies

Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sifet Podžić, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to B&amp;H Daniel Hunn and Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of B&amp;H (AFB&amp;H) Colonel General Senad Mašović attended the handover of protective equipment against the COVID-19 pandemic, donated by the Swiss Government today.

Swiss Government donated 20,000 protective masks and protective gloves, thermometers and disinfectants, which will facilitate the implementation of protective measures against coronavirus pandemics in the MoD and AFB&amp;H.
The ceremony in the B&amp;H Armed Forces Hall was also attended by B&amp;H Deputy Minister of Defense for Politics and Plans Mijo Krešić, Deputy Chief of Staff of the AFB&amp;H for Operations Major General Ivica Jerkić, Swiss Military Envoy to B&amp;H Brigadier Urs Amiet and other senior officials of the MoD and AFBiH and the Swiss Embassy in B&amp;H.
With expressions of gratitude for this donation, as well as the long-term support of the Swiss Government to the Armed Forces of B&amp;H, Minister Podžić emphasized that the AFB&amp;H shares all the troubles of B&amp;H society, including the fight against the pandemic.
In his address, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to B&amp;H Daniel Hunn said that he is pleased to present this donation to the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of B&amp;H, which are always ready to help the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and contribute to stability in the region.
-In the next four years, we will be involved in projects with about 30 million KM of annual assistance, cooperating with partners who work for the benefit of this country- announced Ambassador Hunn.
Head of the AFB&amp;H General Staff, Colonel General Senad Mašović, also thanked the donors and pointed out that the ability to adapt is crucial in performing all tasks in a pandemic.
On this occasion, the Swiss Brigadier Martin Trachsler was awarded the Golden Plaque of the AFB&amp;H for his contribution to the development of the defense system of B&amp;H, the Press Service of the MOB&amp;H announced.

Donation includes  20,000 protective masks and protective gloves, thermometers and disinfectants

The handover ceremony was held the B&H Armed Forces Hall

Switzerland donates protective equipment to B&H MoD and AFB&H

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bisera Turković announced that she would take legal actions against those who published false information and defamation in accordance with the law, saying that lately she has been too often the target of fake news and misinformation.

-It is clear to me that there are political centers that do not like B&amp;H to be represented in the right way in Berlin, Vienna, Brussels or the White House. In that context, I see all untruths, including those denied by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and false claims that I was vaccinated in Croatia- said Turković.
She thinks that perhaps the time has come for B&amp;H institutions, like many other countries in the European Union, to start dealing with the issue of a kind of hybrid war against B&amp;H and its institutions and the deliberate placement of false information, often in the interest of malignant foreign influences.
-B&amp;H and our citizens, as well as our economy, institutions and all patriots suffer consequences and damage due to numerous slanders, malicious and falsified information that certain media, often under political pressure and control, place. Media criticism is not a problem, but fake news is- Turković wrote on Facebook.

B&H must find a way to fight hybrid aggression

Bisera Turković: I will take Legal actions against those who published false information and defamation

The President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of B&amp;H, Halil Lagumdžija, and the Vice Presidents of the HJPC of B&amp;H, Sanela Gorušanović-Butigan and Biljana Simeunović, had an online meeting with the US Ambassador to B&amp;H Eric Nelson.
During the meeting, Nelson expressed satisfaction with the election of the new president and vice presidents of the HJPC B&amp;H, expressing the desire for the new leadership to enable the efficient functioning of the judiciary in B&amp;H, the HJPC said.
The Ambassador referred to the lack of public confidence in the institution, emphasizing the need for all activities of the HJPC B&amp;H to be carried out in accordance with the highest standards of integrity. He also stressed the full support of the United States Embassy in B&amp;H in advocating for reforms in the area of the judicial system.
- President Lagumdžija thanked the United States for the support that they gave so far to the judiciary of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In his introductory speech, the President informed the Ambassador about the key directions of the HJPC B&amp;H's activities in the coming period, with a review of the results achieved so far in order to improve the system. He placed special emphasis on the issue of integrity through the establishment of the Department for Integrity and the issue of quality through the establishment of two departments within the Secretariat of the HJPC B&amp;H, which should improve this aspect of the judicial system. The President also committed himself to the proactive work and approach of the Council to all issues important for the functioning of the judiciary - the HJPC said.

Vice President Simeunović informed the Ambassador about the revision of the Law on the HJPC of B&amp;H, emphasizing the need for urgent amendments to this law in the part where key reforms of the system are needed. She also spoke about the need for better cooperation between prosecutors and police agencies so that cases of organized crime and corruption can be processed more efficiently.
Butigan-Gorušanović informed Ambassador Nelson about the Reform Program of the HJPC B&amp;H, which was preliminarily adopted at the last session of the Council and which will finally be adopted in April this year, after the representatives of the judicial community submit their comments and suggestions.
- She also stressed the need for urgent activities and reforms in order to restore public confidence in the institution and the judicial system, emphasizing the hope that this convocation of the HJPC B&amp;H has the strength, knowledge and capacity to take key steps to restore confidence in the judicial system.

Nelson emphasized full support of the US Embassy in B&H in advocating for reforms in the field of judicial system

Nelson and Lagumdžija: HJPC President thanked for the US support to B&H judiciary so far

Neslon supports the new leadership of the HJPC: Enable the efficient functioning of the judiciary in B&H

B&amp;H Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik said that the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina supported the agreement between the B&amp;H Council of Ministers and the Turkish Government on cooperation in the field of infrastructure at today's session.

He reminded that the members of the Presidency will visit Ankara on March 16, where the mentioned agreement will be signed.
-We also held consultations with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Zoran Tegeltija, on the budget and decided to return the draft to the Council of Ministers because it does not contain items on the fight against the pandemic that must be included- said Dodik.
He pointed out that the Armed Forces of B&amp;H will not be deployed at the borders, especially not at the border with Serbia, and that this item was removed from the agenda of the session.
Dodik stated that the fight against illegal migration must be conducted in another way, and not by establishing a wall between B&amp;H and Serbia.

He pointed out that the Armed Forces of B&H will not be deployed at the borders, especially not at the border with Serbia

Dodik stated that the fight against illegal migration must be conducted in another way, and not by establishing a wall between B&H and Serbia

Dodik: Presidency members express support for the agreement with Turkey

Delegations of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and the Croat Democratic Union (HDZ) B&amp;H today discussed Bosnia and Herzegovina's European path and meeting 14 priorities from the European Commission's Opinion, that are required to obtain candidate status for membership in the European Union.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the B&amp;H Parliamentary Assembly and SDA Vice President Denis Zvizdić said that the meeting was constructive and that it expressed commitment to European integration and work on priorities that he believes need to be met in order for B&amp;H to show serious credibility in its application for EU membership.
He points out that he would not set a date when the eagerly awaited candidate status for membership could be obtained, but his position is that as many positive steps as possible should be taken along that path and that as many laws as possible should be adopted in order to achieve the status.
He confirmed that some of them have been implemented, and for some there is agreement, and that the law on public procurement and the law on conflict of interest should be adopted in the parliamentary procedure by the end of May, which will be in line with European practices, but also to start judicial reform.
-The Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) and the Rulebook on the Integrity of Judges and Prosecutors would be important issues- Zvizdić added.
He announced that they would continue working on other recommendations, such as a ban on hate speech and the fight against torture and violence against women, but added that the meeting was the beginning of finalizing the phase needed for B&amp;H to obtain candidate status.
He also says that the participation of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) and representatives of other parliamentary political parties is expected, because, Zvizdić notes, European integration along with NATO integration is a key foreign policy priority to which B&amp;H should remain committed.
He also commented on the work of the B&amp;H Council of Ministers, assessing that the executive body does not send a sufficient number of laws to the parliamentary procedure, noting that this would be a better practice because then the laws would have a better chance of being adopted in the parliamentary procedure and expressed hope that this would not be the case this year when as many laws as possible should be adopted.

He points out that he would not set a date when the eagerly awaited candidate status for membership could be obtained

Zvizdić: The Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) and the Rulebook on the Integrity of Judges and Prosecutors would be important issues

Pope says 10th anniversary of Syrian civil war must spur peace efforts

Greek militant in jail for life to end hunger strike, lawyer says

London police face backlash after dragging mourners from vigil for murdered woman

Israel holds drill with France, Greece, Southern Cyprus

Russian police detain around 200 people, including leading opposition figures, at Moscow meeting

London policeman in court after woman's murder provokes outrage

Due to lies about the work of prosecutor Tadić, the "Slobodna Bosna" portal must pay 3,000 KM in damages

The head of the Court of B&H, Ranko Debevec, is facing suspension

"Memić" case: Court of B&H rejects lawyer's appeal, Mutap and Dupovac remain in custody for two more months

Tegeltija: We are ready to show that the Western Balkans belongs to Europe

Ambassador Kalabuhov visits B&H Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies

Switzerland donates protective equipment to B&H MoD and AFB&H

Bisera Turković: I will take Legal actions against those who published false information and defamation

Neslon supports the new leadership of the HJPC: Enable the efficient functioning of the judiciary in B&H

Dodik: Presidency members express support for the agreement with Turkey

Zvizdić: B&H needs to show serious credibility in application for EU membership

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Israel holds drill with France, Greece, Southern Cyprus

Russian police detain around 200 people, including leading opposition figures, at Moscow meeting

London policeman in court after woman's murder provokes outrage

Due to lies about the work of prosecutor Tadić, the "Slobodna Bosna" portal must pay 3,000 KM in damages

The head of the Court of B&H, Ranko Debevec, is facing suspension

"Memić" case: Court of B&H rejects lawyer's appeal, Mutap and Dupovac remain in custody for two more months

Tegeltija: We are ready to show that the Western Balkans belongs to Europe

Ambassador Kalabuhov visits B&H Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies

Switzerland donates protective equipment to B&H MoD and AFB&H

Bisera Turković: I will take Legal actions against those who published false information and defamation

Neslon supports the new leadership of the HJPC: Enable the efficient functioning of the judiciary in B&H

Dodik: Presidency members express support for the agreement with Turkey

Zvizdić: B&H needs to show serious credibility in application for EU membership