The Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ALMB&amp;H) conducted the verification process for the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine and determined that the tested sample of the vaccine corresponds to the declared quality in terms of tested parameters.

-Considering the above, the conditions have been met to start the process of immunization of the population with the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine- stated the ALMB&amp;H.

Tested sample of the vaccine corresponds to the declared quality in terms of tested parameters

ALMB&H:  conditions have been met to start the process of immunization of the population with the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine

ALM B&H approves Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine for immunization in B&H

The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) remains adamant that the vote for the new mayor of Mostar must be done in public, as started by the decision of the City Council.

-Those who ask for a secret ballot, and call on the OHR to intervene in order to impose it, obviously have no honorable intentions- said the SDA.
As they say, the entire public in B&amp;H, and especially the people of Mostar, want to have a clear picture of who will support Zlatko Guzin from the Coalition for Mostar, and who will vote for Mario Kordić from the HDZ with a direct vote "in favor" or abstention.
Voting for the mayor of Mostar 12 years ago, which was conducted in secret, resulted in non-transparent manipulations and the election of HDZ candidates, despite the existence of a pro-Bosnian majority. This was followed by years of mutual accusations that could not change anything but obscure the truth.
-That is why the SDA will not agree this time to repeat such a scenario and vote for the mayor in secret. We ask the OHR to respect the will of the Mostar City Council, and not to interfere in the election of the mayor this time, because that will enable new behind-the-scenes manipulations-said the SDA.

Those who ask for a secret ballot, and call on the OHR to intervene in order to impose it, obviously have no honorable intentions, said the SDA

As they say, the entire public in B&H, and especially the people of Mostar, want to have a clear picture of who will support Zlatko Guzin from the Coalition for Mostar, and who will vote for Mario Kordić from the HDZ with a direct vote "in favor" or abstention

SDA maintains that vote for Mostar mayor must be conducted in public

Southwestern France was hit by heavy flooding on Monday following days of torrential rain, and several other regions including eastern Paris were on flood alert ahead of a cold snap expected later this week.


The worst flooding was in the town of Saintes, 115 km (71 miles) north of Bordeaux, where the Charente river stood at a near-record level of 6.20 metres (20 feet). The waters were at waist level in several streets and knee-deep in large parts of the town.
Hundreds of people were evacuated as water seeping into cellars knocked out power supplies. Local authorities laid beams on cinder blocks so residents could walk from flooded houses to dry land.
To the southeast of Bordeaux, where the river Garonne flooded large areas between Marmande and La Reole last week, floodwaters were receding, but the waters of the Charente were not expected to fall before Wednesday, local authorities said.
-We are at a peak level now. We expect water levels to rise a little more in the coming days, and to subside from mid-week- a Charente-Maritime spokeswoman said.
The city of Cognac, centre of brandy production on the Charente river, also saw several streets flooded.

The France Meteo weather service put seven departments on flood alert on Monday, including Charente-Maritime, two areas along the Loire river, the Somme and Oise regions in northern France and the Seine-et-Marne region east of Paris.

In Paris, many parts of the quays along the Seine have been inaccessible for days after the river broke its banks, but water levels, at 4.35 metres on Monday morning, remained well below recent highs of 5.88 metres seen in January 2018 and 6.10 metres in June 2016.
Along the river Marne, which flows into the Seine on the eastern edge of the capital, the river broke its banks in several towns, notably in Conde-Sainte-Libaire and Esbly, where several streets were flooded and elevated walkways were built.

The worst flooding was in the town of Saintes, 115 km (71 miles) north of Bordeaux, where the Charente river stood at a near-record level of 6.20 metres (20 feet)

Rescue workers on small boats help residents in a flooded area as the Charente River overflows in Saintes after days of rainy weather causing flooding in western France, France, February 8, 2021.

Southwest France hit by heavy floods, Paris area on flood alert

In the past 24 hours in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1,492 samples were tested for coronavirus, and the infection was confirmed in 155 people. Thirteen people died of COVID-19.

In the past 24 hours, 1,011 samples were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H, of which 80 were positive for coronavirus.
New cases have been registered in the Herzegovina-Neretva, Central Bosnia, Tuzla, Una-Sana, and Sarajevo Canton.
Since the last report on the epidemiological situation in Republic of Srpska, in the last 24 hours, at the Institute of Public Health of Republic of Srpska, the University Clinical Center of Republic of Srpska, and the hospital Sv. Vračevi in ​​Bijeljina, 481 laboratory samples were tested, and coronavirus was confirmed in 75 people.
These are 41 males and 34 females, of which 11 are younger, 49 middle-aged, and 15 older.
According to the place of residence, 22 people are from Banja Luka, seven from Bosanska Gradiška, six from Bosanska Dubica, five from Trebinje, four from Višegrad, three from Gacko, Pale, Prijedor and Prnjavor, two from Bijeljina, Zvornik, Laktaši, Mrkonjić Grad and Novi Goražde and one each from Bratunac, Vlasenica, Kneževo, Kotor Varoš, Nevesinje, Bosanski Novi, Sokolac, Čelinac and Šeković.
In the last 24 hours, seven deaths were reported to the Republic of Srpska Institute of Public Health, in which the presence of the coronavirus virus was confirmed. These are four men and three women, elderly from Trebinje (three people), Nevesinje, Bosanska Gradiška, Prijedor, and Doboj.
A total of 413,230 samples have been tested so far, and coronavirus has been confirmed in 79,948 individuals.

New cases have been registered in the Herzegovina-Neretva, Central Bosnia, Tuzla, Una-Sana, and Sarajevo Canton

In the past 24 hours, 1,011 samples were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&H

155 newly infected with coronavirus, 13 people died in B&H

Pope Francis on Monday called for political leaders imprisoned during Myanmar's coup to be "promptly released", in a speech to ambassadors to the Holy See.

It was his second intervention on Myanmar in two days, after he used the opportunity of his Sunday recital of the Angelus prayer to express his "solidarity with the people" of the country he visited in 2017.
-In these days, my thoughts turn particularly to the people of Myanmar, to whom I express my affection and closeness- the pope said on Monday, according to the official translation of his comments.
-The path to democracy undertaken in recent years was brusquely interrupted by last week's coup d'etat.--This has led to the imprisonment of different political leaders, who I hope will be promptly released as a sign of encouragement for a sincere dialogue aimed at the good of the country- he said.
Myanmar's generals issued a stern warning against further protests on Monday as a mass uprising against their coup gathered pace, with hundreds of thousands on the streets demanding the release of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. 
The military last week detained Suu Kyi and dozens of other members of her National League for Democracy party, ending a decade of civilian rule and triggering widespread international condemnation.

It was his second intervention on Myanmar in two days

Pope Francis: The path to democracy undertaken in recent years was brusquely interrupted by last week's coup d'etat

Pope urges prompt release of detained Myanmar leaders

The FB&amp;H Assistant Minister of Health Goran Čerkez told FENA that the Crisis Staff of the FB&amp;H Ministry of Health recommended that children aged six to ten do not have to wear masks during classes and that the recommendation was in line with the guidelines of the World Health Organization and UNICEF.

Commenting on the instruction of the Ministry of Education of the Sarajevo Canton stating that children in primary and secondary schools must wear masks, Čerkez said that the measures of the Crisis Staff of the FB&amp;H Ministry of Health remain the same, that they did not change and should be fully respected.
-These measures are distancing between the children in the class, a limited number of students in the class and the obligation of the teacher to wear a mask. Nowhere in our recommendations does it say that children of that age should wear masks behind their desks- Čerkez explained.
However, he pointed out that they have issued instructions to cantonal crisis headquarters to take measures together with the ministries of education based on the assessed situation.
-The education is in the competence of the cantons. We respected the constitutional jurisdiction because the situation varies from canton to canton- said Čerkez.

He pointed out that they have issued instructions to cantonal crisis headquarters to take measures together with the ministries of education based on the assessed situation

Čerkez: Children aged 6 to 10 do not have to wear masks during classes

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell paid a rare visit to Moscow on Friday and stood by as his host, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, called the EU an “unreliable partner” and accused European leaders of lying about Alexei Navalny’s poisoning.

Borrell insisted on making the trip, which he described as accepting a longstanding invitation from Lavrov, days after Russia drew international condemnation for jailing opposition leader Navalny, and said it was important to pursue dialogue. But while Borrell told EU foreign ministers that he did not want to be a “mailman” simply delivering messages, he did not identify any clear objective for his visit, apart from “putting aside negative rhetoric.”
The perils of a joint appearance with Lavrov quickly became apparent at a news conference Friday morning when Borrell was ambushed by the Russian government-controlled news agency Sputnik with a question about Cuba, in which he was baited into condemning the U.S. embargo on Havana. Adding a dash of trolling, the Sputnik journalist said the Cuba question was suggested by “American colleagues.” The same journalist also turned the tables on Borrell by asking a question about alleged human rights abuses in Latvia.

<h2>Borrell was clearly unprepared for the attack</h2>

“About Cuba, I am a little bit surprised, I didn’t expect to talk about Cuba here in Moscow,” he said before gamely answering the question. “You know that the European Union rejects the U.S. embargo to Cuba and we continue to express this also vis-à-vis the new U.S. administration,” he said. “We expect the U.S. administration to review its position with respect to Cuba.” Lavrov quickly pounced. He seized the opportunity both to highlight a glaring disagreement between Brussels and Washington but also to deliver a sharp attack on sanctions policy and to accuse the EU of hypocrisy in pursuing multilateralism as a cover for Western exceptionalism. At several other points in the news conference, Lavrov denounced the EU’s sanctions against Russia over the annexation of Crimea, calling them “unilateral and illegitimate restrictions … imposed under false pretenses.”
“As for the question to me — how do we assess the EU policy toward Cuba,” Lavrov said. “I see here no surprise, Josep, because when I visit different countries, they often ask me about Ukraine and now they asked you about Cuba, because you have quite important and intense relations with Cuba and I think it’s quite a positive example that here we should use common sense, that we should avoid illegitimate, unilateral pressure [and] use embargoes, blockades.”
“Here we have converging views with the European Union,” Lavrov continued with his trademark deadpan delivery masking obvious self-satisfaction, “that we could only work with our partners through dialogue, without using any ultimatums, punishments and unilateral actions punishing those who want to develop normal relations by imposing extraterritorial restrictions — those are methods and tools from the colonial past. I should say that the European Union starts using these instruments that were invented by the United States, which is a bad thing.”
Lavrov added that he hoped these issues would be addressed at a summit of the leaders of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, an idea proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Lavrov noted has been endorsed by French President Emmanuel Macron.
“At this event, it would be important to understand, to sort out what world are we trying to build, a multipolar world that will truly ensure equality of all key actors, including the European Union, or a multipolar, multilateral world by name only,” Lavrov said.
Borrell said he had conveyed the EU’s unhappiness about the jailing of Navalny. “I have conveyed to Minister Lavrov our deep concern and reiterated our appeal for his release and the launch of an impartial investigation of his poisoning,” he said.
But his remarks were overshadowed by Lavrov’s forceful rebuke, in which he repeated his doubts about the West’s conclusion that Navalny was poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent — a conclusion that German Chancellor Angela Merkel personally announced in Berlin, where Navalny was treated. Laboratories in France and Sweden, as well as the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, confirmed the German findings.
Overall, it was a disastrous performance by Borrell, who acknowledged that the EU had not taken any step toward imposing new sanctions on Russia over the Navalny case. Borrell, a former foreign minister of Spain, then stood by silently and semi-smiling as Lavrov took the last word to slam the EU as “unreliable” and to say he hoped EU heads of state and government use a planned discussion about Russia at their March European Council summit to adopt a new path.
“We are getting used to the fact that the European Union are trying to impose unilateral restrictions, illegitimate restrictions and we proceed from the assumption at this stage that the European Union is an unreliable partner,” Lavrov said. “I hope that the strategic review that will take place soon will focus on the key interests of the European Union and that these talks will help to make our contacts more constructive.”

<h2>Lavrov was scoring goal after goal</h2>

Adding an exclamation point to Borrell’s troubled visit, Russia expelled three EU diplomats — from Germany, Poland and Sweden — for attending demonstrations in support of Navalny, an EU diplomat said.

Within minutes of the end of the news conference, the European Commission faced a barrage of questions about Borrell’s trip at its daily news conference, but the spokesperson’s service offered little clarity and instead repeated Borrell’s insistence that he wanted to foster dialogue with Moscow, while also reiterating the EU position calling for Navalny’s release.
Elsewhere in Brussels, diplomats expressed dismay. “As expected, Lavrov outplayed Borrell,” a senior EU diplomat said. “Speaking in football terms, Lavrov was scoring goal after goal … and Borrell was missing them all. No defense and no attack.”
A second EU diplomat said: “The presser showed his lack of experience,” adding that Borrell “was unprepared for many questions. Unfortunately, Lavrov played it by his own rules.”

He seized the opportunity both to highlight a glaring disagreement between Brussels and Washington but also to deliver a sharp attack on sanctions policy and to accuse the EU of hypocrisy in pursuing multilateralism as a cover for Western exceptional

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell

Borrell stands by as Lavrov calls EU ‘unreliable partner’

Russian, EU top diplomats discussed the observance of human rights during protests in Russia, Europe, and the US as well as the Navalny case at a meeting in Moscow on Friday.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, both Russia’s Sergey Lavrov and EU's Josep Borrell said they had disagreements on a number of topics.
Borrell voiced concern over arrests at protests in Russia and called to free Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny.
-I conveyed to Mr. Lavrov my deep concern over the Navalny case and reiterated my call for Navalny's release and for an impartial investigation into his poisoning- Borrell said.
Asked about possible sanctions against Russia over the Navalny case, Borrell said as of today no EU state made such a suggestion, but the discussion will continue at March's meeting of the EU Council of Ministers.
-My visit to Moscow is part of a preparatory work for the meeting, where we will further discuss our strategy in regard to Russia- he said.
For his part, Lavrov pointed out the EU's "double standards" during protests, saying police in the EU and US act much tougher -- use rubber bullets, tear gas, and physical assault to disperse demonstrations, while in Russia no such means were applied.
-The coverage is biased too. Covering protests in Russia, the Western media shows how police react, but not what provoked such a reaction, while in the West [the media shows] the excesses of the protesters- he said.
As for possible sanctions, Lavrov said Russia considers the EU as an "unreliable partner", which is "more and more resorting to unilateral restrictions that have no legitimate basis."
However, Lavrov said both sides confirmed their interest in maintaining and expanding the channels of dialogue, including on issues where positions differ.
-We noted our readiness to cooperate pragmatically where it is interesting and beneficial for both sides. We have a common opinion that further degradation of relations would result in negative and very unpredictable consequences- the minister said.

<h2>Borrell congratulates Lavrov over development of Sputnik V vaccine</h2>

Borrell congratulated Russia on the Sputnik V vaccine, which recently got a positive report in the international medical magazine Lancet.

-I was pleased to read a report published in the prestigious scientific journal The Lancet regarding the Russian vaccine [Sputnik V] and its high efficacy. I hope that now the European Medicines Agency will be able to certify this vaccine for use in the EU member states. As you know, we have lack of coronavirus vaccine in the EU- he said.

Top Russian, EU diplomats discuss protests, Navalny case in Moscow

Human rights discussion marks EU-Russia meeting

The United Nations supports the rights of survivors to speak publicly, testify and report sexual violence, without fear and condemnation.

Over the past weeks, thousands of women and girls, and some men and boys, across the Western Balkans have shared personal testimonies of rape, sexual violence, harassment, and discrimination through the 'Nisam tražila' ('I did not ask for it') Facebook platform.
-These testimonies have shed light on the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence in homes, educational institutions, and workplaces. We recognize the incredible bravery required to speak publicly. Sexual violence, abuse, and discrimination leave deep scars. Survivors often need years, or even decades, to decide to come forward. The United Nations affirms the right of survivors of rape, sexual violence, harassment, and discrimination to pursue justice- stated the UN. 
They called on the relevant authorities to ensure that those speaking up are protected and accorded the right to report perpetrators regardless of when these crimes occurred. Systemic protection should include support services to survivors, including education, counseling, access to safe houses, and legal aid.
These rights are integral to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s international obligations, as a State Party to the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), and the Council of Europe Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention). 
They also welcome the steps made to change societal norms and narratives on gender relations, as well as the important steps made to harmonize anti-discrimination, gender equality and criminal legislation with international standards. We encourage the full alignment of the legislation on rape and sexual harassment with the Istanbul Convention and the Gender Equality Law.
Furthermore, they recognize ensuring that psychological, legal and institutional support is available to victims of sexual violence and abuse, regardless of when crimes occurred, ensuring the prosecution of alleged perpetrators and that access to professions or institutions that involve contact with children or minors are restricted to those convicted, adequate legal provisions and budgets are in place for the protection of survivors and to support access to justice, remedies and reparations, and support education both in and out of schools to promote positive gender relations and end gender discrimination.
The United Nations supports all survivors and their quest for justice and redress. We are inspired by the courage of those who speak out. We are joining you: “You are not alone”. This is a unique moment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is an opportunity to change the narrative around sexual violence, shift the stigma from the survivors to the perpetrators and secure a safer and more equal environment for future generations, announced the UN.&nbsp;

Over the past weeks, thousands of women and girls, and some men and boys, across the Western Balkans have shared personal testimonies of rape, sexual violence, harassment and discrimination

The United Nations supports all survivors and their quest for justice and redress

UN supports the rights of survivors to speak publicly and report sexual violence

Lawyers of "Dnevni avaz" Almina Pilav and Selma Kafedžić yesterday submitted to the Municipal Court in Sarajevo, the answer of "Avaz" to the temporary security measure imposed by judge Pavle Crnogorac.
By the decision on imposing a temporary measure, "Dnevni Avaz" was forbidden to write about the private life of the President of the Court of B&amp;H, Ranko Debevec.
The lawyer's response stated that "Dnevni avaz" did not write about the private life of the President of the Court of B&amp;H, but about the fact that he abused his high judicial position for private purposes.
Among other things, the response stated that judge Crnogorac did not refer to the FB&amp;H Law on Protection against Defamation in the decision on imposing a temporary measure, which, as a lex specialis, had to be applied in a specific procedure, given that Ranko Debevec filed a defamation and insults in the media lawsuit and that with the proposal for the adoption of a temporary security measure, together with the security measure, he requested that "Dnevni avaz" as a media should be banned from disclosing information to the public. Furthermore, the lawyers referred to the FB&amp;H Law on Protection against Defamation (LPD), which stipulates in Article 10, paragraph 2, that a court measure prohibiting or restricting the presentation or disclosure of a false facts is not allowed before the publication of that statement.
- In Article 10, paragraph 3 of the LPD, a court measure of prohibition is defined as a temporary or permanent court measure prohibiting the transmission or further transmission of the expression of a false facts. As the provision of paragraph 2 of Article 10 defines that a court measure prohibiting or restricting the presentation or dissemination of untrue expressions is not allowed before the publication of that expression, opponents of the proponents consider that such a Proposal for the adoption of a temporary security measure, together with the security measure is inadmissible, in accordance with the cited provisions of the Law on Protection against Defamation.Especially because the court issued a temporary measure prohibiting the future disclosure of information that has not yet been published and for which it cannot know in advance what the contents will be, because only in court proceedings should the "untruthfulness of facts" be established - said lawyer's Pilav and Kafedžić.
Also, lawyers claim that judge Crnogorac did not prove the urgency of the measure (a lawsuit with a motion to impose a measure was filed on Thursday, January 28th, and the decision was made on Monday, February 1st). In the decision itself, the judge did not explain the reasons for urgency, as nor the likelihood that the articles damaged Ranko Debevec's reputation.
According to the proposal for the adoption of a temporary measure, which was accepted by gudge Crnogorac, that the journalists' writing about the abuse of office by Ranko Debevec was an attack on the entire judiciary and that journalists criticized his actions and insulted and violated the dignity of the judiciary as a whole, Avaz's lawyers assessed it as complete nonsense, stating that they have nothing to do with reality. In this way, the journalists of "Dnevni avaz" right to freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Constitution of B&amp;H, the Constitution of FB&amp;H and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms has been violated.
In their response, they stated that the Decision on the temporary measure which was inforced on 1st of February 2021. is illegal and asked the court to cancel it immediately.

In the decision itself, the judge did not explain the reasons for the urgency at all, as well as the probability that the articles damaged the reputation of Ranko Debevec

Avaz's lawyers demanded the immediate lifting of the ban on writing about Ranko Debevec

The head of the EU Delegation and the EU Special Representative in B&amp;H, Johann Sattler, stated today at a press conference in Mostar, after signing a joint statement, that 2021. is the year in which B&amp;H's progress is possible.
He said that it is necessary to use the increased focus that B&amp;H has from the EU and the USA.

- It is time to make progress, whether it is about 14 key priorities from the Opinion of the European Commission on the request of B&amp;H, that is the task of B&amp;H. I will only mention the adoption of three important laws that are before the parliamentarians, namely the law on conflict of interest, the law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and the law on public procurement. Work on these laws must be intensified, Sattler have said.

He also said that the vast majority of B&amp;H citizens, more than 80 percent of them, want the state to become part of the EU, and called on the presidents of parliaments to be the voice of all citizens. Sattler emphasized the importance of the role of parliaments in the process of joining the European Union, but also noted that it was important for the government in Mostar to be formed quickly and for the city to move into a new chapter.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of B&amp;H, Borjana Krišto, thanked all countries and parliaments participating in this project, saying that its goal is to provide assistance, not only technical, but also institutional to all legislative bodies in B&amp;H.

- Through today's plan of activities, we are acquainted with everything that is in the interest of B&amp;H in the process of joining the European Union. I also consider it important that today we signed a joint statement that we will direct the plan of priorities and activities to all parliaments in the country, and that we will approach the obligations and recommendations that we have on the way to the European Union. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is a common goal towards the European Union, joint activities and support, but also certain aggravating circumstances. We need clear steps towards changes to the Election Law, and a strong step on the European path. Last year, we managed to change the provisions of the Election Law that refer to the City of Mostar, but many things are still the same- said Krišto.

I will only mention the adoption of three important laws that are before the parliamentarians, namely the law on conflict of interest, the law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and the law on public procurement, said Sattler

Sattler: It’s time to make progress

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday accused his political opponents of being behind a month of student protests rattling his 18-year rule.

Erdogan has launched daily verbal attacks on the demonstrations as they have grown in size and resulted in hundreds of arrests this week.
Most of those detained have been released but the crackdown has hampered Erdogan's tentative efforts to mend Turkey's relations with Western allies in the face of deep economic problems at home.
The protest movement kicked off when Erdogan decided to appoint a party loyalist as the rector of Istanbul's elite Bogazici University at the start of the year.
But it has since expanded to include support from some leftist political forces and unions.
The LGBT debate was thrust into the centre of the political firestorm when Erdogan lashed out at students for hanging an artwork near the rector's office depicting the movement's rainbow flags at Islam's holiest site Mecca.
Erdogan said rallies that saw dozens detained in Istanbul and other big cities on Thursday were not driven by students but illegal Kurdish militants "up in the mountains" and "some scholars".
-The events at Bogazici are not related to our students there- Erdogan said after attending Friday prayers in Istanbul.
-Politics are leading the way there- he said. -We will not allow the children there to be 'sold' to the terror organisations.-Erdogan's remark on Wednesday saying "there is no such thing" as the LGBT movement in Turkey drew sharp rebukes from the United States and European Union.
Washington said it "strongly condemns the anti-LGBTQIA rhetoric" and Brussels said the "hate speech displayed by high-level officials... is unacceptable".
But Erdogan stood his ground on Friday.
-Don't pay attention to what those lesbians say- he told a group of supporters while promoting traditional family values later in the day.
He added that his Western critics had their own domestic problems to deal with.
-Aren't you ashamed about what happened after the elections?- Erdogan asked in comments addressed to the United States.
And French President Emmanuel "Macron, you cannot resolve the yellow jackets protests," he said in reference to the protest movement in France since late 2018.
-We don't have such problems here- Erdogan said.

The protest movement kicked off when Erdogan decided to appoint a party loyalist as the rector of Istanbul's elite Bogazici University at the start of the year

Turkish police officers detain protesters during a rally in support of Bogazici University students this week

Erdogan says political opponents behind student protests

An initiative to name one of the streets in the Montenegrin city of Berane after convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić is nothing but an insult to all Mladić's victims and to all victims of genocide, said today the B&amp;H Presidency member Željko Komšić in a statement for FENA. 

Komšič also underlined that it would be a slap in the face for all the honest citizens of Montenegro.
-Those who proposed it are no better than the war criminals. It is obvious that the new government in Montenegro is simply competing with the authorities in the smaller B&amp;H entity in glorifying and celebrating genocide and glorifying war criminals.&nbsp;I sincerely hope that the rule of such people in Montenegro would not last because what they are doing does not lead to anything good- Komšić told FENA.&nbsp;

He  also underlined that it would be a slap in the face for all the honest citizens of Montenegro

Komšić: Those who proposed it are no better than the war criminals

Komšić: Naming a street after Ratko Mladić an insult to all victims of genocide

&nbsp;A joint commemorative session of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, the City Council of Sarajevo and municipal councils, as well as a commemorative program and laying flowers at the site of Markale Market marked the Day of Remembrance honoring the killed citizens of Sarajevo during the war from 1992 to 1995 and the 27th anniversary of the murder of our fellow citizens in the massacre at Markale Market.

The anniversary of the massacre, together with representatives of the executive and legislative authorities of the Sarajevo Canton, was marked by numerous delegations of all levels of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina, representatives of the Association of Civilian Victims of War of the SC, Association of Parents of Killed Children of the Besieged Sarajevo 1992-1995, veterans' associations and families, relatives and friends of the killed citizens.
On this day in 1994, a 120 mm mortar shell was fired from the aggressor positions in the area of the village Mrkovići on Markale, killing 67 and injured 142 fellow citizens.
A former member of the wartime Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Professor Mirko Pejanović, spoke about the suffering of Sarajevo residents at the commemorative session, emphasizing that this session is an act of expressing sympathy for the victims of Sarajevo during the siege.
He reminded that the military siege of the city began during March and April 1992 by the forces of the Yugoslav People's Army, which was later renamed the Army of the Republic of Srpska.
-The Greater Serbia state plan had the idea of destroying the state of B&amp;H and carrying out its ethnic division. This project brought violent persecution and mass suffering of the Bosniak people. The realization of such a plan basically had a fascist intention and policy, and that is the destruction of the other and different- said Pejanović.
He pointed out that this policy was managed by extreme Serbian nationalists Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić, who were sentenced to life in prison for crimes against humanity and genocide in Srebrenica.
-The war goal to ethnically divide and destroy B&amp;H has led to a hellish endeavor to prevent the resistance of patriotic democratic forces and to prevent the defense of the entire and internationally recognized B&amp;H by years of siege and shelling of Sarajevo and mass killings of its citizens from the siege lines,” Pejanović emphasized.
Preventing the resistance and defense of the city of Sarajevo, he said, also meant preventing the defense of the entire territory of B&amp;H, because all leading state institutions operate in Sarajevo.
-Interreligious and inter-ethnic tolerance, which has been nurtured in Sarajevo for centuries, has made it a brand of common multinational living with widely known interpersonal and inter-neighborly relations of tolerance. The grenades did not choose on a national basis, the victims of the shelling were all citizens. During the siege of Sarajevo, civilians were killed at 230 locations throughout the city- Pejanović concluded in his address.
During the siege of Sarajevo, 11,541 people were killed, of whom 1,601 were children. More than 61,000 people were injured, of whom 15,000 children.

On this day in 1994, a 120 mm mortar shell was fired from the aggressor positions in the area of the village Mrkovići on Markale, killing 67 and injured 142 fellow citizens

Marking the anniversary of the Markale massacre

Markale are a symbol of remembrance of the murdered citizens of Sarajevo: They were completely innocent ...

After signing a joint statement in Mostar on the Plan of Priorities for Accelerating the European Integration Process, Bakir Izetbegović told reporters that he would "have acup of coffee with HDZ leader Dragan Čović.
- I am very interested in accelerating the European path in the first place. I do not intend to talk about the establishment of government in Mostar, as they say "talk about Mostar in Mostar". So, that's what the people of Mostar should do. The presidents of the two parties should not talk about it, but about accelerating the European path that has been stalled for a year and using this chance that we got by signing this document, make significant strides and catch up with what we missed last year - said Izetbegović .
He said that he would discuss the amendments to the Election Law with Čović at the moment when progress is being made in the formation of the FB&amp;H Government.
- I think it is high time to make progress and that will be the topic of conversation right now over cup of coffee - said Izetbegović.
Asked whether he expects pressure from the international community regarding the formation of the FB&amp;H Government and the appointment of judges of the Constitutional Court, Izetbegović said that it is not possible to talk about changes to the Law and the Constitution without respecting the Constitution and the Law.

I think it is high time to progress, said Izetbegović

From today's signing of the joint statement on the plan of priorities for accelerating the process of European integration

Bakir Izetbegović: Over cup of coffee, I will talk to Čović about the new FB&H Government and the Election Law

Mostar gained legal and legitimate power. A new City Council has been constituted, numbering 35 councilors, from whom the citizens of Mostar expect the solution of long-standing accumulated problems.The new convocation of the City Council includes 13 councilors of the HDZ B&amp;H, 11 councilors of the Coalition for Mostar (SDA, SBB, DF, SB&amp;H, BPS), and six councilors of B&amp;H Block (SDP B&amp;H, 3 councilors from the Croatian Republican Party, and one councilor of the First Mostar Party and the list "Stay here - Together for our Mostar".Candidates for the Mayor are Irma Baralija from B&amp;H Block, Zlatko Guzin from the Coalition for Mostar gathered around the SDA and Mario Kordić from the HDZ B&amp;H.This is a historic session, since the inhabitants of the largest city on the Neretva river have not had legislative power since 2012., after Mostar was left out of the election cycle due to non-implementation of the decision of the B&amp;H Constitutional Court. The last one, let us remind you, was in 2008.
Also, this is the first time that a session of the legislature is held in the City Hall, which has been opened almost nine years ago. Because, the then government, ie Mostar City Council, due to various disputes and, especially, the so-called "monument crisis" case, never held a joint session in that building.

<h2>It is difficult to expect that the people of Mostar will get full authority today</h2>

At the first session, which will be chaired by the oldest councilor until the election of the City Council, Tomislav Primorac (HDZ B&amp;H), it was proposed to verify the mandate of councilors, take and sign the oath, form clubs of constituent peoples, elect president and deputy president of the City Council and elect Mayor.
However, it is difficult to expect that the people of Mostar will get full authority today. Especially when it comes to the election of the mayor, who is elected in Mostar from among the councilors.
Among political actors, for now, there is no agreement on reaching a broader coalition, which will secure a two-thirds majority for the election of the mayor, which is needed in the first two rounds. In the third round, if in the previous two no candidate receives a two-thirds majority, ie, 24 out of 35 councilors, a simple majority of the councilors present is sufficient.

<h2>HDZ B&H will have 13 councilors, "Coalition for Mostar" 11</h2>

Candidates for mayor are Dr. Mario Kordić (HDZ B&amp;H), Dr. Zlatko Guzin (Coalition for Mostar-SDA, SBB, DF, S B&amp;H and DF) and Irma Baralija (B&amp;H Block - SDP and Our party).
As things are at the moment, today's session could possibly end with the first round of voting for the election of the mayor.
By the way, HDZ B&amp;H will have 13 councilors, "Coalition for Mostar" 11, B&amp;H Block six, HRS three and the First Mostar Party and the "Stay Here" list (SNSD-SDS) one councilor each.

Candidates for the Mayor are Irma Baralija from B&H Block, Zlatko Guzin from the Coalition for Mostar gathered around the SDA and Mario Kordić from the HDZ B&H

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News

ALM B&H approves Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine for immunization in B&H

SDA maintains that vote for Mostar mayor must be conducted in public

Southwest France hit by heavy floods, Paris area on flood alert

155 newly infected with coronavirus, 13 people died in B&H

Pope urges prompt release of detained Myanmar leaders

Čerkez: Children aged 6 to 10 do not have to wear masks during classes

Borrell stands by as Lavrov calls EU ‘unreliable partner’

Human rights discussion marks EU-Russia meeting

UN supports the rights of survivors to speak publicly and report sexual violence

Avaz's lawyers demanded the immediate lifting of the ban on writing about Ranko Debevec

Sattler: It’s time to make progress

Erdogan says political opponents behind student protests

Komšić: Naming a street after Ratko Mladić an insult to all victims of genocide

Markale are a symbol of remembrance of the murdered citizens of Sarajevo: They were completely innocent ...

Bakir Izetbegović: Over cup of coffee, I will talk to Čović about the new FB&H Government and the Election Law

Mostar got a new City Council