Informazione
1. Serbia sotto la legge marziale (N. Malic, 27/3/2003)
2. Serbia: Due mesi dopo, tutti contro tutti
ed altri dispacci ANSA sulla situazione politica interna serba
=== 1 ===
(for this text in english see:
http://www.antiwar.com/malic/m032703.html
or
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2418 )
Serbia sotto la legge Marziale
di Nebojsa Malic
27 Marzo 2003
(Traduzione di Alessandro Lattanzio
e-mail: alexlattanzio@...
Sito: http://members.xoom.it/sitoaurora)
Due settimane fa, il Primo Ministro Serbo Zoran
Djindjic è stato ucciso da un cecchino. I suoi
successori hanno immediatamente dichiarato lo "stato
di emergenza" - in effetti, la legge Marziale - di
durata indefinita, e il lancio massiccio di operazioni
di polizia per trovare i sospettati del crimine
dell'assassinio di Djindjic. Djindjic ha avuto dei
funerali di stato e numerosi elogi dalla stampa
occidentale, prima che le notizie della Sua Molto
Democratica Imperiale invasione dell'Iraq mettesse a
lato la Serbia.
Mentre le forze imperiali, fiduciose dopo i
bombardamenti terroristici sulla Serbia nella
sottomissione del 1999, combattono contro una
inaspettata resistenza irachena, i successori di
Djindjic riaffermano il vassallaggio della Serbia, con
l'espulsione di diplomatici iracheni. Mentre a casa,
essi assumono poteri sui propri cittadini, che perfino
l'imperatore invidierebbe.
Una guerra differente
Sotto la leadership del partito di Djindjic, il
compare Zoran Zivkovic, che è stato nominato Primo
Ministro, il 17 marzo, del nuovo governo, lanciò la
"guerra al crimine organizzato."
Con velocità insolita, accusarono della morte di
Djindjic il "clan Zemun",
una organizzazione criminale basata a Belgrado. Subito
la polizia, che non riesce a risolvere un solo caso di
assassinio, degli ultimi due anni, seppe tutto su chi
fosse il colpevole e di cosa. Il 18 marzo, il governo
disse di avere arrestato 750 persone. Due giorni dopo,
il numero giunse a più di 1000, e il 23 era a 2700!
Dal 17 Marzo, le prigioni di Belgrado erano piene, e
gli arrestati venivano spediti altrove.
Sebbene la Serbia sia afflitta dal crimine
organizzato, come tutti i paesi post-Comunisti, vi
sono valide preoccupazioni che l'azione del governo
non sia destinato a distruggere realmente la mafia.
Per esempio, mentre il poco noto " "clan Zemun" sia un
bersaglio, il più famoso "clan Surcin" il cui capo
viaggiava con Djindjic sul suo aereo privato, non è
stato menzionato.
Uno degli aderenti del "clan Zemun", noto come
"Legija," usò un commando della Unità Operazioni
Speciali del Ministero degli Interni. Legija aiutò
Djindjic a prendere il potere nel 2000 e nel 2001 a
arrestare Milosevic. Vi sono indicazioni che si
volesse consegnare Legija all'inquisizione dell'Aja,
poco prima di messere ucciso.
I fatti seguenti meritano una spiegazione. Zivkovic
era ministro degli interni nel governo jugoslavo fino
quando venne dissolto il mese scorso. Djindjic fu
ucciso sotto il suo sguardo, appena nominato! Dusan
Mihajlovic, ministro degli interni ( e quindi con
maggiore responsabilità rispetto a Zivkovic) rimase al
suo posto. La vecchia unità di Legija, I "berretti
rossi" venne sottoposta a Mihajlovic dal 2002. (venne
dissolta due giorni fa, come qualche elemento
filoimperialista suggeriva.)
Vi sono numerose indicazioni che lo stato di emergenza
e la " guerra al crimine" attualmente punti sugli
oppositori del governo in generale. "La guerra è la
salute dello stato" diceva Randolph Bourne. La guerra
dello stato sui problemi sociali serve bene allo
scopo.
Lasciate iniziare le purghe
Grazie allo stato di emergenza, la polizia non ha
bisogno di cercare o di arrestare i ricercati, ma
semplicemente di irrompere nelle case e negli uffici
dei sospetti.
Le proprietà dei sospetti possono essere confiscati o
distrutti, come nel caso della casa del sospettato
leader del "clan Zemun". Con lo stato di emergenza i
sospetti possono essere incarcerati per 30 giorni
senza accuse formali.
Fin quando la Serbia mantenne il sistema giuridico
comunista, tutti i sospetti venivano ritenuti
innocenti fino a prova contraria.
L'assassinio di Djindjic è stato definito, sia dalla
stampa imperialista che dal governo serbo, una
"vendetta del regime di Milosevic". È difficile dire
chi l'abbia detto per primo, tale accusa appare prima
nella stampa usa e poi nelle dichiarazioni ufficiali
serbe. Sarebbe la prima volta che la Serbia apprende i
propri eventi dall'impero. Il 16 Marzo un amico di
Djindjic scrisse un commento per il Washington Post,
accusando apertamente Slobodan Milosevic.
Il Primo Ministro Zivkovic inoltre disse: "gruppi
politicamente affini" e assicurò che avrebbe "ripulito
la Serbia con una spazzola di ferro." Un membro
importante del regime di Djindjic affermò che la
tragica fine del Primo Ministro avrebbe potuto essere
usato per "ispirare" la costruzione di una Serbia
democratica.
Se così è, i leaders della Serbia hanno una strana
concezione della "democrazia." Significa censura? Sì.
Lo stato di emergenza fornisce un controllo totale sui
media, limita le notizie a quelle ufficiali. Ciò, si
suppone, solo per estenderla alle cause dello stato di
emergenza, ma da quando il governo decide su cosa si
applica o non si applica, in pratica significa censura
su tutto. Parecchie pubblicazioni e stazioni TV sono
già state bandite. Un consulente del governo serbo,
posando da giornalista indipendente, tentava di
scusare la censura dichiarando che "tutti coloro che
ne sono interessati, sono soprattutto tabloid
scandalistici, noti per i loro reportage inverosimili,
per l'invasione della privacy e la diffusione di voci
e perfino bugie". Ma ciò descrive parecchi dei media
nei Balcani! Inoltre, nessuna persecuzione non inizia
a colpire soprattutto gli impopolari, dopodiché ci si
rivolge verso gli altri, con il tempo, che non hanno
modo di resistere.
La settimana scorsa, il governo ha ripulito il sistema
giudiziario, creando l'opportunità di "impacchettare"
le corti con i loro supporters. Nenad Canak, un
politico lunatico che appare spesso nella coalizione
del DOS, ha richiesto il bando di alcuni partiti
politici. Vi è, perfino, una "guerra culturale",
scoppiata quando le autorità arrestarono Ceca
Raznatovic, una cantante neo-folk e vedova del leader
della milizia paramilitare Arkan.
Sospettata di legami con il 'clan Zemun,' Raznatovic e
la sua musica sono considerate una "volgare
celebrazione della classe criminale della Serbia,"
come ha detto il famoso Time magazine, l'estate
scorsa. Inoltre, il capo del controspionaggio militare
è stato dimesso, recentemente, dal governo
pro-Djindjic dell'unione di Serbia-Montenegro,
suggerendo che la purga nell'ambiente militare deve
ancora iniziare.
L'uomo sospettato dell'assassinio è stato arrestato
lunedì, ma la polizia non sa dire come "sanno" che è
stato lui a sparare. La Serbia di oggi nelle loro
parole, non può essere messa in discussione.
Falsificare un martire
Sebbene la gente in Serbia in generale sia stata
condizionata a, se non alla fiducia, almeno a obbedire
al governo incondizionatamente, molti vedono lo stato
di emergenza per quello che è: una volgare presa del
potere, usando il corpo di Djindjic come la
proverbiale 'camicia insanguinata'.
L'impero ha trattato, certamente, Djindjic come "un
martire della causa per una Serbia liberale e
democratica " (Tod Lindberg, The Washington Times).
Nelle settimane seguenti la sua morte, The Toronto
Star lo chiamò "un vero patriota', l'IWPR di Londra
lamentò interruzione della strada della Serbia verso
una "piena integrazione Euro-Atlantica " e the New
York Times scrisse che l'impero aveva ragione nelle
sue richieste e Djindjic faceva bene a obbedirgli,
avrebbe dovuto ricevere maggior aiuto nei confronti
dell'opposizione.
Una rara voce di dissenso proviene da Neil Clark del
London Guardian, che ha chiamato Djindjic "Il Quisling
di Belgrado." Dice Clark, "Quando un uomo vende gli
interessi del proprio paese, il suo ex-presidente e i
suoi principali avversari politici, cos'altro avrebbe
venduto? Solo il paese stesso."
E Steven Erlanger del New York Times notò, in un
articolo del 16 marzo, che Djindjic aveva legami con
la mafia che, si può supporre, lo ha ucciso, perfino
anche se ancora dichiara che Djindjic era odiato per
la sua obbedienza, totalmente giustificata, alle
richieste occidentali.
L'IWPR, un ripugnante propalatore dello statismo
transnazionale, dichiarava la legge marziale quale
"opportunità" per potare la Serbia dal crimine
organizzato, con il paravento della cauzione che
potrebbe portare alla dittatura. Il pugno di ferro del
governo è stato, inequivocabilmente appoggiato dalla
Imperiale ICG. The Christian Science Monitor riportava
che il dirigente dell'ICG di Belgrado, James Lyon,
disse "Se possono tenere tale situazione per due
settimane, sono ottimista sul fatto che la morte di
Djindjic sia la scintilla che dia alla Serbia un
futuro democratico."
Tuttavia l'ICG era preoccupato per la possibilità che
la futura Serbia non sia così obbediente e piegata
come Djindjic l'ha resa, e chiedeva all'Impero di non
allentare la sua pressione su Belgrado. Il popolo
della Serbia, certo, non sa nulla di ciò.
Con lo stato di emergenza, la menzione di questo
articolo potrebbe essere vietata...
Nebojsa Malic
(ringraziamo A. Lattanzio per averci fatto pervenire la traduzione. CNJ)
=== 2 ===
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/serbiamontenegro/serbiamontenegro.shtml
SERBIA: DJINDJIC, DUE MESI DOPO TUTTI CONTRO TUTTI
(Di Beatrice Ottaviano) (ANSA) - BELGRADO, 21 MAG - Sono passati poco
piu' di due mesi dall'assassinio, il 12 marzo a Belgrado, del primo
ministro serbo Zoran Djinjdic: e il fronte comune che governo e
istituzioni avevano fatto attorno alla figura e agli ideali del leader
ucciso sta gia' crollando sotto i colpi di feroci polemiche, accuse e
veleni che evocano un clima pre- elettorale. La tregua fra i litigiosi
partitelli che compongono il variegato arcipelago del Dos - la
coalizione promossa a suo tempo da Djindjic - per abbattere il regime
di Slobodan Milosevic, e che tuttora detiene la maggioranza in
parlamento - e' stata infranta dapprima da una battaglia
a colpi di pubbliche dichiarazioni fra un personaggio fino a due mesi
fa considerato come il possibile nuovo uomo forte dell'esecutivo, il
vicepremier serbo Nebojsa Covic, e una emittente privata ritenuta molto
vicina al Partito democratico (Ds) del premier assassinato, la
televisione 'Pink'. Covic ha attaccato il direttore della tv, Zeliko
Mitrovic, accusandolo di aver orchestrato una campagna contro di lui e
sottolineandone l'imbarazzante passato di uomo di regime e membro del
direttivo dello Jul, il partito dei 'comunisti in Mercedes' della ex
first lady jugoslava Mira Markovic. Mitrovic ha replicato ricordando i
trascorsi di Covic nei vari esecutivi di Milosevic e accusando senza
giri di parole il vicepremier di peculato sui fondi statali destinati
al Kosovo. Quella polemica e' trascesa
fino a investire presunti legami di vari membri del governo con la
criminalita' organizzata.
Oggi sono scesi in campo anche la polizia e i servizi segreti (Bia),
che hanno minacciato Covic di querela per una affermazione di questi
sul ruolo avuto dai principali
sospettati per l'uccisione di Djindjic, l'ex capo delle forze speciali
dei servizi Milorad 'Legija' Lukovic e il boss criminale Dusan 'Siptar'
Spasojevic (ucciso in aprile in un conflitto a
fuoco con le forze dell'ordine), nell'arresto di Milosevic, nell'aprile
del 2000. ''E' divertente come assistere a un dibattito sulla salute
fra diabetici - commenta Ivan Andric, leader di 'Alleanza civica'
(Gss), uno dei partiti del Dos finora non coinvolti nella raffica di
accuse e controaccuse - e' surreale vedere quella gente discutere di
questioni morali''. Le polemiche non investono solo il governo e i
partiti della coalizione e non riguardano solo il passato: nei giorni
scorsi il capo delle dogane Vladan Begovic e' stato trasferito a un
diverso incarico (spacciato come piu' prestigioso) dopo che aveva
avallato la denuncia di una gigantesca truffa ai danni dell'Unione
europea sulle esportazioni agevolate di zucchero, nella quale sarebbero
coinvolte secondo la stampa locale aziende vicine al partito del
defunto premier. Il ministro dell'agricoltura Dragan Veselinov - del
quale peraltro i giovani del movimento 'Otpor' chiedono a gran voce le
dimissioni per un'altra controversa vicenda - ha cercato, assieme ai
vertici del governo, di gettare acqua sul fuoco e si e' trincerato
dietro la consueta formula dell' 'indagine in corso', ma lo scandalo si
arricchisce quotidianamente di nuovi particolari.
Altro punto caldo e' la Banca centrale serba, il cui governatore
Mladjan Dinkic e' vicepresidente di un partito sgradito alla
coalizione di maggioranza - che sente minacciati i suoi feudi
elettorali - l'influente ex gruppo di esperti del G17 guidato dall'ex
vicepremier jugoslavo Miroljub Labus. Un misterioso disegno di legge
governativo - confermato dal ministro delle finanze Bozidar Djelic ma
smentito dal premier Zoran Zivkovic - escluderebbe Dinkic dalla rosa
dei candidabili al posto di governatore della Bcs. Ieri sera questi ha
ribattuto in una intervista alla tv di stato Rts accusando ''alcuni
membri dell'attuale governo'' di legami con la criminalita' e
affermando che ''una vera guerra alle cosche non puo' essere portata
avanti da questo esecutivo''. Dinkic sostiene che il polverone attuale
e' dovuto al fatto che ''le elezioni sono vicine e molti piccoli
partiti avranno difficolta' a superare la soglia del 4% necessaria per
entrare in parlamento''. Ma quanto sia vicino il voto, e' altro
argomento di lite: l'opposizione conservatrice che fa capo all'ex
presidente jugoslavo Vojislav Kostunica lo vuole entro quest'anno,
alcuni partiti del Dos parlano della prossima primavera e il partito
del premier Zivkovic insiste nel portare a termine l'attuale
legislatura, che scade nel dicembre 2004. (ANSA). OT 21/05/2003 15:43
SERBIA: SI DIMETTE CONTROVERSO CAPO UFFICIO STAMPA GOVERNO
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 7 LUG - Il controverso capo dell'ufficio stampa del
governo serbo, Vladimir 'Beba' Popovic, si e' dimesso e restera' in
carica solo fino al 15 luglio, in attesa della nomina di un sostituto.
Lo ha detto il primo ministro serbo Zoran Zivkovic, precisando che le
dimissioni sono state accolte dall'esecutivo nella riunione di
venerdi' scorso. Popovic, amico intimo del defunto premier Zoran
Djindjic (assassinato a Belgrado il 12 marzo), si era contraddistinto
per la conflittualita' con la quale aveva condotto i contatti con i
media. Aveva esordito la sua gestione dell'ufficio stampa, durante lo
stato di emergenza seguito all'uccisione di Djindjic, con una violenta
quanto rozza tirata intimidatoria nei confronti di una cronista
televisiva, aveva redatto 'liste nere' di giornalisti a suo dire
coinvolti in complotti antigovernativi, e negli ultimi mesi ha
querelato periodici, quotidiani ed emittenti che lo hanno criticato,
chiedendo risarcimenti astronomici per presunti 'danni morali'.
Fra le tante vittime della suscettibilita' di 'Beba' si annoverano i
media piu' diffusi, come i periodici 'Nin' e 'Vreme', il quotidiano
'Vecernje Novosti', la storica emittente di opposizione 'B-92',
personaggi politici come l'ex presidente jugoslavo Vojislav Kostunica,
organizzazioni non governative come il Centro per i diritti umani.
L'operato del controverso portavoce governativo e' stato piu' volte
censurato dalle locali associazioni dei giornalisti, e ha portato a
plateali dimissioni di protesta in alcune redazioni. La notizia
dell'uscita di scena di 'Beba' (in serbo bimbo) non tranquillizza il
direttore di 'Nin' Slobodan Reljic, il cui nome era in cima ala lista
dei nemici del rissoso addetto stampa: ''L'essenza del problema non e'
il siluramento di un uomo, anche se si chiama Vladimir 'Beba' Popovic.
Dovremmo avere una situazione tale da non rischiare l'ascesa di nuovi
possibili 'Beba'. Nessuno sa come Popovic sia riuscito a restare tanto
a lungo al potere, chi ce lo abbia messo e con quali meccanismi: e'
una situazione inammissibile per un Paese che vuole entrare in
Europa''. (ANSA). OT 07/07/2003 18:52
SERBIA/MONTENEGRO: RILASCIATA VEDOVA COMANDANTE ARKAN, TV
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 15 LUG - La vedova del comandante Arkan, Svetlana
Raznatovic, e' stata rilasciata oggi dopo quattro mesi trascorsi in
carcere a Belgrado. Lo ha dichiarato il suo avvocato alla rete
televisiva B52 aggiungendo che la donna - vedova del famigerato capo
paramilitare serbo Zeljko Raznatovic detto Arkan, sposato nel 1995 -
''e' gia' a casa sua''. Svetlana Raznatovic era stata arrestata il
17 marzo nell'ambito dell'inchiesta sull'omicidio, avvenuto cinque
giorni prima, del primo ministro serbo Zoran Djindjic. In serata
l'agenzia di stampa France Presse ha riferito che pure l'ex capo dei
servizi segreti dell'esercito, generale Aco Tomic, e' stato
scarcerato su ordine della Corte suprema di Serbia. Anche Tomic era
finito in prigione l'8 aprile perche' sospettato di aver partecipato
all'organizzazione dell'attentato a Djindjic. Durante l'inchiesta
per l'assassinio di Djindjic, piu' di 10.000 persone erano state
arrestate e circa 4.000 sono indagate per sospetti legami con il
crimine organizzato e con i responsabili del mortale attentato.
(ANSA). COR-BA 15/07/2003 21:55
SERBIA: ESPONENTI GABINETTO ZIVKOVIC ACCUSATI RICICLAGGIO
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 17 LUG - Documenti che indicherebbero un
coinvolgimento di due consiglieri del primo ministro serbo Zoran
Zivkovic in una indagine sul riciclaggio di denaro sporco sono stati
consegnati questa mattina alla magistratura ed alla stampa dal
Governatore della Banca centrale della Serbia, Mladjan Dinkic.
Secondo l' agenzia Beta, nei documenti resi noti da Dinkic, e che
sarebbero stati redatti dalle autorita' di polizia ungherese, si
afferma che il consigliere di Zivkovic per i servizi segreti, Zoran
Janjusevic, e il suo ex capo di gabinetto, Nemanja Kolesar, sarebbero
sospettati di coinvolgimento nel riciclaggio. Kolesar in giugno e'
stato nominato capo dell' Agenzia per la privatizzazione delle banche
in Serbia. ''Secondo la polizia ungherese - ha detto Dinkic -
il gabinetto di Zivkovic e' implicato nel riciclaggio di denaro''.
Il governatore ha anche aggiunto che il Ministro degli interni, Dusan
Mihajlovic, aveva ricevuto i documenti fin da giugno, ma ''aveva
tentato di nascondere''. Stando al documento, di cui Dinkic ha
presentato una traduzione in serbo, il riciclaggio sarebbe stato
compiuto attraverso due compagnie con sede nelle Seychelles e a
Cipro. (ANSA). COR-MIU 17/07/2003 15:04
UE: SERBIA-MONTENEGRO; PRODI E SOLANA SPINGONO PER RIFORME
(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 22 LUG - L'Alto rappresentate dell'Ue per la
politica estera e di sicurezza comune, Javier Solana, ha indirizzato
oggi un messaggio ''fermo'' al presidente della Serbia-Montenegro,
Svetovar Marovic, invitando i partiti politici a mettere fine alle
dispute sulle riforme in vista. Lo hanno reso noto fonti
comunitarie che hanno preso parte alla riunione che ha avuto luogo
oggi a Bruxelles tra il presidente serbo e il mister Pesc dell'Unione
europea. ''Il messaggio dato sulle lotte intestine tra partiti e'
stato molto forte'' e anche se Solana ha usato un tono piu' leggero,
restano serie preoccupazioni sullo stato del clima politico nel paese,
hanno riferito le fonti. Nel corso della conferenza stampa che ha
fatto seguito all' incontro, Solana ha osservato che ''la situazione
non e' drammatica'', pur indicando che ''sarebbe meglio se ci fosse
piu' consenso in momenti in cui il paese attraversa l' emozione della
morte del suo primo ministro''. Solana si e' anche detto dispiaciuto
per il fatto che il Parlamento nazionale non abbia ancora adottato un
piano d'azione per le riforme in materia di mercato interno e di
commercio. Svetovar Marovic e' stato ricevuto anche dal presidente
della Commissione Ue Romano Prodi che, in un breve incontro stampa, ha
sottolineato di avere ricevuto l'assicurazione ''secondo la quale
esiste un accordo generale sulla strategia di integrazione europea e
sulle riforme necessarie per raggiungere questo obiettivo''. Marovic
ha evocato la data del 2007 e ha detto di contare nella firma, il
prossimo anno, di un accordo di associazione e di stabilizzazione tra
la Ue e la Serbia e il Montenegro. Sulla data del 2007, Prodi e' stato
prudente: ''Abbiamo cominciato un processo e vogliamo portarlo avanti
il piu' rapidamente possibile. Ma questo dipende da una serie di
circostanze''. (ANSA). KRX*OS 22/07/2003 20:14
2. Serbia: Due mesi dopo, tutti contro tutti
ed altri dispacci ANSA sulla situazione politica interna serba
=== 1 ===
(for this text in english see:
http://www.antiwar.com/malic/m032703.html
or
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2418 )
Serbia sotto la legge Marziale
di Nebojsa Malic
27 Marzo 2003
(Traduzione di Alessandro Lattanzio
e-mail: alexlattanzio@...
Sito: http://members.xoom.it/sitoaurora)
Due settimane fa, il Primo Ministro Serbo Zoran
Djindjic è stato ucciso da un cecchino. I suoi
successori hanno immediatamente dichiarato lo "stato
di emergenza" - in effetti, la legge Marziale - di
durata indefinita, e il lancio massiccio di operazioni
di polizia per trovare i sospettati del crimine
dell'assassinio di Djindjic. Djindjic ha avuto dei
funerali di stato e numerosi elogi dalla stampa
occidentale, prima che le notizie della Sua Molto
Democratica Imperiale invasione dell'Iraq mettesse a
lato la Serbia.
Mentre le forze imperiali, fiduciose dopo i
bombardamenti terroristici sulla Serbia nella
sottomissione del 1999, combattono contro una
inaspettata resistenza irachena, i successori di
Djindjic riaffermano il vassallaggio della Serbia, con
l'espulsione di diplomatici iracheni. Mentre a casa,
essi assumono poteri sui propri cittadini, che perfino
l'imperatore invidierebbe.
Una guerra differente
Sotto la leadership del partito di Djindjic, il
compare Zoran Zivkovic, che è stato nominato Primo
Ministro, il 17 marzo, del nuovo governo, lanciò la
"guerra al crimine organizzato."
Con velocità insolita, accusarono della morte di
Djindjic il "clan Zemun",
una organizzazione criminale basata a Belgrado. Subito
la polizia, che non riesce a risolvere un solo caso di
assassinio, degli ultimi due anni, seppe tutto su chi
fosse il colpevole e di cosa. Il 18 marzo, il governo
disse di avere arrestato 750 persone. Due giorni dopo,
il numero giunse a più di 1000, e il 23 era a 2700!
Dal 17 Marzo, le prigioni di Belgrado erano piene, e
gli arrestati venivano spediti altrove.
Sebbene la Serbia sia afflitta dal crimine
organizzato, come tutti i paesi post-Comunisti, vi
sono valide preoccupazioni che l'azione del governo
non sia destinato a distruggere realmente la mafia.
Per esempio, mentre il poco noto " "clan Zemun" sia un
bersaglio, il più famoso "clan Surcin" il cui capo
viaggiava con Djindjic sul suo aereo privato, non è
stato menzionato.
Uno degli aderenti del "clan Zemun", noto come
"Legija," usò un commando della Unità Operazioni
Speciali del Ministero degli Interni. Legija aiutò
Djindjic a prendere il potere nel 2000 e nel 2001 a
arrestare Milosevic. Vi sono indicazioni che si
volesse consegnare Legija all'inquisizione dell'Aja,
poco prima di messere ucciso.
I fatti seguenti meritano una spiegazione. Zivkovic
era ministro degli interni nel governo jugoslavo fino
quando venne dissolto il mese scorso. Djindjic fu
ucciso sotto il suo sguardo, appena nominato! Dusan
Mihajlovic, ministro degli interni ( e quindi con
maggiore responsabilità rispetto a Zivkovic) rimase al
suo posto. La vecchia unità di Legija, I "berretti
rossi" venne sottoposta a Mihajlovic dal 2002. (venne
dissolta due giorni fa, come qualche elemento
filoimperialista suggeriva.)
Vi sono numerose indicazioni che lo stato di emergenza
e la " guerra al crimine" attualmente punti sugli
oppositori del governo in generale. "La guerra è la
salute dello stato" diceva Randolph Bourne. La guerra
dello stato sui problemi sociali serve bene allo
scopo.
Lasciate iniziare le purghe
Grazie allo stato di emergenza, la polizia non ha
bisogno di cercare o di arrestare i ricercati, ma
semplicemente di irrompere nelle case e negli uffici
dei sospetti.
Le proprietà dei sospetti possono essere confiscati o
distrutti, come nel caso della casa del sospettato
leader del "clan Zemun". Con lo stato di emergenza i
sospetti possono essere incarcerati per 30 giorni
senza accuse formali.
Fin quando la Serbia mantenne il sistema giuridico
comunista, tutti i sospetti venivano ritenuti
innocenti fino a prova contraria.
L'assassinio di Djindjic è stato definito, sia dalla
stampa imperialista che dal governo serbo, una
"vendetta del regime di Milosevic". È difficile dire
chi l'abbia detto per primo, tale accusa appare prima
nella stampa usa e poi nelle dichiarazioni ufficiali
serbe. Sarebbe la prima volta che la Serbia apprende i
propri eventi dall'impero. Il 16 Marzo un amico di
Djindjic scrisse un commento per il Washington Post,
accusando apertamente Slobodan Milosevic.
Il Primo Ministro Zivkovic inoltre disse: "gruppi
politicamente affini" e assicurò che avrebbe "ripulito
la Serbia con una spazzola di ferro." Un membro
importante del regime di Djindjic affermò che la
tragica fine del Primo Ministro avrebbe potuto essere
usato per "ispirare" la costruzione di una Serbia
democratica.
Se così è, i leaders della Serbia hanno una strana
concezione della "democrazia." Significa censura? Sì.
Lo stato di emergenza fornisce un controllo totale sui
media, limita le notizie a quelle ufficiali. Ciò, si
suppone, solo per estenderla alle cause dello stato di
emergenza, ma da quando il governo decide su cosa si
applica o non si applica, in pratica significa censura
su tutto. Parecchie pubblicazioni e stazioni TV sono
già state bandite. Un consulente del governo serbo,
posando da giornalista indipendente, tentava di
scusare la censura dichiarando che "tutti coloro che
ne sono interessati, sono soprattutto tabloid
scandalistici, noti per i loro reportage inverosimili,
per l'invasione della privacy e la diffusione di voci
e perfino bugie". Ma ciò descrive parecchi dei media
nei Balcani! Inoltre, nessuna persecuzione non inizia
a colpire soprattutto gli impopolari, dopodiché ci si
rivolge verso gli altri, con il tempo, che non hanno
modo di resistere.
La settimana scorsa, il governo ha ripulito il sistema
giudiziario, creando l'opportunità di "impacchettare"
le corti con i loro supporters. Nenad Canak, un
politico lunatico che appare spesso nella coalizione
del DOS, ha richiesto il bando di alcuni partiti
politici. Vi è, perfino, una "guerra culturale",
scoppiata quando le autorità arrestarono Ceca
Raznatovic, una cantante neo-folk e vedova del leader
della milizia paramilitare Arkan.
Sospettata di legami con il 'clan Zemun,' Raznatovic e
la sua musica sono considerate una "volgare
celebrazione della classe criminale della Serbia,"
come ha detto il famoso Time magazine, l'estate
scorsa. Inoltre, il capo del controspionaggio militare
è stato dimesso, recentemente, dal governo
pro-Djindjic dell'unione di Serbia-Montenegro,
suggerendo che la purga nell'ambiente militare deve
ancora iniziare.
L'uomo sospettato dell'assassinio è stato arrestato
lunedì, ma la polizia non sa dire come "sanno" che è
stato lui a sparare. La Serbia di oggi nelle loro
parole, non può essere messa in discussione.
Falsificare un martire
Sebbene la gente in Serbia in generale sia stata
condizionata a, se non alla fiducia, almeno a obbedire
al governo incondizionatamente, molti vedono lo stato
di emergenza per quello che è: una volgare presa del
potere, usando il corpo di Djindjic come la
proverbiale 'camicia insanguinata'.
L'impero ha trattato, certamente, Djindjic come "un
martire della causa per una Serbia liberale e
democratica " (Tod Lindberg, The Washington Times).
Nelle settimane seguenti la sua morte, The Toronto
Star lo chiamò "un vero patriota', l'IWPR di Londra
lamentò interruzione della strada della Serbia verso
una "piena integrazione Euro-Atlantica " e the New
York Times scrisse che l'impero aveva ragione nelle
sue richieste e Djindjic faceva bene a obbedirgli,
avrebbe dovuto ricevere maggior aiuto nei confronti
dell'opposizione.
Una rara voce di dissenso proviene da Neil Clark del
London Guardian, che ha chiamato Djindjic "Il Quisling
di Belgrado." Dice Clark, "Quando un uomo vende gli
interessi del proprio paese, il suo ex-presidente e i
suoi principali avversari politici, cos'altro avrebbe
venduto? Solo il paese stesso."
E Steven Erlanger del New York Times notò, in un
articolo del 16 marzo, che Djindjic aveva legami con
la mafia che, si può supporre, lo ha ucciso, perfino
anche se ancora dichiara che Djindjic era odiato per
la sua obbedienza, totalmente giustificata, alle
richieste occidentali.
L'IWPR, un ripugnante propalatore dello statismo
transnazionale, dichiarava la legge marziale quale
"opportunità" per potare la Serbia dal crimine
organizzato, con il paravento della cauzione che
potrebbe portare alla dittatura. Il pugno di ferro del
governo è stato, inequivocabilmente appoggiato dalla
Imperiale ICG. The Christian Science Monitor riportava
che il dirigente dell'ICG di Belgrado, James Lyon,
disse "Se possono tenere tale situazione per due
settimane, sono ottimista sul fatto che la morte di
Djindjic sia la scintilla che dia alla Serbia un
futuro democratico."
Tuttavia l'ICG era preoccupato per la possibilità che
la futura Serbia non sia così obbediente e piegata
come Djindjic l'ha resa, e chiedeva all'Impero di non
allentare la sua pressione su Belgrado. Il popolo
della Serbia, certo, non sa nulla di ciò.
Con lo stato di emergenza, la menzione di questo
articolo potrebbe essere vietata...
Nebojsa Malic
(ringraziamo A. Lattanzio per averci fatto pervenire la traduzione. CNJ)
=== 2 ===
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/serbiamontenegro/serbiamontenegro.shtml
SERBIA: DJINDJIC, DUE MESI DOPO TUTTI CONTRO TUTTI
(Di Beatrice Ottaviano) (ANSA) - BELGRADO, 21 MAG - Sono passati poco
piu' di due mesi dall'assassinio, il 12 marzo a Belgrado, del primo
ministro serbo Zoran Djinjdic: e il fronte comune che governo e
istituzioni avevano fatto attorno alla figura e agli ideali del leader
ucciso sta gia' crollando sotto i colpi di feroci polemiche, accuse e
veleni che evocano un clima pre- elettorale. La tregua fra i litigiosi
partitelli che compongono il variegato arcipelago del Dos - la
coalizione promossa a suo tempo da Djindjic - per abbattere il regime
di Slobodan Milosevic, e che tuttora detiene la maggioranza in
parlamento - e' stata infranta dapprima da una battaglia
a colpi di pubbliche dichiarazioni fra un personaggio fino a due mesi
fa considerato come il possibile nuovo uomo forte dell'esecutivo, il
vicepremier serbo Nebojsa Covic, e una emittente privata ritenuta molto
vicina al Partito democratico (Ds) del premier assassinato, la
televisione 'Pink'. Covic ha attaccato il direttore della tv, Zeliko
Mitrovic, accusandolo di aver orchestrato una campagna contro di lui e
sottolineandone l'imbarazzante passato di uomo di regime e membro del
direttivo dello Jul, il partito dei 'comunisti in Mercedes' della ex
first lady jugoslava Mira Markovic. Mitrovic ha replicato ricordando i
trascorsi di Covic nei vari esecutivi di Milosevic e accusando senza
giri di parole il vicepremier di peculato sui fondi statali destinati
al Kosovo. Quella polemica e' trascesa
fino a investire presunti legami di vari membri del governo con la
criminalita' organizzata.
Oggi sono scesi in campo anche la polizia e i servizi segreti (Bia),
che hanno minacciato Covic di querela per una affermazione di questi
sul ruolo avuto dai principali
sospettati per l'uccisione di Djindjic, l'ex capo delle forze speciali
dei servizi Milorad 'Legija' Lukovic e il boss criminale Dusan 'Siptar'
Spasojevic (ucciso in aprile in un conflitto a
fuoco con le forze dell'ordine), nell'arresto di Milosevic, nell'aprile
del 2000. ''E' divertente come assistere a un dibattito sulla salute
fra diabetici - commenta Ivan Andric, leader di 'Alleanza civica'
(Gss), uno dei partiti del Dos finora non coinvolti nella raffica di
accuse e controaccuse - e' surreale vedere quella gente discutere di
questioni morali''. Le polemiche non investono solo il governo e i
partiti della coalizione e non riguardano solo il passato: nei giorni
scorsi il capo delle dogane Vladan Begovic e' stato trasferito a un
diverso incarico (spacciato come piu' prestigioso) dopo che aveva
avallato la denuncia di una gigantesca truffa ai danni dell'Unione
europea sulle esportazioni agevolate di zucchero, nella quale sarebbero
coinvolte secondo la stampa locale aziende vicine al partito del
defunto premier. Il ministro dell'agricoltura Dragan Veselinov - del
quale peraltro i giovani del movimento 'Otpor' chiedono a gran voce le
dimissioni per un'altra controversa vicenda - ha cercato, assieme ai
vertici del governo, di gettare acqua sul fuoco e si e' trincerato
dietro la consueta formula dell' 'indagine in corso', ma lo scandalo si
arricchisce quotidianamente di nuovi particolari.
Altro punto caldo e' la Banca centrale serba, il cui governatore
Mladjan Dinkic e' vicepresidente di un partito sgradito alla
coalizione di maggioranza - che sente minacciati i suoi feudi
elettorali - l'influente ex gruppo di esperti del G17 guidato dall'ex
vicepremier jugoslavo Miroljub Labus. Un misterioso disegno di legge
governativo - confermato dal ministro delle finanze Bozidar Djelic ma
smentito dal premier Zoran Zivkovic - escluderebbe Dinkic dalla rosa
dei candidabili al posto di governatore della Bcs. Ieri sera questi ha
ribattuto in una intervista alla tv di stato Rts accusando ''alcuni
membri dell'attuale governo'' di legami con la criminalita' e
affermando che ''una vera guerra alle cosche non puo' essere portata
avanti da questo esecutivo''. Dinkic sostiene che il polverone attuale
e' dovuto al fatto che ''le elezioni sono vicine e molti piccoli
partiti avranno difficolta' a superare la soglia del 4% necessaria per
entrare in parlamento''. Ma quanto sia vicino il voto, e' altro
argomento di lite: l'opposizione conservatrice che fa capo all'ex
presidente jugoslavo Vojislav Kostunica lo vuole entro quest'anno,
alcuni partiti del Dos parlano della prossima primavera e il partito
del premier Zivkovic insiste nel portare a termine l'attuale
legislatura, che scade nel dicembre 2004. (ANSA). OT 21/05/2003 15:43
SERBIA: SI DIMETTE CONTROVERSO CAPO UFFICIO STAMPA GOVERNO
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 7 LUG - Il controverso capo dell'ufficio stampa del
governo serbo, Vladimir 'Beba' Popovic, si e' dimesso e restera' in
carica solo fino al 15 luglio, in attesa della nomina di un sostituto.
Lo ha detto il primo ministro serbo Zoran Zivkovic, precisando che le
dimissioni sono state accolte dall'esecutivo nella riunione di
venerdi' scorso. Popovic, amico intimo del defunto premier Zoran
Djindjic (assassinato a Belgrado il 12 marzo), si era contraddistinto
per la conflittualita' con la quale aveva condotto i contatti con i
media. Aveva esordito la sua gestione dell'ufficio stampa, durante lo
stato di emergenza seguito all'uccisione di Djindjic, con una violenta
quanto rozza tirata intimidatoria nei confronti di una cronista
televisiva, aveva redatto 'liste nere' di giornalisti a suo dire
coinvolti in complotti antigovernativi, e negli ultimi mesi ha
querelato periodici, quotidiani ed emittenti che lo hanno criticato,
chiedendo risarcimenti astronomici per presunti 'danni morali'.
Fra le tante vittime della suscettibilita' di 'Beba' si annoverano i
media piu' diffusi, come i periodici 'Nin' e 'Vreme', il quotidiano
'Vecernje Novosti', la storica emittente di opposizione 'B-92',
personaggi politici come l'ex presidente jugoslavo Vojislav Kostunica,
organizzazioni non governative come il Centro per i diritti umani.
L'operato del controverso portavoce governativo e' stato piu' volte
censurato dalle locali associazioni dei giornalisti, e ha portato a
plateali dimissioni di protesta in alcune redazioni. La notizia
dell'uscita di scena di 'Beba' (in serbo bimbo) non tranquillizza il
direttore di 'Nin' Slobodan Reljic, il cui nome era in cima ala lista
dei nemici del rissoso addetto stampa: ''L'essenza del problema non e'
il siluramento di un uomo, anche se si chiama Vladimir 'Beba' Popovic.
Dovremmo avere una situazione tale da non rischiare l'ascesa di nuovi
possibili 'Beba'. Nessuno sa come Popovic sia riuscito a restare tanto
a lungo al potere, chi ce lo abbia messo e con quali meccanismi: e'
una situazione inammissibile per un Paese che vuole entrare in
Europa''. (ANSA). OT 07/07/2003 18:52
SERBIA/MONTENEGRO: RILASCIATA VEDOVA COMANDANTE ARKAN, TV
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 15 LUG - La vedova del comandante Arkan, Svetlana
Raznatovic, e' stata rilasciata oggi dopo quattro mesi trascorsi in
carcere a Belgrado. Lo ha dichiarato il suo avvocato alla rete
televisiva B52 aggiungendo che la donna - vedova del famigerato capo
paramilitare serbo Zeljko Raznatovic detto Arkan, sposato nel 1995 -
''e' gia' a casa sua''. Svetlana Raznatovic era stata arrestata il
17 marzo nell'ambito dell'inchiesta sull'omicidio, avvenuto cinque
giorni prima, del primo ministro serbo Zoran Djindjic. In serata
l'agenzia di stampa France Presse ha riferito che pure l'ex capo dei
servizi segreti dell'esercito, generale Aco Tomic, e' stato
scarcerato su ordine della Corte suprema di Serbia. Anche Tomic era
finito in prigione l'8 aprile perche' sospettato di aver partecipato
all'organizzazione dell'attentato a Djindjic. Durante l'inchiesta
per l'assassinio di Djindjic, piu' di 10.000 persone erano state
arrestate e circa 4.000 sono indagate per sospetti legami con il
crimine organizzato e con i responsabili del mortale attentato.
(ANSA). COR-BA 15/07/2003 21:55
SERBIA: ESPONENTI GABINETTO ZIVKOVIC ACCUSATI RICICLAGGIO
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 17 LUG - Documenti che indicherebbero un
coinvolgimento di due consiglieri del primo ministro serbo Zoran
Zivkovic in una indagine sul riciclaggio di denaro sporco sono stati
consegnati questa mattina alla magistratura ed alla stampa dal
Governatore della Banca centrale della Serbia, Mladjan Dinkic.
Secondo l' agenzia Beta, nei documenti resi noti da Dinkic, e che
sarebbero stati redatti dalle autorita' di polizia ungherese, si
afferma che il consigliere di Zivkovic per i servizi segreti, Zoran
Janjusevic, e il suo ex capo di gabinetto, Nemanja Kolesar, sarebbero
sospettati di coinvolgimento nel riciclaggio. Kolesar in giugno e'
stato nominato capo dell' Agenzia per la privatizzazione delle banche
in Serbia. ''Secondo la polizia ungherese - ha detto Dinkic -
il gabinetto di Zivkovic e' implicato nel riciclaggio di denaro''.
Il governatore ha anche aggiunto che il Ministro degli interni, Dusan
Mihajlovic, aveva ricevuto i documenti fin da giugno, ma ''aveva
tentato di nascondere''. Stando al documento, di cui Dinkic ha
presentato una traduzione in serbo, il riciclaggio sarebbe stato
compiuto attraverso due compagnie con sede nelle Seychelles e a
Cipro. (ANSA). COR-MIU 17/07/2003 15:04
UE: SERBIA-MONTENEGRO; PRODI E SOLANA SPINGONO PER RIFORME
(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 22 LUG - L'Alto rappresentate dell'Ue per la
politica estera e di sicurezza comune, Javier Solana, ha indirizzato
oggi un messaggio ''fermo'' al presidente della Serbia-Montenegro,
Svetovar Marovic, invitando i partiti politici a mettere fine alle
dispute sulle riforme in vista. Lo hanno reso noto fonti
comunitarie che hanno preso parte alla riunione che ha avuto luogo
oggi a Bruxelles tra il presidente serbo e il mister Pesc dell'Unione
europea. ''Il messaggio dato sulle lotte intestine tra partiti e'
stato molto forte'' e anche se Solana ha usato un tono piu' leggero,
restano serie preoccupazioni sullo stato del clima politico nel paese,
hanno riferito le fonti. Nel corso della conferenza stampa che ha
fatto seguito all' incontro, Solana ha osservato che ''la situazione
non e' drammatica'', pur indicando che ''sarebbe meglio se ci fosse
piu' consenso in momenti in cui il paese attraversa l' emozione della
morte del suo primo ministro''. Solana si e' anche detto dispiaciuto
per il fatto che il Parlamento nazionale non abbia ancora adottato un
piano d'azione per le riforme in materia di mercato interno e di
commercio. Svetovar Marovic e' stato ricevuto anche dal presidente
della Commissione Ue Romano Prodi che, in un breve incontro stampa, ha
sottolineato di avere ricevuto l'assicurazione ''secondo la quale
esiste un accordo generale sulla strategia di integrazione europea e
sulle riforme necessarie per raggiungere questo obiettivo''. Marovic
ha evocato la data del 2007 e ha detto di contare nella firma, il
prossimo anno, di un accordo di associazione e di stabilizzazione tra
la Ue e la Serbia e il Montenegro. Sulla data del 2007, Prodi e' stato
prudente: ''Abbiamo cominciato un processo e vogliamo portarlo avanti
il piu' rapidamente possibile. Ma questo dipende da una serie di
circostanze''. (ANSA). KRX*OS 22/07/2003 20:14
LE CAMICIE NERE DELLA SERBIA DIVENTANO PARTITO
SERBIAN BROWN SHIRTS TO BECOME A POLITICAL PARTY
(italiano / english)
I rimasugli "Otpor" - l'organizzazione sul libro paga del Dipartimento
di Stato USA (1) protagonista delle spedizioni punitive ai danni di
comunisti, esponenti sindacali e della sinistra serba nel corso della
"rivoluzione" neoliberista belgradese del 2000 - hanno deciso di
compiere un salto di qualita': da picchiatori alle manifestazioni stile
"disobbedienti padovani" a piccolo partito di pressione filoamericana
stile "radicali transnazionali".
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/07/4-SEE/see-310703.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty - July 31, 2003
SERBIAN NGO TO BECOME POLITICAL PARTY
Stanko Lazendic, who heads the Novi Sad branch of the
Otpor (Resistance) Serbian students' movement, said on
30 July that Otpor will officially become a political
party in September, Deutsche Welle's Serbian Service
reported. He charged that the government ignores the
activities and suggestions of the NGOs that want
Serbia to become a democratic state, adding the only
way an NGO like Otpor can put its ideas into practice
is by taking an active part in politics. Otpor played
an important role in the ouster of former Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. PM
---
About the US Dept. of State ongoing financial support to Otpor follow
the links of the following note:
---
NOTA (1)
Da: "Coord. Naz. per la Jugoslavia"
Data: Gio 10 Lug 2003 15:38:06 Europe/Rome
Oggetto: [JUGOINFO] Visnjica broj 287
NERO SU BIANCO I FINANZIAMENTI AD OTPOR
<<...Chiunque abbia frequentato Otpor ha dichiarato che le
enormi spese da essi sostenute nei loro convegni e incontri erano
assolutamente inimmaginabili, nelle condizioni di miseria della
Jugoslavia di allora, senza pensare a sostegni finanziari esterni, e
rappresentavano anzi uno schiaffo in faccia alla poverta' dilagante;
cosi come la debolezza estrema del loro discorso politico e dei
presunti leader lasciava trasparire senza ombra di dubbio l'esistenza
di un manovratore esterno...>>
<<...Per quanto riguarda i finanziamenti ricevuti dalla National
Endowment for Democracy (NED) ... è possibile verificare sul sito della
suddetta organizzazione (direttamente dipendente dal Dipartimento di
Stato degli USA) che Otpor ha ricevuto:
anno 2000 $189,600 + $47,790
http://www.ned.org/grants/00programs/grants-cee.html
anno 2001 $228,000 + $45,085
http://www.ned.org/grants/01programs/grants-cee.html
La NED è "un'organizzazione non governativa che riceve dei fondi
pubblici per portare avanti iniziative democratiche" (non-governmental
organization that receives public funding to carry out democracy
initiatives).
ttp://www.ned.org/about/nedhistory.html
Sempre sulla pagina che fornisce le informazioni riguardo
all'organizzazione si scrive:
"Oggi, la Guerra Fredda è un ricordo lontano, e la promozione della
democrazia è diventato un campo fisso dell'attività internazionale e un
pilastro della politica estera americana." (Today, the Cold War is
almost a distant memory, and democracy promotion has become an
established field of
international activity, and a pillar of American foreign policy.)
http://www.ned.org/about/about.html ...>>
In effetti, la NED nacque negli USA per "sganciare" alcune operazioni
politiche dalla competenza troppo imbarazzante della CIA, rendendole
"scoperte" attraverso una patina di intervento "culturale" ed
"umanitario". Sulla questione dei finanziamenti USA ad Otpor si vedano
anche gli articoli:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1440 (Tute e
guerre, F. Grimaldi)
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/963
("Otpor " ed il "National Endowment for Democracy )
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/593 (Come gli
Stati Uniti hanno creato un'opposizione corrotta in Serbia )
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/517 (Corsi di
formazione per attivisti OTPOR organizzati dalla CIA)
(Estratti dal dibattito in corso sulla lista del Bologna Social Forum:
http://liste.bologna.social-forum.org/wws/arc/forum/2003-06/thrd8.html )
SERBIAN BROWN SHIRTS TO BECOME A POLITICAL PARTY
(italiano / english)
I rimasugli "Otpor" - l'organizzazione sul libro paga del Dipartimento
di Stato USA (1) protagonista delle spedizioni punitive ai danni di
comunisti, esponenti sindacali e della sinistra serba nel corso della
"rivoluzione" neoliberista belgradese del 2000 - hanno deciso di
compiere un salto di qualita': da picchiatori alle manifestazioni stile
"disobbedienti padovani" a piccolo partito di pressione filoamericana
stile "radicali transnazionali".
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/07/4-SEE/see-310703.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty - July 31, 2003
SERBIAN NGO TO BECOME POLITICAL PARTY
Stanko Lazendic, who heads the Novi Sad branch of the
Otpor (Resistance) Serbian students' movement, said on
30 July that Otpor will officially become a political
party in September, Deutsche Welle's Serbian Service
reported. He charged that the government ignores the
activities and suggestions of the NGOs that want
Serbia to become a democratic state, adding the only
way an NGO like Otpor can put its ideas into practice
is by taking an active part in politics. Otpor played
an important role in the ouster of former Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. PM
---
About the US Dept. of State ongoing financial support to Otpor follow
the links of the following note:
---
NOTA (1)
Da: "Coord. Naz. per la Jugoslavia"
Data: Gio 10 Lug 2003 15:38:06 Europe/Rome
Oggetto: [JUGOINFO] Visnjica broj 287
NERO SU BIANCO I FINANZIAMENTI AD OTPOR
<<...Chiunque abbia frequentato Otpor ha dichiarato che le
enormi spese da essi sostenute nei loro convegni e incontri erano
assolutamente inimmaginabili, nelle condizioni di miseria della
Jugoslavia di allora, senza pensare a sostegni finanziari esterni, e
rappresentavano anzi uno schiaffo in faccia alla poverta' dilagante;
cosi come la debolezza estrema del loro discorso politico e dei
presunti leader lasciava trasparire senza ombra di dubbio l'esistenza
di un manovratore esterno...>>
<<...Per quanto riguarda i finanziamenti ricevuti dalla National
Endowment for Democracy (NED) ... è possibile verificare sul sito della
suddetta organizzazione (direttamente dipendente dal Dipartimento di
Stato degli USA) che Otpor ha ricevuto:
anno 2000 $189,600 + $47,790
http://www.ned.org/grants/00programs/grants-cee.html
anno 2001 $228,000 + $45,085
http://www.ned.org/grants/01programs/grants-cee.html
La NED è "un'organizzazione non governativa che riceve dei fondi
pubblici per portare avanti iniziative democratiche" (non-governmental
organization that receives public funding to carry out democracy
initiatives).
ttp://www.ned.org/about/nedhistory.html
Sempre sulla pagina che fornisce le informazioni riguardo
all'organizzazione si scrive:
"Oggi, la Guerra Fredda è un ricordo lontano, e la promozione della
democrazia è diventato un campo fisso dell'attività internazionale e un
pilastro della politica estera americana." (Today, the Cold War is
almost a distant memory, and democracy promotion has become an
established field of
international activity, and a pillar of American foreign policy.)
http://www.ned.org/about/about.html ...>>
In effetti, la NED nacque negli USA per "sganciare" alcune operazioni
politiche dalla competenza troppo imbarazzante della CIA, rendendole
"scoperte" attraverso una patina di intervento "culturale" ed
"umanitario". Sulla questione dei finanziamenti USA ad Otpor si vedano
anche gli articoli:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1440 (Tute e
guerre, F. Grimaldi)
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/963
("Otpor " ed il "National Endowment for Democracy )
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/593 (Come gli
Stati Uniti hanno creato un'opposizione corrotta in Serbia )
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/517 (Corsi di
formazione per attivisti OTPOR organizzati dalla CIA)
(Estratti dal dibattito in corso sulla lista del Bologna Social Forum:
http://liste.bologna.social-forum.org/wws/arc/forum/2003-06/thrd8.html )
From: Vladimir Krsljanin (SLOBODA Belgrade)
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2003
1. Adopted Conclusions of the ICDSM
2. Zyuganov: Freedom for Slobodan Milosevic!
=== 1: Adopted Conclusions of the ICDSM ===
Dear friends,
President Slobodan Milosevic is winning the historical battle for the
truth and against US/NATO/ICTY aggression. He is winning with the true
support of his people. He is winning in spite he is the first and most
important prisoner of the "New World Order", which means the suffering
of millions, new colonization and global tyranny. He is winning in
spite his life is under threat, he is separated from his family, his
wife, son, closest associates are being hunted. In spite his country is
occupied and the puppet regime threatens everyone who supports his
struggle or works for his defense. In spite all those who now try to
use his victory, his honesty and glory, in spite the calculants,
opportunists and alleged friends.
In his victory, like in whole his life and struggle, President
Milosevic is sincere and generous. His main thought is how to reach the
broadest peoples' unity in the struggle for freedom. Like always, he is
ready to accept everyone who is sincerely wishing to contribute to that
struggle.
After the successful Vidovdan demonstration at The Hague, the ICDSM
agreed on important conclusions. All the leading personalities of
ICDSM were free to comment the draft of the conclusions or to send
their remarks about its content until yesterday, July 31, 2003. Many
endorsements and useful comments have reached us, including
full support of the Founder and Co-Chairman of ICDSM professor Velko
Valkanov, and of the Russian Committee led by Alexander Zinoviev.
President Milosevic himself has made several specific remarks and gave
his endorsement to the conclusions, stressing the importance of the
leading role of "Sloboda". All his remarks have been incorporated in
the final text of the conclusions, posted below.
Following, we summarize the main ICDSM Hague meeting conclusions:
1. Main and unifying goal of ICDSM is the release of Slobodan Milosevic
and public promotion of his internationally important struggle
for truth, justice, freedom and national dignity;
2. Agreed concrete public, political and legal actions to fight for a
one-year break of the Hague process;
3. Joint actions to raise urgently needed necessary funds for the
defense (ongoing efforts show first promising results);
4. Coordinated actions with the Serb/Yugoslav Diaspora;
5. Leading and coordinating role of Sloboda in all activities;
6. Support for progress in setting up new national committees in
France, USA, The Netherlands, Canada.
7. The ICDSM has two co-chairmen, Velko Valkanov and Ramsey Clark, a
multitude of vice-chairmen and a Board of members who are mainly
leaders of national branches and of important task forces.
It is obligatory that all ICDSM members work in accordance with these
conclusions. All actions contravening these conclusions can not be made
on behalf or in the function of ICDSM.
Vladimir Krsljanin,
Co-ordinator of the Board of ICDSM,
General Secretary of "Sloboda",
Foreign Relations Assistant to President Slobodan Milosevic
Klaus Hartmann,
Vice-Chairman of ICDSM,
Speaker of the German Section of ICDSM,
Vice-Chairman of the World Union of Freethinkers
---
Following we present the full text of the adopted ICDSM conclusions:
ON THE FUTURE WORK OF ICDSM
This paper contains theResults, Conclusions and Proposalsof a meeting
which was held in Scheveningen, June 28, 2003, beginning at 18:00 hrs,
after the demonstration march and rallies organized in front of the
Hague “Tribunal” and the Scheveningen prison by Serbian organisations
and ICDSM.
Prof. Dr. Velko Valkanov and Klaus Hartmann introduced the meeting,
giving reports about their visit toPresidentSlobodan Milosevic,
providing a basis for the discussion and making proposals for the
future work of ICDSM. These proposals were supplemented by Vladimir
Krsljanin. A discussion paper was submitted by the German Section of
ICDSM.
It was decided that the main results of the meeting should be
summarized and sent to all officials of ICDSM who would be requested to
give their comments. Such comments should reach the sender by July 31,
2003, at latest.
A. The events of the last months have revealed that
there is a need to define some basic principles of co-operation in
ICDSM:
1. Officials of ICDSM work together on the basis of complete
equality and equal rights.
2. Each official of ICDSM has the right to decide on the function
he may be asked to exercise for ICDSM, either to accept it or to refuse
it. He has no right to nominate other officials or to depose them.
3. Public attacks on officials or members of ICDSM are not
permissible and incompatible with a function in ICDSM. Any criticism or
argument may be expressed only internally and directly.
4. Co-operation within ICDSM is based in substance on the following
demands:
- Release of Slobodan Milosevic and public promotion of his
internationally important struggle for truth, justice, freedom and
national dignity
- Abolishment of the illegal ICTY and release of all its
prisoners
- Opposition to NATO aggression against Yugoslavia and Serbian
people, demand for compensation for damage and for criminal
accountability of NATO leaders
- Defence of international law, equality and independence, national
sovereignty and dignity of all countries.
- Opposition to neo-colonialism of the „New World Order“.
Agreement on other issues, such as developments in other countries and
regions or political concepts of society is neither a condition nor a
subject matter of work within ICDSM.
B. The most important future activities:
5. A matter of highest priority is the mobilisation of funds for
the defence. This regards the presently incurred costs as well as the
considerably higher funds, which will be required during the
“half-time” of the defence. The funds shall be collected on a national
basis and shall be put at the immediate disposal of SLOBODA. Different
concrete methods have been proposed and discussed. In order to
co-ordinate these activities it is suggested to form a “financial
committee” or working group. The German Section has offered the
co-operation of its “financial manager” Peter Betscher. Other members
and national branches are requested to make their own proposals of
persons to co-operate in this body.
6. Having in mind the highest importance of the actions against the
worst forms of violation of the human rights of President Milosevic –
in the first place against the threats to his life and health, against
the attacks on his family, need to fight his illegal detention, and as
the most actual: the strongest possible demand for at least one year
long provisional release for recovery and appropriate preparation of
his defense case, – public, political and legal activity of all
national branches is required. At the same time, ICDSM will form a task
force headed by Professor Bernardini to propose and organize legal
actions before the international bodies for human rights protection.
All the lawyers within the ICDSM should give concrete contributions to
the further strengthening of the defense. ICDSM should create
conditions for providing President Milosevic with more permanent legal
assistance in his struggle. As a first step in this direction, the
proposal for
the permanent engagement of Ms.Tiphaine Dickson, attorney from Canada,
has been supported.
7. Each of the national branches should organize appropriate
concrete activities to support the preparation of the defense case such
as: collection of evidence, proposing the appropriate international
witnesses of defense, aiding the works of Sloboda and the future Hague
defense team. Special attention should be paid to the media work and
the public promotion of the results of President Milosevic’s struggle
for the truth and justice at The Hague.
8. The Vidovdan protest events at The Hague have been considered as
successful. Broad participation of Serbs from the Western European
countries has been very important. The content of the speeches and the
high rank of Serbian and international speakers and other participants
have secured the seriousness and strength of the events. The local
organization has been good, accurate and reliable.
The key role of the broad activities of the German branch of ICDSM has
been emphasized and their successful interaction with Serbian groups in
Germany in particular. This experience should be used as a positive
example for the future activities of ICDSM.
Established cooperation of ICDSM with prominent Serbian representatives
and groups from Germany, Great Britain, France, Austria, The
Netherlands and other European countries will continue and further
develop.
Since the whole event produced a positive public and mobilizing effect,
similar actions should be repeated periodically. It has been proposed
that the next protest at The Hague takes place by the end of October
2003.
C. Organizational matters
9. The enhancement of the efficiency of work, being an unquestioned
necessity, should include a reappraisal of the leadership structures,
taking into account the views expressed by president Milosevic about
the efficiency and equality necessary for the successful work if the
ICDSM. The question of the most adequate leadership structures should
not be decided hastily, as this is a matter reserved for discussion by
officials and national branches of the International Committee.
10. The two co-chairmen at the top of the International Committee have
been symbolizing the fact that it originated from the movements in
Europe and the US, which created public tribunals condemning NATO
aggression on Yugoslavia. Besides, the reputation of both co-chairmen
gave positive impact to the prestige of ICDSM. The multitude
vice-chairmen, as originally intended, should be either leaders of
national branches of ICDSM or persons who, by the amount and quality of
their activities give the most important impact in serving our cause in
their respective countries.
11. SLOBODA/Freedom Association, the Yugoslav Section of ICDSM, has to
have the leading function in the Board of the International Committee
as organizer of the immediate defence work and as crucial factor in the
peoples’ struggle for freedom and against the colonial regime in
Belgrade.
- The tasks of a working committee of ICDSM will be given to
SLOBODA. Vladimir Krsljanin, the secretary of SLOBODA, will have the
function of the co-ordinator of the Board of ICDSM
12. Besides the existing co-chairmen and vice-chairmen, the members of
the Board of the International Committee should be chosen mainly among
the spokespersons and co-ordinators of the most active national
branches or sections of ICDSM. The main criteria should be their
capacity to promote the cause of ICDSM in the framework of an
organizational structure at the national level, which should be capable
to make alliances based on the global importance of the struggle of
President Milosevic, including with the Serbian/Yugoslav community.
- The forthcoming establishment of national branches in Great Britain,
France, The Netherlands, Canada and the US is applauded, as well as
planned broadening of the activity of the committee in Italy and the
reported activity of the Irish branch of ICDSM. Vladimir Krsljanin is
charged with the task of co-opting in the Board of ICDSM, after
consultations, a representative of each of the national branches which
are not represented in the Board.
- The request for membership in ICDSM made by the Russian Social
Committee for thedefense of Slobodan Milosevic is granted with
appreciation for their extremely important activities and as a proof of
a wide recognition of the global importance of the struggle of Slobodan
Milosevic, which requires coordination of all organizations and groups
struggling for his release. Vladimir Krsljanin is charged with the
task, to consult with the Russian committee on its adequate
representation and to take care of the follow up.
13. Statements on behalf of ICDSM, if not adopted after consultation of
all Board members, will be made only by the two co-chairmen and the
co-ordinator, while the representatives of the national sections and
branches and other members of the Board will speak only in their own
name. Any change in the composition of the Board can be made only on
the basis of a broad agreement among its members. For this purpose the
co-ordinator consults with the other members of the Board in order to
reach an agreed decision.
---
YOUR HELP
The work for the defense of Slobodan Milosevic totally depends on your
donations.
For more details, see: http://www.sloboda.org.yu/finappeal.htm
Send a check to our address:
SLOBODA
Rajiceva 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, Yugoslavia
or transfer your donation to our account using the instructions at:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/pomocdet.htm
---
SLOBODA urgently needs your donation.
Please find the detailed instructions at:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/pomoc.htm
To join or help this struggle, visit:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/ (Sloboda/Freedom association)
http://www.icdsm.org/ (the international committee to defend Slobodan
Milosevic)
http://www.free-slobo.de/ (German section of ICDSM)
http://www.wpc-in.org/ (world peace council)
http://www.geocities.com/b_antinato/ (Balkan antiNATO center)
=== 2: Zyuganov: Freedom for Slobodan Milosevic! ===
FREEDOM FOR SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC!
Statement of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and of the
Peoples’ Patriotic Union of Russia
The state of health of the most known political prisoner in the world –
former President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan
Milosevic - has again been sharply deteriorated. The illness of
president Milosevic has so much worsened, so that even the unjust
NATO-court has been forced to have a break in its proceedings.
Many times the world public demanded that doctors from Yugoslavia and
other countries would be allowed to see the former head of the Yugoslav
state in prison in order to carry out regular check-ups of his health
and to determine the specialized therapy. The judges of the
NATO-tribunal and Dutch authorities avoid fulfilling their elementary
duties in the most shameful way in relation to the political prisoner
Slobodan Milosevic.
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the Peoples’
Patriotic Union of Russia demand the immediate release of Slobodan
Milosevic from prison.
He has to have the possibility to fully recuperate his health in
Belgrade with the aid of doctors who were treating him for many years.
Slobodan Milosevic also has to have the possibility to prepare for the
second phase of the process, when he will present his evidence against
the false accusations of the NATO “tribunal” at The Hague.
President of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the
Russian Federation
President of the of the Peoples’ Patriotic Union of Russia
Gennadi Zyuganov
Moscow, August 1st, 2003
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2003
1. Adopted Conclusions of the ICDSM
2. Zyuganov: Freedom for Slobodan Milosevic!
=== 1: Adopted Conclusions of the ICDSM ===
Dear friends,
President Slobodan Milosevic is winning the historical battle for the
truth and against US/NATO/ICTY aggression. He is winning with the true
support of his people. He is winning in spite he is the first and most
important prisoner of the "New World Order", which means the suffering
of millions, new colonization and global tyranny. He is winning in
spite his life is under threat, he is separated from his family, his
wife, son, closest associates are being hunted. In spite his country is
occupied and the puppet regime threatens everyone who supports his
struggle or works for his defense. In spite all those who now try to
use his victory, his honesty and glory, in spite the calculants,
opportunists and alleged friends.
In his victory, like in whole his life and struggle, President
Milosevic is sincere and generous. His main thought is how to reach the
broadest peoples' unity in the struggle for freedom. Like always, he is
ready to accept everyone who is sincerely wishing to contribute to that
struggle.
After the successful Vidovdan demonstration at The Hague, the ICDSM
agreed on important conclusions. All the leading personalities of
ICDSM were free to comment the draft of the conclusions or to send
their remarks about its content until yesterday, July 31, 2003. Many
endorsements and useful comments have reached us, including
full support of the Founder and Co-Chairman of ICDSM professor Velko
Valkanov, and of the Russian Committee led by Alexander Zinoviev.
President Milosevic himself has made several specific remarks and gave
his endorsement to the conclusions, stressing the importance of the
leading role of "Sloboda". All his remarks have been incorporated in
the final text of the conclusions, posted below.
Following, we summarize the main ICDSM Hague meeting conclusions:
1. Main and unifying goal of ICDSM is the release of Slobodan Milosevic
and public promotion of his internationally important struggle
for truth, justice, freedom and national dignity;
2. Agreed concrete public, political and legal actions to fight for a
one-year break of the Hague process;
3. Joint actions to raise urgently needed necessary funds for the
defense (ongoing efforts show first promising results);
4. Coordinated actions with the Serb/Yugoslav Diaspora;
5. Leading and coordinating role of Sloboda in all activities;
6. Support for progress in setting up new national committees in
France, USA, The Netherlands, Canada.
7. The ICDSM has two co-chairmen, Velko Valkanov and Ramsey Clark, a
multitude of vice-chairmen and a Board of members who are mainly
leaders of national branches and of important task forces.
It is obligatory that all ICDSM members work in accordance with these
conclusions. All actions contravening these conclusions can not be made
on behalf or in the function of ICDSM.
Vladimir Krsljanin,
Co-ordinator of the Board of ICDSM,
General Secretary of "Sloboda",
Foreign Relations Assistant to President Slobodan Milosevic
Klaus Hartmann,
Vice-Chairman of ICDSM,
Speaker of the German Section of ICDSM,
Vice-Chairman of the World Union of Freethinkers
---
Following we present the full text of the adopted ICDSM conclusions:
ON THE FUTURE WORK OF ICDSM
This paper contains theResults, Conclusions and Proposalsof a meeting
which was held in Scheveningen, June 28, 2003, beginning at 18:00 hrs,
after the demonstration march and rallies organized in front of the
Hague “Tribunal” and the Scheveningen prison by Serbian organisations
and ICDSM.
Prof. Dr. Velko Valkanov and Klaus Hartmann introduced the meeting,
giving reports about their visit toPresidentSlobodan Milosevic,
providing a basis for the discussion and making proposals for the
future work of ICDSM. These proposals were supplemented by Vladimir
Krsljanin. A discussion paper was submitted by the German Section of
ICDSM.
It was decided that the main results of the meeting should be
summarized and sent to all officials of ICDSM who would be requested to
give their comments. Such comments should reach the sender by July 31,
2003, at latest.
A. The events of the last months have revealed that
there is a need to define some basic principles of co-operation in
ICDSM:
1. Officials of ICDSM work together on the basis of complete
equality and equal rights.
2. Each official of ICDSM has the right to decide on the function
he may be asked to exercise for ICDSM, either to accept it or to refuse
it. He has no right to nominate other officials or to depose them.
3. Public attacks on officials or members of ICDSM are not
permissible and incompatible with a function in ICDSM. Any criticism or
argument may be expressed only internally and directly.
4. Co-operation within ICDSM is based in substance on the following
demands:
- Release of Slobodan Milosevic and public promotion of his
internationally important struggle for truth, justice, freedom and
national dignity
- Abolishment of the illegal ICTY and release of all its
prisoners
- Opposition to NATO aggression against Yugoslavia and Serbian
people, demand for compensation for damage and for criminal
accountability of NATO leaders
- Defence of international law, equality and independence, national
sovereignty and dignity of all countries.
- Opposition to neo-colonialism of the „New World Order“.
Agreement on other issues, such as developments in other countries and
regions or political concepts of society is neither a condition nor a
subject matter of work within ICDSM.
B. The most important future activities:
5. A matter of highest priority is the mobilisation of funds for
the defence. This regards the presently incurred costs as well as the
considerably higher funds, which will be required during the
“half-time” of the defence. The funds shall be collected on a national
basis and shall be put at the immediate disposal of SLOBODA. Different
concrete methods have been proposed and discussed. In order to
co-ordinate these activities it is suggested to form a “financial
committee” or working group. The German Section has offered the
co-operation of its “financial manager” Peter Betscher. Other members
and national branches are requested to make their own proposals of
persons to co-operate in this body.
6. Having in mind the highest importance of the actions against the
worst forms of violation of the human rights of President Milosevic –
in the first place against the threats to his life and health, against
the attacks on his family, need to fight his illegal detention, and as
the most actual: the strongest possible demand for at least one year
long provisional release for recovery and appropriate preparation of
his defense case, – public, political and legal activity of all
national branches is required. At the same time, ICDSM will form a task
force headed by Professor Bernardini to propose and organize legal
actions before the international bodies for human rights protection.
All the lawyers within the ICDSM should give concrete contributions to
the further strengthening of the defense. ICDSM should create
conditions for providing President Milosevic with more permanent legal
assistance in his struggle. As a first step in this direction, the
proposal for
the permanent engagement of Ms.Tiphaine Dickson, attorney from Canada,
has been supported.
7. Each of the national branches should organize appropriate
concrete activities to support the preparation of the defense case such
as: collection of evidence, proposing the appropriate international
witnesses of defense, aiding the works of Sloboda and the future Hague
defense team. Special attention should be paid to the media work and
the public promotion of the results of President Milosevic’s struggle
for the truth and justice at The Hague.
8. The Vidovdan protest events at The Hague have been considered as
successful. Broad participation of Serbs from the Western European
countries has been very important. The content of the speeches and the
high rank of Serbian and international speakers and other participants
have secured the seriousness and strength of the events. The local
organization has been good, accurate and reliable.
The key role of the broad activities of the German branch of ICDSM has
been emphasized and their successful interaction with Serbian groups in
Germany in particular. This experience should be used as a positive
example for the future activities of ICDSM.
Established cooperation of ICDSM with prominent Serbian representatives
and groups from Germany, Great Britain, France, Austria, The
Netherlands and other European countries will continue and further
develop.
Since the whole event produced a positive public and mobilizing effect,
similar actions should be repeated periodically. It has been proposed
that the next protest at The Hague takes place by the end of October
2003.
C. Organizational matters
9. The enhancement of the efficiency of work, being an unquestioned
necessity, should include a reappraisal of the leadership structures,
taking into account the views expressed by president Milosevic about
the efficiency and equality necessary for the successful work if the
ICDSM. The question of the most adequate leadership structures should
not be decided hastily, as this is a matter reserved for discussion by
officials and national branches of the International Committee.
10. The two co-chairmen at the top of the International Committee have
been symbolizing the fact that it originated from the movements in
Europe and the US, which created public tribunals condemning NATO
aggression on Yugoslavia. Besides, the reputation of both co-chairmen
gave positive impact to the prestige of ICDSM. The multitude
vice-chairmen, as originally intended, should be either leaders of
national branches of ICDSM or persons who, by the amount and quality of
their activities give the most important impact in serving our cause in
their respective countries.
11. SLOBODA/Freedom Association, the Yugoslav Section of ICDSM, has to
have the leading function in the Board of the International Committee
as organizer of the immediate defence work and as crucial factor in the
peoples’ struggle for freedom and against the colonial regime in
Belgrade.
- The tasks of a working committee of ICDSM will be given to
SLOBODA. Vladimir Krsljanin, the secretary of SLOBODA, will have the
function of the co-ordinator of the Board of ICDSM
12. Besides the existing co-chairmen and vice-chairmen, the members of
the Board of the International Committee should be chosen mainly among
the spokespersons and co-ordinators of the most active national
branches or sections of ICDSM. The main criteria should be their
capacity to promote the cause of ICDSM in the framework of an
organizational structure at the national level, which should be capable
to make alliances based on the global importance of the struggle of
President Milosevic, including with the Serbian/Yugoslav community.
- The forthcoming establishment of national branches in Great Britain,
France, The Netherlands, Canada and the US is applauded, as well as
planned broadening of the activity of the committee in Italy and the
reported activity of the Irish branch of ICDSM. Vladimir Krsljanin is
charged with the task of co-opting in the Board of ICDSM, after
consultations, a representative of each of the national branches which
are not represented in the Board.
- The request for membership in ICDSM made by the Russian Social
Committee for thedefense of Slobodan Milosevic is granted with
appreciation for their extremely important activities and as a proof of
a wide recognition of the global importance of the struggle of Slobodan
Milosevic, which requires coordination of all organizations and groups
struggling for his release. Vladimir Krsljanin is charged with the
task, to consult with the Russian committee on its adequate
representation and to take care of the follow up.
13. Statements on behalf of ICDSM, if not adopted after consultation of
all Board members, will be made only by the two co-chairmen and the
co-ordinator, while the representatives of the national sections and
branches and other members of the Board will speak only in their own
name. Any change in the composition of the Board can be made only on
the basis of a broad agreement among its members. For this purpose the
co-ordinator consults with the other members of the Board in order to
reach an agreed decision.
---
YOUR HELP
The work for the defense of Slobodan Milosevic totally depends on your
donations.
For more details, see: http://www.sloboda.org.yu/finappeal.htm
Send a check to our address:
SLOBODA
Rajiceva 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, Yugoslavia
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To join or help this struggle, visit:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/ (Sloboda/Freedom association)
http://www.icdsm.org/ (the international committee to defend Slobodan
Milosevic)
http://www.free-slobo.de/ (German section of ICDSM)
http://www.wpc-in.org/ (world peace council)
http://www.geocities.com/b_antinato/ (Balkan antiNATO center)
=== 2: Zyuganov: Freedom for Slobodan Milosevic! ===
FREEDOM FOR SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC!
Statement of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and of the
Peoples’ Patriotic Union of Russia
The state of health of the most known political prisoner in the world –
former President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan
Milosevic - has again been sharply deteriorated. The illness of
president Milosevic has so much worsened, so that even the unjust
NATO-court has been forced to have a break in its proceedings.
Many times the world public demanded that doctors from Yugoslavia and
other countries would be allowed to see the former head of the Yugoslav
state in prison in order to carry out regular check-ups of his health
and to determine the specialized therapy. The judges of the
NATO-tribunal and Dutch authorities avoid fulfilling their elementary
duties in the most shameful way in relation to the political prisoner
Slobodan Milosevic.
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the Peoples’
Patriotic Union of Russia demand the immediate release of Slobodan
Milosevic from prison.
He has to have the possibility to fully recuperate his health in
Belgrade with the aid of doctors who were treating him for many years.
Slobodan Milosevic also has to have the possibility to prepare for the
second phase of the process, when he will present his evidence against
the false accusations of the NATO “tribunal” at The Hague.
President of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the
Russian Federation
President of the of the Peoples’ Patriotic Union of Russia
Gennadi Zyuganov
Moscow, August 1st, 2003
Social massacre in Serbia
7.
A) Serbian Regime Passes Sweeping Law To Purge Former
Officials From All Government, Public, Media Positions
B) Last US Sanctions Lifted As Serbia And Montenegro
'Integrate Into International Community'
C) German Businesses To Invest In Serbia
8.
Serbia: Workers' protests held in Nis, Kragujevac
9.
58 COMPANIES IN SERBIA PRIVATIZED IN APRIL; PROPERTY OF PRIVATIZED
ENTERPRISES WILL BE PROTECTED, VLAHOVIC
10.
Free press under fire in Serbia (by David Binder)
11.
Serbia prepares ground for oil privitisation
12.
Financial Times:
A) River traffic falls as users get Danube blues
B) Walk-out at central bank strips Serbia of top economic talent
13.
THREE WAZ [GERMAN] TOP MANAGERS TO HEAD POLITIKA
14. SERBIAN PREMIER VISITS USA:
A. ZIVKOVIC FOR STRONGER TIES BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND BELGRADE
B. POWELL PRAISES SERBIAN, SCG GOVERNMENTS AND BACKS REFORMIST COURSE
C. ZIVKOVIC ON TALKS WITH PIERRE RICHARD PROSPER
D. ZIVKOVIC AND SVILANOVIC MEET CONGRESSMEN IN WASHINGTON
E. US CONGRESS INCREASES AID TO 135 ML DLRS ["AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME"]
F. Zivkovic: Belgrade, Washington Becoming Allies
G. ZIVKOVIC:US SECRETARY OF STATE PROMISED PARTICIPATION OF SERBIAN
COMPANIES IN IRAQ'S RECONSTRUCTION
H. SERBIAN PREMIER: CASE OF FORMER BOSNIAN SERB LEADER [MLADIC] TO BE
CLOSED BY END OF YEAR
I. ZIVKOVIC ALL SMILES AFTER US VISIT
15.
CONTINUING DROUGHT COULD SPELL DISASTER
16. SERBIAN MILITARY PURGES TO ESCALATE:
SCG BEGINS MILITARY SHAKE-UP; Chief of Military Intelligence dismissed;
TADIC: POSSIBLE MILITARY COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL
17.
[Serbia-Montenegro Minister of International Economic Relations Branko]
LUKOVAC SAYS BOTH SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT
=== 7 ===
Da: kiosk
Data: Mar 3 Giu 2003 11:49:30 Europe/Rome
A: anti-imperialiste@...
HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
A) Serbian Regime Passes Sweeping Law To Purge Former
Officials From All Government, Public, Media Positions
B) Last US Sanctions Lifted As Serbia And Montenegro
'Integrate Into International Community'
C) German Businesses To Invest In Serbia
A.
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/06/4-SEE/see-020603.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty- June 2, 2003
SERBIA PASSES SWEEPING LUSTRATION LAW
The Serbian parliament approved a lustration law on 30
May which, if strictly enforced, could prove one of
the toughest measures in postcommunist Europe aimed at
excluding former officials and their supporters from
political power, university life, the security forces,
and the media, RFE/RL reported. PM
B.
http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=40794&LangID=1
Seeurope.net - June 2, 2003
Last US Sanctions Lifted
The latest decision by US President George Bush spells
the official end of US sanctions against Serbia-Montenegro, a US
Treasury representatives said Saturday.
Taylor Gorfin told media that the sanctions had been lifted gradually
and no more now remained.
Bush’s decision to lift national emergency orders
against Belgrade was another positive signal of
support for Serbia-Montenegro’s integration into the
[inter]national community, said Belgrade’s ambassador
to Washington, Ivan Vujicic, reported radio B92.
Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic told Belgrade’s
BK Television that he expected that US Secretary of
State Colin Powell would certify further financial
support for Serbia-Montenegro by June 15.
He described US financial assistance as significant,
but added that it was even more important that the US
now had no further political demands.
C.
http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/news/2003-06/02/329470.html
Serbia Info - June 2, 2003
German businesses to invest in Serbia
Belgrade, June 2, 2003 - Serbian Deputy Minister of
Transport and Telecommunications Miodrag Jocic said
Monday that Germany has announced a €30 million aid
package for Serbia's traffic infrastructure
development. At the opening of a forum gathering
entrepreneurs from Serbia and the North
Rhine-Westphalia province of Germany at Belgrade's
Hotel Hyatt, Jocic said that the aim of the conference
is to attract German investors to invest in Serbia's
transport, energy and mining, construction, and
spatial planning sectors.
Joerg Hennerkes, the Secretary of North
Rhine-Westphalia's Transport Ministry, said that
German businessmen should get as much information as
possible about prospective forms of cooperation in
these fields.
German Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro Kurt
Leonberger said that Serbia has created a stable
political framework for foreign investment.
Another field in which Serbia needs a partner is air
transport. Deputy Minister of Transport and
Telecommunications Dragoljub Trgovcevic said that
cooperation is necessary for the building of a "cargo
centre" at Belgrade Airport.
Trgovcevic stressed that the airport has a very
favourable position which can provide the cheapest and
quickest transport of goods from the east to Europe.
He added that an airport modernisation project has
been prepared, and that total investment amounts to
some million.
Of the total amount, the European Investment Bank and
the Airport have provided million. Trgovcevic said
that tenders have been called for the modernisation of
the two existing passenger terminals, announcing that
the works should begin in February 2004.
=== 8 ===
Subj:[yugoslaviainfo] [Central] Serbia: Workers' protests held in Nis,
Kragujevac
Date:6/19/03 7:19:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:p-tosic
To:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sent from the Internet
[ The word 'Nezavisnost' means 'Independence' in Serbian. Trade union
'Nezavisnost' is one of the largest such organizations of industrial
workers in Serbia. ]
Serbia: Workers' protests held in Nis, Kragujevac
June 18, 2003 7:18pm
site on 18 June
Kragujevac, Nis: Thousands of workers protested today in front of the
town hall in the central Serbian city of Kragujevac. The demonstrators
were demanding dismissal of the Serbian government, full employment and
the establishment of a social dialogue.
Addressing the protesters, the leader of the Alliance of Independent
Unions of Serbia, Milenko Smiljanic, said that Serbia was on its knees
and the workers in the streets, adding that the situation could no
longer be tolerated. "When they ask me what the privatization process
will be like I tell them it will be slow, because many of those taking
part will end up in
jail," said Smiljanic.
The majority of employees from state-owned companies in Kragujevac
joined the demonstration, together with workers from other large
centres in the region.
Thousands of workers also took to the streets in the southern Serbian
city of Nis today, demanding that the Serbian government take steps
"for the salvation of Serbia's workers and economy". The Nezavisnost
Union, which organized the demonstration, has called its members to
rally in Belgrade on
25 June. Union leader Miodrag Randjelovic denied claims that the
demonstration was politically motivated, describing it as a
socio-economic protest. "We will not allow one more worker to be left
without a job or out on the street. We urge the government to come to
its senses," said Randjelovic, warning that the union would call for
the dismissal of the government and extraordinary parliamentary
elections.
Organizers claimed the workers came from more than a dozen towns and
cities throughout Serbia.
Source: Radio B92 text web site, Belgrade, in English 1850 gmt 18 Jun 03
=== 9 ===
58 COMPANIES IN SERBIA PRIVATIZED IN APRIL
BELGRADE, June 18 (Beta) - The director of the Serbian Privatization
Agency, Mirko Cvetkovic, stated on Wednesday that 58 companies were
sold in April, out of the 100 that have been offered for sale.
"Out of the total number of sold companies, two were sold at
tenders, 49 at auctions, and seven on the capital market," Cvetkovic
said at the session of the Serbian Legislature's Privatization
Committee.
He said that 7,214 workers were employed by these companies.
Cvetkovic announced an increase in sales in June, explaining
that 80 auctions have been scheduled, and that the sale of companies
dropped in May because they were busy with closing accounts.
PROPERTY OF PRIVATIZED ENTERPRISES WILL BE PROTECTED, VLAHOVIC
BELGRADE, July 22 (Tanjug) - The Serbian Ministry of
Economy and Privatization, in cooperation with other
ministries, will protect the private property of
privatized enterprises in the same way as it does with
other private companies in view of the fact that the
ownership transformation is aimed at building a more
efficient economy in which private property would
prevail, Minister Aleksandar Vlahovic said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a meeting on the protection of private
property interests in the post-privatization process
at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Vlahovic said that enterprises could not be
restructured of privatized without partnership between
the Privatization Agency, trade union, state and
business associations.
Generally speaking, new owners encounter no problems
when they take over enterprises, although there are
exceptions, Vlahovic said and announced the adoption
of a law on denationalization by the end of the year,
under which original owners of enterprises would
receive financial compensation.
The state has obligations towards the original owners,
rather than the new owners, and the state allocates
five percent of privatization income for financial
compensation, he said.
President of the League for Property Protection
Slavenko Grgurevic said that the key problem lay in
the fact that the minister was urging the protection
of private property after privatization.
Original owners will sue the state and demand the
realization of their rights through the Council of
Europe, i.e. court at Strasbourg, Grgurevic said.
=== 10 ===
http://www.msnbc.com/news/931485.asp
Free press under fire in Serbia
U.S. protests new pressures on media
After the March assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, whose
death was mourned by tens of thousands, Serbia's new government has
targeted the country's independent media.
By David Binder
SPECIAL TO MSNBC
WASHINGTON, June 26 - Little noticed outside the country, the Serbian
government's crackdown on organized crime after the March 12
assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic has included repeated
attacks on the independent press. Newspapers have been closed,
journalists have been fined exorbitantly for alleged libel of
government officials by compliant courts and the media have accused the
government of censorship. The moves have drawn criticism from U.S. and
European officials, apparently to little avail. But that may be
changing.
IN ADDITION, the Serbian government has packed the nine-member state
Broadcasting Agency Council with its supporters including at least one
of questionable origin.
These actions have prompted protests and expressions of concern by U.S.
Ambassador William Montgomery, Ian Willem Blankert of the European
Commission and international press organizations such as the New
York-based Committee to
Protect Journalists. Yet until now, there has been no outcry from the
general public in Serbia.
The chief villain in the eyes of Serbian journalists is Vladimir "Baby"
Popovic, a flamboyant figure who is currently head of the coalition
government's Office of Communications.
Popovic, 44, has had a meteoric career, starting as a "brilliant"
accordion player, according those who know him, and working in Belgrade
as a hotel waiter, a maitre d? and then a budding businessman. His
marketing firm, Spektra, brought him into
contact with Zoran Djindjic and other politicians who helped topple
President Slobodan Milosevic three years ago. He then became the
Belgrade representative of Ogilvy & Mather, the global marketing firm.
He grew wealthy, bought apartments in several countries, collected art
and was reputed to have "outstanding success with women," one Serbian
paper reported. His moniker, "Baby," apparently alludes to his youthful
face.
BACK IN GOVERNMENT
But Djindjic, apparently disturbed by Popovic's continuing business
endeavors as a government employee, got rid of him last October.
Popovic resurfaced in March after the assassination of Djindjic, when
the government declared a national state of emergency, in his former
job. During the 42-day "emergency," in which more than 10,000 citizens
were detained and 4,000 arrested, a series of harsh measures viewed as
hostile to the media were instituted.
Nacional, a sensationalist tabloid, was banned and, three weeks later,
its assets were confiscated. Another newspaper, Identitet, was also
closed down. Heavy fines were imposed on two provincial television
stations, including TV Leskovac. An edition of the weekly Svedok was
confiscated because it carried an interview with Milorad Lukovic
Legija, an organized crime figure on the run after he was accused of
masterminding the plot to murder Djindjic.
STIFF FINES
Lawsuits were filed against journalists of the popular tabloid Vecernje
Novosti and the independent television-radio station B-92. One of
Popovic's libel suits, against Zeljko Cvijanovic, the editor of the
weekly Blic News, was based on an article published 11 months earlier
and resulted in a 50,000 dinar ($900) fine on May 30.
That may seem small, but in a country where the average income is about
$100 a month, it is hefty.
Cvijanovic quit his job, saying "it is impossible to edit Blic News in
line with the principles of free and open journalism."
One prominent journalist, Aleksandar Tijanic, responded by suing
Popovic for libel, charging that he had "linked him to a media pressure
group."
Tijanic declared: "Each and every question which is stifled by force
today will remain open forever."
Popovic's latest suit is against NIN, a respectable and nationally
prominent weekly, for "defamation of character." Filed last week, it
demands 1 million dinars for causing "emotional distress" to the
plaintiff. At issue was a question published by NIN about Popovic's
status as a government employee after Djindjic distanced himself from
Popovic. In April that same question, posed by Gordana Susa, a TV
reporter,
prompted Popovic to call her and threaten her.
At present there are more than 170 libel suits pending in Serbian
courts.
U.S. PRESSURE REBUFFED
According to America diplomats, Montgomery approached Prime Minister
Zoran Zivkovic in April suggesting that Popovic leave his post and was
told it would happen within 10 days. It didn't. Instead Zivkovic
inveighed repeatedly against the Serbian press, accusing journalists of
carrying their complaints to "Western embassies."
In the absence of action on the Popovic situation, Montgomery
ostentatiously visited the editorial offices of NIN on Tuesday to offer
what its journalists interpreted as his support in the defamation case.
The ugliness of the situation has reached the point where some
observers are comparing it to the Milosevic period and even to the
Communist era of Josip Broz Tito. Zivkovic appears to have grasped that.
In an interview this week he declared: "As head of government I don't
want such a battle with the media." Branislav Lecic, his minister of
culture and media, has begun meetings with a group of Serbian editors
to hear their objections to the new
information law and to see if a compromise can be reached.
David Binder has covered the Balkans for four decades.
=== 11 ===
HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=23651&style=headlines
B92 - July 10, 2003
Serbia prepares ground for oil privitisation
BELGRADE -- Wednesday – The Serbian government is to
dismiss tomorrow the acting manager of the national oil company,
apparently smoothing the path to privatization, B92 learnt today from a
government source.
Asked if the information was correct, Serbia’s energy
minister said that her ministry had proposed new
legislation by which the general manager of Serbian
Oil Industries (NIS) would be appointed by the
government, rather than parliament. Kori Udovicki
confirmed that the acting manager could be dismissed
in the event the law gets bogged down in parliament.
Jelica Putnikovic, a journalist with Frankfurt
Serbian-language daily Vesti, said that though
Dimitrije Vukcevic was coming to end of his tenure,
the dismissal coincided with the start of
privatization proceedings. “Obviously they want to
have a man they can cooperate with, since there have
been many unofficial indications that Vukcevic was not
always loyal.”
Vukcevic told B92 he had yet to be informed he is out
of a job. Unofficial sources suggest he will be
replaced by Pavle Vuckovic, the current director of
Energoprojekt.
=== 12 ===
FINANCIAL TIMES (UK)
From: "decani3"
To: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
A. River traffic falls as users get Danube blues
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/
FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1057562528506
River traffic falls as users get Danube blues
By Robert Wright
Published: July 18 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: July 18 2003 5:00
The three barges makean impressive sight as they nose down the Danube
in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, strapped abreast of each other.
The tug pushing them positions itself carefully, then takes its
load past the imposing Petrovaradin citadel and through a gap in a
makeshift pontoon bridge. They race on towards a bend in the river,
pushed by a powerful current.
The barges are as impressive for the surprising confidence they
represent in transport on the Danube as for their size; their decks are
loaded with new cars - the kind of high-value cargo the Danube has
previously struggled to attract.
Yet many other users have given up on freight transport on
Europe's second-longest river. According to the Danube Commission,
which governs many of the river's affairs, only 7 per cent of the
river's carrying capacity is in use, against about 72 per cent for the
Rhine, Europe's busiest river.
Traffic on the river reached its peak at 91m tonnes of cargo in
1987, when most countries on the Danube were part of the Comecon
trading bloc of communist countries. By 1998, the last year for which
full figures are available, the figure was just 30m tonnes, even before
the problems of the Kosovo war.
A visit to Novi Sad, capital of Serbia's northern province of
Vojvodina, shows why the river is still struggling to recover.
A European Union-funded project, which finished on June 16, saw the
river cleared of wreckage and unexploded bombs left over from
destruction of the city's three Danube bridges by Nato forces in the
1999 Kosovo war.
But the pontoon bridge - a floating replacement for one of the
destroyed bridges - is open only three nights a week, soon to rise to
four, and vessels must pay to pass through. A poorly placed temporary
replacement railway bridge also causes problems for some vessels.
On top of that the Serbian government last month started requiring
vessels with high-value cargoes to obtain substantial customs
guarantees before passing through the river's Serbian section.
The decision brought almost a complete halt to cargo shipments on the
river for more than three weeks. It was finally withdrawn later in the
month under strong international pressure.
The affair has added to frustration among the Danube's users after a
series of problems during the 1990s caused by Croatia's war of
independence and international sanctions against Serbia.
The frustration has been exacerbated this year by unusually low water
levels resulting from drought across much of Hungary, Croatia and
Serbia. The river has become impassable at several points.
"People are very concerned about what will happen next," says
Edgar Martin of Danube-research.com, a UK-based consultancy. "People
are worried about what the next tax or customs fee or something will
be."
Nor is there much immediate prospect of an improvement in conditions.
Environmental objections have prevented the dredging of some of the
river's shallowest sections, particularly in Bavaria. In Novi Sad,
meanwhile, Milan Jazic, who handles Danube matters for the city
council, says the city continues to need the pontoon bridge as well as
a makeshift fixed road bridge hastily erected in 2000.
The pontoon bridge will be removed only when the Most Slobode (Freedom
Bridge) - an eight-lane suspension bridge - is reopened. The €40m
($45m, £28m) bridge reconstruction, funded mainly by the European
Union, is due to be finished in December 2004.
But flooding last summer and a cold winter have delayed work,
leaving contractors struggling to meet the deadline.
The car-carrying barges show, however, that the Danube's
substantial cost advantages over rail and road alternatives remain
powerful incentives. The EU-funded clearing of the river at Novi Sad
has also made traffic easier, partly because it has reduced the risk
for vessels' insurers.
More frequent opening of the bridge and a lower fee for passing through
it have helped to stimulate traffic.
Danail Nedialkov, director-general of the Danube Commission's
secretariat, says 2,338 vessels passed through the bridge in the second
quarter of this year, up from 1,607 in the first period and 5,424 in
the whole of last year.
Yet there remains growing frustration on all sides at the slow
pace of improvement.
"It's just not providing a reliable service at the moment," Mr
Martin of Danube-research.com says of the river. "These [problems] need
to be dealt with urgently, then it will provide cheap, environmentally
friendly transport."
B. Walk-out at central bank strips Serbia of top economic talent
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/
FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1057562562347
Walk-out at central bank strips Serbia of top economic talent
By Eric Jansson in Belgrade
Published: July 19 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: July 19 2003 5:00
Serbia's senior central bankers resigned en masse yesterday,
protesting against controversial central bank reforms approved by
parliament.
The resignations of governor Mladjan Dinkic, two of the bank's
three vice-governors and several department chiefs strip Serbia's
leadership of some of its top economic talent.
Radovan Jelasic, one of the resigning vice-governors, said he and Mr
Dinkic would continue working at the bank only until "a regular
handover can be arranged". One vice-governor, Vesna Arsic, retains her
post.
Mr Dinkic and his team are credited with pushing through tough banking
reforms, taming Serbia's once-soaring inflation rate and finding ways
for Serbs to reclaim foreign funds frozen under the former regime of
Slobodan Milosevic.
But they fell foul of Zoran Zivkovic, the prime minister, and
government ministers this year after Mr Dinkic's private think-tank,
G17, converted itself into a political party sometimes critical of
government policy.
Especially tough criticism was reserved for the new reforms
approved yesterday by parliament. Mr Dinkic says that the legislation
undermines the central bank's independence by giving MPs the power to
both nominate and appoint top bank officials. Government officials say
the bank's independence is not threatened.
Ministers say the bill was drafted originally as a matter of
housekeeping, as the central bank is being transformed into a solely
Serbian institution, following the formal dissolution of Yugoslavia
five months ago.
Ministers also say the bank governor deserves credit for carrying out
some of Serbia's most important reforms to date.
But Mr Jelasic says the bank's achievements have provoked
suspicion and jealousy among ministers whose popularity is flagging.
Mr Dinkic had already taken pre-emptive action against his removal by
trying to undermine the government with allegations of corruption among
senior government officials.
Prosecutors demanded this week that he present evidence. Mr Dinkic
replied that it had already been handed to police but was being ignored.
Whatever becomes of Mr Dinkic's allegations, which have been
reported widely in Belgrade's newspapers, rifts between Serbia's
reformers are clearly growing rather than healing since Zoran Djindjic,
the former prime minister, was murdered in March.
=== 13 ===
THREE WAZ TOP MANAGERS TO HEAD POLITIKA
BELGRADE,July 18 (Beta)-WAZ executive director Bodo
Hombach is the new president of the managing board of
the Politika Newspapers & Magazines company, founded
last year by the Belgradebased Politika company and
this German newspaper concern.
Politika GM Mirko Djekic told BETA on July 18 that one
of the WAZ biggest shareholders, Luc Gland, and the
chief financial auditor of the concern, Markus
Bergman, were also appointed members of the Politika
managing board.
According to Djekic, the branches of this joint
ownership company will be opened in Podgorica, Novi
Sad and possibly some other towns in former
Yugoslavia, which will act as headquarters of the
existing, but also of new publications.
The managing board members, in addition to three WAZ
representatives, also include the Komercijalna Banka
chairman and the president of the Politika managing
board Ljubomir Mihajlovic, lawyer Strahinja
Kastratovic and Politika daily GM and editor in chief
Darko Ribnikar.
=== 14 ===
SERBIAN PREMIER VISITS USA:
A. ZIVKOVIC FOR STRONGER TIES BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND BELGRADE
LONDON, July 25 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister
Zoran Zivkovic has said the objective of his visit to
the United States is to deepen political dialogue and
promote cooperation between Washington and Belgrade.
This means there were no numbers, dates, or other such
things that people usually expect from such meetings.
This is the strengthening of political ties between
the two states and the objective is to persuade the
United States that Serbia can be a good partner in the
Balkans, while the other objective is to find a good
ally for all the tribulations in store at the
beginning of the 21st century, the prime minister said
in an interview to BBC Radio.
Asked about the predominant topic during his talks
with Secretary of State Colin Powell and national
security adviser Condoleezza Rice, Zivkovic said it
was their support to reforms and what has been done
through them in the past two and a half years,
especially in the past few months, the fight against
crime, and the state's stand on The Hague
international tribunal.
Talks also covered the participation of Serbian
companies in the reconstruction of Iraq and
possibilities for Serbia's business returning to the
United States, and a contract on normal trade
relations - the bill that has been tied up in the
Senate for quote some time, Zivkovic said.
B. POWELL PRAISES SERBIAN, SCG GOVERNMENTS AND BACKS REFORMIST COURSE
WASHINGTON, July 25 (Tanjug) - United States Secretary
of State Colin Powell has praised Serbian Prime
Minister Zoran Zivkovic and Serbia and Montenegro
Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic for their resolve to
continue implementing political and economic reforms,
and for the support received from citizens following
the March assassination of Serbian prime minister
Zoran Djindjic.
Powell thanked the visiting ranking officials for the
good cooperation with Serbia in fighting terrorism,
and other issues of mutual interest when they were
leaving the State Department late Thursday afternoon
local time.
The talks were an opportunity for the US side to
express its constant support to the democratic reform
processes taking place in Serbia and Montenegro, a
State Department source told Tanjug.
Powell expressed the strong US support to the process
of SCG integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions,
and stressed support to general stability and progress
in that country, the source said.
C. ZIVKOVIC ON TALKS WITH PIERRE RICHARD PROSPER
WASHINGTON, July 24 (Beta) - Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic said on July 24 that U.S. ambassador for war
crimes Pierre Richard Prosper was convinced that
Belgrade authorities were "adequately cooperating"
with the International Criminal Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
"What Prosper said about our cooperation a few weeks
ago has been confirmed. He is convinced that we are
cooperating adequately with the ICTY and that is
true," Zivkovic told BETA in a telephone conversation,
after meeting Prosper in Washington.
Zivkovic is leading a joint delegation comprising
representatives of the Serbian and SerbianMontenegrin
governments.
Zivkovic and Prosper agreed that former Bosnian Serb
army commander Ratko Mladic "is the only indictee
particularly interesting to the ICTY and the U.S." "I
have repeated our opinion that Mladic's arrest is a
technical issue, meaning that if he is on our
territory he will be arrested, if not then there is
nothing we can do," Zivkovic said.
According to Zivkovic, one of the topics of
conversation was also the war crimes tribunal recently
formed in Serbia, which is due to start operating
soon.
The delegation is scheduled to hold talks with U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. president's
national security adviser Condoleezza Rice in the late
evening hours (CET) of July 24.
D. ZIVKOVIC AND SVILANOVIC MEET CONGRESSMEN IN WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, July 25 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister
Zoran Zivkovic and Serbia and Montenegro Foreign
Minister Goran Svilanovic will confer with prominent
congressmen in Washington on Friday, the second day of
their official visit to the United States, and they
will later also meet with editors and reporters of The
Washington Post, and attend a meeting at the Heritage
Foundation.
Zivkovic and Svilanovic first met with Congressman
Rahm Emanuel, the author of a resolution passed by the
House of Representatives paying tribute to recently
assassinated Serbian prime minister Zoran Djindjic.
The resolution said Djindjic was the chief organizer
and strategist of the opposition platform for the
presidential elections in Yugoslavia on Sept 24, 2000,
and the subsequent popular revolt on Oct 5, which led
to the ousting of Slobodan Milosevic and his
subsequent extradition to The Hague tribunal.
Today, the Serbian and SCG delegation will meet with
Congressman Pete Sessions, a great advocate of the
normalization of trade relations between the US and
SCG.
This evening, the delegation will meet with former US
ambassador to Yugoslavia Lawrence Eagleberger.
E. US CONGRESS INCREASES AID FOR SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO TO 135 ML DLRS
WASHINGTON, July 25 (Tanjug) - The United States
Congress House of Representatives has decided to raise
the planned 95 million dollar aid for Serbia to 100
million and the planned 18 million for Montenegro to
35 million, as support to fighting organized crime
there, Tanjug learned on Thursday.
Serbia has to meet certain conditions before receiving
this aid, mostly in connection with cooperation with
The Hague tribunal, ending support to Republika Srpska
and respect of human rights and laws.
The House on Wednesday passed legislature on the
distribution of funds abroad, financing exports, and
similar programs, worth 17 billion dollars, for the
coming fiscal year which begins on Oct 1 and ends on
Sept 30 next year.
F. Zivkovic: Belgrade, Washington Becoming Allies
BELGRADE, July 27 (BETA) - Relations between
Washington and Belgrade are becoming those of two
allies, Serbian Premier Zoran Zivkovic explained on
Saturday, while on a visit to U.S.
At a news conference following a meeting with U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security
Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Zivkovic said he hoped the
U.S. would back Serbia-Montenegro's integration in
European and transatlantic institutions.
Zivkovic added that relations between the two
countries were at a 50-year high. "My goal and that of
my cabinet is to use these good relations in the
temptations that we will face, both at home and in the
region."
He expressed the hope that Serbia-Montenegro would
become a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace this
winter, "late this year or early next year."
In addition, Zivkovic said he expected U.S. support
for the union's European and Euroatlantic integration.
"We will have the U.S. there as an ally. There are
some conditions, some of which have existed for quite
some time -- the extradition of war crimes suspects
charged by the Hague Tribunal -- but given the speed
of the talks and the atmosphere it is clear that they
are not major conditions."
"The political dilemma of whether to arrest and
extradite Mladic does not exist... the only question
is if he is in our territory. By the end of the year
we will either find Mladic, arrest him, and extradite
him to The Hague or we will find a way to prove he is
not in our territory."
Commenting on a U.S. request for a treaty on the
non-extradition of U.S. citizens to the International
Criminal Court, Zivkovic stressed that
Serbia-Montenegro was in a special position.
"On the one hand Serbia-Montenegro is being asked to
extradite its own citizens to the Hague Tribunal, and
on the other we are being asked to sign a
non-extradition treaty with the U.S."
"This is not about choosing between the EU and U.S.,
but an internal issue. We hope that Washington will
understand our predicament," said Zivkovic.
http://www.beta.co.yu/eng/
BETA: Daily News Internet
July 28, 2003
G. ZIVKOVIC:US SECRETARY OF STATE PROMISED PARTICIPATION OF SERBIAN
COMPANIES IN IRAQ'S RECONSTRUCTION
WASHINGTON, Jul 26 (Tanjug) - Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic has said in Washington that he had been
assured by US Secretary of State Colin Powell during
the latter's visit to Belgrade last March that Serbian
companies will be able to take part in Iraq's
reconstruction, and that Powell reiterated this
assurance when he conferred with Zivkovic Thursday.
Zivkovic told the press Friday evening that he had
informed Powell that he would cite this assurance in
his forthcoming talks with representatives of US
companies taking part in Iraq's reconstruction during
his current visit to the US, and that Powell gave his
approval.
Zivkovic said he and his delegation would confer with
executives of the leading US construction company
operating in Iraq on the participation of Serbian
companies in projects in Iraq, as well as on the US
company's participation in infrastructure projects in
Serbia. Zivkovic added he expects US companies to
intensify their presence in Serbia through the
privatization process and new investments in the
coming months.
H. SERBIAN PREMIER: CASE OF FORMER BOSNIAN SERB LEADER TO BE CLOSED BY
END OF YEAR
WASHINGTON, Jul 26 (Tanjug) - Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic has said in Washington that agreement has
been reached with US officials that former Republika
Srpska army commander Ratko Mladic must be arrested by
the end of this year if he is in Serbia, or that proof
must be presented that he is not there.
At a press briefing Friday evening, the second day of
his visit to the US, Zivkovic ruled out the
participation of any third party in a possible arrest
operation, for which modalities are being worked out.
People more important than Mladic have been arrested
in Serbia, and there is therefore no need or legal
possibility of proceeding in a different manner in his
case, Zivkovic said, noting that there is no reliable
evidence at present on Mladic's presence in Serbia's
territory.
Cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal is an
international commitment of Serbia-Montenegro (SCG),
and also a commitment in line with domestic law,
Zivkovic said, adding that arresting all indictees
found in Serbia's territory is only a technical issue.
US OFFICIAL SAYS RESPONSIBILITY FOR ARRESTING FORMER BOSNIAN SERB
COMMANDER LIES WITH SERBIAN GOVERNMENT
WASHINGTON, Jul 25 (Tanjug) - The State Department
ambassador-at-large for War Crimes Issues
Pierre-Richard Prosper told Tanjug Friday that the
greatest responsibility for arresting former Bosnian
Serb army commander Ratko Mladic lies with the Serbian
government.
The US believes that the Serbian government has the
responsibility, as well as technical and human
potentials to search its own territory, Prosper said.
Available information indicate that there is no reason
to believe that Mladic is not in Serbia. Search for
Mladic must be carried out in Serbia, he explained.
Secretary of State Colin Powell and US president's
Advisor for National Security Condoleezza Rice also
made this clear Thursday to Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic and Serbia-Montenegro (SCG) Foreign Minister
Goran Svilanovic, Prosper said.
I. ZIVKOVIC ALL SMILES AFTER US VISIT
NEW YORK,July 30 (B92,VOA)- Serbia's prime minister
has hailed his visit to the US as a sign that good
relations between the two countries have been fully
restored.
"Relations between Serbia and the US are at a very
high level", Zoran Zivkovic told B92 at the end of a
week-long trip to the States. "All talks were between
partners of different size, wealth and power, but not
in terms of how they look on the real situation in
Serbia and the US."
Speaking to Voice of America last night, the premier
said that "after a long time we can now say that, when
we are speaking with an official, we can be certain
that he believes what we are saying, that he shares
our visions and that he is ready to help resolve our
problems".
He dismissed speculation that the Belgrade delegation
had come under pressure regarding the fractious
political situation in Serbia and the worsening plight
of the independent media during discussions with US
officials.
The prime minister said that "exclusively for B92" he
could list the issues not addressed: "They were:
corruption, the situation in the governing coalition,
the Democratic Party and relations between the
government and media. These are the issues that
weren't addressed during these seven days, and that
shouldn't surprise anyone. Those who awaited this
visit with malice and a desire for it to be just
another way of putting pressure on the Serbian
government must be disappointed."
Zivkovic added that he expected Congress to adopt
legislation on the resumption of normal trade
relations with Serbia by early autumn.
=== 15 ===
CONTINUING DROUGHT COULD SPELL DISASTER
BELGRADE,July 28 (Beta)-Andjelka Mihajlov, Serbian
Minister for the Protection of Natural Resources and
the Environment, today announced that river currents
have this month dropped to minimum levels; with the
Danube falling to its absolute minimum at Bezdan,
which was never recorded throughout the entire 20th
century.
Speaking at a joint session of the Serbian
Parliament's Environment Protection Committee and
Agriculture and Water Committee, Mihajlov explained
that annual minimums are not usually reached until
September or October and thus this year's drought
could dramatically worsen if rain does not fall and
adequate measures are not applied.
One such protective measure, according to Mihajlov,
should be the increase in pollution control, as low
water levels contribute to industrial and urban waste
pollution by concentrating poisonous elements.
Srdja Popovic, environmental advisor to PM Zoran
Zivkovic, noted that the extremes of climate, which
caused flooding in Serbia this time last year, are
triggered by global climate changes.
Agriculture Minister Stojan Jeftic said that the state
has already contacted neighboring countries and
requested that accumulated water be re-directed to
rivers flowing through Serbia in an effort to raise
the water level. However, the entire region is
suffering drought and the responses were negative.
The parliamentary committees are to organize urgent
analysis of the worst affected areas before they
re-convene at another joint session in a month's time.
=== 16 ===
Da: Rick Rozoff
Data: Mer 30 Lug 2003 18:20:00 Europe/Rome
Oggetto: US-NATO Orders: Serbian Military Purges To Escalate
[Note: Serbia-Montenegro 'President' Zoran Zivkovic
has just returned from Washington.]
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/07/4-SEE/see-300703.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty - July 30, 2003
SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO BEGINS MILITARY SHAKE-UP
-[Defense Minister] Tadic went on to Jerusalem, where
he began a three-day visit to discuss military
cooperation with Israeli government officials.
Members of Serbia and Montenegro's Supreme Defense
Council agreed in Meljine near Herceg Novi on 29 July
to accept Defense Ministry proposals to sack an
unspecified number of officers, whose names will be
made public "in 10 days' time," RFE/RL's South Slavic
and Albanian Languages Service reported. Belgrade
media suggest that one man on the list is military
intelligence chief General Radoslav Skoric, who was
allegedly sacked for keeping "too close" ties to the
Bosnian Serb military. In related news, Defense
Minister Boris Tadic and Montenegrin Prime Minister
Milo Djukanovic signed an agreement providing for
Montenegrin police to take over control of
Montenegro's borders from the military. Tadic went on
to Jerusalem, where he began a three-day visit to
discuss military cooperation with Israeli government
officials. PM
http://www.makfax.com.mk/news1-a.asp?br=46227
MakFax (Macedonia) - July 30, 2003
SCG: Chief of Military Intelligence dismissed
The Supreme Defense Council of Serbia & Montenegro has
put a number of military chiefs on retirement list,
including the Head of Military Intelligence, Radoslav
Shkoric, said Belgrade’s media.
Sources close to top military officials say Shkoric
was pushing for close co-operation with the Army of
Republika Srpska.
This is a second shift of commanding structures in
military intelligence following the assassination of
Serbia’s PM Zoran Djindjic. The Head of National
Security, General Aca Tomic was replaced and kept in
custody in the aftermath of Djindjic’s assassination.
---
TADIC: POSSIBLE MILITARY COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL
TEL AVIV,July 30 (Beta)-Serbia&Montenegro Defense
Minister Boris Tadic said on July 30 that he had
talked with senior managers of the Izreali military
and aircraft industry about possible modes of
cooperation and that there was a possibility of
reaching an agreement.
Tadic told BETA in a telephone conversation that the
projects included a certain type of automatic rifle
produced by Serbia&Montenegro and unmanned aerial
vehicles.
Tadic said that these vehicles had important software
components, which could be produced in Serbia and
Montenegro. He added that they had also considered the
possibility of modernizing Russianmade helicopters,
which are commonly used in Serbia&Montenegro and the
neighboring countries.
Tadic, who is on a threeday visit to Israel, said that
an expert meeting had been scheduled, to discuss the
possibility of reaching an agreement with the Isreali
aircraft industry on one of these projects.
He said that he had talked with Izreali Prime Minister
Shimon Perez about the peace process in the Middle
East and the Balkans and the solutions that could be
applied in both cases.
=== 17 ===
LUKOVAC SAYS BOTH SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT
PODGORICA, July 29 (Tanjug) - Serbia-Montenegro
Minister of International Economic Relations Branko
Lukovac on Tuesday reiterated that the state union
members would fare better if they were independent
states.
Stressing he believed that Serbia and Montenegro
"should be equal with all other European states,"
Lukovac said that "what has been done with the Action
Plan is an outstanding achievement, freeing us of
barriers that we will build some borders among
ourselves and place new obstacles." "In this document,
we succeeded in including the best values of the EU
members ensuring a free flow of people, goods and
capital, so that we removed fear that this might
affect the mutual relations of Serbia and Montenegro
in any form of their existence, either as a community
or as independent states," Lukovac told Radio Free
Europe. According to him, now that Serbia and
Montenegro have taken European standards and built
good relations and strong ties on the EU model, one
may say that it is senseless for states with full
economic responsibilities not to have their voice and
clear status in the international community. "There is
no reason for international community's fear that good
relations between Serbia and Montenegro may be
jeopardized by a change in their state and legal
status and they will be preserved the best if
everyone's right to decide on oneself is recognized,"
Lukovac said.
7.
A) Serbian Regime Passes Sweeping Law To Purge Former
Officials From All Government, Public, Media Positions
B) Last US Sanctions Lifted As Serbia And Montenegro
'Integrate Into International Community'
C) German Businesses To Invest In Serbia
8.
Serbia: Workers' protests held in Nis, Kragujevac
9.
58 COMPANIES IN SERBIA PRIVATIZED IN APRIL; PROPERTY OF PRIVATIZED
ENTERPRISES WILL BE PROTECTED, VLAHOVIC
10.
Free press under fire in Serbia (by David Binder)
11.
Serbia prepares ground for oil privitisation
12.
Financial Times:
A) River traffic falls as users get Danube blues
B) Walk-out at central bank strips Serbia of top economic talent
13.
THREE WAZ [GERMAN] TOP MANAGERS TO HEAD POLITIKA
14. SERBIAN PREMIER VISITS USA:
A. ZIVKOVIC FOR STRONGER TIES BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND BELGRADE
B. POWELL PRAISES SERBIAN, SCG GOVERNMENTS AND BACKS REFORMIST COURSE
C. ZIVKOVIC ON TALKS WITH PIERRE RICHARD PROSPER
D. ZIVKOVIC AND SVILANOVIC MEET CONGRESSMEN IN WASHINGTON
E. US CONGRESS INCREASES AID TO 135 ML DLRS ["AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME"]
F. Zivkovic: Belgrade, Washington Becoming Allies
G. ZIVKOVIC:US SECRETARY OF STATE PROMISED PARTICIPATION OF SERBIAN
COMPANIES IN IRAQ'S RECONSTRUCTION
H. SERBIAN PREMIER: CASE OF FORMER BOSNIAN SERB LEADER [MLADIC] TO BE
CLOSED BY END OF YEAR
I. ZIVKOVIC ALL SMILES AFTER US VISIT
15.
CONTINUING DROUGHT COULD SPELL DISASTER
16. SERBIAN MILITARY PURGES TO ESCALATE:
SCG BEGINS MILITARY SHAKE-UP; Chief of Military Intelligence dismissed;
TADIC: POSSIBLE MILITARY COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL
17.
[Serbia-Montenegro Minister of International Economic Relations Branko]
LUKOVAC SAYS BOTH SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT
=== 7 ===
Da: kiosk
Data: Mar 3 Giu 2003 11:49:30 Europe/Rome
A: anti-imperialiste@...
HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
A) Serbian Regime Passes Sweeping Law To Purge Former
Officials From All Government, Public, Media Positions
B) Last US Sanctions Lifted As Serbia And Montenegro
'Integrate Into International Community'
C) German Businesses To Invest In Serbia
A.
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/06/4-SEE/see-020603.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty- June 2, 2003
SERBIA PASSES SWEEPING LUSTRATION LAW
The Serbian parliament approved a lustration law on 30
May which, if strictly enforced, could prove one of
the toughest measures in postcommunist Europe aimed at
excluding former officials and their supporters from
political power, university life, the security forces,
and the media, RFE/RL reported. PM
B.
http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=40794&LangID=1
Seeurope.net - June 2, 2003
Last US Sanctions Lifted
The latest decision by US President George Bush spells
the official end of US sanctions against Serbia-Montenegro, a US
Treasury representatives said Saturday.
Taylor Gorfin told media that the sanctions had been lifted gradually
and no more now remained.
Bush’s decision to lift national emergency orders
against Belgrade was another positive signal of
support for Serbia-Montenegro’s integration into the
[inter]national community, said Belgrade’s ambassador
to Washington, Ivan Vujicic, reported radio B92.
Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic told Belgrade’s
BK Television that he expected that US Secretary of
State Colin Powell would certify further financial
support for Serbia-Montenegro by June 15.
He described US financial assistance as significant,
but added that it was even more important that the US
now had no further political demands.
C.
http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/news/2003-06/02/329470.html
Serbia Info - June 2, 2003
German businesses to invest in Serbia
Belgrade, June 2, 2003 - Serbian Deputy Minister of
Transport and Telecommunications Miodrag Jocic said
Monday that Germany has announced a €30 million aid
package for Serbia's traffic infrastructure
development. At the opening of a forum gathering
entrepreneurs from Serbia and the North
Rhine-Westphalia province of Germany at Belgrade's
Hotel Hyatt, Jocic said that the aim of the conference
is to attract German investors to invest in Serbia's
transport, energy and mining, construction, and
spatial planning sectors.
Joerg Hennerkes, the Secretary of North
Rhine-Westphalia's Transport Ministry, said that
German businessmen should get as much information as
possible about prospective forms of cooperation in
these fields.
German Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro Kurt
Leonberger said that Serbia has created a stable
political framework for foreign investment.
Another field in which Serbia needs a partner is air
transport. Deputy Minister of Transport and
Telecommunications Dragoljub Trgovcevic said that
cooperation is necessary for the building of a "cargo
centre" at Belgrade Airport.
Trgovcevic stressed that the airport has a very
favourable position which can provide the cheapest and
quickest transport of goods from the east to Europe.
He added that an airport modernisation project has
been prepared, and that total investment amounts to
some million.
Of the total amount, the European Investment Bank and
the Airport have provided million. Trgovcevic said
that tenders have been called for the modernisation of
the two existing passenger terminals, announcing that
the works should begin in February 2004.
=== 8 ===
Subj:[yugoslaviainfo] [Central] Serbia: Workers' protests held in Nis,
Kragujevac
Date:6/19/03 7:19:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:p-tosic
To:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sent from the Internet
[ The word 'Nezavisnost' means 'Independence' in Serbian. Trade union
'Nezavisnost' is one of the largest such organizations of industrial
workers in Serbia. ]
Serbia: Workers' protests held in Nis, Kragujevac
June 18, 2003 7:18pm
site on 18 June
Kragujevac, Nis: Thousands of workers protested today in front of the
town hall in the central Serbian city of Kragujevac. The demonstrators
were demanding dismissal of the Serbian government, full employment and
the establishment of a social dialogue.
Addressing the protesters, the leader of the Alliance of Independent
Unions of Serbia, Milenko Smiljanic, said that Serbia was on its knees
and the workers in the streets, adding that the situation could no
longer be tolerated. "When they ask me what the privatization process
will be like I tell them it will be slow, because many of those taking
part will end up in
jail," said Smiljanic.
The majority of employees from state-owned companies in Kragujevac
joined the demonstration, together with workers from other large
centres in the region.
Thousands of workers also took to the streets in the southern Serbian
city of Nis today, demanding that the Serbian government take steps
"for the salvation of Serbia's workers and economy". The Nezavisnost
Union, which organized the demonstration, has called its members to
rally in Belgrade on
25 June. Union leader Miodrag Randjelovic denied claims that the
demonstration was politically motivated, describing it as a
socio-economic protest. "We will not allow one more worker to be left
without a job or out on the street. We urge the government to come to
its senses," said Randjelovic, warning that the union would call for
the dismissal of the government and extraordinary parliamentary
elections.
Organizers claimed the workers came from more than a dozen towns and
cities throughout Serbia.
Source: Radio B92 text web site, Belgrade, in English 1850 gmt 18 Jun 03
=== 9 ===
58 COMPANIES IN SERBIA PRIVATIZED IN APRIL
BELGRADE, June 18 (Beta) - The director of the Serbian Privatization
Agency, Mirko Cvetkovic, stated on Wednesday that 58 companies were
sold in April, out of the 100 that have been offered for sale.
"Out of the total number of sold companies, two were sold at
tenders, 49 at auctions, and seven on the capital market," Cvetkovic
said at the session of the Serbian Legislature's Privatization
Committee.
He said that 7,214 workers were employed by these companies.
Cvetkovic announced an increase in sales in June, explaining
that 80 auctions have been scheduled, and that the sale of companies
dropped in May because they were busy with closing accounts.
PROPERTY OF PRIVATIZED ENTERPRISES WILL BE PROTECTED, VLAHOVIC
BELGRADE, July 22 (Tanjug) - The Serbian Ministry of
Economy and Privatization, in cooperation with other
ministries, will protect the private property of
privatized enterprises in the same way as it does with
other private companies in view of the fact that the
ownership transformation is aimed at building a more
efficient economy in which private property would
prevail, Minister Aleksandar Vlahovic said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a meeting on the protection of private
property interests in the post-privatization process
at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Vlahovic said that enterprises could not be
restructured of privatized without partnership between
the Privatization Agency, trade union, state and
business associations.
Generally speaking, new owners encounter no problems
when they take over enterprises, although there are
exceptions, Vlahovic said and announced the adoption
of a law on denationalization by the end of the year,
under which original owners of enterprises would
receive financial compensation.
The state has obligations towards the original owners,
rather than the new owners, and the state allocates
five percent of privatization income for financial
compensation, he said.
President of the League for Property Protection
Slavenko Grgurevic said that the key problem lay in
the fact that the minister was urging the protection
of private property after privatization.
Original owners will sue the state and demand the
realization of their rights through the Council of
Europe, i.e. court at Strasbourg, Grgurevic said.
=== 10 ===
http://www.msnbc.com/news/931485.asp
Free press under fire in Serbia
U.S. protests new pressures on media
After the March assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, whose
death was mourned by tens of thousands, Serbia's new government has
targeted the country's independent media.
By David Binder
SPECIAL TO MSNBC
WASHINGTON, June 26 - Little noticed outside the country, the Serbian
government's crackdown on organized crime after the March 12
assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic has included repeated
attacks on the independent press. Newspapers have been closed,
journalists have been fined exorbitantly for alleged libel of
government officials by compliant courts and the media have accused the
government of censorship. The moves have drawn criticism from U.S. and
European officials, apparently to little avail. But that may be
changing.
IN ADDITION, the Serbian government has packed the nine-member state
Broadcasting Agency Council with its supporters including at least one
of questionable origin.
These actions have prompted protests and expressions of concern by U.S.
Ambassador William Montgomery, Ian Willem Blankert of the European
Commission and international press organizations such as the New
York-based Committee to
Protect Journalists. Yet until now, there has been no outcry from the
general public in Serbia.
The chief villain in the eyes of Serbian journalists is Vladimir "Baby"
Popovic, a flamboyant figure who is currently head of the coalition
government's Office of Communications.
Popovic, 44, has had a meteoric career, starting as a "brilliant"
accordion player, according those who know him, and working in Belgrade
as a hotel waiter, a maitre d? and then a budding businessman. His
marketing firm, Spektra, brought him into
contact with Zoran Djindjic and other politicians who helped topple
President Slobodan Milosevic three years ago. He then became the
Belgrade representative of Ogilvy & Mather, the global marketing firm.
He grew wealthy, bought apartments in several countries, collected art
and was reputed to have "outstanding success with women," one Serbian
paper reported. His moniker, "Baby," apparently alludes to his youthful
face.
BACK IN GOVERNMENT
But Djindjic, apparently disturbed by Popovic's continuing business
endeavors as a government employee, got rid of him last October.
Popovic resurfaced in March after the assassination of Djindjic, when
the government declared a national state of emergency, in his former
job. During the 42-day "emergency," in which more than 10,000 citizens
were detained and 4,000 arrested, a series of harsh measures viewed as
hostile to the media were instituted.
Nacional, a sensationalist tabloid, was banned and, three weeks later,
its assets were confiscated. Another newspaper, Identitet, was also
closed down. Heavy fines were imposed on two provincial television
stations, including TV Leskovac. An edition of the weekly Svedok was
confiscated because it carried an interview with Milorad Lukovic
Legija, an organized crime figure on the run after he was accused of
masterminding the plot to murder Djindjic.
STIFF FINES
Lawsuits were filed against journalists of the popular tabloid Vecernje
Novosti and the independent television-radio station B-92. One of
Popovic's libel suits, against Zeljko Cvijanovic, the editor of the
weekly Blic News, was based on an article published 11 months earlier
and resulted in a 50,000 dinar ($900) fine on May 30.
That may seem small, but in a country where the average income is about
$100 a month, it is hefty.
Cvijanovic quit his job, saying "it is impossible to edit Blic News in
line with the principles of free and open journalism."
One prominent journalist, Aleksandar Tijanic, responded by suing
Popovic for libel, charging that he had "linked him to a media pressure
group."
Tijanic declared: "Each and every question which is stifled by force
today will remain open forever."
Popovic's latest suit is against NIN, a respectable and nationally
prominent weekly, for "defamation of character." Filed last week, it
demands 1 million dinars for causing "emotional distress" to the
plaintiff. At issue was a question published by NIN about Popovic's
status as a government employee after Djindjic distanced himself from
Popovic. In April that same question, posed by Gordana Susa, a TV
reporter,
prompted Popovic to call her and threaten her.
At present there are more than 170 libel suits pending in Serbian
courts.
U.S. PRESSURE REBUFFED
According to America diplomats, Montgomery approached Prime Minister
Zoran Zivkovic in April suggesting that Popovic leave his post and was
told it would happen within 10 days. It didn't. Instead Zivkovic
inveighed repeatedly against the Serbian press, accusing journalists of
carrying their complaints to "Western embassies."
In the absence of action on the Popovic situation, Montgomery
ostentatiously visited the editorial offices of NIN on Tuesday to offer
what its journalists interpreted as his support in the defamation case.
The ugliness of the situation has reached the point where some
observers are comparing it to the Milosevic period and even to the
Communist era of Josip Broz Tito. Zivkovic appears to have grasped that.
In an interview this week he declared: "As head of government I don't
want such a battle with the media." Branislav Lecic, his minister of
culture and media, has begun meetings with a group of Serbian editors
to hear their objections to the new
information law and to see if a compromise can be reached.
David Binder has covered the Balkans for four decades.
=== 11 ===
HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=23651&style=headlines
B92 - July 10, 2003
Serbia prepares ground for oil privitisation
BELGRADE -- Wednesday – The Serbian government is to
dismiss tomorrow the acting manager of the national oil company,
apparently smoothing the path to privatization, B92 learnt today from a
government source.
Asked if the information was correct, Serbia’s energy
minister said that her ministry had proposed new
legislation by which the general manager of Serbian
Oil Industries (NIS) would be appointed by the
government, rather than parliament. Kori Udovicki
confirmed that the acting manager could be dismissed
in the event the law gets bogged down in parliament.
Jelica Putnikovic, a journalist with Frankfurt
Serbian-language daily Vesti, said that though
Dimitrije Vukcevic was coming to end of his tenure,
the dismissal coincided with the start of
privatization proceedings. “Obviously they want to
have a man they can cooperate with, since there have
been many unofficial indications that Vukcevic was not
always loyal.”
Vukcevic told B92 he had yet to be informed he is out
of a job. Unofficial sources suggest he will be
replaced by Pavle Vuckovic, the current director of
Energoprojekt.
=== 12 ===
FINANCIAL TIMES (UK)
From: "decani3"
To: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
A. River traffic falls as users get Danube blues
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/
FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1057562528506
River traffic falls as users get Danube blues
By Robert Wright
Published: July 18 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: July 18 2003 5:00
The three barges makean impressive sight as they nose down the Danube
in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, strapped abreast of each other.
The tug pushing them positions itself carefully, then takes its
load past the imposing Petrovaradin citadel and through a gap in a
makeshift pontoon bridge. They race on towards a bend in the river,
pushed by a powerful current.
The barges are as impressive for the surprising confidence they
represent in transport on the Danube as for their size; their decks are
loaded with new cars - the kind of high-value cargo the Danube has
previously struggled to attract.
Yet many other users have given up on freight transport on
Europe's second-longest river. According to the Danube Commission,
which governs many of the river's affairs, only 7 per cent of the
river's carrying capacity is in use, against about 72 per cent for the
Rhine, Europe's busiest river.
Traffic on the river reached its peak at 91m tonnes of cargo in
1987, when most countries on the Danube were part of the Comecon
trading bloc of communist countries. By 1998, the last year for which
full figures are available, the figure was just 30m tonnes, even before
the problems of the Kosovo war.
A visit to Novi Sad, capital of Serbia's northern province of
Vojvodina, shows why the river is still struggling to recover.
A European Union-funded project, which finished on June 16, saw the
river cleared of wreckage and unexploded bombs left over from
destruction of the city's three Danube bridges by Nato forces in the
1999 Kosovo war.
But the pontoon bridge - a floating replacement for one of the
destroyed bridges - is open only three nights a week, soon to rise to
four, and vessels must pay to pass through. A poorly placed temporary
replacement railway bridge also causes problems for some vessels.
On top of that the Serbian government last month started requiring
vessels with high-value cargoes to obtain substantial customs
guarantees before passing through the river's Serbian section.
The decision brought almost a complete halt to cargo shipments on the
river for more than three weeks. It was finally withdrawn later in the
month under strong international pressure.
The affair has added to frustration among the Danube's users after a
series of problems during the 1990s caused by Croatia's war of
independence and international sanctions against Serbia.
The frustration has been exacerbated this year by unusually low water
levels resulting from drought across much of Hungary, Croatia and
Serbia. The river has become impassable at several points.
"People are very concerned about what will happen next," says
Edgar Martin of Danube-research.com, a UK-based consultancy. "People
are worried about what the next tax or customs fee or something will
be."
Nor is there much immediate prospect of an improvement in conditions.
Environmental objections have prevented the dredging of some of the
river's shallowest sections, particularly in Bavaria. In Novi Sad,
meanwhile, Milan Jazic, who handles Danube matters for the city
council, says the city continues to need the pontoon bridge as well as
a makeshift fixed road bridge hastily erected in 2000.
The pontoon bridge will be removed only when the Most Slobode (Freedom
Bridge) - an eight-lane suspension bridge - is reopened. The €40m
($45m, £28m) bridge reconstruction, funded mainly by the European
Union, is due to be finished in December 2004.
But flooding last summer and a cold winter have delayed work,
leaving contractors struggling to meet the deadline.
The car-carrying barges show, however, that the Danube's
substantial cost advantages over rail and road alternatives remain
powerful incentives. The EU-funded clearing of the river at Novi Sad
has also made traffic easier, partly because it has reduced the risk
for vessels' insurers.
More frequent opening of the bridge and a lower fee for passing through
it have helped to stimulate traffic.
Danail Nedialkov, director-general of the Danube Commission's
secretariat, says 2,338 vessels passed through the bridge in the second
quarter of this year, up from 1,607 in the first period and 5,424 in
the whole of last year.
Yet there remains growing frustration on all sides at the slow
pace of improvement.
"It's just not providing a reliable service at the moment," Mr
Martin of Danube-research.com says of the river. "These [problems] need
to be dealt with urgently, then it will provide cheap, environmentally
friendly transport."
B. Walk-out at central bank strips Serbia of top economic talent
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/
FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1057562562347
Walk-out at central bank strips Serbia of top economic talent
By Eric Jansson in Belgrade
Published: July 19 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: July 19 2003 5:00
Serbia's senior central bankers resigned en masse yesterday,
protesting against controversial central bank reforms approved by
parliament.
The resignations of governor Mladjan Dinkic, two of the bank's
three vice-governors and several department chiefs strip Serbia's
leadership of some of its top economic talent.
Radovan Jelasic, one of the resigning vice-governors, said he and Mr
Dinkic would continue working at the bank only until "a regular
handover can be arranged". One vice-governor, Vesna Arsic, retains her
post.
Mr Dinkic and his team are credited with pushing through tough banking
reforms, taming Serbia's once-soaring inflation rate and finding ways
for Serbs to reclaim foreign funds frozen under the former regime of
Slobodan Milosevic.
But they fell foul of Zoran Zivkovic, the prime minister, and
government ministers this year after Mr Dinkic's private think-tank,
G17, converted itself into a political party sometimes critical of
government policy.
Especially tough criticism was reserved for the new reforms
approved yesterday by parliament. Mr Dinkic says that the legislation
undermines the central bank's independence by giving MPs the power to
both nominate and appoint top bank officials. Government officials say
the bank's independence is not threatened.
Ministers say the bill was drafted originally as a matter of
housekeeping, as the central bank is being transformed into a solely
Serbian institution, following the formal dissolution of Yugoslavia
five months ago.
Ministers also say the bank governor deserves credit for carrying out
some of Serbia's most important reforms to date.
But Mr Jelasic says the bank's achievements have provoked
suspicion and jealousy among ministers whose popularity is flagging.
Mr Dinkic had already taken pre-emptive action against his removal by
trying to undermine the government with allegations of corruption among
senior government officials.
Prosecutors demanded this week that he present evidence. Mr Dinkic
replied that it had already been handed to police but was being ignored.
Whatever becomes of Mr Dinkic's allegations, which have been
reported widely in Belgrade's newspapers, rifts between Serbia's
reformers are clearly growing rather than healing since Zoran Djindjic,
the former prime minister, was murdered in March.
=== 13 ===
THREE WAZ TOP MANAGERS TO HEAD POLITIKA
BELGRADE,July 18 (Beta)-WAZ executive director Bodo
Hombach is the new president of the managing board of
the Politika Newspapers & Magazines company, founded
last year by the Belgradebased Politika company and
this German newspaper concern.
Politika GM Mirko Djekic told BETA on July 18 that one
of the WAZ biggest shareholders, Luc Gland, and the
chief financial auditor of the concern, Markus
Bergman, were also appointed members of the Politika
managing board.
According to Djekic, the branches of this joint
ownership company will be opened in Podgorica, Novi
Sad and possibly some other towns in former
Yugoslavia, which will act as headquarters of the
existing, but also of new publications.
The managing board members, in addition to three WAZ
representatives, also include the Komercijalna Banka
chairman and the president of the Politika managing
board Ljubomir Mihajlovic, lawyer Strahinja
Kastratovic and Politika daily GM and editor in chief
Darko Ribnikar.
=== 14 ===
SERBIAN PREMIER VISITS USA:
A. ZIVKOVIC FOR STRONGER TIES BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND BELGRADE
LONDON, July 25 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister
Zoran Zivkovic has said the objective of his visit to
the United States is to deepen political dialogue and
promote cooperation between Washington and Belgrade.
This means there were no numbers, dates, or other such
things that people usually expect from such meetings.
This is the strengthening of political ties between
the two states and the objective is to persuade the
United States that Serbia can be a good partner in the
Balkans, while the other objective is to find a good
ally for all the tribulations in store at the
beginning of the 21st century, the prime minister said
in an interview to BBC Radio.
Asked about the predominant topic during his talks
with Secretary of State Colin Powell and national
security adviser Condoleezza Rice, Zivkovic said it
was their support to reforms and what has been done
through them in the past two and a half years,
especially in the past few months, the fight against
crime, and the state's stand on The Hague
international tribunal.
Talks also covered the participation of Serbian
companies in the reconstruction of Iraq and
possibilities for Serbia's business returning to the
United States, and a contract on normal trade
relations - the bill that has been tied up in the
Senate for quote some time, Zivkovic said.
B. POWELL PRAISES SERBIAN, SCG GOVERNMENTS AND BACKS REFORMIST COURSE
WASHINGTON, July 25 (Tanjug) - United States Secretary
of State Colin Powell has praised Serbian Prime
Minister Zoran Zivkovic and Serbia and Montenegro
Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic for their resolve to
continue implementing political and economic reforms,
and for the support received from citizens following
the March assassination of Serbian prime minister
Zoran Djindjic.
Powell thanked the visiting ranking officials for the
good cooperation with Serbia in fighting terrorism,
and other issues of mutual interest when they were
leaving the State Department late Thursday afternoon
local time.
The talks were an opportunity for the US side to
express its constant support to the democratic reform
processes taking place in Serbia and Montenegro, a
State Department source told Tanjug.
Powell expressed the strong US support to the process
of SCG integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions,
and stressed support to general stability and progress
in that country, the source said.
C. ZIVKOVIC ON TALKS WITH PIERRE RICHARD PROSPER
WASHINGTON, July 24 (Beta) - Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic said on July 24 that U.S. ambassador for war
crimes Pierre Richard Prosper was convinced that
Belgrade authorities were "adequately cooperating"
with the International Criminal Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
"What Prosper said about our cooperation a few weeks
ago has been confirmed. He is convinced that we are
cooperating adequately with the ICTY and that is
true," Zivkovic told BETA in a telephone conversation,
after meeting Prosper in Washington.
Zivkovic is leading a joint delegation comprising
representatives of the Serbian and SerbianMontenegrin
governments.
Zivkovic and Prosper agreed that former Bosnian Serb
army commander Ratko Mladic "is the only indictee
particularly interesting to the ICTY and the U.S." "I
have repeated our opinion that Mladic's arrest is a
technical issue, meaning that if he is on our
territory he will be arrested, if not then there is
nothing we can do," Zivkovic said.
According to Zivkovic, one of the topics of
conversation was also the war crimes tribunal recently
formed in Serbia, which is due to start operating
soon.
The delegation is scheduled to hold talks with U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. president's
national security adviser Condoleezza Rice in the late
evening hours (CET) of July 24.
D. ZIVKOVIC AND SVILANOVIC MEET CONGRESSMEN IN WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, July 25 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister
Zoran Zivkovic and Serbia and Montenegro Foreign
Minister Goran Svilanovic will confer with prominent
congressmen in Washington on Friday, the second day of
their official visit to the United States, and they
will later also meet with editors and reporters of The
Washington Post, and attend a meeting at the Heritage
Foundation.
Zivkovic and Svilanovic first met with Congressman
Rahm Emanuel, the author of a resolution passed by the
House of Representatives paying tribute to recently
assassinated Serbian prime minister Zoran Djindjic.
The resolution said Djindjic was the chief organizer
and strategist of the opposition platform for the
presidential elections in Yugoslavia on Sept 24, 2000,
and the subsequent popular revolt on Oct 5, which led
to the ousting of Slobodan Milosevic and his
subsequent extradition to The Hague tribunal.
Today, the Serbian and SCG delegation will meet with
Congressman Pete Sessions, a great advocate of the
normalization of trade relations between the US and
SCG.
This evening, the delegation will meet with former US
ambassador to Yugoslavia Lawrence Eagleberger.
E. US CONGRESS INCREASES AID FOR SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO TO 135 ML DLRS
WASHINGTON, July 25 (Tanjug) - The United States
Congress House of Representatives has decided to raise
the planned 95 million dollar aid for Serbia to 100
million and the planned 18 million for Montenegro to
35 million, as support to fighting organized crime
there, Tanjug learned on Thursday.
Serbia has to meet certain conditions before receiving
this aid, mostly in connection with cooperation with
The Hague tribunal, ending support to Republika Srpska
and respect of human rights and laws.
The House on Wednesday passed legislature on the
distribution of funds abroad, financing exports, and
similar programs, worth 17 billion dollars, for the
coming fiscal year which begins on Oct 1 and ends on
Sept 30 next year.
F. Zivkovic: Belgrade, Washington Becoming Allies
BELGRADE, July 27 (BETA) - Relations between
Washington and Belgrade are becoming those of two
allies, Serbian Premier Zoran Zivkovic explained on
Saturday, while on a visit to U.S.
At a news conference following a meeting with U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security
Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Zivkovic said he hoped the
U.S. would back Serbia-Montenegro's integration in
European and transatlantic institutions.
Zivkovic added that relations between the two
countries were at a 50-year high. "My goal and that of
my cabinet is to use these good relations in the
temptations that we will face, both at home and in the
region."
He expressed the hope that Serbia-Montenegro would
become a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace this
winter, "late this year or early next year."
In addition, Zivkovic said he expected U.S. support
for the union's European and Euroatlantic integration.
"We will have the U.S. there as an ally. There are
some conditions, some of which have existed for quite
some time -- the extradition of war crimes suspects
charged by the Hague Tribunal -- but given the speed
of the talks and the atmosphere it is clear that they
are not major conditions."
"The political dilemma of whether to arrest and
extradite Mladic does not exist... the only question
is if he is in our territory. By the end of the year
we will either find Mladic, arrest him, and extradite
him to The Hague or we will find a way to prove he is
not in our territory."
Commenting on a U.S. request for a treaty on the
non-extradition of U.S. citizens to the International
Criminal Court, Zivkovic stressed that
Serbia-Montenegro was in a special position.
"On the one hand Serbia-Montenegro is being asked to
extradite its own citizens to the Hague Tribunal, and
on the other we are being asked to sign a
non-extradition treaty with the U.S."
"This is not about choosing between the EU and U.S.,
but an internal issue. We hope that Washington will
understand our predicament," said Zivkovic.
http://www.beta.co.yu/eng/
BETA: Daily News Internet
July 28, 2003
G. ZIVKOVIC:US SECRETARY OF STATE PROMISED PARTICIPATION OF SERBIAN
COMPANIES IN IRAQ'S RECONSTRUCTION
WASHINGTON, Jul 26 (Tanjug) - Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic has said in Washington that he had been
assured by US Secretary of State Colin Powell during
the latter's visit to Belgrade last March that Serbian
companies will be able to take part in Iraq's
reconstruction, and that Powell reiterated this
assurance when he conferred with Zivkovic Thursday.
Zivkovic told the press Friday evening that he had
informed Powell that he would cite this assurance in
his forthcoming talks with representatives of US
companies taking part in Iraq's reconstruction during
his current visit to the US, and that Powell gave his
approval.
Zivkovic said he and his delegation would confer with
executives of the leading US construction company
operating in Iraq on the participation of Serbian
companies in projects in Iraq, as well as on the US
company's participation in infrastructure projects in
Serbia. Zivkovic added he expects US companies to
intensify their presence in Serbia through the
privatization process and new investments in the
coming months.
H. SERBIAN PREMIER: CASE OF FORMER BOSNIAN SERB LEADER TO BE CLOSED BY
END OF YEAR
WASHINGTON, Jul 26 (Tanjug) - Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic has said in Washington that agreement has
been reached with US officials that former Republika
Srpska army commander Ratko Mladic must be arrested by
the end of this year if he is in Serbia, or that proof
must be presented that he is not there.
At a press briefing Friday evening, the second day of
his visit to the US, Zivkovic ruled out the
participation of any third party in a possible arrest
operation, for which modalities are being worked out.
People more important than Mladic have been arrested
in Serbia, and there is therefore no need or legal
possibility of proceeding in a different manner in his
case, Zivkovic said, noting that there is no reliable
evidence at present on Mladic's presence in Serbia's
territory.
Cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal is an
international commitment of Serbia-Montenegro (SCG),
and also a commitment in line with domestic law,
Zivkovic said, adding that arresting all indictees
found in Serbia's territory is only a technical issue.
US OFFICIAL SAYS RESPONSIBILITY FOR ARRESTING FORMER BOSNIAN SERB
COMMANDER LIES WITH SERBIAN GOVERNMENT
WASHINGTON, Jul 25 (Tanjug) - The State Department
ambassador-at-large for War Crimes Issues
Pierre-Richard Prosper told Tanjug Friday that the
greatest responsibility for arresting former Bosnian
Serb army commander Ratko Mladic lies with the Serbian
government.
The US believes that the Serbian government has the
responsibility, as well as technical and human
potentials to search its own territory, Prosper said.
Available information indicate that there is no reason
to believe that Mladic is not in Serbia. Search for
Mladic must be carried out in Serbia, he explained.
Secretary of State Colin Powell and US president's
Advisor for National Security Condoleezza Rice also
made this clear Thursday to Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic and Serbia-Montenegro (SCG) Foreign Minister
Goran Svilanovic, Prosper said.
I. ZIVKOVIC ALL SMILES AFTER US VISIT
NEW YORK,July 30 (B92,VOA)- Serbia's prime minister
has hailed his visit to the US as a sign that good
relations between the two countries have been fully
restored.
"Relations between Serbia and the US are at a very
high level", Zoran Zivkovic told B92 at the end of a
week-long trip to the States. "All talks were between
partners of different size, wealth and power, but not
in terms of how they look on the real situation in
Serbia and the US."
Speaking to Voice of America last night, the premier
said that "after a long time we can now say that, when
we are speaking with an official, we can be certain
that he believes what we are saying, that he shares
our visions and that he is ready to help resolve our
problems".
He dismissed speculation that the Belgrade delegation
had come under pressure regarding the fractious
political situation in Serbia and the worsening plight
of the independent media during discussions with US
officials.
The prime minister said that "exclusively for B92" he
could list the issues not addressed: "They were:
corruption, the situation in the governing coalition,
the Democratic Party and relations between the
government and media. These are the issues that
weren't addressed during these seven days, and that
shouldn't surprise anyone. Those who awaited this
visit with malice and a desire for it to be just
another way of putting pressure on the Serbian
government must be disappointed."
Zivkovic added that he expected Congress to adopt
legislation on the resumption of normal trade
relations with Serbia by early autumn.
=== 15 ===
CONTINUING DROUGHT COULD SPELL DISASTER
BELGRADE,July 28 (Beta)-Andjelka Mihajlov, Serbian
Minister for the Protection of Natural Resources and
the Environment, today announced that river currents
have this month dropped to minimum levels; with the
Danube falling to its absolute minimum at Bezdan,
which was never recorded throughout the entire 20th
century.
Speaking at a joint session of the Serbian
Parliament's Environment Protection Committee and
Agriculture and Water Committee, Mihajlov explained
that annual minimums are not usually reached until
September or October and thus this year's drought
could dramatically worsen if rain does not fall and
adequate measures are not applied.
One such protective measure, according to Mihajlov,
should be the increase in pollution control, as low
water levels contribute to industrial and urban waste
pollution by concentrating poisonous elements.
Srdja Popovic, environmental advisor to PM Zoran
Zivkovic, noted that the extremes of climate, which
caused flooding in Serbia this time last year, are
triggered by global climate changes.
Agriculture Minister Stojan Jeftic said that the state
has already contacted neighboring countries and
requested that accumulated water be re-directed to
rivers flowing through Serbia in an effort to raise
the water level. However, the entire region is
suffering drought and the responses were negative.
The parliamentary committees are to organize urgent
analysis of the worst affected areas before they
re-convene at another joint session in a month's time.
=== 16 ===
Da: Rick Rozoff
Data: Mer 30 Lug 2003 18:20:00 Europe/Rome
Oggetto: US-NATO Orders: Serbian Military Purges To Escalate
[Note: Serbia-Montenegro 'President' Zoran Zivkovic
has just returned from Washington.]
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/07/4-SEE/see-300703.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty - July 30, 2003
SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO BEGINS MILITARY SHAKE-UP
-[Defense Minister] Tadic went on to Jerusalem, where
he began a three-day visit to discuss military
cooperation with Israeli government officials.
Members of Serbia and Montenegro's Supreme Defense
Council agreed in Meljine near Herceg Novi on 29 July
to accept Defense Ministry proposals to sack an
unspecified number of officers, whose names will be
made public "in 10 days' time," RFE/RL's South Slavic
and Albanian Languages Service reported. Belgrade
media suggest that one man on the list is military
intelligence chief General Radoslav Skoric, who was
allegedly sacked for keeping "too close" ties to the
Bosnian Serb military. In related news, Defense
Minister Boris Tadic and Montenegrin Prime Minister
Milo Djukanovic signed an agreement providing for
Montenegrin police to take over control of
Montenegro's borders from the military. Tadic went on
to Jerusalem, where he began a three-day visit to
discuss military cooperation with Israeli government
officials. PM
http://www.makfax.com.mk/news1-a.asp?br=46227
MakFax (Macedonia) - July 30, 2003
SCG: Chief of Military Intelligence dismissed
The Supreme Defense Council of Serbia & Montenegro has
put a number of military chiefs on retirement list,
including the Head of Military Intelligence, Radoslav
Shkoric, said Belgrade’s media.
Sources close to top military officials say Shkoric
was pushing for close co-operation with the Army of
Republika Srpska.
This is a second shift of commanding structures in
military intelligence following the assassination of
Serbia’s PM Zoran Djindjic. The Head of National
Security, General Aca Tomic was replaced and kept in
custody in the aftermath of Djindjic’s assassination.
---
TADIC: POSSIBLE MILITARY COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL
TEL AVIV,July 30 (Beta)-Serbia&Montenegro Defense
Minister Boris Tadic said on July 30 that he had
talked with senior managers of the Izreali military
and aircraft industry about possible modes of
cooperation and that there was a possibility of
reaching an agreement.
Tadic told BETA in a telephone conversation that the
projects included a certain type of automatic rifle
produced by Serbia&Montenegro and unmanned aerial
vehicles.
Tadic said that these vehicles had important software
components, which could be produced in Serbia and
Montenegro. He added that they had also considered the
possibility of modernizing Russianmade helicopters,
which are commonly used in Serbia&Montenegro and the
neighboring countries.
Tadic, who is on a threeday visit to Israel, said that
an expert meeting had been scheduled, to discuss the
possibility of reaching an agreement with the Isreali
aircraft industry on one of these projects.
He said that he had talked with Izreali Prime Minister
Shimon Perez about the peace process in the Middle
East and the Balkans and the solutions that could be
applied in both cases.
=== 17 ===
LUKOVAC SAYS BOTH SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT
PODGORICA, July 29 (Tanjug) - Serbia-Montenegro
Minister of International Economic Relations Branko
Lukovac on Tuesday reiterated that the state union
members would fare better if they were independent
states.
Stressing he believed that Serbia and Montenegro
"should be equal with all other European states,"
Lukovac said that "what has been done with the Action
Plan is an outstanding achievement, freeing us of
barriers that we will build some borders among
ourselves and place new obstacles." "In this document,
we succeeded in including the best values of the EU
members ensuring a free flow of people, goods and
capital, so that we removed fear that this might
affect the mutual relations of Serbia and Montenegro
in any form of their existence, either as a community
or as independent states," Lukovac told Radio Free
Europe. According to him, now that Serbia and
Montenegro have taken European standards and built
good relations and strong ties on the EU model, one
may say that it is senseless for states with full
economic responsibilities not to have their voice and
clear status in the international community. "There is
no reason for international community's fear that good
relations between Serbia and Montenegro may be
jeopardized by a change in their state and legal
status and they will be preserved the best if
everyone's right to decide on oneself is recognized,"
Lukovac said.
