Informazione
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
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
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:Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.
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: Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.
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:Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.
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: Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.
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.
From: Vladimir Krsljanin (30/7/2003)
SLOBODA today addressed the media in Belgrade with the following
statement:
Sloboda/Freedom Association – Yugoslav Committee for the Release of
Slobodan Milosevic warns the public at home and abroad that the state
of health of President Slobodan Milosevic is continuously getting
worse, due to the dangerous and malicious disrespect of the
international standards of the human right protection by the illegal
tribunal at The Hague.
President Milosevic is triumphant in his struggle for truth in the
process without a precedent in history, in spite he faces everyday
burden exceeding the human abilities as well as the inhuman prison
conditions. And it lasts more than two years already. Few specialist
medical examinations and analyses have undoubtedly proven that the
conditions he faces are a dangerous factor of cardiovascular risk. But
the tribunal refuses even to secure regular check-ups of the
President’s health condition.
Sloboda/Freedom Association demands that President Milosevic should be
at least provided with the necessary examinations and recuperation in
his own country and to be allowed to continue his participation in the
process from freedom. That would be the only way to protect his life
and health.
Belgrade, July 30, 2003
NOTE: Since last Friday, President Milosevic has kidney pains. On
Friday, the court session started with delay, since he was waiting to
get a pill against pain. This week, there was no trial. Tribunal’s
doctors have been examining him today. Results are still expected.
President Milosevic was examined by the specialists’ medical team from
Belgrade in February. On that occasion, Belgrade doctors agreed with
their Dutch colleagues appointed by the tribunal that President
Milosevic needs regular health monitoring, including specialists’
examination at least once in a month. Since then, there were no
specialists’ examinations. In June, Sloboda demanded in strongest terms
that Belgrade medical team goes to The Hague again, referring to the
February agreement. This demand was sent to the person in charge,
tribunal’s Registrar and to all “judges” of the “Trial Chamber III”.
Until now, Sloboda got no response from the tribunal. When we were
urging a response by phone, persons from the Registry replied that for
another visit of Belgrade doctors, according to the tribunal’s “Rules”,
‘a written request of the accused is needed’. Now we are facing another
dramatic turn in President Milosevic’s health due to another tribunal’s
deliberate disregard of the medical conclusions. And President
Milosevic is not willing to ask his inquisitors for anything.
Sloboda calls upon the national committees, jurists and medical doctors
to react. Address the tribunal and UN Security Council members (find
their contacts at
http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/unsc_members.html )
---
When light of truth or light of public attention falls on the illegal
tribunal’s building made of immoral and criminal ‘right of might’, the
building starts to be ruined.
Look at the two excerpts from today’s tribunal’s weekly press briefing
(last before the three weeks summer recess). First, about the President
Milosevic’s health:
<<Asked for more information concerning Milosevic’s health, [spokesman
for Registry and Chambers Jim] Landale replied that he could not really
go much further than what Judge May had said in court this morning
during the administrative session, which was that the Trial Chamber
understood that Milosevic was suffering from problems with his blood
pressure and that was the reason he was not able to attend court this
week and why the trial would now adjourn until 25 August 2003. He could
not go further than that, he concluded.
A journalist stated that everyone had become used to interruptions of
the Milosevic trial due to reasons of blood pressure, flu or
exhaustion, but that Milosevic, during the public hearing on Friday,
had mentioned that he had asked for a pain killer and that it was the
first time he did so. Asked whether this indicated that there was a new
ailment, or new symptoms, Landale replied that he would not go any
further than what Judge May had said in court today. He added that it
was not for him to disclose confidential medical information and that
he would not do so.>>
And second, about Carla del Ponte:
<<Asked what the position of the Prosecutor was concerning
recommendations made by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, not to
extend her mandate as Prosecutor of the ICTR, [spokeswoman for the
Office of the Prosecutor Florence] Hartmann replied that the next step,
following the recommendation of the Secretary-General, was for the
Security Council to issue a resolution. It was up to the Security
Council to decide on such matters. She concluded that the Prosecutor
would make no comment until a decision had been made.
According to a journalist, Carla Del Ponte had told a Swiss newspaper a
few days ago that if her mandate for the ICTR was not extended, she
would not stay at the ICTY. Hartmann replied that she had no further
comment to make on this issue except that she was waiting to see what
the Security Council decided. She would comment after that, but not at
the moment as it was too early.>>
WHY SHOULD SUCH A PERSON KEEP ANY POST IN UN SYSTEM?
(we remind you of one of our earlier posts, which is just a piece of
numerous dirty stories about the criminal NATO executor)
TRANSLATION OF INTERVIEW BY JURGEN ELSAESSER WITH FELIPE TUROVER ON
CARLA DEL PONTE
(source: Konkret, December 2002)
Translated by Colin Meade
[quotation]
Felipe Turover: "Carla del Ponte told the hit-men where to find me".
[Introduction]
"Justice is a woman", said UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan about Carla
del Ponte, currently Chief Prosecutor in the Hague trial of Slobodan
Milosevic. Felipe Turover's experience of the Swiss jurist is very
different. 37-year old Felipe comes from a Spanish Republican family
whose parents fled with him from Franco to the Soviet Union. After the
death of the dictator, Felipe returned to his native land before going
back at the end of the 1980s to Moscow as a financial expert. From 1992
to 1999 he worked for the Yeltsin government managing debts with
Western creditor banks.
[Interview]
Elsässer: You are the chief witness in the Mabetex case, also known as
Russiagate. What is it about and how does Carla del Ponte come into it?
Turover: Mabetex is a construction company based in Lugano in Italian
Switzerland. It belongs to the Kosovo Albanian Beghijet Pacolli who now
has a Swiss passport. In the 1990s Pacolli and his business partner
Viktor Stolpovskich won some two billion euros-worth of orders from the
Kremlin, supposedly for building and restoration work in the government
and presidential complex. It has been proved that billions of dollars
vanished from Russia through this operation, with millions being spent
on bribes in Moscow in return. Pacolli acted as guarantor for credit
cards for Yeltsin and both his daughters, according to the Banca del
Gottardo which issued the cards. Carla del Ponte, at that time a Swiss
public prosecutor contacted me in 1997 and asked me to be ready to
testify in the case. Later she invited the Russian investigating
prosecutor Yuri Skuratov to Switzerland and put me in touch with
him. At that time she already had a reputation as a great fighter for
justice and I therefore did as she asked. That was an almost fatal
error.
Elsässer: Why?
Turover: I was dependent on her honesty and had made it clear to her
from the start that my testimony placed my life in danger. I was still
at the time working as an advisor to the Russian authorities, i.e. for
the very people I was incriminating with these documents. So what did
Ms del Ponte do? She gave my full name and job to the press. This was
as if I had given information to the US Drug Enforcement Agency about
the Escobar Clan out of Medellin and then, while still in the lions'
den, read in the New York Times that I was the chief witness against
Escobar. In my case, it was Moscow rather than Medellin and the
newspaper was the Corriere della Sera but the effect was the same. I
was in big trouble and saved my life by hurriedly getting out of
Moscow. Since then, for the past three years, I have been living
undercover. I have Carla del Ponte to thank for this. She told the
hit-men where to find me.
Elsässer: Isn't that an exaggeration? How is a Swiss Federal Prosecutor
responsible for an article in an Italian newspaper?
Turover: Both the Corriere journalists got all their information from
del Ponte, including my mobile phone number. They told me so
themselves, because they knew my life was in danger.
Elsässer: Del Ponte has denied that.
Turover: Then she's not telling the truth. And I've already said this
many times and she has never threatened to sue for slander. The reason
is simple: she has no proof, but I do.
Elsässer: Mabetex boss Pacolli is not only a construction magnate, but
is also said to have close ties to the Kosovo Albanian KLA terrorists.
Turover: That's right. He himself has stated that at least until 2000
his group owned the Kosovo Albanian daily "Bota Sot" which even the
OSCE condemned for racist articles. Its agitation was aimed mainly at
the Serbs, but it also made an anti-Semitic attack on me as the "Jew
Turover".
Elsässer: If it were the case that the Yeltsin clan had received Kosovo
Albanian bribes, this might explain his behaviour in spring 1999. As
NATO prepared for war against Yugoslavia, he didn't lift a finger to
help the Serbs, his supposed brother people. At the Rambouillet
Conference, when the NATO states took an extremely biased pro-Albanian
position, Moscow didn't protest, although its diplomats were at the
negotiating table. Did the Kosovo Albanians buy Yeltsin's passivity?
Turover: That's possible. We're looking here at a symbiosis of
politics, plunder and money laundering on a large scale.
Elsässer: And del Ponte?
Turover: All the preliminary inquiries in the Mabetex case in
Switzerland were politically abandoned at the highest level. Moreover,
the documents that del Ponte had received from her Russian colleague
Skuratov somehow ended up in Pacolli's possession. He reported back to
his Russian friends Yeltsin and Borodin and subsequently Skuratov, an
honest and competent lawyer, was shunted aside, in spite of three
almost unanimous resolutions in his support from the Russian
Senate. The end of Skuratov was also the end of the Moscow Mabetex case
- the proceedings were finally abandoned in December 2000.
Elsässer: Was del Ponte acting to protect the Albanian Mafia or the
Yeltsin clan?
Turover: Neither. She acts only in her own interest. She is indifferent
to political goals. Look at the point in time when she made public what
she knew about the Mabetex case, including my name - the end of August
1999. That was a blow not only to me, but to Yeltsin too.
It's true that she later failed to follow through on the case, but at
that moment her revelations did serious damage to Yeltsin. The
immediate background was the spectacular coup by Russian elite units in
Kosovo in summer 1999; after the ceasefire they occupied Pristina
airport, getting there before NATO. According to the British head of
KFOR, Michael Jackson, this could have led to world war three. Moscow
was playing for high stakes. It wanted its own occupation zone in
Kosovo to protect the Serbs. In this situation Yeltsin had to be
repudiated. The current US Foreign Minister, Madeleine Albright,
therefore met del Ponte at London Heathrow airport in July 1999 and
probably spelt all this out to her. So then del Ponte went public with
her revelations about Yeltsin in Corriere della Sera and in
mid-September Albright in a statement on CNN stoked up the heat about
Russian government corruption. Yeltsin had to fear an effort to impeach
him and then prosecution. He was let off the hook by two bombings in
Moscow, allegedly by Chechen terrorists. Russian troops went into
Chechnya and public attention was diverted from Russiagate.
Elsässer: Was del Ponte acting as an agent of Washington in this
situation?
Turover: She is no more pro-American than she is pro-Albanian. She acts
in Swiss interests, i.e. in the interests of the Mafia in Switzerland.
Elsässer: Explain.
Turover: Switzerland and the Swiss banks live mainly off money
laundering. All the world's dictators and major criminals deposit their
money here. Above all the canton of Tessin is exceptionally well placed
for this. People simply carry millions in suitcases and glove
compartments over the border from Italy. Every politician in Tessin
knows about it and benefits from it. And as the canton's public
prosecutor del Ponte protected this activity even before the Mabetex
case at the end of the 1990s. Take the case of a company in Chiasso
accused of money laundering for the Italian Mafia. She stopped the
proceedings. But basically del Ponte is pro-del Ponte. She would do
anything for her career, even bring a case against George W. Bush. She
is in any case a useless lawyer. To my knowledge she has never won a
case in her entire career. Her only talent is self-promotion,
self-marketing.
Elsässer: Her agreement with Albright in any case proved profitable. A
little later she became the Chief Prosecutor at the Hague, at
Washington's behest. The Zurich Weltwoche expressed surprise: "why the
Americans wanted her to succeed the difficult and prematurely ousted
Louise Arbour remains a puzzle. After all they had made no secret of
the fact that they regarded the Court as a useless waste of time".
Turover: Del Ponte and the Swiss government helped Albright and the
Americans - they're honest people, they pay their bills - therefore
rewarded her with the Hague job. Here too she has sold herself
brilliantly. With her, the trial is a total disaster. She has nothing
on Milosevic, and legally he ought therefore to be released
immediately. And so Milosevic, who himself is nothing but a bandit and
con man, can present himself as an innocent victim of persecution and
Serb nationalism is on the rise as the recent elections showed [1]. Do
people in the Hague really not know that the Swiss Federal Government
has appointed a special investigator to look into the del Ponte
affair? How can a woman who is herself the subject of judicial
investigation at the highest level because of serious crimes stay on as
Chief Prosecutor at the UN war crimes tribunal?
Elsässer: In March 2001 you reported Carla del Ponte and persons
unknown to the police for, among other things, endangering your life
and attempted murder (tentato assassinio) in connection with
Russiagate. But the Swiss Federal Prosecutor, Valentin Roschacher,
dismissed the charges against his predecessor. So how can you say that
a special investigation of del Ponte is ongoing?
Turover: Roschacher protected del Ponte and I have therefore brought a
case against him for bias in her favour. This case has not only been
taken up, but in May 2002 the Swiss Federal Council appointed a special
investigator, Arthur Hublard, the former public prosecutor of Jura
canton. He is investigating my accusations against Roschacher - but the
del Ponte case is obviously also involved here. Furthermore, I have
laid charges against Switzerland at the European Court of Human Rights
in Strasbourg.
Elsässer: Against Switzerland, not against del Ponte?
Turover: You can't bring cases against private persons in
Strasbourg. But in substance the charges relate primarily to del Ponte
because as the Swiss Federal Prosecutor she placed my life in
danger. It's preposterous for her to continue to hold office in the
Hague when two such cases are pending.
Elsässer: You are living in hiding, constantly moving house. How long
will you keep this up?
Turover: I have to, otherwise I'm dead because of del Ponte. I have of
course insured myself by making sure that in the event of my demise
even more explosive information than hitherto will be revealed. But
that does not provide me with real security. So far at least five
prosecution witnesses in the Mabetex case have been cleared out of the
way. The most recent victim was Pacolli's personal secretary, a 32-year
old woman, who was found dead in the bathroom, allegedly from a blood
clot. There was no autopsy and she was cremated the next day.
[1] Obviously, these disparaging remarks about Mr Milosevic do not
represent the views of the ICDSM. The reason why Carla del Ponte has
got nothing on Mr Milosevic is that the charges against him have no
basis in reality. However incompetent del Ponte may be, she has had a
multitude of "experts", investigators and compliant officials within
and outside Yugoslavia to help her in her quest for "evidence". They
have found nothing because there was never anything there to find.
---
IS THE END NEAR?
Obviously. Anyhow. Remember: in spite of all blackmails from ICTY and
puppet regime in Belgrade, all the ‘crucial insiders’ were just more
and more ruining the ‘indictment’ – one of the biggest historical lies
ever. And here is how just days ago, Carla tried, without conviction,
to advertise her non-existing achievements and to propose herself to
the Security Council:
UN Prosecutor to Show Milosevic Evidence
ARTHUR MAX
Associated Press
Wed, Jul. 16, 2003
THE HAGUE, Netherlands-With time running out to conclude her case, the
chief U.N. war crimes prosecutor said Wednesday she will begin focusing
on the genocide charges against Slobodan Milosevic, and the next few
months will be critical.
The prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, said crucial evidence will soon be
presented to the tribunal regarding the former Yugoslav president's
involvement with the massacre in Srebrenica and the months-long
bombardment of Sarajevo. She said she was confident it would lead to
convictions for genocide - the most serious of the 66 charges Milosevic
faces.
The prosecution has until the end of the year to complete its case in
the trial. Milosevic, 61, who is representing himself, will then have
equal time - nearly two years - to present his defense.
Milosevic, who has been on trial since February 2002, has serious heart
trouble and illness that has repeatedly delayed hearings.
In verdicts in other cases, the Yugoslav tribunal has set stiff
standards for genocide convictions, demanding the prosecution
demonstrate that a prior intent to destroy a race or ethnic group was
the motive for the crime.
In the tribunal's 10-year existence, one person has been convicted of
genocide. Two other defendants were acquitted, but were convicted of
crimes against humanity and received long prison terms. Prosecutors
have dropped genocide charges in several other cases when they believed
the evidence was inadequate.
In an Associated Press interview, Del Ponte said the prosecution's case
against Milosevic is going well, but they haven't yet proved the
genocide charges.
"So far it's going OK, but let's see. It will be in September-October
that will be the most crucial moment for this count of genocide," she
said.
Del Ponte said she expected to hand down the last indictments against
war crimes suspects in the former Yugoslavia, and conclude all the
investigations on schedule by the end of next year.
The tribunal, created in 1993 by the U.N. Security Council to prosecute
crimes in the Balkan wars of the 1990s, will disband when the last
trials are completed - in 2010 at the latest.
Keeping an eye on a television monitor showing the Milosevic trial one
floor below her office, Del Ponte said she hoped senior political and
military figures during his 13 years in power, who are under indictment
themselves, will testify against their former leader.
She has been buoyed in the last month by the decision of two former
Yugoslav army officers to change their innocent pleas to guilty and to
issue lengthy statements implicating co-defendants - but not Milosevic
himself - in the killings at Srebrenica in July 1995.
Bosnian Serbs slaughtered more than 7,000 Muslims in one week in the
enclave, which had been declared a U.N. protected zone. It was the
worst mass murder in Europe since World War II.
Del Ponte held out hope that Biljana Plavsic, the former Bosnian Serb
leader who pleaded guilty and the most senior political figure to be
convicted so far, would change her mind and testify against Milosevic.
Plavsic is serving an 11-year sentence in Sweden.
"If Biljana Plavsic would agree to testify in court, it would be much
easier," Del Ponte said. "But it's not only Plavsic. We have others."
In her plea bargain last year, Plavsic made it clear she had no
intention to be a witness in other trials.
"Until now, I am optimistic," Del Ponte said about persuading suspects
to testify against Milosevic. "But you know it can change from day to
day, because sometimes witnesses are hesitant for other reasons -
threats, a political situation."
Don’t miss to tell to the Security Council and to the public, before
September 15 what do you think about Carla del Ponte and her NATO
justice.
---
And justice will work, sooner or later. On behalf of the people, of
course. There is at least one document waiting since last year in
Belgrade that democracy returns:
District State Attorney’s Office-Belgrade
B e l g r a d e
16A Slobodana Penezica St.
Pursuant to the Art. 224 of the Law on Criminal Proceedings and the
Art. 107 item 1 of the Penal Code of FRY, the above Attorney’ s Office
being of actual and regional jurisdiction has been filed the following
CRIMINAL CHARGES
against:
1. Carla del Ponte, the Attorney of the International Criminal Tribunal
for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague;
2. Geoffrey Nice, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
3. Dirk Ryneveld, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
4. Cristina Romano, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
5. Milbert Shin, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
6. Daniel Saxon, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
7. Julia Baly, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
8. Daryl A. Mundis, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY
Them having deliberately ever since June 26, 2001, initiated the
procedure of life deprivation of Slobodan Milosevic, him being at
request of the Attorney’s Office of the Hague Tribunal, kept in the
Detention Unit of the ICTY in Scheweningen in the Hague; him being
occasionally, ever since February 12, 2002, brought and kept under
surveillance in the court -room in the Hague and him being returned to
the Detention Unit although all of them knowing that the health
condition of Slobodan Milosevic requires urgent medical
treatment outside prison; them depriving Slobodan Milosevic necessary
cardiology specialist treatment and further care; them doing this
persistently and deliberately, ignoring opinions and recommendations of
the physicians conference from FRY and recommendations of the
physicians Dr. J.W. Crosse and Dr. H.A. Rodrigues from Holland dtd.
June 17, 2002, as well as opinions of the Head of the Cardiology Clinic
of the Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, FRY dtd. July 23, 2002, that
tried persistently to propose to the Trial Chamber Slobodan Milosevic
being assigned defense attorney instead of Slobodan Milosevic
temporarily being relieved due to further medical treatment and
seriously aggravated health condition that might cause his death.
Them, hereby, being co-executors for the criminal offense of attempted
murder pursuant to the Art 47 item 1 of the Penal Code of the Republic
of Serbia in connection with the Art. 19 of the Penal Code of FRY.
Them although chosen by the OUN and having the above assignments,
deliberately and roughly broke their professional code of conduct and
the acts of the OUN, representing the generally binding acts of the
international public law that covers bodies and institutions of the OUN
as well as the stuff of the OUN, i.e.:
“the principles of medical ethics applied to medical stuff, physicians
mostly, to protect detainees and persons detained from torture and
other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishments or deeds” (Adopted by the
General Assembly of the United Nations on Dec. 18 1982, the Resolution
37/94),
as well as
“The Code of Conduct of Persons Liable for Introduction of the Law”
adopted on the part of the General Assembly of the United Nations on
Dec. 17, 1979, the Resolution 34/169.
The Art. 6 of this Code determined that “persons liable for application
of this law should take care that health of persons entrusted to them
should be FULLY PROTECTED and they MUST, IMMEDIATELY TAKE ALL NECESSARY
STEPS to provide the affected persons with all medical care whenever
need arises”.
They violated severely the Art. 3 of the Universal Declaration on Human
Rights that guarantees that “EVERYBODY HAS RIGHT TO LIFE, FREADOM AND
SECURITY OF HIS PERSONALITY.”
The Attorney and her Deputies do not propose to the President of the
Court and the Trial Chamber neither the change of conditions for
Slobodan Milosevic pursuant to the Art. 64 of the Rules nor do they
initiate the Trial Chamber to release temporarily Slobodan Milosevic
due to medical treatment pursuant to the Art. 65 of the Rules although
they are well acquainted with the quoted medical reports and proposals.
In Annex to these Charges we provide copies of medical reports of Dr.
J.W. Crosse and Dr. H.A. Rodriques from Holland dtd. July 19, 2002,
done upon request of the court council of MKSJ and Dr. Sc. Med. Zdravko
Mijailovic, the Head of the Cardiology Clinic of the Military Medical
Academy, Belgrade.
Hereinafter we propose pursuant to the legal jurisdiction mentioned in
the Law on Public Attorney Office Work and the Criminal Proceedings
Regulations to take all necessary steps for suspects’ persecution in
conformity with the presentation of evidence and their punishment
before authorized courts.
In Belgrade on Nov. 12, 2002.
Charges filed by
Association of Citizens “FREEDOM’
National Committee for Release of Slobodan Milosevic
Belgrade, 16 Rajiceva St.
---
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)
SLOBODA today addressed the media in Belgrade with the following
statement:
Sloboda/Freedom Association – Yugoslav Committee for the Release of
Slobodan Milosevic warns the public at home and abroad that the state
of health of President Slobodan Milosevic is continuously getting
worse, due to the dangerous and malicious disrespect of the
international standards of the human right protection by the illegal
tribunal at The Hague.
President Milosevic is triumphant in his struggle for truth in the
process without a precedent in history, in spite he faces everyday
burden exceeding the human abilities as well as the inhuman prison
conditions. And it lasts more than two years already. Few specialist
medical examinations and analyses have undoubtedly proven that the
conditions he faces are a dangerous factor of cardiovascular risk. But
the tribunal refuses even to secure regular check-ups of the
President’s health condition.
Sloboda/Freedom Association demands that President Milosevic should be
at least provided with the necessary examinations and recuperation in
his own country and to be allowed to continue his participation in the
process from freedom. That would be the only way to protect his life
and health.
Belgrade, July 30, 2003
NOTE: Since last Friday, President Milosevic has kidney pains. On
Friday, the court session started with delay, since he was waiting to
get a pill against pain. This week, there was no trial. Tribunal’s
doctors have been examining him today. Results are still expected.
President Milosevic was examined by the specialists’ medical team from
Belgrade in February. On that occasion, Belgrade doctors agreed with
their Dutch colleagues appointed by the tribunal that President
Milosevic needs regular health monitoring, including specialists’
examination at least once in a month. Since then, there were no
specialists’ examinations. In June, Sloboda demanded in strongest terms
that Belgrade medical team goes to The Hague again, referring to the
February agreement. This demand was sent to the person in charge,
tribunal’s Registrar and to all “judges” of the “Trial Chamber III”.
Until now, Sloboda got no response from the tribunal. When we were
urging a response by phone, persons from the Registry replied that for
another visit of Belgrade doctors, according to the tribunal’s “Rules”,
‘a written request of the accused is needed’. Now we are facing another
dramatic turn in President Milosevic’s health due to another tribunal’s
deliberate disregard of the medical conclusions. And President
Milosevic is not willing to ask his inquisitors for anything.
Sloboda calls upon the national committees, jurists and medical doctors
to react. Address the tribunal and UN Security Council members (find
their contacts at
http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/unsc_members.html )
---
When light of truth or light of public attention falls on the illegal
tribunal’s building made of immoral and criminal ‘right of might’, the
building starts to be ruined.
Look at the two excerpts from today’s tribunal’s weekly press briefing
(last before the three weeks summer recess). First, about the President
Milosevic’s health:
<<Asked for more information concerning Milosevic’s health, [spokesman
for Registry and Chambers Jim] Landale replied that he could not really
go much further than what Judge May had said in court this morning
during the administrative session, which was that the Trial Chamber
understood that Milosevic was suffering from problems with his blood
pressure and that was the reason he was not able to attend court this
week and why the trial would now adjourn until 25 August 2003. He could
not go further than that, he concluded.
A journalist stated that everyone had become used to interruptions of
the Milosevic trial due to reasons of blood pressure, flu or
exhaustion, but that Milosevic, during the public hearing on Friday,
had mentioned that he had asked for a pain killer and that it was the
first time he did so. Asked whether this indicated that there was a new
ailment, or new symptoms, Landale replied that he would not go any
further than what Judge May had said in court today. He added that it
was not for him to disclose confidential medical information and that
he would not do so.>>
And second, about Carla del Ponte:
<<Asked what the position of the Prosecutor was concerning
recommendations made by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, not to
extend her mandate as Prosecutor of the ICTR, [spokeswoman for the
Office of the Prosecutor Florence] Hartmann replied that the next step,
following the recommendation of the Secretary-General, was for the
Security Council to issue a resolution. It was up to the Security
Council to decide on such matters. She concluded that the Prosecutor
would make no comment until a decision had been made.
According to a journalist, Carla Del Ponte had told a Swiss newspaper a
few days ago that if her mandate for the ICTR was not extended, she
would not stay at the ICTY. Hartmann replied that she had no further
comment to make on this issue except that she was waiting to see what
the Security Council decided. She would comment after that, but not at
the moment as it was too early.>>
WHY SHOULD SUCH A PERSON KEEP ANY POST IN UN SYSTEM?
(we remind you of one of our earlier posts, which is just a piece of
numerous dirty stories about the criminal NATO executor)
TRANSLATION OF INTERVIEW BY JURGEN ELSAESSER WITH FELIPE TUROVER ON
CARLA DEL PONTE
(source: Konkret, December 2002)
Translated by Colin Meade
[quotation]
Felipe Turover: "Carla del Ponte told the hit-men where to find me".
[Introduction]
"Justice is a woman", said UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan about Carla
del Ponte, currently Chief Prosecutor in the Hague trial of Slobodan
Milosevic. Felipe Turover's experience of the Swiss jurist is very
different. 37-year old Felipe comes from a Spanish Republican family
whose parents fled with him from Franco to the Soviet Union. After the
death of the dictator, Felipe returned to his native land before going
back at the end of the 1980s to Moscow as a financial expert. From 1992
to 1999 he worked for the Yeltsin government managing debts with
Western creditor banks.
[Interview]
Elsässer: You are the chief witness in the Mabetex case, also known as
Russiagate. What is it about and how does Carla del Ponte come into it?
Turover: Mabetex is a construction company based in Lugano in Italian
Switzerland. It belongs to the Kosovo Albanian Beghijet Pacolli who now
has a Swiss passport. In the 1990s Pacolli and his business partner
Viktor Stolpovskich won some two billion euros-worth of orders from the
Kremlin, supposedly for building and restoration work in the government
and presidential complex. It has been proved that billions of dollars
vanished from Russia through this operation, with millions being spent
on bribes in Moscow in return. Pacolli acted as guarantor for credit
cards for Yeltsin and both his daughters, according to the Banca del
Gottardo which issued the cards. Carla del Ponte, at that time a Swiss
public prosecutor contacted me in 1997 and asked me to be ready to
testify in the case. Later she invited the Russian investigating
prosecutor Yuri Skuratov to Switzerland and put me in touch with
him. At that time she already had a reputation as a great fighter for
justice and I therefore did as she asked. That was an almost fatal
error.
Elsässer: Why?
Turover: I was dependent on her honesty and had made it clear to her
from the start that my testimony placed my life in danger. I was still
at the time working as an advisor to the Russian authorities, i.e. for
the very people I was incriminating with these documents. So what did
Ms del Ponte do? She gave my full name and job to the press. This was
as if I had given information to the US Drug Enforcement Agency about
the Escobar Clan out of Medellin and then, while still in the lions'
den, read in the New York Times that I was the chief witness against
Escobar. In my case, it was Moscow rather than Medellin and the
newspaper was the Corriere della Sera but the effect was the same. I
was in big trouble and saved my life by hurriedly getting out of
Moscow. Since then, for the past three years, I have been living
undercover. I have Carla del Ponte to thank for this. She told the
hit-men where to find me.
Elsässer: Isn't that an exaggeration? How is a Swiss Federal Prosecutor
responsible for an article in an Italian newspaper?
Turover: Both the Corriere journalists got all their information from
del Ponte, including my mobile phone number. They told me so
themselves, because they knew my life was in danger.
Elsässer: Del Ponte has denied that.
Turover: Then she's not telling the truth. And I've already said this
many times and she has never threatened to sue for slander. The reason
is simple: she has no proof, but I do.
Elsässer: Mabetex boss Pacolli is not only a construction magnate, but
is also said to have close ties to the Kosovo Albanian KLA terrorists.
Turover: That's right. He himself has stated that at least until 2000
his group owned the Kosovo Albanian daily "Bota Sot" which even the
OSCE condemned for racist articles. Its agitation was aimed mainly at
the Serbs, but it also made an anti-Semitic attack on me as the "Jew
Turover".
Elsässer: If it were the case that the Yeltsin clan had received Kosovo
Albanian bribes, this might explain his behaviour in spring 1999. As
NATO prepared for war against Yugoslavia, he didn't lift a finger to
help the Serbs, his supposed brother people. At the Rambouillet
Conference, when the NATO states took an extremely biased pro-Albanian
position, Moscow didn't protest, although its diplomats were at the
negotiating table. Did the Kosovo Albanians buy Yeltsin's passivity?
Turover: That's possible. We're looking here at a symbiosis of
politics, plunder and money laundering on a large scale.
Elsässer: And del Ponte?
Turover: All the preliminary inquiries in the Mabetex case in
Switzerland were politically abandoned at the highest level. Moreover,
the documents that del Ponte had received from her Russian colleague
Skuratov somehow ended up in Pacolli's possession. He reported back to
his Russian friends Yeltsin and Borodin and subsequently Skuratov, an
honest and competent lawyer, was shunted aside, in spite of three
almost unanimous resolutions in his support from the Russian
Senate. The end of Skuratov was also the end of the Moscow Mabetex case
- the proceedings were finally abandoned in December 2000.
Elsässer: Was del Ponte acting to protect the Albanian Mafia or the
Yeltsin clan?
Turover: Neither. She acts only in her own interest. She is indifferent
to political goals. Look at the point in time when she made public what
she knew about the Mabetex case, including my name - the end of August
1999. That was a blow not only to me, but to Yeltsin too.
It's true that she later failed to follow through on the case, but at
that moment her revelations did serious damage to Yeltsin. The
immediate background was the spectacular coup by Russian elite units in
Kosovo in summer 1999; after the ceasefire they occupied Pristina
airport, getting there before NATO. According to the British head of
KFOR, Michael Jackson, this could have led to world war three. Moscow
was playing for high stakes. It wanted its own occupation zone in
Kosovo to protect the Serbs. In this situation Yeltsin had to be
repudiated. The current US Foreign Minister, Madeleine Albright,
therefore met del Ponte at London Heathrow airport in July 1999 and
probably spelt all this out to her. So then del Ponte went public with
her revelations about Yeltsin in Corriere della Sera and in
mid-September Albright in a statement on CNN stoked up the heat about
Russian government corruption. Yeltsin had to fear an effort to impeach
him and then prosecution. He was let off the hook by two bombings in
Moscow, allegedly by Chechen terrorists. Russian troops went into
Chechnya and public attention was diverted from Russiagate.
Elsässer: Was del Ponte acting as an agent of Washington in this
situation?
Turover: She is no more pro-American than she is pro-Albanian. She acts
in Swiss interests, i.e. in the interests of the Mafia in Switzerland.
Elsässer: Explain.
Turover: Switzerland and the Swiss banks live mainly off money
laundering. All the world's dictators and major criminals deposit their
money here. Above all the canton of Tessin is exceptionally well placed
for this. People simply carry millions in suitcases and glove
compartments over the border from Italy. Every politician in Tessin
knows about it and benefits from it. And as the canton's public
prosecutor del Ponte protected this activity even before the Mabetex
case at the end of the 1990s. Take the case of a company in Chiasso
accused of money laundering for the Italian Mafia. She stopped the
proceedings. But basically del Ponte is pro-del Ponte. She would do
anything for her career, even bring a case against George W. Bush. She
is in any case a useless lawyer. To my knowledge she has never won a
case in her entire career. Her only talent is self-promotion,
self-marketing.
Elsässer: Her agreement with Albright in any case proved profitable. A
little later she became the Chief Prosecutor at the Hague, at
Washington's behest. The Zurich Weltwoche expressed surprise: "why the
Americans wanted her to succeed the difficult and prematurely ousted
Louise Arbour remains a puzzle. After all they had made no secret of
the fact that they regarded the Court as a useless waste of time".
Turover: Del Ponte and the Swiss government helped Albright and the
Americans - they're honest people, they pay their bills - therefore
rewarded her with the Hague job. Here too she has sold herself
brilliantly. With her, the trial is a total disaster. She has nothing
on Milosevic, and legally he ought therefore to be released
immediately. And so Milosevic, who himself is nothing but a bandit and
con man, can present himself as an innocent victim of persecution and
Serb nationalism is on the rise as the recent elections showed [1]. Do
people in the Hague really not know that the Swiss Federal Government
has appointed a special investigator to look into the del Ponte
affair? How can a woman who is herself the subject of judicial
investigation at the highest level because of serious crimes stay on as
Chief Prosecutor at the UN war crimes tribunal?
Elsässer: In March 2001 you reported Carla del Ponte and persons
unknown to the police for, among other things, endangering your life
and attempted murder (tentato assassinio) in connection with
Russiagate. But the Swiss Federal Prosecutor, Valentin Roschacher,
dismissed the charges against his predecessor. So how can you say that
a special investigation of del Ponte is ongoing?
Turover: Roschacher protected del Ponte and I have therefore brought a
case against him for bias in her favour. This case has not only been
taken up, but in May 2002 the Swiss Federal Council appointed a special
investigator, Arthur Hublard, the former public prosecutor of Jura
canton. He is investigating my accusations against Roschacher - but the
del Ponte case is obviously also involved here. Furthermore, I have
laid charges against Switzerland at the European Court of Human Rights
in Strasbourg.
Elsässer: Against Switzerland, not against del Ponte?
Turover: You can't bring cases against private persons in
Strasbourg. But in substance the charges relate primarily to del Ponte
because as the Swiss Federal Prosecutor she placed my life in
danger. It's preposterous for her to continue to hold office in the
Hague when two such cases are pending.
Elsässer: You are living in hiding, constantly moving house. How long
will you keep this up?
Turover: I have to, otherwise I'm dead because of del Ponte. I have of
course insured myself by making sure that in the event of my demise
even more explosive information than hitherto will be revealed. But
that does not provide me with real security. So far at least five
prosecution witnesses in the Mabetex case have been cleared out of the
way. The most recent victim was Pacolli's personal secretary, a 32-year
old woman, who was found dead in the bathroom, allegedly from a blood
clot. There was no autopsy and she was cremated the next day.
[1] Obviously, these disparaging remarks about Mr Milosevic do not
represent the views of the ICDSM. The reason why Carla del Ponte has
got nothing on Mr Milosevic is that the charges against him have no
basis in reality. However incompetent del Ponte may be, she has had a
multitude of "experts", investigators and compliant officials within
and outside Yugoslavia to help her in her quest for "evidence". They
have found nothing because there was never anything there to find.
---
IS THE END NEAR?
Obviously. Anyhow. Remember: in spite of all blackmails from ICTY and
puppet regime in Belgrade, all the ‘crucial insiders’ were just more
and more ruining the ‘indictment’ – one of the biggest historical lies
ever. And here is how just days ago, Carla tried, without conviction,
to advertise her non-existing achievements and to propose herself to
the Security Council:
UN Prosecutor to Show Milosevic Evidence
ARTHUR MAX
Associated Press
Wed, Jul. 16, 2003
THE HAGUE, Netherlands-With time running out to conclude her case, the
chief U.N. war crimes prosecutor said Wednesday she will begin focusing
on the genocide charges against Slobodan Milosevic, and the next few
months will be critical.
The prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, said crucial evidence will soon be
presented to the tribunal regarding the former Yugoslav president's
involvement with the massacre in Srebrenica and the months-long
bombardment of Sarajevo. She said she was confident it would lead to
convictions for genocide - the most serious of the 66 charges Milosevic
faces.
The prosecution has until the end of the year to complete its case in
the trial. Milosevic, 61, who is representing himself, will then have
equal time - nearly two years - to present his defense.
Milosevic, who has been on trial since February 2002, has serious heart
trouble and illness that has repeatedly delayed hearings.
In verdicts in other cases, the Yugoslav tribunal has set stiff
standards for genocide convictions, demanding the prosecution
demonstrate that a prior intent to destroy a race or ethnic group was
the motive for the crime.
In the tribunal's 10-year existence, one person has been convicted of
genocide. Two other defendants were acquitted, but were convicted of
crimes against humanity and received long prison terms. Prosecutors
have dropped genocide charges in several other cases when they believed
the evidence was inadequate.
In an Associated Press interview, Del Ponte said the prosecution's case
against Milosevic is going well, but they haven't yet proved the
genocide charges.
"So far it's going OK, but let's see. It will be in September-October
that will be the most crucial moment for this count of genocide," she
said.
Del Ponte said she expected to hand down the last indictments against
war crimes suspects in the former Yugoslavia, and conclude all the
investigations on schedule by the end of next year.
The tribunal, created in 1993 by the U.N. Security Council to prosecute
crimes in the Balkan wars of the 1990s, will disband when the last
trials are completed - in 2010 at the latest.
Keeping an eye on a television monitor showing the Milosevic trial one
floor below her office, Del Ponte said she hoped senior political and
military figures during his 13 years in power, who are under indictment
themselves, will testify against their former leader.
She has been buoyed in the last month by the decision of two former
Yugoslav army officers to change their innocent pleas to guilty and to
issue lengthy statements implicating co-defendants - but not Milosevic
himself - in the killings at Srebrenica in July 1995.
Bosnian Serbs slaughtered more than 7,000 Muslims in one week in the
enclave, which had been declared a U.N. protected zone. It was the
worst mass murder in Europe since World War II.
Del Ponte held out hope that Biljana Plavsic, the former Bosnian Serb
leader who pleaded guilty and the most senior political figure to be
convicted so far, would change her mind and testify against Milosevic.
Plavsic is serving an 11-year sentence in Sweden.
"If Biljana Plavsic would agree to testify in court, it would be much
easier," Del Ponte said. "But it's not only Plavsic. We have others."
In her plea bargain last year, Plavsic made it clear she had no
intention to be a witness in other trials.
"Until now, I am optimistic," Del Ponte said about persuading suspects
to testify against Milosevic. "But you know it can change from day to
day, because sometimes witnesses are hesitant for other reasons -
threats, a political situation."
Don’t miss to tell to the Security Council and to the public, before
September 15 what do you think about Carla del Ponte and her NATO
justice.
---
And justice will work, sooner or later. On behalf of the people, of
course. There is at least one document waiting since last year in
Belgrade that democracy returns:
District State Attorney’s Office-Belgrade
B e l g r a d e
16A Slobodana Penezica St.
Pursuant to the Art. 224 of the Law on Criminal Proceedings and the
Art. 107 item 1 of the Penal Code of FRY, the above Attorney’ s Office
being of actual and regional jurisdiction has been filed the following
CRIMINAL CHARGES
against:
1. Carla del Ponte, the Attorney of the International Criminal Tribunal
for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague;
2. Geoffrey Nice, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
3. Dirk Ryneveld, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
4. Cristina Romano, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
5. Milbert Shin, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
6. Daniel Saxon, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
7. Julia Baly, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY;
8. Daryl A. Mundis, the Deputy Attorney of the ICTY
Them having deliberately ever since June 26, 2001, initiated the
procedure of life deprivation of Slobodan Milosevic, him being at
request of the Attorney’s Office of the Hague Tribunal, kept in the
Detention Unit of the ICTY in Scheweningen in the Hague; him being
occasionally, ever since February 12, 2002, brought and kept under
surveillance in the court -room in the Hague and him being returned to
the Detention Unit although all of them knowing that the health
condition of Slobodan Milosevic requires urgent medical
treatment outside prison; them depriving Slobodan Milosevic necessary
cardiology specialist treatment and further care; them doing this
persistently and deliberately, ignoring opinions and recommendations of
the physicians conference from FRY and recommendations of the
physicians Dr. J.W. Crosse and Dr. H.A. Rodrigues from Holland dtd.
June 17, 2002, as well as opinions of the Head of the Cardiology Clinic
of the Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, FRY dtd. July 23, 2002, that
tried persistently to propose to the Trial Chamber Slobodan Milosevic
being assigned defense attorney instead of Slobodan Milosevic
temporarily being relieved due to further medical treatment and
seriously aggravated health condition that might cause his death.
Them, hereby, being co-executors for the criminal offense of attempted
murder pursuant to the Art 47 item 1 of the Penal Code of the Republic
of Serbia in connection with the Art. 19 of the Penal Code of FRY.
Them although chosen by the OUN and having the above assignments,
deliberately and roughly broke their professional code of conduct and
the acts of the OUN, representing the generally binding acts of the
international public law that covers bodies and institutions of the OUN
as well as the stuff of the OUN, i.e.:
“the principles of medical ethics applied to medical stuff, physicians
mostly, to protect detainees and persons detained from torture and
other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishments or deeds” (Adopted by the
General Assembly of the United Nations on Dec. 18 1982, the Resolution
37/94),
as well as
“The Code of Conduct of Persons Liable for Introduction of the Law”
adopted on the part of the General Assembly of the United Nations on
Dec. 17, 1979, the Resolution 34/169.
The Art. 6 of this Code determined that “persons liable for application
of this law should take care that health of persons entrusted to them
should be FULLY PROTECTED and they MUST, IMMEDIATELY TAKE ALL NECESSARY
STEPS to provide the affected persons with all medical care whenever
need arises”.
They violated severely the Art. 3 of the Universal Declaration on Human
Rights that guarantees that “EVERYBODY HAS RIGHT TO LIFE, FREADOM AND
SECURITY OF HIS PERSONALITY.”
The Attorney and her Deputies do not propose to the President of the
Court and the Trial Chamber neither the change of conditions for
Slobodan Milosevic pursuant to the Art. 64 of the Rules nor do they
initiate the Trial Chamber to release temporarily Slobodan Milosevic
due to medical treatment pursuant to the Art. 65 of the Rules although
they are well acquainted with the quoted medical reports and proposals.
In Annex to these Charges we provide copies of medical reports of Dr.
J.W. Crosse and Dr. H.A. Rodriques from Holland dtd. July 19, 2002,
done upon request of the court council of MKSJ and Dr. Sc. Med. Zdravko
Mijailovic, the Head of the Cardiology Clinic of the Military Medical
Academy, Belgrade.
Hereinafter we propose pursuant to the legal jurisdiction mentioned in
the Law on Public Attorney Office Work and the Criminal Proceedings
Regulations to take all necessary steps for suspects’ persecution in
conformity with the presentation of evidence and their punishment
before authorized courts.
In Belgrade on Nov. 12, 2002.
Charges filed by
Association of Citizens “FREEDOM’
National Committee for Release of Slobodan Milosevic
Belgrade, 16 Rajiceva St.
---
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)
(srpskohrvatski / english)
0. Sloboda: Reagujte dok ne bude prekasno!
Milosevic "Trial", 15--25 July 2003:
1. Dealing With the "Hostile" Insider Witness
by Judith Armatta, 15 July, 2003 - http://www.cij.org/
2. SYNOPSIS OF THE JULY 22, 2003 PROCEEDINGS AT THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/smorg072203.htm
3. SYNOPSIS OF JULY 23 HEARINGS AT THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/smorg072303.htm
4. ANOTHER SYNOPSIS OF THE JULY 23, 2003 PROCEEDINGS AT THE HAGUE
http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/martinovic072303.htm
5. SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC: HISTORY TEACHER, July 24
http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/martinovic072403.htm
6. "TRIAL" HALTED DUE TO PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S ILL HEALTH
Milosevic war crimes trial to resume August 25
=== 0 ===
Da: "Vladimir Krsljanin"
Data: Mer 30 Lug 2003 16:42:10 Europe/Rome
Oggetto: Sloboda: Reagujte dok ne bude prekasno!
SAOPSTENJE ZA JAVNOST
Udruzenje "Sloboda" - Jugoslovenski komitet za oslobodjenje
Slobodana Milosevica ukazuje domacoj i medjunarodnoj javnosti da se
zbog opasnog i zlonamernog nepostovanja medjunarodnih standarda o
zastiti ljudskih prava od strane ilegalnog tribunala u Hagu, stanje
zdravlja Predsednika Slobodana Milosevica stalno pogorsava. Predsednik
Milosevic svojom borbom za istinu trijumfuje u procesu bez presedana u
istoriji, izlozen svakodnevnim nadljudskim naporima i nehumanim
zatvorskim uslovima.
To traje vec vise od dve godine. Iako su dosadasnji malobrojni
specijalisticki pregledi i medicinske analize nesumnjivo utvrdili da
uslovi kojima je izlozen predstavljaju opasan faktor kardiovaskularnog
rizika, tribunal odbija cak i da obezbedi redovne specijalisticke
kontrole njegovog zdravstvenog stanja.
Udruzenje "Sloboda" zahteva da se Predsedniku Slobodanu Milosevicu
omoguce neophodni pregledi i oporavak u nasoj zemlji i da u ovom
procesu ucestvuje sa slobode. To je jedini primeren nacin da se zastite
njegov zivot i zdravlje.
UDRUZENJE "SLOBODA" - JUGOSLOVENSKI KOMITET ZA OSLOBODJENJE SLOBODANA
MILOSEVICA
Beograd, 30. jula 2003. godine
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)
=== 1 ===
(NOTE: This Lady Armatta, after expressing concern about how
"accusation" witnesses turn in favor of Milosevic in
cross-examinations, claims that in "modern" proceedings such
cross-examinations must be forbidden. Milosevic would have "a nearly
hypnotic effect" thus "it makes it difficult to get at the truth", she
says - she is right, since only HER truth is meant.)
http://www.cij.org/
index.cfm?fuseaction=viewReport&reportID=361&tribunalID=1
Dealing With the "Hostile" Insider Witness
International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY)
Milosevic Trial - The Hague - Court Room Three
15 July 2003
THE HAGUE - An attorney cannot impeach a witness he or she has called,
according to traditional trial practice rules. The rule is based on
the assumption that a party calling a witness vouches for the witness's
credibility. Only when the party can show that a witness has surprised
him or her with their testimony is there an exception. In this
situation, an attorney may ask the court to declare the witness
“hostile” and allow the attorney to impeach his or her own witness,
i.e., attempt to show the witness is lying. Traditionally, judges did
not favor this procedure and tended to tell attorneys they take their
witnesses as they find them. If they “go south” (change their stories)
on the stand, it is just one of life’s risks.
The more modern approach is to recognize that attorneys do not have
unlimited choice of witnesses. Not infrequently, a witness with
important information may also be untrustworthy. That is often the
case with certain witnesses in war crimes trials, especially where the
charge is involvement in a joint criminal enterprise. The best
witnesses in such cases are insiders. They can also be the worst.
Geoffrey Nice has been struggling with this problem since the beginning
of the Milosevic trial, as the Trial Chamber appears to favor the
traditional rule. The recent appearance of Zoran Lilic, one-time
President of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), was only
the latest challenge.
On the stand, Lilic showed himself a devotee of Slobodan Milosevic, the
Accused who he had come to testify against. Like other insider
witnesses, such as Rade Markovic, Dragan Vasiljkovic and protected
witness B-1775, once confronted by his old-time boss, Lilic rolled over
like a cur before the alpha dog. Milosevic’s aura was too strong for
him. Lilic (and Markovic, Vasiljkovic and B-1775) willingly and
unashamedly agreed to whatever Milosevic asked, with some exceptions.
It is not unusual for authoritarian leaders to surround themselves with
“yes-men,” but it makes it difficult to get at the truth, particularly
if the hostile witness rule is applied.
Lilic provided important testimony on direct examination about:
Milosevic's central role in getting the Bosnian Serbs to lay down their
guns; the primacy of Milosevic's Serbian police (MUP) over the VJ
(Yugoslav Army) and the direct subordination of MUP chiefs to him; the
FRY's financial support of the Croatian and Bosnian Serb armies, and
crimes committed by Serbian forces in Kosovo. The former FRY president
also authenticated minutes of high level meetings and a letter Army
Chief of Staff Momcilo Perisic wrote Milosevic, protesting his
extra-legal activities in Kosovo.
On cross examination, Lilic changed his testimony to suit his former
mentor with the ease of an actor changing roles. The fact that some of
his answers directly contradicted his earlier testimony seemed to
bother him not in the slightest. Despite having criticized Milosevic
for unnecessarily prolonging the war in Kosovo, when the Accused asked,
he agreed that Milosevic sought peace, not war. He testified that
Milosevic had no control over the Yugoslav army (VJ) and did not
interfere in its command during Lilic’s term in office – 1993 to 1997.
Moreover, he agreed that no VJ generals were promoted or dismissed at
Milosevic's request. In contrast to his earlier statement, Lilic also
assented to Milosevic's suggestion that he had no control over the
Bosnian Serbs, who often obstructed his efforts for a negotiated
settlement
In addition to these concessions, Lilic also provided the Amicus,
Branislav Tapuskovic, with helpful responses. He agreed with his
examiner that all the republican territorial defense units were under
JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) command and their weapons and equipment
were JNA property. The Chamber has heard contrary evidence to the
effect that each Yugoslav republic had its own TO, financed by the
individual republics, and providing their own equipment, weapons and
ammunition. The relationship of the JNA and republican TO’s, including
property ownership, is important because the JNA took control of TO
weapons and ammunition before the wars, then redistributed them to
local Serbs, according to other testimony before the Chamber.
Mr. Tapuskovic also elicited the witness’s agreement that Serbian
Orthodox Patriarch Pavle was the one who intervened and secured
Mladic’s agreement for Milosevic to negotiate for the Bosnian Serbs at
Dayton – not Milosevic. This scenario counters Milosevic’s reputed
“influence” over the Bosnian Serb leadership.
Confronted with his witness’s many concessions to Milosevic, Geoffrey
Nice had only a short time for re-examination and a significant
challenge ahead of him. He did not ask the Chamber to declare Lilic a
hostile witness, though he would have been justified in doing so.
Rather, he set out to tread a cautious line, which twice drew warnings
from the Bench.
Probing Lilic’s relationship with the Accused, Mr. Nice asked him who
was giving instructions to whom as they sought to get Mladic to release
the two French pilots before the signing of the Dayton Accords in
Paris. Lilic responded, “Our fear was that the Accords would not be
signed and Milosevic insisted that I should issue an order to Perisic
that he try to establish the location of the pilots. I was not giving
instruction to him. He used his right through me to bring influence to
bear on the Yugoslav Army.” It is an explanation as curious as it is
convoluted and may provide unintended insight into the way Lilic has
ordered his reality to include a vision of his own power within the
confines of Milosevic’s far greater power.
Nice then stepped into deeper water and asked his witness, “Mladic left
the RS (Republika Srpska) at the end of 1996. Did he come to Serbia?”
Lilic responded: “I don’t know whether he left the RS altogether but
he certainly did come to Serbia.” Nice followed up by asking if there
was ever an inquiry into Mladic's involvement in Srebrenica, to which
Lilic replied, “As far as I know, no such investigation was
instituted.” Before the prosecutor could ask about the subsequent
promotion of Mladic, Judge May cautioned him, “There’s a limit to the
extent you can cross examine your own witness.”
Not for the first time, Nice tried to explain the trouble with insider
witnesses. “There are certain witnesses whose evidence has to be
viewed cautiously.” Yet, he said, “the Chamber is assisted by hearing
their evidence on particular documents and events,” in this case the
promotion of someone who has been indicted for genocide in Srebrenica.
Nice wanted to present a document showing Mladic’s promotion and to ask
the witness how it occurred. The Chamber ruled to exclude the document
and Nice approached his witness from a different angle.
In response to Mr. Nice’s questions, Lilic admitted that during his
term as president he had access to significant intelligence data,
though he said Milosevic had “more and better information.”
Nevertheless, when Nice asked him whether, despite the range of
available information, he had no intelligence on what happened at
Srebrenica, he said simply, “Right.”
Nice continued, “You denied the existence of any detention camps [when
Milosevic asked him about a report that nine existed in Serbia,
identified by location and number of prisoners] . . . . Did you visit
the areas yourself?” In another demonstration of his convoluted
universe, Lilic answered, “I did not visit them and according to my
information, they did not exist. I cannot visit what our [military
intelligence] service says does not exist.” It apparently never
occurred to him to visit the identified areas to see if they held camps
in which people were being detained. When Nice attempted to follow up
by asking if the witness would allow that he could have been kept from
information of this kind, Judge Robinson interrupted to caution him,
“Mr. Nice, you’re getting pretty close to cross examining.”
The lead prosecutor quietly asked his less than stellar witness, "If
the Court determines that the army [VJ] was involved [in the Bosnian
Serb war against the Bosnian government], who was in a position to
control or influence the VJ . . .?" The witness waffled, appearing
confused. Only General Perisic could have issued orders of that kind,
he said, and if he did, they could have come from Milosevic. That, he
continued, would have been completely unlawful. So, it could not have
happened, he appeared to conclude. "Only the President of FRY [Lilic]
[acting] with the Supreme Defense Council could issue such an order."
This exemplifies the dance he was forced to do in his efforts to please
Milosevic and protect himself.
Nice's further probing rehabilitated significant evidence Lilic had
given on direct examination, which he had repudiated on cross
examination by Milosevic. For example, Lilic re-asserted that the
Serbian MUP was militarized under Milosevic's presidency, and that it
included two special anti-terrorist units, the SJO and the SAJ. He
also reaffirmed that Jovica Stanisic, head of the Serbian State
Security Service, and indirectly Milosevic, exercised political control
over the Red Berets.
The Prosecutor then asked him about General Pavkovic's May 25, 1999
letter to Milosevic, asking him to take urgent measures to
resubordinate MUP units in Kosovo to the VJ. General Pavkovic reported
that certain MUP units were out of control, looting vast amounts of
property and "committing serious crimes against the Shiptars
[pejorative name for Kosovar Albanians]" including murder, rape,
robbery, plunder, etc. Lilic had fallen out of favor by this time and
could not testify directly about the letter. However, Mr. Nice asked
him one important question, "Do you have any reason to doubt General
Pavkovic?" In a strong voice, Lilic responded, "absolutely not."
Finally, Mr. Nice showed Lilic the transcript of a speech by Ratko
Mladic on April 16, 1995. In it, Mladic identifies the quantity of
weapons and ammunition the FRY provided to the RS Army from the
beginning of the war until December 31, 1994. Lilic explained that
Mladic was a bit of a sensationalist and the quantities were "so large
I personally don't believe them." The Prosecutor offered a
hypothetical, "If in due course it is found that [the VJ provided]
these materials . . ., who bears responsibility for authorizing it --
you as Commander in Chief?" Because the weapons were owned by the VJ
and because of the quantity, Lilic claimed that only the federal
minister of defense could have authorized their transfer to the RS.
Experience with insider witnesses demonstrates that the Court should
adopt the modern rule and allow cross examination of a party's own
witnesses. The Milosevic trial provides strong support to do so. At
least four witnesses have significantly diverted from their direct
testimony when Milosevic questioned them, under a nearly hypnotic
effect. The prosecutor should not be placed in a position to press a
reluctant Court to declare these witnesses "hostile" in order to
attempt to get at the truth. The purpose of presenting testimony
through these difficult witnesses is to assist the Chamber in its
decision-making. Applying the traditional rule thwarts that aim. The
Chamber should adopt the modern approach.
Submitted by Judith Armatta on 15 July, 2003 - Updated: 15 July 2003
08:32
=== 2 ===
SYNOPSIS OF THE JULY 22, 2003 PROCEEDINGS AT THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - July 22, 2003
Written by: Andy Wilcoxson
The so-called “Trial” of Slobodan Milosevic resumed again today after
a four day weekend.
A secret witness code named “B-127” testified for most of the day.
B-127 is a Muslim and a former member of the JNA who stayed on and
joined the VRS, after the JNA withdrew from Bosnia-Herzegovina in May
of 1992.
The prosecution was trying to use B-127’s testimony as part of its
pathetic attempt to “prove” their absurd claim that the VJ and the VRS
were the same army, and not 2 different armies.
The “damning testimony” came fast and furious when B-127 claimed that
the VJ and the VRS shared information with each other. Oh, parish the
thought that 2 friendly states would share information with each
other! That has got to be the most sinister conspiracy in the history
of the world, or so you would think if you listened to the
“prosecutor” at the Hague Tribunal.
The truth is that it is completely normal for states that are on
friendly terms with one another to share information. An example of
that is making headlines right now. George W. Bush made what was
apparently a false claim in his State of the Union speech, on the basis
of British intelligence.
B-127 said that the information sharing went so far that the VJ could
access VRS radar data, and the VRS could access VJ radar data. In
North America the USA and Canada have the same agreement – it’s called
NORAD.
If one uses the logic employed by the Hague Tribunal one could
theorize that the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was really a Canadian
endeavor, and therefore the actions of the USA are really Canada’s
responsibility. After all, Canada and the USA cooperate with each
other, they share intelligence data, they share radar data – in fact,
in my home state of Washington, the Canadian Armed forces even conduct
joint training operations together with the U.S. Army at Ft. Lewis
near Tacoma.
Just like Slobodan Milosevic secretly controlled the government and
army of Republika Srpska – Canadian PM, Jean Chretien must be secretly
controlling the U.S. Government and the American armed forces. If you
understand the logic of the Hague Tribunal, or if you smoke enough
crack, then that type of thinking will make perfect sense to you.
Another thing that was seen as sinister (by the prosecutor) was the
fact that the government of Yugoslavia paid the former soldiers of the
JNA, through the 30th Personnel Center, the social insurance, health
benefits, salaries, old-age pensions, etc… which they had legally
accrued under Yugoslav law.
Imagine those scheming Serbs - paying people the money that they owed
them. If that doesn’t point to a “joint criminal enterprise” then I
don’t know what does. They even paid B-127, who is a Muslim, through
that same 30th Personnel Center.
The 30th Personnel Center was purely an administrative body that was
in charge of paying legally accrued social benefits to the former
soldiers of the JNA. The 30th Personnel Center issued no orders of any
kind. It had one office, consisting of one room, and it operated for a
full 6 years after the war ended,therefore it had absolutely nothing
at all to do with the war.
The prosecution’s claim that the VJ and the VRS were the same army
fell to pieces when Slobodan Milosevic asked B-127 some very direct
questions.
President Milosevic asked if B-127 knew of any orders that the VJ had
issued to the VRS, and B-127 didn’t know about any.
President Milosevic asked if B-127 had ever seen any units of the VJ
operating in Bosnia, and again B-127 hadn’t.
B-127 tried to save the prosecution’s case by saying that people from
Serbia were forced to join the VRS. President Milosevic then asked for
an example of this, but B-127 failed to come up with even a single
example.
President Milosevic further destroyed the prosecution’s case when he
asked - if the VJ and the VRS were the same army (as the prosecutor
claims), then why didn’t the VRS engage Albanian terrorists in Kosovo,
or mobilize to defend Yugoslavia during the NATO aggression?
After B-127 withdrew another secret witness code named B-83 came and
testified for about 10 minutes.
Then the so-called “judges” ruled that written statements from 2
secret witnesses, B-1576 and B-1010, could be admitted as evidence
under rule 92-bis without any cross-examination. In fact these secret
witnesses, if they even exist, don’t even have to appear in front of
the tribunal at all. For all we know these so-called “witnesses” could
simply be figments of Carla del Ponte’s imagination.
=== 3 ===
SYNOPSIS OF JULY 23 HEARINGS AT THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - July 23, 2003
Written by: Andy Wilcoxson
Today at the Hague tribunal a secret witness testified under the
pseudonym of “B-83.” The majority of B-83’s testimony was given in
private session.
B-83 was apparently an official in the Serbian government who had
something to do with financial matters. His employment wasn’t clear
due to the excessive use of private sessions. I’m not even sure what
the gist of his testimony was supposed to be since so much of it was
given in private session.
B-83 did, however, say some interesting things in open session. B-83
accused the prosecution of twisting his words and putting falsehoods
into his witness statement. B-83 also said that the prosecution did
not give him adequate time to review his statement, or even give him
the chance to see the statement in his own language until he got to
the Hague earlier this week.
For example the prosecution made up a story about the Serbian Police
"organizing car thefts" and inserted this outrageous fairytale into
B-83's witness statement, even though the witness said that this story
wasn’t true. The prosecution also made up a bunch of malarkey about
“black budgets” which the witness also denied.
In fact, according to the witness, there were errors of fact in almost
every single paragraph of this witness statement that the prosecutor
had prepared for him.
While President Milosevic was questioning B-83 about the numerous
false claims that the prosecution had inserted into his witness
statement the so-called “judge” May cut him off and accused him of
“wasting time on irrelevant matters.”
This is amazing even for the Hague Tribunal. Here we have a witness
who had perjurious statements put into his mouth, against his will and
without his knowledge, by the prosecutor and the judge doesn’t see any
problem with that! If this was a real court, with a real judge, a
mistrial would be declared, and the prosecutor would face criminal
prosecution himself.
After B-83 finished, the prosecution called a so-called “expert”
witness, one Audrey Budding, a historian from Harvard who wrote a
paper on “Serb nationalism.”
Mrs. Budding proved her self to be an apologist for the Albanian
Fascists of the 2nd World War.
Mrs. Budding denied that the Ballistas* were fascists, and even had
the nerve to claim that the Ballistas were the victims of the Chetniks
and the Partisans.
All in all it was just another day at the Hague Tribunal.
* If you don’t know what a Ballista is see:
http://emperors-clothes/articles/thompson/rootsof.htm
=== 4 ===
ANOTHER SYNOPSIS OF THE JULY 23, 2003 PROCEEDINGS AT THE HAGUE
Written by: Vera Martinovic - July 23, 2003
Today's first witness, B-083, demonstrated again the flimsiness of the
Prosecution's case and the desperation of the OTP (Office of the
Prosecutor). Why flimsiness? Because, in the absence of anything
stronger, the Prosecutors sought to prove that Serbia provided
financial aid to the Serbs on the other side of the Drina. But that is
a common knowledge, an undisputed fact and certainly not a war crime.
And why desperation? They manipulated heavily the testimony of B-083,
fabricating his several previously given written statements, tricking
him into signing the English version without him fully understanding
it and trying to hide that by keeping his entire testimony in the
private session.
Only the last 10 minutes of the cross-examination were held in the
open session, but it was enough to reveal the whole scam. B-083 thus
joined those Prosecution witnesses whom they regretted they had ever
summoned: having received only few days ago at The Hague the Serbian
version of "his" statements, B-083 corrected in his handwriting
practically each and every paragraph, striking them out and adding in
the margins his explanations which invalidated the statements in toto.
B-083, introduced only vaguely as an "officer in the Ministry of
Defence of Serbia in 1991," started his testimony yesterday, but it
lasted only 10 minutes before the proceedings were adjourned for the
day and it was in the open session. The only thing Nice covered then
was the claim that the Government of Serbia deliberated in one of its
sessions in November 1991 the aid for the Serbs in Croatia, and the
amount mentioned was in the neighborhood of 92 million DM.
Today, B-083 finished his examination-in-chief, but most of it was in
private session. Therefore, the public was unable to follow the
explanation about those alleged millions.
Back in the open session, we saw that the examination-in-chief was
over and that amicus curiae Stephen Kay was arguing with Mr. May over
the allotment of time for the cross-examination, and the constant
changing in the order of witnesses.
Each time May spoke, he managed to muddle the issues, "explaining"
that indeed the Accused has to be granted a certain amount of time,
but he is not to waste it on arguments and quarrels with the witness.
Kay tried to point out this is a technical matter and the main thing
is that Nice 'moves like an express train', covering a large number of
important issues extremely briefly and superficially, which in turn
radically shortens the allotment of time for the Accused and makes it
impossible for him to cover those issues at all. He also noticed that
it is Nice who leads the most important witnesses, like Kucan was, who
was processed in only 1 day. Therefore, the time spent for the
examination-in-chief could not be the standard by which the allotted
time for the cross-examination is to be measured.
Apparently, the OTP produces a weekly list of witnesses complete with
the time planned for each examination-in-chief, and since the general
rule has been to allot approximately the same time for the
cross-examination, the Accused can plan his questioning accordingly.
But then Nice comes up, drastically cutting the actual time of his
questioning of a witness to, say, half an hour instead of the planned
two hours, simply by being superficial and thereby setting the low time
standard. And, he constantly reshuffles the witnesses, hampering the
preparation of the Defense.
Nice tried to prevent the judges from allotting too much time to this
cross-examination, by appealing to the Chamber to 'exert pressure on
the amicus and the Accused' (I failed to understand what kind of
pressure and in relation to what - perhaps to make them shut up).
Nice also half-complained and half-flattered: "I have to note that in
a short time the Accused has developed enviable skills of
cross-examination." What he meant by that was probably that the Accused
was now so much better at it that he could wrap it up in much less
time.
The troika in the scarlet robes put their heads together, murmuring
for two minutes among themselves and then May pronounced: "An hour and
fifteen minutes." Like a magician pulling a rabbit out of the hat, or
a generous nobleman tossing coins to a beggar: 15 minutes longer than
Nice had for the examination-in-chief.
So, not only haven't we seen what the witness had to say, and how rich
were the issues he covered, we also couldn't judge whether an hour and
fifteen would be reasonably long enough to cross-examine.
But, that was not all. Milosevic first tried to verify with May that
the issue of the place of employment of this witness was not for the
private session. May answered he also believed this had been mentioned
in the open session. But the moment Milosevic started to mouth his
first question, something to the effect of "You have been working…",
Nice jumped up, saying: "I believe this could infringe the security
measures." May seconded: "Yes, I think it might. We go to the private
session." And nearly all of the cross-examination, more than one hour
of it, was closed to the public!
When the session again became open again, there were Milosevic and the
witness at the end of the careful demolition of the written statements
by the latter and of the Prosecution's credibility.
Milosevic said that there was virtually not a single paragraph in
these statements that had not been corrected in writing by the
witness. B-083 confirmed: "That's right." He explained there were so
many mistakes and even some totally unrelated, irrelevant and invented
stuff, that he believed it was unfair that Milosevic is to be charged
with these things or the Tribunal's time wasted like this.
B-083 used the words "silly" and "preposterous" when describing these
passages from "his" statements. He spoke directly to Milosevic: "I
apologise to you", and he requested these issues to be disregarded. He
said he had made a mistake by being insufficiently cautious, and
signing this without having read it or having received it in Serbian.
Milosevic quoted several quite outrageous passages from one of these
statements, allegedly in direct speech by the witness: "I'll give you
another example of illegal fundraising - the Police had been involved
in car theft." He said to the witness: "Here you have added in your
handwriting: 'Not correct'." B-083 confirmed this, saying he also wrote
that it should be explained to the Accused, along with an apology, the
circumstances of this statement.
B-083 only got the Serbian version 5 days ago. Apparently, the OTP
Investigator Gerald Sexton had tricked the witness into signing the
English version years ago, saying he'll be able to 'explain everything
at The Hague', but then B-083 found out that practically everything
had been invented or too liberally interpreted, but as if the witness
had been quoted verbatim complete with the inverted commas ("I'll give
you another example…"). The witness now stated that, if he only had a
chance to write his statement with his own hand, "we would not be
having 1 minute of this discussion'.
Here's another gem: Milosevic said that one of the statements
contained the claim by the witness about our state budget, which had
'one secret segment, called a black fund'. B-083 simply said there's no
way he could have said that.
Judging by some other examples from the OTP's work of fiction that
Milosevic quoted, B-083 spoke to the Investigator quite broadly and
openly about the situation in the Ministry of Defense, where internal
squabbles and embezzlements were rife (and for which, as Milosevic
pointed out that 2 Ministers had been arrested at that time), and
cunning Mr. Sexton took it all and gave it a nice spin, necessary for
the Indictment.
B-083 had clearly misunderstood what it meant to give a statement for
the court, presuming it meant one should open up one's heart and spill
out every large and tiny office happening, giving the Investigator a
free hand to weave a story out of it, not even bothering to read what
the nice, understanding gentleman wrote in his name. Now he was
understandably angry at being bamboozled.
B-083 continued to complain about some of his former misbehaving
office colleagues even to Milosevic, saying that some of those who did
it were still holding their high positions today "and you and me are
sitting here". Milosevic drove the point home: "What possible
connection all these things could have with what's going on here?" The
witness answered: "None whatsoever."
Gradually, B-083 and Milosevic began to discuss those events in almost
friendly manner, chatting and not bothering to keep the pause between
questions and answers, like in a normal conversation. Milosevic would
quote another invented passage and they would together marvel at how
brazen the OTP had been, the witness repeating 'I have never said
something like that'.
B-083 even volunteered in his explanation of one particular instance
that he had 'never went there to inspect', forcing Nice to interject:
"I do not know whether the witness is aware he's in the open session?"
May also interrupted the cozy chat once, warning both not to overlap,
reminding witness he is "here to testify" and Milosevic is "here to
cross-examine," and not to have a conversation. Milosevic was quite
pleased with himself for exposing once more the sleazy modus operandi
of the OTP and disrupting so successfully this show trial, that he
calmly answered to May he was quite pleased to have the opportunity to
chat with this man, whom he has never met before.
Milosevic and the witness even tried to establish the method of
creating certain passages of the statements by the OTP. The problem
was, as many times before with those written statements, that there
were no questions to which these statements were answering, only the
unbroken, spun story.
B-083 was guessing what the original questions by the Investigator
must've been: probably the Investigator asked, for instance, what
would be the regular chain of command in the government for any given
issue. He got a detailed answer about the whole structure with the
President of the Republic at the top of the pyramid. Then the OTP
retold this explanation as if it had been an answer to a specific
accusation against Milosevic.
B-083 used the ship metaphor, describing the subordination, but he was
not answering the question of whether the captain organized the
piracy. It was as if the Investigator had asked: Who runs the ship?
and got the answer: The captain, who has officers under him. Then, the
Investigator spun the question this way: Who organized the piracy using
this ship? , and coupled it with the original question: The captain,
who has officers under him.
It was obvious that both Milosevic and B-083 were displeased when Mr.
May announced that there were only 5 minutes left, so they quickly
tried to cover several more inventions (Milosevic quoting them and
asking whether they were correct, the witness answering: "Not a chance.
Please, disregard this.") They parted almost friends, I'm sure.
Mr. Tapuskovic got his 2 minutes, and he used them to clarify the only
issue from the testimony mentioned by the witness in the open session
- those millions of Deutsche Marks requested/planned/given by Serbia
to the Serbs in Croatia. He wanted to make a distinction between the
sums requested and planned and those actually paid. B-083 confirmed
that he personally handled some of these payments, but these were all
amounts in dinars, it was aid and hardly the amount stated. Tapuskovic
was pleased: "I have no further questions."
Nice had a chance for a redirect, but guess what? The public couldn't
see it, again. He said: "We have a couple of additional questions, but
they're for a private session." And the screen went blank.
Please try to read "Dealing with the 'Hostile' Insider Witness"
(
http://www.cij.org/
index.cfm?fuseaction=viewReport&reportID=361&tribunalID=1 ) by Judith
Armatta of the CIJ. Here she explained the fact that several insiders
so far (notably Radomir Markovic, Captain Dragan, Zoran Lilic and
B-1775) allegedly changed their testimony due to the mesmerizing
effect of Milosevic on them. She compared him with an 'alpha dog', in
front of which a poor witness simply 'rolled over like a cur'. She
applied her cottage psychology/astrology/ESP skills, claiming that a
witness stood no chance, because 'Milosevic's aura was too strong for
him'.
I would suggest much simpler explanations: these people did not
volunteer to testify for the Prosecution, they had been summoned
or/and threatened into it with possible indictments against themselves.
And then the following happened: for instance, Captain Dragan had NOT
changed his testimony nor succumbed to a powerful aura, but had been
bamboozled by the OTP in the same manner as today's witness B-083.
Their original written statements had been liberally invented,
suggestively worded and devoid of questions by the Investigator and
they were tricked into signing. Not having seen the
examination-in-chief of B-083, I can only suppose that it had been
pretty much like that one of Captain Dragan: Prosecutor Nice rushing,
skipping and sliding through the invented statement 'like an express
train', sometimes not making sense at all, leaving the witness to
stare in disbelief and to simply say 'yes' to whatever construction
proffered. Too bad there was this damned cross-examination and the
possibility to demonstrate that the testimony was not at all what the
witness has signed, meant or wanted to say.
The second witness today, who is to continue tomorrow, is an expert on
history from Harvard (the font of knowledge for the ICTY), who
testifies about the Serbian nationalism in 20th century as she had
penned it in her report commissioned by the OTP. The very definition of
an expert must've been wildly stretched after the ICTY set up shop.
Vera Martinovic is an independent writer based in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
=== 5 ===
SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC: HISTORY TEACHER
July 24, 2003
Written by: Vera Martinovic
Audrey Budding testified who testified on July 23rd and 24th, is a
skinny, bespectacled youthful PhD with expressive gesticulation. She
knows lots of historical facts. Her clothes and hairdo are unusually
interesting for an American. She apparently speaks/reads Serbian.
But that's where the plus side stops. Mrs. Budding's historical
knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete and, so she often misses the
big picture, and is unaware of important events and sources.
Mrs. Budding used to be a diplomatic official at the American Embassy
in Belgrade in the '80s, so she is obviously more of a politician then
a historian.
She penned a report commissioned by the OTP on Serbian nationalism in
the 20th century, which seems to be a rewrite of her own, more
balanced PhD thesis on the Serbian intellectuals and the national
question, only with the added twist to make the Serbs look bad, so she
supplied a political trial with a politicized rewrite of her own work.
None the less, I have to give her the credit of being much more subtle
than the previous Prosecution "expert", Riedlmayer, who was simply
ridiculous.
Mrs. Budding was seldom obvious and crude in her conclusions, except
sometimes, when Milosevic cornered her with facts and questions, and
then she turned stubborn. For example, when she disagreed with the
data by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum about the figure of 600,000
victims of the Ustasa concentration camp Jasenovac, claiming the
number is 100,000 and explaining that anyway 'nobody knows exactly how
many Serbs died in NDH [Nezavisna Drzava Hrvatska = Independent State
of Croatia, Ustase-led Nazi puppet invention during WW2, comprising
today's Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina], in each village and each
house' . Although she admitted this was clearly a genocide, she was
suspicious about the number, she couldn't be bothered to believe those
pedantic Jews at the Holocaust museum, and certainly not Yugoslav
sources, because she was unable to personally peek into each village
and house.
Another example where she was crude and stubborn was when she refused
to accept the fact that the Albanian Fascist movement of the notorious
Balli Combetar or balisti, were Fascists. The fact that they were
installed by Mussolini to rule Kosovo when it was given over to
Albania during the WW2, butchered thousands of Serbs, and then
continued armed fighting years after the war officially ended, all
that was to Audrey, "a rebellion that started after this region of
Drenica was incorporated in the Yugoslav state, which caused the
revolt of the Albanians, who didn't want to join the Partisans in the
final push against the Germans in 1944 because they were afraid to
leave their houses, and so this rebellion was quashed and probably few
thousands were killed, some in battles, some executed".
Mrs. Budding stubbornly persisted saying, "to describe balisti as
Albanian Fascists is not correct, because they did not support the
Fascistic form of the state."
Milosevic got impatient and curtly asked: "And what did they support?
Did they support Italian Fascists?"
Mrs. Budding mumbled that well, of course, they supported the creation
of the Greater Albania.
Milosevic snapped: "Not only supported the idea, but militarily
supported the Fascists."
Mrs. Budding mumbled some more, trailing off and ultimately saying
that she's not familiar with it, with each military action, that there
were different groups… Some historian and expert!
There were some more gaffes in her paper, like when she wrote that the
Ustasa émigrés were a marginal group (Milosevic wanted to know how
come they got to run a country for 4 years if they were so marginal).
Also, she found it problematic to define the nascent Yugoslavia as a
solution for the Serbs, with the maxim 'all Serbs in one state'. When
Milosevic said that Yugoslavia was not a solution only for the Serbs,
but also for others, that it could be equally said 'all Croats/Slovenes
in one state', Mrs. Budding proudly begged to disagree, 'because there
were significant Croatian and Slovenian minorities left in Italy and
Austria', but when Milosevic reminded her that also a significant
portion of the Serbs were left in Hungary and Romania, so the maxim
still applied for the bulk of all nations, Mrs. Budding didn't have
anything to say. A historian who argues an issue not knowing what the
next related historical fact might be used against her is not a very
competent historian.
Almost all other conclusions in her report were less obviously biased,
only ever so slightly leaned towards prejudice and one would have to
carefully read both her thesis and her OTP report to pinpoint the
distortions, although the general impression of a different slant is
palpable even from those paragraphs that were read in the courtroom.
Milosevic quoted her PhD thesis where she explained how it was
impossible for the Serbs to accept the confederate Yugoslavia and its
breaking along the borders of its republics because they were so
dispersed; the same issue in her report for the OTP got the subtle
addition that the Serbs failed to pay much attention to their ties
with other nations within the republics in which they lived outside of
Serbia.
Milosevic quipped: "Well, do you seriously believe that the ties of
the Serbs in Croatia with the Croats, these ties that include the
genocide that you've already explained, are so much stronger and more
important than the ties with other Serbs?!" Budding got pretty confused
after that and started to babble about life being not only one's
nation, but a house in which one lives… To that one can argue that one
can indeed live in a house if it still stands and if one is still
alive.
Another major problem with Budding's paper is the extremely shallow
and selective pool of sources that she used, some of the works
completely debunked as political pamphlets (e.g. "Kosovo - A Brief
History' by Noel Malcolm), yet she quoted from such articles and
books, disregarding or not being aware of the existence of other well
known authors and works that Milosevic listed.
Budding was often reduced to answering 'I'm not familiar with this
particular work' or 'I do not know about these particular sources' or
'I haven't read all the transcripts, only from the first meeting' or
'No, I haven't seen these diplomatic documents'. Milosevic and his
aides have done their homework and at times Mrs. Budding was indeed
receiving a thorough lesson in history.
The young doctor was selective not only in her sources, but also in
the historical events which she did or did not include in her paper.
Thus, she did quote a public speech by the soon-to-be Yugoslav King
Alexander, who said that Serbia must be strong so that Yugoslavia could
be strong too. She explained that as an example of 'Serbian
nationalism', but she failed to quote and explain, or even to mention
at all the crucial document of that time, the Corfu Declaration on the
creation of Yugoslavia. She explained her omissions with the necessity
to keep her report concise. Strangely enough, only the relevant and
balanced things got chopped off.
The "learned panel of judges" found themselves in an absurd situation:
here they were, admitting into evidence the Prosecution's exhibit
going way back into the 15th century, and discussing these despised
historical issues which they always pronounced as irrelevant, and of
which they knew nothing, and frankly didn't care to know. But, this is
what you get when the Prosecution's case so heavily depends on the
silly notion that all this is one and the same 'joint criminal
enterprise' to create the Greater Serbia, the plan which goes
centuries back, so even King Alexander, Vuk Karadzic, Garasanin and
other Serbian historical figures must be evoked in order to take their
punishment for their participation in this Nice-Del Ponte co-production
in Cinemascope.
History is a tough discipline, and it demands a broad knowledge. It
was at times hard for me to follow all of the expert nuances, because
I certainly haven't read all of the books that were mentioned. But, at
least I was able to follow the basic logic of the discussion and
arguments.
Mr. May was probably dozing or doing crosswords, because he proved
time and again unable to follow or understand the point of a certain
line of questioning.
At one point, Milosevic asked Mrs. Budding why she wrote that Vuk
Karadzic could be attributed with the authorship of the idea of
defining a nation by its language, when there is a whole line of other
linguists, historians and philosophers (of which he quoted some) who
had stated the same ideas much earlier, and Karadzic had merely
embraced that idea?
May interrupted by saying: "I do not know what is the purpose of this
list of names?" Milosevic professorially reprimanded him: "Mr May, you
have not been listening to the previous question", and he patiently
repeated the whole question and said that 'the list you're preventing
me from reading are the people who originally created the idea, among
them someone whom you might be familiar with, a German philosopher
Fichte'. So, not only was Mrs. Budding given a free history lesson,
but Mr. May as well.
The time was again the main problem, May not wanting to allow any
extension of the cross-examination. Milosevic said twice: "These time
restrictions I really regard as violence." And, at one point he
mockingly pointed at the courtroom wall clock and told May: "Anyway,
the press has been already writing that the central issue here is
time, and nothing much else."
As I said, Mrs. Budding was subtle in her intentional bias, perhaps
overly subtle, so the point the Prosecution wanted to make with this
witness hasn't come across all that clearly. It only left a faint
anti-Serb aftertaste, a few hints and insinuations, an admission that
yes, no nation of these parts is blameless, but the Serbs were somehow
the main culprits.
The time allotted for this witness, both for the examination-in-chief
and for the cross-examination, was all to short. And even that short
time was interrupted by inane interventions from Nice and stupid
questions from May. Milosevic told May at one point (when the latter
tried to dismiss one issue as irrelevant): "I don't believe that you
should learn the whole Serbian history in half an hour, but since you
mainly deal here with altering history, I consider this particular
issue to be relevant."
What I find appalling is that the "trial" aimed at rewriting history
was dealing in history in such a superficial and brief manner. But,
the reason lies precisely in that: when you want to do a quick and
crude rewrite, you don't dwell too much on the serious science.
Vera Martinovic is in independent writer based in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
=== 6 ===
"TRIAL" HALTED DUE TO PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S ILL HEALTH
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - July 28, 2003
On Monday July 28th the troika announced that there would be no
proceedings in the Milosevic "trial." The proceedings have also been
canceled for the 29th.
There is no word on what type of illness President Milosevic is
suffering from, although it is known that he suffers from high blood
pressure and that he has a heart condition.
The Tribunal's doctors will examine President Milosevic on Tuesday in
order to determine when he will be fit to resume taking part in the
proceedings.
---
http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/aa/Qwarcrimes-yugo-
milosevic.R_qz_DlT.html
Milosevic war crimes trial to resume August 25
Tuesday, 29-Jul-2003 1:00PM
THE HAGUE, July 29 (AFP) - The war crimes trial of Slobodan Milosevic,
suspended again because the former Yugoslav leader was again suffering
from ill-health, will resume on August 25, the UN tribunal said Tuesday.
"The trial of Slobodan Milosevic is scheduled to resume on Monday 25
August at 9:00 am after the ICTY summer court recess," the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia said in a
press release.
Tribunal spokesman Jim Landale told AFP Monday that Milosevic, who had
seen a doctor on Monday, would have another medical visit on Tuesday
and that the doctor's conclusions would affect the start date for the
trial.
He did not provide details on the illness of the former Yugoslav
leader, who suffers from high blood pressure and is at risk of a heart
attack.
The interruption was the ninth to date in the long-running trial before
the The Hague-based court. The ICTY began hearing Milosevic's case in
February last year, and the prosecution has not finished arguing its
case.
Milosevic, 61, has been undertaking his own defense in the case.
The one-time Yugoslav president, who was ousted from power in October
2000, is standing trial on more than 60 charges of war crimes and
crimes against humanity for his role in the 1990s wars in Bosnia,
Croatia and Kosovo.
0. Sloboda: Reagujte dok ne bude prekasno!
Milosevic "Trial", 15--25 July 2003:
1. Dealing With the "Hostile" Insider Witness
by Judith Armatta, 15 July, 2003 - http://www.cij.org/
2. SYNOPSIS OF THE JULY 22, 2003 PROCEEDINGS AT THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/smorg072203.htm
3. SYNOPSIS OF JULY 23 HEARINGS AT THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/smorg072303.htm
4. ANOTHER SYNOPSIS OF THE JULY 23, 2003 PROCEEDINGS AT THE HAGUE
http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/martinovic072303.htm
5. SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC: HISTORY TEACHER, July 24
http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/martinovic072403.htm
6. "TRIAL" HALTED DUE TO PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S ILL HEALTH
Milosevic war crimes trial to resume August 25
=== 0 ===
Da: "Vladimir Krsljanin"
Data: Mer 30 Lug 2003 16:42:10 Europe/Rome
Oggetto: Sloboda: Reagujte dok ne bude prekasno!
SAOPSTENJE ZA JAVNOST
Udruzenje "Sloboda" - Jugoslovenski komitet za oslobodjenje
Slobodana Milosevica ukazuje domacoj i medjunarodnoj javnosti da se
zbog opasnog i zlonamernog nepostovanja medjunarodnih standarda o
zastiti ljudskih prava od strane ilegalnog tribunala u Hagu, stanje
zdravlja Predsednika Slobodana Milosevica stalno pogorsava. Predsednik
Milosevic svojom borbom za istinu trijumfuje u procesu bez presedana u
istoriji, izlozen svakodnevnim nadljudskim naporima i nehumanim
zatvorskim uslovima.
To traje vec vise od dve godine. Iako su dosadasnji malobrojni
specijalisticki pregledi i medicinske analize nesumnjivo utvrdili da
uslovi kojima je izlozen predstavljaju opasan faktor kardiovaskularnog
rizika, tribunal odbija cak i da obezbedi redovne specijalisticke
kontrole njegovog zdravstvenog stanja.
Udruzenje "Sloboda" zahteva da se Predsedniku Slobodanu Milosevicu
omoguce neophodni pregledi i oporavak u nasoj zemlji i da u ovom
procesu ucestvuje sa slobode. To je jedini primeren nacin da se zastite
njegov zivot i zdravlje.
UDRUZENJE "SLOBODA" - JUGOSLOVENSKI KOMITET ZA OSLOBODJENJE SLOBODANA
MILOSEVICA
Beograd, 30. jula 2003. godine
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)
=== 1 ===
(NOTE: This Lady Armatta, after expressing concern about how
"accusation" witnesses turn in favor of Milosevic in
cross-examinations, claims that in "modern" proceedings such
cross-examinations must be forbidden. Milosevic would have "a nearly
hypnotic effect" thus "it makes it difficult to get at the truth", she
says - she is right, since only HER truth is meant.)
http://www.cij.org/
index.cfm?fuseaction=viewReport&reportID=361&tribunalID=1
Dealing With the "Hostile" Insider Witness
International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY)
Milosevic Trial - The Hague - Court Room Three
15 July 2003
THE HAGUE - An attorney cannot impeach a witness he or she has called,
according to traditional trial practice rules. The rule is based on
the assumption that a party calling a witness vouches for the witness's
credibility. Only when the party can show that a witness has surprised
him or her with their testimony is there an exception. In this
situation, an attorney may ask the court to declare the witness
“hostile” and allow the attorney to impeach his or her own witness,
i.e., attempt to show the witness is lying. Traditionally, judges did
not favor this procedure and tended to tell attorneys they take their
witnesses as they find them. If they “go south” (change their stories)
on the stand, it is just one of life’s risks.
The more modern approach is to recognize that attorneys do not have
unlimited choice of witnesses. Not infrequently, a witness with
important information may also be untrustworthy. That is often the
case with certain witnesses in war crimes trials, especially where the
charge is involvement in a joint criminal enterprise. The best
witnesses in such cases are insiders. They can also be the worst.
Geoffrey Nice has been struggling with this problem since the beginning
of the Milosevic trial, as the Trial Chamber appears to favor the
traditional rule. The recent appearance of Zoran Lilic, one-time
President of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), was only
the latest challenge.
On the stand, Lilic showed himself a devotee of Slobodan Milosevic, the
Accused who he had come to testify against. Like other insider
witnesses, such as Rade Markovic, Dragan Vasiljkovic and protected
witness B-1775, once confronted by his old-time boss, Lilic rolled over
like a cur before the alpha dog. Milosevic’s aura was too strong for
him. Lilic (and Markovic, Vasiljkovic and B-1775) willingly and
unashamedly agreed to whatever Milosevic asked, with some exceptions.
It is not unusual for authoritarian leaders to surround themselves with
“yes-men,” but it makes it difficult to get at the truth, particularly
if the hostile witness rule is applied.
Lilic provided important testimony on direct examination about:
Milosevic's central role in getting the Bosnian Serbs to lay down their
guns; the primacy of Milosevic's Serbian police (MUP) over the VJ
(Yugoslav Army) and the direct subordination of MUP chiefs to him; the
FRY's financial support of the Croatian and Bosnian Serb armies, and
crimes committed by Serbian forces in Kosovo. The former FRY president
also authenticated minutes of high level meetings and a letter Army
Chief of Staff Momcilo Perisic wrote Milosevic, protesting his
extra-legal activities in Kosovo.
On cross examination, Lilic changed his testimony to suit his former
mentor with the ease of an actor changing roles. The fact that some of
his answers directly contradicted his earlier testimony seemed to
bother him not in the slightest. Despite having criticized Milosevic
for unnecessarily prolonging the war in Kosovo, when the Accused asked,
he agreed that Milosevic sought peace, not war. He testified that
Milosevic had no control over the Yugoslav army (VJ) and did not
interfere in its command during Lilic’s term in office – 1993 to 1997.
Moreover, he agreed that no VJ generals were promoted or dismissed at
Milosevic's request. In contrast to his earlier statement, Lilic also
assented to Milosevic's suggestion that he had no control over the
Bosnian Serbs, who often obstructed his efforts for a negotiated
settlement
In addition to these concessions, Lilic also provided the Amicus,
Branislav Tapuskovic, with helpful responses. He agreed with his
examiner that all the republican territorial defense units were under
JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) command and their weapons and equipment
were JNA property. The Chamber has heard contrary evidence to the
effect that each Yugoslav republic had its own TO, financed by the
individual republics, and providing their own equipment, weapons and
ammunition. The relationship of the JNA and republican TO’s, including
property ownership, is important because the JNA took control of TO
weapons and ammunition before the wars, then redistributed them to
local Serbs, according to other testimony before the Chamber.
Mr. Tapuskovic also elicited the witness’s agreement that Serbian
Orthodox Patriarch Pavle was the one who intervened and secured
Mladic’s agreement for Milosevic to negotiate for the Bosnian Serbs at
Dayton – not Milosevic. This scenario counters Milosevic’s reputed
“influence” over the Bosnian Serb leadership.
Confronted with his witness’s many concessions to Milosevic, Geoffrey
Nice had only a short time for re-examination and a significant
challenge ahead of him. He did not ask the Chamber to declare Lilic a
hostile witness, though he would have been justified in doing so.
Rather, he set out to tread a cautious line, which twice drew warnings
from the Bench.
Probing Lilic’s relationship with the Accused, Mr. Nice asked him who
was giving instructions to whom as they sought to get Mladic to release
the two French pilots before the signing of the Dayton Accords in
Paris. Lilic responded, “Our fear was that the Accords would not be
signed and Milosevic insisted that I should issue an order to Perisic
that he try to establish the location of the pilots. I was not giving
instruction to him. He used his right through me to bring influence to
bear on the Yugoslav Army.” It is an explanation as curious as it is
convoluted and may provide unintended insight into the way Lilic has
ordered his reality to include a vision of his own power within the
confines of Milosevic’s far greater power.
Nice then stepped into deeper water and asked his witness, “Mladic left
the RS (Republika Srpska) at the end of 1996. Did he come to Serbia?”
Lilic responded: “I don’t know whether he left the RS altogether but
he certainly did come to Serbia.” Nice followed up by asking if there
was ever an inquiry into Mladic's involvement in Srebrenica, to which
Lilic replied, “As far as I know, no such investigation was
instituted.” Before the prosecutor could ask about the subsequent
promotion of Mladic, Judge May cautioned him, “There’s a limit to the
extent you can cross examine your own witness.”
Not for the first time, Nice tried to explain the trouble with insider
witnesses. “There are certain witnesses whose evidence has to be
viewed cautiously.” Yet, he said, “the Chamber is assisted by hearing
their evidence on particular documents and events,” in this case the
promotion of someone who has been indicted for genocide in Srebrenica.
Nice wanted to present a document showing Mladic’s promotion and to ask
the witness how it occurred. The Chamber ruled to exclude the document
and Nice approached his witness from a different angle.
In response to Mr. Nice’s questions, Lilic admitted that during his
term as president he had access to significant intelligence data,
though he said Milosevic had “more and better information.”
Nevertheless, when Nice asked him whether, despite the range of
available information, he had no intelligence on what happened at
Srebrenica, he said simply, “Right.”
Nice continued, “You denied the existence of any detention camps [when
Milosevic asked him about a report that nine existed in Serbia,
identified by location and number of prisoners] . . . . Did you visit
the areas yourself?” In another demonstration of his convoluted
universe, Lilic answered, “I did not visit them and according to my
information, they did not exist. I cannot visit what our [military
intelligence] service says does not exist.” It apparently never
occurred to him to visit the identified areas to see if they held camps
in which people were being detained. When Nice attempted to follow up
by asking if the witness would allow that he could have been kept from
information of this kind, Judge Robinson interrupted to caution him,
“Mr. Nice, you’re getting pretty close to cross examining.”
The lead prosecutor quietly asked his less than stellar witness, "If
the Court determines that the army [VJ] was involved [in the Bosnian
Serb war against the Bosnian government], who was in a position to
control or influence the VJ . . .?" The witness waffled, appearing
confused. Only General Perisic could have issued orders of that kind,
he said, and if he did, they could have come from Milosevic. That, he
continued, would have been completely unlawful. So, it could not have
happened, he appeared to conclude. "Only the President of FRY [Lilic]
[acting] with the Supreme Defense Council could issue such an order."
This exemplifies the dance he was forced to do in his efforts to please
Milosevic and protect himself.
Nice's further probing rehabilitated significant evidence Lilic had
given on direct examination, which he had repudiated on cross
examination by Milosevic. For example, Lilic re-asserted that the
Serbian MUP was militarized under Milosevic's presidency, and that it
included two special anti-terrorist units, the SJO and the SAJ. He
also reaffirmed that Jovica Stanisic, head of the Serbian State
Security Service, and indirectly Milosevic, exercised political control
over the Red Berets.
The Prosecutor then asked him about General Pavkovic's May 25, 1999
letter to Milosevic, asking him to take urgent measures to
resubordinate MUP units in Kosovo to the VJ. General Pavkovic reported
that certain MUP units were out of control, looting vast amounts of
property and "committing serious crimes against the Shiptars
[pejorative name for Kosovar Albanians]" including murder, rape,
robbery, plunder, etc. Lilic had fallen out of favor by this time and
could not testify directly about the letter. However, Mr. Nice asked
him one important question, "Do you have any reason to doubt General
Pavkovic?" In a strong voice, Lilic responded, "absolutely not."
Finally, Mr. Nice showed Lilic the transcript of a speech by Ratko
Mladic on April 16, 1995. In it, Mladic identifies the quantity of
weapons and ammunition the FRY provided to the RS Army from the
beginning of the war until December 31, 1994. Lilic explained that
Mladic was a bit of a sensationalist and the quantities were "so large
I personally don't believe them." The Prosecutor offered a
hypothetical, "If in due course it is found that [the VJ provided]
these materials . . ., who bears responsibility for authorizing it --
you as Commander in Chief?" Because the weapons were owned by the VJ
and because of the quantity, Lilic claimed that only the federal
minister of defense could have authorized their transfer to the RS.
Experience with insider witnesses demonstrates that the Court should
adopt the modern rule and allow cross examination of a party's own
witnesses. The Milosevic trial provides strong support to do so. At
least four witnesses have significantly diverted from their direct
testimony when Milosevic questioned them, under a nearly hypnotic
effect. The prosecutor should not be placed in a position to press a
reluctant Court to declare these witnesses "hostile" in order to
attempt to get at the truth. The purpose of presenting testimony
through these difficult witnesses is to assist the Chamber in its
decision-making. Applying the traditional rule thwarts that aim. The
Chamber should adopt the modern approach.
Submitted by Judith Armatta on 15 July, 2003 - Updated: 15 July 2003
08:32
=== 2 ===
SYNOPSIS OF THE JULY 22, 2003 PROCEEDINGS AT THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - July 22, 2003
Written by: Andy Wilcoxson
The so-called “Trial” of Slobodan Milosevic resumed again today after
a four day weekend.
A secret witness code named “B-127” testified for most of the day.
B-127 is a Muslim and a former member of the JNA who stayed on and
joined the VRS, after the JNA withdrew from Bosnia-Herzegovina in May
of 1992.
The prosecution was trying to use B-127’s testimony as part of its
pathetic attempt to “prove” their absurd claim that the VJ and the VRS
were the same army, and not 2 different armies.
The “damning testimony” came fast and furious when B-127 claimed that
the VJ and the VRS shared information with each other. Oh, parish the
thought that 2 friendly states would share information with each
other! That has got to be the most sinister conspiracy in the history
of the world, or so you would think if you listened to the
“prosecutor” at the Hague Tribunal.
The truth is that it is completely normal for states that are on
friendly terms with one another to share information. An example of
that is making headlines right now. George W. Bush made what was
apparently a false claim in his State of the Union speech, on the basis
of British intelligence.
B-127 said that the information sharing went so far that the VJ could
access VRS radar data, and the VRS could access VJ radar data. In
North America the USA and Canada have the same agreement – it’s called
NORAD.
If one uses the logic employed by the Hague Tribunal one could
theorize that the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was really a Canadian
endeavor, and therefore the actions of the USA are really Canada’s
responsibility. After all, Canada and the USA cooperate with each
other, they share intelligence data, they share radar data – in fact,
in my home state of Washington, the Canadian Armed forces even conduct
joint training operations together with the U.S. Army at Ft. Lewis
near Tacoma.
Just like Slobodan Milosevic secretly controlled the government and
army of Republika Srpska – Canadian PM, Jean Chretien must be secretly
controlling the U.S. Government and the American armed forces. If you
understand the logic of the Hague Tribunal, or if you smoke enough
crack, then that type of thinking will make perfect sense to you.
Another thing that was seen as sinister (by the prosecutor) was the
fact that the government of Yugoslavia paid the former soldiers of the
JNA, through the 30th Personnel Center, the social insurance, health
benefits, salaries, old-age pensions, etc… which they had legally
accrued under Yugoslav law.
Imagine those scheming Serbs - paying people the money that they owed
them. If that doesn’t point to a “joint criminal enterprise” then I
don’t know what does. They even paid B-127, who is a Muslim, through
that same 30th Personnel Center.
The 30th Personnel Center was purely an administrative body that was
in charge of paying legally accrued social benefits to the former
soldiers of the JNA. The 30th Personnel Center issued no orders of any
kind. It had one office, consisting of one room, and it operated for a
full 6 years after the war ended,therefore it had absolutely nothing
at all to do with the war.
The prosecution’s claim that the VJ and the VRS were the same army
fell to pieces when Slobodan Milosevic asked B-127 some very direct
questions.
President Milosevic asked if B-127 knew of any orders that the VJ had
issued to the VRS, and B-127 didn’t know about any.
President Milosevic asked if B-127 had ever seen any units of the VJ
operating in Bosnia, and again B-127 hadn’t.
B-127 tried to save the prosecution’s case by saying that people from
Serbia were forced to join the VRS. President Milosevic then asked for
an example of this, but B-127 failed to come up with even a single
example.
President Milosevic further destroyed the prosecution’s case when he
asked - if the VJ and the VRS were the same army (as the prosecutor
claims), then why didn’t the VRS engage Albanian terrorists in Kosovo,
or mobilize to defend Yugoslavia during the NATO aggression?
After B-127 withdrew another secret witness code named B-83 came and
testified for about 10 minutes.
Then the so-called “judges” ruled that written statements from 2
secret witnesses, B-1576 and B-1010, could be admitted as evidence
under rule 92-bis without any cross-examination. In fact these secret
witnesses, if they even exist, don’t even have to appear in front of
the tribunal at all. For all we know these so-called “witnesses” could
simply be figments of Carla del Ponte’s imagination.
=== 3 ===
SYNOPSIS OF JULY 23 HEARINGS AT THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - July 23, 2003
Written by: Andy Wilcoxson
Today at the Hague tribunal a secret witness testified under the
pseudonym of “B-83.” The majority of B-83’s testimony was given in
private session.
B-83 was apparently an official in the Serbian government who had
something to do with financial matters. His employment wasn’t clear
due to the excessive use of private sessions. I’m not even sure what
the gist of his testimony was supposed to be since so much of it was
given in private session.
B-83 did, however, say some interesting things in open session. B-83
accused the prosecution of twisting his words and putting falsehoods
into his witness statement. B-83 also said that the prosecution did
not give him adequate time to review his statement, or even give him
the chance to see the statement in his own language until he got to
the Hague earlier this week.
For example the prosecution made up a story about the Serbian Police
"organizing car thefts" and inserted this outrageous fairytale into
B-83's witness statement, even though the witness said that this story
wasn’t true. The prosecution also made up a bunch of malarkey about
“black budgets” which the witness also denied.
In fact, according to the witness, there were errors of fact in almost
every single paragraph of this witness statement that the prosecutor
had prepared for him.
While President Milosevic was questioning B-83 about the numerous
false claims that the prosecution had inserted into his witness
statement the so-called “judge” May cut him off and accused him of
“wasting time on irrelevant matters.”
This is amazing even for the Hague Tribunal. Here we have a witness
who had perjurious statements put into his mouth, against his will and
without his knowledge, by the prosecutor and the judge doesn’t see any
problem with that! If this was a real court, with a real judge, a
mistrial would be declared, and the prosecutor would face criminal
prosecution himself.
After B-83 finished, the prosecution called a so-called “expert”
witness, one Audrey Budding, a historian from Harvard who wrote a
paper on “Serb nationalism.”
Mrs. Budding proved her self to be an apologist for the Albanian
Fascists of the 2nd World War.
Mrs. Budding denied that the Ballistas* were fascists, and even had
the nerve to claim that the Ballistas were the victims of the Chetniks
and the Partisans.
All in all it was just another day at the Hague Tribunal.
* If you don’t know what a Ballista is see:
http://emperors-clothes/articles/thompson/rootsof.htm
=== 4 ===
ANOTHER SYNOPSIS OF THE JULY 23, 2003 PROCEEDINGS AT THE HAGUE
Written by: Vera Martinovic - July 23, 2003
Today's first witness, B-083, demonstrated again the flimsiness of the
Prosecution's case and the desperation of the OTP (Office of the
Prosecutor). Why flimsiness? Because, in the absence of anything
stronger, the Prosecutors sought to prove that Serbia provided
financial aid to the Serbs on the other side of the Drina. But that is
a common knowledge, an undisputed fact and certainly not a war crime.
And why desperation? They manipulated heavily the testimony of B-083,
fabricating his several previously given written statements, tricking
him into signing the English version without him fully understanding
it and trying to hide that by keeping his entire testimony in the
private session.
Only the last 10 minutes of the cross-examination were held in the
open session, but it was enough to reveal the whole scam. B-083 thus
joined those Prosecution witnesses whom they regretted they had ever
summoned: having received only few days ago at The Hague the Serbian
version of "his" statements, B-083 corrected in his handwriting
practically each and every paragraph, striking them out and adding in
the margins his explanations which invalidated the statements in toto.
B-083, introduced only vaguely as an "officer in the Ministry of
Defence of Serbia in 1991," started his testimony yesterday, but it
lasted only 10 minutes before the proceedings were adjourned for the
day and it was in the open session. The only thing Nice covered then
was the claim that the Government of Serbia deliberated in one of its
sessions in November 1991 the aid for the Serbs in Croatia, and the
amount mentioned was in the neighborhood of 92 million DM.
Today, B-083 finished his examination-in-chief, but most of it was in
private session. Therefore, the public was unable to follow the
explanation about those alleged millions.
Back in the open session, we saw that the examination-in-chief was
over and that amicus curiae Stephen Kay was arguing with Mr. May over
the allotment of time for the cross-examination, and the constant
changing in the order of witnesses.
Each time May spoke, he managed to muddle the issues, "explaining"
that indeed the Accused has to be granted a certain amount of time,
but he is not to waste it on arguments and quarrels with the witness.
Kay tried to point out this is a technical matter and the main thing
is that Nice 'moves like an express train', covering a large number of
important issues extremely briefly and superficially, which in turn
radically shortens the allotment of time for the Accused and makes it
impossible for him to cover those issues at all. He also noticed that
it is Nice who leads the most important witnesses, like Kucan was, who
was processed in only 1 day. Therefore, the time spent for the
examination-in-chief could not be the standard by which the allotted
time for the cross-examination is to be measured.
Apparently, the OTP produces a weekly list of witnesses complete with
the time planned for each examination-in-chief, and since the general
rule has been to allot approximately the same time for the
cross-examination, the Accused can plan his questioning accordingly.
But then Nice comes up, drastically cutting the actual time of his
questioning of a witness to, say, half an hour instead of the planned
two hours, simply by being superficial and thereby setting the low time
standard. And, he constantly reshuffles the witnesses, hampering the
preparation of the Defense.
Nice tried to prevent the judges from allotting too much time to this
cross-examination, by appealing to the Chamber to 'exert pressure on
the amicus and the Accused' (I failed to understand what kind of
pressure and in relation to what - perhaps to make them shut up).
Nice also half-complained and half-flattered: "I have to note that in
a short time the Accused has developed enviable skills of
cross-examination." What he meant by that was probably that the Accused
was now so much better at it that he could wrap it up in much less
time.
The troika in the scarlet robes put their heads together, murmuring
for two minutes among themselves and then May pronounced: "An hour and
fifteen minutes." Like a magician pulling a rabbit out of the hat, or
a generous nobleman tossing coins to a beggar: 15 minutes longer than
Nice had for the examination-in-chief.
So, not only haven't we seen what the witness had to say, and how rich
were the issues he covered, we also couldn't judge whether an hour and
fifteen would be reasonably long enough to cross-examine.
But, that was not all. Milosevic first tried to verify with May that
the issue of the place of employment of this witness was not for the
private session. May answered he also believed this had been mentioned
in the open session. But the moment Milosevic started to mouth his
first question, something to the effect of "You have been working…",
Nice jumped up, saying: "I believe this could infringe the security
measures." May seconded: "Yes, I think it might. We go to the private
session." And nearly all of the cross-examination, more than one hour
of it, was closed to the public!
When the session again became open again, there were Milosevic and the
witness at the end of the careful demolition of the written statements
by the latter and of the Prosecution's credibility.
Milosevic said that there was virtually not a single paragraph in
these statements that had not been corrected in writing by the
witness. B-083 confirmed: "That's right." He explained there were so
many mistakes and even some totally unrelated, irrelevant and invented
stuff, that he believed it was unfair that Milosevic is to be charged
with these things or the Tribunal's time wasted like this.
B-083 used the words "silly" and "preposterous" when describing these
passages from "his" statements. He spoke directly to Milosevic: "I
apologise to you", and he requested these issues to be disregarded. He
said he had made a mistake by being insufficiently cautious, and
signing this without having read it or having received it in Serbian.
Milosevic quoted several quite outrageous passages from one of these
statements, allegedly in direct speech by the witness: "I'll give you
another example of illegal fundraising - the Police had been involved
in car theft." He said to the witness: "Here you have added in your
handwriting: 'Not correct'." B-083 confirmed this, saying he also wrote
that it should be explained to the Accused, along with an apology, the
circumstances of this statement.
B-083 only got the Serbian version 5 days ago. Apparently, the OTP
Investigator Gerald Sexton had tricked the witness into signing the
English version years ago, saying he'll be able to 'explain everything
at The Hague', but then B-083 found out that practically everything
had been invented or too liberally interpreted, but as if the witness
had been quoted verbatim complete with the inverted commas ("I'll give
you another example…"). The witness now stated that, if he only had a
chance to write his statement with his own hand, "we would not be
having 1 minute of this discussion'.
Here's another gem: Milosevic said that one of the statements
contained the claim by the witness about our state budget, which had
'one secret segment, called a black fund'. B-083 simply said there's no
way he could have said that.
Judging by some other examples from the OTP's work of fiction that
Milosevic quoted, B-083 spoke to the Investigator quite broadly and
openly about the situation in the Ministry of Defense, where internal
squabbles and embezzlements were rife (and for which, as Milosevic
pointed out that 2 Ministers had been arrested at that time), and
cunning Mr. Sexton took it all and gave it a nice spin, necessary for
the Indictment.
B-083 had clearly misunderstood what it meant to give a statement for
the court, presuming it meant one should open up one's heart and spill
out every large and tiny office happening, giving the Investigator a
free hand to weave a story out of it, not even bothering to read what
the nice, understanding gentleman wrote in his name. Now he was
understandably angry at being bamboozled.
B-083 continued to complain about some of his former misbehaving
office colleagues even to Milosevic, saying that some of those who did
it were still holding their high positions today "and you and me are
sitting here". Milosevic drove the point home: "What possible
connection all these things could have with what's going on here?" The
witness answered: "None whatsoever."
Gradually, B-083 and Milosevic began to discuss those events in almost
friendly manner, chatting and not bothering to keep the pause between
questions and answers, like in a normal conversation. Milosevic would
quote another invented passage and they would together marvel at how
brazen the OTP had been, the witness repeating 'I have never said
something like that'.
B-083 even volunteered in his explanation of one particular instance
that he had 'never went there to inspect', forcing Nice to interject:
"I do not know whether the witness is aware he's in the open session?"
May also interrupted the cozy chat once, warning both not to overlap,
reminding witness he is "here to testify" and Milosevic is "here to
cross-examine," and not to have a conversation. Milosevic was quite
pleased with himself for exposing once more the sleazy modus operandi
of the OTP and disrupting so successfully this show trial, that he
calmly answered to May he was quite pleased to have the opportunity to
chat with this man, whom he has never met before.
Milosevic and the witness even tried to establish the method of
creating certain passages of the statements by the OTP. The problem
was, as many times before with those written statements, that there
were no questions to which these statements were answering, only the
unbroken, spun story.
B-083 was guessing what the original questions by the Investigator
must've been: probably the Investigator asked, for instance, what
would be the regular chain of command in the government for any given
issue. He got a detailed answer about the whole structure with the
President of the Republic at the top of the pyramid. Then the OTP
retold this explanation as if it had been an answer to a specific
accusation against Milosevic.
B-083 used the ship metaphor, describing the subordination, but he was
not answering the question of whether the captain organized the
piracy. It was as if the Investigator had asked: Who runs the ship?
and got the answer: The captain, who has officers under him. Then, the
Investigator spun the question this way: Who organized the piracy using
this ship? , and coupled it with the original question: The captain,
who has officers under him.
It was obvious that both Milosevic and B-083 were displeased when Mr.
May announced that there were only 5 minutes left, so they quickly
tried to cover several more inventions (Milosevic quoting them and
asking whether they were correct, the witness answering: "Not a chance.
Please, disregard this.") They parted almost friends, I'm sure.
Mr. Tapuskovic got his 2 minutes, and he used them to clarify the only
issue from the testimony mentioned by the witness in the open session
- those millions of Deutsche Marks requested/planned/given by Serbia
to the Serbs in Croatia. He wanted to make a distinction between the
sums requested and planned and those actually paid. B-083 confirmed
that he personally handled some of these payments, but these were all
amounts in dinars, it was aid and hardly the amount stated. Tapuskovic
was pleased: "I have no further questions."
Nice had a chance for a redirect, but guess what? The public couldn't
see it, again. He said: "We have a couple of additional questions, but
they're for a private session." And the screen went blank.
Please try to read "Dealing with the 'Hostile' Insider Witness"
(
http://www.cij.org/
index.cfm?fuseaction=viewReport&reportID=361&tribunalID=1 ) by Judith
Armatta of the CIJ. Here she explained the fact that several insiders
so far (notably Radomir Markovic, Captain Dragan, Zoran Lilic and
B-1775) allegedly changed their testimony due to the mesmerizing
effect of Milosevic on them. She compared him with an 'alpha dog', in
front of which a poor witness simply 'rolled over like a cur'. She
applied her cottage psychology/astrology/ESP skills, claiming that a
witness stood no chance, because 'Milosevic's aura was too strong for
him'.
I would suggest much simpler explanations: these people did not
volunteer to testify for the Prosecution, they had been summoned
or/and threatened into it with possible indictments against themselves.
And then the following happened: for instance, Captain Dragan had NOT
changed his testimony nor succumbed to a powerful aura, but had been
bamboozled by the OTP in the same manner as today's witness B-083.
Their original written statements had been liberally invented,
suggestively worded and devoid of questions by the Investigator and
they were tricked into signing. Not having seen the
examination-in-chief of B-083, I can only suppose that it had been
pretty much like that one of Captain Dragan: Prosecutor Nice rushing,
skipping and sliding through the invented statement 'like an express
train', sometimes not making sense at all, leaving the witness to
stare in disbelief and to simply say 'yes' to whatever construction
proffered. Too bad there was this damned cross-examination and the
possibility to demonstrate that the testimony was not at all what the
witness has signed, meant or wanted to say.
The second witness today, who is to continue tomorrow, is an expert on
history from Harvard (the font of knowledge for the ICTY), who
testifies about the Serbian nationalism in 20th century as she had
penned it in her report commissioned by the OTP. The very definition of
an expert must've been wildly stretched after the ICTY set up shop.
Vera Martinovic is an independent writer based in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
=== 5 ===
SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC: HISTORY TEACHER
July 24, 2003
Written by: Vera Martinovic
Audrey Budding testified who testified on July 23rd and 24th, is a
skinny, bespectacled youthful PhD with expressive gesticulation. She
knows lots of historical facts. Her clothes and hairdo are unusually
interesting for an American. She apparently speaks/reads Serbian.
But that's where the plus side stops. Mrs. Budding's historical
knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete and, so she often misses the
big picture, and is unaware of important events and sources.
Mrs. Budding used to be a diplomatic official at the American Embassy
in Belgrade in the '80s, so she is obviously more of a politician then
a historian.
She penned a report commissioned by the OTP on Serbian nationalism in
the 20th century, which seems to be a rewrite of her own, more
balanced PhD thesis on the Serbian intellectuals and the national
question, only with the added twist to make the Serbs look bad, so she
supplied a political trial with a politicized rewrite of her own work.
None the less, I have to give her the credit of being much more subtle
than the previous Prosecution "expert", Riedlmayer, who was simply
ridiculous.
Mrs. Budding was seldom obvious and crude in her conclusions, except
sometimes, when Milosevic cornered her with facts and questions, and
then she turned stubborn. For example, when she disagreed with the
data by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum about the figure of 600,000
victims of the Ustasa concentration camp Jasenovac, claiming the
number is 100,000 and explaining that anyway 'nobody knows exactly how
many Serbs died in NDH [Nezavisna Drzava Hrvatska = Independent State
of Croatia, Ustase-led Nazi puppet invention during WW2, comprising
today's Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina], in each village and each
house' . Although she admitted this was clearly a genocide, she was
suspicious about the number, she couldn't be bothered to believe those
pedantic Jews at the Holocaust museum, and certainly not Yugoslav
sources, because she was unable to personally peek into each village
and house.
Another example where she was crude and stubborn was when she refused
to accept the fact that the Albanian Fascist movement of the notorious
Balli Combetar or balisti, were Fascists. The fact that they were
installed by Mussolini to rule Kosovo when it was given over to
Albania during the WW2, butchered thousands of Serbs, and then
continued armed fighting years after the war officially ended, all
that was to Audrey, "a rebellion that started after this region of
Drenica was incorporated in the Yugoslav state, which caused the
revolt of the Albanians, who didn't want to join the Partisans in the
final push against the Germans in 1944 because they were afraid to
leave their houses, and so this rebellion was quashed and probably few
thousands were killed, some in battles, some executed".
Mrs. Budding stubbornly persisted saying, "to describe balisti as
Albanian Fascists is not correct, because they did not support the
Fascistic form of the state."
Milosevic got impatient and curtly asked: "And what did they support?
Did they support Italian Fascists?"
Mrs. Budding mumbled that well, of course, they supported the creation
of the Greater Albania.
Milosevic snapped: "Not only supported the idea, but militarily
supported the Fascists."
Mrs. Budding mumbled some more, trailing off and ultimately saying
that she's not familiar with it, with each military action, that there
were different groups… Some historian and expert!
There were some more gaffes in her paper, like when she wrote that the
Ustasa émigrés were a marginal group (Milosevic wanted to know how
come they got to run a country for 4 years if they were so marginal).
Also, she found it problematic to define the nascent Yugoslavia as a
solution for the Serbs, with the maxim 'all Serbs in one state'. When
Milosevic said that Yugoslavia was not a solution only for the Serbs,
but also for others, that it could be equally said 'all Croats/Slovenes
in one state', Mrs. Budding proudly begged to disagree, 'because there
were significant Croatian and Slovenian minorities left in Italy and
Austria', but when Milosevic reminded her that also a significant
portion of the Serbs were left in Hungary and Romania, so the maxim
still applied for the bulk of all nations, Mrs. Budding didn't have
anything to say. A historian who argues an issue not knowing what the
next related historical fact might be used against her is not a very
competent historian.
Almost all other conclusions in her report were less obviously biased,
only ever so slightly leaned towards prejudice and one would have to
carefully read both her thesis and her OTP report to pinpoint the
distortions, although the general impression of a different slant is
palpable even from those paragraphs that were read in the courtroom.
Milosevic quoted her PhD thesis where she explained how it was
impossible for the Serbs to accept the confederate Yugoslavia and its
breaking along the borders of its republics because they were so
dispersed; the same issue in her report for the OTP got the subtle
addition that the Serbs failed to pay much attention to their ties
with other nations within the republics in which they lived outside of
Serbia.
Milosevic quipped: "Well, do you seriously believe that the ties of
the Serbs in Croatia with the Croats, these ties that include the
genocide that you've already explained, are so much stronger and more
important than the ties with other Serbs?!" Budding got pretty confused
after that and started to babble about life being not only one's
nation, but a house in which one lives… To that one can argue that one
can indeed live in a house if it still stands and if one is still
alive.
Another major problem with Budding's paper is the extremely shallow
and selective pool of sources that she used, some of the works
completely debunked as political pamphlets (e.g. "Kosovo - A Brief
History' by Noel Malcolm), yet she quoted from such articles and
books, disregarding or not being aware of the existence of other well
known authors and works that Milosevic listed.
Budding was often reduced to answering 'I'm not familiar with this
particular work' or 'I do not know about these particular sources' or
'I haven't read all the transcripts, only from the first meeting' or
'No, I haven't seen these diplomatic documents'. Milosevic and his
aides have done their homework and at times Mrs. Budding was indeed
receiving a thorough lesson in history.
The young doctor was selective not only in her sources, but also in
the historical events which she did or did not include in her paper.
Thus, she did quote a public speech by the soon-to-be Yugoslav King
Alexander, who said that Serbia must be strong so that Yugoslavia could
be strong too. She explained that as an example of 'Serbian
nationalism', but she failed to quote and explain, or even to mention
at all the crucial document of that time, the Corfu Declaration on the
creation of Yugoslavia. She explained her omissions with the necessity
to keep her report concise. Strangely enough, only the relevant and
balanced things got chopped off.
The "learned panel of judges" found themselves in an absurd situation:
here they were, admitting into evidence the Prosecution's exhibit
going way back into the 15th century, and discussing these despised
historical issues which they always pronounced as irrelevant, and of
which they knew nothing, and frankly didn't care to know. But, this is
what you get when the Prosecution's case so heavily depends on the
silly notion that all this is one and the same 'joint criminal
enterprise' to create the Greater Serbia, the plan which goes
centuries back, so even King Alexander, Vuk Karadzic, Garasanin and
other Serbian historical figures must be evoked in order to take their
punishment for their participation in this Nice-Del Ponte co-production
in Cinemascope.
History is a tough discipline, and it demands a broad knowledge. It
was at times hard for me to follow all of the expert nuances, because
I certainly haven't read all of the books that were mentioned. But, at
least I was able to follow the basic logic of the discussion and
arguments.
Mr. May was probably dozing or doing crosswords, because he proved
time and again unable to follow or understand the point of a certain
line of questioning.
At one point, Milosevic asked Mrs. Budding why she wrote that Vuk
Karadzic could be attributed with the authorship of the idea of
defining a nation by its language, when there is a whole line of other
linguists, historians and philosophers (of which he quoted some) who
had stated the same ideas much earlier, and Karadzic had merely
embraced that idea?
May interrupted by saying: "I do not know what is the purpose of this
list of names?" Milosevic professorially reprimanded him: "Mr May, you
have not been listening to the previous question", and he patiently
repeated the whole question and said that 'the list you're preventing
me from reading are the people who originally created the idea, among
them someone whom you might be familiar with, a German philosopher
Fichte'. So, not only was Mrs. Budding given a free history lesson,
but Mr. May as well.
The time was again the main problem, May not wanting to allow any
extension of the cross-examination. Milosevic said twice: "These time
restrictions I really regard as violence." And, at one point he
mockingly pointed at the courtroom wall clock and told May: "Anyway,
the press has been already writing that the central issue here is
time, and nothing much else."
As I said, Mrs. Budding was subtle in her intentional bias, perhaps
overly subtle, so the point the Prosecution wanted to make with this
witness hasn't come across all that clearly. It only left a faint
anti-Serb aftertaste, a few hints and insinuations, an admission that
yes, no nation of these parts is blameless, but the Serbs were somehow
the main culprits.
The time allotted for this witness, both for the examination-in-chief
and for the cross-examination, was all to short. And even that short
time was interrupted by inane interventions from Nice and stupid
questions from May. Milosevic told May at one point (when the latter
tried to dismiss one issue as irrelevant): "I don't believe that you
should learn the whole Serbian history in half an hour, but since you
mainly deal here with altering history, I consider this particular
issue to be relevant."
What I find appalling is that the "trial" aimed at rewriting history
was dealing in history in such a superficial and brief manner. But,
the reason lies precisely in that: when you want to do a quick and
crude rewrite, you don't dwell too much on the serious science.
Vera Martinovic is in independent writer based in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
=== 6 ===
"TRIAL" HALTED DUE TO PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S ILL HEALTH
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - July 28, 2003
On Monday July 28th the troika announced that there would be no
proceedings in the Milosevic "trial." The proceedings have also been
canceled for the 29th.
There is no word on what type of illness President Milosevic is
suffering from, although it is known that he suffers from high blood
pressure and that he has a heart condition.
The Tribunal's doctors will examine President Milosevic on Tuesday in
order to determine when he will be fit to resume taking part in the
proceedings.
---
http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/aa/Qwarcrimes-yugo-
milosevic.R_qz_DlT.html
Milosevic war crimes trial to resume August 25
Tuesday, 29-Jul-2003 1:00PM
THE HAGUE, July 29 (AFP) - The war crimes trial of Slobodan Milosevic,
suspended again because the former Yugoslav leader was again suffering
from ill-health, will resume on August 25, the UN tribunal said Tuesday.
"The trial of Slobodan Milosevic is scheduled to resume on Monday 25
August at 9:00 am after the ICTY summer court recess," the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia said in a
press release.
Tribunal spokesman Jim Landale told AFP Monday that Milosevic, who had
seen a doctor on Monday, would have another medical visit on Tuesday
and that the doctor's conclusions would affect the start date for the
trial.
He did not provide details on the illness of the former Yugoslav
leader, who suffers from high blood pressure and is at risk of a heart
attack.
The interruption was the ninth to date in the long-running trial before
the The Hague-based court. The ICTY began hearing Milosevic's case in
February last year, and the prosecution has not finished arguing its
case.
Milosevic, 61, has been undertaking his own defense in the case.
The one-time Yugoslav president, who was ousted from power in October
2000, is standing trial on more than 60 charges of war crimes and
crimes against humanity for his role in the 1990s wars in Bosnia,
Croatia and Kosovo.
http://www.reseauvoltaire.net/article10200.html
RÉSEAU VOLTAIRE - Focus
Diviser pour mieux régner
L'éclatement du continent européen au service des États-Unis
La régionalisation de l'Europe pourrait être détournée de son sens
initial à la faveur d'un déséquilibre des institutions. Elle serait
alors un moyen de démembrer politiquement l'Europe, laissant ainsi le
champ libre à la domination de l'Empire états-unien. Pierre Hillard
analyse cette variante de la doctrine Wolfowitz : comment transformer
le rêve d'unité européenne en un cauchemar de la yougoslavisation
généralisée.
11 juillet 2003
Les modalités de la construction européenne dépendent de l'idée que
l'on se fait de l'unité de l'Europe et de son rôle dans le monde. Après
avoir piloté la création de l'Union pour stabiliser l'Europe
occidentale et la soustraire à l'influence soviétique, les États-Unis
encouragent aujourd'hui à la fois son élargissement géographique et sa
dilution politique. L'Union pourrait alors absorber la Russie et broyer
les États-membres en une myriade de régions pour se transformer en une
vaste zone de libre-échange protégée par la puissance militaire
états-unienne.
Contrairement à une idée répandue, il se trouve au sein même de l'Union
de nombreuses forces pour promouvoir ce projet comme l'atteste la carte
officielle que nous reproduisons.
(Table des régions d'Europe:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/files/IMMAGINI/europe-
confetis.jpg
Edité par l'Assemblée des régions d'Europe (ARE), 2002)
Elle a été élaborée au sein de l'ARE (l'Assemblée des Régions d'Europe)
en 2002. Créé en 1985 par les Français, les Espagnols et les Portugais,
cet institut fut repris en 1987 par les Allemands qui lui insufflèrent
des principes fédéralistes, régionalistes et ethnicistes, le tout en
liaison avec les organismes européens comme le Comité des Régions (le
CdR), le Congrès des Pouvoirs Locaux et Régionaux d'Europe (le CPLRE)
ou le Conseil des Communes et des Régions d'Europe (le CCRE). L'intérêt
majeur de ce document est de révéler le sens caché de la forme actuelle
de la régionalisation européenne. Celle-ci ne concerne pas que l'Union
présente, mais est conçue pour s'étendre à toute l'Eurasie. Tous les
États d'Europe centrale, les États baltes, l'Ukraine, la Russie -avec
une frontière à l'Est qui s'étend vers la Sibérie- les États du Caucase
et la Turquie sont déjà intégrés dans ce projet européen ou plutôt
euro-atlantique. L'adhésion à l'Union ne serait plus le moyen de
réaliser l'unité européenne, mais au contraire de démembrer le
continent, assurant ainsi le triomphe pacifique de l'hyper puissance
états-unienne selon le principe classique « diviser pour régner ». La
régionalisation, présentée comme un moyen de rapprocher les citoyens
des lieux de décisions, ne serait plus qu'un artifice pour prévenir
l'émergence d'une Europe-puissance en application de la « doctrine
Wolfowitz » [ 1]
Peu de temps avant de quitter la Maison-Blanche, le président Clinton a
présenté la vision états-unienne de l'Europe dans un discours
magnifiant le bloc transatlantique. Il soulignait aussi et d'une
manière très nette que « (...) l'unité de l'Europe est en train
d'engendrer quelque chose de véritablement neuf sous le soleil : des
institutions communes plus vastes que l'État-nation parallèlement à la
délégation de l'autorité démocratique aux échelons inférieurs. L'Écosse
et le Pays de Galles ont leurs propres parlements. L'Irlande du Nord,
dont ma famille tire son origine, a retrouvé son nouveau gouvernement.
L'Europe est pleine de vie et résonne à nouveau des noms d'anciennes
régions dont on reparle - la Catalogne, le Piémont, la Lombardie, la
Silésie, la Transylvanie etc. - non pas au nom d'un quelconque
séparatisme, mais dans un élan de saine fierté et de respect de la
tradition. La souveraineté nationale est enrichie de voix régionales
pleines de vie qui font de l'Europe un lieu garantissant mieux
l'existence de la diversité (...) » [ 2]
La « sympathie » américaine à l'égard de cette forme de régionalisation
s'explique par le transfert du pouvoir politique des États vers les
régions. Désormais, la « région-État » se pare d'une autonomie
politique de plus en plus grande dans les domaines qui touchent
l'administration, la justice, les systèmes bancaire et postaux ou
encore l'éducation, cette dernière devenant de plus en plus - quoiqu'en
disent les autorités officielles - une éducation régionale. Or, ces
instances politiques régionales sont conduites à traiter directement
avec les instances supranationales de Bruxelles en court-circuitant
l'autorité nationale. Ceci ne peut que combler d'aise les dirigeants
politiques et économiques états-uniens qui, par l'intermédiaire de
leurs puissants lobbies présents massivement à Bruxelles, pourront
engager des contacts directement avec la Lombardie, l'Alsace, la
Catalogne, etc. Entre d'un côté, la puissance politique, militaire et
économique considérable des États-Unis et de l'autre, une quelconque
région d'Europe, on devine sans peine quel parti Washington tirera de
cette affaire.
Pour renforcer l'emprise complète américaine sur le vieux continent,
Les États-Unis ont présenté au seul gouvernement allemand une véritable
feuille de route pour l'extension à l'Est de l'Union européenne (l'UE)
et de l'OTAN. Selon le Financial Times Deutschland du 24 octobre 2002
l'objectif d'une « Europe libre et unie » doit s'articuler selon les
modalités suivantes. Après l'intégration de dix États en 2004 à l'UE
(Pologne, République tchèque, Slovaquie, Hongrie, Slovénie, Lituanie,
Lettonie, Estonie, Chypre et Malte), les pourparlers d'adhésion de
l'Ukraine à l'OTAN devraient commencer en 2004, suivies de ceux de la
Serbie en 2005, de la Croatie et de l'Albanie en 2007. En outre, selon
cette feuille de route, les États-Unis souhaiteraient l'adhésion de la
Turquie à l'UE pour 2007. Enfin, le Financial Times Deutschland ajoute
que l'intégration complète des Balkans et de l'Ukraine dans les
institutions euro-atlantiques doit être achevée pour 2010.
Au moins, nous connaissons la date butoir des objectifs états-uniens.
Dans cette parcellisation européenne donnant la primauté politique aux
régions, aux dépens des nations, en liaison directe avec tous les
lobbies financiers de Bruxelles, l'Allemagne joue un rôle décisif. En
effet, à l'origine de la régionalisation en Europe ( recommandation 34
(1997) du Congrès des Pouvoirs Locaux et Régionaux d'Europe:
http://www.coe.int/T/F/Cplre/%5F5.%5FTextes/2._Textes_adopt%E9s/
1._Recommandations/1997/Rec_34_1997_F.asp#TopOfPage ), elle soumet le
continent aux concepts institutionnels que les Britanniques et
États-Uniens lui ont imposés à la Conférence de Postdam (11 juillet au
2 août 1945) et lors de la création de la bizone d'occupation (2
décembre 1946). À l'époque, le rôle dévolu aux Länders visait à la fois
à rétablir les libertés supprimées par le centralisme du IIIe Reich et
à priver l'Allemagne du statut de grande puissance. Ce dispositif avait
été approuvé par la France qui, selon le mot de Mauriac à propos des
zones d'occupation, aimait tant l'Allemagne qu'il préférait qu'il y en
ait plusieurs. En outre, les Anglo-Saxons figèrent ces institutions en
sacralisant la Constitution allemande et en créant une Cour
constitutionnelle indépendante à Karlsruhe.
Cependant la vassalité de l'Europe vis-à-vis des États-Unis n'a plus de
raison d'être depuis l'effondrement de l'Union soviétique et la
dissolution du Pacte de Varsovie. La classe dirigeante allemande, quant
à elle, se trouve partagée entre d'une part ceux qui rêvent d'une
puissance indépendante et qui se sont exprimés en refusant de
s'associer à l'attaque de l'Irak, et d'autre part, ceux qui préfèrent
minimiser les risques et jouer le rôle de gouverneur délégué de
l'Empire pour l'Europe. Ceux-là se sont empressés de jouer les
supplétifs dans le démembrement de la Yougoslavie et dans la guerre du
Kosovo. Dès lors, ces contradictions pourraient trouver une solution en
se débarrassant de la tutelle états-unienne afin d'être seuls maîtres à
bord, selon le bon vieux « principe d'Iznogoud » (être calife à la
place du calife). Tout le problème réside dans la capacité des
Anglo-Saxons à convaincre les élites allemandes de jouer le rôle qu'ils
leur ont assigné dans le nouvel ordre mondial
En tout cas, l'éclatement de l'Europe comme le présente cette carte de
l'ARE est encore transitoire. En effet, l'émergence première des
régions est le préalable avant de passer à un autre niveau : le
remaniement des frontières régionales en fonction de critères
économiques et ethniques. Dans le cadre de l'interrégionalité, de
nombreux regroupements sont possibles comme par exemple entre les
entités basques française et espagnole ou encore entre l'Alsace et le
Pays de Bade. C'est tout l'enjeu de la carte élaborée par la commission
européenne en 2002 [ 3]. En effet, l'objectif étant de créer un vaste
marché économique de libre-échange transatlantique, les technocrates
bruxellois ont procédé à des remaniements territoriaux afin de créer
des groupes économiques comme le stipulent les textes officiels :
Interreg IIIB regroupe désormais toutes les actions de coopération
transnationale impliquant les autorités nationales, régionales et
locales et les autres acteurs socio-économiques. L'objectif est de
promouvoir l'intégration territoriale au sein de grands groupes de
régions européennes y compris au-delà de l'Union des Quinze, de même
qu'entre les États membres et les pays candidats ou autres pays
voisins, et à favoriser ainsi un développement durable, équilibré et
harmonieux de l'Union. Une attention particulière est accordée
notamment aux régions ultrapériphériques et insulaires [ 4].
Cette révolution politique, géopolitique et sociale en Europe est sur
le point de franchir un pas décisif avec la reconnaissance d'une
personnalité juridique pour l'Union européenne. Ce qui peut apparaître
comme l'aboutissement d'un rêve d'unité contient en lui-même des
éléments qui, dans ce contexte particulier et en l'absence de
garde-fous, peuvent dériver vers le cauchemar de la Yougoslavisation
généralisée.
Pierre Hillard
Essayiste, auteur de Minorités et régionalismes, Enquête sur le plan
allemand qui va bouleverser l'Europe , Editions François-Xavier de
Guibert, 2002 (
http://www.fnac.com/Shelf/
article.asp?PRID=1288052&SID=7309b720%2D64c4%2D994f%2D8a47%2D3d14eb640a3
1&UID=0b549c42e%2Dec06%2D0016%2D8814%2D5cec73ad87b9&AID=&Origin=FnacAff&
Pe=1&No=1&Fr=0&Mn=1&Ra=-1&To=0 ).
Article suivant : L'effet CNN
[1] Cf. Defense Policy Guidance for the Fiscal Years 1994-1999 , US
Department of Defense, 18 février 1992. Des extraits du document ont
été publiés dans The New York Times du 8 mars 1992.
[2] Extrait du discours du président Clinton à l'occasion de la remise
du prix Charlemagne
(http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/Europe-0005/speeches/20000602-
1245.html) , Aix-la-Chapelle, 2 juin 2000.
[3] Voir la carte des 13 programmes INTERREG IIIB 2000-2006, Les
politiques structurelles et les territoires de l'Europe, Coopération
sans frontières , Commission européenne, 2002.
[4] Ibid., p. 8.
RÉSEAU VOLTAIRE - Focus
Diviser pour mieux régner
L'éclatement du continent européen au service des États-Unis
La régionalisation de l'Europe pourrait être détournée de son sens
initial à la faveur d'un déséquilibre des institutions. Elle serait
alors un moyen de démembrer politiquement l'Europe, laissant ainsi le
champ libre à la domination de l'Empire états-unien. Pierre Hillard
analyse cette variante de la doctrine Wolfowitz : comment transformer
le rêve d'unité européenne en un cauchemar de la yougoslavisation
généralisée.
11 juillet 2003
Les modalités de la construction européenne dépendent de l'idée que
l'on se fait de l'unité de l'Europe et de son rôle dans le monde. Après
avoir piloté la création de l'Union pour stabiliser l'Europe
occidentale et la soustraire à l'influence soviétique, les États-Unis
encouragent aujourd'hui à la fois son élargissement géographique et sa
dilution politique. L'Union pourrait alors absorber la Russie et broyer
les États-membres en une myriade de régions pour se transformer en une
vaste zone de libre-échange protégée par la puissance militaire
états-unienne.
Contrairement à une idée répandue, il se trouve au sein même de l'Union
de nombreuses forces pour promouvoir ce projet comme l'atteste la carte
officielle que nous reproduisons.
(Table des régions d'Europe:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/files/IMMAGINI/europe-
confetis.jpg
Edité par l'Assemblée des régions d'Europe (ARE), 2002)
Elle a été élaborée au sein de l'ARE (l'Assemblée des Régions d'Europe)
en 2002. Créé en 1985 par les Français, les Espagnols et les Portugais,
cet institut fut repris en 1987 par les Allemands qui lui insufflèrent
des principes fédéralistes, régionalistes et ethnicistes, le tout en
liaison avec les organismes européens comme le Comité des Régions (le
CdR), le Congrès des Pouvoirs Locaux et Régionaux d'Europe (le CPLRE)
ou le Conseil des Communes et des Régions d'Europe (le CCRE). L'intérêt
majeur de ce document est de révéler le sens caché de la forme actuelle
de la régionalisation européenne. Celle-ci ne concerne pas que l'Union
présente, mais est conçue pour s'étendre à toute l'Eurasie. Tous les
États d'Europe centrale, les États baltes, l'Ukraine, la Russie -avec
une frontière à l'Est qui s'étend vers la Sibérie- les États du Caucase
et la Turquie sont déjà intégrés dans ce projet européen ou plutôt
euro-atlantique. L'adhésion à l'Union ne serait plus le moyen de
réaliser l'unité européenne, mais au contraire de démembrer le
continent, assurant ainsi le triomphe pacifique de l'hyper puissance
états-unienne selon le principe classique « diviser pour régner ». La
régionalisation, présentée comme un moyen de rapprocher les citoyens
des lieux de décisions, ne serait plus qu'un artifice pour prévenir
l'émergence d'une Europe-puissance en application de la « doctrine
Wolfowitz » [ 1]
Peu de temps avant de quitter la Maison-Blanche, le président Clinton a
présenté la vision états-unienne de l'Europe dans un discours
magnifiant le bloc transatlantique. Il soulignait aussi et d'une
manière très nette que « (...) l'unité de l'Europe est en train
d'engendrer quelque chose de véritablement neuf sous le soleil : des
institutions communes plus vastes que l'État-nation parallèlement à la
délégation de l'autorité démocratique aux échelons inférieurs. L'Écosse
et le Pays de Galles ont leurs propres parlements. L'Irlande du Nord,
dont ma famille tire son origine, a retrouvé son nouveau gouvernement.
L'Europe est pleine de vie et résonne à nouveau des noms d'anciennes
régions dont on reparle - la Catalogne, le Piémont, la Lombardie, la
Silésie, la Transylvanie etc. - non pas au nom d'un quelconque
séparatisme, mais dans un élan de saine fierté et de respect de la
tradition. La souveraineté nationale est enrichie de voix régionales
pleines de vie qui font de l'Europe un lieu garantissant mieux
l'existence de la diversité (...) » [ 2]
La « sympathie » américaine à l'égard de cette forme de régionalisation
s'explique par le transfert du pouvoir politique des États vers les
régions. Désormais, la « région-État » se pare d'une autonomie
politique de plus en plus grande dans les domaines qui touchent
l'administration, la justice, les systèmes bancaire et postaux ou
encore l'éducation, cette dernière devenant de plus en plus - quoiqu'en
disent les autorités officielles - une éducation régionale. Or, ces
instances politiques régionales sont conduites à traiter directement
avec les instances supranationales de Bruxelles en court-circuitant
l'autorité nationale. Ceci ne peut que combler d'aise les dirigeants
politiques et économiques états-uniens qui, par l'intermédiaire de
leurs puissants lobbies présents massivement à Bruxelles, pourront
engager des contacts directement avec la Lombardie, l'Alsace, la
Catalogne, etc. Entre d'un côté, la puissance politique, militaire et
économique considérable des États-Unis et de l'autre, une quelconque
région d'Europe, on devine sans peine quel parti Washington tirera de
cette affaire.
Pour renforcer l'emprise complète américaine sur le vieux continent,
Les États-Unis ont présenté au seul gouvernement allemand une véritable
feuille de route pour l'extension à l'Est de l'Union européenne (l'UE)
et de l'OTAN. Selon le Financial Times Deutschland du 24 octobre 2002
l'objectif d'une « Europe libre et unie » doit s'articuler selon les
modalités suivantes. Après l'intégration de dix États en 2004 à l'UE
(Pologne, République tchèque, Slovaquie, Hongrie, Slovénie, Lituanie,
Lettonie, Estonie, Chypre et Malte), les pourparlers d'adhésion de
l'Ukraine à l'OTAN devraient commencer en 2004, suivies de ceux de la
Serbie en 2005, de la Croatie et de l'Albanie en 2007. En outre, selon
cette feuille de route, les États-Unis souhaiteraient l'adhésion de la
Turquie à l'UE pour 2007. Enfin, le Financial Times Deutschland ajoute
que l'intégration complète des Balkans et de l'Ukraine dans les
institutions euro-atlantiques doit être achevée pour 2010.
Au moins, nous connaissons la date butoir des objectifs états-uniens.
Dans cette parcellisation européenne donnant la primauté politique aux
régions, aux dépens des nations, en liaison directe avec tous les
lobbies financiers de Bruxelles, l'Allemagne joue un rôle décisif. En
effet, à l'origine de la régionalisation en Europe ( recommandation 34
(1997) du Congrès des Pouvoirs Locaux et Régionaux d'Europe:
http://www.coe.int/T/F/Cplre/%5F5.%5FTextes/2._Textes_adopt%E9s/
1._Recommandations/1997/Rec_34_1997_F.asp#TopOfPage ), elle soumet le
continent aux concepts institutionnels que les Britanniques et
États-Uniens lui ont imposés à la Conférence de Postdam (11 juillet au
2 août 1945) et lors de la création de la bizone d'occupation (2
décembre 1946). À l'époque, le rôle dévolu aux Länders visait à la fois
à rétablir les libertés supprimées par le centralisme du IIIe Reich et
à priver l'Allemagne du statut de grande puissance. Ce dispositif avait
été approuvé par la France qui, selon le mot de Mauriac à propos des
zones d'occupation, aimait tant l'Allemagne qu'il préférait qu'il y en
ait plusieurs. En outre, les Anglo-Saxons figèrent ces institutions en
sacralisant la Constitution allemande et en créant une Cour
constitutionnelle indépendante à Karlsruhe.
Cependant la vassalité de l'Europe vis-à-vis des États-Unis n'a plus de
raison d'être depuis l'effondrement de l'Union soviétique et la
dissolution du Pacte de Varsovie. La classe dirigeante allemande, quant
à elle, se trouve partagée entre d'une part ceux qui rêvent d'une
puissance indépendante et qui se sont exprimés en refusant de
s'associer à l'attaque de l'Irak, et d'autre part, ceux qui préfèrent
minimiser les risques et jouer le rôle de gouverneur délégué de
l'Empire pour l'Europe. Ceux-là se sont empressés de jouer les
supplétifs dans le démembrement de la Yougoslavie et dans la guerre du
Kosovo. Dès lors, ces contradictions pourraient trouver une solution en
se débarrassant de la tutelle états-unienne afin d'être seuls maîtres à
bord, selon le bon vieux « principe d'Iznogoud » (être calife à la
place du calife). Tout le problème réside dans la capacité des
Anglo-Saxons à convaincre les élites allemandes de jouer le rôle qu'ils
leur ont assigné dans le nouvel ordre mondial
En tout cas, l'éclatement de l'Europe comme le présente cette carte de
l'ARE est encore transitoire. En effet, l'émergence première des
régions est le préalable avant de passer à un autre niveau : le
remaniement des frontières régionales en fonction de critères
économiques et ethniques. Dans le cadre de l'interrégionalité, de
nombreux regroupements sont possibles comme par exemple entre les
entités basques française et espagnole ou encore entre l'Alsace et le
Pays de Bade. C'est tout l'enjeu de la carte élaborée par la commission
européenne en 2002 [ 3]. En effet, l'objectif étant de créer un vaste
marché économique de libre-échange transatlantique, les technocrates
bruxellois ont procédé à des remaniements territoriaux afin de créer
des groupes économiques comme le stipulent les textes officiels :
Interreg IIIB regroupe désormais toutes les actions de coopération
transnationale impliquant les autorités nationales, régionales et
locales et les autres acteurs socio-économiques. L'objectif est de
promouvoir l'intégration territoriale au sein de grands groupes de
régions européennes y compris au-delà de l'Union des Quinze, de même
qu'entre les États membres et les pays candidats ou autres pays
voisins, et à favoriser ainsi un développement durable, équilibré et
harmonieux de l'Union. Une attention particulière est accordée
notamment aux régions ultrapériphériques et insulaires [ 4].
Cette révolution politique, géopolitique et sociale en Europe est sur
le point de franchir un pas décisif avec la reconnaissance d'une
personnalité juridique pour l'Union européenne. Ce qui peut apparaître
comme l'aboutissement d'un rêve d'unité contient en lui-même des
éléments qui, dans ce contexte particulier et en l'absence de
garde-fous, peuvent dériver vers le cauchemar de la Yougoslavisation
généralisée.
Pierre Hillard
Essayiste, auteur de Minorités et régionalismes, Enquête sur le plan
allemand qui va bouleverser l'Europe , Editions François-Xavier de
Guibert, 2002 (
http://www.fnac.com/Shelf/
article.asp?PRID=1288052&SID=7309b720%2D64c4%2D994f%2D8a47%2D3d14eb640a3
1&UID=0b549c42e%2Dec06%2D0016%2D8814%2D5cec73ad87b9&AID=&Origin=FnacAff&
Pe=1&No=1&Fr=0&Mn=1&Ra=-1&To=0 ).
Article suivant : L'effet CNN
[1] Cf. Defense Policy Guidance for the Fiscal Years 1994-1999 , US
Department of Defense, 18 février 1992. Des extraits du document ont
été publiés dans The New York Times du 8 mars 1992.
[2] Extrait du discours du président Clinton à l'occasion de la remise
du prix Charlemagne
(http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/Europe-0005/speeches/20000602-
1245.html) , Aix-la-Chapelle, 2 juin 2000.
[3] Voir la carte des 13 programmes INTERREG IIIB 2000-2006, Les
politiques structurelles et les territoires de l'Europe, Coopération
sans frontières , Commission européenne, 2002.
[4] Ibid., p. 8.
Nota biografica su Josip Broz Tito
(Il testo che segue e' apparso su "La Voce", notiziario del Gruppo
Atei Materialisti Dialettici (GAMADI). Per informazioni sul GAMADI e
per abbonarsi al mensile "La Voce":
telefono e fax 06-7915200
posta elettronica <gamadilavoce@...>
Per iscriversi al servizio telematico del GAMADI inviare un messaggio
vuoto a:
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La revisione e la nota sono a cura del CNJ.)
---
JOZIP BROZ
TITO (nome di battaglia)
Il suo vero nome era Josip Broz, e fu il capo politico e militare della
Jugoslavia.
Tito nacque il 25 maggio del 1892 (1) a Kumrovec, periferia di
Zagabria, in Croazia.
Si sa che la madre era slovena e che il padre era un fabbro ferraio,
per cui Tito seguì il mestiere paterno.
In giovanissima età partecipò al movimento giovanile socialista e
venne, per questo, più volte arrestato.
Nel 1914 (prima guerra mondiale) venne arruolato nell’esercito
austriaco e venne inviato prima sul fronte italiano e poi su quello
russo.
Fu ferito nei Carpazi, e cadde prigioniero.
La rivoluzione russa lo colse quando era in Siberia e Tito, con
slancio, diede il suo contributo rivoluzionario.
Nel 1924 fece ritorno in Croazia, portando seco la moglie russa ed un
figlio.
Iniziò il suo mestiere di operaio metalmeccanico a Zagabria, dove
esercitava opera di propaganda in difesa dei diritti dei lavoratori.
Per questo, il 10 novembre del 1928 viene arrestato e condannato a 5
anni di ergastolo in parte scontati a Lepoglava.
La moglie e il figlio fuggirono in Russia e Tito, appena liberato, li
raggiunse.
Va considerato che negli anni 1934-1938 sia in patria che all’estero
egli si dedicò totalmente alla propaganda comunista.
Nel 1936 partecipò alla guerra civile di Spagna, come sergente nelle
Brigate Internazionali, formate da volontari, in aiuto alla Repubblica
spagnola minacciata dalla guerra civile scatenata dal fascista
Francisco Franco.
Tito tornò clandestinamente in Jugoslavia e precisamente a Zagabria e
a Belgrado.
Uscì dalla clandestinità nel 1938 col soprannome di Tito, datogli dai
compagni di lotta.
Nel 1940 venne eletto Segretario del Comitato Centrale dei delegati
comunisti jugoslavi.
Nella primavera del 1941, Tito si trovava a Belgrado.
Non ebbe esitazioni a divenire capo del Movimento di Resistenza,
essendo entrata in guerra anche l’URSS.
Opero' dapprima in Serbia, poi nel Montenegro e in Bosnia, finché non
si scontrò col movimento dei cetnici capeggiato da Draza Mihajlovic.
Tra i due movimenti era impossibile una intesa.
Tito, comunque, ebbe la meglio, anche per il riconoscimento
internazionale, e i suoi reparti partigiani, male equipaggiati e poco
armati, seppero svolgere azioni ardite contro gli agguerriti eserciti
tedesco nazista e fascista italiano.
In questa epica occasione Tito dimostrò di possedere, oltre a
straordinarie attitudini organizzative, anche un inestimabile talento
militare.
Il 29 novembre del 1943 la Seconda sessione del Consiglio Antifascista
di Liberazione Nazionale (AVNOJ) conferì a Tito il titolo di
Maresciallo.
La forte pressione tedesca, giunta a ferirlo in battaglia, lo
costrinse a rifugiarsi a Lissa, in Dalmazia.
Da questo luogo di convalescenza, il 16 giugno 1944, egli stabilì un
accordo con J. Subasic che era emissario del governo regio in esilio a
Londra.
Tito venne trasportato a Bari, in Italia, per curare meglio la sua
ferita, e sembra che, su invito di Churchill che si trovava tra il
22 e il 24 agosto del 1944 a Roma, Tito abbia avuto un breve incontro
con lo statista inglese. Operava in difesa del suo paese, qualsiasi
fosse stato l’esito della guerra.
Via via che le truppe sovietiche si avvicinavano al Danubio e alla
Jugoslavia, Tito ritenne di doversi sciogliere dall’intesa con
l’Inghilterra, identificandosi con gli ideali rappresentati dall’URSS.
Una visita di Tito a Mosca, nel novembre del 1944, rinsaldò
l’orientamento della sua politica verso l’URSS, che non venne a
cessare neppure quando, nel 1948 il Kominform lanciò contro di lui
l’accusa di deviazionismo, di nazionalismo.
Le condizioni della Jugoslavia erano assai difficili, anche perché
provata da una grave crisi economica. Tito voleva il bene del suo paese
e seguiva una linea di condotta volta ed aderente agli interessi della
Jugoslavia.
Per le accuse di nazionalismo, Tito era forte del fatto che i suoi
sentimenti internazionalisti li aveva dimostrati anche rischiando la
vita in Spagna e nella rivoluzione d’Ottobre.
Nel 1948 viene eletto Segretario Generale del Partito, nonostante le
ingiunzioni dell’URSS.
Dalla Costituzione della Repubblica Federale Popolare di Jugoslavia,
Tito fruirà del titolo di Primo Ministro e di Ministro per la difesa
nazionale, poi di Presidente dello Stato.
Fu cosa non facile mantenere la pace in quell'agglomerato di etnie, con
tre religioni diverse ma con l’ateismo materialista dialettico che,
tramite la politica di Tito, si faceva strada, nella parte del popolo
più illuminata e negli studenti.
Non siamo in grado di dire se Tito fu sempre un comunista coerente e
rispettoso dei principi scientifici. Quello che però è possibile
affermare è che egli fu un dirigente comunista che amava il suo paese
e il suo popolo.
Sappiamo che tutti i cittadini, di tutte le repubbliche, godevano di un
alloggio sicuro, della sanità gratuita, del diritto allo studio
gratuito.
Sappiamo che sotto la direzione di Tito non vi erano disoccupati e che
la donna godeva del rispetto e degli stessi diritti dell’uomo.
Tito si batteva affinché nel paese vigesse una maggior democrazia.
Tentò di applicare l’autogestione che a suo parere doveva dare respiro
e migliori condizioni di vita al popolo.
Ma fu un esperimento errato che, al contrario di quanto egli volesse,
finì col rafforzare la burocrazia.
Nel 1977, Tito tornò a porre la questione della democrazia nel
paese, credendo nella necessità di applicare un diffuso pluralismo
d’interessi e la sua espressione in una nuova politica.
Anche se questi tentativi innovativi possono lasciare perplessi,
considerando anche che venivano da un uomo malato, che poi morì a
Lubiana il 4 maggio del 1980, noi lo vogliamo ricordare come una
figura politica molto amata dal suo popolo, un uomo che ha dedicato la
vita agli interessi del suo paese, un uomo che vorremmo riavere nella
tormentata e distrutta terra jugoslava, di oggi.
Ecco quello che lo scrittore Zvonko Straunbringer scrisse nella stesura
del suo libro: “LA BATTAGLIA PIU’ SOFFERTA DI JOZIP BROZ TITO":
<<Nel corso dei 35 anni di sviluppo postbellico della Jugoslavia, Tito
ha lasciato una forte impronta. Ha tentato di trovare le giuste
risposte ai dilemmi e alle richieste, ed ha ritenuto che solo il
socialismo avrebbe potuto dare le giuste risposte.
Era profondamente convinto dell’idea della Jugoslavia e per tutto il
tempo, da quando entrò a far parte del movimento rivoluzionario,
durante l'ultima guerra e alla fine di essa, ha combattuto decisamente
per la sua affermazione.
La Jugoslavia sotto la guida di Tito ha combattuto grandi battaglie
perché si realizzasse la grande idea della Pace mondiale, del
Non-allineamento, del superamento del bipolarismo e per la costruzione
di un assetto internazionale più giusto, nel quale i paesi grandi e
piccoli, ricchi e poveri, fossero politicamente alla pari.
A questo scopo Tito ha visitato 69 paesi incontrando più di 500 capi di
stato, sovrani e premier. Ha costruito ponti di amicizia e
collaborazione, tanto che per decenni la Jugoslavia ha goduto di grande
prestigio nel mondo.>>
Questo libro su Tito, afferma Ivan Pavicevac, è un grande contributo
nella delucidazione della verità non soltanto su Tito ma su noi stessi,
che abbiamo vissuto in quel periodo, che abbiamo combattuto e lavorato
sul suolo jugoslavo.
Non ci sono uomini infallibili, tanto meno statisti... Ma le sue idee
socio-politiche sono state progressiste. Quanto più ha potuto, egli ha
saputo realizzarle, queste sue idee.
Tanto per le guerre come per le rivoluzioni e così pure per le figure
storiche non può esserci un giudizio finale. E qui, la storia va
esposta, e vanno verificati i fatti.
Nessuno di noi idolatra Tito, in quanto egli non è una reliquia, né un
santo, né un mago.
Egli è stato presidente della Jugoslavia e come tale appartiene ad una
critica storica.
Quando era vivo, Tito si opponeva alle canzoni celebrative, alla parole
di elogio, ai giuramenti rivolti alla sua persona, specie dagli
anniversari, perché si sentiva in imbarazzo.
Un giorno un regista chiese a Tito: "Come uomo semplice, cos’è che la
turba, e perché a volte non riesce a dormire?”
Tito rispose:
“E’ la nostra unità, la Jugoslavia” – Questi piccoli dissidi, a volte,
tra le Repubbliche – Vorrei che rimanessero nell’unità.
L’unità e la fratellanza sono le nostre conquiste, la nostra realtà.
In questo noi abbiamo ottenuto molto. Vorrei che fosse così anche
quando non ci saremo più”
Cubrilovic, un politico che uscì dal governo nel 1951, dopo la morte di
Tito disse:
“E’ stato uno dei più grandi atei, il comunista Jozip Broz Tito, ma
praticamente è stato sepolto con tutti gli onori perfino delle
chiese. Le gerarchie di tutte le comunità religiose non potevano
sorvolare sul fatto che milioni di credenti hanno veramente amato e
stimato Tito, e che sono stati addolorati alla notizia della sua morte”.
Noi del G.A.MA.DI., compagni di lotta di tutti i popoli, auguriamo ai
popoli della Jugoslavia un nuovo Tito!
---
1. 25 maggio per gli jugoslavi e' la "Giornata della Gioventu'",
tradizionalmente assunta come anniversario della nascita di Josip Broz
"Tito" (1892). Per la precisione, Tito è nato a Kumrovec, al confine
tra Croazia e Slovenia, il 7 maggio e non il 25. Quest'ultima è la data
di quando è "rinato": è la data del fallito attacco dei paracadutisti
tedeschi a Drvar, e da allora si festeggia come suo simbolico
compleanno.
(a cura del CNJ)
(Il testo che segue e' apparso su "La Voce", notiziario del Gruppo
Atei Materialisti Dialettici (GAMADI). Per informazioni sul GAMADI e
per abbonarsi al mensile "La Voce":
telefono e fax 06-7915200
posta elettronica <gamadilavoce@...>
Per iscriversi al servizio telematico del GAMADI inviare un messaggio
vuoto a:
<Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.>.
La revisione e la nota sono a cura del CNJ.)
---
JOZIP BROZ
TITO (nome di battaglia)
Il suo vero nome era Josip Broz, e fu il capo politico e militare della
Jugoslavia.
Tito nacque il 25 maggio del 1892 (1) a Kumrovec, periferia di
Zagabria, in Croazia.
Si sa che la madre era slovena e che il padre era un fabbro ferraio,
per cui Tito seguì il mestiere paterno.
In giovanissima età partecipò al movimento giovanile socialista e
venne, per questo, più volte arrestato.
Nel 1914 (prima guerra mondiale) venne arruolato nell’esercito
austriaco e venne inviato prima sul fronte italiano e poi su quello
russo.
Fu ferito nei Carpazi, e cadde prigioniero.
La rivoluzione russa lo colse quando era in Siberia e Tito, con
slancio, diede il suo contributo rivoluzionario.
Nel 1924 fece ritorno in Croazia, portando seco la moglie russa ed un
figlio.
Iniziò il suo mestiere di operaio metalmeccanico a Zagabria, dove
esercitava opera di propaganda in difesa dei diritti dei lavoratori.
Per questo, il 10 novembre del 1928 viene arrestato e condannato a 5
anni di ergastolo in parte scontati a Lepoglava.
La moglie e il figlio fuggirono in Russia e Tito, appena liberato, li
raggiunse.
Va considerato che negli anni 1934-1938 sia in patria che all’estero
egli si dedicò totalmente alla propaganda comunista.
Nel 1936 partecipò alla guerra civile di Spagna, come sergente nelle
Brigate Internazionali, formate da volontari, in aiuto alla Repubblica
spagnola minacciata dalla guerra civile scatenata dal fascista
Francisco Franco.
Tito tornò clandestinamente in Jugoslavia e precisamente a Zagabria e
a Belgrado.
Uscì dalla clandestinità nel 1938 col soprannome di Tito, datogli dai
compagni di lotta.
Nel 1940 venne eletto Segretario del Comitato Centrale dei delegati
comunisti jugoslavi.
Nella primavera del 1941, Tito si trovava a Belgrado.
Non ebbe esitazioni a divenire capo del Movimento di Resistenza,
essendo entrata in guerra anche l’URSS.
Opero' dapprima in Serbia, poi nel Montenegro e in Bosnia, finché non
si scontrò col movimento dei cetnici capeggiato da Draza Mihajlovic.
Tra i due movimenti era impossibile una intesa.
Tito, comunque, ebbe la meglio, anche per il riconoscimento
internazionale, e i suoi reparti partigiani, male equipaggiati e poco
armati, seppero svolgere azioni ardite contro gli agguerriti eserciti
tedesco nazista e fascista italiano.
In questa epica occasione Tito dimostrò di possedere, oltre a
straordinarie attitudini organizzative, anche un inestimabile talento
militare.
Il 29 novembre del 1943 la Seconda sessione del Consiglio Antifascista
di Liberazione Nazionale (AVNOJ) conferì a Tito il titolo di
Maresciallo.
La forte pressione tedesca, giunta a ferirlo in battaglia, lo
costrinse a rifugiarsi a Lissa, in Dalmazia.
Da questo luogo di convalescenza, il 16 giugno 1944, egli stabilì un
accordo con J. Subasic che era emissario del governo regio in esilio a
Londra.
Tito venne trasportato a Bari, in Italia, per curare meglio la sua
ferita, e sembra che, su invito di Churchill che si trovava tra il
22 e il 24 agosto del 1944 a Roma, Tito abbia avuto un breve incontro
con lo statista inglese. Operava in difesa del suo paese, qualsiasi
fosse stato l’esito della guerra.
Via via che le truppe sovietiche si avvicinavano al Danubio e alla
Jugoslavia, Tito ritenne di doversi sciogliere dall’intesa con
l’Inghilterra, identificandosi con gli ideali rappresentati dall’URSS.
Una visita di Tito a Mosca, nel novembre del 1944, rinsaldò
l’orientamento della sua politica verso l’URSS, che non venne a
cessare neppure quando, nel 1948 il Kominform lanciò contro di lui
l’accusa di deviazionismo, di nazionalismo.
Le condizioni della Jugoslavia erano assai difficili, anche perché
provata da una grave crisi economica. Tito voleva il bene del suo paese
e seguiva una linea di condotta volta ed aderente agli interessi della
Jugoslavia.
Per le accuse di nazionalismo, Tito era forte del fatto che i suoi
sentimenti internazionalisti li aveva dimostrati anche rischiando la
vita in Spagna e nella rivoluzione d’Ottobre.
Nel 1948 viene eletto Segretario Generale del Partito, nonostante le
ingiunzioni dell’URSS.
Dalla Costituzione della Repubblica Federale Popolare di Jugoslavia,
Tito fruirà del titolo di Primo Ministro e di Ministro per la difesa
nazionale, poi di Presidente dello Stato.
Fu cosa non facile mantenere la pace in quell'agglomerato di etnie, con
tre religioni diverse ma con l’ateismo materialista dialettico che,
tramite la politica di Tito, si faceva strada, nella parte del popolo
più illuminata e negli studenti.
Non siamo in grado di dire se Tito fu sempre un comunista coerente e
rispettoso dei principi scientifici. Quello che però è possibile
affermare è che egli fu un dirigente comunista che amava il suo paese
e il suo popolo.
Sappiamo che tutti i cittadini, di tutte le repubbliche, godevano di un
alloggio sicuro, della sanità gratuita, del diritto allo studio
gratuito.
Sappiamo che sotto la direzione di Tito non vi erano disoccupati e che
la donna godeva del rispetto e degli stessi diritti dell’uomo.
Tito si batteva affinché nel paese vigesse una maggior democrazia.
Tentò di applicare l’autogestione che a suo parere doveva dare respiro
e migliori condizioni di vita al popolo.
Ma fu un esperimento errato che, al contrario di quanto egli volesse,
finì col rafforzare la burocrazia.
Nel 1977, Tito tornò a porre la questione della democrazia nel
paese, credendo nella necessità di applicare un diffuso pluralismo
d’interessi e la sua espressione in una nuova politica.
Anche se questi tentativi innovativi possono lasciare perplessi,
considerando anche che venivano da un uomo malato, che poi morì a
Lubiana il 4 maggio del 1980, noi lo vogliamo ricordare come una
figura politica molto amata dal suo popolo, un uomo che ha dedicato la
vita agli interessi del suo paese, un uomo che vorremmo riavere nella
tormentata e distrutta terra jugoslava, di oggi.
Ecco quello che lo scrittore Zvonko Straunbringer scrisse nella stesura
del suo libro: “LA BATTAGLIA PIU’ SOFFERTA DI JOZIP BROZ TITO":
<<Nel corso dei 35 anni di sviluppo postbellico della Jugoslavia, Tito
ha lasciato una forte impronta. Ha tentato di trovare le giuste
risposte ai dilemmi e alle richieste, ed ha ritenuto che solo il
socialismo avrebbe potuto dare le giuste risposte.
Era profondamente convinto dell’idea della Jugoslavia e per tutto il
tempo, da quando entrò a far parte del movimento rivoluzionario,
durante l'ultima guerra e alla fine di essa, ha combattuto decisamente
per la sua affermazione.
La Jugoslavia sotto la guida di Tito ha combattuto grandi battaglie
perché si realizzasse la grande idea della Pace mondiale, del
Non-allineamento, del superamento del bipolarismo e per la costruzione
di un assetto internazionale più giusto, nel quale i paesi grandi e
piccoli, ricchi e poveri, fossero politicamente alla pari.
A questo scopo Tito ha visitato 69 paesi incontrando più di 500 capi di
stato, sovrani e premier. Ha costruito ponti di amicizia e
collaborazione, tanto che per decenni la Jugoslavia ha goduto di grande
prestigio nel mondo.>>
Questo libro su Tito, afferma Ivan Pavicevac, è un grande contributo
nella delucidazione della verità non soltanto su Tito ma su noi stessi,
che abbiamo vissuto in quel periodo, che abbiamo combattuto e lavorato
sul suolo jugoslavo.
Non ci sono uomini infallibili, tanto meno statisti... Ma le sue idee
socio-politiche sono state progressiste. Quanto più ha potuto, egli ha
saputo realizzarle, queste sue idee.
Tanto per le guerre come per le rivoluzioni e così pure per le figure
storiche non può esserci un giudizio finale. E qui, la storia va
esposta, e vanno verificati i fatti.
Nessuno di noi idolatra Tito, in quanto egli non è una reliquia, né un
santo, né un mago.
Egli è stato presidente della Jugoslavia e come tale appartiene ad una
critica storica.
Quando era vivo, Tito si opponeva alle canzoni celebrative, alla parole
di elogio, ai giuramenti rivolti alla sua persona, specie dagli
anniversari, perché si sentiva in imbarazzo.
Un giorno un regista chiese a Tito: "Come uomo semplice, cos’è che la
turba, e perché a volte non riesce a dormire?”
Tito rispose:
“E’ la nostra unità, la Jugoslavia” – Questi piccoli dissidi, a volte,
tra le Repubbliche – Vorrei che rimanessero nell’unità.
L’unità e la fratellanza sono le nostre conquiste, la nostra realtà.
In questo noi abbiamo ottenuto molto. Vorrei che fosse così anche
quando non ci saremo più”
Cubrilovic, un politico che uscì dal governo nel 1951, dopo la morte di
Tito disse:
“E’ stato uno dei più grandi atei, il comunista Jozip Broz Tito, ma
praticamente è stato sepolto con tutti gli onori perfino delle
chiese. Le gerarchie di tutte le comunità religiose non potevano
sorvolare sul fatto che milioni di credenti hanno veramente amato e
stimato Tito, e che sono stati addolorati alla notizia della sua morte”.
Noi del G.A.MA.DI., compagni di lotta di tutti i popoli, auguriamo ai
popoli della Jugoslavia un nuovo Tito!
---
1. 25 maggio per gli jugoslavi e' la "Giornata della Gioventu'",
tradizionalmente assunta come anniversario della nascita di Josip Broz
"Tito" (1892). Per la precisione, Tito è nato a Kumrovec, al confine
tra Croazia e Slovenia, il 7 maggio e non il 25. Quest'ultima è la data
di quando è "rinato": è la data del fallito attacco dei paracadutisti
tedeschi a Drvar, e da allora si festeggia come suo simbolico
compleanno.
(a cura del CNJ)
Artel Geopolitika - http://www.artel.co.yu - office@...
1. Razapinjanje i izdaja Srbije
(Oliver Vulović)
2. Ko finansira i kako deluju nevladine organizacije
(Rade Drobac)
3. Dijaspora trazi svojih 3,5 miliona euro
(Savet Sabora Dijaspore)
=== 1 ===
Razapinjanje i izdaja Srbije
http://www.artel.co.yu/sr/reakcije_citalaca/2003-07-30_1.html
Oliver Vulović
Oliverv@...
oliver_vulovic@...
B e o g r a d, 29 / 07 / 2003
Nacija sa kojom su kroz istoriju sve države nasilnice kad-tad morale da
potpišu mirovne ugovore po principu ve viktis, ovih dana je doživela da
joj prvi među jednakima iz redova ileganih uzurpatora izvršne vlasti u
Srbiji, Zoran Živković, iz Amerike poruči da je otvorio širom vrata
Srbije i dao sva ovlašćenja i privilegije američkim obaveštajcima, u
cilju realizacije akcije kidnapovanja i zatamničenja bivšeg generala
odmbrambenih snaga Republike Srpske, gospodina Ratka Mladića, i bivšeg
predsednika Republike Srpske, gospodina Radovana Karadžića. To je ono
što je Zoran Živković smeo i imao obraza da za sada u svom javljanju iz
Amerike prizna naciji a dok ćemo nove klauzule iz ovog modernog pacta
convente, saznati kada se kvazimajstori propagande iz DOS-a i DSS-a
odluče da opet nemušto i traljavo iskreiraju novu političku aferu ili
krizu u Srbiji u cilju očuvanja svoje demokrature čije ćemo posledice
osećati još dugi niz godina unapred.
Poseta Zorana Živkovića Americi, je prirodan sled događaja nakon
iznenadne posete Kolina Pauela Beogradu i naglog pada autoriteta
Vilijema Montogomerija, iznurenog porodičnim skandalima i inače do
skora pravog i jedinog vlastodrsca u Srbiji, koji se čas nalazio u
redakciji NIN-a da smenjuje Bebu Popovića,čas u vladi Srbije da da
instrukcije oko Šljibvančaninovog hapšenja a čas je slao emisare u
Vranje da smenjuje srpske vladike. Ovom posetom je od naroda
«pročitani» DOS, želeo da ispuni više ciljeva, koje su u stilu
nekadašnjih portparola centralnih komiteta i SSRN-a pokušali da
predstave kao vrhunske diplomatske uspehe, no, Živković se vratio punih
usta «savezništva» sa Amerikom a sa rukama iza leđa, punim novih
ultimatuma i naređenja.
«Denacifikacija» Srbije i Srba, jednostavno mora biti po amričkim
shvatanjima do kraja doveden proces čiji kraj mora biti krunisan osudom
Slobodana Miloševića u Hagu, našim potpisom i saglasnošću na projekat
«nezavisnog Kosova», rasturanja naše vojske, priznavanja nezavisnosti
Crnoj Gori, odricanja od Srba u Republici Srpskoj , odustajanje od
insistiranja na ispunjavanju prava povratka Srba na Kosmet i u
Republiku Hrvatsku kao i odustajanje od naše tužbe protiv NATO država,
za koju je jedan gospodin iz redova američke administracije, gospodinu
Zoranu Živkoviću u lice rekao da je idiotska. Dakle, gospodin Živković
je stoički i sa osmehom saslušao od predstavnika administracije koja ne
priznaje međ.sudove osim one koja sama napravi, da je NATO agresija
nešto sasvim u redu i prirodno, čak i sa stanovišta međunarodnog prava
a da je naša tužba zbog te agresije idiotska. Verovatno možemo
očekivati da će jednog dana, ako ikada više u svojstvu premijera poseti
Ameriku, gospodin Živković se vratiti i reći da je i sama ideja
suverene srpske države idiotska, za šta će imati uporište i u ustavu
koji namerava da sa grupom istomišljenika oktriše sledeće godine a u
kojem se Srbi pominju samo u teškoj nužnosti.
Trio koji trenutno razvlači i razapinje Srbiju (DS; DSS; G17+) uz pomoć
par urlača iz vladinih i nevladinih grupa je shvatio da se politički
peščani sat u Strbiji opet okrenuo da meri vreme i da ma kako sporo i
otežano cureo, svakog momenta pokazuje kako je njihovom
eksperimentisanju sa državom i narodom kraj veoma blizu te su zbog toga
sve nervozniji i u svojoj oholosti i nadmenosti, koja je karakterisala
i način njihovog vladanja, i ne pokušavaju tu svoju nervozu i zlovolju
da sakriju. Mnogo je pitanja i računa na koja će morati da odgovore i
da ih plate gospoda iz DOS-a , a nešto kasnije i iz DSS-a, kada narod
bude pitao i naplaćivao. Iskreno se nadam, da će makar tada, u
trenucima svog poraza i narodne osude, izbeći da kopiraju svoje kolege
i nalogodavce iz Amerike i da neće buduće tužbe protiv njihove
štetočinske politike nazvati idiotskim.
=== 2 ===
OGLEDALO nedelje: Jaci od drzave
http://www.artel.co.yu/sr/izbor/medjunarodne_org/2003-07-29_2.html
Ko finansira i kako deluju nevladine organizacije
Piše: Rade Drobac
Beograd, 23. juli 2003. godine
Džejms Lajon, director kancelarije u Beogradu Medjunarodne krizne grupe
(International Crises Group- ICG) postao je poslednjih dana ličnost o
kojoj se možda najviše govori.
Za njega smo saznali tek nedavno, kada mu je uskraćen, a nakon
intervencija spolja, ipak produžen dalji boravak u našoj zemlji.
Tada smo saznali da je napisao neki izveštaj o stanju u našoj zemlji
koji nije povoljan za vladajuću garnituru zbog čega se ona jako
potresla i želela da ga protera, ali nije uspela.
Neupućenima je sigurno ostalo nejasno zašto bi se jedna vlada toliko
potresala oko izveštaja neke nevladine organizacije. Napravljena je
mala drama oko ovog slučaja, koja još traje, ali je stvar u suštini
komična. Deluje kao da vlada jedne suverene zemlje zazire, i to debelo,
od škrabotina nekog medjunarodnog mastiljara, i to još iz neke
nevladine organizacije, kojih danas ima bezbroj.
Stvar je još čudnija kada se zna koji sve problemi, pre svega
egzistencijalni a potom i nnogi drugi, muče našu napaćenu zemlju, pa se
postavlja logično pitanje otkud takav značaj jednom strancu i njegovim
ocenama stanja u našoj zemlji, koji nije ni predsednik države, ni
vlade, ni OUN-a, ni OEBS-a, ni NATO-a, niti nekakav finansijski magnat,
već običan činovnik jedne nevladine organizacije čije je sedište u
dalekim SAD.
Medjutim, taj značaj, ili bolje rečeno strah od posledica njegovog
izveštaja, iako svakako preuveličan, nije i bezrazložan.
Selektivan pristup
I letimičnim ispitivanjem sadržaja rada grupe vidi se da se očito bavi
odredjenim temama i regionima, vrlo selektivno i fokusiraju}i se upravo
na one koji su istovremeno i predmet inrteresovanja vlada njihovih
zemalja, a pre svega SAD i NATO. Jedna od tačaka njihovog interesovanja
je i naša zemlja.
Ovde se postavlja i jedno suštinsko pitanje: da li je to grupacija koja
svojim radom i aktivnostima utiče na vlade svojih zemalja da promene
politiku, ili naprotiv, ona, na mig vlada i oligarhija koje je
podržavaju, pokreće aktivnosti na destabilizaciji odredjene zemlje,
regiona ili ličnosti sa ciljem da otvori prostor da se u nastalu
situaciju uključe, tobož sa plementim ciljevima i motivima, i državni
organi pojedinih zemalja koje sve ovo orkestriraju.
Tu dilemu ne možemo otkloniti iz prostog razloga što je sprega vlada i
mnogih nevladinih organizacija, politička, interesna, personalna,
finansijska i organizaciona, iako skrivena, tako jaka da, u stvari, one
zajedno predstavljaju jednu funkcionalnu celinu koja radi
sinhronizovano, uz medije pod svojom kontrolom, na ostvarivanju
zajedničkih ciljeva.
Imali smo prilike da na našoj kž`i osetimo njihovo delovanje i njegove
posledice i otuda je strah opravdan.
"Pritisak" javnosti
Kako funkcioniše sistem pritisaka preko nevladinih organizacija? Bogate
oligarhije Zapada sprovode svoje geopolitičke zamisli vrlo jednostavnim
metodom. U poslednjih nekoliko desetina godina, a naročito u poslednjoj
deceniji, te strukture SAD i Zapada su namnožile u svojim zemljama, ali
i po celom svetu, razne medjunarodne institucije, često sa nacionalnim
ograncima, u najvećem broju pod firmom nevladinih organizacija,
fondacija, asocijacija, instituta, foruma i tome slično. Zahvaljujući
činjenici da ih one finansiraju, one im postavljaju i kadrove. Te
institucije predstavljaju , s jedne strane, obaveštajnu mrežu,
delimično i u sopstvenim zemljama, a naročito u stranim, oslanjajući se
u dobroj meri na lokalne kadrove, pri čemu im status nevladinih
organizacija obezbedjuje legalnan boravak i rad. Druga funkcija, ona o
kojoj je ovde prvenstveno reč je da pokreću odredjena pitanja u
sopstvenoj i svetskoj javnosti i javnom mnjenju fokusirane zemlje, na
sopstvenu inicijativu (čitaj u dogovoru sa svojim nalogodavcima) ili na
"inicijativu" svojih mentora, na način koji odgovara njihovim potrebama.
Najčešće se to izražava u vidu napada, kritika, afera i optužbi na
račun odredjenih ličnosti, vlada, država, naroda ili bilo koga i čega
što im zasmeta da ostvare svoje globalne planove. Naravno, te
aktivnosti odmah dobijaju maksimalan prostor u režimskim medijima u
sopstvenoj zemlji i zemljama saveznika i u "nezavisnim" medijima u
drugim zemljama (onima koje oni finansiraju) što im daje propulzivnost
i , napokon značaj i verodostojnost. To sve stvara utisak strašnog
problema koji , opet, zahteva, intervenciju vlada tih zemalja. Koliko
li smo puta čuli od zvaničnika SAD da se "pod pritiskom" javnosti
"nešto mora učiniti", a taj pritisak stvaraju prvenstveno nevladine
organizacije i mediji pod njihovom kontrolom
Obično je to završavalo sankcijama ili bombardovanjem, pri čemu su se
te akcije pokušavale legalizovati kroz OUN, a ako to nije bilo moguće
izvodjene su i bez saglasnosti ovog najvišeg medjunarodnog tela.
Medju nevladinim organizacijama ICG i nije najznačajnija. Navedimo samo
neke poznatije i značajnije od nje ili u njenoj ravni. Ko nije čuo za
Bildemberg grupu, Trilateralnu komisiju, Soroš Fondaciju, Fondaciju
Fridrih Ebert iz Nemačke, Karnež`i fondaciju iz SAD, Kraljevski
institut za strateške studfije iz Londona i mnoge druge. Na regionalnom
planu navedimo, na primer, asocijaciju Alpe-Adria Višegradsku grupu i
mnoge druge širom sveta.
Na našem nacionalnom planu malo je onih koji nisu čuli za Fond za
humanitarno pravo Nataše Kandić, Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava Sonje
Biserko, Centar za kulturnu dekontaminaciju Borke Pavičević itd. Imena
kao Sonja Liht, Vojin Dimitrijević, Biljana Vučo su svima poznata. Da i
ne govorimo o Grupi 17 plus. Svi su oni u funkciji interesa onih koji
ih finasiraju. Pri tome treba znati da ti načini finasiranja nisu uvek
isti. Često su to indirektni kanali, preko nekakvih drugih
medjunarodnih institucija tipa - za razvoj medija, demokratije i sl.
Naravno, u državama pod njihovom kontrolom, zapadne oligarhije troškove
finansiranja svojih produženih ruku, nevladinih organizacija, teže da
prebace na lokalne izvore, pre svega na budžet marionetskih vlada.
Uštede i za tako moćne grupe, nisu za odbacivanje, a može lakoverne da
zavara da pomisle da te organizacije rade za dobro svoje zemlje.
Naravno, istine radi, ima organizacija i institucija ovog tipa koje su
zaista ono za šta se izdaju i što bi i ostale trebale biti. Ali to je
prava retkost, a najbolji pokazatelj da li su prave je njihov konto u
banci. Takve institucije niko ne podržava niti finansira.
Ima organizacija koje nisu u globalnoj mreži SAD I NATO zemalja, a nisu
ni nezavisne. Njih drže nacionalne oligarhije ili vlade u interesu
svoje politike ili nacionalnih i državnih interesa. To je pokušaj
odbrane od opasnosti koja preti od globalnih nevladinih mreža i sedme
sile, ali jedna letva ne može zaustaviti provaljenu branu.
Jedini spas od ove moderne pošasti je razumevanje njihovih pravih
poslova i ciljeva i uskraćivanje podrške i prostora njihovom radu jer
je on, najčešće, u.funkciji globalne politike velikih sila današnjice.
A ona je krajnje agresivna, militaristička, opresivna i hegemonistička
i usmerena na destabilizaciju malih država i pojedinih regiona,
poništavanje nacionalnih interesa malih i srednjih zemalja,
razjedinjavanje njihovih nacionalnih snaga i stvaranje unutrašnjih
sukoba, poništavanje njihovog nacionalnog i kulturnog identiteta sa
ciljem njihovog potpunog podredjivanja svojim interesima i potrebama.
Najbolji dokz toga je delovanje najvećeg broja ovih nevladinih
organizacija na našem prostoru.
=== 3 ===
DIJASPORA TRAZI SVOJIH 3,5 MILIONA EURO
http://www.artel.co.yu/sr/glas_dijaspore/2003-07-29_3.html
SAVET SABORA DIJASPORE
Beograd, 29. juli 2003. godine
Tokom i nakon agresije NATO pakta nad Jugoslavijom naši ljudi iz
dijaspore sakupili su, pored ogromne humanitarnwe pomoći u robi, preko
12 miliona DM (6 miliona EURO) u gotovom. Novac je namenjen obnovi,
razvoju i humanitarnoj pomoći, a deponovan je u fond dijaspora za
maticu koji je osnovan i registrovan kod tadašnjih saveznih vlasti SRJ
tokom 1999. Devizni i dinarski računi fonda nalazili su se kod
Beogradske banke. U periodu 1999. i 2000. oko polovine sredstava fonda
investirano je u obnovu i izgradnju porušenih mostova na Dunavu,
Velikoj i Zapadnoj Moravi, zatim bolnica ("Dr Dragiša Mišović" Beograd,
"Ortopedska klinika" Beograd, i dr.), škola (OS "Djura Jakšić"
Ćuprija), kao i za izgradnju i obnovu putne mreže u Šumadiji i
Pomoravlju, ukupne dužine oko 100 km.
Što se tiče polovine investiranih sredstava, o svakoj pojedinačnoj
isplati postoji kompletna dokumentacija u Ministarstvu inostranih
poslova i u Banci. Uz to dokumentacija je objavljena i u knjizi
"Mostovi, dijaspora-matica", na blizu 400 stranica, u izdanju
Beogradskog foruma za svet ravnopravnih, Beograd, 2003.
Što se tice preostale, neutrošene polovine sredstava, nakon promene
vlasti u Beogradu 2000. računi fonda prakticno su blokirani.
Rukovodstvo Beogradske banke nije izvršavalo naloge ovlašćenih lica
Fonda. Medju nalozima koji nisu izvršeni bili su nalozi za isplatu
10,000 DM skupštini opštine Mojkovac koji je upravni odbor fonda
odobrio kao pomoć za izgradnju spomen-hrama Mojkovackoj bitci . Nije
izvršen ni nalog za isplatu oko 200,000 DM komesarijatu za izbeglice
koji je Upravni odbor odobrio za kupovinu napuštenih seoskih kuća i
imanja radi naseljavanja izbeglica .
Suočen sa takvim odnosom tadašnjeg novog rukovodstva Beogradske banke,
upravni odbor je odlučio da sva dinarska i sredstva sa računa
Beogradske banke prebaci na nove račune otvorene kod Raifasen banke
A.D. Beograd. Nalog za transfer sredstava u drugu banku izdat je pre
otpočinjanja likvidacionog postupka Beogradske banke. Ni taj nalog nije
izvršen niti je upravi Fonda dato objašnjenje za nepostupanje. O tome
su obavešteni ministrar finansija i ekonomije u vladi srbije Božidar
Djelić, tadašnji guverner NBJ Mladjan Dinkić, direktor ZOP-a Srbije
Živko Nešić. Obavešteno je i tadašnje najviše državno rukovodstvo: dr
Vojislav Koštunica, predsednik SRJ, dr Dragoljub Mićunović, predsednik
Veća gradjana Savezne Skupstine SRJ, mr Dragiša Pešic, predsednik
Savezne vlade, dr Zoran Djindjić, predsednik vlade republike Srbije i
dr.
Kasnije je otpočet postupak likvidacije Beogradske banke. Likvidaciono
rukovodstvo, predstavnici agencije za sanaciju i likvidaciju banaka
pismeno su potvrdili upravi fonda da se u času odpočinjanja likvidacije
na računima fonda nalazilo preko 3,000,000 EURO , bez kamate i oko
2,000,000 na dinarskom računu . Sve je to navodno u likvidacionoj masi
o čijoj će deobi odlučiti trgovinski sud u Beogradu.
Paralelno sa blokiranjem sredstava Fonda koje se ne može ničim
opravdati osim politikom koja je loša za odnose izmedju matice i
dijaspore, vlasti su na svoju ruku samoinicijativno donele rešenje o
brisanju fonda dijspora za maticu koji se vodi kod saveznog
ministarstva pravde.
Dakle , najpre blokada sredstava a zatim brisanje Fonda iz registra i
konacno utapanje sredstava u likvidacionu masu. Šta bi mogao biti
razlog za brisanje fonda iz registra nakon što je fond bio zakonito
registrovan i postojao i radio više od 2 godine? Jasno je da se ne mogu
izbrsati mostovi izgradjeni sredstvima Fonda kao što su Varadinska duga
kod Novog Sada ili most na Zapadnoj Moravi kod sela Jasika na ulazu u
Kruševac ili most na Velikoj Moravi kod Varvarina koji čuva uspomenu na
12 poginulih gradjana na Svetu Trojicu 30. maja 1999, medju kojima je
poginula i poznata matematičarka Sanja Milenković. Učinjeno je to
očigledno da bi preostalih 3,5 miliona Eura u gotovom ostali bez
pravnog titulara, bez vlasnika.
Medjutim, vlasnici postoje. To su ljudi iz dijaspore koji su dali svoje
lične priloge u Fond, to je upravni odbor Fonda na čelu sa svojim
predsednikom dr. Milivojem Milićevićem, dobrotvorom i liderom dijaspore
iz berlina. Hiljade i hiljade priložnika sirom Evrope i sveta je
zainteresovano da se njihov novac vrati u fond i da se iskoristi onako
kako su oni odlučili u skladu sa Odlukom Sabora dijaspore. Većina njih
raspolaže potvrdama o iznosima uplaćenih sredstava, a veliki broj i sa
pismenim priznanjima za dobročiniteljski doprinos.
Oni žele da se problem reši ljudski, dogovorom sa predstavnicima vlasti
svoje matice. Ne žele, osim ako ne budu prinudjeni, da rešenje traže
preko vlada zemalja u kojima sticajem okolnost žive i rade. Ne žele da
se to rešava ni pred institucijama Saveta Evrope i Evropske Unije.
Smatraju da za razumne ljude i ozbiljne državne predstavnike to nije
dobar put.
O tome svedoče svi dosadašnji koraci organa Fonda koji su bili usmereni
isključivo prema vlastima matice.
Fond je uputio mnoga pisma interne i javne apele vlastima da izkažu
odgpvoran i razuman odnos prema ovom problemu. Fond žali što do sada
nije dobio zadovoljavajući odgovor, odnosno rešenje. Jedini prihvatljiv
način jeste da vlasti, a pre svega gospoda Ministar Djelić i novi
Guverner NBS Kori Udovički, omoguće da se blokirani novac hitno vrati
Fondu i tako prekine posve nepotrebna rašomonijada. Na toj liniji bili
su zahtevi poslanika u Saveznoj skupštini i Narodnoj skupštini Srbije,
kao što je pitanje poslanika u Veću republika Milutina Mrkonjića na
koje nije dobijen zadovoljavajući odgovor.
Ako su vlasti našle za shodno da izvrše celokupne isplate nekim
komercijalnim deponentima BB, kao na primer Telekomu Srbija kome je
isplaćen iznos od potraživanja Fonda, onda tim pre treba da nadju za
shodno da se sredstva Fonda, kao udruženja gradjana, vrate Fondu.
Čini se da je ministar Djelić shvatio, iako sa zakašnjenjem, ozbiljnost
ovog problema i posledice odugovlačenja koje se izražavaju u
nepoverenju dijaspore zbog manipulacije njenim parama. Naime, na
uskršnjim susretima dijaspore i matice u Domu Vojske Jugoslavije,
Ministar Djelić je izjavio da veruje da će naći rešenje i zamolio tada
prisutne predstavnike dijaspore "za malo strpljenja".
Od tada je prošlo više od tri meseca. Dijaspora veruje da je bilo
dovoljno vremena da se njena sredstva pronadju i da je gospodin
Ministar spremio ispravno rešenje. To znači vraćanje svih deviznih i
dinarskih srestava Fondu i njegovoj upravi. To takodje znači
omogućavanje Fondu da nastavi normalno da radi u skladu sa Statutom i
voljom prilogodavaca.
I djaspora, a pogotovu matica imaju dovoljno drugih teškoća. Ne treba
im još i ova veštačka, birokratska prepreka na putu bolje saradnje,
stvarnog medjusobnog poštovanja .
U ime SAVETA SABORA DIJASPORE
dr. Milivoje Milićević, s.r.
1. Razapinjanje i izdaja Srbije
(Oliver Vulović)
2. Ko finansira i kako deluju nevladine organizacije
(Rade Drobac)
3. Dijaspora trazi svojih 3,5 miliona euro
(Savet Sabora Dijaspore)
=== 1 ===
Razapinjanje i izdaja Srbije
http://www.artel.co.yu/sr/reakcije_citalaca/2003-07-30_1.html
Oliver Vulović
Oliverv@...
oliver_vulovic@...
B e o g r a d, 29 / 07 / 2003
Nacija sa kojom su kroz istoriju sve države nasilnice kad-tad morale da
potpišu mirovne ugovore po principu ve viktis, ovih dana je doživela da
joj prvi među jednakima iz redova ileganih uzurpatora izvršne vlasti u
Srbiji, Zoran Živković, iz Amerike poruči da je otvorio širom vrata
Srbije i dao sva ovlašćenja i privilegije američkim obaveštajcima, u
cilju realizacije akcije kidnapovanja i zatamničenja bivšeg generala
odmbrambenih snaga Republike Srpske, gospodina Ratka Mladića, i bivšeg
predsednika Republike Srpske, gospodina Radovana Karadžića. To je ono
što je Zoran Živković smeo i imao obraza da za sada u svom javljanju iz
Amerike prizna naciji a dok ćemo nove klauzule iz ovog modernog pacta
convente, saznati kada se kvazimajstori propagande iz DOS-a i DSS-a
odluče da opet nemušto i traljavo iskreiraju novu političku aferu ili
krizu u Srbiji u cilju očuvanja svoje demokrature čije ćemo posledice
osećati još dugi niz godina unapred.
Poseta Zorana Živkovića Americi, je prirodan sled događaja nakon
iznenadne posete Kolina Pauela Beogradu i naglog pada autoriteta
Vilijema Montogomerija, iznurenog porodičnim skandalima i inače do
skora pravog i jedinog vlastodrsca u Srbiji, koji se čas nalazio u
redakciji NIN-a da smenjuje Bebu Popovića,čas u vladi Srbije da da
instrukcije oko Šljibvančaninovog hapšenja a čas je slao emisare u
Vranje da smenjuje srpske vladike. Ovom posetom je od naroda
«pročitani» DOS, želeo da ispuni više ciljeva, koje su u stilu
nekadašnjih portparola centralnih komiteta i SSRN-a pokušali da
predstave kao vrhunske diplomatske uspehe, no, Živković se vratio punih
usta «savezništva» sa Amerikom a sa rukama iza leđa, punim novih
ultimatuma i naređenja.
«Denacifikacija» Srbije i Srba, jednostavno mora biti po amričkim
shvatanjima do kraja doveden proces čiji kraj mora biti krunisan osudom
Slobodana Miloševića u Hagu, našim potpisom i saglasnošću na projekat
«nezavisnog Kosova», rasturanja naše vojske, priznavanja nezavisnosti
Crnoj Gori, odricanja od Srba u Republici Srpskoj , odustajanje od
insistiranja na ispunjavanju prava povratka Srba na Kosmet i u
Republiku Hrvatsku kao i odustajanje od naše tužbe protiv NATO država,
za koju je jedan gospodin iz redova američke administracije, gospodinu
Zoranu Živkoviću u lice rekao da je idiotska. Dakle, gospodin Živković
je stoički i sa osmehom saslušao od predstavnika administracije koja ne
priznaje međ.sudove osim one koja sama napravi, da je NATO agresija
nešto sasvim u redu i prirodno, čak i sa stanovišta međunarodnog prava
a da je naša tužba zbog te agresije idiotska. Verovatno možemo
očekivati da će jednog dana, ako ikada više u svojstvu premijera poseti
Ameriku, gospodin Živković se vratiti i reći da je i sama ideja
suverene srpske države idiotska, za šta će imati uporište i u ustavu
koji namerava da sa grupom istomišljenika oktriše sledeće godine a u
kojem se Srbi pominju samo u teškoj nužnosti.
Trio koji trenutno razvlači i razapinje Srbiju (DS; DSS; G17+) uz pomoć
par urlača iz vladinih i nevladinih grupa je shvatio da se politički
peščani sat u Strbiji opet okrenuo da meri vreme i da ma kako sporo i
otežano cureo, svakog momenta pokazuje kako je njihovom
eksperimentisanju sa državom i narodom kraj veoma blizu te su zbog toga
sve nervozniji i u svojoj oholosti i nadmenosti, koja je karakterisala
i način njihovog vladanja, i ne pokušavaju tu svoju nervozu i zlovolju
da sakriju. Mnogo je pitanja i računa na koja će morati da odgovore i
da ih plate gospoda iz DOS-a , a nešto kasnije i iz DSS-a, kada narod
bude pitao i naplaćivao. Iskreno se nadam, da će makar tada, u
trenucima svog poraza i narodne osude, izbeći da kopiraju svoje kolege
i nalogodavce iz Amerike i da neće buduće tužbe protiv njihove
štetočinske politike nazvati idiotskim.
=== 2 ===
OGLEDALO nedelje: Jaci od drzave
http://www.artel.co.yu/sr/izbor/medjunarodne_org/2003-07-29_2.html
Ko finansira i kako deluju nevladine organizacije
Piše: Rade Drobac
Beograd, 23. juli 2003. godine
Džejms Lajon, director kancelarije u Beogradu Medjunarodne krizne grupe
(International Crises Group- ICG) postao je poslednjih dana ličnost o
kojoj se možda najviše govori.
Za njega smo saznali tek nedavno, kada mu je uskraćen, a nakon
intervencija spolja, ipak produžen dalji boravak u našoj zemlji.
Tada smo saznali da je napisao neki izveštaj o stanju u našoj zemlji
koji nije povoljan za vladajuću garnituru zbog čega se ona jako
potresla i želela da ga protera, ali nije uspela.
Neupućenima je sigurno ostalo nejasno zašto bi se jedna vlada toliko
potresala oko izveštaja neke nevladine organizacije. Napravljena je
mala drama oko ovog slučaja, koja još traje, ali je stvar u suštini
komična. Deluje kao da vlada jedne suverene zemlje zazire, i to debelo,
od škrabotina nekog medjunarodnog mastiljara, i to još iz neke
nevladine organizacije, kojih danas ima bezbroj.
Stvar je još čudnija kada se zna koji sve problemi, pre svega
egzistencijalni a potom i nnogi drugi, muče našu napaćenu zemlju, pa se
postavlja logično pitanje otkud takav značaj jednom strancu i njegovim
ocenama stanja u našoj zemlji, koji nije ni predsednik države, ni
vlade, ni OUN-a, ni OEBS-a, ni NATO-a, niti nekakav finansijski magnat,
već običan činovnik jedne nevladine organizacije čije je sedište u
dalekim SAD.
Medjutim, taj značaj, ili bolje rečeno strah od posledica njegovog
izveštaja, iako svakako preuveličan, nije i bezrazložan.
Selektivan pristup
I letimičnim ispitivanjem sadržaja rada grupe vidi se da se očito bavi
odredjenim temama i regionima, vrlo selektivno i fokusiraju}i se upravo
na one koji su istovremeno i predmet inrteresovanja vlada njihovih
zemalja, a pre svega SAD i NATO. Jedna od tačaka njihovog interesovanja
je i naša zemlja.
Ovde se postavlja i jedno suštinsko pitanje: da li je to grupacija koja
svojim radom i aktivnostima utiče na vlade svojih zemalja da promene
politiku, ili naprotiv, ona, na mig vlada i oligarhija koje je
podržavaju, pokreće aktivnosti na destabilizaciji odredjene zemlje,
regiona ili ličnosti sa ciljem da otvori prostor da se u nastalu
situaciju uključe, tobož sa plementim ciljevima i motivima, i državni
organi pojedinih zemalja koje sve ovo orkestriraju.
Tu dilemu ne možemo otkloniti iz prostog razloga što je sprega vlada i
mnogih nevladinih organizacija, politička, interesna, personalna,
finansijska i organizaciona, iako skrivena, tako jaka da, u stvari, one
zajedno predstavljaju jednu funkcionalnu celinu koja radi
sinhronizovano, uz medije pod svojom kontrolom, na ostvarivanju
zajedničkih ciljeva.
Imali smo prilike da na našoj kž`i osetimo njihovo delovanje i njegove
posledice i otuda je strah opravdan.
"Pritisak" javnosti
Kako funkcioniše sistem pritisaka preko nevladinih organizacija? Bogate
oligarhije Zapada sprovode svoje geopolitičke zamisli vrlo jednostavnim
metodom. U poslednjih nekoliko desetina godina, a naročito u poslednjoj
deceniji, te strukture SAD i Zapada su namnožile u svojim zemljama, ali
i po celom svetu, razne medjunarodne institucije, često sa nacionalnim
ograncima, u najvećem broju pod firmom nevladinih organizacija,
fondacija, asocijacija, instituta, foruma i tome slično. Zahvaljujući
činjenici da ih one finansiraju, one im postavljaju i kadrove. Te
institucije predstavljaju , s jedne strane, obaveštajnu mrežu,
delimično i u sopstvenim zemljama, a naročito u stranim, oslanjajući se
u dobroj meri na lokalne kadrove, pri čemu im status nevladinih
organizacija obezbedjuje legalnan boravak i rad. Druga funkcija, ona o
kojoj je ovde prvenstveno reč je da pokreću odredjena pitanja u
sopstvenoj i svetskoj javnosti i javnom mnjenju fokusirane zemlje, na
sopstvenu inicijativu (čitaj u dogovoru sa svojim nalogodavcima) ili na
"inicijativu" svojih mentora, na način koji odgovara njihovim potrebama.
Najčešće se to izražava u vidu napada, kritika, afera i optužbi na
račun odredjenih ličnosti, vlada, država, naroda ili bilo koga i čega
što im zasmeta da ostvare svoje globalne planove. Naravno, te
aktivnosti odmah dobijaju maksimalan prostor u režimskim medijima u
sopstvenoj zemlji i zemljama saveznika i u "nezavisnim" medijima u
drugim zemljama (onima koje oni finansiraju) što im daje propulzivnost
i , napokon značaj i verodostojnost. To sve stvara utisak strašnog
problema koji , opet, zahteva, intervenciju vlada tih zemalja. Koliko
li smo puta čuli od zvaničnika SAD da se "pod pritiskom" javnosti
"nešto mora učiniti", a taj pritisak stvaraju prvenstveno nevladine
organizacije i mediji pod njihovom kontrolom
Obično je to završavalo sankcijama ili bombardovanjem, pri čemu su se
te akcije pokušavale legalizovati kroz OUN, a ako to nije bilo moguće
izvodjene su i bez saglasnosti ovog najvišeg medjunarodnog tela.
Medju nevladinim organizacijama ICG i nije najznačajnija. Navedimo samo
neke poznatije i značajnije od nje ili u njenoj ravni. Ko nije čuo za
Bildemberg grupu, Trilateralnu komisiju, Soroš Fondaciju, Fondaciju
Fridrih Ebert iz Nemačke, Karnež`i fondaciju iz SAD, Kraljevski
institut za strateške studfije iz Londona i mnoge druge. Na regionalnom
planu navedimo, na primer, asocijaciju Alpe-Adria Višegradsku grupu i
mnoge druge širom sveta.
Na našem nacionalnom planu malo je onih koji nisu čuli za Fond za
humanitarno pravo Nataše Kandić, Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava Sonje
Biserko, Centar za kulturnu dekontaminaciju Borke Pavičević itd. Imena
kao Sonja Liht, Vojin Dimitrijević, Biljana Vučo su svima poznata. Da i
ne govorimo o Grupi 17 plus. Svi su oni u funkciji interesa onih koji
ih finasiraju. Pri tome treba znati da ti načini finasiranja nisu uvek
isti. Često su to indirektni kanali, preko nekakvih drugih
medjunarodnih institucija tipa - za razvoj medija, demokratije i sl.
Naravno, u državama pod njihovom kontrolom, zapadne oligarhije troškove
finansiranja svojih produženih ruku, nevladinih organizacija, teže da
prebace na lokalne izvore, pre svega na budžet marionetskih vlada.
Uštede i za tako moćne grupe, nisu za odbacivanje, a može lakoverne da
zavara da pomisle da te organizacije rade za dobro svoje zemlje.
Naravno, istine radi, ima organizacija i institucija ovog tipa koje su
zaista ono za šta se izdaju i što bi i ostale trebale biti. Ali to je
prava retkost, a najbolji pokazatelj da li su prave je njihov konto u
banci. Takve institucije niko ne podržava niti finansira.
Ima organizacija koje nisu u globalnoj mreži SAD I NATO zemalja, a nisu
ni nezavisne. Njih drže nacionalne oligarhije ili vlade u interesu
svoje politike ili nacionalnih i državnih interesa. To je pokušaj
odbrane od opasnosti koja preti od globalnih nevladinih mreža i sedme
sile, ali jedna letva ne može zaustaviti provaljenu branu.
Jedini spas od ove moderne pošasti je razumevanje njihovih pravih
poslova i ciljeva i uskraćivanje podrške i prostora njihovom radu jer
je on, najčešće, u.funkciji globalne politike velikih sila današnjice.
A ona je krajnje agresivna, militaristička, opresivna i hegemonistička
i usmerena na destabilizaciju malih država i pojedinih regiona,
poništavanje nacionalnih interesa malih i srednjih zemalja,
razjedinjavanje njihovih nacionalnih snaga i stvaranje unutrašnjih
sukoba, poništavanje njihovog nacionalnog i kulturnog identiteta sa
ciljem njihovog potpunog podredjivanja svojim interesima i potrebama.
Najbolji dokz toga je delovanje najvećeg broja ovih nevladinih
organizacija na našem prostoru.
=== 3 ===
DIJASPORA TRAZI SVOJIH 3,5 MILIONA EURO
http://www.artel.co.yu/sr/glas_dijaspore/2003-07-29_3.html
SAVET SABORA DIJASPORE
Beograd, 29. juli 2003. godine
Tokom i nakon agresije NATO pakta nad Jugoslavijom naši ljudi iz
dijaspore sakupili su, pored ogromne humanitarnwe pomoći u robi, preko
12 miliona DM (6 miliona EURO) u gotovom. Novac je namenjen obnovi,
razvoju i humanitarnoj pomoći, a deponovan je u fond dijaspora za
maticu koji je osnovan i registrovan kod tadašnjih saveznih vlasti SRJ
tokom 1999. Devizni i dinarski računi fonda nalazili su se kod
Beogradske banke. U periodu 1999. i 2000. oko polovine sredstava fonda
investirano je u obnovu i izgradnju porušenih mostova na Dunavu,
Velikoj i Zapadnoj Moravi, zatim bolnica ("Dr Dragiša Mišović" Beograd,
"Ortopedska klinika" Beograd, i dr.), škola (OS "Djura Jakšić"
Ćuprija), kao i za izgradnju i obnovu putne mreže u Šumadiji i
Pomoravlju, ukupne dužine oko 100 km.
Što se tiče polovine investiranih sredstava, o svakoj pojedinačnoj
isplati postoji kompletna dokumentacija u Ministarstvu inostranih
poslova i u Banci. Uz to dokumentacija je objavljena i u knjizi
"Mostovi, dijaspora-matica", na blizu 400 stranica, u izdanju
Beogradskog foruma za svet ravnopravnih, Beograd, 2003.
Što se tice preostale, neutrošene polovine sredstava, nakon promene
vlasti u Beogradu 2000. računi fonda prakticno su blokirani.
Rukovodstvo Beogradske banke nije izvršavalo naloge ovlašćenih lica
Fonda. Medju nalozima koji nisu izvršeni bili su nalozi za isplatu
10,000 DM skupštini opštine Mojkovac koji je upravni odbor fonda
odobrio kao pomoć za izgradnju spomen-hrama Mojkovackoj bitci . Nije
izvršen ni nalog za isplatu oko 200,000 DM komesarijatu za izbeglice
koji je Upravni odbor odobrio za kupovinu napuštenih seoskih kuća i
imanja radi naseljavanja izbeglica .
Suočen sa takvim odnosom tadašnjeg novog rukovodstva Beogradske banke,
upravni odbor je odlučio da sva dinarska i sredstva sa računa
Beogradske banke prebaci na nove račune otvorene kod Raifasen banke
A.D. Beograd. Nalog za transfer sredstava u drugu banku izdat je pre
otpočinjanja likvidacionog postupka Beogradske banke. Ni taj nalog nije
izvršen niti je upravi Fonda dato objašnjenje za nepostupanje. O tome
su obavešteni ministrar finansija i ekonomije u vladi srbije Božidar
Djelić, tadašnji guverner NBJ Mladjan Dinkić, direktor ZOP-a Srbije
Živko Nešić. Obavešteno je i tadašnje najviše državno rukovodstvo: dr
Vojislav Koštunica, predsednik SRJ, dr Dragoljub Mićunović, predsednik
Veća gradjana Savezne Skupstine SRJ, mr Dragiša Pešic, predsednik
Savezne vlade, dr Zoran Djindjić, predsednik vlade republike Srbije i
dr.
Kasnije je otpočet postupak likvidacije Beogradske banke. Likvidaciono
rukovodstvo, predstavnici agencije za sanaciju i likvidaciju banaka
pismeno su potvrdili upravi fonda da se u času odpočinjanja likvidacije
na računima fonda nalazilo preko 3,000,000 EURO , bez kamate i oko
2,000,000 na dinarskom računu . Sve je to navodno u likvidacionoj masi
o čijoj će deobi odlučiti trgovinski sud u Beogradu.
Paralelno sa blokiranjem sredstava Fonda koje se ne može ničim
opravdati osim politikom koja je loša za odnose izmedju matice i
dijaspore, vlasti su na svoju ruku samoinicijativno donele rešenje o
brisanju fonda dijspora za maticu koji se vodi kod saveznog
ministarstva pravde.
Dakle , najpre blokada sredstava a zatim brisanje Fonda iz registra i
konacno utapanje sredstava u likvidacionu masu. Šta bi mogao biti
razlog za brisanje fonda iz registra nakon što je fond bio zakonito
registrovan i postojao i radio više od 2 godine? Jasno je da se ne mogu
izbrsati mostovi izgradjeni sredstvima Fonda kao što su Varadinska duga
kod Novog Sada ili most na Zapadnoj Moravi kod sela Jasika na ulazu u
Kruševac ili most na Velikoj Moravi kod Varvarina koji čuva uspomenu na
12 poginulih gradjana na Svetu Trojicu 30. maja 1999, medju kojima je
poginula i poznata matematičarka Sanja Milenković. Učinjeno je to
očigledno da bi preostalih 3,5 miliona Eura u gotovom ostali bez
pravnog titulara, bez vlasnika.
Medjutim, vlasnici postoje. To su ljudi iz dijaspore koji su dali svoje
lične priloge u Fond, to je upravni odbor Fonda na čelu sa svojim
predsednikom dr. Milivojem Milićevićem, dobrotvorom i liderom dijaspore
iz berlina. Hiljade i hiljade priložnika sirom Evrope i sveta je
zainteresovano da se njihov novac vrati u fond i da se iskoristi onako
kako su oni odlučili u skladu sa Odlukom Sabora dijaspore. Većina njih
raspolaže potvrdama o iznosima uplaćenih sredstava, a veliki broj i sa
pismenim priznanjima za dobročiniteljski doprinos.
Oni žele da se problem reši ljudski, dogovorom sa predstavnicima vlasti
svoje matice. Ne žele, osim ako ne budu prinudjeni, da rešenje traže
preko vlada zemalja u kojima sticajem okolnost žive i rade. Ne žele da
se to rešava ni pred institucijama Saveta Evrope i Evropske Unije.
Smatraju da za razumne ljude i ozbiljne državne predstavnike to nije
dobar put.
O tome svedoče svi dosadašnji koraci organa Fonda koji su bili usmereni
isključivo prema vlastima matice.
Fond je uputio mnoga pisma interne i javne apele vlastima da izkažu
odgpvoran i razuman odnos prema ovom problemu. Fond žali što do sada
nije dobio zadovoljavajući odgovor, odnosno rešenje. Jedini prihvatljiv
način jeste da vlasti, a pre svega gospoda Ministar Djelić i novi
Guverner NBS Kori Udovički, omoguće da se blokirani novac hitno vrati
Fondu i tako prekine posve nepotrebna rašomonijada. Na toj liniji bili
su zahtevi poslanika u Saveznoj skupštini i Narodnoj skupštini Srbije,
kao što je pitanje poslanika u Veću republika Milutina Mrkonjića na
koje nije dobijen zadovoljavajući odgovor.
Ako su vlasti našle za shodno da izvrše celokupne isplate nekim
komercijalnim deponentima BB, kao na primer Telekomu Srbija kome je
isplaćen iznos od potraživanja Fonda, onda tim pre treba da nadju za
shodno da se sredstva Fonda, kao udruženja gradjana, vrate Fondu.
Čini se da je ministar Djelić shvatio, iako sa zakašnjenjem, ozbiljnost
ovog problema i posledice odugovlačenja koje se izražavaju u
nepoverenju dijaspore zbog manipulacije njenim parama. Naime, na
uskršnjim susretima dijaspore i matice u Domu Vojske Jugoslavije,
Ministar Djelić je izjavio da veruje da će naći rešenje i zamolio tada
prisutne predstavnike dijaspore "za malo strpljenja".
Od tada je prošlo više od tri meseca. Dijaspora veruje da je bilo
dovoljno vremena da se njena sredstva pronadju i da je gospodin
Ministar spremio ispravno rešenje. To znači vraćanje svih deviznih i
dinarskih srestava Fondu i njegovoj upravi. To takodje znači
omogućavanje Fondu da nastavi normalno da radi u skladu sa Statutom i
voljom prilogodavaca.
I djaspora, a pogotovu matica imaju dovoljno drugih teškoća. Ne treba
im još i ova veštačka, birokratska prepreka na putu bolje saradnje,
stvarnog medjusobnog poštovanja .
U ime SAVETA SABORA DIJASPORE
dr. Milivoje Milićević, s.r.
IL COMPAGNO FAUSTO B.
> From: "mr.blonde_303"
> Mailing-List: list Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.
> Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 21:51:06 +0000
> Subject: [disobbedienticampani] da internazionale_
> Reply-To: Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.
>
> Il compagno Fausto B.
> di Paul Bompard
>
> Il leader di Rifondazione visita la stampa estera. E dalle sue
> risposte sembra un ragionevole socialdemocratico. Anche un po’
> confuso, scrive Paul Bompard
>
> Alcuni miei amici inglesi di sinistra considerano il New Labour di
> Blair un cinico tradimento della tradizione socialista britannica.
> Dunque mi chiedono spesso di Rifondazione comunista e di Bertinotti.
> Pensano che chi
> ha abbandonato il Pci-Pds-Ds debba essere un marxista “duro e puro”, e
> sono molto colpiti dalle immagini televisive di grandi cortei pieni di
> bandiere rosse, con falce e martello e ritratti di Che Guevara.
>
> Insomma, dato che il vecchio Labour Party (quello che nazionalizzava e
> toglieva ai ricchi per dare ai poveri) non c’è più e che il British
> Communist Party è da anni ridotto a gruppetti di anziani nostalgici
> che si incontrano per una tazza di tè, sono invidiosissimi
> dell’Italia, che ha un “vero” partito comunista. Un partito con seggi
> in parlamento e con il peso
> per fare, o disfare, coalizioni di governo.
>
> Recentemente Fausto Bertinotti è venuto alla sede della stampa estera
> a Roma per un “incontro aperitivo” (acqua minerale e cocktail
> tropicale analcolico) con i corrispondenti esteri. Dopo una
> discussione generale sulla situazione politica e sull’articolo 18, e
> pensando agli amici inglesi, ho deciso di fare una domanda a
> Bertinotti: “Rifondazione comunista (Rc) si definisce marxista e
> comunista, due termini con precise connotazioni politiche, economiche,
> storiche e sociali. Ora, per capire qual è l’anima di Rifondazione le
> chiedo: se alle elezioni il suo partito ottenesse il 70 per cento dei
> seggi di camera e senato e formasse un proprio governo, che farebbe?
> Abolirebbe la proprietà privata? Nazionalizzerebbe Fiat, Pirelli,
> Mediaset, Telecom e Autostrade? Oppure solo Telecom e Autostrade?
> Insomma, cosa farebbe Rifondazione al governo?”.
>
> Con mia grande sorpresa Bertinotti non mi ha dato dell’ingenuo o del
> cretino. Anzi, in modo urbano e gentile mi ha spiegato che “il
> comunismo non si può applicare in un solo stato se il resto del mondo
> non è anch’esso comunista, e quindi bisogna lavorare in questa
> direzione. E il comunismo è, innanzitutto, cambiamento, rottura col
> passato. Per quanto riguarda un ipotetico programma di governo”, ha
> spiegato, “noi vorremmo aumentare i salari dei lavoratori, aumentare
> le pensioni, e creare una più equa distribuzione dei redditi. Ma non
> crediamo si debbano nazionalizzare delle aziende che vanno bene. Però
> se la Fiat stesse fallendo, meglio nazionalizzarla che lasciarla
> fallire”.
>
> Un programma, tutto sommato, moderatamente socialdemocratico. Fa
> pensare all’Iri voluto da Mussolini, o ai costosissimi salvataggi
> industriali degli anni settanta. Un programma economico da
> democristiani o da democratici americani, ma meno “di sinistra” di
> quello dell’“old labour” inglese. Poi, per meglio definire il ruolo di
> Rc, Bertinotti ha parlato dello stretto legame tra il partito e il
> movimento noglobal. Anzi, mi è sembrato volesse far capire che il
> movimento, e per estensione il movimento “per la pace”, appartengono a
> Rifondazione. Come se ogni
> pacifista, ecologista e noglobal fosse un sostenitore di Rc. E
> viceversa. Ha aggiunto che oggi il mondo si divide tra due
> “superpotenze”: da una parte gli Stati Uniti, dall’altra il movimento
> mondiale contro la guerra (che è roba sua). Infine ha lodato il papa
> per le sue posizioni pacifiste.
>
> Sono rimasto un po’ perplesso. Ma come: è questo il Bertinotti
> definito dai suoi oppositori un “veterocomunista”, un “pericoloso
> estremista”? E non mi nazionalizzi neanche Telecom e Autostrade? Ora
> cosa dico ai miei amici di sinistra inglesi, che ogni tanto visitano
> la tomba di Marx al cimitero di Highgate, e si commuovono (con self
> control, beninteso) quando mettono sul vecchio giradischi
> (espressamente conservato) il vinile con L’Internazionale cantata dal
> coro dell’Armata rossa?
> From: "mr.blonde_303"
> Mailing-List: list Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.
> Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 21:51:06 +0000
> Subject: [disobbedienticampani] da internazionale_
> Reply-To: Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.
>
> Il compagno Fausto B.
> di Paul Bompard
>
> Il leader di Rifondazione visita la stampa estera. E dalle sue
> risposte sembra un ragionevole socialdemocratico. Anche un po’
> confuso, scrive Paul Bompard
>
> Alcuni miei amici inglesi di sinistra considerano il New Labour di
> Blair un cinico tradimento della tradizione socialista britannica.
> Dunque mi chiedono spesso di Rifondazione comunista e di Bertinotti.
> Pensano che chi
> ha abbandonato il Pci-Pds-Ds debba essere un marxista “duro e puro”, e
> sono molto colpiti dalle immagini televisive di grandi cortei pieni di
> bandiere rosse, con falce e martello e ritratti di Che Guevara.
>
> Insomma, dato che il vecchio Labour Party (quello che nazionalizzava e
> toglieva ai ricchi per dare ai poveri) non c’è più e che il British
> Communist Party è da anni ridotto a gruppetti di anziani nostalgici
> che si incontrano per una tazza di tè, sono invidiosissimi
> dell’Italia, che ha un “vero” partito comunista. Un partito con seggi
> in parlamento e con il peso
> per fare, o disfare, coalizioni di governo.
>
> Recentemente Fausto Bertinotti è venuto alla sede della stampa estera
> a Roma per un “incontro aperitivo” (acqua minerale e cocktail
> tropicale analcolico) con i corrispondenti esteri. Dopo una
> discussione generale sulla situazione politica e sull’articolo 18, e
> pensando agli amici inglesi, ho deciso di fare una domanda a
> Bertinotti: “Rifondazione comunista (Rc) si definisce marxista e
> comunista, due termini con precise connotazioni politiche, economiche,
> storiche e sociali. Ora, per capire qual è l’anima di Rifondazione le
> chiedo: se alle elezioni il suo partito ottenesse il 70 per cento dei
> seggi di camera e senato e formasse un proprio governo, che farebbe?
> Abolirebbe la proprietà privata? Nazionalizzerebbe Fiat, Pirelli,
> Mediaset, Telecom e Autostrade? Oppure solo Telecom e Autostrade?
> Insomma, cosa farebbe Rifondazione al governo?”.
>
> Con mia grande sorpresa Bertinotti non mi ha dato dell’ingenuo o del
> cretino. Anzi, in modo urbano e gentile mi ha spiegato che “il
> comunismo non si può applicare in un solo stato se il resto del mondo
> non è anch’esso comunista, e quindi bisogna lavorare in questa
> direzione. E il comunismo è, innanzitutto, cambiamento, rottura col
> passato. Per quanto riguarda un ipotetico programma di governo”, ha
> spiegato, “noi vorremmo aumentare i salari dei lavoratori, aumentare
> le pensioni, e creare una più equa distribuzione dei redditi. Ma non
> crediamo si debbano nazionalizzare delle aziende che vanno bene. Però
> se la Fiat stesse fallendo, meglio nazionalizzarla che lasciarla
> fallire”.
>
> Un programma, tutto sommato, moderatamente socialdemocratico. Fa
> pensare all’Iri voluto da Mussolini, o ai costosissimi salvataggi
> industriali degli anni settanta. Un programma economico da
> democristiani o da democratici americani, ma meno “di sinistra” di
> quello dell’“old labour” inglese. Poi, per meglio definire il ruolo di
> Rc, Bertinotti ha parlato dello stretto legame tra il partito e il
> movimento noglobal. Anzi, mi è sembrato volesse far capire che il
> movimento, e per estensione il movimento “per la pace”, appartengono a
> Rifondazione. Come se ogni
> pacifista, ecologista e noglobal fosse un sostenitore di Rc. E
> viceversa. Ha aggiunto che oggi il mondo si divide tra due
> “superpotenze”: da una parte gli Stati Uniti, dall’altra il movimento
> mondiale contro la guerra (che è roba sua). Infine ha lodato il papa
> per le sue posizioni pacifiste.
>
> Sono rimasto un po’ perplesso. Ma come: è questo il Bertinotti
> definito dai suoi oppositori un “veterocomunista”, un “pericoloso
> estremista”? E non mi nazionalizzi neanche Telecom e Autostrade? Ora
> cosa dico ai miei amici di sinistra inglesi, che ogni tanto visitano
> la tomba di Marx al cimitero di Highgate, e si commuovono (con self
> control, beninteso) quando mettono sul vecchio giradischi
> (espressamente conservato) il vinile con L’Internazionale cantata dal
> coro dell’Armata rossa?
Social massacre in Serbia
(Massacro sociale in Serbia)
1. US STEEL TO BUY SERBIA'S SARTID STEEL PLANT
(La "USA Acciaio" firma per l'acquisto delle acciaierie serbe "Sartid")
2. US AMBASSADOR: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTS SERBIA
(L'ambasciatore USA: noi appoggiamo la Serbia perche' reprime e
privatizza)
3. SERBIA: DETAINEES ALLEGE TORTURE
(Serbia: i detenuti denunciano di aver subito torture)
4. UNIONS OF SERBIA "DECLARE WAR" ON THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT
(Federazione sindacale "dichiara guerra" al governo)
5. WORLD BANK OFFERS $80 MILLION TO PRIVATIZE SOCIALLY-OWNED FIRMS
(La Banca Mondiale offre 80 milioni di dollari per la privatizzazione
delle imprese a capitale sociale)
6. UNHCR CUTS AID TO BELGRADE; CASH CRISIS SHUTS SOUP KITCHENS;
SERBIA-MONTENEGRO HAS GRAVEST REFUGEE PROBLEM IN EUROPE
(Alto Commissariato ONU per i Rifugiati ed altri organismi "umanitari"
tagliano drasticamente i fondi alla Serbia, benche' il paese abbia la
situazione piu' drammatica d'Europa)
=== 1 ===
US Steel to buy Serbia's Sartid Steel Plant
So after the US imposed sanctions for ten years that limited market
access to steel produced by Sartid - Yugoslavia's largest steel
manufacturer - US Steel Corporation is now moving in to buy up the
remnants of the firm for virtually nothing. US Steel - the largest
integrated steel manufacturer in the USA and a former member of the USX
consortium with Marathon Oil - promises to invest some 173-million in
the firm (including the $23-million "price-tag" for which they are
getting everything). Considering that Sartid produces 2.5 million tons
of steel anually, and that 1 ton of steel fetches btwn 200 to 400 US$
on US markets (see table at the bottom of
http://www.manufacturing.net/pur/
index.asp?layout=articleWebzine&articleid=CA219922) , this means that
annual revenues (conservative estimate) will be some US$ 500-million
(i.e. 2.5 million tons X US$ 200). This is assuming that the
2.5-million ton output is maximum capacity and that the firm cannot
produce more and that prices remain at the low end of the scale. Thus
even if we cut these projected conservative revenues by a factor of
80%, the US Steel Corporation could still make back its initial
investment in 2 years or so. There are other considerations that come
to mind:
1) The assumption being made in the press-release is that US Steel will
be seeking to build Sartid once it moves in. But it's just as likely
that the promised $US 150-million investment in refurbishing Sartid
will never come and that US Steel will seek to sell the firms
components and make a quick profit (as was done with Russia)
contributing to the further de-industrialization of Eastern Europe.
Another reason that this may be the prefered option for the execs at US
Steel is that this would avoid negotiations with labour over the new
ownership structure likely to be imposed on the firm. I remember two
years ago hearing Soros talk about the "disapointment" that Russia had
become, and that his attention was now focused on the Balkans. I'm
sure other investors have taken this as a sign to proceed with the
asset stripping of this region, in a similar fashion to that carried
out in the former Soviet Union (FSU).
2) Even if all this money is "invested" the press-release gives no
indication of how profits will be distributed. But since it seems that
US Steel will assume full ownership of the firm, it can also be assumed
that all the profits will acrue to it. Furthermore, the guarantee to
save jobs and install a communications center to "advertise" Serbia as
a center for investment (i.e. establishing a consulting firm to guide
other firms seeking to plunder Serbia) should be noted. While the
later is a transparent ploy to make more money, the former is
completely lacking in any credibility and is simply designed to assuage
the fears of workers in the short-term and delay their general
mobilization against the new ownership.
(Kosta K. on ANTINATO@..., April 2nd, 2003)
---
US Steel to buy Serbia's Sartid steel plant for $23m, invest $150m
April 01, 2003
Belgrade, April 1, 2003 - US Steel, one of the world's largest steel
companies, announced on Tuesday that it will acquire Serbia's bankrupt
steel plant Sartid for $23 million, pledging to invest $150 million
over three years in the facilities and equipment and keep the
6,500-strong workforce, the Beta news agency reported.The deal, which
is to be finalised in the third quarter of 2003, was signed by US
Steel's general manager for the Balkans, Thomas Kelly, and Sartid's
bankruptcy manager, Branislav Ignjatovic. US Steel promised to invest
$150 million in upgrades to the plant's facilities as well as another
$5 million in the Smederevo municipality's development. The buyer also
vowed not to make any layoffs among Sartid's 6,500 workers. John
Goodish, U.S. steel's executive vice-president for international
activities, said the deal will be finalised when several countries
scrap measures limiting steel imports from Serbia and Montenegro.
Goodish added that US Steel intends to encourage the development of
Serbia and Montenegro by creating a $1.5 million information centre to
enlighten foreign investors on advantages of opening production plants
in Serbia and Montenegro. Smederevo-based steel concern Sartid is
Serbia and Montenegro's largest steel maker, with an annual production
capacity of 2.5 million tonnes. The company has been in the bankruptcy
procedure since November 2002 for its liabilities of $1.7 million.
http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/cgi-bin/printpage.cgi?filename=/news/2003-
04/01/328490.html
---
CONTRACT BETWEEN SARTID, US STEEL IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 1 (Tanjug) - US Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro
William Montgomery said that a contract, which US Steel and Sartid of
Smederevo had signed on Tuesday, was very important both for the
Serbian economy and the future of the Smederevo iron and steel works.
This agreement will help Sartid overcome problems in
operation and help the Serbian government solve its major problem,
Montgomery told reporters at Belgrade's Sava Centre. Asked about the
Serbian industries he regarded competitive on the world market,
Mongtomery said that this was the wood-processing industry and fruit
juice production.
=== 2 ===
US AMBASSADOR: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTS SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 1 (Tanjug) - US Ambassador to Serbia
and Montenegro William Montgomery said Tuesday that the
international community supports the Serbian government's fight
against organized crime, indicating that it will meet with a
resounding response in the world, improving in that way the image of
Serbia. Speaking to participants in the summit on competitiveness,
Montgomery said that the United States supports the Serbian
government in its efforts to stabilize the situation in the state
following the murder of Premier Zoran Djindjic.
He said October 5 (2000) was in their hearts. Serbia has succeeded to
make large strides since October 5 and Serbia will be lauded for its
efforts in the fight against organized crime, Montgomery said.
Montgomery said that Serbia has sufficient qualified human resources
to become a leader in the region, in which a free market will be
created with some 60 million consumers. However, he warned, that
potential does not mean capital and a lot of work still needs to be
done in that respect.
Serbia has strong companies that are competitive and the United States
will support that, Montgomery promised and added that Serbia has to
make a concept of competitiveness in order to attract investments and
encourage exports. The United States and the international community
support Serbia every step of the way and wish it success, Montgomery
said.
=== 3 ===
IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT, No. 434,
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT, June 04, 2003
SERBIA: DETAINEES ALLEGE TORTURE
Testimony collected by IWPR suggests suspects detained in post-Djindjic
police action subjected to abuse.
By Dragana Nikolic-Solomon and Gordana Igric in London, and IWPR
contributors in Belgrade
In the wake of the police sweep which followed the assassination of
prime minister Zoran Djindjic, IWPR has gathered testimony which points
to the use of torture and other forms of mistreatment against detained
suspects.
The evidence indicates that ill-treatment of detainees was more
widespread than statements from the Serbian government and from the
United Nations and OSCE suggest.
An international expert on human rights in Belgrade who asked for his
name not to be used said that about 30 per cent of those arrested had
suffered some form of mistreatment.
Conducted during the state of emergency which was in force from March
12, the day Djindjic was killed, to April 22, the Serbian police's
Operation Sabre led to the arrest of at least 10,000 people.
The focus of the investigation is to find the assassins and to break-up
crime rings. Criminal charges have been laid against at least 3,400 of
them. On April 29, the authorities charged 45 people, most of them
members of the notorious Zemun gang, with plotting and carrying out
Djindjic's murder.
One thousand people remain in custody under controversial new rules
which have meant that suspects can be held for two months or longer
without access to lawyers and relatives, or being given a preliminary
hearing in court. The rest have been released.
ACCOUNTS OF TORTURE
The main forms of ill-treatment reported were severe beatings and
suffocation. Electric shocks were also reported. Some detainees were
pressured to sign confessions under torture. The reported abuses took
place at a number of sites.
Milan Vukovic, a restaurant owner in Belgrade, was arrested on March
13, the day after the state of emergency was imposed. Accused of
belonging to the group thought to have killed the prime minister, he
was detained for one month. He was released without charge.
Vukovic outlined the treatment he received from police at Makis,
headquarters of the special interior ministry unit in charge of
fighting organised crime, near Belgrade.
"A group of five or six masked policemen tied my hands to a chair that
was fixed to the floor, and put a plastic bag over my head," he told
IWPR. "After a short while I used up all the air. The bag stuck to my
face, and I started struggling for air. When it was obvious that I was
suffocating, they punctured the bag. They played this game twice."
"They demanded that I admit I was a drug dealer, a racketeer and a gun
runner, and that I had traded illegally in oil, cigarettes and foreign
currency. They did not beat me. But when I found myself in Belgrade's
central prison, I saw dozens of beaten-up people in the hallways and
corridors."
Vukovic is one of the few who are not afraid to talk about the torture
they were subjected to without withholding their real names.
One man who spoke to IWPR on condition of anonymity said he was
arrested and spent 30 days in custody before being released without
explanation.
Concerned about himself and his family, he was reluctant to speak at
first but in the end said that he had been beaten while in custody.
"They were not locals, they were from somewhere else, and they were
wearing balaclavas," he said.
A cluster of testimonies was gathered in regard to a group of people
from the town of Krusevac, all of whom were accused of being involved
in organised crime. Most are still in custody, so IWPR was able to talk
only to lawyers and relatives of those who had been allowed outside
contact. Some others have not had legal counsel since their arrest.
Sandra Petrovic's husband Goran and her brother Igor Gajic were
arrested in Krusevac on March 14. She told IWPR that both men
disappeared without trace and the family was unable to get in touch
with them for more than a month. She saw her husband on May 13, when he
was brought before an investigating judge.
"I hardly recognised him. He had difficulty walking and had lost seven
or eight kilograms," she told IWPR.
Her husband told her that the police had taken him to a forest after
putting a bag over his head with a slit in it for breathing and then
covered it with adhesive tape. They beat him, and he lost consciousness
twice.
Speaking on May 26, lawyer Dejan Jovanovic said that Goran Petrovic
told him the same story, and that he and other inmates said they had
been "beaten in a very brutal manner". The lawyer said they had
sustained "visible mental and physical consequences". He said Petrovic
had suffered a spine injury.
When Sandra Petrovic saw her brother Igor, he had lost over 10
kilograms.
She said he too had been taken to the forest after they had put a bag
on his head and covered it with adhesive tape. Her brother told her
they had poured water on him and gave him electric shocks with cables.
He had asked that the investigating judge enter this into his report.
According to Sandra, after the beating the two of them were taken to
the Krusevac police station, where statements were taken from both.
They were then transferred from Cuprija prison to Belgrade on
instructions from the special prosecutor for organised crime. They
disappeared without trace, until the family eventually found them with
the help of two lawyers.
Violeta Kojic, whose husband Vladan was also arrested in Krusevac on
March 14, told IWPR that her husband had been severely beaten and now
had difficulty walking. She said that his physical and mental condition
was poor, that he had tried slashing his wrists twice, and that he had
been taken to the Military Hospital in Belgrade.
Kojic's lawyer, Momir Vuckovic, backed up her story. "I have never seen
a man beaten up that badly in my entire life," he said in an interview
with IWPR on May 25. "There is not a single spot on his body without
haematomas."
He confirmed to IWPR that his client had attempted suicide, and that
Kojic told him, "I'd rather kill myself than let them kill me."
After his 60-day detention, Kojic and others were transferred to
Belgrade under orders from the special prosecutor dealing with
organised crime. Lawyers were not informed.
A third man, Slavoljub Markovic, arrested at the same time as Kojic and
Petrovic has been allowed to see his lawyer only once.
"My client no longer resembles the person I knew before his arrest. He
is mentally disturbed and has attempted suicide," the lawyer, who asked
not to be named, told IWPR on May 26.
"He told me they had been taken to a forest," Markovic's wife Emina
said.
"He had a bag over his head. That's where they beat them."
"I saw my husband last Friday at the investigating prison in Krusevac,"
she continued. "I hardly recognised him. He had lost 12 kilos and his
nose was broken. There are traces of blood on the clothes I brought
back from prison. His trouser knees were torn, probably from kneeling.
"My husband told me they had beaten him four times - twice since the
state of emergency was lifted. He says they tried to torture out an
admission of things he had not done in order to frame him."
At least Markovic saw his lawyer. The latter told IWPR of the case of
Zivorad Zivkovic, who has been in the Krusevac prison for three months
without access to legal counsel. After spending 30 days in custody, he
got another 60 days detention under the law passed by parliament in
April.
Cases of abuse were also reported among the 45 people charged with
complicity in the Djindjic murder. IWPR received information on two of
these from an international human rights expert. One of them concerns a
man from Belgrade who was sleeping in his apartment when the interior
ministry's Special Antiterrorist Unit, SAJ, came in.
Neither he nor two others who were there heard them break in. Police
woke him and "began to kick me and beat me with truncheons. That lasted
15 of 20 minutes. They did the same to the other two - one of them wet
his trousers because of the beating". The witness was then taken to a
police station, and was later charged.
OTHER FORMS OF ILL-TREATMENT
Other testimonies collected by IWPR concerned forms of abuse and
degrading treatment other than physical violence.
Sleep deprivation was reportedly applied to Svetlana Raznatovic, a
popular singer and widow of the paramilitary leader Zeljko "Arkan"
Raznatovic.
Better known by the stage name Ceca, she told international experts
that police kept her from sleeping for 35 hours by interrogating her in
shifts round the clock. Slobodan Pazin, formerly the senior policeman
handling violent crime cases in Belgrade, told the same source he was
deprived of sleep for at least 40 hours in the same manner. The two
were arrested
during Operation Sabre, and are still in detention.
A prominent Belgrade lawyer speaking on condition of anonymity told
IWPR that in his view the whole detention procedure amounted to
deliberate ill-treatment.
"Is it not torture when a man is thrown into a basement and left
without any contact with his family and the outside world for days?
People were not allowed to have a bath or change their underwear for 30
days," he said.
"Many of them were released after spending weeks in custody without
anyone asking them anything or questioning them during that time.
"The thing that they most often heard from the police as part of their
psychological torture was, 'You're criminals, and you have no rights at
all'."
He continued, "I have talked to a man who spent 22 days in the basement
of the police station in Zemun. They did not give him any food during
the first three days, and he had nothing to cover himself with while he
slept on a bench in a cell with broken windows. He was released from
custody without any hearing, and no charges were brought against him."
Many other people refused to talk to IWPR. In some of the cases on
which IWPR gathered information, the alleged victim was still in jail.
In these instances, statements were taken from lawyers and wives. Those
who had already been released were reluctant to speak out for fear that
they would be subject to re-arrest or other forms of victimisation.
Most of those who
did made anonymity a condition.
As well as collecting statements from witnesses, IWPR spoke to a number
of local and international experts working within Serbia's legal system
or involved in monitoring human rights abuses. Unlike the report
published by the OSCE and the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights, UNHCHR, of which more below, these sources indicated that
the problems were widespread.
POLICE POWERS OF ARREST AND CUSTODY
The alleged abuses have taken place in the context of a large number of
arrests carried out under new rules that allow suspects to be held
incommunicado for up to two months. Such practices mean that detainees
have no means of redress in the crucial period before a criminal case
is formulated.
Most of the abuse was reported at this early stage. Once suspects are
charged and transferred from police detention to a prison, they may be
seen by a doctor who's required to document injuries.
In one case reported to IWPR, members of an international organisation
were shown such a document when they inquired about a particular
prisoner (whom they did not get to see). The document said the man had
a black eye and haematoma on the soles of his feet suggesting that he
had been beaten there.
Several sources in the judiciary, the legal profession and
international organisations told IWPR that the bulk of the physical
mistreatment took place during arrest or preliminary detention. These
sources allege that the SAJ was one of the worst offenders.
"Nearly everyone who fell into the SAJ's hands underwent torture," said
one of these sources.
The extended powers of detention granted to police came initially from
an emergency order which the then acting Serbian president Natasa Micic
signed when the state of emergency began. That gave police the right to
detain anyone considered to "endanger the security of other citizens of
the republic" and keep them in custody for 30 days. During that time
suspects have no right to see a lawyer, to appear before a judge, or to
contact their family
The order expired with the end of the state of emergency, but on April
11 Serbia's parliament amended the legislation on organised crime to
give the police even more draconian powers. Now they can hold suspects
incommunicado for up to 60 days, referring only to their superiors in
the interior ministry for approval. The investigating judge can also
order detention for a further 90 days in special cases.
In some cases, suspects were initially held under the
state-of-emergency order but have remained in detention under the new
law, so they may not see a lawyer for three months.
Human Rights Watch has said that holding suspects in prolonged
isolation is in breach of international standards. "The jurisprudence
of the European Court of Human Rights has established that even an
incommunicado detention significantly shorter than currently practised
in Serbia violates the European Convention of Human Rights," a May 10
statement from the organisation said.
Suspects are allowed access to lawyers only when they are brought
before an investigating judge. Those among the former to whom IWPR
spoke reported getting only limited access to the latter and some said
their clients were subsequently moved to different detention centres
without notification.
The authorities have pressured a number of lawyers to sign pledges to
keep case materials confidential.
Indications that major gangsters were behind the killing means there is
little sympathy for them in Serbia. This lack of interest is mirrored
abroad, where shock at the assassination, approval for the clampdown on
crime, and a desire to support a still fledgling democracy appear to
have downplayed concerns about the fate of those arrested.
But the United Nations' International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, which bans torture and "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment",
draws no distinction between suspects who are eventually found guilty
and those who are innocent.
The Yugoslav criminal code which now applies in Serbia and Montenegro
does not explicitly prohibit torture. But Article 190 states that
"officials who, in the line of duty, use force, threats or other banned
means or method with the intention of extracting a confession or other
statement from an accused person, witness, source other person, are to
be punished with three months to five years imprisonment". And Article
191 stipulates
the same prison terms for officials who "cause someone serious physical
or mental suffering, threaten or insult someone, or behave in any other
way that demeans his or her human dignity".
OFFICIAL DENIAL
The Serbian authorities have steadfastly maintained that there have
been no significant breaches of human rights.
Rasim Ljajic, minister for human and minority rights for Serbia and
Montenegro, told IWPR that in some cases people had been beaten during
arrest - but that this was not on a massive scale, nor did it
constitute systematic violation of human rights.
He rejected allegations that torture had been used. Even though some
people had been beaten at the time of arrest, no one had been beaten
while in custody, he said.
In a reference to the OSCE-UNHCHR visit to a prison in April, Ljajic
said, "If we had been guilty, we wouldn't have allowed them to visit in
the first place."
Ljajic said his ministry had opened a hot line so that people could
call in to report human rights violations.
When IWPR called the Serbian interior ministry on June 3 after
receiving no reply to its faxed questions about the allegations,
spokesman Colonel Vladan Colic said, "International organisations who
have visited the detainees have given their assessment. The ministry
has nothing to add."
Although the first reports of mistreatment of detainees seeped out only
days after March 12, the authorities only responded to the claims
following an April 7 letter from the US-based Human Rights Watch to the
Serbian government urging it to stop keeping suspects in isolation.
Justice Minister Vladan Batic responded with a simple denial. "No
measures such as force, coercion or acts contrary to law were applied
against those in custody," he said.
The day after Human Rights Watch's letter was made public, Deputy Prime
|Minister Cedomir Jovanovic told journalists that there was "no cause
for concern" and that "the police, prosecutors and courts are working
in line with their authority".
To underline his assertion that Human Rights Watch's concerns were
unfounded, Jovanovic made a curious statement, "Over the past week
representatives of the OSCE, Council of Europe and EU have visited the
central prison in Belgrade and seen first hand to what degree human
rights
are protected there."
This claim turned out to be entirely untrue. At that time, no
representative of foreign organisations had been allowed to visit any
prison. At least one prominent organisation had in fact requested
permission to do so, but received no reply in the three weeks since the
state of emergency began.
"I was surprised that deputy prime minister Jovanovic had this
information. We checked and found out that no international
organisation had made any visits," said an official from the
organisation.
"Even two or three days after Jovanovic's statement, we received an
official statement saying they could not allow us to visit on the terms
we wanted," he said, adding that his organisation had free access to
Serbian prisons when Slobodan Milosevic was still in charge.
INTERNATIONAL TEAM VISITS JAILS
In the face of strong external pressure, the authorities had to relent.
On April 14 and 15, more than a month after the state of emergency was
imposed, representatives of UNHCHR, the OSCE mission in Belgrade and
the OSCE's for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, ODIHR, visited
the central prison and the main police station in Belgrade. In a joint
report
on their preliminary findings, published on May 13, these organisations
reported two cases of possible torture and a number of other problems.
"During the visit the delegation heard allegations and saw indications
of torture and ill-treatment of at least two detainees. It was
impossible to fully check the truth of these allegations, but the
delegation believes it is important for detainees to be able to lodge
such complaints and expect their complaints to be taken into
consideration as soon as possible," the report said.
The team also said that "extended periods of detention coupled with
substandard conditions of detention for many detainees amounts to
degrading punishment or treatment".
Public statements made by the OSCE indicated a desire to limit
criticism of the Serbian government. On April 17, immediately following
the prison visit, the OSCE's head of mission in Serbia and Montenegro,
Maurizio Massari, told Serbian media that OSCE experts had not
registered a single "significant violation of rights" or "particularly
unfavourable" facts concerning the condition of prisoners. Massari did
not take part in the visit.
OSCE spokesperson Rory Keane told IWPR that that his organisation had
had unlimited access to detainees and that they had not received direct
individual complaints either during or after the state of emergency.
WAS REPORT WATERED DOWN?
The joint UNCHR-OSCE report was damning of the detention procedures,
but its evidence did not amount to systematic physical abuse. However,
one delegation member told IWPR that the report represented a
compromise reached by UNHCHR, OSCE and ODIHR, and that it had toned
down the real conditions that they had found.
"What we saw was really horrible. No one should be allowed to beat
you," the source said. "The conditions in solitary confinement were so
disastrous that they were torture in their own right. We were unable to
breathe in these rooms so that we talked to the detainees at another
location."
The same source confirmed findings of physical torture of detainees and
said that they could barely recognise some of the people.
"One of the detainees, with signs of physical ill-treatment that were
visible 20 days after his arrest, told the delegation that he had
looked like the 'elephant man' after the first beating," the source
said.
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH DENIED ACCESS
Prison doors, however, were opened only to the OSCE and UN. The
non-government Humanitarian Law Centre and Helsinki Committee for Human
Rights in Serbia have not been allowed in. Nor has Human Rights Watch.
A May 14 statement from the latter organisation says, "After one month
of promising Human Rights Watch unhindered access to detainees, the
authorities now appear to have actually been doing their best to
prevent such a visit from taking place."
Bogdan Ivanisevic, a Human Rights Watch representative in Belgrade,
told IWPR that his organisation had not been allowed to enter the
central prison to talk to detainees, even though it had been given
permission to do so by the ministry of justice.
"It is conceivable that the Serbian government is preventing Human
Rights Watch from interviewing detainees, especially in light of a
(UNHCHR-OSCE) report which cites limited access to detainees and voices
serious criticism concerning poor prison conditions and the injuries
inflicted on detainees," said Ivanisevic.
POLICE IMPUNITY AND THE COURTS
Although it has admitted that isolated incidents of beatings took place
in the earliest stages of detention procedures, the government has
taken no action that IWPR is aware of to investigate the actions of its
regular and specialised police forces. According to Article 2 of the
Convention against Torture, signatory countries are obliged to " take
effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to
prevent acts of
torture".
Defendants in future trials are likely to cite the use of torture, and
a number of cases may be overturned at first hearing or on appeal. That
will embarrass the government both in its efforts to stamp out
organised crime, and as it tries to convince the European institutions
that it is bringing its legal framework and practice into line with EU
standards ahead of accession.
"Many things have yet to come to light. Sooner or later, what happened
to those detained during the state of emergency will end up before the
court in Strasbourg. This country will be paying lots of compensation,"
said IWPR's source in the international team which visited Belgrade
prison.
One man arrested during Operation Sabre, Mihajlo Colovic, is already
planning to press charges against Dejan Joksimovic, chief of police in
the central Serbian town of Arandjelovac. Court records include
Colovic's statement that Joksimovic whipped him with a telephone cable,
punched him, kicked him and hit him with a baseball bat, in an attempt
to get him to make an acccusation against another man. Colovic told
IWPR that his eardrum was ruptured in the beating and he had to seek
medical attention.
Belgrade is also likely to face pressure to revise laws which give too
much power to the police.
"Because of the provision for 60 days' detention, our country may run
into trouble with the international institutions," said Professor
Momcilo Grubac, an authority on criminal law. "Since we are members of
the Council of Europe, any citizen subjected to this kind of thing can
turn to the court in Strasbourg."
Dragana Nikolic-Solomon is Assistant Editor and Gordana Igric is
Balkans Project Manager with IWPR in London.
IWPR's network of leading correspondents in the region provides
in-depth analysis on events and issues affecting the Balkans. The
reports are published online in English, Serbian and Albanian. They are
also available via e-mail. For syndication information, contact Anthony
Borden tony@...
Balkan Crisis Report is supported by the Department for International
Development, the European Commission, the Swedish International
Development and Cooperation Agency, The Netherlands Ministry for
Foreign Affairs, and other funders. IWPR also acknowledges general
support from the Ford Foundation.
For further details on this project, other information services and
media
programmes, visit IWPR's website: www.iwpr.net
=== 4 ===
ARTEL Geopolitika
http://www.artel.co.yu/en/izbor/jugoslavija/2003-06-14.html
THE FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT UNIONS OF SERBIA
"DECLARES WAR" ON THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT - UNTIL VICTORY!
Borivoje Uroševic
Belgrade - 5 June, 2003.
At a press conference, held on the 20th of May, 2003, the President of
the Sinidikata Srbije (Serbia's Unions) Milenko Smiljanic declared a
general protest of workers in Serbia with the following sentence: "We
can no longer sit by while those in power continue directing our lives
and for this reason we are moving into action."
The list of demands that the Union is directing towards the Government
and from which they will not back-down are the following:
* That the further laying-off and firing of workers cease completely;
* That a program that would secure the employment of a large number of
those currently unemployed be initiated immediately;
* That a real development strategy be adopted for Serbia, that social
programs be implemented and that a real social dialogue be started;
* That the privatization model be reformed so that those disposing of
dubious capital for the laundering of money be excluded;
* That the rights of the employed that stem from their work be
regulated exclusively by collective bargaining agreements;
* That all the debts that the State and various firms have towards
their workers be settled and that workers be allowed to complete their
work terms as originally planned;
* That all price hikes that are within the competences of the
Government and organs of local self-management be stopped.
In so far as the Government of Serbia doesn't achieve an appropriate
agreement in its dialogue with the Federation of Independent Unions of
Serbia and does not aprove these demands within 30 days, our Union will
demand the Governments resignation, that is to say its departure and
the holding of early parliamentary elections.
The scenario for the planned protests is such that work stoppages and
protests will be held in all major cities throughout Serbia on specific
dates, while a major convergence - that will gather the representatives
of all workers from Serbia and Belgrade - will be held on the 25 June
2003 in Belgrade.
Commentary by Borivoje Urosevic:
This action plan is well thought out, but I fear will be hard to
realize. The Unions have waited too long to gather a "critical mass"
to hit the pavement and bring people out into the streets. Industry no
longer works, workers have lost hope and self-respect and until hunger
and neediness don't reach every portion of Serbia's population, it is
hard to see how something can be achieved. Only at this stage we will
no longer need unions to organize the workers.
The introduction of Martial Law in Serbia after the Premier's
assassination [backed by the US government], and the repression metted
out by authorities that resultant in over 10,000 illegal and long-term
detentions - so that about 40 of this number could be tried - has
created a climate of fear and mistrust among the general population.
It would be hard to start something now, since those workers who still
have something left - even though this "something" is in reality a big
nothing - are afraid that they will even loose this; and they would,
therefore, rather avoid confrontations.
I don't wish to be a bearer of bad omens - I plan on attending the
protests and actions after all - but I'm afraid that we will only march
the way we did when this government passed its [regressive] Labour
Law. Since then, everything in fact, has started going downhill.
The vision of the leadership of Serbia's Unions and its president
Milenko Smiljanic for the future of the workers movement is the
recently founded "National Workers Consortium with the goal that during
the privatization process, by way of insider selling, we stop firms
from going into unwanted hands and that they not be purchased by
dubious capital. It is expected that the Consortium will be comprised
of around 100,000 workers who will invest from 100 to 3000 euros
individually over the next 6 years, which will create a capital fund of
50 to 100 million euros."
In a situation in which the famillies of workers in Serbia "live"
off-of monthly salaries of around 100 euros, it is utopic to expect
them to save the projected sum of around 100 to 3000 euros. Although
the idea has some merit [in terms of its ability to save a number of
enterprises], for now it's a long-shot.
The slogan for the protests is: "For the Defense of Labour and Industry
in Serbia"
In contradiction with the analysis of the Unions and the degrading
situation that confronts most famillies in Serbia, the official
decleration of the Bureau of Statistics talks about: UNKNOWN PRICE
HIKES IN MAY 2003.
"Prices are up some 0.5% from April and some 13,4% more in relation to
May 2002" From this anouncement we see that the cost of living with
respect to April 2003 has increased by 0.4% and some 2,6% when compared
to the figures for December 2002.
We also learn that the largest change in prices was in the agricultural
sector (nutrition) beverages and industrial unprocessed goods. The
statistic further indicates that the prices of industrially processed
goods in May, dropped about 0.2% in realtion to April and that this was
the result of lower prices for fresh meat and specific prepared meats,
milk and animal fat products.
What do the statistics fail to reveal, and what in fact happened!?!
The bulk import of meat, meat products and milk "killed" the price of
domestic production in these sectors, the agricultural fund was
decimated, grain prices went up, drought means a bad harvest this
autumn and what can we expect for the future? Without the agricultural
fund there will be no meat, no milk, no meat products...The
Agricultural Minister has resigned, but not because of poor policies in
the agregate (which were evident from the get-go) but due to the tragic
traffic accident in the middle of Belgrade, that involved his car.
The stats failed to show the drastic drop in energy prices, which made
the averages somewhat skewed as well.
What can we expect more from this Government of "experts"?
And for the end, instead of conclusions, which I leave to you who will
read this, I would like to say that I sincerely support the
demonstrations that we are initiating at the end of June. Something
serious needs to happen for things to begin going in the right
direction. Is this going to be the moment when this happens we will
soon find-out.
=== 5 ===
Da: Rick Rozoff
Data: Mer 11 Giu 2003 17:37:18 Europe/Rome
A: antinato@...
Oggetto: NATO's Victory: World Bank Offers $80 Million To Privatize
Socially-Owned Firms
http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=41065&LangID=1
Seerope.net - June 11, 2003
SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO: WB Approves USD 80 M Loan
The World Bank today approved an eighty million dollar
IDA credit for Serbia-Montenegro for the Private and
Financial Structural Adjustment Credit (PFSAC II) that
will provide financing for the Government of Serbia
with the aim of supporting regulatory, institutional,
and structural reforms in private and financial
sectors.
The overall objective of the PFSAC II is to help the
Government of Serbia improve the business environment,
strengthen the financial system, privatize and/or
liquidate majority state-owned banks, and privatize
and restructure socially-owned enterprises.
Reform of the business environment aims to improve
business entry through a better registration system;
facilitate efficient business operations through
reforming the Enterprise Law; build capacity for
regulatory reform and improve enterprises’ access to
finance; and reduce barriers to the efficient exit and
redeployment of non-productive assets, radio B92
reported.
=== 6 ===
UNHCR cuts aid to Belgrade
BELGRADE, June11 (B92) -The UN High Commission for Refugees has reduced
aid to Serbia-Montenegro by seven million dollars compared to last
year, UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic said today.
Mahecic told media that the cut came at the recommendation of a working
group on humanitarian issues set up under the Dayton Agreement.
The UNHCR will this year set aside 22 million dollars for the problems
of refugees in Serbia-Montenegro.
Mahecic said that Serbia and Montenegro currently had 114,605 refugees
from Bosnia-Hercegovina and 216,000 refugees from Croatia.
---
BALKAN CRISIS REPORT No. 438 - www.iwpr.net
SERBIA: CASH CRISIS SHUTS SOUP KITCHENS
A drop in international funding has left local authorities struggling
to provide free meals for needy Serbs.
By Marko Romcevic in Belgrade
A financial crisis has put thousands of Serbia's most vulnerable people
at risk of losing their only daily meal.
The withdrawal of international donors has left the cash-strapped
government struggling to fund nearly 80 soup kitchens used by
impoverished or sickly Serbs.
For much of the last decade, they would queue six days a week to
receive a portion of bread and a cooked meal. But at the beginning of
June, many kitchens were forced to close due to lack of money.
The free food programme has been running since 1992, when an anonymous
donor distributed 2,000 meals to the needy. Since then, the number
benefiting from the service had grown to 30,000, at cost of 21 euro per
person per month.
But in the last few months, international aid agencies have ended their
involvement in the programme, handing over responsibility to local
authorities.
The German Red Cross was the last major donor to pull out of the scheme
on March 31.
The government has promised to keep only 28 out of 78 soup kitchens
open - one in each municipality - until the end of December.
In Serbia's northern province of Vojvodina, the programme continues in
only two of 15 original outlets. Those in Pozarevac, Smederevska
palanka, Uzice, Cuprija, and Jagodina have been closed down. One in
Bujanovac, southern Serbia, which used to have one thousand visitors a
day, has also been shut.
In Belgrade, the capital's authorities have pledged to continue the
food scheme, financing it from the city assembly budget and providing
meals for nearly 7,000 people six days a week - a reduction of around
40 per cent.
One pensioner from the Palilula area of the capital, who did not want
to give his name, told IWPR, "My [monthly] pension is around 50 euro,
which is just enough for me to pay my regular bills [the average salary
in 150 euro], but leaves me hardly anything to buy food.
"I have been coming here for the past few years and I don't know what
will happen to those whose local kitchen has closed down. Even the one
day a week that the kitchens did not operate was a problem for people."
Dragica Kljajic, the Serbian Red Cross coordinator for food provision,
said local authorities are struggling to meet the cost of the soup
kitchens. "The programme is now almost fully dependent on the
municipal governments - and these bodies have to find ways to finance
it in the future," she said.
"At the moment, the budgets are irregular and we were left with no
choice but to close many kitchens. We hope that some donors will show
compassion and help us keep the programme running, because otherwise
there could be tragic consequences."
Damir Glavonjic of the Palilula municipal administration told IWPR that
the situation was now extremely serious. "There are 4,800 socially
handicapped people - those whose family income does not exceed 20 euro
per person [a month] - in our area alone," he said. "We don't think
it's right for international organisations to withdraw in these crucial
times of transition."
The Red Cross says more soup kitchens may be forced to close in the
near future. "This current state of affairs - where we are requesting
that local municipalities take charge cannot go on for much longer,"
said Kljajic.
"One possible solution would be for each donor to pick one municipality
and finance the programme in it."
In the capital, the Palilula pensioner shakes his head as he ponders
the current situation. "I am a native Belgrader and I can hardly
believe I have lived to see this," he told IWPR.
"But the people will help us to survive - a woman volunteering in the
kitchen gave me a euro yesterday."
Marko Romcevic is a journalism student at the University of Belgrade.
---
Serbia-Montenegro has gravest refugee problem in Europe
GENEVA, June 26 (Tanjug) - Geneva-based United Nations
Serbia-Montenegro Mission representative Dusanka Divjak-Tomic said on
Wednesday that Serbia-Montenegro has the most difficult problem with
refugees and internally displaced persons of all European countries.
Speaking at a session of the UNHCR Permanent Committee in Geneva, she
said the UNHCR has still not adequately dealt with the problem of
refugees in former Yugoslavia, and in particular in Serbia and
Montenegro. This is especially true for the very serious problem of
internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija province,
Divjak-Tomic said.
Divjak-Tomic said she hoped the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) and other international institutions, would devote far
greater attention to this complex problem. In addition to about
250,000 displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija, whose prospects
for returning home are vary poor, there are also 350,000 refugees from
Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Serbia and Montenegro, she said. In
spite of international forces being present in Kosovo and Metohija for
four years already, there are still no basic conditions in the
province for the return of refugees - personal safety and security,
and politically and ethnically motivated murders have still not been
rooted out and their perpetrators will never be found or punished, the
official said.
(Massacro sociale in Serbia)
1. US STEEL TO BUY SERBIA'S SARTID STEEL PLANT
(La "USA Acciaio" firma per l'acquisto delle acciaierie serbe "Sartid")
2. US AMBASSADOR: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTS SERBIA
(L'ambasciatore USA: noi appoggiamo la Serbia perche' reprime e
privatizza)
3. SERBIA: DETAINEES ALLEGE TORTURE
(Serbia: i detenuti denunciano di aver subito torture)
4. UNIONS OF SERBIA "DECLARE WAR" ON THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT
(Federazione sindacale "dichiara guerra" al governo)
5. WORLD BANK OFFERS $80 MILLION TO PRIVATIZE SOCIALLY-OWNED FIRMS
(La Banca Mondiale offre 80 milioni di dollari per la privatizzazione
delle imprese a capitale sociale)
6. UNHCR CUTS AID TO BELGRADE; CASH CRISIS SHUTS SOUP KITCHENS;
SERBIA-MONTENEGRO HAS GRAVEST REFUGEE PROBLEM IN EUROPE
(Alto Commissariato ONU per i Rifugiati ed altri organismi "umanitari"
tagliano drasticamente i fondi alla Serbia, benche' il paese abbia la
situazione piu' drammatica d'Europa)
=== 1 ===
US Steel to buy Serbia's Sartid Steel Plant
So after the US imposed sanctions for ten years that limited market
access to steel produced by Sartid - Yugoslavia's largest steel
manufacturer - US Steel Corporation is now moving in to buy up the
remnants of the firm for virtually nothing. US Steel - the largest
integrated steel manufacturer in the USA and a former member of the USX
consortium with Marathon Oil - promises to invest some 173-million in
the firm (including the $23-million "price-tag" for which they are
getting everything). Considering that Sartid produces 2.5 million tons
of steel anually, and that 1 ton of steel fetches btwn 200 to 400 US$
on US markets (see table at the bottom of
http://www.manufacturing.net/pur/
index.asp?layout=articleWebzine&articleid=CA219922) , this means that
annual revenues (conservative estimate) will be some US$ 500-million
(i.e. 2.5 million tons X US$ 200). This is assuming that the
2.5-million ton output is maximum capacity and that the firm cannot
produce more and that prices remain at the low end of the scale. Thus
even if we cut these projected conservative revenues by a factor of
80%, the US Steel Corporation could still make back its initial
investment in 2 years or so. There are other considerations that come
to mind:
1) The assumption being made in the press-release is that US Steel will
be seeking to build Sartid once it moves in. But it's just as likely
that the promised $US 150-million investment in refurbishing Sartid
will never come and that US Steel will seek to sell the firms
components and make a quick profit (as was done with Russia)
contributing to the further de-industrialization of Eastern Europe.
Another reason that this may be the prefered option for the execs at US
Steel is that this would avoid negotiations with labour over the new
ownership structure likely to be imposed on the firm. I remember two
years ago hearing Soros talk about the "disapointment" that Russia had
become, and that his attention was now focused on the Balkans. I'm
sure other investors have taken this as a sign to proceed with the
asset stripping of this region, in a similar fashion to that carried
out in the former Soviet Union (FSU).
2) Even if all this money is "invested" the press-release gives no
indication of how profits will be distributed. But since it seems that
US Steel will assume full ownership of the firm, it can also be assumed
that all the profits will acrue to it. Furthermore, the guarantee to
save jobs and install a communications center to "advertise" Serbia as
a center for investment (i.e. establishing a consulting firm to guide
other firms seeking to plunder Serbia) should be noted. While the
later is a transparent ploy to make more money, the former is
completely lacking in any credibility and is simply designed to assuage
the fears of workers in the short-term and delay their general
mobilization against the new ownership.
(Kosta K. on ANTINATO@..., April 2nd, 2003)
---
US Steel to buy Serbia's Sartid steel plant for $23m, invest $150m
April 01, 2003
Belgrade, April 1, 2003 - US Steel, one of the world's largest steel
companies, announced on Tuesday that it will acquire Serbia's bankrupt
steel plant Sartid for $23 million, pledging to invest $150 million
over three years in the facilities and equipment and keep the
6,500-strong workforce, the Beta news agency reported.The deal, which
is to be finalised in the third quarter of 2003, was signed by US
Steel's general manager for the Balkans, Thomas Kelly, and Sartid's
bankruptcy manager, Branislav Ignjatovic. US Steel promised to invest
$150 million in upgrades to the plant's facilities as well as another
$5 million in the Smederevo municipality's development. The buyer also
vowed not to make any layoffs among Sartid's 6,500 workers. John
Goodish, U.S. steel's executive vice-president for international
activities, said the deal will be finalised when several countries
scrap measures limiting steel imports from Serbia and Montenegro.
Goodish added that US Steel intends to encourage the development of
Serbia and Montenegro by creating a $1.5 million information centre to
enlighten foreign investors on advantages of opening production plants
in Serbia and Montenegro. Smederevo-based steel concern Sartid is
Serbia and Montenegro's largest steel maker, with an annual production
capacity of 2.5 million tonnes. The company has been in the bankruptcy
procedure since November 2002 for its liabilities of $1.7 million.
http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/cgi-bin/printpage.cgi?filename=/news/2003-
04/01/328490.html
---
CONTRACT BETWEEN SARTID, US STEEL IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 1 (Tanjug) - US Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro
William Montgomery said that a contract, which US Steel and Sartid of
Smederevo had signed on Tuesday, was very important both for the
Serbian economy and the future of the Smederevo iron and steel works.
This agreement will help Sartid overcome problems in
operation and help the Serbian government solve its major problem,
Montgomery told reporters at Belgrade's Sava Centre. Asked about the
Serbian industries he regarded competitive on the world market,
Mongtomery said that this was the wood-processing industry and fruit
juice production.
=== 2 ===
US AMBASSADOR: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTS SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 1 (Tanjug) - US Ambassador to Serbia
and Montenegro William Montgomery said Tuesday that the
international community supports the Serbian government's fight
against organized crime, indicating that it will meet with a
resounding response in the world, improving in that way the image of
Serbia. Speaking to participants in the summit on competitiveness,
Montgomery said that the United States supports the Serbian
government in its efforts to stabilize the situation in the state
following the murder of Premier Zoran Djindjic.
He said October 5 (2000) was in their hearts. Serbia has succeeded to
make large strides since October 5 and Serbia will be lauded for its
efforts in the fight against organized crime, Montgomery said.
Montgomery said that Serbia has sufficient qualified human resources
to become a leader in the region, in which a free market will be
created with some 60 million consumers. However, he warned, that
potential does not mean capital and a lot of work still needs to be
done in that respect.
Serbia has strong companies that are competitive and the United States
will support that, Montgomery promised and added that Serbia has to
make a concept of competitiveness in order to attract investments and
encourage exports. The United States and the international community
support Serbia every step of the way and wish it success, Montgomery
said.
=== 3 ===
IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT, No. 434,
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT, June 04, 2003
SERBIA: DETAINEES ALLEGE TORTURE
Testimony collected by IWPR suggests suspects detained in post-Djindjic
police action subjected to abuse.
By Dragana Nikolic-Solomon and Gordana Igric in London, and IWPR
contributors in Belgrade
In the wake of the police sweep which followed the assassination of
prime minister Zoran Djindjic, IWPR has gathered testimony which points
to the use of torture and other forms of mistreatment against detained
suspects.
The evidence indicates that ill-treatment of detainees was more
widespread than statements from the Serbian government and from the
United Nations and OSCE suggest.
An international expert on human rights in Belgrade who asked for his
name not to be used said that about 30 per cent of those arrested had
suffered some form of mistreatment.
Conducted during the state of emergency which was in force from March
12, the day Djindjic was killed, to April 22, the Serbian police's
Operation Sabre led to the arrest of at least 10,000 people.
The focus of the investigation is to find the assassins and to break-up
crime rings. Criminal charges have been laid against at least 3,400 of
them. On April 29, the authorities charged 45 people, most of them
members of the notorious Zemun gang, with plotting and carrying out
Djindjic's murder.
One thousand people remain in custody under controversial new rules
which have meant that suspects can be held for two months or longer
without access to lawyers and relatives, or being given a preliminary
hearing in court. The rest have been released.
ACCOUNTS OF TORTURE
The main forms of ill-treatment reported were severe beatings and
suffocation. Electric shocks were also reported. Some detainees were
pressured to sign confessions under torture. The reported abuses took
place at a number of sites.
Milan Vukovic, a restaurant owner in Belgrade, was arrested on March
13, the day after the state of emergency was imposed. Accused of
belonging to the group thought to have killed the prime minister, he
was detained for one month. He was released without charge.
Vukovic outlined the treatment he received from police at Makis,
headquarters of the special interior ministry unit in charge of
fighting organised crime, near Belgrade.
"A group of five or six masked policemen tied my hands to a chair that
was fixed to the floor, and put a plastic bag over my head," he told
IWPR. "After a short while I used up all the air. The bag stuck to my
face, and I started struggling for air. When it was obvious that I was
suffocating, they punctured the bag. They played this game twice."
"They demanded that I admit I was a drug dealer, a racketeer and a gun
runner, and that I had traded illegally in oil, cigarettes and foreign
currency. They did not beat me. But when I found myself in Belgrade's
central prison, I saw dozens of beaten-up people in the hallways and
corridors."
Vukovic is one of the few who are not afraid to talk about the torture
they were subjected to without withholding their real names.
One man who spoke to IWPR on condition of anonymity said he was
arrested and spent 30 days in custody before being released without
explanation.
Concerned about himself and his family, he was reluctant to speak at
first but in the end said that he had been beaten while in custody.
"They were not locals, they were from somewhere else, and they were
wearing balaclavas," he said.
A cluster of testimonies was gathered in regard to a group of people
from the town of Krusevac, all of whom were accused of being involved
in organised crime. Most are still in custody, so IWPR was able to talk
only to lawyers and relatives of those who had been allowed outside
contact. Some others have not had legal counsel since their arrest.
Sandra Petrovic's husband Goran and her brother Igor Gajic were
arrested in Krusevac on March 14. She told IWPR that both men
disappeared without trace and the family was unable to get in touch
with them for more than a month. She saw her husband on May 13, when he
was brought before an investigating judge.
"I hardly recognised him. He had difficulty walking and had lost seven
or eight kilograms," she told IWPR.
Her husband told her that the police had taken him to a forest after
putting a bag over his head with a slit in it for breathing and then
covered it with adhesive tape. They beat him, and he lost consciousness
twice.
Speaking on May 26, lawyer Dejan Jovanovic said that Goran Petrovic
told him the same story, and that he and other inmates said they had
been "beaten in a very brutal manner". The lawyer said they had
sustained "visible mental and physical consequences". He said Petrovic
had suffered a spine injury.
When Sandra Petrovic saw her brother Igor, he had lost over 10
kilograms.
She said he too had been taken to the forest after they had put a bag
on his head and covered it with adhesive tape. Her brother told her
they had poured water on him and gave him electric shocks with cables.
He had asked that the investigating judge enter this into his report.
According to Sandra, after the beating the two of them were taken to
the Krusevac police station, where statements were taken from both.
They were then transferred from Cuprija prison to Belgrade on
instructions from the special prosecutor for organised crime. They
disappeared without trace, until the family eventually found them with
the help of two lawyers.
Violeta Kojic, whose husband Vladan was also arrested in Krusevac on
March 14, told IWPR that her husband had been severely beaten and now
had difficulty walking. She said that his physical and mental condition
was poor, that he had tried slashing his wrists twice, and that he had
been taken to the Military Hospital in Belgrade.
Kojic's lawyer, Momir Vuckovic, backed up her story. "I have never seen
a man beaten up that badly in my entire life," he said in an interview
with IWPR on May 25. "There is not a single spot on his body without
haematomas."
He confirmed to IWPR that his client had attempted suicide, and that
Kojic told him, "I'd rather kill myself than let them kill me."
After his 60-day detention, Kojic and others were transferred to
Belgrade under orders from the special prosecutor dealing with
organised crime. Lawyers were not informed.
A third man, Slavoljub Markovic, arrested at the same time as Kojic and
Petrovic has been allowed to see his lawyer only once.
"My client no longer resembles the person I knew before his arrest. He
is mentally disturbed and has attempted suicide," the lawyer, who asked
not to be named, told IWPR on May 26.
"He told me they had been taken to a forest," Markovic's wife Emina
said.
"He had a bag over his head. That's where they beat them."
"I saw my husband last Friday at the investigating prison in Krusevac,"
she continued. "I hardly recognised him. He had lost 12 kilos and his
nose was broken. There are traces of blood on the clothes I brought
back from prison. His trouser knees were torn, probably from kneeling.
"My husband told me they had beaten him four times - twice since the
state of emergency was lifted. He says they tried to torture out an
admission of things he had not done in order to frame him."
At least Markovic saw his lawyer. The latter told IWPR of the case of
Zivorad Zivkovic, who has been in the Krusevac prison for three months
without access to legal counsel. After spending 30 days in custody, he
got another 60 days detention under the law passed by parliament in
April.
Cases of abuse were also reported among the 45 people charged with
complicity in the Djindjic murder. IWPR received information on two of
these from an international human rights expert. One of them concerns a
man from Belgrade who was sleeping in his apartment when the interior
ministry's Special Antiterrorist Unit, SAJ, came in.
Neither he nor two others who were there heard them break in. Police
woke him and "began to kick me and beat me with truncheons. That lasted
15 of 20 minutes. They did the same to the other two - one of them wet
his trousers because of the beating". The witness was then taken to a
police station, and was later charged.
OTHER FORMS OF ILL-TREATMENT
Other testimonies collected by IWPR concerned forms of abuse and
degrading treatment other than physical violence.
Sleep deprivation was reportedly applied to Svetlana Raznatovic, a
popular singer and widow of the paramilitary leader Zeljko "Arkan"
Raznatovic.
Better known by the stage name Ceca, she told international experts
that police kept her from sleeping for 35 hours by interrogating her in
shifts round the clock. Slobodan Pazin, formerly the senior policeman
handling violent crime cases in Belgrade, told the same source he was
deprived of sleep for at least 40 hours in the same manner. The two
were arrested
during Operation Sabre, and are still in detention.
A prominent Belgrade lawyer speaking on condition of anonymity told
IWPR that in his view the whole detention procedure amounted to
deliberate ill-treatment.
"Is it not torture when a man is thrown into a basement and left
without any contact with his family and the outside world for days?
People were not allowed to have a bath or change their underwear for 30
days," he said.
"Many of them were released after spending weeks in custody without
anyone asking them anything or questioning them during that time.
"The thing that they most often heard from the police as part of their
psychological torture was, 'You're criminals, and you have no rights at
all'."
He continued, "I have talked to a man who spent 22 days in the basement
of the police station in Zemun. They did not give him any food during
the first three days, and he had nothing to cover himself with while he
slept on a bench in a cell with broken windows. He was released from
custody without any hearing, and no charges were brought against him."
Many other people refused to talk to IWPR. In some of the cases on
which IWPR gathered information, the alleged victim was still in jail.
In these instances, statements were taken from lawyers and wives. Those
who had already been released were reluctant to speak out for fear that
they would be subject to re-arrest or other forms of victimisation.
Most of those who
did made anonymity a condition.
As well as collecting statements from witnesses, IWPR spoke to a number
of local and international experts working within Serbia's legal system
or involved in monitoring human rights abuses. Unlike the report
published by the OSCE and the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights, UNHCHR, of which more below, these sources indicated that
the problems were widespread.
POLICE POWERS OF ARREST AND CUSTODY
The alleged abuses have taken place in the context of a large number of
arrests carried out under new rules that allow suspects to be held
incommunicado for up to two months. Such practices mean that detainees
have no means of redress in the crucial period before a criminal case
is formulated.
Most of the abuse was reported at this early stage. Once suspects are
charged and transferred from police detention to a prison, they may be
seen by a doctor who's required to document injuries.
In one case reported to IWPR, members of an international organisation
were shown such a document when they inquired about a particular
prisoner (whom they did not get to see). The document said the man had
a black eye and haematoma on the soles of his feet suggesting that he
had been beaten there.
Several sources in the judiciary, the legal profession and
international organisations told IWPR that the bulk of the physical
mistreatment took place during arrest or preliminary detention. These
sources allege that the SAJ was one of the worst offenders.
"Nearly everyone who fell into the SAJ's hands underwent torture," said
one of these sources.
The extended powers of detention granted to police came initially from
an emergency order which the then acting Serbian president Natasa Micic
signed when the state of emergency began. That gave police the right to
detain anyone considered to "endanger the security of other citizens of
the republic" and keep them in custody for 30 days. During that time
suspects have no right to see a lawyer, to appear before a judge, or to
contact their family
The order expired with the end of the state of emergency, but on April
11 Serbia's parliament amended the legislation on organised crime to
give the police even more draconian powers. Now they can hold suspects
incommunicado for up to 60 days, referring only to their superiors in
the interior ministry for approval. The investigating judge can also
order detention for a further 90 days in special cases.
In some cases, suspects were initially held under the
state-of-emergency order but have remained in detention under the new
law, so they may not see a lawyer for three months.
Human Rights Watch has said that holding suspects in prolonged
isolation is in breach of international standards. "The jurisprudence
of the European Court of Human Rights has established that even an
incommunicado detention significantly shorter than currently practised
in Serbia violates the European Convention of Human Rights," a May 10
statement from the organisation said.
Suspects are allowed access to lawyers only when they are brought
before an investigating judge. Those among the former to whom IWPR
spoke reported getting only limited access to the latter and some said
their clients were subsequently moved to different detention centres
without notification.
The authorities have pressured a number of lawyers to sign pledges to
keep case materials confidential.
Indications that major gangsters were behind the killing means there is
little sympathy for them in Serbia. This lack of interest is mirrored
abroad, where shock at the assassination, approval for the clampdown on
crime, and a desire to support a still fledgling democracy appear to
have downplayed concerns about the fate of those arrested.
But the United Nations' International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, which bans torture and "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment",
draws no distinction between suspects who are eventually found guilty
and those who are innocent.
The Yugoslav criminal code which now applies in Serbia and Montenegro
does not explicitly prohibit torture. But Article 190 states that
"officials who, in the line of duty, use force, threats or other banned
means or method with the intention of extracting a confession or other
statement from an accused person, witness, source other person, are to
be punished with three months to five years imprisonment". And Article
191 stipulates
the same prison terms for officials who "cause someone serious physical
or mental suffering, threaten or insult someone, or behave in any other
way that demeans his or her human dignity".
OFFICIAL DENIAL
The Serbian authorities have steadfastly maintained that there have
been no significant breaches of human rights.
Rasim Ljajic, minister for human and minority rights for Serbia and
Montenegro, told IWPR that in some cases people had been beaten during
arrest - but that this was not on a massive scale, nor did it
constitute systematic violation of human rights.
He rejected allegations that torture had been used. Even though some
people had been beaten at the time of arrest, no one had been beaten
while in custody, he said.
In a reference to the OSCE-UNHCHR visit to a prison in April, Ljajic
said, "If we had been guilty, we wouldn't have allowed them to visit in
the first place."
Ljajic said his ministry had opened a hot line so that people could
call in to report human rights violations.
When IWPR called the Serbian interior ministry on June 3 after
receiving no reply to its faxed questions about the allegations,
spokesman Colonel Vladan Colic said, "International organisations who
have visited the detainees have given their assessment. The ministry
has nothing to add."
Although the first reports of mistreatment of detainees seeped out only
days after March 12, the authorities only responded to the claims
following an April 7 letter from the US-based Human Rights Watch to the
Serbian government urging it to stop keeping suspects in isolation.
Justice Minister Vladan Batic responded with a simple denial. "No
measures such as force, coercion or acts contrary to law were applied
against those in custody," he said.
The day after Human Rights Watch's letter was made public, Deputy Prime
|Minister Cedomir Jovanovic told journalists that there was "no cause
for concern" and that "the police, prosecutors and courts are working
in line with their authority".
To underline his assertion that Human Rights Watch's concerns were
unfounded, Jovanovic made a curious statement, "Over the past week
representatives of the OSCE, Council of Europe and EU have visited the
central prison in Belgrade and seen first hand to what degree human
rights
are protected there."
This claim turned out to be entirely untrue. At that time, no
representative of foreign organisations had been allowed to visit any
prison. At least one prominent organisation had in fact requested
permission to do so, but received no reply in the three weeks since the
state of emergency began.
"I was surprised that deputy prime minister Jovanovic had this
information. We checked and found out that no international
organisation had made any visits," said an official from the
organisation.
"Even two or three days after Jovanovic's statement, we received an
official statement saying they could not allow us to visit on the terms
we wanted," he said, adding that his organisation had free access to
Serbian prisons when Slobodan Milosevic was still in charge.
INTERNATIONAL TEAM VISITS JAILS
In the face of strong external pressure, the authorities had to relent.
On April 14 and 15, more than a month after the state of emergency was
imposed, representatives of UNHCHR, the OSCE mission in Belgrade and
the OSCE's for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, ODIHR, visited
the central prison and the main police station in Belgrade. In a joint
report
on their preliminary findings, published on May 13, these organisations
reported two cases of possible torture and a number of other problems.
"During the visit the delegation heard allegations and saw indications
of torture and ill-treatment of at least two detainees. It was
impossible to fully check the truth of these allegations, but the
delegation believes it is important for detainees to be able to lodge
such complaints and expect their complaints to be taken into
consideration as soon as possible," the report said.
The team also said that "extended periods of detention coupled with
substandard conditions of detention for many detainees amounts to
degrading punishment or treatment".
Public statements made by the OSCE indicated a desire to limit
criticism of the Serbian government. On April 17, immediately following
the prison visit, the OSCE's head of mission in Serbia and Montenegro,
Maurizio Massari, told Serbian media that OSCE experts had not
registered a single "significant violation of rights" or "particularly
unfavourable" facts concerning the condition of prisoners. Massari did
not take part in the visit.
OSCE spokesperson Rory Keane told IWPR that that his organisation had
had unlimited access to detainees and that they had not received direct
individual complaints either during or after the state of emergency.
WAS REPORT WATERED DOWN?
The joint UNCHR-OSCE report was damning of the detention procedures,
but its evidence did not amount to systematic physical abuse. However,
one delegation member told IWPR that the report represented a
compromise reached by UNHCHR, OSCE and ODIHR, and that it had toned
down the real conditions that they had found.
"What we saw was really horrible. No one should be allowed to beat
you," the source said. "The conditions in solitary confinement were so
disastrous that they were torture in their own right. We were unable to
breathe in these rooms so that we talked to the detainees at another
location."
The same source confirmed findings of physical torture of detainees and
said that they could barely recognise some of the people.
"One of the detainees, with signs of physical ill-treatment that were
visible 20 days after his arrest, told the delegation that he had
looked like the 'elephant man' after the first beating," the source
said.
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH DENIED ACCESS
Prison doors, however, were opened only to the OSCE and UN. The
non-government Humanitarian Law Centre and Helsinki Committee for Human
Rights in Serbia have not been allowed in. Nor has Human Rights Watch.
A May 14 statement from the latter organisation says, "After one month
of promising Human Rights Watch unhindered access to detainees, the
authorities now appear to have actually been doing their best to
prevent such a visit from taking place."
Bogdan Ivanisevic, a Human Rights Watch representative in Belgrade,
told IWPR that his organisation had not been allowed to enter the
central prison to talk to detainees, even though it had been given
permission to do so by the ministry of justice.
"It is conceivable that the Serbian government is preventing Human
Rights Watch from interviewing detainees, especially in light of a
(UNHCHR-OSCE) report which cites limited access to detainees and voices
serious criticism concerning poor prison conditions and the injuries
inflicted on detainees," said Ivanisevic.
POLICE IMPUNITY AND THE COURTS
Although it has admitted that isolated incidents of beatings took place
in the earliest stages of detention procedures, the government has
taken no action that IWPR is aware of to investigate the actions of its
regular and specialised police forces. According to Article 2 of the
Convention against Torture, signatory countries are obliged to " take
effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to
prevent acts of
torture".
Defendants in future trials are likely to cite the use of torture, and
a number of cases may be overturned at first hearing or on appeal. That
will embarrass the government both in its efforts to stamp out
organised crime, and as it tries to convince the European institutions
that it is bringing its legal framework and practice into line with EU
standards ahead of accession.
"Many things have yet to come to light. Sooner or later, what happened
to those detained during the state of emergency will end up before the
court in Strasbourg. This country will be paying lots of compensation,"
said IWPR's source in the international team which visited Belgrade
prison.
One man arrested during Operation Sabre, Mihajlo Colovic, is already
planning to press charges against Dejan Joksimovic, chief of police in
the central Serbian town of Arandjelovac. Court records include
Colovic's statement that Joksimovic whipped him with a telephone cable,
punched him, kicked him and hit him with a baseball bat, in an attempt
to get him to make an acccusation against another man. Colovic told
IWPR that his eardrum was ruptured in the beating and he had to seek
medical attention.
Belgrade is also likely to face pressure to revise laws which give too
much power to the police.
"Because of the provision for 60 days' detention, our country may run
into trouble with the international institutions," said Professor
Momcilo Grubac, an authority on criminal law. "Since we are members of
the Council of Europe, any citizen subjected to this kind of thing can
turn to the court in Strasbourg."
Dragana Nikolic-Solomon is Assistant Editor and Gordana Igric is
Balkans Project Manager with IWPR in London.
IWPR's network of leading correspondents in the region provides
in-depth analysis on events and issues affecting the Balkans. The
reports are published online in English, Serbian and Albanian. They are
also available via e-mail. For syndication information, contact Anthony
Borden tony@...
Balkan Crisis Report is supported by the Department for International
Development, the European Commission, the Swedish International
Development and Cooperation Agency, The Netherlands Ministry for
Foreign Affairs, and other funders. IWPR also acknowledges general
support from the Ford Foundation.
For further details on this project, other information services and
media
programmes, visit IWPR's website: www.iwpr.net
=== 4 ===
ARTEL Geopolitika
http://www.artel.co.yu/en/izbor/jugoslavija/2003-06-14.html
THE FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT UNIONS OF SERBIA
"DECLARES WAR" ON THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT - UNTIL VICTORY!
Borivoje Uroševic
Belgrade - 5 June, 2003.
At a press conference, held on the 20th of May, 2003, the President of
the Sinidikata Srbije (Serbia's Unions) Milenko Smiljanic declared a
general protest of workers in Serbia with the following sentence: "We
can no longer sit by while those in power continue directing our lives
and for this reason we are moving into action."
The list of demands that the Union is directing towards the Government
and from which they will not back-down are the following:
* That the further laying-off and firing of workers cease completely;
* That a program that would secure the employment of a large number of
those currently unemployed be initiated immediately;
* That a real development strategy be adopted for Serbia, that social
programs be implemented and that a real social dialogue be started;
* That the privatization model be reformed so that those disposing of
dubious capital for the laundering of money be excluded;
* That the rights of the employed that stem from their work be
regulated exclusively by collective bargaining agreements;
* That all the debts that the State and various firms have towards
their workers be settled and that workers be allowed to complete their
work terms as originally planned;
* That all price hikes that are within the competences of the
Government and organs of local self-management be stopped.
In so far as the Government of Serbia doesn't achieve an appropriate
agreement in its dialogue with the Federation of Independent Unions of
Serbia and does not aprove these demands within 30 days, our Union will
demand the Governments resignation, that is to say its departure and
the holding of early parliamentary elections.
The scenario for the planned protests is such that work stoppages and
protests will be held in all major cities throughout Serbia on specific
dates, while a major convergence - that will gather the representatives
of all workers from Serbia and Belgrade - will be held on the 25 June
2003 in Belgrade.
Commentary by Borivoje Urosevic:
This action plan is well thought out, but I fear will be hard to
realize. The Unions have waited too long to gather a "critical mass"
to hit the pavement and bring people out into the streets. Industry no
longer works, workers have lost hope and self-respect and until hunger
and neediness don't reach every portion of Serbia's population, it is
hard to see how something can be achieved. Only at this stage we will
no longer need unions to organize the workers.
The introduction of Martial Law in Serbia after the Premier's
assassination [backed by the US government], and the repression metted
out by authorities that resultant in over 10,000 illegal and long-term
detentions - so that about 40 of this number could be tried - has
created a climate of fear and mistrust among the general population.
It would be hard to start something now, since those workers who still
have something left - even though this "something" is in reality a big
nothing - are afraid that they will even loose this; and they would,
therefore, rather avoid confrontations.
I don't wish to be a bearer of bad omens - I plan on attending the
protests and actions after all - but I'm afraid that we will only march
the way we did when this government passed its [regressive] Labour
Law. Since then, everything in fact, has started going downhill.
The vision of the leadership of Serbia's Unions and its president
Milenko Smiljanic for the future of the workers movement is the
recently founded "National Workers Consortium with the goal that during
the privatization process, by way of insider selling, we stop firms
from going into unwanted hands and that they not be purchased by
dubious capital. It is expected that the Consortium will be comprised
of around 100,000 workers who will invest from 100 to 3000 euros
individually over the next 6 years, which will create a capital fund of
50 to 100 million euros."
In a situation in which the famillies of workers in Serbia "live"
off-of monthly salaries of around 100 euros, it is utopic to expect
them to save the projected sum of around 100 to 3000 euros. Although
the idea has some merit [in terms of its ability to save a number of
enterprises], for now it's a long-shot.
The slogan for the protests is: "For the Defense of Labour and Industry
in Serbia"
In contradiction with the analysis of the Unions and the degrading
situation that confronts most famillies in Serbia, the official
decleration of the Bureau of Statistics talks about: UNKNOWN PRICE
HIKES IN MAY 2003.
"Prices are up some 0.5% from April and some 13,4% more in relation to
May 2002" From this anouncement we see that the cost of living with
respect to April 2003 has increased by 0.4% and some 2,6% when compared
to the figures for December 2002.
We also learn that the largest change in prices was in the agricultural
sector (nutrition) beverages and industrial unprocessed goods. The
statistic further indicates that the prices of industrially processed
goods in May, dropped about 0.2% in realtion to April and that this was
the result of lower prices for fresh meat and specific prepared meats,
milk and animal fat products.
What do the statistics fail to reveal, and what in fact happened!?!
The bulk import of meat, meat products and milk "killed" the price of
domestic production in these sectors, the agricultural fund was
decimated, grain prices went up, drought means a bad harvest this
autumn and what can we expect for the future? Without the agricultural
fund there will be no meat, no milk, no meat products...The
Agricultural Minister has resigned, but not because of poor policies in
the agregate (which were evident from the get-go) but due to the tragic
traffic accident in the middle of Belgrade, that involved his car.
The stats failed to show the drastic drop in energy prices, which made
the averages somewhat skewed as well.
What can we expect more from this Government of "experts"?
And for the end, instead of conclusions, which I leave to you who will
read this, I would like to say that I sincerely support the
demonstrations that we are initiating at the end of June. Something
serious needs to happen for things to begin going in the right
direction. Is this going to be the moment when this happens we will
soon find-out.
=== 5 ===
Da: Rick Rozoff
Data: Mer 11 Giu 2003 17:37:18 Europe/Rome
A: antinato@...
Oggetto: NATO's Victory: World Bank Offers $80 Million To Privatize
Socially-Owned Firms
http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=41065&LangID=1
Seerope.net - June 11, 2003
SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO: WB Approves USD 80 M Loan
The World Bank today approved an eighty million dollar
IDA credit for Serbia-Montenegro for the Private and
Financial Structural Adjustment Credit (PFSAC II) that
will provide financing for the Government of Serbia
with the aim of supporting regulatory, institutional,
and structural reforms in private and financial
sectors.
The overall objective of the PFSAC II is to help the
Government of Serbia improve the business environment,
strengthen the financial system, privatize and/or
liquidate majority state-owned banks, and privatize
and restructure socially-owned enterprises.
Reform of the business environment aims to improve
business entry through a better registration system;
facilitate efficient business operations through
reforming the Enterprise Law; build capacity for
regulatory reform and improve enterprises’ access to
finance; and reduce barriers to the efficient exit and
redeployment of non-productive assets, radio B92
reported.
=== 6 ===
UNHCR cuts aid to Belgrade
BELGRADE, June11 (B92) -The UN High Commission for Refugees has reduced
aid to Serbia-Montenegro by seven million dollars compared to last
year, UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic said today.
Mahecic told media that the cut came at the recommendation of a working
group on humanitarian issues set up under the Dayton Agreement.
The UNHCR will this year set aside 22 million dollars for the problems
of refugees in Serbia-Montenegro.
Mahecic said that Serbia and Montenegro currently had 114,605 refugees
from Bosnia-Hercegovina and 216,000 refugees from Croatia.
---
BALKAN CRISIS REPORT No. 438 - www.iwpr.net
SERBIA: CASH CRISIS SHUTS SOUP KITCHENS
A drop in international funding has left local authorities struggling
to provide free meals for needy Serbs.
By Marko Romcevic in Belgrade
A financial crisis has put thousands of Serbia's most vulnerable people
at risk of losing their only daily meal.
The withdrawal of international donors has left the cash-strapped
government struggling to fund nearly 80 soup kitchens used by
impoverished or sickly Serbs.
For much of the last decade, they would queue six days a week to
receive a portion of bread and a cooked meal. But at the beginning of
June, many kitchens were forced to close due to lack of money.
The free food programme has been running since 1992, when an anonymous
donor distributed 2,000 meals to the needy. Since then, the number
benefiting from the service had grown to 30,000, at cost of 21 euro per
person per month.
But in the last few months, international aid agencies have ended their
involvement in the programme, handing over responsibility to local
authorities.
The German Red Cross was the last major donor to pull out of the scheme
on March 31.
The government has promised to keep only 28 out of 78 soup kitchens
open - one in each municipality - until the end of December.
In Serbia's northern province of Vojvodina, the programme continues in
only two of 15 original outlets. Those in Pozarevac, Smederevska
palanka, Uzice, Cuprija, and Jagodina have been closed down. One in
Bujanovac, southern Serbia, which used to have one thousand visitors a
day, has also been shut.
In Belgrade, the capital's authorities have pledged to continue the
food scheme, financing it from the city assembly budget and providing
meals for nearly 7,000 people six days a week - a reduction of around
40 per cent.
One pensioner from the Palilula area of the capital, who did not want
to give his name, told IWPR, "My [monthly] pension is around 50 euro,
which is just enough for me to pay my regular bills [the average salary
in 150 euro], but leaves me hardly anything to buy food.
"I have been coming here for the past few years and I don't know what
will happen to those whose local kitchen has closed down. Even the one
day a week that the kitchens did not operate was a problem for people."
Dragica Kljajic, the Serbian Red Cross coordinator for food provision,
said local authorities are struggling to meet the cost of the soup
kitchens. "The programme is now almost fully dependent on the
municipal governments - and these bodies have to find ways to finance
it in the future," she said.
"At the moment, the budgets are irregular and we were left with no
choice but to close many kitchens. We hope that some donors will show
compassion and help us keep the programme running, because otherwise
there could be tragic consequences."
Damir Glavonjic of the Palilula municipal administration told IWPR that
the situation was now extremely serious. "There are 4,800 socially
handicapped people - those whose family income does not exceed 20 euro
per person [a month] - in our area alone," he said. "We don't think
it's right for international organisations to withdraw in these crucial
times of transition."
The Red Cross says more soup kitchens may be forced to close in the
near future. "This current state of affairs - where we are requesting
that local municipalities take charge cannot go on for much longer,"
said Kljajic.
"One possible solution would be for each donor to pick one municipality
and finance the programme in it."
In the capital, the Palilula pensioner shakes his head as he ponders
the current situation. "I am a native Belgrader and I can hardly
believe I have lived to see this," he told IWPR.
"But the people will help us to survive - a woman volunteering in the
kitchen gave me a euro yesterday."
Marko Romcevic is a journalism student at the University of Belgrade.
---
Serbia-Montenegro has gravest refugee problem in Europe
GENEVA, June 26 (Tanjug) - Geneva-based United Nations
Serbia-Montenegro Mission representative Dusanka Divjak-Tomic said on
Wednesday that Serbia-Montenegro has the most difficult problem with
refugees and internally displaced persons of all European countries.
Speaking at a session of the UNHCR Permanent Committee in Geneva, she
said the UNHCR has still not adequately dealt with the problem of
refugees in former Yugoslavia, and in particular in Serbia and
Montenegro. This is especially true for the very serious problem of
internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija province,
Divjak-Tomic said.
Divjak-Tomic said she hoped the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) and other international institutions, would devote far
greater attention to this complex problem. In addition to about
250,000 displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija, whose prospects
for returning home are vary poor, there are also 350,000 refugees from
Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Serbia and Montenegro, she said. In
spite of international forces being present in Kosovo and Metohija for
four years already, there are still no basic conditions in the
province for the return of refugees - personal safety and security,
and politically and ethnically motivated murders have still not been
rooted out and their perpetrators will never be found or punished, the
official said.
La eliminazione dei serbi dalla Croazia / 2
(english)
1. Family of murdered Croatian war crimes witness seeks
damages
2. TRANSCRIPT OF FRANJO TUDJMAN'S MILITARY STAFF MEETING SHORTLY AFTER
OPERATION STORM
=== 1 ===
http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/dv/Qwarcrimes-croatia.RHix_DyT.html
Family of murdered Croatian war crimes witness seeks
damages
(2003)
ZAGREB, May 29 (AFP) - The family of a Croatian man
who was murdered after testifying in war crimes cases
linked to killings of ethnic Serbs in Croatia in 1991,
has filed for damages from the state, national radio
reported Thursday.
The wife and the son of Milan Levar filed the suit at
a Zagreb court seeking almost one million kuna in
damages (133,000 euros, 157,000 dollars), accusing the
state of not doing enough to prevent his killing.
He was killed "in a terrorist act which the state
should have prevented," the two claim.
Levar, a witness for the UN war crimes tribunal, was
killed in August 2000 whan a device planted in front
of his house in the central town of Gospic exploded.
Noone has been charged over the killing.
Levar's family are seeking compensation for emotional
distress.
Levar hit the headlines in Croatia in 1997 when he
voluntarily travelled to The Hague-based UN tribunal
to testify over atrocities committed by Croatian
forces against Serb civilians in the Gospic region at
the outbreak of the 1991-95 Serbo-Croatian war.
He made allegations in the local press accusing
high-ranking Croatian officers of organising the
systematic killing of ethnic Serbs in the area.
One of them, retired general Mirko Norac, was
sentenced earlier this year by a local court to 12
years in jail for the executions of at least 50 ethnic
Serb civilians in the Gospic region in 1991.
At the time of Levar's killing, the UN tribunal said
that it had offered him protective measures after
questioning him on alleged Croatian war crimes, but
that he had voiced a wish to remain in Croatia.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 1998 requested the Croatian
government provide protection for Levar.
He had warned police that he had been receiving
threats, and in previous incidents a bomb was thrown
at his house and a mine mine planted under his car.
=== 2 ===
TRANSCRIPT OF FRANJO TUDJMAN'S MILITARY STAFF MEETING SHORTLY AFTER
OPERATION STORM
These transcripts contain some significant material. Focus on the
actual transcript, and ignore Feral Tribune's propaganda commentary
about the "Serb occupation" of the Krajina.
Feral Tribune (Croatia) / Translated by TOL - July 17, 2003
---
http://www.tol.cz/look/wire/
article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=10&NrIssue=733&NrSection=1&NrArti
cle=10051
Historical Transcript: Tudjman on Ethnic Cleansing
Feral Tribune publishes transcripts of former Croatian President Franjo
Tudjman's secret staff meeting, held shortly after Croatian forces
retook control of Serb-occupied territory in 1995.
CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN: The demographic problem should be
solved militarily.
"One should proceed with the consideration that a military command
could be a most effective means for solving the internal needs of the
state. Considering the situation we face with the liberation of
occupied territories, the demographic situation, it is necessary for
military command precisely to become one of the most efficient
components of our state policies in solving the demographic situation
of Croatia. We have to consolidate Croatianhood in Istria and populate
certain parts. … We didn’t accidentally create the Croatian Republic of
Herzeg-Bosna [a Croatian wartime self-proclaimed entity in Bosnia] and
the Croatian Defense Council (HVO) [the Croat militia in Bosnia].
"We have, as you see, despite everything, despite all the
circumstances, created an admired army. Therefore, we will solve that
too."
It was with these historical words that Tudjman addressed the members
of his military establishment on 23 August 1995, after they gathered
that morning in the presidential palace at Pantovcak. Tudjman’s words
were recorded in a transcript that--together with hundreds of other
records of the Pantovcak sessions … --has long been in the possession
of the prosecutors of The Hague [International Criminal Tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia]. Early this week, [the transcripts] reached the
Feral Tribune’s editorial office.
“We will solve that too” referred, in fact, to the violent
state-sponsored Croatization of territory that was, until the beginning
of August of that year, part of the so-called Republic of Srpska
Krajina [the self proclaimed Croatian Serb entity]. “We will solve that
too” was the code for the beginning of a broad campaign to cement the
results of ethnic cleansing that the Croatian authorities--with the
unselfish assistance of Krajina and Belgrade chiefs--realized through
Operation Oluja [Storm]. After military action, it was necessary to
radically change the ethnic picture of the liberated and “cleansed”
area.
Consequently, on 23 August 1995, at 10 a.m., Tudjman’s defense heads,
represented by Defense Minister Gojko Susak, Chief of Staff General
Zvonimir Cervenko, Major-General Vinko Vrbanac, Rear Admiral Davor
Domazet Loso, Colonel-General Josip Lucic, Colonel-General Imra Agotic,
Colonel-General Petar Stipetic, Admiral Sveto Letica, and Admiral
Davorin Kajic, assembled. The central role at the meeting, however,
wasn’t intended for any of the soldiers, but civilian Jure Radic,
former reconstruction and development minister and the supreme
commander’s main operator in the sophisticated question of ethnic
engineering. The settling of the deserted Krajina and the definite
“consolidation of Croatianhood” in the until-then “un-Croatian” regions
were the main topics of the session in Pantovcak.
We remind our readers that the transcript from the presidential palace
discussed here appeared 18 days after the end of Oluja. The atmosphere
is no longer particularly euphoric, but noticeably solemn and, above
all, worklike. It was necessary to think of a model that would bring
into action Tudjman’s instructions, addressed in a short dialogue with
Jure Radic, a dialogue that could function as the motto of the session.
“Vojnic,” said Radic, “had 76 Croats, and 7,600 Serbs.” Tudjman
responds: “Ok, now it’s going to be different.” [Vojnic is a town in
central Croatia.]
Supreme commander Tudjman intended to carry out his plan with the help
of the new territorial organization of Croatian armed forces. At the
very beginning of the meeting he stated the following: “Considering a
military-administrative command, or what we would consider division in
operational zones as we have addressed them up until now, as well as
the distribution of military units, one consequently needs to consider
the geopolitical stance and strategic interests of the country, taking
into account foreseen and possible enemies, today and in the future.
However, one should also proceed with the consideration that a military
command could be a most effective means for solving the internal needs
of the state. We, however, don’t have the need, the special need, to
solve consolidation of the existing order as it is the case in other
countries, but we have it, for example, in the Istria region. But
considering the situation we face with the liberation of occupied
territories, the demographic situation, it is necessary for military
command precisely to become one of the most efficient components of our
state politics in solving the current crucial problem, namely the
demographic situation of Croatia.
"Therefore, I called the vice president of the government and the
reconstruction and development minister, Dr. Radic, to this meeting, in
order to present, for the start of this debate, the current demographic
situation, because the distribution of authority, regions, brigades of
others, educational facilities, etc., can be a very beneficial and
effective way of solving the situation where we need to consolidate
Croatianhood as in Istria, and on the other hand to do it as soon as
possible--nowadays it is not about changing the makeup as much as about
populating certain towns, certain regions. If you establish towns,
greater authorities, educational facilities, etc., it means that tens
and hundreds of people will come to establish a family there and at
once we have a different situation, life, etc.”
Jure Radic then took the stand to share his ideas for “consolidating
Croationhood.”
JURE RADIC: Indeed, to be concise, I think it is well known to all of
us that after the liberation of Croatia, the main problem in Croatia is
the Croat. Simply, there are fewer and fewer Croats every day for a
couple of reasons. One of the reasons is exile, as many were moved out
of Croatia in the past because of political and economic reasons. The
other reason has to do with the fact that in the past 40 years, fewer
and fewer people are returning to Croatia every year. From 1953 until
today, the number of those born in Croatia has declined by half. In
1953, … there were 98,000 births, and last year, only 48,000, thus half
the number. This is certainly something that we in the army will
experience in a little while, when those who can carry a gun will be
fewer and fewer. We have black holes on the Croatian soil, where no
Croats live. This of course is a consequence of devised greater-Serbia
politics that intended, through the preparation of this aggression, to
create deserted regions, and when we look at today’s picture of
Croatia, we are counting on the premature return of all people to their
homes, something difficult to expect when many have gotten accustomed
to the surroundings of their exile …
"In this order of range, the critical area is the area that attempts a
division of Croatia’s narrowest part in half, a division that those
plotting in Belgrade and other places wanted to accomplish. Thus, from
our point of view, the area that gets first priority for population
consists of the former counties of Vrginmost, Vojnic, and part of the
Karlovac county. Thus, the region of Petrova Gora and the surrounding
mountains. Before the war, … 4,259 Croats and 26,298 Serbs lived in
these three counties. Thus, [it is] a completely empty region, and the
national priority No.1 is to populate that region with Croats and
create as much of a balance as possible. I think that we have to focus
on economic propulsion in towns that exist there, and these are
Vrginmost, Vojnic, and some larger villages such as Veljun, Krnjak,
etc."
TUDJMAN: We don’t have time for that. You present the situation, we’ll
make decisions afterward."
RADIC: That’s the critical point. Equally critical is the area
underneath, the Slunj area, where Croats have to return. This area is
also pretty empty, but fortunately, there weren’t any Serbs or there
were few. Thus, of equal concern from our point of view is this
red-blue area [pointing at a map] at the narrowest part of Croatia,
where Croatia was completely split. The next priority, ranging third,
depends on whether we will consider the regions in Herzeg-Bosna, or
Bosnia and Herzegovina, or not. It can be placed in order of importance
in regards to Croatia. If the liberated areas of Livno, Glamoc, Kupres,
Grahovo, and Drvar ever become populated by Croats, then the region of
Knin becomes less important." [Livno, Glamoc, Kupres, Grahovo, and
Drvar are Serb-populated towns in western Bosnia taken by the Croatian
Army in the aftermath of Operation Oluja].
TUDJMAN: If it ever happens."
RADIC: That’s why the decision is up to you whether it will happen or
not. If not, an equal third priority is everything in the former
counties of Donji Lapac and Knin. These are two split communities that
stretch along the Croatian border, with almost no Croats. In Knin there
were, for example, 1,660 Croats, in Srb 29, in Doljane none, and in
Donji Lapac 14."
TUDJMAN: Do you know how many there were after World War II,
approximately?
RADIC: In Knin, 60 percent of the population was Croatian after World
War II. I have the data but not with me right now.
TUDJMAN: What, 60 percent?
RADIC: Yes, 60 percent of Croats only in the city of Knin. … Knin was
small then. Thus, this entire region of Donji Lapac and Knin is a key
border region entirely devoid of Croats. I don’t know--I think it is
interesting that the ethnically purest community in Croatia was the
county of Donji Lapac, with over 99 percent Serbs. There is not one
county in Croatia that has over 98 percent Croats, according to a
prewar census from 1991, not one. There are in Herzegovina, four of
them …"
TUDJMAN: There aren’t any in Zagorje either."
At this point we will take a short break to note Radic's joy that in
the county of Slunj, there "weren't any Serbs," consequently to
establish that Tudjman and company were cold-bloodedly handling the
distribution of people in another country [Livno, Glamoc, Kupres,
Grahovo, and Drvar are in Bosnia and Herzegovina], and to notice that
the regions to be populated with Croats precisely overlap with the
regions dehumanized during Oluja. Dehumanization entailed hundreds of
liquidations of Serbian civilians, the departure of 200,000 people
considered unwanted by the [ruling] HDZ [Croatian Democratic Union] for
having the wrong names and surnames, the looting and burning of 15,000
to 20,000 Serb houses. … The goal of the listed activities was clear
and clearly stated: Krajina should never again be Serbian by majority.
Now we give the stage back to Tudjman …
TUDJMAN: Regarding the headquarters in the listed regions, operatively
and strategically speaking it is not normal that a fifth division is in
Osijek, Djakovo, and Pozega. Thus, primarily operatively, [I consider]
Karlovac and Petrinja. Here, due to political reasons, I would rather
go to Pazin than … you understand. Here I think that Knin is
indisputable, considering that we have school facilities in Knin, a
system more extensive than needed for civil schools in 50 years. Thus,
should we make use of that for the headquarters for the … does that
mean we should then have a high school?"
GOJKO SUSAK: There is enough space to bring in a guard brigade,
headquarters, and a school. We don’t have to invest anything, Mr.
President, all three will fit there."
TUDJMAN: I agree that we should make use of it and thus make Knin
Croatian fairly quickly. But I want to see what we will do with Gospic.
We also have to give Gospic some military institutions …"
CROATIAN ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL ZVONIMIR CERVENKO: Here, Mr.
President, we have a proposition for the operative distribution of
commands, it is item No. 2, so allow the general to present what we
think …"
TUDJMAN: I’m not sure whether Ploce, Metkovic, Neum would be the best,
but we can’t [consider that] for now." [Ploce and Metkovic are Croatian
towns on the Adriatic coast, while Neum is part of the Bosnian
Federation, also on the coast.]
SUSAK: No, no, … the headquarters should be on the other side of Neum,
not in Neum."
RADIC: If so, yes, precisely the other side."
TUDJMAN: Where?"
SUSAK: South of Neum."
TUDJMAN: Maybe Ston."
And it was, naturally, Ston, but the most important is the recognition
that Tudjman had intensively thought about making Knin “Croatian fairly
quickly,” and that in August 1995 he still thought … that it was
impossible to install military headquarters in Neum as the furthest
region of southern Croatia. The headquarters for the military regions
(six regions of the Croatian armed forces where units, constituting
operational and administrative command) were finally established in
Pazin, Knin, Karlovac, Varazdin, Dakovo, and Ston, while Knin,
Karlovac, and Pazin were chosen to stabilize Croatianhood in those
regions after decades of instability. Knin and Karlovac were also
chosen in order to have more Catholic flesh transported from somewhere
(most probably Bosnia) to the regions--a guarantee for making Serbs
second-grade citizens and actively obstructing their return. The
following two dialogues from the shorthand report bear witness to that
very well …
GENERAL MAJOR VINKO VRBANAC: By liberating, Mr. President, this third
part of the occupied area of the Republic of Croatia, the present
conditions show, as you said in the introduction, that a change in
population needs to occur by military means."
TUDJMAN: We have the fortunate situation that the liberation demands a
distribution of military units that would simultaneously solve the
demographical [aspect]."
RADIC: Vojnic and Vrginmost are the most critical counties. In one of
those counties one should have at least some …"
TUDJMAN: Not only one, but both. If not a whole unit, at least a
company should be placed there, without a compromise, please. Let‘s
move on."
And then the grand finale of the Pantovcak session happens. Near the
very end, Tudjman addresses his favorite topic, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
and complains to his chief assistants about the world idiots [leaders]
that didn’t recognize the genius of his Bosnian adventures.
TUDJMAN: Maybe someone was watching when in the last pre-electoral
speech in 1990 I somewhat undiplomatically said that the borders of the
Croatian ‘pretzel’ were untenable,” says the commander, “but this
doesn’t mean that we accidentally created the Croatian Republic of
Herzeg-Bosna and the HVO, and are now conducting those operations
there. It is true that never in Croatian history have Croatian soldiers
controlled more territory than now, but it's clear that in a formally
administrative sense we can't yet organize differently than we have
proposed. You know, in this formation, after creating such an army and
politically succeeding in demoralizing Serbianhood and its army, if
there were any international circumstances and wisdom, if they had let
us, if they had told me, ‘we won’t allow Yugoslav air traffic, rockets
provided by Russians, etc. to engage against Croatia,’ we could have
said today, after [operations] Ljeto (Summer) and Oluja, we could have
borders that would fit Croatia, and the rest of the world as well. But
considering that there is no such wisdom, we have to discuss things
under these circumstances, and ignore what we have accomplished in
terms of Croatian interests and the Croatian state.”
And this is how Tudjman spoke in August of 1995.
This transcript--together with hundreds of others located at The
Hague--testifies to the fact that the former Croatian authorities
carefully planned, prepared, and carried out the ethnic cleansing of
Krajina Serbs. From the forged leaflets distributed in Krajina before
Operation Oluja, asking Serbs to flee, to post-Oluja days when from
Knin to Dvor na Uni mass murders and burnings of houses took place, to
later weeks and months when the ethnically cleansed regions were
sometimes successfully populated with Croatian settlers brought
together by poverty. They were assigned Serbian houses spared by the
flames and the dynamite, in order to exclude the possibility of a
return of the unwanted. And that wasn't the only method used to stop
their return.
Finally, it is unclear why individuals from the current Croatian
government, who sent kilograms upon kilograms of Tudjman's transcripts
to The Hague, are today fanatically defending Ante Gotovina [suspected
war criminal indicted by the ICTY], claiming that no ethnic cleansing
took place in Krajina. It would be better if they spoke to, let's say,
Jure Radic, about that issue.
---
Translated by Mirna Skrbic.
The news items posted on TOL Wire have been edited by TOL staff with
only minor changes to the original content. Larger additions are marked
as follows: [TOL editor's note].
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(english)
1. Family of murdered Croatian war crimes witness seeks
damages
2. TRANSCRIPT OF FRANJO TUDJMAN'S MILITARY STAFF MEETING SHORTLY AFTER
OPERATION STORM
=== 1 ===
http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/dv/Qwarcrimes-croatia.RHix_DyT.html
Family of murdered Croatian war crimes witness seeks
damages
(2003)
ZAGREB, May 29 (AFP) - The family of a Croatian man
who was murdered after testifying in war crimes cases
linked to killings of ethnic Serbs in Croatia in 1991,
has filed for damages from the state, national radio
reported Thursday.
The wife and the son of Milan Levar filed the suit at
a Zagreb court seeking almost one million kuna in
damages (133,000 euros, 157,000 dollars), accusing the
state of not doing enough to prevent his killing.
He was killed "in a terrorist act which the state
should have prevented," the two claim.
Levar, a witness for the UN war crimes tribunal, was
killed in August 2000 whan a device planted in front
of his house in the central town of Gospic exploded.
Noone has been charged over the killing.
Levar's family are seeking compensation for emotional
distress.
Levar hit the headlines in Croatia in 1997 when he
voluntarily travelled to The Hague-based UN tribunal
to testify over atrocities committed by Croatian
forces against Serb civilians in the Gospic region at
the outbreak of the 1991-95 Serbo-Croatian war.
He made allegations in the local press accusing
high-ranking Croatian officers of organising the
systematic killing of ethnic Serbs in the area.
One of them, retired general Mirko Norac, was
sentenced earlier this year by a local court to 12
years in jail for the executions of at least 50 ethnic
Serb civilians in the Gospic region in 1991.
At the time of Levar's killing, the UN tribunal said
that it had offered him protective measures after
questioning him on alleged Croatian war crimes, but
that he had voiced a wish to remain in Croatia.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 1998 requested the Croatian
government provide protection for Levar.
He had warned police that he had been receiving
threats, and in previous incidents a bomb was thrown
at his house and a mine mine planted under his car.
=== 2 ===
TRANSCRIPT OF FRANJO TUDJMAN'S MILITARY STAFF MEETING SHORTLY AFTER
OPERATION STORM
These transcripts contain some significant material. Focus on the
actual transcript, and ignore Feral Tribune's propaganda commentary
about the "Serb occupation" of the Krajina.
Feral Tribune (Croatia) / Translated by TOL - July 17, 2003
---
http://www.tol.cz/look/wire/
article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=10&NrIssue=733&NrSection=1&NrArti
cle=10051
Historical Transcript: Tudjman on Ethnic Cleansing
Feral Tribune publishes transcripts of former Croatian President Franjo
Tudjman's secret staff meeting, held shortly after Croatian forces
retook control of Serb-occupied territory in 1995.
CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN: The demographic problem should be
solved militarily.
"One should proceed with the consideration that a military command
could be a most effective means for solving the internal needs of the
state. Considering the situation we face with the liberation of
occupied territories, the demographic situation, it is necessary for
military command precisely to become one of the most efficient
components of our state policies in solving the demographic situation
of Croatia. We have to consolidate Croatianhood in Istria and populate
certain parts. … We didn’t accidentally create the Croatian Republic of
Herzeg-Bosna [a Croatian wartime self-proclaimed entity in Bosnia] and
the Croatian Defense Council (HVO) [the Croat militia in Bosnia].
"We have, as you see, despite everything, despite all the
circumstances, created an admired army. Therefore, we will solve that
too."
It was with these historical words that Tudjman addressed the members
of his military establishment on 23 August 1995, after they gathered
that morning in the presidential palace at Pantovcak. Tudjman’s words
were recorded in a transcript that--together with hundreds of other
records of the Pantovcak sessions … --has long been in the possession
of the prosecutors of The Hague [International Criminal Tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia]. Early this week, [the transcripts] reached the
Feral Tribune’s editorial office.
“We will solve that too” referred, in fact, to the violent
state-sponsored Croatization of territory that was, until the beginning
of August of that year, part of the so-called Republic of Srpska
Krajina [the self proclaimed Croatian Serb entity]. “We will solve that
too” was the code for the beginning of a broad campaign to cement the
results of ethnic cleansing that the Croatian authorities--with the
unselfish assistance of Krajina and Belgrade chiefs--realized through
Operation Oluja [Storm]. After military action, it was necessary to
radically change the ethnic picture of the liberated and “cleansed”
area.
Consequently, on 23 August 1995, at 10 a.m., Tudjman’s defense heads,
represented by Defense Minister Gojko Susak, Chief of Staff General
Zvonimir Cervenko, Major-General Vinko Vrbanac, Rear Admiral Davor
Domazet Loso, Colonel-General Josip Lucic, Colonel-General Imra Agotic,
Colonel-General Petar Stipetic, Admiral Sveto Letica, and Admiral
Davorin Kajic, assembled. The central role at the meeting, however,
wasn’t intended for any of the soldiers, but civilian Jure Radic,
former reconstruction and development minister and the supreme
commander’s main operator in the sophisticated question of ethnic
engineering. The settling of the deserted Krajina and the definite
“consolidation of Croatianhood” in the until-then “un-Croatian” regions
were the main topics of the session in Pantovcak.
We remind our readers that the transcript from the presidential palace
discussed here appeared 18 days after the end of Oluja. The atmosphere
is no longer particularly euphoric, but noticeably solemn and, above
all, worklike. It was necessary to think of a model that would bring
into action Tudjman’s instructions, addressed in a short dialogue with
Jure Radic, a dialogue that could function as the motto of the session.
“Vojnic,” said Radic, “had 76 Croats, and 7,600 Serbs.” Tudjman
responds: “Ok, now it’s going to be different.” [Vojnic is a town in
central Croatia.]
Supreme commander Tudjman intended to carry out his plan with the help
of the new territorial organization of Croatian armed forces. At the
very beginning of the meeting he stated the following: “Considering a
military-administrative command, or what we would consider division in
operational zones as we have addressed them up until now, as well as
the distribution of military units, one consequently needs to consider
the geopolitical stance and strategic interests of the country, taking
into account foreseen and possible enemies, today and in the future.
However, one should also proceed with the consideration that a military
command could be a most effective means for solving the internal needs
of the state. We, however, don’t have the need, the special need, to
solve consolidation of the existing order as it is the case in other
countries, but we have it, for example, in the Istria region. But
considering the situation we face with the liberation of occupied
territories, the demographic situation, it is necessary for military
command precisely to become one of the most efficient components of our
state politics in solving the current crucial problem, namely the
demographic situation of Croatia.
"Therefore, I called the vice president of the government and the
reconstruction and development minister, Dr. Radic, to this meeting, in
order to present, for the start of this debate, the current demographic
situation, because the distribution of authority, regions, brigades of
others, educational facilities, etc., can be a very beneficial and
effective way of solving the situation where we need to consolidate
Croatianhood as in Istria, and on the other hand to do it as soon as
possible--nowadays it is not about changing the makeup as much as about
populating certain towns, certain regions. If you establish towns,
greater authorities, educational facilities, etc., it means that tens
and hundreds of people will come to establish a family there and at
once we have a different situation, life, etc.”
Jure Radic then took the stand to share his ideas for “consolidating
Croationhood.”
JURE RADIC: Indeed, to be concise, I think it is well known to all of
us that after the liberation of Croatia, the main problem in Croatia is
the Croat. Simply, there are fewer and fewer Croats every day for a
couple of reasons. One of the reasons is exile, as many were moved out
of Croatia in the past because of political and economic reasons. The
other reason has to do with the fact that in the past 40 years, fewer
and fewer people are returning to Croatia every year. From 1953 until
today, the number of those born in Croatia has declined by half. In
1953, … there were 98,000 births, and last year, only 48,000, thus half
the number. This is certainly something that we in the army will
experience in a little while, when those who can carry a gun will be
fewer and fewer. We have black holes on the Croatian soil, where no
Croats live. This of course is a consequence of devised greater-Serbia
politics that intended, through the preparation of this aggression, to
create deserted regions, and when we look at today’s picture of
Croatia, we are counting on the premature return of all people to their
homes, something difficult to expect when many have gotten accustomed
to the surroundings of their exile …
"In this order of range, the critical area is the area that attempts a
division of Croatia’s narrowest part in half, a division that those
plotting in Belgrade and other places wanted to accomplish. Thus, from
our point of view, the area that gets first priority for population
consists of the former counties of Vrginmost, Vojnic, and part of the
Karlovac county. Thus, the region of Petrova Gora and the surrounding
mountains. Before the war, … 4,259 Croats and 26,298 Serbs lived in
these three counties. Thus, [it is] a completely empty region, and the
national priority No.1 is to populate that region with Croats and
create as much of a balance as possible. I think that we have to focus
on economic propulsion in towns that exist there, and these are
Vrginmost, Vojnic, and some larger villages such as Veljun, Krnjak,
etc."
TUDJMAN: We don’t have time for that. You present the situation, we’ll
make decisions afterward."
RADIC: That’s the critical point. Equally critical is the area
underneath, the Slunj area, where Croats have to return. This area is
also pretty empty, but fortunately, there weren’t any Serbs or there
were few. Thus, of equal concern from our point of view is this
red-blue area [pointing at a map] at the narrowest part of Croatia,
where Croatia was completely split. The next priority, ranging third,
depends on whether we will consider the regions in Herzeg-Bosna, or
Bosnia and Herzegovina, or not. It can be placed in order of importance
in regards to Croatia. If the liberated areas of Livno, Glamoc, Kupres,
Grahovo, and Drvar ever become populated by Croats, then the region of
Knin becomes less important." [Livno, Glamoc, Kupres, Grahovo, and
Drvar are Serb-populated towns in western Bosnia taken by the Croatian
Army in the aftermath of Operation Oluja].
TUDJMAN: If it ever happens."
RADIC: That’s why the decision is up to you whether it will happen or
not. If not, an equal third priority is everything in the former
counties of Donji Lapac and Knin. These are two split communities that
stretch along the Croatian border, with almost no Croats. In Knin there
were, for example, 1,660 Croats, in Srb 29, in Doljane none, and in
Donji Lapac 14."
TUDJMAN: Do you know how many there were after World War II,
approximately?
RADIC: In Knin, 60 percent of the population was Croatian after World
War II. I have the data but not with me right now.
TUDJMAN: What, 60 percent?
RADIC: Yes, 60 percent of Croats only in the city of Knin. … Knin was
small then. Thus, this entire region of Donji Lapac and Knin is a key
border region entirely devoid of Croats. I don’t know--I think it is
interesting that the ethnically purest community in Croatia was the
county of Donji Lapac, with over 99 percent Serbs. There is not one
county in Croatia that has over 98 percent Croats, according to a
prewar census from 1991, not one. There are in Herzegovina, four of
them …"
TUDJMAN: There aren’t any in Zagorje either."
At this point we will take a short break to note Radic's joy that in
the county of Slunj, there "weren't any Serbs," consequently to
establish that Tudjman and company were cold-bloodedly handling the
distribution of people in another country [Livno, Glamoc, Kupres,
Grahovo, and Drvar are in Bosnia and Herzegovina], and to notice that
the regions to be populated with Croats precisely overlap with the
regions dehumanized during Oluja. Dehumanization entailed hundreds of
liquidations of Serbian civilians, the departure of 200,000 people
considered unwanted by the [ruling] HDZ [Croatian Democratic Union] for
having the wrong names and surnames, the looting and burning of 15,000
to 20,000 Serb houses. … The goal of the listed activities was clear
and clearly stated: Krajina should never again be Serbian by majority.
Now we give the stage back to Tudjman …
TUDJMAN: Regarding the headquarters in the listed regions, operatively
and strategically speaking it is not normal that a fifth division is in
Osijek, Djakovo, and Pozega. Thus, primarily operatively, [I consider]
Karlovac and Petrinja. Here, due to political reasons, I would rather
go to Pazin than … you understand. Here I think that Knin is
indisputable, considering that we have school facilities in Knin, a
system more extensive than needed for civil schools in 50 years. Thus,
should we make use of that for the headquarters for the … does that
mean we should then have a high school?"
GOJKO SUSAK: There is enough space to bring in a guard brigade,
headquarters, and a school. We don’t have to invest anything, Mr.
President, all three will fit there."
TUDJMAN: I agree that we should make use of it and thus make Knin
Croatian fairly quickly. But I want to see what we will do with Gospic.
We also have to give Gospic some military institutions …"
CROATIAN ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL ZVONIMIR CERVENKO: Here, Mr.
President, we have a proposition for the operative distribution of
commands, it is item No. 2, so allow the general to present what we
think …"
TUDJMAN: I’m not sure whether Ploce, Metkovic, Neum would be the best,
but we can’t [consider that] for now." [Ploce and Metkovic are Croatian
towns on the Adriatic coast, while Neum is part of the Bosnian
Federation, also on the coast.]
SUSAK: No, no, … the headquarters should be on the other side of Neum,
not in Neum."
RADIC: If so, yes, precisely the other side."
TUDJMAN: Where?"
SUSAK: South of Neum."
TUDJMAN: Maybe Ston."
And it was, naturally, Ston, but the most important is the recognition
that Tudjman had intensively thought about making Knin “Croatian fairly
quickly,” and that in August 1995 he still thought … that it was
impossible to install military headquarters in Neum as the furthest
region of southern Croatia. The headquarters for the military regions
(six regions of the Croatian armed forces where units, constituting
operational and administrative command) were finally established in
Pazin, Knin, Karlovac, Varazdin, Dakovo, and Ston, while Knin,
Karlovac, and Pazin were chosen to stabilize Croatianhood in those
regions after decades of instability. Knin and Karlovac were also
chosen in order to have more Catholic flesh transported from somewhere
(most probably Bosnia) to the regions--a guarantee for making Serbs
second-grade citizens and actively obstructing their return. The
following two dialogues from the shorthand report bear witness to that
very well …
GENERAL MAJOR VINKO VRBANAC: By liberating, Mr. President, this third
part of the occupied area of the Republic of Croatia, the present
conditions show, as you said in the introduction, that a change in
population needs to occur by military means."
TUDJMAN: We have the fortunate situation that the liberation demands a
distribution of military units that would simultaneously solve the
demographical [aspect]."
RADIC: Vojnic and Vrginmost are the most critical counties. In one of
those counties one should have at least some …"
TUDJMAN: Not only one, but both. If not a whole unit, at least a
company should be placed there, without a compromise, please. Let‘s
move on."
And then the grand finale of the Pantovcak session happens. Near the
very end, Tudjman addresses his favorite topic, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
and complains to his chief assistants about the world idiots [leaders]
that didn’t recognize the genius of his Bosnian adventures.
TUDJMAN: Maybe someone was watching when in the last pre-electoral
speech in 1990 I somewhat undiplomatically said that the borders of the
Croatian ‘pretzel’ were untenable,” says the commander, “but this
doesn’t mean that we accidentally created the Croatian Republic of
Herzeg-Bosna and the HVO, and are now conducting those operations
there. It is true that never in Croatian history have Croatian soldiers
controlled more territory than now, but it's clear that in a formally
administrative sense we can't yet organize differently than we have
proposed. You know, in this formation, after creating such an army and
politically succeeding in demoralizing Serbianhood and its army, if
there were any international circumstances and wisdom, if they had let
us, if they had told me, ‘we won’t allow Yugoslav air traffic, rockets
provided by Russians, etc. to engage against Croatia,’ we could have
said today, after [operations] Ljeto (Summer) and Oluja, we could have
borders that would fit Croatia, and the rest of the world as well. But
considering that there is no such wisdom, we have to discuss things
under these circumstances, and ignore what we have accomplished in
terms of Croatian interests and the Croatian state.”
And this is how Tudjman spoke in August of 1995.
This transcript--together with hundreds of others located at The
Hague--testifies to the fact that the former Croatian authorities
carefully planned, prepared, and carried out the ethnic cleansing of
Krajina Serbs. From the forged leaflets distributed in Krajina before
Operation Oluja, asking Serbs to flee, to post-Oluja days when from
Knin to Dvor na Uni mass murders and burnings of houses took place, to
later weeks and months when the ethnically cleansed regions were
sometimes successfully populated with Croatian settlers brought
together by poverty. They were assigned Serbian houses spared by the
flames and the dynamite, in order to exclude the possibility of a
return of the unwanted. And that wasn't the only method used to stop
their return.
Finally, it is unclear why individuals from the current Croatian
government, who sent kilograms upon kilograms of Tudjman's transcripts
to The Hague, are today fanatically defending Ante Gotovina [suspected
war criminal indicted by the ICTY], claiming that no ethnic cleansing
took place in Krajina. It would be better if they spoke to, let's say,
Jure Radic, about that issue.
---
Translated by Mirna Skrbic.
The news items posted on TOL Wire have been edited by TOL staff with
only minor changes to the original content. Larger additions are marked
as follows: [TOL editor's note].
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Un profilo di George Soros
(For this text in english see:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2547
See also important related news at:
George Soros' agenda for the Balkans
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2525 )
Il miliardario che è diventato il re senza corona
dell'Europa orientale e profeta della ''the open
society''. Ma aperta a cosa?
George Soros visto da Neil Clark
George Soros è arrabbiato. In comune con il 90% della
popolazione mondiale, l'uomo che ha distrutto la Bank
of England ne ha abbastanza del presidente Bush e
della sua politica estera. In un articolo recente sul
Financial Times, Soros condanna la politica verso
l'Iraq dell'amministrazione, definendola
"fondamentalmente sbagliata" - basata sulla "falsa
ideologia che gli USA deve dare il diritto di imporre
le sue volontà al resto del Mondo ".
Wow! Uno degli uomini più ricchi del mondo,
l'archetipo amorale del capitalista che fa i miliardi
con il crack del 1997 dell'estremo oriente e che
l'anno scorso è finito davanti a un tribunale in
Francia per insider trading, è illuminato in età
avanzata? (ha 72 anni) dobbiamo stappare champagne e
brindare alla sua conversione?
Non prima di domandarci cosa lo motiva per davvero. A
Soros piace presentarsi come un outsider, un emigrato
ungherese dallo spirito libero e filosofo-saggio che
si distacca dal complesso militare-industriale degli
USA. Ma date una occhiata ai membri della commissione
delle ONG che organizza e finanzia. Presso Human
Rights Watch, per esempio, vi è Morton Abramowitz,
assistente segretario di stato Usa per l'intelligence
e ricerche nel 1985-89, e adesso è membro
dell'interventista del Council on Foreign Relations;
l'ex-ambasciatore Warren Zimmerman (il cui discorso in
Yugoslavia coincise con la distruzione del paese); e
Paul Goble, direttore delle comunicazioni della Radio
Free Europe/Radio Liberty della CIA (che Soros
finanzia). L'International Crisis Group di Soros si
avvale di "indipendenti" luminari come gli ex
consiglieri della sicurezza nazionale Zbigniew
Brzezinski e Richard Allen, come del Generale Wesley
Clark, una volta comandante supremo alleato della Nato
per l'Europa. Il gruppo del Il vice-presidente del
gruppo è l'ex-deputato Stephen Solarz, già descritto
come il "capo legislatore della lobby Israeliana e
tattico di Capitol Hill" e firmatario, assieme a
Richard Perle e Paul Wolfowitz, di una nota lettera
al presidente Clinton nel 1998 che chiedeva una
"comprensiva strategia politica e militare per
abbattere Saddam e il suo regime".
Date uno sguardo ai soci di Soros. Alla Carlyle Group,
dove ha investito più che altrove, sono presenti
l'ex-segretario di stato James Baker e il segretario
della difesa Frank Carlucci, George Bush Sr e, fino di
recente, gli strani parenti di Osama Bin Laden.
Carlyle, uno delle più grandi fondazioni private del
mondo che ottiene finanziamenti dal suo lavoro come
contraente della difesa.
Soros non é, come qualcuno ha suggerito, un agente
della CIA. Ma le sue aziende e le ONG sono così
strettamente legate all'espansionismo USA che non vi
si può dubitare in modo serio.
Così perché attacca Bush? La risposta è semplice.
Soros è arrabbiato non per le mire di Bush, estendere
la Pax Americana e rendere il mondo sicuro per il
capitalisti globali come lui stesso, ma con il modo
crasso e accecato di Bush di procedere. Rendendo
chiare le ambizioni USA, la banda Bush ha commesso il
peccato capitale di sabotare il gioco. Per anni, Soros
e le sue ONG hanno lavorato per estendere i confini
del "mondo libero" in modo così abile che nessuno se
ne è accorto. Adesso il Texano ubriacone e la banda di
fanatici neo-conservatori l'hanno scoperto.
Come uomo di cultura e raffinato (laurea in filosofia
della London School of Economics, laurea honoris causa
delle Università di Oxford, Yale, Bologna e Budapest),
Soros sa assai bene che gli imperi finiscono quando
fanno il passo troppo lungo e provocano la formazione
di alleanze avversarie. Comprende che l'approccio di
Clinton al multilateralismo, e che gli allettamenti e
bustarelle USA non sono mai stati così crudi come
minacciato, è il solo che permetterà all'impero di
durare. La politica di Bush ha diviso l'Europa, la
Nato- è allo sbando, la genesi della nuova alleanza
Franco-Germanica-Russa e il primo passo significativo
verso l'unità araba dai tempi di Nasser.
Soros sa molto bene, che armato con qualche miliardo
di dollari, con una manciata di ONG e con dei legami
con il Dipartimento di Stato USA, è perfettamente
possibile rovesciare i governi stranieri che si
oppongono al business, controllarne gli indirizzi e
perfino essere ringraziati per la benevolenza. Soros
l'ha fatto.
La visione convenzionale, condivisa da molti a
sinistra è che il socialismo
È collassato in Europa Orientale a causa della sua
debolezza strutturale e per il fallimento della élite
politica nel costruire un supporto popolare. Ciò è
parzialmente vero, ma il ruolo di Soros è cruciale.
Dal 1979, ha finanziato i dissidenti come Solidarnosc
in Polonia, Charta 77 in Cecoslovacchia e Andrei
Sakharov in Unione Sovietica. Nel 1984, fondò il suo
primo Open Society Institute in Ungheria e fornì
milioni di dollari ai movimenti di opposizione e ai
media indipendenti.
Puntando in modo ostensivo a costruire una "società
civile", tali iniziative furono designate per
indebolire le strutture politiche esistenti e aprire
la strada alla colonizzazione dell'Europa orientale da
parte del capitale globale.
Soros adesso dichiara, con tipica immodestia, che è il
nuovo responsabile per l'"Americanizzazione"
dell'Europa Orientale.
Gli jugoslavi sosteneva e eleggevano l'irriformabile
governo di Slobodan Milosevic e del suo Partito
Socialista. Soros accettò la sfida. Dal 1991, il suo
Open Society Institute canalizzò fondi alla
opposizione anti-Milosevic, fondando partiti politici,
case editrici e media "indipendenti" come Radio B92,
la piccola e sgangherata stazione radio studentesca
secondo la mitologia occidentale è in realtà
finanziata da uno degli uomini più ricchi del mondo
appartenente alla nazione più potente del mondo. Con
Slobo finalmente rovesciato nel 2000 in un colpo di
stato, pianificato e eseguito a Washington, assieme
alla messinscena della consegna del leader
ex-jugoslavo al tribunale dell'Aja, cofinanziato da
Soros assieme a altri custodi dei diritti umani come
Time Warner Corporation e Disney.
È stato accusato di crimini contro l'umanità, crimini
di guerra e di genocidio basati su prove orali di
(provate a vedere) Human Rights Watch.
Soros sottolinea il suo credo verso la "open society"
proposta dal filosofo Karl Popper, suo maestro nei
primi anni '50. La definizione di Soros della "open
society", "una società imperfetta che cerca di
migliorarsi society, sembra ragionevole, pochi amanti
della libertà genuina considerano il suo aspetto
centrale che "la open society è una forma di
organizzazione sociale più sofisticata del
totalitarismo". Ma la "open societies" di Soros non
funzionano in pratica.
Fin dalla caduta di Milosevic, la Serbia, sotto gli
auspici dei riformisti filo-Soros, è divenuta meno,
non più, libera. La recente instaurazione dello stato
di emergenza vede più di 4,000 persone agli arresti,
molti dei quali senza accuse formali, i partiti
politici sono minacciati di bando e giornali critici
di chiusura. È stato condannato dalla commissione
dell'ONU per i diritti umani e dal British Helsinki
Group. Ma non vi sono voci dall'Open Society Institute
o da Soros stesso. Inoltre, Soros è stato assai
critico verso il suo ex protetto Leonid Kuchma,
presidente dell'Ukraina, paese descritto dall'ex
ufficiale dell'intelligence Mykola Melnychenko come
"un grande racket del pizzo", e adesso lo stato
poliziesco più repressivo, possibilmente, dell'Europa.
Ma generalmente la triste conclusione è che per le sue
citazioni liberali di Popper, Soros vuole una società
"aperta" non al rispetto dei diritti umani e alle
libertà basilari. Ma "aperta" a lui e ai suoi soci
nel fare soldi. E Soros ha fatto soldi in ogni nazione
che ha aiutato a essere "open".
In Kosovo, per esempio, ha investito tentando di
ottenere il controllo del complesso minerario di
Trepca , dove vi sono vaste riserve do oro,
argento, piombo e altri minerali di valore della
regione. Ha ripetuto lo stesso copione in tutta
l'Europa orientale: chiedendo la "terapia shock " e
"riforme economiche", permettendo ai suoi soci di
comprare i beni di uno stato abbattendone i prezzi.
A più di dieci anni dopo la caduta del muro di
Berlino, Soros è il re senza corona dell'Europa
Orientale. Il suo Central European University, con
campus a Budapest, Varsavia e Praga e programmi di
scambio negli USA, sfacciatamente spaccia l'etica del
capitalismo neoliberale e clona la prossima
generazione pro-USA di leaders politici della regione.
Con la sua presa finanziaria sui partiti,
il business, gli enti scolastici e le arti, le
critiche a Soros nei media ufficiali dell'Europea
Orinatale sono difficili da trovare.
Non è agiografia. Il Budapest Sun riportava come a
febbraio sia divenuto cittadino onorario di Budapest a
opera del sindaco Gabor Demszky.
"Pochi hanno dato a Budapest quello che ha dato George
Soros" diceva Demszky, parlando del miliardario che
aveva fornito "il cambiamento strutturale e
mentale nella capitale e in Ungheria stesso ". Il
sindaco sbagliò nell'aggiungere Soros come benefattore
del partito di Demszky, i Liberi Democratici, che,
governando con i comunisti "riformati", ha perseguito
la classica agenda di Soros di privatizzazione e
liberalizzazione economica
aumentando il gap tra ricchi e poveri.
la strategia di Soros per estendere la Pax Americana
differisce da quella di Bush, è molto più sottile. Ma
è ambiziosa, e mortale. I liberali di sinistra
ammirano il suo sostegno verso qualche loro problema
favorito come i diritti dei gay e la legalizzazione
delle droghe leggere (Pannella e Camerati in Italia;
NdC), lasciandolo nell'oscurità.
Alla domanda sul pericolo della sua speculazione
basata sul crack delle economie dell'Estremo Oriente
nel 1997, Soros rispose: "Come partecipe del mercato,
io non ho bisogno di preoccuparmi delle conseguenze
delle mie azioni." Strane paorle da un uomo che si
presenta attento alla salvaguardia dei valori della
società civile e che scrive libri contro il
"fondamentalismo del mercato".
L'articolo è apparso sul New Statesman.
http://www.newstatesman.com/
Traduzione di Alessandro Lattanzio
Email: alexlattanzio@...
Sito: http://members.xoom.it/sitoaurora
Sul ruolo di Soros nello sfascio dei Balcani si veda anche:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2525
(For this text in english see:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2547
See also important related news at:
George Soros' agenda for the Balkans
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2525 )
Il miliardario che è diventato il re senza corona
dell'Europa orientale e profeta della ''the open
society''. Ma aperta a cosa?
George Soros visto da Neil Clark
George Soros è arrabbiato. In comune con il 90% della
popolazione mondiale, l'uomo che ha distrutto la Bank
of England ne ha abbastanza del presidente Bush e
della sua politica estera. In un articolo recente sul
Financial Times, Soros condanna la politica verso
l'Iraq dell'amministrazione, definendola
"fondamentalmente sbagliata" - basata sulla "falsa
ideologia che gli USA deve dare il diritto di imporre
le sue volontà al resto del Mondo ".
Wow! Uno degli uomini più ricchi del mondo,
l'archetipo amorale del capitalista che fa i miliardi
con il crack del 1997 dell'estremo oriente e che
l'anno scorso è finito davanti a un tribunale in
Francia per insider trading, è illuminato in età
avanzata? (ha 72 anni) dobbiamo stappare champagne e
brindare alla sua conversione?
Non prima di domandarci cosa lo motiva per davvero. A
Soros piace presentarsi come un outsider, un emigrato
ungherese dallo spirito libero e filosofo-saggio che
si distacca dal complesso militare-industriale degli
USA. Ma date una occhiata ai membri della commissione
delle ONG che organizza e finanzia. Presso Human
Rights Watch, per esempio, vi è Morton Abramowitz,
assistente segretario di stato Usa per l'intelligence
e ricerche nel 1985-89, e adesso è membro
dell'interventista del Council on Foreign Relations;
l'ex-ambasciatore Warren Zimmerman (il cui discorso in
Yugoslavia coincise con la distruzione del paese); e
Paul Goble, direttore delle comunicazioni della Radio
Free Europe/Radio Liberty della CIA (che Soros
finanzia). L'International Crisis Group di Soros si
avvale di "indipendenti" luminari come gli ex
consiglieri della sicurezza nazionale Zbigniew
Brzezinski e Richard Allen, come del Generale Wesley
Clark, una volta comandante supremo alleato della Nato
per l'Europa. Il gruppo del Il vice-presidente del
gruppo è l'ex-deputato Stephen Solarz, già descritto
come il "capo legislatore della lobby Israeliana e
tattico di Capitol Hill" e firmatario, assieme a
Richard Perle e Paul Wolfowitz, di una nota lettera
al presidente Clinton nel 1998 che chiedeva una
"comprensiva strategia politica e militare per
abbattere Saddam e il suo regime".
Date uno sguardo ai soci di Soros. Alla Carlyle Group,
dove ha investito più che altrove, sono presenti
l'ex-segretario di stato James Baker e il segretario
della difesa Frank Carlucci, George Bush Sr e, fino di
recente, gli strani parenti di Osama Bin Laden.
Carlyle, uno delle più grandi fondazioni private del
mondo che ottiene finanziamenti dal suo lavoro come
contraente della difesa.
Soros non é, come qualcuno ha suggerito, un agente
della CIA. Ma le sue aziende e le ONG sono così
strettamente legate all'espansionismo USA che non vi
si può dubitare in modo serio.
Così perché attacca Bush? La risposta è semplice.
Soros è arrabbiato non per le mire di Bush, estendere
la Pax Americana e rendere il mondo sicuro per il
capitalisti globali come lui stesso, ma con il modo
crasso e accecato di Bush di procedere. Rendendo
chiare le ambizioni USA, la banda Bush ha commesso il
peccato capitale di sabotare il gioco. Per anni, Soros
e le sue ONG hanno lavorato per estendere i confini
del "mondo libero" in modo così abile che nessuno se
ne è accorto. Adesso il Texano ubriacone e la banda di
fanatici neo-conservatori l'hanno scoperto.
Come uomo di cultura e raffinato (laurea in filosofia
della London School of Economics, laurea honoris causa
delle Università di Oxford, Yale, Bologna e Budapest),
Soros sa assai bene che gli imperi finiscono quando
fanno il passo troppo lungo e provocano la formazione
di alleanze avversarie. Comprende che l'approccio di
Clinton al multilateralismo, e che gli allettamenti e
bustarelle USA non sono mai stati così crudi come
minacciato, è il solo che permetterà all'impero di
durare. La politica di Bush ha diviso l'Europa, la
Nato- è allo sbando, la genesi della nuova alleanza
Franco-Germanica-Russa e il primo passo significativo
verso l'unità araba dai tempi di Nasser.
Soros sa molto bene, che armato con qualche miliardo
di dollari, con una manciata di ONG e con dei legami
con il Dipartimento di Stato USA, è perfettamente
possibile rovesciare i governi stranieri che si
oppongono al business, controllarne gli indirizzi e
perfino essere ringraziati per la benevolenza. Soros
l'ha fatto.
La visione convenzionale, condivisa da molti a
sinistra è che il socialismo
È collassato in Europa Orientale a causa della sua
debolezza strutturale e per il fallimento della élite
politica nel costruire un supporto popolare. Ciò è
parzialmente vero, ma il ruolo di Soros è cruciale.
Dal 1979, ha finanziato i dissidenti come Solidarnosc
in Polonia, Charta 77 in Cecoslovacchia e Andrei
Sakharov in Unione Sovietica. Nel 1984, fondò il suo
primo Open Society Institute in Ungheria e fornì
milioni di dollari ai movimenti di opposizione e ai
media indipendenti.
Puntando in modo ostensivo a costruire una "società
civile", tali iniziative furono designate per
indebolire le strutture politiche esistenti e aprire
la strada alla colonizzazione dell'Europa orientale da
parte del capitale globale.
Soros adesso dichiara, con tipica immodestia, che è il
nuovo responsabile per l'"Americanizzazione"
dell'Europa Orientale.
Gli jugoslavi sosteneva e eleggevano l'irriformabile
governo di Slobodan Milosevic e del suo Partito
Socialista. Soros accettò la sfida. Dal 1991, il suo
Open Society Institute canalizzò fondi alla
opposizione anti-Milosevic, fondando partiti politici,
case editrici e media "indipendenti" come Radio B92,
la piccola e sgangherata stazione radio studentesca
secondo la mitologia occidentale è in realtà
finanziata da uno degli uomini più ricchi del mondo
appartenente alla nazione più potente del mondo. Con
Slobo finalmente rovesciato nel 2000 in un colpo di
stato, pianificato e eseguito a Washington, assieme
alla messinscena della consegna del leader
ex-jugoslavo al tribunale dell'Aja, cofinanziato da
Soros assieme a altri custodi dei diritti umani come
Time Warner Corporation e Disney.
È stato accusato di crimini contro l'umanità, crimini
di guerra e di genocidio basati su prove orali di
(provate a vedere) Human Rights Watch.
Soros sottolinea il suo credo verso la "open society"
proposta dal filosofo Karl Popper, suo maestro nei
primi anni '50. La definizione di Soros della "open
society", "una società imperfetta che cerca di
migliorarsi society, sembra ragionevole, pochi amanti
della libertà genuina considerano il suo aspetto
centrale che "la open society è una forma di
organizzazione sociale più sofisticata del
totalitarismo". Ma la "open societies" di Soros non
funzionano in pratica.
Fin dalla caduta di Milosevic, la Serbia, sotto gli
auspici dei riformisti filo-Soros, è divenuta meno,
non più, libera. La recente instaurazione dello stato
di emergenza vede più di 4,000 persone agli arresti,
molti dei quali senza accuse formali, i partiti
politici sono minacciati di bando e giornali critici
di chiusura. È stato condannato dalla commissione
dell'ONU per i diritti umani e dal British Helsinki
Group. Ma non vi sono voci dall'Open Society Institute
o da Soros stesso. Inoltre, Soros è stato assai
critico verso il suo ex protetto Leonid Kuchma,
presidente dell'Ukraina, paese descritto dall'ex
ufficiale dell'intelligence Mykola Melnychenko come
"un grande racket del pizzo", e adesso lo stato
poliziesco più repressivo, possibilmente, dell'Europa.
Ma generalmente la triste conclusione è che per le sue
citazioni liberali di Popper, Soros vuole una società
"aperta" non al rispetto dei diritti umani e alle
libertà basilari. Ma "aperta" a lui e ai suoi soci
nel fare soldi. E Soros ha fatto soldi in ogni nazione
che ha aiutato a essere "open".
In Kosovo, per esempio, ha investito tentando di
ottenere il controllo del complesso minerario di
Trepca , dove vi sono vaste riserve do oro,
argento, piombo e altri minerali di valore della
regione. Ha ripetuto lo stesso copione in tutta
l'Europa orientale: chiedendo la "terapia shock " e
"riforme economiche", permettendo ai suoi soci di
comprare i beni di uno stato abbattendone i prezzi.
A più di dieci anni dopo la caduta del muro di
Berlino, Soros è il re senza corona dell'Europa
Orientale. Il suo Central European University, con
campus a Budapest, Varsavia e Praga e programmi di
scambio negli USA, sfacciatamente spaccia l'etica del
capitalismo neoliberale e clona la prossima
generazione pro-USA di leaders politici della regione.
Con la sua presa finanziaria sui partiti,
il business, gli enti scolastici e le arti, le
critiche a Soros nei media ufficiali dell'Europea
Orinatale sono difficili da trovare.
Non è agiografia. Il Budapest Sun riportava come a
febbraio sia divenuto cittadino onorario di Budapest a
opera del sindaco Gabor Demszky.
"Pochi hanno dato a Budapest quello che ha dato George
Soros" diceva Demszky, parlando del miliardario che
aveva fornito "il cambiamento strutturale e
mentale nella capitale e in Ungheria stesso ". Il
sindaco sbagliò nell'aggiungere Soros come benefattore
del partito di Demszky, i Liberi Democratici, che,
governando con i comunisti "riformati", ha perseguito
la classica agenda di Soros di privatizzazione e
liberalizzazione economica
aumentando il gap tra ricchi e poveri.
la strategia di Soros per estendere la Pax Americana
differisce da quella di Bush, è molto più sottile. Ma
è ambiziosa, e mortale. I liberali di sinistra
ammirano il suo sostegno verso qualche loro problema
favorito come i diritti dei gay e la legalizzazione
delle droghe leggere (Pannella e Camerati in Italia;
NdC), lasciandolo nell'oscurità.
Alla domanda sul pericolo della sua speculazione
basata sul crack delle economie dell'Estremo Oriente
nel 1997, Soros rispose: "Come partecipe del mercato,
io non ho bisogno di preoccuparmi delle conseguenze
delle mie azioni." Strane paorle da un uomo che si
presenta attento alla salvaguardia dei valori della
società civile e che scrive libri contro il
"fondamentalismo del mercato".
L'articolo è apparso sul New Statesman.
http://www.newstatesman.com/
Traduzione di Alessandro Lattanzio
Email: alexlattanzio@...
Sito: http://members.xoom.it/sitoaurora
Sul ruolo di Soros nello sfascio dei Balcani si veda anche:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2525
(italiano / english)
Yugoslavia and the Jews
1. Israeli Officials in Croatia and Serbia
A: CROAZIA-ISRAELE: KATSAV PRIMO PRESIDENTE ISRAELE A ZAGABRIA
Israeli president remembers the jewish victims of Croatian wartime
death camp Jasenovac (11/7/2003)
B: SERBIA-ISRAELE: L'AMBASCIATORE SHANI DECORATO PER AVERE APPOGGIATO
IL GOLPE DELLA DOS?
Israel ambassador decorated in Belgrade (3/3/2003)
=== A ===
CROAZIA-ISRAELE: UNA VISITA CHE LASCIA TROPPI INTERROGATIVI
Il presidente israeliano Katsav, in visita ufficiale a Zagabria, ha
avuto innegabilmente un grande merito: ha sbattuto in faccia ai
parlamentari dello staterello croato, riuniti nel loro "Sabor", la
storia eroica della Lotta Popolare di Liberazione, che spazzo' via i
nazifascisti ed i loro collaboratori ustascia nel corso della II Guerra
Mondiale.
Ciononostante, la visita presenta lati profondamente contraddittori e
lascia aperti molti legittimi interrogativi:
- Perche' e' stata effettuata, e come fa Katsav a dirsi "molto felice"
di essere giunto in Croazia, staterello fondato dai successori degli
ustascia attraverso la violenza ai danni di centinaia di migliaia di
persone?
- Che cosa ne pensa Katsav dello squartamento della Repubblica
Federativa Socialista di Jugoslavia, e perche' Israele non ha mai
denunciato che esso stava avvenendo per mano di neonazisti?
- Per quale motivo i dispacci di agenzia sulla visita riportano la
visita al lager di Jasenovac minimizzando sul genocidio compiuto ai
danni dei serbi durante il nazifascismo? Si noti infatti che le cifre
riportate per le vittime dello sterminio sono quelle sostenute dalla
pubblicistica revisionista di Tudjman (80mila vittime anziche' 700mila).
- E' opportuno che a ricordare ai croati l'antifascismo sia il
presidente di uno Stato fondato sulla epurazione etnica ("transfer") ai
danni della popolazione autoctona del suo territorio, cioe' i
palestinesi?
Italo Slavo
CROATIA-ISRAEL: A VISIT WHICH LEAVES SO MANY OPEN QUESTIONS
The Israeli President Katsav, in his official visit to Zagreb, did one
very good thing, for sure: he remembered in front of the MPs of this
small State, gathered in their "Sabor", the heroic history of the
Popular Struggle for Liberation (NOB) which defeated nazi-fascists and
their ustasha collaborateurs during World War II.
However, this visit presents some very contradictory aspects and leaves
many legitime questions unanswered:
- Why has the visit been organized, and how can Katsav be "very glad"
of being in Croatia, this small State which has been created by the
followers of the ustasha through violence against hundreds of thousands
of people?
- What does Katsav think about the butcher-like distruction of the
Federative Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia and why did Israel never
officially complained about it being realized by hand of neo-nazis?
- Why do the agency reports about the trip refer to Katsav visit in
Jasenovac minimizing the genocide suffered by the Serbs during World
War II? Please note that the figures of the extermination are the same
adopted by the revisionist literature of Tudjman (80.000 instead of
700.000).
- Is it normal that the antifascist values are reminded to the Croats
by the President of a State which was created thorugh ethnic cleansing
("transfer") of the original population of its territory, i.e. the
Palestinians?
Italo Slavo
---
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/croazia/croazia.shtml
CROAZIA-ISRAELE: KATSAV PRIMO PRESIDENTE ISRAELE A ZAGABRIA
(ANSA) - ZAGABRIA, 11 LUG - Il presidente israeliano Moshe Katsav e'
arrivato oggi a Zagabria per una visita di tre giorni, la prima di un
capo dello stato ebraico in Croazia. Katsav si e' incontrato
stamani con il presidente croato Stipe Mesic ed ha pronunciato un
discorso al parlamento di Zagabria nel quale ha espresso
''l'ammirazione di Israele per i partigiani croati e per l'eroismo dei
combattenti contro il fascismo''. ''L'antifascismo - ha sottolineato -
deve essere un valore nazionale croato, specialmente per i giovani''.
Il presidente israeliano, che oggi ha incontrato anche il premier
Ivica Racan e il presidente del parlamento Zlatko Tomcic, domani
andra' a Dubrovnik, nel sud-est del paese, dove visitera' la piu'
antica sinagoga in Croazia, fondata dagli ebrei fuggiti dalla Spagna
nel 1492. Per domenica e' in programma una visita a Jasenovac, una
cittadina a 60 km dalla capitale, dove durante la seconda guerra
mondiale si trovava un campo di concentramento del regime filonazista
degli ustascia di Ante Pavelic. In quello che fu chiamato
''l'Auschwitz croato'' persero la vita circa 80.000 tra ebrei, serbi,
rom e croati antifascisti. Secondo la comunita' ebraica croata sono
circa 17.000 gli ebrei uccisi a Jasenovac. I rapporti
croato-israeliani erano particolarmente tesi negli anni Novanta quando
a Zagabria era presidente Franjo Tudjman, autore di libri di storia
nei quali minimizzava l'olocausto. In un'occasione Tudjman ha anche
detto di essere felice che sua moglie non fosse ne' serba ne' ebrea.
La svolta nei rapporti croato-israeliani ci fu nell'ottobre 2001
quando Mesic, in visita a Gerusalemme, chiese scusa per le vittime
ebraiche degli ustascia. (ANSA). COR*VD 11/07/2003 16:40
---
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0nk90
KATSAV VISITS CROATIA BREAKING 12 YEAR ABSENCE
President Moshe Katsav arrived in Croatia today for the first visit by
an Israeli head of State since the former Yugoslav republic achieved
its independence in 1991, HA'ARETZ reported. Katsav told a group of
Croatian lawmakers that Israel was willing to "go a long way" to
achieve peace with the Palestinians, but said they needed to back up
their anti-terrorist proclamations with concrete actions. "Israel is
prepared ... to go along way toward peace and reconciliation," Katsav
said. Katsav also said that he believed in Palestinian Prime Minister
Mahmoud Abbas's "sincerity to bring about the cessation of violence,
terror and incitement." But he cautioned that "declarations against
terrorism are not sufficient." "The Palestinian leadership must act in
order to uproot the plague of terror," Katsav added.
Katsav also referred to the "difficult and painful" memories Jews have
of World War II in Croatia, and he praised the country's anti-fascist
movement of the time. His visit underscored a growing friendship
between Israel and Croatia. "I am very glad to be here ... to find that
here, in Croatia, dramatic improvement happened," Katsav said earlier
Friday as he began his three-day stay by meeting with Croatian
President Stipe Mesic. The two leaders complimented each other and
called for intensified ties between their countries in a visit that
pointed up the dramatic change in relations between the two nations.
Israel and Croatia established diplomatic relations in 1997, but only
after Tudjman deleted a section from his 1989 book that questioned the
number of Jews who died in the Holocaust. Tudjman was never invited to
Israel despite his desire to visit. Croatia's new government, which
took power years ago, is openly critical of Nazism. Mesic, who visited
Jerusalem in 2001, apologized to Jews for their suffering here during
World War II. On Sunday, Katsav is scheduled to visit Jasenovac, the
site of the most notorious of some 40 concentration camps run by
Croatia's Nazis. About 30,000 Jews perished in concentration camps run
by Croatia's Nazi puppet state. Katsav is currently on a week-long tour
of four countries - Turkey, Moldova, Slovakia and Croatia.
---
http://see.oneworld.net/article/view/63581/1/
Katsav mourns 'Balkan Auschwitz' victims
JASENOVAC, Croatia - Israel's president Moshe Katsav visited
a Croatian concentration camp known as the "Auschwitz of the Balkans"
on Sunday, commemorating tens of thousands of people killed there by
the Nazi-allied Ustashe regime.
Jasenovac gained its nickname for the brutal treatment of inmates and
mass executions of Jews, Serbs, Gypsies and anti-fascist Croats carried
out from 1941 to 1945.
"It was my elementary duty to visit this place. A historic task for all
generations, current and future, is to learn the lessons from what
happened in this place," Katsav said at the camp, which lies some 100
km (60 miles) east of the capital, Zagreb.
Katsav is the first Israeli president to visit the former Yugoslav
republic since its 1991 independence. Relations were strained, mostly
due to Croatia's Nazi past, until a reformist coalition replaced
nationalists in power in 2000.
Accompanied by state officials, Jewish, Serb and Romany representatives
and a handful of elderly camp survivors, Katsav toured the memorial
site at Jasenovac and lit memorial candles.
Rabbi Kotel Dadon led a short prayer while Katsav and Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic laid wreaths at the foot of a flower-shaped
stone monument towering over the site of the camp.
Independent historians estimate that about 80,000 people, including
some 13,000 Jews, died in Jasenovac. The numbers are still fiercely
debated, with some Serbs arguing that the true death toll was in the
hundreds of thousands.
Geshua Abinun, a 76-year-old Jew, lost his entire family, including two
sisters and a brother, in the camp, while he survived detention there
from 1941 to 1945.
"With that in mind, the visit by the Israeli president is very
important for me personally and for future good relations of Croatia
and Israel," he said.
Relations between Croatia and Israel have only improved in recent years.
They established diplomatic relations in 1998, after then head of
state, late President Franjo Tudjman, apologized for comments
considered anti-Semitic.
He once said he was happy his wife was not a Serb or a Jew and disputed
as too high the number of Jews and others said to have been killed in
Croatian concentration camps.
His government was often accused of whitewashing Ustashe crimes and
reinstalling some symbols of their rule.
Tudjman's successor, Mesic, made a ground-breaking visit to Israel in
October 2001 and apologized for Ustashe atrocities.
---
http://www.hrt.hr/vijesti/arhiv/2003/07/11/ENG.html
EVENING NEWS 10.7.2003.
ISRAELI PRESIDENT ADDRESSES CROATIAN PARLIAMENT
”Israel appreciates Croatia for the role Croatian fighters against
fascism played in the Second World War,” Israeli President Moshe Katsav
said on Friday addressing MPs in the Croatian parliament. The Israeli
head of state also spoke about the position of his country, and the
greatest problem it faced, that of terrorism. According to Katsav,
Israel very much appreciates Croatian partisans and their bravery while
they fought for freedom and against fascism in Croatia. “Those
anti-fascist fighters are a credit to the people of Croatia and are an
important national value for the younger generation,” he told
parliamentary deputies. In his welcoming speech, the Croatian
parliament’s vice-president Mato Arlović said that the friendship
between Israel and Croatia was based on the understanding of the
troubles which a nation encounters while trying to set up its own state
in peace with neighbours. Katsav said the uprising of the Palestinians
in Israel, who are insisting on their own state, had been going on
since September 2000, adding that the terrorism which the Jewish state
has been fighting against for almost three years had not diminished the
belief in a peaceful solution.
---
SEE ALSO:
http://www.predsjednik.hr/english/speeches/31_10_2001_1.html
Speech of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Stjepan Mesić,
in Knesset. (Jerusalem, October 31, 2001)
=== B ===
L'AMBASCIATORE ISRAELIANO A BELGRADO DECORATO DA KOSTUNICA - FORSE PER
AVERE APPOGGIATO IL COLPO DI STATO DELLA DOS?
---
* 2002: in una intervista a "Nacional", l'ambasciatore si dice fiero di
avere appoggiato il colpo di Stato della DOS;
* 2003: Kostunica decora l'ambasciatore.
---
* 2002: in an interview to "Nacional", the ambassador says he is proud
of having supported DOS' coup against Milosevic;
* 2003: Kostunica decorates the ambassador.
---
Diaspora representatives, Israel ambassador decorated
BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Before the end of his mandate, Yugoslav
President Vojislav Kostunica has bestowed orders on distinguished
Serbs from the diaspora, Israeli Ambassador Yoran Shani and head of
UNICEF office Jean-Michel Delmotte, the Official Gazette said.
Shani was decorated with the Yugoslav Star of First Degree
for exceptional merits in developing and improving interstate
relations, while Demotte was decorated with the Order of Yugoslav
Merits of Second Degree. US citizen Mila Lazarevic - Nolan was also
decorated with the Order of Yugoslav Merits of Second Degree.
Chairman of the US Serb Unity Congress Miroslav Djordjevic,
leader of the US Serb National Defense Slavko Panovic, the daily
Amerikanski Srbobran, chairman of the US Serb National Council Dusan
Ljubenko and French emigrant Zada Djurovic were decorated with the
Order of Yugoslav Flag of Second Degree.
---
za verziju na srpskohrvatskom:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1743
Associazione civica "Comitato per la solidarieta' nazionale"
Tolstojeva 34, Belgrado
Tel. 011-3671372
Le missioni diplomatiche hanno il compito di presentare al
meglio il proprio paese, la sua politica, la cultura, la
storia, tutto quello insomma che potrebbe interessare i
cittadini del paese ospitante, e quello che la missione
diplomatica vorrebbe che essi sapessero. Nel nostro paese
abbiamo avuto anche, per ospiti, diplomatici che apertamente
facevano propaganda ostile contro di noi, come ad esempio i
diplomatici americani a Belgrado, Podgorica, e nel Kosmet,
immediatamente prima dell'attacco NATO contro la RF di
Jugoslavia. Ma non avevamo ancora un diplomatico che abbia
ammesso di aver partecipato attivamente a manifestazioni di
piazza contro il governo del paese che gli ha dato l'accredito.
Manifestazioni durante le quali si dava fuoco al Parlamento
ed alla TV nazionale.
Il signor Joram Sani, ambasciatore d'Israele a Belgrado,
nell'intervista rilasciata alla rivista "Nacional" con
orgoglio ammette di aver partecipato alle manifestazioni
del 5 ottobre 2000. Lo stesso signore, che non si puo' certo
definire "eccellenza", ammette di non aver fatto cio'
solamente allo scopo di cambiare il regime (il che sarebbe
comunque inammissibile) bensi' a causa della politica filoaraba
di Belgrado. Non so se per questo Joram Sani ritiene che i
due terzi del corpo diplomatico accreditato nel suo paese
dovrebbero trovarsi adesso tra le fila dell'Intifada, visto
che Israele trasgredisce tutte le possibili convenzioni
internazionali, gli accordi ed i diritti civili elementari
del popolo e dello Stato palestinese. Il signor Sani dovrebbe
domandarsi, prima di dichiarare con orgoglio di aver
partecipato a qualcosa cui non avrebbe dovuto prendere
parte affatto, quanto la politica del suo governo sia stata
antiserba durante il precedente regime [delle sinistre, ndT].
Quante azioni ha effettuato la lobby ebraica nel mondo ai danni
degli interessi serbi ? Il signor Sani, nella suddetta
intervista, quasi esclama che Israele e' uno STATO EBRAICO,
ed ha contrastato attivamente il governo serbo, che pure agiva
per uno Stato sovrano serbo. Pensa lui che il popolo serbo abbia
sofferto meno degli ebrei negli ultimi due secoli ? Oppure che
le nostre vittime siano meno degne, e che noi come popolo
semplicemente non meritiamo un nostro Stato nazionale, come
Israele, e percio' dovevano manifestare tutti contro quel
governo, compresi i diplomatici che esso aveva accolto. Come
giustifica il signor Sani l'uso brutale della forza contro
i palestinesi, che e' a tutti gli effetti terroristico, mentre
il suo governo aveva tanta comprensione per le azioni
terroristiche schipetare contro la Serbia ?
Il diplomatico israeliano ha citato con piacere Rumsfeld, dicendo
che i terroristi vanno individuati e colpiti, ma da diplomatico
ha manifestato contro il governo di un paese che ha sofferto
sanzioni ed umiliazioni soltanto per avere combattuto i
terroristi sul PROPRIO territorio. Il signor Sani vedrebbe
con piacere la Jugoslavia nella UE, perche' implicitamente
significherebbe che come Stato non possiamo piu' partecipare
al movimento dei Non Allineati, il che per Israele e' piu'
importante ; ma egli allo stesso tempo non manca di disconoscere
e sottovalutare quello stesso Parlamento Europeo che richiede
sanzioni contro Israele, addossando questa iniziativa ai
partiti socialisti europei, dei quali Israele non ha grande
considerazione, come se i partiti socialisti europei nel
Parlamento Europeo rappresentassero i marziani e non gli europei.
Gia' nella Costituzione della Apparizione [fondativa del
Regno Jugoslavo, ndT] si poteva leggere che ogni straniero
che viene in Serbia e' libero e benvenuto, ma questo non
significa che l'ospitalita' di questo paese e dei suoi
popoli si possa calpestare come pare e piace, senza subire
condanne. Vorremmo che l'ambasciatore pensasse un poco a
questo : forse Israele avrebbe meno problemi con il suo
vicinato, se i suoi diplomatici facessero il proprio
mestiere, senza partecipare a manifestazioni distruttive
in paesi che li hanno accolti con il massimo rispetto.
Infine : questo non lo abbiamo scritto perche' siamo
antisemiti, razzisti, fascisti, xenofobi, o - dio ci
scampi ! - eurosocialisti, o non so cosa altro ancora si
possa oggi addossare, da parte di Israele, a chi critica
il suo ambasciatore, che sono nazionalisti serbi, ma perche'
pensiamo soltanto che un diplomatico al suo posto debba
assolutamente smettere di schierarsi pubblicamente
sulla scena politica del paese che lo ospita, perche'
tutto questo, per dirla in termini diplomatici, e'
preoccupante.
OLIVER VULOVIC
JELA JOVANOVIC
Yugoslavia and the Jews
1. Israeli Officials in Croatia and Serbia
A: CROAZIA-ISRAELE: KATSAV PRIMO PRESIDENTE ISRAELE A ZAGABRIA
Israeli president remembers the jewish victims of Croatian wartime
death camp Jasenovac (11/7/2003)
B: SERBIA-ISRAELE: L'AMBASCIATORE SHANI DECORATO PER AVERE APPOGGIATO
IL GOLPE DELLA DOS?
Israel ambassador decorated in Belgrade (3/3/2003)
=== A ===
CROAZIA-ISRAELE: UNA VISITA CHE LASCIA TROPPI INTERROGATIVI
Il presidente israeliano Katsav, in visita ufficiale a Zagabria, ha
avuto innegabilmente un grande merito: ha sbattuto in faccia ai
parlamentari dello staterello croato, riuniti nel loro "Sabor", la
storia eroica della Lotta Popolare di Liberazione, che spazzo' via i
nazifascisti ed i loro collaboratori ustascia nel corso della II Guerra
Mondiale.
Ciononostante, la visita presenta lati profondamente contraddittori e
lascia aperti molti legittimi interrogativi:
- Perche' e' stata effettuata, e come fa Katsav a dirsi "molto felice"
di essere giunto in Croazia, staterello fondato dai successori degli
ustascia attraverso la violenza ai danni di centinaia di migliaia di
persone?
- Che cosa ne pensa Katsav dello squartamento della Repubblica
Federativa Socialista di Jugoslavia, e perche' Israele non ha mai
denunciato che esso stava avvenendo per mano di neonazisti?
- Per quale motivo i dispacci di agenzia sulla visita riportano la
visita al lager di Jasenovac minimizzando sul genocidio compiuto ai
danni dei serbi durante il nazifascismo? Si noti infatti che le cifre
riportate per le vittime dello sterminio sono quelle sostenute dalla
pubblicistica revisionista di Tudjman (80mila vittime anziche' 700mila).
- E' opportuno che a ricordare ai croati l'antifascismo sia il
presidente di uno Stato fondato sulla epurazione etnica ("transfer") ai
danni della popolazione autoctona del suo territorio, cioe' i
palestinesi?
Italo Slavo
CROATIA-ISRAEL: A VISIT WHICH LEAVES SO MANY OPEN QUESTIONS
The Israeli President Katsav, in his official visit to Zagreb, did one
very good thing, for sure: he remembered in front of the MPs of this
small State, gathered in their "Sabor", the heroic history of the
Popular Struggle for Liberation (NOB) which defeated nazi-fascists and
their ustasha collaborateurs during World War II.
However, this visit presents some very contradictory aspects and leaves
many legitime questions unanswered:
- Why has the visit been organized, and how can Katsav be "very glad"
of being in Croatia, this small State which has been created by the
followers of the ustasha through violence against hundreds of thousands
of people?
- What does Katsav think about the butcher-like distruction of the
Federative Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia and why did Israel never
officially complained about it being realized by hand of neo-nazis?
- Why do the agency reports about the trip refer to Katsav visit in
Jasenovac minimizing the genocide suffered by the Serbs during World
War II? Please note that the figures of the extermination are the same
adopted by the revisionist literature of Tudjman (80.000 instead of
700.000).
- Is it normal that the antifascist values are reminded to the Croats
by the President of a State which was created thorugh ethnic cleansing
("transfer") of the original population of its territory, i.e. the
Palestinians?
Italo Slavo
---
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/croazia/croazia.shtml
CROAZIA-ISRAELE: KATSAV PRIMO PRESIDENTE ISRAELE A ZAGABRIA
(ANSA) - ZAGABRIA, 11 LUG - Il presidente israeliano Moshe Katsav e'
arrivato oggi a Zagabria per una visita di tre giorni, la prima di un
capo dello stato ebraico in Croazia. Katsav si e' incontrato
stamani con il presidente croato Stipe Mesic ed ha pronunciato un
discorso al parlamento di Zagabria nel quale ha espresso
''l'ammirazione di Israele per i partigiani croati e per l'eroismo dei
combattenti contro il fascismo''. ''L'antifascismo - ha sottolineato -
deve essere un valore nazionale croato, specialmente per i giovani''.
Il presidente israeliano, che oggi ha incontrato anche il premier
Ivica Racan e il presidente del parlamento Zlatko Tomcic, domani
andra' a Dubrovnik, nel sud-est del paese, dove visitera' la piu'
antica sinagoga in Croazia, fondata dagli ebrei fuggiti dalla Spagna
nel 1492. Per domenica e' in programma una visita a Jasenovac, una
cittadina a 60 km dalla capitale, dove durante la seconda guerra
mondiale si trovava un campo di concentramento del regime filonazista
degli ustascia di Ante Pavelic. In quello che fu chiamato
''l'Auschwitz croato'' persero la vita circa 80.000 tra ebrei, serbi,
rom e croati antifascisti. Secondo la comunita' ebraica croata sono
circa 17.000 gli ebrei uccisi a Jasenovac. I rapporti
croato-israeliani erano particolarmente tesi negli anni Novanta quando
a Zagabria era presidente Franjo Tudjman, autore di libri di storia
nei quali minimizzava l'olocausto. In un'occasione Tudjman ha anche
detto di essere felice che sua moglie non fosse ne' serba ne' ebrea.
La svolta nei rapporti croato-israeliani ci fu nell'ottobre 2001
quando Mesic, in visita a Gerusalemme, chiese scusa per le vittime
ebraiche degli ustascia. (ANSA). COR*VD 11/07/2003 16:40
---
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0nk90
KATSAV VISITS CROATIA BREAKING 12 YEAR ABSENCE
President Moshe Katsav arrived in Croatia today for the first visit by
an Israeli head of State since the former Yugoslav republic achieved
its independence in 1991, HA'ARETZ reported. Katsav told a group of
Croatian lawmakers that Israel was willing to "go a long way" to
achieve peace with the Palestinians, but said they needed to back up
their anti-terrorist proclamations with concrete actions. "Israel is
prepared ... to go along way toward peace and reconciliation," Katsav
said. Katsav also said that he believed in Palestinian Prime Minister
Mahmoud Abbas's "sincerity to bring about the cessation of violence,
terror and incitement." But he cautioned that "declarations against
terrorism are not sufficient." "The Palestinian leadership must act in
order to uproot the plague of terror," Katsav added.
Katsav also referred to the "difficult and painful" memories Jews have
of World War II in Croatia, and he praised the country's anti-fascist
movement of the time. His visit underscored a growing friendship
between Israel and Croatia. "I am very glad to be here ... to find that
here, in Croatia, dramatic improvement happened," Katsav said earlier
Friday as he began his three-day stay by meeting with Croatian
President Stipe Mesic. The two leaders complimented each other and
called for intensified ties between their countries in a visit that
pointed up the dramatic change in relations between the two nations.
Israel and Croatia established diplomatic relations in 1997, but only
after Tudjman deleted a section from his 1989 book that questioned the
number of Jews who died in the Holocaust. Tudjman was never invited to
Israel despite his desire to visit. Croatia's new government, which
took power years ago, is openly critical of Nazism. Mesic, who visited
Jerusalem in 2001, apologized to Jews for their suffering here during
World War II. On Sunday, Katsav is scheduled to visit Jasenovac, the
site of the most notorious of some 40 concentration camps run by
Croatia's Nazis. About 30,000 Jews perished in concentration camps run
by Croatia's Nazi puppet state. Katsav is currently on a week-long tour
of four countries - Turkey, Moldova, Slovakia and Croatia.
---
http://see.oneworld.net/article/view/63581/1/
Katsav mourns 'Balkan Auschwitz' victims
JASENOVAC, Croatia - Israel's president Moshe Katsav visited
a Croatian concentration camp known as the "Auschwitz of the Balkans"
on Sunday, commemorating tens of thousands of people killed there by
the Nazi-allied Ustashe regime.
Jasenovac gained its nickname for the brutal treatment of inmates and
mass executions of Jews, Serbs, Gypsies and anti-fascist Croats carried
out from 1941 to 1945.
"It was my elementary duty to visit this place. A historic task for all
generations, current and future, is to learn the lessons from what
happened in this place," Katsav said at the camp, which lies some 100
km (60 miles) east of the capital, Zagreb.
Katsav is the first Israeli president to visit the former Yugoslav
republic since its 1991 independence. Relations were strained, mostly
due to Croatia's Nazi past, until a reformist coalition replaced
nationalists in power in 2000.
Accompanied by state officials, Jewish, Serb and Romany representatives
and a handful of elderly camp survivors, Katsav toured the memorial
site at Jasenovac and lit memorial candles.
Rabbi Kotel Dadon led a short prayer while Katsav and Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic laid wreaths at the foot of a flower-shaped
stone monument towering over the site of the camp.
Independent historians estimate that about 80,000 people, including
some 13,000 Jews, died in Jasenovac. The numbers are still fiercely
debated, with some Serbs arguing that the true death toll was in the
hundreds of thousands.
Geshua Abinun, a 76-year-old Jew, lost his entire family, including two
sisters and a brother, in the camp, while he survived detention there
from 1941 to 1945.
"With that in mind, the visit by the Israeli president is very
important for me personally and for future good relations of Croatia
and Israel," he said.
Relations between Croatia and Israel have only improved in recent years.
They established diplomatic relations in 1998, after then head of
state, late President Franjo Tudjman, apologized for comments
considered anti-Semitic.
He once said he was happy his wife was not a Serb or a Jew and disputed
as too high the number of Jews and others said to have been killed in
Croatian concentration camps.
His government was often accused of whitewashing Ustashe crimes and
reinstalling some symbols of their rule.
Tudjman's successor, Mesic, made a ground-breaking visit to Israel in
October 2001 and apologized for Ustashe atrocities.
---
http://www.hrt.hr/vijesti/arhiv/2003/07/11/ENG.html
EVENING NEWS 10.7.2003.
ISRAELI PRESIDENT ADDRESSES CROATIAN PARLIAMENT
”Israel appreciates Croatia for the role Croatian fighters against
fascism played in the Second World War,” Israeli President Moshe Katsav
said on Friday addressing MPs in the Croatian parliament. The Israeli
head of state also spoke about the position of his country, and the
greatest problem it faced, that of terrorism. According to Katsav,
Israel very much appreciates Croatian partisans and their bravery while
they fought for freedom and against fascism in Croatia. “Those
anti-fascist fighters are a credit to the people of Croatia and are an
important national value for the younger generation,” he told
parliamentary deputies. In his welcoming speech, the Croatian
parliament’s vice-president Mato Arlović said that the friendship
between Israel and Croatia was based on the understanding of the
troubles which a nation encounters while trying to set up its own state
in peace with neighbours. Katsav said the uprising of the Palestinians
in Israel, who are insisting on their own state, had been going on
since September 2000, adding that the terrorism which the Jewish state
has been fighting against for almost three years had not diminished the
belief in a peaceful solution.
---
SEE ALSO:
http://www.predsjednik.hr/english/speeches/31_10_2001_1.html
Speech of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Stjepan Mesić,
in Knesset. (Jerusalem, October 31, 2001)
=== B ===
L'AMBASCIATORE ISRAELIANO A BELGRADO DECORATO DA KOSTUNICA - FORSE PER
AVERE APPOGGIATO IL COLPO DI STATO DELLA DOS?
---
* 2002: in una intervista a "Nacional", l'ambasciatore si dice fiero di
avere appoggiato il colpo di Stato della DOS;
* 2003: Kostunica decora l'ambasciatore.
---
* 2002: in an interview to "Nacional", the ambassador says he is proud
of having supported DOS' coup against Milosevic;
* 2003: Kostunica decorates the ambassador.
---
Diaspora representatives, Israel ambassador decorated
BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Before the end of his mandate, Yugoslav
President Vojislav Kostunica has bestowed orders on distinguished
Serbs from the diaspora, Israeli Ambassador Yoran Shani and head of
UNICEF office Jean-Michel Delmotte, the Official Gazette said.
Shani was decorated with the Yugoslav Star of First Degree
for exceptional merits in developing and improving interstate
relations, while Demotte was decorated with the Order of Yugoslav
Merits of Second Degree. US citizen Mila Lazarevic - Nolan was also
decorated with the Order of Yugoslav Merits of Second Degree.
Chairman of the US Serb Unity Congress Miroslav Djordjevic,
leader of the US Serb National Defense Slavko Panovic, the daily
Amerikanski Srbobran, chairman of the US Serb National Council Dusan
Ljubenko and French emigrant Zada Djurovic were decorated with the
Order of Yugoslav Flag of Second Degree.
---
za verziju na srpskohrvatskom:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1743
Associazione civica "Comitato per la solidarieta' nazionale"
Tolstojeva 34, Belgrado
Tel. 011-3671372
Le missioni diplomatiche hanno il compito di presentare al
meglio il proprio paese, la sua politica, la cultura, la
storia, tutto quello insomma che potrebbe interessare i
cittadini del paese ospitante, e quello che la missione
diplomatica vorrebbe che essi sapessero. Nel nostro paese
abbiamo avuto anche, per ospiti, diplomatici che apertamente
facevano propaganda ostile contro di noi, come ad esempio i
diplomatici americani a Belgrado, Podgorica, e nel Kosmet,
immediatamente prima dell'attacco NATO contro la RF di
Jugoslavia. Ma non avevamo ancora un diplomatico che abbia
ammesso di aver partecipato attivamente a manifestazioni di
piazza contro il governo del paese che gli ha dato l'accredito.
Manifestazioni durante le quali si dava fuoco al Parlamento
ed alla TV nazionale.
Il signor Joram Sani, ambasciatore d'Israele a Belgrado,
nell'intervista rilasciata alla rivista "Nacional" con
orgoglio ammette di aver partecipato alle manifestazioni
del 5 ottobre 2000. Lo stesso signore, che non si puo' certo
definire "eccellenza", ammette di non aver fatto cio'
solamente allo scopo di cambiare il regime (il che sarebbe
comunque inammissibile) bensi' a causa della politica filoaraba
di Belgrado. Non so se per questo Joram Sani ritiene che i
due terzi del corpo diplomatico accreditato nel suo paese
dovrebbero trovarsi adesso tra le fila dell'Intifada, visto
che Israele trasgredisce tutte le possibili convenzioni
internazionali, gli accordi ed i diritti civili elementari
del popolo e dello Stato palestinese. Il signor Sani dovrebbe
domandarsi, prima di dichiarare con orgoglio di aver
partecipato a qualcosa cui non avrebbe dovuto prendere
parte affatto, quanto la politica del suo governo sia stata
antiserba durante il precedente regime [delle sinistre, ndT].
Quante azioni ha effettuato la lobby ebraica nel mondo ai danni
degli interessi serbi ? Il signor Sani, nella suddetta
intervista, quasi esclama che Israele e' uno STATO EBRAICO,
ed ha contrastato attivamente il governo serbo, che pure agiva
per uno Stato sovrano serbo. Pensa lui che il popolo serbo abbia
sofferto meno degli ebrei negli ultimi due secoli ? Oppure che
le nostre vittime siano meno degne, e che noi come popolo
semplicemente non meritiamo un nostro Stato nazionale, come
Israele, e percio' dovevano manifestare tutti contro quel
governo, compresi i diplomatici che esso aveva accolto. Come
giustifica il signor Sani l'uso brutale della forza contro
i palestinesi, che e' a tutti gli effetti terroristico, mentre
il suo governo aveva tanta comprensione per le azioni
terroristiche schipetare contro la Serbia ?
Il diplomatico israeliano ha citato con piacere Rumsfeld, dicendo
che i terroristi vanno individuati e colpiti, ma da diplomatico
ha manifestato contro il governo di un paese che ha sofferto
sanzioni ed umiliazioni soltanto per avere combattuto i
terroristi sul PROPRIO territorio. Il signor Sani vedrebbe
con piacere la Jugoslavia nella UE, perche' implicitamente
significherebbe che come Stato non possiamo piu' partecipare
al movimento dei Non Allineati, il che per Israele e' piu'
importante ; ma egli allo stesso tempo non manca di disconoscere
e sottovalutare quello stesso Parlamento Europeo che richiede
sanzioni contro Israele, addossando questa iniziativa ai
partiti socialisti europei, dei quali Israele non ha grande
considerazione, come se i partiti socialisti europei nel
Parlamento Europeo rappresentassero i marziani e non gli europei.
Gia' nella Costituzione della Apparizione [fondativa del
Regno Jugoslavo, ndT] si poteva leggere che ogni straniero
che viene in Serbia e' libero e benvenuto, ma questo non
significa che l'ospitalita' di questo paese e dei suoi
popoli si possa calpestare come pare e piace, senza subire
condanne. Vorremmo che l'ambasciatore pensasse un poco a
questo : forse Israele avrebbe meno problemi con il suo
vicinato, se i suoi diplomatici facessero il proprio
mestiere, senza partecipare a manifestazioni distruttive
in paesi che li hanno accolti con il massimo rispetto.
Infine : questo non lo abbiamo scritto perche' siamo
antisemiti, razzisti, fascisti, xenofobi, o - dio ci
scampi ! - eurosocialisti, o non so cosa altro ancora si
possa oggi addossare, da parte di Israele, a chi critica
il suo ambasciatore, che sono nazionalisti serbi, ma perche'
pensiamo soltanto che un diplomatico al suo posto debba
assolutamente smettere di schierarsi pubblicamente
sulla scena politica del paese che lo ospita, perche'
tutto questo, per dirla in termini diplomatici, e'
preoccupante.
OLIVER VULOVIC
JELA JOVANOVIC
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