STRETTA REPRESSIVA IN SERBIA-MONTENEGRO: SILENZIATI DUE QUOTIDIANI, UN
SETTIMANALE, RADIO E TELEVISIONI INDIPENDENTI
Subject: Fw: EUROPEAN FOUNDATION INTELLIGENCE DIGEST Issue No. 163
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 23:32:23 -0500
From: "Christopher Black"
European Foundation Intelligence Digest
Issue No. 163 20th March 2003
(...)
State of emergency bites deep in Serbia
Under cover of the war on Iraq, the government of Serbia has declared
a draconian state of emergency following the assassination of the
prime minister, Zoran Djindji*. Hundreds of people have been arrested;
the house of at least one suspect has been bulldozed down; and several
national newspapers and TV stations have been closed down. They
include the national daily "Nacional", which was shut down on 18th
March. The distribution of the Montenegrin daily "Dan" was also
prohibited in Serbia. A warning was issued to the national daily
"Vecernije List".
On 17th March, the government closed down the TV station Mars, based
in Valjevo, and halted publication of the weekly newspaper
"Identitet". These measures follow the promulgation of an emergency
decree on the media, which states that all media must carry only
official releases authored by the government. The decree states: "The
Decree on special measures during the state of emergency became
effective on March 12, 2003... The priority during the state of
emergency is the unobstructed work of the competent state bodies aimed
at removing the reason why the state of emergency was introduced to
begin with. The media and all means of imparting information have a
special role, as their work is directed to the public. With that in
mind, we are warning all public media that, under Item 9 of the Decree
concerning the prohibition of broadcasting, they are obligated to
carry only the official releases of the competent state bodies... Item
8 of the same Decree prohibits political, unionist or any other type
of action aimed at obstructing or preventing the work of the state of
emergency, and the conveying of information on such actions, by means
of publishing releases, commentary or statements shall be in violation
of the Decree. The Ministry of Culture and Broadcasting will, in
cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, undertake the
appropriate measures against media which fail to observe the above
mentioned provisions of the decree..." The prospect has also been
raised that political parties might now be banned as well, although
the government has stated that this will be done by the constitutional
court and not by government decree.
[Beta News Agency, 18th March 2003]
The main suspect in the assassination, Milorad Lukovi*, born Umenek
and known as "Legija", was the man who helped Djindji* to seize power
in the first place. The two men met secretly on 4th October 2001, and
Legija's support was crucial to the success of the events of 5th
October 2001 which overthrew Slobodan Milosevi*. Legija then also
commanded the troops which arrested the former Yugoslav president in
April 2002. The Serbian deputy prime minister Zarko Korac has also
admitted that Legija's men "occasionally assisted the state in the
clashes in the Bujanovac and Presevo areas (of Southern Serbia) and
had contacts with the police."
[Beta News Agency, 14th March 2003]
From: Petokraka78@...
Fwd: URGENT: Censorship imposed on Yugoslav media!
Inviato: 25/03/2003 10:56
[The banning of DAN in particular is tragic, as it was one of the best
left-wing mass-circulation papers in the Balkans. It routinely
reprinted articles by leading leftist intelectuals in the region and
in the world and had a feature series each week on the history of the
Communist Party in the Balkans and the anti-fascist resistance during
WWII. It is a tragedy that the only independent voice in Montenegro
has been stiffled by the unpopular DOS regime. Reports from the region
claim that over 1,000 people have been detained without any trial by
state authorities who have declared Martial Law. During this period
all demonstrations have been banned, and the Minister of the Interior
has threatened to "liquidate" anyone resisting arrest.]
MINISTER: DAILY BANNED BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED LINKS WITH ORGANIZED CRIME
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - Serbian Minister of Culture and
Information Branislav Lecic said on March 19 that the Belgrade daily
Nacional was temporarily banned because it violated the order on
information during the state of emergency and suspicion that the
associates or founders of the daily "were linked to the Zemun criminal
clan."
"There are times in a country when the media should show solidarity
with and loyalty to the state. This is a moment when certain freedoms
are suspended until the situation in the country is settled. Just
remember what the situation was like in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001,
after the terrorist attacks in New York," Lecic said.
The Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information on March 18 banned the
work of the Belgrade daily Nacional and distribution of the Podgorica
daily Dan in Serbia, based on the order on the state of emergency. The
Belgrade magazine Identitet and Valjevo TV station Mars were banned on
March 17.
All opposition parties in Montenegro condemned the decision to ban
the distribution of the Podgorica daily Dan in Serbia. Most describe
the ban as "an abuse of the state of emergency."
---
USA, NATO ED UE APPOGGIANO IL GOVERNO SERBO
SOLANA OFFERS SUPPORT TO PREMIER ZIVKOVIC
BRUSSELS, March 19 (Tanjug) - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana
late on Tuesday offered full support to Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic, and congratulated him on the appointment. The tragic murder
of premier Zoran Djindjic last Wednesday left us without a dear
friend, and Serbia without champion of the European integration,
Solana said in his letter to Zivkovic.
The new Serbian government is completely right in its orientation that
the memory of Zoran Djindjic be preserved by a strong process of
reforms he had initiated, Solana said in the letter.
US WELCOMES ELECTION OF ZIVKOVIC AS PREMIER
WASHINGTON, March 19 (Tanjug) - The US State Department has welcomed
the appointment of Zoran Zivkovic as new Serbian Premier, and viewed
him as resolved to continue reforms tragically deceased premier Zoran
Djindjic had initiated.
In a statement for Tanjug, a State Department spokesman pointed out
that Zivkovic had said in public that the cooperation with The Hague
tribunal would be continued.
The United States welcome the resolvement of the Serbian leadership
and people to continue the fight against organised crime and political
extremism, the spokesman said, and added that the United States
supported the new premier, Djindjic's close associate.
NATO SUPPORTS AUTHORITIES IN BELGRADE
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - On March 19, ambassadors of the NATO
Council expressed their countries' readiness to support the
authorities in Belgrade, in strengthening the democratic order and the
fight against organized crime, sources at the Alliance headquarters
said. In Brussels, NATO ambassadors assessed developments in the
Balkans, especially in Serbia and Montenegro. Sources at the NATO
headquarters said they would assess the prospects for possible
cooperation, with officials of Serbia and Montenegro.
The foreign minister of Serbia and Montenegro, Goran Svilanovic, said
in Brussels on March 18 he was certain that, with the support received
for swift admission to the Council of Europe, the now joint policy of
the U.S. and Europe towards Serbia and Montenegro should enable their
admission to the Partnership for Peace program.
---
CARLA DEL PONTE PIANGE IL SUO AMICO DJINDJIC
Carla Del Ponte piange il suo amico Djindjic.
"Evropske Novosti", 19. marta 'o3
Carla Del Ponte objasnjava zasto nije dosla na sahranu srpskog
premijera.
"SAMA CU OTICI NA DJINDJICEV GROB"
Carla Del Ponte spiega perché non è venuta ai funerali del premier
serbo.
"ANDRO' DA SOLA SULLA TOMBA DI DJINDJIC
Ginevra. "Volevo davvero andare a Belgrado e partecipare alle esequie
del mio amico Zoran Djindjic. E alla vostra domanda se ci sono state
pressioni perché non andassi, vi posso dire si, ci sono state", ha
detto la Del Ponte, procuratrice del Tribunale dell'Aia, in risposta
alla domanda dell'inviato dell'agenzia SENSA.
"Prima mi ha fatto capire il ministro Svilanovic (Esteri) che non
sarebbe stato opportuno che venissi, poi è arrivata la conferma di
questa informazione dal Governo a Belgrado. Non ha importanza.
Ritenevo Zoran Djindjic un amico personale e sulla sua tomba andrò da
sola, la prossima volta che andrò a Belgrado" ha confermato la
Del Ponte.
Alla domanda se in questa circostanza sente anche la personale
responsabilità per le pressioni fatte sul governo della Serbia e sul
premier Djindjic, perché gli accusati vengano quanto prima condotti
all'Aia, Carla Del Ponte ha risposto che sà che le priorità del
governo di Djindjic erano le riforme e che che lui sapeva che le
riforme sono impossibili fintantoché i criminali di guerra non saranno
consegnati alla giustizia. E gli uomini di Milosevic non vogliono le
riforme e fanno ancora di tutto perché esse non si realizzino.
Rispondendo alla domanda se è pronta, alla luce dell'assassinio
compiuto l'altra settimana, a diminuire la pressione su Belgrado,
Carla Del Ponte ha risposto: "Questo non è il primo assassinio di un
uomo che amava il proprio paese. Però non metterò le accuse nel
cassetto perchè avvengono gli assassinii. D'altronde la pressione non
parte da me, ma dalla comunità internazionale. Per quello che mi
riguarda, contibuerò il mio lavoro".
---
SILURATI 35 GIUDICI, PERSINO 7 DI CORTE SUPREMA
LEGISLATURE SENDS 35 JUDGES IN RETIREMENT, INCLUDING SEVEN SUPREME
COURT JUDGES
BELGRADE,March 18 (Beta) - The Serbian Legislature accepted on March
18 the Serbian Justice Ministry's request that it should relieve 35
judges of their duty, among whom seven judges of the Serbian Supreme
Court, Belgrade media report.
The judges in question meet retirement criteria either because they
have turned 65 or have 45 years of service.
The Supreme Court judges in question are Zoran Ivosevic, Nikola
Milosevic, Milovan Dedijer, Aleksandar Rankovic, Mileva Gajinov,
Ljiljana Vujic and Zoran Skuric.
POLICE ARREST DEPUTY SERBIAN PUBLIC PROSECUTOR FOR LINKS WITH
ORGANIZED CRIME
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - The police on March 19 arrested deputy
Serbian public prosecutor Milan Sarajlic for his contacts and links
with the Zemun criminal clan. A press release from the Serbian
Interior Ministry says that the apartment and office of the public
prosecutor have been searched.
"The Interior Ministry will inform the public about the extent of
Sarajlic's involvement and other details concerning the murder of the
Serbian premier," the press release says. The police also say that
several dozen individuals have also been arrested for links with
criminal structures.
Following his arrest, Sarajlic has been dismissed.
SERBIAN JUSTICE MINISTER ON SITUATION IN JUDICIARY
BELGRADE, March 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic
said on Friday that judges of the 4th Municipal Court in Belgrade and
other employees in the judiciary were being questioned, since some of
them had obviously had connections with criminals.
"We must make a clear cut in the judiciary" and restore citizens'
confidence in judicial institutions and responsibility, Batic told a
news conference. We have the support of the US, OSCE, Council of
Europe and other international factors for what we are doing in the
judiciary, Batic said and added that Serbia's survival was at stake.
Police have so far taken in 2,500 persons, 1,000 of whom
remained in custody, Batic said and added that the Serbia and
Montenegro Army had let the Justice Ministry use its prisons in Nis
and Belgrade. Batic said that police were issuing media calls for
citizens' assistance and added that citizens had the obligation to
report crimes and their perpetrators and that those who had not done
so might be sentenced to three years in prison. Batic announced the
setting up of a working group for amending the Law on Criminal
Procedure, which would increase the competence of the prosecutor's
office, withdraw the investigative judge's competence over organised
crime, increase sentences for some crimes and introduce the measure of
temporary confiscation of property.
Asked about the situation in prisons, Batic said that it was
satisfactory and added that the Army was guarding the Belgrade
District Prison and that the number of prison guards had increased.
Asked about the extradition to the Hague-based war crimes tribunal of
indictees for crimes in Vukovar, Batic said that he expected that the
suspects would be turned over to the tribunal if they were in Serbia.
He said he expected that the tribunal would hand over some files to
the Serbian judiciary. Asked if there was any knowledge of the
whereabouts of Zemun Clan members, Batic said that "according to
indications" most of them were in Belgrade and that it was a matter of
hours when their leaders would be found.
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SUSPENDED, NEW ACTING SERBIAN SUPREME COURT
PRESIDENT APPOINTED
BELGRADE, March 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian Public Prosecutor Sinisa Simic
has been temporarily suspended, Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic
announced in Belgrade on Friday. Based on Acting Serbian President
Natasa Micic's order on special measures in the judicial sphere, Simic
was replaced by Novi Sad Interior Ministry head Djordje Ostojic, who
will perform the duties of acting public prosecutor during the state
of emergency in Serbia. The president of the Novi Sad District Court,
Sonja Brkic, has been appointed the new Acting Serbian Supreme Court
President after her predecessor Leposava Karamarkovic resigned. Brkic
will also be in office during the state of emergency. Micic made this
decision on the basis of a proposal by the Serbian government, Batic
told the press.
LEGISLATURE DISMISSES 35 JUDGES, SUPREME COURT CRITICIZES DECISION
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - On March 19, the Serbian Legislature
dismissed 35 judges, including seven judges of the Supreme Court of
Serbia, because they have fulfilled the age limit for leaving office.
The Legislature also passed amendments to the Law on the regulation of
courts, the Law on judges and the Law on the organization and
jurisdiction of state bodies in the struggle against organized crime.
The chairman of the Serbian Legislature's Administration Committee,
Bosko Ristic, called on the president of the Supreme Court of Serbia,
Leposava Karamarkovic, to resign, and if she does not, constitutional
and legal mechanisms will be found for the change of personnel in top
judicial offices.
Ristic said that Leposava Karamarkovic should resign for moral
reasons, explaining that "she did not do anything important in the
judiciary".
Opposition deputies criticized the proposed decision, accusing the
house majority of attempting to break the law and the Constitution.
The Democratic Party of Serbia whip, Dejan Mihajlov, said there was no
relevant decision by the Supreme Court of Serbia nor procedure for the
judges to leave office. "We do not need judges who will do what we
tell them. We need an independent judiciary. The judiciary alone
should deal with those who contaminate it," Mihajlov said, accusing
the executive and legislative authorities in Serbia of violating the
principles of an independent judiciary.
The Collegium of the Supreme Court of Serbia accused Serbia's
executive and legislative authorities of preventing the dismissal of a
certain number of judges last summer, by "blocking the work" of the
Principal Personnel Committee of the Supreme Court.
"The Principal Personnel Committee is a judicial body which
establishes whether grounds exist for the dismissal of judges.
Although the president of the Supreme Court sent timely
recommendations for the dismissal of certain judges, the Council was
unable to meet and bring decisions because of the Law on judges,
drafted by the executive authority, passed by the legislative
authority, and annulled by the Supreme Court," it was said in the
Supreme Court's statement.
---
MINACCE CONTRO L'OPPOSIZIONE POLITICA
ZORAN ZIVKOVIC IS NEW SERBIAN PREMIER
BELGRADE,March 18 (Beta) - On March 18, the Serbian Legislature
appointed a new cabinet, headed by Zoran Zivkovic, with a new vice
premier Cedomir Jovanovic. There have been no other changes in the
cabinet. A total of 128 deputies votes in favor of the government, 100
were against, and three abstained.
Addressing the Legislature Zivkovic said that his cabinet will be the
one of continuity, whose most important task is the crackdown on
organized crime and the increasing of overall security in the country.
The Democratic Party of Serbia and the opposition parties voted
against the appointment of the premier and vice premier, demanding
that the state of emergency, introduced after the assassination of
Premier Zoran Djindjic, on March 12, be lifted.
Democratic Party of Serbia, Socialist Party of Serbia and Serbian
Radical Party whips in the Legislature said that Serbia should elect a
new cabinet, and called for the forming of a broad coalition
government, or the scheduling of early legislature elections.
ZIVKOVIC: POLITICAL INSPIRERS OF PREMIER'S ASSASSINATION WILL BE
PUNISHED
BELGRADE, March 18 (Beta) - The newly appointed Serbian premier, Zoran
Zivkovic, said on March 18 that the "political inspirers of Djindjic's
assassination" will also be punished.
"I am speaking about political inspirers for one simple reason the
assassination of any premier cannot be a personal settling of
accounts, it is always an attempt to bring instability to a state and
to change its policies. Therefore, the assassination of Zoran
Djindjic certainly has political background," Zivkovic said at a news
conference.
Asked whether certain political parties in Serbia will be banned, he
said that the government is not to decide on this, but the
Constitutional Court of Serbia.
Serbian Minister of Culture and Information Branislav Lecic said at
the same conference that the Belgrade daily Nacional, the Identitet
weekly, and the March radio and television station from Valjevo, have
been banned, because they did not honor the measures introduced under
the state of emergency.
He said the media have been banned primarily because of what they
wrote, but also because of "certain data that are concerned with the
investigation who are their founders and how close their relations
were" with the premier's assassins.
Zivkovic said that editors of the media had two meeting with
representatives of the government and that all has been made clear at
these meetings. He added that the government did not wish to have
media that are all alike and that it will do everything in order to
"give them more space."
INTERIOR MINISTER LINKS SESELJ WITH ZEMUN GANG
BELGRADE, March 18 (Beta) - Serbian Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic
said late on March 18 that he would not avoid a debate on his
responsibility for the assassination of Serbian Premier Zoran
Djindjic, but added that the important thing now was to catch the
murders and protect the state.
Mihajlovic told Serbian state TV that police had been getting ready to
charge the Zemun gang criminal group, but that it found out, deciding
to assassinate the premier in a bid to destabilize the government
and avoid arrest.
Mihajlovic indirectly linked Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav
Seselj with the Zemun gang, describing him as the gang's "last
political associate." "If you recall (Seselj's) statements on an
upcoming bloody spring, then you can piece together the whole
picture." The minister said that it had not been possible to uproot
organized crime immediately after Oct. 5 change of government because
its "mentors," top secret police officials, had still been in power.
He said that the state would crack down on other gangs, including
the Surcin gang. He added that 500 suspects were still at large.
IMMUNITY WILL NOT PROTECT THOSE CHARGED WITH DJINDJIC'S MURDER
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - The head of the Serbian Legislature's
administration committee, Bosko Ristic, said that no one would be able
to fall back on their parliamentary immunity if the police
investigation determined that any of the deputies were involved in the
assassination of Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic.
"Since the assassination of the premier is an act of terrorism and
organized crime, the prison sentences set for such an act are over
five years and no one could use their parliamentary immunity as
protection," Ristic said.
---
LE ONG DI SOROS PLAUDONO ALLA INSTAURAZIONE DELLO STATO DI EMERGENZA
COME MODO PER ASSICURARE ALLA GIUSTIZIA TUTTI I RESPONSABILI DELLA
"PIANIFICAZIONE ED ESECUZIONE DELLE POLITICHE CRIMINALI DI SLOBODAN
MILOSEVIC" ED ATTACCANO ESPLICITAMENTE KOSTUNICA
NUMEROUS NGOs SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT'S CRACKDOWN ON CRIMINALS AND
EXTREMISTS
BELGRADE, March 25 (Beta) - A group of 29 nongovernment organizations
in Serbia expressed on March 25 their support for the Serbian
government's efforts to bring to justice members of criminal gangs,
the police, the army and the parties that "had a hand in the planning
and execution of Slobodan Milosevic's criminal policies."
"We are encouraging the government to take all the measures necessary
to eliminate from the legislature and government services all those
who by action or non-action protected war criminals and other
criminals, turning Serbia into a shelter for wrongdoers," says the
statement issued by 29 NGOs, including the Belgrade Circle and the
Helsinki Human Rights Committee.
The NGOs say that "one of the greatest protectors of false heroes is
the last president of Yugoslavia, Vojislav Kostunica" because he
"protected the former head of the state security service, Radomir
Markovic, and Milosevic's generals" and "called on Serbia to
sympathize with war crimes indictees."
The statement also says that the NGOs support the government in its
efforts "to cleanse Serbia of war and other criminals, to establish
good cooperation with the Hague War Crimes Tribunal and the Council of
Europe," as well as to ensure citizens' safety and enforce the rule of
law in the country.
---
CIRCA 4000 GLI ARRESTATI (AL 27 MARZO)
+++DIE ZAHL DER VERHAFTETEN PERSONEN WÄCHST
BELGRAD. Seit der Ausrufung des Ausnahmezustandes hat die Polizei
unter der Anordnung der prowestlichen Regierung Serbiens mehr als 4000
Personen verhaftet. Obwohl die Regierung bekannt gegeben hat, dass der
mutmassliche Schütze auf Zoran Djindjic verhaftet wurde und die
angebliche kriminelle Organisation zerschlagen ist gibt es immer noch
keine Anzeichen für die Aufhebung des Ausnahmezustandes.
Mehreren Parlamentsangehörigen wurde die Teilnahme an
Parlamentssitzungen verboten. STIMME KOSOVOS+++
Balkan-Telegramm 27/03/2003 - http://www.amselfeld.com
---
SETTIMANALE, RADIO E TELEVISIONI INDIPENDENTI
Subject: Fw: EUROPEAN FOUNDATION INTELLIGENCE DIGEST Issue No. 163
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 23:32:23 -0500
From: "Christopher Black"
European Foundation Intelligence Digest
Issue No. 163 20th March 2003
(...)
State of emergency bites deep in Serbia
Under cover of the war on Iraq, the government of Serbia has declared
a draconian state of emergency following the assassination of the
prime minister, Zoran Djindji*. Hundreds of people have been arrested;
the house of at least one suspect has been bulldozed down; and several
national newspapers and TV stations have been closed down. They
include the national daily "Nacional", which was shut down on 18th
March. The distribution of the Montenegrin daily "Dan" was also
prohibited in Serbia. A warning was issued to the national daily
"Vecernije List".
On 17th March, the government closed down the TV station Mars, based
in Valjevo, and halted publication of the weekly newspaper
"Identitet". These measures follow the promulgation of an emergency
decree on the media, which states that all media must carry only
official releases authored by the government. The decree states: "The
Decree on special measures during the state of emergency became
effective on March 12, 2003... The priority during the state of
emergency is the unobstructed work of the competent state bodies aimed
at removing the reason why the state of emergency was introduced to
begin with. The media and all means of imparting information have a
special role, as their work is directed to the public. With that in
mind, we are warning all public media that, under Item 9 of the Decree
concerning the prohibition of broadcasting, they are obligated to
carry only the official releases of the competent state bodies... Item
8 of the same Decree prohibits political, unionist or any other type
of action aimed at obstructing or preventing the work of the state of
emergency, and the conveying of information on such actions, by means
of publishing releases, commentary or statements shall be in violation
of the Decree. The Ministry of Culture and Broadcasting will, in
cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, undertake the
appropriate measures against media which fail to observe the above
mentioned provisions of the decree..." The prospect has also been
raised that political parties might now be banned as well, although
the government has stated that this will be done by the constitutional
court and not by government decree.
[Beta News Agency, 18th March 2003]
The main suspect in the assassination, Milorad Lukovi*, born Umenek
and known as "Legija", was the man who helped Djindji* to seize power
in the first place. The two men met secretly on 4th October 2001, and
Legija's support was crucial to the success of the events of 5th
October 2001 which overthrew Slobodan Milosevi*. Legija then also
commanded the troops which arrested the former Yugoslav president in
April 2002. The Serbian deputy prime minister Zarko Korac has also
admitted that Legija's men "occasionally assisted the state in the
clashes in the Bujanovac and Presevo areas (of Southern Serbia) and
had contacts with the police."
[Beta News Agency, 14th March 2003]
From: Petokraka78@...
Fwd: URGENT: Censorship imposed on Yugoslav media!
Inviato: 25/03/2003 10:56
[The banning of DAN in particular is tragic, as it was one of the best
left-wing mass-circulation papers in the Balkans. It routinely
reprinted articles by leading leftist intelectuals in the region and
in the world and had a feature series each week on the history of the
Communist Party in the Balkans and the anti-fascist resistance during
WWII. It is a tragedy that the only independent voice in Montenegro
has been stiffled by the unpopular DOS regime. Reports from the region
claim that over 1,000 people have been detained without any trial by
state authorities who have declared Martial Law. During this period
all demonstrations have been banned, and the Minister of the Interior
has threatened to "liquidate" anyone resisting arrest.]
MINISTER: DAILY BANNED BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED LINKS WITH ORGANIZED CRIME
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - Serbian Minister of Culture and
Information Branislav Lecic said on March 19 that the Belgrade daily
Nacional was temporarily banned because it violated the order on
information during the state of emergency and suspicion that the
associates or founders of the daily "were linked to the Zemun criminal
clan."
"There are times in a country when the media should show solidarity
with and loyalty to the state. This is a moment when certain freedoms
are suspended until the situation in the country is settled. Just
remember what the situation was like in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001,
after the terrorist attacks in New York," Lecic said.
The Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information on March 18 banned the
work of the Belgrade daily Nacional and distribution of the Podgorica
daily Dan in Serbia, based on the order on the state of emergency. The
Belgrade magazine Identitet and Valjevo TV station Mars were banned on
March 17.
All opposition parties in Montenegro condemned the decision to ban
the distribution of the Podgorica daily Dan in Serbia. Most describe
the ban as "an abuse of the state of emergency."
---
USA, NATO ED UE APPOGGIANO IL GOVERNO SERBO
SOLANA OFFERS SUPPORT TO PREMIER ZIVKOVIC
BRUSSELS, March 19 (Tanjug) - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana
late on Tuesday offered full support to Serbian Premier Zoran
Zivkovic, and congratulated him on the appointment. The tragic murder
of premier Zoran Djindjic last Wednesday left us without a dear
friend, and Serbia without champion of the European integration,
Solana said in his letter to Zivkovic.
The new Serbian government is completely right in its orientation that
the memory of Zoran Djindjic be preserved by a strong process of
reforms he had initiated, Solana said in the letter.
US WELCOMES ELECTION OF ZIVKOVIC AS PREMIER
WASHINGTON, March 19 (Tanjug) - The US State Department has welcomed
the appointment of Zoran Zivkovic as new Serbian Premier, and viewed
him as resolved to continue reforms tragically deceased premier Zoran
Djindjic had initiated.
In a statement for Tanjug, a State Department spokesman pointed out
that Zivkovic had said in public that the cooperation with The Hague
tribunal would be continued.
The United States welcome the resolvement of the Serbian leadership
and people to continue the fight against organised crime and political
extremism, the spokesman said, and added that the United States
supported the new premier, Djindjic's close associate.
NATO SUPPORTS AUTHORITIES IN BELGRADE
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - On March 19, ambassadors of the NATO
Council expressed their countries' readiness to support the
authorities in Belgrade, in strengthening the democratic order and the
fight against organized crime, sources at the Alliance headquarters
said. In Brussels, NATO ambassadors assessed developments in the
Balkans, especially in Serbia and Montenegro. Sources at the NATO
headquarters said they would assess the prospects for possible
cooperation, with officials of Serbia and Montenegro.
The foreign minister of Serbia and Montenegro, Goran Svilanovic, said
in Brussels on March 18 he was certain that, with the support received
for swift admission to the Council of Europe, the now joint policy of
the U.S. and Europe towards Serbia and Montenegro should enable their
admission to the Partnership for Peace program.
---
CARLA DEL PONTE PIANGE IL SUO AMICO DJINDJIC
Carla Del Ponte piange il suo amico Djindjic.
"Evropske Novosti", 19. marta 'o3
Carla Del Ponte objasnjava zasto nije dosla na sahranu srpskog
premijera.
"SAMA CU OTICI NA DJINDJICEV GROB"
Carla Del Ponte spiega perché non è venuta ai funerali del premier
serbo.
"ANDRO' DA SOLA SULLA TOMBA DI DJINDJIC
Ginevra. "Volevo davvero andare a Belgrado e partecipare alle esequie
del mio amico Zoran Djindjic. E alla vostra domanda se ci sono state
pressioni perché non andassi, vi posso dire si, ci sono state", ha
detto la Del Ponte, procuratrice del Tribunale dell'Aia, in risposta
alla domanda dell'inviato dell'agenzia SENSA.
"Prima mi ha fatto capire il ministro Svilanovic (Esteri) che non
sarebbe stato opportuno che venissi, poi è arrivata la conferma di
questa informazione dal Governo a Belgrado. Non ha importanza.
Ritenevo Zoran Djindjic un amico personale e sulla sua tomba andrò da
sola, la prossima volta che andrò a Belgrado" ha confermato la
Del Ponte.
Alla domanda se in questa circostanza sente anche la personale
responsabilità per le pressioni fatte sul governo della Serbia e sul
premier Djindjic, perché gli accusati vengano quanto prima condotti
all'Aia, Carla Del Ponte ha risposto che sà che le priorità del
governo di Djindjic erano le riforme e che che lui sapeva che le
riforme sono impossibili fintantoché i criminali di guerra non saranno
consegnati alla giustizia. E gli uomini di Milosevic non vogliono le
riforme e fanno ancora di tutto perché esse non si realizzino.
Rispondendo alla domanda se è pronta, alla luce dell'assassinio
compiuto l'altra settimana, a diminuire la pressione su Belgrado,
Carla Del Ponte ha risposto: "Questo non è il primo assassinio di un
uomo che amava il proprio paese. Però non metterò le accuse nel
cassetto perchè avvengono gli assassinii. D'altronde la pressione non
parte da me, ma dalla comunità internazionale. Per quello che mi
riguarda, contibuerò il mio lavoro".
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SILURATI 35 GIUDICI, PERSINO 7 DI CORTE SUPREMA
LEGISLATURE SENDS 35 JUDGES IN RETIREMENT, INCLUDING SEVEN SUPREME
COURT JUDGES
BELGRADE,March 18 (Beta) - The Serbian Legislature accepted on March
18 the Serbian Justice Ministry's request that it should relieve 35
judges of their duty, among whom seven judges of the Serbian Supreme
Court, Belgrade media report.
The judges in question meet retirement criteria either because they
have turned 65 or have 45 years of service.
The Supreme Court judges in question are Zoran Ivosevic, Nikola
Milosevic, Milovan Dedijer, Aleksandar Rankovic, Mileva Gajinov,
Ljiljana Vujic and Zoran Skuric.
POLICE ARREST DEPUTY SERBIAN PUBLIC PROSECUTOR FOR LINKS WITH
ORGANIZED CRIME
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - The police on March 19 arrested deputy
Serbian public prosecutor Milan Sarajlic for his contacts and links
with the Zemun criminal clan. A press release from the Serbian
Interior Ministry says that the apartment and office of the public
prosecutor have been searched.
"The Interior Ministry will inform the public about the extent of
Sarajlic's involvement and other details concerning the murder of the
Serbian premier," the press release says. The police also say that
several dozen individuals have also been arrested for links with
criminal structures.
Following his arrest, Sarajlic has been dismissed.
SERBIAN JUSTICE MINISTER ON SITUATION IN JUDICIARY
BELGRADE, March 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic
said on Friday that judges of the 4th Municipal Court in Belgrade and
other employees in the judiciary were being questioned, since some of
them had obviously had connections with criminals.
"We must make a clear cut in the judiciary" and restore citizens'
confidence in judicial institutions and responsibility, Batic told a
news conference. We have the support of the US, OSCE, Council of
Europe and other international factors for what we are doing in the
judiciary, Batic said and added that Serbia's survival was at stake.
Police have so far taken in 2,500 persons, 1,000 of whom
remained in custody, Batic said and added that the Serbia and
Montenegro Army had let the Justice Ministry use its prisons in Nis
and Belgrade. Batic said that police were issuing media calls for
citizens' assistance and added that citizens had the obligation to
report crimes and their perpetrators and that those who had not done
so might be sentenced to three years in prison. Batic announced the
setting up of a working group for amending the Law on Criminal
Procedure, which would increase the competence of the prosecutor's
office, withdraw the investigative judge's competence over organised
crime, increase sentences for some crimes and introduce the measure of
temporary confiscation of property.
Asked about the situation in prisons, Batic said that it was
satisfactory and added that the Army was guarding the Belgrade
District Prison and that the number of prison guards had increased.
Asked about the extradition to the Hague-based war crimes tribunal of
indictees for crimes in Vukovar, Batic said that he expected that the
suspects would be turned over to the tribunal if they were in Serbia.
He said he expected that the tribunal would hand over some files to
the Serbian judiciary. Asked if there was any knowledge of the
whereabouts of Zemun Clan members, Batic said that "according to
indications" most of them were in Belgrade and that it was a matter of
hours when their leaders would be found.
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SUSPENDED, NEW ACTING SERBIAN SUPREME COURT
PRESIDENT APPOINTED
BELGRADE, March 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian Public Prosecutor Sinisa Simic
has been temporarily suspended, Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic
announced in Belgrade on Friday. Based on Acting Serbian President
Natasa Micic's order on special measures in the judicial sphere, Simic
was replaced by Novi Sad Interior Ministry head Djordje Ostojic, who
will perform the duties of acting public prosecutor during the state
of emergency in Serbia. The president of the Novi Sad District Court,
Sonja Brkic, has been appointed the new Acting Serbian Supreme Court
President after her predecessor Leposava Karamarkovic resigned. Brkic
will also be in office during the state of emergency. Micic made this
decision on the basis of a proposal by the Serbian government, Batic
told the press.
LEGISLATURE DISMISSES 35 JUDGES, SUPREME COURT CRITICIZES DECISION
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - On March 19, the Serbian Legislature
dismissed 35 judges, including seven judges of the Supreme Court of
Serbia, because they have fulfilled the age limit for leaving office.
The Legislature also passed amendments to the Law on the regulation of
courts, the Law on judges and the Law on the organization and
jurisdiction of state bodies in the struggle against organized crime.
The chairman of the Serbian Legislature's Administration Committee,
Bosko Ristic, called on the president of the Supreme Court of Serbia,
Leposava Karamarkovic, to resign, and if she does not, constitutional
and legal mechanisms will be found for the change of personnel in top
judicial offices.
Ristic said that Leposava Karamarkovic should resign for moral
reasons, explaining that "she did not do anything important in the
judiciary".
Opposition deputies criticized the proposed decision, accusing the
house majority of attempting to break the law and the Constitution.
The Democratic Party of Serbia whip, Dejan Mihajlov, said there was no
relevant decision by the Supreme Court of Serbia nor procedure for the
judges to leave office. "We do not need judges who will do what we
tell them. We need an independent judiciary. The judiciary alone
should deal with those who contaminate it," Mihajlov said, accusing
the executive and legislative authorities in Serbia of violating the
principles of an independent judiciary.
The Collegium of the Supreme Court of Serbia accused Serbia's
executive and legislative authorities of preventing the dismissal of a
certain number of judges last summer, by "blocking the work" of the
Principal Personnel Committee of the Supreme Court.
"The Principal Personnel Committee is a judicial body which
establishes whether grounds exist for the dismissal of judges.
Although the president of the Supreme Court sent timely
recommendations for the dismissal of certain judges, the Council was
unable to meet and bring decisions because of the Law on judges,
drafted by the executive authority, passed by the legislative
authority, and annulled by the Supreme Court," it was said in the
Supreme Court's statement.
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MINACCE CONTRO L'OPPOSIZIONE POLITICA
ZORAN ZIVKOVIC IS NEW SERBIAN PREMIER
BELGRADE,March 18 (Beta) - On March 18, the Serbian Legislature
appointed a new cabinet, headed by Zoran Zivkovic, with a new vice
premier Cedomir Jovanovic. There have been no other changes in the
cabinet. A total of 128 deputies votes in favor of the government, 100
were against, and three abstained.
Addressing the Legislature Zivkovic said that his cabinet will be the
one of continuity, whose most important task is the crackdown on
organized crime and the increasing of overall security in the country.
The Democratic Party of Serbia and the opposition parties voted
against the appointment of the premier and vice premier, demanding
that the state of emergency, introduced after the assassination of
Premier Zoran Djindjic, on March 12, be lifted.
Democratic Party of Serbia, Socialist Party of Serbia and Serbian
Radical Party whips in the Legislature said that Serbia should elect a
new cabinet, and called for the forming of a broad coalition
government, or the scheduling of early legislature elections.
ZIVKOVIC: POLITICAL INSPIRERS OF PREMIER'S ASSASSINATION WILL BE
PUNISHED
BELGRADE, March 18 (Beta) - The newly appointed Serbian premier, Zoran
Zivkovic, said on March 18 that the "political inspirers of Djindjic's
assassination" will also be punished.
"I am speaking about political inspirers for one simple reason the
assassination of any premier cannot be a personal settling of
accounts, it is always an attempt to bring instability to a state and
to change its policies. Therefore, the assassination of Zoran
Djindjic certainly has political background," Zivkovic said at a news
conference.
Asked whether certain political parties in Serbia will be banned, he
said that the government is not to decide on this, but the
Constitutional Court of Serbia.
Serbian Minister of Culture and Information Branislav Lecic said at
the same conference that the Belgrade daily Nacional, the Identitet
weekly, and the March radio and television station from Valjevo, have
been banned, because they did not honor the measures introduced under
the state of emergency.
He said the media have been banned primarily because of what they
wrote, but also because of "certain data that are concerned with the
investigation who are their founders and how close their relations
were" with the premier's assassins.
Zivkovic said that editors of the media had two meeting with
representatives of the government and that all has been made clear at
these meetings. He added that the government did not wish to have
media that are all alike and that it will do everything in order to
"give them more space."
INTERIOR MINISTER LINKS SESELJ WITH ZEMUN GANG
BELGRADE, March 18 (Beta) - Serbian Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic
said late on March 18 that he would not avoid a debate on his
responsibility for the assassination of Serbian Premier Zoran
Djindjic, but added that the important thing now was to catch the
murders and protect the state.
Mihajlovic told Serbian state TV that police had been getting ready to
charge the Zemun gang criminal group, but that it found out, deciding
to assassinate the premier in a bid to destabilize the government
and avoid arrest.
Mihajlovic indirectly linked Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav
Seselj with the Zemun gang, describing him as the gang's "last
political associate." "If you recall (Seselj's) statements on an
upcoming bloody spring, then you can piece together the whole
picture." The minister said that it had not been possible to uproot
organized crime immediately after Oct. 5 change of government because
its "mentors," top secret police officials, had still been in power.
He said that the state would crack down on other gangs, including
the Surcin gang. He added that 500 suspects were still at large.
IMMUNITY WILL NOT PROTECT THOSE CHARGED WITH DJINDJIC'S MURDER
BELGRADE, March 19 (Beta) - The head of the Serbian Legislature's
administration committee, Bosko Ristic, said that no one would be able
to fall back on their parliamentary immunity if the police
investigation determined that any of the deputies were involved in the
assassination of Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic.
"Since the assassination of the premier is an act of terrorism and
organized crime, the prison sentences set for such an act are over
five years and no one could use their parliamentary immunity as
protection," Ristic said.
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LE ONG DI SOROS PLAUDONO ALLA INSTAURAZIONE DELLO STATO DI EMERGENZA
COME MODO PER ASSICURARE ALLA GIUSTIZIA TUTTI I RESPONSABILI DELLA
"PIANIFICAZIONE ED ESECUZIONE DELLE POLITICHE CRIMINALI DI SLOBODAN
MILOSEVIC" ED ATTACCANO ESPLICITAMENTE KOSTUNICA
NUMEROUS NGOs SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT'S CRACKDOWN ON CRIMINALS AND
EXTREMISTS
BELGRADE, March 25 (Beta) - A group of 29 nongovernment organizations
in Serbia expressed on March 25 their support for the Serbian
government's efforts to bring to justice members of criminal gangs,
the police, the army and the parties that "had a hand in the planning
and execution of Slobodan Milosevic's criminal policies."
"We are encouraging the government to take all the measures necessary
to eliminate from the legislature and government services all those
who by action or non-action protected war criminals and other
criminals, turning Serbia into a shelter for wrongdoers," says the
statement issued by 29 NGOs, including the Belgrade Circle and the
Helsinki Human Rights Committee.
The NGOs say that "one of the greatest protectors of false heroes is
the last president of Yugoslavia, Vojislav Kostunica" because he
"protected the former head of the state security service, Radomir
Markovic, and Milosevic's generals" and "called on Serbia to
sympathize with war crimes indictees."
The statement also says that the NGOs support the government in its
efforts "to cleanse Serbia of war and other criminals, to establish
good cooperation with the Hague War Crimes Tribunal and the Council of
Europe," as well as to ensure citizens' safety and enforce the rule of
law in the country.
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CIRCA 4000 GLI ARRESTATI (AL 27 MARZO)
+++DIE ZAHL DER VERHAFTETEN PERSONEN WÄCHST
BELGRAD. Seit der Ausrufung des Ausnahmezustandes hat die Polizei
unter der Anordnung der prowestlichen Regierung Serbiens mehr als 4000
Personen verhaftet. Obwohl die Regierung bekannt gegeben hat, dass der
mutmassliche Schütze auf Zoran Djindjic verhaftet wurde und die
angebliche kriminelle Organisation zerschlagen ist gibt es immer noch
keine Anzeichen für die Aufhebung des Ausnahmezustandes.
Mehreren Parlamentsangehörigen wurde die Teilnahme an
Parlamentssitzungen verboten. STIMME KOSOVOS+++
Balkan-Telegramm 27/03/2003 - http://www.amselfeld.com
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