2 November 2009 | Interior minister will lift restrictions on foreign nationals crossing from Kosovo into Serbia - but no change in sight for Kosovo passport holders.
Serbia is to lift restrictions on foreign passport-holders travelling from Kosovo to Serbia, the Serbian Interior Minister has told BIRN Kosovo.
Until now, foreigners living in Kosovo have been barred from entering Serbia if they do not possess a valid Serbian entry stamp.
These can only be obtained at “official” international border points, not on crossings between Serbia and Kosovo or between Kosovo and the other neighbouring countries.
Ivica Dacic told BIRN’s Life in Kosovo TV show that the situation was about to change.
“We will solve these practical problems, which will mean everyone can cross over without a problem,” the Interior Minister said.
“There will be stamps annulling all Kosovo visas or stamps from the so-called Republic of Kosovo.”
Dacic, who comes from Prizren, refused to provide a date for the lifting of the restrictions but said the ministry was discussing how to avoid foreigners “paying unnecessary costs”.
In the same interview, the Interior Minister ruled out extending the same privilege to travellers holding Kosovo passports. “All those who want to go to Serbia have Serbian documents,” he said.
“Dozens of Albanians are seeking Serbian passports,” he added.
Serbia considers Kosovo an integral part of its territory, albeit temporarily administered by the UN under UN Resolution 1244. As such, although it does not control Kosovo’s land and air borders, it considers those entering the country through these ports ‘illegally present’ in Serbia.
This has meant that travellers flying into Pristina, or entering Kosovo by land from Macedonia, Albania or Montenegro, have had to exit Kosovo through one of these countries before crossing into Serbia.
Foreign nationals with Kosovo stamps in their passport have also been turned back at Serbian border crossings, according to the British foreign office. A recent case saw more than a dozen lorries carrying aid from Britain blocked on the
Kosovo-Serbia border for hours because some members of the convoy, trying to return to the UK, had flown into Pristina.
From January 1, Serbia expects to join the European Union’s so-called white Schengen list, which will mean Serbian citizens can travel to and through most of the EU without a visa. The EU has not extended the right to residents of Kosovo, whether or not they are Serbs.
Dacic said this had not been “a good decision but is a unilateral decision by the EC [European Commission], which means that people in Kosovo in a way are not included in the visa liberalization and will [still] need Schengen visas”.
He said Kosovo’s majority Albanian population was to blame for Kosovo’s exclusion from the European scheme. Kosovo had been shut out “primarily because of the Albanian population’s crime links in Western Europe,” he said.
The minister said that “in a way” the decision was justified because “the removal of visas would open the door for the spread of that crime”.
Dacic insisted that the European Commission’s decision showed it had “accepted the sovereignty of Serbia over the territory of Kosovo and Metohija”.
Turning to the upcoming local elections in Kosovo, in which Serbia has urged members of the Serbian minority in Kosovo not to vote, Dacic said he would not seek to punish those who do decide to cast their ballot.
“The stance of the Serbian government is that we cannot invite Serbs to take part in these elections because by this we would indirectly accept the Kosovo and Metohija institutions”, he said. However, Dacic said it was “up to them [the Kosovo Serbs] to decide what their practical interest is”.
Referring to Kosovo’s unilateral decision to separate from Serbia, the minister asked why, if the same logic was applied consistently, “Serbs in those areas where they are a majority should not also have the right to a unilateral separation from Kosovo?”
This article is courtesy of Balkan Insight, the online publication of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, which contains analytical reports, in-depth analyses and investigations and news items from throughout the region covering major challenges of the political, social and economic transition in the Balkans.
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Source:BalkanTravellers.com
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Serbian Candidates Run In Kosovo's First Postindependence Vote
NOVO BRDO, Kosovo -- The crumbling walls of the medieval Gumnishte fortress can still be seen atop an extinct volcano in Novo Brdo -- a relic of the city's heyday as a European mining and trade center.
Tourists and history buffs still travel to Novo Brdo, along with illicit collectors hoping to unearth some of the area's rare, 14th-century silver coins. But the gold and silver mines that once made Novo Brdo one of the most prosperous regions in Kosovo have been closed for a decade. Today its inhabitants are among Kosovo's poorest.
But Novo Brdo -- or Artana, as it is known in Albanian -- still has a special distinction. It is one of the few regions in Kosovo where Albanians and Serbs have historically lived peacefully together, even during the ethnic bloodshed of the 1998-99 war.
Velibor Trajkovic is an elderly Serb living in Novo Brdo. For him, the city's long history is one of peaceful coexistence.
"Up until now, we haven't had any problems. Not even during the most difficult times, after the war," he says. "The situation now is getting better and better."
That harmony is being put to the test during today's municipal elections as two Serbian and two Albanian candidates compete for the Novo Brdo mayoral post.
Novo BrdoThroughout Kosovo, Serbs make up nearly one-third of the 74 candidates participating in the elections, the first since Pristina declared independence from Serbia in February 2008.
The presence of Serbian names on the ballots, it is hoped, will help persuade Kosovo Serbs to engage in the republic's political process, and override calls from Belgrade for a boycott. Kosovar President Fatmir Sejdiu this week called on ethnic Serbs to "exercise their constitutional and human rights" by participating in the vote.
Belgrade Urges Boycott
In Novo Brdo, at least some of the Serbian residents said they were ready to cast ballots. Twenty-year-old Marko Markovic said the vote is the best way to ensure that the lives of Kosovo Serbs change for the better.
"I can only guarantee that, as for myself, I'll go out and vote. I can't speak for anyone else," Markovic said.
"I think that if Serbs vote, especially the young ones, there will be big benefits for us. We've been asked by the Serbian government not to participate in the elections. But they've done nothing to help us so far."
Belgrade, which continues to view Albanian-majority Kosovo as a Serbian province, has repeatedly appealed to Kosovo Serbs to boycott the vote.
Serbian officials have said that participating in the elections is tantamount to recognizing Kosovo's independence -- a concept that Belgrade, and its powerful ally Moscow, reject. (More than 60 countries, including the United States and 22 EU members, have recognized Kosovo.)
The call from Belgrade has been echoed by a number of influential Kosovo Serbs. Marko Jaksic of the Serbian National Council, the central governing body in Kosovo's majority-Serb north, reiterated a warning by Serbian President Boris Tadic, who said there are no circumstances under which Kosovo Serbs should consider it proper to vote.
"Each attempt by a Serb to go out and vote means recognizing Kosovo's independence and giving up our own state," Jaksic said.
Fears Of Violence
Incidents of violence have already raised concerns that the elections may be undermined by unrest.
A motorcade carrying Kosovo's prime minister, Hashim Thaci, was targeted by a barrage of stones and eggs as he was leaving a November 11 campaign rally in the western town of Decani. An Albanian mayoral candidate in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica was targeted by gunfire the following day.
Novo Brdo Mayor Bajrush ImeriElection-day chaos would deal a blow to Kosovo's development as a free-standing political entity. The U.S. Embassy in Pristina has called on parties, political leaders, and activists to refrain from "provocations." NATO, which maintains 13,000 troops in Kosovo, is on the alert for any outbreak of violence.
In Novo Brdo, current Mayor Bajrush Imeri must juggle two tasks: ensuring a trouble-free and fair vote while campaigning for his own reelection bid.
Imeri, an ethnic Albanian, will face off against three rivals, one Albanian and two Serbs -- a potentially tricky situation that he attempts to smooth over.
"I know all my fellow candidates, and I have good relations with them," Imeri said. "I've worked with them all for a long time."
Pushing Local Government
An Albanian candidate like Imeri in an Albanian-majority republic might appear to be a sure bet. Even Novo Brdo, once majority-Serb, is now roughly two-thirds Albanian. (Roma make up a tiny fraction of the town's estimated 4,000 residents as well.)
That, however, is about to change. The Novo Brdo municipality is set to expand its borders, a step meant to deliberately absorb the populations of nearby Serbian communities. Similar expansions are taking place in several Serb-populated regions of Kosovo.
At the same time, greater responsibility for governing the newly expanded municipalities is being handed to local officials. This decentralization initiative is a critical part of the independence road map drafted for Kosovo by Finnish diplomat Martti Ahtisaari.
It's hoped the shift, like the November 15 election itself, will encourage Kosovo Serbs to integrate with Kosovo's official government institutions, rather than constructing "parallel" courtrooms and civil offices with ties to Serbia, as is currently the case.
It is hoped that the presence of Serbian candidates on the ballots will finally tempt reluctant Serbs to see local governments as their own. U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Christopher Dell said decentralization is "vital to the future" of Kosovo.
"Decentralization will provide the vehicle for fully integrating all of Kosovo's communities into the country. That's not only good for Kosovo, that's good for the minority communities themselves," Dell said.
"I believe the November elections are a critical opportunity for the Kosovo Serb community to assume much greater control for the day-to-day running of their lives, in ways that really matter."
...But Pushing Too Far?
Decentralization has won grudging approval from some Serbs, even those in hard-line northern Kosovo.
Rada Trajkovic has urged fellow Kosovo Serbs to vote.Rada Trajkovic, a member of the Serbian National Council, has appealed to fellow Kosovo Serbs to ignore Belgrade's call for a boycott, saying that "when it comes to improving the living conditions of Serbs in Kosovo, Serbia's action is deeply irresponsible and disingenuous."
Trajkovic said that Kosovo's Serbs "can now choose the lesser of two evils. For me, it's normal to choose the option that offers Serbs a chance to survive in this territory, through the process of decentralization."
But the initiative has stirred resentment among Kosovo's Albanians. With 1.5 million eligible voters, Albanians vastly outnumber Serbs. For many, the Serbian candidacy drive and the decentralization program are overaccommodating the needs of the small Serbian minority.
Hamit Krasniqi, an Albanian voter in Novo Brdo, said the issue may be enough to keep him away from the voting booth. "I'm going to vote only if Novo Brdo maintains its current borders, not the extended ones," he said. "I'll only vote for the current Novo Brdo, not a new one. Decentralization is not in our favor."
Another Albanian voter from Novo Brdo, Muhamet Vllasaliu, acknowledged that decentralization may mean a shift in favor of Serbian political candidates. It's a change he said he can accept -- as long as the candidates come from his hometown, and not from a district outside.
"Even if the next mayor is a Serb from Novo Brdo, it's OK. We've all known each other since childhood," Vllasaliu said. "But if it's someone from far outside Novo Brdo, it may be a problem, since we don't know each other."
Crossing Ethnic Lines
The political platforms of Novo Brdo's four current mayoral candidates appear to vary only slightly. In a town where hundreds of local men lost their earning power following the collapse of the local mining industry, the key issues are economic development, fighting unemployment, and encouraging investment in local agriculture and tourism.
The candidates were nearly unified in their approach to voters as well. Three of the four said they have met with potential supporters in both the Serbian and Albanian communities. Only one, Radovan Denic, said he is limiting his campaigning to fellow Serbs.
"To be honest, I haven't talked to any Kosovo Albanian voters, because I think my potential voters will only come from the Kosovo Serb community, or possibly from the Roma community," Denic said.
"I haven't talked to the Kosovo Albanian voters. They have their own representatives."
Under the decentralization plan for Novo Brdo, the newly reconfigured municipality is estimated to be 31 percent Albanian and 69 percent Serbian.
The continued threat of a Serbian boycott, however, means Novo Brdo, may remain for now in the hands of an ethnic Albanian mayor -- despite efforts by local and international authorities to convince local Serbs before November 15 that they have a critical role to play in restoring Novo Brdo to its multiethnic, prewar prosperity.
Albanian candidate Gafurr Mustafa said that regardless of who wins, the race is about issues -- not identity.
"We all know each other. We're conducting a fair race. I don't think we'll face any tensions here. We're having a race based on the values of each of the candidates and their platforms," Mustafa said.
Source:rferl.org
Patriarch Pavle, The Man and the Serb
The leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church, was laid to rest on November 19th
The death of the Serbian Patriarch has united people across Serbia for a moment because there is no controversy about his life – everyone agrees that a great man has died.
Patriarch Pavle spent nineteen years at the helm of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In that period, the church, state and people faced huge challenges but this man of the cloth managed to come out of those difficult times totally unstained.
In the days following his death, people have focused on the morality of the man, ignoring the burden of numerous controversies that the institution he was heading now labours under.
His election as Patriarch came when the Serbian Church was emerging from the Communist period when its activity and influence were restricted and surprised many as, at the time, he was not a prominent member of the Orthodox Church.
The state’s move from Communism to a multi-party system and the rise of Serb nationalism a central tenant of Slobodan Milosevic’s policy gave the Serbian Orthodox Church new room to reclaiming its influence.
Set in this context, Pavle, was a man with an untainted biography, devoted to the work of the church. As Patriarch, he would travel to work on public transport shunning the luxury trappings and expensive cars that formerly came with the office.
“If they drive around in such expensive cars having made a pledge to modesty,” Pavle is reported to have said, “what would have they done had they not made the pledge.”
He was criticised in Liberal circles for not being more resolute in holding back the Church from interference in state affairs, although in the church system he was just the first among equals, and many decisions were made passed by the bishops, without his approval.
A pious man, he was nevertheless always willing to talk to anyone without feeling the need to impose his religious views.
His message has been summed up in a sentence: it is better to live for just one day as men, than a whole lifetime as a monster.
Many will remember him for a statement he made in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the war: “Budimo ljudi iako smo Srbi”.
Loosely, this translates in to English as “It’s more important to be a man than a Serb.”
Source:balkaninsight.com
Serbian hearings in attack on NY student to start
BELGRADE, Serbia — Pretrial hearings in the case of a Serb accused of beating a fellow student into a coma in the United States will begin in December, a Serbian court said Thursday.
Miladin Kovacevic, a 23-year-old former basketball player at Binghamton University, jumped bail and fled the U.S. last year after being accused of assaulting Bryan Steinhauer in a Binghamton bar in May 2008. Kovacevic was provided with emergency travel documents by Serbian diplomats in New York
A Belgrade district court said in a statement that witnesses to the brawl will testify from the U.S. on Dec. 1 via a video link. The statement did not say whether the closed-door hearings would also include Steinhauer.
The case had strained relations between the United States and Serbia. Hillary Rodham Clinton intervened, first as a U.S. senator and later as secretary of state, as did U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, to make sure Kovacevic was prosecuted.
The 260-pound (118-kilogram) Kovacevic was accused of assaulting the 130-pound (59-kilogram) Steinhauer in a Binghamton bar, in upstate New York, repeatedly kicking him in the chest and head.
Witnesses told New York police that the two men exchanged harsh words after Steinhauer danced with the girlfriend of one of Kovacevic's friends.
The beating fractured Steinhauer's skull and left him with a severe brain injury. Now 23, he awoke from his coma in August 2008, three months after the beating.
The Serbian government has paid the Steinhauer family $900,000 (euro600,000) as part of a deal to prosecute Kovacevic in Serbia. Since the attack, Kovacevic has lived freely in Serbia, training with a local basketball team and advocating an anti-Western political party.
Sanel Softic, a Bosnian man accused along with Kovacevic and another man in the near-fatal beating, has pleaded guilty in New York to felony assault.
Source:http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hfDgjWZ_mtjs9pVEFMSCxgGq2rrQD9BU4JP83
European Parliament OKs visa-free travel for Serbia, Montenegro and FYR Macedonia
The European Parliament has adopted a decision to allow citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and FYR Macedonia to travel visa-free to the bloc as of Dec.19, while calling for visa liberalization for the citizens of Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina by next year.
The Parliament also recommended starting similar visa dialogue with Kosovo.
On Nov. 30, the EU Council is expected to approve the decision, which will waive visa requirements in Serbia, Montenegro and FYROM for stays of less than 90 days in EU countries, excluding the UK and Ireland.
Visa liberalization is a step towards eventual EU membership.
The EU's executive arm had previously proposed a visa-free regime for those three Balkan countries, but Albania and Bosnia did not qualify.
"Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina must catch up on the reforms needed to qualify for a short-stay visa waiver," the Parliament said, calling on the EC to report on the two countries' progress early in 2010.
Source:balkans.com
The Parliament also recommended starting similar visa dialogue with Kosovo.
On Nov. 30, the EU Council is expected to approve the decision, which will waive visa requirements in Serbia, Montenegro and FYROM for stays of less than 90 days in EU countries, excluding the UK and Ireland.
Visa liberalization is a step towards eventual EU membership.
The EU's executive arm had previously proposed a visa-free regime for those three Balkan countries, but Albania and Bosnia did not qualify.
"Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina must catch up on the reforms needed to qualify for a short-stay visa waiver," the Parliament said, calling on the EC to report on the two countries' progress early in 2010.
Source:balkans.com
Serbia's Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić pledges EU future for Belgrade
Serbia's Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić said Belgrade will apply for EU membership before the end of the year, with the aim of joining within seven years. Speaking to us during his visit to the European Parliament on 5 November, the youthful Mr Jeremić (34) stressed his view that disagreements over Kosovo independence should be separated from negotiations over the EU. He also spoke of the cultural heritage and the strong relationship with Moscow that Serbia can bring to the Union.
When do you think Serbia will join the European Union?
It is very difficult to predict, but I think it will be in about five to seven years. For some Western Balkan countries EU accession is becoming imminent (Croatia is close to joining). It is also a political decision amongst existing EU members. Serbia has to make sure it gets there as soon as possible.
When are you going to table Serbia's application?
We have a very strong intention to apply before the end of this year. Our domestic debate, about which way we want to go politically, is already over. We had two different polls last year with Presidential and Parliamentary elections and both answered "yes" to an EU future.
The Serbian people have not always been favourable towards the EU, what is the level of support at present?
At the end of last year and the start of this one support reached a high of 85%. Polls now show that 70% of the population is favourable towards membership of EU.
Did opinion change when many EU countries recognised Kosovo (which was part of Serbia) in 2008?
Well, it is something that isn't adding to the support, it is not positive. We have managed to compartmentalise this issue with our European partners who have recognised Kosovo. We are maintaining strict separation between EU integration and determining the future status of Kosovo. This is the official policy of Serbia and the official policy of the EU. It is very important we keep it this way.
What can Serbia contribute to the EU?
The biggest contribution is peace and stability. Other contributions would include our historical and cultural legacy. Our customs would also add to the diversity in the EU.
It's very difficult to imagine a stable, peaceful and prosperous part of Europe that has a big black hole right in it. I am an optimist and I hope the entire Western Balkans is going to accede to the EU in this generation.
Would you describe Serbia as an anchor of stability or as a bridge between Europe and Russia?
In the sense of peace and stability in the Balkans it is definitely an anchor. If you look at the map physically, you would definitely know where to put that anchor.
As for Russia, we have a historical relation which goes back centuries. We have the same alphabet, we share the same faith. We are culturally very close, we have been partners and allies in world conflicts and today Russia is also an important supporter when it comes to our diplomatic efforts to defend our territory and sovereignty.
Russia also supports us when it comes to our wish to become a member state of the EU. So, Russia is a good friend and Russia is always going to stay a good friend of Serbia. And I think one day when Serbia joins the EU, Serbia can help improve the understanding between Russia and the EU.
Visa free travel is a matter of weeks away. What benefits will it bring to Serbian citizens and particularly to the young generation?
It is going to be a great relief, like the falling of a huge boulder. It has been particularly frustrating for us in the former Yugoslavia because we used to travel freely everywhere in the world - both east and west. So that was really a time that lots of people remember and going back to that situation is going to bring a sigh of relief: "We are normal again".
This is especially important for the younger generation because they have grown up in an atmosphere of isolation, this new generation has never had a chance to see what Europe is about. We say that being an EU member is a great thing and these guys have to see what exactly that means.
You held talks with EP President Jerzy Buzek. How can the EP help Serbia in its European ambitious?
The European Parliament is going to play an increasingly important role in the life of Europe after the Lisbon Treaty. We are looking forward to working very closely with the EP. There are interesting times ahead.
Source:penki.lt
TEAM PROFILE: Serbs wonder - finally a real team?
Belgrade - Serbia is looking forward to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa mixing hope that it finally has a "real team" with fear of another huge disappointment. Serbia qualified directly and surefooted for the tournament, but it did the same four years ago, then as Serbia-Montenegro, only to be cast out after the opening stage with three humiliating defeats.
That disaster was further aggravated when Serbia failed to qualify for the finals of Euro and again embarassed itself, in Olympic Games, provoking an effective boycott of the national team by its fans.
So though Serbia hired a star coach, its own Radomir Antic, in August 2008, just days before World Cup qualifications began, no euphoria followed promises of a "new start."
Antic's debut, a 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands in September two years ago, was seen by a few thousand spectators dotting the 50,000- seater Red Star Belgrade stadium.
The same stadium was packed on October 10, in Serbia's homecoming qualifier, in which the capacity crowd saw the team off to Africa following a brilliant 5-0 drubbing of Romania.
In the two years meanwhile Antic has turned around and strongly pulled together a team previously plagued by clashing vanities and, reportedly, interests of shadowy managers pulling strings to push their merchandise into the squad in order to raise their price.
"He returned the cult of the national team and all players now take it very seriously," said Mladen Krstajic, a defender who took part in the 2006 World Cup.
Serbia and Montenegro then allowed only one goal in 10 rounds of qualifications, but capitulated 10 times in just 270 minutes the team had in the tournament.
Antic has built the team around big stars with immaculate working ethics, as Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic and Chelsea's Bane Ivanovic in defence, Inter Milan's midfielder Dejan Stankovic and Serbia's top up-and-comer, CSKA Moscow's striker Milos Krasic.
In between, the big names are several others with strong playing time in the Bundesliga, Italy and Spain, like strikers Nikola Zigic and Marko Pantelic.
"I think this time it can finally be it," says Isak Bogucanin, 40, who will travel to South Africa to watch Serbia play despite the exasperation of his expedition to Germany four years earlier.
"We were always let down by star players," Bogucanin says, reciting a history of missed penalties, wasted chances and red cards on the record of leading players in crunch time.
Like tens of thousands of others, he now hopes that the tough Antic and the new breed of players will not play worse for Serbia than they do in their teams. According to Bogucanin, "that is all it would take to secure that we at least not pack our bags to go home after the first phase."
The Coach:
Radomir Antic, 61, took Serbia over with the reputation of a crisis coach and the only man ever who had led the big Spanish three of Real and Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Before becoming coach, he played for Partizan Belgrade, Fenerbahce Istanbul, Real Zaragoza and Luton in England.
Following a learning period as assistant coach at Partizan in the mid-1980s, Zaragoza, invited him to return at the bench. Real Madrid called him in 1991 and he later also coached Atletico and Barcelona.
Though he previously refused offers to coach Serbia, he changed his mind in August 2008, ending a four-year vacation. Previously boycotted by fans over poor results, the team qualified for the World Cup on top of the group, ahead of reigning world vice-champions, France.
The Star:
Manchester United's defender and yet often crunchtime goalscorer Nemanja Vidic, 28, now reigns as Serbia's top player, towering even above his captain and undisputed team leader, Inter Milan's midfielder Dejan Stankovic.
Formerly with Red Star Belgrade, Vidic arrived in Manchester in 2006 after travelling the roundabout route which has become usual for Serbian players over the past two decades, via Russia and Spartak Moscow.
Tall and powerfully built, he is a part of formidable defensive tandems both in Manchester, with Rio Ferdinand, and in the national team, with Chelsea's Bane Ivanovic. Since his move to Manchester for 7 million pounds (12 million dollars), the price tag for his contract has quadrupled.
Factfile:
Nicknames: Beli Orlovi (White Eagles); Previously Plavi (The Blues) Founded: 1889 FIFA affiliation: 1904 Highest FIFA ranking: 8 - May 1998 Lowest FIFA ranking: 47 - December 2005 Previous World Cup appearances: 10 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1974, 1982, 1990, 1998, 2006) Best World Cup performance: Fourth (1930, 1962) as Yugoslavia Date qualified for finals: October 10, 2009
Source:earthtimes.org
That disaster was further aggravated when Serbia failed to qualify for the finals of Euro and again embarassed itself, in Olympic Games, provoking an effective boycott of the national team by its fans.
So though Serbia hired a star coach, its own Radomir Antic, in August 2008, just days before World Cup qualifications began, no euphoria followed promises of a "new start."
Antic's debut, a 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands in September two years ago, was seen by a few thousand spectators dotting the 50,000- seater Red Star Belgrade stadium.
The same stadium was packed on October 10, in Serbia's homecoming qualifier, in which the capacity crowd saw the team off to Africa following a brilliant 5-0 drubbing of Romania.
In the two years meanwhile Antic has turned around and strongly pulled together a team previously plagued by clashing vanities and, reportedly, interests of shadowy managers pulling strings to push their merchandise into the squad in order to raise their price.
"He returned the cult of the national team and all players now take it very seriously," said Mladen Krstajic, a defender who took part in the 2006 World Cup.
Serbia and Montenegro then allowed only one goal in 10 rounds of qualifications, but capitulated 10 times in just 270 minutes the team had in the tournament.
Antic has built the team around big stars with immaculate working ethics, as Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic and Chelsea's Bane Ivanovic in defence, Inter Milan's midfielder Dejan Stankovic and Serbia's top up-and-comer, CSKA Moscow's striker Milos Krasic.
In between, the big names are several others with strong playing time in the Bundesliga, Italy and Spain, like strikers Nikola Zigic and Marko Pantelic.
"I think this time it can finally be it," says Isak Bogucanin, 40, who will travel to South Africa to watch Serbia play despite the exasperation of his expedition to Germany four years earlier.
"We were always let down by star players," Bogucanin says, reciting a history of missed penalties, wasted chances and red cards on the record of leading players in crunch time.
Like tens of thousands of others, he now hopes that the tough Antic and the new breed of players will not play worse for Serbia than they do in their teams. According to Bogucanin, "that is all it would take to secure that we at least not pack our bags to go home after the first phase."
The Coach:
Radomir Antic, 61, took Serbia over with the reputation of a crisis coach and the only man ever who had led the big Spanish three of Real and Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Before becoming coach, he played for Partizan Belgrade, Fenerbahce Istanbul, Real Zaragoza and Luton in England.
Following a learning period as assistant coach at Partizan in the mid-1980s, Zaragoza, invited him to return at the bench. Real Madrid called him in 1991 and he later also coached Atletico and Barcelona.
Though he previously refused offers to coach Serbia, he changed his mind in August 2008, ending a four-year vacation. Previously boycotted by fans over poor results, the team qualified for the World Cup on top of the group, ahead of reigning world vice-champions, France.
The Star:
Manchester United's defender and yet often crunchtime goalscorer Nemanja Vidic, 28, now reigns as Serbia's top player, towering even above his captain and undisputed team leader, Inter Milan's midfielder Dejan Stankovic.
Formerly with Red Star Belgrade, Vidic arrived in Manchester in 2006 after travelling the roundabout route which has become usual for Serbian players over the past two decades, via Russia and Spartak Moscow.
Tall and powerfully built, he is a part of formidable defensive tandems both in Manchester, with Rio Ferdinand, and in the national team, with Chelsea's Bane Ivanovic. Since his move to Manchester for 7 million pounds (12 million dollars), the price tag for his contract has quadrupled.
Factfile:
Nicknames: Beli Orlovi (White Eagles); Previously Plavi (The Blues) Founded: 1889 FIFA affiliation: 1904 Highest FIFA ranking: 8 - May 1998 Lowest FIFA ranking: 47 - December 2005 Previous World Cup appearances: 10 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1974, 1982, 1990, 1998, 2006) Best World Cup performance: Fourth (1930, 1962) as Yugoslavia Date qualified for finals: October 10, 2009
Source:earthtimes.org
Dutch Ease Stance on Serbia
BRUSSELS -- The Netherlands is ready to remove a hurdle to Serbia's bid to join the European Union if a coming report says the Balkan nation is cooperating fully with the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague, a Dutch foreign-ministry spokeswoman said Thursday.
While the EU has pledged that Serbia eventually can join the 27-nation bloc, the Netherlands has been holding up a key Stabilization and Association Agreement with Belgrade. Such agreements are considered a necessary first step before membership talks can begin.
Late Wednesday, the main parties in the Dutch parliament gave foreign minister Maxime Verhagen approval to "act accordingly" if a report due Dec. 3 from Serge Brammertz, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, shows that Serbia is cooperating fully with the tribunal, the spokeswoman said. The decision was the clearest signal to date that the Netherlands may be ready to approve the agreement.
Dutch governments have taken a particularly hard line in pressuring Serbia to come to terms with its role in the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia, in part because of the humiliation of Dutch peacekeepers protecting the so-called United Nations safe haven of Srebrenica in 1995.
Bosnian Serb troops led by Gen. Ratko Mladic overran the territory, as the Dutch peacekeepers looked on helplessly. About 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys are believed to have been executed in the aftermath.
Last year, a newly elected pro-Western government in Belgrade captured wartime Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and delivered him to the tribunal in The Hague. But with Gen. Mladic and another Serb indictee still in hiding, the Netherlands has continued to block Serbia's stabilization agreement.
The Dutch government hasn't seen a draft of Mr. Brammertz's report, but Mr. Verhagen told parliament Wednesday that "the first signals are positive," according to the foreign-ministry spokeswoman.
The Netherlands' hard line on Serbia has created tensions within the EU. Many governments say the bloc needs to keep Serbia on track for membership to maintain stability in the region. The EU supported Kosovo's secession from Serbia last year and is trying to manage the fallout from that, as well as an increasingly unstable situation in Bosnia.
The EU is also expected later this month to begin consideration of a request from Serbia's regional rival Albania to start membership talks.
The Netherlands has already begun to soften its position against Belgrade, saying it won't stand in the way of granting Serbs visa-free travel to the EU -- a development expected next year.
Last week, Serbia's government said that it, too, plans to apply for EU membership talks by the end of the year, a move that Italy has since backed publicly. The Netherlands would oppose such an early move, however, the foreign-ministry spokeswoman said, arguing that Serbia shouldn't skip the association agreement.
Separately, Thursday, an appeals bench at the war-crimes tribunal cut the sentence of a Bosnian Serb general found guilty of crimes to 29 years from 33 years. The court upheld Dragomir Milosevic's convictions on five counts of murder, terrorizing civilians and inhumane treatment while leading troops who besieged Sarajevo. The Court found he was not guilty of planning three instances of shelling for which he was convicted, but remained responsible for them as commander.
Source:wsj.com
Leading Boston Companies to Participate in Trade Mission to Serbia
Prominent companies travel to Serbia to discuss potential investments
BELGRADE, Serbia & BOSTON--(Business Wire)--
Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, with its client, the Serbian Investment
& Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA), is conducting a trade mission to Belgrade
from November 1-5, 2009. As the global recession recedes, Serbia has begun to
show promise as a key country for foreign investment, given its low wage base,
skilled workforce and pro-business, European-styled government. Despite the
downturn, Serbia has resisted raising taxes on businesses or individuals and the
country continues to provide generous incentives to foreign companies that set
up operations there.
The five-day mission will be attended by members of the management teams from
four U.S. companies, including three from the Boston area. The U.S. companies
will meet with key government officials in the Serbian government, will tour
potential manufacturing sites and will consult with officials at U.S. companies
that have already made the investment in Serbia.
"We are proud to organize this trade mission and are pleased by the enthusiasm
these companies have shown toward investing in Serbia," said Larry Rasky,
Chairman, Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications. "Serbia is a compelling
target in Europe for companies exploring opportunities for foreign investment,
and we`re delighted to work with SIEPA to show these companies all that Serbia
has to offer."
Among the trade mission participants are:
* Boston-Power, Inc., an award-winning provider of next-generation lithium-ion
battery technology.
* PharmaSphere, LLC, a biotechnology company that utilizes TerraSphere
technology to produce high-value, plant-based biocompounds for pharmaceutical
and nutraceutical markets.
* Metric Engineering, a leading provider of transportation engineering services.
* Milenko Beslic, a successful Boston-based entrepreneur who co-founded
CheapToday.com and CheapFlights.com, plans to open a technology development
center in Serbia, called Teknuvo.
"We are honored by the attention these businesses are showing Serbia," said
Vesna Peric, Director of SIEPA. "This is tangible evidence that our country is
an extremely competitive target for foreign investment. Serbia`s highly-educated
workforce, economic incentives and strategic location in Europe makes Serbia a
natural fit for strong U.S. companies that are looking to expand into new
markets. I would also like to encourage other U.S. companies to take advantage
of this momentum and the strategic advantages that Serbia is offering to foreign
investors, in order to make their businesses more profitable."
Serbia, like Boston, has a reputation for its expertise in the IT, biotech and
cleantech sectors. Serbia`s leadership in these fields stems from its
outstanding pool of intellectual capital, attractive labor costs, excellent
worker skills and a good communications network.
About Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications
Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications is a nationally recognized public and
government relations firm with more than a decade of experience providing
exceptional client service to organizations that operate at the intersection of
business, politics and media. With offices in Boston and Washington, D.C., the
firm offers a comprehensive range of services, including ballot initiative
management, corporate communications counsel, community relations, crisis and
reputation management, government relations, grassroots organizing, investor
relations, media and presentation training, litigation support, lobbying, and
public sector business development. For more information, please visit
www.rasky.com.
About SIEPA
Serbia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA) is a government
organization dedicated to effectively helping foreign investors and buyers,
while raising Serbia`s profile in the minds of international business
decision-makers. Created in 2001 by the Government of the Republic of Serbia,
SIEPA`s mission is to support foreign companies seeking to set up or expand in
Serbia and Serbian companies when doing business worldwide.
Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications
Marissa Goldstein, 617-443-9933 x357
Mgoldstein@rasky.com
Source:reuters.com
BELGRADE, Serbia & BOSTON--(Business Wire)--
Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, with its client, the Serbian Investment
& Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA), is conducting a trade mission to Belgrade
from November 1-5, 2009. As the global recession recedes, Serbia has begun to
show promise as a key country for foreign investment, given its low wage base,
skilled workforce and pro-business, European-styled government. Despite the
downturn, Serbia has resisted raising taxes on businesses or individuals and the
country continues to provide generous incentives to foreign companies that set
up operations there.
The five-day mission will be attended by members of the management teams from
four U.S. companies, including three from the Boston area. The U.S. companies
will meet with key government officials in the Serbian government, will tour
potential manufacturing sites and will consult with officials at U.S. companies
that have already made the investment in Serbia.
"We are proud to organize this trade mission and are pleased by the enthusiasm
these companies have shown toward investing in Serbia," said Larry Rasky,
Chairman, Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications. "Serbia is a compelling
target in Europe for companies exploring opportunities for foreign investment,
and we`re delighted to work with SIEPA to show these companies all that Serbia
has to offer."
Among the trade mission participants are:
* Boston-Power, Inc., an award-winning provider of next-generation lithium-ion
battery technology.
* PharmaSphere, LLC, a biotechnology company that utilizes TerraSphere
technology to produce high-value, plant-based biocompounds for pharmaceutical
and nutraceutical markets.
* Metric Engineering, a leading provider of transportation engineering services.
* Milenko Beslic, a successful Boston-based entrepreneur who co-founded
CheapToday.com and CheapFlights.com, plans to open a technology development
center in Serbia, called Teknuvo.
"We are honored by the attention these businesses are showing Serbia," said
Vesna Peric, Director of SIEPA. "This is tangible evidence that our country is
an extremely competitive target for foreign investment. Serbia`s highly-educated
workforce, economic incentives and strategic location in Europe makes Serbia a
natural fit for strong U.S. companies that are looking to expand into new
markets. I would also like to encourage other U.S. companies to take advantage
of this momentum and the strategic advantages that Serbia is offering to foreign
investors, in order to make their businesses more profitable."
Serbia, like Boston, has a reputation for its expertise in the IT, biotech and
cleantech sectors. Serbia`s leadership in these fields stems from its
outstanding pool of intellectual capital, attractive labor costs, excellent
worker skills and a good communications network.
About Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications
Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications is a nationally recognized public and
government relations firm with more than a decade of experience providing
exceptional client service to organizations that operate at the intersection of
business, politics and media. With offices in Boston and Washington, D.C., the
firm offers a comprehensive range of services, including ballot initiative
management, corporate communications counsel, community relations, crisis and
reputation management, government relations, grassroots organizing, investor
relations, media and presentation training, litigation support, lobbying, and
public sector business development. For more information, please visit
www.rasky.com.
About SIEPA
Serbia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA) is a government
organization dedicated to effectively helping foreign investors and buyers,
while raising Serbia`s profile in the minds of international business
decision-makers. Created in 2001 by the Government of the Republic of Serbia,
SIEPA`s mission is to support foreign companies seeking to set up or expand in
Serbia and Serbian companies when doing business worldwide.
Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications
Marissa Goldstein, 617-443-9933 x357
Mgoldstein@rasky.com
Source:reuters.com
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