Belgrade - The Serbian media on Wednesday rejoiced over the success of the nation's five players in the early stages of the Australian Open.
The Press daily said that the Melbourne Grand Slam was under a 'Serbian assault,' while Vecernje Novosti said 'Serbs - World 5-0.'
All five Serbs - the 2008 Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, Viktor Troicki, Janko Tipsarevic, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic - advanced to the second round.
'Their wins pleases as much as their sure-footed play,' a Vecernje Novosti editorial said.
'Perfect! Only Troicki drops a set,' said a huge header in the daily Blic. 'A better start to the first Grand Slam of the season could not have even been imagined.'
Serbs were traditionally strictly football and basketball viewers. However, they are now tuning into other sports along with their TV channels, following the success of athletes such as Djokovic or world champion swimmers Nadja Higl and Milorad Cavic.
Source:monstersandcritics.com/
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Arok warns Socceroos of Serbia threat
GettyImages
Frank Arok led Australia from 1984 to 1990
After facing Germany and Ghana, Australia meet Serbia in their final Group D game and the match could prove vital in what is considered one of the stronger groups in this year's competition.
And Arok, who managed Australia from 1984 to 1990, believes preventing Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic and Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic from providing an aerial threat from set-pieces will be the key to success.
"It will be decided by corner kicks and free-kicks," he told the Sydney Morning Herald. "If I was the Australian coach, I would put them under pressure, maybe play two small, quick, guys up front and spread it out, because the big guys at the back for Serbia don't like that.
"The big danger for Australia will be the two guys [Vidic and Ivanovic] who play in England. They don't have good strikers, but these guys are so dominant in the penalty area. They'll come up for corners and free kicks, and they are so dominant in the air. It's going to be a close game, but an ugly game, and one free-kick can decide everything."
Source:soccernet.espn.go.com/
Serbia charges 15 with murder of French soccer fan
BELGRADE (Reuters) - The Serbian authorities have charged 15 people with the premeditated murder of a French soccer fan in Belgrade last September, the state prosecutor said on Tuesday.
Brice Taton, 28, sustained multiple head and chest injuries when Partizan Belgrade fans attacked him with iron bars and baseball bats on Sept. 17 before a Europa League match against Toulouse. He died 12 days later despite several operations.
"The group mercilessly attacked Taton, fully aware of the severity and illegality of their act," said a statement issued by the Serbian State Prosecutor's office.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 40 years in prison, the maximum sentence under Serbian law.
Police have arrested 13 suspects, including one they consider the main perpetrator of the attack on Taton in front of a central Belgrade bar. Two suspects remain at large.
The death of the French soccer fan prompted President Boris Tadic and the government to launch a campaign to root out violence in sport as well as racist attacks and those on foreigners and minority groups such as Roma or homosexuals.
Taton was the first foreigner to die in soccer-related violence in Serbia, though about a dozen Serbs have died or been seriously injured in similar incidents in the last decade.
Source:in.reuters.com/a
Brice Taton, 28, sustained multiple head and chest injuries when Partizan Belgrade fans attacked him with iron bars and baseball bats on Sept. 17 before a Europa League match against Toulouse. He died 12 days later despite several operations.
"The group mercilessly attacked Taton, fully aware of the severity and illegality of their act," said a statement issued by the Serbian State Prosecutor's office.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 40 years in prison, the maximum sentence under Serbian law.
Police have arrested 13 suspects, including one they consider the main perpetrator of the attack on Taton in front of a central Belgrade bar. Two suspects remain at large.
The death of the French soccer fan prompted President Boris Tadic and the government to launch a campaign to root out violence in sport as well as racist attacks and those on foreigners and minority groups such as Roma or homosexuals.
Taton was the first foreigner to die in soccer-related violence in Serbia, though about a dozen Serbs have died or been seriously injured in similar incidents in the last decade.
Source:in.reuters.com/a
Serbia Press Review - January 20
Here are the top stories in Serbia’s main newspapers. Balkan Insight has not verified the reports and cannot vouch for their accuracy.
POLITIKA
The Serbian government will not allow the country's power monopoly EPS to raise prices by 20 per cent. It is said that this demand is absolutely unacceptable, as is an increase in salaries of 17 per cent for the EPS employees.
BLIC
The voting for the new head of the Serbian Orthodox church, which is scheduled for Friday, is a complete mystery since neither of bishops believe that any candidate has a sufficient majority to have his name found among the covers of the Holy Book.
VECERNJE NOVOSTI
Vuk Draskovic, who is a leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement party, is against a referendum on Serbia's joining NATO, arguing that the resolution on the so-called military neutrality was adopted in parliament without first being put to a referendum.
Source:balkaninsight.com/
POLITICAL DIALOG OF SERBIA AND EU
The candidacy of Serbia for membership in the EU will be the topic of a political dialog on January 26 in Brussels, Spanish Ambassador Inigo de Palacio Espana has announced in Belgrade. The meeting will be attended by the heads of diplomacy from Serbia and Spain, i.e. Vuk Jeremic and Miguel Angel Moratinos respectively. The Spanish presidency of the EU will present information on the hitherto steps and inclusion of the candidature on the agenda of the ministerial session. Dusica Maticki has more about what this meeting could yield.
“I believe Serbia will get a clear insight into where do we stand and what are its next moves relating to the candidacy”, said Ambassador De Palacio Espana, while stressing that his country is strongly in support of Serbia. He added, however, that the ministerial session on January 26, in line with its format is not the place where a formal decision on the sending of Serbia’s request to the European Commission could be made. That decision is made by the Council of General Affairs, so it is hard to predict when it will be on the agenda. The Spanish Ambassador has explained that the procedure is additionally burdened by the distribution of competencies within EU institutions. The transition period that has been started on December 1 last year, with the Lisbon Treaty coming into power, should end soon. It is still uncertain which of the roles will stay with the six-month presidency over the EU ,and which will belong to the permanent Chairman Herman von Rompouy, i.e. to Catherine Ashton and Stefan Fiele, as commissioners for foreign affairs and association.
While presenting the program of future work in the European Parliament, the nominated commissioner for enlargement and neighborhood policy, Czech diplomat Stefan Fiele has underlined that the enlargement is in the interest of the Union, because it is a factor of stability. EU Commissioner for Common Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has also said that the future of the West Balkans will be one of the priorities of its work, adding that she wishes the entire region to make progress towards the Union.
Another important step in the process of Serbia’s integration is the unfreezing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. The decision on this issue needs to be made by all member-states, but Spain believes it could happen in June, when the discussion on this subject is planned. “In our opinion, Serbia has been fully cooperating with the Hague Tribunal lately, which is confirmed by the report of Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz. If it continues, I do not see how could we make any other conclusion instead of unfreezing the Stabilization and Association Agreement”, emphasized Inigo de Palacio Espana. In view of the same topic, Director of the Serbian Government Office of European Integration Milica Delevic has stated that the EU should have a perception of Serbia doing everything to fulfill its Hague obligations. According to her, it is better to focus on extraditing the remaining fugitives to The Hague than what are the next phases in the European integrations to be reached.
The EU is paying special attention to the improvement of regional cooperation, and Serbia has demonstrated in the past period that it is exerting effort in that direction, assessed the Spanish Ambassador. In comment to the mutual lawsuits of Croatia and Serbia before the International Court of Justice, he said that it would be better to look for the solution through a friendly dialog. Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia Vincent Degert agrees with the stance that dialog is the best way to overcome the bilateral and regional problems.
At the end of last year, 68% of the respondents in a survey in Serbia were in support of Serbia’s membership in the EU. Such a result was contributed to by the visa liberalization and implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement. It can be expected that the potential positive signal from Brussels would lead to even greater support among the Serbian citizens.
Source:glassrbije.org/
Kohout: Czech will support Serbia’s candidacy for membership in the EU
Source:glassrbije.org/
Iceland Ties Serbia in Handball Championship
The Icelandic national team in men’s handball tied Serbia in their first game in the European Championship in Austria last night. Iceland lost their four-goal lead in the last five minutes of the game and the final score was 29-29.
Serbia’s goalkeeper deflected a penalty shot from Snorri Steinn Gudjónsson in the last second. “Óli [captain Ólafur Stefánsson] and I watched each other and he pointed at me. Then it was my job to take the penalty throw,” Gudjónsson told Fréttabladid.
“But the tournament isn’t over. It was a tie after all, not a loss, and now we are determined to win the remaining games in our qualifying group,” Gudjónsson added.
The Icelandic team led the entire game and Iceland’s coach Gudmundur Gudmundsson was disappointed with the final result. “We absolutely had them. That is why this is so frustrating.”
“We have a difficult game against Austria next so we just have to win it,” Gudmundsson added. The game against Austria is tomorrow.
Source:icelandreview.com/
Serbia’s goalkeeper deflected a penalty shot from Snorri Steinn Gudjónsson in the last second. “Óli [captain Ólafur Stefánsson] and I watched each other and he pointed at me. Then it was my job to take the penalty throw,” Gudjónsson told Fréttabladid.
“But the tournament isn’t over. It was a tie after all, not a loss, and now we are determined to win the remaining games in our qualifying group,” Gudjónsson added.
The Icelandic team led the entire game and Iceland’s coach Gudmundur Gudmundsson was disappointed with the final result. “We absolutely had them. That is why this is so frustrating.”
“We have a difficult game against Austria next so we just have to win it,” Gudmundsson added. The game against Austria is tomorrow.
Source:icelandreview.com/
Prices in Serbia up by 6.6% in 2009
Belgrade. Prices in Serbia have been hiked by some 6.6% last year, the Serbian central bank announced, as cited by BETA news agency. The annual inflation for 2009 runs to 8%.
The National Bank of Serbia has been decreasing the level of restrictiveness in the monetary policy in 2009 in parallel to the weakening inflation pressure. The key interest rate, which was of 17.75% in the beginning o f 2009, dropped to 9.5% in the end of the year, the bank says.
The monetary policy for 2010 envisages annual inflation of 6%, +/-2%.
Source:focus-fen.net/i
The National Bank of Serbia has been decreasing the level of restrictiveness in the monetary policy in 2009 in parallel to the weakening inflation pressure. The key interest rate, which was of 17.75% in the beginning o f 2009, dropped to 9.5% in the end of the year, the bank says.
The monetary policy for 2010 envisages annual inflation of 6%, +/-2%.
Source:focus-fen.net/i
EU-Serbia meeting on January 26
BELGRADE -- The EU and Serbia will continue regular meetings through the so-called political dialogue on January 26.
One of the main topics will be the question of Belgrade’s candidacy for EU membership.
Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić will be leading the Serbian delegation while the EU team will be headed by Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.
The European delegation will also include Belgian officials, whose country will be taking over the EU presidency in the second half of 2010.
The political dialogue will be held on the margins of the Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels, during a working breakfast, Belgrade daily Politika writes.
“At this moment, we cannot confirm the participation of EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policies and European Commission Vice-President Catherine Ashton, as well as Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele,” the Spanish presidency stated.
Because of the transition of authorities in the Brussels institutions, which are a result of the Lisbon agreement taking power, it is not certain whether Aston and Fuele will be attending.
On the same day, the European Parliament will be voting on officially naming the new EC members, including Ashton and Fuele.
The talks will include discussion on Serbia’s EU membership candidacy, relations in the region, bilateral implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement, and reforms that Belgrade is working on.
As far as the candidacy is concerned, the Spanish presidency is expected to inform Jeremić on the recent steps taken and when the candidacy application will be on the agenda of the Council of Ministers.
The Spanish presidency has informed the Committee of Permanent Ambassadors of EU member-states in Brussels that Serbia has submitted its application for candidate status, and that the committee should discuss the demand before it is given to the Council of Ministers.
According to unofficial information, Serbia’s demand could be sent to the EU ministers in February, and then depending on their decision, it could be either forwarded to the European Commission or given back to the committee for further consultations.
Source:b92.net/
One of the main topics will be the question of Belgrade’s candidacy for EU membership.
Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić will be leading the Serbian delegation while the EU team will be headed by Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.
The European delegation will also include Belgian officials, whose country will be taking over the EU presidency in the second half of 2010.
The political dialogue will be held on the margins of the Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels, during a working breakfast, Belgrade daily Politika writes.
“At this moment, we cannot confirm the participation of EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policies and European Commission Vice-President Catherine Ashton, as well as Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele,” the Spanish presidency stated.
Because of the transition of authorities in the Brussels institutions, which are a result of the Lisbon agreement taking power, it is not certain whether Aston and Fuele will be attending.
On the same day, the European Parliament will be voting on officially naming the new EC members, including Ashton and Fuele.
The talks will include discussion on Serbia’s EU membership candidacy, relations in the region, bilateral implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement, and reforms that Belgrade is working on.
As far as the candidacy is concerned, the Spanish presidency is expected to inform Jeremić on the recent steps taken and when the candidacy application will be on the agenda of the Council of Ministers.
The Spanish presidency has informed the Committee of Permanent Ambassadors of EU member-states in Brussels that Serbia has submitted its application for candidate status, and that the committee should discuss the demand before it is given to the Council of Ministers.
According to unofficial information, Serbia’s demand could be sent to the EU ministers in February, and then depending on their decision, it could be either forwarded to the European Commission or given back to the committee for further consultations.
Source:b92.net/
Germans cool on World Cup tickets
However DFB general secretary Wolfgang Niersbach said there was no cause for concern as the figures were similar to those for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
“Sales are normal and similar to the 2002 World Cup, and the comparison with 2002 offers itself because of the similar distance and the resulting costs,” said Niersbach.
“…we should not compare it with the 2006 World Cup when Germany were hosts. Even for the 2002 final in Yokohama (between Brazil and Germany) we only sold 2,144 tickets to German fans.”
Source:sportbusiness.com/
Bosnian war crimes fugitive Mladic in Serbia, UN official says
Gregorian, said on Monday that Mladic has been protected by far nationalist Serbians in Serbia for years.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010 14:17
The United Nations Deputy High Representative in Bosnia, Raffi Gregorian, said on Monday that Mladic has been protected by far nationalist Serbians in Serbia for years.
He noted that war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic comes to the Serbian part of Bosnia and meets officials from time to time.
The Deputy Representative went on to say that the Peacekeeping Force in Bosnia have so far failed to capture Mladic because the people and authorities in the Serbian part help him.
Mladic has a network of helpers in Bosnia but is hiding in Serbia, the US diplomat said.
Ratko Mladic is wanted by the International War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague, the Netherlands, charged with genocide over Bosnian war of 1992-1995 that claimed lives of some 100,000. He is also indicted over the Sarajevo siege and he led the Serb onslaught against Srebrenica where nearly 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were killed, the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II.
The international community expects Serbia to capture and bring Mladic to justice as it did in 2008 with Radovan Karadzic, another Bosnian war criminal known as the butcher of Bosnia. Karadzic is now in the UN war crimes court in the Hague.
Source:worldbulletin.net/
Wednesday, 20 January 2010 14:17
The United Nations Deputy High Representative in Bosnia, Raffi Gregorian, said on Monday that Mladic has been protected by far nationalist Serbians in Serbia for years.
He noted that war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic comes to the Serbian part of Bosnia and meets officials from time to time.
The Deputy Representative went on to say that the Peacekeeping Force in Bosnia have so far failed to capture Mladic because the people and authorities in the Serbian part help him.
Mladic has a network of helpers in Bosnia but is hiding in Serbia, the US diplomat said.
Ratko Mladic is wanted by the International War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague, the Netherlands, charged with genocide over Bosnian war of 1992-1995 that claimed lives of some 100,000. He is also indicted over the Sarajevo siege and he led the Serb onslaught against Srebrenica where nearly 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were killed, the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II.
The international community expects Serbia to capture and bring Mladic to justice as it did in 2008 with Radovan Karadzic, another Bosnian war criminal known as the butcher of Bosnia. Karadzic is now in the UN war crimes court in the Hague.
Source:worldbulletin.net/
Croatian president threatens Bosnian-Serbs
Outgoing Croatian President Stjepan Mesic is threatening military action if the Bosnian Serbs go further with their attempts at independence. He was speaking to Croatian media a month before he is due to stand down.
The Serb part of Bosnia-Herzegovina is preparing to hold a referendum on independence. The move has led to an increase of tensions with Bosnia's other ethnic groups, the Muslims and ethnic Croats.
Mr Mesic believes that a referendum would breach the Dayton agreement which ended the Bosnian civil war in 1995. He argues that Croatia, as one of the signatories of Dayton, has a duty to see the accord is observed.
It is unclear what position Croatia's incoming president, Ivo Josipovic, will adopt on the issue. The international community's High Representative for Bosnia, Valentin Inzko, has already come out against the plans for a Bosnian-Serb referendum.
Source:rnw.nl/
The Serb part of Bosnia-Herzegovina is preparing to hold a referendum on independence. The move has led to an increase of tensions with Bosnia's other ethnic groups, the Muslims and ethnic Croats.
Mr Mesic believes that a referendum would breach the Dayton agreement which ended the Bosnian civil war in 1995. He argues that Croatia, as one of the signatories of Dayton, has a duty to see the accord is observed.
It is unclear what position Croatia's incoming president, Ivo Josipovic, will adopt on the issue. The international community's High Representative for Bosnia, Valentin Inzko, has already come out against the plans for a Bosnian-Serb referendum.
Source:rnw.nl/
Ljajic: withdrawing the lawsuit is not of key importance for Serbia
Soource:glassrbije.org/
Spanish FM: Serbia crucial in region
VIENNA -- Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos said in Vienna on Tuesday that Serbia is a crucial country in the West Balkan region.
He added that Madrid supports its request for receiving the candidate status for EU accession.
In his address to the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Moratinos said that the European perspective of the western Balkans is very important and that all regional countries should head in the direction of the EU.
All western Balkan countries are on their way towards the EU and Spain supports them in that path, Moratinos pointed out.
Serbia is the crucial country in the region and Spain, as the one currently presiding over the EU, is pleased about the submitting of the request for receiving the candidate status, he stressed.
When it comes to Croatia, Moratinos expressed hope that there will be some progress in the following months, so that negotiations with that country could be completed in 2010.
According to Moratinos, it is important that all the West Balkan countries that tend to join the EU fulfill the necessary conditions, and Spain intends to support them in it.
Moratinos stressed that the Corfu dialogue on European security should be used as a possibility, as this process reactivated the role of OSCE and it offers a strategic perspective.
The Corfu process showed that security in Europe has a global and indivisible character, Moratinos underscored.
Source:b92.net/
He added that Madrid supports its request for receiving the candidate status for EU accession.
In his address to the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Moratinos said that the European perspective of the western Balkans is very important and that all regional countries should head in the direction of the EU.
All western Balkan countries are on their way towards the EU and Spain supports them in that path, Moratinos pointed out.
Serbia is the crucial country in the region and Spain, as the one currently presiding over the EU, is pleased about the submitting of the request for receiving the candidate status, he stressed.
When it comes to Croatia, Moratinos expressed hope that there will be some progress in the following months, so that negotiations with that country could be completed in 2010.
According to Moratinos, it is important that all the West Balkan countries that tend to join the EU fulfill the necessary conditions, and Spain intends to support them in it.
Moratinos stressed that the Corfu dialogue on European security should be used as a possibility, as this process reactivated the role of OSCE and it offers a strategic perspective.
The Corfu process showed that security in Europe has a global and indivisible character, Moratinos underscored.
Source:b92.net/
Jose Mourinho moves in on Manchester City target Milos Krasic as Inter Milan bid to sway Serbia star
Jose Mourinho hopes to convince CSKA Moscow winger Milos Krasic to snub a move to England in favour of joining his Inter Milan side.
The Italian champions are prepared to make a concrete offer in the summer for the Serbia international, who has already warned off Manchester City this month.
Krasic has been holding out for an offer from one of Europe's elite clubs and has little appetite to move before the World Cup finals.
Red marauder: CSKA Moscow winger Milos Krasic is in demand
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson spoke in glowing terms about the right-sided player after facing CSKA in the Champions League group phase.
Hard sell: Jose Mourinho
Arsenal and Liverpool scouts also watched him dazzle at Old Trafford when the Russians drew 3-3 with the Barclays Premier League champions, while Chelsea have also been linked with a move.
Krasic's agent Dejan Joksimovic denied he was in Italy for talks, but Inter have moved ahead of neighbours AC Milan as the favourites for his signature.
The former Vojvodina star prefers the Italian game, though friends have tried to convince him that a move to England would be in his best interests.
'Many English teams like Milos,' said Joksimovic. 'Roberto Mancini is thinking of him, but currently Manchester City nor the other interested teams have elaborated an official offer.
'CSKA Moscow want to keep him until June. If he leaves in January, Italian clubs are virtually cut off because the player has no EU passport and he costs a lot.'
Source:dailymail.co.uk/
Serbia Sends Bill to Montenegro over Unpaid Rent
The Serbian government has sent a 1.5 million euro bill to Montenegro's government for three years of rent on a luxury villa, used as the country's embassy in Belgrade, which has not been paid.
Blic daily reports that the deadline for payment is January 22, otherwise the Montenegrin embassy will be forced to move out.
"The next step is a warning before filing a lawsuit. We hope this will not happen, but we will strictly adhere to the rules of the legal relationship," a source from the Serbian government told the daily.
This is another move of Serbia's government following Montenegro's decision to establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo, despite Serbia's earlier requests for Montenegro to wait for a few months - until the International Court of Justice comes to a conclusion on whether Kosovo's unilaterally declaration of independence was in line with international law. Immediately after Montenegro's decision, the Serbian government announced the withdrawal of its ambassador in Podgorica.
The villa of 500 square metres, surrounded by a garden of 18 acres including a swimming pool, is worth an estimated 35,000 euro rent per month.
The building is being used based on an old agreement between the Montenegrin government and former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SRJ, from 1994. The Serbian government is paying some 11,500 euro for renting its embassy building in Podgorica.
The Secretary of the Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mirsad Bibovic, announced earlier that talks with Serbia on finding an acceptable solution on the issue will be held.
According to the daily, no one in Podgorica has reacted to the bill. It is possible that the agreement will include resolving issues surrounding the Serbian embassy in Podgorica, which is temporarily located in the centre of Podgorica but is not suitable as its entrance is directly on the street.
Source:balkaninsight.com/
Blic daily reports that the deadline for payment is January 22, otherwise the Montenegrin embassy will be forced to move out.
"The next step is a warning before filing a lawsuit. We hope this will not happen, but we will strictly adhere to the rules of the legal relationship," a source from the Serbian government told the daily.
This is another move of Serbia's government following Montenegro's decision to establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo, despite Serbia's earlier requests for Montenegro to wait for a few months - until the International Court of Justice comes to a conclusion on whether Kosovo's unilaterally declaration of independence was in line with international law. Immediately after Montenegro's decision, the Serbian government announced the withdrawal of its ambassador in Podgorica.
The villa of 500 square metres, surrounded by a garden of 18 acres including a swimming pool, is worth an estimated 35,000 euro rent per month.
The building is being used based on an old agreement between the Montenegrin government and former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SRJ, from 1994. The Serbian government is paying some 11,500 euro for renting its embassy building in Podgorica.
The Secretary of the Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mirsad Bibovic, announced earlier that talks with Serbia on finding an acceptable solution on the issue will be held.
According to the daily, no one in Podgorica has reacted to the bill. It is possible that the agreement will include resolving issues surrounding the Serbian embassy in Podgorica, which is temporarily located in the centre of Podgorica but is not suitable as its entrance is directly on the street.
Source:balkaninsight.com/
Gregorian says Mladic hiding in Serbia
SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- Deputy High Representative Raffi Gregorian said on Monday (January 18th) that he thinks war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic has been hiding in Serbia. Gregorian told Banja Luka-based ATV, that Mladic has a support network in BiH as well. Gregorian said that only when Mladic is captured will it be possible for the Office of the High Representative to revise earlier decisions banning from political activities certain Republika Srpska officials believed to have helped Mladic.
Source:setimes.com/
Source:setimes.com/
Bechtel-Enka” to construct Kosovo highway
The highway is 117 kilometers long and will cost around €800 million. Time of construction of this highway will be about 36 months. The Austrian giant “Strabag” was also in the race for the highway construction, but the offer from "Bechtel-Enka" is considered more favorable in technical and cost terms.
Transport Minister Fatmir Limaj said that the highway would be 28 meters wide with 4 bands.
The new highway is considered very useful for Kosovo's economy and business. It will connect to the existing highway in Albania, providing this way a modern and fast connection of Kosovo with the Sea Port of Durres. This highway also connects the north of Kosovo with Serbia and Nis (corridor 10).
The construction of the new highway is also expected to reduce unemployment and support Kosovar companies, which are expected to be subcontractors of "Bechtel-Enka”.
Depp gets life-sized statue in Serbia
Johnny Depp was in Serbia Wednesday to witness the unveiling of a life-sized statue of himself.
Depp joined Serbian director Emir Kusturica at the Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival in a small mountain village in southwest Serbia.
Kusturica, who won the Palme d'Or at Cannes twice for his films When Father Was Away on Business and Underground, founded the festival in Mokra Gora three years ago.
Depp, star of Chocolat and Pirates of the Caribbean, met with Serbian President Boris Tadic before flying into the mountain village.
Depp said he admires filmmakers such as Tim Burton and Kusturica who create truly original work.
The Hollywood heartthrob is set to star in the Serbian director's film about legendary Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.
Kusturica said Depp will stay three days in the region. "He will lead several workshops for participants of the festival, drink wine, watch films and visit some locations where he will shoot a film about Pancho Villa," Kusturica said.
Source:cbc.ca/
Eye on the world
Source:washingtonpost.com/
Recasting Serbia’s Image, Starting With a Fresh Face
THE public face of Serbia for years has been that of a wizened war criminal in the dock in The Hague. Now, as the once-outcast country presses for membership in the European Union, it is increasingly represented by the gap-toothed grin of its energetic young foreign minister, Vuk Jeremic, all of 34 and a graduate of Cambridge and Harvard.
It is not just appearances. He is a minister in the most westward-leaning government Serbia has ever had, one that is aggressively pursuing membership in the European Union and good relations with the United States. Yet at the top of his agenda stands the issue that brought so much trouble to Serbia: the breakaway province and self-declared nation of Kosovo.
To the consternation of powerful supporters of Kosovo’s independence, including the United States, the Serbian obsession runs much deeper than a handful of ultranationalists from the generation of Slobodan Milosevic. Even young liberals like Mr. Jeremic, whose fluent English sounds more Bronxville than Belgrade, cannot let go of Kosovo, though it could endanger Serbia’s chance to move beyond its recent troubled past.
“The fact that this kind of fervent, pro-European politician in Serbia happens to have this position on Kosovo confuses a lot of people,” Mr. Jeremic said in an interview on the eve of the Orthodox Christmas here last week.
“This place, Kosovo, is our Jerusalem; you just can’t treat it any other way than our Jerusalem,” he said.
As if to underscore the point, his mentor and psychology teacher two decades ago at the First Belgrade High School, the current Serbian president, Boris Tadic, spent the holiday at the Visoki Decani monastery in Kosovo, under guard amid protests by local ethnic Albanians.
Mr. Jeremic quickly added that Serbia was not pressing its case through the use of arms, directly or in the form of paramilitary groups, but through institutions like the International Court of Justice, which will rule on the manner in which Kosovo declared independence. But the stakes are different, with vastly improved relations with the European Union and an end to Serbia’s isolation on the line.
Mr. Jeremic is at pains to explain to Western audiences that Serbia’s reputation from the Milosevic years had overshadowed the reality that it is now a democracy, and one whose voters twice chose pro-Western candidates in the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2008 — despite the inflamed nationalist sentiment in the wake of Kosovo’s secession.
He was appointed foreign minister at 31, too young and inexperienced in the eyes of many Serbs to be trusted with their most important national issue — the impending secession of Kosovo. Yet, he has fought hard for Kosovo, lobbying governments around the world against recognizing its independence and becoming along the way one of Serbia’s most popular politicians.
Mr. Jeremic’s stridency on Kosovo has led his opponents to charge that he was a closet nationalist, talking one line when he was abroad and quite a different one at home in the Balkans. “Personally, I don’t think I’m a nationalist,” he said. “I’m half Bosnian and half Serb.”
Mr. Jeremic’s great-grandfather on his mother’s side was Nurija Pozderac, a prominent Muslim politician before World War II who joined Tito’s Partisans to fight the Nazis and was killed in 1943. His paternal grandfather was an officer in the king’s army and spent much of the war as a prisoner at Dachau. Once he was liberated by the Allies, he returned to Serbia on foot, Mr. Jeremic said.
HE described a normal childhood in Belgrade, including a close relationship with his psychology teacher, Mr. Tadic. But his father, who worked for the state-owned oil company, and his mother went into exile after running afoul of the regime, and Mr. Jeremic finished high school in London before moving on to Cambridge, where he studied theoretical physics.
His time at Cambridge, which coincided with the war in Bosnia, helped him to understand Serbia’s image abroad in a very personal way. “It was hard to explain that you come from Serbia and you’re not a children-eating radical,” said Mr. Jeremic, who had family members fighting on both sides of the war in Bosnia.
Mr. Jeremic opposed the regime of Mr. Milosevic and was a founder of the Organization of Serbian Students Abroad in 1997, but it was during the NATO bombing of Serbia that he hardened his resolve to work for his country. He said he had high school friends who were also opposed to Mr. Milosevic’s reign but were called up for compulsory army service at the time of the airstrikes in 1999. Once they were wearing their uniforms, they were “legitimate targets,” as he put it ruefully, and some were killed.
He recalled thinking at the time: “This regime, this government, this guy, Slobodan Milosevic, he has to be removed, because he’s going to get us all buried. If he stays, he’s going to get us all buried.”
Mr. Jeremic traveled to Serbia to support the student movement there, known as Otpor, the Serbian word for resistance. After Mr. Milosevic’s ouster Mr. Jeremic followed Mr. Tadic through a succession of ministries as an adviser, taking a break for a degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, before himself becoming foreign minister.
With Serbia’s scant resources and tattered public image, his options for fighting the diplomatic might of countries supporting Kosovo, like the United States, Germany and Britain, seemed limited. But Mr. Jeremic, who still looks and sounds a bit like an overachieving college class president, turned himself into a one-man road show, traveling to 90 countries in the two years since becoming foreign minister. Last year alone he spent 700 hours in the air, or roughly 29 days, much of that in a 30-year-old French-built Falcon 50 jet that was bought for Tito.
MR. JEREMIC sees his age, which many consider a weakness, as one of his assets. “When you’re young, and when you come and they see you for the first time, a lot of them are just kind of surprised. They say, ‘Who’s this kid?’
“That’s actually a good thing because it opens up their minds. They’re curious. They want to hear what you have to say to them because you’re different,” he said. An afternoon with Mr. Jeremic, whose wife, Natasa Lekic, is a news anchor on Serbian public television, is a pleasant but intense experience, not complete without a glass of Serbian Carigrad red wine and a stream of articulate defenses of the country’s claim to Kosovo.
Smoking a cigar and sipping his wine, Mr. Jeremic refused to say what Serbia would demand if it managed to force Kosovo back to the negotiating table by winning its case before the International Court of Justice. He insisted that the mistake the United States and its allies made before Kosovo’s declaration was dictating rather than discussing terms.
Their other big mistake, he said, was expecting Serbia simply to acquiesce to the loss of the province, cowed in the face of American and Western European recognition for Kosovo. “This energy we invested, you know, in going around the world, has surprised a lot of people,” Mr. Jeremic said. “A lot of people didn’t expect us to dare to try.”
Source:nytimes.com/
Johnny Depp Is Worshipped in Serbia
BalkanInsight.com reports that the Hollywood hero met with Serbian president Boris Tadic when he jetted into Belgrade, Serbia, from his Kentucky hometown. President Tadic introduced him to his two daughters, who presented Depp with a drawing they had created of him as Jack Sparrow in the pirate flick.
According to the Serbian newspaper, Depp was greeted by the country's hottest filmmaker, Emir Kusturica, upon his arrival.
"Depp will be my guest for three days," Emir Kusturica told the daily Blic . "He will lead several workshops for participants of the [third annual Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival], drink wine, watch films and visit some locations for an upcoming movie shoot."
And dad-of-two Depp was just in time to witness a life-size statue of himself, handcrafted by Serbian sculptor Dragan Nikolic Baja, unveiled in a mountain village, followed by fireworks.
The hunky actor was clearly amused by the remarkable monument, as he posed beside his chiseled spitting image in a photo on People.com .
Reminiscent of Depp's "21 Jump Street" days, the sculpture mirrored a younger Depp, with a preppy haircut and a button-down shirt paired with jeans.
The "Public Enemies" star will shoot a new movie, "Seven Friends of Pancho Villa and the Woman with Six Fingers," with Kusturica and alongside Salma Hayek and Serbian actor Miki Manojlovic in late 2011.
It's easy to see why the director chose Depp to star in the upcoming film. “He is a man with a secret. Hollywood mostly creates people who win people over with their attractive appearances and action, while Johnny Depp fascinates the audience with his personality and spirituality,” Kusturica told Blic .
Source:myfoxspokane.com/
Bringing Croatia and Serbia together
The election of a new Croatian president, Ivo Josipovic – who defeated the mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandic, in a second round run-off – is likely to contribute to a thaw in relations with neighbours Serbia. Aside from a much-lauded commitment to fight corruption and organised crime, Josipovic's early remarks reveal a constructive and pragmatic approach to the issues that have plagued ties between the two countries; particularly when contrasted with those of the man he will succeed as president, Stjepan Mesic.
In spite of Josipovic's refreshing stance, however, a number of obstacles remain that will continue to complicate matters, despite the expressed good intentions of both sides. During the final gasps of Mesic's second five-year term, relations between the two have sunk to their lowest ebb since Croatia recognized Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in March 2008.
A recent visit to Kosovo by Mesic (which was initially timed to coincide with Orthodox Christmas, but eventually shifted by a day), where he talked about the "new reality" of Kosovo's independence and called for further recognitions, caused consternation in Serbia, whose government has consistently called on countries to refrain from such comments while the International Court of Justice (ICJ) considers its verdict on the legality of Kosovo's declaration. In the same period, Mesic reduced the sentence handed down to Sinisa Rimac, a former Croatian police officer, who was convicted of killing 23 ethnic Serb civilians in Croatia in 1991: a decision that Serbia's president, Boris Tadic, condemned as an "anti-European and anti-civilisational gesture which cannot be justified by any means".
Josipovic's description of relations between Croatia and Serbia as "a strategic priority", however, provides an important opportunity for renewed progress. Part of this pragmatism derives from Croatia's deteriorating economic position (its economy is believed to have contracted by around 5% in 2009), with Josipovic emphasising how "co-operation with our neighbours is also important for our economy, because we are mainly exporting to these states... [and] we are expecting the arrival of new tourists too".
A number of key impediments remain, however, particularly concerning the mutual claims for genocide before the ICJ, with Croatia having filed a case, co-authored by Josipovic, in 1999 and Serbia responding with a countersuit earlier this year. These lawsuits have been deemed a setback in efforts to establish good neighbourly relations, a key element of the region's bid for membership of the EU. Immediately upon his election triumph, however, Josipovic publicly discussed the possibility of dropping Croatia's genocide case, in order to "see whether certain problems and obstacles can be resolved without lawsuits". Josipovic – who stated that many Croatian citizens "have certain unrealistic expectations about the lawsuit" – has instead proposed to "negotiate with Belgrade about missing persons, war crimes trials and the return of cultural treasures".
Dropping the respective cases would create the political and diplomatic space to attend to other issues, including those of "former and current refugees, the processing of war crimes, the exhumation and identification of the missing, the return of displaced persons, compensation for destroyed and seized property, a comprehensive solution for tenants' rights and the regulation of unpaid pensions". In tandem, the EU must invest some of its considerable leverage – as it has done in the battles against organised crime and corruption – to ensure that both Croatia and Serbia contend with the tangible legacies of the 1990s: legacies that despite afflicting the daily lives of hundreds of thousands have regularly been denied the recognition they deserve.
While the issue of Kosovo will remain a source of lingering discord, the early signs suggest that Josipovic will contribute to a much-needed improvement in relations between Serbia and Croatia. A plethora of challenges remain, however, to ensure that any improvement in ties has tangible benefits for those citizens afflicted by previous antagonisms. Such commitments to good neighbourly relations, rhetorically at least, will continue to rival anti-corruption as the "new nationalism" of the Balkans.
Source:guardian.co.uk/
In spite of Josipovic's refreshing stance, however, a number of obstacles remain that will continue to complicate matters, despite the expressed good intentions of both sides. During the final gasps of Mesic's second five-year term, relations between the two have sunk to their lowest ebb since Croatia recognized Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in March 2008.
A recent visit to Kosovo by Mesic (which was initially timed to coincide with Orthodox Christmas, but eventually shifted by a day), where he talked about the "new reality" of Kosovo's independence and called for further recognitions, caused consternation in Serbia, whose government has consistently called on countries to refrain from such comments while the International Court of Justice (ICJ) considers its verdict on the legality of Kosovo's declaration. In the same period, Mesic reduced the sentence handed down to Sinisa Rimac, a former Croatian police officer, who was convicted of killing 23 ethnic Serb civilians in Croatia in 1991: a decision that Serbia's president, Boris Tadic, condemned as an "anti-European and anti-civilisational gesture which cannot be justified by any means".
Josipovic's description of relations between Croatia and Serbia as "a strategic priority", however, provides an important opportunity for renewed progress. Part of this pragmatism derives from Croatia's deteriorating economic position (its economy is believed to have contracted by around 5% in 2009), with Josipovic emphasising how "co-operation with our neighbours is also important for our economy, because we are mainly exporting to these states... [and] we are expecting the arrival of new tourists too".
A number of key impediments remain, however, particularly concerning the mutual claims for genocide before the ICJ, with Croatia having filed a case, co-authored by Josipovic, in 1999 and Serbia responding with a countersuit earlier this year. These lawsuits have been deemed a setback in efforts to establish good neighbourly relations, a key element of the region's bid for membership of the EU. Immediately upon his election triumph, however, Josipovic publicly discussed the possibility of dropping Croatia's genocide case, in order to "see whether certain problems and obstacles can be resolved without lawsuits". Josipovic – who stated that many Croatian citizens "have certain unrealistic expectations about the lawsuit" – has instead proposed to "negotiate with Belgrade about missing persons, war crimes trials and the return of cultural treasures".
Dropping the respective cases would create the political and diplomatic space to attend to other issues, including those of "former and current refugees, the processing of war crimes, the exhumation and identification of the missing, the return of displaced persons, compensation for destroyed and seized property, a comprehensive solution for tenants' rights and the regulation of unpaid pensions". In tandem, the EU must invest some of its considerable leverage – as it has done in the battles against organised crime and corruption – to ensure that both Croatia and Serbia contend with the tangible legacies of the 1990s: legacies that despite afflicting the daily lives of hundreds of thousands have regularly been denied the recognition they deserve.
While the issue of Kosovo will remain a source of lingering discord, the early signs suggest that Josipovic will contribute to a much-needed improvement in relations between Serbia and Croatia. A plethora of challenges remain, however, to ensure that any improvement in ties has tangible benefits for those citizens afflicted by previous antagonisms. Such commitments to good neighbourly relations, rhetorically at least, will continue to rival anti-corruption as the "new nationalism" of the Balkans.
Source:guardian.co.uk/
First point nicked off Olympic vice-champions
Having snatched a point off the Olympic silver medalists from Beijing, Serbia will have another chance to replicate their fine performance when they take on another giant tonight, 8.15 CET – reigning European champions Denmark.
Serbia opened the game on a low and managed to score their first goal as late as the sixth minute of play, when Momir Ilic converted a penalty throw. Although Sead Hasanefendic’s men narrowed the initial gap to 3-1 and the Serbia coach tried to reshuffle the team’s play with a different system of defence and early pressure, Iceland continued to torment Serbia. Lacking a clear concept of play and finding the net with only every third shot on target, Serbia’s misery was compounded by an outstanding goal-scoring performance from Iceland’s Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson.
Hasanefendic introduced a number of substitutes in order to reverse Serbia’s fate, but Iceland never intended to drop the lead, not even when two men down. Serbian camp must have been awfully pleased to take the four-point deficit at halftime, a scoreline that bore little witness to the balance of powers on the court.
With two goals from Ivan Stankovic early in the second half, Serbia were resurgent and showed signs of improved confidence and organization in play. On the other end, Iceland were still finishing their own attacks with the greatest of ease and quickly. However, when Serbia’s top scorer Momir Ilic scored his first goal from open play on 35 minutes – his fourth altogether at that time against Iceland and 502nd for the national team – Iceland’s cast-iron defence started to leak.
Serbia’s game was now on a rise, spearheaded by Ilic at left-back, sub Vuckovic at centre back and Toskic at pivot. The team managed to reduce the deficit to only two points on two occasions, with Serbia goalkeepers producing some impressive saves from penalty throws. Serbia succeeded in overcoming the poor display in the first half to battle to a exciting closing stages of their opening match at the Euro 2010.
Atlason and Gunnarsson continued to score goals for Iceland, while Serbia at the other end had a couple of nervy misses as Iceland came to a 28-24 lead after 54 minutes of play. Against all odds and the run of play, Serbia then proved the unique beauty of handball was in a dogged approach to the game.
Stakovic scored six goals from as many shots in the second half, which, coupled with Stanic’s frequent saves, managed to keep Iceland at bay. Key moments in the match were when Serbia pulled another one back with a man down to make it 29-27 for their opposition. As the penultimate minute of play was dying, Toskic scored as Serbia were one goal down for the first time, after which Iceland made a second consecutive attacking foul. Vuckovic then scored his fourth goal of the game to level the score at 29-29. Still, in the dying moments of the game, Gunnarsson was awarded a penalty throw, and Snorri Gudjonsson had a chance to steal the win for Iceland from the seven-meter line. Serbia goalkeeper Stanic came out big and stopped the shot to mark the beginning of Serbia’s celebration at taking a point off the Olympic silver-medalists.
Euro 2010, preliminary round, day 1
Serbia v Iceland 29-29 (11-15)
Linz, Tips Arena
Referees: Reiner and Bernd Methe (Germany)
Serbia: Stanic 14 saves, Kojic 1 goal, Sesum 3, Nikcevic, Stojanovic 2, Toskic 4, Peric, Ilic 7 (4 pens), Markovic 1, Pejanovic 2 saves, Andjelkovic, Lapcevic, Vilovski, Vuckovic 4, Nenadic 1, Stankovic 6.
Iceland: Gustavsson 10 saves, Svavarsson, Geirsson, Palmarsson, Ingimundarson 2 goals, Hallgrimsson, Atlason 7, Sigurdsson 9, Gudjonsson 1, Stefansson 4 (1), Asgeirsson, Petersson 2, Gudmundsson 6 saves, Jakobsson, Gunarsson 4.
Group B standings: Denmark 2 points, Serbia 1, Iceland 1, Austria 0
Source:english.blic.rs/S
NACCO Industries may invest in Kosovo lignite mine
PRISTINA, Jan 20 (Reuters) - A unit of NACCO Industries (NC.N) plans to bid on a tender for a proposed coal-fired power plant in Kosovo as it pushes into new markets in the region, a company official said on Wednesday.
North American Coal Corp wants to partner with a power generator to build the 1,000 megawatt plant and to develop a lignite mine nearby, Michael Gregory, the company's vice president told Reuters on the sidelines of an energy conference.
"Eastern Europe is a new venture for us so we will look around and other places while we are here," said Gregory who cited Bulgaria, Serbia and Bosnia as other potential places for investment.
Kosovo's government is holding a conference to highlight an upcoming tender to build the long-delayed power plant and to whip up interest in the country's ageing energy sector.
The new plant, located near the Sibovc open Lignite mine, is expected to cost 700 million euros ($994 million) to one billion. The coal mine feeds two existing power stations and will also supply the new one.
The mine has a surface area of 19.7 square kilometres and around 990 million tonnes of lignite. Kosovo uses 7-8 million tonnes of lignite for existing power stations.
"We are interested in the mine and we would like to form a consortium with a power plant producer," Gregory said.
In 2006, Kosovo launched a tender for a 3.5 billion euro, 2,000 megawatt plant to turn the country into a regional power exporter and help deal with chronic electricity shortages.
But last November Kosovo, which has around 14 billion tonnes of lignite, gave up on the project due to a lack of interest among investors who demanded better terms.
The government now plans to launch a tender for a plant with half the planned capacity.
Two existing older coal-fired plants, Kosovo A and Kosovo B, are in poor condition and cannot produce the estimated 1,000 MW of daily capacity Kosovo needs. The Kosovo A plant falls short of environmental standards and will be closed by 2015.
Kosovo, one of the poorest countries in Europe, declared independence from Serbia in 2008. The country is also looking to attract foreign investment to help tackle a 40 percent unemployment rate. (Editing by Michael Kahn and Dan Lalor) ($1 = 0.7040 euro)
Source:reuters.com/
North American Coal Corp wants to partner with a power generator to build the 1,000 megawatt plant and to develop a lignite mine nearby, Michael Gregory, the company's vice president told Reuters on the sidelines of an energy conference.
"Eastern Europe is a new venture for us so we will look around and other places while we are here," said Gregory who cited Bulgaria, Serbia and Bosnia as other potential places for investment.
Kosovo's government is holding a conference to highlight an upcoming tender to build the long-delayed power plant and to whip up interest in the country's ageing energy sector.
The new plant, located near the Sibovc open Lignite mine, is expected to cost 700 million euros ($994 million) to one billion. The coal mine feeds two existing power stations and will also supply the new one.
The mine has a surface area of 19.7 square kilometres and around 990 million tonnes of lignite. Kosovo uses 7-8 million tonnes of lignite for existing power stations.
"We are interested in the mine and we would like to form a consortium with a power plant producer," Gregory said.
In 2006, Kosovo launched a tender for a 3.5 billion euro, 2,000 megawatt plant to turn the country into a regional power exporter and help deal with chronic electricity shortages.
But last November Kosovo, which has around 14 billion tonnes of lignite, gave up on the project due to a lack of interest among investors who demanded better terms.
The government now plans to launch a tender for a plant with half the planned capacity.
Two existing older coal-fired plants, Kosovo A and Kosovo B, are in poor condition and cannot produce the estimated 1,000 MW of daily capacity Kosovo needs. The Kosovo A plant falls short of environmental standards and will be closed by 2015.
Kosovo, one of the poorest countries in Europe, declared independence from Serbia in 2008. The country is also looking to attract foreign investment to help tackle a 40 percent unemployment rate. (Editing by Michael Kahn and Dan Lalor) ($1 = 0.7040 euro)
Source:reuters.com/
Standard Liege’s Jovanovic in Liverpool talks
The 28-year old Serbia international is out of contract this summer and intends to leave the Belgian club on a Bosman transfer.
Jovanovic has been linked with moves to Spanish outfit Valencia as well as Atletico Madrid and Italian giants AC Milan but Liverpool have now moved to attempt to lure him to Anfield.
It is understood Jovanovic will not give an answer this month and could even wait until after the World Cup to switch clubs.
Source:ribalfootball.com/
Serbia formally applies for EU membership
On 22 December 2009 Serbia submitted a formal application for membership of the EU. Serbian President Boris Tadic handed his country's application for EU membership to Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt in Stockholm.
"I welcome this historic step for Serbia. It reflects the Serbian government's strong determination and the broad popular support for EU membership. A Serbian membership is important not just for Serbia, but for the region as a whole. This is an important addition to the EU family", said Fredrik Reinfeldt at a press conference.
"This is an historic day for my country. It is the tenth year of democratic life, ten years after the end of the war, ten years after the end of our isolation. During these ten years, our main goal has been to bring Serbia into the EU. Now we will continue with the reform work in the hope of becoming a full EU member in a few years' time", said Boris Tadic.
Olli Rehn, the outgoing European Commissioner for EU enlargement, also attended the press conference. He noted that Serbia had come a long way over the past ten years: "I speak on the behalf of the entire European Commission when I say that the Commission is looking forward to working with Serbia. Serbia is a key country on the Western Balkans and we can now see that the whole region is moving closer to the EU. This is important from a peace-keeping point of view and to the future of Europe".
Source:lexology.com/l
"I welcome this historic step for Serbia. It reflects the Serbian government's strong determination and the broad popular support for EU membership. A Serbian membership is important not just for Serbia, but for the region as a whole. This is an important addition to the EU family", said Fredrik Reinfeldt at a press conference.
"This is an historic day for my country. It is the tenth year of democratic life, ten years after the end of the war, ten years after the end of our isolation. During these ten years, our main goal has been to bring Serbia into the EU. Now we will continue with the reform work in the hope of becoming a full EU member in a few years' time", said Boris Tadic.
Olli Rehn, the outgoing European Commissioner for EU enlargement, also attended the press conference. He noted that Serbia had come a long way over the past ten years: "I speak on the behalf of the entire European Commission when I say that the Commission is looking forward to working with Serbia. Serbia is a key country on the Western Balkans and we can now see that the whole region is moving closer to the EU. This is important from a peace-keeping point of view and to the future of Europe".
Source:lexology.com/l
Brazilian player cleared of wrongdoing
Brazilian Marcos Daniel has been cleared of any wrongdoing after an altercation with a spectator at the Australian Open.
Officials launched an investigation into the incident, which followed his first-round defeat by Colombia's Alejandro Falla on Tuesday, but found no evidence he broke any rules.
"The tournament referees' office has thoroughly looked into an incident regarding Marcos Daniel yesterday afternoon. No further action will be taken," a Tennis Australia statement read.
Organisers have beefed up security this year after the past three championships were marred by violence.
But more than 60 people have been ejected from Melbourne Park in the first three days of the event.
There were 45 ejections on Wednesday, including 35 fans who disrupted the second-round match between Chile's Fernando Gonzalez and Turkey's Marsel Ilhan.
In 2007 around 150 Croatian and Serbian fans engaged in a wild brawl, hitting each other with bottles and flagpoles.
In 2008 police used capsicum spray on a group of rowdy Greek supporters and last year dozens of Serbian and Bosnian fans began throwing chairs and trading punches and kicks.
Source:abc.net.au
Officials launched an investigation into the incident, which followed his first-round defeat by Colombia's Alejandro Falla on Tuesday, but found no evidence he broke any rules.
"The tournament referees' office has thoroughly looked into an incident regarding Marcos Daniel yesterday afternoon. No further action will be taken," a Tennis Australia statement read.
Organisers have beefed up security this year after the past three championships were marred by violence.
But more than 60 people have been ejected from Melbourne Park in the first three days of the event.
There were 45 ejections on Wednesday, including 35 fans who disrupted the second-round match between Chile's Fernando Gonzalez and Turkey's Marsel Ilhan.
In 2007 around 150 Croatian and Serbian fans engaged in a wild brawl, hitting each other with bottles and flagpoles.
In 2008 police used capsicum spray on a group of rowdy Greek supporters and last year dozens of Serbian and Bosnian fans began throwing chairs and trading punches and kicks.
Source:abc.net.au
Serbia a "black hole" on land restitution map
Belgrade - After World War II, the communist regime in Serbia confiscated a house and some 30 acres of land belonging to Dragan Djokic's grandfather to build a school and a school yard.
The family was later compensated for the house, but not the land. The school was built without a yard.
Djokic is one of thousands of people in Serbia waiting for the government to adopt a restitution law and begin the return of the properties confiscated or 'nationalized' after the war.
Serbian officials however argued that restitution would be an expensive undertaking, costing taxpayers millions of dollars at a time when the economy, weak since the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, is being battered by the global economic crisis.
But since the country aspired to join the European Union, Belgrade began working on a restitution law, which it planned to adopt by the end of last year.
State secretary in the Finance Ministry Slobodan Ilic said he would resign if the law is not passed by the end of 2009.
The law has yet to reach Parliament and Ilic has not kept his promise amid speculation fuelled by the secrecy surrounding the proposed law.
According to the unofficial reports, the government is to propose the return of the actual property or its value in bonds.
The owners of confiscated properties suspect the government is deliberately dragging its feet with the restitution law because most of the property in question is now state-owned. Political parties obtain money through the lease and sale of such properties, often at low prices, to business tycoons.
The original owners reject compensation in the form of bonds because the country has no cash to pay them. They are demanding that the properties be returned or, in the case where the land now houses public buildings, alternative land must be provided.
Serbia is 'a black hole' on a map of former communist countries with restitution laws, says Milivoje Antic coordinator of The Network for Restitution in Serbia.
'A data base with records of confiscated properties, made in 2005, shows the majority of the confiscated property is in the hands of the state and only one fifth of all that was nationalized is now being asked for,' Antic told the German Press Agency dpa.
Since Serbia is more than 20 years behind with restitution compared to other ex-communist countries, many of the original property owners have died or lost interest in restitution, he says.
Antic dismisses the government's assessment that restitution would cost the country millions.
'The problem with restitution in Serbia is corruption and the law on planning and building,' he says. Often the ownership of land is transferred to those leasing land and building on it, with the previous owners bypassed, he says.
The law on planning enables parties in power to hand the nationalized land over to tycoons in exchange for financial support, he added. 'That is how political parties are being financed.'
That law, which allows 'all investors whether local or foreign, to buy the land directly from the state or municipalities', is a thorn in the side of people waiting for restitution.
Those campaigning for restitution point to the 2007 sale of bankrupt retail chain Robne kuce Beograd as an example. The government sold two buildings that were nationalized in the 1930s along with it, without compensating the original owners or their descendants.
The planning law also 'enables the state to handle the properties which are waiting for restitution but are not protected,' according to Dragana Milovanovic from the League for the Protection of Private Property.
'This way, instead of protecting those properties and returning them to old owners, the state would be able to sell them while old owners will get bonds which they would not be able to cash in because the state is broke,' she told the daily Danas newspaper.
'The problem is that tycoons who already bought some firms and got the rights to use the land would now, under the protection of government, be able do buy the land under their own terms,' Milovanovic added.
'The story of restitution is the story of whether we will see better days, whether we will grow stronger economically, whether we are truly for European integration, whether our state is a regulated one,' says Antic.
Djokic is determined to see justice. 'I'm still waiting for the restitution of my grandfather's land and I will not give up.'
Source:monstersandcritics.com/
The family was later compensated for the house, but not the land. The school was built without a yard.
Djokic is one of thousands of people in Serbia waiting for the government to adopt a restitution law and begin the return of the properties confiscated or 'nationalized' after the war.
Serbian officials however argued that restitution would be an expensive undertaking, costing taxpayers millions of dollars at a time when the economy, weak since the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, is being battered by the global economic crisis.
But since the country aspired to join the European Union, Belgrade began working on a restitution law, which it planned to adopt by the end of last year.
State secretary in the Finance Ministry Slobodan Ilic said he would resign if the law is not passed by the end of 2009.
The law has yet to reach Parliament and Ilic has not kept his promise amid speculation fuelled by the secrecy surrounding the proposed law.
According to the unofficial reports, the government is to propose the return of the actual property or its value in bonds.
The owners of confiscated properties suspect the government is deliberately dragging its feet with the restitution law because most of the property in question is now state-owned. Political parties obtain money through the lease and sale of such properties, often at low prices, to business tycoons.
The original owners reject compensation in the form of bonds because the country has no cash to pay them. They are demanding that the properties be returned or, in the case where the land now houses public buildings, alternative land must be provided.
Serbia is 'a black hole' on a map of former communist countries with restitution laws, says Milivoje Antic coordinator of The Network for Restitution in Serbia.
'A data base with records of confiscated properties, made in 2005, shows the majority of the confiscated property is in the hands of the state and only one fifth of all that was nationalized is now being asked for,' Antic told the German Press Agency dpa.
Since Serbia is more than 20 years behind with restitution compared to other ex-communist countries, many of the original property owners have died or lost interest in restitution, he says.
Antic dismisses the government's assessment that restitution would cost the country millions.
'The problem with restitution in Serbia is corruption and the law on planning and building,' he says. Often the ownership of land is transferred to those leasing land and building on it, with the previous owners bypassed, he says.
The law on planning enables parties in power to hand the nationalized land over to tycoons in exchange for financial support, he added. 'That is how political parties are being financed.'
That law, which allows 'all investors whether local or foreign, to buy the land directly from the state or municipalities', is a thorn in the side of people waiting for restitution.
Those campaigning for restitution point to the 2007 sale of bankrupt retail chain Robne kuce Beograd as an example. The government sold two buildings that were nationalized in the 1930s along with it, without compensating the original owners or their descendants.
The planning law also 'enables the state to handle the properties which are waiting for restitution but are not protected,' according to Dragana Milovanovic from the League for the Protection of Private Property.
'This way, instead of protecting those properties and returning them to old owners, the state would be able to sell them while old owners will get bonds which they would not be able to cash in because the state is broke,' she told the daily Danas newspaper.
'The problem is that tycoons who already bought some firms and got the rights to use the land would now, under the protection of government, be able do buy the land under their own terms,' Milovanovic added.
'The story of restitution is the story of whether we will see better days, whether we will grow stronger economically, whether we are truly for European integration, whether our state is a regulated one,' says Antic.
Djokic is determined to see justice. 'I'm still waiting for the restitution of my grandfather's land and I will not give up.'
Source:monstersandcritics.com/
Segezha Packaging closes converting facility in Serbia
Segezha Packaging has closed a converting facility run by Segezha Packaging doo in Backa Palanka, Serbia. A company spokesperson said that paper sack production was suspended at the end of December 2009. Segezha was planning to merge its production capacities at larger, more efficient units. Consequently, the majority of Segezha Packaging doo's production will be transferred to the group's modernised plants in Uvalno, Czech Republic and Ploiesti, Romania.
Source:euwid-paper.com/
Source:euwid-paper.com/
Exiting Croat leader says he’d attack Bosnian Serbs
RIJEKA, BANJA LUKA -- Outgoing Croatian President Stjepan Mesić said that he would send the military to cripple RS if it called a secession referendum.
.jpg)
Stjepan Mesić (FoNet, file)
The Croatian military, according to Mesić, would incapacitate the Republic of Srpska (RS) in case there was a referendum on independence in this Bosnian entity, that would violate the Dayton accord.
The peace deal ended the 1992-95 war in Bosnia and organized the coutnry into two entities: the Serb RS, and the Muslim-Croat Federation.
Mesić said, according to Rijeka daily Novi List, that if Republic of Srpska (RS) Prime Minister Milorad Dodik was to call a referendum for toppling the Dayton Agreement, he would send the Croatian military immediately, which would cripple the RS, “which would then have to disappear”, by closing the corridor by near the northern town of Brčko.
At Tuesday’s informal meeting with journalists, Mesić said that Croatia is a Dayton Agreement guarantor, and that if he were the president at the time that such a referendum was announced, he would use the military against RS in the corridor near the Sava River .
“It is unbelievable how much Dodik is fooling the international community,” Mesić said, adding that the RS prime minister “thinks that the world will grow tired of Bosnia-Herzegovina and that a referendum for secession will be announced”.
“Someone will protest for a few days, and then everything will die down and Greater Serbia will be realized,” Mesić was quoted as saying, adding that he will be interested in seeing how the newly-elected Croatian President Ivo Josipović would react to the situation.
Mesić gave the same opinion to international officials, “but in a less heated manner”, the daily stated.
The corridor he mentioned is 15 kilometers wide and connects the eastern and western part of RS, sitting 30 kilometers from the Croatian border.
Fierce military, but also political battles were fought over the corridor during the 1992-95 war, since the survival of the town of Banja Luka and RS depends on it, said the report.
Using up his last moments in office, Mesić did not miss a chance to stir controversy once again, one month ahead Croatian President-elect Ivo Josipović’s inauguration.
Previously, he strained relations in the region by visiting Kosovo and pardoning a Croat war criminal found guilty of killing Serbs.
The Rijeka-based newspaper that carried Mesić’s statements threatening that Croatia would invade RS, said in an editorial that “such belligerent language has not been heard in the region for the past 15 years”.
Mesić himself reacted today by saying that he was “misinterpreted”, but adding that “nobody must touch Bosnia’s integrity”.
“We are a guarantor of the Dayton Agreement, and the Dayton Agreement guarantees the survival of Bosnia-Herzegovina. And in any case, Croatia cannot accept the break-up of Bosnia. That is quite clear, and I don’t believe that anyone could embark on such an adventure. I don’t believe there is still someone who would try to break Bosnia up again,” said Mesić in his latest statement, reported this afternoon.
“Radical extremism”
Milorad Dodik (FoNet, file)
.jpg)
RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik believes that Mesić’s latest statements constitute for a disturbing threat by a man who “started his career with war and wants to end it with war”.
“Such radical extremist statements should never have been heard again in the region,” Dodik said.
“They are all the more dramatic calls for war as Mesić is still president of Croatia and commander in chief of its army, and Croatia is a NATO member,” Dodik added.
The RS premier also said he expects all politicians in the region, international community representatives, NATO officials and all peace-loving people in Croatia and other countries to condemn “war threats of the false peacekeeper Mesić aimed at the Serb people and RS”.
“It is well known that Mesić used the language of hate and threats to create an atmosphere for mass crimes against Serbs and for their expulsion from Croatia in the last war,” Dodik said.
Source:b92.net/
.jpg)
Stjepan Mesić (FoNet, file)
The Croatian military, according to Mesić, would incapacitate the Republic of Srpska (RS) in case there was a referendum on independence in this Bosnian entity, that would violate the Dayton accord.
The peace deal ended the 1992-95 war in Bosnia and organized the coutnry into two entities: the Serb RS, and the Muslim-Croat Federation.
Mesić said, according to Rijeka daily Novi List, that if Republic of Srpska (RS) Prime Minister Milorad Dodik was to call a referendum for toppling the Dayton Agreement, he would send the Croatian military immediately, which would cripple the RS, “which would then have to disappear”, by closing the corridor by near the northern town of Brčko.
At Tuesday’s informal meeting with journalists, Mesić said that Croatia is a Dayton Agreement guarantor, and that if he were the president at the time that such a referendum was announced, he would use the military against RS in the corridor near the Sava River .
“It is unbelievable how much Dodik is fooling the international community,” Mesić said, adding that the RS prime minister “thinks that the world will grow tired of Bosnia-Herzegovina and that a referendum for secession will be announced”.
“Someone will protest for a few days, and then everything will die down and Greater Serbia will be realized,” Mesić was quoted as saying, adding that he will be interested in seeing how the newly-elected Croatian President Ivo Josipović would react to the situation.
Mesić gave the same opinion to international officials, “but in a less heated manner”, the daily stated.
The corridor he mentioned is 15 kilometers wide and connects the eastern and western part of RS, sitting 30 kilometers from the Croatian border.
Fierce military, but also political battles were fought over the corridor during the 1992-95 war, since the survival of the town of Banja Luka and RS depends on it, said the report.
Using up his last moments in office, Mesić did not miss a chance to stir controversy once again, one month ahead Croatian President-elect Ivo Josipović’s inauguration.
Previously, he strained relations in the region by visiting Kosovo and pardoning a Croat war criminal found guilty of killing Serbs.
The Rijeka-based newspaper that carried Mesić’s statements threatening that Croatia would invade RS, said in an editorial that “such belligerent language has not been heard in the region for the past 15 years”.
Mesić himself reacted today by saying that he was “misinterpreted”, but adding that “nobody must touch Bosnia’s integrity”.
“We are a guarantor of the Dayton Agreement, and the Dayton Agreement guarantees the survival of Bosnia-Herzegovina. And in any case, Croatia cannot accept the break-up of Bosnia. That is quite clear, and I don’t believe that anyone could embark on such an adventure. I don’t believe there is still someone who would try to break Bosnia up again,” said Mesić in his latest statement, reported this afternoon.
“Radical extremism”
Milorad Dodik (FoNet, file)
.jpg)
RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik believes that Mesić’s latest statements constitute for a disturbing threat by a man who “started his career with war and wants to end it with war”.
“Such radical extremist statements should never have been heard again in the region,” Dodik said.
“They are all the more dramatic calls for war as Mesić is still president of Croatia and commander in chief of its army, and Croatia is a NATO member,” Dodik added.
The RS premier also said he expects all politicians in the region, international community representatives, NATO officials and all peace-loving people in Croatia and other countries to condemn “war threats of the false peacekeeper Mesić aimed at the Serb people and RS”.
“It is well known that Mesić used the language of hate and threats to create an atmosphere for mass crimes against Serbs and for their expulsion from Croatia in the last war,” Dodik said.
Source:b92.net/
Top Seeds Advance To Australian Open Second Round
Top seeds Roger Federer and Serena Williams took contrasting paths into the second round of the Australian Open tennis tournament Tuesday.
Three-time champion Federer overcame a spirited challenge from world No. 37 Russia's Igor Andreev in the men's grueling first round with a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-0 win.
The Swiss, who is seeking a record-extending 16th major championship in Melbourne, had to fight off three set points in the third set before winding up the match in two hours and 44 minutes.
Defending women's champion Williams, playing her first Grand Slam match since her outburst at the US Open, routed Polish teenager Urszula Radwanska 6-2, 6-1.
Radwanska, however, gave a tough fight to Williams keeping her on the court for 73 minutes.
With this, the 28-year-old American improved the record of not losing in any of the 41 Grand Slam first-round matches she played so far.
Her sister, sixth-seeded Venus Williams, too did not face much resistance in the first round match against Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, winning in straight sets: 6-2, 6-2.
None of the other seeded women who took to the court Tuesday faced any upset. No. 8 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, No. 11 Marion Bartoli of France, No. 13 Samantha Stosur of Australia, 19th seed Nadia Petrova of Russia, and No. 20 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia advanced to the next stage.
Three seeded players in the men's section were eliminated in the first round Tuesday.
Eighth-seeded Robin Soderling, who is also last year's French Open runner-up, became the highest men's seed to see an early exit, losing a five-set match. No.16 Tommy Robredo of Spain and 25th-seeded Sam Querrey of the US also crashed out of the major season opener.
In an extraordinarily well-played match on Rod Laver Arena, veteran Lleyton Hewitt of Australia eased past Brazilian Ricardo Hocevar 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in the first round.
Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, Novak Djokovic of Serbia, Fernando Verdasco of Spain, Gael Monfils of France, and Marin Cilic of Croatia were the other prominent winners in the men's section.
Second round matches start Wednesday.
Source:rttnews.com/
Three-time champion Federer overcame a spirited challenge from world No. 37 Russia's Igor Andreev in the men's grueling first round with a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-0 win.
The Swiss, who is seeking a record-extending 16th major championship in Melbourne, had to fight off three set points in the third set before winding up the match in two hours and 44 minutes.
Defending women's champion Williams, playing her first Grand Slam match since her outburst at the US Open, routed Polish teenager Urszula Radwanska 6-2, 6-1.
Radwanska, however, gave a tough fight to Williams keeping her on the court for 73 minutes.
With this, the 28-year-old American improved the record of not losing in any of the 41 Grand Slam first-round matches she played so far.
Her sister, sixth-seeded Venus Williams, too did not face much resistance in the first round match against Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, winning in straight sets: 6-2, 6-2.
None of the other seeded women who took to the court Tuesday faced any upset. No. 8 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, No. 11 Marion Bartoli of France, No. 13 Samantha Stosur of Australia, 19th seed Nadia Petrova of Russia, and No. 20 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia advanced to the next stage.
Three seeded players in the men's section were eliminated in the first round Tuesday.
Eighth-seeded Robin Soderling, who is also last year's French Open runner-up, became the highest men's seed to see an early exit, losing a five-set match. No.16 Tommy Robredo of Spain and 25th-seeded Sam Querrey of the US also crashed out of the major season opener.
In an extraordinarily well-played match on Rod Laver Arena, veteran Lleyton Hewitt of Australia eased past Brazilian Ricardo Hocevar 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in the first round.
Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, Novak Djokovic of Serbia, Fernando Verdasco of Spain, Gael Monfils of France, and Marin Cilic of Croatia were the other prominent winners in the men's section.
Second round matches start Wednesday.
Source:rttnews.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)