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NEWS NEWS
Friday • June 13 • 2008
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Weekly Issue No. Nov.June 14 13, - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008 Issue12, No.Friday, 1 / Friday, 2008
Kosovo Rejection SparksSplits First Crisis with EU Lure of Tadic Alliance Socialists
Refusal to accept deal on deployment of EU police and justice mission marks first serious clash with Pristina’s European allies.
EULEX is set to be a flagship EU While younger Socialists support joining a new, pro-EUmission, government, old with some 1,900 police, judges and other staff. Most will come from EU countries although Americans and Milosevic loyalists threaten revolt over the prospect. others will be involved.
Kosovo leadership reject the EULEX deal
Photo courtesy of Pristina Insight
What this means is that the government of Kosovo will not be entirely sovereign over the whole of Kosovo, Socialist leader Ivica Dacic remains the Serbian kingmaker and thus the agreement contains a “de osovo, which declared inde- facto” recognition of the situation on pendence on February 17, is the to ground. Serbia’s late president, Slobodan By Rade Maroevic in Belgrade teetering on the brink of crisis It is this stark reality which has proMilosevic, and reformists who want in its relations with the European Un- voked the Kosovar rejection, plus the the that partythe to become a modern ensecrisis negotiations a new gov- fact ion. The emerged on after Kosovo’s government of Mr EuroThaci government, Prime the Minister under pressure from opposipeanfeels social democrat organisation. ernment under have divided ranks now Hashim Thaci, rejected a deal between tion parties not to be seen to be giving in After eight years of stagnation, of the Socialist Party, which holds the EU, the UN and Serbia, which to what they believe to be Serbian moves the Socialistspower returned to centre stage the balance of power between the would have paved the way to the full to consolidate in areas under their after winning 20 of the 250 seats in main blocs of andEULEX, has yet the to announce deployment EU’s po- de facto authority. lice andside justice mission. Kosovo’s inleadership says the sixparliament the May 11 elections. which they will support. Up until last week, the principal planthe breaches Kosovo’sand sovereignWith pro-European nation“It looks as if the Socialists will point problem blocking the mission was ty, territorial integrity and constitution. alist blocs almost evenly matched, move towards a government led by Serbia’s resistance to the deployment According to one source in Brussels, of in Serb-controlled areasMiof there the Socialists now have the final say theEULEX Democrats,” political analyst was a mood of anger amongst EU northern Kosovo. dealing with Kosovo. on the fate of the country. lan Nikolic, of the independent Cen- officials Now, however, a six-point plan be“It is disingenuous the Kosovars Nikolic believes theofSocialists, led tre of the Policy “But such tween EU,Studies, the UNsaid. and Serbia has to claim now that they did not know by Ivica Dacic, will come over to a move might provoke deeper divibeen agreed. This foresees that some what was going on,” one senior EU of the and revenues fromthe theparty.” two customs source Tadic,inif Brussels only out said. of a At pragmatic desions even split every stage points in northern Kosovo will stay in ofsire thetonegotiations, Pristina survival. was kept ensure their political Simultaneous negotiations held the north, while in the Serbian areas the fully informed “and now it is in their “The group of younger Socialists with the pro-European and nationallocal police will remain “under the ex- best interests to let EULEX deploy gathered aroundcountry”. Dacic seems to be ist blocs drawn attention to a across isting chainhave of command”. the whole
Meanwhile, a senior Serbian source said: “We are not ready to change the deal in any way,” adding that any attempts to do so “might have grave consequences”. Following months ofitnegotiations, faces extinction unless changes. a deal was struck between the EU, the However, a strong current also UN and the Serbian authorities on Noflows in thedeploying opposite the direction, led vember 7 on EU police and across theenraged whole ofbyKosby judges party veterans the ovo. This of was to have endorsed prospect a deal withbeen Tadic. at the Security Council on November Mihajlo Markovic, a founder of 11. Objections by the government of the party, recently warned a crisis Kosovo have now led to theof cancellation of the opts session. if Dacic for the pro-European Asked whether the the Socialists’ mission would bloc, abandoning “natnow deploy in Kosovo at all, the same ural” ideological partners. EU source in Brussels said: “I don’t Markovic, a prominent supporter know”. However, if the mission indeed fails to deploy onduring accountthe of the objecof Milosevic 1990s, is tions the Kosovo of government, seen from as representative the “oldthis would lead to a major deterioration in the party who wantand to stay intimers” relations between Kosovo the true to the former regime’s policies, European Union. All though 27 members of the ruined EU have even these almost the backed EULEX, although five of these Socialists for good. are countries that do not recognise KoSome younger Socialist officials sovo’s statehood.
By Tim Judah
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deep rift inside the Socialists. This divides “old-timers” loyal
in the majority”, Nikolic said, adding that these reformists believe the party
ISSUE OF Julijana THIS Mojsilovic examines the potentialBelgrade shift in Serbia’s politics toInsight wardsIS a de facto two-party BY: system. SUPPORTED
Business Insight
POLITICS
Costs Mounting
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conomists are warning that prolonged uncertainty over Serbia’s future could scare off investors, lead NEIGHBOURHOOD to higher inflation and jeopardise prosperity for years to come. A sudden agreement reached by the “This year has been lost, from the three strongest parties in Bosnia & standpoint of economic policy,” says Herzegovina may offer a way out of Stojan Stamenkovic of the Economthe current deadlock, but only if it is implemented. ics Institute in Belgrade. page 5
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have voiced frustration over the continuing impasse within their own
Until now, however, mission has party over which way the to turn. been plagued with logistical and politi“The situation in the party seems cal problems. While the US has backed extremely complicated, as sources we try the deal in public, in private, to convince the fewsupport remaining lagsay the Americans’ for their European counterparts is lukewarm. gards that we need to move out of In the wake of Kosovo’s rejection Milosevic’s shadow,” one Socialist of the deal, diplomats have launched aParty freshofficial bout ofcomplained. activity to break the deadlock. to one side European “DacicAccording will eventually with diplomatic source, negotiations are Tadic in a bid to guide his party into taking place that will allow the govthe European mainstream, ernment in Pristina to acceptbut themuch deal of the membership and many offiafter a possible exchange of letters with Javier Solana, the that EU move.” foreign policy cials may oppose supremo. Nikolic agreed: “The question is The thinking is not that the sixwill the party split covers or will policing, the ‘oldpoint plan, which timers’ back down,” noted. customs, transport andheinfrastructure, boundaries and Serbian Fearing they might notholy crosssites, the will be changed, buttothat 5-per-cent threshold enterSolana’s parlialetter or statement could reassure Koment, thewhile Socialists teamed upinwith sovo that EULEX would, efthe Association and the fect, be operatingofinPensioners different ways in different parts of Kosovo, would United Serbia Party, led bythis businessnot amount to a question mark over its man Dragan Markovic “Palma”. territorial integrity. Pensioners leader, Jovan toKrkobaThe problem, according diplobic, Palma andisDacic are all pushing matic sources, that since Serbia has agreed to the six-point plan, European for a deal with the Democrats. diplomats must not to give too much The reported price is the post of away to Pristina, lest Belgrade then deputy PM,the with a brief of also rejects deal. “It isina charge question ofsecurity dressing tree,” said forthe theChristmas Socialist leader. oneIn diplomatic “but inare such a addition, source, the Socialists barway as to make sure it does not topgaining ple over”.for other ministries, includingA capital Kosovo and senior investments, Serbian source said that any exchange of letters between Solaeducation, Belgrade media reported. na and Kosovo risked Tadicthehas deniedauthorities talk of horseputting Serbian agreement to the deal with the Socialists, intrading question. “That could bringmaintainit all into ing that ministries jeopardy,” he said. would go only to But acommitted source close the government those totoworking for the ingovernment’s Pristina reiterated that they “will not “strategic goal”. accept anything that endangers a united At the Dacic justice seems reKosovo insame termstime, of police, or luctant to call off negotiations with customs”. Peci, head of KIPRED, KotheLulzim nationalists. sovo’s leading think-tank, said the EU “If we don’t reach an agreement had tended to take the Kosovars for with theand DSS Radicals, “we the pargranted, in and consequence, are ty leadership willOthers decidewere on not future entering a crisis”. so sure, though. senior Kosovo govsteps”, DacicOne announced, following ernment source said Kosovo might lift the first session of country’s new parits objections to the deal next week.
liament on Wednesday.
Source: Balkan Insight (www.balkaninsight.com)
ECONOMICS
Further falls on the Matters BELEX this Neighbourhood week indicate that Serbia is feeling the impact of the global economic downturn.
Football Rebellion
BUSINESS EDITOR’S WORD The international financial crisis has already hit Serbia, says a UN official in Belgrade. By Mark R. Pullen
Political Predictability
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OUT & ABOUT This week, we explore a charming Romanian border town. Many of us who have experienced numerous Serbian elections rate ourselves as pundits when it comes to predicting election results and post-election moves. 9 We feel in-the-knowPage because our experience of elections in SerBELGRADER bia hasTHE shown us that (a.) no single party or coalition everhas gainseen the Belgrade’s street artwill scene a majority movement away from theapolitical required to form governgraffitti of the ment, and (b.)1990s. political negotiations will never be quickly concluded. Even when the Democrats achieved their surprising result at last month’s general election, it quickly became clear that the result was actually more-or-less the same as every other election result in Serbia, i.e. inconclusive. This is likely to continue as long as Serbia’s politiciansPage form10new political parties every time they OUT disagree GOING with their current party leader are currently 342 regOur team(there recommend a selection of events to political check out this week. istered parties in Serbia). Drawn-out negotiations are also the norm. One Belgrade-based Ambassador recently told me he was also alarmed by the distinct lack of urgency among Serbian politicians. “The country is at a standstill and I don’t understand Page 12 their logic. If they are so eager to SPORT progress towards the EU and enZoran Milosavljevic Eurobascourage investors,previews how come they ket go2009. home at 5pm sharp and don’t work weekends?” Surely the situation is urgent enough to warrant a little overtime.
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hile the football world watchPage 5 es events unfold at the European Championships in Austria and BELGRADE Switzerland, Bosnia is experiencing a soccer rebellion, led by fans, players and former stars whoAllied are enraged Representatives of the powers at by commemorate what they see Armistace as corrupt Day leaders cemeteries across football Belgrade. of the country’s association leaders. page 10
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Source: www.weather2umbrella.com
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politics
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
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Serbia Finally Embraces a Two-Party System After the split in the hard-line Radical Party, Nikolic’s breakaway Progressives are emerging as the most likely future challengers to Boris Tadic’s ascendancy.
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COMMENT by Julijana Mojsilovic in Belgrade
t is ironic that the until recently undisputed leader of the ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party effectively killed his own child from his prison cell at the Hague war crimes tribunal. Vojislav Seselj’s party had been getting steadily stronger since the terrible defeat it suffered in the 2000 general elections, which ended the era of their ally, Slobodan Milosevic. But then the party split recently under the heavy pressure that Seselj put on his leaders at home and to whom he sent confusing political instructions. Seselj’s best student, his deputy, ended up outshining his tutor. Tomislav Nikolic, whose loyalty to Seselj was the last thing anyone had doubted, seized the momentum, left the party that he had helped to form and set up his own. The slowly fermenting disputes within the Radical Party erupted over the question of Serbia’s European future. Cursed by former colleagues who even put a spell on him and his grandchildren, branded a foreign spy by his ex-boss, Nikolic seceded and succeeded.
Only weeks after his split with Seselj, Nikolic’s Serbian Progressive Party was coming second in the opinion polls, less than 8 per cent behind the bloc of the pro-European President of Serbia, Boris Tadic. The original Radicals had lost 20 per cent of their former popular support. In local election re-runs this week, Nikolic’s candidates came second in two out of the four municipalities, while Seselj’s team failed to cross the minimum threshold of 5 per cent in one. Back in 2000, Seselj’s Radicals won a mere 300,000 votes in the general election. But that figure grew to more than a million in subsequent polls, when the party was under Nikolic’s day-to-day leadership. Serbian parliamentary elections in May left both Seselj and Kostunica in limbo as well as moving the axis in Serbian politics further from the far-rightwing. Tadic’s Democratic Party and its coalition partners, positioned in the political centre, patiently waited for the Radicals to split while at the same time wooing the Socialists with numerous concessions. Together, the two forces filled the centre and centre-left of Serbia’s political spectrum, leaving part of the right-wing political space to Nikolic who now abandoned hardline nationalism for more moderate patriotism and an emphasis on social issues. The remaining Radicals and the waning remnant of Kostunica’s nationalists were left with a smaller slice of the political cake, and facing the threat of marginalisation.
Nikolic has proved himself to be anything but a naïve politician. Tough opposition to Tadic’s Democrats remains the focus of his “antiregime” vocabulary, he has dropped ultra-nationalist goal of a Greater Serbia from the political agenda. What was once the sweet dream, or bloody reality, of “all Serbs in one state”, (engulfing parts of Croatia and Bosnia in the process), has now been discarded as unrealistic. That has reassured those voters who feared new armed conflicts in
the Balkans and pushed them closer to Nikolic who they see as a leader capable of saving them from a pain of economic transition. With his changed vocabulary and image, Nikolic has garnered great support in no time, becoming a real threat to Tadic’s coalition. If the West accepts him as a reformed leader, Nikolic could effectively challenge Tadic in the next presidential elections in five years. By that time, Seselj might either be serving his jail term or be freed, if
Nikolic, left, and his former leader, Seselj
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Police at the scene of one of the raids goslavia, ICTY, for war crimes and genocide, including the killing of as many as 8,000 Muslims from the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica. In July, Serbian authorities arrested Mladic’s political leader Radovan Karadzic and handed him over to the Netherlands-based court.
Photo by FoNet Hadzic, a former leader of Serbs in Croatia was indicted for his role during the 1991-1995 war there. He went underground after the ousting of former President Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. The raid came ahead of the upcoming visit of chief war crimes prosecutor Serge Brammertz to Belgrade.
Source: www.BalkanInsight.com
Source: www.mooshema.com
Serbian Agents Probe Financing of War Crimes Fugitives peratives of the Serbian Security and Information Agency and police have been checking several private business enterprises in the capital Belgrade in the past week in an attempt to cut off financial support to the two remaining war crimes fugitives, Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, a security agency official told Belgrade Insight. “We want to see who is financing them and how they are being financed, and we are getting some results,” the operative said on condition of anonymity.”The financiers are the key to apprehending them,” he added, but declined to elaborate further. The most recent operation came just days after the Serbian elite police unit, the Gendarmerie carried out a five-hour raid on the Vujic factory just outside the city of Valjevo. They left the factory with 13 photos allegedly showing the owner of the factory with “some Hague fugitives but not Ratko Mladic” Serbia`s RTS web portal reported. The company’s owner, Vidoje Vujic, denied allegations about ties to war crimes fugitives. “I have never seen or met Ratko Mladic,” Vujic was quoted by local media as saying. Mladic, the Bosnian Serb military commander during the 1992-95 war, has been indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yu-
his sentence does not exceed the time he has spent in prison already. Meanwhile, his loyalists at home are likely to struggle to cross the 5-per-cent threshold needed to enter parliament. Even if they join forces with Kostunica, their chances of taking power in Serbia are almost gone, unlike Nikolic’s, whose party alone will be able to challenge Tadic’s bloc. Finally, Serbia will have been transformed into a two-party democracy.
A positive report from Brammertz to the UN Security Council in December on Serbia’s cooperation with the tribunal will be vital for the implementation of the Stabilization and Association deal between the European Union and the government in Belgrade.
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business
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
Crisis to Hit Serbia, UN Official Says
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he international financial crisis has already reached Serbia and the country must brace itself for the protracted consequences of a market slump, a top official with the United Nations Development Program said. “The international financial crisis is reaching Serbia via two channels,” said Kori Udovicki, the director of the regional UNDP office in Belgrade. Udovicki, the former governor of the National Bank of Serbia and former energy minister, told Belgrade’s daily Blic that “the first channel represents a great decrease in the inflow of foreign assets through loans or direct investments”. “The other channel is a drop in purchases from overseas,” which will pose a problem for Serbian exporters, she said. “A decrease in exports will in turn reduce the ability to finance imports,” she added.
Kori Udovicki Her remarks came after the IMF team, which is in Serbia to help local experts draft the 2009 budget,
Serbia, Lithuania to Join MSCI Frontier Markets
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erbia and Lithuania will join MSCI Inc.’s stock benchmark for frontier markets later this month, a move that will boost investment by money managers overseeing assets of as much as $3 trillion, a statement said. The two countries, whose indexes have a combined capitalisation of $1 billion, will be added to the 19-country MSCI Frontier Markets Index on November 25, the New York-based index provider said. Two banks, the Komercijalna Banka AD and AIK Banka will make up the MSCI Serbia Index, with a market value of $166 million on a so-called free-float adjusted basis, the statement said. MSCI is a provider of equity, fixed income, hedge fund indices and equity portfolio analysis. Its majority shareholder is Morgan
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Stanley financial services. MSCI indices are used as the benchmarks for measuring performance of international equity portfolios. They are also used as the basis of passive investment products like index and exchange-traded funds. The MSCI Lithuania Index, worth some $855 million will have stocks of the AB TEO LT communications company and AB Rytu Skirstomieji Tinklai, a power grid operator.
Two Bids for Country’s River Fleet
erbia received two bids for the sale of a 69.99% stake in its river cargo fleet, the Jugoslovensko Recno Brodarstvo, the country’s media reported citing a trade union leader. Ilija Ivosevic, head of the JRB Trade Union, was quoted as saying that Austria’s DDSG company, owned by Serbian businessman Zoran Drakulic and a consortium of France’s CFNR, Croatia’s Dunavski Lojd Sisak and Bomeks shipyard, placed offers for the purchase of the company. He did not elaborate further. In October, Serbia’s Privatization Agency extended the deadline for the
JRB sale without giving a reason. The agency which sells state-run assets launched its second tender for the JRB after a consortium of Cyprus-based Tamoza Trading and Singapore-based Daxin Petroleum Pte, as well as a consortium of Malta’s Palmali Shipping Sa and Palmali Holding Ltd, pulled out from the sale talks. The Jugoslovensko Recno Brodarstvo currently operates a single passenger ship and 16 cargo vessels. It freight fleet capacity was estimated at more than 187,000 tones. In 2007, the company’s profits rose to €578,000, up 52 per cent on the previous year.
Source: UN official photo warned the government last week that it expects the country’s economic growth rate to decline to 3.5
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erbia’s currency reserves fell by €436.6 million in October to €9.34 billion, the central bank said. The decline came after the National Bank of Serbia allowed commercial banks to draw €473.9 million, following the change in provisions on compulsory reserves adopted on Oct. 17, a statement said. The central bank also sold €269 million on the currency market to bolster liquidity and in an attempt to arrest the slide of the dinar against the euro, which in October amounted to 9.9 per cent. The bank also said it repaid €21.8 million to international creditors. Serbia’s total currency reserves in October were €10.051 billion euros, including €704.9 million euros deposited by commercial banks.
Serbia to Finalize Talks With Gazprom
he Serbian government will enter the final phase of talks with Russia’s oil and gas conglomerate OAO Gazprom over the sale of the country’s Naftna Industrija Srbije, NIS, oil industry and the development of a leg of the South Stream gas pipeline, an official said. Dusan Mrakic a state secretary with the Mining and Energy Ministry told reporters that the deal over the sale of 51 per cent stake of NIS will be “signed by December 15 at the latest”. Serbian media also reported that the government of Mirko Cvetkovic asked Gazprom to invest a total of 700 million in the overhaul of NIS. Last year Serbia and Russia reached a tentative agreement by which Gazprom’s oil arm, Gazpromneft, will purchase a 51 per cent stake in NIS for €400 million and invest a
Bids Invited for FAP
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per cent in 2009 from the current 7 per cent. It also said that it expects the budget deficit to reach 50 billion dinars (€588.8 million). The delegation has also warned the government to abandon plans for an increase in pensions to 70 per cent of the average wage. “Serbia must be prepared to decrease spending by 15 per cent … by cutting back on the parts [of the budget] that contribute directly to spending, and on loans in the banking system,’’ said Udovicki. She said that the dinar must also continue to decline. The dinar has lost more than 10 per cent of its value in the past month. “The exchange rate should decline faster than inflation,” she said. “That would ensure a decrease in local demand for imports by placing locally produced products at a relative competitive advantage,” Udovicki said.
Forex Reserves Drop
erbia’s Privatization Agency launched its second attempt to sell a majority stake in the state-operated Fabrika Automobila Priboj, a loss-making truck and utility vehicles producer. In a statement, the agency said it was planning to dispose of an 86.5 per cent stake in FAP, based in the western town of Priboj, by January 23 of next year. The agency said that prospective bidders must furnish their offers with €100,000 bank guarantees. To qualify, bidders are required to be companies with a minimum of three years of experience in the automotive industry and at least €10 million in 2007 profits, financial investors with more than €50 million in managed assets in 2007, or other investors with profit of more than €15 million last year. FAP currently employs some 1,500 people in its Priboj facility which has seen little investment in recent years. Its output of trucks, buses and military vehicles, including light armored personnel carriers, has declined rapidly in the last decade as foreign imports have captured an ever increasing market share.
additional €500 million by 2012. Earlier this month Serbian negotiators reportedly asked their Russian counterparts to extend the current November 22 deadline for signing the deal as it remained unclear whether Gazpromneft will fund the investments through a cash payment or a loan. According to media reports the Russian side has said that it prefers NIS to take out a €500 million euros loan which would be backed by Gazprom’s guarantees. In July the Serbian government said it wanted to renegotiate the sale of NIS, arguing the proposed price was not sufficient. In August, Deloitte & Touche an auditing firm, valued Naftna Industrija Srbije at €2.2 billion. However, Sergey Shoigu, Rus-
sia’s minister for emergency situations and the key negotiator in the purchase of NIS, flatly rejected Serbia’s proposal. Mrakic said that the two sides should also agree on the creation of a joint venture between Serbia’s gas provider Srbijagas and Gazprom, for the development of the South Stream pipeline and the completion of underground gas storage in the northern town of Banatski Dvor.
Gazprom’s Moscow HQ
Sale of Serbia’s JAT Tehnika Fails
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he sale of Serbia’s state-operated aircraft maintenance company failed when no buyers placed bids. The Privatisation Agency said in a statement that although Israel’s El Al and Bedek Aviation, Hungary’s Malev and another unspecified company purchased tender documentation, no bids followed. The agency did not specify whether it will launch a new round of bidding for JAT Tehnika. Previously, the Serbian government decided to abandon the sale of the country’s principal air carrier, the state-run JAT Airways, in the absence of serious buyers. In a tender offer in June, the Privatisation Agency offered to sell a 70 percent stake in JAT Tehnika to companies involved in aircraft maintenance for no less than five years and with at least €100 million in 2007 revenues.In 2006 the state-operated JAT Tehnika, previously a part of the national flag carrier JAT Airways, posted revenues of €18.7 million and net profits of €157,113. JAT Tehnika is licensed for the maintenance of all major aircraft types in the European Union and the United States.The sale of JAT Teh-
nika is a part of larger government project to privatise major enterprises and distribute shares to as many as 4 million people. In addition to JAT Tehnika, Serbia plans to sell stakes in the stateoperated telephony provider Telekom Srbija AD, the electricity utility Elektroprivreda Srbije, JAT Airways, Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla airport and Galenika pharmaceuticals.
JAT tehnika’s service facility
business
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
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Kosovo Loses Millions to Tax Evasion
Plans to introduce tighter regulation have been delayed and tax evasion by unscrupulous businesses costs Kosovo millions every year.
By Lavdim Hamidi in Pristina
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osovo’s government may be losing as much as €700 million from tax evasion by unscrupulous businesses. An investigation by the Tax Administration during the first nine months of this year discovered €40 million of unpaid – but legally owed - taxes and officials say this may just be the tip of the iceberg. Alban Krasniqi, 22, spends an average of €10 per day in his favourite cafés in Pristina. But he says he never receives a receipt along with his coffee. Most businesses do not use cash registers, through which the Tax Administration could accurately measure their taxable income and without a register to record each sale, many, it is alleged, under-declare their income and consequently avoid paying their taxes and commit tax fraud. “If there were proper control and domestic collection of taxes, Kosovo’s budget would double. Simply put, if the government collects €700 million annually, better control would result in collecting another 700 million,” explains Mimoza Kusari-Lila, the head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo. Meanwhile, Alban Krasniqi points out that it’s not just cafés; other businesses do not supply their customers with printed receipts, either. “I asked for receipts in cafes several times, but the waiters kept telling
me ‘I pay my debts without receipts, aswell’,” Krasniqi says. Consumers in neighbouring countries such as Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro are encouraged not to pay for something if the seller doesn’t give them a receipt and failure to provide printed receipts in other Balkan countries can lead to fines and in some cases to a temporary closure of the business. In Kosovo, Kusari-Lila, an economics expert, explains the simple mathematics. “If a customer pays €1 for a coffee and doesn’t receive a receipt, Kosovo’s treasury could lose the 15 cents of Value Added Tax, VAT, if the business owner does not declare the sale.” Some businesses, particularly in the foodservice sector, she suggests may be declaring as little as 15 per cent of all transactions. “This is the way the treasury is deprived of revenues generated by businesses,” explains Kusari-Lila. The second-in-command of the Tax Administration of Kosovo, Sakip Imeri, admits that Kosovo is overwhelmed by tax evasion. “There may have been more tax evasion, but our investigations have uncovered €40 million over and above the taxes paid by businesses,” says Imeri. He also added that as of 1st November, ten businesses will start voluntarily using cash registers as part of a pilot project. However, officials from the Ministry of Finance state that the project will only be implemented in 2009, after Kosovo’s Parliament ratifies the necessary legislation. According to Imeri, the use of cash registers was not possible until now due to a lack of controlling legislation.
Am-Cham’s Mimoza Kusari-Lila Kusari-Lila declared that while there is tax evasion in businesses large and small, small ones are more difficult to control. According to her, the use of cash registers in Serbia and
Source: www.rtv21.tv Macedonia has been a success. “I don’t understand how this situation can be tolerated in Kosovo. While other countries in the region do not permit their customers to
pay without a printed receipt, the opposite is true for Kosovo,” says Alban Krasniqi. Source: www.BalkanInsight.com
Companies & Markets France’s SAGEM Eyes Factory in Nis The Serbian government and SAGEM, a French producer of electronic appliances will launch talks over the opening of a production facility in the southern town of Nis, a top official said on Wednesday. The talks come after a previous deal between SAGEM and EI Nis a maker of electronic components for the production of 130,000 electricity meters, said Bozidar Djelic, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister. “After that successful deal, SAGEM is now interested in opening its own facility for the production of electricity meters,” Djelic told reporters. He did not give details of the talks. SAGEM is one of France’s largest businesses and has interests in defence, consumer electronics and communication systems. Djelic said that the new facility will have a workforce of 250. “Bringing SAGEM on board is an opportunity for the French company to place its products in the markets of the former Soviet Union, and European markets as well,” he said. At a later stage, SAGEM may open a Nis-based production facility for printers and other consumer electronic devices, Djelic said. EI Nis was a major producer of consumer electronics in the former Yu-
goslavia. Since 2000, the new Serbian authorities have unsuccessfully tried to rescue the company and have sold parts to several private businesses. A portion of the company is still stateowned.
Serbian-Austrian Venture Places Offer for Kopaonik Hotel A joint venture between Serbia’s MK Group and Austria’s Falkensteiner-Michaeler, a tour operator, placed a €23 million bid to purchase the Internacional CG hotel complex in the Kopaonik ski resort, the Privatisation Agency said. In a statement the agency said it will decide on the offer within a month. The Serbian-Austrian group was the sole bidder for the complex which comprises an hotel, an apartment complex and a restaurant. The Kopaonik resort is some 220 kilometres south of Belgrade. The Internacional CG hotel complex was previously a part of the now bankrupt Genex, a former key exporter and tour operator in the former Yugoslavia.
Spar and Ramstore to Invest in Serbia Austria’s Spar and and Turkey’s Ramstore retailers and supermarket chains will enter the Serbian market in
2009, a government official said. Spar has bought a location in Subotica in Serbia’s north and “it is about to finalise” another investment in Novi Sad, the capital of the Vojvodina province, a Trade Ministry’s official told Belgrade Insight. “Ramstore is still looking for a place for a shopping mall, but that will not be in Belgrade,” the official said. “It remains to be seen whether the global crisis will delay or alter their plans. So far it’s all going well,” he added. Earlier this year the Serbian media also said that country’s trade minister Slobodan Milosavljevic had talks with Tesco, Britain’s biggest retailer. In Serbia’s 7.5 million-strong market, Spar and Ramstore will face com-
petition from Germany’s Metro Cash & Carry, Slovenia’s Mercator, Greece’s Veropoulos, Croatian Agrokor and the local retailer Delta M.
BELEX Places Alfa Plam on B List Serbia’s Alfa Plam, a producer of household appliances, became the country’s first enterprise to gain a B listing on the Belgrade Stock Exchange, the BELEX, the company’s CEO said. The company was previously trading on the unregulated market, Alfa Plam’s CEO Velin Ilic said in a statement carried by local media. To gain a BELEX B listing, a company must
have capital of at least 4 million euros. It must also prove that at least 25 per cent of its equity is owned by minority shareholders. Only two Serbian companies, the Tigar rubber producer and the Energoprojekt construction company are on the A BELEX listing, while shares of other companies are traded on the unregulated market. Since 2000, Alfa Plam’s investments have totalled €13.5 and in the first part of 2008 its gross profits were €1.8 million euros. The company controls 40 per cent of Serbia’s household appliances market and it exports some 65 per cent of its production.
BELEX15 Report The BELEX15, the index of the most traded shares in the Belgrade Stock Exchange, fell a further 3.48 per cent between Nov. 7th and the 14th, ending the period on 671.36. Trading was again light all week with investors shying away from a market which is close to it’s all time low of 668.99. “The BELEX indices closed lower on tiny turnover because of an ongoing shortage of fresh funds,” a broker told Belgrade Insight on condition of anonymity. With the government’s financial direction still uncertain and with the IMF likely to cast doubts on Serbia’s
forward economic policy, the market looks likely to continue in this jittery shape for some time to come.
Markets across the region are performing similarly badly, and there seems to be little light at the end of the tunnel.
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belgrade chronicle
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Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
10 Years Since Founding of Otpor
decade after it played pivotal role in the ousting of former President Slobodan Milosevic, the key student group marked its anniversary. While some of the founding members have remained in politics, the majority of Otpor’s famous faces have withdrawn from public life. Otpor started off in 1998 as a small student movement opposed to the nationalist and militarist policies of Milosevic. With its trademark clenched fist motif, it became a symbol of non-violent struggle against Serbia’s autocratic regime. “We wanted to change things. The people were brave enough, some might say crazy enough, to do something at a time like that,” Nenad Konstantinovic, one of Otpor’s founding members told reporters. After the 1999 NATO bombing, Otpor began its anti-Milosevic campaign and in 2000 evolved into a people’s movement.
Members of the movement joined the Democratic Opposition of Serbia’s protests, and launched the “Gotov Je” (He’s finished) campaign. Otpor played a central role in the October 5 2000 ousting of Milosevic, with its members leading tens of thousands of people who flocked to downtown Belgrade to protest against election fraud in the presidential vote a month earlier. Milosevic was finally arrested in April 2001 and handed over to the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands where he died while on trial for his role in the 19911999 conflict in the Balkans. In 2000 Otpor received MTV Europe’s Free Your Mind award. After toppling Milosevic, Otpor suspended its activities until 2003 when it participated in parliamentary elections as a political organization, failing to pass the 5 percent threshold to enter parliament. It
merged with the Democratic Party in 2004. Of the founders, Nenad Konstantinovic, Ivan Andric and Srdjan Milivojevic are now politicians. Slobodan Homen is the state Secretary in the Justice Ministry, while Srja Popovic works as an adviser to the deputy prime minister. Milja Jovanovic, Branko Ilic and Vlada Pavlov have withdrawn from public life. Ivan Marovic, who now lives in the United States, has developed a video gamebased on the overthrow of dictatorships. He regularly posts blogs on the B92 website.
Serbia Marks Armistice Day
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op Serbian officials and Belgrade-based representatives of the countries that won the First World War marked Armistice Day in Belgrade commemorating the end of the war that was supposed to end all wars. Politicians, state officials, members of the diplomatic corps and army officers placed wreaths and flowers at the Mausoleum of the Defenders Of Belgrade, the Commonwealth War Cemetery, the Tomb of Rus-
sian Soldiers and the French Military Cemetery. “The graves of Serbian soldiers are scattered in 18 countries across the world, and it is our duty to pay tribute to those we owe so much to,” Minister of Education, Zarko Obradovic, said during a ceremony at the Mausoleum of the Defenders of Belgrade. As many as 20 million people, combatants and civilians, died during the 1914-1918 conflict
Ring Road Brings Relief to Central Belgrade
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portion of the ring road around Belgrade was opened earlier this week, in a move which should free up the notoriously clogged streets of the Serbian capital The section between Orlovaca to Ostruznica is a part of the 69 kilometre-long ring road which should divert freight and through-traffic form the city’s central areas. At the opening ceremony, Serbian President Boris Tadic said that
the completion of the ring road was a great achievement. “I want to thank the workers; this is a great victory, their victory. I know how hard it was for them. Without you we could not have completed this job. Our engineers have also showed that our construction companies can work efficiently and thus regained everyone’s trust,” Tadic said . Tadic, who is also the president of the National Infrastructure Council,
a top body tasked with the development of the national road and rail networks said that networking Serbia’s infrastructure with neighboring countries is a precondition for country’s bid to join the European Union. Completion of this section of the ring road should allow work to commence on the long overdue renovation of the Gazela bridge, which until now has formed a key section of the E76 highway through the capital.
Ceremonies were held across Belgrade
Photo by FoNet
neighbourhood
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
7
Bosnia’s ‘Historic’ Deal Brings Relief and Doubt
The surprise agreement reached by the three strongest parties may offer a way out of the current deadlock, if there is the courage to implement it.
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By Srecko Latal in Sarajevo
uropean officials have “noted with satisfaction” the recent “historic” agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina’s three ruling parties and have “invited the Bosnian political forces to unite around this project”. The statement, issued by the European Commission’s External Relations Council, refers to the out-ofthe-blue agreement reached over the weekend by three parties – the Bosnian Serb Union of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, the Bosniak party of Democratic Action, SDA, and the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ – over some hotly disputed issues. Resolution of these issues is seen as crucial for the continuation of Bosnia’s EU accession process and for the closure of the Office of the High Representative, OHR. Only last month, European officials were describing the political deadlock in Bosnia in alarming terms. On October 10, the Council “voiced deep concern at recent developments in the political situation… particularly the use of nationalist rhetoric and the implementation of unilateral decisions by some leaders, thereby jeopardizing power-sharing and the foundations of the state.” But while the latest agreement has been hailed as “historic” by local media and international officials, it may not take effect. Having strained already-fragile relations within the ruling coalition to breaking point, Bosnia may face new political deadlock, or fresh elections. “Everything is possible now”, an editor of the influential Sarajevo daily Dnevni Avaz, Sead Numanovic, told Balkan Insight. For two years, Bosnia’s political scene has been dominated by infighting, radical rhetoric and personal animosities among local leaders. The principal quarrel has pitted Milorad Dodik, leader of the Bosnian Serb SNSD, against Haris Silajdzic,
head of the Bosniak Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina, SZBH. The quarrels, which started ahead of the 2006 general elections, have tainted relations between the parties and increased ethnic tension. The resulting political deadlock has blocked and, in some cases reversed, the progress on crucial institutional, economic and social reforms, affecting the country’s hopes of eventual EU membership. The international community, meanwhile, has appeared distracted by other foreign challenges, in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo – and its coherence has been diluted by Russia’s growing engagement in the Balkans, on the side of its Serbian allies. The European Union finally awoke to the scale of the problem a month ago, after foreign diplomats and local officials warned that Bosnia faced division or even armed conflict. European diplomats launched an offensive, resulting in the drafting of a new strategy for Bosnia based on stronger engagement as well as a continued mandate for the EU peace forces, EUFOR. Sources close to Brussels officials and Bosnia’s own leadership, told Balkan Insight that the EU offensive contributed to the “historic agreement” reached suddenly on October 8 in the northern town of Bosanski Samac. Another key element behind this breakthrough was the action of the leader of the SDA, Sulejman Tihic. In the October 5th local elections, the SDA scored a sweeping victory among Bosniak voters, reinforcing Tihic’s previously fragile position in his own party as well as his position in relation to his biggest rival, Haris Silajdzic of the SZBH. On October 13th, Tihic surprised everybody by appearing at a tense session of the Bosnian Serb parliament and tried to calm local politicians, infuriated by what they saw as Silajdzic’s anti-Serbian rhetoric. On October 15th, Tihic met the President of Croatia, Stipe Mesic, and the Croatian Prime Minister, Ivo Sanader, in Zagreb, before traveling
Miroslav Lajcak, the High Representative Source: srpska.etleboro.com to Belgrade on November 4th to meet Serbia’s President, Boris Tadic. Western diplomats told Balkan Insight that soon after the Belgrade meeting, Tadic telephoned Dodik, the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska. Details of this conversation have not been made public but the conversation clearly helped create a positive atmosphere for the November 8th meeting of Bosnian leaders. At the meeting, Dodik, Tihic and Dragan Covic, leader of the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, agreed in outline, within just two hours, on how to resolve several issues that have vexed the country for two years. One is the future status of the District of Brcko. Here, they agreed that further constitutional reform and legalisation of the status of the Brcko District would be undertaken by parliament. Another issue was a compromise
over which questions would be asked in the 2011 census. They also agreed on basic principles concerning the division of state property. If the agreement lasts, it will satisfy most of the key preconditions for the closure of the OHR, which would mark a major step towards fulfillment of the requirements for EU membership. However, the successful implementation of the deal was immediately put in doubt after two junior coalition parties in government – and their leaders – who were not invited to the meeting, rejected the agreement and denounced their their former partners. A break-away party from the HDZ, HDZ1990, led by Bozo Ljubic, accused the big three parties of trying to establish “a monopoly” in terms of their representation of the three main ethnic communities. Silajdzic went further, accusing
Tihic of “betraying” Bosniak interests and of yielding to Dodik’s pressure. Both the three parties behind the agreement, and international officials, rejected these criticisms. In particular, the High Representative, Miroslav Lajcak, told the media: “This was a compromise and Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot advance without compromise.” However, harsh verbal duels have continued between Tihic and Silajdzic and local and international analysts say that these tensions pose a continuing threat to the stability of Bosnia. Significantly, the SDA, SNSD and HDZ do not have a majority in the State Parliament sufficient to ensure implementation of the agreement. If the SZBH and HDZ1990 continue to oppose the deal, therefore, the three parties will have to seek new partners. One obvious potential partner is the opposition Social Democratic Party, SDP, whose support could ensure adoption of the agreement. However, it would also probably spell the end of the current ruling sixparty coalition. Gordana Katana, Banja Lukabased correspondent for the daily Oslobodjenje, said the current impasse could last right up until the next general election in 2010, with disastrous consequences for all. On the other hand, Tihic may go for an early general election in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosniak-Croat entity, to strengthen his hand against Silajdzic. Analysts also point out that the animosities that formerly raged between the ethnic communities have now shifted mainly to rival leaders within the same ethnic groups. This is especially so among the Bosniak and Croat communities. “These relationships are deeply, deeply disturbed,” Katana says. The next meeting of leaders of the six ruling parties, scheduled for early December, will give some indication of the direction in which the country is moving. Source: www.BalkanInsight.com
Global Downturn Affects the Balkans IMF: Albania Growth Slowing Down Tirana _ The International Monetary Fund lowered its forecast for Albania’s economic growth for 2009 to between 3.5 and 4 per cent from between 5 and 6 per cent, due to the turmoil that has hit global financial markets. “Albania’s still limited integration into global markets currently provides an important buffer, but the economy is not immune: export growth is expected to decline from recent heights, remittance payments could be affected and investors may reassess risks,” the IMF said in a statement. “The mission recommends containing the 2009 deficit at below 4 per cent of GDP,” it added. However, the Minister of Finance Ridvan Bode questioned the IMF’s forecast, arguing that growth will be
on target. “We have programmed that economic growth will be the same as in 2006, at six per cent, the strongest in the region,” said Bode.
Tirana
Fitch Cuts Romania’s Rating to ‘Junk’ Bucharest _ The ratings agency, Fitch, has downgraded its sovereign ratings for Romania to below investment grade. The agency cut Romania’s debt rating to BB- from BBB, putting the country’s debt into ‘junk’ status. Romania is likely to require external financial support to prevent “a sovereign credit crisis”, Fitch said, as it deals with a current account deficit that is expected to exceed 14 per cent of gross domestic product this year. Fitch’s move comes after a Standard & Poor’s downgrade two weeks ago turned Romania into the only European Union member state with a non-investment grade credit rating. Last month, Romania rejected criticism of its economic policies and denied rumours over a rescue package from the International Monetary Fund.
Macedonia Rejects IMF Funds Skopje _ Macedonia does not need any funds from the International Monetary Fund to shore up its economy, because its banks are stable, Finance Minister Trajko Slaveski was cited by local media as saying. In an interview with the Guardian daily, cited by the local Makfax news agency, the Macedonian Finance Minister argues that the country’s banks are well capitalised. “Banks in Macedonia have significant liquidity,” Slaveski said. In addition, Slaveski dismissed calls made recently at the Vienna Economic Forum that governments across Southeast Europe should work more closely together to respond to the current economic confusion.
“Like all of the countries across the region, we are worried, we are on alert,” Slaveski said. “Certain industries will be hit; investors have already started to delay their investments.” Meanwhile, the country’s metal and textile industries have reported considerable losses, as has the construction industry. One of the biggest factories in the country, the ferro-alloy production plant, Silmak, said it would shut down four of its seven smelters temporarily, forcing some 200 workers out of their jobs. Macedonia’s metals industry is one of it’s key export earners and production cutbacks are likely to seriously affect the country’s balance of payments.
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neighbourhood
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
Kosovo Holds Two over Organ Transplant Scandal Pristina _ The secretary of Kosovo’s health ministry, Ilir Rrecaj, has been discharged from his position following a police operation to stop suspected illegal organ transplants. According to the ministry, Rrecaj was discharged from his position after it emerged that he gave a licence to a private clinic to carry out transplant operations. Skender Berisha, a media advisor to Health Minister Alush Gashi, said that “the Ministry was not aware of the licence given by Rrecaj” and that the minister’s decision was “in accordance with Kosovo’s constitution.” Rrecaj said that his decision to issue the licence was based on an administrative directive. This was, however, denied by the ministry. Kosovo police arrested two wellknown doctors on suspicion of performing illegal organ transplants. The two have been detained while seven other people are being questioned, police say.
The police launched an investigation after a Turkish citizen, who said he had come to Pristina to donate a kidney, was stopped at the airport on his way home. Police searched a private clinic and a two-storey house in the suburbs of the capital, and found drugs and blood in plastic bags. They added they had detained an Israeli citizen who is believed to have received the kidney from the Turkish citizen. “Investigations are going on to find out how the Turkish man and Israeli patient came to Kosovo and how this process was conducted,” said Elshani. Veton Elshani, spokesman for the Kosovo police, said that they are investigating the extent of this practice. He said this seemed to be a business operating for financial profit. Belgrade Insight tried to contactthe suspects and their lawyers for further comment but to no avail.
Albanian MPs Go on Hunger Strike Tirana _ Eleven lawmakers from Albania’s smaller parliamentary parties went on hunger strike to protest against proposed changes to the electoral code. The deputies accuse the Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Sali Berisha, and the opposition Socialist Party, of a deal to change the electoral code, which according to them will be used to rig the parliamentary elections due to be held next year. “We, the deputies and heads of the undersigned parliamentary parties, in protection of the constitution and free elections, have decided to go on a hunger strike to raise the public awareness of a coup d’etat which is being prepared,” reads an open letter sent to Albania’s President Bamir Topi last week. The group has barricaded itself inside the Albanian parliament, while a small crowd of supporters staged aprotests outside the building. The signatories include members of the Socialist Movement for Inte-
gration, led by former Prime Minister Ilir Meta, the Christian Democrats and deputies from a new splinter party from the Socialists, PS91. They charge that the changes proposed by the larger parties to the electoral code are politically motivated and aim to push the smaller parties out of parliament.
Sali Berisha
Drug Use Still a Problem in Romania Bucharest _ Drug use in Romania remains relatively stable but is still alarmingly high. There are around 40,000 drugs users in Romania, officials say. “The main problem for Romania is that more and more users are trying drugs at a very early age. For example, we’ve found cases of 11 year-old children using cannabis,” Pavel Abraham, chief of the National Anti-Drug Agency (ANA) said in a press conference. Almost 15 percent of 16-year-olds have tried hard drugs at least once, ANA data shows. Romania has some of the most draconian penalties in the EU with up to seven years in prison for using drugs and near-life sentences for dealing. However, despite this, a country that had virtually no consump-
tion or production of illegal drugs before 1989, Romania is now part of the so-called Balkan trafficking route to Western Europe.
Similar Method Used in Croatia and Macedonia Bombings Attacks
Reports on the arrests, in the meantime, have sparked interest across the Balkans. Serbia’s war crimes court is currently investigating allegations of trafficking of human organs taken from Kosovo Serbs during the 1999 conflict in Kosovo, between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian guerrillas. Human Rights Watch, an NGO, said they confirmed the allegations that were made public in a new book by Carla Del Ponte, the former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, that around 300 Serb prisoners were kidnapped by former Kosovo Liberation Army fighters during the 19981999 war and transported from Kosovo to Albania, where they were locked up, killed and had their organs removed. Authorities in Kosovo and Albania have condemned the allegations saying they are simply a fabrication and rejected opening any probe into the claims.
Life Sentences for Briton’s Killers Tirana _ A court in the northern Albanian town of Shengjin handed down life sentences to two teenagers that killed a British man, Edward Craythorne, in a kidnap-murder plot a year ago. Mario Pjetrushi, 18, and Arlind Vukaj, 19, both from the nearby town of Lezha were sentenced in in the town of Lezha after confessing to the crime. The two were close friends of the victim and frequently visited his home, where he lived with his sister Eileen and his mother Sophia. The two women had moved to the Albanian town in 2004. Craythorne, who was 21, was killed in February 2007, after he was robbed of his gold chain and home keys by the two Albanian youngsters, who later threw his body into a well in the remote village of Mal. His body was discovered by local villagers two weeks after the murder. Craythorne was buried in the local cemetery in the town of Shengjin.
Skopje_The method used in the recent murder of Croatian journalist Ivo Pukanic and his marketing chief, Niko Franjic, is similar to the one used in the attempt on a former Macedonian President’s life in 1995, local media have reported police sources as saying. The head of Republika Srpska’s criminal police, Gojko Vasik, has confirmed this information, Croatian TV Nova said. Croatian police issued an international search warrant for Zeljko Milovanovic, nicknamed Gavro, as the main suspect in the killing of the journalist. The suspect narrowly escaped an arrest operation carried out by the Republika Srpska police near the northern Bosnian town of Doboj, police officials from Bosnia’s Serb-dominated entity of Republika Srpska said. However, it is not clear whether the ongoing investigation into the Pukanic murder links the two cases. The police in Republika Srpska have pointed out that several other
murders across the Balkans were carried out in the same way as the Pukanic killing, with explosives being planted under the victim’s car. In 1995 Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov narrowly escaped when a bomb exploded near his limousine, killing his driver and one bystander. The culprits have never been found.
Ivo Pukanic
Bulgaria Plans ‘Curfew’ for Young Drivers Sofia _ In order to reduce car accidents in Bulgaria, new drivers will not be allowed to drive between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. if proposals by the Interior Ministry are adopted. Furthermore, young drivers could be asked to drive at a speed 10 kilometres per hour lower than the existing speed limits. Interior Minister Mikhail Mikov did not say how this could be monitored by traffic police. What he did say, was that these limitations were not that severe and were not a form of discrimination. However, he said that a debate was needed on the issue. “We just want to remind people that they need to be careful while gaining experience behind the wheel,” he was quoted as saying by Sofia daily, Dnevnik. Mikov’s proposals will be discussed by the Cabinet and then, if approved, sent to parliament. With close to 125 road crash deaths per 1 million inhabitants, Bulgaria has among the highest road fa-
talities in the European Union, more than 10 times higher that the safest EU states of Sweden, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In one weekend alone in July, seventeen people were killed in road accidents. Around 1,000 people die annually and around 10,000 are injured on Bugaria’s roads, with many permanently disabled.
Albania Honours Actor Jim Belushi Tirana _ Albania’s President Bamir Topi decorated the Hollywood actor Jim Belushi with title ‘honour of the nation’ during a TV show held in Tirana. The title was given to the star of the hit TV comedy because of his “love and dignity for his Albanian origins and Albania,” said Topi. Belushi was born in Chicago as the third of four children of Adam Belushi, an Albanian immigrant who left his native Qyteze village in 1934 at the age of 15, and Agnes, who was born in the US to Albanian immigrants. His brother John Belushi was also a famous comedian and actor. “This is an important and heavy award with a big burden, which I don’t know if I merit,” said Belushi. “I was born and raised in America, but my genes are Albanian,” he added.
Belushi came to national attention through his role in Edward Zwick’s film “About Last Night” with Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. He started his career on Saturday Night Live, and in the TV series “Working Stiffs”. His credits since then show an extraordinary range: from James Woods’ spacey DJ buddy, Dr. Rock, to the mentally handicapped dishwasher befriended by Whoopi Goldberg in the Andrei Konchalovsky film, “Homer and Eddie”; and the defiant high school principal standing up to drug dealers in “The Principal.” In 2000 Belushi co-starred in MGM’s “Return to Me,” directed by Bonnie Hunt and starring David Duchovny and Minnie Driver, and he received rave reviews for his work with Gregory Hines in Showtime’s “Who Killed Atlanta’s Children?”
Jim Belushi
out & about
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
9
Little Vienna in Transylvania There is a spring in the step of this stately old city, where the revolution that toppled Ceaucescu began almost 20 years ago.
By Pat Andjelkovic
I
f “Transylvania” only makes you think of Count Dracula, think again. Located a mere 150 kilometres from Belgrade, across the border in the Banat region of Romania, is the beautiful city of Timisoara. Driving from Belgrade, you can reach the city in a little over three hours, if the border crossings are clear. From Belgrade, take the road toward Vrsac, and follow the signs. When you cross the border, set your watches ahead one hour. Timisoara has only about 340,000 inhabitants and is a large economic and cultural centre. It is a multicultural city with minorities of Hungarians, Germans, Serbs, Bulgarians and Roma, and a sizable Jewish population, too. Although the Bega river passes through Timisoara, the city received its name from the Timis river. Timisoara, or Temisvar as it was once known, formed part of Hungary for many centuries. It was first mentioned in writing as a settlement in 1019, and as a city in 1474. The Ottomans conquered it in 1552 and it remained under their control until the Hapsburg army seized the area in 1716. Demographic conditions of the region changed dramatically during the 167 years of Ottoman rule. In 1582, the city was still mainly Hungarian. Later, the largest ethnic group in the city was made up of Muslim Turks, with smaller groups as Serbs, Jews, and Roma. Later on, after the city became part of the Hapsburg Empire, the Muslim and Turkish population fled. According to census data from 1720, the largest ethnic group in the city then were the Serbs. Later, many ethnic Germans were settled. Timisoara is sometimes called “Little Vienna” because it belonged for generations to the Hapsburg Empire and the entire city centre consists of buildings reminiscent of old Vienna. It’s an important university centre with an emphasis on medicine, mechanics, and electro-technology. Timisoara was also the first mainland European city to have electric lighting. It was also one of the first European cities to have horse-drawn trams. In 1869, Timisoara became the first city in Hungary, then still part of the Hapsburg Empire, to have an ambulance station. Though not confirmed, there are claims that Gustave Eiffel, the creator of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, built one of the footbridges over the Bega. In 1718, the first brewery in Transylvania was built, and the first tobacco mill in today’s Romania was set up in Timisoara. Between 1728 and 1771 the Bega canal was built to unite the city with the Danube. In this way the city had greater contact with Europe and the world through the Black Sea, and trade increased. After the First World War, Timisoara became part of Romania, time passed, the communists took power, and on that fateful day of December 16, 1989 local people turned out to support an ethnic Hungarian Calvinist pastor, Laszlo Tokes in his strug-
gle against the Securitate secret police, who had decided to exile him to a small provincial town.This triggered a popular uprising the next day against the regime of Nicolae Ceausescu, which put an end to the 40-year Communist regime a week later. In recent years, Timisoara has enjoyed a significant economic boom as the number of foreign investments, especially in the high-tech sector, has risen constantly. It is considered the second most prosperous city in Romania, following Bucharest, and there have been frequent debates on whether the so-called “Timisoara Model” could be applied to other cities. Indeed, since my last visit, 30 years ago, times have changed. Foreign car dealerships are everywhere, every third store is a mobile phone shop, and grocery stores carry foreign produce as well as those from
The Metropolitan Orthodox Church
Detail on one of Timisoara’s facades
Romania, a far cry from the jars of pale peas with hand-glued labels I’d seen all those years before. Despite this growth, the city centre has maintained its calm, laidback atmosphere. Pick up a map at a tourist office or your hotel, and set out. Timisoara is easy to explore on foot, but if you’re tired, try public transport. It’s user-friendly even if you don’t speak the language, and Romanians are quick to help. The system consists of 11 tramlines, nine trolleybus lines and 15 bus lines. The city is served by Romania’s second busiest airport, Traian Vuia International Airport, which is the hub of the Romania’s secondlargest airline, Carpatair, which connects passengers to a series of European and domestic destinations. Timisoara is a major railway centre and is connected to all other
Photo by Pat Andjelkovic
major Romanian cities, as well as local destinations. Some places not to miss are Liberty Square (Piata Libertatii), Unity Square (Piata Unirii), Victory Square (Piata Victoriei) with its beautiful baroque buildings, the Romanian Opera, the Banat Museum, and the Bega River and its bridges. If you have any interest in architecture, this city is sure to fascinate. Over two days, I took hundreds of photographs of beautiful facades. Thanks to the warm climate, life is best observed outdoors, in the many public squares and lush green retreats, though of course in this cold season you’ll probably opt for one of the city’s pubs or cafés. If you have a sweet tooth, head for the pastry shop Violeta, on Piata Victoriei 6. When hungry, you’ll want to sample some hearty Romanian fare, which tradi-
Unity Square
tionally consists of pork, cabbage, potatoes and mamaliga, a cornmeal similar to Italian polenta. Don’t forget to sample some of Romanian’s truly fine wines. If you’re looking for typical handicrafts, you’ll find folk art, crafts and costumes of the Banat region on display and for sale at the Banat Ethnographic Museum. Also check out Piata Victoriei, where lines of shops sell all sorts of souvenirs and local crafts. Just for fun, you might stroll through the Iulius Mall, just a short distance away from the centre. It’s quite impressive, and it’s even bigger than Delta City. So, put aside Dracula’s part of Transylvania for this year, and treat yourself to a bite of Timisoara. Pat Andjelkovic is a teacher, writer, and long-term expat.
Photo by Pat Andjelkovic
Photo by Pat Andjelkovic
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the belgrader
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
Painting the Town
A vibrant community of guerilla street artists is transforming the capital’s drearier corners, but is it art?
By Pedja Popovic
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raffitti blights cities and towns across the world and Belgrade is no exception. But now, alongside the political messages that are so prevalent across town, you may also find a pig, birds, girls, geishas, Tinkerbell, or the faces of Edgar Allen Poe, Virginia Woolf, and singers Beck or Jim Morrison, staring out at you. Behind these drawings are young people, both individuals and groups who regard their drawings as art, designed to make the city more beautiful. Operating under “noms de plume” their activities draw them into conflict with the authorities and sometimes belgrade residents. TKV (“The Kraljica Vila”, or The Fairy Queen), says she works mainly on abandoned buildings or dirty and neglected street corners. “The uglier it is, I harder I try to make my stencil prettier,” she says. Together with Kata, she helped launch Belgrade’s street art scene. Since then, they’ve been joined by Milica, Lortek, Edit, Angel, Hope, Naza, E++ and 352, who are currently the most active in the city. Besides abandoned buildings, their work can be seen on busy streets, intersections and phone booths. They claim to make a point of not targeting public institutions such as museums, monuments and churches, because they feel “responsible towards the public space”. However, not everyone approves of these young people’s activities. “I would send all of them to work in a field or mine. Then they would have no time to think about scribbling on walls. We pay and they destroy,” says angry 53-year old Milorad Radulovic from Belgrade. Jasmina Vasic, from the city’s Secretariat for Communal and Residential Affairs, said that around 25 million dinars has been allotted for the removal of graffiti and posters in Belgrade for 2008-9. “Cleaning up graffiti and removal of posters is necessary if we want to maintain the city’s cleanliness at a satisfactory level,” said Vasic. Working in a public space comes with risks, so the girls often work at night when there’s less chance of detection.
Kata explains how she deals with police. “You tell them it’s art, it’s pretty, and it’s necessary. Then they become confused. Maybe it’s because I am a woman. They are also confused at the mention of the word ‘art’. They realise they don’t know anything about it and it is better for them to shut up and just say ‘don’t do it again’. So, I move down the street and then – come back.” Unlike their female colleagues, the guys from E ++ have experienced a lot more problems with both the
TKV calls this ‘the vampire’
You’ll find this pig on Palmoticeva street police, local kids, football fans and hooligans. “Our worst experience was at the Mostar interchange, when we were approached by a group of people from a nearby settlement,” says Kris. “They started calling us names, and threatening us. They tried to take away our paint, and then all hell broke loose. Rocks and clubs were flying and they poured paint on us. All kinds of things happened, some of us were badly beaten. However, he is keen to point out that “there are a lot more positive reactions”. The attitude of the authorities to graffiti artists varies from support to condemnation. Although in the past the authorities have commissioned work from some
graffitti artists, their response to the works of these street artists is generally negative and the city’s clean -up teams make no distinction between regular graffitti and street art. “There are people who respect street artists and their work, but unfortunately, the team for the removal of graffiti includes professional cleaners and not professional art critics.” said Jasmina Vasic.
Source: TKV
Photo by Pedja Popovic here, even a wall by Banksy would be painted over right away,” Banksy, a cult British graffiti artist. whose ironic and thoughtful works are often protected by city councils in the UK, has become an icon for street artists. The international street art community keeps in touch via the internet. “The internet has become a virtual gallery for street artists. It allows people to see your work on the other side of the planet. You are able to see a wall in Rome, New York, Barcelona and talk to other artists,” says TKV. “That way, we get to know each other and exchange ideas. It is an excellent way to be inspired. I chanced on a work I did in Rome on the Net. One of 352’s monochrome stencils
Does it have artistic merit?
Source: TKV
“When everything is washed away, it looks kind of miserable,” says Vlada from E++. “Let the politicians and police look at the culture in other countries. You get culture for free there. People in Zagreb have realised that, which is why they are preserving old graffiti, as part of the art scene.” He adds that “city officials should feel lucky, [that we do this work] considering how sad and grey the city normally looks. If nothing else, because tourists like it. But, over
Photo by Luka Knezevic
Photo by Pedja Popovic Someone had posted it on the site deviantART and I felt great when I saw it.” Love it or hate it, art or abomination, TKV, E++, 352 and their colleagues look set to continue adding colour to Belgrade’s back streets. Pedja Popovic is a freelance journalist, based in Belgrade.
From the E++ collective
Source: E++
the belgrader
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
11
Dining Out
Royal-Knez
With its extensive menu, smooth service and low lighting, Royal-Knez is more than just a safe option.
By “Trencherman”
W
ith a visit from ageing parents approaching, for some time I’ve been seeking out suitable restaurants - the kind of place where you know everything’s going to be “just so” and where, however hard they try, they won’t find anything that reinforces their conviction that things aren’t as good here as at home. The list of suitable restaurants, given this strict requirement, was always going to be short. But I may now have the answer - Royal Knez. The first impressions are definitely parent-friendly. It’s well maintained, with muted lighting, quiet booths located on either side of the main dining room, subtle colours, low music, nicely set tables and crisp linen tablecloths and napkins. The place was empty, even though it was Saturday night. This was not a good sign; we half expected to see tumbleweeds blowing through the dining room. But the waiting staff were attentive and seated us in one of the booths to the side.
The menu was modern-European with only a side glance in the direction of Serbia and, as always in Belgrade restaurants, Italy. It was wide enough in scope to cover all the bases but not so extensive as to arouse suspicion about the freshness of individual ingredients. The wine list was wide-ranging and also had a strong Italian slant. Continuing my quest to understand local wines, I chose a Croatian white that I had not come across before, alongside a half-bottle of Chianti. No parent points here: both were unavailable. We took another Croatian wine, a Posip, and the only other half-bottle on the list, a Valpolicella. The Posip was luscious and fruity. At 14 per cent this is a big wine, rounded and full with a long finish and at 1,950 dinars, value for money. I was reminded that the last time I drank Valpolicella through choice was back in the 1980s, when cash was tight, Italian wines were cheap and I was less discerning. But after 45 minutes of breathing, and a big glass to swirl some oxygen in and bring out what nose there was, this tasted respectable. To the food. We chose pasta with salmon and prawns and a chicken and avocado salad to start. The salad was uninspiring, the chicken in large pale chunks, with round lettuce and sweetcorn, but the avocado was ripe and creamy and the simple dressing had
The Royal Knez, more than just a parent-friendly choice enough acidity to balance the avocado. The pasta was close to perfection: well-cooked tagliatelle, a creamy but nonetheless light sauce, with chunks of salmon fillet and good-sized prawns. This half-portion was generous and more than sufficient. To follow, we chose a peppered steak and octopus linguini. To my consternation, the fillet been rolled in cracked peppercorns until completely coated. I had expected fresh or preserved crushed corns, which are milder, so was not ready for what I got, though it was good, if a little spicy. The steak was spot on and served with a simple rocket and parmesan salad. The pasta was a treat.
Photo by Quinn Van Valer-Campbell
The baby octopus was perfect – not soft and spongy but not chewy either, simply presented with linguini. The essence of Italian cooking – simple, fresh and with top-quality ingredients. No fussy, elaborate sauce, no competing flavours. By now, the restaurant had filled up, too, reminding me that we must go out later if we’re to get the buzz of Belgrade nightlife. While I am seeking a better understanding of regional wines, my dining companion seems intent on discovering the perfect crème brulée. This example was nicely caramelised and creamy but lacked a suitably intense vanilla flavour. I took a baked
pear, served in a sweet red wine reduction, which was good enough on its own and not enhanced by a gloopy chocolate sauce. All in all, a success. It’s on the list. It’s definitely parent-friendly. More than that, this isn’t just a “safe pair of hands” that won’t let you down. I’d choose to return and experience more of the cooking, and I can’t say better than that. Price guide: 2,750 – 3,250 per head for three courses with a modest wine Royal Knez Kneza Sime Markovica 10 Tel: 011 2635160
We Recommend Every week we feature a selection of restaurants picked by our team. They give a flavour of what’s out there on the Belgrade restaurant scene and should provide you with a few alternatives to get you out of your dining rut. Our choices may not always have had the full Trencherman treatment but you can be sure that one of us has eaten there and enjoyed it.
Dorian Gray
Café Pizzeria Snezana
Dva Jelena
Steakhouse El Toro
Burito Bar
Named after a famous character in a novel by Oscar Wilde, this attractive restaurant on Strahinjica Bana is somewhat pricey. However, the food is varied, the wine list long, the service good and the atmosphere is especially chic when the the beautiful people turn up, as they invariably do.
You can get a feel for the centre of Belgrade from this café, placed right on Knez Mihailova, so people-watching possibilities are great if you sit beside the floor-to-ceiling windows. There is plenty to choose from on the menu and the atmosphere is pleasantly laidback.
If you can walk down Skadarska without twisting an ankle on the cobbles, Dva Jelena offers traditional Serbian food in a great location with live bands. This area is full of restaurants and if you visit at night, you are sure to find livemusic.
A home for carnivores, the menu here overflows with various types of meat dishes, though steak is the specialty. It is located in the business section of town, so if you visit around lunchtime, be prepared to sit next to the suit-and-tie brigade.
One of the few places serving Mexican food in the capital is Burito Bar, on Kraljice Marije. The theme inside is that of a fiesta, with wooden walls covered in ponchos and sombreros. The budget prices won’t ruin the festive mood either.
Kralja Petra 87-89
Knez Mihajlova 50
Skadarska 32
Masarikova 5
Kraljice Marije 3
Pire Slow Food
?
Zorba
Kalemegdanska Terasa
Sesir Moj
The only restaurant located in the Kalemegdan fortress. From the bar area, you get a great view of confluence of the Sava and Danube. The food is pretty good too! Serbian and international cuisine with lots of salads, fish and grilled dishes.
Another place that’s as much known for location and atmosphere as it food is Sesir Moj. Walking by, it looks like a flower shop. The shop front is decked with potted flowers that form a veritable wall of flora. The food is traditional Serbian - hearty, uncomplicated and meaty!
Trencherman was impressed on his recent visit. Pire (mashed potato) is trendy, has a well thought out menu and a great wine list. Owned by one of the country’s top fashion designers this is a great place to run into the “ladies who lunch.”
According to folklore, the long-ago owners of this restaurant wanted to call it “Next to the cathedral”, which the church authorities forbade. The annoyed owner put a question mark in its place and it stuck. The oldest traditional restaurant in Belgrade, it retains an old-school charm, the food is good and the staff friendly.
Whilst the inside may look like you’ve walked into somebody’s house, its devoted patrons say the food is true to the name’s Greek inspiration. That means lamb, feta cheese, souvlaki and the famous Greek moussaka.
Belgrade Fortress
Skadarska 27
Cara Lazara 11, 0112634994
Kraljice Marije 3
Kraljice Marije 3
12
the belgrader
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
Going Out
The drinks were cheap, we think, though we were too ‘refreshed’ to notice exactly. Nevertheless, as we were walking away, our business manager’s comment was: “Well, that was a fair price.”
The Optimist
I
Vinski Podrum
By Vanja Petrovic
By Quinn Van Valer-Campbell
didn’t think there were that many real bars in this town. Of course, there are those trendy, well-lit places, frequented by platinum blondes in mini-skirts, wearing highheeled leather stiletto boots, and spikey-haired gentlemen dressed in already-ripped-whenyou-buy-them jeans. But, I’m talking about a dimly-lit place with no locks on the toilets. I’m talking about a place you go to sink a few with friends and colleagues. I’m talking about a place you go to after you publish issue 12 of Belgrade Insight. The Belgrade Insight staff found this place one Friday and felt well received. The Optimist looks just like an English pub,but with waiting staff. It even had a fair selection of beer, though perhaps not enough to strike a nostalgic chord in the heart of the average Englishman. Nonetheless, the Optimist passed the high standards of our business manager, so we are happy to recommend it.
T
his is definitely not your average bar and it doesn’t pretend to be either. There is no real selection of drinks, no fancy furniture and no thumping techno beats. Everyone says that the nightlife in Belgrade is what makes this place a great city. You can find any type of music and you can stay out until the sun comes up. And often it’s not the music, the or the beautiful people but the location that sets the bars apart. Vinarija is nigh on impossible to reach if you have never been there. But ask lots of people for directions or better still come with a local, brave the short walk past the drunk teenagers down the dark alley, and there you are, in a cave. The cramped bar fills to capacity early - by 10 at the latest and gets incredibly hot so make sure you leave your winter-wear behind.The bar serves cheap wine and not an awful lot else, and everyone sings along to
An English pub?
We Recommend
Friday
Zvonko Bogdan
If a night of clubs and drinking isn’t what you had in mind, luckily for you, Belgrade is not just full of bars, techno and beer. Serbian musician, Zvonko Bogdan, will be performing on Friday with 16 other musicians in a concert featuring the traditional instrument, the tambura. Sava Center, Milentija Popovica 9. Tickets available at Bilet Servis, Trg Republike 5 Mon-Fri 09:00-21:00, Sat 09:00-15:00.
every song that is played. As the night wears on, the wine somehow tastes better, the songs get better, people start to dance and, if you’re lucky, you can even convince the bartender to give you a free drink. Bring a group of friends and be prepared to share a table with a ton of people and to belt out the lyrics to some classic songs.
Saturday
Sunday
The 1940s come alive on Saturday with the help of the songs of the UK Glenn Miller Orchestra. The big band sound will fill the room and people won’t be able to stop themselves from tapping their feet and bopping along to the jazz of this world famous group. Sava Center, Milentija Popovica 9. Tickets are available at Bilet Servis, Trg Republike 5 MonFri 09:00-21:00, Sat 09:00-15:00.
In this unusual play, performed in English by the students of the International School of Belgrade, the main character is the twisted barber of Fleet Street who kills wealthy and unsuspecting clients. To add insult to injury, Todd and his accomplice bake them into pies that people eagerly devour. High School Performing Arts Studio, Banjickih Zrtava 6. Tickets are available at the ISB Office during regular office hours.
The Glenn Miller Orchestra
Sweeney Todd
Tom Croft, Bodyrox, and Luciana House fans will not be let down when Tom Croft, Bodyrox and Luciana take the stage. From car commercials to fancy clubs, their music has been played around the world and it is only right that they come to Belgrade to find the real enthusiasts. Expo XXI, Spanskih Boraca 74a.
Monday
Tuesday
Romance
The Residents
The anonymous band, The Residents, is back in Belgrade. They have been performing since the 1960s and have yet to run out of ideas. From eyeball masks to Elvis Presley to Siamese twins, there’s nothing too bizarre for The Residents. Their loyal fans always come back for more. Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22/IV. Tickets available at Bilet Servis, Trg Republike 5 Mon-Fri 09:00-21:00, Sat 09:00-15:00.
In this courtroom, the judge exhibits signs of narcolepsy and the accused comes up with a game-plan to fix all of the problems in the Middle East. David Mamet’s witty and fast paced play, packed with outlandish occurrences is sure to have the audience laughing so hard they can barely breathe. Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesevska 64a. Tickets are available at the Belgrade Drama Theatre.
Wednesday
The Google Boys
We’re not really sure if this band falls into any particular genre. They started playing death metal and incorporated classical music into their repertoire. Now, they have developed a style that catches the attention, not only because of their strange sound, but because this bizarre mix seems to work for the story that the band is trying to tell in their newest album. Studentski Kulturni Centar, Kralja Milana 48
Imagine if Google didn’t exist. Finding that one piece of information you need for your paper or just can’t seem to remember at the moment was harder before Stanford alums, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, came developed their Internet search engine. This documentary details the growth of a giant company that hundreds of millions of people now could barely live without. Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22/IV. Tickets, free and available at Dom Omladine.
Haggard
Vinski Podrum - be prepared to sing
Thursday
Red Wave to the Blocks Red Wave to the Blocks, originally from Belgrade, prove just how diverse the music scene in Belgrade really is. Drawing on influences from Nine Inch Nails to Velvet Revolver, they manage to make sounds that are all their own. Having finished their current album, they are coming back to their hometown to perform. Akademija, Rajiceva 10.
the belgrader
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
What’s On
EVENTS
Tuckwood Cineplex Kneza Milosa 7, tel: 011 3236517
CINEMAS Roda Cineplex Pozeska 83A , tel: 011 2545260 Quantum of Solace 18:00, 20:15 & 22:30 Turneja (The Tour) 20:30 Wall E 16:15 Nights in Rodanthe 18:00, 20:00 & 22:00 Jelenin svet (Jelena’s World) 16:30, 18:30 & 22:30 Nim’s Island 16:00 Dom sindikata Trg Nikole Pasica 5, tel. 011 3234849 Turneja (The Tour) 18:30 Quantum of Solace 15:30, 16:15, 18:15, 20:15, 21:30 & 22:15 Righteous Kill 20:30 & 22:30 The House Bunny 17:30 & 19:30 Nights in Rodanthe 16:00, 18:00, 20:00 & 22:00 Mamma Mia! 16:30 Ster City Cinema Delta City, Jurija Gagarina 16 (Blok 67), tel: 011 2203400 The House Bunny 13:10, 15:20, 17:30 & 19:40 Quantum of Solace 11:20, 11:40, 13:30, 13:50, 15:40, 16:00, 17:50, 18:30, 20:00, 20:40, 22:10 & 22:50 Death Race 21:50 Righteous Kill 12:40, 14:50, 17:00, 19:10, 21:20 & 23:30 Nights in Rodanthe 12:20, 14:20, 16:20, 18:20, 20:20 & 22:30 Mamma Mia! 12:20, 14:30, 16:40, 18:50, 21:00 & 23:10
Quantum of Solace 15:30, 16:15, 18:00, 18:30, 20:15, 21:00, 22:30 & 23:15 Turneja (The Tour) 16:00, 18:15, 20:30 & 22:45 Max Payne 21:30 The House Bunny 15:30, 17:30 & 19:30 Milos Brankovic 23:25 Nights in Rodanthe 15:55, 18:00, 20:05 & 22:15
CONCERTS
R. W. Fassbinder - The Filmmaker Ten-film marathon paying homage to the enfant terrible of New German Cinema Goethe - Institut Belgrad Knez Mihailova 50 November 18 - 21 Screenings at 6, 8 & 10pm
OPERA
Gary Moore
Don Carlos
Ageing British rocker Gary Moore on his “Close As You Get” tour. Some new cuts, but you have my personal guarantee that Parisienne Walkways will feature! Sava Centre, Great Hall Milentija Popovica 9 November 16, 8pm Tickets available at SC ticket office and Bilet Service, Trg Republike 5 Biohazard Original lineup of one of the earliest bands to fuse hardcore punk and heavy metal with elements of hip hop reunites for their 20th anniversary tour. Student Cultural Centre (SKC) Kralja Milana 48 November 20, 9pm Tickets available at SKC ticket office
A five-act Grand Opera by Verdi, following the life of Carlos, Prince of the Asturias, after his beloved Elisabeth of Valois is married to his father Philip II of Spain as part of the peace treaty between the houses of Hapsburg and Valois. National Theatre Trg Republike 1a November 17, 7pm Tickets available at National Theatre ticket office and Bilet Service, Trg Republike 5 Madam Butterfly Modern staging of Puccini’s Madam Butterfly as a story of a cyber-geisha girl. Madlenianum Glavna 32 November 19, 7.30pm Tickets available at Madlenianum ticket office and Bilet Service, Trg Republike 5
THEATRE
13
ballido. Terazije Theatre Terazije 29 November 15, 7.30pm Tickets available at Terazije ticket office and Bilet Service, Trg Republike 5 Some Like It Hot Musical based on the eponymous 1959 film. Terazije Theatre November 18, 7.30pm Tickets available at Terazije ticket office and Bilet Service, Trg Republike 5
EXIHBITIONS O3one Gallery Exhibition of young fashion designers Rickhard Lindqvist and Daniel Palillo Andricev vecnac 12 Mon- Sat 1Midday – 8pm November 17 - 23
CLUBBING The Tube Peppe & Ura November 15, 10pm Milic Spacewalker + Nikolor Braca Burazeri November 20, 10pm Dobracina 17 Club Plastic
I too speak of a rose
All That Bass Drum’n’bass at its best November 14, 11pm
Musical melodrama based on the story by contemporary Mexican author Emilio Car-
Djusina 7
My Picks
Buon Gusto
Every week Rian Harris gives us one of her favourite places to shop.
By Rian Harris
A
verage brands of Italian sauces and pastas can be found in many Belgrade grocery stores, but I recently found a place where you can get all the ingredients
you need to put together a truly special Italian meal. Buon Gusto offers pasta, sauces, olive oil, wine and chocolates at two locations in the city. Many of their pasta brands are handmade, all are advertised as health food and they even have gluten-free products. On a recent visit, I picked up their Antico Pastificio del Gargano brand of Orecchiette del Gargano (270 dinars for 500 grammes), which was excellent. You can pair this with a sauce easily made at home: sauted local spinach, garlic and kajmak from the nearby Kalenic market. Buon Gusto has two locations: Baba Visnjina 45a 011-263-2314 Dobracina 23A 011-244-5210
Quantum of Solace FILM REVIEW By Andrej Klemencic
J
ames Bond becomes James Blond once again as fair-haired British star Daniel Craig takes on the epic challenge of saving the world from crooks. He astonished audiences and critics in his Bond serial debut, Casino Royale, which dealt with Bond’s entrance into the British secret service. Along the way, we learned that his heart was broken after his first true love betrayed him and died, thus explaining not only how Bond became a professional
killer but also why he turned into a serial polygamist. The few voices that suggested that Craig lacked the necessary ‘savoir faire’ were quickly silenced. When a superhero offers his heart on a plate, the level of sophistication becomes irrelevant. To everyone’s great relief, Craig is more than a match to deliver the magic of the world’s most famous spy in Quantum of Solace, too. His presence is more subtle in this film, but the emotional intensity he brought to Casino Royale, remains intact. As indeed, are the villains from the previous film, now trying to master the water resources of Latin
Buon Gusto offers a great selection of deli favourites America by installing and overthrowing regimes. In the meantime, they fly in private jets with CIA officers, catching up on the way with existing and wannabe dictators. Chief villain Dominic Greene is portrayed with brilliant coldness by Mathieu Amalric who displays both detachment from the world as well as a mad desire to govern it. Craig entered the world of film having been one of Britain’s best-known stage actors. Therefore, it came as no surprise he won the strong endorsement of previous Bonds Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan as the right choice for an 007. The journey from the streets of Siena to the deserts of Bolivia is conducted by director Mark Forster, a German not known for making action-packed films. His family drama,
Monster’s Ball, won Halle Berry an Oscar in 2002, while last year he took audiences on an emotional trip to Afghanistan with The Kite Runner. The story of Bond, the agent of the Good on a permanent mission to save the world, arose during the heat of the Cold War. The need to see the world on the verge of destruction and then see it saved by a charming spy who knows how to treat a lady – fast became a family favourite, starting with the first Bond film in 1962. The films from the series have been released on average, every two years, with a pause between 1989 and 1995. But since the end of the Cold War obviously did not mean the end of anarchy, or of the desire for it, the saga continued, and after 22 repetitions and six men playing the spy, it is still going strong. Previous films approached the
Photo by Quinn Van Valer-Campbell $150 million budget, and Quantum of Solace exceeded even its predecessors’ budget by some $80 million, making it the third most expensive film ever made, with $230 million spent. But the dynamic sequence of action scenes, which burst into the senses from the second that Quantum of Solace opens and do not lose their intensity throughout the film, make the 250 dinars you pay to see the new Bond at the cinema a good investment.
14
sport
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
Serbia and Britain to Clash in Eurobasket 2009 Next year’s European Championship in Poland will be uncharted territory for the British team while Serbia will be out to rekindle past glory earned within the former Yugoslavia.
By Zoran Milosavljevic
I
t took Britain a while to get on Europe’s basketball map and now that it’s there, next year’s European championship in Poland may provide the perfect stepping stone for longterm presence at top level. This may surprise a few people, but the British team will by no means be a pushover for any of their three group rivals: Spain, Slovenia and Serbia. While they will face an uphill task to upset world champions Spain, Britain’s encounters with Slovenia and Serbia should be most intriguing as neither of the Balkan rivals are even close to being the powerhouse they represented as a single nation along with Croatia and Bosnia in the former Yugoslavia. Britain, on the other hand will be boosted by a pair of top class NBA
players, Chicago Bulls team mates Ben Gordon and Luol Deng. Both should be a handful for any defence with Gordon averaging 20 points per game and Deng chipping in 13 and 6 rebounds in the world’s strongest basketball league. The supporting cast led by Andrew Betts, who plays for Spanish club Cajasol Sevilla, are expected to provide the same kind of solid backing they did in the qualifying campaign. Britain reached their first major basketball tournament in recent history after impressive performances that saw them finish top of their pool ahead of Israel, the Czech Republic and Bosnia, three much more heralded nations in a sport rapidly picking up in London ahead of the 2012 Olympics. While Eurobasket 2009 will be uncharted territory for Britain, it is a chance for the Serbs to redeem themselves for a pitiful performance at last year’s championship in Spain, where they were eliminated in the first-round group stage. Coach Dusan Ivkovic, back in his second spell in charge after guiding the former Yugoslavia to a haul of medals, has restored the steel and discipline required to rekindle past glory but Serbia still lack the depth and wealth of talent that the combined Yugoslavia team was able to produce. Hence few fans here dare say that Serbia are guaranteed a medal or even a berth in the knockout stage of the competition, none more so than Ivkovic himself.
“It’s going to be a very tight group and we will have to be at our best to be among the three teams progressing to the second preliminary stage,” he said after the draw. “We must by no means underestimate Britain because they will have outstanding NBA players in their ranks and the game has really improved in England ahead of the 2012 Olympics in London. We all know how good Slovenia are and any talk about Spain’s qualities is superfluous.” Serbia know they will face a stern challenge from Slovenia, whose point guard Beno Udrih is a regular starter at the Sacramento Spurs while a host of top-level players based in Europe’s leading national leagues provide the makings of a very respectable team. Ivkovic will certainly entertain the idea of reinforcing his troops with some NBA stalwarts and with highscoring guard Igor Rakocevic, who led TAU Ceramica to last season’s national title in Spain. “We respect all our rivals but I feel the final group match with Britain will be crucial because it may well determine our course. We are looking at lot of hard work if we want to do well and get back to winning ways,” he said. Indeed, none of the other three preliminary groups include a team anyone could mistake for the tournament whipping boys. Defending champions Russia have been pitted with Germany, Latvia and the winner of the final qualifying tournament in-
No Icing on the Cake for Jankovic Serbia’s top player ends the season as world number one without a Grand Slam title under her belt. By Zoran Milosavljevic
S
urely, the world must be at your feet if you wanted to quit tennis a little more than two years ago and you’ve just finished the season as the world’s top-ranked player? Not for Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic, who heads the women’s WTA rankings after a magnificent run in 2008 that left so little, yet so much, to be desired. The 23-year old from Belgrade was close to hanging up her racket in 2006 after a miserable spell including 10 straight defeats but this year she soared to new heights with a quartet of trophies, including successive conquests of the Stuttgart Grand Prix, the China Open in Beijing and the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. However, she still has no Grand Slam titles to her name after defeat in the semi-finals in this year’s Australian and French Open and losing the U.S. Open final at Flushing Meadows. Next season, she aims to put the icing on the cake by winning at least one of the world’s four biggest tennis events and silence the critics who claim she is unworthy of the throne she occupies ahead of a host of fierce rivals, including compatriot Ana Ivanovic who finished this year’s WTA tour in fifth place.
“I expect big results next season and definitely to win a Grand Slam event,” a delighted Jankovic said as she served the press with cakes at her season-ending press conference in Belgrade’s GEMAX tennis club, where she took up the sport as one of many young talents a decade or so ago. “I would love to win all four of them of course but I am not putting myself under any pressure because I have achieved my childhood dream of being the world number one. No one can take that away from me whatever happens from now on,” she said with a big smile. “Now I can relax and enjoy my tennis because that’s the most important thing, more important than all the prize money I’ve earned.” That state of mind was a very unlikely prospect in 2006, when Jankovic languished in the doldrums. “Two and a half years ago I was close to quitting and looking for another job because I am a perfectionist, eager to get the best out of myself, whatever I do. However, I decided to pull through all the trials and tribulations. It took a lot of perseverance and hard work to get here.” Jankovic bowed out of last week’s Masters in Doha with a tight semi-final defeat to Wimbledon winner Venus Williams but she has no regrets and is confident of giving tennis fans in Serbia plenty to cheer about next season. “I want to stay the number one for as long as possible and I know I need to raise my game to another level be-
cause it’s a lot more difficult to stay on top than to get there. I will start training at the end of this month for the Australian Open in January,” she said. Seeing Ivanovic lift the French Open in June should further galvanize Jankovic to finally win a Grand Slam and dispel any doubts she is a fitting tennis queen.
Jankovic celebrates one of many wins in 2008
volving former medal winners Italy and France. Croatia, looking for their first podium finish since 1995, are up against Greece, Israel and Macedonia while Lithuania should be too strong for Turkey, Bulgaria and Poland. The
top three teams from each group will progress to the second preliminary stage of two groups of six. The top four from those two groups advance into the last eight with the quarterfinals, semi-finals and the final to be held in Katowice.
Ben Gordon, left, will carry Britain’s hopes in Poland
Photo by FoNet
Sport on TV Friday, Nov 14: French Top 14 Rugby Union: Montpellier v Paris (Eurosport 2 at 8.30 p.m.); Soccer: Hannover v Bochum (Sport Klub 8.30 p.m.), Argentinean League - Gimnasia La Plata v San Martin (Sport Klub + 00.15 a.m. Saturday) Saturday, Nov 15: Tennis: Men’s Masters Cup in Shanghai: Semifinals (RTS 2 and Sport Klub at 10.00 a.m.); Basketball: NLB Regional League – Zadar v Zagreb (HRT 2 at 5.40 p.m.); Soccer: Hoffenheim v Wolfsburg (Sport Klub 3.30 p.m.), Hertha Berlin v SV Hamburg (Sport Klub + 3.30 p.m.), Arsenal v Aston Villa (RTS 2 at 4.00 p.m.), Doncaster Rovers v Ipswich Town (Sport Klub 6.20 p.m.), West Bromwich v Chelsea (RTS 2 at 6.30 p.m.), Le Havre v PSG (Sport Klub + 7.00 p.m.), Valladolid v Real Madrid (FOX Serbia 8.00 p.m.), Palermo v Inter Milan (Sport Klub 8.30 p.m.), Argentinean League - Gimnasia Jujuy v Arsenal de Sarandi (Sport Klub + 9.20 p.m.), Valencia v Sporting Gijon (FOX Serbia 10 p.m.); NHL Ice Hockey: New Jersey Devils v Washington Capitals (Sport Klub 1.00 a.m. Sunday) Sunday, Nov 16: Tennis: Men’s Masters Cup in Shanghai: The Final (Sport Klub at 9.00 a.m.); Basketball: NBA Regular Season: Miami Heat v Toronto Raptors (OBN at 10.30 p.m.); NLB Regional League: Partizan Belgrade v Red Star Belgrade (FOX Serbia 6.30 p.m.); NFL: Atlanta Falcons v Denver Broncos (Sport Klub 7.00 p.m.), Pittsburgh Steelers v San Diego Chargers (Sport Klub
10.15 p.m.); Soccer: Ajax Amsterdam v PSV Eindhoven (Sport Klub + 12.30 p.m.), Serbian League – Rad Belgrade v Cukaricki Belgrade (RTS 2 at 1.30 p.m.), Italian League – various matches (OBN, Avala and Sport Klub at 3.00 p.m.), Hull City v Manchester City (RTS 2 at 5.00 p.m.), Werder Bremen v Cologne (Sport Klub at 5 p.m.), Olympiakos Piraeus v PAOK Salonika (Sport Klub + 6.00 p.m.), Croatian League – Hajduk Split v Rijeka (HRT 2 at 8.10 p.m.), Lyon v Bordeaux (Sport Klub + at 9.00 p.m.), Spanish League (FOX Serbia 11.15 p.m. delayed) Monday: Nov 17: Soccer: Premier League Highlights (RTS 2 at 8.00 p.m.) Tuesday, Nov 18: Soccer: African Champions League Final Coton (Cameroon) v Al Ahly (Egypt) on Eurosport at 9.45 a.m. Basketball: Olympiakos Piraeus v AEK Athens (Eurosport 2 at 3.00 and 8.00 p.m.) Wednesday, Soccer: Friendly internationals – Serbia v Bulgaria (RTS 1 or 2 at 5.30 p.m.), Germany v England (possibly Sport Klub at 8.45 p.m.), Highlights of various matches (Eurosport 11 p.m.) Thursday, 20: Soccer: Friendly internationals played on Wednesday, Eurosport 11.30 a.m. - France v Uruguay followed by Netherlands v Sweden (12.15 p.m.) and Greece v Italy (1.00 p.m.), re-runs from 3.30 p.m. Note: TV channels reserve the right to change their schedules.
directory
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
TAXI SERVICES
Beo Taxi 011 9801 Blue Taxi 011 555999 Joker Taxi 011 3971174 Lux Taxi 011 3033123 Pink Taxi 011 9803 Taxi Bell 011 9808 Yellow Taxi 011 9802
BEAUTICIANS
MIOLIFT STUDIO Trg Nikole Pasica 8 Tel: 011 3340554 www.centarlepote.co.yu NENA Terazije 42, 1st floor Tel: 011 3619115, 011 619577 WELLNESS CENTAR ZORICA Dobracina 33, Bulevar Despota Stefana 71, 2nd floor Tel: 011 3285922, 011 3243940, 063 356001 www.zorica.co.yu SPA CENTAR Strahinjica Bana 5 Tel: 011 3285408 www.spacentar.co.yu office@spacentar.co.yu
BUILDERS ENJUB Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 20 Tel: 011 2601673 www.enjub.co.yu info@enjub.co.yu
ESTATE AGENTS
INTERNET HOTSPOTS
AS-YUBC ESTATE Bul. Mihajla Pupina 10a Tel: 011 3118424, 063 371 879 as.yubc@sbb.co.yu EURENT Dobracina 21 Tel: 011 3038662 www.eurent.co.yu info@eurent.co.yu
123 wap Vase Pelagica 48 Absinthe Kralja Milutina 33 Backstage Restaurant Svetogorska 19 BAR Central Kralja Petra 59 Bistro Pastis Strahinjica Bana 52B Bizzare Zmaj Jovina 25 Café bar MODA Njegoseva 61 Café Biblioteka Terazije 27 Café Koeficijent Terazije 15-23 Café Nautilus Turgenjeva 5 Café Paleta Trg Republike 5 Celzijus Dzordza Vasingtona 12 Coffee dream Kralja Petra 23 Café Pianeta 27. Marta 141 Colonial Sun Bul. Vojvode Putnika 32-34 Cuba Café Kneza Viseslava 63 Extreme kids Cvijiceva 1 Gradski Macor Svetozara Markovica 43 Ice bar Kosovska 37 Idiott Dalmatinska 13 Insomnia Strahinjica Bana 66A Ipanema Strahinjica Bana 68 Journal Kralja Milutina 21 Koling Klub Neznanog junaka 23 Kontra Bar Strahinjica Bana 59 Langust Kosancicev venac 29 Mart Caffe Krunska 6 Monin Bar Dositejeva 9A Monument Admirala Geprata 14 New York, New York Krunska 86 Oktopus Brace Krsmanovic 3 O’Polo Café Rige od Fere 15 Pietro Dell Oro Trnska 2 Pomodoro Hilandarska 32 Que pasa Kralja Petra 13 Rezime Centar Cafe Kralja Petra 41 Veprov dah Strahinjica Bana 52 Vespa Bar Toplicin venac 6 Via Del Gusto Knez Mihailova 48
EVENTS & CATERERS Villa catering Krunska 69, Beograd Tel: 011 3442656, 3835570, 063 207976 www.villa-catering.com office@villa-catering.com
PARTY SERVICE Tel: 011 3946461 GODO Savski kej bb Tel: 011 2168101 BUTTERFLY CATERING Tel: 011 2972027, 063 7579825 office@butterfly-catering.rs Aleksandra-Anais Tel/fax: 011 4898173 063 7775889 office@aleksandra-anais.co.yu CATERING CLUB DB Tel. 065 8099819 Fax: 011 2980800 cateringclubdb@eunet.yu CATERING PLUS Palmira Toljatija 5 Tel: 011 2608410 office@catering.co.yu DIPLOMAT CATERING Josipa Slavenskog 10 Tel: 011 3672605 diplomatcatering@icomline.net EURO CATERING Prve pruge 2 11080 Zemun Tel/fax: 011 3190469 office@eurocatering.co.yu
FLORISTS
COSMETIC & HEALTH SERVICES KOMNENUS Kraljice Natalije 19 Tel: 011 3613677 www.komnenus.com office@komnenus.com ANTI-AGING CENTAR Nikolaja Ostrovskog 3 Tel: 011 2199645 www.aacentar.com EPILION dermatological laser centre Admirala Geprata 13 Tel: 011 3611420, 011 3615203 www.epilion.co.yu, info@epilion.co.yu
DENTISTS BIG TOOTH Mite Ruzica 10a Tel: 063 8019190 www.big-tooth.com dr.ilic@beotel.yu FAMILY DENTIST Bulevar Dr Zorana Djindica bb Tel: 011 136437 www.familydentist.co.yu ordinacija@familydentist.co.yu BELDENT Brankova 23 Tel: 011 2634455 APOLONIJA Stevana Sremca 13, Tel: 011 3223420 DUKADENT Pariske Komune 11 Tel: 011 3190766
MALA VRTNA RADIONICA Spanskih boraca 22g Tel: 011 3130300 www.mvr.co.yu mvr@verat.net CVET EXPRES Rajka Od Rasine 28 Tel: 011 2545987 INTERFLORA Vojvode Stepe 405 Tel: 011 462687 TELEFLORA Svetogorska 11 Tel: 011 03030047/048
HAIR STYLISTS
GYMS, LEISURE & SPORTS CENTRES
HAIR FACTORY Kosovska 37/10 Tel: 011 3227775 www.hairfactory.co.yu vlada@hairfactory.co.yu EXCLUSIVE UNISEX HAIR SALONE ALEKSANDAR Bulevar Despota Stefana 96 Tel: 011 2087602 www.aleksandar.weebly.com fsaleksandar@gmail.com
EXTREME GYM TC ABC Cvijiceva 1 Tel: 011 2768255 www.x3mgym.com extremegym@x3mgym.com LPG Centar YU BIZNIS Centre, Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 10b Tel: 011 3130806 lpgstosic@eunet.yu, www.lpgsalon.co.yu
RELAX PLATO Beogradjanka Tower Masarikova 5, 5th floor Tel: 011 3061765 www.relaxplato.com Golf Club Beograd Ada Ciganlija 2 Tel: 063 8963816 Partizan Shooting Club Tel: 011 2647942, 064 801 9900 Fax: 011 2647261 www.partizanshooting.rs info@partizanshooting.rs Hippodrome Belgrade Pastroviceva 2 Tel: 011 3546826
LEGAL SERVICES ILS Ltd. in association with Clyde & Co Gospodar Jevremova 47 Tel: 011 3038822 www.clydeco.co.uk clyde@clyde.co.yu HARRISONS SOLICITORS Terazije 34 Tel: 011 3615918 www.harisons-solicitors.com KARANOVIC&NIKOLIC Lepenicka 7 Tel: 011 3094200 www.karanovic-nikolic.co.yu info@karanovic-nikolic.co.yu
MASSEURS
HEALTHCARE BEL MEDIC Viktora Igoa 1 Tel. 011 3065888, 011 3066999, 063 206602 www.belmedic.com BEL MEDIC Koste Jovanovića 87 Tel. 011 3091000, 065 3091000 www.belmedic.com Dr. RISTIC HEALTH CENTRE Narodnih Heroja 38 Tel: 011 2693287 www.dr-ristic.co.yu zcentar@dr-ristic.co.yu LABOMEDICA Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 193a Tel: 011 3088304 www.labomedica.net klinika@labomedica.net Privatna Praksa Petrovic Kralja Milutina 10 Tel: 011 3460777 Dom Zdravlja “Stari Grad” Obilicev venac 30 Tel: 011 635236 Dom Zdravlja “Vracar” Kneginje Zorke 15 Tel. 011 2441413
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VETS&PETS
NOVAK VETERINARIAN CLINIC Veselina Maslese 55 Tel: 011 2851856, 011 2851923 www.vetnovak.co.yu novak@ptt.yu Veterinarska stanica Lazarevic Zrenjaninski put 30 Tel: 011 3319 015, 063 216 663 Fax: +381 (0)11 2712 385 Oaza Miklosiceva 11, Tel: 011 4440899
Bookstores
PLUMBERS HAUZMAJSTOR Francuska 56 Tel: 011 3034034 office@hauzmajstor.co.yu HIDROTEK Ljutice Bogdana 2 Tel: 011 2666823 kontakt@hidrotek.co.yu
SOLARIUMS BEAUTY CENTAR Traditional Thai Massage Centre Knez Mihajlova 2-4 Tel: 011 3030003 www.menta.co.yu menta_bg@ptt.yu
ALLIED PICKFORDS SERBIA Zarka Obreskog 23 Tel: 011 8487744 www.alliedpickfords.co.yu movers@alliedpickfords.co.yu AGS Belgrade Niski autoput 17 Tel: 011 3472321 www.agsmovers.com belgrade@agsmovers.com
SUN FACTORY MEGASUN Maksima Gorkog 82 Tel: 011 3440403 sun.factory.megasun@gmail.com ORNELA MEGASUN Njegoseva 56 Tel: 011 2458398 ornelakbl@eunet.yu Studio miolift Beograd, Trg Nikole Pašica 8 Tel: 011 3033211, 064 2351313 Aleksandar team Bulevar Despota Stefana 34a Tel: 011 3225632 www.aleksandar-team.co.yu Sun look Makedonska 5 Tel: 011 3343810 www.sunlook-bg.com
OPTICIANS
TICKET SERVICES
MOVERS
EUROOPTIC Bulevar kralja Aleksandra 278 Tel: 011 2415130 www.eurooptic.co.yu OPTIKA BEOGRAD A.D. Cara Urosa 8-10 Tel: 011 2629833
PRINTERS DIGITAL PRINTING CENTAR Cvijiceva 29 Tel: 011 2078000 www.dpc.co.yu office@dpc.co.yu DIGITAL ART Tel: 011 3617281
BILET SERVICE Trg Republike 5 IPS & MAMUT MEGASTORE Knez Mihajlova 1 Tel: 011 3033311 www.ips.co.yu
TRANSLATORS TODOROVIC AGENCY Tel: 011 2188197 BELGRADE TRANSLATION CENTRE Dobracina 50/11 Tel: 011 3287388 www.btc.co.yu natasa.ralic@btc.co.yu LEXICA TRANSLATION AGENCY Beogradska 35 Tel: 011 3222750 www.lexica.co.yu office@lexica.co.yu
Akademija Knez Mihailova 35 Tel: 011 2627846 Antikvarijat Knez Mihailova 35 Tel: 011 636087 Beopolis Makedonska 22 Tel: 011 3229922 Dereta Dostojevskog 7 Tel: 011 3058707, 011 556-445 Kneza Mihaila 46 Tel. 011 3033503, 011 3030 514, 011 627-934 Geca Kon Kneza Mihaila 12 Tel. 011 622073 IPS Mercator, Bulevar umetnosti 4 Tel: 011 132872 Super Vero Milutina MIlankovica 86a Tel: 011 3130640 IPS BOOK & MUSIC STORE Beoizlog, basement, Trg Republike 5 Tel: 011 3281859 Plato Knez Mihailova 48 Tel: 011 625834 SKZ Kralja Milana 19 Tel: 011 3231593 Stubovi kulture Knez Mihailova 6 Tel: 011 3281851, 011 632384 The Oxford Center Dobracina 27 Tel. 011 631021 We welcome suggestions for inclusion in the directory. Please send details to: belgradeinsightmarketing@ birn.eu.com
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advert
Friday, Nov. 14 - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
from sweden with love.
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Volvo. for life
LIFE IS BETTER LIVED TOGETHER. GRAND MOTORS, III Bulevar 21, Novi Beograd, Tel. 011/ 20 90 632, 20 90 633, 20 90 640 www.volvocars.rs VCIC Volvo Diplomatic Sales Serbia Agent Tel. 011/ 20 90 630 www.diplomat.volvocars.com/belgrade