Belgrade Insight, No. 19

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NEWS NEWS

Friday • June 13 • 2008

9 ISSN 1820-8339

771820 833000

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1 / Friday, June 13, 2008 Jan. 22, 2009 Weekly Issue No.Issue 19, No. Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday,

Hundreds HurtAlliance As Ice Covers Capital Lure of Tadic SplitsThe Socialists More than 250 Belgrade residents rushed to the city’s emergency rooms this week with broken bones, sprains and back injuries resulting from hard falls on the icy streets and pavements of the capital.

While younger Socialists support joining a new, pro-EU government, old Milosevic loyalists threaten revolt over the prospect. party over which way to turn.

“The situation in the party seems extremely complicated, as we try to convince the few remaining laggards that we need to move out of Milosevic’s shadow,” one Socialist Party official complained.

“Dacic will eventually side with Tadic in a bid to guide his party into the European mainstream, but much of the membership and many officials may oppose that move.”

Nikolic agreed: “The question is will the party split or will the ‘oldtimers’ back down,” he noted.

Fearing they might not cross the 5-per-cent threshold to enter parliament, the Socialists teamed up with the Association of Pensioners and the United Serbia Party, led by businessman Dragan Markovic “Palma”.

Pensioners leader, Jovan Krkobabic, Palma and Dacic are all pushing for a deal with the Democrats.

The reported price is the post of Socialist leader Ivica Dacic remains the Serbian kingmaker

by Vanja Petrovic deputy PM, with Photo a brief in charge of Some 250 people were treated for broken legs, arms or hips over the course of the week, caused by tripping and falling on ice.

One 78-year-old man died from injuries caused by a fall.

By the night security for the Socialist leader. faces extinction unless it changes. to Serbia’s late president, Slobodan By Rade Maroevic in Belgrade th of January 15 , the ice had begun to melt, though most streets and pavements were still dangerous for pedestrians.

In addition, the Socialists are barHowever, a strong current also Milosevic, and reformists who want gaining for includpeople abeing treated in walk order todirection, avoid injury areother also ministries, struggling to deal flowscarefully in the in opposite led authorities the some party 150 to become modern Euroense negotiations on a new gov- and

By David Galic Cacak for broken bones, sprains and and that theyveterans help to solve the problem with traffic investments, accidents, with drivers ing capital Kosovo and by party enraged by the pean social democrat organisation. ernment have divided the ranks Reporting from Belgrade hardyears falls. of stagnation, by cleaning walkways in front of especially suburbanmedia areasreported. fighting education,inBelgrade prospect of the a deal with Tadic.

Afterfrom eight of the Socialist Party, which holds bruises to keep control of their cars on their Emergency room doctors issued their residential buildings.

Tadiccommute. has denied talk of horseMihajlo Markovic, a founder of morning the Socialists returned people, to centre espestage the balance of power between the statements City authorities announced penalwarning ccording to hospital data, some trading with the maintainthefor party, recentlyand warned of a crisis after the winning 20 to ofnot thego 250 in ties main blocs has were yet totreated announce “It’s pretty badSocialists, out here, especially elderly, outseats unless companies businesses that 250 and people for cially ministries only to thethat smaller roads would and thegoones that especially clean up for the the pavement in front oning if not Dacic opts pro-European parliament necessary, in the May 11 elections.in do which side theyarms, will legs support. broken or hips on absolutely on acommitted steep incline.

You arefor better earlythe morning hours in theirabandoning premises, the withSocialists’ fines ranging Tuesday and as Wednesday, when many those to working the “nat- are pro-European andfreezing nation- ofbloc, “It looks if the Socialists will the With just staying home if yougoal”. can, or takOn Thursday dinars partners. and 500,000 dinars off Belgraders braved the cold toledvisit government’s “strategic ural”5,000 ideological alist blocs almost evenly morning, matched, from move towards a government by temperatures. friends or go to restaurants and clubs to one 78-year old man slipped and fell (€55 - €5,500). Local residents can ing the bus,” said Dusan, who lives in At theasame time, Dacic rea prominent supporter the Socialists the final say alsoMarkovic, the Democrats,” political analyst Mi- while walking now downhave Vojvode Milenbe fined about €25 for not clean- Zeleznik, neighbourhood of seems Belgrade celebrate the Serbian New Year. luctantsome to call negotiations with of inMilosevic during the 1990s, is located onstreet, the fate of died the country. lan“INikolic, the independent Cen- ka and on the street from ing 12 off kilometers southwest front of their homes. was at a of Serbian New Year’s party, injuries.believes the Socialists, led thenationalists. city centre.

“I’m in front the ofthe seen as cleaning representative of theof“oldtre of Policy Studies, said.I “But such his Nikolic and when leaving the flat, hit a sheet because I am president temperatures see-sawing As public transport is conof ice in front the building anddivifell “If far we asdon’t reach an agreement timers” in the party whothe want to stay byWith Ivica Dacic, will come over to building a move mightofprovoke deeper of the tenants’ association, which around the zero mark and the ice thawcerned, people can call in complaints to flat on my back, hitting my head on the with the DSS and Radicals, the partrue to the former regime’s policies, Tadic, if only out of a pragmatic desions and even split the party.” concrete,” said Zoran, 39. “My friends ing and freezing constantly, cleaning up will have to pay the fine if the pave- the Evropark company at 064 858 9021 ty leadership will decide on future even though these almost ruined the sire to ensure their political survival.

Simultaneous negotiations held thought that I might need stitches, but is an uphill struggle for Belgrade city ment is not cleaned,” said Nebojsa, if they feel that the bus stops near their steps”,areDacic announced, Socialists forthe good.

“The group of younger Socialists the pro-European Most main thoroughfares in who not safe and clearfollowing of snow lives in Dorcol area. “Peo- homes Iwith managed to escape withand justnationala good- workers. theice. first session of country’s new parcapital around have at Dacic least a seems narrowtopath in Belgrade expect that and youngeralways Socialist officials gathered be ple Some ist blocs drawn attention sized cut onhave the back of my head.” to a the but smaller side streets espe- the Although the sun will probably not city to dofrustration everything After rain in the early cleared, liament on Wednesday. have voiced overfor thethem conin the majority”, Nikolic said, adding deep riftmore insidefreezing the Socialists. peek out for some days, the good news and never want to take a shovel in cially in the cobbled Dorcol area and in morning hours of Thursday, health autinuing impasse within their own that these reformists believe the party This divides “old-timers” loyal Source: Balkan Insight (www.balkaninsight.com) for the city is that the weather forecast thorities in Belgrade reported treating the hilly neighbourhoods of Senjak and their own hands”.

Dedinje remained iced over.

Officials told local media that does not foresee any more freezing over 200 people that day alone.

“I have to walk on the snow when the first set of inspectors would ini- rain and temperatures are expected to “It seems the children are doing taking my Insight dog to the park, because tially just issue warnings to business rise modestly up to around eight deTHIS well, since thereISSUE have notOF been many I’m Business Neighbourhood Matters visitors to the children’s section of the the paths are so icy. Every time the dog owners and companies that have not grees Celsius.

Belgrade Insight But fans of winter sports need not hospital, the adult clinic BY: is treating pulls me in a different direction I’m on cleaned in front of their shops or ofIS but SUPPORTED people non-stop,” said Vesna Plazic, a the verge of falling face first,” said one fice buildings, but fines would be the hang up their skis yet – there is still woman walking her dog around the second step if nothing was done to plenty of snow at Kopaonik, and the nurse at a Zemun health centre. conomists are warning that pro- remedy hile the football world watch- Brzece and Josanicka Banja roads fortress. the situation.

The situation was the same through- Kalemegdan Doctors the emergency can In addition to the record numbers longedatuncertainty overcentre Serbia’s es events unfold at the Euro- leading to the resort are open and out Serbia, with more than 200 people nothing butscare recommend that people people waiting in emergency rooms, visiting the Vojvodina clinical centre do future could off investors, lead ofpean Championships in Austria and cleared daily. to higher inflation and jeopardise Switzerland, Bosnia is experiencing NEIGHBOURHOOD BUSINESS prosperity for years to come. a soccer rebellion, led by fans, playMontenegro’s government looks set 2009 Index of are Economic “This year has been lost, from the ersThe and former stars who enraged to call an early election in the hope Freedom casts doubt on a of standpoint of economic policy,” says by what they see as corruptrange leaders of securing another term in office bepolitical and economic freedoms in Stojan Stamenkovic of the Econom- Serbia. of the country’s football association fore the economic crisis hits hard. ics Institute in Belgrade. leaders. page 5 page 10

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Costs Mounting

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Football Rebellion

EDITOR’S WORD POLITICS Senator Rod Blagojevich’s corruption trial is irrelevant to most Serbians, but in his father’s native SuBy Mark R. Pullen madija, relatives remain loyal.

Political Predictability

Many of us who have experi3 enced numerous SerbianPage elections rate ourselves as pundits when it BELGRADE comes to predicting election reSerbs in the Orthodox New sultsushered and post-election moves.

Year We on Tuesday night with several feel in-the-know because thousand people gathered in front of our experience of elections in Serthe St. Sava Cathedral in Belgrade. bia has shown us that (a.) no single Page 4 party or coalition will ever gain the majority required to form a governABOUT ment, OUT and (b.)&political negotiations willZlatibor never beregion quicklyoffers concluded.

The a variety Even leisure when and the sporting Democrats of cultural, activities. 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 politicians form new political parties every time they disagree with their current party leader (there are currently 342 registered political parties in Serbia).

Drawn-out negotiations are also the norm. One Belgrade-based Page 9 Ambassador recently told me he was also alarmed by the distinct lack of GOING urgency OUT among Serbian politicians. “The country is at a Local groupand Irish Stew understand play what standstill I don’t they call Irish alternative rock, influtheir logic. If they are so eager to enced by bands such as The Pogues, progressMolly towards the EU and enFlogging and Fiddler’s Green. courage investors, how come they go home at 5pm sharpPage and 12 don’t work weekends?”

SPORT Surely the situation is urgent enough to warrant a little overtime.

A win at the season’s first Grand Slam in Australia may be a tall order for Serbia’s tennis stars judging by an unconvincing start to the season.

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Source: www.weather2umbrella.com

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Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

politics

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

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The Serb Who Dreamed of the White House Serbia While Serbs feel that the American corruption case is irrelevant to their life, in his father’s native Sumadija, relatives of the scandal-tainted governor of Illinois remain loyal, feeling his big ambitions may have led to his being ‘set up’.

By Drago Hedl in Veliko Krcmare, Vanja Petrovic and David Galic in Belgrade

Mladic Arrest Serbia’s Litmus Test – ICTY

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od R. Blagojevich, an American of Serb descent and governor of Illinois, one of the richest US states, suffered a serious blow on January 9th that will probably put an end to his political career.

That day, the Illinois House of Representatives voted to impeach Blagojevich by 114 to 1, effectively paving the way for his removal. The State Senate will soon deliberate on this matter and make a final decision.

Blagojevich was charged with corruption, for allegedly attempting to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s former Senate seat to the highest bidder. The FBI had kept Blagojevich under surveillance, say and intercepts of his telephone conversations suggested he intended to abuse his constitutional powers and profit from the appointment of Obama’s replacement.

While some Serbs view Blagojevich’s recent downfall as irrelevant to their lives, other’s see the case as yet more proof of how this country’s people are downtrodden. Some also believe that this case has nothing to do with the fact that Blagojevich has Serbian roots, but rather with corruption.

Voja Zanetic, a Belgrade-based marketing analyst, said the Blagojevich’s arrest has more to do with corruption than the fact that he is of Serbian decent.

“This case has nearly no influence on the image of Serbs worldwide, and I don’t think that anyone in the world cares that he’s a Serb,” Zanetic said.

“His name is not even Milorad, he’s Rod, he’s an American, and that’s very well known in the United States. The only place where people care that he’s a Serb is here in Serbia.

Serbs are always looking for ways to show that somehow Serbs are always downtrodden.”

A political analyst in Belgrade, Nadezda Milenkovic, echoed Zanetic’s sentiment, saying that this is very characteristics of Serbs.

“In this part of the world, it is very standard to view world events as being somehow locally connected, while there simultaneously exists this stance that the entire world notices everything to do with Serbia and Serbs,” Milenkovic said.

Milenkovic added that every time a Serb wins a sports event, there is a belief that this will somehow influence the world’s image of Serbs.

“I doubt that the rest of the world views him as ‘one of us[Serbs]’, and I think that this is only important to us, which is why it has no effect on the image of Serbs worldwide.”

White House Ambitions Blagojevich’s political career nose-dived on December 9th last year, one day before his 52nd birthday, when FBI agents telephoned him at 6 a.m. and told him to come out of the house quietly, so he would not wake up his children, and meet police officers waiting in front of his door with an arrest warrant.

His White House ambitions were strongly backed by the influential Democrat Richard Mell who recognised in his son-in-law - Mell’s daughter, Patricia, married Blagojevich in 1990 – “the future American president”.

in Brief

Hague chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz believes Serbia can arrest war crimes fugitives Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic if it carries out its action plans and if political authorities continue to offer the necessary support.

“All those aspects are constantly under review,” said Brammertz in an interview for Serbian daily Blic.

“Clearly, the hunt for the fugitives is most important and that is currently our priority. What matters most is to achieve results in this respect.”

Serbia Sees White Schengen Spot In ‘09

Photo by FoNet

Though Rod Blagojevich only visited Serbia once, never visited his family’s home town , and was recenly impeached, his relatives in Veliko Krcmare still speak kindly of the former governor, and one hopes to visit him soon.

Blagojevich’s presidential aspirations were also well-known in the village of Veliko Krcmare, in the central Serbian region of Sumadija, where his closest cousin in Serbia, Dragan Blagojevic, still lives, in the house of Rod’s father, Radisav. An army officer of the then Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Blagojevich’s father emigrated to the United States after the Second World War. “All that we know about Rod we heard from his brother Bosko who visited us some ten years ago and spent about a month here,” says Dragan. “Bosko said Rod would be the president of the United States, but also complained about the American Serbs, only one-third of whom voted for Rod when he was elected to the Senate.”

“However, Bosko claimed Rod stood an excellent chance of becoming a US president, and I’d say this is happening to him because of it. They set him up,” Dragan added.

According to Belgrade journalist Marko Lopusina, who met Blagojevich three times, the governor’s objectives are crystal clear and he is unwilling to waste time on anything else.

In Chicago’s big Serb-American community, Rod’s brother would often share a brandy or two with his compatriots. Even Rod Blagojevich, says Lopusina, is known to have frequented a Serb restaurant in Chicago called Skadarlija, where he liked to eat cevapcici and where he also met Serbian folk singer Zorica Anastasijevic. “But he didn’t do what any Serb would do in such a situation”, Lopusina noted. “He didn’t kiss her on the cheek but only shook her hand”.

His brother maintained contact with the community on his behalf.

Not only did Bosko look after Rod’s finances, but he also helped him rise on the political scene.

Blagojevich strove for a ministerial position in the new Obama administration, and many analysts speculate he saw the opportunity as a launching pad for his own presidential nomination in eight years’ time.

He would be 60-years-old then but his baby face makes him look younger than his years.

He visited Serbia only once, in 1999, on a mission with the leading Democrat Jesse Jackson, when they managed to persuade Slobodan Milosevic to release three US soldiers who had taken part in the bombing of Serbia and been captured in Kosovo. During his only stay in Serbia, Blagojevich spent most of his time in the Belgrade Intercontinental Hotel.

He could not visit his father’s native village owing to security concerns.

Belgraders Apathetic In Serbia, Blagojevich was never well known, though he did enjoy a short-lived fame in some Serbian media when he opposed the NATO bombing of the country. As a result, he was named “a true Serb”, a man whose “blood and roots were stronger than his political affiliation” and as someone “who did not forget about his homeland”.

He attracted Serbian media coverage once again when twin city relationships between Belgrade and Chicago were re-established, and Blagojevich signed the charter that sealed the agreement in September 2006 together with Serbian President Boris Tadic.

These days, Belgrade residents are apathetic, at best, regarding the governor’s impeachment, with half of the people polled by Belgrade Insight on the issue needing to be reminded of who he is.

“I do not see how his problems affect us or why we are expected to have a reaction to it,” one told Belgrade Insight.

Even the Belgrade daily newspapers’ interest in Blagojevich waned several days after he was arrested on corruption charges.

“All that we know about Rod we heard from his brother Bosko...

He said Rod would be the president of the United States, but also complained about the American Serbs, only one-third of whom voted for Rod when he was elected to the Senate.”

Dragan Blagojevic, Rod Blagojevich’s relative still living in Sumadija Blagojevich’s dreams of moving into the White House in 2016 have now definitely fallen through, irrespective of how the current scandal ends. Even the very allegation that he attempted to market Obama’s vacant seat in the Senate to the highest bidder has effectively ended his political career. Even if he is found innocent of the charges, what matters is the perception. The public in America is not kind to politicians who are detained by the police or who are suspected of attempting to line their pockets.

However, Dragan Blagojevic, Rod’s “closest relative” from Veliko Krcmare in Sumadija, is determined to pay a visit to the still-wannabe US president. He asks how much a flight to the US would cost, and says he’ll get the $3,000 and go to see his friend Zoran Mijatovic, now living in Chicago, and ask him to accompany him and seek out Rod. “I want to see him before I die”, says Dragan firmly. But one thing is for sure – this meeting will not take place at the White House.

Source: www.BalkanInsight.com

Correction An article in last week’s issue quoted Milica Delevic, head of the country’s Office for European integration incorrectly. The article, headlined “Serbia Will Pay For Year of Missed Opportunities” should have stated: “Milica Delevic, head of the Serbian government’s Office for European integration, told Balkan Insight that ‘Serbia would be best advised not to bargain with the EU on already set conditions but invest its maximum efforts to meet them’.”

Belgrade is expecting to clinch a place later this year on the European Union’s white Schengen list, that would once more allow Serbians visa-free travel to most European countries after period of more than 15 years. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said that Serbia is working intensively on issuing new, high-quality biometric passports, a key condition for the visa-free regime.

Serb Integration A Huge Challenge in Kosovo The long, difficult and expensive process of convincing thousands of Serbs to return to their homes in Kosovo will be nothing compared to the struggle it will take to get them to integrate in the newly independent state and feel comfortable living with its Albanian majority, said Kosovo’s Minister for Return and Communities.

Serbia To Extend Gas Imports To January 20 Serbia said it will import gas from Hungary and Germany until January 20th, and hopes to raise the amount by 2 million cubic metres to cover its needs until the row between Russia and Ukraine is resolved. The country’s energy ministry said Serbia had sufficient crude oil to keep the heating system operational, and added that the government had ordered thermal plants to improve heating in homes to ease the burden on the electricity system.

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belgrade chronicle

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

Profile of the Week

Boris Tadic

By Slobodan Georgijev Reporting from Belgrade

Happy Birthday Mr President, And Thank You For The Gas Photo by FoNet

Revellers gather in front of St. Sava Cathedral for the Orthodox Christian New Year celebrations. This year saw a much smaller turn out than usual, something attributed both to the terrible weather and to economic belt tightening.

Belgrade Celebrates The New Year, Again

By David Galic

Reporting from Belgrade

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erbs ushered in the Orthodox New Year on Tuesday night and several thousand people gathered in front of the St. Sava church in Belgrade for the traditional fireworks display at midnight.

There were no organised concerts and festivities as there were for the regular December 31 celebration, but not even sleet, freezing rain and subzero temperatures could keep Belgraders from the fantastic fireworks show.

The fact that the Julian calendar New Year fell on a working day this year did not stop droves of people, young and old, from celebrating in their favourite city restaurants, cafes and clubs.

The so-called Orthodox New Year’s Eve is celebrated on January 13th by Eastern Orthodox Christians who follow the old Julian church calendar, according to which Christmas Eve falls on January 6.

“Serbs never turn down a reason to party. Two New Year’s celebrations are not even enough for us,” a local twenty-something told Belgrade Insight. He’d spent the night in the packed Club Plastic where London’s Streetlife DJs provided the soundtrack for the festivities.

The main city square, Trg Republike, was all but vacant at midnight, but spirits were high several streets down in the picturesque Skadarlija quarter, where some of Serbia’s most popular traditional restaurants are located.

Party-goers young and old enjoyed traditional food and drink all

night to the tune of tambura ensembles playing the most popular traditional urban folk songs, known as “starogradska” music.

However, the tightening of belts caused by the economic crisis and the ongoing gas and electricity supply issues, resulted in Belgrade clubs and restaurants seeing significantly fewer people than on the “regular” New Year’s Eve this year.

“We have to watch our budgets, make sure that our wallets don’t empty out faster than they have to.

Celebrations are in order, but this year I think it is smarter to stay at home and have a nice meal and some drinks with your closest friends and relative,” Vesna, who did just that for New Year, told Belgrade Insight.

The fact that many companies do not give the day off for Serbian New Year is also a big factor behind the smaller crowds, but so was the horrible weather.

A quick flash of freezing rain covered the city streets moments after midnight, making the simple act of walking an extremely hazardous proposition, especially after a few drinks.

As a result, one place that was not empty was the Emergency Room of Belgrade’s Clinical Centre, where droves of people with breaks, sprains, cuts, scratches and concussions piled in during the early hours of Wednesday.

“In a span of two minutes I saw people injured in bad car accidents, girls who appeared to have had bottles broken on their heads in a fight, people who fell on their faces on the street, it wasn’t the greatest New Year I’ve had,” said Sanja, who was there helping a friend who had fallen and injured her arm.

Photo by FoNet

The fireworks were impressive but there was no other organised entertainment that night.

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ppearing as deus ex machina in the middle of the gas crisis to negotiate a temporary gas supply deal for Serbs, then giving some as a gift to neighbouring Bosnia, the Serbian president reinforced his image as a crafty, efficient and imaginative regional leader.

Tadic, who was born in Sarajevo and turns 51 this week, is already in his fifth year as Serbia’s president, and he seems likely to keep the post for at least another five. He holds in his hands more power that anyone else in Serbia’s modern history, save perhaps the late autocrat Slobodan Milosevic.

His main political rival, the former prime minister Vojislav Kostunica, imagined himself as the representative of Serbia as it is: inwardlooking, suspicious and grumpy. But Tadic represents Serbia as he wants it to be: standing tall, smiling broadly and wearing a well-tailored suit.

With his boyish good looks, few faux-pas or scandals denting his public image and a consistent, if muddled line on the country’s strategic goals of ‘both European Union and Kosovo’ , he is Serbia’s most popular and most trusted politician.

The opposition comments almost daily about what they say is a concentration of power that is leading Serbia towards authoritarianism.

They say current PM Mirko Cvetkovic is merely a proxy of Tadic, who is the one who really pulls the strings in the government.

Tadic is “the president, prime minister, minister, commander - inchief, all wrapped into one,” opposition firebrand Velimir Ilic said this week.

Tadic rejects all similar suggestions. “I have an open door policy,” he has said.

Tadic’s opponents also like to attack his intellect and insinuate that he has ties to powerful media houses which give him an easy ride, all of which he denies.

“Everything he does is pure spin,” commented Andreja Mladenovic from the Democratic Party of Serbia.

But even his more bitter rivals cannot deny that Tadic has a gift for communication, charm and a certain levelheadedness that has made him a boon for Serbia’s battered imaged around the world.

belgrade chronicle

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

5

Pancevo Industry Causes Respiratory Problems

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espiratory diseases are 10 to 15 times more common in Pancevo than anywhere else in Serbia.

Mileta Popovic created the Council of Pancevo Seniors, SPAS, in 2007, to draw attention to the serious pollution problems in the city, located some 15 kilometers northeast of Belgrade.

“The only difference between Bor (another immensely polluted Serbian city) and Pancevo is that there may be dead people in Bor tomorrow, but it will take a couple years for us,” Popovic told local daily Politika.

There is definitely “something in the air” in Pancevo. Asthma and allergies are very common amongst residents and lung cancer is one of the main diseases among elderly people.

SPAS were the first to speak out about the dangers of benzene, an aromatic hydrocarbon found in high concentration in Pancevo’s air.

Benzene is a carcinogenic material and exposure has serious health effects.

Pancevo’s South Industrial Zone is one of the most polluted areas of Serbia with a large oil refinery, chemical factory and other heavy polluters located in a closely concentrated area.

Every third person living in Pancevo depends on one of the three factories there for their living.

“There are rumors that some people who work in the factories have two sets of health documents so that

Source: www.b92.net

Respitory diseases are 10 to 15 times more common in Pancevo, 15 kilometres northeast of Belgrade than in the rest of Serbia. Asthma and allergies are very common for residents of the city, and lung cancer is one of the main diseases amongst elderly people.

the public does not find out the truth about the hazardous material these people are coming in contact with every day,” Popovic added.

Another huge problems is that that the underground water in the industrial zone is also extremely polluted.

However, farm land located adjacent to the industrial zone is report-

edly fertile and even though a heavy cloud of smog looms over them and contaminated water lies underneath the fields, growers say that the products are safe and are sold regularly at markets all around Belgrade.

Despite all of the problems, Pancevo is the only municipality in the province of Vojvodina with a growing birth rate and many people are moving

Gas Crisis Boosts Sales of White Goods Stores

out of more central locations in Belgrade because of the relatively inexpensive property prices in Pancevo, a 15-minute commute from Belgrade.

Vladimir Djela, of the Pancevo city ecology committee, said that the pollution now is a fraction of that in past decades, adding that in the past, no one was allowed to speak publicly of the contamination problems.

Since some 70 per cent of the income of Serbian oil giant NIS comes from the Pancevo refinery and income from NIS makes up almost one quarter of the state budget, SPAS officials figure that all € 400 million earned from the sale of NIS to Russian Gazprom should be given to the people of Pancevo as “reparations for the decades of poisoning,” Popovic said.

Dedicated Divers Keep Up With Their Hobby In The Cold

Svet Ronjenja, braving the sub-zero temperatures

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Photo by FoNet

On the first working day after the Orthodox Christmas,the ongonig gas row between Russia and Ukraine prompted panic buying of electric radiators and space heaters.

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he gas row between Russia and Ukraine which caused many in the Balkans to go without heat and some factories to suspend production, may have actually been a good thing for one sector of the economy: electrical goods.

On the first working day after the Orthodox Christmas earlier this month, Belgrade stores that sell electric space heaters, and radiators were swarming with shoppers.

Zdravko Djuranovic, director of Eltim, told daily Danas that the store’s supply of electric radiators vanished within a day of the onset of the gas row.

“On Thursday, the first working day after Christmas, our supplies of radiators vanished, and we sold a large number of electric heaters,” Djuranovic added.

It was much the same on the next day, and although there were rumours of price gouging by unscrupulous retailers, Djuranovic claims Eltim

didn’t raise the prices of these goods.

“This would have happened only if our importer hiked prices to begin with,” Djuranovic said.

Djuranovic added that Eltim will not be importing more heaters because they are seasonal goods, and it would be unnecessary considering that the gas situation in Serbia has stabilised.

The situation in Novi Sad was however much worse, with over 100,000 residents spending Orthodox Christmas night without heat.

f you were walking around Ada Ciganlija this weekend, you may have been surprised, or maybe even confused, by a group of ten scuba divers preparing for a swim in temperatures that had already dropped well below zero.

Though the temperature in the water, at one degree below zero, was a bit warmer than average outside temperatures of the past week, most people would still think twice before taking the plunge. But this group of

Photo by Sophie Cottrell

dedicated divers who call themselves Svet Ronjenja, (World of Scuba Diving) dive in all year round, regardless of the weather.

“Above all, we are drawn by the adventure aspect of scuba diving,” Ivana Orlovic Kranjic, a diving instructor, told Serbian daily Danas.

“It’s winter, it’s boring, and there are very few sports you can do at this time of year. Diving under ice gives you enough energy to get ready for those wonderful days of spring.”

We fly for your smile.

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business

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

Companies & Markets

Delta Looking to Expand Tempo Into Montenegro Delta holding, owners of the Maxi, Tropic and Piccadilly grocery trading formats, plans to open a branch of it’s Tempo operation in Montenegro before the end of the year and is seeking out suitable sites.

Tempo’s no-frills discount grocery and housewares format is well suited to the current economic climate.

Kragujevac Puntos Destined for The EU Fiat expects to sell its Punto models, produced in the former Zastava factory in Kragujevac, in the European Union in 2009. Following development work, the Punto, currently produced as the Zastava 10, will meet all necessary EU legislation, a company spokeman said. The Punto will be produced until the factory is ready to start the assembly of the new entry level Topolino. The Topolino’s 900cc engine will be the smallest used in a traditional fourseat car in the European market.

Mostogradnja Remains in State Hands The only bidder in the sale of 53.3 per cent of Mostogradnja failed to meet the requirements for participation in the tender, the Serbia’s privatisation agency says. Although tender documentation was purchased by 5 businesses, only the Russo-Serbian consortium formed by Pillar, from Kragujevac, and Russia’s Zarubezhstroy Technology submitted a bid. However, despite three extensions to the deadline, the consortium failed to submit further documentation and guarantees, and Mostogradnja was withdrawn from sale.

Formed shortly after the second world war, “Mostogradnja” is one of the leading civil engineering companies in Serbia and employs more than 1,400 workers.

Sale of Pancevo “Staklara” Postponed The Privatisation Agency has extended the deadline for submission of bids for the purchase of Pancevobased Staklara, a flat glass manufacturer. The company employs some 400 workers and is Serbia’s only flat glass manufacturer. An earlier sale fell through when Greek manufacturer Yioula Glassworks pulled out. The new February 20th deadline should, according to the agency, make it possible for prospective purchasers to prepare their bids.

Balkan governments must do more to reform their economies and promote greater freedom for domestic and international business.

Source: www.images.ibox.bg

Balkan Reforms Lag, Economic Freedoms Weak

By Srecko Latal

Reporting from Sarajevo

E

conomic freedom in the Balkans is suffering because of bloated government, state monopolies, inconsistent regulation and widespread corruption, said the 2009 Index of Economic Freedom report, which stresses that further economic and fiscal reforms are crucial at a time of global recession.

The annual report, prepared and published by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal, released in the region by the Adriatic Institute, analyses and grades the performance of countries against key criteria, including business investment, trade, the fiscal and monetary environment, the size of their government, perceived corruption and respect of property and labour rights.

Out of all Balkan countries, Bulgaria was the best performer, coming in at 56th place. Albania was placed 62nd, Romania, 65th and Slovenia which managed the biggest gains in economic freedom in Europe, improving its score by 2.7 points in 2008, was in 68th place.

Macedonia and Montenegro placed in the middle tier, ranking 78th and 94th respectively. The biggest laggards of the region were Serbia at 109, Croatia at 116 and Bosnia-Herzegovina at 134, just ahead of Ethiopia.

“Business freedom, government size, monetary freedom, investment freedom, and freedom from corruption are weak,” the report said of Serbia, while on Croatia it noted that its “overall weakness stems from its outsized government”, and noted that “in addition to high levels of government spending, the government’s presence in other key areas of the economy is considerable.”

Bosnia’s position at the bottom of the European pile, just ahead of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, was due to the “inefficient and high government spending, weak property rights, and widespread corruption” that “hold down overall economic freedom...and discourage entrepreneurial activity.”

“As a result of sluggish privatisation of state-owned enterprises, the private sector’s contribution to GDP has grown rather slowly,” the entry on Bosnia added. “Bureaucratic and non-transparent regula-

tory systems remain a problem for foreign investors and domestic entrepreneurs.”

The report said the low flat tax rates of 10 to 15 percent – among the lowest tax rates in the world – along with strong focus on privatisation and internal structural reforms were a driving force for strong growth in Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia in 2008.

These countries could still consider further reducions and maybe even complete elimination of business taxes, as Estonia did, said Joel Anand Samy from the Adriatic Institute for Public Policy. He noted that Croatia dropping back down on the the list of European countries did not bode well for its EU accession and said both Croatia and Bosnia should improve their privatisation efforts and slash tax rates to boost economic vitality.

“Even Obama’s team are including tax cuts as part of the remedy (for

“Business freedom, government size, monetary freedom, investment freedom, and freedom from corruption are weak,” the report said of Serbia.

economic turnaround in America),” Samy said. “Now is the time for Bosnia and Croatia to do the same.”

He quoted the late Milton Friedman, the 1976 Nobel prize winner in Economics: “Economic freedom is a pre-condition to political freedom.”

The Index shows Europe continues to be one of the best-performing regions, thanks to its “extensive and long-established” free-market institutions, good economic policies, investment environment, anticorruption mechanisms and property rights.

“However, Europe’s overall economic freedom is still hampered by weak scores for labour freedom, fiscal freedom, and government size, reflecting the price tag of welfare states that consume a large percentage of GDP,” the report said.

Looking at the global picture, it said “many governments are maintaining a strong commitment to economic freedom, but others are regressing.”

“Regrettably, populist attacks on the free market, fuelled by the economic slowdown and the political temptation of quick interventionist remedies, have gained momentum,” the report added.

BELEX: Another Dismal Week Sees Further Declines

By Tijana Cvetkovic Investors on the Belgrade Stock Exchange reduced their positions during the first session of the week causing further decline in the indices. The Belex15 index of the most liquid shares on the exchange dropped nearly 10.5 points, or 2 per cent, while the composite index, Belexline, sagged 24.71 points.

Volumes were largely unchanged.

Over the period, January 9-15 total turnover reached only 267 million dinars. Equities made up more than 70 per cent of market turnover. Total FX bond turnover reached €1.3 million with series A2016 the most traded.

Foreign investors accounted for 27 per cent of the week’s overall trading with a higher participation on the sell side.

The most actively traded share in the reviewed period was Energoprojekt holding with turnover of 26.6 million dinars and 48,735 traded shares. Energoprojekt has recently announced its business plan for 2009 which envisages consolidated turnover of €238.6 million and consoli-

dated gross profit of €8.9 million.

Komercijalna Bank and Beogradsped also saw a heavy trading with turnover of 17.3 million dinars and 10.3 million dinars respectively.

The week’s biggest gainer was Subotica based Veterinarski zavod, gaining 16.9 per cent. Also up were Pupin Telecom and Agrocoop, with price increases of 13.3 per cent and 13 per cent.

Galenika Fitofarmacija was the top loser in the reviewed period dropping 19.4 per cent. Another big loser, Dunav osiguranje declined 15.2 per cent and Imlek shares were off 13.2 per cent.

Tijana Cvetkovic is an analyst with FIMA Fas Ltd. in Belgrade

business

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

sERBiA sERBiA

2009 Index of Economic Freedom Report on Serbia

sERBiA

sERBiA

Economic EconomicFreedom FreedomScore Score *%*%

'*'* World Rank: 109

Regional Rank: 37 Regional 37 WorldRank: Rank: 109

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Most Most &%%&%%free &%% free free

Country’s,* Score Over Time Most free

Most 56.6, making Country’s Time &%% 56.6, making its itseconoeconoCountry’sScore ScoreOver Over Time free 100 x.

Serbia is ranked 37th Serbia scores above average in fiscal100 freedom and labor free- Most free 80 x. Serbia is ranked 37th 56.6 Regional Rank: 37 dom. Both the income and corporate tax rates are competi- Most free erbia’s economic freedom region, and its overall tively low. The labor market is relatively flexible but still has region, and its overall

S

score is 56.6, making its

much room for the reform tofreest increase economy 109th in productivity and employment growth.

Trade freedom is ore is 56.6, making itsiseconothe 2009 Index. Serbia rankedabove the world average, but tariffs are significantly higher than in most other European 37th out of the 43 countries in 100 9 Index.countries.

Serbia is ranked 37th Further liberalization greater transparency in the Europe region, and its overall and 80 the regulatory process would increase the economic gains score is below the world urope region, and its average. overall from global commerce.

Serbia scores above average in

World average Country’s Score Over Time 60

reedom and labor freeMost free reedom and labor free- 80 tax rates are competi40 tax rates are competige. fiscal freedom and labor freedom. ely flexible but still has Business freedom, government size, monetary freedom, Both the income and Serbia ely flexible but stillandcorporate has investment freedom, freedom tax rates are competitively low. from corruption are weak. ductivity and employiscal freedom and labor freeGovernment spending is high, reaching over 40 percent of The labor market is relatively flex80 20 ductivity and employGDP. Inconsistencies in rules and non-transparent regulaible but still has much room for reWorld average porate tax rates are competithe world average, but 60 to stifle growth,World average tions in increase the investment regime form to productivity and continue the world average, but elatively flexible but still has 60 entrepreneurial impeding development of more dynamic employment growth.

Trade freemost other European activity.

Inflation is high and the government controls prices dom is above the world average, Least free most other European se productivity and employ0 greater transparency but tariffs are significantly higher of basic goods and other in services.

1995 ’97 ’99 ’01 ’03 ’05 than in most other European in counabove world average, but 60secession in May World average reater transparency Background: Following se thethe economic gainsMontenegro’s tries.

Further liberalization and Quick Facts the National of Serbia declared Serbia the han in2006, most other Assembly European greater transparency in the reguse the economic gains successor to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Ser-

latory process would increase the 40 n and greater transparency in and Association Agreebia began gains negotiations for acomStability economic from global 40 ment with the European merce.

Business freedom,Union gov-in October 2005. Talks were increase the economic gains e, monetary freedom,

ernment size, suspended in monetary May 2006freedom, because of Serbia’s failure to surinvestment freedom, freedom render indicted warand criminal Ratko Mladic, 40 but the agreefrom corruption aresigned weak. on April 29, 2008, just before the ment was finally Government spending is leader high, Boris Tadic. The continued of pro-Western nt size,re-election monetary freedom, reaching over 40 percent of GDP. exclusion of ultranationalists from 20 the parliament positions Inconsistencies in rules and non- the failure of U.N.-sponom from corruption areFollowing weak.

Serbia toward the EU. transparent in the insored talks regulations on the status of Kosovo, the former province reaching over 40 percent vestment regime continue to stifleof formally declared its independence on February 17, 2008.

20 growth, impeding development Serbia continues to maintain that this was illegal. and non-transparent regula-

0

100 = most free

0

20

40

50

60

= world average

80

While reforms have improved the Serbian law provides for national treatment of foreign capiinconsisttal,investment and investment isenvironment, not screened. Most sectors are open appliedWhile andreforms complex regulato ently foreign investment. have improved the tions and investment-related rules, investment environment, inconsistently applied and comred tape, and corruption are impediplex regulations and investment-related rules, red tape, ments. and non-residents and corruptionResidents are impediments.

Residents and non-resimay foreign exchange accounts, dents mayhold hold foreign exchange accounts, subject to cento central bank permission or tralsubject bank permission or conditions.

Payments and transfers Payments andtransactions transfers areconditions. subject to restrictions, and most capital are are tosubject to foreign restrictions, most 100 subject controls. Both and domesticand entities may 100 capital transactions are subject to own real estate, and foreign investors may acquire concescontrols. Both foreign and domestic sion rights on natural resources.

entities may own real estate, and foreign investors may acquire concesOverall business freedom remains constrained by Serbia’s finAnCiAL fREEDOM — 50 BUSINESS sion rights on natural resources.

FREEDOM — 56

burdensome regulatory environment. Starting a business takes an average of 23 days, compared to the world average of 38 days. business Obtaining a business license remains takes more Overall freedom than the world average proceduresburdensome and 225 days, and constrained byof 18 Serbia’s costs are high. Enforcement of regulations Starting can be inconsisregulatory environment. a tent and non-transparent. business takes an average of 23 days,

compared to the world average of 38

tRADE — 78 a business license days.fREEDOM Obtaining

Serbia’s was 6 percent in 2005. takesweighted moreaverage thantariff therateworld average Some some importand restrictions bans, and some of high 18 tariffs, procedures 225 and days, import licensing and permits, non-transparentof regulations, costs are high.

Enforcement reguand corruption addbe to the cost of trade. Tenand pointsnonwere lations can inconsistent deducted from Serbia’s trade freedom score to account for transparent. non-tariff barriers.

TRADE fisCAL fREEDOM — 85.9 — 78 FREEDOM

Serbia has competitive tax rates for individual and corporate income.

The individual incometariff tax raterate is 12 Serbia’s weighted average percent to beinreduced to 10Some percent. high Other was for 6 salaries, percent 2005. personal income (royalties, investment, and rent) can be tariffs, some import restrictions and taxed at upsome to 20 percent.

Thelicensing corporate tax and rate ispera flat bans, import 10mits, percent. Other taxes include a value-added tax (VAT), non-transparent regulations, a property tax, and an inheritance tax. In the most and corruption add to the costrecent of trade.

Ten were deducted from year, overall tax points revenue as a percentage of GDP was Serbia’s 34.1 percent. trade freedom score to ac-

count for non-tariff barriers.

gOVERnMEnt siZE — 46.3 ’07 2009

Population: 7.4 million

FISCAL FREEDOM — 85.9

Total government expenditures, including consumption and transfer payments, are high. In the most recent year, government spending was estimated to equal about 42.3 percent of GDP. government plans to accelerate the Serbia hasThecompetitive tax rates for privatization of the and nationalcorporate airline and telecommunicaindividual income. tions enterprises.

The individual income tax rate is 12

percent for salaries, to be reduced to

gdP (PPP): $70.2 billion 5.7% growth in 2006 5.4% 5-year compound annual growth $9,434 per capita

e, monetary are freedom, Serbia m corruption weak.

Serbia m corruption are weak. ing over 40 percent of unemployment: 18.8% Inflation (cPI): ing over 40 percent of Serbia 6.8% n-transparent regulaFdI Inflow: $5.6 billion 20 n-transparent regulainue to stifle growth, 2006 data unless otherwise noted. namic entrepreneurial inue to stifle growth, of more dynamic entrepreneurial activity. to Inflation is high and the e continue stifle growth, rnment controls prices namic entrepreneurial government controls prices of baLeast free 0 re dynamic entrepreneurial sic goods and other services. rnment Background: controlsFollowing prices 1995 ’97 ’99 ’01Least’03free’05 ’07 2009 Mone government controls prices 0

10 percent.

Other MOnEtARY fREEDOM — 65.8personal income

(royalties, investment, and rent) Inflation is high, averaging 9.2 percent between 2005can and be The taxed at up to percent.

The cor2007. government can20 control the prices of certain porate taxincluding rate milk, is abread, flat flour, 10 and percent. basic products, cooking taxes a value-added oil;Other controls the pricesinclude of utilities, public transit, telecomtax (VAT), a and property and anprices inmunications services, petroleum;tax, and influences heritance tax.

In the enterprises. most recent through numerous state-owned Fifteenyear, points overall taxfrom revenue as a percentage were deducted Serbia’s monetary freedom scoreof to GDPforwas 34.1 percent. account policies that distort domestic prices.

Serbia’s financial sector is not fully developed, but it has undergone transformation. Aggressive consolidation and privatization by the central bank since 2001 have helped to revive Serbia’s banking sector, which now accounts for about 90 percent of total financial-sector assets. The numnot fully berSerbia’s of banks hasfinancial plummeted sector in the pastisfive years as a developed, but it has undergone result of the restructuring and consolidation. As of 2007, transformation. Aggressive conthere were 37 banks: 18 foreign-owned, 12 state-owned, solidation and privatization by the and seven private Serbian banks. A wide range of credit central bank since 2001 have helped instruments is available to the private sector, but Serbia’s to revive Serbia’s banking secfinancial intermediation is relatively low. The insurance tor, which now accounts for about sector is dominated by state-owned insurers, although the 90 percent of total financial-sector government has announced its intention to privatize it. assets. The number of banks has Capital markets are small but vigorous.

FINANCIAL FREEDOM — 50

plummeted in the past five years as a result of the restructuring and PROPERtY Rights — 40 consolidation. As of 2007, there The Republic of Serbia’s constitution creates an indepenwere 37 banks: 18 foreign-owned, dent judiciary, but the judicial system is corrupt and inef12 state-owned, and seven private ficient. Judges are poorly trained, underpaid, and difficult Serbian banks. A wide range of to dismiss for incompetence. Central registries of land titles credit instruments is available to the areprivate typically not completely current, but the government is sector, but Serbia’s financial trying to modernize its survey system.

The legal regime for intermediation is relatively low. The protection of intellectual property has improved subinsurance sector isrights dominated by stantially as Serbia has revised laws to meet WTO’s Tradestate-owned insurers, although the Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rightsits (TRIPS) government has announced instandards, but IPR enforcement is still insufficient. tention to privatize it. Capital markets are small but vigorous.

fREEDOM fROM CORRUPtiOn — 34

PROPERTY RIGHTS — 40

Corruption is perceived as widespread. Serbia ranks 79th out of 179 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2007. The authorities are inconsistent in condemning official corruption, and investiThe Republic of Serbia’s constitution gations are often politically motivated.

Demands for bribes creates an independent judiciary, but arethe expected at all stages of a business transaction.and A deeply judicial system is corrupt inrooted practice favors certain parties based on connections. efficient.

Judges are poorly trained, Organized criminal groups in money underpaid, and engage difficult tolaundering. dismiss

for incompetence. Central registries

LABOR fREEDOM — 70are typically not comof land titles

Serbia’s relatively flexible labor support overpletely current, butregulations the government allis employment andmodernize productivity growth.

The non-salary trying to its survey syscost of employing a worker is moderate, dismissing a tem.

The legal regime forand protection redundant employee is notproperty costly. Regulations related to of intellectual rights has theimproved number of work hours are fairly flexible. substantially as Serbia has

FdI Inflow: $5.6 billion Inflation (cPI): FdI Inflow: $5.66.8% billion

revised laws to meet WTO’s TradeRelated Aspects of Intellectual Prop2009 Index of Economic ertyFreedom Rights (TRIPS) standards, but IPR enforcement is still insufficient.

Total government expenditures, including consumption and transfer FREEDOM FROM payments, are high. In the most re- CORRUPTION — 34 cent year, government spending was estimated to equal about 42.3 per- Corruption is perceived as widecent of GDP. The government plans spread. Serbia ranks 79th out of 179 to accelerate the privatization of the countries in Transparency Internanational airline and telecommunica- tional’s Corruption Perceptions Index tions enterprises. for 2007. The authorities are inconsistent in condemning official corMONETARY ruption, and investigations are often FREEDOM — 65.8 politically motivated. Demands for bribes are expected at all stages of a Inflation is high, averaging 9.2 per- business transaction. A deeply rooted cent between 2005 and 2007. The practice favors certain parties based government can control the prices on connections. Organized criminal of certain basic products, including groups engage in money laundering. milk, bread, flour, and cooking oil; controls the prices of utilities, public LABOR transit, telecommunications services, FREEDOM — 70 and petroleum; and influences prices through numerous state-owned en- Serbia’s relatively flexible labor regterprises. Fifteen points were deduct- ulations support overall employment ed from Serbia’s monetary freedom and productivity growth. The nonscore to account for policies that dis- salary cost of employing a worker tort domestic prices. is moderate, and dismissing a redundant employee is not costly. RegulaINVESTMENT tions related to the number of work FREEDOM — 40 hours are fairly flexible.

2006 datadata unless otherwise 2006 unless otherwise noted.

FdI Inflow: $5.6 billionnoted.

Serbian law provides for national treatment of foreign capital, and in-

tenegro’s secession in May 2006, Least How Do We Measure Economic Freedom?

0

free

See the appendix (page 441) of for an explanation 1995 of the methodology or visit ’01 the Index’03 Web site ’05 at heritage.org/index. the National Assembly Ser’97 ’99 ’07 2009 es. secession ro’s in May 1995 ’97 ’99 ’01 ’03 ’05 ’07 2009 bia declared Serbia the successor

to the StateSerbia Union of Serbia and ia declared the ro’s secession inbegan May Montenegro.

Serbia ntenegro’s secession innegotiMay ations for a Stability and AssociaMontenegro.

Seria declared Serbia thethe fand Serbia tiondeclared Agreement withSerbia the European Union October 2005.

Talks were nd AgreeSerbia andinMontenegro. andAssociation Montenegro.

Ser-Sersuspended in May 2006 because of tober 2005.

Talks were Serbia’s failure to surrender indictbility and Association Agreend Association Agreeed war criminal Ratko Mladic, but Serbia’s to surin October 2005.

Talks were the failure agreement was finally signed tober 2005.

Talks were on April 29, failure 2008, just before the se of Serbia’s toleader surMladic, but the agreere-election of pro-Western Serbia’s failure to surBoris Tadic. The excluRatko Mladic, butcontinued thethe agree, 2008, just before sionbut of ultranationalists from the Mladic, the agreepril 29,parliament 2008, just before the positions s Tadic.

Thetoward continued Serbia the EU. the Follow, 2008, just before er BorisingTadic.

The continued the failure of U.N.-sponsored e parliament positions on the continued status of positions Kosovo, the som Tadic.

The thetalks parliament failure ofprovince U.N.-sponformer formally declared the itsfailure of U.N.-sponengparliament positions independence on February 17, ,osovo, the former province 2008. province failurethe offormer U.N.-sponSerbia continues to maintain on February 17, 2008. that this was illegal. dence on February 17, 2008. the former province s was hat thisillegal. was illegal. on February 17, 2008. was illegal.

56.0 78.0 85.9 46.3 65.8 40.0 50.0 40.0 34.0 70.0

BUsinEss fREEDOM — 56

,*

Freedom Score 56.6

56.6 56.6 *% '*

erbia’s economic freedom score is 56.6, making its economy the 109th freest in the 2009 Index. Serbia is ranked 37th out of the 43 countries in the Europe region, and its overall Least Rank: 37average. score isRegional below the world free %

*%

'*

vestment is not screened. Most sec-

tors are open to—foreign investment. inVEstMEnt fREEDOM 40

sERBiA’s tEn ECOnOMiC fREEDOMs Business Freedom Trade Freedom Fiscal Freedom Government Size Monetary Freedom Investment Freedom Financial Freedom Property Rights Fdm. from Corruption Labor Freedom

7

Quick Facts Facts Population:Quick 7.4 million Quick Facts

Population: 7.4billion million gdP (PPP): $70.2 Population: 7.4 million 5.7% growth gdP (PPP): $70.2 billionin 2006 gdP (PPP): $70.2 billion 5.4% 5-year compound 5.7% growth in 2006 5.7% growth in 2006 5.4% 5-year compound annual growth 5.4% 5-year compound growth $9,434annual per capita annual $9,434 per growth capita unemployment: 18.8% $9,434 per capita unemployment: 18.8% Inflation (cPI): 6.8%18.8% unemployment: Inflation (cPI): 6.8%

2006 data unless otherwise noted.

353

GOVERNMENT 354 SIZE — 46.3

Source: Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal

8

neighbourhood

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

Djukanovic Seeks Fresh Mandate in Montenegro In Brief With an economic storm around the corner, the government looks set on securing another four years in power as soon as possible.

Macedonian Prodigy Is Youngest IT Expert Skopje_Marko Calasan has become the world’s youngest fully-certified Microsoft system administrator at the age of nine. Calasan has passed the two remaining examinations that granted him the certificate, local weekly Globus reported. While his friends read childrens’ books, he is more interested in professional IT literature.

By Nedjeljko Rudovic

T

he ruling coalition in Montenegro has decided to call early parliamentary elections, believing it can secure another mandate before the consequences of the global economic downturn are felt fully in the country.

The government, headed by Milo Djukanovic, has scheduled an extraordinary session of parliament for January 21st when a decision should be made to dissolve parliament, after which President Filip Vujanovic will call elections for March 29th.

Djukanovic’s Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, which has been in power continuously since 1990, projects that now is their best chance of retaining power with assistance of its smaller coalition partners.

They believe it would be risky to wait until autumn, when elections would normally take place, because the economic crisis and a poor tourist season could prompt voters in the small Mediterranean country to turn their backs on the polls.

According to latest polls, the DPS is the strongest party by far and could form a new government by itself, while the opposition, crippled by internal problems and clashes, appears in no position to pose a serious challenge.

Many analysts say Djukanovic wishes to secure power for another four years before the economic crisis hits in earnest, leading to unemployment, a reduction in the flow of money into the budget and uncertain foreign investment.

In the last couple of months the country’s economy has ground to a halt. There are few takers today for real estate, large investments such as the construction of highways and big tourist developments look uncertain, banks have cut back on loans and the number of reservations for the summer season is only one tenth of the number in January last year.

The Aluminium Plant, owned by Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska, is in its death throes, a significant development because it accounts for around 50 per cent of Montenegro’s exports.

Air Pollution in Bosnia Hits Record Levels Sarajevo_Air pollution in the Bosnian capital has reached the highest levels since the 1992-5 War, when smoke from burning buildings created a thick smog that covered the city for several weeks.

The pollution comes as Bosnians try to deal with gas shortages by using more basic, dirtier heating options.

Macedonia Police Arrests Smuggling Horse Source: www.visit-ulcinj.com

Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic has scheduled a parlimentary session to disolve parliament, after which the country’s president will call for early elections. The Prime Minister’s party is expected to emerge victorious.

However, analysts say the opposition parties do not stand much chance of toppling Djukanovic in spite of these economic woes. The Prime Minister still holds some strong cards, representing himself as the guardian of Montenegrin independence, while the main opposition parties still carry the burden of having been against independence.

“Djukanovic has been predicting huge investments and average salaries of €515 by the end of 2009 but now all of that seems unrealistic,” analyst Svetozar Jovicevic told Balkan Insight. “If all that is off the table, it seems only natural for him to seek elections as soon as possible.”

Jovicevic said it would be logical for the economic crisis to increase the opposition’s chance of success, but this probably would not be the case in Montenegro owing to the opposition’s lack of resourcefulness and weakness.

While opposition parties protest that the election laws are not in accordance with the Constitution, that

the authorities are calling elections without the opposition’s agreement and, whilst they claim they have good chances of winning because the move for early elections is “proof of the government’s weakness”, the DPS expects yet another triumph.

Since officially applying for EU membership on December 15th, the government has explained its request for a dissolution of parliament by claiming that Montenegro has numerous obligations connected to the process of association with the EU, and that this process “must be followed through to the end by state bodies and institutions, especially the government and parliament in a full mandate of four years”.

Sekulic, however, indirectly admitted that the economic crisis is also a reason for the elections, saying that “since the economic crisis is around the corner, we thought we would again seek the trust of the people because when the ship is in stormy waters, an experienced man [ie Djukanovic] should be appointed as captain”.

The Socialist People’s party, meanwhile, is urging the government’s opponents to form a common front. “The opposition should reach an agreement on cooperation and on a model of coordinated activity,” a senior party official, Predrag Bulatovic, said.

“If elections are called for spring, there is no doubt that the authorities have calculated that this is the time that suits them best,” the head of the small People’s Party, Predrag Popovic, noted.

The Liberal Party, meanwhile, is warning against the opposition getting their hopes up that election laws will be amended.

“We have to prepare ourselves for elections as fast and as well as we can, in the belief that the DPS is not invincible and that such arrogance on their part is our biggest chance of winning, even in conditions that are absolutely unequal,” a Liberal Party official, Andrija Petkovic, said.

Source: www.BalkanInsight.com

Kosovo ‘Not Free’, Says Freedom House Report

Kosovo is criticised by the organisation in all areas. Other Balkan nations avoid the tag “not free”, but still have much work to do.

T

he 2008 Freedom House report classifies Kosovo as a “not free” country, while Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro and European Union-candidate Macedonia are only “partly free”.

Freedom House’s annual survey gives a country one of three grades, “free”, “partly free” or “not free”, assigning points, with a rating of one indicating the highest degree of freedom and seven the lowest.

Kosovo had the worst performance in the region, and is alone in the Balkans with a “not free” grading, a political liberties score of six, and a civil liberties score of five.

“Elections since 1999 have been considered generally free and fair,” Freedom House says, “however, given the large role played by international officials, the lack of freedom of movement for ethnic minorities, and the

limited ability of women to participate in the political process, the actual level of democratisation remains low.”

The report singles out ethnic tensions as a main issue, while noting that “Kosovo lacks a functioning criminal justice system.” It says “gender inequality is a serious problem” and notes domestic violence and discrimination against sexual minorities as key issues.

Bosnia’s political rights rating “declined from three to four due to a political crisis that ensued following reforms introduced by the internationally appointed High Representative”. Furthermore, the country “is not an electoral democracy.”

“Corruption, which remains a serious problem, is most common in local politics, but it also penetrates the higher levels of the Bosnian leadership,” the report notes, adding that

ethnic politics influences both academic appointments and primary and secondary school curricula.

“Ethnic nationalism in Bosnian society is widespread and presents a major obstacle to the country’s integration,” it says.

The report said corruption pervades all areas of life in Albania, but gave the government points for its efforts to address it. Another main issue for Tirana was the erosion of freedom of the press.

“Journalists are still subject to intimidation and attacks, although the identity and motives of the perpetrators are not always clear.”

It added that the judiciary and law enforcement agencies “are inefficient and prone to corruption, and judicial proceedings can be unjustifiably delayed.” It also noted that domestic violence “is common and is not a

criminal offence” while women who seek redress against domestic abuse are often ignored by the authorities.

In Montenegro, corruption was again a serious problem while “journalists who are critical of the government have been attacked.”

“The judicial system lacks independence from political authorities,” the survey said.

The report said corruption continues to hamper economic growth and political transparency in Macedonia, and noted that freedom of the press was suffering. “The judiciary is widely seen as corrupt and incompetent,” it added, highlighting ethnic tensions both within the Albanian minority, and between ethnic Albanians and Macedonians.

All other Balkan countries, notably Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania and Serbia were classified as ‘free’.

Macedonian police took into custody a horse used by a crime ring to smuggle air conditioners from Serbia. Border police spotted the horse and its carriage on Friday evening while it was entering Macedonia in the Maljocka Korija area, near the village of Sopot. Realising there was no driver, they calmed down the animal and took it to the nearest police station. Inside the carriage were nine air conditioners and other technical equipment worth several thousand euros, police said.

The police did not say whether they would press charges against the horse, which is being held at the police station. Last year a wild bear was found guilty of stealing honey and destroying beehives that belonged to a Macedonian farmer, but because it belonged to a protected species, the fine had to be paid by the state.

Media Watchdogs Criticise Albanian Government Tirana_Reporters Without Borders has criticised Albania’s government over allegations that is trying to close down a Tirana daily newspaper because of its coverage of corruption and scandals. The daily Tema newspaper has focused on investigative reporting, many of its stories attacking officials for alleged graft and corruption. Last Friday, police evicted it from its offices in a government building, despite a court order blocking the eviction.

Kosovo and Turkey Sign Visa-Free Travel Deal Pristina_Kosovo and Turkey have signed a bilateral agreement on the free movement of people, officials said, allowing holders of Kosovo passports to travel to Turkey without a visa or other bureaucratic procedures.

Albanian Child Obesity Reaches Alarming Rates Tirana_Over 16 per cent of pre-teen children in Albania are overweight, said a study by the country’s Institute of Public Health, ISHP.

out & about

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

9

Zlatibor’s Charming Villages

A small village in Zlatibor offers insight into the country’s traditions and offers a variety of cultural, leisure and sporting activities.

By Pat Andjelkovic

Reporting from Sirogojno

T

he Zlatibor region is one of the most beautiful in Serbia, with vast pastures, dense evergreen forests, clear streams and rivers, and an exceptionally agreeable and healthy climate. Prehistoric artifacts, ancient monuments, medieval sites, churches, and ruins, and well-preserved monuments from the Ottoman period, are just a small part of the vast cultural heritage preserved on Mt. Zlatibor.

One of the pearls of Zlatibor is Sirogojno, a place that in many minds is associated mainly with the beautiful woollen sweaters made there. Located in southwest Serbia, some 30 kilometers from Uzice, Sirogojno is surrounded by dazzling alpine scenery, and is ideal for a holiday in every season. The village offers a variety of activities including hiking, bird-watching, snowshoeing, photography, evenings by the fire, schools for learning traditional crafts such as pottery making, mosaics, graphic arts and, of course, knitting.

Around 100,000 people visit Sirogojno annually, and not just for its sweaters. Its primary attraction is the open air museum, the only one of its kind in Serbia. This “ethno-village”, known also as the Old Village Museum, depicts the daily life, culture, and heritage of past generations on a sprawling 15 hectare site dotted with 47 wooden structures, all relocated from surrounding villages and each equipped with authentic furniture and tools. Each household has a dairy, a barn, a bread oven, wooden vessels for the processing and drying of plums, a distillery for home-made brandy and a bee hive. A special feature of the Museum is its shepherds’ home, composed of two cottages and a small hut on runners, which could be dragged over the snow to the fields, making the shepherds’ work a lot easier during winter periods. The Museum has a particularly elaborate program to revive old local arts and crafts. Copies of traditional items are produced in the workshop of the Museum: pottery, hand printed textiles, utensils of wood and iron. There are also new products inspired by old artistic traditions, but adapted to modern needs and tastes. Aside from a number of newer rustic structures that serve as accommodation for holidaymakers, you’ll also find a shop selling Sirogojno handicrafts, a carpenter’s and potter’s workshop, and a shop selling medicinal herbs and herbal teas. There’s also a Serbian Orthodox church dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, dating from 1764.

In summertime, the “Old Village” Museum is primarily reserved for the Festival of Eco and Environmental Films.

A small theatre has been built for lectures, concerts, literature meetings and other programs. In the case of rain or cold weather, programs are held in a converted barn. One of the old houses a little further from the Museum site has been transformed into a bar and several smaller buildings serve as accommodation for summer school participants.

Source: www.flickr.com

The Sirogojno open air museum, or ethno-village, is the only one of its kind in Serbia. On the 15 acre site are 47 wooden structures, all relocated from the surrounding villages and equipped with authentic furniture and tools.

The “Old Village” Museum protects not only the buildings in it, but the whole traditional art and craft of the building industry of the Zlatibor region.

Traditional sweaters It’s difficult to spend a winter in Serbia without coming across a handmade Sirogojno sweater. These are a must-have item for just about every foreigner who spends time in Serbia, and they make exceptional gifts for friends and family back home.

The real, internationally famous Sirogojno sweaters are sold in a special shop in the village at prices not found elsewhere. These days, they are made from Icelandic wool, but hand knitted locally. At the small market place in Sirogojno where other souvenirs are sold, you can buy sweaters made in Sirogojno, but not necessarily from Icelandic wool. The difference of course is in the quality of the wool; the Icelandic wool tends to develop fewer wool balls over time.

What’s to eat?

Like just about everywhere else in Serbia, good food isn’t lacking.

Some specialties that you should try are Uzicka prsuta (Uzicka smoked ham), Rujanski ustipak (Rujanski meat cake), and a Zlatiborska lepinja, a heart-stopping mixture of creamy, rich kajmak, fried eggs, melted kackavalj cheese, mixed with meat dripping and served in a large, soft bun. Don’t forget to wash that all down with some plum brandy…

Emir Kusturica’s Village on Mokra Gora Mecavnik is an village established by the famous Serbian film director

Source: www.flickr.com

These barrels, used for making cheese in the traditional way, are still used today in homes accross the country. They are on display in one of the ethno-houses.

Emir Kusturica. While filming his movie “Life is a Miracle” there, Emir noticed the beauty of the 100-metre high Mecavnik hill on Tara Mountain, and decided to build a holiday village on the site.

Kusturica’s city, Drvengrad, consists of wooden houses, which preserve the authenticity of this part of Serbia. Some of these log huts were brought from neighboring villages.

All are attractive outside, but their interiors also offer a feeling of warmth, because you can feel the love and attention invested in their creation. All the furniture is handmade, carved and illustrated with imagination, and decorative needlework curtains hang over the windows. All rooms are equipped with a bathroom, plasma screen TV, and telephone. In Mecavnik, you’ll also find a church, restaurant, souvenir shop, gallery, cinema, a restaurant offering local specialties, a weaver’s workshop, and many other amenities that will make your stay unforgettable. Believe it or not, there’s an underground basketball court…

Interestingly, streets in this town have been named after famous international persons in the fields of science, politics, sport, and literature, such as Ivo Andric, Che Guevara, Diego Maradona, Miodrag Petrovic Ckalja, Federico Felini, and Ingmar Bergman. A street named after Novak Djokovic is in the planning!

The focal point of the town (now also known as Drvengrad, or Timber Town), is its Serbian Orthodox church dedicated to the first Serbian Archbishop and the father of the Serbian nation, St. Sava.

The Sargan Eight There was once a narrow-gague railway which used to cut its path through some of the most breathtaking scenery on its way from Belgrade to Sarajevo.

On this route, a train known as the Cira carried holidaymakers, farmers, salesmen and school children, as well as mail, milk, livestock

and other freight. Even though it was slow and belched out steam and smoke, both travellers and people who lived by the railway loved it and enjoyed it. For children in villages along the line, trains were a daily joy and they cheerfully waved as they passed. For many generations this train was part of the charming memories of childhood. Then in the mid-seventies the good old Cira was abandoned.

A section of the line from Mokra Gora to Sargan, and the Mokra Gora station were rebuilt in 1999 for Kusturica’s movie, “Life is a Miracle,” which was filmed there.

The line ascends 300 metres in to the mountains and is known as the Sargan Eight for the figure of eight that it cuts as it climbs.

Kusturica says of Drvengrad: “I have made up a town that looks as if people have always lived there.”

And indeed it does.

Pat Andjelkovic is a teacher, writer and a long-term expat.

10

the belgrader

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

Dining Out

Ginger

One of the only places in town to get competent and enjoyable food after midnight.

By Trencherman

Reporting from Belgrade

S

ome of you, I suspect, will know the feeling. You’ve been out for the evening, you’re refreshed but now you’re overcome with late night hunger pangs.

So, off we went to our local Chinese Restaurant for stir-fry, saki and noodles. But it was not to be. We’d been enjoying ourselves too much and had not noticed the time. It was 11:30, and we were very politely shooed out of the door, just seconds after we went through it.

A dilemma, you’ll agree.

The hunger was still there, but we were in Dedinje and Chinese food seemed an unlikely prospect anywhere in town at that time of night. But, occasionally, I have flashes of inspiration. I’m also a sucker for advertising and have the ability to faultlessly sing advertising jingles I haven’t heard since the 70’s and I know all three effects of the Calgon powerball. So, it was a combination of hunger, a fondness for Chinese food and the power

of advertising that took us to Ginger, in the Grand Casino.

Getting in is your first problem.

Casinos, of course, have to know who you are and no amount of telling them that you’re Mr. & Mrs. Smith is going to work here. So make sure that you have an identity document with you when you come, or you’ll neither be eating Chinese nor brushing up on your Punto Banco. The system is, however, mercifully smooth and within a very short time we were processed, photographed and issued with smartcards.

Downstairs was busy with roulette tables and humming, squealing slot machines. The escalators took us up to the relative calm of the 1st floor and Ginger.

Set back slightly from the walkway, there’s little that says Japanese about the place. But it was clean, and smart, and the staff were attentive and accommodating. Ginger’s 999 dinar buffet has picked up some pretty good reviews elsewhere and was clearly going down well with the other diners.

In order to review the full experience, however, we decided to check out the sushi first, so we picked out a portion of each of salmon nigiri, tuna nigiri, gunkan red tuna maki and Kyoto shrimp rolls. The fish was fresh, the presentation was good but the rice was undercooked and still too firm to the bite.

The buffet consists of soups, asian style salads, tempura, noodle dishes, grills, curries and desserts. Even at 1 a.m., the buffet was looking good.

Between us we picked two wok dishes, cooked to order - pork and udon noodles and seafood with dashi leek sauce - and a Thai red curry. The red curry, unlike most “hot and spicy”

We Recommend

Source: www.casino-beograd.com

Heavily advertised around town, the 999 dinar buffet is good value and the service is great.

dishes in Belgrade, was properly hot and spicy, the udon noodles with pork were served with some crunchy vegetables and a good soy sauce but the fish was not so successful – the creamy leek sauce perhaps just a little thick and under-flavoured. With our dinner, we had a glass or two of a competently made Chardonnay and a

bottle or two of Carlsberg.

For dessert, just a fruit salad was available but it only took a question to the waitress about the range for us to be offered a selection of desserts from the other in-house restaurants.

And so, a rather good pannacotta and a great rich chocolate soufflé later, it was time to gamble!

I know of nowhere else in town where one could sit down to dinner at 1 a.m. and get food as good as this, and the service was excellent – helpful, quick and efficient. I’d like to tell you that I won back the cost of the meal at the blackjack table but that would be a lie. When we left at around 3, the house, as usual, was in front!

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.

Anita

Asterix

Devetka

If you’re having a party, Anita, with seating for 60 people, will organise it. This pizzeria will go so far as to sort out a band for you. The pizzas are good and competitively priced. They rave about their homemade lemonade.

Situated at the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers, this place is manically busy in the summer. Check it out now for a more relaxed Italian food experience. If the fresh air does not give you an appetite, than nothing will.

This restaurant is located in the peacefully wooded area of the Kosutnjak suburb. It is actually inside an old tram car, getting its name from the fact that it used to be the first stop of the number nine tram. Its owner Aca Romanic is a legend in the Belgrade restaurant business.

This is an enormous, modern restaurant located near the Tasmajdan Park, on the 20th floor of an office building and business centre. It is great for power lunches, business dinners and for organising swanky seminars, business meetings or events.

A classy restaurant that strives for the spirit of old Belgrade with an excellent array of culinary specialties and a décor that features documents, photographs and other small items dating from the interwar period. The wine selection is respectable.

Vukasoviceva 67 011-3594936

Usce 1A 011-3112219

Kneza Viseslava 25 011-3559783

Kraljice Marije 1/20 011-3037119

Dragoslava Jovanovica 9 011-3239612

K20

Gradonacelnik

Hunter

Mythologia

Sta Je Tu Je

Supermarket

Talir

Hunter offers a half bar/half restaurant atmosphere, though mainly functions as a restaurant during the day. The advantage is that you can have a nice meal at the bar in the late hours when the place has turned into a cocktail bar. The name says it all, as the restaurant’s speciality is game.

You have to have serious doubts about a restaurant that claims to offer Italian, Indonesian, Icelandic and Norwegian specialties.

But, dishes are prepared with fresh ingredients imported from the dish’s country of origin and, on our visit, we were impressed.

This very small Dorcol restaurant is strictly Serbian, serving only traditional meals. Diners can sample homemade wines and rakija, some up to 15 years old. The interior is also predictably done up in an ethno fashion, but the detail put into the décor makes it charming nonetheless. Try the rice pudding.

A large Maxi supermarket in Visnjiceva street was recently closed to create, well, the Supermarket! The cuisine includes Asian, Italian and French dishes, all carefully watched over by a Dutch head chef. The interior is modern and spacious, with exposed brick walls and ceilings.

We like the soups here, particularly the creamy mushroom soup.

The menu is mainly traditional Serbian but with a few international touches.

Strahinjica Bana 47 011-2030934

Bircaninova 42 011-2641048

Cara Dusana 18 011-2910629

Visnjiceva 10 065-3805044

Carlija Caplina 44 011-3292454

The terrace is great in the summer but probably a little chilly right now!

the belgrader

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

11

We Recommend Friday

Saturday

Nafta

Get your black fingernail polish and frilly shirts out, it’s time to Goth ‘n’ Roll! Music performed by Scandinavian bands such as Finland’s The 69 Eyes and Sentenced as well as Sweden’s dark rockers Katatonia will be the focus of this event, held in club Vrtoglavica (meaning Vertigo), perfectly situated in one of Belgrade’s dirtiest, most industrial, and traffic-jammed neighborhoods.

Vrtoglavica, Sajkaska 15b

Georges Bizet’s timeless opera Carmen, which even a grump like Freidrich Neitzsche called “powerful, passionate, fascinating” and “the epitome of passion” is playing in Belgrade again. The opera premiered at the National Theatre in 1983 and continues to feature some of Serbia’s most famous singers and conductors year in, year out.

National Theatre, Francuska 3

Nafta is a band from Subotica that formed from the ashes of Dzukele, who in 1994 released one of the most highly regarded punk albums in the history of Serbia’s rock scene, “Gledajuci u Mrak” (Looking Into Darkness). Years later, the core members of the band have resurfaced in the form of Nafta.

Sunday

Monday

Scandinavia Night

Organized Chaos

Carmen

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

If you’ve ever wanted to see a Serbian version of the Ken Kesey classic, here’s your chance. We recommend either reading up on the novel or watching the movie again directly before heading to the theatre, and seeing if you can pick out the Serbian equivalents of your favorite lines. Belgrade Drama Theatre (BDP), Milesevska 64a

Thursday

Milos Petrovic Jazz Piano This concert in the Belgrade Philharmonic’s Hall of Kolarceva Zaduzbina features renowned piano soloist Milos Petrovic playing a huge repertoire that includes a variety of standards, including jazz favorites such as My Funny Valentine, Waltz for Debby and Round Midnight, and one or two more unusual and challenging pieces Kolarceva Zaduzbina, Studentski Trg 5

Zica Kraljevica Marka 5 Thursday, Jan. 17

Sinalco Exhibition

Beati Trio Featured as part of the series of free classical concerts at the SANU Gallery, the Beati Trio - consisting of soprano Jelena Jovanovic-Deretic, baritone Vladimir Dinic, accompanied

by Tatjana Drobni on the piano - will be performing classical pieces, with a focus on Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn.

SASA Gallery, Kneza Mihaila 35

One of the most promising new metal bands Belgrade has to offer, Organized Chaos are highly recommended to prog nerds and metal-heads alike. If you fancy endless solos, instrumental proficiency, long and complicated song structures, high pitched screaming and have a Rush tattoo you are embarrassed of, somewhere on your body—this is the show for you! Living Room, Kralja Milana 48

Tuesday

While the band remains true to its garage rock and punk traditions with aggressive guitars and politically charged lyrics, there are some new elements, including a psychedelic and experimental edge that Dzukele never had. This allows the band to free itself from the restraints of past glory and forge ahead on a new musical journey, where hopefully, a new audience awaits them.

This will be the band’s first ever performance in Belgrade, where they will be promoting the album “Samo Senke Prolaze” (Only Shadows Pass), which they released last year. Nafta have announced that some surprises will be in store for their fans on Saturday, and a new line of merchandise will also be available at the show.

Wednesday

The Marriage and Divorce of Figaro Slobodan Unkovski’s The Marriage and Divorce of Figaro is appropriately dubbed a ‘theatre spectacle,” combining Pierre Augustin De Beaumarchais’ Crazy Day or The Marriage of Figaro and Odon Von Horvath’s Figaro is Getting Divorced dramas, to make an exciting amalgam of both which, at the same time, manages to stay true to the spirit of Mozart’s original opera. National Theatre, Francuska 3

An exhibit in the Museum of Fine Arts, will showcase advertising posters promoting the world famous beverage Sinalco, spanning over 100 years.

This exhibition had its premier in 2007 in Duisburg, Germany.

Sinalco is the oldest non-alcoholic beverage in continental Europe and has been exported to over 100 countries around the world. Invented by German scientist Friedrich Eduard Bilz, his “Bilz Brause”, was eventually sold to industrialist Franz Hartmann, who gave the beverage the name Sinalco, an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “sin alcohole”, meaning “without alcohol”.

One of the reasons behind the success of the product is its brilliant

ad campaigns, focusing on very vibrant and innovative art posters, which the company has used since its inception.

The initial posters were all done on canvas with paint brushes, but have run the gamut since then, to the contemporary pieces put together by large marketing agencies today.

Throughout the changes, Sinalco has been able to retain the art in its ad campaign, adapting to the times, fashion and tastes of the ages, be it Art Deco or Pop Art. Museum of Fine Arts Vuka Karadzica 18 Thursday Jan. 22

Tchaikovsky Trio The Tchaikovsky Trio, consisting of Pavel Vernikov, Sergey Slovachevski, Konstantin Bogino - playing the violin, violoncello and piano respectively - are all accomplished classical musicians with high academic qualifications, and are all considered masters of their instruments.

The trio was originally formed in Moscow in 1975, with Anatole Liebermann on violoncello, but the current line up have been playing together for ten years now. They have achieved great success and acclaim over the years, playing the most important music halls through Europe, North America and Japan.

The concert has been staged, in the words of the organisers, to honour and celebrate cooperation between

Serbia and Russia.”

The organisers, said that the Serbian musical education system follows the model set by Russia - including primary and middle schools for music studies followed by university schooling. They added that they “come from the source [Russia] which Serbian schools are founded upon.”

In addition, Vernikov and Bogino are very well known to the classical community in Serbia, because of their many performances here and the fact that they both have spent a significant amount of time as music professors at Universities in Belgrade and Novi Sad. Kolarceva Zaduzbina Studentski Trg 5 Saturday, Jan. 18

12

the belgrader

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

Irish Stew of Sindidun Band

This young group of Serbian musicians play what they call Irish alternative rock, influenced by bands such as The Pogues, Flogging Molly and Fiddler’s Green.

sure there is still something left over from the Celts,” Petrovic said.

He said that the band was spawned from a sincere love for Irish music.

“I don’t think it is a question of genes, many people that have nothing to do with the Irish simply like this music. It is important that you feel the music, not whether or not you have Celtic blood running through your veins,” Petrovic said.

The first, and to date, most successful, band to play similar music in Serbia was the Orthodox Celts, who formed in the early 1990s and continue to have a strong following. Petrovic said that the Celts are an obvious influence, and that comparisons to the band do not bother him.

“It is like a double-edged sword for us because they created a fanbase for this kind of music, but also set a very high standard which every band after them has to achieve. We never looked at them as competition and we have a very good relationSource: www.myspace.com ship,” Petrovic said.

Though Irish Stew’s influences are, well, Irish, they claim a style of their own, drawing on punk However, Irish Stew claim a style influences, with each band member bringing something to the table. all their own, with much more of a punk rock edge than the Celts posa young group of musicians who sess. Petrovic told us that every band play what they call “Irish alterna- member has their own influences and tive rock,” drawing influences from brings something different to the taBy David Galic bands such as The Pogues, Flogging ble.

Reporting from Belgrade “There is a symbolism of that in Molly and Fiddler’s Green.

The group, known better as simply our name – an Irish meal with all Irish Stew, have been playing since kinds of different ingredients in it,” egardless of the fact that the 2003 and have released two albums, he said. last time Celts inhabited the which have been very well received As far as future plans are conterritory that is modern day by the public and critics. cerned, Petrovic said that the band Serbia was the Iron Age, the Serbs, Bojan Petrovic, who sings and is continuing to promote its latest for some reason, feel a cultural con- plays the tin whistle, told Belgrade album “Dare to Dream,” which was nection to the Irish.

Insight that he believes that Serbs released in March 2008.

Whether it be the similar struggles and the Irish “have a very similar “We have some raw, new material or traditions, the two cultures seem to mentality.” we are working on, but we will take be kindred spirits of sorts, which can “History says that the Celts lived it slowly. Life in Serbia has taught be seen in the popularity of Irish folk on this territory, and even though us not to look too far into the future music on Serbia’s music scene. many other cultures and people have and to take things one step at a time,” “Irish Stew of Sindidun” are passed through here since then, I’m Petrovic said.

R

My Picks

Krofna Bar Every week, Rian Harris tells us one of her favourite places to shop.

By Rian Harris

Reporting from Belgrade

L

ooking for a way to perk up your colleagues during the winter freeze? Pick up a box of yummy donuts to bring to the office!

Made in accordance with awardwinning German recipes, and with specially imported German flour, Krofna Bar’s donuts are delicious.

Even better, the possibilities are endless. Glazes include milk, dark and white chocolate, caramel, marzipan, and powdered sugar, with toppings like nuts, coconut, sprinkles, and fillings of chocolate, jam, cream, fruit, even Plazma cookies!

Going Out

the tube

Belgrade Insight may have found the Belgrade club where everything just falls into place, including the people, the music and the atmosphere.

Source: www.thetube.rs

Tube visitors are, against all odds, not flashy and pretentious, though they may be paying a bit too much for a night out.

By Vanja Petrovic

Reporting from Belgrade

T

he tube has no pretensions of being as, let’s say, classy as it is.

The outside of the club on Dobracina street, in the city’s centre, They have savoury lunch options is fairly discreet, and though there’s too, such as a chicken salad-stuffed usually a queue outside, you won’t donut. And the best news? The combe looked up and down and pricepany claims that since their donuts tagged before being “allowed” in. are made with palm oil, they are not Another plus – the bouncers don’t that bad for you! look like gangsters or drug dealers.

Though I am generally wary of Krofna Bar has two locations: places I have to wait to get into, I Kursulina 6 did wait, because you just have to 011 344 1503 try new things sometimes, and you get tired of going to basement clubs.

Vladetina 2a Also, God knows I’ve been to Plas011 344 1503 tic, and was allowed to jump to the front of the line only because the club Mon. - Fri. 8:00 – 22:00, Sat. & manager heard the crowd I was with Sun.10:00 - 18:00 speaking English, so, I’m not exactly ashamed of being price-tagged.

As we descended the stairs, we were quickly overcome by how relaxing the atmosphere was.

The club was filled with people that seemed to have fought with honor and survived the war of puberty with no complexes intact, and therefore had nothing to prove. The crowd was not flashy, they smiled, and all seemed to be having down-to-earth conversations.

However, it soon became clear that there was one thing missing that is present in most Belgrade clubs, which has recently started driving me more and more towards wanting to become a hermit, in order to avoid the often judgemental Source: www.nadlanu.com gazes. This is the Balkan phenomKrofna Bar’s award-winning German recepies and interestingly designed space are only some of enon of spending more time staring the perks of this rare Belgrade donut shop. at others than talking to or dancing

with the people you are with. The tube is price-tag/x-ray-free.

On the night I visited the tube, the club’s regular DJ Peppe was spinning. Peppe plays a strange mix of funk and electronica and has been a staple on the Belgrade club scene for decades. He started on the scene over 20 years ago with the Belgrade Funk Brigade.

His fan base calls themselves “Peppists” and religiously follow the DJ from club to club every weekend. I met two Peppists at the place, who told me that if I didn’t end up in love with Peppe by the end of the night, they would embarrass themselves by singing Womanizer by Britney Spears with full-on choreography from the music video.

The other regular DJs are Pookie and Coba, both of whom have as solid bios as Peppe.

Peppe added to the strangely relaxing mix of the club, which, surprisingly, was also put together in an interesting, minimalistic way. Most of the club is done in a black fabric, with only the long, but low, table/bar in the middle. The only complaint I had about the tube is that the drinks are a bit on the pricy side, with the average mixed drink going for 500 dinars.

As I write, I am reminded of a conversation I had recently about how difficult it is to find a place to go to where the club looks nice, the people are great, and the music is at least bearable. It is difficult, to say the least.

For me, the tube is that place.

Everything fell into place and I, yes I, agreed with the look, people, and music of the place, and , I would recommend you check it out, if for no other reason than to see whether our tastes coincide. the tube Dobracina 12

the belgrader

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

What’s On

Music for the Jilted Generation, Akademija, Rajiceva 10, 23:00 House Party, Hoola Hoop, Karadjordjeva 75, 23:00 Ultragroove, Ex-Lagoom, Svetozara Radica 5, 23:00 Funkyshljiva, Skadarska 40c, 23:00 Other: Rabbit Hole (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre (BDP), Milesevska 64a, 20:30

This week, Belgrade night clubs offer a variety of options including live performances and local and international DJs.

Nightlife:

Roda Cineplex Pozeska 83A , tel: 011 2545260

Sweet Fridays @ Lazy Room, xLagoom, Svetozara Radica 5 23:00

Australia 17:30, 21:00 Bedtime Stories 16:00, 18:00 Christmas Story 16:00 Four Christmases 20:00, 22:00 Madagascar II 16:15 Twilight 18:00, 20:15, 22:30 Dom sindikata Trg Nikole Pasica 5, tel. 011 3234849 Australia 15:00, 18:00, 19:30, 21:00, 22:15 Bedtime Stories 16:00 Four Christmases 16:00, 18:00 Madagascar II 15:00, 17:30 The Day The Earth Stood Still 22:30 Twilight 17:45, 20:00, 22:15 Vicky Christina Barcelona 20:00, 22:00 Ster City Cinema Delta City, Jurija Gagarina 16 (Blok 67), tel: 011 2203400 Australia 13:10, 16:50, 20:00, 23:10 Bedtime Stories 12:10, 14:10, 16:00, 17:50, 19:40, 21:30 Four Christmases 12:30, 14:40, 16:30, 18:30, 20:20, 22:10 Madagascar II 11:10, 13:00, 15:00, 17:30, 19:20 Pride and Glory 21:10 Twilight 12:50, 15:40, 18:10, 20:40, 23:20 Vicky Christina Barcelona 19:00, 21:00, 23:00 Tuckwood Cineplex Kneza Milosa 7, tel: 011 3236517

House Party (DJ Kobac), Blue Moon, Knegilje Ljubice 4, 23:00 Bla Bla Band, Vanilla, Studentski trg 15, 22:30 Other:

Tuesday, January 20

A Little Bit of 90s, Mistique, Aberdareva 1b, 23:00

Makao Band, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00

Music:

Shaker Party, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00

90s YU Rock, White, Pariska 1a, 23.00

Lazy Sunday Afternoon, Fest, Majke Jevrosime 20, 22:00

Psychodelic Tuesday, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27 Marta, 23:00

Dominator, Toxic, Phase, Hector, Skadarska 40c, 23:00

Fresh Sundays, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27 Marta, 23:00

Other:

Live Bands, Blue Moon, Kneginje Ljubice 4, 23:00

The Pillowman (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre (BDP), Milesevska 64a, 20:30

Karaoke Night, Miss Moneypenny, Ada Ciganlija (Makiska side 4), 21:30

Same Time, Next Year (play), Slavija Theatre, Svetog Save 16, 20:00

Greek Party, Hoola Hoop, Karadjordjeva 75, 23:00

Amy’s View (play), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00

Other:

Friday, January 16

House Night, Mamolo, Ilije Garasanina 26, 21:00

Gramafondzije, Energija, Nusiceva 8, 23:00

Exhibition: Balsa Rajcevic (Sculpture), Feniks Gallery, Tadeusa Koscuska 28, 17:00

The Resident, Bitefart cafe, Skver Mire Trailovic 1, 22:30

Vocal House, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00

Nightlife:

Other:

Swan Lake, National Theatre, Francuska 3, 19:30

Nightlife:

Jailbreak, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 23:00

Samba, Bossa, Jazzy, Salvador Dali, Hilandarska 20, 21:00

Sunday, January 18

Nightlife:

Love Trigger, Danguba, Cirila i Metodija 2, 22:00

Salsa Night, Havana, Nikole Spasica 1, 22:00

Amadeus (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre (BDP), Milesevska 64a, 20:00

DJ Stevie (Gothic), Underworld, 23:00

Music:

Exhibition: Ilija Kostov (graphics), Blok Gallery, Jurija Gagarina 221 17:00 Zeitgeist: The Movie, Magacin in Kraljevica Marka, Kraljevica Marka 4, 18:00

Monday, January 19 Music: Karaoke, Danguba, Cirila i Metodija 2, 22:00 Di Luna Blues Band, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 23:00

Riffs, Francuska Sobarica, Francuska 12, 22:00 Diesel Party, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00 Kinky Acoustic, Miss Moneypenny, Ada Ciganlija (Makiska side 4), 21:30

Thursday, January 22 Music:

Karaoke Night, Gaucosi, Dunavska 14, 23:00 Tropico Band, Lava bar, Kneza Milosa 77, 23:00 Kaktus Band, Bard, Mitropolita Petra 8 Weekend Warm Up, Fest, Majke Jevrosime 20, 22:00 Prorok, Danguba, Cirila i Metodija 2, 22:00 MistakeMistake and Spacewalker, The Tube, Simina 21, 23:00 Nightlife:

Other:

Booki/Kinetic Vibe, Mamolo, Ilije Garasanina 26, 21:00

Exhibition: Juan Miro (paintings), Progress Gallery, Zmaj Jovina 8-10, 17:00

DJs Krsh and Lom, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27. Marta, 23:00

Maestro (play), Slavija Theatre, Svetog Save 16, 20:30

Marko Zujovic & a little bit of 90’s, Mistique, Aberdareva 1b, 23:00

Wednesday, January 21

Ladies Night, Mr. Stefan Braun’s Garden, Vojislava Ilica 86, 23:30

Music: Live Bands, Blue Moon, Kneginje Ljubice 4, 23:00 Eyot (ambiental/jazz), Danguba, Cirila i Metodija 2, 22:00

Other: Frederick (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre (BDP), Milesevska 64a, 20:30

Nightlife:

Art (play), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00

Cocktail Wednesdays, Mamolo, Ilije Garasanina 26, 21:00

Love Letter (play), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00

DJ Ike & Prema, Plastic, Djusina 7, 23:00

Big Deal Band, Lava bar, Kneza Milosa 77, 23:00

DJ Marko Gangbangers, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27.

Marta, 23:00

Back Door Men, Fest, Majke Jevrosime 20, 22:00

House Fever, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00

Starfuckers, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 23:00

Disco House Night, White, Pariska 1a, 23:00

Pookie & N.I.K.O., The Tube, Simina 21, 23:00

Music Machine, Lava bar, Kneza Milosa 77, 23:00

Katarina Ostojic, Rich, Vase Pelagica 54, 23:00

DJ Peppe, The Tube, Simina 21, 23:00

Stefan

Wounded Eagle (play), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00

Disco Plastic, Plastic, Djusina 7, 23:00

Saturday, January 17

Karaoke Challenge, Mr. Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00

Exhibition: Branislav Mihajlovic (paintings), Atrium BGB Gallery, Kneza Mihaila 56 17:00

Hardcore festival, Danguba, Cirila i Metodija 2, 22:00

Fuzzbox, Fest, Majke Jevrosime 20, 22:00

Odium, Danguba, Cirila i Metodija 2, 22:00

Discount Night, Fest, Majke Jevrosime 20, 22:00

Scream (metal night), Danguba, Cirila I Metodija 2, 22:00

Australia 15:40, 16:40, 19:00, 20:00, 22:10, 23:10 Four Christmases 16:15, 18:15, 20:15 Madagascar II 19:15 Pride and Glory 22:00 The Day The Earth Stood Still 21:00 Twilight 15:30, 18:00, 22:30, 22:45

Music:

Wandered in From a Rave, Francuska Sobarica, Francuska 12, 22:00

Dark Night (EMB, Darkwave, Futurepop), Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27. Marta, 23:00

Exhibition: Stories with Stone (photography) - Chaos Gallery, Dositejeva 3, 17:00

Music:

CINEMAS

Nightlife:

13

Tchaikovsky’s world renowned ballet, Swan Lake, will be performed at the National Theatre in Belgrade.

14

sport

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

Serbs Face Uphill Task in Australian Open A Grand Slam title may be a tall order for Serbia’s three prospects, judging by an unconvincing start to the season.

By Zoran Milosavljevic Reporting from Belgrade

J

elena Jankovic is battling to be fit for the January 19th - February 1st Australian Open, but even so, she is Serbia’s best bet for a singles title in the season’s opening Grand Slam tournament. Novak Djokovic’s firstround exit at the Brisbane International has drawn an avalanche of criticism of the defending champion’s state of mind, while Ana Ivanovic’s crushing second round defeat to Amelie Mauresmo in the same tournament has left little room for optimism that she can rediscover last summer’s form.

Radmilo Armenulic, Serbia’s former Davis Cup coach, reckons that Djokovic’s off-court antics during the Christmas and New Year’s festivities show that he has lost his focus and appetite. “Djokovic should have gone to Australia much earlier then he did to get used to the climate and the time difference,” Armenulic told Belgrade media after the Serb’s defeat to Latvian underdog Ernests Gulbis. “Also, he was doing all sorts of things in Belgrade when he should have been concentrating on his title defence,” he added. But Djokovic, who was seen playing golf with his coach Marijan Vajda only a few hours before his unimpressive 2009 debut, is not bothered by what Armenulic believes may be a difficult year for the world number three. “I play golf to relax and I am not going to panic after losing to

Photo by FoNet

Bend it like Beckham: Djokovic in action sporting an emblem of AC Milan, one of his favourite football clubs which recently signed the former England captain. The world number three from Serbia faces a stern challenge from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray in defending his Australian Open crown after a patchy start in 2009.

Gulbis,” he said. “It’s true that I got here late but I still have enough time to prepare for the Australian Open.”

As Armenulic pointed out, Djokovic is defending 1,000 ATP points in Melbourne and the failure to retain his title, or at least reach the final, may well enable world number four Andy Murray, who was an impressive winner of the Doha tournament last week, to leapfrog him into third place in the men’s ATP rankings. Still, Djokovic remains one of the favourites to win his second successive Australian Open – if he can reproduce his best tennis when it matters most, as he has done on so many occasions. His hopes have

certainly been bolstered by this week’s run in Sydney, where he reached the semi-finals on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Croatia’s Mario Ancic.

Ana Ivanovic has also drawn too much media attention for the wrong reasons, through little fault of her own. Her romance with Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who reached the Brisbane Open final, seems to be getting far more publicity than her chances of capturing a second Grand Slam title after her victory at last season’s French Open. It has been a downward spiral for Ivanovic since, and according to Armenulic, her game is quite simply falling apart. “She does

Rampant Partizan Flying High The Serbian champions defied the 23 points, but miserable team shootodds to qualify for the last 16 of Eu- ing from the field condemned the star-studded Russian outfit to their rope’s premier club competition.

By Zoran Milosavljevic Reporting from Belgrade

P

artizan Belgrade marched into the Euroleague last 16 on Wednesday with a stunning 66-63 win over defending European club champions CSKA Moscow, which means they will play another top three sides in the second stage of the competition.

The success also gives basketball fans in Belgrade the opportunity to see at least three more games of the highest quality, when Partizan host their rivals in the city’s Pionir Arena.

They will have even more to cheer about if Partizan emulate or exceed last season’s feat of advancing into the elite eight, but that will be a tall order for a thin squad which lost their three best players to wealthier European rivals.

Guards Milenko Tepic and Aleksandar Rasic were at the heart of the upset in Moscow with 13 points each, while Stephane Lasme added 11 and six rebounds. CSKA forward Erazem Lorbek led all scorers with

second successive home defeat, after they also went down to Real Madrid.

“We have achieved our objective by progressing into the top 16 and we can now enjoy ourselves in the second round,” said Partizan’s delighted coach Dusko Vujosevic. “I hope the relevant government bodies will appreciate the success and realise that we need support,” he added as a reminder of the financial difficulties Serbia’s most successful basketball outfit is going through. Beside CSKA and Real Madrid, who had sealed their passage into the last 16 well before the preliminary round’s final day, Italians AJ Milano joined Partizan from Group D with an 8777 win at Panionios Athens and Efes Pilsen Istanbul blew their chance in an 80-69 mauling by Real. In Group B, Poland’s Asseco Prokom clinched a second round berth despite a 75-53 drubbing by Panathinaikos Athens.

They were able to progress as other results went their way and enabled them to edge out Nancy and Zalgiris Kaunas with the best head-to-head record, with all three sides finishing the preliminary group stage on a miserable 2-8 record.

not have a strategy and looks as if she doesn’t know what do to on the court,” he said. “On top of all that, she looks depressed out there and her defeat to Mauresmo, who is well past her peak, is not a good sign.” Hence Jankovic, who warmed up for the Australian Open with a series of exhibition matches in Hong Kong, appears to be Serbia’s strongest candidate for success, if she can shake off the flu in time to launch her bid for a long overdue first Grand Slam title in her career. While Djokovic has switched to a different racket producer, Jankovic is still weighing her options and Armenulic warned this might be a

deterring factor. “It takes time to get used to a new racket and I hope Djokovic has no trouble in getting used to his new gear. All things considered, this may be a very difficult year for Serbian tennis, as expectations are huge and the pressure is mounting,” the coach added. It would be a pity if Serbia’s three tennis prodigies were to fall victim to their own success and Armenulic’s stinging remarks should drive them on to go the extra mile rather than dent their egos.

Zoran Milosavljevic is Belgrade Insight’s sports writer and also a regional sports correspondent for Reuters.

Live Sports on TV Friday, Jan 16: Tennis: ATP Sydney Tournament semi-finals (Sport Klub 5:30 a.m.); Alpine Skiing: Women’s Super Combined (Eurosport – downhill at 10:30 a.m. and slalom at 1:30 p.m.); Soccer: Anderlecht v Cercle Bruges (Sport Klub + 8:30 p.m.), Heerenveen v Feyenoord (Sport Klub 8:45 p.m.); NHL Ice Hockey: Florida Panthers v Philadelphia Flyers (Sport Klub 1:30 a.m. Saturday).

Saturday, Jan 17: Basketball: Spanish League – Joventut Badalona v Barcelona (Sport Klub 8:00 p.m.); Alpine Skiing: Women’s World Cup Combined Downhill (Eurosport 11:00 a.m.), Men’s World Cup Downhill (HRT 2 and Eurosport 12:20 p.m.); Tennis: Sydney ATP tournament final (Sport Klub 9:30 a.m.); NHL Ice Hockey: Washington Capitals v Boston Bruins (Sport Klub 01:00 a.m.

Sunday); Water Polo: Champions League – Spartak v Jug Dubrovnik (HRT 2 at 6:00 p.m.), Eger Budapest v Partizan Belgrade (RTS 2 at 8:30 p.m.); Handball: World Championship – Egypt v Serbia (RTS 2 at 6:10 p.m.); Soccer: Bolton v Manchester United (RTS 2 at 4:00 p.m.), Siena v Reggina (Sport Klub 6:00 p.m.), Grenoble v Lyon (Sport Klub + 7:00 p.m.), Barcelona v Deportivo La Coruna (FOX Serbia 8:00 p.m.), AC

Milan v Fiorentina (OBN and Avala 8:30 p.m.), Nantes v Girondins Bordeaux (Sport Klub + 9:00 p.m.).

Sunday, Jan 18: Basketball: Spanish League – Real Madrid v Unicaja Malaga (Sport Klub 12:30 p.m.), NLB Regional League – Zadar v Partizan Belgrade (FOX Serbia 6:30 p.m.), NBA Regular Season – Toronto Raptors v Phoenix Suns (OBN at midnight); Water Polo: Champions League – Jadran Herceg Novi v Mladost Zagreb (HRT 2 at 5:00 p.m.); Handball: World Championship – Serbia v Denmark (RTS 2 at 8:10 p.m.); Alpine Skiing: Men’s World Cup Slalom (HRT 2 and Eurosport 9:50 a.m. and 1:10 p.m.), Women’s Downhill (Eurosport 11:15 a.m.); NFL Playoffs: Philadelphia Eagles v Arizona Cardinals (Sport Klub 9:00 p.m.), Baltimore Ravens v Pittsburgh Steelers (Sport Klub 00:30 a.m. Monday); Soccer: West Ham v Fulham (RTS 2 at 2:30 p.m.), Torino v Roma (OBN and Avala 3:00 p.m.), Various Italian League matches (Sport Klub 3:00 p.m.), Tottenham v Portsmouth (RTS 2 at 5:00 p.m.), Spanish League Match (TV Kosava 5:00 p.m.), PSG v Sochaux (Sport Klub 5:00 p.m.), Lazio v Juventus (OBN and Avala 8:30 p.m.), Spanish League Match (TV Kosava 9:00 p.m.).

directory

Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

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

15

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

16

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Friday, Jan. 16 - Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

Latest news from across the Balkans, in-depth analysis and investigations from our journalists in nine countries.