Belgrade Insight, No. 29 by Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN)

NEWS NEWS

Friday • June 13 • 2008

9 ISSN 1820-8339

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Issue 1 / Friday, June 13, 2008 Weekly Issue No. 29,No. Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Lure of Tadic Alliance Splits Socialists

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

EDITOR’S WORD POLITICS

Political Predictability

Belgrade mayor Dragan Djilas was barred from entering Kosovo. By Mark R. Pullen

Page 2

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 Many of us who have experiBELGRADE Tadic in a bid to guide his party into enced numerous Serbian elections youth, as Djordje Zaric, wasit the European mainstream, but much Belgrade rate ourselves pundits when killed following an incident in which a of the membership and many offi- police comes to predicting reofficer’s pistol was election discharged. cials may oppose that move.” sults and post-election moves. 5 Nikolic agreed: “The question is We feel in-the-knowPage because will the party split or will the ‘oldour experience of elections in Ser&usABOUT timers’ back down,” he noted. bia hasOUT shown that (a.) no single Fearing they might not cross the party or coalition will ever gain the close to to form the Bulgarian 5-per-cent threshold to enter parlia- Romuliana, majority required a governborder has some of the finest Roment, the Socialists teamed up with man ment, and (b.) political negotiations ruins in the region. the Association of Pensioners and the will never be quickly concluded. United Serbia Party, led by businessEven when the Democrats man Dragan Markovic “Palma”. achieved their surprising result at Pensioners leader, Jovan Krkobalast month’s general election, it bic, Palma and Dacic are all pushing quickly became clear that the refor a deal with the Democrats. sult was actually more-or-less the The reported price is the post of same as every other election result Socialist leader Ivica Dacic remains the Serbian kingmaker deputy PM, with a brief in charge of in Serbia, i.e. inconclusive. security for the Socialist leader. faces extinction unless it changes. This is likely to continue as long to Serbia’s late president, Slobodan By Rade Maroevic in Belgrade In addition, the Socialists are barHowever, a strong current also as Serbia’s politicians form new Milosevic, and reformists who want gaining for other ministries, includflows in the opposite direction, led political parties every time they the party to become a modern Euroense negotiations on a new govPage 9 ing capital investments, Kosovo and by party veterans enraged by the disagree with their current party pean social democrat organisation. ernment have divided the ranks DANCE education, Belgrade media reported. prospect of a deal with Tadic. leader (there are currently 342 regAfter eight years of stagnation, of the Socialist Party, which holds FoNet Tadic has deniedPhoto talkbyof horseMihajlo Markovic, a founder of istered political parties in Serbia). the Socialists returned to centre stage the balance of power between the The Belgrade Dance Festival starts trading with the Socialists, maintainthethat party, recently crisis Drawn-out negotiations are also winning 20 of thefor250 in the day main blocs and protestors, has yet toboth announce Up to one thousand young and old,after gathered at Trg Republike a rallyseats to mark Spanish planeswarned dropped of theafirst NATO bombs on Serbia. on April 1st and showcases a mixing that ministries would go only to ture if Dacic opts for the pro-European theofnorm. Oneand Belgrade-based parliament in the May 11 elections. which side they will support. traditional contemporary those committed to working for the pieces. bloc, abandoning the Socialists’ “natAmbassador recently told me he With the pro-European and nation“It looks as if the Socialists will 11 government’s “strategic goal”. ural” ideological partners. was also alarmed by Page the distinct alist blocs almost evenly matched, move towards a government led by At the same time, Dacic seems reMarkovic, a prominent supporter lack of urgency among Serbian the Socialists now have the final say the Democrats,” political analyst MiGOING OUT is at a luctant to call off negotiations with of Milosevic during the 1990s, is politicians. “The country on the fate of the country. lan Nikolic, of the independent Centhe nationalists. seen as representative of the “oldstandstill andyouthful I don’tcrowd understand Nikolic believes the Socialists, led tre of Policy Studies, said. “But such Club White’s made Ten years after the bombing that the inloss of who Kosovo, Serbia “If has correspondent we marked don’t reach the an agreement our timers” the party want to stay their logic. If theyfeel areold... so eager to by Ivica campaign Dacic, will come overled to to a move might provoke deeper divianniversary somedeanger with the DSS and Radicals, the partruebut to thelittle former reflection. regime’s policies, progress towards the EU and enTadic, if only outwith of a pragmatic sions and even split the party.” ty leadership will decide on future even though these almost ruined the courage investors, how come they sire to ensure their political survival. Simultaneous negotiations held Instead, Serbs remain torn be- again endanger people – an obvious Milosevic demonstrations in the steps”, Dacic announced, following Socialists for good. go home at 5pm sharp and don’t “The group of younger Socialists with the pro-European and nationaltween looking back at the war, swipe at the bloodshed of the Milo- nineties. By Julijana Mojsilovic the first session of country’s new parSome younger Socialist officials work weekends?” gathered around Dacic seems to be ist blocs have drawn attention to a which In their black-and-white world, led to a loss of territory, and sevic regime. onconfusion Wednesday. have voiced frustration over the con- thereliament Surely the situation is urgent in the majority”, Nikolic said, adding deep rift inside the Socialists. was no or dilemma At home, top politicians, caresimply looking forward to joining years after NATO launched the causes of the(www.balkaninsight.com) 1999 war. not toimpasse directly within link thetheir NATO Union. believe the party fultinuing own overSource: enough to warrant a little overtime. thatEuropean these reformists Thisen divides “old-timers” loyal the Balkan Insight its air war, aimed at halting Chanting “we want arms” and Far from Belgrade, Serbia’s bombing in 1999 to Kosovo’s decSlobodan Milosevic’s violent President, Boris Tadic, whose Dem- laration of independence in 2008, “kill Albanians”, some performed crackdown in Kosovo, many Serbs ocratic Party is now in coalition with laid wreaths at sites where NATO Nazi salutes beside a cardboard THIS ISSUE OF BusinessSocialists, Insightdelivered his bombs Neighbourhood remain unwilling to confront the Milosevic’s fell. Some issuedMatters statements figure of Ratko Mladic, the former Insight reasons Belgrade behind the conflict. describing the campaign as unjust. Bosnian Serb commander, sought own ‘10 years on’ statement. Page 12 Both politicians andBY: the meOn Tuesday, a few far-right or- for war crimes. In New York, attending a UN IS top SUPPORTED dia marked the anniversary, while session on Kosovo and represent- ganisations mustered a crowd of Others carried banners which avoiding looking at the factors for ing a Serbia that has vowed never to about a thousand to condemn the read ‘Milosevic: Hero, Defender of conomists are warning that prohile the football world watchthe intervention or examining the is- recognise Kosovo’s independence, bombings in Belgrade’s Trg Relonged uncertainty over Serbia’s es site events at the Eurosue of responsibility. of aunfold number of antiTadic said politics should never public, the Continued on page 4 future could scare off investors, lead pean Championships in Austria and to higher inflation and jeopardise Switzerland, Bosnia is experiencing DINING prosperity OUT for years to come. a soccer rebellion, led by fans, SPORT play“This year has been lost, from the ers and former stars who are enraged standpoint of economic policy,” says The by World what they as corrupt leaders Trencherman visits Ikki to sample reCup see qualifiers restart this Stojan Stamenkovic of the Econom- weekend. of the country’s football association putedly Belgrade’s best sushi. Teams from around the region will be in action. ics Institute in Belgrade. leaders. page 5 page 10

Serbia Recalls NATO Raids T

Costs Mounting

Page 10

Football Rebellion

Page 14

Source: www.weather2umbrella.com

serbia

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Plan to Cut Number of Govt. Ministries

uling Democratic Party and G17 Plus officials in Serbia have concluded that the number of government ministries should be reduced in a bid to cut costs, Belgrade daily Blic reports. Citing a source from the Democratic Party, Blic notes that the number of government ministers should be cut in proportion to the number of ministries each one of the government coalition partners hold. The idea is to decrease the number of ministries from 25 to as few as 15. The Democratic Party and G17 Plus previously reached an agreement with their coalition partner, the Socialist Party of Serbia, SPS, to discuss this plan, although the final decision will wait for President Boris Tadic to return from New York. According to a preliminary agreement the Democrats are expected to give away three ministries, G17 Plus one and SPS one. According to Blic, even with this decrease, the Serbian Government would still be too large. Countries the size of Serbia, with a population of around 10 million,

usually have no more than 15 ministries and generally only one Deputy Prime Minister. Currently, the Serbian Government has three Deputy Prime Ministers: Ivica Dacic, who is also Interior Minister; Bozidar Djelic, Deputy Prime Minister for EU Integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development and Mladjan Dinkic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development. Slobodan Ilic, the State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance confirmed to Belgrade’s B92 network that there are plans to decrease the number of ministries, but he also said that there is no agreement between members of the ruling coalition when it comes to exact numbers. He added that this action would be unlikely to contribute very much to any savings, but that it perhaps might have some psychological effect on businesses, public companies and local governments, demonstrating to them that the government is serious in its plans to reduce costs at all levels of the administration.

Belgrade Mayor Barred From Kosovo

osovo police on Monday prevented Belgrade mayor Dragan Djilas from entering Kosovo at the customs checkpoint in Konculj. Djilas, who is an official of the Democratic Party headed by Serbian President Boris Tadic, planned to visit the Serb population in eastern Kosovo together with his associates, but was denied entry because the Kosovo police claimed he had “failed to respect the procedure for obtaining a permit to enter and stay in Kosovo.” “This act by the so-called Kosovo authorities does not surprise me, but it is a shame that the international community approves this kind of move,” Djilas told the press at Konculj. Until 9 December, 2008, permits for Serbian officials entering Kosovo were issued by the office of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK. However, since then, the mission has passed requests on to the Kosovo police. On Monday, Zenun Pajaziti, Kosovo’s Interior Minister warned Serbian officials that they have to respect the legal procedure if they want to enter Kosovo. “For permits, they must address the authorised institutions of the Re-

public of Kosovo,” he told the Kosovo media. Boris Tadic, speaking from New York, where he is attending a UN Security Council meeting, said “it is of extreme importance for stability” that institutions of the international community allow the unhindered access of democratically elected officials of the Republic of Serbia to the whole territory of Kosovo. Lamberto Zannier, head of UNMIK, considers that the problem of banning Serbian officials from entering Kosovo could become a source of tension in the region. This is the third time that Serbian officials have been banned from entering Kosovo in the last month. Before Djilas, an official from the Belgrade government and a group of Serbian parliamentarians were also barred. The Konculj customs checkpoint is located in the municipality of Bujanovac, around 380 kilometres south of Belgrade. This region of southern Serbia was the location of armed conflict in 2000 and 2001, between Albanian insurgents and Serbian security forces. The conflict ended following the mediation of NATO Belgrade Mayor, Dragan Djilas and the international community.

Bomb Blast Kills Judge’s Wife in Southeast Serbia

Knjazevac

he wife of a judge in the southeast Serbian town of Knjazevac was killed when a device exploded as she opened the door to her apartment. The victim has been identified as Radica Lukic, 57. “An investigation was launched, and the only thing I can tell you right now is that we are questioning various people and witnesses, everyone who could possibly know anything

about the explosion,” the District Public Prosecutor from Knjazevac, Zorin Zogovic said. He explained that the accident happened sometime after 6 a.m. on Wednesday, and that the police were notified at 6:35. “The explosive device of a type yet unknown, was planted by the door and Radica Lukic died soon afterwards from injuries sustained in the explosion,” said Zogovic.

He said that there is information that Velimir Lukic had previously been threatened but Zogovic refused to reveal any details because they were crucial to the investigation. A team from the ministry of the interior carried out a preliminary investigation at the scene. The Serbian ministry of justice, on Wednesday, that they hoped the perpetrators would be found as soon

as possible, and demanded a severe punishment. The attack was also condemned by the local parliament, the association of Serbian judges and the supreme court of Serbia. In a similar attack, almost exactly a year ago, also in Knjazevac, judge Dragisa Cvejic was murdered. He died in an explosion caused by a device planted at the gate of his house on March 21st 2008.

Weekly Press Roundup VECERNJE NOVOSTI - Miroslav Lajcak, the new Slovakian Minister of Foreign Affairs and former EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, says that Slovakia will not recognise Kosovo’s independence. GLAS JAVNOSTI - Tobacco producers protested in Belgrade, asking the government for a rate of

89 dinars for each kilo of tobacco produced.

the “queer” law by radical deputies.

BORBA - Radical deputies in the Serbian Parliament brought posters showing Boban Stojanovic, a gay activist and Borba journalist, pictured in his underwear into parliament. The anti-discrimination law due for consideration by parliament shortly, has been dubbed

BLIC - Lack of control over public spending has led to a situation where it is unclear how much money the state earned from the privatisation of public companies. Blic has seen two different official documents which differ by 190 billion dinars. VECERNJE NOVOSTI - The global crisis is affecting the Serbian press. Circulation and the number of ads are decreasing and debtors are not paying. So far, the government has no strategy for the sector. By the end of this year several thousand of people could lose their jobs. BORBA - A few hundred, mostly young, people protested on Saturday over the death of Djordje Zaric, killed during a police action on Friday. The protest became violent and police arrested 17 people, amongst them ten minors. DANAS - Most Serbian administrative bodies broke the deadlines set in the government’s action plan for the liberalisation of the visa

regime between Serbia and the European Union. Nevertheless, 90 per cent of the work is either complete or will be finished soon. POLITIKA - At a meeting of the UN Security Council, President Boris Tadic protested over the presence of Kosovo foreign affairs minister Skender Hyseni. Tadic rejected accusations over alleged provocations from Belgrade and said that there is no truth in suggestions that Belgrade obstructs the export of products from Kosovo. VECERNJE NOVOSTI - Serbia will not go bankrupt, said minister of economy and regional development Mladjan Dinkic. He added that the government is planning efficiency savings and spending cuts. The minister said that there had been much interest in start-up loans for new small businesses. KURIR - Since the beginning of this year, 10,000 people have lost their jobs each month. If the government doesn’t do anything, by the end of the year, the number of unemployed could reach one million.

BLIC - Serbian justice minister, Snezana Malovic, met Italian prosecutors and was briefed on their experience concerning the confiscation of property from sentenced criminals. Malovic says Italian Mafia members do not own houses as luxurious as those owned by Serbian criminals. POLITIKA - Parties from the ruling coalition in Serbia have agreed to reduce the number of ministries in the government. President Boris Tadic, Prime Minister Mirko Cetkovic and his deputy prime ministers have agreed the deal. BLIC - The agreement between the government and the International Monetary Fund will lead to reduced salaries in publicly owned companies and pensions. Although rates will remain unchanged from January 2009, new taxes will lead to a net reduction. DANAS - The first solidarity store, with food and cleaning products discounted by up to 50 per cent, has opened in Belgrade. By the end of April another ten should be in operation.

politics

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Serbia Quietly Warms Up Ties with NATO

Profile of the Week Dragan “Palma” Markovic

In a landmark move, Serbia is to open a mission at NATO’s Brussels headquarters. But for various reasons, politicians will leave the membership issue for another day. Comment by Daniel Sunter

erbia is to open its first diplomatic and military mission at NATO headquarters in Brussels this summer, taking the relationship with the organisation up a notch after a year of stagnation. After most Western countries recognised Kosovo’s independence, Serbia’s former prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica responded with blasts of anti-NATO, anti-US and even antiEU rhetoric. The anti-NATO campaign peaked as public protests against Kosovo’s independence, organised by Kostunica in Belgrade, descended into riots, looting and an attack on the US embassy. But since the victory of pro-Western Democratic Party leader, Boris Tadic, in presidential elections in February 2008 and the subsequent victory of a Democratic-led coalition in the parliamentary elections, Serbia has resumed movement towards membership of both the EU and NATO. The political elite still avoids public discussion of whether Serbia should strive for full membership of the North Atlantic alliance, however. This is firstly because memories remain fresh of the 1999 NATO bombing, and also because the ruling coalition wishes to focus on integration with the EU.

Serbia’s initial moves towards closer cooperation with NATO began when Tadic was appointed defence minister Therefore, relations and cooperation with NATO are being carried out, through the Ministry of Defence and army, without overt advertisement. Sources close to the ruling Democratic Party say the government only wants to open the issue of NATO membership once Serbia is at the door of EU membership. The same sources believe Serbia needs first to make full use of all the opportunities provided by NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme, PfP. Serbia’s initial moves towards closer cooperation with NATO began when Tadic was appointed defence minister in 2003, three years after the fall of Slobodan Milosevic, under whose regime Serbia became internationally isolated. Since then, Serbia has carried out extensive military reforms in cooperation with NATO, resulting in the introduction of democratic control over the armed forces, and intensive bilateral cooperation with defence systems in the US, Norway and Britain, as well as with countries from the region, including former enemies Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

A ‘real’ Serbian in Belgrade By Slobodan Georgijev

The mayor of the central Serbian town of Jagodina, annoys liberals with his outspoken views, but there would not be a pro-European government in Serbia without him.

The Serbian military is keen to extend its ties with NATO, but politicians are more wary.

By the end of 2007, with NATO support, Serbia completed the conversion of the former Soviet-type conscript army into a smaller force, harmonised to NATO standards. Large numbers of army personnel were pensioned off, including conservative officers who had helped support the leading Hague tribunal fugitive and former Bosnian Serb commander, Ratko Mladic. Reforms, intensive international cooperation and the training of a large number of officers at schools and courses in Western countries, especially Britain, have turned the Serbian defence establishment in a reformist direction. They are now key supporters of Serbia’s integration into NATO. Cooperation between Serbia and NATO has improved on the ground, meanwhile. Serbian soldiers, together with colleagues from the US, Sweden and other member countries of the KFOR peace force in Kosovo, jointly patrol the sensitive zone between Kosovo and Serbia. Serbia and NATO thus contribute together to the stabilisation of security in the Balkans and to the fight against organised crime in the border

zone, such as the smuggling of people, narcotics and cigarettes. As part of the NATO PfP programme, Serbia is now preparing to take part in international peace missions with NATO members, thus making a contribution towards the export of security. The war experience of Serbian army doctors from the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s is much appreciated today, and is a sought-after speciality in NATO, EU and UN missions in Asia and Africa. In this aspect, Serbia has built an especially close cooperation with Norway.

Cooperation between Serbia and NATO has improved on the ground Although relations with the US cooled after Washington recognised Kosovo’s independence in February 2008, military links between the two countries have not been disrupted. Since 2007, through a programme of partnership with the state of Ohio, Serbia’s army has established cooper-

Photo by FoNet

ation with the National Guard of Ohio, which, according to the Pentagon, is one of the most successful examples of cooperation the US National Guard has had with any European country. This autumn, together with US Army headquarters in Europe, Serbia will organise the biggest international army manoeuvres held in Serbia, involving soldiers from dozens of NATO member states and members of the PfP. Also in the pipeline is the construction of an American-Serbian military memorial centre in central Serbia in commemoration of the Halyard Mission, the greatest successful evacuation mission of downed Allied pilots in occupied Europe in the Second World War. In 1944, more than 600 Allied pilots were fed and hidden from Nazis by ordinary Serbs in central Serbia and then evacuated. These and other examples of successful military cooperation with the West have created the current paradox – that while no consensus on NATO membership exists in public, most Serbian army officers back joining the organisation. Daniel Sunter is the executive director of the Euro-Atlantic Initiative

hether he is talking about women, his political goals, the giraffes he bought for the local zoo, or the rights of homosexuals, Dragan “Palma” Markovic simultaneously entertains and irritates liberals. Yet, ironically, Markovic and his United Serbia party are an important piece in the political puzzle that makes up the governing, pro-European coalition. Markovic’s comment about Europe and homosexuals, which was his contribution to the debate on the AntiDiscrimination law, provoked both disgust and laughter. “If we are going to be led to Europe by homosexuals, then it is better for us to stay where we are and guard sheep,” he said. His party did not support the act, even though they are a part of the ruling coalition. Belgraders view him as a stereotypical man from the provinces of Serbia: a little hard to understand, funny, direct, with an indispensible vitality and, often, frustrating. According to his beliefs, homosexuality is abnormal, and gays should keep their orientation hidden. “In my town there are no guys who walk funny and pluck eyebrows,” says Markovic. This kind of view leads some liberal opinion-formers in Serbia see Markovic as an uneducated brute. Markovic who has brought many popular musicians to perform in Jagodina, once said that Beethoven and Chopin did not play in Jagodina only because he was too young and hadn’t been elected Mayor so he wasn’t able to book them when they were popular. As mayor of Jagodina, he has introduced many improvements and benefits that have made him so popular that he is likely to remain in power for as long as he wants. By building an Aqua Park, a zoo and a stadium, he has raised the town’s profile. He also expanded social services. For example, the town pays to take children on summer and winter holidays, and the elderly receive transportation to the Guca trumpet festival. Pensioners receive free medicine, and every third child receives a scholarship until they are eighteen. Markovic, 49, founded the Party of Serbian Unity with Zeljko “Arkan” Raznatovic, the Serbian paramilitary leader who was assassinated in 2001. A self-declared nationalist who says he is just a businessman in politics, his advocacy for Serbian accession to the EU contributed to the creation of the current pro-European government. In defence of his position, he told nationalists then that “it is not patriotism that is poured into tractors, but oil.”

belgrade chronicle

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Serbia Recalls NATO Raids Continued from page 1 Serbs and Liberty,’ and photos of the late leader smiling, next to a placard of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. “I came to express my anger at NATO, America, Europe, and at everyone who hates us,” a young man, who identified himself only as Dragan, said. Air-raid sirens went off at noon on Tuesday to remind people of the raids back in 1999, and of those Serbs who did not survive. Zoran Zivkovic, former prime minister from the Democratic Party

and one of the main politicians behind Milosevic’s ousting, criticised people for trying to present the events of 1999 as some form of Serbian victory. “The authorities are trying to portray the 1999 bombing over Kosovo in the same light as the Battle of Kosovo of 1389 and say NATO actually did not win”, he said. “In so doing, they haven’t moved much further on from Milosevic,” he added. Zivkovic said Serbs needed to accept Milosevic was the main person responsible for the conflict. “Milose-

“The authorities are trying to portray the 1999 bombing over Kosovo in the same light as the Battle of Kosovo of 1389 and say NATO actually did not win.”

“The right way to remember this day is to remember everything that led up to it.”

Zoran Zivkovic, former prime minister from the Democratic Party

Cedomir Jovanovic, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats

A number of youths were arrested following disturbances after the protest.

vic’s policies across the former Yugoslavia, and his attempt to prove that the whole world was against Serbia, were to blame for pushing the nation into the catastrophe that ended in the NATO bombing,” he said. Zivkovic stressed that this did not mean he approved of NATO’s reaction, however. The bombing “did not end his rule since he would have been ousted anyway,” he said. “What it did for the democratic authorities who replaced Milosevic was to bequeath them a devastated country.” Cedomir Jovanovic, from the opposition Liberal Democrats, was less nuanced. “The right way to remember this day is to remember everything that led up to it,” he said. He was seconded by Sonja Biserko, the head of the Serbian branch of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights. She said the country needed to accept that “the NATO air campaign had something to do with all that Milosevic’s regime had done over the preceding decade”. Biserko was referring to the series of bloody wars in Croatia and Bosnia undertaken to realise the nationalist dream of “all Serbs living in one state.” Several documentaries and talk shows on local television channels reminded the audience of what happened during the 78-day campaign, remembering those killed by NATO bombs and reconstructing the events that preceded the bombing. State television tried to prove that the immediate trigger for the bombing – the murder of 45 villagers in Racak, Kosovo – was a legitimate police action, which was declared a massacre in order to justify NATO’s action. Others mentioned Albanian victims of Milosevic’s crackdown, but mostly it seemed with the intention of placing them in the wider context of the collateral damage Serbia suffered from the NATO bombing. Boris Dezulovic, a Croatian writer and columnist told Belgrade Insight that the media reactions to the tenth anniversary of the conflict had laid bare the continuing divisions in Serbian society. “The media in Serbia reflect a general division in the country regarding its past,” he said. “The anti-government, pro-nationalist media outlets equally, have not accepted reality and do their best to portray the defeat as a victory.”

Photo by FoNet

For some, the day was for reflection and rememberance.

Arm-in-arm with a cardboard cut-out of indicted war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic, these ladies joined the protest.

belgrade chronicle

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Police Shooting Serbian TV Mystics Prompts Probe and Evade Legislation Public Upheaval

ast week’s tragedy, in which a Belgrade police officer shot and killed a 24-year old parttime soccer player, has caused a political storm after Interior Minister Ivica Dacic ordered a probe into the incident and sacked several senior riot police officials, including the unit’s chief. Officer Miljan Raicevic, 25, was taken into custody after killing 24year old Djordje Zaric, in what appears to have been an accidental shooting following a car chase in New Belgrade in the early hours of March 20th, after the victim and his companion spent a night out in one of the city’s many boat-bars. According to a police statement, Zaric and his companion, who was driving under the influence of alcohol, sped through several red lights and also failed to pull over after a metropolitan police unit followed them and ordered them to stop. Police said that the youths refused to get out of the car and their actions resulted in a scuffle, during which Raicevic had drawn his gun from his holster fearing that the two young men might be armed, when the gun discharged accidentally.

“Raicevic is a decorated police officer, who was by no means inexperienced, and was certainly not under the influence of alcohol when the incident occurred,” Dacic said. “It is necessary to establish all the facts, and the most tragic thing in the entire case is that a young life has been lost. We want the truth to come out, whether it was an accident, involuntary manslaughter or an excessive use of force,” he added. The tragedy sparked a public outcry and pleas to “put an end to police brutality” on various messageboards, especially after B92 carried a Youtube video of an earlier brutal arrest of two car thieves by a special intervention unit. On Saturday, March 21st, several hundred youths protesting over the tragedy went on a rampage in the city centre, vandalising property, prompting riot police to move in and quell the violence. They carried a slogan saying ‘Death to police, freedom to the people’, smashing cars and windows of nearby residential buildings, after which 17 were arrested – 10 of whom were juveniles.

Belgrade Diary

By Tom Fuller

woke on Saturday with a cleaner bustling around the room. I woke up again, a few minutes later, as she was clattering items around on the table next to me. Through a drowsy blur, I scanned my brain for an appropriate phrase for this situation. “Dobar dan,” I murmured, before rolling back over and falling asleep. Awaking a third time when she gave a cheery ‘ciao’, I realised that it might have been more friendly to have had a chat with her – about the weather; to exchange plans for the weekend; or simply to discuss the strangeness of my waking up with a middle-aged lady dusting my forehead. Sadly, just like most visitors – especially stereotypically linguistically-stunted Brits – I have arrived in this foreign clime with little more than a phrasebook and three memorised expressions to roll out. Unfortunately, 33 per cent of these is redundant because my indecipherably poor pronunciation betrays that “I can’t speak Serbian” without my needing to vocalise the sentiment. Even though I’ve found that an apologetic smile and a sheepish shrug are enough to inspire shop staff to switch languages, it does make me feel rather guilty. I also wonder how much I can learn about this country when the heights of my

erbia’s fortune-tellers have found a new way to get round a recent law, which has banned them from the media. They have simply hopped across the border to work for channels that broadcast programmes back into Serbia. Goran Karadzic, the vice president of Serbia’s National Broadcasting Agency, RRA, told Serbia’s Vecernje Novosti daily that they had received several complaints from the Croatian and Bosnian media, who claim their television and radio airtime has been swamped by these soothsayers. Since these “stations are not under jurisdiction of the RRA,” Karadzic says, his agency’s hands are tied. But some of them, like Bosnian’s NB and OBN, are widely available in Serbia through cable operators. Karadzic argues that the RRA is now considering banning these television stations from appearing on cable networks in the country as well. Television and radio fortunetellers are a common feature

Stefano Giantin Freelance journalist/ consultant Goran Karadzic foresees new bans.

throughout the Balkans, with some appearing on their own shows, even during prime time. Sociologists say their booming presence in the media since the crumbling of the communist block and Socialist Yugoslavia in the early 1990s is mainly due to the economic and social uncertainty that still leaves many people without other hope.

Dusting down culture and history

linguistic prowess reach only as far as reading Cyrillic street signs (though this too is of limited usefulness thanks to an atrophied sense of direction). It is a problem faced by tourists and researchers alike: uncovering facts may be no problem, but ideas are something which can only be depicted in words. A combination of incompetence, embarrassment, and a little timidity has hitherto limited my opportunities to chew the fat with the locals. However, a lost Serbian lady I met on the street the other day confirmed a stereotype for me – that people here tend to be friendly and talkative. In a simple exchange initiated by her, which soon revealed an unhelpfully mutual lack of local geographical knowledge, we ended up with an hour or two’s discussion of our thoughts on Belgrade; my opinions of ‘Serbian culture’; and then her disgust at the stereotype of British drunkards who frown upon smokers (Serbia, apparently, being a mirror image). After I’d mentioned the ubiquitous graffiti in the streets of the capital, she asked me if I knew the significance of the number ‘1378’. I didn’t want to embarrass her by pointing out that she’d been paying less attention than I had, coming in eleven years too early for the epic Battle of Kosovo, so I simply nodded. Harking back to our discussion of culture, she told me that I would never understand Serbia or its people unless I learned all about the country’s history and that, I was assured, I could never do in my limited time here. This made me wonder about the development of culture. The Turkish influence in Serbia – a result of centuries as part of the Ottoman

Empire, a relationship whose starting date is referenced by the number daubed around the city – is certainly a pervasive one. My first awareness of this was on my first day in the office, when I was surprised to find that even the instant coffee I’d been given was viscous, sweet, and strong enough to blow a horse’s shoes off. However, the modern cultural role played by the product of 3 and 463 is a more symbolic and controversial one than that which a military defeat against an imperial force six centuries ago would warrant. Indeed, history and modern culture are intertwined, but only because of the way the former is remembered. Serbia’s long history of war, international oppression, and domestic uprising is a patchwork so complicated as to render a thorough understanding, in any language, a life’s work – a life’s work that few of the people who collectively embody the nation’s ‘culture’ could claim to have undertaken. Therefore, nobody can reasonably assert that, in order to ‘understand’ culture, one should realise how important historical events are. Were nature to run its course, the impact of the events themselves would only be reflected in some way in the population’s behaviour and the layout of the city, mixed in with everything else, without reference. A fine example is the fact that everyone seems to have forgotten who

Belgrade Through the Eyes of…

the guy on a horse is in Trg Republike. And that someone has sprayed ‘1389’ on the dustbins around him, even though ‘1815’ might have been more appropriate and respectful for the man who led the uprising that eventually resulted in the expulsion of the Ottomans from Serbia once and for all. I would therefore argue that historical events should not be the primary concern of those who wish to understand any modern nation. Meaningful dialogue is born from a marriage of shared linguistic mastery and resilient relationships. As I was reminded in my two-phrase conversation with the cleaning lady on Saturday morning, I am currently a long way from either. Tom Fuller is BIRN’s latest intern. Any spelling mistakes in this issue of Belgrade Insight are his fault.

We fly for your smile.

We’d love to hear your thoughts too. Tell us what you like about Belgrade, what really makes you fizz with anger and what you would change if you were in charge. Send us your thoughts, tell us a little bit about yourself, and send a photo too, if you like. Send your contributions to: belgradeinsighteditor@birn.eu.com

Nationality: Italian In Belgrade since: January 2005 The best thing about Belgrade is: The xenophilia of Belgraders and Serbs in general. The most annoying thing about Belgrade is: To imagine how more beautiful the city was before bombings, wars and crisis. If I was mayor for one day: I would work a lot (and better) on marketing to bring more foreign tourists to Belgrade. I feel at home because: I live here with my love. When friends visit I always take them: For a long walk close to the Danube and Sava.

regional

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Incest Proposal Sparks Row Bucharest_A proposal not to prosecute consenting adults for incest has sparked controversy in Romania, with the Orthodox Church leading public opposition to the move. The Romanian Justice Ministry is considering a change in the law, so that parents, grandparents and siblings could be exempt from prosecution for incest as long as neither person was forced. “Incest is more a social problem than a penal one,” said Catalin Predoiu, Romania’s justice minister. The proposals have met heavy criticism from many Romanians, especially from religious quarters. “These people need not only medical help but also to know they should face prison for their acts,” says Lucian Apopei, of the Lumina newspaper, edited by the Romanian Orthodox Church. Changes to the criminal code are debated by parliamentary judicial commissions. No date has been set yet for a parliamentary vote on the bill, which would remove the current punishment, of up to seven years imprisonment, for incest.

Miss Bulgaria: Yes, They’re Silicone Sofia_Newly-selected Miss Bulgaria 2009, Antonia Petrova, said she has never tried to hide the fact that she has silicone breast implants in an interview with Bulgarian weekly 168 Chassa. Explaining that the implants were a gift from her “rich” boyfriend, she said that “he is a serious businessman and I don’t see why I should apologise for this fact,” adding, “I have always been with rich men simply because they know how to take care of me.” The 24-yearold’s selection as Miss Bulgaria led to negative reactions in online forums, social networking groups and across the media. Some commentators have suggested that Petrova’s choice was fixed since it stemmed from the results of the first text vote in the history of the context, giving her 39 per cent. This was Petrova’s second attempt to win the crown after she failed two years ago.

Spat Over Protest Videos Sofia_Members of the opposition have accused Bulgaria’s interior ministry of violating laws on the protection of personal data, by keeping video recordings made during recent demonstrations. According to the parliamentarians, the interior ministry has not officially said that it keeps a collection of video recordings, even though such recordings are allegedly made by ministry officials at protest rallies. Not declaring that it has a video archive means that the use of these recordings could go unregulated, potentially leading to abuse and violation of privacy, Bulgaria’s daily Dnevnik said. In late January, the parliamentary committee for protection of personal data said that unless the interior ministry planned to use the recordings in court, they should be destroyed. However, when Dnevnik asked the ministry whether the recordings were going to be destroyed, the ministry replied that they had been archived. When asked why they had done this, the ministry responded that this “information could not be shared under the Access to Public Information Act.” Investigation of the case by the parliamentary committee continues.

Election ‘Free and Fair’ But More Still To Do OSCE monitors gave Macedonia’s first round elections a clean bill of health overall, but note that improvements can still be made. By Sinisa-Jakov Marusic in Skopje

bservers have hailed Sunday’s first round of voting in Macedonia’s simultaneous presidential and local elections as a step towards restoring the country’s dented democratic image. Monitors from the OSCE and the largest domestic monitoring organisation, MOST, assessed the poll as free and fair, albeit with minor flaws. The parties that won most votes meanwhile boasted of the most democratic election in the country’s recent history. With 98 per cent of votes counted, George Ivanov, from the main ruling VMRO-DPMNE party, was in the lead with about 340,000 votes, or 35 per cent. Ljubomir Frckoski from the main opposition, the Social Democrats, has won 198,000 votes or just over 20 per cent, which is enough to go on to face Ivanov in the second round on April 5th. The results in the local elections showed overwhelming support for VMRO-DPMNE, which managed to win 23 out of 84 mayoral positions in the first round alone. The Social Democrats won only four. “The US is pleased that the elections went well,” the US ambassador to the country, Phillip Ricker, said on Monday, adding that the flaws spotted in the last elections in June 2008 had been rectified. One person died last June, and several others were injured, in brawls between ethnic Albanian party supporters on election day. The OSCE noted that some of these violent incidents were the work of the police. Western countries made it clear that the election had to be free of violence, intimidation and fraud if the country was to regain credibility and resume the path towards European and Atlantic integration. “The first round is just the semifinals. The final test will be held in the second round,” Europe’s Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn, said after the polling stations closed on Sunday March 21st. Rehn added that it is realistic to think that Macedonia could get a date for accession talks with the EU by the end of the year. However, some observers noted that the mere absence of violence on election day did not constitute proof of a democratic culture in the country. “When the standards for assessing democracy are low, and success is defined by the fact that there were no casualties or mass irregularities, then it is no surprise that even Macedonia could pass the test”, Skopje law faculty professor, Biljana Vankovska, argues. However, the presidential frontrunner, Ivanov, claimed that Macedonia had already passed the democratic test by holding a visibly free and fair election. But Vankovska contends that the ruling establishment, led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, did not seem

Photo by: Ognen Teofilovski

Supporters of the vmro party celebrate in Skopje following the election results.

to comprehend that the “maturity test” Macedonia had passed on Sunday was not such an unambiguous compliment. Voting took place amid an unprecedented police presence at polling stations and special police forces were on constant alert. The number of domestic and foreign observers was also increased in order to counter fears of incidents and voting fraud. During the campaign, Western ambassadors took time to talk to each and every political actor, trying to impress on them the importance of these elections. The foreign media were on the lookout for incidents and sensational developments. “This cannot be interpreted as a good sign”, Vankovska said, arguing that it revealed the scale of recent setbacks, as well as the need for substantial foreign assistance if things were to go well in future. Macedonia’s experience of multiparty politics dates back 18 years to 1991, after the republic proclaimed independence from Yugoslavia. The country became a candidate for EU membership in 2005 but, last year, Brussels failed to recommend a starting date for accession talks for the third time in a row. The setback was partly blamed on the election violence in the June poll. Meanwhile, Branko Geroski, a professor of journalism at Macedonia’s Institute for Media, says the ruling party did everything possible to intimidate voters, short of resorting to violence. In a BBC interview, he claimed civil servants were threatened with the loss of their jobs if they did not vote for the ruling party. “Much needs to be done to improve the overall democratic ambience. I am cautious about the second round,” he said.

OSCE observers also had similar complaints. There were “numerous troubling allegations of election-related pressure or intimidation, especially targeting public employees during the pre-election period”, their preliminary report, released on Monday, read. Professor Vankovska said the success of VMRO was down to several factors. These included a “strong and disciplined party machinery [which] consists of those whose [financial] existence, in one way or another, depends on loyalty towards the party [and] a strong media campaign and propaganda.” She also singled out “the vast misuse of state assets for campaigning purposes… the control of the media and so on”. The professor said that during the campaign, Gruevski and his party candidates could be often seen laying cornerstones across the country for

projects that were to be financed out of the budget. This went “against all international standards”, she argued. Most Macedonians, however, will be hoping that the absence of serious foreign criticism of the poll will bring them tangible benefits, starting with a swift removal of the EU visa regime and a firm date for the start of EU accession talks. The outgoing president, Branko Crvenkovski, said the country had demonstrated once again that it could hold free elections. “We had these kind of [well-organised] elections in the past, so it is not disputed that Macedonia has the capacity to stage free and democratic polls,” he said. “What is crucial is whether we have enough political will to do so.” Source: www.BalkanInsight.com

Too Many Voters

nternational monitors from the OSCE suggested that there seems to be a striking discrepancy between the number of voters and the overall population. “It is impossible for a country of two million to have 1.8 million voters. That has to be addressed,” Pia Christmas Muller, the Vice-President of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in the Europe Parliamentary Assembly and the Coordinator of short-term observers in Macedonia’s local and presidential poll said after the first round of the presidential and local election. In response, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said “All the suggestions on how to revise the list are welcome.” However, he argues that this is a 15-

year-old issue that he has raised several times. “I still have not heard a concrete idea about which methodology to apply,” he added. Although the State Election Commission say they have pointed out the discrepancy to the Ministry of Justice that prepares the voters’ list, the ministry claims there are no irregularities. The Justice Minister, Mihajlo Manevski, argued that the seemingly large number of voters might be due to the many people that are registered but work abroad. “We have to see where they [the additional voters] came from,” says Savo Klimovski, politics professor at the Skopje Law Faculty. “It turns out that in Macedonia, people do not die,” he added.

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Croatian Leader Ends Cold War with Serbia Blocked on his westward path to Brussels, Sanader seeks compensation for the setback in the east, through rapprochement with Belgrade.

By Drago Hedl

fter its western neighbour, Slovenia, blocked Croatia’s path to the European Union, the Croatian Prime Minister, Ivo Sanader, has turned to his country’s eastern neighbour and set off to Serbia. Before his recent trip to Belgrade, Sanader insisted that a date for joining the EU was not crucial, and that Croatia would not give in to blackmail or make territorial concessions to speed things up. Croatia’s dispute with Slovenia over their land and sea borders in Istria, has led Ljubljana to block the opening of the 11 chapters in Croatia’s negotiations on joining the Union. Even if Slovenia lifts its veto on the start of talks on the chapter in the next few days, which is unlikely, Croatia’s chances of finishing negotiations this year look slim. The delays mean Croatia cannot count on entering the EU in 2011, as the right-of-centre government had planned. Sanader has had to drop what, until recently, was his oft-repeated favourite metaphor, that his government was driving in “fifth gear” towards Brussels. The Prime Minister’s mission to Serbia took place at a time when relations with Serbia have been cool, almost frosty, lately. Their relationship deteriorated after Croatia recognised Kosovo’s independence, a move that prompted Belgrade to recall its ambassador, Radivoj Cveticanin, for six months. Relations were also chilled by Croatia’s long-awaited international lawsuit in The Hague against Serbia, accusing it of genocide in the 1990s. Serbia’s Foreign Minister, Vuk Jeremic, responded by threatening a suit against Croatia for genocide over a Croatian army operation codenamed Oluja (Storm) in 1995, in which the Croatian Army recaptured a large chunk of territory seized earlier by rebel Serbs. As a result of the operation, hundreds of thousands of Serbs fled from Croatia and a number who remained behind were killed. Three generals are currently on trial in The Hague over Operation Storm, the most famous among them being Ante Gotovina. Sanader has now decided that a diplomatic thaw is timely. Bearing the message that Croatia and Serbia should play the same reconciling role in the region that Germany and

France played in Europe after 1945, he pledged that once Croatia enters the European Union, it will not make the same problems for Belgrade that Ljubljana is now making for Zagreb. He also gave his host a gift in the form of a collection of documents – on which Croatia spent €1 million – which Serbia will need when it starts its own negotiations on integration with the EU. Sanader was received in the Serbian capital with similar expressions of good will. His hosts, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and President Boris Tadic, repeated that the old nationalist slogan about a greater Serbia reaching to Karlovac and Karlobag in Croatia (an idea frequently mentioned during the war in 1991 by the Serbian Radical leader, Vojislav Seselj, and other politicians) belonged to the past. Sanader was also pleased to hear Tadic’s message to the Serbian minority in Croatia, which was that they have their own state now, Croatia, and “they have to exercise their civil rights there”.

The closeness between Belgrade and Zagreb will, in a way, relax other relations in the region Zatko Cvrtila, dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb, said both countries stood to benefit from the visit. “The closeness between Belgrade and Zagreb will, in a way, relax other relations in the region, and I think that Slovenia will start thinking differently as well,” he said. Yesterday’s hot issues, such as recognition of Kosovo and Croatia’s suit for genocide, did not dominate the meeting. The overriding stance was that they should start with easier topics and then move on to more difficult ones, and that, during a recession – which has seriously hit both countries – they should concentrate on improving business relations, not least because these have an impact on political ties as well. Croatia’s exports to Serbia in 2007, the most recent year for which figures have been announced, were worth $665 million. Imports from Serbia were far lower at $333 million. Serbia is thus one of the few countries with which Croatia has a positive trade balance.

regional business

Lack of Snow Ruins Bosnia’s Ski Season Sarajevo_Bosnia’s winter tourism season has been “ruined” because of a lack of snow due to warm weather at the peak of the period, local tourist workers say. They have invited skiers to come to Bosnia’s mountains, which are finally covered with pristine snow, to enjoy the slopes in the now sunny weather. However, they admit that it is probably too late for most skiers. “At the moment we have much better conditions for skiing, but people’s holidays and children’s vacations are over,” said Muamera Sehic, a spokeswoman for Sarajevo’s ZOI 84 touristic agency. Although it is still too soon to draw final conclusions, tourist workers complained that the 2008/9 winter season has fallen miserably short of expectations, thanks to a spell of warm weather in late January and early February.

Boy Dies in TV Copycat Accident Sofia_ A 13-year-old boy died in a tragic accident on Monday while playing with friends, imitating a game from a popular extreme TV show. The tragedy happened in the town of Kozloduy in northwestern Bulgaria. At 7.30p.m. police were informed that the body of Martin Martinov was hanging from a cable at a children’s playground in the town. According to national broadcaster bTV, a police inquiry involving Martin’s friends revealed that he had suggested a game similar to one performed on Nova Television’s popular show, ‘Fear Factor’. As the oldest among his friends, Martin decided to be the first to try it. He tied Source: http://voiceofcroatia.net a metal cable around his neck and had himself locked in one of the Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader is softening his stance towards Belgrade playground’s houses, and aimed Once elections are over, Croatia’s to reach a key to release himself. Sanader also offered Belgrade coThis resulted in Martin strangling operation in energy policy, mention- foreign policy will once again conhimself. When his friends saw ing the need to cooperate over gas centrate on Brussels, experts predict. “Under the influence of the prewhat had happened, they tried to supply, so that the two countries will summon help but rescuers were no longer depend on Russia, and the election atmosphere, his rhetoric in regard to the main Croatian goal, of jointoo late to save him. In a statestate of its dispute with Ukraine. ment, Nova Television expressed The media are already speculat- ing the EU, has somewhat changed,” their condolences to the Martinov ing that Serbs, who made up sig- notes Damir Grubisa, professor at the family for their loss, and repeated nificant percentage of tourists on the Zagreb Faculty of Political Science. “But, entering the EU is a strathat they explicitly discourage Adriatic coast in the past, could save imitation of shows and films they this year’s holiday season in Croatia, tegic goal which Croatia will not easily. As soon as the broadcast. since news about hotel reservations give up that AGS_Belgrade_90x88 en hi res.pdf 2/12/2009 08:06:42 AM elections are over, this rhetoric will from Western visitors is not good. The warming up of relations cease,” he adds. with Serbia is set to continue with the imminent visit to Belgrade of the Speaker of the Croatian Sabor, or parliament, Luka Bebic, and, hot on his heels, the Croatian President, Stjepan Mesic. As Mesic’s mandate finishes this year, this will be his farewell visit to Serbia. Serbian PresC • 35 years of experience ident Tadic is also scheduled to visit Zagreb this year. M • A worldwide network of 119 branches Of course, Sanader realises that • Free Quotations the current debacle over Croatia’sY integration with the EU, which he once • Door-to-door services CM constantly emphasised as the prior• High quality packing materials ity, cannot be compensated forMY by • Qualified and experienced personnel the current thaw in relations between CY Belgrade and Zagreb. • A modern fleet of freight vehicles Analysts say that Sanader’s CMYcurrent strategy is only intended to be temporary, and is designed for interK AGS BELGRADE nal consumption, as Croatia heads Niski Autoput 17, 11050 Belgrade Tel: +381 11 347 23 21 Fax: +381 11 347 23 32 into local elections in May this year. Email: belgrade@agsmovers.com The Prime Minister, whose party is www.agsmovers.com not enjoying high ratings, is thus flagging up his resoluteness vis-a-vis Slovenia, posing as a leader who is ready to fight for each square inch of the country and resist Slovenian blackmail.

Worldwide movers, you deserve the best

business

Increased Taxes On the Rich More Likely The government and the opposition have given tentative agreement to the temporary raising of taxes on the rich, to relieve the burden of the economic crisis from those of lesser means, a policy which has come to be called the ‘solidarity tax’. The issue has yet to be discussed in government, and labour minister Rasim Ljajic has suggested that numerous options could be under consideration, ranging from raising taxes for earnings over a certain level, or applying different tax rates depending on income, through to increasing taxes on expensive luxury items.

Water Cut Hits Zastava Kragujevac’s water company cut off supply to the Zastava car factory on Wednesday because of a 17 million dinar (€181,000) debt, disrupting production just a few days after the factory started building the new Fiat Punto. The general manager of the city’s water company, Obren Cetkovic, said the plant will not receive water again until they sign an agreement to repay the debt. “I do not know anyone from Fiat, and I did not sign any agreements with them. All I know is that we made arrangements with Zastava to deliver the water to them, so Zastava is obliged to pay for it,“ said Cetkovic.

Indjia Attracts €100 Million in Investments Indjia municipality in Vojvodina has attracted investments totalling €100 million, despite the current global economic climate, market analysts MV Investments reported this week. A total of five new factories are due to come into operation soon, two local, and three for overseas enterprises. Indjija’s mayor, Goran Jesic, specifically mentioned the Danish water pump company, Grunfos, whose factory will create 500 jobs.

Serbia requests €120 million from EU EU enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn, announced that the European Commission, is considering Belgrade’s request for the EU to provide €120 million from its preaccession funds in order to stabilise Serbia’s economy in the face of its budget deficit. Also, Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic this week asked the EC to support Belgrade’s request for European banks in Serbia to delay demands for the repayment of €5 billion in mature debts, owed by Serbian companies.

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

JAT Eyes Macedonian Airline S

erbia’s national air carrier, JAT, has announced it is launching commercial cooperation with its Macedonian counterpart, MAT, as of this week and has decided not to hide its plans to take over the smaller carrier. The president of JAT’s management board, Sasa Vlaisavljevic, made the announcement to the Serbian media on Wednesday, the local Makfax news agency reports. Last week, Vlaisavljevic said JAT is interested in turning MAT’s nearly €10 million debt into shares. But MAT then rebuffed these claims confirming only that the two companies are “negotiating over open issues.”

MAT claimed that the debt is considerably lower, but said that the possibility of JAT entering into its capital structure was brought up during talks. However, some legal experts quoted in the Macedonian media say that, since MAT is the national air carrier, there are legal obstacles to JAT taking over more than 50 per cent of its shares. MAT stated that a draft agreement on strategic partnership has already been reached, noting that it would include the use of facilities, aircraft and staff as well as developing joint commercial endeavours. Some of MAT’s aircraft have been leased from JAT, whose staff have also maintained them.

Source: www.2747.com

Already close partners, JAT and MAT plan increased co-operation.

Opportunities from Business Failures Comment by Ian Mihajlovic

erbian companies defaulting on debt repayments have, in recent weeks, caused a massive wave of blocked company bank accounts. The National Bank of Serbia this week announced that commercial banks had frozen the accounts of 57,000 companies up to the end of February. The serious liquidity problem in Serbian business, however, is sending a clear signal to investors seeking out ‘distressed situations’. The companies whose accounts are blocked employ around 152,000 local workers, and account for €2.3 billion of debt. The structure of this debt, which evolved under distinct social and political circumstances, leads to the incontrovertible fact that Serbian borrowers are prepared to concede highly favourable terms, in order to retain ownership of some personal assets. Many of these companies have collateralised everything in recent years, including family homes, to finance businesses, without regard for

(or, indeed, experience of) the consequences of capitalist systems. Some 85 per cent of the 57,000 companies are sole traders and small enterprises, accounting for €1 billion of debt and, for them, bank foreclosure may seem an alien concept. To retain minority holdings, or even a family residence, business owners seem ready to make significant concessions to any investor willing to put up cash to keep their companies running. There are rich pickings for investors, but how banks and bankruptcy officials will handle foreclosure remains unclear. Answers to these questions will provide a context for understanding the investment opportunities, although at this stage, companies are still working hard to continue operations, in the hope of unblocking their accounts. Understanding how some companies got into this mess is key for in-

Belex

jan Basa, this week asked the government to scrap his sector’s reserve requirements. More interesting for investors, however, are the workings of a complex ‘trust’ economy, which is a longstanding feature of Serbian business practices. In this country, the absence of strong economic development mechanisms, has led to a reliance by market participants on mutual support to grow their businesses. Unusual practices have developed whereby, for example, healthy companies pledge assets to securitise loans for other companies, actions often motivated by a desire to help family or friends plug short-term liquidity gaps, on the basis of trust. Now, some of these ‘secondary’ borrowers are defaulting on debt repayments, bringing the operations of healthy companies down with them. Investors would be wise to recognise these hidden opportunities.

A flat week’s trading

By Tijana Cvetkovic

vestors. Some companies are suffering traditional liquidity issues, which are exacerbated by local conditions. For example, payment terms of 90 to 150 days offered by Serbian retailers to local producers are said to be routine. Miroslav Miletic, director at Bambi Banat, one of the country’s largest confectioners, can’t remember a more difficult situation in the last 25 years, with the exception of the hyperinflation of the 1990s. Tremors in one sector are creating repercussions in others, such as leasing. For example, food suppliers pass on their payment constraints to agricultural suppliers. Agricultural and construction machinery accounts for 28 per cent of the €3.5 billion market of financial leasing contracts. Vehicle leasing accounts for the other 72 per cent. It comes as no surprise then, that the Association of Serbian Leasing Companies’ chairman, Bo-

he turnaround in the US, two weeks ago, following news that Citigroup Inc. was operating profitably in January and February, had little effect on the Belgrade Stock Exchange, which remained largely flat

for the week. The market saw modest increases in the indices, on low liquidity. In the period between March 23rd and March 26th, the Belex15 index of the most liquid shares grew by 1.7 per cent, while the Belexline lost 0.5 per cent. Turnover on the Belgrade Stock Exchange during the reviewed period amounted to 295 million dinars, realised from 1,028 transactions. The most liquid issue was Lucic Prigrevica, which saw 146,640 shares traded and a total turnover of 42.5 million dinars. Other well-traded stocks were those of construction company Planum and Privredna Bank Beograd, with turnover of 20.2 million dinars and 17.5 million dinars respectively. Putevi Uzice topped the gainers`

list with an 18.5 per cent price increase, followed by Metalac from Gornji Milanovac and Energoprojekt holding, which rose 11.5 per cent and 10.4 per cent respectively. Pharmaceuticals producer Velefarm was the biggest loser, seeing its share price collapse by 24 per cent. Others suffering this week included Lasta, which declined 12.1 per cent and Jubmes Bank, falling 12 per cent. Government FX bond trades generated €1.2 million, with series A2016 the most traded, with turnover of €395k. Foreign investors accounted for 36 per cent of the week’s overall trading, with a roughly equal presence on both the sides. Tijana Cvetkovic is an analyst with FIMA INTERNATIONAL A.D.

out & about

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Romuliana Uncovered Romuliana, a UNESCO world heritage site close to the Bulgarian border, has some of the finest Roman ruins and mosaics in the region.

By Prabha Chandran

n the midst of Serbia’s economic gloom, the poverty that mires the many half-empty villages in the south and southeast shrouds a rich and glorious past that can creep up suddenly to shake your perceptions. For me, it was a visit to the magnificent Roman ruins of Felix Romuliana in Gamzigrad, followed by a visit to the newly-renovated Zajecar National Museum nearby that did it. It helped that we had the most delicious Serbian meal by the side of a thermal spring and river. But I’m getting ahead of myself… Enticed out by a sparkling spring morning, we headed down the E 75, in the direction of Gamzigrad. About 250km from Belgrade, between two to two and a half hours away by car, Romulania sits by the Bulgarian border, close to the Danube. On arriving at the imposing gates and fortifications of Romuliana, we were greeted by a friendly middleaged man. “Hi, I’m Bora Dimitrijevic, the director of Romuliana,” he said, “are you passing through or have you come specially to see this place?” On being told the latter, he immediately waved goodbye to a German TV crew that was filming the restoration being supported by their government - and decided to give us a personal guided tour! We went first to a covered gallery where “authentic reproductions” of pillars, marble busts, heads and vessels were on display. “This pillar, showing the four Tetrarch Roman Emperors who ruled during this period, was copied painstakingly by a local craftsman. You will see the original in the museum,” Bora told us. He also pointed out the two burial mounds on Magura Hill a short distance away, which are believed to be the final resting places of Emperor Galerius and his mother, Romula. “An Emperor has many mistresses but only one mother – he named this place after her,” said Bora. We walked towards the reconstructed portion of the palace. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007, Felix Romuliana is protected as a unique example of late Roman Tetrarch architecture, with its combination of ceremonial and memorial buildings. Emperor Galerius Maximillian, who was actually born in Gamzigrad, the son of a shepherd, constructed it in the 3rd and 4th centuries. “He was adopted by Diocletian and built this palace to mark his birthplace after his victory in Persia.” We stood in the magnificent colonnaded courtyard. Here and there were remnants of priceless floor mosaics and Bora invited us to stand on a particular grassy spot: “There is a bio-energy here because of the rivers that flow in a straight line underground,” he said. “I stand here and get rid of all my tensions.” I was sure he was joking but decided to have a go anyway, making a wish for everlasting youth. Although most of what remains now is just the extensive foundations

Romuliana, a UNESCO world heritage site close to the Bulgarian border, has some of the finest Roman relics in the region.

and grassed-over mounds, there are still some precious floor mosaics of animals and swastikas, covered for preservation under layers of sand in the vestibule and the thermal baths. The vestibule and atria can be rented out for company functions and entertainment events, explained the director, who is trying hard to raise funds for more excavation work. We walked through the pagan temple, the sacrificial altar and the church, and marvelled at the heating systems underground where hot water ducts once warmed the palace in winter. There is a small museum on site with artefacts and a mosaic, but the key had disappeared with the German film crew so Bora suggested we move to the larger museum in Zajecar. But not before we had walked around the ramparts of Romuliana, which originally had six towers on either side, reinforced by an inner defensive system of 20 cylindrical towers and four gates.

The complex was inexplicably abandoned after the Emperor Galerius Maximillian died, and was subsequently rebuilt in the time of the Emperor Justinian. Eventually, the site was abandoned for over a thousand years before being rediscovered in the 19th century. As we left the site, Bora suggested we try the delicious local cuisine at the Hotel Kastrum near the river Crni Timok that flows around Gamzigrad. It turned out to be the best Serbian meal we have had in the year or so that we have been in the country. Six vegetarian appetisers and an entrée of potatoes were followed by tender beef and carrots, cooked over hot coals in a kind of dry stew. We washed it down with local red and white wine, made by farmers who store their supplies in mountain caves near Zajecar. “I’m trying to get them to bottle it with the Romuliana seal,” Bora told us, “but these villagers say they are old; their children are trying to find work in the cities and they are not really interested in commercialising production.”

Source: http://image18.webshots.com

Source: http://www.kultura.sr.gov.yu

The mosaics at Romuliana have been restored with the aid of the Italian ministry of culture.

After eating, we headed off to the museum. Bora informed us we had just missed the opening of the new gallery, which displays the 19 Roman golden coins found at the site, previously housed at the Serbian treasury. The new gallery also boasts a famous ‘maze’ floor mosaic. In addition, it contains an impressive model of the original palace and buildings of Romuliana, though these may need revision if archaeologists’ suspicions of as-

yet-undiscovered buildings underground turn out to be true. As we headed back to Belgrade, we wished we had time to see the old Turkish house museum, the Nikola Pasisc memorial and the old Turkish water wheel downtown. Our plan is to return in the summer for the thermal baths, as well as to witness the ‘Golden Hands of Zajecar’ festival, a series of events in late May and early June, which celebrate the food and culture of the region.

the belgrader

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Dining Out

Ikki As sure as you’re guaranteed to find an Irish Bar in every city foreigners frequent, there’ll be a sushi bar too – no matter how far away you are from the sea. Belgrade’s best known is Ikki.

By Trencherman

ushi in a landlocked country, where the transport infrastructure is best described as limited, can be a risky business, but the boss said it was time to do Japanese and so off we went, to perhaps Belgrade’s best known sushi bar and restaurant, Ikki. Ikki is in an unfashionable part of Dorcol, in Gospodar Jovanova, not far enough up the hill to Trg Republic to be described as central, and not far enough down to be amongst the hip bars and restaurants of Strahinjica Bana. All the same, it’s become a permanent fixture on the restaurant scene and seems to attract a fair mix of people genuinely out to eat some Japanese food, as well as those simply wanting to damage the expense account. Downstairs is a bar, where you can just tuck into a plate of sushi with a beer, but the main dining room is upstairs. It’s all very pleasant in a ‘Hilton Hotel’ kind of way, displaying a few Japanese symbols, but

nothing that would shock the average visitor into thinking they’d strayed anywhere too strange or foreign. We kicked off with a large order of tuna and salmon nigiri, some tekka maki with shrimp and some vegetarian rolls, as well as a bit of salmon and tuna sashimi. The food arrived promptly and was served with enough wasabi and ginger for any taste. The fish tasted fresh, but we did not get the best cuts of the salmon. Some parts were darker and tougher, and they had obviously been cut from the edge of the fillet. The tekka maki were good. The wrappers were firm enough to hold everything together well, but not so tough that there was too much chewing involved, and the rice was suitably sticky. The vegetarian rolls had fresh, ripe avocado and cucumber inside and were pleasantly creamy and crunchy. I confess I’ve eaten here before and, that time too, I was surprised that the sashimi came in chunks rather than slices. Personally, I like to bite through a thin slice of fish, and when it’s in blocks there’s just too much work to do. It really brings home the fact that this stuff hasn’t been cooked! We followed all this with seafood and vegetable tempura and some scampi, both of which were excellent. The tempura was a varied mix of crunchy vegetables and wellcooked fish with a light batter; whilst the delicious scampi were were huge

Photo courtesy of http://www.ikkibar.com

Ikki has long been regarded as Belgrade’s premier destination for Japanese food.

Dublin Bay prawns, part-shelled wonderful. To follow, we tucked into some yakitori chicken - well-grilled chicken and spring onions served in a sweet sticky sauce - and ‘Katsu Beef’, a breaded fillet served on a bed of rice, which sounds uninspiring but was, in fact, superb. Desserts ranged in quality from some rather good deep-fried bananas with honey, through a run-of-the-mill fruit cocktail which was heavy on the

apple and kiwi, but lacked almost anything else, to the frankly awful green tea ice cream which tasted artificial, and would be best described as the flavour you’d expect if you licked the soap displays in ‘Lush’. To drink, we chose a Chilean chardonnay, which was cold, fruity and slightly oaky and which, on balance, was worth the 1,470 dinar price tag. So, to be honest, Ikki was a mixed bag. Some work is definitely required in the kitchen to make sure that only

the best cuts make it into the sushi, but the tempura and the other hot dishes were excellent. I think, over my time in Belgrade, I’ve probably visited most restaurants that claim to offer Japanese food and, despite my complaints, I’ve yet to have a better all-round experience than you’ll get at Ikki. Ikki, Gospodar Jovanova 46 Tel: 011 2184183 Price guide: 2,250-2,750 dinars per head for three courses with a modest wine

We Recommend Every week we feature a selection of restaurants picked by our team. They give a flavour of what’s out there on the Belgrade restaurant scene and should provide you with a few alternatives to get you out of your dining rut. Our choices may not always have had the full Trencherman treatment, but you can be sure that one of us has eaten there and enjoyed it.

Zodiac Pizzeria

Kosmaj

Kafanica

Reputedly a haunt of the rich, famous, and infamous from the surrounding district, Trencherman thought the pizzas were great when he visited. The staff are friendly and the service is efficient.

Traditional Serbian fare, specialising in grilled dishes from the south of the country. Appropriate as a namesake of one of Belgrade’s beautiful mountains, this place provides a surprisingly quiet retreat, given its location in the centre of the city. We particularly like the rakija.

This place is so kitschy you’d think it was designed as a tourist trap. To go with the rugs on the walls and the ‘ethno’ style design, there are even chickens walking around the dining room from time to time. But the lamb, particularly the slow-cooked shanks, come highly recommended.

Vase Pelagica 48a Tel: 011 2648864

Cvijiceva 105 Tel: 011 2761132

The name Portobello, or calm port, characterises our restaurant perfectly. A calm, warm and cozy place for you to set sail from on a culinary journey Svetog Save 11, BELGRADE Tel/Fax: 011 2458373 www.portobello-restoran.co.rs e-mail: info@portobello-restoran.co.rs

Dorian Gray This slightly pretentious place is very highly rated within the ex-pat community for its prime location and the wide repertoire of dishes available – from French to Indonesian. It might not win an Oscar any time soon, but Dorian Gray is still good for a Wilde night out. Kralja Petra I 87-89 Tel: 011 2634151

Kneza Viseslava 66a, Kosutnjak Tel: 011 3543344

the belgrader

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Photo courtesy of www.belgradedancefestival.com

Belgrade’s dance festival combines both traditional dance and experimental pieces over the course of its two week run.

Belgrade Dance Festival By David Galic

Reporting from Belgrade

he 6th annual Belgrade Dance Festival, to be held between April 1st and 15th, will continue to keep Serbia’s capital up to speed with the latest in dance trends, offering its audiences a range of shows from famed international dance companies. Entitled ‘Misao u Pokretu’ (Mind in Motion), this year’s festival will

open with a display of Monaco’s best talent at the Sava Centar, with performances of ‘Altro Canto II’ and ‘Vers un Pays Sage’ by Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, both of which have received rave reviews for their combination of the traditional and the experimental. Throughout the fortnight’s events, internationally - renowned dance companies from Istres, London, Rotterdam, Sao Paulo, Stockholm and Stuttgart will perform the whole gamut of dance, from traditional,

through to multimedia-enriched modern works. One of the most successful and unique festivals in the region, the Belgrade Dance Festival serves to help popularise the art of dance, allowing young dancers and professionals in the region to keep up with the latest innovations and techniques in the dance arena. At a recent press conference, organiser Aja Jung accepted the praise of critics from around the world, but said that the “recognition [has] been ac-

cepted as responsibility. The concept is still to endeavour to show the best, the most prestigious ballet and dance companies, the leading and popular choreographers but also the latest titles of international productions.” Initially established through UNESCO donations, a large web of support makes this festival a reality, from Belgrade’s theatres, local city government and culture ministry, through to a plethora of non-governmental and foreign organisations and embassies.

Performances will take place across the city, at the Sava Centar in New Belgrade, the Belgrade Drama Theatre in the Crveni Krst neighbourhood of the Belgrade municipality of Vracar, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, and at Atelje 212. For further information on the festival, including detailed descriptions and biographies of the performers, the schedule of performances and a list of ticket vendors, visit the festival’s official website, available in English, at www.belgradedancefestival.com.

Ezec Le Floc’h F amed French circus artist Ezec Le Floc’h will be demonstrating his solo juggling act in Belgrade this weekend. The artist is known for his unique technique, in which he uses instruments called ‘bilboquets’ or ‘kendama’. Recently, he has developed a variation of this style, uninformatively called ‘cup-and-ball juggling’, which will be on display at this show. Le Floc’h spent a decade participating in gymnastics competitions in his youth, after which he decided to enrol in a Circus Arts school – or ‘clown college’ as some might call it – in Chalone, finally forming his own troupe in 1996. Although his juggling prowess will be the main event showcased this weekend, he is also known for a wide range of skills, which will all be reflected in some way or another in his performance. With spectacles from clown duets; to musical clown groups accompanied by upright bass players, acrobats and jugglers; to performances with a clown, an acrobat and an opera singer; and random

street clown performances, the circus is truly coming to Belgrade. Le Floc’h is one of the most respected, talented and diverse artistes in the contemporary ‘alternative performance arts’. He has travelled the world, appearing in over 500 shows of dozens of different plays and performances, for which he has been responsible both conceptually and choreographically. If you can overcome any negative preconceptions of clowns and juggling you might have, you will see that most of Le Floc’h’s performances have serious artistic merit, with acts dabbling in surrealism and the absurd. Le Floc’h used to teach at a clown academy in Capbreton in France, and he plans to share his knowledge with young Serbian actors, as he will hold a workshop before the show. The performance, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the French Cultural Centre in Belgrade, will be held at the Vuk Karadzic Culture Institution on Sunday, March 29th. Culture Centre Vuk Karadzic, Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 77A

Photo courtesy of www.ezec.fr

Expect much clowning, juggling and experimental performance art when Ezec Le Floc’h comes to town this week.

the belgrader

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Going Out

We Recommend

Club White

Hidden away in caverns under Kalemegdan, this place keeps Belgrade’s youth entertained

By David Galic

Reporting from Belgrade

was warned about club White by some friends, who told me that I might not enjoy it much. Despite trying to block out this hearsay and optimistically looking forward to a good time, most of their counsel turned out to be true. Apparently, White had a good run when it opened, as a slightly upscale club for people who liked urban dance music such as hip-hop, R’n’B and house, but has since deteriorated. The old guard I spoke to said that the main problem with the club now is the large concentration of teenagers, replacing the twenty- and thirtysomething crowd that had previously frequented the club. Whether it was just the event I Photo by Jo Cottrell was attending that night, or the usual make-up of the White crowd, most of Our correspondent, although still firmly in his twenties, felt old, very old in club White. what I had been hearing was frightcadences, beats produced in bulk in poles that female dancers inhabit on eningly accurate. I was already planning on visiting one of their friend’s bedrooms, and nights when there are no performthe club over the weekend, and just hackneyed rapped lyrics of clumsy ances planned. White is quite dark, happened to see a poster promoting braggadocio or “street life” over pre- despite the flashing of its uninteresting multi-coloured lights, and there a concert by rapper Juice on Sunday recorded vocals. At least three-quarters of the is little décor of note except for the night. Being a fan of his belligerent, crude and accidentally amusing crowd appeared to be made up of cave-like walls. I milked my nearly €3 beer for style, this was only an added bonus friends and classmates of these copypaste teenage rap entourages, mostly all that it was worth, praying that the as far as I was concerned. However, most of what I expect- consisting of high school age girls procession of groups would end soon. ed, or had wanted to see at the club, burnt to a crisp by way of irrespon- However, whilst I tried to persevere, did not materialize. I had hoped that sible tanning salon enhancements, hoping to get a glimpse of Juice’s it would not be too crowded, consid- scantily clad and heavily made up, performance – which was guaranteed ering that it was a Sunday night, and and similarly-aged guys with non- to be at least entertaining in all of its that I had only seen a single poster in ironic gold chains hanging out of tactless glorification of violence and gangsterisms of 90s Belgrade culture the entire city, and had not read any their even less ironic sweat suits. Anyone older than 25, namely – I was unable to stomach another announcements on the local music websites I use, but the place was full my friend and I, stood out like a poorly-sequenced piano-laced Tupac sore thumb, with my Cheech Marin- homage, and bolted for the door. to bursting. From what I experienced on this visThe reason for the huge turnout esque moustache not helping matters it to White, the club seems to have little was undoubtedly the opening groups, much. The club itself is nothing excep- to offer for the older end of the clubwhich were, at the same time, my main reason for fleeing the club after tional. Indeed, it is very typical for its going population, and looks like the a painful hour of observation. Group location, using old, cavernous cata- place found in the nightmares of fathers after group of identical, nondescript combs around the Kalemegdan for- convulsing in their sleep at visions of 18-year-olds seemed to jump on tress as their space, with a stage area their teenage daughters in leopard print and off the stage for what felt like up front and a similar but smaller tops and denim miniskirts spending an eternity, all showcasing identical stage at the back, both equipped with their lunch money on €5 mojitos.

My Picks

The co-frontman of the hip British electro-pop group Hot Chip will be spinning at The Tube. From what many have said about his DJ sets, club-goers can expect an eclectic and exciting mix of dance music spanning all styles and generations. DJ Brka will be responsible for the local support. The Tube, Dobracina 17

Saturday

In Flames Probably the most popular metal band from Sweden’s exciting and influential scene, In Flames will play for the first time in Belgrade this weekend. Expect an impressive show from the band, which has remained at the heights of popularity over the last five years, having headlined all of the major metal festivals around the world each summer. Student Cultural Centre, Kralja Milana 48

Sunday

Architecture Salon This international event hosted by the Fine Arts Museum will include artists from all over the world competing in the fields of architecture, interior design and urban planning. Judging the contemporary works on display will be numerous influential and experienced architects from Serbia and abroad. Fine Arts Museum, Vuka Karadzica 18

Monday

Classical duets Two classical music duos will be performing at the Artget Gallery. First, the piano duet of Lana Rodic and Marijana Savov at 8p.m. followed by the pairing of flautist Jovana Stankovic and guitarist Dejan Milovic one hour later. The repertoire will include works by Ravel, Hubert and Bartok. Artget Gallery, Trg Republike 5

Tuesday

Slovak Artist Association

The oldest artists’ union in Slovakia, founded in 1921 in Bratislava, has gone through many changes over the years. Starting off as a place for all of the country’s most prominent artists to gather, it was, for a period, completely prohibited. Despite this, it went from strength to strength, and today still represents an active and creative force, with a wide variety of artwork to proudly display to the public. Blok Gallery, Jurija Gagarina 221

Draconic

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

Al Doyle of Hot Chip

Wednesday

Campo Marizio

By Rian Harris

Friday

beautiful bound journals, planners, diaries, folios and wallets, in gorgeous bright colors. Pen sets, manicure sets, passport holders, laptop cases and assorted other small handcrafted items make great gifts for the professional or student in your life. Prices are high, but so is the quality.

Campo Marizio elgrade has its very own out- Kralja Milana 6, let of this well-regarded Ital- Mon. - Fri. 08:30 - 21:00 ian leather company, offering Sat. 08:30 - 20:00

Easily one of the most promising metal bands in Serbia today, Draconic will be throwing a release party for their new album ‘From the Wrong Side of the Aperture’, which will be released worldwide in April by Austrian label Noisehead Records. People are invited to hear a preview of the new record, while the rest of the night will be DJed by the band members themselves, cranking out a diverse range of heavy music. Living Room, Kralja Milana 48

Thursday

Don Quixote (ballet) This classic ballet, set to the music of Ludwig Minkus, is based on an episode from the famed Spanish novel and was first performed by the Bolshoi in 1869. The Serbian production, which premiered in 2007, also has members of the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet in its choreography team. National Theatre, Francuska 3

the belgrader

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

What’s On CINEMAS

Nightlife:

Other:

Roda Cineplex Pozeska 83A, tel: 011 2545260

Disco Plastic, Plastic, Djusina 7, 23:00 Loco Power cover, Bitef Art Cafe, Skver Mire Trailovic 1, 23:00 Reconstruction Retro Techno, xLagoom, Svetozara Radica 1, 23:00 Backs, The Tube, Dobracina 21, 23:00 DJ Stevie, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27. Marta, 23:00 Vocal House, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00 Yu Rock, White, Pariska 1a, 23:00 Les Gigantes, Blue Moon, Knegilje Ljubice 4, 23:00 DJ Super Fly, Francuska Sobarica, Francuska 12, 23:00 Can’t Stop the Rock, KST, Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 76, 23:00

Ceif (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesavska 64, 20:00 Don Krsto (play), Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Srpskih Vlada 50, 20:00 BLI (play), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00

Romance (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesavska 64, 20:00 The Weir (play), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00 Don Krsto (play), Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Srpskih Vlada 50, 20:00 Exhibition: Ana Cerovic (installations), Centre for Graphics Gallery, Pariska 16, 17:00

Rabbit Hole (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesavska 64, 20:00 New Stradija (play), National Theatre, Trg Republike 5, 19:30 Exhibition: Dragan Zdravkovic (painting, pop art), Ulus Gallery, Kneza Mihaila 37, 17:00

Tuesday, March 31

Music:

Other:

Nightlife:

Ventolin, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 23:00 The Resident, Bitef Art Cafe, Skver Mire Trailovic 1, 22:30 Tropico Band, Lava Bar, Kneza Milosa 77, 23:00 Zoomie, Danguba, Cirila I Metodija 2, 23:00

Hitler and Hitler (play), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00 Eling (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesavska 64, 20:00 Exhibition: Zoran Trtica (photographs), Artget Gallery, Trg Republike 5, 17:00

Sportsman Night, White, Pariska 1a, 23:00 Shaker Party, Mr. Stefan Braun’s Garden, Vojislava Ilica 86, 23:00 Karaoke, Miss Moneypenny, Ada Ciganlija (Makiska side 4), 21:30 Leftovers, Blue Moon, Knegilje Ljubice 4, 23:00 Lazy Sunday Afternoon, Fest, Gradski Park 2, 22:00 Hip hop & drum’n’bass, Underworld Corner of Ruzveltova and 27. Marta, 23:00 Superfly magic bus, Francuska Sobarica, Francuska 12, 23:00

Bolt: 15:40 Monsters vs. Aliens: 16:30, 18:15 He’s Just Not That Into You: 17:45 The Wrestler: 17:45, 20:00, 22:15 Changeling: 19:30, 22:00 Dom sindikata Trg Nikole Pasica 5, tel: 011 3234849 He’s Just Not That Into You: 19:15 Marley and Me: 15:30, 17:30 Monsters vs. Aliens: 16:00, 17:00 Changeling: 19:30, 22:00 Ster City Cinema Delta City, Jurija Gagarina 16 (Blok 67), tel: 011 2203400 Monsters vs. Aliens: 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00 Marley and Me: 12:10, 14:30, 16:50, 19:20, 21:40 7 Lives: 12:30, 15:30, 18:10, 20:40, 23:10 Changeling: 13:40, 16:30, 19:40, 22:30 The Wrestler: 12:40, 15:20, 17:40, 20:00, 21:00, 22:20, 23:20

Saturday, March 28 Music:

He’s Just Not That Into You: 18:00, 22:45 Valkyrie: 23:15 Dusk: 16:00 Zone of the Dead: 15:45 The International: 21:05 Pink Panther 2: 15:30 Marley and Me: 20:30 Changeling: 20:15, 23:00 The Baader Meinhof Complex: 18:15 Monsters vs. Aliens: 16:15, 18:15 7 Lives: 17:30, 20:00, 22:15

Cavalleria Rusticana (opera), National Theatre, Trg Republike 5, 19:30 Marko Feri (guitar), Madlenianum, Glavna 32, 19:30 Frankestra Band, Gaucosi, Dunavska 17a, 23:00 No Comment Band, Lava bar, Kneza Milosa 77, 23:00 Love Trigger, Danguba, Cirila I Metodija 2, 23:00 Julija Boros, Diva Restaurant, Bulevar Nikole Tesle 2, 20:00 The Telephone and The Medium (operas), Madlenianum, Glavna 32, 19:30 Fuzzbox, Fest, Gradski Park 2, 23:00

Friday, March 27

Nightlife:

Music:

Perpetuum Mobile, Bitef Art Cafe, Skver Mire Trailovic 1, 23:00 Retro Trance, xLagoom, Svetozara Radica 1, 23:00 Metal Party, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 23:00 Idemo na Mars and the Good Guys, Butler, Francuska 12, 23:00 Saturday is Alright, The Tube, Dobracina 21, 23:00 House Night, Mamolo, Ilije Garasanina 26, 21:00 DJ Marko Gangbangers, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27. Marta, 23:00 House Fever, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00 Disco House Night, White, Pariska 1a, 23:00 Soul Touch, Blue Moon, Knegilje Ljubice 4, 23:00

Tuckwood Cineplex Kneza Milosa 7, tel: 011 3236517

The Telephone and The Medium (operas), Madlenianum, Glavna 32, 19:30 Jura Stublic and Film, Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22, Zoran Predin & The Gypsy Swing Band, Sava Centar, Milentija Popovica 5, 20:30 Extra Orkestar, Lava Bar, Kneza Milosa 77, 23:00 Pro Rock, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 23:00 Odium, Danguba, Cirila I Metodija 2, 23:00 Nada Pavlovic Band, Diva Restaurant, Bulevar Nikole Tesle 2, 20:00 Oktobar 1864 tribute band, Fest, Gradski Park 2, 23:00

Sunday March 29 Music: Some Like it Hot (musical), Terazije Theatre, Terazije 29, 19:30 Sanja Kerkez, Sava Centar, Milentija Popovica 5, 20:30 Makao Band, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00 Demo 202, Danguba, Cirila I Metodija 2, 23:00

Other: Half Price (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesavska 64, 20:00 Plastelin (play), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00 Forest (play), Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Srpskih Vlada 50, 20:00 Exhibition: Hairstyles, EXPO XXI, Spanskih Boraca 74a, 17:00

Monday, March 30 Music: Piano duo, Artget Gallery, Trg Republica 5/1, 21:00 Karaoke Night, Danguba, Cirila I Metodija 2, 23:00 Di Luna Blues Band, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 23:00 Nightlife: Zlo & Naopako, Student Cultural Centre, Kralja Milana 48, 23:00 Video concerts, Fest, Gradski Park 2, 22:00 Dj Dutya, Francuska Sobarica, Francuska 12, 22:00 House Party (DJ Kobac), Blue Moon, Knegilje Ljubice 4, 23:00 Bla Bla Band, Vanila, Studentski Trg 15, 22:30 Humanitarian Night, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00

Kiss Me Kate (musical), Terazije Theatre, Terazije 29, 19:30 Al-Jazzira presents Sun Ra, DKSG Adresa: Bulevar Zorana Djindjica 179, 23:00 Ethno music night, Gaucosi, Dunavska 17, 23:00 Kinky Acoustic, Miss Moneypenny, Ada Ciganlija (Makiska side 4), 21:30 Box, Danguba, Cirila I Metodija 2, 23:00 Nightlife: Psychodelic Tuesday, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27. Marta, 23:00 Diesel Party, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00 Discount Night, Fest, Majke Jevrosime 20, 22:00 Pertipikulator, Blue Moon, Knegilje Ljubice 4, 23:00 Riffs, Francuska Sobarica, Francuska 12, 23:00 Zex Kazanova, Bamboo Bar, Strahinjica Bana 71, 22:00 Other: Frederik (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesavska 64, 20:00 How It Had to Be (play), Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Srpskih Vlada 50, 20:00 Love Letter (play), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00

Wednesday, April 1 Music: Draconic Release Party, Living Room, Kralja Petra 48, 23:00 Nightlife: Cocktail Wednesdays, Mamolo, Ilije Garasanina 26, 21:00 DJ Ike & Prema, Plastic, Djusina 7, 23:00 Popular Science, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27. Marta, 23:00 Salsa Night, Havana, Nikole Spasica 1, 22:00 Samba, Bossa, Jazzy, Salvador Dali, Hilandarska 20, 22:00

Thursday, April 2

Nightlife: A Little Bit of 90s, Mistique, Aberdareva 1b, 23:00 Ladies’ Night, Mr. Braun Garden, Vojislava Ilica 86, 23:00 Playground Radio Show Live, Tapas Bar, Dositejeva 17, 22:00 Kareoke Night, Gaucosi, Dunavska 17a, 23:00 Off Balance, The Tube, Dobracina 21, 23:00 DJ Krsh i Lom, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27. Marta, 23:00 Other: Pillowman (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesavska 64, 20:00 Don Quixote (ballet), National Theatre, Trg Republike 5, 19:30

sport

Friday, Mar. 27 - Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009

Crunch Time for Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia Some of the former Yugoslav nations stand a fair chance of reaching next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa, provided they get results in their upcoming qualifiers on Saturday and next Wednesday.

By Zoran Milosavljevic Reporting from Belgrade

an you imagine the former Yugoslavia competing as a unified team in the World Cup? Although the question is purely academic and may even be superfluous after the country’s bloody breakup in the 1990s, one must wonder whether a team boasting so much flair and natural talent wouldn’t be a contender for soccer’s biggest prize. Either way, several countries which emerged from the ruins of eastern Europe’s “window to the West” are in a good position to qualify for next year’s tournament in South Africa, if they don’t slip up in vital matches coming up on Saturday and the following Wednesday. Serbia are in the best position, as they top Group Seven, ahead of Lithuania on goal difference. But they have a stern test coming up against neighbours Romania in the Black Sea resort of Constanta, with the hosts desperate for a win that would rekindle their own hopes of qualifying for the 2010 finals. “France and Romania were the group favourites before the qualifiers kicked off, it’s now up to us to carry on defying the odds,” said Serbia’s midfielder Bosko Jankovic, while striker Danko Lazovic added:

Source: FIFA official website

Nemanja Vidic (left) will once again be at the heart of Serbia’s defence, which needs to show its mettle against a potent Romanian attack. A win would leave Serbia in the driving seat to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

“The match is pivotal at this stage of the qualifying campaign and a win would put is in the driving seat to get the job done.” Serbia’s bitter Balkan foes Croatia have a much tougher task to progress from Group Six, with leaders England poised to go through

Lost

automatically as the group winners. England, enjoying their best spell in years under Fabio Capello, should continue their winning streak when they host Ukraine at the new Wembley stadium on Wednesday, but the Ukrainians, who are desperate to avoid a defeat that would effec-

tively end their hopes of reaching their second successive World Cup, will certainly not go down without a fight. The Croatians should break no sweat against the group’s whipping boys Andorra, who have lost all their four matches and scored just one goal in the process.

Bosnia-Herzegovina, who came agonisingly close to reaching the last World Cup in Germany, when they were eliminated by Serbia in their final group qualifier, face an uphill struggle to leapfrog Belgium in Group Five, when they lock horns twice in four days. The Belgians will be at home in Brussels on Saturday and the reverse fixture is scheduled for the cauldron of Zenica’s Bilino Polje stadium on Wednesday. Montenegro, competing for the first time as an independent nation, hope to stun world champions Italy in Podgorica, but even an unlikely win would leave them with just a slim chance of breaking into the top two in Group Eight, after they failed to beat either Ireland or Bulgaria at home. “We will be aggressive from the start and, whatever happens, we will not let ourselves down against the world champions,” said midfielder Branko Boskovic, formerly with Red Star Belgrade and now a regular starter for Rapid Vienna. “I don’t think it’s beyond us to beat the Italians, but a draw would also be a good result, given the strength of the opposition,” he said. The Macedonians, competing in a tough Group Nine, have little hope of avoiding defeat in the Netherlands, and will need to get maximum points against Scotland and Iceland later this year if they are to stay in contention for a play-off berth, as one of the eight best runners-up. Zoran Milosavljevic is Belgrade Insight’s sports writer and also a regional sports correspondent for Reuters.

Live Sports on TV Friday, March 27: Rugby League: Wakefield v St. Helen’s (Sport Klub 9.00 p.m.); Rugby Union: French Top 14 – Castres v Toulon (Eurosport 2 at 8.30 p.m.). Saturday, March 28: Soccer: Friendly: England v Slovakia (Sport Klub + 6.15 p.m.); World Cup Qualifiers: Romania v Serbia (RTS 1 at 7.30 p.m.); Holland v Scotland (OBN 8.45 p.m.), various match highlights (Eurosport 11.00 p.m.); Tennis: ATP Miami Masters (Sport Klub 4.00 p.m.); Basketball: Croatian league – Zagreb v Zadar (HRT 2 at 5.30 p.m.). Sunday, March 29: Basketball: Spanish League – Barcelona v Unicaja Malaga (Sport Klub 10.30 a.m.), Gran Canaria v Real Madrid (Sport Klub 12.30 p.m.), NBA Regular Season – Dallas Mavericks v Cleveland Cavaliers (OBN 11.50 p.m.); Handball: Champions League quarter-finals – Zagreb v Kiel (HRT 2 at 5.30 p.m.); Soccer: World Cup qualifiers highlights: various matches (Eurosport 2 at 10.00 a.m.), Holland

v Scotland (Eurosport 10.45 a.m. and 5.15 p.m.), Montenegro v Italy 11.30 a.m. (Eurosport 11.30 a.m. and 6.00 p.m.), Ireland v Bulgaria (Sport Klub 3.00 p.m.), Lithuania v France (Eurosport 4.30 p.m.); Tennis: ATP Masters in Miami (Sport Klub 5.00 p.m.). Tuesday, March 31: Basketball: Euroleague quarter-finals – Partizan Belgrade v CSKA Moscow (RTS 2 at 8.45 p.m.). Wednesday, April 1: Soccer: Friendly: Serbia v Sweden (RTS 1 or 2 at 8.15 p.m.); World Cup qualifiers – Australia v Uzbekistan (Eurosport 2 at 10.00 a.m.), South Korea v North Korea (Eurosport 12.00 p.m.), Andorra v Croatia (HRT 2 at 8.30 p.m.), Wales v Germany or Netherlands v Macedonia (OBN at 8.45 p.m.); various match highlights (Eurosport 10.00 p.m.). Note: TV channels reserve the right to change their schedules. Check the Sport Klub website (www.sportklub. info) for more World Cup soccer qualifiers on Wednesday, April 1.