Belgrade Insight, No. 30

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NEWS NEWS

Friday • June 13 • 2008

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Issue 1 / Friday, 13, 2008 Weekly Issue No. 30,No. Friday, Apr. 03June - Thursday, Apr. 09, 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. party over which way to turn.

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

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

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

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

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

The reported price is the post of Socialist leader Ivica Dacic remains the Serbian kingmaker deputy PM, with a brief in charge of security for the Socialist leader. faces extinction unless it changes. to Serbia’s late president, Slobodan

By Rade Maroevic in Belgrade In addition, the Socialists are barHowever, a strong current also Milosevic, and reformists who want Photo by Sophie Cottrell gaining for other ministries, includflows in the opposite direction, led the party to become a modern Euroense negotiations on a new gov61,000ernment people flocked the Uscethe shopping its first day, democrat some eager organisation. to snap up promotionalby offers, othersveterans just to browse throughby the the region’s ing biggest shopping centre. capital investments, Kosovo and party enraged pean social havetodivided ranksmall on education, Belgrade media reported. prospect of a deal with Tadic.

After eight years of stagnation, of the Socialist Party, which holds Tadic has denied talk of horseMihajlo Markovic, a founder of the Socialists returned to centre stage the balance of power between the trading with the Socialists, maintainthe party, recently warned of a crisis after winning 20 of the 250 seats in main blocs and has yet to announce ing that ministries would go only to if Dacic opts for the pro-European parliament in the May 11 elections. which side they will support. those committed to working for the bloc, abandoning the Socialists’ “natWith the pro-European and nation“It looks as if the Socialists will The Balkans newest, biggest mall attracted crowds on its opening day, eager to check it out. government’s “strategic goal”. ural” ideological partners. alist blocs almost evenly matched, move towards a government led by At the same time, Dacic seems reMarkovic, a prominent supporter the Socialists now have the final say the Democrats,” political analyst MiMarija, 40, was impressed with out the new centre and also a large of opening but right now, there are luctant to call off negotiations with of Milosevic during the 1990s, is on the fate of the country. lan Nikolic, of the independent Cencontingent of pensioners, who ar- still a number of units not trading. some of the brands on offer. “It’s

By Tom Fuller nationalists. seen ofasthe representative of the and “old- greatthethat Nikolic believes led Much tre of Policy Studies, said. “But such rived we now have somewhere as early as 6 the a.m.Socialists, to snap up third floor is empty, we don’t reachGlou, an agreement in theand party who want stay to buy“Ifbrands

by Ivica Dacic, will come over a move might provoke deeper divi- free like J.Lo, Koand heavily discounted foodto thetimers” multiplex bowling alleytoare 2 “There are some classy brands,” and and, the of course, Armani, who groceries thea 4,000m being constructed.

Idea DSS and Radicals, theispartrue to the former regime’s policies, ton with Tadic, if onlyfrom out of pragmatic de- still sions and even split the party.” saidSimultaneous Nevenka, 54, negotiations “but they’re very favourite designer.”

Likethough malls the world over, you’llthe my ty thepolitical complex.

Over leadership will decide on future even these almost ruined sire to ensureintheir survival. held supermarket expensive. I’m not sure I’d come the course of the day, some 61,000 see pretty much the same fascias With the Serbian retail market steps”, Dacic announced, following Socialists for good.

“The group of younger Socialists with the pro-European and nationalhere to buy, but for window shop- visitors passed through the centre. selling pretty much the same things starting to feel the effects of declinfirst session of country’s newatparyounger Socialist gathered aroundceremony, Dacic seems to be but itSome ist blocs have drawn attention to a ping it’s great.” consumer spending, retailers was the sheer scale of theofficials place ing the With much Serbia’s on Wednesday. haveimpressed voiced frustration over the we con- Usceliament in the majority”, Nikolic opened said, adding deep insideowners the Socialists.

Theriftstore at Belgrade’s Deputy will need to work hard to atone youngster Prime Minister the that newest will be hoping customers to come and spend, to. “It’s so big; muchtheir bigger earlier this week.believe “We wish eve- spoke tinuing impasse within own tractSource: that these reformists the party Thisshopping divides mall “old-timers” loyal centre Balkan Insight (www.balkaninsight.com) that Nevenka, an accountant, is not ryone who starts a business every suc- than Delta City and all the brands after the initial flurry of interest. expressing a widely-held view and, cess,” said Bozidar Djelic. “It’s good you’ve heard of are here,” she said, Centre managers, ECE Projektmanhaving spent a reputed €150 million for this shopping mall to succeed.” but added that there weren’t enough agement, part of a group that manTHIS ISSUE Business Neighbourhood on the Balkans’ biggestOF shopping shops or placesMatters for young ages 112 centres and 3.4 million The mall, Insight which covers an area coffee BelgradeMPC Insight mall, developers Properties of 130,000m2 with 50,000m2 of people to hang out. square metres of retail space in EuwouldIS noSUPPORTED doubt agree.

Maca, 65, wasn’t so impressed, rope and the Middle East, will also retail space, has 150 stores and a BY: Shoppers were certainly out in number of brands new to the Serbian describing the centre as modern, but find it difficult to generate as much force on the opening day at the Usce market. very crowded on opening day, and buzz about this centre, as that which conomists are warning that prohile the football world watchShopping Center, which drew huge The developers claim that the she thought it didn’t have the friend- surrounded the launch of Delta City longed uncertainty over Serbia’s events unfold at the Euro- just over a year ago. crowds, both of those eager to check centre was fully let one year ahead ly feel ofesDelta City. 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 college what they see as corrupt Makao II is part of a succesful chain basketball season leaders in the Stojan Stamenkovic of the Econom- USA of the country’s football Our association of Chinese restaurants. Trencherman reaches its climax. sports wonders why. correspondent looks forward to the ics Institute in Belgrade. leaders. finals. page 5 page 10

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Usce Draws the Crowds

Costs Mounting

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Football Rebellion

EDITOR’S WORD POLITICS

Political Predictability

Dependence on the Pensioners’ Party has tied the government to big spending it should be makByincreases Mark R.when Pullen ing cuts.

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Many of us who have experiBELGRADE enced numerous Serbian elections We a trip down memory laneit ratetake ourselves as pundits when with Kapitalina Eric-Bogdanovic and comes to predicting election reher reminiscences of 70 years of the sults and post-election moves.

Belgrade theatre scene.

4 We feel in-the-knowPage because our experience of elections in Ser&usABOUT bia hasOUT shown that (a.) no single party or coalition will ever gain the Our correspondent visits Stara majority required to form a governPlanina to check out the local atment, and (b.) political negotiations tractions. will never be quickly concluded.

Even when the Democrats achieved their surprising result at last month’s general election, it quickly became clear that the result was actually more-or-less the same as every other election result in Serbia, i.e. inconclusive.

This is likely to continue as long as Serbia’s politicians form new political parties every time they Page 9 disagree with their current party leader (thereMUSIC are currently 342 registered political parties in Serbia).

Is bureaucracy stifling young talent?

Drawn-out negotiations are also Our music correspondent investithe gates. norm. One Belgrade-based Ambassador recently told me he 11 was also alarmed by Page the distinct lack of urgency among Serbian GOING OUT is at a politicians.

“The country standstill and I the don’t understand Batler is possibly hippest place in town now. theirright logic.

If they are so eager to progress towards the EU and encourage investors, how come they go home at 5pm sharp and don’t work weekends?”

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

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Source: www.weather2umbrella.com

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serbia

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

Serbia Feels the Chill Winds of the World Recession

Justin Yifu Lin, World Bank Chief Economist, is cautious about the future.

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s the World Bank issues its latest report, which forecasts the first global recession since World War II, the chill winds of economic slowdown are increasingly being felt in the Balkans.

The current unprecedented economic downturn has forced the World Bank to adjust its estimates and warn that the recession could continue into 2011. The report forecasts that the global economy will contract by 1.7 per cent this year, with GDP project-

ed to decline by 3 per cent in OECD member countries, and by 2 per cent in other high-income economies.

“Financial stress is highest among several Central and Eastern European countries which had drawn in foreign capital to feed domestic lending,” reads the World Bank report, Global Economic Prospects 2009 - Forecast Update, which was published simultaneously across the world on Tuesday.

While in absolute terms the global recession will most affect developed

countries, the effects will be felt most severely in developing or underdeveloped countries, which are less prepared, have weaker institutional and legal capacities and less knowledge of how to deal with a crisis of such proportions.

“Across the developing world, we see that the conditions of recession are affecting the poorest people, making them even more vulnerable than before to sudden shocks—but also reducing opportunities available to them, and frustrating their hopes,” said Justin Yifu Lin, World Bank Chief Economist and Senior Vice President. “This could reverse years of progress,” he added.

These problems are becoming increasingly obvious across the Balkans, as governments intervene to support their currencies, foreign investment remains on hold, demand for exports decline and countries are finding it harder to access credit to finance their deficits. Serbia has already turned to the IMF and the World Bank for help.

The IMF and other lenders recently agreed access to €3 billion in stand-by funding for Serbia. While this comes as a relief and should cover the country’s financing gap, some analysts have doubted the government’s ability to adhere to the rigid fiscal discipline the lenders require.

Mijat Lakicevic, an economist, told Belgrade Insight that taking on new loans now, will pose a problem in the future. “In two to three years we will have to pay back debts, and that may cause a dramatic fall in the value of the national currency.

It will have an unbearable impact on national industry and trade,’’ he said.

Radicals Obstruct Work of Serbian Parliament

Radical parliamentarians wearing T-shirts carrying a picture of Vojislav Seselj.

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he Serbian Parliament was forced to adjourn its sitting on Tuesday after opposition Serbian Radical Party deputies refused to sit in the seats assigned to them by the Administrative Board two months ago.

Parliamentary speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic issued a number of warnings to the Radical deputies after they refused to take up their designated seats in the newly refurbished chamber of the National Parliament building, before expelling them from the session and calling a 15-minute break. After the break, she had no option but to suspend the session on the grounds that it was not possible to continue work under the prevailing conditions.

Radical deputies, who wore Tshirts with the face of their party

leader Vojislav Seselj, refused to sit in their assigned seats, and were asked to leave the session after receiving three verbal warnings.

The session got off to a slow start initially because of problems with the electronic voting system in the new parliamentary building, which deputies entered on Tuesday for the first time.

There are 49 items on this session’s agenda, including the draft law on the appearance and use of the coat of arms, flag and national anthem, a set of laws in the field of ecology and a draft law on political parties.

Adoption of the law on the appearance and use of the coat of arms, flag and national anthem will legalise the symbols of statehood laid down by the Constitution that was introduced in November 2006.

GLAS JAVNOSTI - Serbs who decided to stay in Kosovo after its declaration of independence have been selling their houses and land to Albanians and moving to Serbia.

Albanians are offering to pay above market price for the properties.

to the Serbian prosecution authorities. The evidence that UNMIK collected during the investigation in 2004 show that organs harvested from the bodies of Serbs kidnapped in Kosovo were later sold on the black market in Turkey.

BLIC - According to the law on political parties, which is currently being discussed by deputies in the Serbian Parliament, all political organisations and parties in Serbia will have to re-register. Instead of the previous 100 members required for registration, 5,000 members will be required under the new legislation.

BLIC - An NGO, the Network for Restitution, protested in front of the Serbian government headquarters because of a statement by Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic two days ago, in which she announced a new law on properties nationalised after World War II.

Weekly Press Roundup POLITIKA - The government has developed new proposals on Vojvodina’s autonomy and sent them to the Vojvodina government. The most important change is that Vojvodina will no longer have the right to make international agreements without the central government’s prior approval.

DANAS - President Boris Tadic met with The Hague Tribunal’s Chief Prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, saying that “the Serbian government and all of its bodies will fully cooperate with The Hague Tribunal.” President of the National Council for Cooperation with The Hague Tribunal, Rasim Ljajic suggested that Serbian

citizens sentenced in The Hague should serve their prison sentences in Serbia.

KURIR - Mirjana Markovic, widow of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, claims that her son, Marko, will not come back to Serbia, even though a court in Pozarevac threw out the accusations made against him by several former members of anti-Milosevic movement Otpor, who claimed Marko Milosevic tortured them in Pozarevac in 2000.

POLITIKA - After several hours of negotiation, the antiterrorist unit of the Serbian police shot an armed man who was holding a family of four hostage in Grabovica, a village near Despotovac.

VECERNJE NOVOSTI - Five Serbian ministries that must finish technical preparations for getting Serbia onto the ‘white Schengen list’ by the end of April, are already late. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs admit that they are likely to miss the deadline by a month.

DANAS - After meeting with the Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vuk Jeremic, the Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Michael Spindelegger, said that Austria will do everything in its power to unblock the progress of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Serbia and the European Union.

POLITIKA - UNMIK police sent evidence of war crimes regarding the so-called ‘yellow house case’

BORBA - A Serbian NGO, the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights, accused writer and former President of Yugoslavia, Dobrica Cosic, of hate speech and national and religious discrimination. The accusation relates to a sentence in Cosic’s new book, ‘Time of Snakes’, in which he calls Albanians “social, political and moral dregs from the tribal and barbarian Balkans, which took the USA and the European Union as its associates in battle against the most democratic, most civilised and most educated Balkan nation – the Serbian nation.”

politics

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

Irresponsble Coalition is Ruining Serbia’s Finances

Profile of the Week

Vlade Divac

Serbian NBA legend

By Slobodan Georgijev

Dependence on the Pensioners’ Party has tied the government to big spending increases when it should be making cuts

Comment By Miroslav Zdravkovic

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erbia’s coalition government is treating the economic crisis irresponsibly and shying away from necessary budget cuts, namely reductions in pensions and public sector salaries.

One reason lies in the instability of the coalition and its fear of new elections, which is why they are making concessions to their smallest coalition partner, which represents the pensioners.

The latest example of their folly, announced by the media, is the possible abandonment of the agreement made last week with the IMF on cuts to the large budget deficit.

While the IMF suggested cuts in pensions and civil service salaries of 5 per cent, the government first opted for an income tax of 6 per cent on all incomes over €130 monthly, only now to have second thoughts.

While higher taxes - or some other approach to reducing costs in the public sector - look inevitable, such measures would affect the private sector too, because higher taxes might force employers to reduce the number of their workers.

Through the planned 6 per cent tax, the state could collect around €300 million of the missing €1.2 billion by the end of the year. The remainder of the budget deficit, around €900 million, would be covered by an agreed programme of savings in public expenditure.

While higher taxes - or some other approach to reducing costs in the public sector - look inevitable, such measures would affect the private sector too But after a public outcry, as soon as the IMF delegation left Belgrade, over the prospect of taxes on the poorest sections of society, the me-

Although Sacramento is retiring the No. 21 jersey, the highest recognition for a basketball player, Divac has yet to win his place in Serbia

dia reported a possibility that the tax would be given up and an alternative source of income found.

That alternative source probably concerns payments for pensioners.

But the government does not dare cut pensions for political reasons and so finds itself at a dead end.

It is all the result of the very unstable makeup of the coalition, which comprises the Democratic Party, G17 Plus, the Socialists, and some other smaller parties, including the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia, headed

by Jovan Krkobabic, who is also a deputy prime minister.

What did these parties promise voters last May? A European future in which employment levels would rise by 200,000 and pregnant women get 100 per cent of their salaries while on leave.

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The world economic downturn really hit home in October last year. The IMF pointed out the extent of the crisis in early November There would be large investment projects, free shares worth €1,000 and Fiat would come to Kragujevac.

The Pensioners and Socialists crossed the parliamentary threshold at the elections thanks to their promises to make pensions equivalent to 70 per cent of the average salary in Serbia.

In order for the government to win their support for a coalition, an immediate rise in pensions of 10 per cent was factored into the budget for 2009.

But it was obvious, even back then, that it was not realistic to expect that planned revenue, mostly from foreign investments, would cover these high expenses, at a time when an economic crisis was already on the horizon.

The world economic downturn really hit home in October last year. The IMF pointed out the extent of the crisis in early November, and the budget was approved before the New Year.

Only a week later, the National Bank Governor, Radovan Jelasic, and the Minister of Finance, Diana Dragutinovic, said the budget was unrealistic and VAT would have to go up.

At the time it was formed last July, the government inherited revenues from privatisation worth €1.2 billion. This is being spent fast and only around €400 million remain.

Each month around €60 to €70 million is being spent from this fund, while investments have virtually dried up and there is nothing to fill the hole.

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Source: www.emportal.rs

The government’s promises on pensions may prove costly for the nation.

Instead of a rise in employment of 200,000, since December, unemployment has risen. It could increase by as much as 150,000 by the end of the year.

With layoffs in the public sector already announced, the number of those losing their jobs could even exceed 200,000.

By the end of its fouryear mandate, the government is unlikely to be able to generate 400,000 new jobs, and meet its original preelection promises By the end of its four-year mandate, the government is unlikely to be able to generate 400,000 new jobs, and meet its original pre-election promises.

Meanwhile, European integration remains frozen until Serbia hands over the two remaining war crimes indictees, Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, to The Hague.

The government is passive, despite the fact that it cannot count on a rise in tax revenues when it faces a drop in industrial production and foreign trade.

What can be expected now, if the government does not dare to take action on pensions and public sector wages? As said earlier, it is possible that to make up the shortfall, VAT will go up, affecting everyone, through a rise in prices.

Instead of boldly coming forward with a diagnosis and explaining why it has to cut state expenses, while finding ways to shield those most endangered socially, the government behaves as if it is without a compass.

Why? Because it is afraid of losing the support of the United Pensioners and consequent new elections.

As this government is not expected to take that route, Serbia may be in for a nightmare that could end in social unrest, along lines already seen in Hungary, Greece and the Baltic states.

Miroslav Zdravkovic is editor of ekonomija.org

lade Divac, 41, one of the most famous Europeans ever to play in the NBA, is the president of the Olympic Committee of Serbia. His previous careers in sport and business were marked by controversies that made him into a national hero, but also aroused suspicion in the Serbian circles of power.

Before he flew to his other home, the US, to attend a ceremony for the retirement of his Sacramento Kings jersey, Divac stirred up the people of Serbia by publicly supporting his friend Dusan Miklja, who was fired from his position as Belgrade’s minister for sport by Mayor Dragan Djilas, a close associate of President Boris Tadic.

As nothing happens by chance in politics, this event from the margins of political life in Serbia has a greater significance - Divac, some suggested, was acting like a member of the opposition.

Divac carefully chose his words when criticising Djilas, but the team around Tadic certainly had to take Divac’s criticism seriously, because Divac is widely respected, and he not only knows how to use the media, but has ready access to it. Besides that, Divac supported Tadic during his presidential campaign.

When he was just an 18-yearold with Partizan Belgrade, Divac was already the greatest talent in European basketball. He was one of the first Europeans to enter the NBA, where he played with Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson. He played in All-Star games, and won everything that could be won.

He was considered a god in Serbia for years, but when he returned some years ago to launch a business, he faced strong competition from local businessmen and surrounded himself with poor advisors. He failed to secure ownership of several companies in Serbia’s privatisation auctions and then turned to charity work, eventually becoming president of the Olympic Committee, although, when Divac was selected, critics said Tadic had personally pulled strings to ensure Divac won the post.

In the 1990s, Divac openly opposed Slobodan Milosevic, and, in an interview on returning to Serbia, said his ambition was to become the President of Serbia some day. To realise this vision,zz he will have to wait for the end of the mandate of Boris Tadic - still his friend - and that’s likely to be another four years.

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belgrade chronicle

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

All the World’s a Stage Kapitalina Eric-Bogdanovic recalls life in 1930s Belgrade, her famous acting colleagues and how she got through the German occupation.

By Duska Stefanovic

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Singing is what kept me alive,” says Kapitalina Eric-Bogdanovic, a former star of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, on our visit to the retirement home where she now lives in the Belgrade suburb of Vozdovac.

Now entering her tenth decade, she looks back on her acting career in Belgrade in the 1930s and her first encounter with the famous actress Zanka Stokic. She talks of King Aleksandar, too, the German occupation, President Tito, and of her many colleagues from the theatre.

“Today’s fashion is nothing compared to it: you cannot tell a woman from a man!”

“I can retell the whole history, I remember everything very well,” Kapitalina says, touching up her hairdo and applying some fresh lipstick.

“I came to Belgrade in 1933 from the small town of Zvornik in Bosnia.

I came with my mother, to visit my sister, Marija, who was already married at the time and living with her husband. Belgrade was a small city then, clean as a spa, without much noise or many motor cars,” she remembers.

The architecture was tamer, too, mostly consisting of low-rise buildings. The tallest building at the time was the four-storey Tata store, located across the way from the Russian Tsar.

Belgraders were as obsessed by fashion then as they are today, however.

“Today’s fashion is nothing compared to it: you cannot tell a woman from a man!” Kapitalina exclaims, with nostalgia. “There were no jeans back then; we would purchase English textiles and silk and then sew the finests suits. Knez Mihailova was a place for promenades, where Belgraders took walks with their friends and greeted one another. Everyone wore hats, and men greeted women by doffing them.

“Those were romantic times,” she sighs. “We respected each other and communicated in a much nicer way; we never used impolite words,” she adds, saddened that today’s language has become so coarse.

“Pre-war Belgrade was well supplied,” she continues, “especially by butcher shops in which the finest hams decorated the shop windows; markets were blooming and milkmen delivered goods to households on horse-drawn carts. Life was good.”

Kapitalina’s sister, Marija, worked

as a cook at the Jockey Club, where wealthy racehorse owners gathered on Sundays after betting sessions at the racetrack. She also worked in the private household of Milan Jovicic, the club secretary. “I often helped out. I would pour coffee for the guests of Milan’s wife, Jelena, and among them was Zanka Stokic,” Kapitalina explains.

It was Jelena who introduced Kapitalina to Zanka and explained that she wanted to become an actress.

“Then let her be one,” Zanka apparently replied.

“Later I saw her in the play, the Cabinet Minister’s Wife. Everyone was bursting out with laughter.

Whenever she laughed, her smile shone like a string of pearls,” Kapitalina says, recalling the great actress with affection.

The Cabinet Minister’s Wife at that time was performed in a tiny National Theatre, where the Yugoslav Drama Theatre is located today. It was an adapted stable.

“I remember wonderful actors from those times, like Viktor Starcevic, Svetolik Nikacevic, Marica Popovic, Ana Paranos, Nevenka Urbanova, Toda Arsenijevic and Mata Milosevic,” she continues.

Acting school entrance exams were held only once every three years, so that every actor who graduated would be able to find a job. Acting was taught by Desa Dugalic, Vera Grec and Jurije Rakitic. As well as drama, university professors taught psychology, ancient literature and other subjects.

“Those were romantic times,” she sighs. “We respected each other and communicated in a much nicer way; we never used impolite words.”

Russians were an important element in the cultural life of the capital. “After many Russian intellectuals emigrated from the Bolshevik regime, King Aleksandar accepted them and gave them appointments.

Those Tsarist Russians were very welcome in Serbia,” Kapitalina says.

She herself is of Russian descent.

Her Russian mother went to the theatre every Sunday in her hometown of Tomsk in Siberia, which is why she took her daughter to acting school in Belgrade on a teacher’s recommendation – and against the wishes of Kapitalina’s strict father.

Travelling to Belgrade was an adventure, she remembers. A train took passengers from Koviljaca Spa to Sabac in Serbia, where a ferry

Kapitalina Eric-Bogdanovic (left) shared her reminiscences of 70 years in the theatre.

then crossed the river Sava to Ruma.

From Ruma, another train continued to Zemun, where the Sava was crossed by ferry.

The school Kapitalina attended was in Francuska, across the street from the Writers’ Association. She could walk everywhere she needed to go, as the tram could only take people into the suburbs, to Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra, or to Hajducka Cesma at Kosutnjak.

In 1934, the French statesman Louis Barthou visited Belgrade and was accompanied back to France by King Aleksandar. Both men were then assassinated in Marseilles.

“People were desperate,” Kapitolina recalls. “We visited the National Assembly to pay our last respects to our king. There were queues in front of the building.”

“Young King Petar II inherited the crown but was too young to deal with the pressures coming from the Germans. After the government refused to sign the Tripartite Pact with Germany, and Belgrade was bombed in 1941, the King fled to London with his mother, and we were left to the mercy of the occupation.”

The first bombs fell onto the Srpski Kralj hotel in Uzun Mirkova

street, very close to the home of Kapitalina and her husband. She remembers that the sound of the explosions made them jump out of bed, while the hotel was ruined. In 12 days, the war was over and the Germans marched in with their tanks and motor vehicles.

“We visited the National Assembly to pay our last respects to our king. There were queues in front of the building.”

“I remember that Jews were obliged to wear yellow armbands and clean the city,” says Kapitalina, who recalls a young colleague, Rahela Ferari, who was brave enough to refuse to wear it.

“For a while, she hid with a family at the end of Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra. When I visited her, she was doing her laundry with a beautiful diamond ring on her finger. She was complaining that she was unable to sell it as no one had the money to buy it. Later, when the Germans started sending Jews to concentration camps, Rahela went to a village in Sumadija

with Aca, who later became her husband.

“She wore a headscarf and worked around the village, like a real country woman. When she came back she was baptized into the Orthodox Church and took the name Marija.”

Meanwhile, life had to go on. And so did the theatre. “During the German occupation, plays were held in summer at the Kalemegdan fortress.

We organised the summer stage ourselves… We performed Ivko’s Feast, Dundo Maroje, Shakespeare... I had a leading role with Nikola Popovic and Viktor Starcic in a play directed by Josif Kulundzic... The text was written by a Jew, so instead of his name, it read ‘No name’.”

Kapitalina remembers the end of the occupation very well. Asked what Belgrade was like, her memory runs back to Zanka Stokic, who fell out of favour with the newly victorious communists under Tito.

“In 1944, the Partisans punished Zanka for being active during the occupation and banned her from performing for eight years. They didn’t take into consideration that she was ill and needed money for medicine.

When the Yugoslav Drama Theatre reopened in 1947, her punishment

belgrade chronicle

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

Belgrade Through the Eyes of…

David Norris Zanka Stokic

It was Zanka Stokic, a queen of 1930s Yugoslav theatre, who motivated Kapitalina to persue a career on the stage when they met in the home of Milan Jovicic, a prominent businessman and socialite. was suspended and she was hired again. But when she heard that she could play again she got so excited that she died the same day!”

The Drama Theatre hired only the best actors. “There were 60 or so of us. I was ordered to leave the set of This People Will Live in Bosanska Krupa and to go back to the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, where I was hired for a play, which was a priority,” Kapitalina explains.

Decades on, not even an operation and an injury that she sustained in the past two years have stopped her from being faithful to her old profession.

She happily takes part in events with her old colleagues, organised for the residents of her retirement home.

Along with Rada Djuricin, and Jelena and Ivana Zigon, she willingly stands and sings some Russian songs. Smiles fill the room.

The audience say no-one has made them laugh or cry so hard in a long time. Kapitalina spends much of her time with her roomate, Vuka Stokic, whose late husband was related to the famous Zanka. They laugh and sing together, looking back on their careers with pleasure and satisfaction.

Belgrade Diary

By Ian Bancroft

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midst its more illustrious, luminous and contrived counterparts, some with suspicious and fluid sounding names, it is the comparatively under-stated Cvetic, one of the oldest cafes in Vracar, where most of my weekday Belgrade mornings begin and end; where my slumber eventually recedes and the day and all its implications slowly dawns.

The ease, or not, with which Cvetic’s often troublesome door is opened distinguishes the ‘regulars’ from the ‘newcomers’, with many of the latter feeling eternally discouraged by their failure to immediately decipher this apparent code of entry or right of passage; a trait shared by many foreigners arriving

A Belgrade Morning

to Belgrade, impatient to unlock the unwritten social grammar - an understanding of which, as with all languages unfortunately, can only be acquired upon consideration of, and cringing at, one’s mishaps and mistakes. Yet those who are deterred are severely misguided – for despite Cvetic’s size, shape and stature, the attention of the clientele is rarely distracted by arriving customers; conversations do not deviate nor eyes shift. Only the solitary waiter quietly and confidentially registers your intent.

Depending on one’s mood, both anonymity and familiarity remain distinct and respected choices, even if one wants one or the other inconsistently and inter-changeably, seamlessly retracting the previous choice. As a refreshing contrast to far too many cafes, bars and restaurants, this implied timelessness leaves one free to while away an hour or two or three without an excess of caffeine or contact; its unobtrusiveness and easy manner contrasting with many other aspects of public life and space in Belgrade.

As a rule for much of Belgrade’s architecture, it’s subdued and almost melancholic exterior should not

prejudice judgements about the interior; though it’s certainly true that they often inflect each other, folding elements of the former into the latter, and vice-versa. Pictures of various cafe culture fragments adjoin the walls – Campari-branded ashtrays, Le Figaro, bowls of cappuccino, ludicrous glasses of Belgian beer – evoking aspirational notions of Western Europe. The artificial lightness, reflected through the slightly lob-sided mirrors that deepen and extend the room, combined with the convivial Italian canzones, create an atmosphere conducive to simultaneous contemplation and distraction.

Just prior to noon, the brigade of pensioners, patriots, Partizan fans and maybe even professors form an orderly and almost perfect circle of smoke and scepticism; sharing their

considered judgements on an array of topics, from refereeing decisions to betting, from prices to politics. At this juncture it is time to leave; the reliability of their routine signalling the end of another morning in Belgrade.

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

Team Leader, IPA 2008 Regional Quality Infrastructure (EC-funded project for candidate and potential candidate countries for EU accession) Nationality: British In Belgrade since: August 2008 The best thing about Belgrade is: Belgraders: never have I been so impressed by a group of people who are so hospitable, warm and friendly despite what they have endured for almost 20 years. We have a lot to learn.

The most annoying thing about Belgrade is: Driving in the city, with few, if any, drivers following the rules of the road and a constant battle to be first - no matter who gets trampled on as a result. I’m also not keen on the packs of wild dogs.

If I was mayor for one day: I would probably be unable to get anything done for bureaucratic reasons; but I might at least try to introduce more cycle lanes and enable open-air swimming pools to extend their season into September (when temperatures hit 40ºC last autumn, all the open air pools had closed for the winter...)

I feel at home because of: The aforementioned people, our garden, our neighbours – Serbian and (by coincidence) British; and of course when it rains and the sky is grey I am transported back to England in the spring (or summer, of autumn or winter).

When friends visit I always take them: I think they’ve had enough of our international wanderings and are content to wait for us to drop in on them on one of our infrequent visits to the UK. If friends actually did visit, then Kalemegdan for the view; Madera terrace for the food and drink; and our front garden for happy family times.

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regional

Bulgaria to Ban Religious Symbols Sofia_The Bulgarian government has approved a draft bill banning religious symbols in schools, drawing criticism mainly from the Muslim community. Hussein Hafazov from the Chief Mufti’s office told the Reuters news agency that the idea “ damages the rights and responsibilities of Muslim women.”

The bill calls for the banning of the hijab and other religious symbols in schools, though has not yet been approved by parliament. Muslims, who make up 12 per cent of Bulgaria’s 7.8 million population, have lived with Christians in relative harmony for centuries in a culture known as “komshuluk”, or neighbourly relations.

Bosnia Priest on Paedophilia Charge Sarajevo_The Office of the Public Prosecutor in Bosnia’s northern district of Brcko has charged a local Serbian Orthodox priest with sexually abusing two girls, local media reported on Thursday March 26th.

The priest was charged after a yearlong investigation. Because of the sensitivity of the case, and since it involves young girls - one 14 and one 16 - the Prosecutors’ office has ordered that no further information should be given to media until the end of the judicial process. This case follows that of Imam Resad Omerhodzic who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually abusing an underage girl. Omerhodzic’s lawyer appealed against the decision and the process is still ongoing.

Macedonia Plans Peacekeeping Mission in Senegal Skopje_With several peacekeeping missions already in progress, Macedonia is considering sending its forces to the civil-war torn African state of Senegal. The troops would be put under US command, and would help train local security forces, the local Vreme daily says, citing unnamed high-ranking army sources. The plan is initially to send a smaller force and increase the size of the contingent with every rotation of troops, the source said.

Macedonia’s army, numbering 6,000 soldiers, participated in the “Iraqi Freedom” mission, already has about 150 peacekeepers in Afghanistan and plans to increase their number by next year. Macedonia also has troops deployed in Lebanon and Bosnia.

US Envoy: Macedonia Name Deal in 2010 Skopje_The US ambassador to Greece, Daniel Speckhard, voiced hope that the burning AthensSkopje name row will be solved in 2010, local media reported on Friday 27th March.

In a speech at the Woodrow Wilson Center, on the theme ‘Resilience and Transition: Resetting USGreek Relations’, the ambassador said, “I personally hope that next year we will see certain progress.

I know that I said this last year, but I’m an optimist because this is a political season in Greece’s neighbour,” referring to the ongoing double presidential and local election in Macedonia.

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

Low Turnout May Invalidate Macedonia Poll The only possible obstacle to the ruling party’s candidate winning the presidency - 40 per cent of the electorate need to vote for the poll to be valid.

By Boris Georgievski

M

acedonia’s centre-right coalition, led by the VMRO-DPMNE, won most votes in the first round of both the local and presidential elections on March 22nd. With turnout at just under 57 per cent in the first round, the main question now is whether voter turnout will also cross the obligatory 40 per cent threshold to validate the result in the second round.

The VMRO-DPMNE’s presidential contender, Georgi Ivanov, won 35 per cent of the votes, putting him in the lead. His rival in the April 5th run-off will be Ljubomir Frckoski, the opposition Social Democrats’ nominee, who won 20 per cent in the first round.

A poll by the Democratic Institute found that in the second round, 25 per cent of voters planned to support Ivanov while 15 per cent would vote for Frckoski. The poll also found that 45 percent of citizens do not intend to vote in the second round of the presidential elections on April 5th, and a further 15 per cent are undecided about whether to vote or not. This brings into question whether the 40 per cent threshold will be achieved.

A quarter of Macedonia’s 2.2 million population are ethnic Albanians, whose votes have been critical in meeting the turnout threshold, and deciding the winner, in the three previous presidential elections.

The Albanian community’s pivotal role in the election process has triggered many accusations of foul play and fraud in the past.

“I would be very cautious about whether the 40 per cent threshold can be reached in the second round” In 1994, when the VMRO-DPMNE was in opposition, it accused the Social Democrat-led government of giving more than 100,000 Albanians from Kosovo citizenship rights, in order to get them to vote for their candidate, Kiro Gligorov.

When the Social Democrats were in opposition in 1999, they, in turn, accused the VMRO-DPMNE of fraud and ballot-stuffing to get Boris Trajkovski elected.

It was the same story in 2004, when Branko Crvenkovski became president. Critics claimed he was elected against a background of violence and fraud amongst ethnic Albanians.

To avoid the worst of the irregularities seen during previous elections, the parliament has since lowered the threshold for voter turnout from 50 to 40 per cent. But many feel it should be lower still.

“I would be very cautious about whether the 40 per cent threshold can be reached in the second round,” former Social Democrat prime minister, Vlado Buckovski, said in a TV debate with the deputy prime minister, Ivica Bocevski.

Source: www.daylife.com

Georgi Ivanov, leader of the VMRO-DPMNE, and their presidential candidate, celebrates his first round victory.

Political analyst Zhidas Daskalovski told Balkan Insight that meeting the 40 per cent threshold would depend on the turnout among swing voters, including the Albanian community.

“There is a possibility that the Albanians will be motivated by the candidates’ positions on the name issue and on NATO integration. If that is the case, then Frckoski is the obvious choice for them,” Daskalovski said.

However, Gordan Georgiev, director of the Forum Centre for Strategic Research and Documentation, a local NGO, expects that the starkly opposing positions of the two men in the run-off will encourage a high turnout.

“Ivanov and Frckoski are opposed over the name issue, and the question of our entry into NATO; I think this kind of debate will create the necessary momentum to drive people to vote,” Georgiev said.

Ivanov is seen as the candidate most opposed to Greek demands for Macedonia to change its name in order to be allowed into NATO. After Ivanov’s victory in the first round, one VMRO-DPMNE parliamentarian, Vlatko Gjorcev, told a cheering crowd that people had “voted for a president who won’t change our name and won’t give up on Macedonia’s identity!”

On the other side, Frckoski promised to reach a compromise with Greece over the name issue within his first three months as president, styling the parties supporting him as a “proNATO and pro-EU coalition”.

Sefer Tahiri, from the Southeast European University in Tetovo, said

the second round of voting would probably succeed in terms of turnout as a result of the influence of the international community.

“The vote will only fail if the opposition parties or the independent candidate, Ljube Boskoski, call for a boycott,” he said, adding “but that would be devastating for democracy and for the opposition itself.”

Boskoski and the New Democracy party’s Imer Selmani each won around 145,000 votes.

“It would open up a new period of political manoeuvring, uncertainty and complexity” Their share of the total vote was significant – and what their supporters decide now might be crucial for a successful turnout in the second round.

Both Selmani and Boskoski have said they will not back either candidate in the second round or advise their supporters whom to vote for.

If Boskoski remains on this course, then Albanian votes will be crucial.

But Tahiri warns that ethnic Albanians may feel they have no incentive to vote in the second round. Both Ivanov and Frckoski have a poor image in the Albanian community, he argues.

Political analyst Jeton Shasivari says the motives for Albanians to vote in the second round will depend on arrangements that Albanian leaders make with their Macedonian counterparts.

Tahiri said that the Democratic Union for Integration, the largest ethnic Albanian party in Macedonia, would only have reason to instruct its supporters to vote for Ivanov if the VMRO-DPMNE pledged to resolve a number of issues.

These include “the social status of the former National Liberation Army guerrillas, closure of the cases that have been returned to the local jurisdiction from The Hague, use of the Albanian national flag, and membership of NATO and the EU,” Tahiri said.

Macedonia’s constitution states that if the 40 per cent threshold is not reached, the whole process must be repeated from the beginning. Opinions differ about the impact of such an eventuality.

Tahiri believes it would be “devastating” for Macedonia, as “a lot of money would be spent at a time of deep economic crisis.”

Daskalovski, however, said that “if the elections fail because of a low turnout, nothing dramatic will happen, but the country will lose its legitimacy until we elect a President.”

The OSCE ambassador to Macedonia, Jose-Luis Herrero, spoke of his concerns about the situation to Alsat-M TV on Tuesday.

“It would open up a new period of political manoeuvring, uncertainty and complexity,” he said.

“Taking into account that this country is still politically in transition and needs stability and predictability, it would be more convenient… if there were not another period of vacuum and a repetition of the elections.”

Source: www.BalkanInsight.com

regional business

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

Romanians Row Over Plan to Decriminalise Incest

Albania and Croatia Join NATO Tirana_NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer invited Albania and Croatia to join the Alliance in an official letter on Tuesday March 31st. Albania’s ambassador, Aleksander Sallabanda , and his Croatian counterpart, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, represented their countries at a ceremony in Washington hosted by US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg. “Albania is ready to take up all the challenges and responsibilities that participation in the alliance entails,” said Sallabanda. “We are determined to take our share of responsibility for global peace and stability” said Grabar-Kitarovic.

The countries’ accession was ratified

by NATO at the Bucharest Summit a year ago. Both countries already have troops deployed in Afghanistan.

In Zagreb, President Stipe Mesic welcomed the event. “Croatia has fulfilled one of its two foreign policy targets: to join the European Union and NATO,” he said.

The Orthodox Church is leading vociferous public opposition to proposals to exempt consenting adults from prosecution for incest.

By Marian Chiriac in Bucharest

A

15-year-old girl is admitted to a hospital in eastern Romania – not stricken by a common childhood disease – but to have a baby.

The news, reported in a daily newspaper in Botosani, alerted the local authorities, because the child she was about to deliver was her own father’s.

“This is the fourth case of incest officially recorded since the beginning of this year alone,” says Cecilia Spataru, deputy director for children’s protection in Botosani, one of Romania’s poorest regions.

“A child having a child is pathetic enough, but such cases are made doubly worse when the girl has been sexually abused by a ‘trusted’ adult male,” she added.

With many women toiling in Western Europe as domestic workers, the spectre of incest has reared its ugly head in poorer households in Botosani, where young children are often left in the care of a father, stepfather or uncle.

“A child having a child is pathetic enough, but such cases are made doubly worse when the girl has been sexually abused by a ‘trusted’ adult” Between 65 and 70 cases of incest are recorded in the country every year, according to children’s organisations. The real number of cases is believed to be much higher.

Currently, all forms of incest in Romania are punishable by up to seven years in prison.

Sexual abuse is an underreported issue in Romania, but the phenomenon of incest has begun to be debated far more intensively following a controversial government proposal to decriminalise incest among consenting adults.

The proposal forms part of a range of planned reforms to the criminal code. There is also a proposal to legalise prostitution.

At present, the planned changes to the criminal code are still being debated by a parliamentary law commission. No date has been set for parliament to vote on the bill.

“We are proposing a change in the criminal code so that Romania’s legislation can come closer into line with that of some other European Union members,” Catalin Predoiu, Romania’s Justice Minister, said recently.

“Incest cannot be stopped with criminal sanctions,” he added, “but with medical and social measures, because incest is based on pathological factors.”

Sarajevo Shaken by Two Earthquakes Sarajevo_Two moderately-strong earthquakes, just over 12 hours apart shook Sarajevo this week. The tremors caused widespread alarm but did little damage. The first tremor, at 3:27p.m. on Monday registered 3.3 on the Richter scale. The epicentre was some 8km east of Sarajevo. The second, stronger, quake, at 3.46a.m. on Tuesday, was centred 16 kilometers north of Sarajevo, Bosnia’s Seismological Institute reported. At its epicentre, the second earthquake registered 3.8 on the Richter scale, causing minor damage to several buildings and major disruption to the power grid across the city. No injuries were reported.

“Incest cannot be stopped with criminal sanctions” Three other EU countries, France, Portugal and Spain, do not prosecute consenting adults for incest.

In defence of the proposed changes, Professor Valerian Cioclei, one of the specialists working on the new criminal code, says that while incest between consenting adults would no longer be a crime, penalties for the incestuous abuse of minors would be harsher.

But not all Romanians accept the arguments of the Justice Ministry or experts.

The Romanian Orthodox Church, to which some 85 per cent of the population belongs, is leading public opposition to the move.

“Incest should not be legalised; it’s an abominable, sinful act by any moral standard,” said George Istodor, a church spokesperson.

“Such people need medical help but should also know they should face imprisonment for their acts.”

Many people are also sceptical of the planned reforms, convinced that incest can never be consensual.

“Incest should not be legalised; it’s an abominable, sinful act by any moral standard” “Just read the newspapers. Every time, they report that a drunken man has violently attacked his daughter, sister or mother,” Alice Dumitrache, 55, says. “Why then legalise incest?”

7

Kosovo Begins Stray Dog Cull

Source: http://storage0.dms.mpinteractiv.ro

Romania’s Justice Minister, Catalin Predoiu, has provoked a storm of protest.

For their part, experts say a lot of incest cases go unreported and they want efforts made to address the problems peculiar to rural familial structures.

“The psychological and physical impact it would have on a child is rarely taken into consideration” “Tight-knit family structures, the dominant role of fathers, the submissiveness of women who are mute witnesses to gross injustice and the tendency not to allow ‘family shame’ to be exposed, whatever the cost, are all factors helping the abusers,” Raluca Popescu, a sociologist, says.

“That is why most of such crimes go unnoticed. People are anxious to protect the child’s future and safeguard the reputation of the family. The psychological and physical impact it would have on a child is rarely taken into consideration.”

Popescu maintains that Romania’s medical and social services are rarely able to meet the needs of traumatised victims.

“It’s useless having laws that criminalise incest when the enforcement of the laws is poor and, in some cases, hampered by corruption and the complicity of local authorities,” Popescu adds.

Source: www.BalkanInsight.com

Pristina_After the death of eightyear-old Erion Funiqi, killed on March 20th by a pack of dogs, Kosovo municipalities launched a campaign over the weekend to eliminate strays. The young victim’s village and surrounding area was finally cleared of stray dogs on Saturday and Sunday, although the villagers had originally requested this in January. The Hunters’ Association, Thelleza, have been asked by the Municipality to assist in the destruction of stray dogs. Similar campaigns will be initiated in the municipality of Prizren, as statistics show that more that 200 people have sought medical attention for dog bites in recent months.

8

business

Serbia to Increase National Debt to Cover Costs Serbia will increase its debts by €1.5 billion through borrowing from banks and international institutions, Deputy Prime Minister Mladjan Dinkic announced on Tuesday. The plans are in addition to the €350 million already specified in the budget for financing the deficit.

“The state intends to take on an extra €500 million in commercial debt,” Dinkic told Emportal. The rest of the money needed for covering the budget deficit and paying down this year’s instalments on existing foreign currency loans, due on May 31st, should be provided by loans from international financial institutions, including the European Union. Finance minister Diana Dragutinovic announced that the budget rebalancing would be finalised over the next three weeks. The plans will increase the previously projected deficit by between 50 billion dinars (€525 million) and 90 billion dinars (€950 million), about 3 per cent of GDP. The deficit increase has been agreed with the IMF, with whom negotiations over a new two-year stand-by arrangement worth €3 billion were completed this week.

Communications Firm Invests in Serbia France’s Sagem Communications, and representatives from the Serbian government and the city of Nis, signed an agreement enabling the opening of a plant for manufacturing Sagem’s electronic components. Construction is due to begin in the next few months.

After the signing of the agreement, Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said that in the first year Sagem would invest a million euros in the factory and that, within five years, at least €6 million would be invested and 250 workers employed in Nis, a city with over 40,000 unemployed out of a population of 250,000. Nis was the centre of the former Yugoslavia’s electronic industry. Partrick Sevjan, the president of Sagem, said that the company’s long-term goal is to focus on the Internet and set top box markets.

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

Uzice Industries Seek New Markets to Counter Crisis Serbia’s leading metal firms are fighting back against the global downturn and aggressively seeking new export markets

By Biljana Pavlovic from Uzice

W

ith production cut by as much as half, exports decimated and workers losing their jobs, the world economic crisis has hit Uzice, forcing its industrial giants to seek new markets or make painful cuts to survive.

Industrial production in the Uzice region in the west of Serbia in January this year was 42.4 per cent down on last January’s figures, according to the Regional Chamber of Commerce.

In the metals industry, the decline in production was around 40 per cent and exports, at US $34.5 million, were half the figure from the same month last year.

In the region’s six municipalities, 900 workers lost their jobs between January and March, up 100 per cent from the same period last year.

Although the majority of laid off workers were full time, part-time workers have not been spared either.

Businesses in the Uzice region, which comprises ten municipalities and has a population of around 335,000, have long been successful.

Leading firms, such as Prvi Partizan, a copper and aluminium mill; Autoventil; Sinter, Fasau and the Pozega Foundry, all survived the country’s disintegration and, until the beginning of the recent crisis, enjoyed success, largely through exports.

Exports from the region include food and drinks, machines, appliances, weapons, industrial tools, textiles and textile products, but aluminium and copper together make up 57.5 per cent of the exports in terms of value.

Major export markets have traditionally included Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Slovenia and BosniaHerzegovina, and last year’s surplus in foreign trade with these countries was US $290.5 million (€219 million).

But in the last few months, the number of orders from European buyers drastically dropped, forcing production decreases and obliging producers to find new markets, use new technologies, or reduce the number of employees.

The Sevojno copper mill, which exports 90 per cent of its total production, produced 10 per cent less than forecast in January and February.

However, the firm has found new export markets, primarily in Russia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, enabling them to cover production in March, helping them to continue normal operations in the coming months.

East Point, a intermediary company with a branch office in Moscow, and through which Sevojno sells its products, has closed a three-month contract on exports to Russia worth US $4.5 million (€3.4 million).

General director Dragan Subotic is reluctant to speak about the precise agreements.

But one source close to the management said one factor behind the mill’s new presence on the Russian market was that production by rival firms in Poland and the Czech Republic had collapsed.

A redundancy plan agreed earlier this year saw 100 workers leave the company by March 1st, and, by the end of the month, the board is expected to adopt a plan for further business savings measures in 2009.

Subotic says the remaining 918 employees have no reason to fear being laid off. Indeed, under the plan, staff salaries will rise by 10 per cent this year.

The Pozega Foundry, owned by Farmakom of Sabac and Serbian Railways since 2006, is also seeking salvation from the crisis in the development of new markets in Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The company exported goods worth almost €1 million last year to markets in the former Yugoslav republics and Greece, and now expects to close a valuable contract with Germany’s national rail company, Deutsche Bahn, in April and is also in negotiations with Czech railways. It has never exported to either country before.

Foundry director Nikola Sojic says the company has international quality certification and that this is vital for export markets.

The factory will soon start manufacturing specialist equipment for high-speed rail tracks, after making an investment of €2 million that will be completed by June.

Belex

Uzice’s export markets are seen as crucial to long-term survival.

The Pozega Foundry will be the first company in the Balkans to make such specialist products, which are now in high demand.

The only Uzice manufacturer of solid fuel boilers, ABC Proizvod, is also seeking new export markets.

The company plans to increase their exports, which were worth around €600,000 last year, to up to €1 million.

Their main international markets are Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro, and they are now in negotiations with Slovenian DIY giant Merkur and Austrian businesses.

The company’s director, Zoran Zunic, is seeking a way out of the export crisis by introducing new technologies.

In 2009, the firm plans to acquire state-of-the-art presses, which along with a laser cutting machine and welding robot, will make the company one of the best technically equipped in its field, improving their competitiveness on European markets.

Serbia’s fifth largest exporter, Sevojno’s Impol Seval, which produces hot rolled and cold rolled plates and coils, has also been affected by the crisis. As the number of orders from European buyers has declined, they have sought savings.

This company now exports 95 per cent of its production and employs 670

Declines as Foreign Investors Exit

By Tijana Cvetkovic

B

staff. Last year, production declined by around 2 per cent on the previous year, though 2007 was a record year. The value of last year’s exports was estimated at €70 million and went across the EU, particularly Italy, Germany and Slovenia.

However, in the second half of last year, demand for their products dropped and company director, Ninko Tesic, says he had been thinking about reducing the working week even before the government launched its own initiative.Tesic claims they can avoid layoffs.

However, Uzice workers are still worried. One copper millworker said his monthly salary of around 22,000 dinars (€230) did not offer much security in the first place, but at a time when it is difficult to find new jobs, he and his colleagues are afraid of redundancy.

“I go to work even when I’m sick, just in case,” he said. “I’m afraid that if I go on sick leave, they will fire me.

They say there would be no layoffs – but you never know!”

This worker said the crisis had exerted a negative influence not only on the business but on community relations: “It’s every man for himself now; there’s none of the comradeship we older workers are used to. Now you have to fear both your boss and your colleagues.”

etween March 30th andApril 2nd the Belgrade Stock Exchange resumed a gentle downward trend. The Belex15, index of the most liquid

shares dropped 0.24 points, or 0.1 per cent, while the composite index, Belexline, dipped 0.99 points. volumes remained modest.

Over the reviewed period, total turnover was just 124.2 million dinars. ShEquities made up the bulk of the turnover, with 89 per cent. Total FX bond turnover was €292,000 and series A2016 was the most traded.

The most actively traded share was AIK Bank with a turnover of 12.5 million dinars and 9,699 traded shares. Energoprojekt holding and Becej based Sojaprotein also saw a heavy trading with turnover of 9.4 million dinars and 6.8 million dinars respectively.

The week’s biggest gainer was Velefarm rising 19.4 per cent. Among other gainers were Banini and Telefonija, with price increase of 16.3 per cent and 5.0 per cent. Politika was the biggest loser dropping a massive 47.3 per cent. Also on the downside were Progres which declined 20.7 per cent and Fidelinka which lost 14.0 per cent.

Foreign investors accounted for 42 per cent of the week’s overal trading on average with a higher participation on the sell side.

Tijana Cvetkovic is an analyst with FIMA INTERNATIONAL A.D.

out & about

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

9

Stara Planina National Park Babin Zub, the distinctive peak of the Stara Planina chain, was veiled in thick fog and snow, but the scenery around us was fairytale white. We felt far from the crowded city, even though Belgrade was just a few hours’ drive away

By Duska Stefanovic

S

tara Planina lines the Serbian border with Bulgaria, in the district of Knjazevac. We had come for skiing, but we also wanted to explore the region’s other outdoor pleasures.

The ski resort of Babin Zub, which means ‘Old Lady’s Tooth’, is in the midst of the Stara Planina National Park and teems with animals and birds. Clear, cold streams flow through the forest, and meadows drape the mountain.

The beautiful, challenging terrain and quaint villages attract mountaineers, hunters, fishermen, cyclists and hikers.

Babin Zub is an easy trip for a weekend’s skiing on its two kilometres of slopes. The resort has perhaps the longest season of any of Serbia’s resorts, stretching from November through to late April or even May. I confess that this was a ‘jolly’ - a jaunt especially for the press - and we were met by ‘Ski Resorts of Serbia’, who whisked us to the top of the mountain by snowmobile, where we joined a group clustered around the hot drinks stand. The resort is best for experienced skiers as the slopes are steep, but the pistes were well prepared. There are plans to expand the ski area, but for now the centre has one chair lift, one T-bar and a smaller nursery lift, but all are modern and in good condition. From now until the end of the season, a daily ski pass costs just 700 dinars (€7) and a ten day pass (by which time you’ll definitely be feeling that the slopes are a little limited!) just 4,400 (€45). Children between five and twelve years old pay just over half price.

Accommodation and Food The mountain centre, hotel Babin Zub and the restaurants are located at the base of the jutting, toothlike peak of Babin Zub. When we arrived at the restaurant, the staff were preparing a traditional dinner. At the table there were seasonal salads, cold meats and cheese in clay dishes and Belmuz - a local speciality of warm cheese and cornflour.

The resort’s restaurants offer home-grown fruit and vegetables, great soups and a range of other Serbian traditional dishes such as stuffed vine leaves with sour milk, corn bread, braised beans, pies and wild fruit desserts. You can stay in the hotel’s restored wing, which offers reasonable accommodation, or the unrestored wing, which offers more basic accommodation. There are also a number of homes offering bed and breakfast in nearby Crni vrh and Bal-

Stara Planina has one of the longest winter seasons of any of Serbia’s ski resorts and although the facilities are limited, more are planned for the coming season.

The region has numerous festivals and events throughout the year.

ta Berilovac. Bed and breakfast prices range from 1,500 to 2,500 dinars (€15-25) per person, less for children.

Don’t expect a wild nightlife, but this is a great place to rest, kick back and soak up the wonderful scenery.

Events In spring and summer, when the snow melts, the region attracts visitors with a series of festivals: - The ‘Prayer under Midzor’ is a gathering on St. George’s Day, May 6th, in the villages of Vrtovac and Balta Berilovac. The event starts in Vrtovac, with a procession in honour of St. George, the patron saint of cattle breeders. The procession ends in front of a cross with the face of St. George carved in it, where a lamb garlanded with a floral wreath is slaughtered. The village of Balta Berilovac then hosts traditional games and a cook-off. A wine fair promotes locally made vintages.

- ‘Shipurijada’, in the village Novo Korito, is a contest of crafts made of dog-rose.

- Pandzur Fair, in the village of Jalovik, celebrates friendship on saint days’ feasts.

- The festival of Serbian youth culture, held annually since 1962, features the work of young artists.

- Kadibogaz Fair takes place in Novo Korito and Salash, villages on either side of the Serbian-Bulgarian border in mid–June.

Getting there You can reach Stara Planina by car or bus (1,200 dinars) to Knjazevac, 254 km from Belgrade, where you can get a cab (2,500 dinars) or a local bus (240 dinars one-way; 330 dinars return) for the remaining 60 km to Babin Zub. The local bus only operates on weekends, leaving Knjazevac at 8a.m. and returning from Babin Zub at 5p.m. www.traveleastserbia.org Tourist Organisation of Knjazevac: +381 19735230; e-mail: toknjazevac@ptt.rs

Don’t forget to try the belmuz, a local speciality made from cheese and cornflour.

10

the belgrader

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

Dining Out

Makao II

By Trencherman

W

hen is national cuisine not national cuisine? This issue has been bothering me of late, since a recent restaurant visit. Is it only ‘fish & chips’ if it’s cooked by a British chef? Do you have to have spent your life in the deep south to be able to recognise southern-style ribs? Is perfect al dente pasta only served in Italy? On balance, I think, probably not.

So, when my meal at Makao bore no resemblance to anything I have ever understood as ‘Chinese’, it wasn’t the fact that there was an obviously Serbian lady in the kitchen that I blamed, nor the fact that the restaurant is not in China.

Let me explain.

We’d reserved, and this was the right thing to do. The restaurant was busy. We were met by a waiter who pointed to the stairs in a perfunctory manner to indicate where we should go. A scrap of paper on one of the upstairs tables displayed my name, so we took our seats. Like many Chinese restaurants, the decor was shockingly bad. A huge photo of the Great Wall runs along one side of the room and 50¢ art adorns the others.

Overly ornate light-fittings completed the look.

We ordered a Gudurica wine at 1,300 dinars, which arrived fairly quickly but was really not good.

Very cold, but very acidic, my mouth puckered with each sip.

To start, we ordered a hot and sour soup and a won ton soup, and then pork with Chinese vegetables, sizzling veal with vegetables and sesame chicken. On the side, we ordered a portion of boiled rice and some noodles with vegetables.

The hot and sour soup came, shortly followed by an empty bowl and some chopsticks, which I presumed was for the won ton soup.

However, no soup arrived.

What did come next was a bowl of rice, followed in fairly leisurely succession by the other dishes – but not the soup. Each time the waiter came I looked expectantly at the bowl, but nothing came.

I tried to identify anything in the pork that had more than a nod to Chinese cuisine but failed. What we got was thinly sliced pork, onions, carrot and what I suspect was canned bamboo, in a meaty gravy.

The sizzling veal sizzled, but it sizzled along with some more onions and some more meaty gravy.

The sesame chicken could accurately have been described as ‘sesame chickens’, as there must have been at least four chicken breasts in the huge portion we received. These were cut into large pieces, battered, deepfried and lightly coated with sesame seeds. This was perhaps a dish that is

Source: www.nadlanu.com

There are three Makao restaurants in town and this fact attests to their popularity. Trencherman, however, was not impressed.

about as oriental as Colonel Sanders might ever serve, but was certainly not what we were expecting. The noodles, to be fair, were thin wheat noodles, well-cooked, still firm, with some finely sliced red peppers and other vegetables.

The soup never came. And by the end of the dishes above, we had no inclination to ask for it.

So, as the tabloid newspapers say, we paid our bill, made our excuses and left.

This all led me to do a little research. I didn’t venture to Blok 70 - I didn’t need to. My local supermarket sells, it turns out, ‘five spice’ powder, fresh ginger, pak choy,

spring onions, baby corn and sesame oil. Other places around town have a raft of other ‘Chinese’ ingredients.

For those unprepared to cook things from scratch, even Uncle Ben and the Blue Dragon have a presence on the shelves. Any one of these would have added a more ‘authentic’ flavour, but I’m afraid I detected none of them in my dinner.

You see, I’m certain that good fish and chips is about good fish, wellprepared batter, good potatoes, and a little skill in the kitchen. Good ribs come from good pork, a lot of time, and exact spicing. Good pasta is about high-quality durum wheat, loving preparation, a big pot of boiling

water and knowing what ‘al dente’ really means.

Perhaps, I’m being a little harsh.

The restaurant was full, and our fellow diners certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves. But how could these diners, from a nation which itself has such a varied and interesting cuisine, be won over by ‘meat in gravy’? Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad meat in gravy, but it wasn’t my idea of Chinese meat in gravy either.

Makao II, Neznanog junaka 4 Tel: 011 2664483 Price guide: 1,750-2,250 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.

Stara Hercegovina

Baobab

The smart, sunny terrace with decent views of the Danube provides a great backdrop to enjoy the accomplished pasta dishes.

With its polished service, this Mediterranean eatery in Zemun is well worth a visit.

If you ever have a hankering for the good old days of plates pilled high with meat fresh from the farm and ale right out of the barrel, head on over. You certainly won’t leave hungry and you will definitely get a feel for real Serbian food.

A friendly, family-owned affair located in New Belgrade, this international restaurant is a nice spot to enjoy the river. Baobab has good service and middle of the road prices, and comes highly recommended by our sales team. The terrace is great in sunny weather, but stay away if clouds come out.

Kej oslobodjenja 37, Zemun Tel: 011 3730925

Carigradska 36 Tel. 011 3245856

Savski kej bb, block 44 Tel: 011 2167932

Bella Casa

Rubin The obliging staff, decent Serbian cuisine and the interesting mix of people here pale into insignificance in the face of the incredible view of Belgrade on offer. Whilst some of the meat dishes are fairly uninspiring, the menu has some delightful vegetable dishes, although you’ll only register them if you can tear your eyes away from the windows.

Kneza Viseslava 29 Tel: 011 3510987

the belgrader

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

11

Young Artists Stifled by Bureaucracy

By David Galic

O

utraged by restrictions ofnwhere they can and cannot play, young alternative bands in Serbia have joined forces to take a stand for their rights, and to keep alive the scene they believe is trying to be squelched by the higher-ups.

Though the issue had been on the minds of many, the problem was sparked into prominence last week when the Belgrade post-rock group Consecration was denied entrance into Croatia.

As the group’s guitarist Nikola Milojevic explains, the band was invited to play in Rijeka by a local band there, which Consecration had hosted in Belgrade last year.

“We took out everything that was necessary, prepared our passports, paid for the so-called merchandise passport, the Ata Carnet, which lists all of the equipment we are carrying and its worth, a letter of invitation from the Croatian band and club was obtained, and we headed to the border,” Milojevic said.

There were no problems at the Serbian border, but on the Croatian side, the band was told that they had to be members of, what can roughly be translated to the Association of Celebrity Artists, though the connotation of the Serbian word “estrada” and the people it represents is hard to put into English. What I can say is that the feeling of these alternative musicians towards people of the so-called “estrada” of mainly pop-folk performers is not, shall we say, glowing.

“The officer said that we needed a licence from that organisation, and even if the promoters came to the border personally to vouch for us, we would not be allowed to enter the country,” Milojevic said.

“After waiting for another two hours at the border, we were asked to sign papers confirming that we failed to meet the standards needed in order

to cross, and a stamp was put in our passports showing a 24-hour ban on entering Croatia, so we would not be tempted to try getting through another border crossing,” he added.

When the Croatian officer was asked whether Croatian bands need to be members of an Association to get into Serbia, he said that they did not.

“It seems as if the system was made purely with the purpose of squashing young alternative bands in Serbia, bands that do not make money from playing, but are only doing it out of love for the music they play. None of the band members make money from this, but have regular jobs and work painstakingly for every dinar in order to invest it in their band in order for people to hear their music,” Milojevic said.

Since Consecration made their experience public, the band has been approached by various papers and television stations to tell their story, and bands with similar experiences, such as Novi Sad hardcore group Reflections of Internal Rain who had an almost identical experience, have been coming out of the woodwork to tell their tales.

In addition to his open letter to the media, Milojevic also contacted the Culture Ministry, and received a personal reply from Minister Nebojsa Bradic, who later released an official statement on the issue.

Minister Bradic said that an association for jazz, pop and rock musicians exists as well, but that the status of such musicians will have to be regulated by law soon.

He added that the culture laws must be changed for these people to be able to be legally considered independent artists, and perform as such. Of course, as with many things in Serbia, timeframes for something like this are, at best, woolly.

The whole problem with having to be members of such associations is that it is too expensive for the average young band in Serbia, Milojevic explains.

The band were issued with refusal notices by the Croatian immigration authorities.

Source: www.myspace.com

Consecration were denied entry into Croatia because they are not members of the Association of Celebrity Artists.

The Association of Celebrity Artists asks for a membership fee of €200 annually per band member, and it is not viable to pay € 1,000 to play Croatia once or twice a year. Most young bands are lucky if ticket and merchandise sales cover the expenses of getting to the venue and back.

Many groups have been created on social networking sites such as Facebook, with thousands of members, in support of the bands, and there is currently talk of protests in front of the Association of Celebrity Artists headquarters in Belgrade and the holding of open air protest concerts to draw attention to the issue.

The legal regulations are seen by many younger musicians as a plot by the folk-pop establishment, to earn fees, whilst enforcing their cultural hegemony on independent and creative forms of musical expression in Serbia.

Protestors are further offended by the fact that the Association demands a demonstration and proof of one’s “musicality” before being accepted into the organisation.

After the appearance of offensive messages directed towards Croats on some of the forums and groups where

these issues are being discussed, Milojevic also stressed that it is not a “Serbs vs. Croats” issue, and that the issue should not be looked at in this way.

“If we want to be taken seriously, we have to act accordingly. There is no need to direct insults at anyone.

People must calm their passions.

Coming over as crude and loud is exactly what many would want and

expect from us,” Milojevic said.

“We have to be controlled and professional, and get our message sent to everyone who needs to hear it. The media is behind us and we are ready for a long battle,” he concluded.

Consecration will be playing host to the Rijeka-based band Hessus Attor once again on April 11 in the Belgrade Student Cultural Centre, Kralja Milana 58.

12

the belgrader

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

Going Out

We Recommend

Batler

Friday

Lira Vega

This sister club to Francuska Sobarica has become one of Belgrade’s hottest venues.

By David Galic

Reporting from Belgrade

S

ince the ringing in of 2009, Batler (Butler) has undoubtedly become Belgrade’s new ‘in’ club, where the hippest of the hip spend their weekends and late nights.

The first time people got a taste of the club was actually on New Year’s Eve, when the Francuska Sobarica (French Maid) club announced that there would be parties in several new places sharing their building.

Batler was the only logical name for the Maid’s brother club, and definitely has more potential to become an enduring feature of Belgrade’s clubbing culture than Francuska Sobarica.

We have already covered the latter – a fairly small and cramped affair, with several individual sections that don’t provide much room to hold Source: www.nadlanu.com your drink, let alone boogie down.

Because it is just one large club, The DJs in Batler play a cool mix of dance nu rave and trashy retro sounds.

Batler is a lot more spacious, and its high ceilings allow you to breathe a more inviting visually than the dark, drum’n’bass or some other generic dance playing most times I’ve vislittle more than in the Maid. Howev- small Francuska Sobarica.

Both clubs are found in Fran- ited, Batler has both live rock shows er, these conditions still do not guarantee a relaxed and casual clubbing cuska, a five minute walk from Trg and electronic music. Indeed, most Republike, in a passageway through nights it combines the two, with a experience.

Basically, I like having a choice an old building. In between the two band playing earlier in the evening about whether or not I have someone clubs there is a small courtyard, and a DJ following.

The music, matching the patrons, which I predict will be more and rubbing themselves against me.

If I feel like going into a club to more popular to hang about in as the is generally hip and cutting edge, or at least successfully riding out trends in dance in a crammed, tight spot with weather gets warmer.

Batler’s staying power will be put popular music and culture. The rock others interested in close encounters, then that’s my prerogative. However, to the test this summer, as it will need bands are always some kind of indie it’s good to have the option of just post- to remain enticing and interesting or alternative group, and the dance ing up next to the bar to observe some enough to dissuade Belgrade’s youth music tends to focus a lot on nu-rave of the physical and figurative friction from enjoying the balmy nights out- and similar trashy, retro sounds.

As far as the guests are concerned, side. Also, it can be easy for clubs in on the dance floor.

Maybe in a couple months, when the residential areas to outstay their wel- expect Belgrade’s urban, alternative novelty factor wears out, Butler might come by disturbing their neighbours. elite to be standing around the bar; So far so good for the Maid and hardcore ‘bros’ to be perusing the be the kind of place to allow such choice but, for now, especially at the weekends, the Butler, with even the older sister ladies in the hallway, and girls with still full most nights, despite increas- knock-off ‘Members Only’ jackets, expect it to be fairly cramped.

The decor is unspectacular to say ingly becoming more of a place to digital watches and plastic sunglasses the least, a large, old-style Belgrade go when it’s too jammed in Batler. I to be flailing around to some remixed apartment with high ceilings but few would also say that Batler has more 80s hit on the dance floor.

A mixed bag of people for sure, trimmings other than a couple of un- to offer, both in terms of space and its but they’re all just in search of the inspiring graffiti pieces on the walls, musical repertoire.

While Francuscka Sobarica coolest, hippest new place to rave but the fact that the walls are in very light colours makes the club a lot had some non-descript, mid-90s and rock out. Batler is it right now.

My Picks Every week, Rian Harris tells us one of her favourite places to shop. are patio tables with a tile and/or

O

n the corner of Njegoseva and Kursulina Street, near the Kalenic Market, sits a modest metal-working shop that turns out some pretty good wrought iron pieces. Some of their nicer products

Saturday

Laurent Wolf This French producer specialises in rumbling tribal house music and is best know for the dance singles ‘No Stress’ and ‘Wash My World’. He will be supported by German dance music group Fragma, who had a number one hit in the UK in 2000, with the dance club standard Toca’s Miracle. Kolos, Savski quay, under the Brankov bridge.

Sunday

Fine Arts University Symphony Orchestra This orchestra, formed from some of the best classical music students in Serbia, has a 70-year tradition and regularly thrills crowds all across the region with a vast repertoire of classical pieces. Tickets for the show are free and will probably be snapped up quickly by eager friends, relatives and fellow students, so hurry if you’re interested.

Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Studentski Trg 5.

Monday

Exhibition Ljubomir Ivanovic Ivanovic is a very influential Serbian who was at the forefront of the popularisation of sketches and graphics. His style was very influential in the Serbian art world and beyond in the first half of the 20th century, and his work helped to win the genre the recognition it deserved in the world of fine arts, as well as pushing forward the techniques of graphic art. Chaos Gallery, Dositejeva 3.

Tuesday

Radio Moscow This American psychedelic rock band had a very wellreceived debut several years ago and are back on tour promoting their new album, scheduled for a mid-April release. They are highly recommended for fans of bluesy garage rock a la rock critic favourites, ‘The Black Keys’.

Living Room, Kralja Milana 48.

Wednesday

Dragn Mladenovic Ironworks

By Rian Harris

This alternative rock group has changed over the years.

The current line up is a trio of guitars, drums and female vocals, who play a sparse and groovy style all of their own.

The band are continuing work on their second studio album, which was announced to be in the works in 2006, but have remained active on the live scene as well, playing all around the region. Batler, Francuska 12.

stone top and chairs to match. They produce quality wine racks, curtain rods, plant stands, coat racks, window boxes, book shelves and racks for firewood. Earlier this year, they even had old-fashioned snow sleds.

You can custom order just about anything you could ever want made out of iron, even tasteful security bars for the windows of your house or apartment. Small tables start at 2,500 dinars (€25). A six-hook wall-mounted coat rack is 2,000 (€20). There are no posted hours, but from what I’ve noticed, Dragn Mladenovic is open from about 9a.m. until the early evening during the week and Saturdays.

Elisabeth Werthmiller and Christophe Leu This flute and guitar duo will be taking music fans on what they call ‘a journey in the Orient Express train’, performing music from Switzerland, Italy and the Balkans, musically depicting the route of the legendary train. Guarnerius Center for Arts, Dzorda Vasingtona 12.

Thursday

Trashcoteque Constantly a very popular club night in Belgrade, Trashcoteque has been going strong for a while, despite not falling on a weekend. All of the currently popular Belgrade DJ teams, including Banana Rave, Felony Flatz, DJ Brka spin mostly Nu Rave on Thursdays, and almost always guarantee a packed house. Energija, Nusiceva 8.

the belgrader

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

13

What’s On CINEMAS Roda Cineplex Pozeska 83A, tel: 011 2545260 Bolt: 16:00 Monsters vs. Aliens: 16:30, 18:15 The Reader: 20:05, 22:35 Dom sindikata Trg Nikole Pasica 5, tel: 011 3234849 Marley and Me: 16:15 Monsters vs. Aliens:16:30, 18:15, 20:15, 22:00 Transporter 3: 18:20, 22:00 Gran Torino: 18:15, 20:15, 22:30 Ster City Cinema Delta City, Jurija Gagarina 16 (Blok 67), tel: 011 2203400 Monsters vs. Aliens: 12:20, 14:40, 16:40, 18:50 Gran Torino: 12:40, 15:00, 17:40, 20:10, 22:30 Marley and Me: 20:50 Maradona: 21:50 7 Lives: 23:00 Changeling: 23:10 The Wrestler: 22:50 Transporter 3: 11:50, 13:50, 15:50, 17:50, 19:50 The Reader: 12:00, 14:30, 17:00, 19:30, 22:00 Tuckwood Cineplex Kneza Milosa 7, tel: 011 3236517 He’s Just Not That Into You: 22:15 Dusk:15:45 The Pink Panther 2: 15:30 Marley and Me: 20:00 Changeling: 22:30 The Baader Meinhof Complex: 17:15 Maradona: 17:45, 19:30 Gran Torino: 18:00, 20:15, 22:30 Monsters vs. Aliens: 16:00 7 Lives: 21:15

Friday, April 3 Music: Border line sessions #5, Laurent del Wilde, Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22, 21:00 Pasion del Buena Vista, Dom Sindikata, Trg Nikole Pasica 5, 20:00 Tzootzoonga latino jazz, Klub Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, 22:00 Belgrade Philharmonic orchestra, Frank Cramer, conductor, Lisa Smirnova, piano, Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, 20:00 Yu Rock Night, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 22:00

Nightlife: Teskoba Label Party, xLagoom, Svetozara Radica 1, 23:00 All That Bass, Plastic/Mint, Corner of Takovska and Dalmatinska streets, 23:00 Extra Orchestra, Lava Bar, Kneza Milosa 77, 23:00 DJ Stevie, Underworld, Corner of Ruz-

veltova 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 Deep in Disco, Disco Bar Energija, Nusiceva 8, 23:00

Other: Exhibition: Milan Konjovic, Defence of the Painting Autonomy (painting), Galerija 73, Pozeska 83a 17:00 Rails (play), Jugoslav Drama Theatre, Kralja Milana50, 20:00 Judge (play), Rasa Plaovic Scene, National Theatre, Trg Republike 5, 20:30

Saturday, April 4 Music: Peasants (musical), Terazije Theatre, Terazije 29, 19:30 Marchelo and Shock Orchestra, Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22, 21:00 Jarboli, club Student Cultural Centre, Kralja Milana 48 , 22:00 Rectors’ Conference and Student Day, Sava Centar, Milentija Popovica 5, 20:00 Witch 1, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48 Fuzzbox, Fest, Gradski Park 2, 23:00

Nightlife: Laurent Wolf and Fragma, Kolos Ship, Sava River, 23:00 Sts Music 8th Birthday Party, xLagoom, Svetozara Radica 1, 23:00 Retrogressive #7, Mamolo, Ilije Garasanina 26, 23:00 Saturday Night Fever, Baltazar, Karadjordjeva 9, 23:00 House Fever, Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00 Disco House Night, White, Pariska 1a, 23:00

Other: Sexual neuroses of our parents (play), Rasa Plaovic Scene, National Theatre, Trg Republike 5, 20:30 Rules of behaviour in modern society, Studio Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Kralja Milana 50, 20:30 Exhibition: Snjezana Torbica, Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment Studentski Trg 5, 17:00

Sunday, March 5 Music: Gypsies Fly to Heaven (musical) , Terazije Theatre, Terazije 29, 19:30 The Best Man and The First Lady, piano and violin, Club Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, 21:00 Plavi Jahac, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 22:00 Who’s that singing over there (musical), National Theatre, Trg Republike 5, 19:30

Nightlife:

Tuesday, March 7

Other:

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, Kneginje 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

Music:

Jacobs Fashion Selection, Hummel/Lining (20:00), Ana Grgurovic, Marina Cikojevic, Jelena Ugrcic Gordana Majstorovic (21:00), Student Cultural Centre, Kralja Milana 48 Exhibition: Miodrag Dado Djuric (Dado, Prints and guache), French Cultural Centre, Knjeginje Ljubice 11, 20:00 Winter Gardens (play), Bitef Theatre, Trg Mire Trailovic 1, 20:00

Other: Rebound, Conny Janssen Dance Company, (Belgrade Dance Festival), Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Kralja Milana 50, 20:00 Jakobs Faschion Selection- Monsoon Lady, Hyatt Regency, Milentija Popovica 5, 20:00 Spice (play), Slavia Theatre, Svetog Save 16, 20:00 Exhibition: Vladimir Komad (drawings and prints), Belgrade Fortress Gallery, Kalemegdan, 17:00

Cabaret, Terazije Theatre, Terazije 29, 19:30 Al-Jazzira presents Sun Ra, DKSG Adresa: Bulevar Zorana Djindjica 179, 23:00 Jovan and Nada Kolundzija (violin and piano), program: Mozart, Saint Saens, Guarnerius, Dzordza Vasingtona 12, 20:00 Esma Redzepova and Teodosijevski Orchestra, Sava Centar, Milentija Popovica 9, 20:00 Pascal Gallet, piano, Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, 20:00

Nightlife:

Monday, April 6

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, Bambo Bar, Strahinjica Bana 71, 22:00

Music:

Other:

How to Understand Serbs (cabaret), Terazije Theatre, Terazije 29, 20:00 Jovana Stosic - violin, Jelena Matovic violin, Ivana Pavlovic - piano, program: Handel, Bach, Sibelius, Artget Gallery, Trg Republica 5/1, 21:00 Karaoke Night, Danguba, Cirila I Metodija 2, 23:00 Crumble, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 23:00

Jacobs Fashion Selection: Marina Cvetkovic, Hristina Petrovic, Jelena Vujicic (20:00), Grazia Selection, Ana Bogojevska (21:00), Student Cultural Centre, Kralja Milana 48 Belgrade Dance Festival, Sociedade Masculina, Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00 Frederik (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre (BDP), 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

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, Kneginje Ljubice 4, 23:00 Bla Bla Band, Vanila, Studentski trg 15, 22:30 Humanitarian Night, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00

Other: Jacobs Fashion Selection: Cotton (20:00), Sweet Years (21:00), Milena Radovic (21:30), Hyatt Regency, Milentija Popovica 5 Exhibition: Digital Graphics, Graphic Collective Gallery, Obilicev Venac 27, 19:00 Streetcar Named Desire (play), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesevska 24, 20:00 Seducer (play), Slavija Theatre, Svetog Save 16, 20:00 Interpreting (play), Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Kralja Milana50, 20:00

Wednesday, April 8 Music: The Best Man Piano, Club Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, 21:00 Elisabeth Werthmuller (flute), Christophe Leu (guitar), Guarnerius, Dzordza Vasingtona 12, 20:00 Five O’Clock, piano duo, Italian Culture Centre, Kneza Milosa 56, 20:00

Nightlife: Cocktail Wednesdays, Mamolo, Ilije Garasanina 26, 21:00 Dark Industry, 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 Diesel Party, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4/9, 23:00

Thursday, April 9 Music: Chicago (musical), Terazije Theatre, Terazije 29, 19:30 Gabriele Sarandrea - Shcubert, Schumann, Skryabin, Artget Gallery, Trg Republike 5l, 20:00 Metal Battle, Living Room, Kralja Milana 48, 22:00

Nightlife: Utah Saints, Plastic, Corner of Takovska and Dalmatinska, 23:00 A Little Bit of 90s, Mistique, Aberdareva 1b, 23:00 Ladies’ Night, Mr Stefan Braun’s Garden, Vojislava Ilica 86, 23:00 Playground Radio Show Live, Tapas Bar, Dositejeva 17, 22:00 Karaoke Night, Gaucosi, Dunavska 17a, 23:00 DJ Krsh i Lom, Underworld, Corner of Ruzveltova and 27. Marta, 23:00

Other: Jacobs Fashion Selection, Marija Ivankovic-Jurisic, Marina Milovanovic, Aida Novosel, Student Cultural Centre, Kralja Milana 48, 20:00 Belgrade Dance Festival, Sao Paolo Ballet, Sava Centar, Milenija Popovica 9, 20:00 Frida Kahlo (play), Madlenianum, Glavna 32, Zemun, 20:00 Night of the Assassins (play), Stupica Theatre, Kralja Milana 50 Exhibition: Metaphysics of Pop Art, Dragan Zdravkovic, ULUS Gallery, Kneza Mihaila 37, 17:00

14

sport

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

Three Heavyweights and the Home Underdog

CSKA Too Strong For Partizan

D

The Kansas Jayhawks won’t be going to Motor City to defend their 2008 NCAA national championship title. Their surprise conquerors, Michigan State, are out to complete a fairytale on home soil against three of America’s top college teams.

By Zoran Milosavljevic

I

Reporting from Belgrade

was always an avid Michael Jordan fan and hence I want the North Carolina Tar Heels to win the upcoming NCAA Final Four in Detroit, as Motor City braces itself for the finest US college basketball has to offer.

Serbian champions Partizan Belgrade, enjoying an enthralling run of success in Europe, would at the very least face a stiff challenge from any of the tournament’s contenders, who displayed one masterful performance after another to qualify for the April 4th - 6th showdown in the Auburn Hills Arena.

The hearts of the home fans and, perhaps, more then just a few neutrals will go to the season’s surprise package, Michigan State, who ousted last

season’s champions, the Kansas Jayhawks and odds-on favourites Louisville. This season’s most outstanding regular season player, Oklahoma State’s forward Blake Griffin, will join Kansas on the sidelines after his heroic one-man battle to take the Sooners to Detroit was thwarted by a superbly balanced Tar Heels outfit. Griffin, who averaged 30 points per game up to the epic clash, got the better of rival centre Tyler Hansbrough, but the latter’s Tar Heel team mates did enough to confine Griffin to 23 points and – more importantly – his weary crew to a miserable shooting day.

North Carolina will face Villanova, equally impressive in their 78-76 Elite Eight victory over Pittsburgh, with a buzzer-beating lay-up from guard Scottie Reynolds. It will be a match-up of two outstanding offensive teams, whose set-plays were too much for their more physical opponents, but Michigan State, who defied the odds against top-seeded Louisville with a brilliant defensive performance, might struggle against a hugely impressive Connecticut dozen in every department. Still, the sea of

The Michigan State Spartans ousted the top-seeded Louisville Cardinals to reach the Final Four in Detroit, where they face three powerhouses in North Carolina, Villanova and Connecticut, their semi-final rivals.

green shirts in Auburn Hills, certain to get behind the fired-up underdogs, might just put the extra wind into their sails needed for a fairytale finish.

Those of you with the SBB cable operator’s D3 digital box receivers can watch all the action on ESPN America, while other subscribers can catch it on Serbia’s nationwide Sport Klub channel. The semi-finals doubleheader starts on Friday at 10 p.m., with the Road to the Final Four interlude (ESPN only), featuring the

Serbia Shine, but Bosnia Steal the Show

By Zoran Milosavljevic Reporting from Belgrade

T

he Serbian national football team continued their impressive run of form with a 3-2 World Cup qualifying win over neighbours Romania last Saturday and a 2-0 home victory over Sweden in a friendly on Wednesday, but their Balkan rivals Bosnia-Herzegovina made the headlines after completing a remarkable double over Belgium in just four days.

Following a shock 4-2 win in Genk, the Bosnians repeated the feat when they overpowered the Belgians 2-1 in the cauldron of Zenica’s Bilino Polje stadium, tightening their grip on the runners-up slot in Group Five, behind leaders and European champions Spain.

Their striker Edin Dzeko is a rising star in European football after scoring three goals in the two matches, sparking raucous celebrations in Sarajevo and other Bosnian cities. Bosnia, ravaged by a bloody ethnic conflict in the 1990s when it emerged from the rubble of the former Yugoslavia, are in soccer dreamland and full of hope that they can reach their first major tournament as an independent nation.

Serbia also gave their fans plenty to cheer about, after an industrious and hard-working performance in the Black Sea port of Constanta gave them a deserved win over the Romanians,

whose hopes of qualifying vanished into thin air with a subsequent 2-1 defeat in Austria. The depth of Serbia’s new-look squad was underlined against a decent Swedish outfit in Belgrade, where sought-after striker Nikola Zigic steered in a first-minute header, while substitutes Marko Pantelic and Bosko Jankovic teamed up to produce a delightful second with Jankovic sidefooting the ball home from 12 metres.

Serbia’s coach Radomir Antic, enjoying a second lease of life in the business after a four-year absence from top-level football, was overjoyed with the commitment in what was a warmup game for the remainder of the qualifying campaign.

“The team’s attitude was exemplary because at this level, there are no friendly matches as such,” he told reporters. “It was a good test for us and the result will certainly boost our confidence ahead of the upcoming qualifying games,” he said. Serbia were given a warm reception by their 25,000 home fans in Partizan’s stadium, double the crowd that turned up for most games during their futile

Euro 2008 campaign. With next year’s finals in South Africa seemingly within reach, Serbia’s long-suffering soccer fans have rediscovered their enthusiasm for a team which rightfully earned plaudits for the level of determination they have demonstrated since Antic took over in January. A perfect match at last? Maybe so, but Serbia still have a lot of work to do.

Croatia, unlikely to leapfrog England into the driving seat in Group Six, look well-placed for a second-placed finish that should guarantee a play-off berth, available to the eight best runners-up from Europe’s nine qualifying groups.

There will be no such reward for Montenegro or Macedonia, who were dealt harsh lessons by the continent’s heavyweights. The Macedonians suffered a 4-0 drubbing in the Netherlands, while Montenegro, playing in their first competitive event as an independent nation, were beaten 2-0 by Italy in Podgorica and, although they showed glimpses of flair and natural talent, their lack of international experience cost them dearly against the world champions.

game’s top pundits, offering a taste of the action starting at midnight.

The final, set to keep basketball fans around the world glued to their television sets, tips off at 3.00 a.m.

Serbian time on Tuesday, so brace yourself for a sleepless night if you love this game.

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

efending champions CSKA Moscow cruised into the Euroleague Final Four, due next month in Berlin, after a 67-56 win over Partizan Belgrade gave them a 3-0 win in their quarter-final series on Tuesday. CSKA controlled the game from start to finish in a packed Belgrade Arena of 22,000 raucous home fans, although the home team’s Novica Velickovic lead a one-man Partizan effort with a game-high 26 points.

“He has the potential to become a truly great player,” CSKA’s Italian coach Ettore Messina told a news conference after the match. The European champions led 18-14 at the end of the first quarter and never looked back, as they dominated the boards and reduced Partizan to shooting just 21 of 59 from the field. Lithuanian guard Ramunas Siskauskas scored 20 points for the winners, with Slovenian forward Matjaz Smodis adding 18 and seven rebounds. “Partizan’s fans are by far the best in Europe. It was a fantastic atmosphere and I’ve never seen anything like it before,” said Smodis, whose compatriot Erazem Lorbek finished the game with 10 points and six rebounds. Partizan had no other player apart from Velickovic in double figures and their star shooting guard Uros Tripkovic was left scoreless, after missing all his eight shots from the field. “We overachieved in Euroleague this season with a limited budget. We beat several teams stronger than us, but we were never going to get past CSKA,” said Partizan coach Dusan Vujosevic. “It’s been a great ride and we are looking forward to the regional league’s Final Four in Belgrade.”

Live Sports on TV Friday, April 3: Tennis: Miami Masters semi-finals (Sport Klub 7.00 p.m. and 1.00 a.m. Sunday); Football: Armenia Bielefeld v Schalke (Sport Klub + 8.30 p.m.); Basketball: Eurocup Final Eight: Valencia v Khimki (Eurosport 2 at 6.00 p.m.), Bilbao v Zadar (Eurosport 2 at 9.00 p.m.), NBA Regular Season – Orlando Magic v Cleveland Cavaliers (OBN 2.00 a.m. Saturday); Rugby Union: French Top 14 – Burgoin v Dax (Eurosport 2 at 9.45 p.m.)

Saturday, April 4: Football: Blackburn v Tottenham (RTS 2 at 1.40 p.m.), Hertha Berlin v Borussia Dortmund (Sport Klub 3.30 p.m.), Hamburg v Hoffenheim (Sport Klub + 3.30 p.m.), Partizan Belgrade v Banat Zrenjanin (RTS at 5.30 p.m.), Valladolid v Barcelona (FOX Serbia 8.00 p.m.), Guimaraes v Porto (Sport Klub + 8.00 p.m.), Sparta Rotterdam v PSV Eindhoven (Sport Klub 8.45 p.m.), Malaga v Real Madrid (FOX Serbia 10.00 p.m.), Argentinean League – Huracan v Colon (Sport Klub + 2.10 a.m. Sunday); Basketball: Eurocup semi-finals (Eurosport 2 at 6.00 p.m. and 9.00 p.m.), Spanish League – Granada v Barcelona (Sport Klub 6.15 p.m.), NCAA Final Four (Sport Klub 11.30 p.m. and 2.00 a.m. Sunday, ESPN America coverage starts at 10.00 p.m.); Handball: Champions League – Kiel v Zagreb (HRT 2 at 5.00 p.m.)

Sunday, April 5: Motor Racing: Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix (FOX

Serbia and HRT 2 at 11.00 a.m.); Football: Cardiff v Swansea (Sport Klub 12.00 p.m.), Atalanta v Fiorentina (Sport Klub 1.00 p.m.), Juventus v Chievo (OBN 3.00 p.m.), Various Italian League Matches (Sport Klub 3.00 p.m.), Manchester United v Aston Villa (RTS 2 at 5.00 p.m.), Werder Bremen v Hannover (Sport Klub 5.00 p.m.), PSG v Nice (Sport Klub + 5.00 p.m.), Udinese v Inter Milan (OBN 7.00 p.m.), Cibalia Vinkovci v Dinamo Zagreb (HRT 2 at 8.15 p.m.), St Etienne v Marseille (Sport Klub + 9.00 p.m.), Valencia v Getafe (FOX Serbia 11.20 p.m.), Argentinean League – Lanus v Indipendiente (Sport Klub 00.30 a.m.

Monday); Tennis: Miami Masters final (RTS 2 and Sport Klub at 7.00 p.m.); Basketball: Eurocup final (Eurosport 2 at 6.00 p.m.)

Monday, April 6: Football: Premier League Highlights (RTS 2 at 8.00 p.m.); Basketball: NCAA Final (ESPN America and Sport Klub 3.00 a.m.

Tuesday morning) Tuesday, April 7: Football: Champions League - Manchester United v Porto (B92 at 8.45 p.m. followed by news of the day, highlights and Villarreal v Arsenal delayed) Wednesday, April 8: Football: Champions League - Barcelona v Bayern Munich (B92 at 8.45 p.m. followed by news of the day, highlights and Liverpool v Chelsea delayed) Note: TV channels reserve the right to change their schedules.

directory

Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009

15

Accounting & Auditing

Fitness Clubs

Lawyers

Photo service

BDO BC Excell, Knez Mihailova 10, 011 3281299.

ConsulTeam, Prote Mateje 52, 011 3086180.

Deloitte, Kralja Milana 16, 011 3612524.

Ernst & Young, Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 115d, 011 2095700.

KPMG, Studentski trg 4, 011 3282892.

Pricewater House Coopers, Omladinskih brigada 88a, 011 3302100.

SEECAP, Marsala Birjuzova 22, 011 3283100.

Extreme Gym, Cvijiceva 1, 011 2764335, 08:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 22:00.

Power Gym, Steve Todorovica 32, 011 3545935, 09:00 - 22:00.

Wellness Centar, Kraljice Natalije 38-40, 011 2686268, 07:30 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 21:00.

Zvezda City Oaza, Ada Ciganlija, 011 3554652, 07:00 - 22:30, Sat, Sun 09:00 22:30.

Baklaja Igric Mujezinovic in Association with Clyde & Co, Gospodar Jevremova 47, 011 303 8822 Harrison Solicitors, Terazije 34, 011 3615918.

Law Office, Takovska 13, 011 3227133, 063 383116, www.businesslawserbia.com.

Color Foto, Svetogorska 4, 011 3245982.

Foto Studio 212, Cvijiceva 63, 011 3374015.

Models, Svetog Save 16-18, 011 3449608.

Aikido Real Aikido World Centre, Slavujev venac 1, 011 3089199.

Ballet classes Orhestra Ballet Studio, Cirila i Metodija 2a, 011 2403443.

Majdan Children’s Cultural Centre, Kozjacka 3-5, 011 3692645.

Bookshops

Gifts & Souvenirs Adore, New Millennium Shopping Centre, entrance from Knez Mihailova 21, Delta City 011 2625056, 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00, closed Sun. Beoizlog, Trg Republike 5, 011 3281859, 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 09:00 15:00, closed Sun. Singidunum, Terazije 42, 011 2643158, 09:00 - 21:00, closed Sun. Zdravo-Zivo, Nusiceva 3, 063 8785988, 12:00 - 16:00, closed Sun, www.serbiasouvenirs.com

Apropo, Cara Lazara 10, 011 2625839, 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00, Closed Sun. IPS-Akademija, Knez Mihailova 35, 011 2636514, 09:00 - 23:00.

Mamut, corner of Sremska and Knez Mihailova, 011 2639060, 09:00- 22:00, Sun 12:00 22:00.

Golf

Bowling

Health

Colosseum, Dobanovacka 56 (Zemun), 011 3165403, 11:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 02:00.

First bowling, Gradski Park u Zemunu, 011 3771612, 11:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 17:00.

Kolosej, Jurija Gagarina 16 (Delta City), 0113129944, 09:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 02:00, Sun 09:00 - 24:00.

Anlave CD, Vase Pelagica 68, 011 3175929, www.anlave.co.yu.

Bel Medic General Hospital, Koste Jovanovica 87, 011 3091000, www.belmedic.com.

Bel Medic Outpatient Clinic, Viktora Igoa 1, 011 3091000, www.belmedic.com.

MEDIX, Novopazarska 30, 011 3085805, www.medix.co.yu.

Golf Klub Beograd, Ada Ciganlija, 011 3056837.

Belgrade Arena, Bulevar Arsenija Carnojevica 58, 011 220 22 22, www.arenabeograd. com.

Business connections Belgrade Stock Exchange, Omladinskih brigada 1, 011 3117297, www.belex.co.yu.

Business Registration Agency C-2, Trg Nikole Pasica 5, 011 3331400, www.apr.sr.gov.yu.

Chamber of Commerce of Belgrade, Kneza Milosa 12, 011 2641335, www.kombeg.org.yu.

Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 15, 011 3617583, www.merr.sr.gov.yu.

Ministry of Trade and Services, Nemanjina 22-26, 011 3610579.

Privatization Agency, Terazije 23, 011 3020800, www.priv.yu.

Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Resavska 13-15, 011 3300900, pks. komora.net.

SIEPA - Investment and Export Promotion Agency, Vlajkoviceva 3, 011 3398550.

Horse riding Aleksa Dundic Riding Club, Belgrade Hippodrome, Pastroviceva 2, 011 3541584.

Children’s playrooms Extreme Kids, Cvijiceva 1, 011 2764335.

Puf-Puf, Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 165a, 011 3111793.

Consulting CES Mecon, Danijelova 12-16, 011 3090800, www.cesmecon.com.

Dekleva & Partners Ltd., Hilandarska 23, 011 3033649, www.dekleva1.com.

EKI Investment, Kralja Milana 16, 011 3613164, www.eki-investment.com.

Dentists (on duty 24 hours) Stari Grad, Obilicev Venac 30, 011 2635236.

Vracar, Kneginje Zorke 15, 011 2441413.

Dry cleaners Cleaning Servis, Palmoticeva 10, 011 3233206.

Pop’s, Mercator Shopping Centre, Bulevar Umetnosti 4, 011 3130251.

International schools Anglo-American School, Velisava Vulovica 47, 011 3675777.

Britannica International School, Uzicka 21a, 011 3671557.

British International School, Svetozara Radojcica 4, 011 3467000.

Chartwell International School, Teodora Drajzera 38, 011 3675340.

Ecole Francaise de Belgrade, Kablarska 35, 011 3691762.

Deutsche Schule Belgrad, Sanje Zivanovic 10, 011 3693135.

International Nursery School, Nake Spasic 4, 011 2667130.

International School of Belgrade, Temisvarska 19, 011 2069999.

Kindergartens Sunasce, Admirala Geprata 8a ulaz 5/1, 011 3617013.

Marry Poppins, Kursulina 37, 011 2433059.

Real estate

Money transfer

Eurodiplomatic, Dravska 18, 011 3086878.

Mentor, Milesevska 2, 011 3089080.

Slavija rent, Beogradska 33, 011 3341281.

Western Union, Kosovska 1, 011 3300300.

Shoe repairS

Open Markets

Sasa M, Kosovska 35, 011 3227238.

Air Zak, Kralja Aleksandra 254/a, 011 2413283.

Bajlonijeva Pijaca, Dzordza Vasingtona bb, 011 3223472, 07:00 - 16:00 Blok 44, Jurija Gagarina bb, 011 2158232, 07:00 - 16:00.

Kalenic Pijaca, Maksima Gorkog bb, 011 2450350, 07:00 - 16:00.

Zeleni venac, Jug Bogdanova bb, 011 2629328, 07:00 - 16:00.

Opticians Diopta, Kralja Milana 4, 011 2687539.

La Gatta, Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 43, 011 3244914.

M&M optic, Jurija Gagarina 153/18, Novi Beograd, 011 1760772.

Pharmacies (on duty 24 hours) Aqua Pharm 2, Corner of Kneza Milosa and Visegradska Streets, 011 3610171.

Bogdan Vujosevic, Goce Delceva 30, 011 2601887.

Miroslav Trajkovic, Pozeska 87, 011 3058482.

Prvi Maj, Kralja Milana 9, 011 3241349.

Sveti Sava, Nemanjina 2, 011 2643170.

Zemun, Glavna 34, 011 2618582.

Spa & Beauty Salons Jai Thai, Vase Pelagica 48, 011 3699193.

Spa Centar, Strahinjica Bana 5, 011 3285408.

St Angelina, Karnegijeva 3, 011 3232058.

Sun Beauty Center, Strahinica Bana 29, 011 2182090.

Zorica, Dobracina 33, 011 3285922.

TAXI SERVICES Beotaxi, 011 970 Beogradski taxi, 011 9801 Lux taxi, 011 3033123 NBA taxi, 011 3185777 Pink taxi, 011 9803 Translators Association of Technical and Scientific Translators of Serbia, Kicevska 9, 011 2442729.

Belgrade Translation Center, Dobracina 50, 011 3287388.

Center Lomonosov, Hilandarska 23, 011 3343184.

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Friday, Apr. 03 - Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009