CorD Magazine No.19 by CorD Magazine

Dear CorD readers, partners and friends,

interviews | opinions | news | comments | events No19 - September 2005

Director: Ana Novcic ana.novcic@cma.co.yu Editor in Chief: Tanja Jakobi t.jakobi@cma.co.yu Deputy Editor: Mark Pullen m.pullen@cma.co.yu Art & PrePRESS Director: Branislav Ninkovic b.ninkovic@cma.co.yu Assistant Designer: Marija Popovic m.popovic@cma.co.yu Editorial: Milan Culibrk, Dragan Bisenic, Nina Nicovic, Rajka Sinik, Vojislav Stevanovic, Zeljko Jovanovic, Slobodan Vucicevic, Zoran Knezevic, Aleksandra Sekulic-Stojanovic, Maja Vukadinovic, Jelica Putnikovic Photo: Andy Dall, Stanislav Milojkovic FoNet, Tanjug and Beta Translators: Milos Milosavljevic, Dejan Zubac, Dusan Jelic, Milica Kuburu-Jovanovic, Marija Petrovic

The CorD editorial team would like to take this opportunity to inform you that editor-in-chief Dragan Bisenic is no longer a part of the CorD editorial team. We extend our thanks to Mr. Bisenic for his contributions to the magazine and wish him all the very best in his future career. We are pleased to announce the arrival of Mr. Bisenic's successor, editor-in-chief Tanja Jakobi. As a career media professional and one of Serbia's top economic journalists, we are certain that Ms. Jakobi will prove to be an invaluable asset and an excellent leader not only for the CorD team, but as the corporate Editor of the Consulting & Marketing Agency globally. Yours sincerely, CorD.

18 FACE REALITY AND NEGOTIATE If Kosovo doesn't get the status it wants, one could assume that it would become a source of instability in the region. We now have enough room to negotiate and for sensible talks between the two sides.

H.E. Hugues Pernet, Ambassador of France to SCG

Subscription: Ivana Petkovic i.petkovic@cma.co.yu

Project Manager: Gordan Zakula, g.zakula@cma.co.yu Anica Divac, a.divac@cma.co.yu

MEASURED MULTILATERALISM we've been contributing in the past and we'll continue to do so in the future. We'll continue to try to strive for order in the United Nations, which will change the current correlation of forces.

General Manager: Ivan Novcic i.novcic@cma.co.yu Printing: Politika AD CorD is published by CMA (Consulting & Marketing Agency), Kneginje Zorke 11a, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro. Phone: +(381 11) 30 87 335, 30 87 066, 444 72 70 Facsimile: +(381 11) 456 564 E-mail: office@cma.co.yu ISSN no.: 1451-7833 All rights reserved ÂŠ CMA 2004/2005

www.cordmagazine.com

H.E. Rao Inderjit Singh, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs

CULTURE - BITEF Even if you only see a few good minutes of theatre performance that move you in some way, you have gained something, a spiritual capital of some sort. If there was no BITEF you would have to travel to Edinburgh or Avignon to see these plays. How?

Nikita Milivojevic, BITEF Director

CorD | September 2005

contents

08 WE MUST LIVE WITH KOSOVO Serbian Prime Minister Kostunica makes the crucial decisions regarding the Serbian position on Kosovo. It was the same case when he was the president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia [during the DOS administration]. All decisions regarding Kosovo are his.

Goran Svilanovic, former SCG Foreign Minister, current member of the International Commission for the Balkans

14 KOSOVO: THE SERBIAN POSITION

With widespread speculation that Kostunica's coalition government could fold at any moment, prompting extraordinary elections, it is highly improbable that any Serbian politician could assume the massive responsibility of signing a document that will confirm Kosovo's status, regardless of the nature of that status.

KNEE-JERK DIPLOMACY Responding to disputes with Montenegro, Macedonia and Croatia this summer, certain Serbian officials were guilty of making what could only be described as uncoordinated emotional knee-jerk declarations that failed to relay the essence of what it was that they were reacting to.

DEVELOPMENT JUST BEGINNING

I advise small banks to specialise; otherwise they will be literary destroyed in the global banking competition.

Nowadays former members of Serbia's "Otpor" resistance movement speak more freely of the role they played in the downfall of the Milosevic regime, as well as openly discussing the support they gained in their quest to topple the government, and explaining how and why they have been exporting their revolution formula to other countries; and if this very practice is straining Serbia's diplomatic ties.

Bozidar Djelic, South-Eastern Europe director of Credit Agricole SA

EXPORTING REVOLUTION &/OR EXPERTISE?

"Resistance" members - 6 years on

SHOPPING

GUCA GOES OFF Guca is remembered in a hangover that can only be produced by that many trumpets and that much beer. It's also a window into the way Serbs do things, not in a muted way, but loud and in your face CorD | September 2005

Comment

The Story's End Radivoj Cveticanin: Journalist, Director of “DANAS” Daily

any people would be take the law into their own hands without being massively longing for the real end pressured to do so by others. Declarations pronounced by of the story, perhaps our political leaders are simply the result of external preseven Kostunica himself. At the sure, as opposed to resulting from high internal ethical time of the writing of this text imperatives. One of the institutions that should have been Mladic and Karadzic are simply at the closest to justice and morality - Serbian Orthodox large, and whether or not some- Church - has failed terribly in this regard. Priests are, to a thing has happened prior to you great extent, responsible for identifying the Mladic and reading this is only God's preroga- Karadzic cases with the defence of national honour, or the tive to know. This summer saw betrayal of the nation. If you add to this the fact that other institution with sigexpectations placed at the highest level. Srebrenica's jubilee and the nificant popular support - the Army - is playing a very negtelevised appeal of the Karadzic's ative, suspicious role in this process, then we could picture wife for her spouse to surrender definitely contributed to a feeble nation lacking the strength to face the evil and conclusions that the most sought after Hague suspects are reject it outright. If Kostunica attempts to do anything now almost within the reach. In the second half of August, how- it will probably be a clandestine top-secret operation withever, this case suddenly plummeted, in an impious and out the government's knowledge. He had to make certain promises ten weeks ago when high-ranking U.S. diplomat, indeed unexpected manner. The amplitude is endless. We can ask ourselves, does it mean anything? The under-secretary of State Nicholas Burns paid a visit. It would be an oversimplification to associate the overly optianswer is that it probably means nothing. That's exceptional! Simply, our public at large is tired and mistic statements of Nicholas Burns to his lack of profound fed up with bogus events and a string of empty pursuits of knowledge about the subject, since he specifically framed these two fugitives. Both the international and local press has this action within days and not months. If we agree as fact tried to define the real status of the campaign. However, both that the U.S. is very serious about such things, then we tabloids and serious newspapers recorded some serious flaws. have to ask what the problem is. Based on a few discusSo, everything was a lie? The hunt for Karadzic and Mladic sions with western diplomats, we could have concluded primarily represent an anti-insider's story, and that is why we If Kostunica attempts to do anything now it will probably be have very little checked and reli- a clandestine top-secret operation without the government's able data from the most recent knowledge…if he manages to dispatch either Karadzic or times. The 'Patriotic mafia' surrounding these two fugitives, as Mladic it could be an enormous political victory for well as any other similar organi- Kostunica… it could be his powerful political 'ace up the sation, cannot abide any 'foreign sleeve' in the government's forthcoming projects… body'. That is one of the key pillars of their mystique and secretiveness. The second pillar that, contrary to ther opinions of many Serbian politicians, would be the fact that no Serbian government in the past they believe that Kostunica keeps his word. That is probadecade has genuinely attempted to apprehend them: not bly the reason for their cautious and discreet patience in Milosevic's, nor the DOS Government, nor Kostunica's cur- this period. Their apparent patience may disappear, howevrent administration. There is no need to squander words on er, if they conclude that the failure to resolve this issue can the Milosevic's regime. However, the memoirs of DOS's lead- be blamed on political games. And if we have to answer the ers tell a dismal story of a lack of principles and gross irre- previous question (what is the problem?) this author would sponsibility; namely fugitives, and especially Mladic, were in ally with the second presumption. The real end of this story could be an enormous politifront of their eyes, but opportunism always won the day. There is strange paradox surrounding Kostunica. Although he cal victory for Kostunica; hence it could be his powerful has sent many indictees to The Hague, very few local political 'ace up the sleeve' in the government's forthcomobserves would consider those transfers as being his real ing projects to arrest and extradite the fugitive pair. achievement. The government persistently and stubbornly Admiration of the west would not pass him by and, domesproclaims that 'there are no new facts' regarding the where- tically, probably only the Radicals would spit at him. In abouts of Mladic and Karadzic, but seems to do so while dis- such a critical case Democrats would not dare to dethrone playing enormous joy and happiness, instead of rank desper- him while he is putting the final touches to his best political artwork. And consequently, if the nation did not fully ation at the chronic lack of concrete results. This has actually served to demonstrate that, as far as open up to Kostunica, then at least some other great Karadzic and Mladic are concerned, Serbs would never opportunities would.•

CorD | September 2005

Interview

WE MUST

Goran Svilanovic, former SCG Foreign Minister, current member of the International Commission for the Balkans

LIVE WITH T

By Tanja Jakobi, Photo Andy Dall

KOSOVO Serbia can only gain from negotiations regarding Kosovo. There are more subjects up for discussion and more possibilities to gain something positive than those that are presented to our public. But it takes a certain measure of political courage to sit at a table fully conscious that when we get up from that table Kosovo might be on its way to full independence. I hope that those who make up the government will decide exactly what to do in the next few weeks.

CorD | September 2005

he official position of our country is known as the 'flosculus' - more than â&#x20AC;Ś less then â&#x20AC;Ś - so said Goran Svilanovic, speaking exclusively to CorD for this month's issue. The former SCG foreign minister continued: "Both the domestic public and foreigners are aware that there is no essence in that. The negative definition, contained in statements such as 'Kosovo will never be independent' and, 'we will never agree to thatâ&#x20AC;Ś' is not helpful. What is needed is to state exactly what status we propose; the one we desire, and then to negotiate towards that end. I think that in that way we will reach the process which should lead to the future status of Kosovo. "The lack of any proposal from our side will be replaced with initiatives coming from other sides, until somebody cuts it all. In fact, everybody is waiting for that to happen, thus they will be able to shift the responsibility onto those who make such a decision. Whether that is going to be the U.S. or the EU, or both of them, or whether they will manage to transfer that to the UN Security Council, remains to be seen", said Svilanovic, who is now a member of the International Commission for the Balkans. At the end of April this year, the International Commission for the Balkans published a report on predictions for the future of Kosovo. Writing in that report, Svilanovic insisted that

Kosovo was lost to Serbia. Upon the publishing of the report, Svilanovic was, quite expectedly, subjected to lynching calls from every political quarter in Serbia; even his friends at the Democratic Party chose to distance themselves from the once popular post-5th October foreign minister. "The political disqualification to which I was exposed existed only in the media and political circles. In everyday life nothing changed. I did not have any personal troubles, no unpleasant reactions and incidents followed that could have seen those calls for a political lynching become reality", said Svilanovic. In which direction has the Serbian stance on Kosovo evolved since May? If we are talking about the authorities in Serbia, I do not think that their position regarding the future status of Kosovo has changed in comparison with what they were saying in spring. As regards our public, I think that we all, politicians and the media, are underestimating them. The publishing of

Serbian Prime Minister Kostunica makes the crucial decisions regarding the Serbian position on Kosovo. It was the same case when he was the president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia [during the DOS administration]. All decisions regarding Kosovo are his. the report about the future of Kosovo, compiled by the International Commission for the Balkans, of which I was a member, provided a good opportunity for our political elite to try to mobilise our public as regards Kosovo. But there was no success in that. All public opinion polls confirmed that Kosovo is still at the bottom of our citizens' list of priorities. The public cannot be mobilised without a clear policy and we do not have one. At the same time, this report paved the way for serious discussion of the realistic goals regarding Kosovo: which of those interests can be achieved; in which direction we should go, et cetera. Sadly, that chance was not utilisedâ&#x20AC;ŚI was hoping that this report would provoke such a discussion; a discussion in which competent collocutors would participate, those who would make an effort to tell the public what is ahead of us; a discussion that would garner public support for realistic and achievable solutions which would be in the interests of Serbia and the Serbs who live in Kosovo. Instead of that, we returned to Milosevic and his stereotypes about Serb national interests, to a national project which has already been historically defeated.

Svilanovic: clear government policy needed It has been announced that Kosovo's status negotiations are unlikely to be akin to talks held in Dayton or at Rambouillet. Rather, the talks will be led by 'shuttle' diplomacy. Why is that? It is possible that representatives of the Serbian and Kosovo Governments will enter the process and agree about the future status, or at least about the process which would lead to the future status. That would be a negotiated status. But that considers a measure of political courage to sit at the table full conscious that when we get up from this table Kosovo might be on its way to full independence. Currently, Serbia has no control over the situation in Kosovo, nor the position of those Serbs who

NO DEFINING, NO GAINS We have a huge interest in Kosovo, primarily regarding the people who live there and, secondly, regarding the province's cultural and historical monuments. Then there are the property relationships and territory. The question is what territory do we have? Can we send policemen there? No we cannot. Can we send soldiers? Will we be able to? No we will not. Thus, what is it that we do not give? If Kosovo is not part of our country, in the essential sense, what satisfaction can we gain from something that is undefined? That looks like the China and Taiwan case, but we are not China and Kosovo is not an island. Thirdly, we do have full economic co-operation with Kosovo, but that goes through grey channels. In whose interests is that? This situation must be personally very good for somebody, but it is not good for the state. This (Kostunica's) Government introduced fiscal limitations for Kosovo. The Ministry of Finance and the Serbian Government introduced the border with Kosovo, and then the citizens protested, even the Democratic Party of Serbia's own MPs protested, even though that was done by the Government their party is heading, so the Finance Ministry had to withdraw. But every future government will come back to this subject, because its interests will be to protect the financial and economic entirety of Serbia. CorD | September 2005

Interview JOINT GOALS ESSENTIAL

The crucial section in the report of the Commission for the Balkans was not the part stating that Kosovo will be independent. Rather, it was the part stating that, firstly, it will not become independent before it is mature enough to enter the EU, and that is maybe in 10 or 20 years and, secondly, that those two processes are fully connected and managed by the EU. Those were the two key elements of our report. The reality could be worse, and that would be that Kosovo receives the status regardless of the European Union. For me that would be a nightmare. Why? Because I believe that if Serbia and Kosovo were part of one process of accession to the European Union, with joint goals, we could be sure that the Serbian community would live safely there, that their rights would be respected, because we do not see cases of the nonrespecting of those rights within the Union, but we do see it outside the Union. That was the message I publicly stated here, but people do not want to hear this message. Why? Because people here are hiding. The word 'independence' caused the biggest problem with the public. If we scrambled the word order and said that Kosovo is currently a sovereign part of Serbia and will be independent when it enters the EU, nobody would have said a word. In the same way, the Serbian public is discontented and Kosovo's public is delighted with the Commission's report, because it is fascinated with the word "independence". But what is the importance of the seat in the UN? I think that for someone who manages some territory, it is important that he can draw credit from the IMF and that he has seats on the World Trade Organisation. For instance, Montenegro will come to the WTO, but the problem is that it does not have financial sovereignty because it needs to have contra-guarantees from the SCG Parliament. Kosovo is in a different situation, it is far from the WTO, but through UNMiK regulations is entitled to draw credit from the IMF. Therefore, the story about the seat in the UN is something which is not as important as it is presented to our public.

CorD | September 2005

live there. Therefore, my opinion is that Serbia can only gain from those negotiations. For instance, a better model of decentralisation, or local Serbian police in those municipalities in which Serbs make up the absolute majority, or mixed police in areas where a considerable number of Serbs live; to obtain the possibility for the Serbs in those municipalities to organise the education system in accordance with the educational programme which is implemented in Serbia; to exert certain control and to offer help in the health system; to propose concrete solutions for the functioning of the judicial system which would enable at least the linking of some parts of the judicial systems in Kosovo with the Serbian system; to agree exterritorial status for churches, monasteries and other cultural and historical monuments. Also we could again raise the question of privatisation, property shares, debtsâ&#x20AC;Ś I think that in those negotiations Serbia

â&#x20AC;Śeverybody in Kosovo is now more realistic in perceiving the situation they all find themselves in. On one side, the process which could lead to independence will start, and on the other, the same process calls for a great responsibility... Above all, it is the responsibility of Albanians, as the majority population, towards Serbian and other minorities. could place the question regarding the position of Kosovo in any future security arrangements, in order to protect its interest in NATO. Finally, if this process were to lead to Kosovo's independence, there is the issue of dual citizenship. In any case, there are many more subjects for discussion and possibilities to achieve something than have been presented to the public. If things go differently, and that is what you have announced, then the negotiations will be carried out with the help of international representatives, and when we get close to the agreement there will be no courage to sign the final agreement. Then the international representatives will have to come before those who gave them the mandate and explain how far they have gone and where they came to a halt. That will be followed by the imposing of a final solution which will probably take into consideration the previous results of intermediary negotiations. They will all protest their dissatisfaction, but in essence will be satisfied because somebody other than them will have made the decision. One segment of the Serbian political public is convinced that the Serbian negotiating team - primarily the Serbian Government - does not suffer from cowardice, but is persuading Serbs from Kosovo not to participate in institutions and does not want to participate in negotiations in any way so that they can say later that Kosovo was lost because of a "higher force". Does this kind of explanation of Prime Minister Kostunica's previous actions sound logical to you? If that is true, then it is bad. I will give you two examples of how avoiding responsibility ends. One relates to the government I was a member of during the time when Kostunica was the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. At that time we were given the draft of the future Constitutional frame for Kosovo and were asked for our opinions and suggested amendments. At that time we chose to ignore that document, explaining that we could not imagine even talking about some constitution for Kosovo. After more than six months, in spite of our refusal to think about this document, we realised that it was to be adopted.

Interview

Svilanovic: avoiding participation is a recipe for disaster Then, in a rush, we sat down and prepared amendments. But it circumstances have ensured that it is now in a position were it was too late, we were told that our amendments were very intermust participate in the very beginning of the process which will esting and that they might have been adopted if they had been lead to the new status of Kosovo, within the structure which was prepared six months earlier, but in this way all of the relevant established. I am not sure that the moment for its reshuffle, or sides had already worked on this, reacted, agreed about it and for new elections, has already passed us by. There are several within the next week this document was adopted. There was no possibilities. One is that the Government, in its current form, time to deal with our late reaction. That is how those who avoid will enter the process of final status talks that will last all of next participating in processes end up. year and possibly longer. Another possibility is that the A similar thing is happening now following the Serb deciGovernment will be reshuffled, either through elections or from sion not to participate in the elections in Kosovo last year, which within. This could happen in the next few months, perhaps this can already be seen as the worst mistake in the whole process, autumn. The third possibility is that this Government will last and the same scenario will follow with plans for the decentralisation of Kosovo. If there is mutual support between DS and DSS regarding First the Serbian Government made one decisions about the future status of Kosovo, then I am plan. Then UNMiK made another plan. not afraid that the Radicals could win the next elections. Everybody in the international community started to working with UNMiK's plan, apart from us. The for some time and that before the finalising of the process Serbian Government decided not to allow the Serbs in Kosovo regarding Kosovo's new status it will schedule elections in an to participate in institutions which were dealing with the creattempt to avoid responsibility. This third solution is the only ation, development and implementation of this plan, hoping one which I consider as a bad one. That would be prime politithat this boycott would lead to a discussion of the Serbian cal and national irresponsibility. As such, I hope that those who Government's plan too. Instead of that, we are now facing the make up this Government will decide what approach to take in adaptation of so-called 'Plan B' and, therefore, the process is the next few weeks. ongoing regardless of our absence. Do you think the fear that SRS could win elections in In one of your declarations, you mentioned that the posiSerbia outright if the administration signs or offers silent tion of Serbian politicians could change after elections in concord for the independence of Kosovo is a realistic fear? Serbia. Does the international community have time to wait If there is mutual support between DS and DSS regarding for Serbian negotiators for Kosovo to appear after the extraordecisions about the future status of Kosovo, then I am not dinary elections which are being announced for the end of afraid that the Radicals could win the next elections. They this year or mid-2006? cannot achieve success out of the Kosovo subject, because, When it was set up, this Serbian Government did not prioritogether with SPS, they are in essence responsible for the ruin tise decision-making for the status of Kosovo. Rather, the adopof national policies through the politics they led over the tion of the New Serbian Constitution was its sole goal. However, course of the last fifteen years. Those policies were completeCorD | September 2005

Interview ly wrong and failed in every segment, in Bosnia, in Croatia, in Montenegro and in Serbia. My opinion is that the two key democratic parties should decisively and bravely enter negotiations to request and receive a whole series of guarantees and tangible living solutions for those Serbs who live in Kosovo; to receive support for the new economic, financial and political prospects of Serbia regarding the EU and NATO, and then to openly present that as the result of their policy. They should then request support for that at the elections. I believe that if they openly present citizens with the results of their policies as realistic progress and success in comparison with what they found when they came to power, they will win.

I am not prepared to believe in an uncontrolled and spontaneous outpouring of discontent among the Albanians in Kosovo. That was not the case on 17th March 2003 and, if it is repeated, it will not be spontaneous. Whoever motivates such a disturbance should be forced to accept responsibility for it. And everybody in the international community must be much more decisive in condemning such acts in their political reactions than was the case two years ago. However, my impression is that the opposite process is currently present among Albanians. I would say that their understanding is maturing with regard to the fact that the process of deciding the future status of Kosovo will last longer than they thought, and that this process requires the serious engagement of everyone in Kosovo; that that process can bring There is widespread belief that independence, but that none of their I am not prepared to crucial mistakes regarding Kosovo living problems will be solved. I would believe in an uncontrolled were made when the DOS say that everybody in Kosovo is now Government came to power and by more realistic in perceiving the situaand spontaneous outpourthe then FRY, due to the failure to tion they all find themselves in. ing of discontent among On one side, the process which fully explain to the Serbian public the Albanians in Kosovo. could lead to independence will start, exactly what led to NATO's 1999 Whoever motivates such a and on the other, the same process intervention. As a member of that calls for a great responsibility on their administration, do you feel responsidisturbance should be part - a responsibility that, it seems, ble that the chance to face crimes forced to accept responsithey are incapable of. I am thinking committed in Kosovo was missed? bility for it. And everybody Yes, of course. I have just here of the functioning of the proviin the international comdescribed one situation in which, I sional administration's institutions, think, we could have behaved differthe operating of the public sector, the munity must be much ently and achieved more, and that ruined economy, the very high unemmore decisive in condemnwas the process of the adoption of the ployment and the difficult social probing such acts... Constitutional frame for Kosovo. An lems which Kosovo's society encouneven bigger mistake we made was ters every day. Above all, it is the when we [the DOS coalition memresponsibility of Albanians, as the bers] refused to collectively support a positive attitude towards majority population, towards Serbian and other minorities. The Hague Tribunal and the exhuming of bodies in Batajnica. Those are all new experiences for them. We should have told the citizens about the atrocity of the Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina and the current State crimes that had been committed. Unfortunately, the opinion Union of Serbia & Montenegro are all examples of temporary that this would have additionally contributed to Serbia's bad solutions which can be seen to be functioning very badly in international image prevailed. Today, it is obvious that this was reality. Is there any danger that Kosovo too, under some new wrong, and that it was in fact the only way to improve that status, will remain a dysfunctional entity? image. At the same time, we would have made it easier for That danger is very real. I am afraid of that too, because, in those who succeeded us to complete all the tasks that we could contrast to many people in Serbia, I see Kosovo as a developing not manage. However, there are some better examples. For chance for Serbia. But that would be a Kosovo with a defined stainstance, regarding co-operation with The Hague Tribunal: in tus. I think that Serbia is losing a great deal as long as a situation this the main political obstacle to greater efficiency was DSS. in which the status of Kosovo is not defined continues. Of However, only a few years later, when they took responsibility course, some individuals are gaining from this situation, but not for the work of the Serbian Government, in spite of different the state. I am thinking about the level of trade exchange which rhetoric and announcements, they changed their position, they is currently mostly going to the so-called grey economy, and started persuading, arresting and extraditing those indicted for which tomorrow should present real income. It is in Serbia's war crimes. That brought concrete progress to Serbia in the interests that Kosovo's status be defined and that society there form of the positive Feasibility Study for accession to the EU. be functional and democratic. We cannot live next to Kosovo That means that some lessons can be, and were, learnt. and pretend that Kosovo does not exist. We have to live with Kosovo. But in order for that to happen we need to know exactThe international community appears to have achieved ly what Kosovo is, whether it is a state or not, what is the measconsensus on the need to commence negotiations on Kosovo's ure of Serbian influence there, to what extent Serbs' interests are future forthwith. And the Commission of which you are a protected and how. The current undefined situation is of use member has supported the position that the commencing of only to certain individuals in Serbia and in Kosovo.â&#x20AC;˘ negotiations will prevent any fresh eruptions of violence.

CorD | September 2005

KOSOVO:

THE SERBIAN

POSITION

Many of Kosovo's Serbian community are of the belief that Belgrade has already decided to let the province's Albanian majority and the International Community decide the fate of Kosovo's final status by insisting that they boycott Kosovo's institutions. With widespread speculation that Kostunica's coalition government could fold at any moment, prompting extraordinary elections, it is highly improbable that any Serbian politician could assume the massive responsibility of signing a document that will confirm Kosovo's status, regardless of the nature of that status. By Milos Teodorovic, Photo Stanislav Milojkovic

t is common knowledge that, officially, Belgrade does not wish to accept the independence of Kosovo, nor the decentralisation of Kosovo under the concept currently on offer. Moreover, Belgrade hopes to garner support and promote a more detailed enquiry into the delineation of their concept of 'more than autonomy, less than independence'. The tragic events of late August, which saw two Serbian youths killed and two others wounded in a drive-by shooting attack on the Pristina-Strpce motorway, only served to further galvanise the Serbian stance on Kosovo. Kosovo Serb politicians expressed their outrage over the murders and their general sense of resentment at the situation in Kosovo and the conduct of the international community in the province. Serbian President Boris Tadic stated that the crime represented an unambiguous message to the Serbs in the province that there is no room for them in Kosovo. PM Vojislav Kostunica condemned UNMiK for repeatedly failing to protect the Serbian population in Kosovo or enforce human rights standards. However, even before the incident it was becoming apparent

CorD | September 2005

that the Serbian stance would be solidified: Nebojsa Covic, longstanding head of the Serbian Government's Co-ordination Centre for Kosovo, was relieved of his post and succeeded by DSS deputy leader Sanda Raskovic-Ivic - perceived as being as much of a nationalist hardliner as Kostunica's advisor Slobodan Samardzic - Serbia's main negotiator for Kosovo. Though Serbian politicians were united by the tragic murders and, for once, conveyed the same message, Serbia has long since failed to provide a clear, united front on the Kosovo issue. At the present juncture - with the commencing of negotiations regarding Kosovo's status imminent - very few practitioners can comprehensively grasp exactly what the genuine desires and intentions of Belgrade are. Even the leaders of the Kosovo-Serbs - the very people whose destiny is lying in the balance - donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t truly understand the strategy of the Serbian leadership, or if there is indeed such a strategy at all. "Serbs from Kosovo, especially those from central Kosovo, live in complete uncertainty. There is a high probability that they will simply leave", prominent Kosovo-Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic told CorD. "Belgrade lacks any vision whatsoever on how to approach this problem. We are plunging deeper and deeper into crisis".

Politics Ivanovic would have led the list of Kosovo-Serbs at last October's elections in the breakaway province, had Kosovo's Serbs not boycotted the ballet. Nevertheless, Ivanovic is perceived to be the 'list-leader' of Kosovo-Serb politicians, despite the fact that none of the MPs on the list actually participate in the work of the Kosovo Parliament. "Belgrade's strategy was to delay the resolving of Kosovo's status for as long as possible; Belgrade thought it would be possible to slow down negotiations regarding Kosovo's status and, thus, we were told not to participate in the elections. In reality, Belgrade's actions have only served to create a situation whereby the final status issue has been accelerated", said Ivanovic. The releasing of Belgrade's autonomy plan followed the antiSerb pogrom of March 2004 - the largest anti-Serb action since the arrival of UNMiK, which could have led to greater bloodshed were it not for the swift intervention of KFOR units. Immediately after the dust had settled on the 'March riots', the Serbian Parliament unanimously approved and adopted their plan for the political resolving of the Kosovo issue. The plan called for provisions to be laid down to create territorial, cultural and personal autonomy for Serbs and other non-Albanians residing in the province. At the time, April 2004, Serbian PM Kostunica explained that the plan called for the decentralisation of power, though he noted that the Serbian Government would continue to advocate a political solution for the province without predetermining final status. This, he is quoted as suggesting, was actually 'a complaint of Albanian secessionists that had been readily accepted by some representatives of the international community'. Belatedly clarifying the government's position, Aleksandar Simic, a senior advisor to Kostunica, insisted recently that the PM's remark had been erroneously interpreted and that, rather, he had merely said that the international community had acted as the guarantor of successful resolutions in Bosnia & Herzegovina and Macedonia. Simic, a native of Kosovo, told RFERL, "it was not a statement saying that Serbs could have a homogeneous territory, as was the case in Republika Srpska, because Serbs in Kosovo could not directly connect the territories they inhabit without causing a war with Albanians. The plan of the Serbian Government includes no lines of demarcation and clearly stated that Serb territories are not contiguous in Kosovo". The International Community rejected Belgrade's plan and, according to Ivanovic, it then became easier for Belgrade to simply say 'no' [to suggestions] than to dispatch a message urging KosovoSerbs to participate in the election process. The following appeals of Serbian President Tadic and SCG Foreign Minister Draskovic, who insisted that it would be much better if the Kosovo-Serbs actually took part in elections, left the province's Serbian population completed disorientated. Since the Kosovo election disaster, the comments of Serbia's officials have at least been co-ordinated, to a certain extent. The hierarchical structure in talks with representatives of the international community is led by PM Kostunica's office - the number one partner, then the office of President Tadic and next new Kosovo Co-ordination Centre chief Sanda Raskovic-Ivic. Occasionally, representatives of State Union foreign minister Draskovic and SCG President Marovic's office contribute to consultations. It is noteworthy that the slogan 'less than independence, more than autonomy' was elaborated by Draskovic live on Radio Free Europe recently. During the emission, Draskovic insisted that the best thing for Kosovo would be the implementing of a programme akin to the Z-4 plan offered to Serbs in the former Republic of Srpska Krajina. The Z-4 plan envisaged broad, significant autonomy from the central government. He also suggested a model based on solutions applied in South Tyrol would prove appropriate. Draskovic was unable to state definitively if the international community would agree with the plan, nor could he confirm who exactly supports the plan in Serbia. However, not a single Serbian official has contradicted Draskovic's statement. The original Z-4 plan fell flat after Serbia rejected the element guaranteeing the inviolability of Croatia's borders. Subsequently, Croatia assumed control of its entire territory and around 250,000

Serbs fled the country. Draskovic appealed, through the RFERL Programme, that no such mistake should be repeated by a refusal to accept what was on offer. Nevertheless, Ivanovic claims that Belgrade has already made such a mistake by preventing Serbs in Kosovo from joining the province's institutions. "Belgrade cannot replace us [Kosovo's Serbs] in the process of democratising Kosovo. Even if we are of the belief that these processes are being led undemocratically, we still have to accept that there are certain institutions here that Serbs should participate in", Ivanovic reasoned. The senior Kosovo-Serb politician insisted that the decentralisation and final status processes are two separate issues. He also implied that Belgrade was acting favourable towards Albanians hoping to determine final status before embarking upon the decentralisation process. "It seems to me that once Kosovo is lost they [Belgrade's leadership] would like to say 'well, we managed to achieve decentralisation' and present that as some sort of great success", said Ivanovic. Ivanovic has become a strong critic of Belgrade's politicians. He noted that "after six unsuccessful years and excessive funds ploughed into projects aimed at protecting human rights, again unsuccessfully, the international community is tired of Kosovo. Now it is rushing to get rid of the burden and would like to shift

Oliver Ivanovic, leading Kosovo-Serb politician:

The decentralisation and final status processes are two separate issuesâ&#x20AC;ŚBelgrade's short-sighted approach is favourable to Albanians hoping to determine final status before embarking upon the decentralisation process. responsibility to local structures. These local structures could have comprised both Albanian and Serbian local government, but our failure to participate in elections and our consistent refusals to accept what has been put on the table has led to the creation of 'Plan B' - whereby everything is taken over by the Albanians as a result of Belgrade's short-sightedness". According to the current decentralisation plan, Serbs would administer Gracanica, Laplje Selo, Preoce and Sasakovac. But Ivanovic feels it could have been more: "we could have a relative majority in Novo Brdo and Caglavica - two municipalities with great commercial potential that would be able to function as self-sustainable local autonomies. In these areas there would have been a ratio of 68-32 in favour of Serbs and other non-Albanians. However, new cadastral solutions have more or less equalised the numbers of Serbs and Albanians in these two municipalities". Ivanovic continued: "we had the chance to achieve much more favourable results, if only we had fought for them. But now UNMiK has drawn-up its plan..." Ivanovic is equally critical of Messrs Kostunica, Tadic and Covic. "We are unenthusiastic here, since Belgrade has slowed us down and continues to take away any legitimacy we have." Kosovo-Serb representatives are still bitterly divided over decentralisation plans. Marko Jaksic, Chairman of the Association of Serbian Municipalities, declared that Serbs are not interested in pilot projects. Jaksic said that "the decentralisation plan has to encompass all the regions inhabited by Serbs and must fulfil all standards of education, health services, culture, security and justice". Belgrade sources are providing contradictory information as to whether there is a strategy in the making to be released in the wake of the commencement of status talks, or whether the existing strategy will be revamped, or the status quo simply maintained. Serbian PM Kostunica stated that, in accordance with the 'April decision', the parliament has entrusted the Serbian Government with preparCorD | September 2005

Politics ing a plan that cannot be 'implemented immediately and hastily' and should not be considered as something that is 'carved in stone'. To date, Serbian officials have managed to convey a number of united standpoints to the international community. These are as follows: - Serbia agrees that there can be no return to the 1999 situation, and believes that Albanians must be given the right to manage their lives [part of Serbia's yet-to-be-explained concept of 'more than autonomy, less than independence']. - Serbia will not accept Kosovo's independence for historical and economic reasons, though if the current government agrees to Kosovo's independence, the chances of the Serbian Radical Party winning outright power would be boosted. Moreover, it is widely perceived that the granting of independence for Kosovo could trigger regional instability. These positions are not accepted by the international community. In terms of historical inheritance, every document regulating the future status of Kosovo will contain provisions for the protection and/or restoration of historical monuments. In terms of proving economic rights, the right of return for refugees and IDPs, and compensation claims for state and socially-owned property, Serbia lacks the political power and credibility enjoyed back in October 2000. In terms of the threat that SRS will assume power, the international

Vuk Draskovic, SCG foreign Minister:

Serbia should not repeat the mistakes made during negotiations regarding the status of Serbs in Croatia - when plans regarding broad Serbian autonomy in the Krajina region were flatly rejected due to the inviolability of regulations regarding the Croatian border. community will not take this into consideration as it would occur in Serbia's post-reform, post-Hague, post-Kosovo period. Regional standpoints are clear on Kosovo and issues of regional stability. BiH officials recently declared that they will treat Kosovo as an internal SCG issue, while Croatian and Montenegrin leaders are of the belief that there is no danger of fresh conflicts. Macedonia is hoping to achieve EU candidacy status in November. The republic's leadership believes that the achieving of this status would be enough to ensure that there will be no repetition of the riots which occurred in Tetovo in 2001 and, ultimately, paved the way for the Ohrid Agreement guaranteeing border rights for the Albanian minority in Macedonia. Serbian Government sources told CorD that the international community continually expresses surprise at what it perceives as being inappropriate statements emanating from Belgrade. The last such case was last year's much publicised call by PM Kostunica that Kosovo-Serbs boycott the province's parliamentary elections. At the time, representatives of UNMiK, the U.S. and the EU noted that their partners in Serbia need not necessarily comprise members of the Serbian Government and, as such, they would like to have partners among those willing to co-operate with the international community. The election boycott of Serbian parties led international community representatives to establish co-operative links with those willing to accept the posts in Kosovo's institutions reserved for ethnic minorities. As an example, Slavisa Petkovic took up the post of Minister for Displace Persons in the Kosovo administration and recently formed a new party - the Serbian Democratic Party of Kosovo. Belgrade has been heavily criticised and reprimanded for refusing to accept the fact that the notion of an independent Kosovo is being treated as a realistic option worldwide. The contrasting views of Serbia and Kosovo's leadership were demonstrated at the Lucerne Conference in July this year, at which representatives of

CorD | September 2005

Pristina and Belgrade presented completely opposed views on the future of Kosovo and, subsequently, no progress was achieved at all. Serbia was represented at the Lucerne Conference by Zoran Loncar, Serbian Minister for State and Local Administration. Loncar said that he had attempted to explain that a solution for Kosovo could only be found through exclusive, direct talks between Pristina and Belgrade. The lack of results at the conference proved to be a huge disappointment for Switzerland's Foreign Ministry - one of the main organisers of the event. To date, the Serbian Government has shown no interest in NGOs that command significant networks in Kosovo, and has itself organised events aimed at furthering progress. For instance, Belgrade's office of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights organised a conference in Pristina in June to discuss the final status of Kosovo. Despite Kosovo Government officials, UN representatives and U.S. official Nicholas Burns all receiving invitations, the event was only attended by members of alternative Serbian organisations. Izabela Kisic, an associate of the Helsinki Committee, told CorD that she was convinced that had the conference included representatives of the Serbian Government it would have yielded exactly the same results as had the Lucerne Conference. Kisic noted that the Helsinki Committee's attempts were aimed at assisting in the search to define Kosovo's status, as the overcoming of this hurdle would see significant progress made on the road to the European Union. Kisic insisted that the EU is unwilling to accept states with undefined boundaries as members or potential members. "I believe that this problem is not being resolved and that there is no dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, simply because notions of 'Greater Serbia' expansion are being kept alive by the political and culture elite. It is this very reason that continues to prompt the political elite [in Serbia] to manipulate the Kosovo myth and refuse to publicly acknowledge that the independence of the province is being seriously considered by world leaders". Serbian opinions differ regarding the date for the commencement of final talks on the future status of Kosovo; although there is a collective belief that UN Special Envoy, Kai Eide will prepare a balanced and realistic report on the situation in the province. Serbia's political leaders are convinced that Eide's report will not prove favourable to Kosovo's interim ethnic-Albanian leadership, and that he will suggest final status talks be postponed for several months. Irrespective of the content of Eide's report, Belgrade expects negotiations on Kosovo to begin in October, while Ivanovic believes that the negotiations will not be scheduled to begin before December 2005 or early 2006. Direct talks between Prime Minsters Kostunica and Bajram Kosumi are set for mid-September, but it is expected that talks on the province's eventual status will be arranged in accordance with principles of a 'shuttle diplomacy' - namely, a series of discussions between representatives of the international community and both interested parties. The international community is hoping that any final decision will obtain 'Belgrade's signature' and, thus, have increased legitimacy. However, the failure of Belgrade to approve any final decision will not prevent the implementation of such a decision. With widespread speculation that Kostunica's coalition government could fold at any moment, prompting extraordinary elections, it is highly improbable that any Serbian politician could assume the massive responsibility of signing a document that will confirm Kosovo's status, regardless of the nature of that status. Dobrica Cosic, Serbian Academy member, writer and political thinker, has long since influenced official Serbian policy on Kosovo. Cosic has significantly influenced Serbian policy on Kosovo since the 1980s and his book, 'Kosovo - a story of Serbian suffering in Kosovo and notes on fighting form human rights', attempted to define the final outcome of the Kosovo crisis in December last year. Cosic wrote: "I am unhappy that I have to tell you that the century of our national defeats is not at an end. History is a tormentor of Serbian destiny: we are again being forced to give up parts of our territory in order to survive and save the major part of it [â&#x20AC;Ś] Let us divide Kosovo, let us get rid of Kosovo!"â&#x20AC;˘

Interview

H.E. Hugues Pernet , Ambassador of France to Serbia & Montenegro We are aware of the frailty of the situation in Serbia, but this frailty cannot be used as an excuse to keep ignoring the fact that talks on Kosovo's status should begin. Our message is that democratic forces in Serbia should unite and accept responsibility in resolving the Kosovo issue, because it's the only way to avert radicalised public opinion. It is up to your politicians and journalists to prepare the Serbian public for the imminent moment of facing up to various aspects of reality. You have a formidable task ahead of you - so said French Ambassador in Belgrade, H.E. Hugues Pernet, speaking exclusively to CorD this month. 18

CorD | September 2005

By Tanja Jakobi, Photo Andy Dall

eclining to comment on speculation in the Serbian, European and Kosovo-Albanian press that the report of UN Special Envoy for Kosovo, Kai Eide - aimed at evaluating the progress of meeting the required standards in Kosovo - will prove unfavourable, Ambassador Pernet expressed his belief that Eide is in the best position to objectively evaluate the situation in Kosovo. "The situation isn't perfect and a lot needs to be improved. It is now up to Mr. Eide to come forward with his personal assessment of the situation and then present it to the UN Secretary General, no matter what kind of pressure he may have to put up with," said Pernet. If Mr. Eide assesses that some of the standards haven't been met, will the commencement of final sta-

tus talks be postponed? I think the international community has already partially answered that question through the clear position that status quo in Kosovo is untenable. The question is, should the talks begin no matter what Mr. Eide's report says, or should they be delayed until certain things have been done? We believe that negotiations are necessary, short-term or mid-term. If Mr. Eide was to request a postponement, and I am in no position to know if he would take such a course of action, it would be a political message to the local authorities that some tasks haven't been accomplished. A report by the International Commission for the Balkans said that any disagreements among EuroAtlantic partners could make the Kosovo talks even more complicated. Do Europe and the U.S. have a joint position regarding the commencement, and handling, of talks? It is important to note that the contact group members, comprising a few European powers and the U.S., have a completely common position on Kosovo. I am sure we all maintain that the status quo is unsustainable. It is necessary to go forward with a thoughtful strategy. Two documents suggesting ways to resolve the Kosovo issue have been published of late. The International Commission for the Balkans forwarded one of them, suggesting a gradual and parallel incorporation of Kosovo and Serbia into European integrations. The other came from the International Crisis group, favouring immediate independence for Kosovo. How do the people in charge feel about this? The document made by the commission - of which Mr. Goran Svilanovic [former SCG Foreign Minister] is a member - was heavily criticised by the Serbian media. We were very surprised with the ferocity of the local media's attacks against a Serbian politician who had the courage to take part in such a project. As far as the European Union's position on resolving Kosovo's status is concerned, you are well aware that the EU is going through a crucial soul-searching stage in order to assess its achievements. Consequently, the EU will be very demanding when it comes to meeting the required standards in the entire region of the Western Balkans, primarily those concerning democratic standards, curbing corruption and observing of human rights. The EU summits in Zagreb and Thessalonica have opened the prospects for all countries in the region to join the body. The offer is still valid beyond any doubt, but the EU will demand more today than it did yesterday. A European future has already been offered, but a number of criteria need to be met in order to realise this future. This is not because it would give us pleasure, but because it would show that Serbia wants to join the EU and share its values. I often see stories in the local media saying things like "the European Union is making conditions". That's not the case. Joining the EU is like joining a club, and it is only to be expected that the members of that club would want you to share their values. That brings us to the issue of co-operation with The Hague Tribunal. It is not a separate demand or criterium, nor is it an attempt to humiliate Serbia. It is, rather, a way to reassure us that we share the same values and that we are moving along with the common goal of heading in the same direction.

Pernet: radicalisation threat will be assessed One of the arguments offered by the Serbian side is that the Kosovo issue should not be put on the table now, because declaring Kosovo independent or granting it a similar status could trigger instability in the region. Do you share these concerns? You could ask this question the other way round. If Kosovo doesn't get the status it wants, one would assume that it would become a source of instability in the region. We

"If Kosovo doesn't get the status it wants, one could assume that it would become a source of instability in the region. We now have enough room to negotiate and for sensible talks between the two sides." now have enough room to negotiate and for sensible talks between the two sides. Everyone should be aware that there are certain constant factors regarding this issue. One is that 90 per cent of Kosovo's population wants independence; the other is that the Serbian minority living in Kosovo is entitled to its dignity, freedom of movement, tradition and culture, as well as to local self-governance which may satisfy its ambitions. It is necessary to find a solution in accord with these factors. CorD | September 2005

Interview FACE UP TO THE PAST

Events related to the recent past have rocked Serbia again lately. The effects of the 1999 events are still fresh in Kosovo. To what extent does the burden of historic legacy force the leaders of both sides to be uncompromising in their demands? Anyone reading the local press understands that the past is very important to Serbia. What we, as EU members, have noticed is that Serbia has difficulties in looking at its past from a different perspective. We have the 1999 events in Kosovo; we've just marked the anniversary of certain events that took place in Bosnia and Croatia. I think it is very important to think in terms of what actually happened and draw some conclusions. Therefore, the EU doesn't understand why there are so many difficulties in Serbia's co-operation with The Hague Tribunal, bearing in mind that the co-operation gives Serbia a chance to look at its past from a distance, and turn to a future which will lead to membership of the European Union. Has the Albanian population faced up to the events of March last year, when many Serbs were killed? As you know, we regret these incidents very much. The international community bears that in mind and has reorganised itself to a certain extent. I am speaking about KFOR troops under the command of General Yves de Kermabon that took very strong action. NATO has made it very clear that it will not allow any such incidents to happen again. I think the Kosovo authorities have been given a very loud and clear message that violence is no way to reach a solution for Kosovo; the Contact group has stated very openly that no unilateral solution will be accepted.

CorD | September 2005

It appears that the official Serbian position on Kosovo remains somewhat unclear to the public in Serbia. Do you fully understand the position of the Serbian side and do Serbian officials communicate with the international community in a comprehensible manner? One must understand that the talks haven't started yet and that the two sides still don't want to put all their cards on the table. For instance, history has taught us that fighting has always intensified shortly before talks that ended conflicts. Therefore, it is understandable that extreme positions are the starting points. Do you believe in the possibility of direct talks between the Serbian and the Albanian side? Correct me if I am wrong, but this already happened when late Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and Mr. Hassim Thaqi met. Belgrade and Pristina will be neighbours tomorrow, as they are today, hence I believe that dialogue between the two sides is a must. The Serbian President and the Prime Minister said they had the intention of starting a dialogue on Kosovo. That, of course, may turn out to be just a tactical move, but I am sure they are aware that there is no alternative to dialogue. The international community is making concerted efforts to kick-start bilateral talks. Do you feel the Serbian Government is rightly concerned that a momentuous start of talks on Kosovo at a time when early parliamentary elections in Serbia appear relatively likely could radicalise public opinion and give the extreme right wing a chance to prevail in Serbia? The start of the talks could radicalise public opinion in Serbia no matter how they get underway. This should be taken on board, but it shouldn't deter us from our intention of bringing about a dialogue. The possible radicalisation of

"Mr. Haradinaj has taught some people a lesson with his voluntary surrender to The Hague Tribunal without asking for negotiations. I think that was a very important act that hasn't been fully evaluated in Serbia." public opinion in Serbia is not a good enough reason to give up on the talks. We will assess how dangerous the possible radicalisation may be once we have analysed that aspect. Does the international community have a 'Plan B' if direct talks don't take place and there is no agreement between the two sides? Let the talks begin first. There is no ready-made solution for Kosovo. There are some basic prerequisites and they have been put forward very clearly: there will be no return to the pre-1999 situation, there will be no changes in borders, there will be no annexing of one territory to another and there will be no division of Kosovo. Within that, there is plenty of room for various solutions. The outcome of these negotiations is wide open. Of course, if the interested parties do not understand that all sides have to make some concessions, we will get nowhere and come to an undesired situation of imposed solutions. That's the one thing we want to avoid.â&#x20AC;˘

Politics

KNEE-JERK DIPLOMACY By Zoran Knezevic

Responding to disputes with Montenegro, Macedonia and Croatia this summer, certain Serbian officials were guilty of making what could only be described as uncoordinated emotional knee-jerk declarations that failed to relay the essence of what it was that they were reacting to.

Rumija: “Church of division, not reconciliation”

he arrest of Archbishop Jovan in Macedonia, the tenth anniversary of the Croatian Army's Operation Uluja (Storm) and the erecting of a metal church on Montenegro's Mount Rumija, all sparked reactions by Serbian and SCG officials that were, generally, too hasty, lacking official co-ordination and demonstrative of a misunderstanding of the context of recent historical events, as well as a distinct lack of diplomatic prowess. According to international relations experts, the worrying factor is that declarations by some Government officials were purely emotional responses…the same could be said of the 'other side', because Macedonian, Croatian and Montenegrin

CorD | September 2005

officials were also guilty of issuing unnecessarily disturbing statements, which could seriously disturb inter-state relations and further complicate the regional situation. First came the 'planting' of a metal church on the peak of Montenegro's Mount Rumija by an SCG Army helicopter on 21st June, following a request by the Serbian Orthodox Church's Montenegrin and Coastal Metropolitan Bishop Amfilohije Radovic. Montenegrin officials quickly responded by attacking Serbia and accusing their sister republic of attempting to destabilise Montenegro and prevent the staging of an independence referendum in the tiny coastal republic. Serbian officials, as well as unionist-minded Montenegrin

Politics opposition parties, reacted with equal fervour. While Belgrade and Podgorica were trading mutual accusatory blows, a Macedonian court chose the 19th August to sentence Serbian Orthodox Bishop Jovan to two-and-a-half-years imprisonment for "the spreading of religious, national and racial intolerance". Serbia reacted strongly to the judgement, despite the fact that Bishop Jovan (aka Zoran Vranisovski) is a citizen of Macedonia. Velimir Ilic, Serbian Capital Investments Minister, reacted by ordering the grounding of two aeroplanes owned by JAT, which were leased to private Macedonian carrier MAT around a decade ago. Threats were issued that the MacedonianSerbian border could be closed and diplomatic relations severed, while many senior Serbian officials demanded the immediate release of Bishop Jovan, insisting that he had only been

Archbishop Jovan

convicted because during the non-canonised separation of the Macedonian and Serbian Orthodox Churches he had submitted to the Serbian Patriarchy. Macedonia abandoned its annual state celebrations in the Prohor Pcinjski Serbian monastery, and officials of the former Yugoslav republic responded to Serbia's calls for Jovan's release by insisting that "the Macedonian judiciary system is independent and no influence can be exerted to change a court's ruling". Macedonian President Crvenkovski chose not to use his right to overturn Bishop Jovan's conviction. While many international Human Rights organisations began to back Bishop Jovan's case, Serbian officials launched

Decades of Dispute The Macedonian state and institutions supported the MPC after a May session when the SPC Synod published the 'tomos' - the final act of religion by which major synods regulate the issue of Christology. This recognised the SPC's Ohrid Archiepiscopacy in Macedonia. Their support was to be expected, since Macedonians are already frustrated because the Greeks do not recognise the name of their state, the Bulgarians do not recognise their language and the Albanians do not recognise their territory. The refusal of Serbia to recognise their church just added to their frustration. Disputes between the SPC and the MPC have been ongoing for decades: • 1945: the Initiative Council for setting up the Macedonian Church was established; • 1958: the nucleus of the autonomic MPC was established in the synod-peoples fair in Ohrid, which requested the autocephalous and independently announced autonomy. This was not recognised by the orthodox world; • 1959: with the help of political and party circles, MPC received autonomy from the SPC, allowing it to independently select bishops, manage the church and economic policy, have its own Synod and independently set the language of the religious serv ices. However, it was obliged to give three per cent of its annual income to the Serbian Patriarchy; • 1966: the MPC requested independence from the mother church. The experts whom the SPC engaged established that there was no basis for such a thing; • 19th July 1967: Macedonian bishops in Ohrid obstinately declared their independence from the SPC, which rejected this decision because of disrespect of the canon order and system; • 1970: at an extraordinary Synod session the SPC broke off the 'religious service and canonical intercourse' with MPC. Charges were brought against 'the culprits of the schism'; • 2002: document signed in Nis which established that the church in Macedonia would receive the 'widest autocephaly'. Macedonian church officials withdrew their signatures after pres sure from their public; • 2003: Serbian Patriarch Pavle invited the MPC's archpriests for canonical unity with the SPC in order to overcome the schism. Only the Metropolitan of Veles and Povardarje, Jovan, responded to this appeal; • The MPC's Synod released Jovan of his duties and the police took over his domicile and sent him to the St. George monastery, from where from he was sent away by "MPC believers'. Jovan made a chapel in his mother's flat in Bitolj; • On several occasions the SPC demanded protection for Bishop Jovan from international institutions and the Macedonian administration. The SPC vehemently opposed the interference of the state in the two churches' dispute. • May 2003: the SPC's Synod established the Autonomic Ohrid Archiepiscopy Synod and appointed Metropolitan Bishop Jovan as the church head proclaiming him as 'exarch' (representative) of the Serbian Patriarchy in Macedonia. MPC clergy were invited to join the canonical unity with the SPC before 1st September that year; • January 2004: because of 'illegal religious services in a private house' Metropolitan Bishop Jovan and a dozen SPC priests and nuns were arrested by the police. The court extended the temporary arrest for Jovan to 30 days 'because of provoking national, racial and religious hatred and division' and sentenced him to one year's suspended imprisonment; • The Moscow and Constantinople (Istanbul) Patriarchy and the Vatican refused to recognise the MPC; • On the border crossing with Macedonia, SPC priests were exposed to mistreatment and harassment, and some of them were not allowed to enter Macedonia;

CorD | September 2005

Politics into another rash verbal duel, when Serbian President Tadic certain problems don't exist, and when they resurface officials chose Croatia's celebrations of the 10th anniversary of react by adding fuel to the fire". Operation Storm, on 4th August, to urge Croatian officials to She continued: "States get involved in church affairs condemn crimes committed against the Serbian nation in the because the identity of those countries is undefined. Thus, by former Republic of Srpska Krajina in the same way that he involving the state in church disputes they are trying to himself had condemned crimes committed by Serbs in Srebrenica. This provoked Professor Jelica Stefanovic PhD, professor of diplomaupheaval in Croatia, while President Stjepan Mesic rejected the call of his cy at Belgrade's Faculty of Political Sciences: Serbian counterpart, explaining that "Everything in the Balkans is maintained on the Operation Storm could not be compared precipice of incidentâ&#x20AC;Śauthorised state institutions to Srebrenica because "there were only behave like certain problems don't exist, and when isolated incidents in Storm", not systemthey resurface officials react by adding fuel to the fire". atically committed crimes. After lurching from dispute to dispute, the situation then calmed following the diplomatic strengthen it. The church, on the other side, takes over the efforts of international institutions. How long the peace will action on those territories that states want to control but canlast remains to be seen. not. Unannounced alliances between states and churches only Speaking to CorD, Professor Jelica Stefanovic PhD, profes- serve to prove that this is about unfinished states that still sor of diplomacy at Belgrade's Faculty of Political Sciences, operate on the basis of emotions and not on the basis of interexplained: "Everything in the Balkans is maintained on the ests and needs". precipice of incidentâ&#x20AC;Śauthorised state institutions behave like A major problem in Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Croatia is that the state and the church are separated in principle, but not in practice. According to historian Mirko Djordjevic, "This problem is more political than religious. Bishop Jovan is Macedonian and our state authorities do not have any grounds to react to his imprisonment with closing borders, grounding planes and the like. The main reason for his imprisonment is that the Macedonian administration does not want to accept the registration of the SPC (the Serbian Orthodox Church). The MPC (Macedonian Orthodox Church), with Bishop Stefan does not have any territory over there, ordained clergy, temples, regular contributions in the aspects of 'parohiale' (taxes), church structure, while bishop Jovan sits in prison. Even though Macedonia guarantees that everybody has the right to profess his own religion, I do not think that Bishop Jovan will be released soon, because the SPC has no intention of recognising the independence of the MPC", said Djordjevic. Montenegrin and President Crvenkovski's office declined to comment on Coastal Metropolitan Bishop Amfilohije Radovic Bishop Jovan's case, but it was stated that "the reactions from Serbia were not in the spirit of good neighbourly relationOn 30th July 2005 Serbian Orthodox Church officials blessed the ships"â&#x20AC;Ś"church disputes should not spoil the good relations metal church on top of Mount Rumija near Bar, which was erected between Serbia and Macedonia". without the approval of Montenegrin state bodies. Consequently, Serbian Orthodox Bishop Irinej of Backa argued: "In they ordered that it be removed by 1st August this year. Macedonia and Montenegro the church is considered as a political institution and is experienced as the proof and symThe Montenegrin administration appraised the erection of the metal bol of their sovereignty. Since the SPC does not have any intenchurch on Rumija as an attack on "inter-religious and inter-ethnical tion of giving up its autochthonous role, they have established harmony in the Bar municipality and in Montenegro", because "the new orthodox churches. In essence, they do not understand peak of Rumija was for centuries a cult place for believers of all faiths the church, but think that the church is just another alliance or in Bar - Orthodox, Catholics and Muslims". Montenegrin opposing political party". Parliamentary President, Ranko Krivikapic, described the erection of Bishop Irinej also believes that Serbian politicians also fail the church on Rumija as an "attempt to destabilise Montenegro", and to understand that churches and religious groups are a very similar appraisals were issued by Montenegrin President Filip important social factor, since 95 per cent of the population are Vujanovic and Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic. believers. Responding to the erecting of the metal church on Mount Montenegrin opposition parties described the administration's Rumija, Djordjevic said that "regardless of his, perhaps, best announcements as "an anti Serb campaign", in which they were supintentions, Metropolitan Bishop Amfilohije opened up the posported by some Serbian officials. sibility of conflict with other religious groups in Montenegro, However, the Holy Trinity Church was erected on the spot where the temple used to be which the Turks demolished in 1571 and where where the situation is additionally made more complicated by on Trojicin day every year, Orthodox citizens of Bar traditionally carry the existence of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church. It would St. Vladimir's Cross. be bad if it turns out that Bishop Amfilohije stands on the side of political forces in Serbia & Montenegro trying to prevent the

CorD | September 2005

Politics Operation Storm: Accusations and Arguments Serbian President Tadic and his advisors are restraining themselves from commenting with regard to demands sent to Croatian authorities that they admit that the Croatian Army's Operation Storm involved organised crime, ethnic cleansing, and premeditated killings. In the President's cabinet, however, the message is that 'good neighbourly relations with Croatia are very important for stability in the region, and that facing the crimes which were committed contributes to the final reconciliation and further improvement of relations". The SCG Foreign Ministry still consider as appropriate Minister Vuk Draskovic's statement that "the celebration of ten years since the ethnic cleansing of Serbs in the Republic of Croatia and the choice of the European Union cannot go hand-in-hand". The SCG MFA added that they hoped Croatia's authorities would use the occasion of the anniversary to invite all exiled Serbs to return to their homes, with all their rights protected to the highest global standards.

Members of the Croatian Army staging of the independence referendum in Montenegro. The fact is that that he plays a great political role in Montenegro and many people follow him". Prof. Stefanovic added that Serbia was completely unprepared for the marking of the tenth anniversary of Operation Storm. The unfortunate comparison of Storm with events in Srebrenica shows that President Tadic completely misunder-

Mirko Djordjevic: “A major problem in Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Croatia is that the state and the church are separated in principle, but not in practice.“ stood that, on the basis of his apology for Serbian crimes in Srebrenica, he can request and receive an apology for the crimes committed during Storm. The consequence of Storm was the exodus of 250,000 Serbs from Croatia, but the causes and consequences of those two events are completely different. According to Prof. Stefanovic, Croatia is not to blame for the fact that, because of the exaggerated inertness of Serbian officials, Serbia was not ready to solve the problems of the Krajina Serbs. Milorad Pupovac, president of Croatia's Independent Serbian Democratic Party, concluded: "We should provide those people who fled after Storm with conditions for their return, thus their houses would be renovated, they would be safe from being pursued for something they are not guilty of; they would not be on some extended lists of indicted or suspected war criminals and they would be able to participate equally in administrative institutions and public businesses".•

"…The comments of Tadic and Draskovic marked the first occasion when members of Serbia's leadership have expressed an opinion about Operation Storm and the exodus of Serbs that it prompted. As such, a reaction from the Croatian public was to be expected," said Milorad Pupovac, continuing "Tadic's statements are probably the consequence of all the recent discussions of war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia and the attitudes of leading politi cians towards those crimes." Pupovac suggested that requests for the return of Krajina-Serbs could be furthered by the submitting of lists to the Croatian Embassy in Belgrade of all those killed or declared missing as a result of Operation Storm. • Operation Storm lasted from 4th to 8th August 1995; • 138,500 members of the Croatian Army, police and paramilitary units and 31,000 Serbian forces participated in Storm; • Almost all of the 250,000 Serbian citizens resident in the area targeted were killed or exiled. Croatian forces attacked and killed Serbs in refugee columns on their way to Serbia. Even war planes were used to attack the fleeing refugees; • The Croatian administration closed off the area of Krajina and began to thoroughly mine the area and demolish empty Serbian houses. They also murdered the remaining Serbs; • According to incomplete data, 1,805 Serbs disappeared in this action, over 20,000 Serbian houses were burned, and others were plundered or demolished. Documentation and Information centre Veritas recorded the killings or disappearances of 1,960 Serbs, of which 1,205 were civilians (522 women and 12 children).

Confusing Disputes Belgrade's Embassy of the Swedish Kingdom followed the devel opment of the situation in all three cases and submitted regular reports to Stockholm. "The situation is difficult because there are misunderstandings which are connected to the distant or recent past. Therefore these disputes cannot be either easily understood or exaggerated. We are particularly interested in any cases of the eventual non-respect of human rights. If it comes out that such a thing happened in some of these cases we will report that to Swedish and International insti tutions and, thus, they could be discussed within the EU, the Council of Europe and the UN", the Swedish embassy's Charge d'Affaires, Jan Lumdin, told CorD.

CorD | September 2005

Column

THE TWILIGHT OF KOSTUNICA'S GOVERNMENT By Aleksandar Vlahovic; Photo: Mirjana Kotlaja

I do expect stormy weather ahead on the Serbian political scene. One scenario is that the current Government will splinter into two - with one part in favour of reforms and the other opposed. This, ultimately, would lead to the calling of early parliamentary elections. The other scenario would see the current coalition government consciously draw a halt to the transition process, at the cost of breaking the existing arrangement with the IMF.

Aleksandar Vlahovic, Democratic Party MP, former Serbian Privatisation Minister

remain convinced that the Kosovo issue is not the key issue that could undermine the political situation in Serbia. It is certain that some political parties will use this issue to impose competitive 'patriotism' amongst opposing factions but, in essence, the issue of Kosovo's status is not as delicate as we have been led to believe for years. Public opinion polls show that this issue is at the bottom of the list of priorities among the myriad problems we are facing. Today, and over the course of the next few years, the most important issue for Serbia's citizens will be living standards, and it is this factor which will determine which

CorD | September 2005

political parties will gain or lose power. This autumn the Serbian Government will face such a test. It will have to prove its political readiness, professional prowess and courage to continue the economic transition process. One possibility is that, under pressure from the IMF, the government will commence the restructuring of the public sector and cut public spending. If the Government gives that up, we will be threatened by the danger that the healthy part of the economy, which currently suffers from a restrictive monetary and fiscal policy, will then become the victim of macroeconomic instability. Rigidity is the word which best describes the policy of the Serbian Government and the National Bank. An unreasonable budgetary policy which is directed towards a fall in demand gives short term results, because it de-stimulates personal expenditure and prevents excessive spending in a non-restructured economy. Furthermore, we are witnesses of the Government's attempt to control prices and, thus, slow inflation. For instance, the Government keeps the prices of medicines at a level which is 30 per cent below the regional norm. This, in turn, pushes the country's vital pharmaceutical industry into debt. The second example is the price control of petrol derivates, because of which the Serbian Petrol Industry (NIS) makes monthly losses of between 10 and 15 million dollars. In spite of rigid measures, inflation in July was two per cent. I expect it to speed up in autumn. The combination of the growth of inflation and the drop in industrial production leads us to stagnation: the economic death rattle. Both inflation and the deceleration of production are sourced in excessive public expenditure. This expenditure is not being cut because the Government does not have the political courage to repeal the monopolistic position of public companies and reform the education system and health services. Moreover, the announced postponement of the reform of the pension fund bears witness to the lack of readiness of the Government to face the fact that there is no money to finance the pension fund the way it currently stands. Is the reduction of pensions the bitter pill? Yes it is, but nobody has pushed the governing political parties to win the elections. In such circumstances there are two possible scenarios for the destiny of the current Government: Scenario 1: There is the possibility that part of the government will begin resolving the socially difficult measures, and that the other part of the Government will pull the rug from under their feet. In that case, this autumn we will witness the cracking of the governing coalition followed by extraordinary parliamentary elections. Scenario 2: A much worse option which will see the small parties, G-17 plus and the Serbian Renewal Movement, together with the coalition leader, the Democratic Party of Serbia, decide to remain together and resist transition for as long as they can. It is realistic to expect that in that case the IMF would exert much pressure on the Government, including the cancellation of

Column the standing arrangement, and that consequently the situation in the economy will be even worse. In spite of that I do not expect massive workers' union protests, because they are not the authentic representatives of the social layers which suffer the greatest pressure of such a policy. In the absence of open and articulated protest, the status quo and the survival of the Government could last. If that happens, the economic consequences will be even greater. That leads us to the only possible conclusion: the government which replaces the current one will face an almost identical situation to the one faced by us, Zoran Djindjic's Government, back in 2001. The Democratic Party is preparing for scenario number 1. The party has used this year and a half spent in opposition to grow stronger, in an organisational sense, and establish line councils for the economy, public finances, state administration, public services, security and foreign policy. That is not a shadow cabinet, but a cadre equipped for the moment when we will assume power. I believe that this moment will come soon, and that the Democratic Party will be the future centre of the democratic coalition. I am convinced that the Democratic Party has not strategically or ideologically altered since the era of the late Zoran Djindjic. But the political scene has changed, as have communication styles and methodology. The Democratic Party of 2005 is not the same as the Democratic Party of 1999. We are no longer fighting against that autocratic, retrograde regime and the major elements of that regime, the Socialist Party and the Radical party, have also changed. Unlike the period of the Milosevic regime, it is no longer possible to vilify opponents unreservedly. Political vocabulary is

more refined nowadays and the political culture is on a higher level than it was before October 2000, at least to a certain extent. Moreover, the vying political parties are more competitive today and in the foreseeable future we will witness the amalgamations of some parties and the disintegrations of others. Within the next four or five years the political scene in Serbia will comprise only two or three big political parties. The Democratic Party

Over the course of the next few years, the most important issue for Serbia's citizens will be living standards, and it is this factor which will determine which political parties will gain or lose power. will be one of those surviving parties, and the likelihood is that the Radicals and the Democratic Party of Serbia will also endure. I do not envisage any realistic prospects for anybody else. Some of the aforementioned changes will be tangible as early as the next general elections. At the previous parliamentary elections it was apparent that the voting public were casting their votes 'against' political platforms, rather than 'for' the beneficiaries. However, over the course of the past 15 years the political scene has evolved considerably. And, as this evolution continues, I am convinced that people will be capable of choosing between different parties in the same way that they opt to shop at one supermarket instead of another, because of the quality and prices on offer. Serbia's political parties now have their resumes and their past activities and respective contributions to society are common knowledge. All that will be taken into account at the next elections and voters will ask their would-be political leaders "what did you do while you were in power?"â&#x20AC;˘

bulletin...bulletin...bulletin... Visits prove SCG a priority

erbia & Montenegro has been a veritable hive of international diplomatic activity this summer, with high level visits by such senior representatives as EU foreign policy and security

the province, and he had told Kosovo Albanian leaders that the meeting of standards and the decentralisation process must be sped up. SCG has also seen support reconfirmed by Austrian President Heinz Fischer, who made a three-day visit to the state union in mid-July and met with leaders of the State Union and the partner republics. Fischer confirmed Austria's willingness to help SCG find a solution to sensitive issues like relations between the republics and the question of Kosovo, adding that one of the ways Austria could help the country was by organising a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and offering its expertise. Fischer also pledged that Austria, set to take over the EU chair next year, "will support Serbia & Montenegro's European efforts during its mandate." Next came the arrival of Chinese

Presidents Heinz Fischer and Svetozar Marovic chief Javier Solana, Austrian President Heinz Fischer, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Rao Inderjit Singh, UN Special Envoy for Kosovo Kai Eide, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Pierre-Richard Prosper, amongst others. While the summer silly season began elsewhere, Belgrade's summer of high level talks kicked off with the visit of Solana in July. During his two-day visit to the state union, Solana presented officials in both Belgrade and Podgorica with a revised plan for Montenegro's referendum on independence. However, he warned that if the republic's bid for independence proved successful then the entire process of applying for EU membership must begin again from scratch. In talks with Serbian President Tadic, PM Kostunica and Montenegrin PM Djukanovic, Solana urged that priority be given to launching talks on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU. Travelling on to Pristina, Solana reiterated the EU stance that Kosovo's future lies in Europe. Speaking publicly in the breakaway Serbian province, Solana said that he had proposed to Belgrade's leaders that Kosovo Serbs should participate in the institutions of

CorD | September 2005

NATO Sec. Gen. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer was just the latest in an enormous line of international representatives commenting on Serbia's failure to arrest and extradite ICTY fugitive General Ratko Madlic. According to agency BETA, Scheffer said: "My message to the Serbia & Montenegro authorities is 'Do it (arrest Mladic) as soon as possible! Today or tomorrow, but do it'". Speculation remains rife that the SCG Army, or perhaps the Serbian Orthodox Church, is continuing to shelter Mladic. In late August U.S. Ambassador-atlarge for War Crimes issues, Pierre Richard Prosper, arrived in Serbia to express his country's satisfaction with ICTY co-operation to date, and also to reiterate that the job would not be completed while fugitive Bosnian-Serbs Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic remained themselves 'at large'. Visiting Pancevo refugee camp north of Belgrade, Prosper expressed U.S. sympathy for Serbian victims by declaring that Serbs have been persecuted, killed, raped and expelled from their homes. He called for those responsible, whether during Croatia's Operation Storm, in Bosnia or Kosovo, to be brought to justice via the ICTY or local justice systems.â&#x20AC;˘

Kosovo Eruption on the cards

Boris Tadic, Javiar Solana and Vojislav Kostunica Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing in midAugust. SCG is indebted to China to the tune of some $570million, but Minister Li said following talks with State Union Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic that the debt is not a point of dispute. Following talks in Belgrade with Draskovic and President Tadic, and his meeting with SCG President Svetozar Marovic in Montenegro, Li said that developing further co-operation between China and SCG in the areas of tourism, culture, education and sport would be sped up. Speaking in Belgrade in mid-July,

ithout exception, all the international diplomatic visitors to Belgrade this summer made mention of the break-away southern Serbian province of Kosovo, and not without reason. Kosovo is set to become the hot topic of 2006, when final status talks are expected to commence. The latest twist in the Kosovo saga has seen the dismissal of long-serving head of the Serbian Government's Co-ordination

Kosovo PM Bajram Kosumi and UNMiKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soeren Jessen-Petersen

bulletin...bulletin...bulletin... Centre for Kosovo, Nebojsa Covic, and more senseless murders of Kosovo-Serbs. Covic, a former member of Slobodan Milosevic's SPS, former Mayor of Belgrade, former leader of the Democratic Alternative party and current leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), was the first victim of the SDP dispute with Serbian PM Kostunica over the government coalition party's refusal to support the privatisation of oil refineries. Earlier this summer, the arrival of Kai Eide, UN Special Envoy tasked with assessing the reform process under the leadership of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority, led to increased speculation that final status talks would get underway. Transfer of authorities from UNMiK to the Kosovo administration gathered momentum when chief of the UN Mission, Soeren Jessen-Petersen, pre-

ment that the EU will assume UNMiK competencies in an effort to ensure stability in the region. To date, decentralisation plans A, B and C for the province have been submitted by the Serbian Government, KosovoAlbanian administration and UNMiK. It remains to be seen whether the full alphabet will be needed before agreement can be reached. Despite all diplomatic efforts being exerted in Kosovo, some individuals still seem to believe that violence will result in the desired solution being reached. This fact was confirmed on Saturday 27th August when two Serbs were shot and killed and another two wounded whilst trying to change their car's tyre on the provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pristina to Strpce motorway. The two mortally wounded men, Aleksandar Stankovic and Ivan Dejanovic, and the wounded pair, Nikola Dukic and Aleksandar Janicijevic, were reportedly heading towards Strpac when they noticed that they were being tailed by a white Mercedes. The occupants of the Mercedes began firing shots, which resulted in a tyre being blown out on the Serb civilians' vehicle. After the car had ground to a halt and the four exited the vehicle to attend to their tyre, the Mercedes sped by and fired a volley of sots that killed Dejanovic and Satnkovic. Three suspects were later arrested and released.â&#x20AC;˘

NEWS IN BRIEF KFOR Troops in Kosovo sented Kosovo PM Bajram Kosumi with a plan for the transfer of police and judicial authority and unveiled plans to establish new Interior and Justice Ministries in the independence-minded province. As Eide and others worked on the identified problem of a lack of significant progress in Kosovo, more shots were fired at Serbian houses in Kosovo villages - this time without casualties. Reports then emerged in the German press that the almost inevitable decision on Kosovo's independence will actually mean simply that the EU will take over where UNMiK have left off - turning Kosovo into a quasi-protectorate of the Union. According to Berlin-based daily Der Tagesspigel, unnamed EU sources said that Kai Eide's status report expected to be submitted in September will be followed by an official announce-

Preferential Export Boosts U.S. Trade

U.S. Ambassador Michael Polt

Eight Convicted over Stambolic Murder

ight former officers of the Yugoslav secret police were this summer sentenced to jail terms ranging from 15 to 40 years for the kidnapping and murder of former Serbian president Ivan Stambolic in August 2000. The eight, who included Milorad 'Legija' (Legionnaire) Ulemek - chief suspect in the 2003 assassination of Serbian PM Zoran Djindjic - are believed to have been acting on orders given by then president of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic. They were also convicted of the attempted murder of current SCG Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic. Ulemek, Branko Bercek, Dusan Maricic and Nenad Bujosevic all received 40 year prison sentences,

.S. President Bush this summer announced a decision that could see SCG exports to the U.S. triple. The U.S. president granted preferential export status for goods originating from the state union - in particular food, flooring, tyres and electronic goods. Bush's decision marked the final lifting of sanctions first imposed on Belgrade in 1992 and will boost Serbian trade, as the country's businesses will now be able to export a wide range of products to America duty free. Speaking on the decision in July, U.S. Ambassador to SCG, Michael Polt, said: "we conducted a study and concluded that there is a free market in Serbia and that there are laws protecting U.S. investors. It was on that basis that we made the decision".

Milorad Ulemek Legija while Leonid Milivojevic and Nenad Ilic were sentenced to 15 years each.â&#x20AC;˘

Oluja Anniversary causes a Storm

roatia celebrated the tenth anniversary of Operation Storm (Oluja) in early August, which it marks as the confirmation of its battle CorD | September 2005

bulletin...bulletin...bulletin... for independence and liberation from the former Yugoslavia. Storm, which saw around 250,000 Serbs from the Krajina region of Croatia killed or expelled in August 1995, involved the Croatian Army, police and paramilitary units. 2,627 ethnic Serbs are still listed as missing since the eruption of violence in Croatia in 1991. Responding to the celebration, Serbian PM Tadic called on Croatian authorities to condemn war crimes committed during the execution of Operation Storm, bring those responsible to justice and facilitate the return of displaced Kraijna Serbs to their historic homeland. The response from Zagreb was highly critical. Croatian leaders described Tadic's statement that Operation Storm had been the most extensive ethnic cleansing operation since World War II as 'unfounded', and maintained their position that Storm had been "an honourable act" in defence of Croatia. Belatedly responding to the quarrel, U.S. Ambassador to SCG, Michael Polt, said that there was absolutely no doubt that Operation Storm had seen war

Kostunica, said that the initiative to form a Serbia & Montenegro Association of Independent States is yet another Montenegrin attempt to inherit the international legal continuity of SCG even if it gains independence. In a report published by Podgorica daily 'Dan', Samardzic said that relations between Belgrade and Podgorica were "relatively poor", partly as a con-

Serbian President Boris Tadic

Serbian PM Vojislav Kostunica sequence of the "even worse relations within Montenegro itself".•

Switzerland wants independent Kosovo

R Croatian President Sjepan Mesic crimes and human rights violated. Polt said that those responsible for crimes committed during Storm must be brought to justice.•

Association of Independent States unacceptable

he proposal of the Montenegrin leadership to form an association of independent states has been comprehensively rejected by Serbia. Slobodan Samardzic, advisor to PM

CorD | September 2005

elations between SCG and Switzerland were seriously imperilled when the European country became the first nation to openly declare its diplomatic support for an independent Kosovo. Switzerlnad, which traditionally enjoys friendly ties with Serbia & Montenegro, came under heavy fire by authorities in Belgrade for declaring its support for an independent Kosovo, which Serbian officials described as being a stance that is in direct contradiction of UN Resolution 1244, which describes Kosovo as a sovereign province of the Republic of Serbia.•

Tadic: PM emulating Sloba

erbian President Boris Tadic has accused PM Kostunica's administration of acting in a similar fashion to the oppressive regime of Hague defendant Slobodan Milosevic, and has called for a new pro-European democratic authority to replace Kostunica's minority coalition government.

Speaking to Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti, Tadic expressed his certainty that Serbia needs "a democratic, proEuropean government with a coherent programme and a clear vision". President Tadic also criticised Kostunica for permitting charges against Milosevic's son Marko to be dropped. The Serbian president said that the current government was recreating the lawless atmosphere of the '90s.•

Montenegro Oppose Davinic Dismissal

eputy SCG Defence Minister, Vukasin Maras, has said that Montenegro would not accept the speculated sacking of SCG Defence Minister Prvoslav Davinic. In a statement reported by agency BETA, Maras said that unfounded allegations of "affairs and groundless criticism" have given left the impression on the public that Davinic is incompetent "in order to minimise the results achieved by the Defence Ministry under his leadership. "This could have far-reaching consequences for ongoing defence and military reform," Maras said, adding that this is why Montenegro plans to oppose Davinic's dismissal. He added that both the public and the international community have given a very positive assessment of Davinic's efforts to carry out reforms; that EU and NATO standards have been implemented under his supervision, and that garrisons have been moved to ensure better use of available manpower.•

EXPORTING REVOLUTION &/or EXPERTISE? "RESISTANCE" MEMBERS - 6 YEARS ON By Marijana Milosavljevic, Photo Andy Dall (Djurdjevic), Mirjana Kotlaja (Otpor Archive)

CorD | September 2005

POLITICS

peaking to CorD recently, former members of the resistance movement accredited with contributing greatly to the fall of Milosevic divulged the details of their present activities; activities which often evade the public eye. Amongst other things, these include youth training schemes in Bosnia and courses run in Switzerland, Canada and the U.S. Nenad Djurdjevic, a former Otpor member and current coordinator of the Centre for Non-Violent Resistance, today organises seminars in Kosovo's Serbian communities. He does this because "apparently, very few people understand what is included in the process of decentralisation". Speaking of himself and his ilk, Djurdjevic said: "anyone who didn't envisage themselves in politics stayed in the nongovernmental sector. However, it would be pretentious to say that we are Otpor's descendants because, as we all know, that was a massive, multicoloured people's movement". The 33-year-old is a graduate of Belgrade's Law University and also boasts a PhD, which he acquired at Budapest's faculty of Political Science. In 2001 he held the post of Otpor's Secretary of International Relations, where he co-ordinated cooperation projects aimed at establishing new lines of communication with the Albanian NGO sector and ethnic Albanian political forces in Kosovo. By early autumn this year his latest project, organised under the guise of the Centre for Non-Violent Resistance, will achieve tangible fruition. This research project is aimed at identifying the needs of Serbian communities in Kosovo. The Centre, in conjunction with Italy's School for Peace, is Nenad Djurdjevic, former Otpor member and current organising a meeting of young Serbian and Albanian high co-ordinator of the Centre for Non-Violent Resistance school pupils from Kosovo. The attendees, in co-operation with German and Italian colleagues, will meet at the Marza Botto Second World War Memorial Centre, near Bologna, to Library, B92) that "Otpor had some kind of military wing: people who had access to weapons and were trained to fight. According to Marshall, discuss issues affecting Kosovo's interethnic climate. Explaining that Nazi forces murdered and burned the 1,000 training ops were led by retired Colonel Robert Helvi and "meetings residents of the Marza Botto village during WWII, Djurdjevic were held in Budapest and Montenegro. Otpor members always came said: "it is at that spot where Italians and Germans combined to back with knowledge of practises, equipment and bags of cash". Asked if these operatives were trained specifically to bring down form the School for Peace, which is aimed at rebuilding trust Milosevic's regime, Sinisa Shikman - one of five trainers at the Centre for and overcoming enforced national stereotypes". Djurdjevic joined the Centre for Non-Violent Resistance Non-Violent Resistance - said "there was training. People from a number of following the collapse of Otpor in 2004 - when the withering countries, particularly Poland and Slovakia, trained us in organisational movement merged with the Democratic Party. Despite Otpor's skills. I was personally trained by a Russian woman from the International demise, a great sector of the Serbian public and foreign media Republican Institute. "The famous training of Colonel Helvi took place in August 2000, scene continue to ask if this original, authentic Serbian brand - which coined the slogan 'gotov je' (he's finished) and was a month before elections were confirmed. The end goals and the fist easily recognisable by its clenched fist symbol - has devised a symbol were devised back in October 1998." 32-year-old Shikman graduated high schools specialising in repeatable recipe to remove dictatorial regimes without violent action; or whether this was achieved by others from Belgrade's well-trained and Djurdjevic: "By early autumn, under the organisation of the highly motivated political activists. Centre for Non-Violent Resistance, the most comprehensive "Otpor didn't destroy the regime, but it r e s e a r c h r e g a r d i n g t h e n e e d s o f S e r b i a n c o mmun i t i e s i n mobilised citizens and encouraged them to participate in elections; explaining that Kosovo will be released here. In the meantime we are training affecting change through the electoral sys- Serbians for the upcoming decentralisation of Kosovo." tem was possible. Our message was that it is possible to non-violently change a regime through demonstra- machine technology and tourism. Due to his global activism activitions and individual courage", said Djordjevic. "It was important ties, he has yet to complete his Mining University studies, which he to explain the nature of the regime, to lay it bare, poke fun at it began years ago. Shikman is currently employed as organisational and show that change was possible through the ballot. Of course, secretary of the Reform for Educational Circles NGO, though he conif you were part of the anti-regime movement it was certain that siders the Centre for Non-Violent Resistance as his home. The 5th October revolution propelled Otpor onto the global scene. you could only survive with the help and support of international organisations. I see nothing wrong in that. The worst thing was And, as Djurdjevic explained, calls for assistance soon came in: that, as a result, we [Otpor members] were branded as foreign "NGOs from former Soviet republics contacted us and asked for help employees, even by colleagues from political parties who were regarding the organising of campaigns and the establishing of cooperation with like-minded organisations. Some of our colleagues also receiving money from these foreign sources." Following the 5th October uprising, journalist and publicist professional trainers and fellow founding members of the Centre for Tim Marshall wrote in his book 'Dance of Shadows' (Samizdat Non-Violent Resistance - where engaged in countries of the former CorD | September 2005

POLITICS TALKING WAR CRIMES The Centre for Non-Violation Resistance is completing a fund-raising mission to commence projects aimed at confronting the recent past and achieving reconciliation. The project hopes to see students of legal and political-science faculties attending war crimes trials taking place in the region, particularly in Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, alongside experts of the Centre's team. The students involved would then publicly present their observations and impressions to their peers, in order to realise the goal of bringing the war crimes issue closer to young people and introducing it as a theme for academic discourse. In addition to exchanging information, the Centre is hoping to establish a network of organisations able to work in conjunction to determine the true scope of the war crimes committed. Nenad Djurdjevic enthused: "We don't want to force truths - many people have tried that and failed and buried the truth in the process. We want conclusions to be drawn from hard facts".

USSR, particularly Georgia, the Ukraine, Belarus - wherever civil perceived to be aiming towards "peaceful turnovers". "I maintain that we are engaging in nothing illegal or illegitisociety was weak. Despite being members of the Centre, they went to these countries as individuals, because we are not an mate and that we are in no way acting against the interests of the countries to which we are invited. We never 'offer' our services organisation that exports revolution". Shikman notes that all the skills taught - from organisational we are always invited," explained Shikman, continuing: "We methods and media communications, to developing slogans and advise everybody to behave as we have by accepting help, but not devising actions - have the sole purpose of motivating people to accepting orders. "Since 1999 NATO has intervened in FR Yugoslavia, deal with their lives, participate in elections and, if necessary, Afghanistan and Iraq, while non-violent changes took place in defend the results of those elections. "It was demonstrated that it is necessary to defend your voice Serbia, Georgia and the Ukraine; changes which have shown that against autocratic regimes, because all dictators make the same the will of the people must be respected. You cannot force sysmistakes in their unquenchable desire to rule for as long as pos- tems and leaders on anyone through bombs. When people think of non-violent resistance, they don't say 'bring us Americans' [to sible", said Shikman. Accompanied by two fellow international activists, Shikman advise], they say 'bring us Serbs'." Contrary to the perception that "Otpor people" are only traintravelled to Belarus last April. He managed to enter the country, though his colleagues were immediately deported on the first ing groups pursuing non-violent revolutions in countries with plane back to Belgrade - having previously conducted activist autocratic regimes, they are in fact engaged elsewhere too: "My training activities in Belarus and been identified by the authori- colleagues have been engaged in Canada, the U.S. and Turkey, ties. Bidding a fond farewell to his friends, Shikman went on to and soon I'll be going to Switzerland to train. I have held around hold training sessions for Zubra activists and members of a pub- 300 training sessions with Serbian ministerial officials dealing lic union that has since become a political party. He was later with European integration. The teamwork training we run in informed that the attendees of his training sessions in Belarus had Serbia does not essentially differ from techniques worldwide in its assumptions," said Shikman. been banned from leaving the country. The Centre's members were in Bosnia & Herzegovina last After his moderately successful trip to Belarus, Shikman went on to the Ukraine, where he spent the entire summer training year, where, along with the OSCE, they organised courses for junactivists of various youth organisations. His 'trainees' later joined ior politicians and NGO staff (from both Republika Srpska and the Pora (it's time) Movement and participated in a campaign that mirrored the Belgrade action that Shikman: "I maintain that we are engaging in nothing ille led to the collapse of Milosevic's regime. As with gal or illegitimate and that we are in no way acting against the Serbian campaign, the Ukrainian campaign proved successful and the so-called Orange the interests of the countries to which we are invited. We Revolution took place. never 'offer' our services - we are always invited." "Now some of the people we trained are in decision-making positions. These include President Jevgenije the BiH Federation) on motivation techniques to promote public Juschenko's advisor and many current employees of the involvement. "There are many ways to further the democratisation of our Ukrainian Foreign Ministryâ&#x20AC;Ś" said Shikman. "Of course, it's flattering that there are an increasing number of movements and country, and we in the Centre are trying to contribute to that organisations following our recipe for change. Perhaps the most process" said CorD's interlocutor Shikman. Unlike the post-5th October role assumed by Otpor - which interesting at present is Albania's Njaft movement, which even notes on its official website that it was founded on the basis of involved criticising the DOS Government and launching camOtpor. We are yet to co-operate directly with Njaft, but I expect paigns under the slogans "We are watching you" and "you are so mutual regional projects to be established in the future - projects much the same" - "Otpor people" are no longer interfering in domestic daily politics. that will see us all move closer to 'Europe'". Perhaps this is because those two campaigns angered donor Despite the apparent good work that former Otpor members are doing to further political freedom around the world, the supporters and turned the DOS coalition parties against Otpor. Serbian press and public have recently been asking themselves The movement then transformed into a political party - People's whether these individuals have the legitimacy to act, in the Movement Otpor, which fell at the first hurdle after failing to Ukraine or Belarus or anywhere else, on behalf of the Serbian secure enough votes to survive at the parliamentary elections. people, or in their name? They are also asking who will be moral- Thus the group turned away from criticising the government, ly accountable for their meddling in the internal affairs of other with the only half success being that they were no longer dependstates, particularly if blood is spilled: will it be Serbia, as a state, ent on foreign donorsâ&#x20AC;Śwhether they liked it or not. Still, Shikman and Djurdjevic insist that they worked on those that takes the blame, or only 'Otpor people'? Such questions were also posed to Serbia's political elite by the diplomats of countries campaigns to the end, and "time proved us right."â&#x20AC;˘

CorD | September 2005

United Nations

REBIRTH REQUIRED AT 60 It may not have all gone smoothly since that fateful day on 26th June 1945 when the UN Charter was signed, but the United Nations has somehow managed to survive to celebrate its 60th birthday with many significant achievements to its hallowed name. By Mark Pullen

United Nations Headquarters, New York 36

CorD | September 2005

he United Nations is the biggest and, arguably, the most successful international organisation that has ever existed. As such, it is only natural that it has come under close scrutiny during its 60-year history and been heavily criticised for failings, particularly those of a military nature. In the years leading up to its diamond jubilee, the UN faced greater criticism than ever before, particularly due to its inability to stop the slaughtering of innocents in the Yugoslav conflicts and the Rwanda War. However, one factor that has ensured that the UN has survived for so long has been its ability to adapt. As British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw noted in his UN60 speech "â&#x20AC;Ś [a] common thread running through the UN's 60 years has been its capacity to change. It has grown from 50 signatories at San Francisco to 191 members todayâ&#x20AC;Ś" And now this ability to adapt and change is being tested again as the UN sets out to reform its entire structure. The idea to reform the organisation came directly from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan this March, when he released his In Larger Freedom report calling for expanded Security Council membership, the establishing of a new Human Rights Council to replace the current Commission on Human Rights, clarification of the use of military force, blanket condemnation of all forms of terrorism and several other management reforms. Introducing his plans for comprehensive reform of all sections of the UN, Annan wrote for the UN website that the programme would grow from "overhauling basic management practices and building a more transparent, efficient and effective United Nations system, to revamping our major intergovernmental institutions so that they reflect today's world and advance the priorities set forth in the present report. We must reshape the Organisation in ways not previously imagined and with a boldness and speed not previously shown". Annan's report received sceptical approval upon its publication, with the U.S. notably criticising elements of the report seeking a Security Council resolution on the use of force and pre-emptive action. Over time, it has become the specific reform of the UN Security Council that has provoked the greatest debate. Two contrasting plans have emerged for the reform of the Security Council: Model A and Model B. Model A provides for 11 permanent Security Council members, though it is yet to be decided whether the six new members will have the same veto powers as the five existing members.

United Nations Model B provides for eight semi-permanent members who will serve for a period of four years, subject to renewal, and one non-permanent seat. The two models have pitted neighbouring countries against one another. For instance, India is strongly championing Model A, as it hopes to become a permanent member itself, while neighbouring Pakistan is busily defending the merits of Model B. Similarly, on the other side of the globe, Brazil - another permanent membership hopeful - is backing Model A, while neighbour and fellow Mercusor founder Argentina is advocating the adoption of Model B. The two rival camps, who are both frantically lobbying for international support for their respective plans, are the Model A proponents of the G4 countries: Brazil, Germany, India and Japan - all almost certain to become permanent members if Model A is adopted; versus the members of the so-called Coffee Club, which include Pakistan, Italy, Canada, Spain, Algeria, South Korea, Mexico, Argentina, and Kenya. It remains to be seen whether Annan was aware that he was opening a Pandora's Box of diplomatic dispute when he began offering up seats on the Security Council. But, nevertheless,

Jack Straw: "…the international community must take action collectively, through the Security Council, by diplomatic, legal or humanitarian means or, exceptionally and as a last resort, by force." what began as a quiet period of polite lobbying has become a raging battle to gain support for one model or the other. The summer began with several months of quiet lobbying by both groups that yielded little in terms of tangible support, with only India receiving the confirmed support of permanent members Britain, France and Canada, and Japan purportedly gaining the support of the U.S. Then, as the summer heated up, the gloves came off and the G4 hopefuls began to demand and coerce the support of countries that seemed to be leaning in favour of Model B. The dispute boiled over when Coffee Club member Italy openly accused the G4 countries of financial coercion, and of blackmailing poor countries into supporting the accessions of the group's members to the Council. And Japan's foreign ministry warned that failure to grant the country a permanent seat on the Council would lead to a domestic outcry to cut contributions to the UN (Japan is the second biggest contributor to the UN). Literally hundreds of proposed amendments to the 39page reform draft have been submitted by the U.S., Russia and the member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement. With time running out before the World Summit (scheduled for 14th to 16th September) at which a UN reform plan should be adopted, and with disputes showing no signs of abating, UN member states agreed in late August to allow 30 nations to take the lead in trying to solve the major differences in the reform plan. Time is indeed of the essence. The document must be finalised by 2nd September, submitted to all 191 member states for approval on 6th September and be ready for final ironing out and adoption in time for the summit. This is no mean feat but, with 60 years of invaluable experience under its belt, perhaps the UN can pull it off. UN Reform effects on SCG The UN is extremely active in SCG, and perhaps the most significant role in the country is performed by the United

UN 60: SCG Highlights The highlights of events marking the 60th anniversary of the birth of the UN involving representatives of, or taking place in, Serbia & Montenegro include: 21st May:

Concert by UN Ambassador of Peace Luciano Pavarotti

29th July:

Launch of the UN 60 television clip Dag Hammarskjöld, to be aired regularly on RTS until the end of October

5th Sept:

The Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents events for the World Summit

8th Sept.:

Release of the MDG (Millennium Development Goals) Report

9th Sept.:

SCG Foreign Ministry - UN Roundtable 'In Larger Freedom', within the context of the World Summit

13th Sept.:

Editorial article in Serbian daily Politika and Montenegrin daily Vijesti on World Summit and UN Reform

14th - 16th Sept.: World Summit in New York, to be attended by SCG President Svetozar Marovic 19th Sept. - 21st Oct.: UN tour and MDG Consultation in regional cities, to be attended by numerous UN-supporting celebrities 6th October:

Announcement of Stefan Milenkovic as UN MDG Spokesman

12th October:

Release of 60 white doves at Belgrade's Marakana Stadium prior to the start of the World Cup 2006 qualifier between SCG and BiH

19th October:

UN Day concert in Belgrade's Sava Centre, with performances by the Camerata Serbica Orchestra and world-renowned conductor Ion Marin

24th October:

UN 60th anniversary Day, during which the first lesson in each school class will cover the UN, with the UNA

24th October:

UN60 stamp to be issued by the post office. The launch of the commemorative stamp will be attended by President Marovic and will take place at a school to be selected by UNICEF

28th October:

Dag Hammarskjöld Exhibition at Belgrade's Faculty of Political Sciences, organised in conjunction with the Swedish Embassy and to include a Dag Hammarskjöld Legacy Symposium

28th October: Evening concert at the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in co-operation with Jugokoncert and the Swedish Embassy. The concert will include performances of music composed to Dag Hammarskjöld's poem Markings

CorD | September 2005

United Nations Security Council in session Nations Development Programme (UNDP). opment related issues, I really believe that progress will be Speaking to CorD for this month's issue, Ratislav made in economic development and institution building," said Vrbensky, Resident Representative of the UNDP in SCG, Vrbensky. explained that the agency is currently concentrating on The UNDP is concentrating its main economic development "three basic key areas that are in line with the priorities of the programmes in the troubled and impoverished area of Southern country's EU accession process. The first area is institution- Serbia. Explaining why, Vrbensky said: "The main mandate of al development, including public administration, decentrali- the UNDP is to fight poverty… As we are trying to concentrate sation and local development; the second area is rule of law. on the most disadvantaged regions in all the countries in which In this area we are concentrating on three sub areas: judici- we operate, southern Serbia is clearly the place to be in Serbia & ary training, human rights and transitional justice in recon- Montenegro. The UN responded very quickly to the crisis situaciliation. And the final major area of concentration is policy tion in 2002…as a result, we started to build a very large proand economic development, concentrating on vulnerable gramme called the Municipal Improvement and Revival groups and the poor…" Programme, which is working in 11 municipalities, supporting Vrbensky said that the reform of the UN would certainly the whole of southern Serbia in: A - small infrastructural projects have a knock-on effect on the UNDP. "The reform of the UN is very closely linked to UNDP opera- Vrbensky: "Once the key political issues have been tions because, as you know, the UNDP provides resolved for Serbia & Montenegro and the country what I would call the backbone of the UN system: can concentrate more on development related the UNDP resident representative is, in most cases, also UN resident co-ordinator. Moreover, issues, I really believe that progress will be made in UNDP administration and operations are built in economic development and institution building." such a way that it should be able to provide services for other selected agencies. Some other agencies and pro- and the generation of employment; B - participation of citizens grammes are increasingly operating under the umbrella of the and non-governmental organisations in the policy and decisionUnited Nations Development Programme. making process; and C - social service deliverance." "So, on the one hand, the UNDP is one of the key players The UNDP intends to remain in the region of southern and drivers of the UN simplification and harmonisation exer- Serbia for the long haul, to work on the Millennium cise and, on the other hand, the UNDP can clearly benefit from Development Goals, as explained by Vrbensky: "we are very simplification and harmonisation exercises. As a UN system, much committed to staying in this region, because it is a mulwe have to increasingly speak as one and move in one direc- tiethnic region and we believe that by bringing a better life to tion. We are taking promising steps towards that end…" the people we will reduce the risk of tension…I strongly believe Commenting on the achievements of Serbia & Montenegro that, for at least the next five years, we are going to remain an since the UNDP returned to the country in 2001, Vrbensky important player [in Serbia & Montenegro]." said: "The country is progressing very well. Sometimes things Envisaging a bright future for the region, the UNDP resigo on quietly and people don't realise that there is significant dent representative said: "I believe that regions like Southern progress in institutional development and public administra- Serbia will become richer and richer and will catch up with tion reforms, where the decentralisation strategy has been other regions in Serbia & Montenegro". Concluding that Serbia is by no means an undeveloped proved good. There is significant progress in local development, in the rule of law and access to justice. Through our pro- state, Vrbensky noted: "from a UNDP perspective, Serbia is a gramme we have managed to train some 7,000 judges. In very developed country. This is why the type of assistance terms of economic development, there is also clear progress; we are providing has to be more sophisticated. It is for this reason that we are concentrating on institutional developvery positive progress in privatisation, etc…. "Once the key political issues have been resolved for Serbia ment, public administration and reform, rule of law, eco& Montenegro and the country can concentrate more on devel- nomic development, etc." •

CorD | September 2005

Interview

H.E. Rao Inderjit Singh, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs

India has come a long way since gaining independence from the withering British Empire in 1947. In a region thwarted by conflict and regional tension, the Asian giant has managed to mould itself into the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest functioning democracy with one of the fastest growing economies. Now it is hoping to turn its regional leadership role into global power by becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council. By Mark Pullen, Photo Andy Dall

elegations from the G4 countries have spent the summer on whirlwind tours of UN member states in order to garner support for their Security Council aspirations. Recently, H.E. Rao Inderjit Singh, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, arrived in the State Union for talks with senior SCG officials regarding UN reforms (India's key foreign policy goal); bilateral relations and the potential for Indian investments in SCG. CorD took the opportunity to speak exclusively to the Indian official.

CorD | September 2005

Whilst in Belgrade, minister Singh engaged in talks with Serbian PM Vojislav Kostunica, SCG Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, deputy foreign minister Predrag Boskovic and Serbian Economy Minister Predrag Bubalo. Afterwards, the senior Indian official flew to Podgorica for talks with Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic, the republic's President Filip Vujanovic and Foreign Affairs Minister Miodrag Vlahovic. According to an announcement of the Serbian Government, minister Singh and PM Kostunica agreed that there was room to improve economic co-operation between the two countries, with minister Singh saying that large Indian companies are

Interview very interested in taking part in the privatisation of Serbian firms, particularly in the manufacture of cars, trucks and tractors. Speaking to CorD about the talks held in SCG, Singh said that "bilateral trade figured very prominently. We will be looking to have co-operation between the two countries in matters of information technology, an area in which, I think, over the course of the last ten or 12 years we have been able to achieve some degree of precision; I.T. is one sector where I think India can help out Serbia & Montenegro. Biotechnology is another sector; automotive parts, tractors that also featured in talks with the Prime Minister and economy Minister. And we also discussed other matters, like cooperation to amend the positions in the United Nations." Minister Singh is an agriculturist by profession and, with Serbia & Montenegro looking to boost agricultural production and trade, we asked the official what advice he would give SCG's agriculture professionals. "I'm not in a position to give advice, but we could provide co-operation, because we've somehow been able to manage our land in such a manner that we can now feed the population of a country with over a billion people, with our own food, and even export food. Apart from the 'green revolution', as we so call it, we've also been able to achieve the 'white revolution', which means that today we are the biggest producers of milk in the world. So, we could help Serbia & Montenegro in this area. Representatives could come over and correlate with the relevant centres and offices here." India has been experiencing exponential growth over recent years and is widely purported to be a potential superpower, alongside China. But how sustainable is this unprecedented growth? We asked the minister. "I would think that we need this growth to be maintained for the next 15 years, though I'm not sure we'll be able to manage it at the current levels: we've managed at about eight per cent for the last ten years or so, though this year it's likely to come down to about seven per cent. But even if we can maintain a seven per cent growth for the next 15 years I think India would be doing alright for itself." Singh agreed that India's image is definitely influenced by the fact that the Asian country is the world's largest democracy and boasts one of the world's fastest growing economies. Indeed, he is certain that the global image of the country is in the process of fundamentally changing. "There was a time when India was looked upon as a

Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic growth must be maintained country of half-naked snake charmers in loincloths, but today that's changed. India and its professionals have effected that change. The Indian economy, which 15 years ago was on the verge of collapse, has indeed grown, as you said, exponentially." India is undoubtedly becoming a global player and is contributing to international peace-keeping missions around the world. Amongst other missions, India has some 300 police officers deployed in the province of Kosovo within UNMiK. However, the country itself has a longstanding territorial dispute with neighbouring Pakistan regarding the province of Kashmir. We asked Singh if he thought the Kashmir issue could have any affect on India's candidacy

INDIA - FACTS & STATS Population:

1027 million (2001 Census)

Languages:

17 major languages, 844 dialects

Major religions:

Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism,Jainism

Political structure:

Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic

Union:

28 states, seven centrally administered Union Territories

CorD | September 2005

Interview for permanent membership in an grouping aspects of Model B do expanded UN Security Council. more for global multilateralism than Model A? "No, I don't think so. Kashmir is ”If you follow 'Model B' a counbasically an integral part of India try's chance comes once in a hunand I don't see why it should have dred years; whereas with 'Model A' any affect on India's chances of a country only gets in following the being accepted as a permanent vote of the General Assembly”, said member of the Security Council. It Singh. has been agreed that Kashmir is an “So, we also say that multilaterissue that is to be settled bilaterally alism means that the General between Pakistan and India, withAssembly should have more powout the rest of the world. But India's ers, rather than just the Security track record as a democracy definiteCouncil. So, we are asking the ly comes into it. India's growing General Assembly to show more economy is another factor that Minister Singh was a member of responsibility. Our model, as we see comes into it. India's track record as the Indian Shooting Team from it, is something that would empowa peacekeeping force in various 1990 to 2003 and was India's er the General Assembly further; parts of the world under UN ausNational Skeet Shooting Chamthat there would be no difference pices is going to come into it. India's pion for three consecutive years. between the present day Security population and size will be factors. He has also won a bronze medal Council members and those that These are the factors that could in the Commonwealth Games are hopeful of becoming members. affect the candidacy. and three gold medals in the SAF "Moreover, the veto question "Today India, along with the Games. The minister's visit coinshould be addressed 15 years down other G4 countries, is not identifying cided with the staging of the the line after the world has had a itself as a country that's going to be World Cup Shotgun tournament chance to take a look at the performa member of the Security Council. in Belgrade. CorD asked Minister ances of the new entrants. Then it All we are saying today - along with Singh if he'd come to compete. should be decided whether the veto Japan, Germany and Brazil - is that "Well, there was indeed a time option should be available to all or the present realities of the United when I used to shoot for my abolished for all." Nations reflect the position of the country; I represented India in The London bombings of 7th July, world 60 years ago. In 1945 there the skeet-shooting shotgun during the Gleneagles' G8 summit, were only 50 members of the United event for ten years. But now my placed the issue of global terror Nations, while today there are 192 daughter has taken up where I firmly back on the international members. So, keeping today's left off and she's coming to agenda. With India's contribution to parameters in mind, there should be Belgrade to take part in the ladies global security having experienced a definite change; a definite shift in discipline of skeet shooting." an increasing profile in recent years, the correlation of forces that exist CorD asked Minister Singh how he within the United Nations. And for saw these trends continuing. that we are seeking support - sup"I think India's role will definitely increase. Today we port which I have been seeking from Serbia & Montenegro's have upwards of 9,000 people keeping the peace in various Foreign Minister and deputy minister." The SCG Foreign Ministry chose the occasion of Minister parts of the disturbed world. We've never shied away from Singh's visit to confirm that SCG Foreign Minister Draskovic our responsibilities under the auspices of the United Nations. is giving full support to the initiative of the UN Secretary So, we've been contributing in the past and we'll continue to General for the reform of the United Nations and the do so in the future. We'll continue to try to strive for order in expanding of the Security Council. However, the SCG min- the United Nations, which will change the current correlaistry did not specify whether the minister supports the tion of forces." expansion of the Security Council to include more permaBearing in mind the ethnic tensions that have dogged nent members - Model A, or more temporary members - progress on the Balkan Peninsula and the fact that India is Model B. an extremely culturally and religiously diverse country, The contrasting reform models have become a con- CorD asked Minister Singh if he felt that there were any spetentious issue among UN members, with some countries cific methods for minimising ethnic tensions. arguing that Model A will have a negative impact on consen"I don't know if there's any given set path to minimise sus, and others maintaining that Model B will fail to essen- ethnic tensions, but somehow we in India have been able to tially reshape the global power structure. manage our diversity fairly well. In fact, we feel proud of the Reminding Minister Singh that he has been quoted as slogan that we have coined: 'unity in diversity'. And I think saying that "The UN system is at the centre of multilateral- the reason we've been able to manage our diversity is that, ism," and that "the centrality, validity and utility of the UN as a democratic country, we've been able to fulfil the expecsystem have to be reinforced and not allowed to be tations of the population at large. It is important that they bypassed or marginalized." (IANS - 20th August 2004), can see positive change, not through violence or the barrel of CorD asked if he agreed that the consensus and regional a gun, but through their ballots and their right to vote."•

CorD | September 2005

INTERVIEW

Bozidar Djelic, South-Eastern Europe director of Credit Agricole SA

Life insurance is only in the pipeline in Serbia; the foundations of private pension insurance are only at their very infancy and there are no advisors to rich people on how to invest their money. The enterprises will have to be taught how to issue shares and local communities need to learn how to finance infrastructure-related expenses through public debt. Foreign banks possess the required know-how and are waiting until the financial services market in Serbia explodes.

DEVELOPMENT JUST BEGINNING By Milan Culibrk, Photo Stanislav Milojkovic

f the four remaining banks of which the State is the majority shareholder, only Vojvodjanska Banka has aroused the interest of Credit Agricole as a potential acquisition - so said Bozidar Djelic, director of Credit Agricole SA for SouthEastern Europe and chairman of the Executive Council of Novi Sad's Meridian Bank (also now a part of the French banking group). Whether Credit Agricole indeed intends to publicly announce its interest in Vojvodjanska Bank will primarily depend upon the experience they are set to gather with their first local partner - Meridian Bank. The Serbian state has controlling shares in Panonska, Credy and Privredna Bank from Pancevo, and potential partners should be found during the course of this year and next. All foreign banks currently operating in Serbia could be interested in acquiring them, as could some foreign banks that have so far been reluctant to enter the Serbian market. Djelic, however, expressed his doubts over the possible interest of any potential investor to acquire only the minority share packet currently owned by the Serbian state in ten banks. "Everything depends to a great extent on the market situation.

CorD | September 2005

Have a look at the example of the biggest Romanian bank, BCF. It will be sold for two to three billion Euros. Only six years ago the very same bank was offered on sale by the Romanian government for a single Deutsch mark," explained the former Serbian finance minister. Credit Agricole, the biggest bank in Europe and the second in the world in terms of financial assets, entered Serbia with a small step - by capitalisation of Meridian Bank, a small bank with headquarters that are not, and will not be, in Belgrade. Djelic believes that even from that position Credit Agricole has ways to become an important partner of Serbian companies. One of the ways to achieve that would be to intertwine Serbian enterprises with French companies that have finally realised that the South-Eastern European market is indeed important. The second item could be the specific position of Credit Agricole, which has branches scattered over five continents and an ability to follow Serbian businesses in the markets still predominantly closed for the European banks already present here. Djelic elaborated: "For instance, until now 'Energoprojekt' did not have a financial partner in Serbia, which was ready to issue bank guarantees for their projects in Africa, Latin America and the

INTERVIEW

Bozidar Djelic, South-Eastern Europe director of Credit Agricole SA

Near East. It is a similar situation compared with the support for the Si & Si Company for their exports in Singapore. "For us, the most interesting are those Serbian companies able to export their goods to the world markets. What we are offering is avoidance of paying exorbitant banking fees just because they are coming from Serbia."

Yes, without any doubts. These banks were rotten, and Serbia did not have funds for their capitalisation. To a great extent such a decision made provisions for the national bank to establish a tough supervision of the banking sector, tougher than in other countries. That was necessary in order to establish financial discipline, and that is why I support the indeed firm stance of the Serbian National Bank.

How does Meridian Bank fit into Credit Agricole's Serbian strategy? We did not want to take a risky first step, or to pay an excessive amount for goodwill on a market that has just started its development. Meridian Bank is very modern and possesses a solid base of clients, primarily small and medium-sized enterprises. That is an essential point. If it is indeed necessary we can always purchase new banks.

The interest of foreign banks in entering the Serbian market has surpassed the expectations of many analysts. What factors contributed to such a state of affairs? Due to a greater trust of our citizens towards foreigners, those banks, especially in the beginning, managed to attract pretty cheap deposits and, simultaneously, from their head-offices they were withdrawing cheap credit lines that helped them to make substantial profit. Local banks did not have access to the capital market. I am not happy about it, but that's a fact. In the beginning foreign banks could rely on high interest rates, however the time of 'easy banking' has definitely passed and, thus, no one could expect a 30 per cent return or even more. The foreign banks

You stated recently that a real banking sector in Serbia is yet to develop. Cold you be more specific about it? Until 2001 Serbia did not have real banks, since our banking system was heavily influenced by politics, and had been totally The time of 'easy banking' has definitely passed. Thus, no one could destroyed during the hyperinflation expect a return of 30 per cent or more. Foreign banks are essential period. My claim that the real banking sector is yet to develop is not ly connected to the Serbian market due to the belief that it will have undermining somebody's efforts or double-digit growth rates if there are no major disturbances. professionalism; it actually means that the whole system was not properly founded. The banking are essentially connected to the Serbian market due to the belief that potential in Serbia amounts to 37 per cent of Gross Domestic it will have double-digit growth rates if there are no major disturProduct (GDP), while the corresponding figure for Croatia is 60 bances, while that cannot happen in their countries of origin. per cent of GDP. In the past four years many things were accomplished, and a decision to close the four biggest banks at the On what basis do you predict that the Serbian banking sector is time was undoubtedly a great contributor to it. set to grow at a fast rate? You have to look at things in the long term. Financial services You were Finance Minister at the time when the biggest increase when the GDP per capita reaches a level between $4,000 and Serbian banks were closed, and you supported their clo- $5,000. Serbia is not yet at that level, hence we almost don't have a life sure. Would you do the same today? insurance market, and that is only one of the banking products that are CorD | September 2005

INTERVIEW developing fast. However, such a level of GDP requires more investments, increases of export, better real sector performances, and Serbia gradually follows that road. We expect two billion dollars in foreign investment this year alone, and we have to believe that the economic policies will be smart enough to avoid a fresh debt crisis. A debt crisis can be avoided if strong fiscal polices are in place, if public consumption decreases and if responsible monetary policies are put in place.

general public, while wealthier individuals can expect private banking and funds management services. You have already mentioned the possibility of Serbia going through a debt crisis. How would foreign banks react if this occured, since they already possess more than 50 per cent of the Serbian banking system; and what consequences are to be expected if they flee Serbia? Serbia is a country that is heavily in debt and it is important to keep that topic alive at all times. That resembles a person Within the Serbian banking sector with a benign tumour. You live with that, we expect significant turbulences. Who however, you must control yourself in do you expect will survive and who may order to prevent its transformation into a Serbia is a heavily indebted fail? malign tumour, when it will be too late to I fathom problems for small players act. We couldn't afford the luxury of country...that resembles a person without access to the world financial being in Croatia's situation. They were with a benign tumour. You live market. At this point in time, it is not a less indebted than us, and now they are with that, however, you must good scenario for Serbia if only a few big in great debt and have greater problems control yourself in order to prebanks survive, as was the case in than our country. We are on the edge, vent its transformation into a Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and even however the crisis may be alleviated malign tumour, when it will be too in Croatia, where three to four leading through constant GDP and export growth late to act. We couldn't afford the banks control half or even two thirds of - unfortunately both the former and, luxury of being in Croatia's situaavailable operational funds. This is set to especially, the current governments have tion. They were less indebted happen one day in Serbia, but it should done very little to this end. A problem is that we could find ournot happen in the next few years. That is than us, and now they are in selves in the appalling situation of having why I advise small banks to specialise; great debt and have greater probto choose between paying debts or sacriotherwise they will be literary destroyed lems than our country... We are ficing certain already gained rights. That in the global banking competition. We on the edge. is politically very hard to swallow. What can definitely expect some additional would be the reaction of foreign banks? mergers and takeovers, and the capitalisation of Meridian Bank was only the first step of Credit Agricole in Those looking at these banks from the nationalistic point of view Serbia. If that causes a 'clash' with other world banks, let it be, believe that they would be first to flee. Let us take Russia and Asia because I count myself among followers of a policy 'the stronger the as an example. I remind you that the crisis exploded after repeated warnings from the IMF, independent experts and the bankers thembetter', and only the strongest will survive. selves that the respective economies were in dire straits. Can we conclude from from your appointment as director of However, Credit Agricole did not leave Asia then, and now it Credit Agricole for South-Eastern Europe that Serbia is set to creates a profit of â&#x201A;Ź700million a year. The only instance where it become a regional centre for the banking giant? pulled out of a country after lengthy considerations was in It is possible that Meridian Bank is set to become some sort of Argentina, since it concluded that the management of the country a service for our expansion in the region. At the same time the strat- and our business objectives could not be reconciled. egy of Credit Agricole, even when it assumes the majority share packet - as with Meridian bank - is always to motivate local shareSince Argentina is the only country that Credit Agricole left, holders to work together. We will strengthen the current manage- does it mean that you are confident that there is no chances for ment of Meridian Bank with only four foreigners in September, a repeat of the 'Argentinian scenario' here in Serbia? experts in certain fields such as leasing and life insurance. They Yes, Serbia has something Argentina has not, and that is a showed in Poland, Lebanon and other countries that they are mas- European perspective. For events in Argentina responsibility canters of their trade, and we would like to develop these fields as well. not be associated with the IMF or some foreign bank, instead it was However, the condition attached is that they must learn Serbian, an action of the leadership of that country. As opposed to this case, Hungary, even during its greatest criso that it is easier for them to go later to Russia, the Ukraine or other sis, returned each forinta of their debts in a timely manner. I countries that we earmarked for further expansion. remember the early '90s very well, when the crisis was deep. What will Credit Agricole bring to the Serbian market? Many advised Hungary to do as Poland had and apply for a write We will try to set new rules of the game, since not a single bank off of their debts. However, they decided that such an option was in Serbia is truly centred towards their clients. A real bank advises its out of the question. That is why their credit ranking did not fall, client how to invest a possible surplus of funds, and its function is and I would like to see Serbia gaining that type of credibility in the not limited only to complaints once the client is in the red. years to come. Hence, the proper state policy will mean that Amendments of the pension system in Serbia made provisions increased income from VAT and introduction of fiscal registers is for employees for additional savings for their future pensions. used to repay foreign debts. That is what is happening partially, Credit Agricole, with its AA ranking, will offer them a genuine and due to the exercised IMF pressure. What distinguishes Serbia from safe 'product', as opposed to others which will probably offer high Argentina and what should not be overlooked is the fact that returns in the short-term, but very risky returns. Serbia needs an arrangement with the IMF more than the IMF Serbia is also missing investment banking, since those services cares to rescue us. Argentina was so heavily in debt that they had have not been required thus far. We will offer our help to compa- the luxury of acting at their will in the debt negotiations. However, nies in terms of share issuance; we will offer broker services to the no such a privilege is assigned to us.â&#x20AC;˘

CorD | September 2005

BANKING LEGISLATION

New Law Prepared The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) has drafted a new banking law that is set to implement a number of new elements for the banking sector in Serbia. These new legislative solutions, harmonised to a greater extent with the directives of the European Union, Basel's principles of banking and modern global tendencies, also adhere to the specific of Serbia's economic environment. The proposed law is set to begin its passage through the Serbian parliament and government this coming autumn.

he most important elements tifying, evaluating and managing risks. The NBS' control of the law, as opposed to curfunction is moving more towards analysis of risks identified rent existing legislation, are in banks. that banks will receive operating The corporate management of the NBS is established permits in a two-point procedure on the basis of modern practises. Thus, management divibased, firstly, on preliminary sions of the bank are organised as the Management and approval, followed by the National Supervisory boards, while the Serbian Parliament remains Bank of Serbia's issuance of an the body of the bank's shareholders. operating permit. As a collective, the NBS management - in addition to The notion of 'preliminary the existing authorities of the general director - has approval' has been implemented assumed some of the responsibility of the previous managin order to ascertain whether or ing board, while the new Supervisory board has gained not prospective investors have fulmore influenced and sublimated the previous authorities By Dejan Simic, Vice Governor, Banking filled all the necessary criteria for of the former Managing and Supervision board. Supervision Department, the founding of a bank, as well as Representatives of the NBS may attend sessions of the National Bank of Serbia helping to help would-be investors Serbian Parliament and the Supervisory Board, thus avoid unnecessary expenses in the strengthening contacts with banks. However, members of case that the NBS negatively concludes their preliminary management and supervisory boards must obtain the evaluation. approval of the NBS before attending such sessions. Implementation of the decree governing the revoking Perhaps the most newsworthy element of the proposed of operating permits allows the NBS to order the freezing new law is the aspect providing the possibility of consoliof all accounts of the bank in question, as well as initiating dating the control function of the NBS. This means that in liquidation proceedings. The decree of the proposed new law will forbid the Perhaps the most newsworthy element of the proposed disposal of the assets of the bank being new law is the aspect providing the possibility of consoliassessed, thus preventing potential dating the control function of the NBSâ&#x20AC;Śthrough monitoring abuses that may occur after the revokthe business activities of all banking group members and ing of a bank's operating licence. The ownership amalgamation lev- bank holding companies...based on consolidated and indiels of banks is also set to change, with vidual financial reports of group members, as well as by the NBS required to approve five per making direct insights into business operations cent direct or indirect ownership of banks, as opposed to the current minimum ownership the control of banks the NBS is introspecting and can also level of 15 per cent of all shares providing the right to vote monitor the business activities of all banking group memon major decision effecting the bank in question. Strict bers and bank holding companies. This is achieved conditions are expected to be implemented with regard through the consolidated and individual financial reports to coalesce over five per cent bank ownership, in an of group members, as well as by making direct insights effort to strengthen the quality of ownership structures into business operations. in the banking sector. Relationships with external revisers are stringently regNBS approval is also obliged when any bank wishes to ulated. As such, the NBS compiles comprehensive lists of acquire the bankruptcy assets of a bank that is being liquidated. all possible revisers of banks and, thus, is able to intensify Also envisaged is the possibility that the NBS can co-operation. A single reviser can make a maximum of determine, to a greater extent, the sufficiency of ascribed three repeated revisions. If the NBS believes that the validcapital (currently 12 per cent) and act accordingly if it is ity and correctness of a report is suspect, it can order the determined that a bank is act with undue risk. bank to compile a new report with a different reviser. Special attention is also given to risk management, with The new NBS legislation also defines and sanctions the banks legally obliged to regulate procedures aimed at idenactions of banking monopolies and cartels.â&#x20AC;˘

CorD | September 2005

Privatisation

In the shadow of IMF threats issued with regard to the fund's upcoming sixth revision of the three-year financial arrangement with Serbia, the ruling coalition somehow managed to secure the necessary parliamentary quorum to commence the privatisation of state petroleum company Nafta Indusrija Srbije (NIS), and, thus, the government survived to fight another day.

n 22nd August, MPs of the Serbian Parliament gave the goahead for commencement of the restructuring and sale of NIS, following repeal of the Serbian Petrol Industry Law. However, the NIS case will not been drawn to a close until completion of the privatisation of newly established subsidiary AD NIS Novi Sad. Before this can happen a number of open issues must be resolved, including the selection of the privatisation advisor; the reaching of a decision on what exactly is to be sold, and according to which model; the identifying and selecting of an appropriate buyer, with necessary reasoning for the choice. And, of course, it must be decided exactly where the generated profit will head.

NIS SALE: HARDLY & HASTILY Speaking to press recently, NBS Governor Radovan Jelasic explained: "The six revision will only take place if the IMF concludes that we have fulfilled all obligations stipulated in the fifth revision. As such, we should approach the privatisation of NIS very seriously. It is very important to select the strategic privatisation advisor within the specified time limit; to accept the advisor's suggestions and, most importantly, make tangible steps [towards privatisation]. "At the beginning of June we assumed the obligation to begin the restructuring of NIS, including the sale of the major share blocks in the Pancevo and Novi Sad refineries, as well as to begin reforming the pension system. The IMF is now expecting results. We have to send a clear signal, not only to the IMF, but to other institutions around the world, that we have fulfilled our obligations and are not just working out a strategy", said Jelasic. The process is already overdue, as - according to the agreement with the IMF - the privatisation advisor for NIS should have been selected before the end of July. Meanwhile, it was approaching the end of August when the Serbian Government finally announced their decision to call the tender for the NIS privatisation advisor.

CorD | September 2005

There is a three-month deadline for confirmation of the advisor selected. The advisor then has a further three months to propose the optimum privatisation strategy. Therefore, the NIS story cannot be finalised prior to April 2006. Failure to stick to the conditions of the IMF arrangement would cost Serbia a grand total of $900million, because the state would not receive the next IMF instalment and would also default on the agreement to write-off debts owed to the Paris Club of Creditors - totalling around $700million. Radomir Naumov, Serbian Energy Minister, told MPs that the task of the privatisation advisor would be to suggest the most feasible development strategy for NIS: "The NIS advisor will carry out parallel processes. One being preparation of the optimum privatisation strategy, which considers the time and scope of privatisation, the other being a strategic task of proposing to the government the most efficient direction for our national petrol company", said Naumov. Naumov enthused: "In talks with the IMF we did not set a date for completion of the privatisation of NIS and all its components, therefore the job we started is in full accordance with the dynam-

Privatisation ics predicted. We pointed out to the IMF's representatives the harmfulness of the privatisation of only the refineries; and also noted that the possibility of placing Jugopetrol and NAP petrol stations on offer is also open". Speaking to press in mid-August, Serbian Economy and Privatisation Minister, Predrag Bubalo, also spoke of the sale of NIS, saying: "My personal view is that the best solution for NIS would be to bring a foreign partner into NIS through the share capital increase, then to go for the sale. I support the gradual privatisation of NIS, with which the State would remain the major shareholder of 51% in all departments, including the refineries". The IMF's Belgrade office declined to comment to CorD on Minister Bubalo's suggestions. However, Harald Hirschhofer, head of the IMF's Belgrade office, previously stated that he understood from informal contacts that "the Serbian Government is intending to call for a tender for the advisor who is supposed to develop the general strategy for the privatisation of NIS, but without the explicit mandate for providing advice about the sale of the major shares blocks in the two refineries at the beginning of 2006, as was agreed in the agreement with the IMF". According to unofficial NIS and Serbian Government sources, the runners to become the NIS privatisation advisor are Price Waterhouse Coopers, BNP Pariba and Deloitte & Touche. Of the three, French consulting house, BNP Pariba, has the most experience in Serbian privatisations - having carried out legal and financial appraisals for most of the country's privatised banks, as well as advising on the sale of Beopetrol. NIS' management have already engaged British-based KBC as a consultant for the maximisation of relationships with investors. KBC's energy field experts perform work for such renowned businesses as British Petroleum, Shell and Ekson, as well as other international petroleum companies. KBC is widely expected to carry out preparations for the privatisations of petrol refineries. Almost all international petrol companies, including Hellenic Petroleum, MOL, Lukoil, Shell, OMV and British Oil, have expressed interest in developing a strategic partnership with NIS. Speaking to CorD, Sasa Blagojevic, head of NIS workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; union, UGS Nezavisnot, said that during informal talks with U.S. diplomatic representatives he was told that the most desirable kind of privatisation would mirror the model carried out in Croatian INA, where 25% of the company was privatised. According to Blagojevic, multinational petroleum company Shell has the best chance of purchasing shares during the privatisation of NIS, followed by OMV and Russia's Lukoil. Shell and OMV's chances are boosted thanks to the interests of the U.S. and EU in preventing Russia's petroleum companies from advancing westwards. However, Lukoil has already penetrated the Romanian and Bulgarian market, and is currently attempting to acquire shares in Hungary's MOL. Should the Russian oil giant prove successful, it will break into the Slovakian and Croatian markets, as MOL controls the major share block of Slovakia's Slovnjeft and owns 25 per cent of shares in Croatia's INA. OMV is countering Lukoil's offensive drive by buying into Romanian oil companies and establishing petrol stations in Bulgaria as part of its strategy to move east. However, Lukoil is already firmly established in both countries and would create a direct chain of Lukoil nations in this region of the Balkans if it succeeds in its bid to buy NIS shares. It is also noteworthy that neighbouring countries are speculating that the INA - MOL duo is to participate against OMV and Lukoil in the NIS tender. OMV's eastern drive is gathering added momentum. Speaking to press in Vienna, OMV General Director Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer said that OMV is interested in the further privatisation processes in South-Eastern and Central Europe. However, regarding NIS, he noted that "Serbia has to repeal the regulation whereby the state

The New NIS Once the repeal of the Serbian Oil Industry Law takes effect, the ten existing organisational parts of NIS will be operating within the framework of two Public Companies and Holding Nafta Industrija a.d. On the basis of the partitioning balance, the property, employ ees and all claims and obligations will be distributed three-ways to public company Transnafta - responsible for the transport of petrol through oil lines and the transport of derivates through product lines, public company Srbijagas - responsible for the transport, storage, distribution and trade of natural gas, and holding company Nafta Industrija Srbije - responsible for the research, production, refining, distribution and sale of petrol and petrol derivates, as well as the research and production of natural gas. Simultaneously, employee rights to the free distribution of 15 per cent of shares in the privatisation process will be protected. controls the price of oil derivates before they privatise NIS. That is the job of the advisor and the circle of people who deal with the privatisation of NIS." OMV operates some 20 filling stations in Serbia, but officials of the firm told CorD that "Serbia is the most difficult market we operate on, because we are not allowed to import petrol and the local production does not cover the demands". Lukoil management have repeatedly stated that they are interested in the privatisation of NIS. However, they may struggle to compete against Lukoil because NIS and the Russian oil company have already signed a Memorandum on their intentions to establish a joint company (29th June 2005). Lukoil declined to comment for CorD, explaining that all senior Lukoil directors are on holiday in August and nobody able to comment on the NIS issue was therefore available.â&#x20AC;˘

Business & Finance

NEW BELGRADE,

NEW CENTRE SERBIA'S BUSINESS AND FINANCE HQs RELOCATE ACROSS THE RIVER A large number of foreign companies are building premises in New Belgrade, where Serbia's business and finance headquarters are rapidly choosing to relocate. The proximity of the airport and the main motorways, a superior infrastructure and acres of available land, are the area's crucial advantages over Belgrade's outgoing administrative centre. Investors have adverse opinions as to whether prices will rise or fall with a growing supply of corporate finance premises in New Belgrade.

Tony De Graaf, managing director of global estate agency Colliers International 50

CorD | September 2005

Business & Finance By Rade Repija, Photo Andy Dall

ew Belgrade is quickly transforming into the capital's new central business district (CBD). Foreign banks and shopping centres have paved the way for the trend, and major Serbian companies expanding their business are expected to follow in their footsteps. Merkator, Slovenia's largest retail food chain supplier, was the first foreign company to open its premises in New Belgrade. Volksbank, Reiffeissenbank, Hypo Alpe-Adria Bank, Wiener Schtadische and Lukoil Beopetrol quickly followed suit, attracted by the proximity of Belgrade airport and the main motorway. According to Belgrade's Construction Sites and Buildings Agency, the demand for office sites exceeded supply in 2003 and 2004, which prompted the construction of new premises in the city, particularly in New Belgrade. Better transport options, ample space ideal for construction sites and lots of parking space have made New Belgrade far more attractive than the old part of the city. As such, New Belgrade is becoming the city's main financial district and the area between Treci Bulevar and the Bulevar Avnoja is seen as the most attractive construction site for business facilities. "The current office space supply in Belgrade meets demand because we have 50,000 square metres of completed business premises and as many being built," said Tony De Graaf, managing director of global estate agency Colliers International. Belgrade-based Gemax Construction Company is expected to complete the construction of the "Atrium Belgrade Offices" Class A building in New Belgrade by the end of this year. Austria's Durst Real Estate Development invested the financial resources required by the project. And, according to Gemax general manger Djordjo Antelj, "Gemax is forced to turn down at least one client per week asking for the construction of premises exceeding 10,000 square metres." Such large, modern business facilities are primarily being demanded by foreign companies already present in Serbia and looking to expand their operations, as well as those who have yet to bring their businesses to Belgrade. De Graaf also expects fast-growing domestic companies to express interest in purchasing such property in the near future. In light of the huge demand, Colliers International has plans in place to construct a further 200,000 square metres of office space in New Belgrade. Noting that foreign banks have naturally been the chief investors in construction of office space in Belgrade to date, because "They have enough resources and they need to expand," De Graaf said that major insurance companies, oil companies and those dealing with infrastructure are hot on their heels in terms of investment. Colliers International is also building a 120,000m2 City Airport complex, which will incorporate offices and apartments and provide Belgrade with its first business park. The demand for Class A premises is leading to what De Graaf described as "the vitally important allocation of the 'open floor' concept". An excellent example of this concept is the newly renovated 24-storey Usce Tower, which boasts a massive 21,000m2. Clients of the Tower can adapt office space to their requirements and each floor can accommodate up to four companies. Usce's biggest tenant is Austria's Hypo Alpe-Adria Bank, which has leased ten floors, despite building its own 5,500m2 Hypo Plaza HQ in 2004. The bank's officials have said that its expanding business has forced them to relocate.

New Belgrade: green-field sites aplenty Class A

Class B

monthly rental €/m2

City centre

24 - 26

19 - 21

New Belgrade

21 - 23

16 - 18

Outskirts

17 - 18

11 - 12

Location

The Plaza will be available for leasing from December. Hypo Alpe Adria Consultants chose to construct Hypo Plaza "because there was no quality space available in Belgrade when we got here in 2003," Hypo Consultants director Boris Ignjatovic told CorD. Noting that the 'old city' premises being offered at the time lacked sufficient communications, infrastructure, parking and transport facilities, Ignjatovic said "…We saw New Belgrade as the alternative as soon as we got here. This part of the city was originally supposed to be the former Yugoslavia's administrative centre when its construction began in the 1950s." Amongst other projects, Hypo Consultants is developing a residential building on Tadeus Koscuski Street in Belgrade city centre and a hotel on the corner of Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra and Kneza Milosa. Investors have struggled to acquire the necessary permits to

ZORAN DRAKULIC, owner of the East Point firm Insisting that real estate prices in Belgrade are set to fall as transition progresses, Drakulic said: “We've got the example of Hungary, where building space was really expensive in the early stages of the country's economic transition because there wasn't enough of it, especially not high quality sites. The situation is different today because the supply of good office construction sites is outstanding, although the demand is still high.”

build their own premises in Belgrade, and economic feasibility has also been negatively assessed. Milan Kovacevic, foreign investments consultant, explained that "administrative problems in obtaining construction and other permits are such that a U.S. company recently insisted on renting a building because it didn't want to go through the complicated administrative procedure of building its own facility." Ignjatovic pointed out there were more difficulties hampering construction. "Early in 2003, there were two kinds of insecurity - political and legislative. The political risk has decreased substantially in the meantime. However, legislative risk is still high because it is difficult to explain the system of leasing construction land to foreign investors," he said. CorD | September 2005

Business & Finance "The slow and complicated procedure of obtaining construction and other working permits is a major problem for foreign and local investors alike," Dordjo Antelj said. "All that is happening to a country whose construction is in the doldrums, while an army of unemployed people are waiting for jobs." Land ownership is another problem discouraging foreign investors. This is because construction sites are state-owned property leased to those who wish to construct their own facilities. The Belgrade Construction Agency has started a process of reorganising state-owned construction sites and preparing

Belgrade. East Point uses two floors and plans to move its branch offices, currently scattered across the city, into the other two. East Point acquired ownership rights of the building through the privatisation of Belgrade's Zitomlin enterprise. It invested around 450 euros per square metre to adapt and refurbish the building after making the purchase. Most buildings in the old part of the city and existing business facilities in New Belgrade are Class B. A number of former major exporters and domestic banks which were dissolved during the ongoing Serbian transition have sizeable business facil-

TONY DE GRAAF, Colliers Int. Director Talking about the growing need for top quality office space in the city, De Graaf said: "We have plans in place to construct another 200,000m2 of office spaceâ&#x20AC;ŚWe expect fast-growing Serbian companies to express interest in buying some of that space, because they need to expand their headquarters."

the locations to be leased, in accordance with an annual programme authorised by Belgrade City Hall. The Agency leases the remaining construction sites owned by the state (whose property status is clearly defined in favour of either the agencies in charge or the municipal councils). These sites are leased for a period not longer than 99 years, so that the construction is done in accordance with the city's urbanisation scheme. "Foreigners coming to Belgrade with the intention of starting a business decide very quickly to go to one of the neighbouring countries when they realise they have to pay from 15 to 25 euros per square metre to rent an office, or go through an ordeal to start their own construction", Kovacevic said. High rental prices and red tape bureaucracy are not the only problems foreign investors face when they come to Serbia. "Construction sites are as much as 50 per cent more expensive in Serbia than in neighbouring countries", De Graaf highlighted. The price of land affects overall construction costs and Serbia's manual labour doesn't come cheap either. "Bulgarian construction workers are cheaper," he added. Opinions of investors on whether office space sale prices in Belgrade will rise or fall in the near future are divided. Ignjatovic maintains that they will most probably continue to rise if investors and buyers demand more high quality office and retail space, while De Graaf believes they will fall because construction costs are already on what he called "the higher end". Zoran Drakulic, owner of the East Point firm, believes that

ities that could be revamped into Class A spaces. There are many business buildings in New Belgrade constructed some decades ago, such the as the former Yugoslav government's building, which is now the administrative headquarters of the Serbia & Montenegro state union. Two other buildings that belonged to the former Yugoslav administration are located on very attractive sites, as is the Energoprojekt headquarters, which is to be either leased or sold after the firm's privatisation. "It is most often cheaper to adapt buildings than build new ones and this is a global trend. However, the ownership status of most major business facilities in Belgrade is undefined and complicated, which discourages investors from taking them over," Ignjatovic said. New companies arriving in Belgrade that are still unfamiliar with the SCG market would be well advised to rent offices. As Serbia is rapidly shifting to a market economy, prices are not as high as they were two or three years ago, when high expectations of a fast influx of foreign companies prompted property owners to demand high leasing prices. "Foreign companies have certain standards and weren't prepared to a pay a price that some others thought were acceptable. I expect the price of renting business facilities to drop further with the increase of available high quality office space and increased competition on this market," Ignjatovic said. Rental prices depend on the quality of the facilities. According to a public survey conducted by a team of interna-

MILAN KOVACEVIC, foreign investments consultant Regarding problematic administrative procedures, Kovacevic said: "Administrative problems in obtaining construction and other permits are such that a U.S. company recently insisted on renting a building because it didn't want to go through the complicated administrative procedure of building its own facility."

what happened in central and Eastern Europe could happen in Serbia too. "We've got the example of Hungary, where building space was really expensive in the early stages of the country's economic transition because there wasn't enough of it, especially not high quality sites. The situation is different today because the supply of good office construction sites is outstanding, although the demand is still high," he said. "We wanted to buy our own office back in 2001, but we gave up because of the price," said Drakulic, whose company recently bought a Class A four-storey building with a total area of 850 m2 in Francuska Street in the old part of central

CorD | September 2005

tional polling agencies, Class A facilities in Belgrade are rented at a price ranging from 18 to 24 euros per square metre and Class B 12 to 19 euros. De Graaf says that Colliers is satisfied with its rental achievements, but declined to comment on prices. He said only that "we are achieving our budget and beyond". Rental and retail prices of residential buildings in New Belgrade have risen as a result of increased demand for office space in the area. Major international companies want their staff to live near their place of work and New Belgrade is the perfect choice, because it offers apartments of the same quality as the business facilities.â&#x20AC;˘

CULTURE - ARTS By Predrag Dragosavac, Photo Stanislav Milojkovic

Nikita Milivojevic, BITEF Director

BITEF was once among the most prestigious theatre festivals in Europe, but over the past ten years it has barely kept afloat. This September, in its 39th staging - under the slogan "To the Fairy Tale and Back", this festival of new theatre trends has been given a new director and is looking for a fresh start and a new lease of life. 54

CorD | September 2005

he Belgrade International Theatre Festival - BITEF is in many respects a unique constituent of Serbian culture. It was established in 1967 upon the completion of many socialist reforms. The legendary director of Atelje 212 Theatre and BITEF, Mira Trailovic, skillfully used a gust of liberal winds in the establishment of the former Socialist Yugoslav state and their wish for wider cultural acclaim to create one of the most prestigious European theatre festivals. BITEF has attracted the biggest names of global theatre during the past 39 years - Robert Wilson, Peter Brook, La Mamma, Yuri Lyubimov, Jerzy Grotowski, Living Theatre, Eugenio Barba, Roberto Ciulli, De la Guarda… Then the international embargo and everything else that went on during the '90s took BITEF to the brink of collapse, but somehow it managed to avoid falling over the precipice of existence. BITEF's 39th edition will start on 16th September under the slogan "To the Fairy Tale and Back". As a prelude to this cultural event, CorD interviewed theatre director Nikita Milivojevic, who was recently appointed BITEF Director and Manager of Bitef Theatre. Milivojevic has been among our most successful theatre directors for a number of years. He has reaped awards at all significant national festivals (BITEF, Sterija Stage, Theatre City) and the plays he directed - A Midsummer Night's Dream, Life is a Dream, Below Deck, Banovic Strahinja, A Three-Penny Opera, Karolina Neuber, Tesla and others, were usually the events of the season. In the second half of the 1990's he also built a notable international reputation. We reached Milivojevic at the BITEF head office on a hot August day. Although it took us a while to squeeze into his packed schedule, the conversation was relaxed. Only the mobile phone interrupted the flow of conversation from time to time. "When you direct plays you have to face a similar torrent of tasks and responsibilities. You're constantly in action and have to make decisions: do we raise a part of the stage two metres or lower it, do we put a prop here or there…there are hundreds of such questions each day. That’s what the play director's job looks like. "So, the "new job" is not really so new or unfamiliar. The hubbub might look like a state of panic to a by-stander, but to me it is like a harder-than-usual rehearsal day…" said Milivojevic. You had contracts until 2006 for projects in Istanbul, Stockholm and elsewhere. What made you take up the task of organising BITEF? Generally, the job is a little off the track of my vocational preferences as a director who perceives his work as creative, which is why I think theatre directors often distance themselves from these kinds of tasks and environments. You might have noticed that most theatre managers here are actors. Directors seldom take up this responsibility. I am not saying that we are wiser, but we are certainly more cautious and this is not by accident. If someone asked me whether I'd like to manage the Yugoslav Drama Theatre with my years and future plans, my answer would be "no thanks, I'm not interested". But BITEF is different... I had other plans, but it turned out that they would have to wait. Why is BITEF different in your view? Wherever I have been during the last few years, either as a director performing abroad or as a guest, I discovered that BITEF

CULTURE - ARTS

Accrorap company's "Douar" by art-director and choreographer Kader Attou will close this year's Bitef CorD | September 2005

Photo Courtesy of the French Cultural Centre

had a big reputation. When you mention Belgrade in the- with the festival can Bitef Theatre justify its assigned role. These atrical circles, everyone knows you have come from the city are our development plans for the future… that hosts BITEF. We were often unaware of its international reputation here. However, along with the fact that everyYou often said that every play of yours is also your self-porone knows about BITEF, there is the other reality that it was trait, regardless of whether or not you desired it to be so. once among the three most reputable theatre festivals in Analogically, the festival should be a group portrait of the Europe and that it no longer carries such prestige. BITEF team that creates it. You are the new director, the Festival has lost its former strength in the last decade, but since the Council has also been renewed… what does the division of whole country had lived through a scourge during this time, labour look like for BITEF 39? it is a real wonder that it survived at all. One had to pull a BITEF has a solid structure. Jovan Cirilov has been the selector whole array of magician's tricks to save the festival from all these years and he picks the plays. The Council is there to verifading away during the 1990's. The permanent value of BITEF and "Even if you only see a few good minutes of theatre perform what made it an unavoidable compo- ance that move you in some way, you have gained something, nent of world cultural heritage is that it has always been a festival of "new ten- a spiritual capital of some sort. If there was no BITEF you would dencies in theatre", one of the first to have to travel to Edinburgh or Avignon to see these plays. How?" have boldly questioned conventional principles and values in its field. This makes it one of the fy that everything is going according to plan. There is an entire most important institutions of Serbian culture and one of team that acts like clockwork with the task of preventing any its most valuable products. I am also personally attached to unpleasant surprises. Currently I am examining everyone's assignBITEF. Several plays that I directed were performed at the ments and using this information to build a concept that primarily festival - "Below Deck", "Banovic Strahinja" and "A pertains to Bitef Theatre. I guess it is closer to a self-portrait by a Midsummer Night's Dream", for which I even won an miniscule part compared to what existed prior to my appointment. award. To be included in BITEF's selection was an incrediYou can direct a theatre - to create its concept, fill it with conble privilege and honour. tent and pinpoint the directions you want it to follow, pick the actors and titles for the stage and generally pursue your artistic Your predecessor, Nenad Prokic, subscribed to the vision. In our country, the only place where you have this creative view that BITEF was an anomaly of Serbian culture, freedom is Bitef Theatre. because, among other things, few of the ideas it stood for took root in society. In the '60s, when Bitef was starting up, Belgrade was the I think we should not paint that picture as black and capital of a larger state at the crossroads between East and West. white. I say this as a director who has seen a lot in BITEF: Bitef was a place for encounters, explorations and discoveries… whether one has this kind of experience or not, your subcon- Today, that country is long gone, the world has experienced drascious mind always records this - a desire to try something matic changes and there are myriad theatre festivals. Where is new. Then again, maybe there could have been more. Bitef BITEF's place in this new and radically different context? Theatre was envisaged as a place where the ideas of BITEF I think that BITEF today is most attractive to us here. It may be could be tested. However, its role in the cultural life of the quite successful one year, and less so the next, but every time it city has become symbolic at most. Only if it acts in concert brings something different… Even if you only see a few good min-

CULTURE - ARTS utes of theatre performance that move you in some way, you have gained something, a spiritual capital of some sort. If there was no BITEF you would have to travel to Edinburgh or Avignon to see these plays. How? Where would you find the money? I'm talking about students, young people and everyone who wants to keep in touch… The upcoming BITEF will also feature big theatre names. Heiner Goebbels, Rene Pollesch, Eugenio Barba… They are worth the price of the ticket. Serious people make serious things. Even when they make mistakes, they are paragons in their trade, creators whose deliberations are always provocative and stimulating. Interestingly, there isn't one play that lasts two or three hours. Most of them last between an hour and one hour and ten minutes. Only the Slovenian play is longer. This is also an indicator of changes in theatre aesthetics.

international cultural centres. Has the financial structure of the festival changed since then and to what extent is the "new business community" willing to aid the festival? Not as much as they could. The City Council remains the festival's most reliable benefactor. JAT Airways is the general sponsor and there was a generous donation from HVB Bank. Everyone else has chipped in with modest contributions. BITEF is not as expensive as other international festivals. In Avignon more than a thousand plays are performed each day of the festival, but that is a wealthier country with a different cultural tradition. We have to tenderly nurture what we have.

In your opinion, what should be the greatest contribution of BITEF to redefining the identity of present-day Belgrade? "BITEF has always brought BITEF's mission is to introduce cosus closer to the world in a mopolitan values to Belgrade and present us as a city of the world. It has new, modern and open In an earlier interview Bitef always challenged conventional manner. People from Selector Jovan Cirilov said it was frames of mind and thinking and abroad recognised this as difficult to maintain the "exploratobrought us closer to the world in a ry spirit" of the festival; "the new, modern and open manner. a wonderful message from moment a new talented director People from abroad recognised this as a city and country that did appears on stage, the festivals qua wonderful message from a city and eue up for his services and launch country that did not have adequate not have foundations for him into stardom". foundations for something like this in this in their society." It is true that maintaining this their society. In recent years we have kind of uniqueness is not easy. practically lost everything that gave However, I believe that every director this country and city a positive image. brings something new. They absorb unique experiences and Hence, BITEF should be the object of more diligent care, promocarry with them the pictures of the world they have seen. tion; a hallmark that distinguishes us in the world. BITEF is unique in Serbian culture not just because it has Although it may seem that nothing original can refresh the scene, the search for new forms will never cease. The theatre is managed to preserve its continuity, but also because it has in crisis from its very beginning… "New Theatrical Tendencies" become a generational heritage… Theatre, concerts, plays, festivals… all of these are created is a symbolic title that already has an archetypal value. In artistic realms, you are always on a quest for uniqueness, for differ- by people. Here, it seems we keep reasoning "if this one leaves, there are others to take his place". This is insane. It takes years ent views and expressions. to nurture a good director, dramatist or actor. The same applies What kind of novelties, then, has Bitef got to offer guests to a respectable festival. You cannot just let this flush down the drain. Or, you can, but that's suicide… A well-defined cultural from abroad? Selectors of theatre festivals and festival-hopping profession- policy is a chain of people who have the knowledge and vision als already had the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the to make things happen. plays that have been selected for BITEF. They have no need to Unfortunately, a number of links in this chain are broken… come to Belgrade to see something that they have already evalI have the feeling that a new awakened generation has set on uated in France, Germany, Great Britain… Hence, we have added a side programme called Showcase that will feature the stage. I spend my time with a new brand of actors, some of best plays from our own productions. The selector of this pro- whom are my own students. This generation travels more, gramme is Ana Susa, whose choice of 14 to 15 plays from speaks foreign languages and is part of the world we have talked Belgrade and inner Serbia should provide an overview of what about in the best of ways. They just need our support. Money is kind of theatre plays and writers we have here. I think this pro- a big obstacle, but they are very talented, resourceful and somegramme could raise more interest among foreign theatre profes- how manage to find the means to travel. They fight for their place in the sun, they fight for life. It seems that not everything sionals than the official selection of BITEF. has been stubbed into the ground. Some people have managed In recent years, BITEF survived thanks to the support of to keep their minds in tact. They are rays of new hope and I'm its founder - Belgrade City Council and the patronage of counting on them…•

CorD | September 2005

CULTURE - FILM

NO NEED FOR BLOCKBUSTERS It seemed the European film festival established three years ago at Palic would not provide a selection of sufficient quality or attract a noteworthy audience. However, the opposite happened. Starting next year, the local cultural brand will expand across the border and present itself to a Hungarian audience in Szeged. By Katarina Ivanovic

arl Fredric Gildea, a Swedish poet, writer and coauthor of the screenplay for the title Daybreak, selected to be shown at the Palic Film Festival, was astonished by the fact that he viewed the stars of his movie under an open sky and the glow of genuine stars. The filmgoing audience that returned to the wooden seats of the open cinema located in a grove under the open sky had no complaints, although some of the late screenings required blankets and sleeping bags to keep out the chill. However, the lack of a cinema hall for quality indoor screenings prompted the organisers of the Palic Film Festival to link up with the neighbouring town of Szeged, immediately across the border in Hungary. By sharing the festival with an EU country, the organisers have opened the door to EU funding crucial for sustaining a cultural event of this calibre in a country that has to channel budgetary resources to resolve more pressing issues. On the other hand, a partnership with Subotica will bring Szeged a handful of points in their bid to become the Cultural Capital of Europe. The international film festival at Palic, Vojvodina, was launched back in 1991, two months before the European Union and the United Nations imposed economic sanctions

Radoslav Zelenovic, festival director

Festival Director Radoslav Zelenovic. This year, Marion Doring, Director of the European Film Academy, presided over an international jury. 60 films divided into six thematic categories were screened from 17th - 24th July. The programme 'Parallels and Encounters' was among the most popular and most intriguing, featuring works from Balkan and South-East European countries. The Festival has managed to foster an audience that Instead of some virtual "wars of worlds", the will not stubbornly seek to hear English from the sliv- programme 'Parallels and Encounters' offered er screen, the selection committee said. "The audi- real clashes between the worlds of Turks and Bulgarians in a movie by a Bulgarian director, ence definitely showed they were hungry for Euro- or between local Slovenes and foreign newpean film", said Festival Director Radoslav Zelenovic. comers to a small Slovenian town. The festival screened a selection of new on the former Yugoslavia. Nevertheless, it managed to sur- Hungarian films, paying homage to the winners of the vive with only a two-year break in tradition. Aleksandar Lifka Award for contributions to film that are At first, the festival drifted in search of an identity at a given to one foreign an one domestic artist (this year the wintime when the best international productions were unreach- ners were Andrzej Wajda and Eva Ras), as well as films from able. Finally, three years ago, the organisers became aware one European country (Austria on this occasion). of the true dimensions and aspirations of the event and The films selected for the parallel and main programme by defined it as a festival of European film. The Festival has director Nikolai Nikitin and film critic Dubravka Lakic address managed to attract an audience that will not stubbornly seek the everyday issues of marginalised social groups, or to hear English from the sliver screen. "The audience defi- philosophise notions of ethics, morality and courage through nitely showed they were hungry for European film", said the lens and actions of the common man.â&#x20AC;˘ CorD | Septrmber 2005

CULTURE NEWS Belgrade's Masterpieces head to Japan After three years of preparations, Belgrade's National Museum has finalised its touring exhibition project, entitled "the untold story of modern art", which is set to be introduced to the Japanese public throughout the course of this year and next. This touring exhibition marks the long-overdue follow-up to the 1991 project of the National Museum, "Masterpieces of the National Museum in Belgrade", which also toured Japan. It was the success of the 1991 exhibition, coupled with the success of National Museum exhibitions in other worldrenowned museums in recent years, which prompted Japanese media House RCC and the Hayashi Company - an agency organising Japanese visits of European exhibitions - to propose the project to Belgrade's National Museum. The 'untold story of modern art' will include 123 works of art from the Museum's collection of foreign art and the Graphics Cabinet. The exhibition collection includes the full scope of European modern art, from its very source - characterised by the works of the Barbizon School, through the problematic approaches' period of the late 19th century and the early 20th century - when the formal structure of painting was brought into question, on to the new functionalism period of avant-garde and the Paris School - in which painting came to be seen as an existential reflection of the artist in modern environments. Artists whose works have been included in the touring exhibition include Barbizon's Camille Corot, impressionists Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Claude-Oscar Monet, Mary Cassatt, Camille Pissarro, Paul Cezanne, post-impressionists Paul Signac, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec; Gustav Moro and Odilon Redon, Pierre Bonnard and Vuillard, Maurice de Vlamnick, Andre Derain, Henri Matisse and Oton Friez. One of the most important pieces is Pablo Picasso's 'Head of a Woman', created in 1909 during Picasso's analytical cubism period. The opening ceremony of the exhibition will be held in the Hiroshima Art Museum on 3rd September 2005. The exhibition will then spend the next year touring such venues as the EKI Museum in Kyoto, Artistic Museum in Miyazaki, Mizukoshi Gallery in Tokyo, Artistic Museum in Kochi, Artistic Bandaijima Museum in Niigata and the 21st century Museum of modern art in Kanazawa. The touring exhibition is being realised under the patronage of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mayor of Hiroshima.

Nikitovic designs hit the silver screen Serbian artist and fashion designer Bojana Nikitovic has been engaged by internationally acclaimed Oscar-winning costume designer Milena Canonero to design for the latest film of the life of Marie Antoinette, which is currently under production. Nikitovic, who has designed for a number of foreign productions in the past, created a total of 120 costumes for actress Kirsten Dunst - playing Antoinette - and a number of costumes for other characters. Speaking about her collaboration with writer/director Sofia Coppola - daughter of legendary filmmaker Francis Ford

CorD | September 2005

Coppola, Nikitovic said: "Our contact became better and better as time passed. She notices every detail and knows exactly what she is doing. She was satisfied. I had to go back to Belgrade from time to time, and when I returned she would tell me how she and the whole team had missed meâ&#x20AC;Ś" Nikitovic's engagement on the Marie Antoinette project has given rise to a series of offers to design for other international productions, which she is now considering. The accomplished Serbian designer is currently producing costumes for a film on the life of Orson Welles, which is being partly shot at the Kosutnjak film studios in Belgrade and stars Danny Houston and Christopher Walken. Nikitovic said that the greatest difference between working on Hollywood movies and domestic films was the budget: she estimated the costume budget for Marie Antoinette at around â&#x201A;Ź2million. Bojana noted that "there's certainly better organisation and better conditions abroad, but it's hard to think of any great differences because we indeed have brilliant artists of all profiles".

Earth, Wind and Fire at Belef Belgrade's summer festival, BELEF, was staged in the capital between 1st July and 31st August this year, after being opened

with an inspired performance by Earth, Wind and Fire (pictured). BELEF, Belgrade's ultimate festival of art, once again successfully combined theatrical performances, music concerts and visual arts, as well as other artistic disciplines. The two-month festival, organised each year under the patronage of Belgrade City Assembly, marks the artistic spirit of Belgrade and is one of Europe's biggest arts festivals.

Walken in Belgrade Hollywood megastar actor Christopher Walken was in Belgrade this summer for the filming of British director Oliver Parker's latest production, Fade to Black. A thriller revolving around Orson Welles' attempts to produce his film 'Cagliostro' in Rome in 1948, Fade to Black stars Danny Huston, Paz Vega, Christopher Walken, Diego Luna, Anna Galiena, Nathaniel Parker and Violante Placido. The film is being shot on location in Belgrade, which is filling in for Rome for budgetary reasons, and the UK.

CULTURAL CALENDAR September DOM OMLADINE

- Makedonska 22, 11000 Belgrade Ticket office: (011) 3248 202

CONCERTS: Large Number (UK): 21st September, 9pm, Klub Dom Omladine. The Walkabouts (U.S.): 21st September, 9pm, Pogon Dom Omladine. FILMS: (in conjunction with the French Cultural Centre): 12th - 18th September AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL:

Sunday, 18th September, 7pm Si-Gueriki, the Queen Mother Director: Idrissou Mora-Kpai, Benin 2003, 63'. (Documentary) Sunday, 18th September, 9pm Tasuma, the Fighter Director: Kollo Daniel Sanou, Burkina Faso, 2003, 90'.

FRENCH CULTURAL CENTRE Thursday 8th September, 8pm THEATRE: Dom umetnosti, Kanjiza Jozef Nadj : Last landscape

Documentaries - 7pm Motion pictures - 9pm

14 African film directors show today's Africa. 7 films and 7 new documentaries tell the tale of modern African production's, creativity and diversity. The films depict a new generation that chases new ways of self-expression. The films are in French and the local languages of their home countries. All films in local languages are shown with French and Serbian subtitles. Monday, 12th September, 9pm Abouna - Cannes 2002, Chad's official representative at Oscar 2002. Director: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Chad 2002, 81'. Tuesday, 13th September, 7pm Wa N' Wina Director: Dumisani Phakathi, South Africa 2001, 52' . (Documentary) Tuesday, 13th September, 9pm Waiting for Happiness (Heremakono) - Cannes 2002. FIPRESCI Award for Uncertain Regard at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, Golden Stallion at the 2003 FESPACO African film festival in Yennenga. Director: Abderrahmane Sissako, Mauritania 2002, 95'. Wednesday, 14th September, 7pm Traces, women's imprints Director: Katy Lena Ndiaye, Senegal 2003, 52' (Documentary) Wednesday, 14th September, 9pm Madame Brouette, Silver Bear for the best music - Berlin 2003. Director: Moussa Sene-Absa, Senegal 2002, 104'. Thursday, 15th September, 7pm City Dust Director: Moussa TourĂŠ, Senegal 2002, 52'. (Documentary) Thursday, 15th September, 9pm Me and My White Pal, RFI Public choice Award and public's prize - FESPACO 2003. Director: Pierre Yameogo, Burkina Faso 2003, 90'. Friday, 16th September, 7pm Xalima La Plume Director: Ousmane William Mbaye, Senegal 2003, 53'. (Documentary) Friday, 16th September, 9pm Nha Fala, Official selection - Venice 2002. Director: Flora Gomes, Guinea Bissau 2002, 90'. Saturday, 17th September, 7pm Vacation in the Country Director: Jean-Marie Teno, Cameroon 2003, 75'. (Documentary) Saturday, 17th September, 9pm The Price of Forgiveness, Golden Tanit - Carthage 2002. Director: Mansour Sora Wade, Senegal, 2001, 90'.

Play for one dancer and one percussionist Playing: Jozef Nadj and Vladimir Tarasov, Duration : 1 hour Last Landscape first premiered at the Avignon Festival in July 2005. Saturday 10th September, 9pm CONCERT: DUB AND ELECTRO Pogon, Dom Omladine Le Peuple de l'Herbe, High Tone and Mei Tei Sho Created in Kingston Jamaica, at the end of the '60s, the dub sound inspired a generation of hip-hop DJs and contemporary electronic music. While English artists like Massive Attack or Tricky worked on the dub sound, French artists in Lion gave birth to a new scene with artists like Le Peuple de l'Herbe, High tone and Mei Tei She. These three groups, founded around the same time (1997/98), approach music on the basis of accepting older influences (ethno music, jazz, reggae, dab, hip-hop) mixed with new technologies and music styles (sampling, electro). Monday, 12th September PHOTOGRAPHY Exhibition of photographs of V Biennale, photographs in Bamak within programme "Africa" Saturday 17th September The Night of Museums and Day of European Cultural Legacy EXHIBITION: Bamako, French Cultural Centre - open until 2am PROJECTION: INA (audiovisual television legacy in French Cultural Centre's windows on the big screen) - 9pm until 1am CONCERT: DJ Max and Jack de Marseille, Kalemegdan Basketball courts - 10pm onwards Saturday, 24th September, 8pm CONCERT: Zaduzbina Ilije M. Kolarca, Studentski trg 3 Discantus - female vocal septet a cappella "Universi populi" Sacral music of Medieval Czech in Latin, Conductor: Brigitte Lesne Female vocal ensemble a cappella, Diskantus, brings back to life the medieval vocal repertoire - from first music whitening (9th Century) all the way to the end of medieval, especially cherishing sacral repertoire. CorD | September 2005

CULTURAL CALENDAR September STUDENTSKI GRAD CULTURAL CENTRE Studentski grad Cultural centre, Bulevar AVNOJ-a 179, tel: 2691 442 September - November ALTERNATIVE CINEMA: Open Fracture Programme selector: Boris Mitic According to Mitic, 'anybody who just once crosses the border between commercial and non-commercial films will boycott Hollywood until the end of their life; anybody who watches a quality all-night non-commercial documentary will start ignoring other motion pictures. At least, that's what happened to me. 'Open Fracture is a mini retrospective of top mid-length and fulllength documentariesâ&#x20AC;Ś' DVD projections - English subtitles - free admittance - air conditioned auditorium - ample parking. Thursday, 1st September, 8.30pm CZECH DREAM, Vit Klusak & Filip Remunda 90'

9th - 21st September Belgrade Cultural Centre EXHIBITION: untitled An exhibition of the photographic works of Milena Maksimovic, opening at 8pm on 9th September. 15th September onwards (3-month event) Contemporary Art Museum, Usce EXHIBITION: Treasured Time Exhibition of various time pieces, including table and wall clocks; wrist, pocket and picture watches, dating from the 17th to 20th centuries and created by such distinguished horologist houses as Phillip Grazl (Linz), J. Leroy (Paris), Edward Prior (London), Mermillon (Geneva), Andreas Vogler (Augsburg). Visitors will be offered a bilingual (Serbian and English), luxuriously designed colour catalogue authored by museum advisor Dusan Milovanovic. 15th - 25th September Belgrade Arena, Vrsac, Podgorica, Novi Sad SPORTING EVENT: Eurobasket 2005 The European Basketball Championship

Thursday, 8th September, 8.30pm LONG GONE, Jack Cahill & David Eberhardt 82' Thursday, 15th September, 8.30pm 66 SEASONS, Peter Kerekes 86' Thursday, 22nd September, 8.30pm A CRY FOR MADIOM, Erez Barzilay 63'

MUST SEE EVENTS 2nd - 7th September Tasmajden Sports Centre SPORTING EVENT: European Volleyball Championships Until 5th September Likovna Gallery EXHIBITION: In Search of lost childhood pictures (U potrazi za izgubljenim slikama iz detinjstva) A comprehensive exhibition of the pastoral images of celebrated photographer Ljubomir Simunic. Until 7th September Artget Gallery EXHIBITION: We are all one family (Gens una sumus) An exhibition of the photographic works of Milomir Kovacevic 7th - 18th September Likovna Gallery INSTALLATION: Ex voto suspecto An ambient art installation of artist Dragana Markovic, opening at 8pm on Wednesday 7th September. 8th September to 5th October Zepter Gallery EXHIBITION: Mystiques of Art Zemun's Zepter Gallery will host this exhibition of art, to include works of artists from all areas of the former Yugoslavia and abroad. Artistic works to be displayed will include the creations of Stojan Celic, Gabrijel Stupic, Edo Murtic, Marina Tartalja, Dimitar Kondovski, Rihard Jakopic, Hans Hartung, Pier Doracio. Documentary material on the 'mystiques of art' will also be shown. The month-long exhibition will include a night dedicated to historian and art critic Dr. Katarina Ambrozic, whose latest book 'Mystique of Art' has just been published by Publishing House Clio. The ceremonial opening of the exhibition will be staged at 8pm on 8th September at Bel Etaz in Madlenianumu, Glavna Ulica 32, Zemun.

CorD | September 2005

18th - 19th Belgrade Sava Centar DANCE: Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance After their April 2004 performances, the tireless Michael Flatley is bringing his Lord of the Dance troupe back to Belgrade for two nights. 20th - 29th September Likovna Gallery EXHIBITION: On the edge (Na ivici) An exhibition of art authored by Svetlana Mladenov, One the edge will open at 8pm on 20th September and include the works of Vesna Tokin, Igor Antic, Andrej Tisma, Vladimir Ilic, Stevan Kojic, Mileta Postic and Nenad Mikalacki. 30th September, 8pm Guarnerius Fine Arts Centre CONCERT: Pianist Dario Sebic Local SCG pianist Dario Sebic, 24, learned his trade at the Mokranjac Music School under the tutelage of Professors Snezana Milosavljevic and Radojka Jovicic. Sebic has been awarded by the Smiljka Uzelac Fund for the best final exam and extraordinary concert activity in 2000. He also came first at the EPTA Competition in Belgrade in 2003, and in 2004; was the highest placed domestic participant at the International Competition of Music Youth in Belgrade. Sebic has also been trained by Melvin Tan and Martin Tirim (England), Natasa Veljkovic (Austria) and Erik Lesaz (France), and summer music school professor Shandor Falvai (Music Academy "Franc List" in Budapest), at whose recommendation he performed at prestigious Austrian concerts halls "BĂśsendorfer" in Vienna, and "Congress Hall " in Baden). Guarnerius, Centre of fine Arts Jovan Kolundzija, Dzordza Vasingtona 12, Belgrade, phone: 3345-237, phone/fax: 3346-807

CULTURE - Literauture

Novel Premiere Sasa Petkovic, director - Laguna Publishing House

The latest work of celebrated contemporary British author Nick Hornby - novel 'A Long Way Down' - appeared on the shelves of Belgrade's bookshops last Christmas: some six months before it hit the London streets. This accomplishment of Laguna publishers is sure to be highly praised by the domestic literary scene at this year's Belgrade Book Fair.

devotee of modern fiction would not have missed the opportunity to grab a copy of Nick Hornby's latest work during the New Year holidays as a stocking filler. Hornby is, after all, at the forefront of world fiction and his novels are much sought after. However, enthusiastic fans of fiction would have been more than a little surprised to find that the Serbian version of Hornby's 'A Long Way Down' was available exclusively to the Belgrade public some six months prior to its scheduled May 2005 world premiere. In this instance, Serbian readers were offered the rare privilege of reading a Serbian translation of a book so new it had not even been published in the language in which it was originally penned. Serbia was late to start publishing Hornby's works as his career progressed, but local publishers and domestic readers soon pushed through the ranks and are now amongst the most dedicated admirers of his witty writing style. This latest publishing coup was pulled off by Laguna, an agile Belgrade-based publisher, under the guidance of director Sasa Petkovic. Petkovic said that he could not be sure whether the Serbian translation of the latest Hornby novel was actually a world premiere, although he did not rule out the possibility. What is 100% certain is that A Long Way Down appeared in Belgrade high streets long before it became available in the writer's home country. "This accomplishment was made possible thanks to our good professional relations with the copyright owners of Hornby's books and the fact that we paid a little more than usual for the privilege of publishing the book in Serbian early", Petkovic said. The Laguna director insisted that the domestic media had failed to provide due coverage to such an exclusive scoop for Serbia's publishing scene. Thus, he explained, A Long Way

By Ivica Petrovic; Photo by Andy Dall Down would receive an appropriate promotion at this year's Book Fair in Belgrade this coming October. Despite the lack of adequate press coverage, Hornby's book still managed to become a bestseller and has remained on Serbia's top ten list since its release, having received thumbs up all round. A Long Way Down is a dark and humorous tale of four foreigners in England who climb to the top of the building most popular with suicide-intent individuals, determined to end their lives by plummeting from the roof. As with Horby’s earlier works, A Long Way Down is laced with humour, sadness and an ounce of tragedy. It includes a few losers, a few drinks, a pizza and a peculiar mix of fate and character. This publishing coup is yet further proof that Serbia is indeed a paradoxical land: on the one hand it is a country in the shadow of regional European integration, on the other it is a land with a dynamic culture at the forefront of European literature. Serbia has an undeniably rich indigenous culture, a curious audience in step with global cultural trends and a

…a greater number of books are translated and published in Serbia than in surrounding countries with bigger markets. According to the publisher, everything of worth in the world finds its way to Serbia… community of tenacious, innovative publishers who keep pace with global trends. Petkovic noted with pride that a greater number of books are translated and published in Serbia than in surrounding countries with bigger markets. According to the publisher, everything of worth in the world finds its way to Serbia, where the public are pickier and infinitely more critical than readers in the West. "The big international hits sell well in Serbia, but books that deserve at least a second read or are not appropriate for killing time in waiting rooms tend to fare better… The publishing business is expanding in Serbia and we can expect a large number of titles this year as well. "As for Laguna, our output will neither fall behind nor exceed our usual volume of around 50 titles. There will be a few capital editions, as well as works by popular international writers. At the next Book Fair, Laguna recommends the latest book by Physicist Stephen Hawking as a must read."• CorD | Septrmber 2005

Sport

EUROBASKET 2005:

EVENT OF THE YEAR Due to their calibre and home-field advantage, SCG have been declared as favourites for this month's European Basketball Championships. However, if the hosts are to prove successful they will have to brush aside reigning champions Lithuania, last time's runners-up Spain - who are perhaps weakened by the loss of Gasol, a success-hungry Italian outfit, and favourite dark horses Slovenia.

Belgrade Arena By Todor Milenkovic, Photo Mirjana Kotlaja

he Serbia & Montenegro cities of Belgrade, Novi Sad, Podgorica and Vrsac are to host the world's biggest international team sports event of the year this month: The 34th European basketball championships - EuroBasket 2005. EuroBasket 2005 will provide the answers to many questions of interest to fans of basketball: Such as, will the SCG representative team show that the past two fruitless years were only a passing phase of weakness; will Lithuania manage to successfully defend their title against Europe's strongest basketball nations; how will Spain perform without Paul Gasol; is Italian head coach Carlo Recalcati ready for another pleasant surprise; can Slovenia finally convert its undeniable potential into a medal? Belgrade, incontrovertibly, has proven the greatest basketball stage in Europe this year, having hosted the junior European Basketball Championships and Aleksandar "Sasa" Djordjevic's globally-watched testimonial match. The pinnacle of the season will take the form of the senior EuroBasket tournament, to be

CorD | September 2005

staged between 15th and 25th September. As mentioned, the group stages will take place in the Serbian cities of Belgrade and Vrsac, Vojvodina's capital, Novi Sad, and Montenegro's capital, Podgorica. The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will all be played in the newly constructed Belgrade Arena - one of the most modern indoor sports halls in Europe. The fact that basketball pundits and players across Europe are announcing SCG as the most serious candidate for gold is perhaps a courtesy to the home nation, or maybe even a tactic aimed at handicapping the hosts. In actuality, the SCG Basketball team has never won an international honour, because the last gold medal for the 'Blues', which came at the last World Championships in Indianapolis, was won by the then FR Yugoslavia. Nevertheless, the current team comprises mostly the same players, with some notable exceptions - Vlade Divac will not be playing: he announced his international retirement after Indianapolis and announced his club retirement more recently. Successful head coach Zelimir Obradovic - who secured no

Sport fewer than four medals for the national team between 1996 and 1999 - won't be leading the team after experiencing his worst coaching year last year: 11th position for the national team at the Athens Olympics - the country's worst ever result. Media stories heralding the domestic representative team as "the other Dream Team" have cost SCG's representatives dearly over the past five or six years. Two years ago the team was seriously "infected by the NBA virus", with the best players declining to represent their country in favour of their clubs. This led to the SCG national team finishing a poor 6th at the European Championships in Stockholm. Results have shown that the U.S. and SCG can no longer afford to be complacent, and can only hope to have a chance of winning if they field their strongest teams. However, it appears as though SCG will be unable to count on this being the case this time around. It has become obvious that the NBA has significantly changed some of the criteria relevant to European basketball, as well as the priorities of the top European stars, such as Gasol, Stojakovic, Novicki and Jasekevicijus. The SCG representative team has comprised two contrasting groups of players in recent years - Europe-based and NBA-based both with different training and playing techniques. Prior to the commencement of preparations for EuroBasket, the NBA group had spent the past three and a half months (since 15th April) without a competitive match, while the European leaguers were still

With so many world class players bowing out of the SCG international team, the tournament will see the latest crop of young players vying for a regular place in the SCG team of the future. The young guns that are almost certain to get their chance are Cleveland's Pavlovic, Milicic (Detroit), Cabarkapa (Pheonix) and Perovic (Partizan). playing competitively up until the end of June. Despite the stay-away trend of NBA stars, SCG team manager Zarko Paspalj received confirmation this spring that all U.S.based players (with the exception of Divac) would turn up for representative preparations. However, the invaluable contribution of Sacramento's Predrag Stojakovic remains in doubt. Last summer, then head coach Obradovic was unwilling to count on Stojakovic because the NBA star failed to turn up for initial preparations. After a lengthy absence, Clippers centre Zeljko Rebraca is expected to play. Alongside Dejan Bodiroga, Rebraca proved to be a key asset in the 1998 Athens final against Russia. Problems facing the SCG team include that fact that Klimamio's Milos Vujanic will be unavailable due to a knee injury; the retirements of Aleksandar Djordjevic and Sasa Obradovic leave the team without a classic playmaker, although Vujanic, Jaric and Rakocevic could prove sufficient replacements. Judging by last season's favoured line-up, the starting five are likely to be Rakocevic (Jaric), Bodiroga, Stojakovic, Radmanovic and Rebraca (Krstic). This summer's tournament will provide Bodiroga's farewell to international representation, while New Jersey's Nenad Krstic will be provided with the opportunity to shine following his excellent form in the NBA. With so many world class players bowing out of the SCG international team, the tournament will see the latest crop of young players vying for a regular place in the SCG team of the future. The young guns that are almost certain to get their chance are Cleveland's Pavlovic, Milicic (Detroit), Cabarkapa (Pheonix) and Perovic (Partizan).

Dejan Bodiroga BELGRADE: THE HOST WITH THE MOST EuroBasket 2005 will see Belgrade become the first city to be entrusted with staging three European championship tournaments. To date, a number of cities have hosted the continental tournament twice, including Geneva - 1935, '46; Prague - 1947, '81; Paris 1951, '99; Moscow - 1953, '65; Istanbul - 1959, '01; Athens 1987, '95 and Barcelona - 1973, '97. When Belgrade first hosted the tournament back in 1961 the games were all played in hall 1 of Belgrade Fair. The final that year was between the hosts and the USSR. The Russians secured victory 60 - 53 in front of more than 12,000 spectators - a record attendance in the region until very recently. That year also saw Yugoslavia secure their first international medal. The second time Belgrade played host to the European Championships was in 1975. That year Yugoslavia defended a gold medal for the first time, having won the preceding championship in Barcelona two years earlier. The 1975 final was played in 'Pioneer Hall', again between Yugoslavia and Russia. However, this time the hosts secured victory by 90 to 84. This year's event is sure to see new records of attendance set. The final stages will be played in the newly constructed 20,000-capacity Belgrade Arena. Construction of the arena began more than a decade ago, but was postponed after Belgrade lost the right to host the 1994 World Championships because of the wars. CorD | September 2005

Sport GROUPS A GROUP

B GROUP

C GROUP

D GROUP

(Vrsac)

(Podgorica)

(Belgrade)

(Novi Sad)

Russia

Croatia

Slovenia

Latvia

Germany

Turkey

France

SCG

Italy

Lithuania

Greece

Spain

Ukraine

Bulgaria

BiH

Dejan Milojevic, widely perceived as Partizan's best player, has been ruled out of international contention on numerous occasions due to recurring injuries, but this time he is closer than ever to proving his worth on the international scene. Meanwhile, Panathinaikos' Vlado Scepanovic has already been heralded as the future of the SCG back position. Over the course of the past two years, the best basketball in the world has been played by the Lithuanians, regardless of their slight disappointment at the Athens Olympics. It remains to be seen whether or not Jasikevichijus will take to the field. However, regardless of their top star's match fitness, Lithuania will be determined to defend the title they secured in Stockholm. Lithuanian

Top shooters will be crucial 64

CorD | September 2005

Coach Sireika has managed to mould a solid nucleus for his team, based around Jasikevichijus, Macijauskas, Lavrinovich, Songaila, Zukauskas, Shishpkaukas and Stombergas. The strength of these seven players ensures that any fringe player will find it hard to break in to the Lithuanian outfit. Lithuania undoubtedly boasts the best shooters in the world today, and it appears as though this is set to continue - with the under 21 European Championship in Chehov, Russia, confirming that Lithuania's next generation, personified by Ruikis, Macijulis and Seibutis, are following in the footsteps of the senior team. European runners-up, Spain, will be hampered by the unavailability of key players Navaro, Gasol and giant Duenas. As a result of these losses, Spanish selector, Mario Pesquera, has opted to fundamentally change his team's playing style. With the exception of Germany, no team relies on a single star player to the same extent as Spain. However, Spain's reliance on Gasol is understandable because he is no ordinary player: two markers must constantly monitor Gasol's movements, which leaves space for Gasol's team-mates to manoeuvre. Gasol's absence will mean that the likes of Navaro, Calderon and Rodriguez will have to exert even more effort to find good shooting positions. The lack of Gasol and Duenjas could well provide the opportunity for Fran Vaskez, who was picked by Orlando on the 11th round of the last draft. In contrast to Pesquera, Italian head coach Carlo Recalcati does not have a selection headache for the EuroBasket tournament. Recalcati has grown accustomed to achieving success without relying on a 'star' and, following Italy's bronze medal success at Stockholm in 2003 and silver medal at the Athens Olympics, Recalcati will be looking to see his players climb the winnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pedestal in SCG. The Italian line-up is well established and the players are accustomed to playing with one another, having been together for a long time. During this summer's testimonial farewell games for Jurij Zdvoc in Ljubljana and Aleksandar 'Sasa' Djordjevic in Belgrade, many famous faces of European basketball suggested that the best long-shot bet would be on Slovenia. Lithuanian star Sharunas Jasikevicijus even went so far as to suggest that Slovenia would make the final. Slovenia's representatives are confident that finally, after years of disappointment, they will achieve more than an 'also ran' result. Many of Slovenia's top players initially reacted to the appointment of head coach Ales Pipan by announcing that they would not make themselves available for selection. However, Pipan managed to convince them to change their minds by explaining that the event is of great importance to Slovenia. Slovenia boasts some big names in the game, with two NBA champion winners in San Antonio Spurs' stars Radoslav Nesterovic and Beno Udrih. Other accomplished Slovenian competitors include Becirovic (Varese), Lakovich (Panathinaikos), Milich (Skavolini), Brezec (Charlotte Hornets), Nahbar (New Orleans), et al. Medal hopes are also alive for a few other competing nations. Primarily, France will be looking for a medal, with Tony Parker looking to make amends after being the chief culprit that saw France miss out on a medal in Stockholm by a hair's breadth. Germany's hopes are greatly dependent on whether or not Nowitcski will be available to play, while Turkey's chances are boosted by the experience of head coach Bogdan Tanjevic, who has previously secured gold medals as coach of Yugoslavia and Italy. Should Turkey win the tournament, Tanjevic will become the first coach to win major tournaments with three different nations. The hopes of Croatian coach Neven Spahija have been helped by an increasing number of confirmations of availability by the country's top players, while Greece will also be looking to make amends for poor performances in recent years.â&#x20AC;˘

Sport By Vladimir Stankovic

The unprecedented success of junior and senior SCG sporting representatives this summer has raised the question of whether their success can be attributed to the state, the system, genetic talent, or ambitious parents who invest heavily in their children.

hen it comes to SCG's sporting success, the pondering adage about the chicken or the egg could be replaced by one about the talent or the system, genetics or coaches, parents or the state - which came first and, thus, which can take the credit? Compromise-minded people would say that the results of summer 2005 are a result of a combination of all these factors and, besides, sports fans are not really interested in why sporting competitors are successful. The only important thing to them is that they are winning, that they have something to cheer about and that, wherever they are - on the terraces, in the arenas, poolside or in front of their televisions - they are getting an emotional outlet. Good results at the highest levels of first class sports are like perpetual motion: successes increase interest - after every water polo, basketball or volleyball gold medal, more and more kids demand that their parents enrol them immediately in the nearest club - and the tradition of national television to broadcast the welcoming home of medal winners satisfies the necessary dosage of patriotism and national pride, coupled with the conviction that, as a state and a society, we are better than we actually are. It is often said that a nation's success in sport reflects success in society. However, SCG - a country with a failing economy, worrying unemployment figures, constantly rising inflation and a general shortage of funds - made unprecedented sporting successes in the summer of 2005 that do not seem to go hand-in-hand with the state of the country. Still, if everything was ideal and money was flowing into the state, we would have nothing to discuss. This subject only arises because it is not normal for a country such as Serbia & Montenegro to have a sporting scene that is (much, much) better than the state itself. A decade ago there were also great successes for the country, but analysts at that time were inclined to believe that this was a consequence of the old system of the former Yugoslavia - as

though all the great team sport players had been groomed at the end of the '80s and all arenas and facilities had been built in the "disreputable" communist era. Later, when successes continued during the Milosevic regime, the same analysts argued that the nation state was making sure it had ample funding for sport to counter the "black chronicles" of the world press and "contradict" the front pages of leading world newspapers at a time when it was all but impossible to find a positive word about Serbia and the Serbian people. Stories of well-directed 'welcomes' in front of Parliament or the sending of regime planes to carry European Champions home, became Milosevic-era folklore. However, it should be noted that the medal-happy nation was prepared to take part in all of that without wondering if it had been subjected to political manipulation. Nowadays things are different. The country ushered in a different political system in October 2000 and we are now learning all about democracy, albeit slowly because we are rather backwards. However, nothing so significant seems to have happened to explain the current sporting "boom". And it is indeed a boom…and not just in team sports, where we have always been strong, but also in individual sports and sports at which we have traditionally not performed. Medals, even gold ones, have been won in rowing! There has been progress in athletics, bowling, the aristocratic sport of tennis (this year we had two male and two female players ranked in the World's top 20). Even in the permanently problematic football there has been forward movement: the juniors reached the semi-finals in the European Championships in Northern Ireland and the seniors are progressing well on their road to qualification for next summer's World Cup in Germany. Going into the Mediterranean Games in Almeria, Spain, we were hoping to pick up at least 20 medals…we won 32! Five medals were won by our competitors in the Student Games in Izmir, Turkey, despite many of the competitors who travelled to Turkey being only third or fourth best nationally in their respective sports. An even younger generation is also proving it can compete. Juniors, both male and female, repeated the successes of their predecessors in basketball, with the junior-cadets securing bronze, the junior males winning gold and the junior females rising to second in the world. Volleyball representatives have also proved successful, with the females beginning to catch up with the successful males by qualifyCorD | September 2005

"THE GOLDEN YEAR"

Sport KARATE Junior/Cadet European Championships: Thessalonica, Greece, 11-13 February Maja Jovanovic (53 kg): Almir Ceculjanin (80 kg): Ninko Vojinovic (75 kg):

Gold Bronze Bronze

Words Games: Duisburg, Germany, July Snezzana Perich (60 kg):

Gold

FENCING World Cup, Gothenburg, 5-6. February Smiljka Rodich (sword):

Silver

SHOOTING Junior/Senior Eurochamp: Talin, 2-6 March: Junior female squad: air rifle (Z. Arunovic, J. Rula, J. Grgic):

Bronze

World Cup: Fort Bening, USA, 14-20 May Jasna Sekaric, air rifle:

Silver

World Cup: Munich, 6-12 June Jasna Sekaric, SC Pistol:

Gold

NOTE: Sekaric also achieved the Olympic quota, and won silver in the air rifle event European Championship: Kovilovo, July Jasna Sekaric, SC pistol:

Gold

Junior female squad SC rifle, lying position 60 bullets (Ivana Scepinski, Andrea Arsovic, Jelena Zivkovic):

Gold

Senior male national squad SC pistol, 50 metres (Andrija Zlatic, Dimitrije Grgic, Damir Mikec): Junior Jelena Zivkovic, SC rifle, 60 bullets:

Bronze Bronze

BOWLING Junior World Championship: Nahoda, Czech Republic, 16-20 May Pair Jelena Majstorovic-Jelena Andjelkovic: Gold Single, combination, Jelena Majstorovic, Uros Ramic, Vilmos Zavarko and male pair Zavarko-Gavra Cosic: (plus 3 silvers/3 bronzes) Senior World Championship: Novi Sad, SCG, 27 May - 5 June Arpad Antal, single:

Gold

WATER POLO World Championships: Montreal, August 2005 World League Final: Belgrade, 11-14 August Student Games (univerzijada): Izmir, Turkey

Gold Gold Gold

ROWING Young Juniors World Championship: Amsterdam, July Iva Obradovic (skiff): Goran Todorovic, Jovan Popovic, Goran Jagar and Cedomir Nikitovic (fours):

Gold Gold

ATHLETICS Junior European Championships: Kaunas, Lithuania, July Dusan Markesivic (5,000m): Azra Eminovic (1,500m):

CorD | September 2005

Silver Bronze

ing for the world championships. All this was going on while the SCG Olympic Committee continued to fight for power. Aleksandar Sostar, famous former water polo goalkeeper and current Director of the Serbian Sport Department, does not want to exaggerate the role of the state in these good results, but nor does he want this role to be underestimated. "It is difficult to measure precisely how great the contribution is. Everything influences and everybody is responsible for the results", Sostar told CorD, continuing: "the state determines direction, organises planning, establishes priorities…the Republic of Serbia invests a great deal in sport, though it is still far below what is needed. Nevertheless, I don't think there has ever been as much funding set aside from the state treasury as there is now." Explaining the itemisation of state funding, Sostar said "the state directly finances sporting federation programmes with around 280million dinars. It pays for around 30,000 days of accommodation in various camps and preparatory training with another 45million dinars, as well as funding 357 sporting scholarships at a cost of 80million dinars. This total of just over 400million dinars is, of course, less than is offered by some surrounding states, but that is our reality". Noting that funding is limited, Sostar insisted that "sporting federations have to work and generate their own profits. It is no surprise that the best results were achieved by those federations

Maljkovic: "I agree that those coaching young players nowadays are mostly unknown trainers, but we were also unknown when we started. Coaches can always find a way to get ahead and transfer knowledge to talented youngsters". which understand that and have reorganised themselves to provide their own funds. In my opinion it's not good for sporting federations to survive solely on state funding. In the UK, for instance, the government limits funding to 50 per cent of the total, with the logic that if funding in excess of 50 per cent is provided then the state, in a way, becomes the owner and the federation in question loses its independence…marketing is key to fulfilling their needs…" Supporting the theory that pure talent is the greatest contributor to success, famous basketball coach Bozidar Maljkovic thinks that sporting prowess is 80 per cent genetics. "That is the famous 'Dinaric' build of man - particularly prevalent in Dalmatia, Herzegovina and Montenegro. When I go to Podgorica, for instance, I am relatively short, despite being 188cm (6ft 2)", said Maljkovic. The Real Madrid coach believes that the second important factor is the abundance of talented coaches on the Balkans. Opposing the idea that the constant 'brain drain' of top domestic sporting experts will have a major negative impact on SCG sport, Maljkovic said: "I agree that those coaching young players nowadays are mostly unknown trainers, but we were also unknown when we started. Coaches can always find a way to get ahead and transfer their knowledge to talented youngsters". Still, it is genetics that he feels is the strongest factor, at least in basketball: "there has never been a strong basketball centre in southern Serbia because there are no tall boys like those in Montenegro, Dalmatia and Herzegovina. When I go to Jugoplastika I find around 12 boys over two-metres tall in the junior squad. You could send the best coaches to southern Serbia or Andalusia, but they would not achieve any great results because of genetics". As a coach who learnt a great deal from Serbian basketball's coaching giants - Aca Petrovic and Ranko Zeravica - Maljkovic is qualified to say that the tradition of verbally passing on knowledge is a characteristic of SCG's experts: "there are very few books and

Sport

Montreal gold: Serbia & Montenegro Waterpolo team WRESTLING Junior World Championships: Vilnius, Lithuania, July Davor Stefanek (60 kg):

Gold

European Championship: Tirana, Albania, July Aleksandar Maksimovic (74 kg):

Bronze

TABLE TENNIS

"THE GOLDEN YEAR"

it is very difficult to learn as much from them as is possible from practical practise. "Aca Nikolic, who I consider as being the Patriarch of Serbian basketball, was a coaching genius. However, he didn't leave much behind because he spent many years abroad. Ranko Zeravica was basketball's Dositej Obradovic [celebrated 18th century novelist]. Zeravica was a real educator. He visited town and villages promoting basketball and searching for fresh talent. Nikolic and Zeravica were the founding fathers of the famous Serbian Coaching School, which has dominated Europe for decades", said Maljkovic. The third most important factor for Maljkovic is sporting education. "I have worked in Spain, Greece and France. I know what the situation is like in other countries, and I claim that our sport education is for Spartans. If our kids miss a shot against their rival they daren't go home, because their fathers will scold them for missing! It's simply not like that elsewhere in the world. In Spain, for instance, a coach would just say "No pasa nada" (it doesn't matter) or "Ca n'est pas grave" (it's ok), while our poor players can't sleep for nights after that miss. That is cruel, but it is the truth and only in that way can you gain the winning mentality and learn that the most important thing is to win, not just to participate." Maljkovic spoke next of competitiveness and sheer endurance, noting that the leagues and competitions in Serbia & Montenegro are unique: "Competitions. There is nowhere else in the world, in all sports, like in our country. In a full season, 200 basketball matches, in all categories, take place in Belgrade every weekend. The competitive moment is of exceptional significance in creating the player, firstly on the mental plane. Emir Kusturica recently told me that 400 concerts of all kinds take place every weekend in Paris. Because of that Paris is a city of art and Belgrade, with its 200 matches, is undoubtedly the city of basketball. Those 200 matches are our concerts." In conclusion, Maljkovic said of the nation's basketball successes: "when we add up all the factors: the early specialisation, the untypical nature of our players, who are nurtured in the soul of our nation and desire to do whatever it takes to win - to outwit, cheat or trick their opponents - we get what we haveâ&#x20AC;ŚBasketball is a sport of tricks and, as such, we are the masters". Regardless of which sport yields medals for the nation, the public are enjoying this "golden summer" of SCG sport, and the belief is that more success will be forthcoming in the senior volleyball championships and the European basketball championships EuroBasket 2005, to culminate in the magnificent Belgrade Arena. As for who can claim the credit for such unprecedented success: you can draw your own conclusions.â&#x20AC;˘

Junior/Cadet European championships: Prague, Czech Republic, July Female cadet national squad (Monika Molnar, Andrea Todorovich, Blanka Barna and Marija Galonja): Cadet pair Marko Petakov and Bojan Crepulja: Monika Molnar and Blanka Barna, pair: Junior Gabriela Feher, in a pair with Hungarian Pergel:

Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze

VOLLEYBALL World League, Belgrade, June: Junior World Championships: Antalija, Turkey, Aug:

Silver Silver

BASKETBALL Junior European League (under 21s): Cehov, Russia, July Junior European Championships: Belgrade, July Junior female World Championships: Tunis, July Junior female Eurochamp: Budapest, Hungary, Aug, Student Games (Univerzijada): Izmir, Turkey, Aug Male squad: Female squad:

Bronze Gold Silver Gold Bronze Silver

HANDBALL World Championship for cadets: Qatar, August Junior European Championships: Hungary, Aug

Gold

MEDITERRANEAN GAMES Almeria, Spain, July - Total medal haul: 32 Gold (x8) Silver (x9) Bronze (x15) STUDENT GAMES (Univerzijada) Izmir, Turkey, August - Total medal haul: 5 Gold (x1) Silver (x3) Bronze (x1)

CorD | September 2005

Faces & Places Serbian President Boris Tadic and Austrian President Heinz Fischer, pictured on 18th July during a trip to Serbia's Mokra Gora on the Sargan Eight tourist train.

H.E. Michael Polt, U.S. Ambassador to SCG, greets Serbian PM Kostunica during the traditional 4th July celebration of America's Independence Day at the U.S Ambassadorial residence.

H.E. David Gowen, British Ambassador to SCG, raises the flag of the European Union in a ceremony at the British Embassy in Belgrade marking the commencement of Great Britain's 6-month presidency of the EU.

Indian Ambassador to SCG, H.E. Lavanya Prasad, welcomes guests to the celebration of the 58th Anniversary of India's independence on 15th August.

H.E. Hugues Perent, French Ambassador to SCG, welcomes deputy Serbian PM Miroljub Labus to the 14th July reception held to mark France's national holidays.

CorD | September 2005

Faces & Places Serbian Economy Minister, Predrag Bubalo, and German Ambassador to SCG, H.E. Andreas Zobel, pictured this summer at the groundbreaking ceremony of the latest wholesale 'Cash & Carry' outlet of the international Metro chain.

Outgoing Bulgarian Ambassador to SCG, H.E. Dr. Yani Milchakov, and Mrs Daniela Milchakova, welcome SCG Defence Minister Prvoslav Davinic to the 21st July reception held to bid a fond farewell to Ambassador Milchakov.

H.E. Donald P. McLennan, Ambassador of Canada to SCG, and Mrs McLennan, welcome guests to the 1st July reception held on the occasion of Canada Day 2005.

H.E. Ryuichi Tanabe, Japanese Ambassador to SCG, pictured in the Serbian Government building during an 11th August press conference to announce a â&#x201A;Ź72,000 donation of the Government of Japan to the Kragujevac Health Authority, Dom zdravlja.

A model takes to the catwalk of the Italian Embassy at this summer's high fashion selection review, jointly organised by Fashion Agency Fabrika and Belgrade's Italian Embassy. CorD | September 2005

Faces & Places H.E. Yaffa Ben-Ari, Israeli Ambassador to SCG, pictured (centre) at the 15th meeting of the Israeli Business Forum in Belgrade's Hyatt Regency Hotel on 26th July.

Mr. Choi Ihl-Song, general director for Europe within the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pictured addressing Belgrade's press during a visit to Serbia this summer. The senior Korean official visited Belgrade to confirm the details of a $200,000 donation to SCG by the Korean Republic. The donation was used to purchase computers and technical equipment for the SCG Foreign Ministry and the Republic of Serbia's Ministry for Sport and Education.

U.S. State Department Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, Pierre-Richard Prosper, pictured on 25th August addressing local press after visiting Belgrade's Special War Crimes Court and speaking to war crimes prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic.

Davorin Senicar, Charge d' Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Belgrade, welcomes H.E. Josep M. Lloveras, head of the EU delegation to SCG, to a reception marking Slovenian National Day and Army Day.

H.E. Ladjuris, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to SCG, and Mrs Fera Ladjuris, pictured during the 23rd August reception marking the 60th anniversary of the Republic's independence.

CorD | September 2005

Faces & Places Portuguese Defence Minister, Luis Amado, pictured in relaxed mood with SCG Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic during the Portuguese official's visit to Belgrade on 25th July.

Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic addresses members and friends of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Serbia & Montenegro) at one of the organisation's regular monthly working lunches this summer.

Deputy Mayor of Belgrade, Radmila Hrustanovic, pictured with a delegation of Banja Luka's Zmijanje society on 26th August. The Society members were in Belgrade for the 40th "Kocicevog zbora" (Kocicev's gathering), which was simultaneously held in Banja Luka, Belgrade and Zmijanje from the 22nd to 28th August.

SCG Minister for International Economic Relations, Predrag Ivanovic, pictured alongside Japan's ambassador to the state union, H.E. Ryuichi Tanabe, at a 7th July press conference to announce Japanese assistance in the constructing of 300 flats to house invalid war veterans.

Newly Accredited H.E. Christos Panagopoulos, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Hellenic Republic of Greece Ambassador Panagopoulos was born in 1954 in Kalamata, Greece. A married father of two, the new Greek ambassador to SCG obtained a law degree from the University of Athens, before completing his studies in the U.S., where he acquired a Master's Degree in International Law from Boston's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Beginning his diplomatic career in 1978 as AttachĂŠ of the Embassy, he was promoted to the rank of Third Secretary in 1980, before assuming the post of Head of Consular Affairs at the Greek Embassy in Ankara in 1981. After serving the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Boston, Cyprus and Los Angeles, the former member of the Greek junior representative water polo team was awarded his first ambassadorship in 2000, when he became the Ambassador of Greece to the Republic of Cyprus. Ambassador Panagopoulos has been decorated with the honours of Grand Commander of the Order of Phoenix of the Hellenic Republic and Grand Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Cyprus. He speaks English, French and Spanish and is married to Julie Lymberopoul os-Panagopoulos.â&#x20AC;˘

CorD | September 2005

Travel & Tourism

SERBIAN

The weekend is coming and you have yet to decide how to spend it. For some time you have been planning a short adventure around Serbia, but you can never make your mind up what to see or where to go. Never fear, the Serbian Tourist Organisation is there to help you optimally utilise your free time. As September is a month full of wine-related activities, CorD and the Serbian Tourist Organisation is taking this opportunity to recommend that you embark upon a journey along the wine routes of Serbia. If you are a lover of fine wine, good food and beautiful nature, we will put you on the right track.

TWO DAY EXCURSION: SMEDEREVO, NEGOTIN & KNJAZEVAC

he historic town of Smederevo, once the medieval capital of Serbia, is just a 55km drive from Belgrade, via Grocka on the E75 international road towards Nis. The most prominent grapes in this vineyard area are of the Smederevka type - a grape cultivated in the Smederevo region since ancient times and named after the town around which it is cultivated the most. A tour of Smederevo should commence at the 19th century church of St. George. Smederevo's grand 15th century fortress covers an area of 10.5 hectares and is in the shape of an irregular triangle. It boasts some 25 towers. The next stop on the tour would be Karadjordje's mulberry tree, which dates back to the time of the First Serbian Uprising.

CorD | September 2005

Wine route

Post Code (11300 Smederevo)

Area code: (026)

Godomin

Godominska 1

650 873

Mali podrum (Small cellar) Radovanovic

Dositejeva 10, Krnjevo

821 085

Podrum (Cellar) Gitaric (producer of Smederevka wine)

Dobri Do village

742 174

Travel & Tourism

WINE ROUTES In the centre of Smederevo one can lunch in the beautiful grounds of the Grand Perper Restaurant (tel: 026 614 671). Alternatively, one can travel five kilometres from the centre of the city and dine at the Brvnara (log cabin) Ethnic Restaurant (tel: 026 617 064) beside the River Danube in Smederevo's Jugovo recreational resort. Another highly recommended eatery is the excellent Mikaeli Restaurant (tel: 026 223 428/2398 622), located on the very bank of the Danube along Beogradski put (Belgrade Road). For a restaurant with entertainment for the children, one should visit the Top (Cannon) Restaurant in Smederevo fortress. This restaurant boasts a horse farm and riding school for children. Events of the month: 23rd - 25th September, Smederevo Autumn - Event dedicated to grape picking and wine making. Useful contacts: Tourist organisation of Smederevo Municipality Karadjordjeva 5-7, 11300 Smederevo phone: 026/222 952, e-mail: toosd@sezampro.yu Museum of Smederevo Omladinska 4, phone: 026/222 138 Working hours: 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday Mali grad (Small town), the Fortress phone: 026/224 046 Working hours: Monday to Sunday, 8am to 7pm. After leaving Smederevo, one can journey 250km on to Negotin, via Golubac and Donji Milanovac. Golubac, one of the most well preserved medieval towns anywhere in Serbia, was constructed early in the 14th century on an outcrop of high rock along the banks of the Danube at the entrance to Djerdapska Gorge. Between Golubac and Donji Milanovac lies the Djerdap National Park, which covers an area of some 63,680 hectares. The main feature of the park is the grand Djerdapska Gorge the longest and deepest breakthrough gorge in Europe. Upon arrival in Negotin, one will find an historic town and rich wine-producing area, famous for housing the first agricultural school in Serbia. Negotin's Rajacke pimnice is a unique architectural complex of 270 wine cellars, which were constructed between the mid-18th century and the 1930s. Whilst in Negotin, a must-see is the Church of the Birth of the Holy Mother (Crkva rodjenja presvete Bogorodice), which dates back to 1803 and is the oldest standing cultural monument in Negotin. Other interesting landmarks include the 18th century Baba Finka Turkish fortification, housing the powder magazine of the well-known Hajduk Veljko; the 19th century castle of Knez Todorce, which includes the house of famous Serbian composer Stevan Mokranjac. The old city's heart is an extremely attractive quarter, as is the Museum of Krajina, encompassing Negotin's Archaeological Museum. As if that wasn't enough, the region also boasts some pearls of historical architecture in the 19th century Bukovo Monastery and 9th century Vratna Monastery, as well as the ancient Sarkamen site 13km from Negotin, which is believed to date back to the 3rd century A.D.

Wine route

Address/post code

Vinarija (Winery) Vukasinovic(produces wine coupled with Vranac, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Rajac Village, 19300 Negotin Within the winery there is a very attractive reception room able to cater for around fifteen people)

Area code: (019)

063/250 080

Vino Grad (Wine Town)(produces Red Burgundy, Game, Cabernet Sauvignon, Italian Riesling and Chardonnay)

Rogljevo Village, 19300 Negotin

541 120

Podrum (Cellar) Ivanovic(produces Bahus wine by combining Game, Burgundy, spicy Red Burgundy and Semion)

Smedovac, Rogljevo, 19300 Negotin

532 728

Podrum (Cellar) Bogdanovic

Rajac Village, 19300 Negotin

422 867, 531 724

CorD | September 2005

Travel & Tourism Around Negotin there are also the hunting grounds of Vratna and Alija, each covering 300 hectares, and the 500hectare Deli Jovan hunting grounds. These areas provide fine hunting of fallow deer, mouflon wild sheep and wild boar. Events of the month: 16th - 20th September Mokranjcevi Dani (Days of Mokranjac) - Festival held in memory of the greatest Serbian composer, Stevan Stojanovic Mokranjac. The most famous musicians from Serbia and the former Yugoslav republics will provide guest performances alongside many world-renowned pianists and choirs. The five-day event will also include exhibitions of paintings, book promotions, literary evenings and excursions to Negotinska krajina tourist destinations. Useful contacts: Negotin Dom culture (Negotin Home of Culture) phone: 019/542 255 Negotin Tourist Bureau , phone: 019/542 246 Dom Kulture (Culture Hall) Stevan Mokranjac, phone: 019 543 676, domkult@formanet.co.yu

traditional Serbian wine cellar

Accommodation

Post code (19300 Negotin)

Konaciste Krajina Srbe Jovanovica bb

Area code: (019) 542 246

Sveti Trifun

Rajacke pimnice

064/ 2162 500

Motel Stojkovic

at HE Djerdap 2

542 853

After exploring Negotin and the surrounding area, one should continue on to Knjazevac, which lies in an area of outstanding natural beauty where ethnic wonders and tradition are entwined with late Roman excavations and monuments. Knjazevac lies in the mountainous region of Eastern Serbia, and today the many wines of the region and inextricably linked to its history and tradition. Knjazevac wines include reds such as Burgundy, Prokupac and Plovdina, and whites such as Smederevka and Italian Riesling. Wine route

Vinograd vineyards, Negotin

Eastern Serbia’s majestic Knjazevac 74

CorD | September 2005

Post Code (19350 Knjaževac)

Vinarija Jovic Oktobarske revolucije 5 (Jovic Winery) Podrum (Cellar) Marka Kraljevica 10 Isakov Podrum (Cellar) 9. brigade 17 Živkovic Podrum (Cellar) Koste Racina 17 Jeremic

Area code: (019) 731 711 731 105 743 149 743 001

Besides Knjazevac itself, other interesting destinations in the area include the excavations of the ancient Roman town of Timacum Minus; the archaeological ethnic park in the nearby village of Ravna, which boasts numerous monuments there are the excavations of the old Roman town of Timacum Minus, and in the nearby village Ravna is archeological-ethic park with numerous monuments and Roman crypts adorned with grape vine engravings; the popular Museum of Viticulture and Wine Making; the Homeland Museum and the unique Museum of Socks - complete with other 1,000 pairs of original woollen socks from Timocka krajina, some of which are 200years-old. One should also make time to visit the 14th century Church of the Holy Mother in the village of Gornja Kamenica. The Knjazevac region also includes the highest peak in Serbia:

Travel & Tourism Restaurants:

Post Code (19350 Knjazevac)

Area Code (019)

Isakov (national cuisine)

Knjaza Milosa 170

732 540

Paris

Branka Radicevica bb

732 602

Milošev konak (national cuisine)

Njegoseva 4

732 103

Barka

Niski put bb

731 222

Mali predah (Short rest)

Mile Julinog 4

739 100

Tresibaba

Knjaza Milosa 67

Vila Katarina

Karadjordjeva bb

Restaurants

Post Code (26300 Vrsac)

Area code (013)

732 240

Restaurant M

Omladinski trg 17

800 158

733 379

Ikar

Podvršanska 146

830 650

Fontana

Trg S.Kovacevica bb

822 556

Arena

City park

821 163

Vrsacka pivnica

Žarka Zrenjanina 4

822

the Midzor peak of Stara planina (Old Mountain). Useful contacts: Tourist organization of Knjazevac Municipality Milosa Obilica 1, 19350 Knjazevac phone:019/731 623

ONE DAY EXCURSION: VRSAC

round 90km from Belgrade, close to the Romanian border, lies the small town of Vrsac. This town, with a population of around 40,000, can be reached from Belgrade by the arterial road M1.9 via Pancevo. Viticulture in the Vrsac is believed to date back to Roman times, although the first written account of Vrsac wine dates back to the 15th century, when, in 1494, wine from the town's vineyards was delivered to the court of King Vladislav II. A tour of Vrsac's vineyards by car last two hours, while a visit to the famous old wine cellar in the village of Gudurica is sure to satisfy your wine-tasting needs. Whilst in Vrsac, one should visit the historic sights of the town, including the 14th century tower of Vrsac, on Vrsac hill; the 18th century Magistrate Town House and Ruler's Court (Vladicanski dvor); the 16th century Mesic Monastery, situated just 10km from the town; the Old Chemists, located on the 18th century steps which also lead to the Museum of St. Nicholas' Cathedral, constructed in 1785, the Roman Catholic Church of St. Gerhard, built in 1863, and the Chapel of St. Cross, constructed in 1720. If you are with children, be sure to visit JAT's pilot school and hangers, complete with the aeroplanes of the pilot school. The school also offers panoramic flights of between 15minutes and an hour. JAT Pilot School, Podvrsanska 146, Phone: 821-185, 822-033. Wine route Vrsacki vinogradi (Vrsac vineyards) Podrum Stojsic (Stojsic Cellar) Podrum Krstov (Krstov Cellar) Vinarija Vinik (Vinik Winery) Podrum Nedin

Besides Vrsac, one should also visit Deliblatska Sands, a unique destination in Europe. Deliblatska Sands is an island of steppe and forest-steppe, characterised by the original mosaic of grass, bush and forest habitats. Natural characteristics and the uniqueness of this region make it appropriate for recreation, hunting and fishing, nautical tourism, and, primarily, ecological tourism. In order to preserve this region, Deliblatska Sands has been proclaimed a Special Natural Reservation.

Address (26300 Vrsac)

telephone: (013)

Svetosavski trg 1

822 835

Studenacka 11

818 521

Veliko Srediste

839 866

Novosadska 1

834 169

Gortanova 22, village Gudurica

881 076

Event of the Month: 30th September - 2nd October Grape picking - Traditional celebration of rich winegrowers, wine balls and festivities, with rich cultural-artistic, sports and entertaining happenings. Useful contacts: Municipal Assembly, Cultural Centre and Tourist Association of the Municipality of Vrsac, phone: 013 822 554 Tourist Association of Vrsac, Trg Pobede 1, 26300 Vršac phone: 822 554, kontakt@to.vrsac.com, www.to.vrsac.com

TOURIST AGENCIES PAN EUROPA ADRIATIC Belgrade, 29. Novembar 33 (Bulevar Despota Stefana 33) Phone - fax 011 3242-187 011 3033-938 011 3033-948 E mail: adriatic@infosky.net website: www.adriatic.co.yu Magelan Corporation 21000 Novi Sad, Zmaj Jovina 23 Phone - fax

021 420 680 021 423 524 website: www.magelancorp.co.yu

Globe Metropolitan Tours Belgrade, Dositejeva 26, phone: fax:

011 2622620, 011 2181181 011 2622620

CorD | September 2005

Culture Throughout the summer, it must be tranquil in the hills just south of Cacak, with farmers tending to their crops, cattle grazing in the fields, pigs eating plentifully at their troughs, and life generally moving forward at the pace it has been for hundreds of years in this beautiful and peaceful area of Serbia. Then the pigs start to get nervous. Perhaps, as they get fatter, they instinctively know that their feeders are not so benevolent in their offering of care. Or it could be the practicing trumpets they hear coming over the hills. Or maybe they're ill at ease from the rumbling of lorry loads of beer barrels descending upon the village of Guca. Nevertheless, life is about to turn strange for all inhabitants of these hills.

GUCA GOES OFF Text and Pictures by Alex Papke

Southern Serbian style, which is also associated with the Roma community, and the Western Serbian style, which is slower, more melodic and melancholic in nature. And while the trumpet orchestras, consisting of several trumpets and combinations of baritones and other lower brass instruments and a bass drum, are mainstays at local festivals and weddings, Guca is the pilgrimage event for followers of the music and the place where newcomers are most likely to be infected by the trumpet's force and energy. The competition held in the local football stadium can hard-

ife is becoming strange because, since 1961, in the first week of August, the village of Guca plays host to the Dragecevo Trumpet Festival, which gathers over 300,000 revellers every year. Now if you haven't heard of 'Guca' (colloquially, the festival assumes the village's name, Dragecevo refers to the district), no magazine or newspaper article can properly prepare you for the extreme party that occurs around the competition to determine the best trumpet players and orchestras in Serbia, or as In the end, Guca is remembered in a hangover that some locals like to say, "in the world." c an only be produced by that many trumpets and that Here in Serbia the trumpet and trumpeter are highly revered. Having been introduced to the country in much beer. It's also a window into the way Serbs do the early 1800's as a military device to summon, rally things, not in a muted way, but loud and in your face. and lead the troops into battle against the Turks, the trumpet's upbringing and development was not a delicate one, ly be described as the main act of the week though, because for rather resting troops, who had been trained to use the trumpet's the week the village turns into a big tavern, with restaurants fillgut-inspiring qualities, explored the genre further as they set ing almost every available building and orchestras wandering common folklore and tales to fast, raw and loud trumpet playing through the people and roast pigs, exploding into impromptu that became a respite in the tough life of the soldier. Two styles parties with people dancing on tables as they guzzle beer upon came out of these musings, the more fast-paced and energetic beer and rakija upon rakija.

CorD | September 2005

Culture Jean-Christophe Aujey, from France, who travelled to Serbia for the second year in a row, said that for him, "Guca has become an addiction, because it is such an extreme experience, a non-stop party." He appreciates the festival not just for the music though, but also because it represents something that hasn't been 'westernised' and because it is a place where young and old people mix together, something that he feels doesn't happen enough anymore. Wandering through the village's streets you see that this is true, as bedtimes for the little ones are put on hold so that they can enjoy the festi-

At 6am a water truck is making its way through the town, dislodging debris and cleaning the streets as it makes its way through still thick crowds. Sure, there're a few people who are sleeping in their chairs with half-guzzled beers, but for the most part the bars are running at full steam to keep the people happy and dancing. And there are still trumpet orchestras everywhere, playing on borrowed lips, which, speaking from the point of view of a former trumpet player, I can't believe are still attached to their faces. In the end, Guca is remembered in a hangover that can only

be produced by that many trumpets and that much beer. It's also val along with their parents and grandparents. Andreas Kunna, from Portugal - another of the tens of thou- a window into the way Serbs do things, not in a muted way, but sands of foreigners travelling to Guca, sees another positive loud and in your face. Moreover, it's something that can't be aspect of the festival. "It's better for people to explode this way, explained very easily, because words and pictures can't quite in a musical way, a beer way, a rakija way, than for them to capture the simultaneous exercising of all of one's senses. Maybe explode in a violent way." However, he did point out his distaste Velibor, who declared himself my new best friend over a glass of for the radical elements of Serbia on display, specifically the rakija, has the best handle on the confusion and energy of Guca ubiquitous fugitives whose faces grace t-shirts, calendars and coffee mugs on Here in Serbia the trumpet and trumpeter are highly revered. Having sale in the arts and crafts alley along- been introduced to the country in the early 1800's as a military device side traditional Serbian gifts. Gauging to summon, rally and lead the troops into battle against the Turks, the the opinions of his new Serbian friends, trumpet's upbringing and development was not a delicate one. he says that he thinks they share his feelings, but that they do so quietly. Perhaps one of the vendors when, as if auditioning for the part of public relations manager of who was selling framed pictures of them, along with Tito, Ceca the festival, he described it this way: "What to say about the Guca? Guca is Serbia, Serbia is and Mihailovic, put it best though when he said, "Look, I'm just trying to make some money. I don't really care about these peo- Guca. If you haven't heard about Serbia, you should come to ple." So which ones was he selling the most of? "Ceca's going Guca, and if you haven't heard about Guca, you should come to Serbia, and if you haven't heard about Guca or Serbia, you pretty quick and the foreigners like Tito." Moving away from the beer-hall restaurants and towards the should come to both, because they're in the same place! competition stadium, you start to get a feeling for the fact that When you come to Guca, you go to taverns, clubs, pubs or there are so many people in one place. The midnight competition whatever you call it, and dance on the tables totally drunk, is packed, but so is the road leading to it, and so are the newly and then you will get the point of Serbia and Guca, and rooted discos that are playing a mutant form of trumpet music set everything else and life itself. It's because working is not the to dance tracks at 160 beats per minute. The other feeling you get point of life, the points of life are women for men, men for is one of pure intoxication, both your own and everyone else's, women, alcohol for men, alcohol for some women, and emanating first from the music and second from the alcohol. trumpets for everyone!"â&#x20AC;˘ CorD | September 2005

Banca Intesa Completes 90% Purchase

M-Class blazing a trail for modern SUVs The New M-Class seductively dares to be driven where only skilled climbers would normally take a risk. Although an SUV is brave enough for every off road adventure, the New M-Class has so many sporty characteristics that it will easily cope with those challenging mountain curves you come across on the way back to Cinqueterre. Latest Mercedes technology and design provide exemplary safety, comfort, aesthetic attraction and sheer driving pleasure: the attributes with which the M-Class set standards on its debut in 1997. The M-Class offered what people wanted: a successful mix of innovation and emotion. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength. With this successful recipe, the Mercedes-Benz became the trendsetter for a new market segment that began to boom after this initial impulse and will continue to grow in the future: specialists expect double-digit growth figures in

Strong Results mark Successes Raiffeisen International (Raiffeisen International Bank-Holding AG) has announced strong half-year results, with pre-tax profit up by 58 per cent to €273million - representing an increase of 58 per cent or €100.5million compared to the same period last year - and total Assets growing by 14 per cent to €32.9 billion. The bank's customer base has also considerably grown to 5.7 million. According to other figures provided by IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), Raiffeisen's post-tax profit also grew exponentially, amounting to $221million - 64.3 per cent or €86.6million more than in the first period of 2004. In other Raiffeisen news, the expansion of the

CorD | September 2005

the SUV segment for the coming decade. With the new M-Class, Mercedes-Benz is extremely well positioned to maintain "pole position" on the SUV market. This latest model leaves rivals in its wake thanks to the fact that it is more dynamic, innovative, assured and attractive than ever before. Mercedes engineers have painstakingly developed the successful concept of this 'off-roader' even further, improving its on-road and off-road performance. Mercedes engineers have also redeveloped the front and rear suspension of the M-Class: the double-wishbone front suspension makes a significant contribution to reduced road roar and tyre vibration, ensuring impressive driving dynamics with its raised aluminium wishbones. The new rear axle has a four-link suspension system. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class also sets the pace for other off-roaders in terms of safety. Its occupant protection system is underpinned by a selfsupporting body structure with large deformation zones in the front and rear ends, and a wealth of state-of-the-art technology from the luxury class as standard.•

bank's local business outlet network is also continuing to grow rapidly. A total of 55 new business outlets have been established since year's end 2004, and Raiffeisen now boasts total business outlets of 971, as of the end of June 2005. As a result, the number of staff also increased by 7.7 per cent from 22,851 to 24,616. Raiffeisen International is the steering unit for the subsidiaries of Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG (RZB) in Central and Eastern Europe. Its shares are traded on the Vienna Stock Exchange. RZB owns 70 per cent and the balance is freefloat, including shareholdings of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of about three per cent each. Raiffeisen International operates the leading banking network in CEE, with Network Banks and leasing companies on 16 markets. More than 5.7 million customers are served through more than 970 business outlets.•

Banca Intesa has announced completion of its acquisition of Delta Banka a.d. Belgrade by buying 90% of shares, plus 1 share. The purchase cost a total of €333million and was formally completed on 20th July when the seller's offer was accepted and all elements of the share sale contract had been fulfilled. Another contract was drawn up to regulate the rights of purchase of the remaining 10%, minus 1, shares of Delta Banka. This deal specifies that the seller has the right to sell the remaining shares during the next four-year period. According to balance totals, Delta Banka is ranked second in the SCG State Union. As of year's end 2004, Delta's balance amounted to €691million, with client deposits of €553million, approved loans and credits to clients of €332million and assets worth €114million. The annual net profit of the bank in 2004 totalled €22million. Intesa has also bought a bank with a national network of 144 organisational units organised in 16 regional centres, servicing around 400,000 clients. With this acquisition, Banca Intesa has strengthened its position in central and Eastern Europe in accordance with its strategy adopted by the Business Plan for the period from 2005 to 2007.•

6th Belgrade Women's Race

21st century business city The first specialised business park in Serbia, and the biggest project of its type in the region, is now growing in Omladinskih Brigada Street, New Belgrade - on the site of the old city airport. Indeed, the facades of the first two buildings, containing 18,000m2 of office space, have already begun to take shape. We are bearing witness to rapid construction changes that will fundamentally alter the face and image of New Belgrade, helping it to achieve its full potential of becoming the most important business quarter in Belgrade. The Airport City Belgrade (ACB) project is worth around €120million and covers an area of 12 hectares, comprising 126,000m2 of prestigious, modern, tailored office space. During the planning of ACB, much thought was given to the fact that this area has the comparative advantage of being the best logistical location in Serbia: situated 900 metres from the E-75 highway and a 10-minute drive from Surcin Airport - the most centrally-located international airport in this part of Europe. Moreover, for the people of New Belgrade this development and its supporting facilities including shops, services, restaurants, cafes and a top level hotel - will bring a higher standard of living, as well as boosting property prices in this area of the city. For the local economy and construction companies, ACB is an investment that increases the possibilities of employment and growth. Local companies, such as Ratko Mitrovic, Nissal, Masinoprojekt, etc., are involved in the construction of the park, and every day over 100 local employees work at the location. The concept of the ACB business park is to create "a city inside a city", offering the most modern facilities to its users and guests. But this development is not just about creating the highest concentration of modern business spaces in the country. Rather, the business park complex will provide a comfortable and efficient business space; and the entire complex will be complete with a logistics system, independent telecommunications large parking space and security system that are of growing importance in today's world. The future ACB Centre, the brainchild of architect Rami Wimer - who has spearheaded numerous successful architectural projects in Israel - will appear as an aesthetically-pleasing modern, inviting, green and environmentallyfriendly business space that will provide international business practitioners with the kind of efficiently organised comfortable surroundings that they have come to expect of major capital cities. Members of team building Serbia’s first business park ARE Afrika Israel Corporation - one of the higest ranked private construction companies in Israel.•

The sixth Belgrade Women's Race will take place on Saturday 8th October 2005 at Belgrade's legendary Ada Ciganlija lake...and CorD Magazine is inviting all our female readers to take part in this, the only large-scale event in Belgrade devoted exclusively to women. The event, which will include live music performances by top artists, is once again being organised by the successful team at Belgrade Marathon d.o.o. The 7.7km race around the lake, which sees an average of more than 3,000 women and girls participate every year, is undoubtedly one of Belgrade's top annual sporting events. Upon completion of the course, each competitor will receive a flower and commemorative certificate, as well as selected gifts donated by the organisers and sponsors of the event. Rather than being merely a stroll in the park for fun, Belgrade Women's race is a highly competitive international event, which sees top female racers from across the road travel to the SCG capital to compete in this dynamic competition, which sees valuable awards presented to the fastest three ladies.•

Positive development prompts Stock Split The successful implementation of the OMV Group's growth strategy has seen as a positive development by the capital market. As a result, OMV's share price has increased by 58 per cent since the beginning of 2005 and is, thus, improving the marketability of OMV's shares and increasing liquidity. This has led to a decision on a converted stock split of 10 to 1, which was made on the Vienna Stock Exchange and took effect on 11th July 2005. Consequently, OMV's share price is from now on one tenth of the present share price as of the conversion date. This stock split is free of charge for shareholders, and will take place automatically for those shareholders who keep their shares in a securities account. To facilitate the execution of the stock split, the share capital is increased from the current amount of €218,100,000 to €300,000,000, through corporate funds and without issuing new shares. The 10 to 1 stock split is changing the share capital structure from 30,000,000 no par value shares into 300,000,000 no par value shares issued to bearers. Thus, the nominal value per share is now €1. The corresponding changes to the Articles of Association were recorded in the Commercial Register of the Commercial Court in Vienna on 29th June 2005. Following the stock split, each shareholder owning one no par value share now owns ten no par value shares. Shareholders holding their shares in a securities account at a bank do not need to take any further steps to receive a certificate for the shares and will not incur any charges for the stock split. Shareholders holding physical securities will receive nine additional no par value shares for each no par value share held, and are requested to surrender coupon no.32 at the counter of the Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG, Vordere Zollamtsstraße 13, 1030 Vienna, during normal business hours. The issue is exempt from any charges. The additional shares are certified by a global certificate - no share printout will be provided. Physical securities required for delivery to shareholders will be made available, as far as possible, from the existing inventory of share certificates.•

CorD parent company buys Expat site

Belgrade's Consulting & Marketing Agency (CMA), publisher of CorD, has completed the purchase www.expat.org.yu - the popular website of Serbian non-profit organisation Expat Foundation. According to the Expat Foundation, "this transfer is being performed with the full support of the Expat Foundation management, based on our confidence that CMA's management will continue to successfully fulfil this organisation's mission of "bringing together the international community residing in Belgrade, good corporate citizens operating on the Serbian market and the local Belgrade citizens who seek the support of these communities". In its short and successful development period, Expat has developed partnerships with B92, Executive Group and CorD Magazine, and has attracted such high level advertisers as Hyatt Regency International, Raiffeissen Bank and Harrison Consulting, amongst others. CMA and CorD magazine is delighted to be able to carry on the good work of the Expat Foundation in realising the continuing objectives of helping foreigners enjoy day to day life in Belgrade, promoting good corporate citizenship and Supporting humanitarian and social activities.•

Mumbai Never Closer On 1st September Austrian Airlines introduced direct flights from Vienna to Mumbai (Bombay). With these NEW flights, Austrian Airlines is offering the fastest connections from Belgrade to Mumbai and back, with total flight time on selected days not exceed 10 hours and 30 minutes.

Moreover, in order to celebrate the commencement of operations from Vienna to Mumbai (BOMBAY), Austrian Airlines has prepared a special introductory fare of just €560, plus taxes and TSC. This short-term fair is valid for all departures from Belgrade, before 31st October, with tickets purchased before 17th September. Don't miss this opportunity!!! Mumbai has never been closer!!!•

Crediting Municipalities Vojvodjanska banka a.d. Novi Sad is the first commercial bank in Serbia to facilitate the crediting of municipalities and local self-management. In accordance with the law governing public debt, Vojvodjanska banka is offering short-term credits, to finance shortfalls of running liquidity, and longterm credits for financing or re-financing capital investment expenditure, and profitable or non-profit legal permitted investment programmes. Vojvodjanska's short-term credits are approved with a repayment deadline of 12 months; while longterm credits may be paid over a 60-month period, with an negotiable grace period of up to 12 months. Long-term credits for the investment needs of local self-management bodies are approved on the basis of guaranteed assets provided by the Republic of Serbia, or by local management bodies themselves. Interest rates for these credits are very attractive, with APR determined by the credit model, guarantees and calibre of business cooperation with local self-management. Vojvodjanska banka a.d. Novi Sad is also offering a joint offer for retail clients to end-users of initiated projects, particularly in the utilities field. These include loans for heating installation and distribution, gasification, electrification, water distribution, canalisation, building and asphalting streets. The bank also offers such loan possibilities to municipalities and local self-management bodies. As a reliable financial partner, Vojvodjanska is able to contribute to completing vital projects, as well as contributing to the development of each individual resident of Serbia's municipalities.•

CorD | September 2005

Spalajkovic takes all honours Vuk Spalajkovic made a clean sweep in this summer's Societe Generale sponsored Audi Diplomatic Golf Tournament.

Sales up 3% Toyota sold a total of 516,499 cars between January and June 2005, which equates to three per cent growth compared to the first half 2004, and a one per cent fall in the overall market. Toyota's market share increased by 0.1% amounting to 5.2%. Toyota reached record monthly sales figure in June with 94,466 cars sold - an 18 per cent increase on the same month last year. While Lexus sales in the first half of 2005 decreased slightly by 13,304 (-1%), this luxury brand reached record sales levels in April and May, culminating in June by the record sales level of 2,758 cars (+23% compared to June 2004). In the first half of this year Toyota produced 314,877 automobiles, 278,183 engines and 131,343 gearboxes at its plants in Great Britain, France, Turkey, Poland and the Czech Republic. Toyota is planning to produce 606,000 cars, 511,000 engines and 306,000 gearboxes in Europe in 2005. According to Shinichi Sasaki, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing Europe: "Our exceptionally good results in the first half of 2005 assure us that we'll reach our sales target of 980,000 cars this year in Europe, as well as fulfilling our production plans. "Our customers' trust and the top quality of our products continue to grow, as proven by Toyota's fourth consecutive first place at the German J.D. Power customer satisfaction check-up." The total sales of Corolla (114,235 cars) increased by 10 per cent in the January-June period, compared to the same period last year. Corolla Verso sales grew by 89 per cent, while Land Cruiser sales grew by 14 per cent (25,143 cars). The sales of hybrid Prius - twice announced International Engine of the Year in June - grew by 172 per cent. In the first six months of 2005, Great Britain was Toyota's biggest market in Europe with 73,865 cars sold (equal to the same period last year), followed by Italy (71,705 cars; -5%), Germany (68,361 cars; +8%) and France (46,891 cars; +14%).â&#x20AC;˘

The handicap tournament, which took place at the Belgrade Golf Club (GCB) on 2nd July, saw a number of international representatives take to the fairways of the Ada Ciganlija course. However, it was 35-handicap Spalajkovic who won the three titles of Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin and Overall Winner. The tournament's full results table is as follows: OVERALL WINNER - VUK SPALAJKOVIC LONGEST DRIVE - VUK SPALAJKOVIC CLOSEST TO THE PIN - VUK SPALAJKOVIC

GROUPS

NAME AND SURNAME

Hdcp

Score

GROUP A

1. OGNJEN RADOVIC

2. JOHN WORTHINGTON

3. NEMANJA SAVIC

GROUP B

GROUP C

1. PAUL PIALEK

2. DRAGAN ILIC

3. ERIC GRASSER

1. VUK SPALAJKOVIC

2. UROS SAVIC

3. BRANKO BARAC

ENDLESS IMITATION - Part Two of the trilgoy

6th instalment

PIGS DO NOT EAT BANANA SKINS

Photo “Gloria” archive

Tim mothyy Byford for CorD The story so far : Having exchanged his secure job at the BBC for the unpredictability of life as a freelance director in Yugoslavia - as a result of his love for art student Masha Kostich, Andrew Beresford has settled into Belgrade life, married his love, recovered from his infatuation with his new bride's mother, fathered a daughter and a son, furthered his career by directing a children's television drama series called Granny's Boy, developed an unhealthy penchant for plum rakija and performed an act of infidelity with a buxom actress whilst in a drunken stupor.

decided that I was not going to let my marriage fall into disrepair, let alone collapse completely. And when I decided to do something I did it, and made a success of it. I think there had always been something of Serbian inat in me. Inat - an untranslatable word. Dr. Morton Benson of the University of Pennsylvania, who in the 1960s spent a year in Yugoslavia on a Fulbright scholarship compiling a bi-lingual dictionary based on 'the speech of educated Yugoslavs and the daily press', translates inat as 'spite, malice, grudge' - and to do something ‘iz inata’ is to do it 'out of spite'. All negative words. The Serbian word for 'spite' is pakost, not inat. Inat, in the history of Yugoslavia, particularly of Serbia, has had a very, very positive influence. Inat reflects the emotion: 'Impossible? Watch me! I'll show you!' There's no spite, no malice - just a determination to succeed - or to survive. Inat presupposes resolve, strength, stubbornness even; the power of the Will; winning against the odds. Thanks to inat the Serbs withstood five hundred years under the Turks and emerged at the end as - Serbs. What happened to the American Indians, the Incas and Maya, the Aborigines, the Maori, the Mogul Empire of India? Quite simply they lacked inat. I think I've always been endowed with a fair dose of inat. Inat had helped me to withstand my parents' opposition to my going into the theatre. And now, inat would help me to overcome my own self. Inat would enable me to overcome any doubts I may have about the future of my marriage. My marriage would succeed, and be seen to succeed. So help me inat. Just as there is no adequate English word for the Serbian inat, the Serbian word for efficient- 'efikasan' - fails on several counts to conjure up all an Englishman means when he calls a fellow human being efficient. Of course, in both languages the word efficient basically means 'producing desired effects, especially with minimum waste', but in England, an efficient person doesn't just get the job done as required - he does it just that little bit better than expected, demonstrating that he is able, practical and competent. In short, British efficiency smells a little of excellence. Unfortunately, I discovered that in Yugoslavia - or at least in Belgrade, the only place I'm qualified to talk about - efficiency and excellence were dirty words. Other people's efficiency and excellence that is - particularly when the other person comes from the rotten West. Belgrade was in a sense the gateway between West and East, but it was now witnessing a confrontation between the Balkan inferiority complex and the Western superiority complex. Granny's Boy turned out to be a success with critics and viewers alike, and this was the worst possible thing that could have happened to me. "My advice is to turn out a couple of bad episodes," the production manager said to me after nearly all the newspapers gave the third episode further glowing reviews, "If you don't, you'll be in trouble."

CorD | September 2005

He was right. The Politika newspaper's article headed by: "The best children's television series for a decade" was a knife in the back for my colleagues at Belgrade television. My position wasn't helped by my first week cutting-room set-to with the rather podgy, overmade-up and annoyingly maternal film editor, whose criteria didn't quite match those I'd been used to at the BBC: "With respect, perhaps you'd better learn how to edit film before you take on something like this." "With respect, perhaps you'd better learn to speak Serbo-Croat properly, so you can explain what the hell it is you want, before you take on something like this." Maybe she had a point. And maybe if she'd been young, blonde and seductive I'd have turned a blind eye to her other shortcomings, but as it was we parted company and I found myself in charge of an editing machine, a splicer and over two thousand metres of film and magnetic sound track. As it turned out, a combination of Serbian inat and British efficiency proved to be the perfect recipe for success - but also the final nail in my television director's coffin. Granny's Boy was my first and last opportunity to prove that I was capable of excellence. My mistake was to prove it in a milieu where to be outstanding was considered bad taste; in a milieu where mediocrity reigned supreme. The fact was that I wasn't the tiniest bit interested in being mediocre. If they were jealous of my talent for making television programmes, I would do something else. Anyway, I was beginning to tire of television. Sour grapes? Maybe. And what the hell else could I do? To start with I could concentrate on being a better father to my children than mine had been to me. To make some effort to find out who Ana and David really were and to help them to grow up to become what they really were and not a confused mess of a human being like me. OK, I wasn't totally worthless, but at the age of thirty-six I was still trying to discover who I really was and what my role was on this wonderful but enigmatic floating sphere. At least I'd discovered that it wasn't to encourage developing beings to sit passively in front of a rectangular window staring gormlessly at the fruits of somebody else's warped imagination. Whenever I don't know what to do with myself I start tidying my nest. My personal effects, or what there are of them. In this case they comprised the contents of half a wardrobe, three drawers, two bookshelves and my desk. The last of these was the only place in the flat I considered my territory. Nobody else was allowed to so much as touch it, let alone remove or rearrange anything. It had two drawers and one cupboard, each with a lock, but I never locked them. The key is supposed to symbolise knowledge and mystery on the one hand, and liberation on the other, but to me the key is a symbol of dishonesty and lack of trust. OK, dishonesty is a very real phenomenon, and

I realise the wisdom of locking my house against thieves, although I also realise that if a thief really wants to break in and steal from my house, a simple lock won't deter him. But the only reason I could have for locking the drawers of my desk was that there was someone in the house I didn't trust. True, my father-in-law always locked the drawers of his desk. Perhaps he didn't trust me. Or perhaps he had some dark secret he wanted to hide. Love letters from a former lover - or perhaps a current mistress. Not only did I trust everyone in the house, I'd absolutely nothing to hide. Masha knew everything about my past, and she was the only girl I'd ever written love letters to. I sometimes fantasized about a mistress, but never did anything about it - probably more because I wanted to avoid the hassle of deceit than because of a deep desire to be faithful. I'd soiled my copybook once and got away with it - just. If a similar situation presented itself I would… Down, boy - and get on with the job in hand.. "Daddy, what are you doing?" "Oh, just tidying my desk." "Can I help you?" "Not really, sweetie…" Spoilsport. Call yourself an understanding father… "Yes, you can, actually, Ana. Go through this box and make a pile of postcards, a pile of birthday cards and a pile of letters. And tell me which picture you like best." "Oh, goody!" Where had she got that expression from? I was sure I didn't use it. But I prided myself that the pedantic way she started to sort out the contents of the drawer had definitely been inherited from me. "Is this your girlfriend, Daddy?" 'Snakes alive!' as Tintin liked to say, presumably innocently oblivious of the phallic symbolism. What the hell had she found? Surely not that Polaroid photo of Felicity masturbating? I was pretty certain I'd burnt them all. Fortunately, it was one of my film star postcards. "No, it's not…" My answer contained a rather obviously implied 'unfortunately', which I assumed Ana didn't notice. "It's a lady called Brigitte Bardot. She's a film star. All those people are film stars." "In your films?" "No, most of them are from America. That's a long way away. But Brigitte Bardot's from France. That's a bit nearer." "She's pretty." "Yes." Ana had taste. She'd made no comments about the postcards of Doris Day or Katherine Hepburn - or even the one of Pier Angeli. She evidently understood Daddy's taste in women. I would have loved to have told her about how I'd fallen in love with Brigitte Bardot after seeing Doctor at Sea. If the postcard Ana had unearthed could talk… "Coo, this lady's got no clothes on ..! It was high time to change the subject. "That's enough tidying for one day. Let's go for a walk!" "Hurray! Can we go to see Mummy?" Why not? We could take a bus across the bridge into New Belgrade, walk through the Park of Friendship and then visit Masha in her studio. Should I phone her and let her know we were coming? No, we would give her a surprise. We gently woke up David who was sleeping soundly, his thumb stuck firmly in his mouth. I dressed him and put on his walking shoes, taking special care not to make the mistake I'd made when we'd gone to Topcider Park at the weekend: it wasn't until David was sitting on my knee on the bus journey home that I'd discovered I'd put his shoes on the wrong feet. "Why the hell didn't you phone? You can't come in now - I'm painting Anja Raevsky!" So much for the pleasant surprise. Anja Raevsky was the daughter of a Russian immigrant who had fled Moscow after the Revolution; having studied art at the Belgrade Academy, Anja had

quickly established a reputation for herself both as an avant-garde painter and as an eccentric. Her latest publicity stunt had been to be photographed nude for a popular quality magazine which very successfully blended culture with erotica - although this sometimes verged on soft-porn, and, in the case of the Anja Raevsky centrefold, on the grotesque. "In the nude, naturally." "Of course." "With breasts like Brigitte Bardot, I suppose." "No, more like used condoms full of sperm, actually." "Good grief, so it's warts and all, then?" "Of course. The condom breasts were her idea. Look - take the kids for an ice cream and come back in half-an-hour. Then we can go home together." "Who is it, darling?" "Coming, Anja - it's Andrew and the children. They're just leaving." "Leaving? Bring them in! I want to see your Andrew!" "All right! Are you decent?" "As decent as I'll ever be!" So Masha ushered us into her studio, but if she had expected to find Anja Raevsky respectably draped in her Japanese silk robe, she was, to put it mildly, disappointed. To say that Anja was as naked as nature intended would have been grossly inaccurate. Nature could never have intended anything quite so repellent except as a protection against predators. "There's no need to be shocked, Andrew! I won't rape you! How do you do - I'm Anja." Thank God for that. Anja had interpreted my look of abhorrence as one of embarrassment. Ana and David were still in that blissful state of innocence when something as natural as nudity, however ugly, could neither shock nor frighten them. Their blissful state of innocence also meant that they expected an answer to every question that sprang to mind - no holds barred. "Mummy, why do that lady's titties wiggle about?" David had taken the words out of my mouth, but Masha was not amused. "David, you mustn't say things like that!" "Why not, darling? David, my titties wiggle about because I'm an ugly old lady - not young and beautiful like your mother." I immediately became a devoted admirer of Anja Raevsky. So did Ana and David. Suddenly it felt that the natural thing to do at that moment would have been for us all to take off our clothes and to gambol around the studio like spring lambs. Anja was no longer grotesque, no longer ugly - and she certainly wasn't old. There was no doubt about it - Anja Raevsky had become eminently desirable. And she realised it. So did Masha. "Well, I think we'll have to call it a day - my concentration's gone. Let's go home!" "What a pity. Just when I was beginning to enjoy myself! You really must paint this darling boy - he's just like his father!" David didn't take very kindly to being whisked up into the air and pressed against Anja's 'wiggly titties', and he started to cry. "Yes, we'd better go home. David's tired," said Masha. 'David's tired.' Why is it that whenever a child cries because he objects to being maltreated by an adult, he is accused of being tired? We went home immediately, of course, and as soon as the children were in bed, Masha dragged me into the bedroom and started laying into me for coming to the studio without phoning first, for ruining a sitting which had been going particularly well before I turned up, and for spoiling, probably permanently, the special relationship she'd built up with Anja… So she was jealous! My decision to listen silently to the case for the prosecution and to refrain from trying to whip up an instant defence, increased Masha's fury a hundredfold and in the end she stormed out of the room, saying she was going to watch television with her mother, who would at least open her mouth occasionally. In situations like this, 'inat' is totally useless...• To be continued… CorD | September 2005

Quotes...Quotes...Quotes... Karadzic not hiding near Ostrog

No comment on Swiss support

"In this country of miracles anything is possible" - so said Bishop Amfilohije Radovic, Montenegrin and Coastal Metropolitan of the Serbian Orthodox Church in a statement reported by Austrian news agency APA. Amfilohije, rumoured to be sheltering fugitive former leader of the Bosnian Serbs, Radovan Karadzic, said that the ICTY indictee is not in the area of Ostrog Monastery. However, Radovic refused to explicitly reject the possibility that Karadzic could be found on land belonging to the Serbian Orthodox Church. Nevertheless, he insisted: "if I were in his place I would go to The Hague".

"I am too clever to reply to that question" UN Special Envoy for Kosovo, Kai Eide, said at a press conference in Belgrade by way of response to the question of a Swiss radio journalist of whether Switzerland would benefit or suffer as a result of being the only country to openly come out in favour of Kosovo's independence.

Lalovic opts for government over party "The Prime Minister called me and made me an offer, which was that if I wanted to I could remain in my ministerial post as an independent non-party individual until the end of this government's mandate. I thought it over for a day or two and yesterday, when my head had cleared, I decided to accept the Prime Minister's offer" - so said Serbian Minister of Labour, Slobodan Lalovic, explaining why he'd decided to support the repeal of the NIS LAW and leave his political party SDP, which Kostunica had expelled from Serbia's governing coalition.

Get used to tough questioning "Politicians have to understand that in their search for the truth, journalists often ask provocative questions. Politicians often do not have any understanding of that, but journalists should not over exaggerate either" - so said Serbian Interior Minister, Dragan Jocic, whilst explaining the events that led to Capital Investments Minister, Velimir Ilic, insulting B92 journalists.

American schooling for youngsters "If we manage to persuade them that relations between SCG and the United States are important and if they pay attention to them, then many problems which have struck this region in the past will not be repeated" - so said U.S. Ambassador to SCG, Michael Polt. Polt was speaking during the presentation of the Smile programme, which will enable Serbian pupils to complete the fourth grade of secondary school in the States and to spend a year in an American family at the expense of the host country.

CorD | September 2005

Marko off the hook "After this, many citizens will say that there is no justice at all and that the judiciary is being directed" - so said Vida Petrovic Skero, president of the Supreme Court of Serbia, following the dropping of criminal charges brought against Marko Milosevic, son of former Serbian and Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic. The charges were dropped after a former member of student resistance movement Otpor withdrew his earlier testimony that Marko Milosevic had threatened to cut him with a saw if he continued to be a member of Otpor.

Family-style debt repayment "I would like to look you in the eye and ask you whether you have any brothers or sisters. Because the debt problems between Serbia & Montenegro and China will be solved in the same way you solve debt problems with the brothers and sisters in your family" - so said Chinese Foreign Minister, Li Zaoxing. The Chinese official was responding to a B92 journalist who had asked how the issue of SCG's $570million debt to China would be resolved.

IMF conditions ‘some parts’ "The IMF's condition was to start the restructuring of NIS and the privatisation of some of its parts. Since we didn't know which parts were to be privatised during negotiations with the Ministry of Energy, the IMF roughly determined the refineries" - so said Serbian Finance Minister, Mladjan Dinkic, explaining why the IMF had threatened to break off the stand by arrangement if the Serbian Oil Industry failed to be privatised.

Wars yet to be fought "I am very concerned about events in Montenegro and Macedonia…those are the last two federal republics of the Former Yugoslavia with which Serbia has not been at war…it is obvious that the time for that [war] has come" - so said Nenad Canak, president of Vojvodina's League of Social Democrats, reacting to the Serbian Orthodox Church's decision to erect a metal church on Montenegro's Mount Rumija without a permit from the Montenegrin authorities, as well as the threat to close the border with Macedonia if the Macedonian authorities fail to release Serbian Orthodox Church Bishop Jovan, a citizen of Macedonia.

Quotes...Quotes...Quotes... Storm: operation of cleansing or liberation?

Kosovo to be declared independent.

"Oluja [Operation Storm] is the symbol of the determination of the Croatian nation. It is the foundation of our future as an obligation to all victims of the homeland war to continue to build Croatia as a free, peaceful and European country for future generations" - so said Croatian President, Stjepan Mesic, speaking in Knin at the main celebration marking the tenth anniversary of Operation Storm, which saw 250,000 Serbs killed of expelled from Croatia. Croatia celebrates the anniversary of Oluja as the Day of Victory and Homeland Gratitude.

United democracy could include SPS

No self-proclaimed patriots required

Serbia to become 'Balkan Tiger'

"If the citizens of Montenegro choose independence, self-proclaimed patriots from Belgrade should not be allowed to express that patriotism by spreading anti-Montenegrin feelings, nor should contra patriots from Montenegro incite anti-Serb sentiment" - so said SCG Foreign Minister, Vuk Draskovic, speaking with regard to the independence referendum in Montenegro. Draskovic said that he expects the EU to determine the standards for the referendum in Montenegro.

"This autumn I expect the 'beginning of the investment boom', which will make Serbia the 'Balkan tiger'" - so said Serbian Minister for International Economic Affairs, Milan Parivodic, as he presented a seven-month report detailing the work of his ministry. Parivodic said that "the beginning of the investment boom" will be felt the most in 2006.

Serbia should be more Turkish

"Led by Coach Porobic - now the Montenegrin coach with the most trophies ever - the united team has won the top title in the world. Along with conveying my sincere congratulations, I am expressing my conviction that the Montenegrin national squad, under the same management, will continue in the same way" - so wrote Ranko Krivokapic, Montenegrin Parliamentary President, politicking in a congratulatory telegram to the State Union's National water polo team following their gold medal victory at the Montreal World Championships.

"As regards Kosovo, Serbia should emulate Turkey, which reacts sharply to any mention of the possibility of Kurdistan's independence. We have to start acting like Turkey does in order to avoid the situation where others, depending on the way they feel, deal with our internal issues" - so said Dusan Prorokovic, president of the Serbian Parliamentary Council for Kosovo, responding to Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Ray's statement calling for

"We sent an invitation to unite all democratic and pro-European political parties of left orientation very sincerely and without any desire to provoke divisions. Every single one of them should comprehend their needs" - so said Nebojsa Covic, outgoing head of the Serbian Government's Co-ordination Centre for Kosovo and leader of the Social Democratic Party. Covic did not reject the possibility of his SDP uniting with Slobodan Milosevic's Socialist Party of Serbia.

Well done SCG, especially Montenegro

Belgrade Directory

Theatres, Music & Museums

THEATRES • ATELJE 212, Svetogorska 21, tel. 324-7342 • BELGRADE DRAMA THEATRE, Milesevska 64a, tel. 2423-686 • BITEF THEATRE, Skver Mire Trailovic 1, tel. 3220-608 • DADOV, Djure Salaja 6/I, tel. 3243-643 • DAH THEATRE, Humska 12, tel. 2441-680 • ISTER THEATRE, Koste Glavinica 7A, tel. 650-757 • JUGOSLAV DRAMA THEATRE, Kralja Milana 50, tel. 644-447 • KPGT, Radnicka 3, tel. 3055-082, 3055-070 • NATIONAL THEATRE (Opera, Ballet, Theatre Plays), Francuska 3, tel. 620-946 • CHAMBER OPERA MADLENIANUM, Zemun, Glavna 32, tel. 316-25-33 • THEATRE ON TERAZIJA, Trg Nikole Pasica 3, tel. 3245-677, 410-099 • SCENA RADOVIC, Aberdareva 1, tel. 323-8817 • SLAVIJA THEATRE, Svetog Save 18, tel. 436-995 • THEATRE T, Bulevar kralja Aleksandra 77a, tel. 403-570 • THEATRE BOJAN STUPICA, Kralja Milana 50, tel. 644-447 • THEATRE KULT, Bulevar kralja Aleksandra, 77a, tel. 242-860 • ZVEZDARA THEATRE, Milana Rakica 38, tel. 2419-664 CHILDREN’S THEATRES • BOSKO BUHA, Trg Republike 3, tel. 632-855 • MALO POZORISTE DUSKO RADOVIC, Aberdareva 1, tel. 323-20-72 • POZORISTANCE PUZ, Bozidara Adzije 21, tel. 2449-464 • POZORISTE LUTAKA PINOKIO, Karadjordjeva 9, tel. 2691-715 • THEATRE RODA, Pozeska 83a, tel. 545-260 CINEMAS • AKADEMIJA 28, Nemanjina 28, tel. 3611-645 • BALKAN, Brace Jerkovica 16, tel. 3343-491 • DOM OMLADINE, Makedonska 22, tel. 324-8202 • DOM SINDIKATA, Trg Nikole Pasica 5, tel. 323-4849 • 20. OKTOBAR, Balkanska 2, tel. 687-182 • DVORANA KULTURNOG CENTRA, Kolarceva 6, tel. 2621-174 • FONTANA, Pariske komune 13, tel. 602-397 • JADRAN, Trg Nikole Pasica, tel. 624-057 • JUGOSLAVIJA, Bulevar Mihaila Pupina bb, tel. 2676-484 • KOZARA, Terazije 25, tel. 323-5648 • MALA MORAVA, Spasicev pasaz, tel. 623-198 • MALI ODEON, Kneza Milosa 14-16, tel. 643-280 • MILLENNIUM, Knez Mihailova 19, tel. 2623-365 • MUZEJ KINOTEKE, Kosovska 11, tel. 324-8250 • ODEON, Narodnog fronta 45, tel. 643-355 • PALAS SUMADIJA, Turgenjevljeva 5, tel. 555-465 • RODA, Pozeska 83a, tel. 545-260 • SAVA CENTAR, Milentija Popovica 9, tel. 311-4851 • TUCKWOOD CINEPLEX, Knez Milosa 7, tel. 3229-912 • VUK, Bul. Kralja Aleksandra 77a, tel. 2424-860 • ZVEZDA, Terazije 40, tel. 687-320

CorD | September 2005

CULTURAL CENTRES • BRITISH COUNCIL, Terazije 8, tel. 3023-800 • CENTRE FOR CULTURAL DECONTAMINATION, Bircaninova 21, tel. 681-422 • CERVANTES INSTITUT, Cika Ljubina 19, tel. 3034 182 • STUDENTSKI GRAD CULTURAL CENTRE, Bulevar AVNOJ-a 179, tel. 2691-442 • BELGRADE YOUTH CENTRE, Makedonska 22, tel. 3220-127 • DOM VOJSKE JUGOSLAVIJE, Brace Jugovica 19, tel. 323-99-71 • FRENCH CULTURAL CENTRE, Zmaj Jovina 11, tel. 3023-600 • GERMAN CULTURAL CENTRE, Knez Mihailova 50, tel. 2622-823 • ITALIAN CULTURAL CENTRE, Njegoseva 47/III, tel. 244-23-12, 444-72-17 • BELGRADE CULTURAL CENTRE, Knez Mihailova 6/1, tel. 621-469 • INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CENTRE - JUBIN, Terazije 26, tel. 687-836, fax. 687-760 • RUSSIAN CULTURAL CENTRE, Narodnog fronta 33, tel. 642-178, 688-300 • REX, Jevrejska 16, tel. 3284-534 • STUDENTS CULTURAL CENTRE, Kralja Milana 48, tel. 659-277 • FOUNDATION OF ILIJA M. KOLARAC, Studentski trg 5, tel. 630-550 • GUARNERIUS, Dzordza Vasingtona 12, tel. 33-46-807 EXHIBITION GALLERIES • GALLERY OF THE SERBIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS & SCIENCES, Knez Mihailova 35, tel. 334-2400 • BELGRADE GALLERY, Andricev Venac 12, tel. 323-8789 • BAZALT GALLERY, Lazarevacki drum 7, tel. 553-689 • PAVILJON CVIJETA ZUZORIC, Mali Kalemegdan, tel. 2621-585 • DOMA OMLADINE GALLERY, Makedonska 22, tel. 3248-202, ext. 25 • THE GREAT GALLERY OF STUDENTSKI GRAD, Bulevar AVNOJ-a 179, tel. 2691-442 • GALERIJA FAKULTETA LIKOVNIH UMETNOSTI, Knez Mihailova 53, tel. 635-952 • FRESCO GALLERY, Cara Urosa 20, tel. 2621-491 • GALERIJA GRAFICKOG KOLEKTIVA, Obilicev venac 27, tel. 627-785 • GALERIJA HAOS, Cara Lazara 12, tel. 627-497 • GALERIJA KULTURNOG CENTRA BEOGRADA, Knez Mihailova 6, tel. 2622-926 • JUGOSLOVENSKA GALERIJA UMETNICKIH DELA, Andricev venac 4, tel. 3238-789; Dositejeva 1, tel. 627-135 • GALERIJA-LEGAT MILICE ZORIC I RODOLJUBA COLAKOVICA, Rodoljuba Colakovica 13, tel. 663-173 • GALERIJA-LEGAT PAJE JOVANOVICA, Kralja Milana 21, tel. 3340-176 • GALERIJA-PETRA DOBROVICA, Kralja Petra 36, tel. 2622-163 • SANU GALLERY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Djure Jaksica 2, tel. 3283-490 • GALERIJA PROGRES, Knez Mihailova 22, tel. 182-626 • GALERIJA PRIRODNJACKOG MUZEJA, Mali Kalemegdan 5, tel. 328-4317 • MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, Pariska 14, tel. 630-940 • GALERIJA STARA KAPETANIJA, Zemun, Kej oslobodjenja 8, tel. 612-023 • GALERIJA SULUJ, Terazije 26/II, tel. 685-780 • GALERIJA 73, Pozeska 83a, tel. 557-142 • GALERIJA ULUS, Knez Mihailova 37, tel. 2621-954 • GALLERY OF THE YUGOSLAV ARMY, Brace Jugovica 19, tel. 323-47-12 • GALERIJA ZADUZBINE ILIJE M. KOLARCA, Studentski Trg 5, tel. 185-794 • ZEPTER GALLERY, Kralja Petra I no.32, tel. 328-1414

MUSEUMS CULTURAL&HISTORICAL MUSEUMS: • VUK AND DOSITEJ MUSEUM, Gospodar Jevremova 21, tel. 625-161 • ETNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM- Studentski trg 13, tel. 328-1888 • SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, Kralja Petra 5, tel. 3282-595 • NATIONAL MUSEUM, Trg Republike 1a, tel. 624-322, 438-886 • MUSEUM OF PEDAGOGY, Uzun Mirkova 14, tel. 627-538 • THE MANSION OF DUCHESS LJUBICA, Kneza Sime Markovica 8, tel. 638-264 • THE MANSION OF DUKE MILOSH, Rakovicki put 2, tel. 660-422 • DJURA JAKSIC HOUSE, Skadarska 34, tel. 324-7334 • MANAK’S HOUSE, Gavrila Principa 5, tel. 633-335 HISTORICAL MUSEUMS: • MILITARY MUSEUM, Kalemegdan, tel. 3344-408 • BELGRADE FORTRESS MUSEUM, Kalemegdan bb, 631-766 • YUGOSLAV HISTORICAL MUSEUM, Trg Nikole Pasica 11, • MUSEUM OF BANJICA’S CAMP, Veljka Lukica-Kurjaka 33, tel. 669-690 • JEWISH HISTORICAL MUSEUM, Kralja Petra 71, tel. 2622-634 • SERBIAN HISTORICAL MUSEUM, Nemanjina 24/VII, tel. 3674-057

AMSJ road assistance

987

Ambulance

Police

Fire Department

Belgrade Bus Station

636-299

Belgrade Airport

601-555

Wake-up calls

9811

Humanitarian phone

9862

JAT ticket reservations

311-2123

Long distance calls (international)

901

Phone line Malfunction

977

Information Exact time Information - phone numbers

9812 95 988

MEMORIAL MUSEUMS: • MEMORIAL MUSEUM JOVAN CVIJIC, Jelene Cvetkovic 5, tel. 3223-126 • NIKOLA TESLA MUSEUM, Krunska 51, tel. 2433-886 • MEMORIAL MUSEUM TOMA ROSANDIC, Vasilija Gacese 3, tel. 651-434 • IVO ANDRIC MUSEUM, Andricev Venac 12, tel. 323-8397

Telegrams by telephone Medical Center Emergency Room Whether forecast Central Train Station Chemists,"1. maj", Kralja Milana 9

CITY MUSEUMS: • BELGRADE CITY MUSEUM, Zmaj Jovina 1, tel. 630-825 • ZEMUN CITY MUSEUM, Glavna 9, tel. 617-752 TEHNICAL MUSEUMS: • YUGOSLAV AERONAUTICS MUSEUM, Belgrade Airport, tel. 670-992 • RAILWAY MUSEUM, Nemanjina 6, tel. 361-0334 • MOTORCAR MUSEUM, Majke Jevrosime 30, tel. 3241-566 • SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY MUSEUM, Djure Jaksica 9, tel. 187-360, 3281-479 • ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY MUSEUM, Skenderbegova 51, tel. 630-285 • POST MUSEUM, Majke Jevrosime 13, tel. 3210-325 • ARCHITECTURE MUSEUM, Djure Jaksica 9, tel. 187-360, 3281-479

Chemists, "Prima 1", "Sv. Sava"

96 3618-444 9823 629-400 324-05-33 361-10-88, 361-09-99

Chemists, "Sv. Sava", Nemanjina 2

643-170

Chemists, "Zemun", Glavna 34

618-582

Alfa taxi

244-11-13

Alo taxi

3564-555, 063/252-002

Beogradski taxi Beotaxi

9801, 064-12-88-000 970

Ekonomik taxi

397-33-27

EURO TAXI (Lux taxi)

334-47-47

Gold taxi

329-18-18

Lux taxi

328-44-44

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS:

Maxiss taxi

• MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, Njegoseva 51, tel. 344-2149, 344-2568 • MUSEUM OF SERBIAN MEDICINE, Dzordza Vasingtona 19, tel. 3245-149

Naxi taxi

215-76-68

NBA taxi

318-57-77

Pink taxi

9803, 488-99-77

ART MUSEUMS

Plavi taxi (Cukaricki)

• AFRICAN ART MUSEUM, Andre Nikolica 14, tel. 651-654 • THEATRE MUSEUM, Gospdar Jevremova 19, tel. 626-630 • CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM, Usce, tel. 311-5713 • DESIGN MUSEUM, Vuka Karadzica 18, tel. 626-494 • CINEMA MUSEUM, Kosovska 11, tel. 324-8250

Taxi Bell Zeleni taxi Žuti taxi

581-111, 9804

3-555-999 9808 323-36-66, 324-25-55 9802

CorD | September 2005

CorD's editorial staff will attempt to find and give answers to questions of current interest to our readers, so please send in your questions for future editions. In this issue, we reply to the most frequently asked questions amongst newcomers to Belgrade.

...

Visit Serbia's monasteries?

•An excellent way of acquainting oneself with the historic and cultural inheritance of Serbia is undoubtedly to visit the country's many Orthodox Christian monasteries. These religious edifices, some of which date back to the 11th century, present the treasures of Serbian culture, spirituality and orthodoxy. The majority of Serbia's monasteries were erected between the 12th and 15th centuries and some of them, according to their architectural beauty, are considered to be national treasures. For many years the Dobrocinstvo Agency has promoted and organised pilgrimages to the monasteries. In addition to organising trips to the nation's monasteries and other holy sites, the Dobrocinstvo Agency also runs trips to the treasures of Christian Orthodox spirituality in other countries. For further information, visit the Dobrocinstvo Agency at Narodnog Fronta 76, call them on 011 686445 / 687416, or visit the website at www.spc.org.yu/dobrocinstvo

... Visit Serbia's famous spas? • Serbia boasts numerous spas with thermal and mineral water, as well as specialised health resorts. Among the most popular are Vrnjacka Spa, Bukovicka Spa and Soko Spa. All information regarding these centres can be obtained via registered tourist agencies, as well as via the web sites at: www.vrnjackabanja.org.yu; www.bukovickabanja.com; www.sokobanja.co.yu

... Find a distinctive souvenir of Belgrade? •If you're travelling home this year, why not take a souvenir of the city of Belgrade or Serbia with you as a gift for friends or family? In addition to the city's many shops specialising in Ethnically-Serb keepsakes and knick-knacks, the city's Ethnographic Museum, located at 13 Studentski Trg, also has a wide selection of attractive, distinctive and interesting souvenirs. For further information, contact the Ethnographic Museum directly on 328 1808.

... Learn to dance? •Ever had the urge to learn how to dance? If so, central Belgrade boasts an extremely representative dance hall for those wishing to partake of this, the most widespread hobby in the world. The hall is located within Belgrade's Ruski Dom (Russian Home), at Narodnog fronta 33. Beginners can choose between individual or group courses in standard dance, Latino or Swing. By choosing individual lessons, one can define ones own intensity of learning, as well acquiring a detailed knowledge of the art of dance and receiving

CorD | September 2005

expert advice from qualified instructors to improve your technique and help you take the world of dance by storm. For further information, visit Ruski Dom or call to reserve your place on 011 3547 977.

... Enjoy extreme adrenaline sports? •Those of you who prefer an action-packed weekend can enjoy such adrenaline-driven activities as white-water rafting, paragliding, mountain climbing, bungee jumping and many more extreme sports across Serbia. For more detailed information regarding organised trips and the various locations of such activities, contact the Belgrade Electrical Faculty's Sporting Society on 011 3218 429, or email the society at elektricar@etf.bg.ac.yu. Alternatively, contact the Society's Extreme Sports co-ordinator, Bozidar Marunic, directly on 064 145 8563.

... Get top legal advice? •Should you require legal advice of any kind during your stay in Serbia, do not hesitate to contact the Bar Association of Serbia. The association offers advice and legal assistance, as well as providing a complete listing of all registered legal practitioners in Serbia and those specialised in international law. Find out more about the Bar Association by visiting their website at www.advokatska-komora.co.yu, or simply call the Association on 011 3239 805.

... make yourself understood? Find yourself frustrated by your inability to say simple things in Serbian? Here at CorD we are endeavouring to make your stay in the State Union a tad less alien by providing a few simple phrases that will help you make yourself understood: Key: Z = as in the 's' in treasure. S = sh, as in shop. J = Y, as in yellow. C = ch, as in church. I need some legal advice. Treba mi pravni savet. Could I rent a parking place for a year? Da li bih mogao da rentiram parking mesto na godinu dana? I would like to hire a car for the weekend. Zeleo bih da iznajmim kola/vozilo za vikend. Do you live alone? Da li zivite sami? Could you connect me to the minister's office? Da li mozete da me prebacite na ministrov cabinet? I require assistance with my work permit. Treba mi pomoc u vezi sa mojom radnom dozvolom. What floor is your office on? Na kom spratu je vasa kancelarija? Is the coach to Montenegro running on time? Da li autobus za Crnu Goru polazi na vreme?