CorD Magazine No.49

EUROPE NOW, KOSOVO FOREVER. Dragan Šutanovac Minister of Defense

ALBANIA’S GOALS ARE THE EU AND NATO H.E. Spiro Koci Ambassador of Albania

CIVIL WARHEADS Ljubodrag Stojadinovic Military Expert

interviews opinions news comments events www.cordmagazine.com

May 2008 / Issue No. 49 / Price 170 RSD

Fear and Hope

CorD, May 2008

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POLITICS & DIPOLOMACY

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

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Choosing a Future: The key question is who will be able to form a governing coalition? by Dragan Bujoševi

KOSOVO IS NOT A NATO COUNTRY

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56 BUSINESS & ECONOMY

WHAT WILL 2008 BRING?

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Political risk in Serbia remains high, with the potential to strongly influence economic developments.

SERBIAN EXPORT SMALL

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Interview: Dragan Šutanovac, Minister of Defense by Vladan Alimpijevi

Božidar eli , vice-president of the Serbian Government: “Serbia has only two companies with exports superior to €100 million annually”

SOCIETY

ALBANIA’S GOAL IS EU

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Interview: H.E. Mr. Spiro Koci Albanian Ambassador in Belgrade

GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’

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CIVIL WARHEADS

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What Sort of Army Does Serbia Need? By Ljubodrag Stojadinovi

THE ALLIANCE AT A CROSSROAD

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NATO Summit in Bucharest, by Rade Rankovi

MANAGING DIRECTOR Ana Isakovi , a.isakovic@cma.co.yu EDITOR IN CHIEF Vladan Alimpijevi , v.alimpijevic@cma.co.yu CORPORATE EDITOR Tatjana Ostoji , t.ostojic@cma.co.yu ART DIRECTOR Zlatko Jovanovi , z.jovanovic@cma.co.yu EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Ivica Petrovi , Vojislava Vignjevi , Sonja iri , Žarka Radoja PHOTO Stanislav Milojkovi , aslav Vukoji i , Jelena Seferin, CorD Archive, Tanjug TRANSLATORS Dejan Zubac, Milica Kuburovi , Mom ilo Drakuli EDITORIAL MANAGER Tanja Bankovi , t.bankovic@cma.co.yu SUBSCRIPTION & WEB Ivan Lakatoš, i.lakatos@cma.co,yu EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sanja Zimonji , s.zimonjic@cma.co.yu GENERAL MANAGER Ivan Nov i , i.novcic@cma.co.yu

4 CorD / May 2008

Shopping Culture in a Country in Transition

ISTANBUL INT’L FILM FESTIVAL

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A MAN WHO PLAYS

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Belgrade’s fifth Museum Night will be take place in 60 locations around Belgrade and in multiple locations in 19 towns all around Serbia.

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Ana Besedi , a.besedic@cma.co.yu PRINTING Politika AD CorD is published by: alliancemedia Knjeginje Zorke 11b, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Phone: +(381 11) 308 99 77, 308 99 88 Fascimile: +(381 11) 244 81 27 E-mail: cordeditorial@cma.co.yu www.cordmagazine.com ISSN no: 1451-7833 All rights reserved alliancemedia 2008

Interview: Gor in Stojanovi , director

THE FIRST 60 YEARS

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The Yugoslav Drama Theater

NOTES FROM THE BIG PLUM

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Here Comes the Bride… and about 250 guests

LIFE IN PIXELATED WORLD

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CULTURE

MUSEUM NIGHT

FACE film prize for Li Yang

Second Life is an online, virtual world launched in 1993, in which millions of people control miniature

21ST BELGRADE BANCA INTESA MARATHON

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For the fourth year in a row, CorD Magazine organized the CorD Charity Masters, a 5-kilometer humanitarian run

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

COFFEE

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What kind do you like? Americano, cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, mocha, frapuccino, or maybe a latte?

VLACH MAGIC

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Europe’s Last Shamans

ITINERARIUM ROMANUM SERBIA

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The Roman Emperors’ Cultural Itinerary in Serbia

COMMENT

Who can we complain to?

Injustice Human need for justice is everlasting. I am not talking about the injustice of class differences, of unequal opportunities in life, and I am not talking about corruption either.

Justice is what the court decides. Woe to those seek justice in court, because an injustice has already been done, and the verdict could be another injustice. A legal one.

BY VLADAN ALIMPIJEVI

I

meticulously follow the crime section in daily newspapers. A few years ago, the wife of a provincial tycoon ended up in a mental institution in the middle of their divorce. She was put there by unscrupulous judges and corrupt doctors upon her husband’s demand. The woman managed to inform a council representative about her case and to save herself from a sentence of life imprisonment…. In Serbia there are records on sentences and sentencing policies, but experts say that new cases cannot be compared.

Newspapers say that the sentence for rape can be a suspended one, and that in the case of a father who rapes his daughter, the fact that he is her sole support could be an extenuating circumstance. A murderer can be freed in just a few years. This month, a man who killed a store owner during an armed robbery was sentenced to ten years in prison. He could get out on good behavior in seven or eight years. Two street hooligans, who went on a rampage in a high school in southern Serbia and beat up a student, were sentenced to fifteen days in jail on a

We are not workers from Zastava or teachers or police of cers, whose protests could be a threat to the government or block traf c in Belgrade even for just a day. If the sentence is necessarily individual, then so is the injustice… misdemeanor conviction. There was no mention of a criminal offense. What would they have to do to serve the maximum sentence of ninety days in prison? How many children would they have to beat up?

It is a known fact that after the most recent changes, the Serbian criminal law system irrationally imposes lesser sentences for raping an incapacitated person than for ordinary rape. Judges say that they must enforce the law. The Supreme Court and Judges Association state that they are not sufficiently consulted in the process of formulating new laws. The sentencing range is very wide. Lighter sentences are often the result of sentencing policies or previous verdicts, because everyone must be equal in the eyes of the law.

And the victim? What about the victim? Is a person’s life, honor, or property sufficiently protected? Is it normal to beat a boy to death in the street just because of the color of his skin, and only spend a few years in prison? The perpetrator of this crime would get the same sentence for misappropriation of funds from the company where he works. Is it normal for a well-known hoo6 CorD / Maj 2008

ligan from Valjevo to go unpunished for harassing a fifteen year old girl and for attempted rape? Is it normal that a criminal be convicted for car hijacking in Loznica, and after publicly threatening the victim, be found innocent after the victim is murdered? Or is it normal that a person convicted of rape for the fifth time in Vladimirovci be sentenced to only two years?

It is not normal, and we keep quiet. Who can we complain to? We are victims by chance. We are not workers from Zastava or teachers or police officers, whose protests could be a threat to the government or block traffic in Belgrade even for just a day. If the sentence is necessarily individual, then so is the injustice…

We would be better off and there would be less injustice if we had better laws and better courts. But for years now the Council that passes laws has been only working from time to time and only for patriotic reasons. Changes in criminal laws, traffic laws, as well as many other decisions are all waiting for the political elite to solve more important issues, so that representatives can be instructed to pass everyday laws.

So it’s not up to the Parliament either! Representatives answer only to their party’s leader. This is why citizens from many municipalities in Serbia do not even have representation in Parliament.

This is why representatives do not even feel responsible for inadequate laws. I am sure that the vast majority of representatives feel that the sentences for most criminal offenses are outrageously light.

The police are another story, and an important one. What are the chances that the person who inflicted the injustice is even found? Often pitifully small. I realize that Al Capone was finally apprehended for tax evasion, but the media is full of well-publicized thieves, murderers, “tough guys,” and “controversial businessmen” who have never been punished.

Injustice is when you hear that the owners of expensive cars and luxurious mansions have no job. Injustice is when these same people ask for and are granted reduced prices for public day-care centers. When you see that some are government employees, it is a personal injustice. This is why citizens have the State so that they are not helpless. Maybe this is why we are silent and insensitive to the injustice of the wars that broke up Yugoslavia. Why would someone take responsibility for Srebrenica or Lora when practically no one is responsible for reckless driving on Serbian roads, or daily armed robberies of pharmacies?

In this sea of injustice, two young victims of a car accident in a village in Macva obtained justice in court. Instead of the drunk minor who left them permanently disabled, the owner of the car which was stolen was charged for having left his key in the car.

In order to pay for the damages, the car owner’s house was auctioned off. Justly. Or could this also be injustice?

POLITICS

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

Parliamentary Elections

Choosing a Future

It is a political perversion that thanks to Kostunica Serbia could revert to the age of Milosevic, while with the help of the Socialists, it could nally distance itself from the Nineties.

“Now or never”: Tomislav Nikoli

Constant criticism: edomir Jovanovi

zens. Finally, he extorted the elections while the Kosovo wound is still painful and festering on the Serbian national body, thereby not allowing for time to do its work so that people could get used to the fact that the same embassies operating in Belgrade also exist in Pristina.

There was a story circling on the political backstage that by accepting another resolution on Kosovo from the Radical Party, Kostunica hadn’t expected that Tadic would turn it down. This actually means that the Radicals manipulated Kostunica by handing

Prime minister of the technical Government: Vojislav Koštunica with Dejan Mihajlov

BY DRAGAN BUJOSEVIC PHOTO: FONET

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he real result of the parliamentary elections in Serbia will only be known long after the first results of the people’s choice are published, simply because that choice is easy to measure, and it doesn’t seem to be not much of an unknown even at this time. Public opinion research agencies agree for the most part that the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) and the coalition ‘For European Serbia – Boris Tadic’ are equal at the moment. Vojislav Kostunica and Velimir Ilic’s so-called ‘narodnjaci’ (populists) are in third place, and the Socialist Party of Serbia and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will enter parliament as will of course the minority parties (Hungarians and Roma, and proba-

8 CorD / May 2008

bly Bosniaks-Muslims). to try and stop the prolonged and apparently The key question is who will be able to inevitable melting away of the Democratic form a governing coalition. The answer can’t Party of Serbia (DSS) within the Serbian be found by cross-examining current party electorate. By dissolving the Government, he leaders’ statements, because it will all look showed that he is master of the house, that he different once the votes are counted. Party makes decisions even though he has perhaps leaders will then once again be faced with a as little as three times fewer votes than the choice regarding the future – both theirs and Public opinion research agencies agree for Serbia’s. So it is more im- the most part that the Serbian Radical Party portant to examine the (SRS) and the coalition ‘For European Serbia true interests of each par– Boris Tadic’ are equal at the moment. ty taking part in the parliament after May 11th.

Vojislav Kostunica disassembled his own Democtratic Party (DS). By extorting eargovernment because he couldn’t be the un- ly elections, he threw Boris Tadic’s victory disputed creator of Serbian policy regarding in the presidential elections into the garbage Europe and Kosovo. He chose the best mo- and rendered meaningless the votes of two ment for him, perhaps even the last moment, million, three hundred thousand Serbian citi-

but his word, as usual, didn’t count as the cise, on a undertaking to prove that law and viewpoint of the ‘narodnjaci.’ However, vice- justice are on the side of Serbia in the case president of DSS Borko Ilic confirmed that of Kosovo. Because of this, he doesn’t even possibility, after which no one had the right have to be a member of the government. to reject a post-election alliance between the Kostunica is aware of the problem conRadicals and Vojislav Kostunica, even though cerning a coalition with the Radicals. Being the Serbian Prime Minister still holds to his close with them has already cost him a lot of rule not to say anything about post-election votes, and even entire city boards are dropcoalitions. Still, his entire rhetoric is aimed ping out of DSS these days. The Radicals against the Tadic camp and leans toward managed to impose political moves on Nikolic. It was the same in the recent presi- Kostunica even as opposition, and they would dential elections, and it is even more discerni- continue to do so at an even more aggressive ble in the parliamentary ones. pace if they were to share power with him.

At this moment, ‘narod- There is no doubt that the government beKostunica is aware of the problem njaci’ and the Radicals are tween the Radicals and Kostunica would be brought together by their the Radicals’ government, and it would ‘swalconcerning a coalition with the Radicals.

Being close with them has already cost him view on Kosovo and the low’ DSS until this party was reduced to the EU and by their common political sidelines. But the question is, ‘How a lot of votes, and even entire city boards are financiers, while they are much is Kostunica is thinking about his own dropping out of DSS these days. pulled apart by the future di- party’s future right now?’ It is more realistic vision of loot. The opinion that after May 11th he will be more interested him a text of the resolution made almost en- is that Kostunica has to be the Prime Minister, in a ‘messianic’ mission and in revenge on the tirely of his quotations. He couldn’t refuse it, which he is trying to dispute by claiming that Democratic Party, which he has been trying to and Tadic would not be able to accept it, or he always relinquished power easily. Still, it’s destroy ever since he left it in 1992. so the Radicals thought. It is more likely that hard to believe that he could be ‘just’ a minisThe Radicals are willing to accept any Kostunica knew what he was doing and what ter in any future government. However, even of Kostunica’s demands, because one of he wanted all along, and that after a lot of sec- that possibility should not be rejected, above their slogans is ‘Now or never.’ They beond-guessing, he decided that if it was neces- all because Kostunica is completely con- lieve, which is definitely not good for their sary, he would form a government with the vinced that he’s on a ‘messianic’ mission to self-confidence and credibility in the elecRadicals, the party which at this moment is keep Kosovo within Serbia or, to be more pre- tions, that this is their last chance to get back paradoxically seen as a symbol of Slobodan Milosevic’s regime, much more than the latKOŠTUNICA TADI NIKOLI ter’s own Socialist Party (SPS).

Vojislav Kostunica The Democrats and There is no doubt At the beginning of the campaign, that the government Tadic also don’t nd it disassembled his Kostunica and DSS officials reacted very bitbetween the Radicals pleasant at all to listen own government terly to the attitude that a vote for Vojislav and Kostunica would to Jovanovic’s constant because he couldn’t be the Radicals’ criticism.The actions of Kostunica was in fact a vote for Vojislav be the undisputed government, and it some media close to DS Seselj, the official leader of the Radicals. creator of Serbian would ‘swallow’ DSS until toward LDP show that They wanted to say that they didn’t want any policy regarding this party was reduced Jovanovic is encountering coalition with the Radicals. As time went by, to the political sidelines.

Europe and Kosovo. a great wall of silence. this possibility was permitted by Velimir Ilic, CorD / May 2008 9

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE POLITICS

into power. This is why Nikolic has changed his standpoint that he had to be the Prime Minister and allowed for it not to be indispensable. It is irrelevant whether Nikolic changed his opinion under pressure from Vojislav Seselj, who certainly doesn’t want ‘the eternal loser’ Nikolic to become Prime Minister because a vast majority of the party would no longer view the Hague’s inmate as the Number One Radical anymore.

The Radicals and ‘narodnjaci’ will most probably need a third party to take power, and that can only be the Socialist Party.

They tried to establish very cordial relations with DS, SRS and DSS before the elections.

It would seem that a majority of SPS leadership is more inclined to cooperate with the coalition ‘For European Serbia,’ which is opposed by 75 percent of their electorate. This is exactly why statements by the cautious and clever Ivica Dacic should be taken with a grain of salt. He definitely knows better than the others that a coalition with Tadic or support to his minority government would be incomparably better for the future of SPS than an alliance with the Radicals in whose embrace the disappearance of SPS from the political scene is almost assured. In any case, it is certain that the Socialists will try to get a Who will be his Candidate for the Prime minister? Boris Tadi hefty price for each of their votes, and that RADIKAL’S SELF-CONFIDENCE they’ll try to be a part of the governing elite in one way or the other, either by participatThe Radicals are willing to accept any of Kostunica’s demands, because one of ing in the government or by supporting a minority government. their slogans is ‘Now or never.’ They believe, which is definitely not good for their The Liberal Democratic Party doesn’t self-confidence and credibility in the elections, that this is their last chance to get have to be a part of the government. It can back into power. This is why Nikolic has changed his standpoint that he had to be and it will link up only with Tadic, but onthe Prime Minister and allowed for it not to be indispensable. ly on certain conditions. However, it seems unbelievable that the Liberals would deny support to a European Serbia if its com- for Kostunica’s third mandate. the top party in Serbia. The Democrats and ing into power depended upon them. Cedomir DS could easily find itself in the same posi- Tadic also don’t find it pleasant at all to lisJovanovic would rather keep quiet and vote tion as after last year’s January elections. Fear ten to Jovanovic’s constant criticism. Still, DS for a European Serbia government than al- of a coalition between SRS and DSS made is in the unusual position of having to support low new elections or a government of two Tadic award Kostunica the post of Prime LDP somehow during the time of the elections, Vojislavs. Still, it would be good for his par- Minister. At that time Tadic believed advisors because its goal should be to have at least 45 ty to somehow be able to use the privileges who assured him that such a coalition would percent of votes together with the Liberals. of power, because it is still the best way for a be long-lasting and that DS’s prolonged ab- However, the actions of some media close to party to strengthen its poDS toward LDP show sition within the Serbian The Radicals and ‘narodnjaci’ will most probably need a third that Jovanovic is enelectorate. party to take power, and that can only be the Socialist Party. countering a great wall The biggest unknown of silence.

They tried to establish very cordial relations with DS, SRS that the coalition ‘For Examining current and DSS before the elections.

European Serbia – Boris public opinion results Tadic’ carries within it is and the parties’ interwhether it could cooperate again with ‘nar- sence from power would damage the party. ests and goals, it would seem that a governodnjaci,’ and whether it would again award Faced with the same balance of forces, Tadic ment of Euro-skeptics – SRS, DSS, NS, SPS Kostunica the post of Prime Minister. The could aim for the same solution, especially if – is more likely than a pro-European one. answer is clear to the first part of the di- the Europeans encourage him to do so, even This would then, in many ways, be a return lemma. They could again form a govern- if he himself believes that it would be neither to the Nineties when Milosevic was in powment with a DSS-NS coalition. The offi- beneficial for him or for Serbia. er. This decision will not be in the hands of cial answer to the second part of the quesThe second largest problem for Tadic is LDP. Vojislav Kostunica and Ivica Dacic after May tion is that Kostunica would not be Prime It is obvious that the Serbian president doesn’t 11th, but rather in the hands of Boris Tadic Minister again. Boris Tadic did say this, but like Cedomir Jovanovic, because both he and and Tomislav Nikolic. It is a political perverthe fact that he still hasn’t named his can- a large number of Democrats think that every sion that Kostunica could take Serbia back to didate for Prime Minister can also be inter- LDP vote would be a DS vote if the Liberals the Nineties, while Dacic could send it into a preted as his desire to keep the door open didn’t exist. With those votes, DS would be European future.

10 CorD / May 2008

POLITICS

Interview with Minister of Defense Dragan Šutanovac

Kosovo is not a NATO country For the time being the Partnership for Peace is more than an adequate framework for cooperation in the area of defense, and will remain so in the foreseeable future, therefore NATO membership does not have to be Serbia’s ultimate goal.

A

fter the summit in Bucharest almost all neighboring countries became NATO members or candidate members. During his recent visit to Zagreb, US President George W. Bush announced that Serbia is also welcome to join this alliance. Does such a position present a problem for you?

Any statement made by the president of any large country is not a problem for us as long as they see us as their ally, in our case as long as they do not see Serbia as their enemy. The fact is that the countries surrounding Serbia have approximately 220,000 soldiers, the majority of whom are in NATO. Bearing this in mind, we have to open up serious political dialogue to see how we are going to develop our defense system in the future.

Our participation in the Partnership for Peace has currently come to a halt and does not have full capacity, because our former coalition partners showed no understanding in signing a Security Agreement with NATO. All of our attempts to persuade them that this was just a normal procedure failed to eliminate the unnecessary politicization of this agreement. I would like to remind you that Russia and even Byelorussia have such an agreement. The Partnership for Peace is a more than adequate framework for cooperation in the field of defense and will remain so in the foreseeable future. I would like to remind all those who think that Serbia must become a NATO member that Austria is also only a member of the Partnership for Peace. Therefore, NATO membership does not have to be Serbia’s ultimate goal.

Do you expect a referendum regarding such a decision or will the future 12 CorD / May 2008

government make that decision?

I think that the atmosphere which prevails in Serbia regarding NATO membership insofar as our interests are concerned does not allow us to make a rational decision. Emotions still run high, and the ‘scar on the body of Serbia” from what NATO did to us in 1999 is still deep. Because of that, more time needs to pass for our citizens to realize why we have to cooperate with NATO and why it is to our mutual benefit.

Is the position of the former Parliament regarding Serbia’s neutrality binding for you?

Of course. There is no doubt about that, but that is only the announcement of a fact: we are neutral. The fact is that we do have NATO soldiers on our territory.

Yes, but pursuant to the United Nations’ Resolution. That is the only defense of our integrity and sovereignty.

Frequent elections and many changes in the minister’s chair have postponed the reform of the Army for years, is that not so?

I am the sixth minister in seven years.

We have also had the same number of General Chiefs of Staff and that is simply inadmissible. Such a complex system as

the Army does not tolerate rapid changes at the top. The first reforms were made by the current President Boris Tadi when he was the Defense Minister. Minister Stankovi also had reformist positions, but everything went very slowly. I am satisfied with my results over the last 10 months, but at least two years of continuous work is needed to achieve real results.

This Government collapsed because ministers from the Democratic Party (DS) achieved results while ministers from our coalition partners remained involved with epic stories that have nothing to do with real life.

Is there at least a political consensus regarding what kind of army we will need at the end of the reforms process?

The Army is still criticized according to party criteria. I think the fact that Serbia is a much smaller country than Yugoslavia used to be is disregarded, and they compare that army with the current one. The numerical state of our Army is adapted to the number of citizens, to the size of our country and of course, to the budget.

So you do not think that we have too many soldiers?

That depends what those soldiers are for. There are people who claim that we do not need an army at all. Others think that we need a minimum of 100,000 of solders to defend ourselves. That depends on defense strategy and the definition of who our enemies are. Making a profes-

FUTURE

NATO

KOSOVO

The Partnership for Peace is a more than adequate framework for cooperation in the eld of defense and will remain so in the foreseeable future.

Emotions still run high from what NATO did to us in 1999. Because of that, more time needs to pass for our citizens to realize why we have to cooperate with NATO.

We may end up in a future situation where Kosovo develops faster than the rest of Serbia, and then we will have migration from Serbia to Kosovo.

POLITICS

sional army would certainly decrease the number of solders, but that does not mean that we would be less efficient. What is most important for a modern army is skill, technology, and motivation, and only then its number of soldiers and weapons.

Do you still stand behind the plan for a professional Serbian Army by 2010?

If I had a full mandate that would certainly happen, and I am sincerely convinced that we will get a new mandate so that I will continue that job.

In that context, do you think that the millions of euros spent to repair only several Serbian Army aircraft were spent in vain?

That money was certainly not thrown way. A country which does not control its air space is a country without a defense concept, which means that it does not have full sovereignty over its territory.

How many foreign advisors are there in the Army?

I think two. That was the number I found when I become the Minister.

Is that normal for you, from a security point of view?

Of course. International weapons inspection and mutual exchange are completely normal in the modern world. That 14 CorD / May 2008

NATO MEMBERSHIP IS NOT THE ULTIMATE GOAL I would like to remind all those who think that Serbia must become a NATO member that Austria is also only a member of the Partnership for Peace. Therefore, NATO membership does not have to be Serbia’s ultimate goal.

kind of cooperation is welcomed and certainly does not endanger the security of our country and Army. Xenophobia in our Army has been overcome, but those politicians who think that the enemy never sleeps still have that fear.

there. We will simply never support arms smuggling.

How would you define current relations between Serbia and NATO? First, we have an intensified and good cooperation with KFOR. In spite of all se Does informing the American Em- curity challenges and threats, large scale bassy about arms exports from Serbia clashes have not broken out, especially befall under that procedure? tween our Army and KFOR. That is proba There are countries which are under bly the biggest success during my mandate.

Those politicians who contest During my recent visit to Brussels I had cooperation with KFOR dethe opportunity to present our position: mand that those same NATO soldiers protect them when Europe now, Kosovo forever. they go to Serbian enclaves the United Nations’ or some other coun- in Kosovo. That is insincere. Cooperation tries’ sanctions. Serbia does not want to with KFOR is in the interest of Serbian citiget involved in a conflict with any mili- zens, primarily those who live in Kosovo. I tary powers because of certain current fi- am convinced that future defense ministers nancial interests, because that could cause will continue that cooperation. In the most us even greater problems. We are in con- difficult times after February 17th, we had tact with everybody we need to be. The continued communication with KFOR, and arms trade is also political trade because in that way we avoided eventual clashes. the misuse of arms against civilians could always occur. There is nothing mystical When did you last meet the NATO

POLITICS

pen if on May 11th Serbia clearly defines its pro-European resolve, i.e. what Serbia wants over the next four years. In that case we would again be a country that dictates the tempo for reforms in this part of Europe.

Many major decisions would not be made without Belgrade’s opinion. If we were to choose isolation, I don’t think that anybody in Brussels would restrain our neighboring countries from integrating into Europe.

Isn’t it the slogan “Both Kosovo and Europe” some sort of semi-isolation policy? Why? Because it is not very likely now for the USA and other countries to withdraw their decisions about the recognition of Kosovo.

Nobody in Europe stipulated that we cannot access to Europe if we do not recognize Kosovo’s independence. The current subject is signing the Accession Agreement, then after that the access to funds, then the economic development of the country, then the increase of the standard of living and employment. Only when we pass all those levels can we talk about membership in the European Union. We have not been invited to enter the EU today, and that is not a subject we should be debating like this.

Secretary General and what did you talk about?

I met with him on Thursday, April 10th during an unofficial visit to Brussels.

Which received very bad press.

That was political misuse. I think that it is normal for a Defense Minister, when visiting Brussels, to have the possibility to meet the Alliance’s most important people and to do just that. Those were unofficial talks. I would also like to remind you that NATO has not yet established a position regarding the status of Kosovo and Metohija.

That means that for you Kosovo is not a NATO country.

Of course it is not a NATO country, everybody denies that it is, but it seems to me that particularly DSS’s leader is the biggest advocate of that idea. If we say that Kosovo is a NATO country, that means that is also a country of Greeks, Rumanians, Slovaks, Spaniards… all those countries which have not recognized Kosovo’s independence.

In the talks with the NATO Secretary General we discussed the political situation in the Balkans. I was interested in what was happening with Macedonia’s request for accession to the Alliance. I am convinced that the decision on Macedonia may influence security in the whole region, therefore in Serbia too. In Macedonia there is general consensus between Macedonian 16 CorD / May 2008

and Albanian parties regarding NATO membership.

I think that Prime Minister Kostunica deceived the public when he said that the Macedonian Government failed because of Kosovo. The majority in the Parliament was lost because they were not accepted into NATO. Of course, I also talked with Scheffer about the situation in Kosovo. That was a short and informal conversation.

good relations with both countries.

Your political ally, Nenad anak, recently wittily remarked that the question is not a choice between Kosovo or Europe, because if Serbia renounces Europe, that does not mean that it will get Kosovo.

During my recent visit to Brussels I had the opportunity to present our position: Europe now, Kosovo forever. Only if we become a stable and prosperIn the most dif cult times after February ous country can we defend 17th, we had continued communication our interests and be attractive to those who make up the mawith KFOR, and in that way we avoided jority in Kosovo at this time, eventual clashes because we may end up in a future situation where Kosovo develops faster than the rest of Serbia, and Were any promises made?

Promises were made in Brussels for many then we will have migration from Serbia things we requested, and they were fulfilled. to Kosovo.

Therefore, KFOR did not take up a position regarding Kosovo’s status. We requested That doesn’t sound very serious. equal treatment of all citizens in Kosovo. I Since the 1990’s many things have insisted on that, and I think that today it is sounded nonsensical. clear to everyone that KFOR is not involved The Croatian President, Stjepan in those kinds of political games.

Mesi , recently expressed the fear that While we are talking about Macedo- Croatia, which is supposed to become nian-Greek relations, can we say that a NATO member next year and an EU Serbia plays a role in them? member by 2010, could end up in a sit It is indisputable that we have excep- uation where it has to wait for Serbia. tionally good relations with Greece, but Was that some hidden announcement those relations are very complex and can- of a faster way for Serbia to Europe? not be simplified. Our interest is to have I think that such a situation could hap-

You expect citizens to clearly decide in these elections, and yet in DS you cannot decide who is going to be your candidate for Prime Minister.

I do not think that this is essential. We are a good team, and who is going to be the captain is not the most important issue.

This is, as I predicted, a very dirty political campaign at which our recent coalition partners excel.

If Prime Minister Kostunica rotates his priorities, I would like to remind you that the program for the ‘populist coalition’ is Kosovo first and then the EU. Will it be possible for you to vote for him as Prime Minister again?

We did not define those principles according to priorities. They are equally important, as is improving the standard of living. As regards Kostunica being Prime Minister in the future government, everything points to the fact that he has found a new coalition partner in the Serbian Radical Party and that he sees his chance of remaining the Prime Minister with the Radicals.

But you did not answer my question: Could Kostunica, under some circumstances, be Prime Minister in a government supported by DS? If the Democratic Party again becomes the majority party in the government, the Prime Minister will not be from any other party.

CorD / May 2008 17

POLITICS

H.E. Mr. Spiro Koci Albanian Ambassador in Belgrade

ly and good relations with the Republic of Serbia. We consider that good relations between Tirana and Belgrade will not serve only to the benefit of our two countries, but will be crucial to the security and stability of the entire region.

Albania’s goals are the EU and NATO After Kosovo declared its independence, how does your government view its relations with Serbia?

After Kosovo declared its independence, how does your government view its relations with Serbia?

First, let me brie y comment on the context of Albania’s recognition of Kosovo’s independence. e have been and are fully convinced that Kosovo is a unique case that deserved a unique solution. Why? 1. Kosovo’s case is a result of the disintegration of a state that has ceased to exist; 2. Kosovo has been a constituent part of a state has broken up through violence; 3. Kosovo’s population has been through years subject to systematic discrimination, which culminated during the tragic events of 1999 when over 900,000 Albanians were expelled at gun point from their homes and lands. Nearly 10,000 were

W

18 CorD / May 2008

killed, and over 3,000 are still missing; 4.

Since 1999, Kosovo has been under the administration of the United Nations, which means that Serbia, “de facto”, has no sovereignty over Kosovo; 5. Kosovo’s status is based on the Ahtisaari Plan, a comprehensive plan which has taken into consideration the realities on the ground and all the sensitivities there.

When it declared independence, Kosovo and its leadership have committed themselves to creating a democratic, secular, multiethnic society, where despite ethnic

background every citizen of Kosovo would feel free in his home and property, and equal before the law. Freedom and protection of rights of individuals and minorities, the Serbian minority in particular, would be guaranteed.

We strongly believe that independence based on the Ahtisaari Plan was the best and most realistic solution to provide the peace, stability, and prosperity to our region, as well as to its Euro-Atlantic integration processes. Kosovo and its people could not remain hostage to an undefined status any longer.

It is in this context and based on the above-mentioned arguments that Albania has recognized Kosovo’s independence.

This recognition is not directed against Serbia. Along with recognizing Kosovo’s independence, the Albanian government has confirmed its strong will for friend-

Will political issues jeopardize economic cooperation between the two countries and the rest of the Balkan region?

I am convinced that political issues are not going to jeopardize economic cooperation in the region. Serbian businessmen are aware that they cannot lose a good market in their neighborhood. And it is a fact that despite the differences over the Kosovo issue, economic trade between Albania and Serbia reached a peak last year. Serbs have exported to our country 2,5 times more during 2007 than the previous year. There are more and more Serbs going to Albania for tourism.

Of course politics has not helped in creating further facilities, and this is regrettable because a good institutional framework is already in place and many bilateral agreements have already been signed, but we have not used them. They are very poorly implemented. We should use all the instruments we have and should work on concluding other important agreements in order to facilitate economic cooperation and create a better business climate between our two countries and in the region. We are looking forward to working with the new Serbian authorities in this direction after the elections.

This is also the case with the Albanians such an idea. Albania’s goals are European of the Preshevo Valley. While having full and Euro-Atlantic integration. We are fulunderstanding for their legitimate concerns ly engaged in these processes and we are and demands, the Albanian authorities, at moving successfully in that direction. I am the highest institutional and political level, fully convinced that this also applies to Kohave encouraged the Albanian political par- sovo and its relevant political forces.

So, I am not concerned at all about this, ties of the Valley to take part in the parliamentary elections of May 11th in Serbia, as because it is obvious that at certain mothey can have a greater opportunity to raise ments, for certain reasons, there are circles their concerns and expose and defend their from outside that come up with such false ideas. I only regret the fact that because of interests at the decision–making level.

We consider ethnic Albanians in the re- the very nature of the media, those ideas are gion as bridges in further strengthening re- unfortunately reflected in certain newspalations with our neighbors. This is the case pers and magazines as well. with the Albanians in Montenegro, who have Economic trade between Albania and Serbia played a very important reached a peak last year. Serbs have exported role in the positive deto our country 2,5 times more during 2007 How much does Tirana influence the velopment in that counpolitical attitude of ethnic Albanians in try, and also with the than the previous year.There are more and neighboring countries, and how do you Albanians in Macedonia, more Serbs going to Albania for tourism. perceive their position? where we support the Albania has always played a construc- full implementation of Can Albania’s accession to NATO tive and moderate role in the region. This the Ohrid Agreement. jeopardize the already insufficiently depolicy has been through years highly appreciated by the international community Are you concerned about the fact that veloped relations between Tirana and and our main partner, the European Union. some circles still advocate the unifica- Moscow?

We have always called upon Albanians in tion of territories inhabited by ethnic I believe that NATO expansion toward neighboring countries and their political Albanians into one state, and what do the Balkans represents the enhancement of a region of freedom, stability and security. leaders to work for their rights within the you think about these demands? institutional framework of the countries Let me reiterate (as I am frequently The invitations to Albania and Croatia to they live in. Of course we have argued that asked about that issue) that there is not a join the Alliance represent a realistic policy their rights should be respected in accord- single Albanian political force, in or out of of mutual geo-strategic and geo-political the Albanian Parliament, which supports benefits, both for NATO and its new memance with European standards. bers, or even those aspiring for membership in the Organization.

AHTISAARI PLAN A EU FUTURE SENTIMENTS High officials of the Russian Federation We strongly believe I fully subscribe to the A certain reaction was have expressed several times, also in their that independence indeed expected and comments made by based on the Ahtisaari contacts with the Albanian officials, that understandable for some of cials here in Plan was the best Russia’s interest is merely security and stamany reasons.

Serbia that we are not and most realistic Yes, the people solution to promote Norway or Switzerland bility in the Balkans. Even more, if we take peace, stability, and can express their which can be successful into consideration Russia’s interest to invest prosperity in our sentiments and by closely cooperating in the energy sector of this region, securiregion, and to bene t frustrations openly in a but not being fully its Euro-Atlantic ty and stability become crucial to their sucdemocratic society. integration processes. integrated into the EU. cess. So, I believe that Albania’s accession CorD / May 2008 19

POLITICS

to NATO is not against Russian interest; on the contrary.

ropean Union. How do you perceive this process?

I believe that our countries, the entire region, have no alternative but integration into the European Union. I fully subscribe to comments made by some officials here in Serbia that we are not Norway or Switzerland, which can be successful by closely cooperating but not being fully integrated into the EU. The EU has made it clear. The place of the Western Balkans is in the EU. It was a historical decision adopted in 2003 at the Thessaloniki Summit, and it has been repeated time and time again. The Lisbon Treaty and its ratification will give new impetus to this process.

So, it is not a matter of “if,” but rather “when” we will become members of the EU. It is very important that we are engaged in a process, SAp, that we have a well-defined framework of concrete commitments, definite home-work to do, clear standards to achieve, and that we are assisted by the EU to achieve these standards. It is even more important that the standards we have to achieve fully coincide with the objectives of every responsible government that aims to improve the everyday life of its citizens. It is because of this that we have no alternative but the EU. Of course, we have to work hard, to undertake reforms, reforms that will sometimes require political courage and sacrifices. We should further increase cooperation in the region as well, as it is a prerequisite to EU integration.

thorities to use only political and diplomatic means against independence has been also very much appreciated, as has their ap Are you sympathetic to the Serbian peal to Kosovo Serbs not to abandon their and Kosovo Serb protests that took homes after February 17th. Unfortunately, place after February 17th? developments on the ground show that cer A certain reaction was indeed expected tain segments are not living up to these and understandable for many reasons, in- commitments. Repeated violent actions, cluding strong propaganda over the last the presentation of partition plans on ethnic couple of years. Yes, the people can express grounds, and appeals to infringe laws govtheir sentiments and frustrations openly in a erning the Republic of Kosovo pose a seridemocratic society. But the violence, even ous threat to peace and safety, not only in Kosovo, but throughout the region.

We have applauded and at the same time In this context, the declaration of the NATO encouraged Kosovo political leaders to demonstrate calm, maturity, and self-restraint Summit in Bucharest on developments in Kosovo to avoid any provocation and to continue assumes a special signif- Insufficient economic development constructive cooperation with the international icance. NATO’s engage- and organized crime are present in ment in support of a dem- many countries in the region, including community and minority representatives, ocratic, multi-ethnic, sta- those that have already joined the EU. especially with the Serbian minority. ble, and peaceful Kosovo, Which strategy has your country choas well as its call to all re- sen? more particularly the kind we witnessed gional players to avert actions and rhetoric The world is becoming increasingly gloin Belgrade toward foreign embassies or that undermine security in Kosovo or oth- bal. We have to try to follow global trends. against the courts as was the case in North er parts of the region on one hand, and the Our countries are small and incapable of Mitrovica, is unacceptable. This path leads determination of the Kosovo leadership to competing alone. Individually, the markets to the past and not to the future. I believe fully implement the Ahtisaari Plan on the of our countries are small-sized and not what happened should not be repeated any other, make us firmly believe in a calm and competitive. However, together with intemore, as it is not in the interest of the Ser- peaceful transition process in Kosovo. The grated transport, energy, telecommunicaoutcome of such a process will be for sure tions, and markets, we may be more capabian nation. consolidated stability for the region as a ble and real partners to the EU and others How do you think the safety situation whole. out of the region. in the region will develop?

Our regional cooperation is dictated Of course, the safety situation in the re- Several Western Balkan countries not only by economic benefits, but also by gion is in many ways related to develop- are still pretty far from entering the Eu- the long-term necessity of facing common ments in and around Kosovo. We have applauded and at the same time encouraged NATO INVITATIONS Kosovo political leaders to demonstrate calm, maturity, and self-restraint to avoid NATO membership invitations to Albania and Croatia send another important any provocation and to continue construcmessage and positive signal to the integration processes for all the countries of the tive cooperation with the international region, as the processes of NATO membership and EU integration are, to a certain community and minority representatives, extent, complementary processes and have many similarities. especially with the Serbian minority.

The initial commitment of Serbian au20 CorD / May 2008

“GREAT ALBANIA” There is not a single Albanian political force, in or out of the Albanian Parliament, which supports the idea of the unification of territories inhabited by ethnic Albanians into one state. Albania’s goals are European and Euro-Atlantic integration. We are fully engaged in these processes, and we are moving successfully in that direction. I am fully convinced that this applies also to Kosovo and its relevant political forces.

challenges: combating terrorism, organized crime, illicit trafficking, and so on.

Albania is ready to offer its own contribution to meet all these challenges.

Albania has made notable progress in many sectors. The relevant legal frame has already been laid down and designed to fit integration requirements. Structural reforms have been undertaken that focus particularly on fair and transparent privatization of major national assets and on setting up efficient mechanisms of law and order enforcement.

Albania’s economy is developing with a steady annual rate of 6%, keeping inflation under control at 2,9%. Compared to 2006, exports have increased by 28%, and foreign investment by 87%. Administrative costs dropped from 3 to 2,1% of the GDP. Government policies, intertwined with an uncompromising fight against corruption, smuggling, and tax evasion have led to an increase of budget revenues in 2007 by nearly 1 billion dollars as compared with 2006. Albania is one of the countries with

mon home, and to work together toward a common perspective where there is a place for all countries, big and small, even those which were former enemies and which are now committed to peace, cooperation, respect for human rights, respect for individual rights, and prosperity for their people.

I think that Albanians and Serbs and all other Balkan nations, keeping in mind their history of wars, including recent ones, have a lot to learn from the history of the European Union.

the lowest fiscal burden in Europe.

Regarding organized crime, the GoA has adopted a zero tolerance strategy against it.

Nearly 205 criminal groups were exposed How safe do you feel in Belgrade, and and 850 persons were brought to justice in are you able to accomplish your diplomatic mission after the recent cooling of 2007.

NATO’s invitation to Albania came al- relations with Belgrade authorities? so as a result of the positive assessment of policies Albania’s economy is developing with a adopted by my country in steady annual rate of 6%, keeping in ation the above-mentioned areas. under control at 2,9%. Compared to 2006,

exports have increased by 28%, and foreign investment by 87%

In your opinion, what is the prerequisite for a historical reconciliation of Balkan peoples, especially the Albanians and Serbs?

Fortunately we have a pattern - the European Union. The EU is the most perfect structure that European nations have invented so far. It is the result of the will and aspirations of the European nations, which cast off past divisions, tried to overlook the wounds of the past, decided to build a com-

At all times and under no matter what circumstances, the very role of an ambassador is to further improve the relations or to ease the tensions between his own country and his host country. Working together with my Serbian colleagues I will try hard to improve relations between Albania and Serbia. I am optimistic we will succeed.

H.E. Mr. Spiro Koci, Ambassador of Republic Albania in Belgrade Working together with my Serbian colleagues I will try hard to improve relations between Albania and Serbia CorD / May 2008 21

POLITICS

What Sort of Army Does Serbia Need?

Civil Warheads The reform of the Serbian Army has not gotten any further than the drawing board.The chief obstacle lies not with its generals, but with confusion in politicians’ heads.

BY LJUBODRAG STOJADINOVIC PHOTO: FONET I STANISLAV MILOJKOVI

S

erbia has several self-proclaimed military analysts. One is a shop-assistant; the other finished photography school, so he often took pictures of army drills, and in doing so, acquired indescribable strategic knowledge. The most famous among them completed a course for corporals, and holds the rank of sergeant Whatever they are, they form public opinion about the army, based on glorious tradition and a unique war history. According to this type of analysis, it would be good to wage war again. At least one more time.

True, Serbia once existed as a military country because of difficult circumstances.

The dilemma about what to do and what to be was entirely unnecessary: a peasant or a soldier! Most often it was both.

The peasant worked for the country more than anyone, and defended it with his life before anyone else did. Whenever a war would start, Serbian peasants became obedient cannon fodder.

Regardless of how much they beat their chests and called themselves “a heavenly nation,” Serbs lost half of their most vital male population at least twice in the past century.

This was the way to heaven, a pathetic battle on the border between life and the inescapable depression of war. Because of frequent, politically irrational wars, Serbs as a nation were decimated, the elite were cut down, the country suffered economical setbacks, and so, in spite of their potential, the Serbs slowly were relocated to the Balkan sidelines.

Did the Serbs have unreasonable leaders or bad allies, or is it because they sometimes waged war out of principle and pride, threw the most valuable lives before artillery fire and bayonets, and chose death before other

22 CorD / May 2008

more attractive possibilities?

If once they had honor and glory and created myths out of deeds larger than life, today the Serbs are left without allies. A string of political and military defeats, crimes from the nineties carried out “in the name of the nation,” and a lack of recognition of one’s own strengths and weaknesses, have led Serbia to inevitable military disorientation.

Militarily, Serbia is literally on the border between the West and isolation. The leadership of the Serbian Army is doing its job in a state of absolute confusion, both in terms of politics and in terms of values. It is unknown what standards apply to the Serbian Army.

Every group in the government has its allies.

Half the government has attached itself to the Orthodox myth and fable about a “natural attachment” to the East. The legend of “Mother Russia” is just a literary category anyway. Apart from verbal encouragement, Russia didn’t provide any real help to Serbia in 1999, or now, or before.

The other half believes in western values, but is reluctant to and dares not get rid of Russian influence. The first half of the government has started a resistance movement against the western military alliance. It has succeeded in proclaiming “military neutrality” for Serbia, and Kosovo is a part of that package.

Not having reliable parameters for any kind of decent orientation, the Serbian government has made several illogical, almost hilarious moves. They are so incongruous

Between Tradition and the Modernisation: The young general corps of the Serbian Army that they appear is if they were made by a group of script writers for some kind of cabaret vaudeville.

Serbian Prime Minister Kostunica is the leader of this “paradox concept.” For example, he is a hard-core supporter of the motto “Kosovo is Serbia!” If Serbia is militarily neutral, then it’s the same case with Kosovo, so NATO has no business in this southern Serbian province. Up until this point, the concept of neutrality can somehow hold up on the level of an optimistic Utopia. But, NATO has been in Kosovo since 1999 after the nearly effortless capitulation of the Serbian Army.

RUSSIA

PATRIOTISM

GENERALS

Half the government has attached itself to the Orthodox myth.

Apart from verbal encouragement, Russia didn’t provide any real help to Serbia in 1999, or now, or before.

There is no room in modern patriotism for the imperative that “one must die” for one’s homeland, but on the contrary, that one must survive and live on for the same cause.

The young general corps of the Serbian Army has good, very progressive ideas about what to do with the armed forces, but its civilian management is an obstacle to this process.

It’s hard to be neutral if there’s a contingent of foreign troops on your territory. It’s even harder to deny the fact that troops which are not from the home country are on the part of territory that has been promoted by medical rhetoric as being “The Heart of Serbia!”

Such a slogan, which does have a certain patriotic significance, is powerless before the actual situation. NATO is not in the heart of the Prime Minister, quite the opposite, but it is in the heart of neutral Serbia.

The consummation of neutrality is hardly achievable in an acute crisis. Kosovo, with its traumatic surroundings, is still a living, breathing trouble spot of latent Balkan drama. Declaring neutrality under the circumstances of the “occupation of our territory and the creation of a NATO state in the Balkans” (Vojislav Kostunica) is even more irrational than not acknowledging the situation.

Serbia has once again decided to be left without allies. Those who can help have been shunned, and those who can’t or

don’t want to help are being glorified. But that’s not the biggest problem of Serbia’s defense policy. The problem is that no such policy exists.

Either that little detail hasn’t been noticed by military analysts, or if it has, they simply passed it over to the historians. The defense policy in Serbia is the defense of the policy of the day. This means that every political

Serbian army, close ties with the East and Soviet standards, and the revenge-seeking nature of military reforms.

This third bit would mean “at least one more try” in returning to old ways.

Symbolically, it is a military way of putting into operation the feeble-minded idea about the borders of Ogulin-KarlovacKarlobag-Virovitica.

The stated “return stratDid the Serbs have unreasonable leaders or bad egy” is popular among Milosevic’s retired generals allies, or is it because they sometimes waged war and is based on a tragic-comout of principle and pride, threw the most valuable ic version of “Seseljism.”

It’s interesting that most lives before artillery re and bayonets, and chose death before other more attractive possibilities? of those in power after October 2000 haven’t occupied themselves much group has its own perception, with just one with the army and its position. As Defense Minister and as president of Serbia, Boris flaw – it is generally a bad one.

Conservative military concept comes Tadic tried, but not very effectively. His effrom the past and still remains here. It is ten- forts were more often than not superficial, able only in the heads of defeated generals. without relying on experts. The army was alIt comes down to three main pillars: a large ways in a state of “initiated reforms,” which CorD / May 2008 23

POLITICS

BETWEEN THE WEST AND ISOLATION Militarily, Serbia is literally on the border between the West and isolation. The leadership of the Serbian Army is doing its job in a state of absolute confusion, both in terms of politics and in terms of values. It is unknown what standards apply to the Serbian Army.

Every group in the government has its allies.

were, in fact, constantly about to be set up.

What the country didn’t do (didn’t want to, didn’t know how to), the Headquarters did, led by Zdravko Ponos. This man had a lot of problems with his opponents from the past. Now retired, the older generals rebuffed his military abilities, neglecting to say where theirs were when they were needed.

But nonetheless, Ponos showed that he could think both creatively and logically. In mid2006 with his team, he drew up a document entitled “Strategic Defense Review!”

This document was shown to domestic reporters in September of the same year, with the following main points made by general Ponos: 1. The army can be redefined (he deemed the term “reform” worn out and insufficiently accurate) to the extent to which 24 CorD / May 2008

So it was left up to the oligarchies to manage defense the way they see fit, and to replace the top generals according to their party criteria.

By declaring “military neutrality,” the State changed its position of a partner drastically, blocked the roads toward new stages of military integrations, and made relative its status in The Partnership for Peace.

It is not certain what will happen with the professionalizing process, or whether it will be even conducted at all. There are no clear dimensions for the army, and so projections are again going from (uneconomically) 70,000 soldiers, to (symbolically) 18,000.

The former figure is irrational within the economic potential of the country; the latter is realistic only with a technologically perfect organization. This means buying equipment like transport and combat helicopters, light combat systems (for anti-tank and anti-aircraft combat) and equipment for the protection of human lives. Serbia has no more soldiers “to waste.” There is no room in modern patriotism for the imperative that “one must die” for one’s homeland, but on the contrary, that one must survive and live on for the same cause.

Military neutrality can also mean a kind of demilitarization. This is unlikely however, because it stems from the militant wing of Serbian politics. In general, there has been an “inversion of militarism” in Serbia in the past fifteen or so years. Politicians who have become the most war-prone typically have an appearance and physical status that is not soldier-like (Dacic for example), and the generals, guided by practical sense, have become peacemakers.

This circumstance is a positive innovation in Serbian military practice, and would have to (if possible) survive on “the zero option” within the new defense doctrine, which in principle says, “Small countries can win wars only if they don’t fight them!”

What would that mean in practice? Well, indeed many things. First of all, it would mean a professional relationship toward our country’s security, but without frowning on our neighbors and those stronger than we are.

This type of defense is lifesaving if categories like military diplomacy and state diplomacy are used.

There is an ongoing search for an “effi-

the country can afford to pay. 2. The State will pass laws and necessary acts based on expert evaluations, and choose the dimensions of the army accordingly. 3. The plan is to abolish mandatory military service and professionalize the Serbian Army by mid 2010.

It was an interestWhat the country didn’t do (didn’t want to, ing experiment that went didn’t know how to), the Headquarters did, no further than satisfying led by Zdravko Ponoš. the public’s acute curiosity. Some military analysts described at the beginning of this text cruci- cient alliance.” To simplify the matter, a line fied Ponos for “insufficient expertise” and the by Radovan III from Dusan Kovacevic’s defensive character of the Strategic Review. comedy is pertinent here: “If we can’t defeat The State passed the Defense Law and the them, the best thing would be to get their uniSerbian Army Law, but without a National forms and join them!”

Security Strategy.

This artistic approach to the “comedy of

Serbian army: It’s hard to be neutral if there’s a contingent of foreign troops on your territory the absurd” is in its way very close to basic Such circumstances demanded a complete gressive. Finally, Serbia needs a good army military pragmatism. In other words, allies reorganization of the remnants of the JNA, that will not be used. should be sought in countries that could be and a definition of a modern army which This optimum level of security calls for dangerous as enemies. Real enemies should would by itself be the complete opposite of two inseparable hypothetical components: 1) not be sought out; they will show up even- a standing force. the situation in the country is stable, and, 2) tually, unless they have other, more imporSerbia has attempted this, but didn’t get all the system conditions to disable its internal tant business. past the initial stage. Therefore, we again political abuse have been created. The crisis Though it is still somehow hanging on, reached an absurd image of reality: the dem- in the region is at the level that doesn’t jeopSerbia has found itself in a gap between its ocratic political block is the bearer of hard- ardize Serbia, and so the Serbian Army will own political mistakes, the arrogant, ag- line military conservatism. not influence any worsening of relations. gressive steps of its opponents, and a slugThe young general corps of the Serbian In a few months the Serbian Army gish withdrawal by its allies (if it indeed had Army has good, very progressive ideas will be surrounded by countries that have any). Serbia cannot get out of this tight spot about what to do with the armed forces, but joined NATO, or are at its doorstep. This through the use of force, so the quesis already a kind of military isolation is often asked whether Serbia In terms of the balance of powers, Serbia is left tion and a form of an absurd milineeds an army at all. alone, without the ability to establish quality tary position. In the sphere of deIn the modern world such a quesclared neutrality, it is a metaphor military cooperation with its neighbors. tion is only rhetorical. The army is of universal helplessness. In terms a traditional State symbol, an imof the balance of powers, Serbia portant parameter of its security and integ- its civilian management is an obstacle to is left alone, without the ability to estabrity, and an image of declaratory power. The this process. It doesn’t understand the ar- lish quality military cooperation with its army also makes sense in terms of public my, nor does it want to! neighbors. events and protocol, which determines the If the Radicals were to come to power, this For the security of this country, these cirsymbolic position of state representatives. would lead to new sterile and very unpleas- cumstances could be devastating from the asA part of these general principles was ant experiments. This political group doesn’t pect of an uncontrollable crisis, and cannot undermined for many of the armies pro- have the personnel for any serious govern- be ruled out. duced by the JNA, and thus for the Serbian ment position, and its candidates for the top It appears that the assumption that Army as well. In consecutive defeats, the ar- spots in the army are indeed dangerous, am- Serbia needs an army which wouldn’t be my was a metaphor here for countries that bitious, and mediocre. used is completely correct. During the three keep breaking apart, whose security thereThe process of professional redefinition of months of NATO’s campaign in Kosovo, fore was endangered to the limit of helpless- the army has been halted mainly because of Serbia sent a “clan member” general and ness. Not infrequently, the army supported, supreme political uncertainty. This environ- 150,000 soldiers there. Kosovo was lost through protocol and guard duty, the politi- ment was created by a crisis, but it also inten- on June 10th 1999. Milosevic could have cal officials who were directly destroying it. sified that crisis. Serbia needs an army that achieved the same result even without us(Mesic, Marovic) will not surpass its leadership in being pro- ing his army.

CorD / May 2008 25

NATO

NATO Summit in Bucharest

The Alliance at a Crossroad

Japan,Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil.The Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Croatia and Albania.This is not a geography game, but a list of potential new NATO Alliance partners, among which, at least for now, only the last two countries are certain candidates with invitation letters in hand.

Vladimir Putin: Russia’s veto on NATO expansion

BY RADE RANKOVI

A

n open invitation for Croatia and Albania to join the Alliance might actually be considered the only conclusion reached at the latest NATO summit in Bucharest. Not even Macedonia has managed to stuff itself in the package, first of all because of Greece’s inveterate objections and threats that it will use its veto because of its northern neighbor’s name. In addition, the situation in Macedonia and the division based on ethnic groups confirms an (un)willingness to join the allies.

Even though it was expected that the meeting of allies in Bucharest at the beginning of April would bring at least some answers, it can be said that nothing interesting happened, except that the citizens of Romania’s capital had a chance to witness extensive security measures taken to protect 26 CorD / May 2008

US President George Bush.

Virtually nothing was concluded, neither the question of building an anti-missile shield, that is, hosting a radar and missile interceptor in the Czech Republic and Poland, nor the question of untangling the Kosovo knot, nor relations with Russia, nor, in short, the question of where the Alliance is heading.

NATO has been at a crossroad for years.

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolu-

tion of the Warsaw Pact has left the NATO Alliance alone in a global bleakness, and still without an answer to the question, “How and where to go from here?”

Founded, as the name states, as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, during the last 60 years NATO has been exclusively reserved for North American and European allies, including old ones and new, mostly Eastern European partners.

Where does the basic problem lie?

NEW PARTNERS

KOSOVO

AFGHANISTAN

NATO has been exclusively reserved for North American and European allies, including old ones and new, mostly Eastern European partners.

The US has a number of reasons to let the European Union handle security in Europe.This can also be witnessed in the US retreat from Bosnia and EULEX’s arrival in Kosovo.

NATO is facing the danger of becoming a sanitary inspector who takes care of the terrain after US interventions, as in Afghanistan, and later in Iraq.

Well, it lies in NATO itself, in the way it sees itself in the future, in the way Europe sees the future of a partnership, in the perception of Americans, and in adjusting these views with Russia’s interests.

As Miroslav Hadži from the Center for Civil-Military Relations says, the US has a number of reasons to let the European Union handle security in Europe. This can also be witnessed in the US retreat from Bosnia and EULEX’s arrival in Kosovo.

“The US has no special interest in Europe, or it has far more interest somewhere else,” says Hadži . “A potential retreat from Europe could also be a sign that the US is trying to find better and more faithful allies, to include countries they feel might be more devoted, and more willing to participate in preventive war actions or in the world battle against terrorism.”

Europe’s primary interest in hosting an anti-missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland was not finalized in Bucharest.

Putin openly stated that Russia sees setting up missiles on its border as a direct threat.

According to Russian and Western media, Putin said during a closed meeting with the heads of NATO that Russia will be forced to take measures to protect its security in response to NATO’S expansion to include former Soviet Union countries.

While on the subject of former Warsaw Pact members, ten of them are already members, and it is estimated that in the next ten years around ten more former members might join the North Atlantic Alliance.

Therefore, twenty out of the twenty-eight that used to be in under Moscow’s control.

These are sufficient reasons for Moscow to openly let the Czech Republic and Poland, its partners from NATO, know that it will turn its missiles toward any sources of threat to Russia’s national security.

The further expansion of NATO to include the Ukraine and Georgia not only makes Russia feel uneasy, but also is causing disagreement within the organization itself. First, Germany does not approve of the nonchalant expansion of the Alliance eastward for several reasons. The Ukraine, like Serbia, is deeply divided over the question of joining NATO, while Georgia has no problem with the orientation of its own people, but it does have two separatist republics (Abkhazia and South Ossetia) that are not under its control.

In addition, one must also keep in mind that Germany solved its own problem of energetic security in direct negotiations with Russia, and bypassed the European Union.

Most believe that this action was brought about by Germany’s concerns about its allies’ future moves.

Not being able to change things through the Alliance, the US president stated that it is regretful that NATO Alliance members have

The Greek veto led too fall of the FormerYugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s goverment

NATO AT A CROSSROAD NATO has been at a crossroad for years. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact has left the NATO Alliance alone in a global bleakness, and still without an answer to the question, “How and where to go from here?”

Pacific and allowing Japan to join NATO has been a longstanding issue in the White House. Australia and New Zealand are also wiling to join the Alliance, and lately there have been more and more rumors mentioning Brazil.

Finally, after Bucharest the question of Kosovo is still open. According to Vladimir Putin, this is one of the key issues defining relations between NATO and Russia.

Moscow is persistent in its standpoint that it is trying to protect international law, but also its own inThese are suf cient reasons for Moscow to terests that could be directopenly let the Czech Republic and Poland, ly jeopardized if any of the former Soviet republics deits partners from NATO, know that it will cided to follow the example turn its missiles toward any sources of of Kosovo and Metohia. threat to Russia’s national security.

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer himBush’s sect-like politics: if you’re not with self admitted that the question of Kosovo us, you’re against us,” said Miroslav Hadži , was openly discussed and that there was no breakthrough, but also that there had been analyzing the position of the US. According to Hadži , NATO is facing progress. It is good, says Scheffer, that the the danger of becoming a sanitary inspec- Kosovo debate is continuing, and that the tor who takes care of the terrain after US in- role of NATO and KFOR is keeping in line terventions, as in Afghanistan, and later in with Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Iraq.

Council.

At this point events take a logical turn.

Serbia itself was present at the Bucharest If the old allies are not loyal and they do NATO summit, represented by a delegation not grasp the problems of US energetic and headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk cybernetic security, new allies will volun- Jeremi . According to Miroslav Hadži , teer. Shifting US strategic interests to the the Serbian delegation attended the summit the right of veto, and that it is even more distressing that this right is given to non-members, meaning above all, Russia.

“We are witnessing an attempt to once again establish NATO as the leading element in the future parallel system of collective world security. This idea was present in US circles even in relation to the war in Iraq, when the US was ready to divide NATO into those who are for and against the intervention. I would just like to remind you of

CorD / May 2008 27

NATO

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How big NATO is! NATO’s secretary general Japp de Hoop Scheffer without high expectations, just to sense the general situation, and maybe to express some opinions.

However, says Hadži , after the decision of the head of state to change the general course of

coming elections in Serbia, it will still be a few years before the country’s accession to the Alliance is discussed.

In the end, perhaps the most interesting positions for analyzing the NATO situation are the viewpoints of the outgoing presidents, Bush and Putin. With two questionable wars behind him, discord in the Alliance, failed attempts to persuade his Russian colleague to give in on the question of Kosovo, the anti-misFinally, after Bucharest the question sile shield in the of Kosovo is still open. According to Czech Republic Vladimir Putin, this is one of the key and Poland, and new NATO issues de ning relations between members, all of NATO and Russia. this confirms that Bush, when Serbian foreign af- we tally the score, has a less significant end fairs toward a neutral result than Putin. stance, it is not clear The Russian president is peacefully withwhat kind of a mes- drawing to the position of Russian Prime sage Serbia is sending Minister, leaving his successor Medvedev to the Alliance. with a pretty clear position. Moscow has That is why within become aware of its power and it does not NATO itself Serbia’s want to agree to unnecessary compromises accession is per- any more. ceived as less and The next opportunity to analyze the situless probable, at least ation in NATO is drawing closer. Next year in the near future. the allies will celebrate the 60th anniversary Regardless of the of NATO’s existence. Perhaps there will be outcome of the up- reason to break out the champagne.

28 CorD / May 2008

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REGION

Croatia’s Expectations from the US President’s Visit and Invitation to Join NATO

Status of an Important US Ally

BY MIRJANA VUJOVI PHOTO: FONET

D

uring his first official visit to Croatia, US president George W. Bush declared that this state is one of the United States’ closest allies. He also promised the protection of the US and NATO, which Croatia was invited to join only one day before Bush’s visit, at the NATO summit in Bucharest. Great efforts made by the United States and President Bush to continue expanding this organization to southeastern European countries, first to include Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia, once again showed the interest of the greatest world power to lure the countries in this region as far away as possible from Russia.

Although the invitation for Croatia to join NATO is, first of all, a result of the situation in the region, it is also the first great success of the Croatian Government led by Prime Minister Ivo Sanader. In this context it is not surprising that Sanader stated that Bush’s visit marks the high point of Croatia’s international position.

During his public address at Zagreb’s Marko Square, the US president also emphasized that he wants to celebrate the invitation to join NATO with Croatian citizens, and also to congratulate them on the effort they have made on the path to EuroAtlantic integration.

However, at the same time Bush said that NATO’s doors are also open to other countries in the region, explicitly mentioning Serbia among them. In this way, according to Croatian analysts, he sent a clear message that he wants to see all Balkan countries under NATO’s umbrella.

Croatia also invited its neighbors to continue with Euro-Atlantic integration.

All leading politicians in the country stated that Croatia will help its neighbors along this path, and that the invested effort will bring multiple rewards.

“In Kosovo they have a right to live under a new democratic system that will 30 CorD / May 2008

protect minority communities and involve them in public administration and political life. Serbia also has a right to its place in Europe. It has paid the price for its misguided politics of the past, and not only does it have the right, but I am sure that it will show that it is ready for a new future,” said Sanader at Marko Square, where he and Bush addressed the public.

Croatia will undoubtedly benefit from Bush’s visit, first on the international and economic field. If we add its invitation to join NATO, Croatia is definitely entering the group of stable European countries, or to put it differently, exiting the group of countries that present or presented a problem in the region and the world, especially in comparison to

This is also what the highest-ranking state officials hope for, including President Stjepan Mesi . Summing up the results of the visit by the head of the world’s greatest power, Mesi said that this visit has opened a window for further development of relations between these two states, and also for the introduction of US capital and technology. It is a known fact that there is still not a significant amount of US capital in the Croatian market. This is why Prime Minister Sanader suggested that Bush send a group of US businessmen to Croatia as soon as possible, and that US visas for Croatian citizens be abolished.

The public was also very interested in the possibility of NATO bases opening in Croatia. However, all participants in the

George W. Bush sent a clear message that he wants to see all Balkan countries under NATO’s umbrella most of the countries formed on the territory of the former Yugoslavia that are still not ready to join Euro-Atlantic integration.

It is estimated that this is exactly what the US is trying to say. Croatia is a stable, secure state, and as such it is an example for other countries in the region. This message will not only greatly enhance its international image, but also facilitate and speed up an influx of foreign investments.

talks denied that this was a topic they had discussed with the US president, stating that NATO already has bases in neighboring countries (for example, in the Italian town of Aviano). As they confirmed to the press, they only talked about the participation of Croatian soldiers in peace missions, and Bush especially commended the Croatian soldiers who are involved in missions in Afghanistan.

The new Croatian Ambassador to the United States, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovi ,

SERBIA

CROATIA

REFERENDUM

During his visit to Croatia, outgoing President of the US George W. Bush stated that Belgrade has paid the price for its misguided politics of the past. At the same time, Bush stressed that Serbia’s long-term position is in NATO.

Citizens of Croatia expect their country to become a full NATO member next year.This would be an introduction to Croatia’s accession to the EU in the 2010.The Government in Zagreb says it is important that there be no new conditions.

Proponents of the idea that Croatia should hold a referendum on whether or not to join NATO did not manage to gather a suf cient number of signatures.

General support of the Croatian public for the country’s accession to NATO is 70 percent.

stated that at this time it is important to focus on informing potential US investors of the changes and business climate in Croatia, as well as to bring them to Croatia so that they can see for themselves. She announced the possibility of organizing a so-called “road-show” promotion in the US that would present the possibilities of investing in Croatia in several American cities. Like Prime Minister Sanader, Grabar-Kitarovi also stressed that one of her priorities will be to sign a bilateral double taxation exemption agreement.

Expectations from Bush’s visit in regard to the start of the tourist season are also high, and so the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects a significantly larger influx of tourists, especially Americans. Last year there were around 180,000 tourists from the US. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs took advantage of the large number of US press representatives who followed Bush on his European tour, to promote the country.

Despite main roads that were nearly entirely blocked off during the procession of vehicles carrying guests from the US and the unparalleled security measures that followed Bush’s two-day stay in Zagreb, there were no major complaints from Croatian citizens. Small turnouts of protestors against US foreign politics, organized by peace organizations, showed

that the majority of Croatian citizens are aware that it is in the country’s interest to establish good relations with the US, even if they disagree with President Bush’s politics. As opposed to other cities visited by the current US president, only a few hundred young people participated in demonstrations in Zagreb over the President’s two-day visit. It is noteworthy that individuals from Iraq and Palestine were seen carrying their countries’ flags during the protests. These are persons currently living in Croatia, and they told the press that they had come to

will certainly reflect on Croatia’s negotiations to join the European Union. They mention the fact that most countries had joined NATO before becoming members of the EU. Croatia might also follow suit.

Officials from Brussels confirmed that negotiations with Croatia could be accelerated, and that it is not unrealistic to expect them to end by the close of 2009, so Croatia could becomes a full EU member in 2010.

The invitation to join NATO is only the first step toward gaining the status of a full member of the military political un-

Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects a signi cantly larger in ux of tourists, especially Americans. express their dissatisfaction with US politics toward their own countries.

The latest public opinion poll shows that 78 percent of Croatian citizens feel that Bush’s visit is a positive event. The invitation to join NATO is positive according to 70 percent of Croatians, while 14 percent feel that it is negative. A majority of those who feel that the invitation is a positive event believe that Croatia should accept the invitation and become a member of NATO. Only 20 percent object to accepting.

Although there is no direct connection, analysts believe that these events

ion, which is expected next year. Concrete steps should be taken to show that Croatia respects all existing modern western armies’ standards. During the accession negotiations that could be finished in the fall of this year, the main topics will be political and military reforms. Among other topics are the defense budget, employee wages, various development projects, modernization, as well as participation in peace missions, and in the political sense legislative reform, the fight against corruption, and minority rights. In any case, Croatia is faced with a lot of work if it wants to fulfill its expectations.

CorD / May 2008 31

REGION

Presidential elections in Montenegro

Further notarization of the Referendum The Presidential elections held on April 6th in Montenegro were not so important in themselves because the function of the head of state is not so politically in uential, but were important as a test of the citizens’ will presented in the Referendum, and as a test for parliamentary elections planned for the end of 2009.

BY ILIJA DESPOTOVI PHOTO: FONET

T

he President of Montenegro, which is now the official title (and no longer the President of the Republic), assumes more representative status and ceremonial duties. His power is primarily expressed by the possibility of vetoing legal and other acts adopted by Parliament.

Even this he can do only once, because if the Montenegrin Parliament adopts a certain law for a second time, the President is obliged to sign it. The head of state is, of course, also the head of the defense council as headquarters of the armed forces. However, even the politically ‘encroached’ President of Montenegro has two official offices: the standing working cabinet in Podgorica as the main city, and the residence in the palace in Cetinje, the city which, according to the Montenegrin Constitution, has the status of capital.

Regardless of his competency, the election of the former President of the Republic, Filip Vujanovi , as the first president of an independent Montenegro, greatly encouraged the governing coalition made up of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the Social-Democratic Party (SDP). In this way the coalition will continue to have complete authority. The coalition is absolutely superior in the Parliament, has its Government, and now has again gained the presidential chair for the next five years. Therefore, there are no formal institutional obstacles to the full implementation of its political program – accession to the European Union and NATO. At his victory ceremony, Vujanovi promised that Montenegro would become an EU member by the end of his mandate.

On that occasion, the president of DPS, Milo Djukanovi , said that Vujanovi ’s victory is a strong stimulus to his Government in the realization of their pro-European poli-

32 CorD / May 2008

cy. In that sense, Djukanovi offered a hand to the Opposition, calling for cooperation and requesting no confrontation with the administration on any issues. If by chance, someone else had been elected President of Montenegro, his election would have caused confusion if nothing else, for the most part to the Government, which would certainly have destabilized Montenegro.

Vujanovi ’s triumph over three Opposition candidates as the confirmation of absolute victory of the coalition made up of DPS and SDP in the parliamentary elections in 2006 evoked the Opposition’s demands for early

parliamentary elections. It also poured water on the story about apparent illegitimacy in the Montenegrin administration. The credibility of Prime Minister Djukanovi was also reinforced after he returned to that position in February, which the Opposition qualified as his personal manipulation in order to avoid responsibility for accusations referring to cigarette smuggling ten years ago.

On his own initiative, Djukanovi recently went to Italy to be questioned before the Italian prosecutor’s office that suspected him of participating in international cigarette smuggling. The Opposition tried to discredit Djukanovi regarding this event. During the electoral campaign, the opposing Serbian List’s presidential candidate, Andrija Mandi , even promised to dismiss Djukanovi . Now, that is all a futile dream.

Given the political circumstances in Montenegro, the presidential elections assumed the character of parliamentary elections, and were objectively a sort of notarization of the result of the Referendum on independence. This was the second strengthening (the first being the elections in 2009) of the conviction that the Referendum was the democratic testimony of national will and, in the end, all political parties have to accept that.

The Serbian List, like some other parties, is still refusing to do so. Its candidate Mandi neither recognizes the Constitution of Montenegro nor its state symbols, and during the electoral campaign he began all meetings with the Serbian national anthem. His electoral result is likely to serve as a warning for him to reconsider his relations towards the state of which he wanted to be president, and which he still has not recognized.

For Opposition candidates, the presidential campaign was an investment in preparations for the next parliamentary elections. The Movement for Change candidate, Nebojša

CETINJE

DJUKANOVI

DPS

Montenegro has two of cial of ces: the standing working cabinet in Podgorica as the main city, and the residence in the palace in Cetinje.

Djukanovi recently went to Italy to be questioned before the Italian prosecutor’s of ce that suspected him of participating in international cigarette smuggling.

It seems that the number of people who support DPS, but who would like DPS to taste a bit more like the Opposition, is not insigni cant.

No doubt:The Presidential elections in Montenegro Medojevi , who was considered the most unsuccessful candidate in the April 6th elections, said that this defeat will not prevent him from continuing to tell a ‘fairy tale’ about a different Montenegro, as he put it, without drug addiction, crime, and corruption. Mandi drew the conclusion from his outcome that the Serbian List is in fact the real representative of Serbs in Montenegro. After Vujanovi , he had the best result, gaining over 19% of the votes and establishing himself as the new Opposition leader. It is very likely that Mandi will try to unite the Opposition in Montenegro before the new elections, which will be a very difficult task.

Some analysts think that the Opposition would have done better in these elections, and might even have won, if they had had one candidate. Apart from Vujanovi , the candidate of the People’s Socialist Party, Srdjan Mili , is also considered the victor in the presidential elections in Montenegro. With 12% of the vote, he showed that his party is not on the edge of the electoral census, as was predicted. Mili tried to present his party as civil, and himself as the mediator of politically divided Montenegro. His results show that part of the voters responded to that call. This will certainly be used in the campaign for the new parliamentary elections.

In the long term, the outcome of the presidential elections, regardless of how strange it may seem, may be auspicious for the governing coalition of the Democratic Party of Socialists and the Social-Democratic Party.

They are being criticized for being in power too long, particularly DPS, which has been in power for almost two decades. Encouraged by another victory for its candidate in the presidential elections, this party could be lulled in the saddle of absolute power, which could turn against DPS in the forthcoming elections.

This is especially possible since there are serious estimations that DPS owes its longlasting rule to successfully manipulating people. University professor, Risto Kilibarda, claims that DPS skilfully manages people’s fears – about war, international sanctions, NATO bombing, Milosevic – and in this way has remained in power for so long. Kilibarda also explains that this party knows how to bribe voters, to blackmail them to keep them as voters out of interest. However, this is probably only one side of the truth, and the other could be found in the fact that DPS has

We should also expect greater pressure on Montenegro to recognize Kosovo’s independence. For the time being, the Albanians understand Montenegro’s hesitation, but the question remains as to how long that will be tolerated. However, Albanian parties have behaved in an intimidating way for a long time now. They claim that with their support in the Referendum and now for the presidential candidate Filip Vujanovi , they have ‘obliged’ the administration to meet their demands. Indeed, Medojevi has also promised the Albanians an independent borough for Tuzi.

Regarding relationships with Serbia, during Regarding relationships with Serbia, during his campaign Vujanovi his campaign Vujanovi often emphasized that often emphasized that Montenegro is interested in “the best possible Montenegro is interestrelations” with its neighboring country, and, there ed in “the best possible is no doubt that this was not just a political phrase. relations” with its neighboring country, and, itself and in its program politically adapted there is no doubt that this was not just a poto the changes in the political context of the litical phrase. But how will it be possible to former state union with Serbia and of course have such relations if Montenegro recognizin Montenegro. Therefore DPS has changed es Kosovo’s independence, which it will cerits political profile and we could say that it is tainly have to do in the foreseeable future? in fact not the same party which has ruled in Vujanovi has shown that he has the nerve for Montenegro for such a long time. political compromise. Whether he will manThe question of how DPS rules has un- age to make the moves which the European doubtedly been posed right now in connec- Union expects from Montenegro, among tion with the results of the presidential elec- which is the recognition of Kosovo, and to tions. It seems that the number of people maintain good relations with Serbia is not who support this party, but who would like easy to predict, or, more truthfully stated, will DPS to taste a bit more like the Opposition, be very difficult. is not insignificant.

Since independent Montenegro has gained The political consequence of the presiden- its first head of state, it should be expected tial elections will certainly be the fact that the that after the presidential elections diplomatic Montenegrin administration will have to meet communication between Podgorica and other the demands of national minorities such as the capital cities around the world will be intenAlbanians much faster. Some of their parties de- sified. Vujanovi has so far traveled to only a mand an independent borough for Tuzi which is few countries and a small number of foreign officials have come to Montenegro. not in the Podgorica boroughs association.

CorD / May 2008 33

ECONOMY

Erste Group: Country Report – Serbia

What will 2008 bring?

In their last Country Report Serbia, Erste Group analysts summed up the current situation as follows: political risks remain high after the government’s break-up and Kosovo’s proclamation of independence; EU negotiations have been stalled until after parliamentary elections; GDP growth is expected to moderate in 2008; external imbalances widened 2007’s C/A de cit to close to 17% of GDP; the NBS is in hiking cycle; the FX market is under strong political in uence; and the banking sector catch-up continues.

BY: TATJANA OSTOJI POLITICS Hence, the political risk in Serbia remains high, with potential to strongly influence economic developments. 2007 showed that political developments can significantly influence economic variables. We continue to stick to the scenario that Serbia will remain on the EU track and, in the mid-run, continue its successful convergence policy. In the short run, the political situation will influence economic performance only mildly. If the situation turns out differently, it would most likely mean a significant negative revision of the forecasts.

LABOR MARKET, REFORMS AND FISCAL POLICY Labor market trends have recently shown some improvement, since the labor force survey for 2007 indicated a strong decline in the unemployment rate from 20.9% in 2006 to18.1% last year. The SME segment employment showed some signs of recovery in the past six months.

The high unemployment rate remains one of the key challenges for policymakers. Wage growth remained high (20%+), dropping only in December. Wage growth in euro terms has been lower, due to depreciation, while in real terms, wage growth has slowed down significantly due to accelerating inflation.

34 CorD / May 2008

CONTROLLING EXTERNAL IMBALANCE CRUCIAL Serbia still needs to undergo further reforms to improve its institutional framework and attract new FDI (especially greenfield export-oriented projects). Failing to do so and not improving the balance of payment trends would mean a continuation of high external imbalances, which would put pressure on the indebtedness level and raise concerns about the long-term sustainability of domestic demand-driven GDP growth.

Currently, significant dedication to pursuing reforms is not expected, since until the elections, the technical government will not open any important issues. Also, the privatization process will be stalled, at least as far as major projects are concerned. In such a situation, fiscal policy is gaining in importance. Serbia currently has no formal agreement with the IMF, although, in the current turbulent global environment, such an agreement would be useful to further strengthen the country’s external position.

REAL SECTOR, BALANCE OF PAYMENTS AND FOREIGN DEBT After the buoyant economic activity in 1H07, 2H07 brought a slowdown. The 3Q GDP figure posted 7.2% y/y growth, thus moderating after the 8.1% y/y and the 7.5%

y/y growth recorded in 1H07 (1H07 was also revised downwards). Strong domestic demand remained an impetus for growth, pushing the service sector up further.

What will 2008 bring? Agricultural production will remain dependent on weather conditions. Construction activity should be overall supportive, since investment activity should accelerate on the basis of strong corporate sector lending and a continuation of the National Investment Program. Manufacturing activity should accelerate slightly in comparison to 2007, but stronger performance should be prevented by deteriorating competitiveness and lower external demand. The service sector will again contribute considerably to economic performance, but on the average we expect some moderation of growth rates, even though they will remain comfortably in the double-digit range. Accelerating inflation rates could have a negative effect on buying power.

However, towards the year’s end, we see inflationary pressures at lower levels, again supporting domestic demand. The external environment should also slow down. Hence, room for external demand to offset pressures is limited. We see the GDP growth rate in 2008 at 6.3% y/y, still reasonably high. Consequently, in 2008, we anticipate high C/A levels - only slightly below the 2007 level. FDI inflows are

expected at around USD 3bn, but this forecast is sensitive to political conditions. Finally, indebtedness indicators are expected to remain stable, largely due to strong GDP and export performance in nominal terms.

INFLATION AND EXCHANGE RATE The NBS inflation target for 2007 was successfully achieved, as core inflation remained comfortably within the 4-8% target band, standing at 5.4% y/y in December.

Nevertheless, 2H07 brought stronger than expected inflationary pressures and an upswing in headline inflation to 10.1% y/y in December, bringing inflation back to the double-digit range. Where did the pressures come from? Supply-side pressure domi-

nated as food prices increased due to adverse weather conditions and overall global pressure on food price levels, which had a hefty effect on overall inflation performance. On top of that, several other factors also spurred inflation pressures: oil prices induced a spillover effect on other prices. Fiscal expansion in 4Q was particularly strong, accompanied by strong credit and wage growth, which fuelled demand pressure. Also, we should take into account the negative base effect contribution, due to the low base from the end of 2006 and 1H07. Hence, inflation is expected to remain on an upward trajectory, as domestic demand should remain strong and supply-side pressure should not significantly moderate (at least in 1H08), which, in conjunction with the low base, means y/y rates at higher levels. Meeting the NBS’ 3-6% band in 2008 will be challenging and will depend on external factors; further negative shocks would lower the likelihood of reaching the target. 2008 could also bring higher inflation expectations. Up to now, higher inflation figures have influenced real wage growth, but have not affected nominal wage growth. On the average, we expect the inflation rate at a higher level than in 2007 (around 9%); towards year-end, we see pressures moderating, bringing headline inflation close to the upper band of the NBS range.

The exchange rate outlook is dim. We hold to the scenario that, in the mid run, appreciation pressures will be dominant, due to strong FX inflows from various channels. Still, political risks are currently high and could possibly influence exchange rate stability if the outcome of the elections results in a deterioration of EU prospects. The stock of international reserves is high and the NBS would be able to control the exchange rate, at least in the short run. We see exchange rate stability as an important prerequisite for inflation rate stability and inflation rate expectations, as the exchange rate channel is still strong in

REFORMS

MANUFACTURING

INFLATION

Serbia still needs to undergo further reforms to improve its institutional framework and attract new FDI (especially green eld export-oriented projects).

Manufacturing activity should accelerate slightly in comparison to 2007, but stronger performance should be prevented by deteriorating competitiveness and lower external demand.

Up to now, higher in ation gures have in uenced real wage growth, but have not affected nominal wage growth. On the average, we expect an in ation rate of around 9 percent

Serbia, especially in the upward direction.

Our forecast assumes that the pro-Europe option will prevail in the upcoming elections, thus reducing political risks to some extent, stimulating FX inflows, and boosting appreciation pressures in 2H08.

MONETARY POLICY AND BANKING SECTOR As we presumed, the NBS easing cycle ended in 1H07 and the bank entered a hiking mode. After lower interest at NBS REPO tenders in 1H07, the second half brought an upward trend, despite declining real interest rates bringing the sterilized amount above RSD 200bn. In 2008, the NBS is expected to remain cautious and keep the rates at higher levels, but with an expected decline towards year-end in a scenario of diminishing inflation pressures and a stronger dinar.

LENDING ACTIVITY FURTHER ACCELERATED IN 2H07, RECORDING +39.2% Y/Y AT THE END OF 2007.

To some extent, the acceleration can be explained by a weaker dinar, which affected FX-linked placements. A strong impetus for growth came from corporate sector credit, which accelerated from practically zero to 34.5% y/y at the end of 2007. The lower base and higher orientation among banks toward the corporate segment spurred growth. Household credit maintained high growth rates in the region (around 50% y/y). However, the structure of credit activity changed, as housing loans were especially active, growing at a 90% y/y pace.

Deposit activity was also robust, with total deposit growth accelerating to 47% y/y, driven by the strong household contribution (+45.9% y/y), which was additionally supported by a savings promotion in November. The corporate sector performed even more robustly, as deposits grew by 61% y/y. The reason for such strong performance can be found in corporate sector foreign borrowing, which translated into higher domestic deposit stock. Also, the gradual shift towards pure dinar financing also continued, with a proportion of dinar deposits in total savings and term deposits increasing to 21.6% (from 18.2% a year earlier).

In 2008, we anticipate monetary trends to maintain a relatively vigorous pace, continuing the catch-up process. Business structure should not alter dramatically, and the NBS is expected to keep its stance tight. Money market rates continued to follow shifts in the 2W key rates, hovering in the ± 2.5% band. T-bill auctions saw little action, offering a further rate decline of 80bps to 4.4%, thus continuing to offer unattractive returns. The bond market remained thin, recording a turnover decline, while the yield curve maintained its inverted shape.

CorD / May 2008 35

CORPORATE WOMEN

Kerstin Thulin, Chief Human Resources Of cer,Telenor

Two to tango

“There are many things the government should do.

Attracting more foreign investment is of course one priority. I also think it would be effective to change the labour law and to enable more exible ways of working - such as working part-time or having longer temporary contracts more related to a market economy.”

BY KIRSTEN DARA KAEFER, PHOTO: JELENA SEFERIN

W

hat made you decide to come and work in Serbia?

The reason was that we bought Mobi 63 and I came here together with the rest of the top management in order to transform this company into something which ran more along the lines with Telenor’s values, a company that wants to make a difference in the telecom industry. I have been working for Telenor for about two years, and I was first recruited to go to another place, which didn’t work out, so I then decided to come here.

36 CorD / May 2008

Upon your initial arrival in Serbia, what were your first impressions of the country in general?

My impression was more positive than I had anticipated. I think Serbia has a bit of an image problem because the way it is viewed from the outside is mostly determined by coverage of the problems here, such as political problems, the previous war, or Kosovo. This image comes from TV and the media, but for me, it also came from some Serbs living abroad. I know a few Serbs who formerly lived here and still have that negative picture. They gave me the impression that it may be a nice place for the holidays, but not a place that they’d want to go back to.

Has Serbia been your first foreign destination while working for Telenor?

I have worked in seven or eight destinations before Serbia. In Africa I was in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Angola. After that I went east to Asia, and then to Poland. Then, I worked in Oman.

I was working with starting up new businesses or with change and transformation in many of these countries like I am doing now. In between these jobs, I worked in Sweden and Norway. I have been in Serbia for 20 months now.

After your experience working in these other countries, how do you feel about being in Serbia?

I think it’s quite easy to work here.

Each country has its special way of doing business and functioning. However, if you are working in the telecom industry and dealing with transition like I have mostly been doing, it is all fairly similar, but it’s people who are different. I must say that after coming here, people have

been very friendly and helpful, which is a very encouraging aspect. They are also good in English and really want to speak the language, particularly when you go out into the streets and into shops. People also enjoy inviting you to their homes and helping you around, and that has been very positive. When looking at the people working around me, I can see that they have changed a lot in the ways that they work together. At times I do think that some Serbs can have very high self-confidence, which can be good, but you need to know the limit. However, you’ll find this in every country to some degree, not just in Serbia.

In a business sense, how does Serbia seem to be doing now compared to when you arrived?

It has changed for the better, and it’s easy to see that by simply looking around the city at the new developments constantly emerging, such as shopping centres and new buildings. On the other hand, I think there is somewhat of a slow-down in the investment climate due to the current situation. Many investors are looking for political stability; or rather I would say predictability for the coming years. Serbia is in transition, it is developing. It is difficult to have both stability and transition at the same time as transition means change. However, investors like to predict the future; you need to understand where the country wishes to go. Furthermore, as a business man or woman, you do not get too involved in politics, but of course, you are always listening to what is underway.

It is important to know what is happening in the country politically, and to also have a good relation with the leaders in the country. Again, the image problem is an issue and Serbia needs to be branded in a better way. Another aspect that can be a difficulty here is the red tape - the legislation, the permits and licences required, and the lengthy processing times. Corruption also causes some problems, but I do think progress will be made because the pressure for change is high. Telenor is here to stay and invest, both in the country and in its people. This investment is important, but the people need to wish to be in-

CLOSE TO WATER I have been up to Vojvodina and to Vršac, and have also visited some wineries in Serbia.

I have been down to Niš and to Gornji Milanovac and also to Topola a couple of times with its fantastic church. It’s a very beautiful town. I do like Belgrade, especially now in the spring, and I am glad that there are two rivers here because I was born and brought up by the sea, and I need to be close to water. I enjoy going to Zemun very much, as well as to the green markets. It’s really nice to walk around the Kaleni market and watch all the different kinds of people, and to look at the vegetables and flowers. I mostly go out to different restaurants. I have been to some concerts, everything from rock to tango and some classic.

I am also commuting quite a bit because my husband lives in Sweden. He has been here many times and likes it as well, and we enjoy taking walks along the rivers. vested in also; it takes two to tango.

As the director of Human Resources at Telenor, what is your opinion about the people working in your company?

Actually, we have had quite a tough time since we started our operations here because we have been working with change, and there is always resistance to change.

TRANSITION

TELENOR

SERBIA

It is dif cult to have both stability and transition at the same time as transition means change.

However, investors like to predict the future; You need to understand where the country wishes to go.

The way we work at Telenor is very valuedriven and it is essential that employees work according to these values. Furthermore, it’s important to be respectful, to keep promises, to be inspiring.

Upon our arrival in Serbia, our premises were very good in that we were able to move into the new building quite quickly, which made it easier to work the way we want.

We have come in with a completely different working culture. The way we work at Telenor is very value-driven and it is essential that employees work according to these values. Furthermore, it’s important to be respectful, to keep promises, to be inspiring and try to make things simple at the workplace and to remember that we are here to help. Making that shift has been a lot of work because the management in Serbia is mostly driven by somebody at the top. Conversely, we wish to get people on board and to be much more involved and engaged in our work, and we like to empower our people. We have about 1,200 employees total, 20 being expatriates from various countries. The majority have been very positive about all that we have been doing here, and most are taking a liking to working in a different way. Upon our arrival in Serbia, our CorD / May 2008 37

CORPORATE WOMEN

should not just be focused on Belgrade, but also out in the country to get more people involved. In addition, by looking at the unemployment figures and seeing a large percentage of people with a low level of education, it is evident that retraining is necessary. Due to more privatisation in the future, the government will need to become active in restructuring programmes to support the changes. With privatisation, unemployment often follows if the government is not well prepared, which is why it is crucial to be well organised and understand how to support the people who might be out of work.

premises were very good in that we were able to move into the new building quite quickly, which made it easier to work the way we want. We have a completely open space here and nobody has an office. This was very strange for people at the beginning, but it shows the openness and transparency of our work environment. It’s not possible to hide anywhere, and you must be respectful to others by not disturbing them when you work; this is one of our core values at Telenor. We have initiated our own leadership programmes and have held “culture cafes” to be able to translate our values on how we are actually working. Practising codes of conduct, working in an ethical manner, and learning how to manoeuvre in the business world here in a professional way are also very important aims while we are here.

With regards to the high unemployment rate in Serbia, what do you think 38 CorD / May 2008

the Serbian Government should do to solve that?

There are many things the government should do. Attracting more foreign investment is of course one priority. I also think it would be effective to change the labour law and to enable more flexible ways of

Do you find it difficult to locate young, skilled people to work for your company?

It’s easy to find people in the technical field. It was one pleasant surprise to find that many people are highly educated, although not in all fields. We are missing experienced people in strategic development, marketing, finance and HR. On the other hand, it is important to recruit young people and foster growth. This is why we need to have some expatriates at various positions within the company, not necessarily at the top management positions, so that we are able to transfer knowledge, to offer support and enable employees to grow. The other factor we often hear about is the risk of a brain drain in this country.

If you ask many young people, they’ll say they wish to leave the country because they do not believe they can find adequate jobs or that they can develop and progress in their career. We are actually trying to get people to come back to Serbia, but that has been very difficult. Through various agencies, we have approached hundreds of people in Europe and specifically in the Nordic countries, often the second generation, but that hasn’t proved to be interesting for them yet, with a few exceptions.

Many things I have seen here are not new for me because of my prior experience of working in the other countries.

For example, training workshops or plac-

When looking at the people working around me, I can see that they have changed a lot in the ways that they work together. working - such as working part-time or having longer temporary contracts more related to a market economy. You can also start various kinds of manpower companies “renting” - for specific jobs and periods - out people to companies. Another way is for the government to support young people and women (with whom you find the highest unemployment) by helping them to start their own businesses by giving micro loans and training. This

ing students in internships enables them to develop and gain experience and build the right attitude. We just started focusing on that now because when we first arrived in Serbia we were very busy with getting the company up and running. However, we are now collaborating closely with universities and AIESEC on various issues such as leadership, which is a matter we need to work more on in the country as a whole.

FROM THE WORLD PRESS

RELATIONS WITH KOSOVO: POOR TRANSPORT LINKS HAMPER CROSSBORDER TRADE

BY NEIL MACDONALD Fewer than 2,000 vehicles cross the border between Kosovo and Albania each day, according to the South East Europe Traffic Observatory. The number ought to be in the tens of thousands, Kosovo officials say.

Enthusiasm for cross-border travel and trade is high following the ethnic Albaniandominated breakaway state’s declaration of independence from Serbia on February 17.

Albania, along with ethnic Albanian enclaves in nearby Macedonia and Montenegro, would be an obvious market for Kosovan exports.However, commerce between Kosovo and Albania is minimal.

The drive between the capitals, Pristina and Tirana, takes a gruelling 10 hours or more, much of it on a potholed single-lane carriageway through narrow mountain passes in northern Albania.

No railway crosses the border.Free trade – starting with a bilateral pact in 2003 and expanded through the Central European Free Trade Agreement (Cefta) in the past year – makes crossing easier, yet provides no quick fix for bad roads or overall economic weakness.

A World Bank and EU-backed donor conference in June aims to raise more than €1bn ($1.5bn) in aid for Kosovo in the next two years, which the government would use partly to improve internal roads, re-orient the old Yugoslav road network, and reduce reliance on Serbia.

A feared trade embargo has not materialised following the independence declaration, as Serbia knew it would lose a significant consumer goods market.“Replacements [for Serbian goods] could be found in Macedonia and Albania, although importing them from Albania would increase the transport costs and therefore re40 CorD / March 2008

tail prices,” says Pristina’s Group for Policy Analysis (GAP).

Serbia accounts for 30 and Macedonia more than 40 per cent of Kosovo’s annual imports, which exceed €600m. Unless politics interferes, the rough Albanian mountain route cannot compete.

Kosovo’s booming construction sector uses €15m a year of building materials from Serbia, mainly because the transport costs are lowest that way, explains Shpend Ahmeti, GAP economist. Fewer than 2 per cent of Kosovan imports originate in Albania, while only 1 per cent more enter by that route, says Kosovo’s United Nations-run customs service.

Kosovo has sent 5-10 per cent of its exports to Albania since 2006, although the value of these was lower than trade in the other direction.At present, the two economies – both under-industrialised, both with trade deficits – offer little to complement each other, economists say.“Albania doesn’t export a lot. We don’t export a lot,” Mr Ahmeti says. “If these two countries don’t become more productive, what can we trade?”

The Durres-Prizren-Pristina highway should be completed by the end of next year, and the whole drive should take less than three hours, says Muhamet Mustafa, president of the Riinvest Institute for Development Research, in Pristina.

And with Serbia also building new highways, the two backwater ethnic Albanian states could soon be linked into the wider pan-European transport network.

As European integration moves ahead, one result could be to bring together ethnic Albanians who have long lived in different political entities.Kosovo and other districts sharing a common Albanian language and heritage fell to different neighbouring states in 1912, during the Balkan wars that preceded the first world war.

From the second world war to the 1980s, Albania was under the harsh, isolationist rule of Enver Hoxha, while Kosovo Albanians experienced a mix of oppression and prosperity under the Yugoslav communist leader, Josip Broz Tito.While the two regimes diverged, pan-Albanian soli-

darity endured in theory. Kosovo’s pro-independence guerrilla fighters from the late 1990s often say they are sad to abandon the Greater Albanian dream.

But loose unity within EU and regional structures will bring greater economic rewards. Fewer than 10 per cent of Kosovans would now want to be part of Albania, recent polls show.Electronic and broadcast media have already brought a resurgence of inter-Albanian cultural exchange, Mr Mustafa says.

POLITICS WITH POM-POMS ON BJÖRK’S FABULOUS GIG IS EXHILARATING, BLOODYMINDED AND, BY THE WAY, SHE WANTS TO START A REVOLUTION

KITTY EMPIRE BJÖRK SUNDAY APRIL 20, 2008 Hammersmith Apollo, London W6, touring until 4 May If gonzoid children’s illustrator Dr Seuss had ever dreamed up a political animal, it might have looked rather like Björk. She arrives onstage on the first of three nights at London’s Hammersmith Apollo wearing a pink and gold iridescent ballgown made entirely of ruffles, topped off by a fluffy headdress of multicoloured powder puffs. Her opening salvo, ‘Earth Intruders’, is a juddering voodoo prance that doubles as a call

The drive between the capitals, Pristina and Tirana, takes a gruelling 10 hours or more, much of it on a potholed single-lane carriageway through narrow mountain passes in northern Albania.

to arms for a ‘stampede of resistance’. In the background, bursts of flame almost chargrill Björk’s backdrop of flags decorated with frogs, birds and the endangered caiman crocodile.

She ends the show trying to foment revolution. The encore is ‘Declare Independence’, a track from Björk’s last and sixth album, Volta. Raucous and sloganeering, it marks an abrupt shift away from her usual swooping soundcraft. Shouting like a riot grrl manqué, Björk is encircled by her troupe of air-punching, head-banging, all-female, all-Icelandic brass players (‘The Wonderbrass!’ Björk quips) whose own multicoloured headpieces are topped off by little red flags. Green rave lasers cut through a shower of gold glitter as the crowd air-punch back, shouting: ‘Higher, higher!’ in response to Björk’s: ‘Raise your flags!’ It’s a stupidly exhilarating climax to a fabulous gig, fusing the energies of punk and rave culture with Björk’s own bloody-mindedness.

You can see how this sort of thing might have upset the Chinese authorities just over a month ago when Björk added a chorus of ‘Tibet, Tibet!’ to ‘Declare Independence’ at her Shanghai gig. A couple of weeks earlier, Björk also came out in support of Kosovo’s split from Serbia. Serbia’s music festival, Exit, promptly dropped her from its bill, proving that pompom-clad creatives can still touch raw nerves. There’s no explicit dedication tonight to any bit of Britain trying to shrug off the imperial yoke, but Welshspeakers and Cornish separatists will have gone home even happier than the rest of us.

In between, Björk’s politics are implicit, rather than explicit. Billed as Björk’s return to the dance floor after an absence of nearly a decade, Volta is actually more of a world music piece in which artificial borders are trampled over by stamping feet.

Tonight’s first unannounced guest is the feted Malian kora player Toumani Diabaté, who arrives in a gust of robes and coaxes origami arpeggios out of his instrument on ‘Hope’. (‘Hope’, lest we forget, is about a pregnant

female suicide bomber.)

But some of the most skin-prickling moments of the night find Björk at her most post-verbal, just opening her mouth and issuing sound. She trades notes with the organ on ‘The Pleasure is all Mine’, and gives voice to some unnamed beast on ‘Vertebrae by Vertebrae’. Björk may have become a radicalised creature of late, with her pronouncements on liberation. But it’s when language falls by the wayside that her power is even more apparent. guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2008

IT’S GOOD THAT TIBET CAUSE IS HIGHLIGHTED: SAIF KHAN 17 APR 2008.

NEW DELHI: Shrugging off controversy over being part of the Olympic torch rally as brand ambassador for the Lenovo group, Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan says while he favours the Tibetan cause, the world of sports and politics should ideally be kept apart.

“My reasons for running are to honour my commitments as brand ambassador for the Lenovo group, one of the sponsors of the Olympics,” said Saif, who is among those carrying the torch on Thursday in the Capital.

“Maybe I’m being idealistic. But we have issues with Pakistan over Kashmir, and we still play cricket with them. It’s good that the cause of Tibet is highlighted, but in a perfect world sport and politics would remain separate.

The Dalai Lama himself has said he is supporting the Olympics.”

A number of the country’s celebrities from sports and films, including Saif’s sister Soha Ali Khan, have pulled out of the Indian leg of the globe trotting ritual.

“It’s a personal issue. My sister, for example, is not supporting this and I respect her decision.”

After last year’s health scare when Saif was admitted to hospital with chest pains, the performer is making an effort to stay fit CorD / March 2008 41

FROM THE WORLD PRESS

Fourteen countries boycotted that Games in 1984, in an action seen as retaliation for the U.S.-led snub on Moscow four years earlier. Cold War thinking hurt two Olympics and the Olympic spirit. But suddenly, to boycott the Beijing Games becomes an “in” thing as more people are jumping onto the bandwagon, acting as human rights defenders to woo voters or peddling the idea of “Free Tibet”.

COMMENTARY: IN THE NAME OF “HUMAN RIGHTS”

LONDON, April 20 (Xinhua) -- When Democratic presidential candidates Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama urged U.S. President George W. Bush to boycott the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony, they either forgot or ignored the big applause that the Americans gave to China when the world’s most populous nation decided to participate in the Los Angeles Games despite the Soviet Union-led boycott.

Fourteen countries boycotted that Games in 1984, in an action seen as retaliation for the U.S.-led snub on Moscow four years earlier. Cold War thinking hurt two Olympics and the Olympic spirit. But suddenly, to boycott the Beijing Games becomes an “in” thing as more people are jumping onto the bandwagon, acting as human rights defenders to woo voters or peddling the idea of “Free Tibet”.

How come is it justified now to turn the Olympic Games into a political battlefield?

Right, because all untold political purposes could be disguised in the name of “human rights”. Then, you have an opportunity to see what is double standards. When the amputee young girl Jin Jing from China was assaulted on her wheelchair by “Tibet independence protesters” who violently and repeatedly tried to wrench the torch from her, wasn’t her human right trampled and even personal safety was endangered?

What shocked me most is when someone tried to rob the torch off a wheelchair athlete, a disabled athlete who was unable to defend the torch. This is unacceptable,” said Rogge. Just imagine what a big fuss will be made if that happens to a disabled British athlete when London 2012 Olympic torch relay is going on. However, the Chinese torch guards were frequently mentioned as “thugs” by some British media because, during the troubled London leg of torch relay, an important figure got unintended pushes from those young men who were simply trying to do their jobs of 42 CorD / March 2008

protecting the torch and the torchbearer.

Simply because they “don’t speak English”, they are inhuman and “robotic”?

A San Francisco teenager had to give up the glory to hold the sacred flame due to fears of possible dangerous situation (according to a CNN report) and some other torchbearers were also forced to pull out because of the increasing pressure unfairly inflicted on them.

Do they still have free choice? When over one fifth of the world population are facing boycott threats to the Olympics they have been longing for and making so much effort to prepare, is it for or against their human rights?

Even the world is deprived of the joy only once in every four years. But again, who cares? Among those who protested loudly, who expressed their anger towards “oppression and torture” that Tibetan people are “suffering “, how many of them have been to Tibet, or to China even? Presumably most not. Then you can not help wonder why all of a sudden everybody becomes a China or Tibet expert. Over this issue, thousands of comments have been made and heated debates are continuing on Internet, with “Tibet Independence”/Olympic boycott supporters vs Chinese and pro-China/ Olympic westerners.

Those who believe most Chinese are “brainwashed” by the media censor system now have to think it over: Why do overseas Chinese, who are accessible to all “uncensored” information, become the major voice supporting China in this debate?

An interesting fact can be found that many of the “Free Tibet” western supporters do not have basic knowledge that China has 56 ethnic groups - they thought Tibet was the only one different group from the majority Han people. Not to mention the history of Tibet when the 14th Dalai Lama, as the biggest serf-owner like all his predecessors, owned every inch of land and every head of cattle in Tibet and was free to sell off his serfs and slaves.

The Beijing Games is a great opportunity for the west and China to better understand each other. It creates a green passage for westerners to see and feel a real China and Chinese life. Then, why should this opportunity be wasted and passage be blocked?

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

U.S. athletes grapple with China human-rights issues While activists bring attention to that country’s links to violence in Darfur, many Americans planning to compete in Beijing Olympics choose to focus on training, not politics.

HELENE ELLIOTT CHICAGO April 15, 2008-- When the International Olympic Committee awarded the 2008 Summer Games to Beijing, it placed its wallet above its conscience, ignoring China’s history of human-rights violations in the face of a vast untapped market for its sponsors’ soft drinks, cars and sneakers.

“Possibly today this opens a new era for China,” then-IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch said in July 2001.

It did not.

China’s link to the deaths and displacement of millions of people in Darfur is a topic of global debate and widespread condemnation. Because of that, the Beijing Games raise thorny issues for the athletes who will compete there this summer, including the 130 Americans gathered in Chicago this week for a media summit.

Athletes, by nature and necessity, are selfcentered. Now, they are being asked to look past their lane in the pool or the touch line of the soccer pitch to the world beyond, whose face could be considerably changed by events that take place in Beijing from Aug. 8 to 24.

The issues are difficult for anyone to grasp, let alone gymnasts who are still in -or barely out of -- their teens.

Darfur is in the western region of the African nation of Sudan. China, its top trading partner, relies on Sudan to satisfy its huge oil needs and has sold weapons that the African nation has used in what has been declared by President Bush to be a genocide in Darfur.

Human-rights activists have pressured China to use its economic leverage to end the violence in Darfur to little avail.

“We can’t fix these problems personally and we try not to deal with them or address them right now,” said gymnast Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass.

Swimmer Michael Phelps of Baltimore, who won eight medals in Athens and is expected to challenge Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals in a single Games, dodged questions about Darfur and whether he feels responsibility to speak up as a

marquee performer.

“For the athletes, it’s an Olympic year and that’s what we’re preparing ourselves for and that’s just what I’m preparing myself for,” Phelps said.

Soccer player Abby Wambach also said a gold medal is her primary concern.

“Are we human, do we also have consciousness in our minds and hearts? Yes,” she said.

To gain peace and unity, “bringing people together in Olympic movement is where we think we can do the best,” she said.

Jill Savitt, director of the Dream for Darfur campaign, said the group isn’t asking athletes to boycott the opening ceremony to help bring attention to Darfur, “only heads of state, because this is a failure of governments,” she said.

RUSSIA UPS PRESSURE ON EX-WAR CRIMES PROSECUTOR DEL PONTE

STRASBOURG, April 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russia’s delegation to PACE has gathered sufficient signatures to force an investigation into controversial claims made by former Hague Tribunal prosecutor Carla Del Ponte in her book.

On Tuesday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry asked the office of the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to provide an explanation and details of crimes described in a book by Del Ponte, who stepped down as the UN’s chief war crimes prosecutor in January.

The tribunal confirmed on April 11 that it has received the Russian ministry’s request.

In her book entitled The Hunt: Me and War Criminals, Carla del Ponte described atrocities against Kosovo Serbs and other ethnic groups committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during 1998-99.

Last Monday, the ministry denounced a ruling by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia last week which saw a former Kosovo prime minister acquitted for crimes committed during the conflict between Kosovo and Serbia in 1998-1999.

Ramush Haradinaj, 39, a former KLA guerilla leader, accused of organizing the rape, murder and intimidation of thousands of Serbs and Roma was found ‘not guilty’ on April 3.

The ministry said in an official statement the verdict “questions the impartibility and objectiveness of the International Criminal Tribunal” and accused the court of “double standards” in their treatment of conflicts in the former Yugoslavia.

According to claims made in Del Ponte’s book, Haradinaj was involved in the sale of organs taken from prisoners executed in Kosovo.

She alleges that there was sufficient evidence for prosecution of Kosovo Albanians involved in war crimes, but it “was nipped in the bud” focusing on “the crimes committed by Serbia.”

The claims have caused a storm in Serbia and among the international community. The president of the Association of Families of Kidnapped and Missing Serbs in Kosovo, Simo Spasic, said he wanted to sue Carla Del Ponte for “concealing the crimes.”

EAST GERMANY’S TOP PARTY WANTS MARX BACK

Oskar Lafontaine, co-leader of Germany’s Left party, has called for parts of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto to be officially adopted as party policy. He also wants Germany to nationalize energy companies.

Left Party co-chief Lafontaine told the conservative newspaper Die Welt that he

found some sect i o n s of the Communist Manifesto to be “very contemporary,” and should be adopted into the party program.

The segment he would like to include in his policy, about the bourgeoisie and capital, reads: “For exploitation veiled by religious and political illusions, (the bourgeoisie) has substituted naked, shameless, direct, brutal exploitation.”

The Left Party is Germany’s third most popular political party, after the ruling right-wing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democrats (SPD).

The Left is particularly strong in the eastern states, where it has organized itself partly around the remains of the old East German communist party. Recent polls show the party with 30 percent voter support, compared with 26 percent for its nearest rival, the SPD. Marx was a 19th century philosopher, political economist and revolutionary, who viewed history as a series of class struggles. His Communist Manifesto is held as the basis of Communist theory.

Lafontaine’s comment is bound to raise discussion at the Federal Party Convention at the end of May in Cottbus, especially with the former members of the alternative WASG party, who joined the PDS socialist party to form the Left Party.

CorD / March 2008 43

FACES & PLACES

S Famous radio and TV station Studio B celebrated its day on April 1st at the Continental Hotel: Director Aleksandar Timofejev welcomed Acting Mayor of Belgrade Zoran Alimpi . Photo: Caslav Vukojicic

S The Yugoslav Film Archives Museum organized an Indian lm festival in cooperation with the Indian Embassy. Photo: Caslav Vukojicic

S Italian Cultural Center: The artist Michelangelo omladine Belgrade: US ambassador Manter visiting the reconstruction, part of which is being nanced Lupone presented the use of unusual instruments.

Photo: Caslav Vukojicic by the US government. Photo: FoNet

S Dom S Exhibition of paintings by young Serbian painter Danilo Bajic at the Diplomatic Club:The artist talking to the representative

of the Friends of Algeria Society, Mr. Danilo Milic.After Belgrade, this exhibition is moving to Algeria. Photo: Caslav Vukojicic

S On the occasion of its rst Belgrade anniversary, Corte el and Pedro del Hierro organize a FASHION APRIL.The cocktail party was opened by the fashion journalist Snežana Daki who had chosen these brands for her trendy life.

S The

exhibition of paintings by Jelena Popovic and Zivojin Celic at the Strategie Art gallery was opened by poet Matija Beckovic. Photo: Caslav Vukojicic

S

Successful cooperation between tennis players and Telekom Serbia: Novak okovi with his brand.

Photo: FoNet

S Serbian

Deputy Prime Minister Božidar eli and Pierre Mirel, Director for Western Balkans in European Commission’s DG Enlargement, signed an agreement for EU nancial aid for Serbia. Photo: FoNet

44 CorD / May 2008

S

Belgrade Construction Show, Crazy Construction machine dance in front of City Hall CorD / May 2008 45

FACES & PLACES

S Belgrade Synagogue “Sukat Shalom” hosted a concert

by Chief Cantor of the Jewish Community of Vienna Shmuel Barzilai, accompanied by the “Camerata Serbica” chamber orchestra conducted by Ljubiša Jovanovi .The concert was organized by the Embassy of Israel in Serbia, the Israeli-Serbian Forum Fund, the Austrian Cultural Forum, the Federation of Jewish Municipalities in Serbia and Jewish Communities in Novi Sad and Belgrade, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel.

S Opening of the “Art in Embassies” exhibition at the Residence of US Ambassador Cameron Manter.

Photo: FoNet

SSerbian Chamber of Commerce: “Europe means employment”, was the motto of the discussion on the prospects for Serbian trade and the signi cance of European integrations, in which Serbian President Boris Tadic also took part. Photo: Caslav Vukojicic

S The rst fashion show of Indonesian traditional costumes took place at the Residence of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia on April 10th.This collection of national costumes has been an essential part of Indonesia’s diverse culture and ethnicity and it will be presented for the rst time to the public as part of the presentation to promote a wider appreciation of Indonesia’s culture and tradition.

S Marathon ame in Belgrade on the occasion of the forthcoming Banca Intesa Marathon:Acting Mayor of Belgrade Zoran Alimpi , Greek Ambassador to Belgrade Hristos Panagopoulos, Franjo Mihali , Olivera Jevti . Photo: FoNet

S

Harp party on the occasion of the Seventh International Harp Festival in Belgrade: Aleksandra Verbicka.

Photo: FoNet S Promotion of the rst volume of academician Mihajlo Markovi ’s memoirs entitled “Juriš na nebo” (“Charge to the sky”) at the Geca Kon gallery. Photo: FoNet

S Chinese Ambassador

46 CorD / May 2008

to Serbia Li Guobang at the Days of Belgrade celebration: 2008 Olympics. Photo: FoNet

S Catalogue Promotion and Opening of an Exhibit of Petar Lubarda’s Paintings of Nature and Nature of Paintings

S Fica

Owners In Niš Display Their Pride And Joy CorD / May 2008 47

SOCIETY

Shopping Culture in a Country in Transition

“Get Rich or Die Tryin” (50 Cent) Eight years after the change of regime, Belgrade shops are full of goods from around the world. New shopping malls are only one of the vehicles of consumerism, but wealthy buyers still prefer to buy merchandise in private ats.

BY: SANJA COSIC

T

oday is another successful day. Let’s see, what did we buy today? A village in Vojvodina, a five-storey building downtown that we’re going to tear down, a mine in the East? None of that? It doesn’t matter. It’s all just talk. After all, has anyone ever proven that wealth is a prerequisite for happiness? No. This grandomania must be replaced by something modest and substantial, something attainable, like a new watch, one’s first diamond, a economicallypriced fur coat, fancy underwear, sunglasses. Small things are the essence of our transient lives, and shopping makes them attainable. But shopping isn’t simple in Belgrade nowadays. We’re not talking about poverty.

That subject hasn’t interested Serbian shopping connoisseurs for quite some time. We buy petrol at petrol stations, pay for salamis and cheese with electronic money, we go for coffee, and so, speaking in a Marxist way, everything that is the base to upgrade of our pleasure and shopping interests is available.

All is well with the world, but there are also problems. Shopping for “small things” in Belgrade today, anywhere from diamonds to watches or suits and so on down to car parts, leads us inevitably to a fork in the road and creates the eternal struggle stemming from freedom of choice – where to go, which road to take? Every shopping queen and king of in Belgrade knows that. What essentially determines Belgrade’s shopping culture? How do we decide whether to trudge from one shopping mall or shop to another, or to go knocking on the doors of the Belgrade flats whose addresses are known only to a select few? Do we go to the shops where goods are sold, or to places where they are “resold”? Before answering, we must take a look at experiences typical of this large city.

“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” If we 48 CorD / May 2008

agree with this charming assertion, without having certain beforehand knowledge about what is sold in Belgrade, and what is, simply stated, “flogged,” we could easily run into trouble. To cite a metaphor used by a person who worked with legitimate jewelry, “Diamonds are like cars. Once they leave the shop, their value depreciates in every subsequent sale.” So, we can buy this precious stone in a jewelry store at a stated price, which is sometimes open for bargaining, but its cost won’t be significantly lowered. If we don’t know anything about a diamond’s worth, we should go to a trusted jeweler or rely on the papers which come with really expensive pieces. Any claim can be checked by another jeweler and that’s about it. What happens on the black market? First of all, the people who know the shady world of diamond trade say that it is for real. So, it’s really diamonds.

Second, when you’re buying this way, you can ask anything except one question – how

the diamonds got to Belgrade. That’s never asked, and the less we know about this, the better off we are.

Diamonds are most often sold in pieces of jewelry. If we only have a single diamond shining in front of us, we can be reasonably sure that it has been removed from a piece of jewelry, because in this city, selling individual stones is not common. Finally, what about the price? In the grey zone of the black market, a diamond is often sold for half its official value, if we can assume that there are even any such stones available on the official trade at all, because Cartier or Bvlgary Jewelry haven’t exactly flooded Belgrade’s shop windows. Ignorance, remember, will not be your shield. Everyone who buys a diamond this manner must enter the transaction fully aware that large manufacturers and sellers introduced a technique several years ago to imprint data into the stone with the aid of a laser. This data records the origin, place of

BLACK MARKET

NOUVEAU-RICHE

RETAIL CHAINS

There is still a considerable amount of black-market trade on the Serbian luxury goods market.There are always enough buyers for illegal merchandise.

Stolen and smuggled goods are consistently several times cheaper than in shopping malls.

Many nouveau-riche buyers establish their status by wearing expensive items not available in regular shops. Among such buyers are turbo-folk music stars, football players, and owners of illicit businesses.

Prices of world-famous brands are often outrageously expensive in Belgrade boutiques.

Only several retail chains offer the latest 2008 collections this spring.

This collection still hasn’t reached the quality of the world trade centers.

sale, and the name of the purchaser. This information can be seen through a magnifying glass and be read by any expert, and cannot be altered, so the diamond’s new owner must accept this. Of course, this applies to only the bigger, purer, and more expensive pieces.

Jargon for this type of shopping is “buying from pocket.” In exactly the same way and sometimes from the same sources, we can buy watches, whose mechanism and design are impeccable. The price ratio for such watches has mostly been 1:2 for several years now, sometimes even 1:5. For example, currently you could buy a Porsche watch for five times less money than its catalogue price if you buy “from pocket.” Omega, Breitling, and Patek Philippe replicas cost half their real price. However, it could also happen that you buy a watch for the same price as in the catalogue even though it is certain that it hasn’t passed through customs, taxes, and other red tape on its way to Serbia. A case in point is a ladies’ Gucci watch that would make any girl’s friends green with envy. It sells for the same price as in the Gucci catalogue for (€3,000), without any discount simply because this brand is highly regarded in Belgrade. The average sum Belgraders are prepared to give for a watch bought “from pocket” is somewhere between €1,800 and €3,000. The pricier the piece, the bigger the “discount.” This also goes for a specific piece of merchandise that sells very well at the moment, and will sell even better all the way until the end of summer – sunglasses. But be careful. “If someone claims he’ll sell you a pair of brandname sunglasses for five times less than what they’re worth, he’s probably lying,” warns one experienced buyer of this type of merchandise. The city is flooded with sunglasses at the present time. Prices? Anywhere from 80 to 200 euros.

On the other hand, the black market for women’s handbags has suffered a blow from which it may never recover. Rumors of several cases of draconic fines paid by owners of fake Louis Vuitton bags who were also embarrassed at border crossings were enough to cause a fright because which these bags simply aren’t sold anymore in Belgrade. On the other hand, fur coats are holding well. Average prices of coats sold “at private homes” are between five and six thousand euros.

In the fur coat trade, as with selling exceptionally expensive clothing, a certain type of elitism is expressed, pleasant for some, insulting for others. According to an authen- ing something expensive for drastically less tic Belgrade shopping queen, it’s well known money? Well, perhaps only a trace of personwho gets invited to the first round when this al scruples might not allow me to wear stotype of merchandise arrives. These are usual- len or smuggled goods. Who can claim that ly people from the Serbian turbo-folk music this kind of moral seizure won’t happen when scene. After the first round come regular cli- temptation is the strongest? And how to go on ents, and those that come later have to satisfy living if it happens? themselves with the leftovers. Anyone else alThere are dividing factors and there are so must also come by recommendation. The connecting factors. Ultimately, there’s that first time is the hardest, and an invitation is most Shopping for “small things” in Belgrade today, often obtained through anywhere from diamonds to watches or suits someone who has already and so on down to car parts, leads us inevitably been at the place of sale. to a fork in the road and creates the eternal We are about to see a flood of bathing suits in struggle stemming from freedom of choice – the world of door-to-door where to go, which road to take? shopping. If things don’t change drastically, D&G brand suits will cost three times less than shop which makes shopping in Belgrade universal price. Top-of-the-line and other cosmetics are anyway you look at it. The only motive that sold on a ratio of 1:2; women’s underwear is helps us get from point A to point B in a mealso two times cheaper, as are car parts. We’ll tropolis is strong need, regardless of whethstop here. In the “buying from pocket” world, er a watch or a set of matching underwear is everything is cheaper and nothing is legal. In waiting for us at a café or in a mall with eslegal trade, everything is legal, but prices of- calators and a section where we can leave our ten seem outrageous. (Those who don’t be- children at the mercy of a playroom. To tolerlieve so can log on to the Internet to com- ate crossing bridges, complicated interchangpare.) As a result, the question of choice re- es, jammed intersections, overcrowded buses, mains open. and all kinds of Belgrade bottlenecks, the will There’s no mercy in shopping. How can I to shop must be strong. Shopping has to be an not feel privileged the moment I see I’m buy- obsession.

CorD / May 2008 49

B2B

RAIFFEISEN BANKA: RECORD ANNUAL RESULTS

I

n 2007 Raiffeisen banka a.d. has achieved its best business results ever in all of its target segments. The total number of clients increased by over 20%, and amounted to 513,000 at the end of the year. The number of branch offices was increased by 24 in the previous year to a total of 91 branches at year-end. Additionally, a record profit was achieved in the amount of 55.7 million euros. The total equity of the bank was enlarged in the same period from 270 to 439 million euros. Raiffeisen banka has, including cross border loans, confirmed its leading position in the crucial banking categories.

The Raiffeisen Group has maintained its leading position as the largest creditor in Serbia. However, the structure of the loans has significantly changed in fa-

vor of cross border loans that have more favorable conditions and allow its corporate clients to be competitive not only on the domestic market but regionally as well. This is precisely the reason why Raiffeisen International, which is the sole owner of Raiffeisen banka in Serbia, has presented the possibility of cross border finance to Serbian companies, through its Head Office, as an additional means of finance, apart from the existing financing via Raiffeisen banka a.d. As a result the local credit portfolio has been modified, even though the total amount of loans to the Serbian corporate sector from Raiffeisen International has substantially increased compared to the previous year, so that the corporate credit portfolio reached 814 million euros at the end

of 2007.

Due to the significant growth of cross border financing on the Serbian market, this type of financing must be taken into account to asses a realistic picture of the market, which is not the case in current statistics In the Consumer Banking Sector, the value of our credit portfolio reached 442 million euros, which presents an increase of 25% compared to the previous year.

The number of clients in this sector that have in trusted Raiffeisen banka has surpassed 485,000.

The credit portfolio in the Sector for Small and Micro Enterprises has surpassed 212 million euros, and the number of clients reached 24,000.

The Treasury and Investment Banking sector has also confirmed its leading position on the market in 2007. The market share in foreign currency trading with clients was 19.01%, and the market share in foreign currency trading with banks was 13.68%. In the investment banking domain we introduced on-line stock trading, and the client base was significantly increased. Raiffeisen banka has become a forerunner in regard to the development of specialized departments dealing with research and analysis.

“GLOBUS AUTO” TO MAKE ELECTRIC CARS

T

wenty electric cars and five hundred electric scooters will be produced in the facilities of “Globus Auto” in Debeljaca by the end of 2008. Stanko Kovacevic, the director of the company, said that the production facility in Debeljaca was opened at the beginning of April in cooperation with Chinese part-

GLAMOROUS HEAVYWEIGHTS

T

he selection of this year’s 46th International Fair of Commercial Vehicles BEOTRUCK 08 was above all innovative and technically superior. It is difficult to conceive that one could have expected glamour at the exhibition of “heavyweights”, but Mercedes-Benz Serbia and Montenegro proved it possible.

In the azure of the Belgrade Fair Hall 3, in the glow of countless searchlights, white, powerful and gleaming trucks, buses, and vans were swaggering no less glamorous than movie or music stars parading at some prestigious award ceremony. Awards were, of course, presented as well: Grand Prix for Heavy Commercial Vehicles Mercedes-Benz Serbia and Montenegro and Special Prize for Development in Private Sector (vans category) to the Ristic Company, awarded by the Belgrade Fair and the prestigious award The Best Attendance to Mercedes-Benz Serbia and Montenegro, bestowed

by UEPS (the Association of Serbian Advertising Experts).

“The drive force and lodestar of Mercedes-Benz Serbia and Montenegro is pleasure and trust our clients have in our brands.

50 CorD / May 2008

In return, we offer authentic values through brands that set standards of safety, engineering superiority and innovativeness,” stated Stavros Paraskevaides, Chief Executive of Mercedes-Benz Serbia and Montenegro.

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

B2B

SMECA ACHIEVED BETTER RESULTS

A

ccording The World Bank Implementation Completion and Results Report (CR0000597), available on the web site www.smeca.rs , after the four year implementation, the overall performance of SMECA was highly satisfactory in ensuring quality in project preparation and implementation. If compared to the estimates of trade supported by the project made at appraisal, SMECA achieved better results than estimated by investing a smaller amount of funds than assumed. By the end of 2007 the volume of trade transactions supported by SMECA were 30% higher than es-

timated (US$ 2, 7 million versus US$2, 1 million) based on 70% of the capital expected to finance its facilities. SMECA was strongly committed to facilitating project implementation and proved to be very efficient in timely addressing issues.

SMECA’s sound lending and underwriting practice which resulted in a well –performing financial portfolio, diligent and efficient conduct of the day to day operations which helped to keep operating costs at acceptable levels and good reputation and solid credibility in domestic and international markets shows that SMECA is a self –financing institution able to sustain its operations from its own funds. SMECA’s management team was both effective and efficient in implementing a complex project in difficult circumstances.

ners, and that its total investment value is 52 million dinars. “We import the parts from China, and we place the vehicles on the market under our brand name,” Kovacevic said. According to him, “Globus Auto” should start assembling its own models by the end of the year, possibly including a sports vehicle, and there are plans to make electric buses and minibuses for city transportation.

Source: Beta

part of a $235,000,000 contract to the Serbian Military Industry for the manufacture and export of Serbian weapons and military equipment. Now after this advance payment, Serbian factories are obligated to fulfill the parts of the contract concerning export within twelve months. Zastava Weapons factory and other domestic defense industry companies state they are ready to produce for Iraq. In addition to the advance, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense has settled its 2.5 billion-dollar debt to the military equipment factories from the former Yugoslavia, but, based on the international agreement to write off part of the debts, the Iraqis settled their obligation toward the Serbian weapon manufacturers by paying around ten percent of the total debt, or a quarter of the original debt. Source: B92, Danas

METALAC BUILDS A FACTORY

T

he Metalac Company [MTLC] has started preparations for the construction of a 5,000 m² boiler factory. The factory is planned to be operational on April 4th, 2009 when Metalac company celebrates its 50th anniversary. Part of the production will be exported to Russia, and there are plans to begin production of solar and gas boilers.

Source: Beta WEG BUILDS FACTORY IN SERBIA

W

EG, manufacturer of audio-video devices and home appliances, is will start building a factory in Serbia in June. “The WEG group, whose headquarters is in Belgrade, has production facilities in Turkey and China for now, while the production in Serbia is expected to begin at the end of the year,” said Tijana JovanovicKatalinic, WEG’s Marketing Director, and added that the factory, worth two million euros, will be built with the help of resources approved by the Serbian Development Fund.

During this year the company will start selling its home appliances and audio-video devices in stores of the international retail and wholesale chain Metro in 31 countries. WEG has signed a contract with the head office of the company to market its goods through Metro, and so its merchandise will be sold in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Source: Beta

52 CorD / May 2008

IT MARKET WORTH 460 MILLION EUROS SINGLE-FIGURE INFLATION?

M

irko Cvetkovic, Serbian Minister of Finance, announced that inflation in Serbia in the first three months of this year was 2.7 percent. Cvetkovic said it could be expected that there could be single digit endof-the-year inflation if Serbia continues cooperation with the EU and the process of European integration. He added that if cooperation and integration were halted, “an impact on the exchange rate and inflation can be expected.” Cvetkovic added that at the moment Serbia consumes more than it produces and that the difference must be compensated for by foreign investments or privatization, and if that doesn’t happen, consumption will have to be reduced, which will lead to a change in the dinar exchange rate and a loan increase.

Source: Beta ADVANCE PAYMENT FOR WEAPONS DEAL

T

he Iraqi Ministry of Defense has paid a $47,000,000 advance as

“

The value of the IT market in Serbia has increased by 37% in 2007 and has reached 460 million euros. IT equipment still dominates the total value of the market with a share of 69 percent. Services in that domain make for a little over 20 percent, while the software share is 11 percent,” says Mineko’s market analysis company publication. In 2007, information technology investment development in Serbia reached 62 euros per capita annually, which is five times less than in Slovenia, i.e. around 3.5 times less than in Hungary and Greece.

Investing in IT in Serbia is growing faster than in other countries of the region, especially in the past two years, because investments per capita in 2006 increased by 44 percent, and in 2007 growth accelerated to 62 percent. The plan is for IT investments in Serbia to reach half a billion euros this year. Sales of portable computers exceeded 77 thousand units last year, which is double the amount from 2006.

Source: Beta

PODRAVKA SOON TO COMPLETE VITAMINKA TAKEOVER

M

edia in BiH have speculated in the past months that Podravka was ready to offer 24 million euros for a majority share of the company, while the majority shareholder, the Swiss company Kreis-Industriehandel AG owned by Ilija Sirovina, asked for 30 million euros.

Otherwise, negotiations between Podravka and Vitaminka’s owner of have been going on for almost three years with pauses and varying degrees of intensity. Unlike most of the other shares on the Banja Luka Stock Exchange, the price of Vitaminka shares is stable, mainly thanks to the expectations of investors that the takeover negotiations will be completed successfully.

The price of Vitaminka shares on April 3rd was just 3.2 percent lower in comparison to the beginning of the year, which is an excellent result given current market conditions .

HIGHEST SALARIES IN KOSJERIC

T

he highest average net salary in February in Serbia was in the Kosjeric municipality, (50,726 di-

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

nars), and the lowest in Bela Palanka, (11,678 dinars). According to analyses done by the Marketing Research Institute (IZIT), the highest salaries in February were in the Belgrade municipalities of Surcin (46,880 dinars), New Belgrade (46,300 dinars), Lazarevac (41,041 dinars) and Vracar (39,558 dinars). The lowest salaries in February, besides Bela Palanka, were in Vladicin Han (11,806 dinars), Svrljig (13,701 dinars), Gadzin Han (13,846 dinars) and Bojnik (13,894 dinars). In real estate the average salary was 68,267 dinars, in the financial sector 64,121 dinars, while salaries for work in organizations based on membership were 59,298 dinars. February salaries this year, according to data from IZIT, were 11.4 percent lower than December 2007 salaries, while they were 8.4 percent higher compared to February last year. Source: Beta

SEVENTY JOB DEALS MADE IN RUSSIA

CEVES RESEARCH

A

ccording to an analysis done by experts from the Center for Advanced Economic Studies (CEVES), estimates are that monetary policy will become stricter so that inflation would be within the projected limits and it is possible that it will have to be done in an environment of political uncertainty depending on the results of the upcoming general elections.

The decision made by the National Bank of Serbia on March 13th to raise the reference interest rate from 11.5 to 14.5 percent has halted the dinar’s weakening trend for now and contributed to its mild

EBRD INVESTING IN SERBIA

T

escalation. March inflation in Serbia was 1.2 percent, which interrupted the tendency of slowing down inflation during the first two months of this year. According to CEVES, the higher rate of inflation in March is a result of the price increase in electrical power, oil derivatives, and agricultural produce, which are the cause of nearly 60 percent of March’s price increase. During the first three months of this year, inflation reached 2.8 percent, and from March 2007 until March this year the total price growth was 11.8 percent on an annual level. From the beginning of the year until the middle of March, the dinar dropped about 5.5 percent, CEVES pointed out, and the weakening of the dinar nominal exchange rate by one percentage point influences the inflation growth of a little under 0.5 percent.

Source: Beta

he European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is planning to invest between 220 and 260 million euros in Serbia in 2008. “In this way, EBRD will become one of the most important creditors in the country,” stated EBRD’s director for Serbia Hildegard Gacek, and added that the bank plans to invest around 40 million euros of the announced sum in the Serbian financial sector. Gacek explained that it was all about new credit lines to domestic banks intended for small and medium companies and for mortgage loans, and also about investing in insurance companies and new recapitalizations of banks. In the latest issue of the “Bankar” magazine, Ms. Gacek said that Serbia enjoys great support from the EU insofar as financial resources are concerned, but also in regard to technical support, and pointed out that foreign investors analyze a country’s political stability and economic development as well as the size of the market before investing in it. “Serbia is in a pre-election period. But every country has a pre-election period. The investors are aware of that. Investment activities are sometimes

S

erbian companies have made preliminary deals for seventy jobs at the Construction Fair in Moscow, SIEPA reports. “Transformer manufacturer Elma TT signed an export contract worth 80,000 euros, and a larger contract worth 500,000

reduced in this period, but a new government will be formed after a while and it will continue to face new challenges, and investors will cooperate with the new government,” Gacek continued. According to her, Serbia, as well as the region, is a very interesting market for investors because the Western Balkans have no language barriers and businessmen from Serbia can operate in other Balkan countries as well.

“So, potential investors realize that by investing in Serbia they are not limited to only that market, but that they can do business with the neighboring countries too,” said the chief of the EBRD’s Serbian office. Gacek estimated that there could be a short-term slowdown of the influx of investments to Serbia, depending on how the new government will proceed, and pointed out that the main challenges for the future Serbian government will be double-digit inflation and large public spending depending on salaries and the number of employees in the public sector. The new government should speed up the remaining large privatizations so that the big “losers” would fall into private hands as soon as possible and stop losing money. Then it should also encourage new greenfield investments so that employment would increase.

Source: Tanjug CorD / May 2008 53

B2B

NEW PRODUCT OF PIRAUES BANK - SUPER CURRENT ACCOUNT FOR LEGAL ENTITIES

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iraeus Bank A.D. Belgrade has included a new product in its offer – the Super Current Account. This product is a current account for day-to-day business of legal entities.

Companies that open Super Current Account with Piraeus Bank will have a range of benefits such as: interest on positive current account balance, 50% lower fees and commission for e-banking services; 50% lower fees and commission on guarantees issue. Also, Piraeus Bank will issue to its Super Current Account holders reports (statements) on all transactions against such account free of charge.

Legal entities, Super Current Account holders, who apply for business payment cards of Piraeus Bank – Visa Gold, will have the benefit of free of charge card account opening, while annual membership fee for Visa Gold will be 50% lower.

Piraeus Bank will also approve overdraft against Super Current Account, subject to the Decision of Credit Department.

euros is planned,” said Milos Curcin, representative of the Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency. Besides Elma TT, tap and shower manufacturer RPC Pesovic also took part in the Fair, as did Elma, a panel radiator factory from Velika Plana, Amiga, an electric installation setup company, and HPS HIO Protection System, a company responsible for protection of cultural monuments. Electric installations and equipment manufacturer Metalka Majur also had its representatives at the Fair, as did lighting equipment manufacturer Bak, and Entereo, a furniture and interior equipment company. According to SIEPA’s data, the Construction Fair MOSBUILD is Russia’s largest fair, with more than 1,800 companies from 45 countries participating last year. This year for the first time SIEPA organized the participation at the Fair which lasted from 1 April till 4 April.

Source: Beta HIGHER PROFIT OF AIK BANKA

A

IK Banka from Niš recorded a profit of RSD4.6 billion last year, which is 18.7 percent more than in 2006.

According to stock exchange prospectus data, the bank’s interest- based earnings in 2007 reached RSD5.45 billion, which is about 89 percent more than in 2006, and income from compensations and commission fees reached RSD1.4 billion. Total bank assets doubled in 2007 to about €900 million, i.e. RSD78.3 billion.

The bank’s capital increased by RSD12.4 billion to reach RSD29.3 billion, which is around €360 million. The share capi-

54 CorD / May 2008

tal of the bank reached RSD20.9 billion.

The book value of AIK Banka shares has reached RSD3,618, and the capital of the bank is divided into 7,031,478 shares.

Source: Beta

SUCCESSFUL 2007 FOR INTESA

SERBIA’S HIGH CREDIT RISK

“GREEN LIGHT” FOR PORR AND ALPINE

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he IT company Telefonija has made a decision to recapitalize and to enter the A list of the Belgrade Stock Exchange. The IT company is planning the thirteenth issue of 80,000 shares whose nominal value is 950 dinars per share with the issuing price of 11,250 dinars, while the price for shareholders with preemptive rights will be at 10,125 dinars. One share of Telefonija currently costs 7,800 dinars, compared to a maximum so far of 24,899 dinars in March last year and a minimum of 2,601 dinars from December 2005. Last year Telefonija posted a profit of 51.5 million dinars, 6.4 percent less than in 2006, while the operating revenues of the company reached 1.17 billion and were 2.4 percent higher than the year before, as shown by the data from the 2007 financial report. Only three companies are on the A list of the Belgrade Stock Exchange: Tigar [TIGR], Energoprojekt [ENHL], and Soja protein [SJPT].

Source: Beta

OPEL EXPERTS VISIT ZASTAVA team of engineers from the German company Opel visited Zastava at the beginning of April in

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n the April list of Regional Risk Indicators made by Dun and Bradstreet analysts that includes 25 Eastern and Central European and former Soviet Union countries, Serbia has found itself at a low 15th place behind Kazakhstan, and just ahead of Azerbaijan. Slovenia had the best rating of all the ranked countries, with a DB2b rating, followed by Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

Croatia is ninth, Macedonia thirteenth, and Bosnia and Herzegovina seventeenth, while Montenegro wasn’t ranked. In their assessment of current economic circumstances, the experts at Dun and Bradstreet point out that Serbia could be attractive for foreign investors because of a low10 percent, tax rate among other factors. The agency’s estimates for 2008 aren’t entirely favorable because they point out some risks, above all the May parliamentary elections which are cited in the report as possibly “crucial and decisive.” The Dun and Bradstreet analysis emphasizes that the main question is how Serbia will reconcile its aspiration towards social and economic integration and a closer relationship with the European Union along with, on the other hand, the simultaneous worsening of political relations with Brussels because leading members of the EU have recognized the independence of Kosovo.

Source: Tanjug

TELEFONIJA RECAPITALIZATION

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order to survey possibilities for installation of Astra production equipment.

“The visit by the technical team is the result of an annex of the contract between Zastava and General Motors dating back to July of last year, which included providing assistance to Zastava in order to transport Opel technology for the production of the Astra to Kragujevac,” said Zoran Stosic, Director of Zastava AGeM. Zastava AGeM was formed through a contract between the group Zastava vozila and General Motors signed July 19th of last year, which specified the assembly of the Opel Astra Classic model at the Kragujevac factory facilities during the third quarter of 2008. The assembly of 1,500 vehicles is planned for the first quarter, and 5,000 for next year. Zastava has a commercial contract with Opel, so they have imported 3,300 Opel Astras duty-free, whose price is around €10,800. This year Zastava is obligated to import five thousand cars.

Source: B92

he European Commission has given the “green light” to Austrian construction companies Porr and Alpine to start work in Serbia. The verification of intentions for cooperation between Porr and Alpine in constructing the HorgosPozega motorway does not violate rules on competition according to the Commission’s assessment. The Spanish FCC was allowed by the European Commission’s decision to transfer its 50 percent share of the work on constructing the motorway in Serbia to Porr, while the other half will still be held by Alpine.

The Viennese daily newspaper on economy Wirtschaftsblatt reports that Porr and Alpine contracted a job worth €1.1 billion. “The decision by the European Commission means the “green light” from the EU, but in Serbia all lights are red,” the newspaper states. It does say, however, that the Serbian Government put a stop to the beginning of the motorway’s construction because Porr and Alpine failed to hand in bank guarantees for the job. The deadline to hand in these guarantees has been extended until the end of June, as added in Wirtschaftsblatt, pointing out that Serbian authorities are divided about how to act in this matter.

Right now this job is “on ice” until the Serbian parliamentary elections that are scheduled for 11 May, says the newspaper.

Source: Tanjug

CONTRACT FOR BRIDGE OVER ADA CIGANLIA SIGNED

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raginja Djuric, CEO of the Intesa bank, said that this bank achieved very good results last year and that with a balance sum of €2.5 billion, it has taken the largest share of the Serbian bank market, or 12.5 percent, adding that total deposits were €1.9 billion, and investments €1.2 billion. According to her, the bank has increased the amount of loans granted to citizens by 83 percent, reaching €405 million, while investments in companies amounted to €839 million, which represents a 31 percent growth as compared to 2006. Citizen savings increased by 52 percent to €263 million, while Banca Intesa acquired 172,000 new clients in 2007 for a total of 1.26 million. Deputy CEO of the bank Silvio Pedrazzi announced that they will open 14 new offices this year; the same number is planned for 2009, to make a total of 252. Banca Intesa will carry out a €120 million recapitalization this year, after which the total capital of the bank will be €477 million.

Source: B92

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elgrade Land Development Agency has signed a contract for the design and construction of a bridge over Ada Ciganlija with the consortium that is going to build the bridge. The consortium of companies with the Austrian company Porr at its head, which also encompasses the Slovenian company SCT and the German DSD, won the tender for construction of the bridge, with a price of €118.6 million. This consortium is obligated to finish the bridge within 40 months from the start of construction. The bridge is to be 929 meters long with a 200-meter tall pillar, and will be built on the lower end of Ada Ciganlija as a part of Belgrade’s transportation inner semi-ring. “It was originally estimated that construction of the bridge would cost about €91 million, and the cost difference is the consequence of a price increase in construction material, most of all steel, on the world market,” said the Director of Belgrade Land Development Agency Boris Rankovic. The plan is for the bridge to have six traffic lanes, two sets of tracks for light railway, and two pedestrian lanes, while the construction of the bridge will be funded for the most part from the loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Source: B92, Beta CorD / May 2008 55

B2B SKI CENTAR BREZOVICA FOUNDED

TRADE WITH INDIA

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otal trade between Serbia and India in 2007 was $107.8 million, according to Milos Bugairn, President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS). Imports from India were around $87 million, while exports were $20.8 million. The level of trade between the two countries in 2007 approached that of the Nineties, which was $109 million, while in 2000 and 2001 it was only about $20 million. Prospective areas for cooperation are joint investments in agriculture, which would encompass seed production as well, introducing Serbian fruit types into production and transfer of technology, as well as training, technical assistance, and complete projects for storage and construction of silos. It is of mutual interest to increase the cooperation level in the IT and telecommunications sector, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology, and also in the automobile and chemical industries, health tourism, banking, sports, and media. India’s businessmen pointed out at a meeting that there are great possibilities for cooperation in traditional medicine as well, because Serbia is rich with healing herbs.

According to PKS data, last year Serbian exports to India mostly consisted of tinplate, machines for sorting, sifting, and separation, rubber and plastic processing machines, refrigerators, and

EBRD GRANTING A LOAN TO SERBIAN RAILWAYS?

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he European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering granting a €100 million to Serbian Railways. The loan is intended for infrastructure projects and purchasing new vehicles. The money would be used to finance the acquisition of 25 EMU’s (Electrical Multiple Unit) with two or three coaches for use on main international lines. The new trains will replace the existing obsolete passenger trains, which would improve the speed and quality of service and free up the engines for the

FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN MONTENEGRO HIGHER

S freezers. Imports from India mostly consisted of coffee, medicine, yarn, sesame seeds, diazepines, antibiotics, tobacco, and tractors.

The greatest importers of products from India in 2007 were the companies Hemofarm, Grand Prom, Galenika, Doncafe, Agrogas, as well as the Belgrade companies Medico Uno and Panfarma, and Duvanska Industrija Vranje.

Source: Beta

needs of cargo transport. The European Investment Bank (EIB) would provide additional resources for the main railway network reconstruction program, including the Corridor 10 and the Belgrade-Bar railway. The total value of the project is €221 million, and EBRD would grant a guaranteed €100 million loan for its realization.

Source: Tanjug DROGA KOLINSKA SELLING ITS BRANDS

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roga Kolinska confirmed that it will sell all the brand and production facilities that aren’t making enough profit.

Among those written off are the 1001 Cvet

Serbia has only two companies with exports superior to €100 million annually,” said Bozidar Djelic, vice-president of the Serbian Government. Presenting the Draft Strategy for Export Increase by 2011, Djelic said that Serbian exports are $870 per capita, which is eleven times less than Slovenian exports, while Croatia has 2.3 times larger exports. Djelic pointed out that the foreign trade deficit is stable at 28 percent GDP, but that the deficit of the balance of payments, which is at 17.6 percent of GDP, is an area of concern. Djelic announced that the Government will try to stimulate exports as

56 CorD / May 2008

teas, Viki spread, Zlato Polje rice and flour produce, Belsad marmalades, Maestro dips, and Bebi, Coko, and Cokolesnik baby foods. The price for Viki has been estimated to about €1.2 million; Salatina, Talis, and Belsad marmalades to €1.1 million, and Cunga Lunga bubble gum to €50,000. Out of 2,100 products bearing the group’s trademark, 290 are earning four-fifths of the profit. This is why they intend to sell non-competitive programs and brands in Droga. As they explained at the company, in this way they want to achieve strategic goals by which the largest production programs would be earning €450 million profit by 2012. Droga Kolinska will focus on coffee, sweet and salty programs, meat spreads, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Source: Seebiz.eu HOLCIM INVESTING €82.7 MILLION

SERBIAN EXPORT SMALL

“

on their way to Africa mostly in the construction of roads, railways, and other infrastructure facilities, Gago believes. That investment fund has about eight billion euros intended as aid to the governments of African countries for the realization of certain projects, mostly related to infrastructure, and it also helps connect the EU to thirdworld countries and to those of the Asian and Pacific region, said Gago. Source: Tanjug

much as possible, most of all through more favorable loans. The plan is to increase exports in the coming years at a rate of 25 percent annually, with the finished products share rising from 43 to 65 percent, and the number of companies that have annual exports of more than 10 million euros rising from 66 to 120. Djelic announced that 25 commercial advisors who were selected based on a survey done among businessmen will be placed in key regions within the next three years. These regions are the countries of the EU, Russia, Ukraine, Middle East, and North Africa.

Source: Tanjug

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olcim Srbija will invest 82.7 million euros to increase the capacity of the cement factory in Novi Popovac. The factory’s capacity for clinker production (the basic material for producing cement) will be increased from the current 2,200 to 4,000 tons, as decided at the annual shareholders meeting. It was related at the meeting that the cement factory in Novi Popovac produced and delivered 841,500 tons of cement to buyers last year and 40 thousand tons of Novimal, while the concrete factory in Belgrade, which also operates within Holcim, sold 33 thousand cubic meters of concrete.

Source: Tanjug

kijalista Srbije and Fond Ineksintereksport have signed a contract to form the company Ski Centar Brezovica.

Forming Ski Centar Brezovica was proposed by the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development as part of the implementation of the Action Plan for Kosovo and Metohija, and it is planned that €40 million will be invested in Brezovica within the next three years. The stake of Fond IneksIntereksport in the newly-formed company isn’t money but realties, i.e. the hotel and tourist complex on Brezovica made up of the hotels Narcis, Breza, and Molika, as well as the accompanying infrastructure.

The ski center on Brezovica has nine cableways, with ski tracks at up to 2,500 meters above the sea level.

Source: Tanjug “29 NOVEMBAR” SOLD

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he Serbian Privatization Agency has signed a contract to sell the meat production company “29 novembar” in Subotica for €100,281. The buyer is a consortium of Gumel from Hajdukovo, Agriacoop, and TPU Company from Backa Topola, which offered to invest €10,000,000 in production modernization and accepted minimal social program obligations. According to data from the Business Registers Agency, the company had a profit of RSD113 million in 2006, and its total assets have been estimated to be RSD1.2 billion. The first tender for “29. novembar” was opened in May 2005. It failed because there were no interested buyers, while the second, opened in April 2006, was cancelled because the only bidder, a consortium of Industrija Mesa Coka, Golija Impeks Plus and Lovcen from Foca, offered too low a price.

Source: B92 COOPERATION BETWEEN SERBIA AND LIBYA

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ice-president of the African Investment Portfolio for Libya Filipe Gago says that Libya is the gateway to Africa for all European countries. Serbian companies can become partners with European companies

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irect foreign investments in Montenegro in January were €58.8 million, or 59.1 percent more than in January 2007. According to preliminary data from the Central Bank of Montenegro (CBCG), the difference between the inflow and outflow of direct foreign investments in January was €39.5 million and it increased by 121.4 percent compared to the same period last year. Investments in real-estate took the biggest share of the inflow structure with 46.7 percent. €24.5 million were invested in domestic companies and banks, or 41.8 percent of the total inflow, while the rest was carried out in the form of intercompany debt. Based on direct foreign investments, there was a €19.3 million outflow in January. The largest part of that sum, as much as €17.1 million, pertained to real-estate, 700 thousand went to Montenegrin companies’ investments abroad, and half a million euros concerned withdrawals of foreign capital shares in domestic banks and companies.

Source: Seebiz.eu IKARBUS EXPORTING TO RUSSIA

year,” said the director of the Ikarbus bus and special vehicles factory. Nijemcevic added that a contract on testing one single and one articulated low-floor bus had also been signed with the Russian company.

The buses were exhibited at Beotruck, this year’s International Fair for Commercial Vehicles. On another note, the Privatization Agency stated that the only offer to buy 40 percent of Ikarbus shares was given by the Russian company Avtodetal-Servis from Uljanovsk.

Source: Beta COMTRADE BUYS SLOVENIAN HERMES

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hareholders of the Slovenian company Hermes SoftLab have accepted a takeover offer from the Serbian company ComTrade. This represents a step toward a strategic partnership between the aforementioned business groups, but also toward the creation of one of the largest IT companies in Central and Eastern Europe. Hermes SoftLab was founded in 1990 in Ljubljana, and it is still unknown what sum ComTrade will pay to buy this Slovenian company. The Slovenian media report unofficially that the amount is €40 million.

Source: B92 MGI BOUGHT BY EMPLOYEES

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he company MGI Auditing & Accounting has been sold at an auction to a consortium of its employees for RSD55 million. MGI Auditing & Accounting does not have its own property, and so the starting price was set at RSD2.19 million.

According to public invitation data, the estimated total value of 70 percent of capital, which is the share being privatized, is RSD9.14 million or €110,360, and the income of the company in 2006 was about one million euros.

Source: Tanjug EU AID €165 MILLION

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he company Ikarbus has signed a contract with Tusino from Moscow to deliver 300 minibuses to the Russian market.

The director of Ikarbus Srecko Nijemcevic says that 150 minibuses are to be delivered to the Russian market by the end of this year, while the other 150 will be delivered in 2009. The value of the contract is around €18 million. “Fifty vehicles have already been prepared, and another 100 low-floor Moskovit IK-107 minibuses should be ready by the end of the

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n agreement on the use of €165 million in pre-accession funds intended for Serbia in 2007 has been signed. The chief of the European Commission’s delegation to Serbia Josep Lloveras said after the signing of the agreement that Serbia was at the top of the world list in relation to the level of aid from the European Union per capita, which emphasized fact that the EU wanted to share its values and prosperity with Serbia. He said that the European Union had dedicated a billion euros of pre-accession funds for Serbia between 2007 and 2011, CorD / May 2008 57

B2B

and that ever since 2000, it has provided more than two billion euros of financial aid for Central Serbia and Vojvodina, as well as €1.4 billion for Kosovo. Besides that, the European Investment Bank has granted more than €1.3 billion in loans to Serbia.

Loans were also granted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 60 percent of which is owned by the EU member states, and also €7.5 billion of direct foreign investments entered Serbia since 2000, Lloveras said.

Source: Beta ERSTE FORMING AN INVESTMENT FUND

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he Austrian bank group Erste has announced that it has started formation of an investment fund managing company. The new management company for the Serbian market will be called Erste Invest, and as Gunther Mandl, the lead man in this Austrian investment fund said, it should begin work sometime in the middle of this year. Erste Bank from Austria is currently managing a total of €40 billion worth of investment funds in the region. Eight investment funds are operating in Serbia at the moment, and their property is worth about three billion dinars (around €37 million).

Source: Beta

CLATES BUYS KNJAZ SHARES

BAMBI-BANAT PROFIT DROP

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etherlands company Clates Holding has become the owner of 34 percent of Knjaz Milos shares for a sum of RSD2.42 billion. Danube Foods Group’s Director for Corporate Communications Rade Pribicevic said that it’s a matter of internal restructuring and rounding off the ownership of the mineral water producer from Arandjelovac. “During the next several days, all 100 percent of Knjaz Milos shares owned by connected companies, Danube Foods from Serbia, Danube Foods Group and the FPP Balkan Ltd fund, will be transferred to Clates Holding,” Pribicevic said. The mineral water and juice production company Knjaz Milos recorded a profit in 2007 for the first time in three years of RSD93.37 million, or about €1.1 million. According to data from the Mineral Water Industries Association, Knjaz Milos is the largest mineral water producer in Serbia, covering 50 percent of the Serbian market, which produced 6.3 million hectolitres of water in 2007. Knjaz shares have been valued at RSD19, 300 since August of last year, which is the annual maximum. So far, these shares had the highest price, RSD19,491, in mid- December 2005, and the lowest, RSD17,004, in February 2006.

Source: Beta

LUXURIOUS AUDI FOR OUR TENNIS PLAYERS

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iscuit and sweets producer Bambi-Banat recorded a net profit drop in 2007 of 10.8 percent, or down to RSD212.42 million (around €2.5 million). The income of Bambi-Banat increased by 60.6 percent and reached RSD5.78 billion, while expenses rose by 65.7 percent to reach RSD5.5 billion, as reported in their prospectus at the Belgrade Stock Exchange. Sales income increased by 58 percent and hit the RSD5.51 billion mark. Almost half of Bambi’s expenses in 2007 were material costs, which rose by 91.3 percent compared to 2006, and reached RSD2.64 billion. The base profit per share was one thousand dinars. The BambiBanat concern has 429,665 shares, which have been on the market since 2002 and whose price on April 8th was RSD17,000. The market price of the company was RSD7.3 billion. General Director of Bambi-Banat Miroslav Miletic said this week that the concern was ready to sell Bambi-Banat, which had been announced by Salford for the first half of 2009. Source: Beta

udi, prestigious automobile brand is from today official vehicle of the Tennis Association of Serbia (TSS – Teniski savez Srbije). At the joint conference organized on this occasion in the exhibition space of Porsche Belgrade Ada, Sponsorship Agreement has been signed by Slobodan Živojinovi , Chairman of the Tennis Association of Serbia and Max Winterfeldt, General Manager of Porsche Company for Serbia and Montenegro, which is the official representative for Audi. ‘’Elegant and sport-like spirit of Audi has been permanently inclined towards supporting sports, numerous cultural and artistic manifestations. In this way, Audi maintains the image of sophisticated, strong and progressive brand with style, which are by all means characteristics of tennis, as elite sport. So, tennis and Audi have many things in common. Therefore I can proudly point out that Audi has from this moment become everyday vehicle of Serbian tennis players, as a partner that shall additionally stimulate them to achieve new victories’’, pointed out General Manager of Porsche SCG company, Max Winderfeldt.

Audi shall provide for the Association couple of luxurious models of Audi A6 and Audi A3 automobiles for transport of our tennis players, while additional vehicles could

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he Volvo S80 Executive have been created for customers who want uncompromising ability to relax after a demanding day at work - or who want to get to work totally alert to tackle the coming working day. These are cars that are often used for official purposes. This imposes extra demands on comfort, aesthetics and materials. “Our surveys show that customers attach particular importance to seating comfort and the quality of the leather. This is the reason why we are now updating the Volvo S80 with a massage function and ventilation in the front seats, along with exceptionally soft hide in all the seats”, explains Lennart Stegland, Managing Director of Volvo Special

58 CorD / May 2008

Vehicles. Five inflatable pockets built into the front seats are pumped up and drained sequentially to create a wave-like motion (adjustable at two hardness levels) that massages the lower back and wafts away feelings of tiredness and stiffness on long journeys. Together with the built-in ventilation, the massage function keeps the occupant’s body and clothing pleasantly fresh. While the hands rest on a cool steering wheel of wood, leather and aluminium. Furthermore, in the seat upholstery’s clean new pattern. On the centre console cover which is now trimmed in soft hide and in the aluminium sliding shutter over the front tunnel console. The enhanced ambient lighting in the doors, in the cup holders and at floor level ensures that attention to detail is also visible in the dark.

be available for the needs of appearance for Davis Cup, Fed Cup and other European and global competitions. The sponsorship package also includes certain financial support to the activities of the Tennis Association.

Presenting the new sponsor, Chairman of the Tennis Association of Serbia, Slobodan Živojinovi pointed out that ‘’Signing of the sponsorship contract has always represented satisfaction for each member of a

sports organization, and we from the Tennis Association are no different. Speaking about a partner like Audi, then our pleasure is even bigger. Because Serbian tennis strides big steps towards the global heights undreamt of, where Audi is already present for years.

Together we can make our two, globally recognizable brands find themselves in the very top of popularity and quality’’ concluded Živojinovi .

ECONOMIC CONNECTION WITH DIASPORA

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MASSAGE AND VENTILATION ELEVATE THE VOLVO S80 TO THE NEXT LEVEL

General Manager of Porsche SCG company, Max Winderfeldt and Slobodan Živojinovi , Chairman of the Tennis Association of Serbia

he press conference on the subject of Economic connection with diaspora at regional and local levels was held on 18 April, in the Ministry for Diaspora of the Republic of Serbia. The spokespersons in the conference were Minister Milica ubrilo and the Assistant Minister for Economic Affairs Radmila Milivojevi .

The Sector for Economic Issues of Diaspora gives information and services necessary to establish and improve the economic cooperation of Serbia and diaspora. They organize conventions, seminars and conferences on this subject in order to introduce the diaspora to the concrete offers of economic cooperation with Serbian companies.

Minister ubrilo said that in the last ten months, the Ministry for Diaspora established 16 Centers for Diaspora within Regional Chambers of Commerce in Serbia. The Ministry and Chambers are collecting and exchanging information, projects and program activities of economic cooperation with diaspora.

Thanks to the Centers for Diaspora, the Ministry is well informed on the problems of the establishment of companies and business cooperation with companies in Serbia. This enables them to work on the problem resolving together with other ministries, institutions and organizations. In order to act on the improvement of economic engagement uniformly, the

Ministry consults the Centers on regular bases; they organize mutual conventions and events.

Assistant Minster for Economic Affairs, Radmila Milivojevi , explained that our repat-

Ministry for Diaspora, Milica ubrilo riates have a double role as entrepreneurs – they are giving us the recipe on how to make Serbia a center for future investments and creating the economic development by opening new work

positions and thus diminishing social tensions in the country. She called for cooperation of the local municipalities in making it easier for the investors to overcome their fears of risk.

Among the spokesmen in the conference, there were several entrepreneurs from diaspora who spoke about their experiences of investing in Serbia and problems they encounter at the local level. Dragoljub Jovanovi , the manager of the spa center Ždrelo, Miladin Vidojevi , the manager of the Serbian brandy plant in Igroš village near Brus and Draško Miljkovi , the mananer of the saw mill in Dubo ka village. As some of the numerous problems of doing business in Serbia they stated the problems of issuing administrative papers and the backwardness of local municipalities in solving relevant problems.

The Ministry instituted cooperation with UNDP with the aim of analzyng Serbian migrations, Serbian diaspora customs and needs, as well as the application of other countries’ experiences in partnership with diaspora. Within the scope of this project, the delegation of the Ministry for Diaspora participated in the International Congress in Moldova in April 2007. The Minister pointed out that the joint organization of the international meeting Belgrade is planned and that this meeting is going to concentrate on sharing practices with a certain number of countries with a long-term experience of cooperation with diaspora.

CorD / May 2008 59

CULTURE CALENDAR

CLASSICAL MUSIC Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra – Concerts in May All Koncerts are in Kolarac Hall May 23, 2008 Pedro Calderon, conductor Marcelo Nisinman, bandoneon A. Piazzolla: Concert for bandoneon and orchestra A. Piazzolla: Tres Tangos for bandoneon and orchestra A. Piazzolla: Adios Nonino I. Stravinsky: Firebird May 30, 2008 Mariusz Smolij, conductor Oliver Schnyder, piano Program: W. Lutoslawski: Little Suite F. Chopin: Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 1 V. Kalinikov: Symphony No. 1 Sava Center, Great Hall 27. May at 20 00 Kiri Te Kanawa, Concert

Symphonic orchestra RTS , RTS chorus Conductor- Julian Reynolds Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa, born in 1944, is one of the world’s most celebrated sopranos.

In 1981, she was seen and heard around the world by an estimated 600 million people when she sang Handel`s Let the Bright Seraphim at the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer. Kinawa made her US debut at Santa Fe Opera with her performance in Le nozze de Figaro in 1971, and and became internationally famous at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London after singing the role on 1. December 1971.

Sang at the San Francisko Opera, the Metropolitan Opera in New York and La Scala, in Milan, Italy.

Akawa won a Grammy Award for best Opera Recording in 1984, for Mozart`s Le Nozze di Figaro.

Created Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in 1982, and has returned to New Zealand to sing several times, including the New Year millenium concert at Gisborne in January 2000.

Sang in her last opera, Vanessa in 2004, but continues with recitals and concerts and organising the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation to help young music students.

60 CorD / February 2008

POP. ROCK, ETHNO, JAZZ CONCERTS GANG OF FOUR (LEEDS, UK) 9. May, 21 00 Student Cultural Center, Gang of Four is British post/ punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King., Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill. In 2004, the original line-up reunited.

They play a stripped-down mix of punk rock, with strong elements of funk music, minimalism and dub reggae and an emphasis on the social and political ills in society. Gang of Four’s later albums found them softening some of their more jarring qualities, and drifting towards dance-funk and disco Their debut album, Entertainment! ranked at #490 in Rolling Stone`s The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

John McLaughlin

fusion groups from the late 1960.

He is regarded by many as one of the most influential and technically gifted guitarists of all time, having mastered a remarkable range od styles and genres, including jazz, Indian classical music, and fusion.

He has also incorporated aspects of flamenco music in some of his acoustic periods.

His reputation as a `first-call` session player in the early 60s resulted in recordings with Miroslav Vitous, Larry Coryell, Wayne Shorter, Carla Bley, The Rolling Stones and others.

In the 70s he collaborated with Carlos Santana, who, like McLoughlin himself, was a disciple of Sri Chinmoy, an Indian spiritual leader.

His electric band The Mahavishnu Orchestra performed a technically virtuosic and complex style of music that fused eclectic jazz and rock with eastern and Indian influences.

After they split, McLaughlin worked with the band `Shakti`, a pioneer of world music.He had already been studying Indian classical music and playing veena. In 1997 he teamed John McLaughlin

Dom Sindikata, 16. May 21:00h John McLaughlin , an English jazz fusion guitarist, came to prominence with Miles Davis` electric jazz-

up with flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia and jazz guitarist Larry Coryell (replaced by Al Di Meola in the early 1980s) as the Guitar Trio, the virtuoso talents of all three musicians

equally on display. In the late 1980s he recorded and performed live with a trio including bassist Kai Eckhardt and a phenomenal percussionist Trilok Gurtu.

His versatility as a musician and a composer-arranger had another validation in The Mediterranean Concerto, which he composed in 1986 and premiered with Los Angeles phylharmonic. His latest recording projects have been a ballet score, Thieves and Poets, realized in 2003 along with arrangements for classical guitar ensamble of favourite jazz standards, a three DVD instructional video on improvisation, another instructional DVD called The Gateway to Rhythm and an album entitled Industrial Zen. In his almost 40 years long career he has recorded an incredible number of 40 albums, 12 as a leader, and 29 in groups and trios.

In 2007 he began touring with a new jazz fusion quartet, the 4th Dimension, consisting of keybordist/drummer Gery Husband, bassist Hadrian Feraud, and drummer Mark Mondesir.

Lord of the dance

extravaganza first time in Belgrade arena.

Besed on Irish folklore, this classic tale of Good vs. Evel, expressed trought the universal language of dance,has thrilled audiences’ worldwide and catapulted Irish dance to a new dimension and unprecedentaed worlwide acclaim.

Mickael Flatley, creator and director of this award-winning international dance phenomenon, proved his vision that hearts and minds, united trought music and dance, cross all traditional bounderies. His Lord og the Dance continues to shatter box office recordrs all over the world, leaving audiences breathless and clamoring for more.

Described by the Los Angels Times as a”show piece extravaganza”, Michael Flatli’s Lord of the dance is a magical adventure of sight and sound that transports its audience to a mythical time and place, lifting the spirits and capturing the hearts of all who experience it.

From the moment the lights go down to the last encore, audiences are spellbound by a masterfully orchestrated combination of precision dancing, state of the art lighting and pyrotechnics.

The musical score leaves no soul untouched.

As the story unfolds, the Little Spirit travels through time to help the Lord of the dance protect his people from the challenge of Don

FILM PREMIERES IN BELGRADE CINEMAS “21” Start- 1. May Directed by- Robert LUKETIC Cast-Jim STURGESS, Kate BOSWORTH, Kevin SPACEY, Laurence FISHBURNE “21” is the fact-based story about six MIT students who were trained to become experts in card counting and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings.

EUROVISION Song Contest – Belgrade 2008 Belgrade Arena 19.05.08 - 24.05.08.

The 53rd Eurosong Competition will take place in Arena Belgrade in 2008. It was this year’s winner, Marija Šerifovi , who brought Serbia this honour.

Ticket sales takes place in three stages and will start with the sales of packages.

- Package A: All events (all twelve events, including dress rehearsals and live shows) - Package B1/B2: Ticket to the Final, one of the Semi-Final live shows and dress rehearsals of both Semi-Finals (eight events) - Fan package: A fan package, similar to Package A, is being sold to fan club Jelena organizations Tomaševi The special fan package is available to members of the OGAE fan clubs. Ticket distribution will be co-ordinated by OGAE International and more information will become available through the website of OGAE Serbia before the international ticket sales starts.

Event schedule First Semi-Final dress rehearsal 1 (19/05 at 15:00) First Semi-Final dress rehearsal 2 (19/05 at 21:00) First Semi-Final dress rehearsal 3 (20/05 at 15:00) First Semi-Final live show (20/05 at 21:00) Second Semi-Final dress rehearsal 1 (21/05 at 15:00) Dorcha, the Dark Lord. As this evel dark power challenges the hero, the incredible adventure continues, drawing its audience into a mythical universe of love, danger, and desire.

Micheal Flatley’s timeless production has barely been out

Second Semi-Final dress rehearsal 2 (21/05 at 21:00) Second Semi-Final dress rehearsal 3 (22/05 at 15:00) Second Semi-Final live show (22/05 at 21:00) Final dress rehearsal 1 (23/05 at 15:00) Final dress rehearsal 2 (23/05 at 21:00) Final dress rehearsal 3 (24/05 at 15:00) Final live show (24/05 at 21:00)

of the best sellers list, and for the last 11 years has continually established itself as the No.1 dance spectacular.

CLUBBING Morandi Live and WAWA feat.Fabal Live TOP FM 12th birthday part

Expo XXI 10. May at 22 00 ELECTRIC BEATS: ANTOINE CLAMARAN & Vince and OLAV BASOSKI EXPO XXI 17. May Antoine Clamaran is a French house music artist and music remixer.

Clamaran was born in Paris. In the early 90’s, his local fame interested Maximum FM, the leading parisian dance radio station at that time.

Impressed by his mixing gift, Clamaran gained a huge audience and started to be booked for one off parties. But Palace headquarters (Palace in Paris is the NYC equivalent of Studio 54) asked him to run the mythical Gay Tea Dance every Sunday, instead of French icon Laurent Garnier THEATRE Madlenianum, opera and theatre 10. May, 11 May, 19 30 PREMIERE LADY FROM MAXIM Drama written by George Feydo Directed by Slavenko Saletovi Cast- Mihailo La evac, Katarina Radivojevi ART EXHIBITIONS Museum of Applied Arts- Exhibitions in May Family photo-albums from the Museum collections 17. May- 17. June Author- Jelena Pera , curator in the department for the photography and applied graphics

Lord of the dance Belgrade Arena 28.05.2008. 20:30h Lord of the dance, show piece

40. May Exhibition of the Association of artists of Fine and Applied Arts 15. May- 10. Jun CorD / February 2008 61

CULTURE CALENDAR

Author and curator of the exhibitionDijana Milašinovi - Mari Exhibition of Spanish design 13. May- 15. June

of a professional team drafts a straitlaced college sensation, only to watch his new coach fall for his fiancée.

LEATHERHEADS

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF CRYSTAL SKULL)Start- 29. May Directed by Steven Spielberg Cast - Harrison Ford, Shia La Bouef, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt

Living Spain / Furniture, Lighting & Accessories Author of the exhibition- Marselo Leslabay, Spain Exhibition of the contemporarz Spanish industrial design Exhibition is realised in the cooperation with Spanish Embassy in Belgrade ARTGET GALLERY Belgrade Cultural Center Trg Republike 5/ I GREAT WORLD PHOTOGRAPHERS From the collection of Vojin Mitrovic 5. May- 18. May What did you wear in 80s?

Performance - part of the Museum Night Goethe Institute Knez Mihajilova 50 17.05 at 19 30 Idea and realisation- Dragana Žarevac, Marina udov Speed Racer Start: 15. May Directed by Andy WACHOWSKI, Larry WACHOWSKI Cast- Emile HIRSCH, Christina RICCI, Matthew FOX, Susan SARANDON, John GOODMAN Hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition, Speed Racer is a natural Thursday, May 8 10:00-10:45 Ascan Mergenthaler, CH Herzog & de Meuron 10:50-11:35

behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory of the brother he idolized-the legendary Rex Racer whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill.

What Happens In Vegas Start: 15. May Directed by Tom VAUGHAN Cast: Cameron DIAZ, Ashton KUTCHER, Rob CORDDRY, Lake BELL, Queen LATIFAH Set in Sin City, story revolves around two people who discover they’ve gotten married following a night of

Friday, May 9 10:00-10:45 Bjarke Ingels, DK BIG/Bjarke Ingels Group

Saturday, May 10 10:00-10:45 Daniel Libeskind, US Studio Daniel Libeskind

Tecno SpA

10:50-11:35 Patrizia Moroso, IT Moroso SpA

11:35-11:50 coffee break 11:50-12:35 Michael Baulk, GB The Mill/AMW 12:40-1:25 Shin Azum, GB a studio

11:35-11:50 coffee break 11:50-12:35 Graham Fink, GB MC & Saatchi 12:40-1:25 Erwan and Ronam Bouroullec, FR

10:50-11:35 William Sawaya & Paolo Moroni, IT Sawaya & Moroni 11:35-11:50 coffee break 11:50-12:35 Konstantin Grcic, DE KGID 12:40-1:25 A World Without Words

by Jasper Morrison introduction by Konstantin Grcic

debauchery, with one of them winning a huge jackpot after playing the other’s quarter. Unhappy pair try to undermine each other and get their hands on the money -- falling in love along the way.

IRON MAN Premiere- 7. May Start in cinemas- 8. May Directed by John Favreau Cast- Robert Downey Jr, Terence Howard When wealthy industrialist Tony Stark is forced to build an armored suit after a life-threatening incident, he ultimately decides to use its technology to fight against evil. A

Annual Events BELGRADE DESIGN WEEK GHOST PROJECT One of the best noticed exhibitions during the first Belgrade Design Week in April of 2006, in the opinion of foreign journalists, was the Ghost Project multimedia installation set up by the Mikser studio. Ghost Projec simultaneosly celebrates the unfailing enthusiasm and ideas of domestic young cratives and criticizes the lack of symbiotic relationship between designers and industry in our country.

Since there is virtually no trace of industrial design in our country, the exhibition is denominated a GHOST one, showcasing virtual and realized projects of domestic creatives through innovative media such as web, computer animation, video, audio, etc.

This abstract quality has a dichotomous function; to both illustrate the social status of the designed object in Serbia (Ghost) and bring us closer to the global treatment of the designed things as the “objects of worship” or “objects of desire”. Following the footsteps of our own thoughts, creatives’ ideas evolve to the phase between these two extremes and finally take an active role in creating the physical image of our reality.Conceived initially as a

THE CULTURE OF DESIGN 2:30- 3:00 Paola Antonelli, US MoMA NY 3:05-3:35 Arne Quinze, BE Quinze and Milan 3:35-3:50 coffee break 3:50-4:20 Birgit Lohmann, IT Designboom Thoughts on originality

62 CorD / February 2008

DESIGN AND THE CITY 2:30- 3:00 Defne Koz, US Defne Koz Design Studio 3:05-3:35 Wolff Olins 3:35-3:50 coffee break 3:50-4:20 Gert Dumbar, NL

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interviews opinions news comments events

Fear and Hope

The Business Of Design Masters DESIGN AND THE BRANDS 2:30- 3:00 Jakob Odgaard, DK Bang & Olufsen 3:05-3:35 Miguel Fluxa, ES Camper 3:35-3:50 coffee break 3:50-4:20 TO BE ANNOUNCED

inter views opinions news comments events

romantic comedy set in the world of 1920s football, where the owner of a professional team drafts a strait-laced college sensation, only to watch his new coach fall for his fiancée.

LEATHERHEADS Premiere- 10. May Start in cinemas- 15. May Directed by : George Clooney Cast -George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, John Krasinski A romantic comedy set in the world of 1920s football, where the owner

means of presenting still unrealized projects of the latest generation of Serbian designers, the Ghost Project has become an ongoing project, a sort of dynamic database of domestic creatives open to the public, as well as domestic and foreign media and manufacturers. One of the main objectives of this project is to turn the public’s and manufacturers’ eye to the creative potential of Serbia, as much as to motivate the authors to actively participate in creating our cultural and social milieu.

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CULTURE NEWS

BELGRADE DESIGN WEEK elgrade Design Week will be held May 5th to 11th and will bring together the most famous world brand and advertising experts, designers, architects, and business people.

This year Design Week, which was organized in Belgrade for the first time in 2006, will be divided into two parts.

The first part will last from May 8th to 10th in Hotel “Jugoslavija” and will deal with the phenomenon of high class design and modern architecture, the role of design in creating mass media, and the influence of media on the creation of design culture in society, as well as with challenges and trends on the world market. During the conference, the most important names

Museum Society of Serbia, Embassies of USA and Netherlands, the Cervantes Institute, the Goethe Institute and the Italian and French Culture Centers.

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in the design world will reveal methods for transferring key ideas of modern art to modern society.

This year a successful collaboration has been set up between Kraljevo “Jasen” (Ash tree) and ten domestic designers. These works will represent the focus of the segment “Ghost Project,” which has during previous Belgrade Design Weeks presented unimplemented projects from young Serbian designers.

Based on works of these young designers, “Jasen” has produced eight furniture prototypes. These selected pieces will be produced and exhibited on a trial basis, and if they satisfy consumer criteria after testing, “Jasen” will start batch production.

Belgrade Design Week’s second part will be exhibitions, workshops, and presentations at over 50 locations around the city, intended for those who want to keep up to date with the most modern concepts and trends in design, fashion, and art.

Daniel Libeskind, William Savaia, Sheena Azumi, Paolo Moroni, Konstantin Gr i , Patrizia Moroso, Askan Mergentaler will all be Belgrade’s guests.

One of the most celebrated guests of this year’s Belgrade Design Week is Daniel Libeskind, the global architecture star. Mr. Libeskind is famous for his new critical and multidisciplinary approach to architecture. Libeskind’s expertise cov64 CorD / May 2008

TENDER FOR MANGELOS AWARD he art association “Dez org” and “Kontekst” (Context) Gallery from Belgrade have announced a tender for the 2008 “Dimitrije Baši evi Mangelos Award.”

The “Dimitrije Baši evi Mangelos Award” is part of the Young Visual Artists Award program, and to apply artists must be younger than thirty five and nationals of the Republic of Serbia.

The MangelosAward consists of a six-week residence stay within the International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York (ISCP).

The residence program will be held from autumn 2008 to spring 2009. The award winner will stay in a paid apartment in New York.

In addition to the regular program within the “ISCP,” the residence program also includes visits to numerous galleries and museums, as well as meetings with representatives of New York art scene. The program does not include expenses for work production. During the autumn of 2008, a joint exhibition of finalists

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Belgrade Design Week: The rst part will be in Hotel “Jugoslavija” ers a large number of projects of various kinds, from large cultural and commercial institutions (including museums and concert halls), to congress centers, residential facilities, shopping centers, and hotels.

During the last decade, Libeskind has designed some of the most impressive and most innovative public facilities, like the Jewish Museum in Berlin, City Museum in Innsbruck, the Denver Art Museum, and the Tangent Business Building for Hyundai’s Company Development Center in Seoul. Daniel Libeskind’s work has been exhibited in museums and galleries all around the world, and his projects have been presented in numerous publications.

Among the guests of the BDW will also be Mike Bolk (The Mill), one of the most important creative directors of the British and global advertising industry, and Alice Rostorn, an art and design critic who writes for the International Herald Tribune.

At the end of Belgrade Design Week, the Designer of the Year Award will be presented.

MUSEUM NIGHT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED

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o muzeja (Museum Night), organized by the art-production group of the same name, will be held on May 17th from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Belgrade’s fifth Museum Night will be take place in 60 locations around Belgrade and in multiple locations in 19 towns all around Serbia.

This event will include the participation of the cities of Novi Sad, Šabac, Valjevo, Niš, Pan evo, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Jagodina, Zrenjanin, Sombor, Kikinda, Požarevac, a ak, Subotica, Užice, Sirogojno, Kladovo, Vrbas, and Zaje ar.

Museum Night’s fifth jubilee offers in total over 120 museums and gallery areas throughout Serbia. This unique art spectacle, the likes of which are implemented in 120 towns all around the world, offers the public an opportunity to visit within a few hours in one night local museums and galleries to see interesting travelling exhibitions, concerts, and other performances.

In Belgrade on May 17th, over 60 museums and galleries will be open. Some of the planned exhibitions are Skeletomanija (Natural Museum Gallery), Drawings of Pablo Picasso (Gallery Chaos), and Želeo bih da nau im da letim na... (I wish I could learn to fly a… (Aviation Museum).

Visitors will also have the chance to see Matts Leidersteim’s exhibition at the Modern Art Museum gallery, a Belgrade mummy in Kapetan Miša’s Building, the exhibitions Razmena poklona (Exchange of gifts), Tito i car Haile Selasije (Tito and Tsar Haile Sellasie), Siemens’ Telephone Story at the PTT (Postal) Museum, and to visit the National Bank of Serbia’s Treasury. Last year Belgrade and several other Serbian cities registered a recordbreaking 320 000 visitors, and great interest in this event is expected this year as well.

Museum Night is held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Belgrade City Assembly, as well as that of other participating cities, and it is also supported by the International Council of Museums, the ICOM, the

will be organized, and in cooperation with the jury and based on tender materials, the organizer will select and tutor up to five proposed works.

Tender applications can be submitted from April 10th to June 10th 2008 at the “Kontekst” (Context) Gallery (Culture Center Stari Grad, Kapetan Mišina 6a) every working day from 3 to 6 p.m. or by post to the above address, marked “For Tender Dimitrije Baši evi Mangelos.”

Applications should contain a completed form that can be downloaded from the website of CONTEXT gallery. The form should be delivered in printed and digital format on CD/DVD together with the other tender materials and portfolio.

The residence stay in New York within ISCP (International Studio and Curatorial Program) lasts six weeks and will be organized from October 1st 2008 to March 31st 2009. Accommodation, costs of visas, health insurance, and travel costs will be provided for. After returning from New York, the awarded artist will have an independent exhibition as an additional honor.

The “Dimitrije Baši evi Mangelos Award,” which bears the name of one of the most important artists who was an art histo-

rian from the ex-Yugoslavia and the founder of conceptual artistic practice, is awarded through the support of the Foundation for a Civil Society (FCS), the Trust for Mutual Understanding (TMU), the Culture Secretariat of the City of Belgrade, and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia.

STERIJINO POZORJE (STERIJA’S COMPETITION)

Best play 2007: “Nahod Simeon”

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terijino pozorje (Sterija’s Competition), an important local theater event, will be held in Novi Sad from May 26th to June 5th. Sterijino pozorje (Sterija’s Competition) has an official program and this year one segment of this competition

BELGRADE DANCE FESTIVAL

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he Belgrade Dance Festival (BDF) was held in April. The Festival was opened at Sava Centar on April 4th with the ballet “Mediteranea” from Milan’s Scala, and closed on April 19th with a performance by the Marseilles Ballet. The festival hosted numerous foreign dance troupes such as the Roma Spellboundance, the National Ballet of Maribor, the New York dance company Shen Wei Dance, and Club Guy and Ronny from Groningen.

The New York choreographer of Chinese origin, Shen Wei, who is a dancer, painter, and designer, presented a choreography “Consecration of the Spring,” based on music by Igor Stravinsky, for which he also envisaged the design, stage, costumes, and make-up. He also presented the work “Free Fall,” linking Tibetan Mahakala Buddhist chants and melodies of John Taviner.

The premiere of “Consecration of the Spring” was in 2003 in Lincoln Center in New York, and “Free Fall” premiered in 2000 in China’s Guangdong Modern Dance Company.

Shen Wei’s Company, all of whose members have resided and worked in the USA from the mid-nineties, has from its very creation (2000) made successful guest appearances in the USA, Western Europe, Asia, Australia, and Israel. In addition to the choreography, Shen Wei also supervises each dance and opera production’s design, stage, costumes, and make-up.

He has been the recipient of significant tributes and awards in USA, Europe, and Asia, while critics see him as a “choreographer in expansion and one of the most creative minds of modern art” (The New York Times).

On April 13th the Netherlands Club Guy and Ronny, established in 2001 by Guy Weitzman and Ronny Haver, performed in BDP “Poetic Defeats,” based on music by Heiner Goebbels, which has had its premiere this year in Mounsonturm in Frankfurt. This work depicts the cha-

os theory, and deals with the constant devastation and recreation of ideas and forms, as well the difficulty and human need to recover from defeat.

In addition to Haver, in this Grand Theater production from Groningen Dunja Jocic, Eva Puschendorf, Yvonne Weschke, and Igor Podsiadly also perform.

Choreographers Weitzman and Haver started their dancing career in Tel Aviv’s famous Ensemble Bathsheba, playing the repertoire of Ohad Naharin. They later joined the company Ultima Ves, of Wim Vandekeibus in Brussels, and the company Galili Dance, of Itsik Galilio in Amsterdam.

Their first choreographies were made for Ensemble Bathsheba and for other dancing companies in Berlin, Barcelona, and Brussels.

The Arab- Israeli origin and experiences they have jointly assembled are clearly reflected in their work, which is always linked to current happenings, and aims toward inspiring both conflicts to incite the audience’s feelings. By using innovative and thrilling vocabulary, Guy and Ronny develop the idea of their own freedom, skilfully presented through seductive and dynamic topics.

These authors’ performances, as well as all the others at the Belgrade Dance Festival were real dance spectacles, and were well-attended and acclaimed by Belgrade audiences.

CorD / May 2008 65

CULTURE NEWS

has been dedicated to the 40th anniversary of student riots and other political events in Europe. The segment ‘Krugovi’ (Circles) will deal with the theatrical problem of solving of 1968’s left-wing inheritance.

Ivan Medenica, Selector of Circles has chosen five plays for the 53rd Festival, among which are three from Germany and one from Slovakia and Slovenia.

For the first play, “Liebe 1968” will be performed from Bat Studio Theater of the Theater Art Academy in Berlin, directed by Alexander Harim.

Schauschpielhaus Theater from Stuttgart will appear with director Stefan Kimih’s play “1977,” translated as “Sympathizer, Seven kids, Hamlet-machine,” and Berlin Theater’s Schaubine will perform “Cut,” based on Mark Ravenhill’s text, directed by the famous Tomas Ostermaier.

From Slovakia the drama “Doctor Husak,” directed by Martin Chichvak, based on Viliam Klimachek’s text, will be presented at the Bratislava Divaldo Arena, while the Slovenian theater stage will be represented by “Oedipus in Corinth,” based on Ivo Svetina’s text and directed by Ivica Buljan, performed by Ljubljana’s Slovensko Narodno Gledališ e.

All these plays offer various insights into phenomena that are directly or indirectly related to 1968 and that year’s ramifications on modern society and art.

The shows also touch upon the topic of the possibility of radical political change that could today be initiated by young intellectuals. Announcing the segment Krugovi (Circles), Ivan Medenica noted that 1968’s leftist movement does not receive adequate treatment in the domestic theater, and that the socialist past of our country is superficially treated only as a dark dictatorship without critical insight or possible recognition of any positive results.

BANJA LUKA FILM FESTIVAL he Banja Luka International Film Festival will be held from May 2nd to 9th 2008 and will consist of three competitive programs, one for feature films, one for documentaries, and one for student films. Over 100 films will be presented, and the Festival will be officially opened with Emir Kusturica’s film “Zavet” (Oath).

A special guest at the Banja Luka Festival will be Serbian actor Bata Živojinovi , and Belgrade actress Mirjana Karanovi will lecture.

The Festival Program editor is Danijela Boban, and its Protector is actor Lazar Ristovski, who supervised this Festival’s organization, which holds great significance for Banja Luka and the Republic of Srpska.

Danijela Boban said that the Koen brothers’ film “No Country for Old Men,” will also be presented, and that the film’s directors will attend the projection.

Organizers of the BLIFF are the Film Institute of Banjaluka and the Production House “Taskovski Films” from London, in cooperation with the Government of the RS and Banjaluka authorities.

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THE GREATEST HITS OF MIRKO ILI he renowned New York graphic designer and illustrator Mirko Ilic has introduced himself to the Belgrade scene with his exhibition “Greatest Hits - LP / CD Show.” The exhibition lasted from April 16th – 19th, and an exhibition has been planned in major cities in the region and throughout Serbia, such as Sarajevo, Zagreb, Novi Sad, and Skoplje.

The exhibition represented Ili ’s early works, consisting of record jackets designed for albums of famous rock groups in the exYugoslavia.

Ili has designed some of the most famous LP and CD music album jackets for popular bands over the territory the of ex-Yugoslavia during the second half of the 70’s and the first

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JULIO IGLESIAS CONCERT

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ickets for the Julio Iglesias concert to be held in the Belgrade Arena on June 9th 2008 have been available since April 10th.

Julio Iglesias is the most popular Latino singer of all time, whose albums have sold over 100 million copies world-wide. Iglesias is a romantic chansonnier who has been very popular all around the world for decades. He made his debut in 1968 at the Spanish Music Festival in Benidorm, where he won first place with the composition “La Vida Sigue Igual.” This success led to a contract with the independent publishing house “Discos Columbia,” thus launching the famous Spaniard’s career.

During the Seventies he performed in Europe and South

66 CorD / May 2008

half of the 80’s, such as Prljavo kazalište (Dirty Theater), Bijelo dugme (White Button), Josipa Lisac, Leb i sol (Bread and Salt), U škripcu (In dire straits), Buldožer (Bulldozer), Laboratorija zvuka (Sound Laboratory), and Zana.

His visual solutions for jacket covers presented in the exhibition have brought to life the look and spirit of those times. Part of the

Famous designer Mirko Ili exhibition has been dedicated to the phenomenon of the LP album itself, the development of vinyl discs, the history of production, the development of regional music companies, their relationship and graphical equipment, and also to the further development of new types of sound carriers.

Visual solutions have been presented also for modern world music bands, like the singer of the band Rage against the Machine’s tattoos, which represent an illustration of Ili , and a logo he made for the famous Belgrade band, Darkwood Dub. Ilic is a frequent guest in Belgrade and in certain other cities in the region, and he will also be one of the participants of Belgrade Design Week and the designer of the logo for Darko Lungulov’s feature film “Tamo i ovde” (There and Here), the filming of which has been recently completed.

America, and won numerous fans with hits like “Manuela”(1975).

A turning point for Iglesias was the duet album “1100 Bel Air Place” in 1984, featuring the hit duet with William Nelson “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before,” as well as “All of You” with Diana Ross. The album immediately sold over three million copies in America.

Iglesias’ popularity continued to grow in the Eighties, although he had only one attempt with duets with the hit “My Love” with Steve Wonder in 1988. By the end of the Eighties, he focused on recording music in Spanish, but also in many other languages. Even today Iglesias’ albums sell millions of copies, and he still holds concerts all over the world. Tickets for his concert in Belgrade Arena can be found at Billet Service and in IPS book-stores.

Istanbul Int’l Film Festival

FACE film prize for Li Yang Chinese director, Li Yang, is rewarded for the best “human rights” for his movie“Blind Mountain”.The Council of Europe, the Strasbourg-based human rights body, once more rewarded the director whose lm best raises public awareness and interest in human rights issues.The FACE Film Award of the Council of Europe is an annual collaboration between the International Istanbul Film Festival and the Council of Europe.

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he award takes the form of a cash prize of 10 000 euros and was presented to the winner of the Human Rights in Cinema section of the Istanbul International Film Festival, which took place this year from April 5 to 20th. Both documentaries and feature films were eligible for the prize.

This was the second FACE award presented to an outstanding human rights film. Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, presented the second Film Award of the Council of Europe (FACE) on behalf of Terry Davis, Secretary General of the 47-member Organisation to Li Yang for “Mang Shan / Blind Mountain” as the film that best raises public awareness of and in-

terest in human rights issues.

The Council of Europe, which is a separate body from the European Union, and includes 47 countries of Europe, is well known as the organization which runs Eurimages, the body which supports and funds co-production, distribution and exhibition of European cinematographic works.

It is also important in the industry for its European Audiovisual Observatory, the only centre of its kind to gather and circulate information on the audiovisual industry in Europe, including film, television, video/ DVD and new media.

Films from Serbia and the region which have been supported by Euroimage in the past are: The Trap by Srdan Golubovic,

POLITICAL PROPAGANDA AND FILM Many people understand the link between film and political propaganda, but there are also many films that have subtly changed the way that ordinary people look at life…and for the better. Blockbuster films like “Philadelphia” with Tom Hanks as a young homosexual dying of HIV/Aids helped to change people’s attitudes both to the disease and to issues of sexuality. Comedies such as “Dr Strangelove” made people laugh whilst taking in a strong anti-war message. Topics such as violence to children, or domestic violence against women – both campaigning issues for the Council – can be highlighted through film. At the same time, film is a way to show underrepresented groups in a positive way and to create new role models for the future.

Saint George Kills the Dragon by Srdjan Dragojevic, The Tour by Goran Markovic, The Border Post by Rajko Grlic, Snow by Aida Begic Zubcevic, Esma’s Secret by Jasmina Zbanic, The Woman without a Body by Vinko Bresan.

The decision to set up the FACE award is a reflection of the Council of Europe’s commitment to both cinema and cultural diversity, and a recognition of the contribution the world of cinema can play in developing human rights worldwide.

CorD / May 2008 67

INTERVIEW

Gor in Stojanovi , director

A MAN WHO PLAYS “You don’t leave the woman you love because her father is an alcoholic, her mother a drug addict, or her brother a war criminal.”

BY SONJA IRI PHOTO: ASLAV VUKOJI I

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or in Stojanovi is a man of the theater. He perceives and applies the theater in different areas of art and life, which is the reason for his versatile and ubiquitous presence on the cultural and public scene.

Above all, Gor in is a director. He has directed around thirty plays. You might have seen Some Girls by Neil Labute, among the most popular plays in the Belgrade Drama Theater for the third season in a row. The National Theater in Sarajevo stages his Crying Game, and he has also participated in the Theater in Sombor project Via Balkan/ Travelling, just to mention his current plays.

Gor in also directs different kinds of events. It is believed that one of the reasons that Marija Šerifovi won last year’s Eurovision contest was because it was also a performance he had directed. He has directed the very popular TV show Lisice as well as two movies. He writes columns in newspapers, parts of which were recently published in the book Apocalypso.

Gor in is a frequent guest on TV debates. For the last eight years Gor in has been the art director of the Yugoslav Drama Theater. He is exceptionally educated and well-informed, and whatever he does, he does it easily, as if he were playing.

On this occasion, we purposely avoided talking about the plays he has directed. His other interests are equally remarkable and important, and the public knows less about them.

The recent 60th anniversary celebration of the Yugoslav Drama Theater was a good occasion to examine its position 68 CorD / May 2008

on the global theater scene. In your opinion, would the audience of a European city be interested in the Yugoslav Drama Theater’s plays?

The Yugoslav Drama Theater can and must follow global trends. In a way, this is its role in the local theater community.

The YDT secured a leading position a long time ago, a position that carries the responsibility of promoting, not only observing the developments of contemporary theater.

In the end, it’s not difficult to follow the world if you feel that you are an equal part of it, regardless of the political or social situation. Theater is older than politics. It appears to have been created next to a fire at the dawn of mankind, and, seeing as that is its nature, the theater speaks of man and his plight. This is true here, in Ulan Bator, or in New York. The YDT repertoire has enough famous titles, titles that even a person with an average education knows as part of general culture. There are also plays like, for example, The Miser, directed by Jagoš Markovi , for which the viewer needs only curiosity and nothing more.

Theater is not only text, and words are not the only medium for conveying emotions and/or meaning.

Your thoughts can be substantiated by numerous guest performances. In fact, the Yugoslav Drama Theater went on tour even in its first season…

Yes, but it was also the first theater in Serbia that participated in regional festivals in 2001! And it didn’t go to Croatia or Bosnia as part of any kind of political-

military-intelligence formation, convoy, or mission, but as a regular theater. The first festivals were in Sarajevo, with Powder Keg, and in Rijeka, with Belgrade Trilogy. Since then, the YDT regularly participates in these two festivals. Apart from that, the YDT crossed the Atlantic and took part in the largest South American and one of the largest world festivals in Bogotá, Columbia, with Powder Keg and Dog’s Waltz. We took part in the first New Drama Festival in Moscow with Supermarket. We participated in the biennale of new European drama, formerly in Bonn and now in Wiesbaden, with plays by Biljana Srbljanovi and Milena Markovi . And there are also many other festivals and events in Italy, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Austria, all our surrounding countries…

YDT is a member of the European Theater Union. What does this mean for the Theater?

YDT is a member of an elite club. This club, like the EU itself, is currently examining its internal mechanism, logic, and reasons for existence. Apart from the Israeli Habimah, YDT is the only theater outside the EU which, apart from the prestige it implies, also enables easy and propulsive establishing of contacts, exchange of opinions and ideas, which opens possibilities for joint projects, participation in festivals, events, showcases, etc. In short, there is constant contact with others and constant possibility, need, and obligation to evaluate and rank. A special general assembly of

MOVIE

THEATER

TELEVISION

I made only two movies because in today’s Serbia the movie industry functions like a fraternity, and I don’t fraternize with people whom I don’t like, and I don’t join interest groups.

Theater is older than politics. It appears to have been created next to a re at the dawn of mankind, and, seeing as that is its nature, the theater speaks of man and his plight.

I don’t go on some TV stations. I don’t go on some shows even though I used to. Besides, I’m a director, a social being, and sometimes it’s easier for me to say some things directly.

A Man of the Theater: Gor in Stojanovi , director the ETU was held in Belgrade on the day that Kosovo announced its independence. It dealt with the aforementioned issues, which are of essential importance, and it had an unusual symbolic significance: amidst the anticipated self-isolating rhetoric, a meeting of the top theaters of Europe was taking place in Belgrade.

You’ve been writing for newspapers since you were seventeen, first about music and film, and also for a long time about current events. Apocalypso is, one could say, a collection of texts with the latter topic. Why this title?

This was the title of my column in the weekly magazine Vreme. This word, by the way the title of a brilliant album

by Darko Rundek, contains the name of a dance and the word ‘apocalypse’. Moreover, in the introduction of this book it is said that ‘misery is also a dance pattern’. The book is divided into four parts. The title of the introduction is also the title of the

introductory chapter “Vignettes from the Imagination of War Year,” which is actually a line from a song from the early Eighties by the band called Haustor from Zagreb.

This is followed by “Plot,” which collects articles from the magazine Vreme, and “Denouement,” and contains previously unpublished parts of my writing during the NATO bombing. At the end there is a text without a title in a chapter I named “Coda,” broadcast on the DW radio, as an answer to the question “How do I imagine Serbia in the future?” The common thread of this book is the topic of war or wars. That is why the connective is a sentence from the diary of Paul Klee: “I have carried this war inside me for a long time. That is why it doesn’t concern me intimately.” It should be said that this is not an observation, but more a provocative form of self-inquiry.

We often see you in TV debates explaining your view, your position on certain current issues. Is there any

point in talking?

I don’t have an answer to that question.

Sometimes I think that it makes sense, but most of the time I’m convinced there is none. I choose where I go. I don’t go on some TV stations. I don’t go on some shows even though I used to. Besides, I’m a director, a social being, and sometimes it’s easier for me to say some things directly than to deal with them in my plays.

This leaves me with the space to engage in the part of theater that I’m concerned with most, and that is the intimacy of man, his struggle with the world, which of course entails the social and political part of one’s being, but is not reduced only to those aspects.

Did you ever want to leave Serbia?

I thought about it at times. I still think about it sometimes. But, you don’t leave the woman you love because her father is an alcoholic, her mother a drug addict, or her brother a war criminal.

CorD / May 2008 69

INTERVIEW

be a political thriller-fairy tale. A mutant genre. While we were filming under Serbian police terror and the secret building of a parallel Albanian state, there was a long status quo. To be honest, Kosovo is beautiful for taking photos, but it’s not an inspiring place to make movies. It’s better for PhD dissertations with social-anthropological subjects.

And there are no movies about Kosovo because it is not a topic, but a set of circumstance that can maybe create the convenient background and visible noise that allows you to stage really important topics: adultery, passion, betrayal, and revenge. There aren’t many important topics, and they can all be summed up into three or four mortal sins. Everything else is scenery. Love and death occur constantly everywhere.

THINGS WORTH PORTRAYING Film is not a piece of journalism; it’s a combination of the story, images, characters, whatever you like and as much as you like, and every context is good if it gives you something worth portraying. But to look for truth about a society in a fictitious movie in a journalistic way is illusory.

What do you dislike most about our country, and what do you hope for?

I dislike many things, most of all different forms of corruption, mainly in the moral sense. Scepticism is in my nature, and punk is in my heritage, my political orientation is drawing-room anarchism, and I don’t have any hopes. Džoni Štuli would say, “I’m here by accident, and I’m damn angry.”

However, I’m not a cynic, and I rejoice at the beauty and purity of human nature when I find it in someone. It makes me happy, and it activates my repressed principle of hope.

You made two movies, The Hornet and Premeditated Murder. Why only two? Both movies are politically and socially engaged. Can one make a movie without a social context? For instance, a love movie with a happy ending?

I made only two movies because in today’s Serbia the movie industry functions like a fraternity, and I don’t fraternize with people whom I don’t like, and I don’t join interest groups. For every movie I’ve made, there are three movies I didn’t make. And as for movies with a happy ending, for example my favorite genre, romantic comedies, 70 CorD / May 2008

they can be made. However, the social context is always the context, not the content of the movie. Film is not a piece of journalism; it’s a combination of the story, images, characters, whatever you like and as much as you like, and every context is good if it gives you something worth portraying. But to look for truth about a society in a fictitious movie in a journalistic way is illusory.

It gives you this truth, but in an indirect way, the same as literature, if it’s good. And if there is even one truth.

The Hornet is still being aired on TV. Do you know how today’s audiences react to it?

The Hornet, as well as The Murder, are aired relatively often on our TV channels, several times a year. DVD stores rent them out pretty often. They’re bought and viewed in the diaspora, and are viewed in surrounding countries. Even though they’re over ten years old, both movies still have audiences. I didn’t even dare to hope for anything more than that. As for reactions, the one dearest to me was when a journalist from Slobodna Dalmacija in Split, Dijana Rexhepi, called me and said that the movie had greatly influenced her when it was aired on the Croatian RTL. She is from Kosovo, and she had been living in Croatia for a long time and, as opposed to the Serbian and Albanian nationalists who disliked the movie because it didn’t fit into their stereotypes, she reacted emotionally.

In the end, a lighter topic: football, that is, your articles on football. What attracts a theater director to comment publicly on football?

Football is a game. I’m an expert on playing because the theater is foremost a game.

As opposed to other sports, football is the only game in which twenty-two free individuals, at the same time free to move in any direction while Football is a game in space and a game respecting the game plan, with space, like all performing arts. agreement, and tactics, chase a perfect geometric shape, and The Hornet, a movie about the love all the time they’re playing, they’re expressbetween an Albanian woman and a Ser- ing their creativity, knowledge, personality, bian man, was made long before Kosovo and characteristics. Football is a form of art, took on the very different connotation an image of a society, a sport, a business, a that it has during the last few years. metaphor of the world. Football is a game If you had made it at a different time, in space and a game with space, like all would it be the same? Why are there no performing arts. Football is a unity of conmovies about Kosovo? sciousness and ecstasy, an aesthetic delight, It wouldn’t. It wouldn’t even be made. At an experience for the intellect and the senses. that time, in 1997, it was a love story with a Football is, as the well-known saying goes, police-criminal background. Now it would more than a game.

CULTURE

The Yugoslav Drama Theater

The First 60 years

BY: SONJA IRI PHOTO: ASLAV VUKOJI I

T

he Yugoslav Drama Theater belongs to the most important theater houses in the region. With the exception of the Israeli theater, it is the only theater outside the EU which is in the European Theater Union, which in itself proves the claim made in the first sentence of this text. Because of this, on the occasion of its 60th anniversary in April, guests will be coming from Hungary, Italy, and Romania.

On the occasion of the jubilee when memories were restored, it became clear that the Yugoslav Drama Theater has been special since its very first day, and that because of its distinctiveness, has also become important for the life of European theater.

The Yugoslav Drama Theater was established to be superior and very different from

72 CorD / May 2008

other theaters. This was after the Second World War, when everything in the country was experiencing a boom. Theater life was revived in only a few months, ensembles were established wherever possible in the conviction that creativity would contribute to the change of conscience drawn by the new administration.

Therefore in the spring of 1947, a political decision was made to establish a Yugoslav Drama Theater, one better than the others, and for us at that time, a rampart to strange, decadent, modernist tendencies, opposite to desirable realism. The new theater received federal resources, including the Manjež building, which used to belong to the National Theater, and the best artists in the country. At the proposal of Slovenian officials, theater director Bojan Stupica was appointed to assemble them all.

“Because he used to be in many theaters all over the county, he brought to the new-

On the occasion of the jubilee when memories were restored, it became clear that the Yugoslav Drama Theater has been special since its very rst day, and that because of its distinctiveness, has also become important for the life of European theater.

ly-established theater in Belgrade those who in his opinion were the best actors. Bojan’s achievement was truly exceptional and unique, not only for the history of our theater,” said the director of the Yugoslav Drama Theater, Branko Cveji , during the anniversary celebration. “Many people today think that Bojan Stupica merely had good luck and that the wind was blowing in his direction, but after several decades of being in this theater, I am convinced that it was an unusually difficult job that could have only been done by a man with the vision and energy he had at that time. Bojan wanted the best, the most modern and up-to-date theater. The entire repertoire policy the Yugoslav Drama Theater had that inspired not only the ensemble at that time but also following generations lies in those three clear principles.”

After only six months of preparation the company staged three plays: Ivan Cankar’s Kralj Betajnove, A.P. Chekhov’s

Uncle Vanja and Carlo Goldoni’s Chioggia Scuffles. The audience was delighted, and the arrival of the Yugoslav Drama Theater in those post-war years meant that a better life, a life with enjoyment, was possible.

Whether or not it was because of Bojan Stupica’s decision and goal that the Yugoslav Drama Theater would exceed the borders within which theaters in the state lived, the Yugoslav Drama Theater somehow from the very beginning tried not to be limited by anything. The proof that this policy was the right one came in the form of an invitation to the opening of the Theater of Nations in Paris in 1954.

To present themselves to the world for the first time, the company chose Drzi ’s Dundo Maroje, a dynamic play full of Mediterranean colors and scents, starring Mira Stupica, an adorable and already established actress. They performed at the Sarah Bernhardt Theater. A critic in Le Figaro wrote, “They are full of spirit; they have it their bodies, even in their feet when needed. They run, jump, and fly; the stage crackles under their feet. They have excellent mimicry. The whole frenetic company seems to be having fun, cheering at the same time as the audience, and I would be pleased as well if, out of enjoyment, you were able to applaud them too”.

The following year, Maxim Gorky’s play Jegor Buli ov was invited to the same Festival. “That is some company! Mata Miloševi ’s directing is a genuine miracle of precision and modesty. Milivoje Živanovi offered us the master interpretation of Jegor which Antoine and Stanislavski would have equally liked. We are dealing here with a genuine company, homogenous and coordinated, which works with great conscience and pride. The play is full of accents; it attracts, entertains, and excites,” stated one critic.

As a result, the Yugoslav Drama Theater was no longer unknown. Each following year the company made several significant guest appearances, which left traces on both the YDP and domestic theater alike. For instance, by the end of that first decade, after a tour in Moscow’s MHAT, a cultural exchange between these two countries took place. After the tour in Vienna’s Burgteatre, the press wrote, “It would be beneficial to us if Stupica directed some plays on our stages.” In Budapest, the press wrote about Mira

UNCLE VANJA After only six months of preparation the company staged three plays: Ivan Cankar’s Kralj Betajnove, A.P. Chekhov’s Uncle Vanja and Carlo Goldoni’s Chioggia Scuf es.

Simovi ’s Šopalovi Travelling Theater, Duško Kova evi ’s Balkan Spy, Sterija’s Rodoljupci, Slobodan Seleni ’s Ruženje naroda u dva dela, Slobodan Šnajder’s Croatian Faust were plays with local topics that spoke in a universal way and were therefore attainable to everyone, according to reactions from audiences in Nancy, Sofia, Trieste, Moscow, Leningrad and Warsaw, The 1990’s were not good years. Wars in the former Yugoslavia, great sorrow, and worries left little place for theatrical illusion. On top of everything, on October 17th 1997, the Yugoslav Drama Football is a game in space and a game Theater burned down. Many international media published with space, like all performing arts. the news. However, in spite of audiences with the plays Mr. Dollar and that, theater life did not stop. Author Ronald Barbarians in Moscow, Leningrad, Dresden, Harwood came to the premiere of The and Berlin. In 1980 the company cooperat- Checkroom Attendant and The Gunpowder ed with the Ivan Vrazov Theater from Sofia. Barrel made a guest appearance at the Branko Pleša directed Dušan Kova evi ’s Bonn Biennale in Germany, then in Rome, moving drama Collection Point in Bulgaria, Ljubljana, and Nice. At the Contact Festival and Krikor Azarajan directed Twelfth Tide in Torunj, Poland, the company won audiin Belgrade. In the same year, the famous ence and critics awards.

On May 23rd 2003, the new Yugoslav Polish director Ježi Jarocki directed Isaac Bebelj’s anthological play Sunset. Audiences Drama Theater building opened its doors admired it in Florence, Sophia, Warsaw, and with the premiere of Sterija’s Rodoljupci, diKrakow. Plays that spoke from the stage rected by Dejan Mija , and its new life startabout events happening offstage written by ed. Each year of this century has been marked domestic playwrights travelled to European by tours, festivals, and awards: Dog’s Waltz, theaters in that same decade. Ljubomir in the Iberamericano Festival in Bogota and the Post-Yugoslavia Festival in Rome, The Grasshoppers in Rijeka, Croatia ,and Ljubljana.

RODOLJUPCI DUNDO MAROJE In Wiesbaden, author Biljana Srbljanovi was On May 23rd 2003, To present themselves awarded the European Theater Award. The the new Yugoslav to the world, the comRails went to Budapest, Huddersfield went Drama Theater buildpany chose Drzi ’s Dunto Bosnia and Herzegovina… And, because ing opened its doors do Maroje, a dynamic of that, as Branko Cveji said, “Above all we with the premiere of play full of Mediterrahave to remember that the theater, in its most Sterija’s Rodoljupci, nean colors and scents, noble sense, is larger than life, and that the directed by Dejan starring Mira Stupica, theater cannot and must not give up at any Mija , and its new life an adorable and already time or in any form its eternal goal to daily started. established actress. politics’ needs.”

Stupica. “Extraordinary talent, excellent character actress. Her temperament is like a whirlwind in the middle of sunshine. No one could resist that whirlwind; not on the stage or in the audience.”

The author of The Condemned of Altona, Jean Paul Sartre, was present at its premiere in 1960. In that decade the company had tours in Sofia and the Soviet Union, and in 1965 it staged the world premiere of Slavomir Mrožek’s Tanga.

During the 1970’s the Yugoslav Drama Theater made a tour in Sofia, delighting

CorD / May 2008 73

SOCIETY

Notes from the Big Plum

HERE COMES THE BRIDE… …and about 250 guests It’s a Saturday or Sunday morning.You’re awakened by pounding drums, blaring trumpets, and automobile horns. It’s useless to pull the covers over your head, for there’s a wedding about to begin. Dragging yourself to the window, you see a motley procession of shiny, decorated cars, with a nervous groom, ill at ease in his newly-rented tux, surrounded by umpteen members of his family, some waving the Serbian ag.They’ve come to buy the bride…

PHOTO: FONET

heads off to a restaurant that’s been rented for several hours where, using plastic dinnerware, they’ll consume an insipid meal costing several times its worth. ew ex-pats will have the occasion to attend Naturally there’s a big difference between a Serbian wedding, but my advice is that if Serbian rural and city weddings, but since so many ever someone even vaguely invites you, go.

Belgraders have roots in the villages, families try You’ll have the time of your life, and just may want to compromise how the wedding will be celebratto get married yourself or renew your vows, but ed. Here wedding expenses are shared between famthis time in Serbia. ilies, and though there are no bridesmaids, groomsMost western church weddings I’ve attended are men, ring bearer, or flower girl, expenses can still rustiff affairs, with the groom and bride’s families sizin local budgets. For this reason, some city dwelling each other up from opposite pews, bridesmaids

By Pat An elkovi ers choose to be married in their village where relain dresses they’ll wear only once, a photographer trying to conceal himself behind an enormous pot of flowers, the tives can roast pigs, lamb, and cook piles of food for less cost than bride’s father wondering how he’ll pay for all of this (average US a restaurant. When you consider there can be at least 100 guests, wedding $25,000), and the minister wishing the whole ceremo- families could go into debt for years. In villages, large weddings ny were over so he can go home. And when it is over, everybody of over 250 people aren’t uncommon, and usually take place in

F

74 CorD / May 2008

the spring or summer under large tents with live music, dancing on the tables, scores of cakes, and can go on for days. Nobody asks if you’re a relative or friend of the groom or the bride. If you’re driving along and happen to see one, stop and gawk a bit, and you might just find yourself yanked into the tent to celebrate along with everybody else. Or you could probably just walk in; after the second day no one will notice, and anyway, nobody else knows more than a third of the guests. If you want to bring a present, keep a supply of nicer quality towels in your car, for the giving of textile gifts, especially towels, has long been a tradition.

Weddings can be a civil ceremony at the City Hall or else in a church, with the official registrar coming a bit later to the reception to formally record the wedding.

Paperwork can take a while, if you need to get most of it from abroad, as I did.. An interpreter is required when foreigners formalize the wedding, just so they understand what they’re getting into. married that year), everyone settles in. A little girl member of Civil ceremonies are pretty straightforward, but church wed- the party will be selling sprigs of rosemary to pin to your lapel. dings merit explanation. These usually take place on Saturdays There’ll be an orchestra playing “starogradske pesme,” or “old or Sundays, and are often scheduled back-to-back. Earlier at the city songs” that everyone will know the words to except you, bride’s home, the groom’s brothers (and he may have quite a few, so you can just hum along. The usual menu is classic: soup, since “bra a” are not only same-parent siblings, but cousins as “sarme” (cabbage rolls), and roast meat, served with salads, cold well) will have negotiated the price of the bride with her “bra a,” cuts, and the infamous cholesterol raiser, “kajmak”. If it’s a which is supposed to be symbolic, but when my husband was once winter wedding, you might get lucky and be served “svadbarski a negotiator, the bride’s 11 year-old brother insisted on a motorcy- kupus,” cabbage and meat simmered for at least 12 hours. Wine cle, but finally settled for a lesser amount of money. Since I have and beer flow, as does a never-ending supply of “rakija”. When no real brothers and my cousins were far away, my husband got the orchestra takes a break, out of nowhere will appear a gypsy me for free. brass band to really liven things up. It’s about this time that the At the church, the newly-purchased bride and her groom enter, bride dances on the table, and the real fun begins. A “kolo” or followed by two witnesses, or “kumovi,” who are very important, Serbian circle dance, will form, with participants holding hands not only at the wedding, but in the couple’s life. In olden times, and hopping in step. I have two left feet and have never joined they were second sets of parents, and often had the right to name in, but remain envious. I’ve promised myself to learn before my the couple’s children. Guests, some dressed to the gills, others in own kids get married. It’s a dance that knows no social barriplainer garb, mingle, and since there are no pews, stand during the ers or age limit: gypsies can dance next to diplomats, grandpas ceremony. The rings have been blessed by the priest and are wait- next to granddaughters. ing to be placed on the couple’s right ring fingers. The priest will Coffee and cakes (notice I said “cakes,” for it’s customary for chant prayers, then will crown the couple with wreaths either made of flowers (“ven anje,” The “kum” (male witness) is expected now to take care of or “wedding” means “the putting on of showering musicians and little children gathered outside with wreaths”), or else gold-colored metal crowns, money, and now everyone is off to the reception. symbolizing their being the king and queen of their own home. Next follows the reading of the duties of the husband and wife, and then the couple takes each lady to bring a cake) will be served, cigarettes will be lit. If three sips of wine from a common cup, and led by the priest, they you’re lucky, smokers will obey the law and smoke outside. now parade three times around the alter, signifying their life toThe orchestra may now play again for the heaven-knowsgether. The priest then removes the crowns, the couple exchanges which-time the classic wedding song, “Danas majka ženi kisses with each other and their witnesses, then leaves the church. svoga sina,” or “Today Mother is Marrying Off Her Son.” It’s Notice there is no “I do” here; that comes with the formal regis- sung so many times, accompanied in villages by firing pistration of the wedding, so if you have second thoughts… tols, that there’s a joke that goes like this: A hunter brings his Caution: if it’s a rural wedding, be prepared for gun- gun-shy dog to a wedding, hoping to cure him. Indeed, the dog fire! It’s customary for shots to be fired from handguns or ri- shows improvement, so the following day his owner takes him fles, and the groom may be required to shoot an apple from a hunting. When he fires his rifle, the dog stands up and sings, branch before he buys his bride.

“Today mother is marrying off her son…”

The “kum” (male witness) is expected now to take care of And so it goes for weddings. In May, and perhaps before showering musicians and little children gathered outside with you read this, Belgrade City Hall will carry on a tradition bemoney, and now everyone is off to the reception. For simplici- gun during the 1999 NATO bombing by organizing yet anty’s sake, we’ll assume it’s in a restaurant. Armed with presents other group wedding where couples from all over the former they’ll leave at the door (or else they can wait until the follow- Yugoslavia as well as abroad can be married together! Imagine ing March for “mladenci,” a holiday honoring young couples what a reception could follow that.

CorD / May 2008 75

SOCIETY

On Line Games: Second Life Can you hear me Major Tom? Flying is another perk of life in SL, and is the fastest way to get around.

Life in Pixelated World This probably needs some expansion. Second Life (SL, in the vernacular) is an online, virtual world launched in 1993, in which millions of people control miniature, 3D caricatures of themselves, and wander about socialising, meeting new friends, buying and selling virtual commodities like houses and cars, and having, ahem,“adult relationships”

BY RICHARD WORDSWORTH

O

n screen it looks and feels like a game, except without points or any kind of end goal. Try and think of it as The Matrix without the fighting and without Carrie Anne Moss. And with more scary people dressing up as rabbits.

At first glance it looks like a nerds-only craze, at least that was my reaction, and the idea of stepping down another rung on the cool ladder wasn’t wildly appealing to me (my propensity for watching Buffy reruns already ensures I’ll have to climb faster than most of my contemporaries to reach cool-nirvana). But, much to my shock, owning a second life account puts me in a pretty exclusive club. Jimmy Carr, arguably Britain’s best comedian, did a gig in Second Life.

76 CorD / May 2008

As has hip hop godfather Jay-Z. The Maldives have a real, working embassy in Second Life, where you can apply for visas and get tourist information, and in case you just snorted derisively, so does Sweden. You can even attend university lectures broadcast to SL live from Harvard, which is one of many notable universities offering online tutelage to Second Life’s residents.

What on Earth is going on?

With mounting interest I decided to have a look for myself. I downloaded the required bits off the Second Life website and logged in - a quick and painless process - bringing me to a character creation screen. The idea is that you craft the virtual “you” to look as similar to you in real life as possible, but after some minutes customising my lip size, cheek bones, eye spacing etc. I always came back looking like the bastard

child of Jamie Lee Curtis and Helena Bonham Carter in Planet of the Apes. Then I found the button to let me change the hair colour and ping - a 3D rendered David Bowie was staring back at me, looking as confused as I felt. Still, being piloted round a virtual universe sounded like the kind of thing Bowie might enjoy, so I hit save and began my experience.

I appeared in a stone welcome courtyard, and the first thing I noticed was that everybody was naked. The second thing I noticed was that I was naked too. I’m not sure that was supposed to happen. Then our Serbian internet connection caught up with me, and clothes materialised on everyone. Phew. Now the scene looked relatively normal; blue sky, green grass, the sea lapping in the distance - not pretty, but not ugly either. I pottered forward shakily on my pixelated legs,

toward a group of other citizens. It was bizarre- to be serious - Second Life really tries to mirror was overly excited about exploring (is it cheatly intimidating. Was there an etiquette to start- even the most intimate facets of real world exist- ing?), my first (and only, if we exclude Flopsy ing conversations? Should I say “excuse me”? ence. I pressed on. the rampant rabbit) parental advisory moment Using the keyboard interface I tentatively asked “So what happened to this girl you fell for?” happened as they so often do by complete acciif there was anyone willing to give up a few mo- Dave paused. Damn I wanted facial expressions dent. I had been exploring what appeared to be ments for a journalist from the real world. an empty cruise ship and found a shower on the back. Maybe she’d been eaten by a virtual bear.

Happily, one of them was. “I have a store, top deck. In the spirit of investigative journal“She got a boyfriend in RL.” ism I decided to have a poke about and see if I would you like to do the interview there?” Dave “RL?” could make it turn on, at which point appeared asked me.

“Real life.” a 3D woman with no clothes on. I assessed “Sure.” I agreed, having absolutely no idea “Ouch.” what that meant, but the next thing I knew Dave went on to explain to me some of the the situation and reasoned that she was probaWHOOSH - we were standing in a huge room, mechanics of Second Life. As a resident you ac- bly expecting something from me, but in a disthe walls of which were covered in paintings he quire currency (called “Linden Dollars”, or “L$”) concertingly true-to-life moment I didn’t know had apparently made himself. Still a bit disorien- either by paying in real money with a credit card, what button to press, so there Bowie stood, fultated I followed him to sit on one of his couches or by starting a business. Dave sold paintings, ly clothed and dripping, with Madame Polygon and start my first ever virtual reality interview. but there are plenty of people who design hous- gyrating in front of him. Finally my pixelated “[Second Life] has a lot of stuff for a lot of es, cars, clothes, anything the virtual you could companion gave up, reclothed and marched out in 3D simulated disgust, people,” he explained to although not before I had me, “there’s live music, My parents never let me forget how good my life is. Back in the chance to ask “was it clubs for most types of their day exams were hard.

They had no internet, no satellite good for you too?” dance music, strip clubs TV, and booked holidays with teletext.There was no Wikipedia Certainly, Second Life and sex. Lots of sex.”

“But what are your feel- to help them with their revision, no MySpace to keep up with is not to everyone’s tastes, ings about that?” asked my old friends and no YouTube to watch videos of people falling off and it’s certainly an easy concept to berate (one of Bowie look-a-like, with his things. But now I am happy, because I have found the perfect my favourite things I found journalist hat on. “I imagine that to a lot of people the idea retort. True, my parents never had the vast bene ts that life in while researching was a the digital age has afforded me. But then again, they’ve never parody site advertising sexual encounters in a virtu“First Life - Go Outside, al environment would seem been propositioned for sex by a six foot tall rabbit.

Membership is Free!”). strange, to say the least...”

But when you consider it as Dave’s virtual character stretched out on the couch. “It can be very desire, and then sell or trade them for in-world a part of the evolutionary chain of internet commuromantic.” he said, “I fell really hard for a won- items that they want. Furthermore, money that nication - instant messaging, MySpace, Facebook, derful girl. We started e-mailing each other, trad- you make can be converted back into real mon- online dating, computer games - it seems like the ing photos on MySpace, calling each other... It’s ey by the game’s company, for a fee of $15 per obvious progression. And just as all those other ona little bit of a dating service. You’d be surprised, $100. Some people apparently make so much line elements we now take for granted started off as it’s very real. I know a guy from the UK who real cash flogging virtual items that they give up havens for nerds and kids who spent their lunchtheir real jobs and live entirely on the proceeds, times in the school library, perhaps that teething flew out to meet [his SL girlfriend] in Texas.”

“Wow,” I said, not really sure how I felt about raising the interesting question of when Second stage is what Second Life is going through now. If its forbearers are anything to go by, the possibility Life swaps places with your first one. that. “So it’s like a glorified chatroom?”

And then of course there is the somewhat exists that completely fabricated environments like “It blows chatrooms AWAY. People who hook up actually spend time together in SL. Go icky concept of those adult encounters. One es- Second Life could be the future of personal comon dates. Go to see live music. Build a house to- timate puts the number of SL users looking for munication and recreation. Which is good, as the gether. Get married.” It was difficult to tell with- some form of virtual sex at any given time at sooner it goes mainstream, the less time the rabbitout any visible facial expressions, but he seemed 10-15%. Not something my journalist persona people will have to breed.

Let the children boogie: Bowie gets funky in one of Second Life’s nightclubs CorD / May 2008 77

MARATON

21st Belgrade Banca Intesa Marathon

A Triumph of Humanism and Sport

On April 19th Belgrade once again extended its hospitality to the international public by hosting the 21st traditional Belgrade Banca Intesa Marathon on the streets of the capital city. Held just before the London Marathon, 226 athletes from 22 countries run in the biggest sports event in Serbia which has been declared an event of special importance by the Belgrade City Council.

BY DEJAN ST. JEREMI

T

he starting signal was given by the 800-meter world record holder, a Dane of Kenyan origin, Wilson Kipketer, the acting mayor of Belgrade Zoran Alimpi , and the President of the Belgrade Marathon, Aleksandar Djordjevi .

The competitors in this most arduous athletic discipline were joined by 993 runners in the 21.1-kilometer half-marathon, and five minutes later in front of the National Parliament by 30,000 recreational runners in the popular 5- kilometer Fun Run. Around 100 disabled people also participated in the run under the slogan ‘We want to do sports too,’ and the youngest participants ran their ‘Children’s Smoki Marathon.’ The Fun Run was organized by the City Council 78 CorD / May 2008

in cooperation with municipal sport associations, and 115 primary schools with around 20,000 pupils also signed up for the run. The total number was increased by older citizens and city guests.

The number ‘1244,’ symbolizing the number of the Security Council Resolution, was printed on 30,000 start numbers. In this way the organizer wished to express its determination for peace, compromise, and negotiation.

The winner of the Marathon was the Kenyan William Kwambai Kiptcumba, with a time of 2 hours 14 minutes and 3 seconds. In second and third place were his compatriots, Johnathon Kipsaina and Viktor Mangusho Robert. The course record was not

broken, even though before the start, Director of the Belgrade Marathon Dejan Nikolic had expected that the record (2 hours, 10 minutes and 54 seconds set by Kenyan, Dzafet Koskei in 1995) would be jeopardized.

The Belgrade Marathon does not offer the possibility to break world records, but it is certainly a challenge for international marathon runners. For this reason, the organizers of the Belgrade Marathon are trying, through managers who follow marathon runners from Kenya and Ethiopia, to attract the best competitors.

In the women’s competition, the winner was the Byelorussian Natalija atkina, who completed the run in 2 hours, 46 minutes and 24 seconds. Taking second place was the

Kenyan, Dzelimo Mersi Tu with 2 hours, 57 minutes and 24 seconds, and the third was also taken by the Kenyan Jane Dzesang Kosgei, with 2 hours, 57 minutes and 46 seconds.

Serbian athlete Olivera Jevtic won the halfMarathon with a new course record of 1 hour, 11 minutes and 42 seconds, improving her own 2000 record by 54 seconds. For setting a new course record, she was awarded the sum of EUR 2.000. She also holds the Serbian half-Marathon record with 1 hour, 9 minutes and 18 seconds. After her victory, the Serbian athlete stated that she had succeeded in breaking the record with the help of the Belgrade audience and her friends from Užice. “I started strong at the beginning, even two minutes faster than the last time when I broke the record. Because of too much aspiration, some minor health problems caught up with me, this time stomach ones,” said Jevtic after the race.

“With the great help of my friends from Užice and the Belgrade audience, I had to change tactics and slow down, but I persevered and managed to break the course record,” said the winner of the half-Marathon.

In the same half-marathon race, Kenyan Willy Kariku Mvangi won with a new course record of 1 hour, 2 minutes and 51 seconds.

Muris Mutinda Musjoki was second with 1 hour, 4 minutes and 17 seconds, and David Musjoki Mailu came in third with 1 hour, 5 minutes and 17 seconds. Both competitors are from Kenya.

Apart from being decorated festively, the City of Belgrade was fully prepared for any eventual unexpected situations. Thirty medi-

cal teams looked after the health of the competitors, including 15 teams from the City Emergency Service with new vehicles, and teams from the Student Health Center, six of the city’s health centers, and two teams from the Red Cross, whose members are European Champions in administering first aid.

Wilson Kipketer, the 800-meter world record holder and promoter of the 21st

Belgrade Banca Intesa Marathon, held a public lesson with the President of the Belgrade Marathon Managing Board and star of Serbian and international basketball, Aleksandar Saša Djordjevi . Participants in this large public lesson were the most successful participants from the Children’s Smoki Marathon, and the two stars gave them an athletics lesson.

Aleksandar Djordjevi was satisfied with the fine organization of the Belgrade Marathon, adding that he was delighted because he was physically present at this marathon for the first time. The former national team member said that he was pleased with Belgrade and its citizens, adding that this event represented the most beautiful image of Belgrade that would be seen around the world. “I congratulate the citizens of Belgrade and I am proud I was born here. I understand why athletics are the ‘queen of sports’ and why marathon runners are some of the fittest sportsmen who put in great effort to achieve good results,” said Djordjevic.

The Minister of Youth and Sport, Snežana Samardži Markovi , stated that it is important that young people educate themselves through the virtues of marathons. “We had great support from all of the City’s organizations. It is important to maintain the continuity of the marathon, because if Paris and London can hold this kind of event, why shouldn’t Belgrade? We have proved that we are good organizers,” said Snežana Samardži Markovi .

The Belgrade Marathon continues to live on through cooperation with the ‘Universiade Beograd 2009.’ The leading people of these two events have agreed on promotional cooperation and joint appearances at home and CorD / May 2008 79

MARATON

abroad. Their partnership will be successful because these two sporting events are connected symbolically. The Belgrade Marathon carried the Marathon Flame from Greece to Belgrade, and on July 1st 2009, the Universiade torch will also arrive in the Serbian capital city.

Belgrade became a member of the family of cities that organize major marathon races a long time ago. Approximately 700 marathon races are organized around the world every year, and the connection with the historical event on the Marathon Field where everything began bestows on the marathon torch a power similar to that of the Olympics. History claims that in 490 BC, 10,000 Athenians defeated a ten times stronger Persian army on the Marathon Field.

News of this victory was brought by the messenger Filippides who, after running 42 kilometers declared, “We have won,” and in this way entered history and received a place in the Olympics as the first marathon runner and journalist.

A few days before the big run, the marathon flame, the ‘younger brother’ of the Olympic

flame, arrived in Belgrade from Athens, and was welcomed by the famous athletes Franjo Mihali and Olivera Jefti who, together with the Greek Ambassador to Serbia, Aristos Panakopulos, brought the flame to the City Council Hall. In this way Belgrade became the first city in Europe, and the second in the world, to host the flame which will travel on to Boston. Together with the flame arrived 6 wreaths made of olive branches, which were awarded to the winners of the men’s and women’s competitions. The Greek Ambassador, Aristos Panakopulos, stated on that occasion that the arrival of the Marathon Flame is a special moment because it represents a 2,000 year old event. This ceremony enriches the Belgrade Marathon and significantly contributes to the universal values of the Olympic spirit, said the Greek Ambassador to Serbia, adding that this is the right opportunity to confirm the unbreakable friendship between the Serbian and Greek nations.

80 CorD / May 2008

THE CORD CHAIRTY MASTER For the fourth year in a row, CorD Magazine organized the CorD Charity Masters, a 5-kilometer humanitarian run. Around 100 competitors, representatives of large domestic and foreign companies, participated in this run which donated money for humanitarian purposes for every kilometer run.

Obviously in good spirits, the ‘humanitarians’ radiated optimism before the run.

Dragan Ple aš from Porr Construction Company came to support this humanitarian action with the desire to run more than 5 kilometers, perhaps even the half-Marathon. “I have come to support this action and to try to run 21 kilometers, so that as much money as possible will go to those who need it the most.This is the rst time I’ve participated in such a run, and I’ll have great motivation to run as many kilometers as possible.”

Verica Mazar-Vudi from Coca Cola also ran in last year’s CorD humanitarian run.

“Last year I ran the whole 5 kilometers. It wasn’t too much for me.The company paid for every kilometer I ran for the Safe House.Whenever I hear that humanitarian action is being organized, I sign up, and I’ll sign up next year too.”

Verica’s husband Ivan is participating in the humanitarian run for the rst time.

“I come from abroad, but as a husband I support this action and I hope to run or at least walk these 5 kilometers just to collect as much money for charity as possible. I’ll come with my wife next year too.”

Ana Milanovi from the British American Tobacco Company was participating in this run for the rst time, but she also promised to come next year and to try to run 21 kilometers. “My colleagues and I wanted to participate in this action because we think that this is a good combination of healthy spirit and effort to do something nice for the society we live in. It is up to us to run the whole race and to collect as much money as possible.”

Over EUR 10,000 was collected to help the largest Serbian family, the Živkov family, who have the most children, and to nance the Shelter for Children with No Parental Care at Drin i eva 24 in Belgrade.The money will help Delegation of Europian commision the shelter to offer a safe haven to children who live in manholes, colect 40.000 din for Marko Ili parks, deserted houses, railroad on the CorD Charity Masters, a cars, and railway stations.

5-kilometer humanitarian run Some of these children wash windscreens at crossroads every day, some of them beg. Nobody has established the exact number of these children, but 180 deserted children have been recorded over the last two years.The Belgrade shelter is the rst one of its kind in Serbia, and in contrast to homes, children stay here voluntarily.Various services are offered to them, from places where they can wash their clothes to workshops where they can learn some craft. Children can leave the shelter whenever they want to, but they know that music, a warm place, and educational and creative workshops are always there for them.The long-term goal of this project is to rebuild these children’s trust in institutions and to help them to nd a better place to live than on the street.

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

What kind do you like?

of the more expensive coffees and a synonym for quality, but its price is still ten times lower than Kopi Luwak, the favorite brew of Edward, the character portrayed by Jack Nicholson in the film The Bucket List. He and the audience both laugh uproariously upon learning the origin of this Indonesian coffee. Civets devour the coffee beans, and then pass them through their digestive system.

Since these animals cannot actually digest the beans, they are eliminated intact.

The beans are then collected, and coffee is made out of them, which sells for several hundreds of dollars a kilo. However, its appeal is primarily in the method of its origin, not in its specific taste.

Cup of Coffee Research carried out a few years ago has shown that chocolate, Internet access, and excuses are far easier to live without than coffee is.

There’s only one other thing, and that’s up to you to guess what it is, that people could possibly opt to give up their favorite drink for…

BY: SANJA STOJANOVI

I

would rather drink vanilla creamer all by itself than black coffee. Turkish, or in Serbia “domestic” coffee, has never been to my taste. In Italy I would turn down espresso after lunch, but I liked how the Italians pronounced “cappuccino.”

After bathing in the Dead Sea, I ordered camel meat for dinner and sensed something wasn’t right. What was that smell?

Could it be I somehow hadn’t succeeded in washing off all the sea salt from my body? When they brought me their famous Arabica coffee, I realized at once what it was: cardamom. I don’t want cardamom mildly roasted and so light on my meat or in my coffee! As Sinatra in color, that when it’s presang, in Brazil “they grow an awful lot of According to legend, pared it looks like chicken soup. coffee,” but neither in Rio nor in Bouzios around 850 A.D. an Ethiopian But rest assured that it doesn’t taste like did I sample their coffee. I gave in to the farmer named Kaldi noticed that his goats chicken, but does differ considerably in temptation of freshly-squeezed guava, became livelier after nibbling on the red taste from darker coffees. mango, and mashed banana. In America, berries of a coffee bush. When he sampled Some prefer their coffee cold, but be they mash bananas and add them to coffee. them himself, he found them invigorating. careful when ordering. If you order iced I had to try it, but once was enough. And Even today many reach for coffee for a coffee in America and you expect the then along came sweet, creamy, French caffeine rush, but that is only part of its ap- sweet potion you get in Serbia by the same vanilla coffee and I refused any other re- peal. Some enjoy decaffeinated chocolate name, you’ll be disappointed. There’s no freshment. In Vegas, my girlfriend would mocha. (Decaffeinated coffee isn’t com- ice-cream in it, or cream at all for that run for a cup of Bellagio coffee, matter, but only coffee and ice. and I would say, “No, I want the Which coffee is considered the best is not so Among popular coffee drinks are important. The important thing is what you one from 7-Eleven!” also frappés and shakes. Shakes What kind do you like? like. The best thing to do is to experiment to are made with milk, whereas Americano, cappuccino, espres- discover which combination results in the most frappés are iced, often with ice so, macchiato, mocha, frapucci- marvellous taste for you. For me, it’s French shaved small enough to pass no, or maybe a latte? through a straw. There’s also vanilla, king-size!

To get yourself started in the coffee ice cream, coffee cookmorning, after lunch, at work, at the lo- pletely without caffeine, but its percentage ies, and the ever-famous Italian sweet, “tical coffee shop– it’s coffee. Coffee’s ev- is significantly decreased, and one variety ramisu,” which literally translates as “pick er-present, and varies in size, color, aro- of coffee has even been discovered that is me up.” ma. Many would rather give up water naturally caffeine-free).

In order to enrich coffee’s flavor, varthan their favorite cup of coffee.

If you ask for “white coffee” in Serbia, ious aromas can be added. Coffee lovExactly when and how coffee (which the first thing one thinks of is coffee with ers would rarely opt for any other taste ranks right after oil as a consumer lots of milk (or milk with a touch of cof- to dominate the original coffee taste, but good) was discovered, nobody knows. fee), but there is also a type of coffee, very sometimes select mild natural flavor ad82 CorD / May 2008

ditions such as cinnamon, vanilla, lemon rind, and cocoa. Flavored syrups can be added to brewed coffee for those who like their coffee sweetened.

Mocha, a type of coffee bean, has a natural chocolate taste, but today “mocha” usually means regular coffee to which chocolate and often cream have been added. Coffee can have a chocolate taste even without the addition of chocolate syrup. True mocha beans were lost more than a half a century ago as a result of a coffee plant blight that spread over the Indonesian island of Java.

Which coffee is considered the best is not so important. The important thing is what you like. The best thing to do is to experiment to discover which combination results in the most marvellous taste for you.

For me, it’s French vanilla, king-size!

The fact that people say, “Let’s go have some coffee” even when they’re going to drink something else, only emphasizes that coffee is indeed the most popular drink. Coffee has become a synonym for a social drink, and coffeehouses, even if they’re populated only with those drinking coffee while surfing the Net, are most often places for socializing.

The first coffeehouse was opened in Istanbul, known at that time as Tzarigrad, in 1475.

The first coffeehouse in Italy was opened in 1654, and until 1763, Venice had over 2000 coffeehouses!

In 1971 Seattle become the home of today’s most famous coffee chain, Starbucks.

Fifteen years ago, Grinet opened in Belgrade.

The most illustrious types of coffee plants are Arabica and Robusta, the latter of which contains much more caffeine. Jamaican Blue Mountain is one CorD / May 2008 83

STORY

Europe’s Last Shamans

VLACH MAGIC

Vlach magic, regardless if it’s black or white, still conjures up many tales and legends.Those who have dealt either dealt, written, or had experience with this topic, say that it is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of magic in the world.

There are almost no villages in the entire Timocka Krajina (Timok area) that do not have so-called witch doctors

BY DEJAN RADULOVI

W

itch doctors are not hard to find, because just about everyone, even those in surrounding urban environments, is familiar with them. Few are those who, if for no other reason than out of pure curiosity, haven’t made their way to the often remote homes of these masters of magic who need no publicity.

According to the witch doctors themselves as well as researchers, they have been active in the aforementioned region for generations.

Regardless of status and education in a country prone to superstition and belief in myths, people still go there, and still talk of magic.

“So, if something bad happens to you, you 84 CorD / May 2008

that you were actually in darkness.”

“Our child couldn’t sleep for nights on end. Visits to doctors were without success.

We went to an old woman, and she made an ointment that we rubbed on our child and he recovered. She said that the reason for his insomnia was that he hadn’t been baptized, and I really don’t know how she knew that my child had indeed not been baptized,” marvels another.

“I learned magic out of necessity, not out of good will, and I inherited the ability to be a witch doctor from my grandmother. My

need to believe in magic, and so I went to a woman who kind of fell into a trance and she guessed a fair amount of what was wrong,” says a housewife from a village in Timocka Krajina.

“I went to a witch doctor be- Regardless of status and education in cause my father is ill. I don’t know a country prone to superstition and if he has something or not, but medbelief in myths, people still go there, icine hasn’t helped him much so far. and still talk of magic.

I went to an old woman to give me a reading from beans to help me.

My father doesn’t know this, but I’ll tell him. grandmothers have been witch doctors for He doesn’t believe in magic, but I do,” says a 200 years,” claims one of the alleged Vlach woman who came from a city to see one of witch doctors. He says that his gods live in the witch doctors. water and that he uses a number of tools durAnother person who was interviewed says ing his rituals. that she felt the magic first-hand. “You simply “I practice my magic by a stream to settle don’t know where you are. You think you’re legal disputes, to ensure good health, in wedperfectly alright, and afterwards you realize ding ceremonies, to heal people, and so on.

I throw a stone into the water when I’m casting spells to decide legal issues, and for the rest I use basil. I open padlocks, untie knots, use a donkey shoe, a bell…,” says our interlocutor.

Secret tales and rituals full of mysteries are passed from one generation to another. People come to seek comfort. They want to know the future, find happiness. This has been part of human nature since the ancient times.

According to those acquainted with these customs, the witch doctors not only have their rituals, but also the wisdom to distance themselves if the magic doesn’t work. They say that they cast the spell, but the cure comes from Mary, Mother of God, or some other saint, so if the magic doesn’t work, it’s not the fault of the witch doctor but of the seeker if the holy beings are not smiling favorably upon him.

One of the witch doctors who, like most of her colleagues, lives on a hill far from a village near Jabukovac, says that she helps people by using white thread with which she first “measures them,” and then chants in the Vlach native tongue while using water and basil. She says that she received her gift for casting spells from so-called “sejman girls,”

THE VLACHS The Vlachs, who are believed to be descendants of the Romans and romanized natives, the Dacians and Thracians, live in many parts of the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Although Vlach communities flourished in the past, the restless history of the Balkans has dispersed and isolated them, and their identity as an ethnic group has became less distinct.

Most Vlachs live in the part of Serbia demarcated by the Danube, Morava, and Timok rivers, from Pozarevac to Kostolac all the way down to Negotin and Zajecar. Other ethnic groups akin to them (the Koutsovlachs, Aromanians, Cincars) live in different parts of the Balkan Peninsula, but only in the heart of the Danube is the witch doctor tradition still alive.

“Binding constricts you and hampers your of the padlock and breaking of a bottle.

While Vlach magic is a traditional and in strength so you can’t go to women. It is dangerous magic,” says one of the witch doctors. its own way an authentic custom of the natives “I’m an old woman, but I have to tell people. of Eastern Serbia and is of particular interest It can happen that a man is bound so that he to ethnologists, these rituals represent a probcan neither go to his own woman nor to other lem for the Christian, i.e. Orthodox Church.

“Unfortunately, people in these parts pracwomen, but only to the one who bound him. tice religion in pagan fashion, meaning that This happens when his mistress binds him.”

The witch doctor says that they believe in God, but in a distorted way. men and women have no de- They don’t go to church and congregate the Secret tales and rituals full of mysteries sire for each other if they have way our holy Orthodox Church teaches. Many are passed from one generation to of these people were baptized, but they mereanother. People want to know the future, been bound.. A doctor is of no help in this case. All bind- ly bear a Christian name. Christ entered this nd happiness.This has been part of ings are theoretically positive, world, and from that moment on our leader human nature since the ancient times. but they still cause problems. was Christ and his teaching, and we shouldn’t For all witch doctors, bind- follow some kind of pagan view of religion,’ i.e. the spirits of girls who live on the moun- ing is defined as something that takes away says Ivan Zivkovic, a Serbian Orthodox priest tain. These spirits take possession of her and strength. There are nine types of binding, and from Majdanpek. she falls into a trance under their influence, people are normally bound in such a way that The roots of Vlach magic reach far into the which usually happens during some signifi- witch doctors can observe them through cer- past. Modern times haven’t changed much of cant Christian holiday. That’s when this witch tain knots made from special herbs. But witch it, at least not in the remote mountain areas of doctor, supposedly in a trance, speaks to peo- doctors have managed to overcome even this Timocka Krajina where witch doctors pracdangerous method with the so-called opening tice ancient rituals even today. ple.

Ethnologists Connect Vlach Magic with Ancient Sorcery According to the words of Pozarevac Museum ethnologist Danica Djokic, the Vlach ethnic group has preserved its native forms of magic that include elements of shamanism, and this is particularly reflected in the way one becomes a mage, or more precisely, a witch doctor. It’s similar to an initiation. Normally, such a person endures a long and difficult illness while asleep or dreaming.

At other times he may even partly slip into a coma, and it is at this moment when supernatural beings appear before him.

“I can see misfortune when it’s about to happen. I was injured when Skopje was hit for by the big earthquake. I saw buildings falling down in my sleep, and I hit my head because I jumped up when I awoke,” says one of the YBC Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 10 l, lokal VP 47, purported witch doctors. tel: 011/21 43 576, 31 48 415, 3148 458, 062/440 169, 064/676 72 99 A particularly interesting ritual is the socalled bindings, which result in sexual impo@ tence and also relationship problems.

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www.triumph011.com of ce triumph011.com

CorD / May 2008 85

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

CorD AND THE TOS INVITE YOU TO TAKE A TRIP TO THE ROMAN EMPERORS’ CULTURAL

ITINERARY IN SERBIA

ITINERARIUM ROMANUM SERBIA

one of the European capitals with an exceptional geographic position. The city, located on the slopes of the Balkan hills and stretching down to meet the Pannonian plain and the banks of two major rivers, the Sava and the Danube, has always been the intersection of important roads and a position of strategic military importance. Among Belgrade’s numerous archeological layers, Roman heritage holds a special place.

On the foundations of a Celtic town, the Romans built their military camp and settlement Singidunum at the beginning of the first century. This city reached its peak at the time Emperor Flavius the Fourth’s legion was stationed here. It received the status of a municipium (a city enjoying a high degree of autonomy), and subsequently of a colony.

Today Roman remains are mostly evident at the Belgrade Fortress in Kalemegdan Park, but they can be seen in the greater city center as well. Memories of Roman times have persisted over the centuries, and one of the most attractive tourist sites at the Belgrade Fortress is named The Roman Well, although it originates from much later times.

are the zenith of the late antiquity art.

The city was several times devastated by incursions of Goths, Huns and finally Avars. Excavations inside and around the city revealed an amphitheater, monumental edifices, and traces of developed infrastructure, especially streets, aqueducts, a sewerage system, and luxurious thermae. Excavations so far have unquestionably confirmed the special importance of Viminacium as a leading metropolis in this part of the Danube limes.

Magnum est stare et Danubii ripe HOW MAGNIFICENT IT IS TO STAND ON THE BANKS OF THE DANUBE!

Viminacium

The Roman Emperors’ Cultural Itinerary aspires to connect all the places of rich antique legacy and employ these resources for the development of cultural tourism.

PHOTO: D. BOSNI I R. DIMITRIJEVI

F

ar away from Rome on the shores of the unpredictable Danube, the Roman Empire established its frontier known as “the limes”. A sequence of fortresses was built by the road along which legions advanced in their campaigns against barbarian tribes across the river. Following the army ventured merchants and artisans, and soon new towns emerged all along this important route. In about two hundred years starting from the third century, Upper Moesia and Lower Pannonia developed from marginal border provinces into the center of the Empire’s life. Illyricum and its elite troops gave birth to seventeen emperors who would rule the empire during its worst crisis. Born either

86 CorD / May 2008

in prosperous towns on the limes or in craggy hinterland, several of them would change the very appearance of the world known until then. The fact that sixteen emperors (establishment of birth data for the seventeenth is in process) were born on Serbian territory attests to the importance this part of modern Serbia had in the ancient Roman Empire.

Sirmium THE CAPITAL OF PANNONIA AND RHETORIC Today’s Sremska Mitrovica embraces the true greatness of ancient Sirmium, one of the most important towns of the Late Roman Empire.

Established in the first century, Sirmium was at the peak of its grandeur during the

third century B.C. (295 B.C.) when it was proclaimed one of the Empire’s four capitals. The system of roads, aqueducts and military fortifications, remains of the royal palace, ther-

mae, theatres, and hippodrome are evidence that this town was the center (legion camp, imperial city and episcopal center) of the entire area, known then as the Roman province of Pannonia. During this period, Sirmium was one of the Empire’s major trade and transit centers. Later, Sirmium became not only one of the hubs of early Christianity, but a place of Christian martyr suffering, as well. The well-preserved remains of a Christian basilica in the city center testify to this. In memory to the ancient glory of this city, a Public Speaking Festival is organized every June at the Zitni Trg square, on the site of the remains of the ancient Roman artisan district. At the end of the fourth century, Sirmium shared the fate of the entire Empire. Following invasions

by Huns, Goths, and Gepids, the city was destroyed and depopulated.

Singidunum INTERSECTION OF ROADS AND CULTURES Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, uBelgrade, Serbia’s capital undoubtedly ranks as

VIMINACIUM, LUMEN MEUM (VIMINACIUM, MY LIGHT!) Viminacium is one of the most important Roman cities and military camps dating from the first to the sixth centuries. The community near the camp was granted the status of a municipium, a city with a high degree of autonomy, during Hadrian’s rule (117-138). Under Gordian the Third (239), the city was granted the status of a colony of Roman citizens, as well as the right to mint local coins.

“Colony” was the highest status a city could attain within the Roman Empire.

Viminacium was several times selected as a military stronghold and point of departure for numerous campaigns.

The location at the confluence of the Mlava and Danube rivers favored rapid economic progress. Exceptional finds uncovered in necropoles around the city (so far 14,000 graves have been found) validate the great richness of its inhabitants, while frescoes uncovered in crypts

The Danube has from time immemorial bestowed life to people living on its banks. Here civilizations have been continually replacing each other for ten thousand years.

At the time of the Roman emperors, this powerful river was a natural passageway, and around Djerdap Gorge, an important natural barrier as well. For this reason, the Romans established their limes on the Danube, a frontier with a system of fortifications which defended the Empire against barbarian raids.

Diana and Pontes are the largest forts here. But perhaps it is rather the road that best illustrates ancient Rome’s power over these territories. Road construction was completed by Emperor Trajan in 100 B.C. To mark this undertaking, he ordered a plaque to be posted above the road: Trajan’s Plaque. Today it is visible only from a ship or a boat passing along the river. The extent of ancient Roman building mastery is evident from the remains of Emperor Trajan’s road at Djerdap, the road that enabled his conquest of the formerly undefeated barbarian Dacia. One of the most impressive engineering accomplishments of ancient times was the construction of a bridge over the Danube. This event was depicted on the famous Trajan’s Column, erected in the Roman forum.

CorD / May 2008 87

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

Vin a

LEPENSKI VIR

The archeological site Vin a is located fourteen kilometers from Belgrade along the Belgrade-Smederevo road. The prehistoric settlement in Vin a originates from Early Neolithic and Late Neolithic Periods. In the cultural layer, nine building horizons have been traced. Dwellings in the first settlement were dugouts, while in the remaining eight square-shaped houses had been built. Excavations at this site uncovered characteristic biconic vessels, stemmed goblets, amphorae, altars, and in particular especially rich and diverse pieces of art: cylindrical and flat statuettes.

Based on these items, not only can the life of pre-historic Vin a be reconstructed, but the early cultural history of the Danube basin as well.

The archeological site Lepenski Vir is located at Djerdap Gorge on the lower Danube terrace, and is the center of one of the most important prehistoric cultures. Excavations at this site revealed the remains of sacral architecture originating from 7000 B.C. to 6000 B.C. The architecture of Lepenski Vir is unique. In the center of the settlement is a spacious square where various rites were conducted.

The shape and proportions of this settlement allow us to deduce that the builders of Lepenski Vir had certain mathematical knowledge. Around a central hearth stood round, stone sculptures representing human figures. In the early stage, only their heads were shaped, while later the sculptures were given the form of human figures and became true idols.

The Roman Emperors’ Cultural Itinerary runs, to a great extent, along the Danube course. Natural and cultural heritage are at no other place so uniquely united as in the Djerdap Gorge. Two prehistoric sites of exceptional importance on the banks of the Danube testify to this.

Iustiniana Prima

FELIX ROMULIANA GAMZIGRAD – NATIVE TOWN OF ROMAN EMPEROR GALERIUS On the spacious plateau near Gamzigrad, surrounded by the breathtaking mountains of eastern Serbia, stands Felix Romuliana, the imperial palace of Emperor Gaius Valerius Galerius Maximianus, built in the third and fourth centuries. Born in this area, Galerius erected this palace for himself and his mother Romula, and named it after her.

During a religious ceremony on Magura hill in the vicinity of the palace, Galerius and his mother were elevated to the status of gods (apotheosis, or immortalization). This was the last apotheosis in human history.

Felix Romuliana is the best preserved example of Roman royal court architecture. The palace is surrounded by strong walls which defended the town and palace against barbarian incursions. The town encompassed a royal palace, small temple, larger temple, thermae, and a choreum. Its buildings are richly decorated with frescoes, stucco works, and mosaic floors with figural and geometric motifs. In 2007, Felix Romuliana was placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

Naissus et Mediana NAISSUS – BIRTHPLACE OF THE FIRST CHRISTIAN EMPEROR

88 CorD / May 2008

Naissus is the birthplace of Emperor Constantine the Great, the ruler who declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. During his frequent stays in the Balkans between 317 and 334, Naissus became an important city with a huge imperial residence. The best-known and most elegant suburb of ancient Naissus was Mediana, where Constantine built a huge commercial complex with a great number of luxurious villas.

The city’s position on an important trade route favored its rapid economic progress, particularly prominent during

the fourth century, and excavations have uncovered artisan workshops from that time where weapons and silver plates were made. To the present, about eighty of Mediana’s ancient structures have been uncovered. Their splendid, wellpreserved mosaics testify to the prosperity of Naissus’ inhabitants. The central building in the summer residence area is a villa featuring a peristyle with a mosaic floor. Next to this building are traces of a thermae and granary, as well as an entire water supply system with aqueduct and water tower, and tombs decorated with frescoes.

IUSTINIANA PRIMA – NEW CAPITAL OF ILLYRICUM Justiniana Prima, or Emperor’s Town is one of the most important Byzantine inland towns on the Balkan peninsula. Emperor Justinian, who originated from southern Serbia, decided to erect a town in his native area to glorify his name. Justiniana Prima lies on gentle slopes of Radan mountain towards the Leskovac basin, just off the main roads.

The town core comprises three segments: the Acropolis, Upper Town, and

Lower Town. Emperor’s Town is an example of settlements built in the style of eastern towns, while designed blocks (insulae) with grouped but separated buildings within the interior, belong to the Roman tradition. Emperor’s Town is an exceptional testimonial to ancient urban planning and architecture. Remains of fortifications, streets with porticoes, basilica, public and private buildings, defensive walls, a water supply system, an aqueduct, a huge cistern, mosaic floors in luxurious buildings; all pay tribute to the town’s historic appearance and reflect Palaeo-Byzantine achievements built upon Greek-Roman legacy.

Useful information: Tourist organization of Vojvodina Tel: +381 21 452 910, 420 758 E-mail: of ce@vojvodinatourism.org.yu www.vojvodinaonline.com Tourist organization of Belgrade Tel: +381 11 3061 410, 635 622 E-mail: of ce@tob.co.yu www.belgradetourism.org.yu, www.tob.co.yu Tourist organization of Požarevac municipality Tel: +381 12 221 941 E-mail: topozarevac@nadlanu.com www.topozarevac.com Tourist organization of Kladovo municipality Tel: +381 19 801 690, 807 656 E-mail: tookladovo@gmail.com www.kladovo.org.yu Tourist organization of Zaje ar municipality Tel: +381 19 421 521 E-mail: tooza@nadlanu.com www.toozajecar.co.yu Tourist organization of Niš Tel: +381 18 524 877, 521 321 E-mail: ton@nistourism.org.yu www.nistourism.org.yu National Tourism Organisation of Serbia Member of: European Travel Commission Danube Tourist Commission Transromanica International Congress & Convention Association

CorD / May 2008 89

TECHNO TALK

DVD-FP580 Imagine design inspired by nature Price: 59 eur The ultimate in class of DVD players, FP580 transforms your apprehension of perfect image. From the trend-setting black to its pebble design, Samsung has once again set the standard that only others can hope to imitate. Inspired by pebble in nature, DVDFP580 reveals the elegance of unique design with cutting-edge technology. Besides, a magnificent sound emission takes high definition to a whole new level. Your home can look as good as it sounds thanks more than impressive design and wealth of features device.

Then all is up to you - just enjoy great picture and sound.

Key speci cations Supports MP3, WMA,VCD, SVCD, JPEG, MPEG4, DivX, HDMI Progressive Scan

Vivace (Shadow Mirror) Imagine chic and graceful air conditioner Price: R410 inverter - 599 eur The flat front panel is made of smoked half mirror adding chic and graceful image to air conditioner. The design and functions definitely indicate the air conditioner of the near future.

Key speci cations MPI (Micro Plasma Ion), Good Sleep’s, Catechin Filter, Silver Coated Evaporator, Deodorizing Filter, S-Inverter (Optional)

HT-BD2 Imagine home theatre solution with blu-ray Price: 975 eur The concept of the perfect home-theater-in-a-box is born. Samsung HT-BD2 is the first unit that provides you audio-video experience at the highest top level. Besides it supports the new Blu-ray format, HTBD2 promises richer and stronger sound. Consumers can now enjoy the Full HD 1080p cinematic video quality with an immersive audio experience that takes watching movies to a whole new level. The top audio presentation is reached with 7.1 channel HD reciverspeaker system which supports Dolby TruHD and dts-HD Master Audio format.

A fully powered subwoofer with output power of 1100 W keeps movie and audio fans satisfied; as intuitive functions brings it extremly easy to use. Disc player is dominant with its 24-frame playback, 1080p out, HDMI 1.3 and the reproducting of Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, and DTS-HD. With its slick, piano black design and blue backlight LED accents, BD2 augments both the audio presence and visual aesthetics of home theatre. Once again, Samsung has won CES price for the inovation and design.

Key speci cations Total Power : 1100, Wireless ready, Full HD support, HDMI with Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC), 7.1 Dolby Digital, Blue LED backlight

Moderato Imagine beautifully curved design Price: R410 - 425 eur The beautifully curved design featuring flat front panel and two tone colors give intelligent image.

A simple but luxurious design of the Moderato that provides you with cool comfort using the benefit of innovative technology. Samsung makes you feel like you’re living in the lap of luxury.

Key speci cations Good Sleep’s, Catechin Filter, Silver Coated Evaporator, Deodorizing Filter, UTR Plus (Optional)

YP-S5 Price 125 eur SAMSUNG’s new S5 offers the same musical freedom in a slimmer, sleeker and more compact form - YP-S5. The portable 14.95mm slim player has built in slide our speakers. Boasting 1.5W stereo output, these speakers can fill your room with your favorite tunes. Or for a more private experience, use SAMSUNG’s EP-150 earphones for bass enhancement or Bluetooth wireless stereo headsets for wireless enjoyment. With built-in slide out stereo speaker you can share your music where you want. It is ideal for your hotel room or even beside the pool.Bluetooth 1.2 with A2DP (advanced audio streaming) and AVRCP – remote control via Bluetooth and HFP (Hands Free Profile) for using the S5 as a speaker phone wirelessly.

Amazing sound provided by 1,500mw output stereo sounds enough to fill a room. Bundled EP-150 earphone bass enhanced earphone. DNSE 2.0 for superior sound quality, so it can be reproduced the way it was intended through sound personalization, user equalizer settings and bass extension.

1.8” color LCD display The S5 has a color LCD display for video, JPEG files.

Key speci cations Capacity: 2 GB, 4 GB, Bluetooth, USB memory, Microphone (integrated),Voice and FM recorder 90 CorD / May 2008

MB Imagine stylish air conditioner Price: 410 - 646 eur Using the innovative auto roof shutter system, this unique air conditioner automatically seals off to prevent dirt infiltration when not in operation.

Samsung MB stylish air conditioner provides you with the excellent harmony of beauty, technology and wellness. And with the good sleep’s Mode, you can experience a pleasant and comfortable sleep to enjoy a brand new day ahead.

Key speci cations Auto Roof Shutter, DNA Filter, MPI (Micro Plasma Ion), Good Sleep’s, Silver Coated Evaporator, Deodorizing Filter, S-Inverter (Optional)

CorD / May 2008 91

TECHNO TALK

YP-P2 Imagine the power of touch This model you can reach in two variants depending on capacity: 2 MB 132 eur and 4 MB - 169 eur Only 9.9mm in depth, the YP-P2 showcases an expansive 3” widescreen for great viewing pleasure. Its high resolution screen, bright and sharp, displays 30 frames per second in DVD movie format 16:9 screen ratio, for seamless video playback. The YP-P2’s touch screen is SAMSUNG’s most intuitive, innovative and user-friendly to date. Icons dance across the screen as you glide your finger up, down and across the screen. For your convenience and ease of use, dedicated hot keys playing the music and controlling the volume are on the side of the device, preserving the sleek design of the screen. Available with 2, 4, and 8GB NAND flash memory, the multi-functional YP-P2 is compatible with a variety of file types for music, photo, video and text media. The YP-P2 is also equipped with a built-in FM radio. Touchscreen interface makes the P2 very easy to use, and a choice of three styles of interface puts the user in control of how they use their P2.

Bluetooth 2.0 is implemented and allows two sets of headphones to be paired with the P2, with A2DP (advanced audio streaming) and AVRCP – remote control via Bluetooth.

DNSE 2.0 provides superior sound quality, so it can be reproduced the way it was intended through sound personalization, user equalizer setting, and bass extension.

Key speci cations Touch screen, Capacity: 1 GB, 2 GB, Bluetooth, USB memory, Microphone (integrated),Voice and FM recorder

F8 series Imagine awless picture quality This model you can reach in next dimensions: 40’’ - 1399 eur and 46’’ - 1989 eur The finest LCD TV available, the Samsung F8 series is out top-shelf, deluxe 1080p Full HD LCD TV, producing supremely detailed, crystal clear images and employing Samsung’s ground-breaking 100Hz motion plus technology to make motion naturally fluid without any blurring. Whether you enjoy action films, sports, nature programs, or are an avid gamer; the crispness of the images makes viewing more natural, enjoyable, and pulls you into a truly unforgettable experience. The F86 also comes with many other features including Super Clear Panel, 3HDMI connections, Movie Plus, and USB2.0 Connectivity amongst others, to make the F86 the ultimate viewing experience.

Key speci cations 100Hz motion plus, Full HD 1080p with super clear panel, Wide color enhancer, Wide Viewing Angle, Dynamic Contrast Ratio, Movie Plus, SRS TruSurround XT

M8 series Imagine style and substance This model you can reach in next dimensions: 46’’ - 1989 eur and 52’’ 2439 eur The ultimate LCD HDTV in a classic case This standard-setting M8 series of Samsung LCD TVs brings you the finest picture quality ever offered – 1080p Full HD – in a beautifully sophisticated, elegant design. You can now experience the full excitement of the highest resolution: 1920 x 1080p Full HD gives you dramatic, amazingly lifelike pictures that ensure you see all the detail, color, and action when viewing Blu-ray or playing 1080p gaming machines. The M8 also has three HDMI sockets, one placed on the side of the panel for ease of use. The M8 range is packed with features to ensure outstanding picture quality, Super Clear Panel, Movie Plus, Wide Colour Enhancer and Game Mode are just some of the features that ensures the M8 range offers the ultimate viewing experience.

Key speci cations 92 CorD / May 2008

R8 Series Imagine dramatically distinctive design This model you can reach in next dimensions: 32’’ - 675 eur and 40’’ - 975 eur The HD ready R8 series combines advanced LCD technology in an award winning elegant design with which it sets a new standard for LCD TV design. Performance is up to the minute, with outstanding Dynamic Contrast Ratio, a High Definition (HD) ready display and enhanced multiconnectivity for all your digital devices. The new HD ready R8 range has a beautiful elegant design with flowing curves that will make this LCD the centre piece of any living room. But the R8 is not just a pretty face, the new range boasts new enhanced technology and up to three HDMI sockets for superb connectivity. Advanced features like Movie Plus, Wide Color Enhancer and Game Mode ensures the R8 range is the perfect mix of design and technology.

Key speci cations Wide color enhancer, SRS TruSurround XT, HDMI, Game Mode, Auto Wall Mount, High Glossy Black MM-X5 Imagine new music experience Price: 145 eur MP3 docking player, as Samsung named its new MM-X5 device, is one of many new devices that Samsung yet places on technical market. MM-X5 functions as USB port. It has digital FM tuner, integrated timer and supports DVD, DivX, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 and WMA formats. If you consider yourself as someone that can hardly wait to get into your comfortable chair, to put earrings, and to play your favorite music from MP3 player, iPod or CD, than MM-X5 is designed specially for you and your new perfect music experience.

Key speci cations MP3 docking player, USB port, Supports MP3, iPod, CD, Digital FM tuner

www.stav.co.yu P96 series Imagine the thrill of the action without leaving your home This model you can reach in next dimensions: 50’’ - 1829 eur and 58’’ - 3240 eur SAMSUNG introduce our first FHD 1080p Plasma - the P96 series. Featuring three HDMI connections, Ultra Filter Bright and 15000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio combined with the 1920x1080 resolution creating a sensational picture, the P96 really keeps you in the heart of all the action. The P96 series is the new SAMSUNG Full HD 1080p Plasma TV, offering you the highest definition you can get. With Full HD 1080p, you get an enhanced resolution twice that of HD Picture quality due to 1.5 times more scanning lines than HDTV. More scanning lines means more pixels which are needed to create the detail in pictures. You can enhance your Full HD 1080p experience by connecting your TV to a Blu-ray Disc, PS3 or HD DVDs. They all support the Full HD 1080p Mode. Your TV can even scale up your SD/HD video sources bringing you the clearest clear pictures beyond your imagination.

Key speci cations Screen Size : 50”, Aspect Ratio : 16:9, Resolution : 1920x1080, Contrast Ratio : 15,000:1, DNle (Digital Natural Image Engine), HD Ready

www.samsung.com

CorD / May 2008 93

HOW TO...

…Get food delivered day and night?

Fancy some take-away food, but not sure where and what you can get? Check out the website www.donesi.com. This innovative site, available in both English and Serbian, lists restaurants by type of cuisine and provides details of the menu on offer, including prices, location, delivery zone and working hours.

CROSSWORD

Solve this crossword puzzle and test your Serbian – the clues may be in English, but the answers should be entered in Serbian

1

…Go skating?

…Visit the Royal residence?

Ever wondered how the royals live? Now you can see for yourself. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Aleksander Karadjordjevic and family welcome visitors to Belgrade’s Royal Palace for tours and to view the artistic treasures of the residence. Those wishing to visit need merely contact the Palace Information and Press Department on 011 3064 000. Find out more information at www.royalfamily.org.

…Hire a limousine?

Luxury transportation is available from Limousine Service. With their luxurious, stylish and glamorous vehicles, Limousine Service will ensure an unforgettable ride for those choosing to hire one of their cars. Make reservations by email, fax or phone. First-time riders should visit the centre in person with valid ID. Subsequent trips can be booked 48-hours in advance over the phone or via email. Contact Limousine Service on 063 1235555 or visit them online at www.limoservis.co.yu.

…Get emergency car repairs or roadside assistance?

If your car breaks down while you are driving in the city, or even in the countryside, you are best advised to contact the ’International Touring and Information Centre of the Automobile Association of Serbia & Montenegro’. If you happen to be a member of this organisation, or similar affiliated foreign organisations, you can receive special terms. All relevant information can be obtained 24-hours-a-day by calling 9800 or 24 19 555, or via the website at www.amsj.co.yu.

…Find an English-speaking dentist?

Sick of being unable to explain just how much your tooth hurts to your Serbian dentist? Why not try out the services of dentist Katarina Ga i , a fluent English speaker. Contact Katarina on 064 3390527 or via email on katarina_gacic@hotmail.com.

…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 region a tad less alien by providing a few simple phrases that will help you make yourself understood: Î Is this your responsibility? Î Da li je ovo vaša odgovornost? Î Where was this manufactured? Î Gde je ovo proizvedeno? Î Is there a hotel in this town? Î Da li postoji hotel u ovom gradu? Î I would like to buy some milk and cheese? Î Želeo bih da kupim mleko i sir? Î When does the train to Zagreb depart? Î Kada polazi voz za Zagreb? Î Serbia has great nightlife, if you know where to look Î Srbija ima dobar no ni provod, ako znate gde da ga potražite 98 CorD / May 2008

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univerzalna pouzdanost

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 HORIZONTAL: 1. To improve, 2. Symbol for Thallium– Capital city of Venezuela, 3. Famous Hungarian boxer, triple Olympic Champion Laszlo– Football Club from England – Mark for ton, 4.

Mild disciplinary penalty – Towards– Name of Actress Derek, 5.

Side dish – Liquid necessary for life, liquid tissue, 6. Husks from ground grains, bran – Pit for burial, 7. Clairvoyant person, 8. Place in the airport where airplanes „ park“, 9. Name of Actress Boškovi – Famous Greek Opera Singer, Maria, 10. Dragon (pl.) – Which is used for covering the cake, filling (pl.), 11. Auto-label for Denmark – Symbol of tantalum – Area of village or municipality, 12. Label for imaginary number (math.) – Bank treasury (or tramway garage) – Shout in bullfight, 13. Arrogance – Name of chanson singer Montagne, 14. To plot.

VERTICAL: To enforce termination of work– Sports facility, most often used for football, 2. In-built cupboard – The softest mineral – Hectare (abbr.), 3. Label for „Auto-school “ – Pouring water, for instance by hose – House in which we live, 4. Russian Film Director Nikolai, Big police chase – Young of a cow, 5. French Film Director Lui – Claim to be proven – Effort to invest, 6. Name of American lady writer Jong – Ancient people from Andes – Type of insect, wasp 7. Awaiting (or Serbian lady name) – Two move problem in chess – Television (abbr.), 8. Greek letter, used in mathematics for unknown parameter – Italian painter, painted sceneries of Venice, Antonio – Mark for ampere, 9. Demonstrative pronoun – Man with moustache – Mineral found in Avala, 10. Unloading of goods – Dairy product (pl.).

REŠENJE: to ennoble, , tl, Caracas, pap, Leads, t, reprimand, towards, Boe, salad, blood, trifles, grave, visionary, station, Tanja, Kalas, ale, stuffings, dk, tadistrict, y, deed, ole, haughtiness, Yves, to intend.

If you find your desire for skating frustrated by the salt and grit laying on Belgrade streets this winter, why not visit one of Belgrade’s skating rinks and enjoy warming refreshments while you skate the day away? Belgrade’s Olympic-sized skating rink at ‘Hala Pionir’ is open to the public year-round, and also stages ice hockey events and figure skating competitions. During the winter months, the fresh air skating experience is provided at the romantic setting of Kalimegdan fortress. Situated beside the basketball and tennis courts, Kalimegdan’s skating rink is open throughout the winter months and offers skating to music, as well as a snack bar.

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