Belgrade Insight no.123 by Jelena Bralic

Issue No. 123 Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012

Page 5

Page 11

Migrants dreaming of a new life in the West now outnumber the inhabitants of a small village that hosts one of the country’s two asylum seeker centres.

Migrants from Africa and Asia view Serbia as a stepping stone to the West.

centre, which is a complex of several buildings with a large courtyard. Mornings are quiet at the centre. A few mothers watch their children playing in the courtyard, while most of the asylum seekers sleep. There isn’t much to do for people there, stranded as they are in a quiet hamlet in a forest.

Albania faces another year of sluggish growth as foreign investors shy away, domestic consumers keep savings in the bank and recession deepens in neighbouring Greece and Italy.

Subscriptions

Serbia’s agency cull criticised as lost opportunity

Stevan VELJOVIĆ

The slow pace at the centre is disturbed only by newcomers. Groups of mainly young men, carrying backpacks, keep showing up. About 20 new people arrived at the centre within two hours. In a white shirt, wrongly buttoned up, sporting dusty trousers and trainers, Kamal and his three friends sit

Photo by Bara Prochazkova

slumped on a bench in the centre’s yard. They have travelled a long way, taking over 20 months to come from Eritrea in the Horne of Africa. Kemal, who says he is 17, entered Serbia via Greece and Macedonia. He says he fled his home, near the border with Sudan, after police controlled by

Continued on page 3

Neighbourhood crises hobble Albania’s recovery

771820 833000

Friday • June 13 • 2008

lthough the Albanian economy has weathered the global economic crisis better than some of its Balkan neighbours, which have registered sharp declines

The decision to scrap a mere seven state agencies exposes the new government to claims that it is backtracking on a major pledge.

Gordana ANDRIĆ

Besar LIKMETA

ISSN 1820-8339

Belgrade Insight is published by

Migrants spice up Serbian village life

leepy Bogovađa, some 60 kilometres from the Serbian capital, hosts many unusual visitors these days. In this village of only about 200 inhabitants there now are more Asians and Africans than locals. Dozen of Afghans, Somalis, Iraqis and Syrians hang out in groups, smoking in the middle of the village on the road to the centre for asylum seekers, one of only two in the country. The other, which has the capacity to hold 80 people, is in Banja Koviljača, near the border with Bosnia. Located within the village, the Bogovađa centre can accommodate up to 175 people, which means almost 200 others sleep rough in the woods as they await a free bed at the centre. Shirts, socks and trousers spread out to dry in the woods are the first thing that catches the visitor’s eye near the

+381 11 334 60 35 subscription@birn.eu.com

and even recession, the aftershocks of the debt crisis in Greece and Italy are still being transmitted and the economy continues to underperform. Data from the National Institute of Statistics, INSTAT, show that the economy contracted in the first quarter of the year. The highest performing

+381 11 3346035

sectors in this quarter were services and trade, with a growth respectively of 11.1 and 5.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2011. The worst performing sectors of the economy were industry, construction and postal-telecommunications services. The industrial sector alone contracted by 19.6 per cent during the first quarter. New projections, presented on October 2nd by the IMF, Albania’s Ministry of Finance and the central bank, predict sluggish growth for the rest of the year, suggesting that low economic activity will extend into 2013. Although the IMF and finance ministry have different projections about the level of growth that the

belgradeinsightsubscriptions@birn.eu.com

country will enjoy, both agree on the need to strengthen structural reforms and keep the debt level below the barrier of 60 per cent of GDP in order to safeguard macroeconomic stability. “We believe our economic growth will be in the level of three per cent of GDP this year, downgraded from an earlier estimate of 4.8 per cent,” said Finance Minister Ritvan Bode. “The economy is suffering from the side effects of a second European crisis, with the Greek and Italian economies contracting by 6.5 and 2.5 per cent respectively over the current fiscal year,” Bode added. Bode underlined that the government plans to keep the debt ceiling Continued on page 8

y cutting only seven of Serbia’s many state agencies, Serbian politicians have again made themselves hostages to their own earlier promises, experts say. Less than a month ago, Mlađan Dinkić, Minister of Finance and Economy, announced that the government intended to scrap more than 30 agencies and funds as part of a drive to cut state spending. Among the institutions that will cease to exist are the Chemical Agency, the Foreign Exchange Inspectorate and the Energy Efficiency Agency. The Fund for Environmental Protection, a body criticised by the new government for alleged misuse of public funds, is also to go. In parliamentary debates, Dinkić accused Oliver Dulić, the former environment minister and chair of the board of the environmental fund, now an MP, of malpractice in the body’s management. As an example, he said that €600,000 was paid for posters and billboards used in the “Clean Serbia” campaign, while around €600,000 went on advertising in one daily newspaper. He also noted that around 1.1 billion dinars [€9.5 million] was spent on subsidising private companies importing used batteries and waste tyres, calling for a revision of the fund’s spending.

Continued on page 9

www.BelgradeInsight.com

Issue No. 1 / Friday, June 13, 2008

Page 4

Klub knjizevnika: The write recipe

NEWS NEWS

Mummy draws crowds to Belgrade

Belgrade Pride ban disappoints EU and some Serbs

Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012

serbia Continued from page 1

Migrants spice up Serbian village life

Life in this sleepy Serbian village has not been the same since the asylum seekers arrived.

the ruling party arrested his brother and sister. “The police enter houses like thieves in the early morning hours. Back home they would have killed me like an insect. Life is worth nothing there. They kill people as if it’s nothing,” he says. Kemal would like to start a new life in Sweden or Switzerland and dreams of getting an education to become an engineer, but he and his exhausted friends will have to wait for a roof over

their heads. None of them have any documents and one of his friends is sick. As soon as he gets medical care and feels better, they intend to continue their journey to the “promised land”. The numbers of migrants usually peaks in late summer, with most of them entering Serbia in August, September and October, after the harvest is over in Greece, where they have earned some money to continue their trip to Europe.

Photo by Bara Prochazkova

Although outnumbered, the Bogo vađa villagers do not seem to mind the visitors. “At the beginning, when they first started coming, some of us were a bit worried. It’s not pleasant to have dozens of unknown people wondering around. “But the locals have nothing against them. On the contrary, since they came some of us are earning money driving them around. We sell them stuff and business at local shops has

improved,” one of the villagers told BIRN. Since Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union the number of asylum seekers in Serbia has grown rapidly and today the country tops the region in terms of the number of asylum applications. From only 52 applications in 2008, the number jumped to more than 3,100 in 2011. With neighbouring Bulgaria and Romania now EU members, migrants who apply for asylum status in these countries cannot later claim asylum elsewhere in the EU. Serbia grants few asylum requests. By the end of August Serbia had received about 1,800 asylum requests this year, mainly from Afghans, Pakistanis, Somalis, Syrians and Algerians. Only five people have obtained asylum status in Serbia in the past decade. The Asylum Protection Centre, a local NGO, estimates that between 15,000 and 20,000 illegal migrants pass through Serbia unnoticed each year. Their aim is usually to reach Germany, Sweden, Switzerland or some other EU country where they already have family or friends. Back at the centre, tenants meet with traffickers in the woods to arrange their transfer across the border to Croatia or Hungary. Some traffickers are local Serbs, but most are other asylum seekers at the centre. According to some estimates, the trip from Africa or Asia to the EU costs a total of about €5,000. The

transfer from Serbia to Hungary costs about €300 to €400. Radoš Đurović, from the Asylum Protection Centre, says Serbia lies on the safest route westwards and by claiming asylum here they are entitled to seek rest, medical care and get the documents they need to open bank accounts and receive money sent from abroad. “Most intend just to pass through Serbia and spend up to two months in the country,” Đurović explains. The routes from Asia and Africa to Western Europe run through Iran and Turkey or via the Mediterranean. They continue via Greece or Albania, or by the Black sea, Bulgaria and Romania and further in the EU. Miljan Vučković, head of the Serbian police’s asylum office, says most illegal migrants enter Serbia on foot from Macedonia or Kosovo, carrying only enough money to get from one point to another. He says the Serbian route has become popular because the border is easier to cross than the Italian one or the border between Romania and Bulgaria. Stojan Sjekolća, the centre’s manager, says that some asylum seekers from the centre manage to cross the border at their first attempt. Others register that they will be absent for three days, leave the centre and, if they fail to cross the border, return. “As soon as a new opportunity arises they try again,” he adds. “When at some point they don’t come back, I know they’ve succeeded. And, eventually, all succeed.”

Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012

Belgrade

Chris Farmer

t occurred to me recently, while looking for a new pair of sports shoes, that the concept of having a sale is somewhat nebulous here. As I remember things, there is always a sale going on – a period in which we knew that shops would be posting ridiculously low prices for all manner of things for all manner of reasons. There were the Christmas sales, the winter sales, the closing down sales, the summer sales, and then – right about now – the Back-to-School sales. At any point along this chain of sales we always knew where to go for the BEST deals. We always knew where the discounts were going to be the deepest for the coolest stuff. And we also knew when to expect them. Sale Season, which crops up frequently in the U.S. and parts of Europe, was also a time of fierce competition. People lined up in front of the shops in the wee hours, hoping to be the first to get the best deal. Once inside, a flurry of elbows and handbags would leave you bruised and dazed as you fought your way to the bins marked 70% off. People became more aggressive during the sales. It was an exciting and dangerous time. Going out to buy training shoes last week in Belgrade, I thought that I would be able to insinuate myself into the cycle of sales and easily navigate my feet into a new home. I did not expect to be physically injured in the rush for the sales, but I was ready for anything. But then I looked around me. There were shops that announced “Sale”, but the prices seemed higher than they were before. There are some shops that seem to have sales all year round, but the sale items are impossible to find. It was Back-toSchool time, but the idea of the sale was to announce the appearance of new merchandise, not slashed prices. Then I tried the outlets. Around Belgrade there are many places that call themselves “outlets” – normally places used to shift excess inventories and last season’s leftovers for amazing prices. But the more I visited these outlets, the more I realised that outlet in Serbian means BIG SHOP. When the price of a pair of shoes which attracted my attention was exactly the same at an outlet as it was on Knez Mihailova, I suddenly realised that I was not in Kansas anymore. In the end, the delightful pair of shoes which I will probably wear for the next ten years were discovered in a Regular Shop, displayed in a Regular Way, for their Regular Price and were by far the best deal out there. The conclusion which I have drawn is that bargain hunting in Belgrade seems to be a matter of looking for the big sale signs and walking the other way. The best deals are not discovered through study, they are bumped into.

Christen Bradley Farmer is founder and president of MACH IV Consulting. Farmer also regularly shares his observations on life Serbia in Politika daily, LivingIn Belgrade.com, and in his B92.net VIP blog.

Great people lacking unity The British Council’s director for the Western Balkans, Tony O’Brien, praises Belgraders’ friendliness and relaxed atmosphere, but says Serbs should be more optimistic and learn to work together. Gordana ANDRIĆ Q: You came to Belgrade in August 2011. After living here for a year, what would you identify as the best and worst things about life in Belgrade? A: I like living in Belgrade, I like the people obviously - the friendliness, the relaxed atmosphere, the whole kafana culture, I love that, including as a way of doing work. I’ve seen bits of it in other countries, but not as much as here. And my team know that. One of the things I say to them is ‘the less I see of you, the better’. Then you have the sunshine and the lovely food. Lorenzo & Kakalamba is probably my favourite restaurant. One of the things that struck me in my first months is the lack of teamwork here; how hard it is to get people to work together. We like working in partnership and the more partners the better. It’s easy to find one partner here, but when you want to try two or three or four it gets tougher. There is a good side to that, which is individuality and

creativity that’s quite sparky. You see a different side to it when you see the argumentative nature of people and I guess one of the surprises is what normal communication is here – it can appear to a foreigner to be an argument. You’re not the only country I’ve seen that, but it’s quite noticeable here. Obviously, poor infrastructure around the place and, the most striking thing, the fact the National Museum is closed and the Museum of Contemporary Art is decaying. And then maybe a little bit of defeatism. Q: What do you perceive as the biggest need of the country, what areas Serbia should focus on and invest its energy in? A: I think that the main thing is the need to work together on common goals and work in a way that focuses on people and what will benefit people; not to benefit myself, but how to benefit others. One area within that which we see as a particular problem is helping young people and helping them to release the energies that they have to create opportunities, to link interna-

tionally, to learn they can actually do things themselves, they can be enterprising, they can be entrepreneurial, they don’t have to wait for somebody else to do something for them. It’s important to create a framework which allows that to happen. So for me, I’d say, that’s the O’Brien: Serbia lacks teamwork. Photo courtesy of the British Council biggest need. Q: What do you see as the biggest potential of Serbia? Novak Đoković is really, really strong. A: The big potential is that people in I think that’s the potential, so many other countries want to connect with people here are very sharp, they’re very Serbia. They want more contact; they creative and great communicators; they want to help shape a future for Europe are good at connecting with people in which Serbia is fully engaged. I see from other countries. We want to help that particularly strongly among young develop that engagement and build people. They find it really easy to con- trust. One of our key aims as the Britnect through music, through digital ish Council is to develop understandmedia, through all those crazy things ing and build trust between people that young people do; wacky crazy and the potential is there, particularly things as well and Serbia is good at among young people who are keen to that – wacky crazy. You see the effect of know more about the world.

Mummy draws crowds in Belgrade Serbs are flocking to see the 2,300-year-old mummy that has gone on show at Belgrade University. Danilo LUČIĆ

istory lovers from across Serbia are coming to Belgrade University’s Faculty of Philosophy to see the embalmed 2,300-year-old body of an Egyptian priest called Nesmin, now known as the Belgrade mummy. For the first time since 2008, the mummy has been presented in a specially built showcase costing €35,000, put on as part of Serbia’s European Heritage Days celebrations. Although the semester at Belgrade University started on October 1st, Belgraders will still have the chance to see the mummy. The exhibition opening hours will be announced on the National Museum’s website (narodnimuzej.rs) in advance. The mummy came to Belgrade from Luxor in Egypt in the late 19th century as a gift to the Serbian people from Hadži Pavle Riđički.

Gordana Grabež, from the National Museum, which possesses the mummy, said that interest in the exhibition was enormous. “This is an excellent opportunity for archaeology students to examine authentic remains from old Egypt,” she said. “The wider audience can also become familiar with this important relict, which was a great example, being a gift, of true philanthropy on Riđički’s part,” Grabež told BIRN. The exhibition has required construction of a special showcase with double glass panels filled with argon, special cold lights and a built-in temperature regulator. Hadži Pavle Riđički, a wealthy Serb, bought the mummy while on a trip in Egypt and donated it to the nation in 1888. The name of the high priest, Nusmin, means “One who is dedicated to the god Min”. He was 50 when he died.

W Hidden Belgrade

orks of art can be found all over Belgrade, just like this façade relief at Kneginje Ljubice 7, which is the work of renowned Serbian sculptor Miloš Jurišić. The relief was mounted in 1935 and survived the Nazi bombing of Belgrade in 1941. Jurišić fought on the Macedonian Front (Salonika front) in World War I, but after being wounded was sent to Tunisia and then on to Algiers where he studied painting until 1918. He worked as a professor of Belgrade’s Academy of Fine Arts in the 1940s and nowadays the Academy’s sculpting award bears his name.

Belgrade Pride ban disappoints EU and some Serbs EU officials and few Serbian politicians have expressed their disappointment that the authorities Belgrade have yet again capitulated to violent groups by banning the Pride Parade. Bojana BARLOVAC

or the second year in a row, Serbia caved in to the extremists’ demands and banned Belgrade’s Pride Parade, which was due on October 6th, citing security reasons. Thorbjorn Jagland, the Council of Europe Secretary General, said he was “surprised and disappointed that the Belgrade Pride event has been banned again.” “Serbia should be in a position to safeguard an event which is a common place in modern democracies,” said Jagland. Amnesty International said the government’s decision was a “victory for prejudice and a sorry defeat for human rights and common decency”

that put the country “in breach of its own law and constitution.” Jelko Kacin, the European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia, said the decision to ban the pride was a “political one that questions the rule of law” in Serbia. “I am convinced that the state could have secured the safety for all Pride participants if there had been a will,” Kacin said in a written statement. He also noted that the political message that the Serbian authorities sent to its gay minority would be duly noted in the European Parliament. The Swedish Minister for European Affairs, Birgitta Ulson, has also expressed her regret over the ban on her Twitter account. “Yet I will travel to Belgrade and will meet directly with the activists of the LGBT community,” she said.

Belgrade in brief

Consumer Watch

belgrade

Where are the sales?

Late-night alcohol sale ban unconstitutional

he Serbian Constitutional Court declared the City of Belgrade’s ban on the sale of alcohol in shops after 10pm as unconstitutional on October 4th. The ban, introduced in May 2011, has led to a series of peaceful protests in Belgrade. In April 2011 the Constitutional Court proclaimed a similar ban introduced in Novi Sad as unconstitutional, explaining that the ban prohibited the sale of alcohol to everyone, not just minors.

Belgrade hosts Children’s Fair

The US government also expressed it “profound disappointmen” over the ban. “By giving in to threats of violence, the government of Serbia has missed an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to upholding the rights of all the citizens of Serbia,” reads the statement by the US Embassy. Meanwhile, the Serbian authorities believe the ban was necessary due to security threats and say they did not want the repeat of previous clashes. Last year the authorities also cancelled the parade following the threats by the far right that they will cause mayhem on the streets. The 2010 Pride went ahead, but several thousand youngsters, including football fans and members of ultra-rightist organisations, threw

stones and explosives at the police, injuring police officers and setting buildings and vehicles on fire. However, some Serbian officials disagree with the ban. Nevena Petrušić, Serbia’s Commissioner for Equality, believes that the decision to ban the march is an expression of the state’s unwillingness to protect the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech. “The ban also shows how high the level of homophobia in Serbia is and how little has been done in all these years to promote the rule of law and a culture of peace and tolerance,” Petrušić told reporters. According to her, the long fermenting hatred and intolerance towards the LGBT community has reached its culmination with this year’s ban.

he annual Children’s Fair will be held in the halls of the Belgrade Fair in Bulevar vojvode Mišića from October 12th to 14th. The fair will see hundreds of companies present their products, services and educational programmes, offering special one-off discounts. While children will have the opportunity to play with clowns and cartoon characters, parents will have the chance to hear lectures related to the proper growth and development of children. Entrance is free of charge.

Capital’s Democrats to nominate party’s presidential candidate

he Democratic Party’s Belgrade municipal boards will start discussing their potential nominees to lead the party from October 8th. Although it was expected that all leadership nominees would be known by October 5th, Boris Tadic, current leader of the party, decided to postpone nominations in the capital. The party’s internal elections are scheduled for November 10th.

Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012

iSerbia

Conference: Serbia on the line 2012

Danijela Pejatović When? Sunday, 14th October, 2012 Where? Formal Conference Hall of the Rectorate of Belgrade University (Studentski Trg 1) What? Online education, online business, online marketing innovations t is well known that Serbia has been burdened by a drastic brain drain and lack of experts for over 20 years, while the level of unemployment is continuously reaching new peaks. This is especially symptomatic within the category of young people who are in search of their first job opportunities on the labor market. The conference “Serbia on the Line 2012” aims to promote innovative business and education practices in Serbia, that is, to offer students and young professionals alternative solutions to the problems they face, the common thread of all these solutions being – the Internet. Instead of a tool that is exclusively used for entertainment and free time, we will present the Internet in a new light – as an accessible resource crucial for attaining current and competitive skills, entrepreneurship, business promotion, and as a field of indefinite commercial opportunities. NGO and portal iSerbia.rs, in cooperation with the Economic Press Association of Serbia are organizing “Serbia on the Line 2012”, a conference dedicated to online education, online business and online marketing. The conference will last for one day and is to be held on Sunday, 14th October, 2012 in the formal conference hall of the Rectorate of Belgrade University. The conference is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Information and the Information Society (Digital Agenda), SBB Company and the Municipality of Zemun.

Lecturers: dr Piero Torola – Oxford University – Online education in the form of activism and entrepreneurship Predrag Sojičić M.D - Harvard Kennedy School of Government – Online social mobilisation Istok Pavlović – Most influential Serbian blogger 2011 – Online marketing Vladimir Prelovac – Founder of Prelovac Media and Manage WordPress – Making an idea reality Sonja Ilić – Belgrade young entrepreneur of the year – Entrepreneurship and new technologies Stefan Salom – R&D Manager, Infostud – example of good practice Gordana Igrić – Regional Director, BIRN Balkan Investigative Reporting Network – example of good practices Andrea Sušić – PR Manager, eKapija.com – example of good practices Nina Fićović – Co-founder, WANNABE magazine – example of good practices More details about the conference and lecturers can be found on www.iSerbia.rs!

ADVERTORIAL

Bringing knowledge back to Serbia public health management and diplomacy, with 30 mentees from Serbia. The mentoring is conducted via online audio and video conferences and e-mail, at least 2 times per month for half a year. Adrijana Milosavljević, a graduate of economics and freelance journalist living in Kruševac, is currently a mentee of Mirjana Milošević, media

iSerbia.rs, in partnership with the Association of Economic Press Association of Serbia and the South-East European Society of Oxford, has put in motion the first online mentoring programme between Serbia and its Diaspora.

Organisers of the Serbia on the Line conference and mentoring concept

erbia on the Line“ (Srbija na vezi) began as a programme of online mentorship and knowledge exchange with the Diaspora. The aim was to link Serbian experts from abroad, in the role of mentors, to the most promising young professionals from Serbia. Even though the project

has now expanded to include the upcoming conference on online innovations as well as plans for a Language Exchange Programme and an Internet Academy, the mentorship programme still represents the foundations upon which all other activities develop. “The principal goal of the project is to encourage young people in Serbia to think of the internet as a creative and

“S

development expert and senor consultant at the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers. As Adrijana tells us, living in Kruševac can pose as an obstacle to career development, which was the principal reason she applied to participate in the mentorship program: “So far, I am more than pleased with working with Mirjana’s approach and her interest in

my work. She has been advising me regarding putting together a project application for the Youth Association of Kruševac, as well as in writing an academic article so that I may enrol in doctoral studies next year.” In an entirely different field of work are Dr Draško Vidović, chemistry professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and former postdoctoral

fellow at Oxford University, and his mentee, Bojan Gligorijević, PhD candidate and engineer at Goša Institute. Bojan’s experience so far has been an excellent one: “The mentor has demonstrated a great readiness and interest to help me out. At the moment, we are in the midst of learning about the synthesis of Si-based non-oxide ceramics, which is the first specific goal of our collaboration”. Motivated by such great results, iSerbia has begun developing an Internet Academy which would provide online mentoring services and online courses to young people in Serbia in a whole range of subjects: “We are especially excited about the Language Exchange Program we plan to initiate at the be-

ginning of next year – we want to make use of the fact that, on one hand, there are many Serbs living abroad, as well as foreigners living in Serbia, who wish to practice their Serbian, and young people in Serbia who want to practice foreign languages with a native speaker. The solution – linking them in an online language exchange program!” Preparations are currently underway, and as we are told, the call for applications for both the Online Mentoring Program and Language Exchange Program is on-going. If you would like to participate in either of these two programs, either as a mentor or a pupil, send a line to office@iserbia.rs.

Interview: Dr Piero Tortola, Oxford University

useful business and education tool, as well as to make the first step towards developing a channel of continuous exchange and constructive cooperation between Serbia and it’s Diaspora. Instead of focusing on the return of Serbian experts from abroad, we are trying to find alternative solutions by placing an emphasis on knowledge as the most valuable donation Serbia can

receive”, says Ana Ranitović, one of the founders of iSerbia, who came up with the online mentoring idea after graduating from Oxford University and returning to Belgrade. The mentorship programme is currently underway, linking 15 mentors from all across the world – experts in fields spanning from cardiovascular medicine and political sociology to

Programme

Conference: Serbia on the Line 2012 (Srbija na vezi) Online education, online business, online marketing innovations

Sunday, 14th October, 2012 Formal Conference Hall of the Rectorate of Belgrade University (Studentski Trg 1, Beograd) Time

Length Activity/Lecturer

11:00 – 12:00

60 min Registration

Topic

E-education 12:00 – 12:10

10 min Ana Ranitović – iSerbia, Oxford University

Online mentoring

12:10 – 12:45

35 min Predrag Stojičić – NGO Srbija u pokretu, Harvard University

Internet as a tool of social change

12:45 – 12:50

10 min Miloš Jovanović, iSerbia

Student rankings results – what skills are we lacking?

12:50 – 13:25

35 min Dr Piero Torola, Quattrogatti.info, Oxford University

Online education as entrepreneurship and activism

13:25 – 13:50

25 min Intermission

E-business 13:50 – 14:10

20 min Sonja ilić – Best young entrepreneur of Belgrade, director Match&Art

Entrepreneurship and New Technologies

14:10 – 14:30

20 min Nina Fićović – Co-founder, Wannabe magazine

Internet Business: What to Expect in the First Year

14:30 – 14:50

20 min Vladimir Prelovac, founder Prelovac Media and Manage WordPress

Step by Step from an Idea to Global Success

14:50 – 15:10

20 min Gordana Igrić – director of BIRN

Sustainability of NGOs: Is Internet Business a Must?

15:10 – 15:30

20 min Intermission

15:30 – 15:50

20 min Andrea Sušić – PR Manager, eKapija

Ingredients for Permanent Success

15:50 – 16:10

20 min Stefan Salom – Co-founder, Infostud

The Perspectives of On-line Business in Serbia

16:10 – 17:00

50 min “Internet Business and 75,000!” Competition

Presentations and interviews with the finalists

17:00 – 17:20

20 min Intermission

E-marketing 17:20 – 18:00

40 min Istok Pavlović – most influential blogger of 2011

The Most Effective Online Marketing for SMEs

18:00-18:30

30 min “Internet Marketing and 75,000!” Competition

Presentations and interviews with the finalists

18:30 – 18:50

20 min Intermission

18:50 – 19:00

10 min Formal announcement of competition winners and presenting of awards

e spoke with Dr Piero Tortola, a political scientist, lecturer at Oxford University and one of the editors and partners in the Italian NGO Quattrogatti. What started as a private initiative of three friends at the London School of Economics has grown into a movement that gathers young academics, researches, journalists, animators, movie directors and PR specialists, all with one goal – to dissect complex social, economic and political issues and present them to the public in a straightforward and accessible manner. With clever use of videos, infographics and, most importantly, the internet, Quattrogatti has experienced enormous growth in the last year. Dr Tortola will tell us how the Quattrogatti idea came to life and what innovations in the world of online education will be presented on 14th October at the conference “Serbia on the Line” (Srbija na vezi). In the meantime, we offer a sneak peek! In your opinion, what are the consequences of the internet for governments today? From a purely conceptual point of view I would be tempted to say that, as any new technology, the internet is a neutral means which can produce good or bad results as far as the relationship between governments and citizens is concerned. From simple observation, however, it seems to me that on balance the web so far has had a positive effect on the quality of government. For one thing, by speeding up communications the web can and does make public administration more efficient and user friendly. (Of course, the flip side of the coin here is that governments are now more than ever able to store and access huge amounts of data and information, which raises issues of privacy). For another, the internet has multiplied the ways, speed and sources of democratic control on government and, more generally, production of information. Again, one should not underestimate the negative effects that this multiplication of voices can have on society, in the first place because the web gives ‘good’ and ‘bad’ information the same sort of access and ability to capture an audience. But it is quite evident that the more mature the internet becomes the more able it is to develop ‘antibodies’ and mechanisms to separate quality information

from ‘rubbish’. The ‘wiki’ way, which delegates policing of its entries to users, is one example. Another is the existence of a number of information websites, blogs, etc. - among which is Quattrogatti.info - that have succeeded in building a reputation for good work over the years. What is the role of academics and higher education in this new context and how do you try to fulfil it? Academics, and more generally intellectuals, have a crucial role in this context for they have the power and responsibility to mediate between the quick and simple information obtainable from the web on one side, and on the other side the sort of deeper knowledge which is built over years of study and should be at the heart of quality information. Needless to say, this mediation is all the more important the more complex, and hence obscure, government becomes. Take the example of fiscal policy: in principle it should be a simple thing to determine, say, whether a government has raised or lowered taxes. In practice it is not, given the wide array of types and levels of taxation a modern government can act on, the combination of which determines the true weight of taxation on citizens. As a result, the layperson is often unable to determine whether our prime minister or president is telling the truth when she claims that her government has lowered taxes without the help of someone who has the resources and ability to read a state budget and keep the bigger picture in mind. In this sense the web as a communication tool and human capital as the source of content are complementary to one another. Clearly, this is not to say that all academics are always right or disinterested. But judging from what I can see I would say that all in all the internet has done more to increase the role and relevance of honest and wellintentioned intellectuals than it has given an audience to fraudulent ones. This mediation between different types of information and knowledge is exactly what Quattrogatti.info aims to achieve. I think we are particularly well placed to fulfil this function not just because of the sort of instruments we use--videos, presentations, infographics--which allow us to take very complex information and turn it into very simple language, but also because we are filling a very visible gap in the Italian information landscape.

Dr Piero Tortola: “the internet is a neutral means which can produce good or bad results”.

What was the driving power, the prime motive to establish Quattrogatti? Generally speaking, it was the desire to provide clear, concise and accessible information on certain issues that are important for the social, economic and political life of Italy, but on which little reliable information was available through traditional outlets like newspapers and the TV. More specifically, Quattrogatti.info was founded in 2008 by three postgraduate economics students with the aim of evaluating/clarifying the economic and financial situation of the country and the platforms of the two rival political coalitions on the occasion of the 2008 parliamentary elections. From there the project has gradually expanded in its team (Quattrogatti.info now has six editors, two video-makers and a large number of authors and other collaborators), types of products and topics: we now work on political and social issues in addition to economic ones. Often intellectuals believe “the more complicated the better” and thus remain outside the public sphere, incomprehensible and ineffectual. Quattrogatti is trying to change that. How did Italians react when you first started your work? We have always had a very good response from our audience. And the bigger both our project and audience become, the more positive this response is! We take feedback very seriously: we read each and every email we receive and respond to all the clarification re-

quests and comments. Of course, we do get the occasional critical message. But even these are more often than not constructive. I believe that this response is all the more remarkable in the Italian context, where quality factual information is rather scarce (especially on politically sensitive topics) and public discourse tends to be structured along factions, each with its own official truth. The enthusiasm generated by our project is very encouraging for the future of information in the country. Another important feature of Quattrogatti.info is that we always encourage our readers to get involved and collaborate with us. Over the years we have built quite a large network of people who help us in many capacities. Our success in getting people actively involved in our project is one of the strengths of Quattrogatti.info. Nowadays the line between activism and business is very thin. Did you strive for Quattrogatti to develop into an internet business or did that catch you off guard? We have always had a general idea of transitioning to a more professional way of working at some point. In a way, this is physiological when one starts making ever better and more sophisticated products, which require certain professional figures, abilities, and greater time and energies which make pure voluntarism unsustainable after a while. What was, and is, less clear, however, are the terms of this transition: the external ones (how we want to in-

teract with the outside world) and the internal ones (whether and how we should restructure our organisation). Being a completely new type of project, we are breaking new ground and learning by doing every day in these respects, but thus far we have managed all our transformations quite smoothly and I predict we will continue to do so in the future. What is it about infographics and animated videos that facilitate the transfer of knowledge to a greater number of people? I would say it is three things: a) these instruments are just nicer to look at, and hence more attractive; b) they allow transmitting a great amount of information very simply and in little space/time--an image is often worth a thousand words; c) they require less effort on the part of the viewer/reader. Now the down side of this mode of communication is to diminish the incentive to look for more complex information. To some extent one could say this is our objective—to ‘digest’ concepts and ideas and make them simple and accessible to everybody. But it is important to stress that in no way do we intend to encourage intellectual laziness: on the contrary, we always try to encourage our audience to dig deeper into the topics we cover, whether through bibliographies, notes and links, or with richer follow-up posts on our website. This latter aspect, in particular, will be expanded in our new website, which will be up and running this autumn.

Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012

regional

business

he U.S. embassy in Sarajevo said on October 2nd that in the past six months Ambassador Patrick Moon has been encouraging individuals, political leaders and NGOs to start a debate on constitutional reforms to the Federation entity that would protect the rights of all citizens. However, the embassy was careful to point out that it would not interfere in that process nor propose solutions to the political leadership. “Any kind of concrete reforms of the Constitution of the Federation has to come from the citizens of the entity,” the U.S. embassy stated.

Neighbourhood crises hobble Albania’s recovery

Alleged murder sparks anti-Greek sentiment in Macedonia

he Macedonian government has called for restraint and condemned “all attempts to manipulate this sensitive and serious issue”, following unconfirmed reports in Macedonia’s media that a young ethnic Macedonian, Aleksandar Samardžiev, has been killed in Thessaloniki. On September 30th several prominent Macedonian media outlets carried a report that Samardžiev was allegedly beaten to death by members of the notorious Greek ultranationalist movement, Golden Dawn, after he refused to change his surname to a Greek one. The Macedonian government insists that it has no confirmation of such reports and the Greek government also denied that the murder took place.

below 60 per cent over the next fiscal year, while moving forward with structural reforms and an active privatisation agenda to yield revenue that might provide the basis for a fiscal stimulus. In September Tirana received an offer of €850 million for the privatisation of state-owned oil company Albpetrol from U.S. consortium Vetro Energy. If the sale, which amounts to 10 per cent of Albania’s GDP, is successful, Bode said that the government will use the money to pay late receipts for contractors and repay some of the national debt. Some cash will also go on a stimulus package in public works to boost consumer demand. The Governor of the Central Bank, Ardian Fullani, agreed, arguing that a stimulus package was needed to boost sluggish demand from consum-

“Aggregate demand, from both the domestic and foreign markets, remains weak. The economy has a low level of consumption and investments, both private and public.” Ardian Fullani, Governor of the Albanian Central Bank, ers. However, Fullani called on the government and local business to do more to attract foreign investments. “Aggregate demand, from both the domestic and foreign markets, remains weak,” Fullani said. “The economy has a low level of consumption and investments, both private and public,” he added. Fullani underlined that the banking sector remained strong and well capitalised. But although interests rates are at historical lows, he said they have failed to boost demand and the economy will continue below par in 2013.

“The economy is suffering from the side effects of a second European crisis with the Greek and Italian economies contracting by 6.5 and 2.5 per cent respectively over the current fiscal year.” Ritvan Bode, Albanian Minister of Finance “Economic activity will be below its real potential,” Fullani said. “Both businesses and consumers should be more realistic [about the crisis] and boost demand and investments,” Fullani concluded. Nadeem Ilahi, the IMF’s mission chief for the latest round of negotiations with Albania, praised the government and the central bank for timely policies that have enabled Albania “to brace the shocks from the crisis relatively well”. But Ilahi warned that high levels of debt provided a risk for the economy and the government should

Continued from page 1 use privatisation receipts to lower its levels. “Given the high level of debt, privatisation receipts should ideally focus on reducing debt in the first place,” Ilahi said. “It is also important that unpaid government bills should be cleared as soon as possible, because the clearance

will provide liquidity to the contractors and the banks,” Ilahi added. Unlike the Albanian government, the IMF estimates that growth will be 0.5 per cent of GDP this year and only 1.3 per cent next year. According to Ilahi, the continued euro-zone crisis is transmitting aftershocks to the Albanian economy, whose economic activity is slowing down owing to the strong trade links with Italy and Greece and lower confidence on the part of consumers and investors. “Many underlining indicators in the economy indicate such a slowdown; imports have been going down and so has crediting of the economy from the banks,” Ilahi noted. “A pickup next year is dependent on a series of factors, including the euro area’s impact on Albania,” he concluded.

Bob Dylan angers Croats with Nazi reference Music legend annoys Croat fans in an interview by comparing Serbs and Croats to blacks and whites - and to Jews and Nazis.

Dulić said the claims were unfounded, but agreed to calls to review the body’s spending. Although not all the agencies were at the centre of such controversies, many are accused of acting as havens for politically well connected staff who enjoy high salaries on the back of costly procurements. Experts say the abolition of the seven agencies should be just a first step towards eliminating more redundant agencies and projects and setting standards for surviving ones in future. They also believe that the expected savings have been overestimated, while the potential redundancies are going to be considerably less harsh than those envisaged in other parts of the public sector.

Different figures The Fiscal Council, the independent body charged with assessing fiscal policy, has identified a total of 156 different institutions of this kind. These include agencies, ministries, funds, administration and institutes that generate part of their income independently of the state budget by selling goods and services and charging levies. The Council estimated their total revenues at around €870 million in 2012. The Council has recommended the government incorporate these revenues into the state budget and reduce operating costs by consolidating or abolishing agencies with responsibilities that overlap with other institutions or ministries. Vladimir Vučković, a member of the Council, said the surplus goes beyond the number of agencies that the government has earmarked for abolition - but he also insists that the elimination of agencies itself will not solve all the problems. He says that stricter control of the revenues of the institutions and restricting their spending on procurements, salaries and projects are as important as eliminating unnecessary bodies. “If the ministry that overtakes the projects [from abolished agencies] con-

156 The number of different state institutions that generated their own income from selling goods and services and collecting different taxes and charges.

Bojana BARLOVAC he legendary U.S. singer and songwriter has ruffled feathers in Croatia by comparing Croats to American Whites and German Nazis in the course of a discourse on American politics. Commenting on still tense relations between African Americans and Whites, Dylan said in late September: “If you’ve got a slave master or the [Klu Klux] Klan in your blood, blacks can sense that... Just like Jews can sense Nazi blood and the Serbs can sense Croatian blood”. Dylan made the remarks in an interview with the music magazine Rolling Stone. Speaking on the occasion of the release of his 35th album “Tempest”, ahead of the November presidential

Serbia’s agency cull criticised as lost opportunity

Bob Dylan.

Photo by Dena Flows

elections, Dylan went on to describe America as a country formed on the backs of slaves. “If slavery had been given up in a more peaceful way, America would be far ahead today,” he concluded. The comment about Croats has caused numerous comments on websites that published the interview, prompting some to accuse the musician of not knowing much about history and politics in the Balkans. Dylan held two concerts in Belgrade, one in 1991 and the other one in 2010. Two years ago Dylan also held a concert in Zagreb.

tinues to spend the money as before, without deciding which plans and projects should have priority, we won’t achieve much,” Vučković maintained. The impact of the current measures in terms of reducing this year’s fiscal deficit of 203.6 billion dinars [€1,770 million] will be relatively minor. Vlajko Senić, State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economy, expects that the elimination of some institutions financed from the budget and increased control over the rest will save around 20 billion dinars [€174 million] in 2013. While increasing control over extrabudgetary funds, the government is also eliminating 138 para-fiscal charges, reducing the operating costs for businesses by more than 10 billion dinars [€87 million]. But this measure will also hit state revenues, which is one reason why the Fiscal Council is less optimistic about the real amount that will be saved. It also retains reservations about the potential savings to be made from integrating bodies’ independent revenues into the state budget. Vučković predicts that savings in the 2013 budget will be around only 10 billion dinars [€87 million], with the ca-

veat that it is not clear which projects will be reversed and how many bodies will remain outside the consolidated treasury account.

Required, but underperforming While it welcomes the abolition of a number of duties, the Serbian Association of Employers, UPS, is disappointed with the decision to scrap only seven agencies, as the remaining ones will continue to charge businesses. “We expect the government to fulfil its pledge, which was to eliminate some agencies immediately and analyse the work of the rest by the end of 2012, before deciding which ones to abolish and which will be integrated into existing institutions,” Dragoljub Rajić, UPS spokesman, said.

Union threatens protests over food prices

f the government does not intervene and bring basic food prices back down to September’s level by the end of the month, the Alliance of Autonomous Unions of Serbia will call on citizens to take part in mass protests, announced the Union’s leader, Ljubisav Orbović, on October 2nd. The state increased VAT from 18 to 20 per cent on October 1st, although VAT of eight per cent on essential food products remained the same. According to Serbian Trade Minister Rasim Ljajić, some producers used the decision to increase the VAT rate as an excuse to hike prices, adding that the government would “not sit idly by”.

Germany top Serbian trade partner

erbia’s main foreign trade partner in the first three quarters of 2012 was Germany. According to the Serbian Statistical Office, Serbian exports to Germany during the period were worth €665 million, while imports amounted to €1 billion. Serbia’s other main export partners behind Germany were Bosnia, Italy, Romania and Russia, while the country’s top import partners were Russia, Italy, China and Hungary. Serbian enjoyed its highest trade surpluses with Montenegro, Bosnia and Macedonia, while the highest trade exchange deficit was marked with China, Russia, Germany, Italy and Hungary.

PricewaterhouseCoopers rates Serbia a high-risk country

€869 million The estimated value of their revenues in 2012.

Business in brief

Region in brief

Continued from page 1

U.S. calls for reform of Bosnia’s federation entity

Minister Dinkić has made fresh accusations.

Photo by Beta

Senić said that the present number of repealed agencies is just a first step in reducing bureaucracy and making the state more efficient. He also repeated that there won’t be any layoffs in the state services during the crisis. Some experts, however, argue that the estimated number of redundant agencies was unrealistic and overestimated from the beginning, as was the predicted number of redundancies in these bodies. Milojko Arsić, a Faculty of Economics professor, says that when calculating the number agencies “apples and oranges” are often added together.

In other words, classic state agencies such as the Security Information Agency, BIA, are counted alongside independent regulatory bodies. The operating costs of institutions are also confused with functions that will have to be preserved even if the agency is scrapped. He insists that significant savings will not be achieved with one-off decisions. Instead, he urges systematically reviewing the costs of all agency operations and improving the quality of their work, as “many of these institutions are required, but underperforming”. He cites the Commission for the Protection of Competition and the Anticorruption Agency as examples of this. “There is a misapprehension that most redundancies, estimated at 15,000 to 20,000, are to come from these agencies,” he said, “while the surplus is mainly in education, healthcare and local administration.”

€86.9 million

the rough amount that the budget will save in 2013 through stricter controls and reallocation of revenues, according to the Fiscal Council.

ccountancy and professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has rated Serbia as a high-risk country in its latest report, published in early October. The high-risk rating came as a consequence of the financial crisis and the high percentage of non-performing loans, while the considerable share of Greek holdings on the Serbian banking scene simply added to the perceived risk in Serbia. The report noted that the Serbian banking sector is stable, but warned that poor economic growth and rising unemployment are impacting on domestic demand.

French buy Bečej’s Fadip

rench agricultural machinery producer Quivogne has bought the 5,500m2 production hall of bankrupt company Fadip from Bečej. The French company plans to invest about €1 million and employ 60 workers. Quivogne, which has an annual turnover of around €50 million, has decided that production in Serbia will be export-orientated. The company already owns subsidiaries in Austria, the Ukraine, Russia and North America.

10 Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012 11

dining out

Wetland adventure for nature lovers Zasavica wetlands offer a rich natural ecosystem in which tourists can enjoy sport fishing, photo safari tours and delicious dishes from the local cuisine.

A refuge for the endangered Two large rivers, the Sava and the Drina, fought over which one would prevail and lend its waters to the wetland, leaving it alone in the end, lazy, slow and covered with a soft carpet-like layer of green underwater herbs. Today’s River Zasavica flows from the Drina to the Sava for some 30 kilometres. A large wetland around it covering some 600 hectares has continuously changed through the millennia, bringing waters to the northern Mačva region of Vojvodina and taking them away again, enriching the landscape with new meanders. For generations of locals that lived here as long ago as 3000BC, changes in the landscape might have seemed like the work of giants and dragons. In fact, Zasavica is drawn into the Celtic map as one of the living places of ancient dragons. There are only eight such places in the Balkans. That is not so strange when one considers that the inhabitants of Vojvodina strongly believed in benevolent dragons that fight to preserve nature and crops. Perhaps it’s thanks to the dragons that today’s Zasavica is one of the best preserved nature reserves in Serbia. Zasavica offers great diversity of wildlife. Some of the rarest and most endangered species here are beavers and otters. However, since otters haven’t been seen in Zasavica for a long while local ecology organisations have announced

Klub književnika / The Writers’ Club It always begins with a simple question: ‘Can you bring me the wine list’? Everything else that follows is a complex matter and cannot be measured only by how much is left in the bottle after dinner.

Nemanja ČABRIĆ asavica’s intertwined system of streams, lakes, wetlands and meadows is accessible mostly by boat. Visitors can choose to take a look around by themselves, pushing their wooden boats through the wetland with a long stick, or take a more official tour with a reconstructed authentic ship, the “Umbra” built during World War II, the only one still in use. This unique boat has taken tourists along a 7km-long route since 2003, offering tourists a view of the widest part of the Zasavica’s flow, the pastureland and the flooded forests. The heart of Zasavica’s tourist offering is the visitor’s centre featuring an 18-metre-high tower and a waterwheel, with rooms, a restaurant, an ethno room for exhibiting old household and farming implements and tools from the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries and a pier from which all of the tours start. It is located in the wildest and, some would say, most beautiful part of the nature reserve.

Wishful Drinking - Wine List Reviews

Pavle Golicin

I Zasavica is a wildlife haven at the heart of Serbia, offering tourist tours, but also unique food products.

an award for anyone who captures an otter on camera. On the other hand, beavers were reintroduced here in 2004, after being wiped out at the beginning of the 20th century. Although they are highly admired by the visitors that come to Zasavica, as well as by biologists, the local inhabitants who mostly make a living from farming complain that the furry long-tailed rodents ruin their crops. Another attraction is the Umbra fish, which is protected by the Bern Convention throughout Europe as an endangered species. Because of its frowning face in Serbia it’s called “Mrgud”(Grumpy). The name of this small red fish that weighs only some 30 grams probably comes from its ability to levitate in the water for hours with its head down waiting for prey: larvae, insects and smaller fish. When necessary it can breathe air and live out of water for more than 10 hours. Because of its size and bad taste, Umbra is not meant for eating. Fishermen, however, often use it for bait. In Bohemia it was used with good results for fighting mosquitoes. Among 600 plant species some are especially rare: white and yellow water lilies, water soldier, yellow floating heart, marsh nettle and calamus.

Eating “healthily” Like many other tourist spots in Vojvodina, Zasavica is also famous for its local cuisine, consisting of many fish and meat specialities. The most famous is fish prepared on “talandara”(a part of a tractor plough) and meat of the mangulica pig. Here one can try bacon and sausage made of mangulica, sudžuk (similar to sausage) of podolian cattle (an ancient breed) and goose stew. Mangulica is the only surviving autochthonous Serbian breed of domesticated pig. The breed also known as “woollen pig”, due to its hair-covered skin, is considered “noble”, but it almost died out in the 1980s. Its fat has up to 80 per cent less cholesterol and triglycerides than a common, white pig. In 1998 the Mangulica was introduced to Zasavica, but unlike Podolian

cattle, they were left to roam free in the reservation and have since become feral. The analysis of mangulica meat shows that it contains rather high amounts of proteins, an acceptable amount of fat and that it belongs to the group of meat with the lowest amount of cholesterol. Zasavica is also rich with donkeys, whose meat and milk are used for food, balms and much more. Donkey’s milk

has a revitalising impact on the whole body. It is very effective at treating skin problems, as well as boosting the immune system and overcoming chronic fatigue. Zasavica has many products made from donkey milk: soaps, liquors and facial creams. For those who can afford it, there is an extra expensive bathing in donkey’s milk that is allegedly great for the skin.

Photo by Remi Jouan

The price is so high because one donkey produces only 20 litres of milk per year and three times more is needed to fill a bath tub. Egyptian Queen Cleopatra once upon a time enjoyed this strange activity and her servants had to milk some 300 donkeys for her bathing. Those who find this too expensive or too strange can simply enjoy the natural habitat, wonderful sights and exciting fishing trips of Zasavica.

can’t be objective when it comes to Klub književnika. No matter what, this restaurant always brings back my childhood memories and I can almost hear my grandfather saying: ‘We have nothing to do today, let’s go for lunch at barba’s (uncle in some northern Italian dialects, nowadays mostly used in coastal parts of Croatia) Ivo and čika (with the same meaning in Serbian, the way children usually address the father of a friend or friend of a father) Buda’. Both of them, Ivo Kusalić and Budimir Buda Blagojević – who established the Club – are serving their guests in a better place now, but their spirit remains vivid… They had a simple, many times proven, but unfortunately too often forgotten, restaurant’s rule – you have to have a long-standing tradition with your guests! And Ivo and Buda indeed cared about their guests, knew their habits and eventually grew old together with them. Almost everything that I wrote about restaurant Madera a couple of months ago can be equally said for Klub književnika, which is not surprising as the owner of both places is the same person. The Club maybe doesn’t have the ‘old-school-to-the-bone’ atmosphere any longer, as it used to have in ex-Yugoslavia, but new times required a new approach – simple as that! As expected, the wine list is presented by the book. There is a logic behind it, with a given grape variety and geographical origin of each wine. However, the vintage, i.e. the year of harvesting of the grapes, is missing. The list includes approximately 100 labels; one third of them local. It offers enough variety that everyone can find a nice pairing with the ordered food. For instance, you can find your favourite chardonnay in the range between 920 and 9,980 dinars. Wine service is professional, with an appropriate smile but at the right distance. Nothing to complain about, but nothing to be remembered either. The mark up is at the average level of Belgrade restaurants. Although the Club today is hardly reminiscent of the old place, and the waiters now obviously find it hard to fill the shoes of the legendary waiters such as uncle Rade or Nikola, I go home happy at the end of the day, satisfied with the world around me. I still remember uncle Buda’s own words: ‘Nothing in this world starts with you. Throughout the years, I met thousands of people with different habits. And, after all, I can’t complain, I don’t really mind any single thing in this life’.

Wine Corner

Out and About

The write recipe Klub književnika [Writers’ Club], the favourite hangout of Belgrade’s great and good, offers atmosphere and desserts that make it well worth a visit. Duda&Vlada

hen talking about fine dining and classic restaurants in Belgrade, Klub književnika [Writers’ Club] on Francuska Street will inevitably surface as someone’s (or everyone’s) pick of the crop. The location, the history and the reputation – the Club has it all. Established in 1946, it occupies the ground floor of the building that hosts the Serbian (earlier, Yugoslavian) Writers’ Association; hence the name. Positioned just below the National Theatre, the building has a large iron-fenced garden, unique in this central and overpacked area of downtown Belgrade. “It is more important to be a member of the Writers’ Club than the Writers’ Association”, stated the popular joke from the Yugoslav era. And jokes are rarely without a foundation: being a patron meant rubbing shoulders with Ivo Andrić, Jean-Paul Sartre, Richard Burton and the whole entourage of artists, celebrities and politicians. And yes, back in the day membership was a requirement. The Writer’s Club is a full-sized restaurant, with the facilities (and amenities!) one would expect from an upmarket venue. The interior is dominated by quality wood and thick leather and is a bit dated in comparison to the trends of today. Worth mentioning, there is a baby changing table in the ladies room. The garden is a downtown gem. After a thorough renovation last year, it is fully covered by a glass roof and a classic-aspiring plaster ceiling below it, a giant chandelier hanging from the centre. If not subtle, the garden is definitely very pleasant, quite large and well visited – be sure to book in advance. The capacity means a lengthy wait, so do not expect to be done in an hour. In nice weather it will likely turn out to be three or four hours for the full course. The service varies. It could be called “appropriate” in a somewhat lesser place, but the grand interior and even grander garden do push the expecta-

tions higher. The waiters are tidy and perfectly polite of course, as expected, but hard to attract at times… and worse yet when the garden reaches full capacity. The food also varies and the menu is long and diverse; some would dub it overly elaborate. Five or six mains, which we managed to sample, constitute just a fraction of the menu, so it is fair to say that there is more to the Writers’ Club than we could see in our two sittings. Keeping that in mind, we found the food to be quite average. Less than what the reputation and the grandeur led us to expect. We started on a high note – Cold foie gras with goose fat. When done right, and this one certainly was, it is a treat. Dense and strong, the relatively small portion can serve two people easily. In sharp contrast, we also sampled the selection of local white cheeses, fresh and mellow. Not to be missed if you are new to Serbian cuisine. The mains were all nice but really average; hotel-style food, with a notable exception of the Lamb roast, suggested by the waiter, which turned out to be a great success – tender, crispy, spiced perfectly and gracefully separating from the bone the very mo-

ment a fork touches it. A meat-eater’s delight, this memorable dish had us contemplating another visit. The rest of the mains were fine, no more than that. The Tagliatele “a’la Club” is a perfect example – there is certainly nothing wrong with it, but we can name a number of places with a better “pasta with truffles” dish, easily. We also tried the rump steak, nicely arranged and with a promising hint of red in the middle, but without a taste to write home about. Finally, we had two of Chef Buda’s own specialities, which are worth a mention. The “Roast beef a la Buda” is a famous dish in Belgrade’s dining scene, so much so that a couple of restaurants have homage dishes on their menus. Notably, Zaplet’s “Redefined Buda’s roast” is a fine suggestion at any rate, and it (obviously) originates from here, Klub književnika. The original is a tender butter-soaked piece of perfect beef, certainly nice but with a vintage note, a true golden oldie, undisturbed by the dos and the don’ts of the 21st century. The “Salad a la Buda” was probably a hip thing when it first appeared on the menu, decades ago. Thin strips of meat on green salads and sweet red

peppers, topped with sliced Parma cheese – nice but quite typical these days, the sort of dish that can be consumed in numerous less exclusive surroundings, at considerably less expense. Buda’s salad epitomises our overall impression of Writers’ Club menu. It might have been the cutting edge once, but in today’s terms it leans towards plain and average. From a different and nonetheless important perspective, the location and the venue are second to none, the vibe in the garden is amazing and live jazz music often complements the experience. Do not leave the house without a local staple sweet: a cream pie in its local form, “krempita”, is a thick layer of custard-like creamy filling, trapped between thin layers of filo pastry. It is said that the Club’s krempita is the best in the whole of Belgrade, so it would be unwise not to try it. And the writers? We have not seen any. Klub književnika Francuska 7 Phone: 00 381 11 2627931, 00 381 11 2187777 Price guide: 2,000-3,000 dinar per person for three courses without wine

Osteria Gallo Nero is an Italian tavern & bar with a vintage chic interior and a warm, homely and unpretentious atmosphere that evokes the authentic charm of Italy. Pasta is prepared according to traditional recipes, with original Italian ingredients, by a chef from Florence (Alessandro Davi). Tagliatelle and sweets are homemade and handmade, while high quality Italian wines are available by the glass, at very reasonable prices. The place is perfect for a light dinner, but also for sampling different wines with appetisers (antipasto). In any case, this venue is something different and new in Belgrade, especially when it comes to the originality and authenticity of Italian cuisine. Come and try! www.facebook.com/gallonerobeograd

12 Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012 13

what’s on

Subscribe to Belgrade Insight today and guarantee your personal copy, delivered directly to you.

Info & free booking +381 (0)64 0133300 Clubbing and Live music sections powered by Hot-Spot.rs

+381 11 3346035

subscription@birn.eu.com www.BelgradeInsight.com

Cinemas Belgrade’s cinemas only publish their schedules one week in advance. Listings for future weeks are available from the cinemas. All provide information in English. DOM SINDIKATA Trg Nikole Pašića 5, tel. 011 3234849

yy Brave (3D) – 4pm yy Ice Age: Continental Drift (synchronised) – 4.45pm, 6.30pm yy Snow White and the Huntsman – 5.30pm, 8pm, 10.30pm yy Hotel Transylvania – 6pm yy Taken 2 – 8pm, 10pm yy The Expendables 2 – 8.30pm, 10.30pm yy The Watch – 8.15pm, 10.15pm

_________________________________ CINEPLEXX Delta City, Jurija Gagarina 16, tel. 011 2203400

yy Hotel Transylvania – 2.20pm, 4.20pm, 6.20pm, 20.20pm yy Taken 2 – 2.20pm, 6pm, 8.40pm, 22.40pm yy Brave (3D) – 3.40pm, 5.40pm, 7.40pm yy The Expendables 2 – 2.40pm, 10.40pm yy Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted – 3pm yy Resident Evil: Retribution (3D) – 4pm yy Dredd (3D) – 4.10pm, 10.20pm yy The Bourne Legacy – 8.40pm yy The Dark Knight Rises – 9.20pm yy Ice Age: Continental Drift (3D) – 3.20pm, 5.20pm yy Step Up Revolution – 5pm yy Ted – 6pm, 8.10pm, 10.20pm yy Ice Age: Continental Drift (subtitles) – 9pm

_________________________________ TUCKWOOD CINEPLEX Kneza Miloša 7, tel. 011 3236517

yy Brave (3D) – 3.20pm yy The Amazing Spider-Man – 3.15pm, 5.45pm, 8.15pm yy Hotel Transylvania – 3.10pm, 5pm, 6.15pm, 20.30pm yy Brave (3D) – 3.20pm yy Ice Age: Continental Drift (synchronised) – 4pm yy Step Up Revolution – 5.15pm yy The Expendables 2 – 10.15pm yy The Watch – 10.40pm yy Resident Evil: Retribution (3D) – 7.10pm yy Taken 2 – 9pm, 10.50pm yy Total Recall – 5.50pm, 8pm, 10.10pm yy The Dark Knight Rises – 4.30pm, 7.30pm, 10.30pm

RODA CINEPLEX Požeška 83A, tel. 011 2545260

yy yy yy yy yy yy yy yy yy

The Dark Knight Rises – 7pm, 9.45pm Ted – 8pm Taken 2 – 8.30pm, 10.30pm Brave (3D) – 6.15pm Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (synchronised) – 3pm Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (3D) – 3.30pm, 5.15pm Ice Age: Continental Drift (3D) – 4.40pm Hotel Transylvania – 4.30pm, 6.30pm Dredd (3D) – 10

_________________________________ KOLOSEJ CINEMA Ušće Shopping Centre, Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 4, tel. 011 2854495

yy Hope Springs – 10.50pm yy Hotel Transylvania – 2.20pm, 4.20pm, 6.20pm, 8.20pm, 10;20pm yy Ice Age: Continental Drift (synchronised) – 1.50pm, 3.50pm yy Brave (synchronised) – 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm yy Resident Evil: Retribution – 5.40pm, 10.15pm yy Brave (3D) – 2.45pm, 4.45pm, 6.45pm yy Dredd (3D) – 2.50pm, 6.50pm, 20.50pm yy Taken 2 – 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm, 11pm yy Ice Age: Continental Drift (3D) – 2.30pm, 4.30pm, 6.30pm yy Step Up Revolution – 4.50pm, 8.45pm yy The Intouchables (VIP Hall) – 3.20pm, 5.45pm, 8.10pm, 10.40pm yy Brave (subtitles) – 3.30pm, 5.30pm, 7.30pm yy Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (synchronised) – 3.40pm yy The Watch – 4.05pm yy The Bourne Legacy – 7.40pm yy Ice Age: Continental Drift (subtitles) – 5.50pm yy The Dark Knight Rises – 6.10pm, 9.20pm yy Resident Evil: Retribution (3D) – 8.30pm yy Total Recall – 9.30pm yy What to Expect When You’re Expecting – 10pm yy The Expendables 2 – 7.50pm, 10.10pm

APARTMENT FOR RENT - HOTEL Yugoslavia - 500 EUR Luxury apartment, 70 sq.mt 1st floor. Modern furniture. Air-conditioning, TV-cable, Wireless-internet. Fully equipped modern kitchen, bathroom, laundry, loggia. Free parking lots, bus connection with center of the city and commercial areas. Phone: +381 63 8244 996

Friday October 5th Clubbing:

hh Re: Motion, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Dj Peppe, Brankow Bar, Crnogorska 10, 10pm hh Disco Houce, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, 12am hh Dj Javi Mula, Magacin, Karađorđeva 2-4, 11pm Live music:

hh Neša Bend 100%, Hua Hua, Ada Ciganlija bb, 10pm hh Balkan Express, Reka, Kej oslobođenja 73bb hh Tamburaši, Kod Bake, Sinđelićeva 31, 9pm hh Marko Zujović, Akapulko splav, Kej oslobođenja bb, 10pm hh Blah Blah Bend, Cantina De Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm hh Tamburaši, Tri Šešira, Skadarska 29, 9pm Saturday October 6th Clubbing:

hh Re: Load, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Club House , Magacin, Karađorđeva 2-4, 11pm hh House Night, Disko Petao, Gračanička 15, 10pm hh Disco Houce, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, 12am Live Music:

hh Sloba Bajić i Hua Hua bend, Hua Hua, Ada Ciganlija bb, 10pm hh Bojan Jevtić & Silver Bend, Akapulko splav, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm hh Live Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm hh Vesko Vučković Bend, Cantina De Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm hh Tamburaši, Kod Bake Kafana, Sinđelićeva 31, 10pm hh Perpetuum Mobile, Bitef Summer Stage, Kalemegdan, 10pm hh Salsa Y Punto, Café Buena Vista, Turgenjeva 5, 11pm hh Tamburaši, Tri Šešira, Skadarska 29, 9pm Sunday October 7th Clubbing:

hh Fuckin’ famous night, River, Brodarska bb, 11pm

hh Funk’d, Disco Bar Mladost, Karađorđeva 44, 10pm hh House Night, Disko Petao, Gračanička 15, 10pm Live music:

hh Live Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Live Serbian Folk, Acapulco, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm hh Mia Borisavljević & Davor Jovanović, Time Out, Ada Ciganlija bb, 10pm hh Tamburaši, Tri Šešira, Skadarska 29, 9pm Monday October 8th Clubbing:

hh Sweet and Rough, BlowUp Barka, Savski kej bb, 9pm hh Re:Lax, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Brankow Beat, Brankow Bar, Crnogorska 10, 9pm hh Chill Out Monday, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm hh Chill Out Night, Splav Play, Savski kej bb, 9pm Live Music:

hh Die Beste, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Karaoke, Danguba, Ćirila i Metodija 2, 10pm hh Željko Šašić, Serbian Folk, Acapulco, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm hh That’s it band, Principal, Ušće bb, 9pm hh Sensation Party, River, Brodarska bb, 10pm hh Tamburaši, Tri Šešira, Skadarska 29, 9pm Tuesday October 9th Clubbing:

hh Re:Tro, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Chill Out Night, Splav Play, Savski kej bb, 9pm hh 90’s music, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, 12am hh Central Park Week, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm Live music:

hh Live Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Denis & Obule, pop rock, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Salsa Night, Abra café, Resavska 76, 9pm Wednesday October 10th Clubbing:

hh Zwein Wednesday, Disco Bar Mladost, Karađorđeva 44, 11pm hh Re:Action, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm

hh Rnb – House Night, Betty Boop bar, Takovska 49a, 10pm hh Play All Day, Play, Savski kej bb, 9pm Live Music:

hh Live Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Libertango Band, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Marina Visković & Željko Šašić, Time Out, Ada Ciganlija bb, 10pm hh Ivana Selakov, Acapulko, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm hh Tamburaši, Tri Šešira, Skadarska 29, 9pm Thursday October 11th Clubbing:

hh Re:Make, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Rnb Night, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, 12am

Where the right people are easy

to find. Visit BalkanJobFinder.com

Looking for a dream job in the Balkans and beyond? Can’t find the employee you always needed? Balkan job Finder helps: o skilled jobseekers in the Balkans find attractive jobs on the market; o international and regional companies and organisations save time and money in landing the right candidate; o recruiters to earn attractive commissions.

Live Music:

hh Gitarsi, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Live Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Tamburaši, Tri Šešira, Skadarska 29, 9pm

hh Re: Motion, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Club House, Magacin, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm hh Dj Ann, Brankow Bar, Crnogorska 10, 10pm hh Disco Houce, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, 12am Live music:

hh Balkan Express, Reka, Kej oslobođenja 73bb hh Tamburaši, Kod Bake, Sinđelićeva 31, 9pm hh Marko Zujović, Akapulko splav, Kej oslobođenja bb, 10pm hh Blah Blah Bend, Cantina De Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm hh Tamburaši, Tri Šešira, Skadarska 29, 9pm Saturday October 13th Clubbing:

hh Re: Load, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Dj’s Kiza, Bane Paunovicn & Dj Marko, Magacin, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm hh House Night, Disko Petao, Gračanička 15, 10pm Live Music:

Tuesday October 16th Clubbing:

hh Central Park Week, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm hh Re:Tro, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Chill Out Night, Splav Play, Savski kej bb, 9pm hh 90’s music, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, 12am Live music:

hh Live Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Denis & Obule, pop rock, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Salsa Night, Abra café, Resavska 76, 9pm hh Tamburaši, Tri Šešira, Skadarska 29, 9pm

Clubbing: Sunday October 14th Clubbing:

hh Fuckin’ famous night, River, Brodarska bb, 11pm hh Funk’d, Disco Bar Mladost, Karađorđeva 44, 10pm hh House Night, Disko Petao, Gračanička 15, 10pm Live music:

hh Zwein Wednesday, Disco Bar Mladost, Karađorđeva 44, 11pm hh Re:Action, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Rnb – House Night, Betty Boop bar, Takovska 49a, 10pm hh Play All Day, Play, Savski kej bb, 9pm Live Music:

Clubbing:

hh Sweet and Rough, BlowUp Barka, Savski kej bb, 9pm hh Re:Lax, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Chill Out Monday, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm hh Chill Out Night, Splav Play, Savski kej bb, 9pm Live Music:

hh Die Beste, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm

hh Re:Make, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm hh Rnb Night, Mr. Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, 12am Live Music:

hh Gitarsi, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Live Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm hh Tamburaši, Tri Šešira, Skadarska 29, 9pm

______________________________

Publisher: BIRN d.o.o. Gospodar Jevremova 47, 11 000 Belgrade Phone/Fax: +381 11 334 62 09 Editor in Chief: Gordana Igrić BIRN editorial team: Ana Petruševa, Marcus Tanner, Gordana Andrić, Mark Pullen belgradeinsighteditor@birn.eu.com Sales & Marketing: Marija Petrović Phone: +381 11 6 5555 86 marija.petrovic@birn.eu.com Subscription & Distribution: BEOKOLP D.O.O. belgradeinsightsubscriptions@birn.eu.com Printing: POLITIKA štamparija d.o.o. ISSN 1820-8339 = Belgrade Insight COBISS.SR-ID: 149132556 Circulation: 4,000

SUNDAY OCTOBER 7

Live music FRIDAY OCTOBER 5 On Tour, Dom Omladine - lobby, Makedonska 22, 9pm Divas Night with Marina Perazić, Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22, 9pm Kartel, Itch, Gun Club, Miloša Pocerca 10, 10pm Tribute Bands Fest. Doors and ZZ Top tribute bands, Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, 10pm SATURDAY OCTOBER 6 Bane, Gun Club, Miloša Pocerca 10, 10pm Tribute Bands Fest. Moloco/Roisin Murphy and Tom Waits tribute bands, Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, 10pm SUNDAY OCTOBER 7 John Paul Keith, Gun Club, Miloša Pocerca 10, 10pm Tribute Bands Fest. Nick Cave, Faith No More, Alice In Chains tribute bands, Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, 10pm MONDAY OCTOBER 8

Wednesday October 17th

Friday October 12th Clubbing:

hh Karaoke, Danguba, Ćirila i Metodija 2, 10pm hh Željko Šašić, Serbian Folk, Acapulco, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm hh That’s it band, Principal, Ušće bb, 9pm hh Sensation Party, River, Brodarska bb, 10pm

Leprous, Persefone, Loch Vostok, Draconic, Gun Club, Miloša Pocerca 10, 10pm WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 10 Majamisty Trio, Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22, 8pm FRIDAY OCTOBER 12 Deca Loših Muzicara, S.A.R.S, Che Guerilla, Svilen Konac, KST, Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 73, 10pm Rebel Star, Gun Club, Miloša Pocerca 10, 10pm SATURDAY OCTOBER 13 Obojeni Program, Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22, 9pm SUNDAY OCTOBER 14 Smallman, Gun Club, Miloša Pocerca 10, 10pm THURSDAY OCTOBER 18 Paco de Lucia, Sava Centre, Milentija Popovića 9, 8.30pm Endiryah, Nothing Left, Phobos, GRAD Cultural Centre, Braće Krsmanović 4, 10pm

Piano Duo Milica Sekulić and Dragomir Bratić, Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Studentski trg 5, 12pm TUESDAY OCTOBER 9 Natasa Đikanović – soprano, Guarnerius, Džordža Vašingtona 12, 8pm WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 10 Opera: Attila, The National Theatre, Francuska 1, 7pm SATURDAY OCTOBER 13 Opera: The Elixir of Love, The National Theatre, Francuska 1, 7pm SUNDAY OCTOBER 14 Chamber Orchestra Amorosso, Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Studentski trg 5, 11am TUESDAY OCTOBER 16 Ballet: Swan Lake, The National Theatre, Francuska 1, 7.30pm WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 17 Opera: The Marriage of Figaro, The National Theatre, Francuska 1, 7pm THURSDAY OCTOBER 18 Ballet: Triple Bill – Interval, Napoli, Six Dances, The National Theatre, Francuska 1, 7.30pm

Theatre FRIDAY OCTOBER 5 Rabbit Hole (Abaire), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Mileševska 64, 8.30pm

Exhibition. Goranka Matić, Belgrade Cultural Centre, Knez Mihailova 6, 7pm SATURDAY OCTOBER 6 Belgrade Pride, Manjež Park, 12pm Exhibition. Ratomir Božović, architect (author’s guided visit), Belgrade Cultural Centre, Knez Mihailova 6, 12pm Exhibition. Skart Halftime, Museum of Applied Arts, Vuka Karadžića 18, 7pm SUNDAY OCTOBER 7 Visiting DORF festival. Crossovers, Dust of the Everyday Life, GRAD Cultural Centre, Braće Krsmanović 4, 8pm TUESDAY OCTOBER 9 Exhibition. Marija Milin, ULUPUDS Gallery, Uzun Mirkova 12, 7pm WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 10

The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare), Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Kralja Milana 50, 8pm TUESDAY OCTOBER 9

THURSDAY OCTOBER 11

SUNDAY OCTOBER 7

The Importance of Being Ernest (Wilde), The National Theatre, Francuska 1, 7.30pm

Exhibition. Weekend Collective, GRAD Cultural Centre, Braće Krsmanović 4, 8pm

FRIDAY OCTOBER 12 Civil Servants (Harwood), The National Theatre, Francuska 1, 8.30pm

SATURDAY OCTOBER 13 October Salon. guided tours, ex Geozavod, Karađorđeva 48, 1pm

SATURDAY OCTOBER 13 Death Is Not a Bicycle (Srbljanović), Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Kralja Milana 50, 8pm

FRIDAY OCTOBER 5

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Kesey), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Mileševska 64, 8pm

10 ON % DISC ALL OUNT SER VICES

FRIDAY OCTOBER 5

Exhibition. New Narratives, group of authors, Belgrade Cultural Centre, Knez Mihailova 6, 8pm Exhibition. Monuments of Revolution, GRAD Cultural Centre, Braće Krsmanović 4, 8pm

Opera, Ballet, Classical Zagreb Philharmonic with Perry So – conductor and Ning Feng – violin, Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Studentski trg 5, 8pm

Exhibitions and Events

MONDAY OCTOBER 15 Exhibition. Shanghai Window, Studentski Grad Cultural Centre, Bulevar Zorana Đinđića 177, 7pm

MONDAY OCTOBER 15

TUESDAY OCTOBER 16 Metamorphoses (Ovid), Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Kralja Milana 50, 8pm THURSDAY OCTOBER 18 Elling (Bent), Belgrade Drama Theatre, Mileševska 64, 8pm

TUESDAY OCTOBER 16 Exhibition. Silva Vujović, Singidunum Gallery, Knez Mihailova 40, 7pm WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 17 Exhibition. Sandra Milanović, Cultural Centre, Braće Krsmanović 4, 8pm THURSDAY OCTOBER 18 Exhibition. Students’ Graphic Print Serbia, Studentski Grad Cultural Centre, Bulevar Zorana Đinđića 177, 6.30pm

Family event, every Sunday at 11 AM TREEHOUSE STORYTELLING CENTRE & CIRCUSFERA PRESENT

Body treatments and rituals... Kneginje Kneginje Zorke Zorke 66, 66, Vračar Vračar +381 11 3860224; +381 69 +381 11 3860224; +381 69 3860224 3860224

www.fijisecretspa.com

FUNDAY SUNDAY

Storytelling performances in English, Serbian & French, Magic & illusion, Circus acts: juggling, unicycle, acrobatics, aerials, stilts, Visual arts & music workshops, Face paint Bulevar Kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica 6, Dedinje Tel: +381 11 2661 140 www.nassvet-eduarts.org

14 Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, October 5, 2012 - Thursday, October 18, 2012 15

going out

ARTS

Penzija: cosy nook for retiring types The decor may feature a pensioner’s hat, cane, pipe and chessboard - but this ‘retirement’ home is definitely geared to a student crowd.

The Watch – a cute textbook of American sexual depravities Black humour and sensitive tackling of America’s social issues and intimacy problems join hands in this smart comedy. Andrej Klemenčič

ulitzer Prize winning American poet of Serbian origin, Charles Simić, said during his recent visit to Belgrade that poetry is so popular in America because it tackles the great internal alienation in American people and in their relation to others and the world around them.

It took a while from the times of Jack Kerouac and Simić for that notion to reach Hollywood. The previous decade of American comedy was marked by Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller, who became famous by testing how far they could go without offending the politically correct blockbuster audience. The films they were in were sometimes hilarious, sometimes tasteless, but underneath the storyline there

was always strong criticism of all that is phony in America. With time, these comedians got more serious and so did their humour. In The Watch the story focuses on Evan (Ben Stiller), a senior manager at Costco in a small Ohio town of comfortable middle class houses and Korean-made SUVs. After his employee is killed and the police seem incompetent to solve the murder, Evan takes justice into his own hands and starts a neighbourhood watch. He is joined by three men who prefer drinking beer and generally spending some “guy time” together in the comfort of their living room to chasing murderers.

Slobodna zona Festvial Shows 35 New Films

David GALIĆ

Yet, the body count increases and soon enough the Watch men discover that they have to defend not only their hometown, but all of humanity – from aliens. The amount of American issues – stereotypes most Americans are cast in – is extensive and impressively well intertwined with the plot. Evan compensates for his inability to have a child by ordering people around, while the other members consist of a police candidate who failed all the tests and now wants to get even, an almost single father who is trying to protect his daughter’s virginity and an unusual Englishman. Despite some flaws in direction, with scenes left to hang for a long time, this film is one of the rare examples of American filmmakers dealing with the essential issues of American society in a comedy. One of the key achievements of this film is to have made a story of three men behaving like children into a highly sophisticated movie. In no way is our fear and misunderstanding about the perspective which the American rural society has of the world altered by this film. Quite the contrary. The Watch simply does a very good job of putting these things into the context of modern-day

America, which is made to look so real that it is almost surreal. Senior citizens practicing yoga in parks, a wife scheduling sex with her husband and a 20-something with only primary school education living with his mother, while holding some 20 weapons under his bed, are just some of the stereotypes The Watch addresses. However, at no point does this film critically tackle any of these issues. The key characters are heroes, despite the fact that they are, by normal standards, antiheroes. The notions of soft racism and homoeroticism which drive small-town male companies are expressed subtly, but very clearly. Despite these lines not triggering instant laughter, they make the film complex without losing the simplicity of small town thinking and perspectives which the heroes of the film strive to meet. The Watch is not an easy film in terms of the heavy topics it addresses, but it does so in a comic way, otherwise it could have been just another TV drama. With actors smart enough to know how to deliver sophisticated humour, The Watch is one of the best recent films of the genre. Despite its slow start, it is full of worthwhile moments and deserves nothing but a recommendation.

ith the cold season approaching, it’s time to start departing from riverside clubs and outdoor venues and look for a nice, warm place to spend the winter with friends. If you are seeking a casual and cosy new nightspot this year and next, Penzija might be what you need. Penzija means “retirement” in Serbian, which immediately lets you know that this place will be anything but straight-laced and turgid. It is a casual pub that welcomes everyone with open arms. Located near Belgrade’s technical and engineering faculties, it’s a popular spot for students to hang out in by day during the school year.

But with the weather still summery in Belgrade even as we enter October, Penzija also has a great outdoor seating area that you can take advantage of for as long as this Indian summer continues. The outdoor area is one of the best things about the bar from a design and aesthetic standpoint. Located on the side of a busy street, where buses and trams pass all day long, Penzija’s owners have devised a way to keep their clientele protected from the bustle. On the side of the outdoor seating area that faces the street they have built a brick façade that looks like a small country cottage with a makeshift wooden door and a front sign emblazoned with the pub’s name. When looking at the pub directly it appears as if they have built a little house for their patrons. But if you look

Penzija is by no means reserved for the over-65s. to either side of this area you will see same rustic and warm fashion as the that it is open on all sides, with only outdoor view. The wall to the left is the street being blocked from the site. brick and the bar is located on the It is a novel idea that adds to the right. Most of the other walls feature enjoyment of having drinks outside, warm hues of wallpaper and antique especially on such a busy street. It also accessories, such as lamps and pictures adds some charm and quaintness to of old Belgrade. the locale, which very few Belgrade One of the best pieces in the bar is the framed bowl hat, cane, pipe bars try to do with their décor. The actual entrance to the pub is and chessboard – all four symbols of made of light-coloured stained wood retirement and retirees in Serbia. The bar has two floors and is big and is just as inviting as the fake brick enough to seat well over 50 people. The entrance in front. It’s obvious that beer is the most upstairs features old Persian-style rugs popular drink on offer at Penzija, since and old chandeliers hanging from the the blackboard in front of the pub ceiling that add to the impression of a usually lists the prices of the many beers comfy place. The furniture is wooden, with natural coloured wooden tables that are available on tap. The décor inside continues in the and white chairs completing the sense

Warm-up for Free Zone

Outdoor terrace provides a place to enjoy the Indian summer into autumn.

Intimate and relaxed, Penzija is a casual pub with a cosy atmosphere.

lobodna zona (Free Zone), the International Festival of Documentary Film, will take place between November 2nd and 7th and offer the Belgrade audience 35 socially engaged films. This year the festival will have a special focus on five young Croatian filmmakers. Aside from the main programme, there will also be a section called ‘The Night Talks’, where philosophers, writers and theoreticians will have an opportunity to share their opinions of the films with the audience.

utch anarcho-punk band, The Ex, and Macedonian new wave/post punk band, Bernays Propaganda, will perform at a concert designed as a warm-up event for the upcoming Free Zone Film Festival. The unique concert will take place at the REX Culture Centre, located in the downtown Dorćol neighbourhood, on Thursday October 25th at 8pm. Tickets for the concert cost 400 dinars.

With demand higher than ever and copies limited to 4,000 per issue, why not subscribe to Belgrade Insight and ensure you receive your personal copy directly at home or work?

+381 11 3346035

subscription@birn.eu.com www.BelgradeInsight.com

Photos by Gordana Andrić

of being in a casual place where you can let loose and be yourself. Drink prices are reasonable, as is the case with most places that cater to a large student population in Belgrade. Of course, beer is consumed the most at Penzija, with over 10 brands to choose from daily. If you are looking for a pub snack, you can get that at Penzija as well – they serve ribs, sausages, wings and other similar bar food. For those looking to tuck themselves away this winter in a warm and cosy bar with a friendly atmosphere and very casual and relaxed vibe, Penzija is the right choice. Penzija Address: Kraljice Marije 31 Phone: +381 11 3249 161

Map of City Centre

advert

Fine Mediterranean Cuisine

Visnjićeva 10 (corner of Strahinjića Bana) tel: +381 11 2910942 email: office@supermarket.rs

Strahinjića Bana 57a +381 11 3284776 +381 64 5021312 www.cashmire.rs

COCO Chocolate, coffee and jazz bar

FOOD, FRIENDS & FUN Kralja Petra 20 tel: +381 11 3285656 Milutina MIlankovica 134 tel: +381 11 2026004 www.tribeca.rs

Rajićeva 14, +381 60 6860614 www.coco.rs facebook.com/ cocochocolatebar

CAFE BAR LIVING ON THE EDGE... BETWEEN PEACE&WAR... BETWEEN PAST&PRESENT Simina 22, 11000 Beograd tel: +381 11 3341322

Pure identity spa studio Skeyndor and Ericson Laboratoire cosmetics treatments Cara Uroša 6 Tel: +381 11 2632836 Mob: +381 63 1641903 www.pureidentity.rs

Hand-made homeware design from vintage to provocative

RENT & SALE

Knićaninova 3 tel: +381 11 2928400 +381 65 9616555 +381 63 642292 www.code-realestate.com

Knjeginje Ljubice 26 Tel: +381 11 3031434 www.facebook.com/gallonerobeograd gallonero.belgrade@gmail.com

REMAKE SHOP Cumicevo sokache bb, Lokal no. 15 Mon-Fri 12-20h; Sat 12-16h tel: +381 11 3344905 www.remakehome.net