Belgrade Insight no.120

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Issue No. 120 Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

Pages 9

Pages 10

Global Vision Consulting netted €25,000 from the city’s Gradska Čistoća for services that appear to have cost about a tenth of that price – and where is its address?

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Hunt for lost treasures has Macedonia divided

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ment’s agenda in various fields, including foreign policy, the economy, social policy, rule of law, the fight against crime and corruption, public administration, decentralisation, media freedom, health, education and science.

f all goes well, by the end of this year a copy of a precious sarcophagus, the so-called Alexander Sarcophagus, bearing reliefs of the Ancient hero, should arrive in the Macedonian capital, Skopje. If it does, it will be placed in the new, nearly finished Archaeological Museum, adding lustre to the country’s burgeoning collection of monuments commemorating Alexander the Great. The head of the Macedonian Cultural Heritage Bureau, archaeologist Pasko Kuzman, says the copy will be the work of Macedonian and Turkish experts. He does not know the final price of the work, as it remains unclear whether the Turkish authorities will lend support to the project. “The documents are still being prepared, which is a time-consuming procedure, so we can’t say exactly when the sarcophagus will be finished,” Kuzman added. “And a thorough review of its overall costs still needs to be done,” he continued. Kuzman hopes that the attractive copy of the valuable sarcophagus, which now lies in Istanbul and was found in Lebanon, will boost visits to the new museum and attract more tourists to the capital in general.

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Continued on pages 6 - 7

Photo by Beoinfo

This company has landed at least ten contracts and earned about €200,000 over the last three years thanks to one public utilities company alone, Gradska Čistoća [City’s Cleaners]. One of its paid jobs was to build

a website and design a programme facilitating communications between the website, Gradska Čistoća’s call centre and a database of clients. The company charged €25,000 for the work. The website, gradskacistoca .com,

was, in fact, launched about two months ago – with software picked up from the internet for free and witha no additional facilities. It is estimated that actual cost is €2,500 at the most. Continued on page 4

New coalition parties all promise better government – but as the agendas they advocate differ significantly, policy disagreements could soon emerge.

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771820 833000

Aneta Risteska

Serbia’s new rulers - same goal but different priorities

he right qualifications, instead of party membership cards, will be the entry card to work in public enterprises over the next four years, Serbia’s new ruling parties agree.

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While Macedonia laboriously collects copies of its lost treasures, some say the effort is wasted - and want the country to seek the return of original items now sitting in foreign museums.

Gordana AndriĆ

Bojana Barlovac

ISSN 1820-8339

Belgrade Insight is published by

Homeless company cleans up on city contract

he elderly woman who picked up the intercom at Milutina Milankovića 178/6 said it was a private apartment and that we had the wrong address. The name on the plate read “Vesna Vasić”. “There is no company here, never was” the evidently annoyed and confused woman said. She was not the only one who felt confused. Serbia’s Business Register lists Milutina Milankovića 178/6 as the address of a private company. It should be the busy home of Global Vision Consulting, the company focused on providing IT services, mainly to public companies.

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

This was one of the key points highlighted in the July coalition agreement on forming a new government. Leaders of three parties, the nationalist Serbian Progressive Party, the Socialist Party of Serbia and the pro-business United Regions of Serbia, sealed the deal on a new

+381 11 3346035

government on July 10th. “Paradoxically, the parties are the only ones that can carry out the party de-politicisation process, as they are the ones that created it,” Suzana Grubješić of United Regions of Serbia said. In the 13-page coalition deal, the parties elaborated the new govern-

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Cultural gems worth seeking on the Balkan trail

Serbia’s falling FDI worries economists


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Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

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serbia

Continued from page 1

New leaders: Mlađan Dinkić, United Regions; Aleksandar Vučić, Progressives; Ivica Dačić, Socialists.

Photo by Beta

Serbia’s new rulers - same goal, different priorities But research by BIRN Serbia and a local NGO, the Center for Free Elections and Democracy, CeSID, shows that - despite professing similar goals - Serbia’s new leaders may encounter obstacles in reaching these goals, as the paths they suggest in their programmes and in the election campaign vary. The report, “Performance evaluation, step towards political accountability”, which was drafted in April, focuses on the parties’ agendas in four fields: economy, education, corruption and health.

Economy

The issue of the economy and economic development was the main election issue for all three parties, the report shows - no surprise, perhaps, as unemployment stands at 25.5 per cent and the average salary is only about €350 a month. All three parties advocate a more efficient public sector, more responsible management of public finances and better use of taxpayers’ money. Their other priorities are boosting exports and full cooperation with EU financial institutions. Ivica Dačić, the Socialist leader and Prime Minister delegate, made a point of targeting so-called “banksters” in the campaign. “Banksters are banks acting like gangsters, financial institutions that govern our lives,” he said. The other parties did not use that

language, but all three parties agree on rationalisation and cutting public spending, meaning that all unnecessary state administration costs must be eliminated. The new leaders also agreed that pensions and salaries should not be frozen, but that their growth in the first year must be harmonised with the budget’s real capacity. While the Socialists and the United Regions of Serbia opt for subsidised loans for small and medium enterprises, the Progressives want the state to partner small and medium-sized enterprises. But the United Regions and the Socialists disagree over the concept of market economy. United Regions champions a market economy with “minimal state”, while the Socialists believe in “social justice and welfare” and want the state to intervene actively to control the negative effects of the free market. The three programmes diverge also over infrastructure. The Progressives would invest in building hydropower plants, United Regions focuses on building more roads to connect Serbia’s regions, while the Socialists want to invest more in the Corridor 10 highway.

campaign, and in their programme. Ivan Ninić, of the Progressives, said that they will start tackling corruption the day they come to power. “The state cannot move forward until a rigorous fight against crime and corruption is carried out,” he said in the campaign. With that in mind, the Progressives unveiled a detailed five-point plan, also putting the corruption issue in a separate section. Its objectives are: 1) Elimination of corrupt relations between criminally acquired capital and politics. 2) Removal of Serbia from the map of transit routes for drug trafficking. 3) Making Serbia an example in the region in the fight against corruption, with results clearly visible to people, businesses and foreign investors. 4) Decriminalising and professionalising the civil service 5) Creating a more stable and assured security environment. Meanwhile, the Socialists support consistent implementation of laws for everyone. The party called for the modernisation of the police, prosecution and judiciary, legislative changes and stricter legal and economic measures to penalise all forms of crime and corruption.

Corruption

Education

While United Regions was most detailed on economic issues in the election, it did not say much on the corruption issue. However, this was the Progressives’ favourite topic in the

While education was not in the spotlight of this campaign, all the parties unveiled plans to improve the education system. The Progressives opt for an educa-

tion system that maintains humanistic values, while helping to preserve Serbia’s national identity. They say the education system needs aligning with the labour market and call for a stricter system of accreditation. Outstanding scientists deserve better rewards, so they plan to finance PhD. studies for five per cent of students. Socialists have similar plans. As firm opponents of high tuition fees, they pledge more funds for high schools and higher education, to offer free education to more young people. The Socialists’ Nenad Borovčanin said that every municipality should have a free school for sports. “In this way we will create generations that will be able to look their opponents and life straight in the eye,” champion boxer Borovčanin said during the preelection campaign. On the other hand, United Regions was silent on the education issue in the campaign, though in its programme it advocates scholarships for students who choose subjects that the business world most needs. “We would make IT education a compulsory subject and introduce entrepreneurship as an optional subject in high schools,” the party added.

However, the health system has been under-funded for years and, as a result, standards have dropped. Some of the main concerns in the field include inadequate equipment and supplies, low salaries and poor medical education. The United Regions of Serbia, whose ministers Tomica Milosavljević and Zoran Stanković headed the health ministry in the last government – marred by scandals over the purchase of swine flu shots and other issues – had no line on health reform in the campaign. The Progressives and the Socialists, meanwhile, articulated the same vision of a better and more equal health care system. Both parties pledged to reform the system and keep it free for all citizens. Slavica Đukić Dejanović, the Socialist’s health minister candidate, said that Serbia should learn from U.S. President Barrack Obama’s reforms of health insurance. “Money is not the main issue in Serbia - but rather its unfair distribution,” she said in the campaign. While the Progressives call for better working conditions for doctors, the Socialists said they want to encourage the development of additional, voluntary, health insurance.

Health

This article is a result of BIRN Serbia project “Performance evaluation, step towards political accountability” supported by the National Endowment for Democracy, NED.

Serbian healthcare is available to all citizens and registered long-term residents, while private healthcare in Serbia is available for those who can afford it.


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Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

belgrade

Beer Fest reunites top Balkan bands

Continued from page 1

Homeless company cleans up on city contract Slavko Vukelić, the company’s director, stated during his first interview with BIRN that his company did build the website, but then later denied it was the work of Global Vision Consulting. Gradska Čistoća also stated that Global Vision Consulting didn’t build their recently launched website, but they failed to say who did. As the contract for the website, like all other contracts given to this company, was a “low cost” procurement and didn’t exceed the limit of around €30,000, Gradska Čistoća had no obligation to launch a tender procedure. This case appears to be one of many where the public procurement system allows budget money to flow with no proper oversight. In a year where the budget shortfall at state and City levels is dramatic, the Serbian public procurement office announced on July 25th that €70 million has been misspent by public companies in this year alone. The City of Belgrade’s budget rebalance in mid-July showed that the City’s deficit amounts €71 million. In 2012 Gradska Čistoća received €7 million in subsidies. Gradska Čistoća, which was generous with Global Vision Consulting, still maintains that the job was awarded in accordance with the Public Procurement Law, while the value of the contract was based on market research.

What they wanted, what we got?

Gradska Čistoća set up its information call centre in June 2011. The centre is supposed to provide information about the company’s services and reply to requests related to the city’s maintenance. In November 2011 the company hired Global Vision Consulting and commissioned it to, within two months, design a programme and a website that would allow Belgraders to submit requests online and also facilitate the operations of Gradska Čistoća’s call centre.

Two months ago, Gradska Čistoća duly launched a website. However, it offers none of the options that, according to the documentation, it should provide. The bidding documentation shows that the website should allow citizens to enter their “cases” in three forms – as requests, proposals and reclamations – and then track online what has

“We work mainly with public companies. We have experience and we know how to respond to their needs.” Slavko Vukelić, director of Global Vision Consulting

been done regarding their requests. The programme is also supposed to enable communication between a database and the call centre and allow Gradska Čistoća staff to access a unique database containing information on clients, open new cases, update

existi n g o n e s and search through the database using several parameters. But the current website offers no possibility to enter a “case”, though it has a “comment” option that people can use to ask questions and receive answers from Gradska Čistoća. The website was built using the world’s most popular web building software, WordPress. This software can be downloaded free of charge, while it is estimated that design of the site can’t cost more than €1,500. Slavko Vukelić, director of Global Vision Consulting, told BIRN in his first interview a month ago that the website at the address gradskacistoca .com was indeed worth only about €2,500 and that it is just a small part of what his company actually did. He explained that the price of €25,000 wasn’t assigned to his company for the website alone, but for other things “that you can’t see”. However, he later denied that his company had built the current website, saying that the project assigned to his company was complete, but not yet published. “You haven’t understood me. I don’t know who built that website, maybe it was the Gradska Čistoća IT department,” he said. Gradska Čistoća’s spokesperson

also stated that the gradskacistoca. com website is not the same portal that Global Vision Consulting was hired to build. However, the same spokesperson failed to state who did build the gradskacistoca.com website, why it was launched at the same time as the €25,000 portal was supposed to be launched or when the portal costing €25,000 will be made public. Not only the website, but expensive Cisco licence, [software often used by companies to manage their switchboards and call centres], came under scrutiny, because it is not clear who really purchased Cisco software. While Vukelić says that “€25,000 may seem expensive, but for that amount we bought Cisco licences and installed a Cisco system,” BIRN has discovered that Gradska Čistoća already bought Cisco licences in August 2010 from company Siemens. Bidding documentation shows that Global Vision Consulting is hired only to install Cisco and adapt it to Gradska Čistoća’s needs. “The evaluation of the value of the web portal, which included integration with the call centre, training, design documentation flow and programming, which is not only related to the website, was based on market

research,” states a written response from Gradska Čistoća. Although Gradska Čistoća told BIRN that they received three offers to build a website and design an accompanying programme and they chose the cheapest, documents obtained by BIRN tell a different story. According to the minutes of the bidding process, only one bidder, Global Vision Consulting, submitted a valid offer. Another bidder, RRC Serbia, failed to submit its offer in time, while the other, BDC Export-Import, failed to submit complete documentation.

Web guys don’t believe in websites

Company Global Vision Consulting was registered in February 2005, with a €750 deposit, and has one employee. When Vukelić was asked where exactly his company’s seat is, he said his company “does have an office” but refused to say where, although current legislation prescribes that Serbian companies have to report any change of address to the Serbian Business Registry within 15 days. The company’s phone number also cannot be found online or via Telekom Serbia, the country’s fixed telephony operator. Not even Gradska Čistoća has the company’s number; it only has Vukelić’s private phone. Global Vision Consulting also has no website. Vukelić explained that he does not “believe in” websites. “We intentionally do not have a website. You can say whatever you want on a website, so it is meaningless,” he said. Vukelić said that his company is mainly working on [people’s] recommendations and focuses on providing services to public companies. “We work mainly with public companies. We have experience and we know how to respond to their needs,” he said.

Yugo nostalgic rock set to entertain the beet drinkers of Belgrade this August.

As well as offering beer a-plenty, visitors will have the chance to see many old favourites from the rock world of the Eighties and Nineties. Gordana Andrić

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eer Fest, Belgrade’s biggest festival, will be held in Ušće Park in New Belgrade from August 14th to 19th. The tenth annual Beer Fest will host rock bands from all over the region, while most local rock musicians that

have had hits since the late Seventies will hit the stage at some time. Prljavo kazalište, a Zagreb-based band that enjoyed mass popularity in Eighties’ Yugoslavia, will open the festival. The lyrics of the band’s love ballads are familiar to all generations, so the concert is expected to attract not only youngsters but also some of their parents.

B Hidden Belgrade

ack in the 1980s an unknown Belgrader would occasionally express his love all over the city’s walls, then in the 1990s the same graffiti message, “Zuba is the king of Belgrade, but who is the queen?”, was written on literally hundreds of walls. The latest of these mass ‘love graffiti’ messages appeared recently in Dorcol. They read: “Anđelija, come back. All is forgiven.” and “Anđelija is the king of Belgrade. Zuba will be so mad.”

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Belgrade

Photo by Aleksandar Zec

While Prljavo kazalište has been working on albums and performing live over the last decade, the band playing after them has been quiet for the last 12 years. Vampiri [“Vampires”], a rock band from Belgrade, was one of the most popular rock bands of Nineties’ Serbia. The band’s trademark was their black sun glasses that they never took off in public. Vampiri’s lead singer, Aleksandar Eraković, was as popular in Serbia as the Backstreet Boys were in the US. But since the band disbanded in 1998 they have performed only once, in February this year. The second night of the festival will host performers from several ex-Yugo-

slav countries. Evil Eva from Slovenia will hit the stage first, followed by Obojeni program from Serbia, Hladno pivo from Croatia, Vlatko Stefanovski from Macedonia and Rambo Amadeus from Montenegro. Other old bands whose ballads became Balkan evergreens – Valentino, Crvena jabuka and Plavi orkestar from Bosnia and Galija and Yu grupa from Serbia - will also perform. Those who prefer harder sounds may enjoy concerts by Love Hunters, Partibrejkers, Psihomodo Pop, Zabranjeno Pušenje, Sunshine or Ritam Nereda. Along with sounds that they don’t have a chance to hear that often, Belgraders will also have a chance to taste

various beers that they can’t usually find on offer. Over 40 beer companies and breweries will be offering their brews, such as Kilkenny, Guinness, and Lindemans, who will also be offering some fruit beers. With more than half a million visitors and no entrance fee, and with more than 20 live bands and DJs, Beer Fest has grown into a well-known international festival and is becoming a major summer event. During the festival the streets around Ušće Park will be closed for traffic and the authorities will be laying on extra public transport to bus festival-goers to and from the event.


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Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

regional

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regional

Bujar Nishani sworn in as Albanian president

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o the sound of a 21-gun salute, former interior minister Bujar Nishani was sworn as Albania’s President on July 24th. Nishani said his priority would be reform of the justice system. Though Albania is a parliamentary democracy, the president plays a key role in the justice system by securing constitutional check and balances. Nishani, who served twice in the cabinet of Prime Minister Sali Berisha, as interior and justice minister, was elected president with only the votes of Albania’s ruling parties on June 11th.

Region in brief

Continued from page 1

Hunt for lost treasures has Macedonia divided Heritage Bureau, a signatory to numerous international conventions on restitution, is expected to publish two papers detailing all the artefacts removed from Macedonia over the years. But Kuzman is not optimistic about their chances of recovering them. “Before World War II Macedonia did not exist as a legal subject, so there are no international laws that we can turn to [in seeking the return of removed artefacts],” he says. “When they were removed, it was a totally legal procedure, so those items cannot be called stolen goods,” Kuzman told Balkan Insight.

Skopje suspects Boskoski of unsolved murder

Some estimates suggest as many as 100,000 Macedonian artefacts are scattered across museums in the region and worldwide.

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ailed former Macedonian interior minister Ljube Boskoski is suspected of having commissioned the murder of Marjan Tusevski, who was shot dead in Skopje by unidentified hitmen 11 years ago. Macedonian police arrested nine other former police officials on July 24th also suspected of links to the unsolved murder of Tusevski, a figure from the Skopje underworld. Boskoski, who still leads the opposition United for Macedonia Party, is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in a Skopje prison for obtaining illegal financial support for his political campaign. Boskoski denies the claims.

Bosnia faces losing millions in trade with Croatia

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nce Croatia joins the European Union in July 2013, Bosnia may face sharp reductions in exports to its neighbour as a result of the country’s failure to harmonise hygiene standards and laws with the EU, warns EU official Johann Hesse, of the EU Delegation to Bosnia. Bosnia remains unprepared for Croatia’s change of status and could lose as much as €22 million a year in exports of meat, eggs and dairy products. Export to Croatia accounts for 15 per cent of Bosnia’s overall trade and is worth an estimated €3.73 billion a year to the country.

Tax evasion convictions up in Bulgaria

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he number of people convicted of tax crimes tripled in two years by year’s end 2011, according to the annual report of Bulgaria’s prosecuting authority. In 2011 a total of 1,979 people were found guilty of tax evasion offences, about three times more than in 2009 and 56 per cent more than in 2010. The main reason for the improved results was the increased activity of the tax administration, which submitted tip-offs about such offences.

Archaeologist Pasko Kuzman, head of the Macedonian Cultural Heritage Bureau, hopes treasures will boost museum visitor numbers.

“We’ll be the only country in the Balkans possessing such a copy, so we expect it to stir great interest in countries across Eastern Europe,” he maintained. Although everyone agrees that the sarcophagus is a valuable item of world cultural heritage, there are different theories about its origin. One theory is that it belonged to the Phoenician King of Sidon, Abdalonymus, who Alexander appointed as King after the Battle of Issus. Another theory is that it belonged to a Persian nobleman and governor of Babylon. Art historian Eleonora Petrova says that there is no obvious reason why a

copy should be placed in a Macedonian museum, as no one has conclusively connected the sarcophagus directly to Alexander. “After Alexander’s body disappeared in Egypt in 323 B.C., there were many theories about where he was buried. So, I cannot understand the need for us to have a copy of this sarcophagus,” she said. “I also don’t understand the intent to force the Antique issue, by bringing more artefacts here, though they won’t ultimately help us solve any of the current problems,” she added, referring to the long-running row with Greece over which country “owns” the memory of such heroes of Antiquity as Alexander.

Hundreds of depictions are engraved on the sarcophagus of Alexander’s victories, especially the battle with the Persians at Issus, but also an image of a lion. The coffin, weighing at least 15 tonnes, is made of two blocks of high quality marble, which over time changed colour to become golden. While some Macedonians ponder the value of buying a copy of the sarcophagus that may, or may not, have belonged to Alexander, others think the country would be better off elsewhere. They say Macedonia should concentrate on ensuring the return of

original items which were found in Macedonia but now sit in foreign museums. Thousands of valuables were excavated from Macedonia in the period before World War II and removed – partly because Macedonia was not then a state or even an autonomous region with its own museums. After the Balkan wars of 1912-13, Ottoman Macedonia was partitioned between Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria. The modern Macedonian state is entirely composed of the old Serbian portion, which became one of six federal units in Yugoslavia after 1944-5. By the end of this year, the Cultural

Macedonia can reclaim its lost treasures “only through good will and as a result of good neighbourly relations”, he added. Current initiatives have not yielded much in the way of results – even though Macedonia is only seeking copies - let alone asking for the originals. Macedonia recently asked national museums in Belgrade and Sofia to donate copies of of four golden burial masks, a big bronze bowl and an ancient helmet, all dating from the 5th and 6th century B.C. Bulgarian and Serbian archaeologists excavated the valuables near the south-western town of Ohrid during

the first half of the 20th century. But the outcome of the requests was disappointing, with Macedonia obtaining only a copy of one mask, from Belgrade. In May, Serbia’s then Minister of Culture, Predrag Marković, handed the copy of the mask to Macedonia on his visit to Skopje. Marković described the replica as a gift of friendship to the Macedonian people and state. But when it came to the others, Kuzman recalled that the national museums in Belgrade and Sofia “turned us down politely”. According to Kuzman, the head of Serbia’s national museum, Tatjana Cvijetičanin, apologised by letter about the others, saying the other artefacts were too fragile to undergo copying. “Personally I do not believe this. The bowl is not fragile at all and besides, today there are 3D non-invasive methods of making replicas that don’t require physical contact with the artefacts,” Kuzman told daily Dnevnik. He said the Bulgarian museum was even more polite in its refusal, but would only agree to make copies for US$100,000 each. “There are many ways to turn someone down!” Pasko jested. After the copy of the golden mask arrived from Belgrade, the head of a small rightist party, Vanco Shehtanski, accused Serbia of “totally humiliating” behaviour. “Serbia and Bulgaria should return the original treasures they took during their occupations of Macedonia and not send us back museum kitsch,” he thundered. Some Macedonian experts also felt offended by Serbia’s refusal to give Macedonia copies of the other treasures. They say the country is turning into a collector of copies, instead of seeking to regain its original treasures. We should focus on the originals. When it comes to our artefacts in museums in the region, or worldwide, we should make an effort to regain them,” historian Petrova says. “I have nothing against making copies of artefacts, but only as a last

resort,” she adds. She says spending money on copies is “mere stupidity”, noting the bid to replicate the sarcophagus as a classic example of this, especially “as there is no certain evidence who it belonged to”. Some experts believe restitution may be possible if the country can find enough evidence to prove the origin of the artefact in question. Archaeologist Vasilka Dimitrovska says the UN’s cultural wing, UNESCO, can provide support for the restitution of artefacts, although she says it should not play the key role. “When we behave passively, we leave room for the wrongful interpretation of these artefacts,” she says. “Our diplomats should be more active in presenting these claims. We should make official websites listing the artefacts now in other countries, clearly stating their country of origin. “Then we should start legal procedures for their restitution.” Some estimates suggest as many as 100,000 Macedonian artefacts are scattered across museums in the region and worldwide, from Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey to Russia, Britain and the U.S. They include nearly 20,000 icons from Macedonian churches and monasteries, about which there is no certain data concerning where they now lie. Except for the golden masks, many valuable icons from Macedonia now form part of the collection of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The greater part of Macedonia’s oldest Glagolic writings are also scattered far and wide, from Zagreb to Munich, Moscow, Odessa, Bucharest and elsewhere. The mitre of the archbishops of Ohrid, dating from 1789 and with an estimated value of around €15 million, is in the National History Museum in Sofia. For now, Macedonia owns only one original golden mask, found in 2002, near Ohrid. This article is funded under the BICCED project, supported by the Swiss Cultural Programme.

Macedonian Church rebuffed M

acedonian Orthodox Church officials say their attempts to regain valuable icons and old Slavic writings have been rebuffed. “Restitution from other countries is very unlikely; it’s almost a mission impossible,” Fr Timotej from the Macedonian Orthodox Church said. He says the Church had tried several times to launch an initiative for cultural restitution, but without significant results. “It is good that we attempt

restitution, but it seems there is not much interest in it [among the political parties],” he says. One recent advance was that some countries now at least acknowledge where some of their treasures come from. “For a long time the Bulgarians denied even having the mitre of the Ohrid Archbishopric,” he said. “But since they publicly presented it it’s become known that it comes from Macedonia,” Fr Timotej said.

One of the sarcophagi displayed at Istanbul’s Ottoman Imperial Museum.

The Alexander sarcophagus T

he marble sarcophagus attributed to Alexander the Great, dating from the 4th century B.C., was found by archaeologist Osman Hamdi Bey while unearthing the necropolis in the area of the Lebanese city of Sidon, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. Hamdi Bey came across four

well preserved sarcophagi belonging to significant individuals, which were transferred by boat to Istanbul and then displayed in in the Ottoman Imperial Museum, which was specially opened on August 13th 1891 for this occasion. The sarcophagi have remained in the Museum ever since.

Burgas blast shakes Bulgaria’s lucrative tourist trade Andrew MacDowall

The recent suicide bombing shocked a country where such attacks are unknown – but the past experience of countries targeted by bombers is that the tourism industry usually bounces back in the long term.

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ulgaria’s reputation as a safe and easy-going tourist destination is well deserved, so this week’s deadly bomb attack on Israeli visitors is a terrible shock to the system. Bulgaria has extremely limited experience in dealing with such acts for the simple reason that terrorism is almost unknown. Bulgaria’s tourism sector is something of a success. Directly and indirectly, it contributes upwards of 10 per cent of GDP, making it one of the biggest economic sectors. Last year the country attracted 8.71 million foreign visitors, more than the population of around seven million. While this figure may be inflated by shuttle traders and other visitors who may not strictly speaking be tourists, it is still fairly impressive. Bulgaria has built its reputation as a budget holiday destination, particularly for sun, sea and sand on the Black Sea coast. For decades in the

Communist era the country attracted tourists from other Warsaw Pact countries. Eastern European visitors, including Russians and nationals of the Baltic states, still come in their hundreds of thousands. Macedonians, who have no seaside of their own, and Romanians, disillusioned by overdevelopment and the high prices on their own Black Sea coastline, add to the numbers. Tourists from Western Europe, particularly the UK, Germany and Scandinavia, are another key market and often come on cheap package deals to resorts like Sunny Beach (Slanchev Bryag) and Golden Sands (Zlatni Pyasatsi). Recently, Bulgaria has quietly become a popular destination for Israelis too. Some 138,613 came in 2011, a rise of six per cent on 2010, according to official figures. Israeli tourists are attracted to Bulgaria for many of the same reasons that the others are: low costs and large sandy beaches. Some also apparently enjoy the low-cost gambling.

But there are more specific links as well. Many Israelis born in Eastern Europe are familiar with Bulgaria from their visits in the Communist era. There are also Israelis of Bulgarian origin. The country has apparently secured something of a niche market as an affordable place to hold a Jewish wedding. The July 18th tragedy was not about Bulgaria, but rather Middle Eastern politics. It seems almost certain that Bulgaria was targeted as the “soft underbelly” of Europe, a place where the authorities have limited experience in tackling terrorism. Bulgaria is understood to have increased security for Israeli tourists in recent months after reports of a suspicious package on a bus carrying Israelis in January. But the Burgas attack was not prevented and now Bulgaria is facing the consequences. Cancellations are likely, and not just from Israel. One of the challenges that the tourism sector faces is that it competes largely on price:

tourists can go to any number of other destinations for beaches and sun, and they may do so, if Bulgaria is perceived as not being secure. Bulgarian tourist companies are understood to have received immediate reassurances from their Israeli partners that they still see Bulgaria as a safe destination. One email read: “We face terror year round [in Israel]. Your Bulgaria is a beautiful place, the people are fantastic and it’s not your fault that a terrorist group did what it did...We will keep working with you because we love your country and your people.” Much of the security clear-up is being handled by Israel and other international participants, given its importance and Bulgaria’s relative inexperience in this field. The government and the private sector are meanwhile fighting back, reiterating the assertion that Bulgaria is a safe and peaceful country. “We would like to use this opportunity to assure the international community that this isolated, yet

violent and horrific incident will not impede our visitors from enjoying their holidays in complete safety and tranquillity,” Evgueni Spassov, a senior expert in the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, told BIRN. The experience of other countries that have been struck by terrorism is that, within a few years, visitor numbers recover. This has been the case in Egypt, Turkey and Indonesia, all of which face a considerably greater long-term terrorist threat than Bulgaria, where political terrorism has been non-existent for a quarter century and attacks on tourists unknown. These are still early days and the government has rightly been concentrating on dealing with the immediate aftermath of the blast. A strategy for recovery should emerge – though the current disorganised state of the Bulgarian tourism sector may make this harder to draw up and implement than should be the case. But Bulgaria should recover from the attack, over time.

Israeli tourists will not avoid Bulgaria, despite the recent terrorist attack.

Photo by AP photo/Impact press group


8

Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

business

9

Out and About

Serbia’s falling FDI worries economists litical, as elections entail uncertainty, which discourages investors. “The state bodies charged with offering services to investors before elections tend to become slow and hesitant, so this contributes to sluggishness in the operations of the state and the realisation of investment,” Parivodić explained. Apart from the global crisis, Ljubodrag Savić, professor at the Belgrade Faculty of Economics, says a lack of investment is also a sign that the government is not creating an attractive business environment for FDI. “2012 is certainly lost and the chances are that 2013 won’t see much improvement,” he predicted. “Significant influx of FDI in 2013 can be achieved only if the future government decides to sell off the remaining public enterprises,” Savić added.

With 2012 threatening to end up as one of the worst years for foreign direct investment in a decade, experts say blaming the global slowdown is not sufficient and reforms are essential.

Stevan Veljović

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nlike last year, when Serbia was the regional leader in terms of capital inflows with €1.8 billion of foreign

Removing bottlenecks

Professor Ana Trbović: Serbia is stagnating and falling behind.

direct investment, FDI, this year Serbia is struggling to keep up with its competitors - and with its own past record. In the first five months of 2012,

Serbia experienced a net outflow of FDI of around €200 million. This poor result sharply contrasts not only with results of previous years, but also with the high expectations raised during the recent general election campaign. One example of the worrying trend comes from Danieli, an Italian steel company, which recently put on hold an announced €500 million investment. Serbia suffered an earlier blow in the steel sector when U.S. Steel sold Železara Smederevo, a steel company, to the Serbian government for US$1. The deal left the state with an unprofitable enterprise employing more than 5,000 workers. The government is desperate to find another investor to run the company, having twice extended the tender for potential bidders. The investments, worth around €400 million, were too small to compensate for the significant outflows, most notably the €380 million deal to buy a 20 per cent share in Telekom Srbije from Greece’s OTE, thereby giving Serbia 100 per cent ownership of the company. While there is still time to reverse the

Photo by Media Centre Belgrade

present negative trend, at the moment the most optimistic forecasts for investment in 2012 range up to around €800 million, which would still be one of the worst records in a decade. The net level of FDI fell below €1 billion only twice since 2003 - in 2004, when FDI was worth €774 million, and 2010, when it was worth €860 million. Part of the reason for the investment slowdown lies with the general world economic crisis, but it is also down to the Serbian government’s reluctance to improve the business environment, experts say. Business associations, NGOs and experts have made many suggestions on how to improve the business climate, but these depend on the political will to carry out reforms.

Crisis and elections to blame According to the Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency, SIEPA, the key reason for weaker investment activity is the crisis in the eurozone, where most investors come from. Nebojša Ćirić, Minister of Economy, remains optimistic that Serbia will finish the year with a positive FDI balance, with previously contracted projects beginning to materialise in the second half of the year. “It is unlikely that we will see a repeat of the 2011 result, as it was an outstanding year, but I hope we will be in the range of the 2010 achievement,” he said. Milan Parivodić, ex-minister for international economic relations and chairman of the private company Foreign Investors Services, gives a similar forecast, saying that “a rule of thumb [for FDI in 2012] would be probably in the range between €600 to €800 million”. In his opinion, the reason for this year’s decline in FDI is mainly po-

At this point, forming a new government would be the first good signal, as further interest of investors depends not only on the global economy, but on the readiness of the new team to finish key economic reforms. Ana Trbović, professor at the Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration, warns that Serbia is stagnating and even falling behind in international rankings that evaluate the business climate, which she says implies economic reforms are being implemented more slowly than in other countries. “It is not a surprise that foreign investments are directed elsewhere, to countries with a better business climate and equally attractive opportunities for investment,” she said. She believes the situation can change if reforms proposed by organisations such as NALED, the American Chamber of Commerce, AmCham, the Foreign Investors Council, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and other business representatives, are implemented. “Reform proposals were defined years ago, while the political will has been lacking since 2004,” Trbović added. Experts are convinced that if the government removes bottlenecks in the legal system and in the functioning of the administration Serbia will become more attractive to investors. This will reduce, in relative terms, the expense of costly subsidies for jobs opened, ranging from €4,000€10,000. Miloš Đurković, president of AmCham Serbia, says that changing and scrapping most administrative barriers will require minimal or no investment from public institutions, while providing good results. “States should reduce the burden for potential investors by reducing the costs of launching operations, permits and costs related to employing workers, while eliminating unfair competition, rather than through direct transfers,” he said. “Without reforms, such subsidies will remain high and constantly growing, which is not a sustainable from a fiscal perspective,” Đurković added, noting that such incentives are sufficient only for investors focused on short-term advantages.

Photo by Lanka005/Flickr

Photo by Susan Astray/Flickr

Cultural gems worth seeking on the Balkan trail

There’s much more to Balkan holidays than beaches. Here are a few of our tips for discerning tourists seeking a richer experience of the lands through which they are travelling. Nemanja Čabrić

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he Balkan countries don’t offer just amazing beaches, nightclubs and restaurants – the cultural offering of these lands is also extremely rich and worth making a detour to see. Those planning to travel through Croatia, Bulgaria or Greece have a breath-taking list of possibilities to choose from, but some places deserve special attention.

Bulgaria’s museums For travellers seeking a rich experience, Bulgaria is a proper gem, with its protected nature reserves, colourful old cities, fortresses and fascinating museums. The museums in Tsarevets and Nesebar are both must-sees. These are not just places displaying heritage. They also tell wondrous stories of the lifestyle and history of the land’s inhabitants. Located on the Tsarevets Hill in the old part of the town of Veliko Tarnovo, in north-central Bulgaria, the Architectural and Museum Reserve of Tsarevets is one of the most visited sites in Bulgaria. It once housed the medieval palaces of Bulgarian emperors. Today the road leading to the main entrance, with its great gate, imposing walls and turrets and Baldwin’s Tower, has been masterfully restored. On the top of Tsarevets Hill is the Patriarchate, which was reconstructed in 1981. Its scale and architecture are impressive, with striking iconography depicting the rise and fall of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Visitors can climb to the top of the bell tower, which affords a panoramic view of the town. The Sound and Light audiovisual show is an attraction in the evening

that uses three lasers, variegated lights, dramatic music and church bells to tell the story of the fall of Tarnovo to the Ottomans, as well as other key moments in the history of Bulgaria. On the other hand, the Museum in Nesebar is one of the most visited attractions in this coastal town, preserving the millennial history of the town and presenting it in a modern, attractive way. The museum has four exhibition halls, chronologically following the development of the town through different historical periods. In the first hall, the heritage from the early period of Thracian rule, up to 9th century BC, is displayed. In the second hall, Greek Antique artefacts, such as funeral urns and gold adornments, are shown. The third contains the Roman and Byzantine heritage of the city, along with artefacts from the time of Bulgarian conquest at the beginning of the 9th century and beyond, from the period of the reigns of tsars Ivan Asen II (1218 – 1241), Theodore Svetoslav (1300 – 1322) and Ivan Alexander (1331 – 1371). There is also the tombstone of Byzantine Princess Mataisa Kantakouzene Palaiologina who died in 1441. The special fourth hall of the Archaeological Museum is dedicated to iconic art. After Bulgaria fell to the Ottomans in the 14th century, a local icon-painting school grew up in Nesebar, which reached its zenith in the 16th and 17th centuries. Around 250 icons painted by local icon-painters survive to this day.

Diocletian’s palace The coastal city of Split, the second largest city in Croatia, was actually built around a Roman palace. One of the most intact remains of a Roman palace in the world, the UN-

ESCO-protected Palace of Diocletian holds an outstanding place in Mediterranean, European and world heritage. Built in 305 AD for the retire-

Photo by Jami Dwyer/Flickr

ment of the Emperor Diocletian, after his 21-year-long rule, it combines the qualities of a luxurious villa with those of a military camp, with huge gates and watchtowers. The emperor only lived here for six years, dying at the age of 66. The palace, enclosed by walls, at times housed over 9,000 people. It is remarkable for its diversity of forms, which include the octagonal domed mausoleum – now the cathedral of St Domnius – the rectangular Temple of Jupiter, the cruciform lower level of the Vestibule and circular temples dedicated to Cybele and Venus. The palace is now a commercial and residential centre. There are plenty of hotel rooms to rent here, while Bačvice beach is less than a kilometre away.

Monasteries on the rocks If you are planning a trip to Greece’s summer tourist resorts, make a short turn to Meteora, with its amazing monasteries on top of the rocks at the

northwest edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in central Greece. At the end of the 14th century the Byzantine Empire’s 800-year reign over northern Greece was increasingly threatened by Turkish raiders who sought to control the fertile plain of Thessaly. The Orthodox monks, seeking to retreat from the expanding Ottoman Turks, found the inaccessible rock pillars of Meteora an ideal place of refuge. More than 20 monasteries were built there beginning in the 14th century, six of which remain today. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars. All are perched on high cliffs and are accessible only by staircases cut into the rock formations by the monks and nuns. Much of the architecture of these buildings is Athonite [based on Mt Athos] in style, which means that the domes and choirs have the form of a cross-in-square. Of the six intact monasteries, the Holy Monastery of St Stephen and the monastery of Roussanou belong to nuns.


10 Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012 11

Dining out

Friends with Kids: Fine rom-com, no kidding This new addition to a familiar genre serves up humour in tasty, well-measured bites and delivers romance in a way that is neither trivial nor predictable. Andrej Klemenčič

about six ex-college friends, three women and three men, with Julie and Jason being the two singles. Now in their midthirties and with solid jobs, these two Greenwich Village buddies decide to have a baby and raise it as friends, as they have zero romantic or physical attraction towards one another. They also believe that getting married and having children together is not a rec-

R

om-com has increasingly become a derogatory term when you want to describe something made by a wannabe film-maker who transfers his or her personal trauma to the big screen in a way that usually triggers pity instead of laughter. After the 1990’s and the worldwide success of the Friends series, Hollywood realised that taking urban young people and putting them in a mix of humorous and romantic situations can be a recipe for box office success. Apart from a few exceptions, they have generally been proved right. And just as things started looking grim, with audiences getting bored of the same old New York roomies stories, along came Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell in 1994 in Four Weddings and a Funeral, paving the way for a bright future for the romantic comedy genre. Jennifer Westfeldt is a name that you’ve probably not heard of, unless you are a passionate fan of TV series. This young American actress with a degree from Yale decided that the best way out of relative anonymity was to make her own film in which she is not only writer and director, but also the female lead. The odds were not in her favour, as previous attempts of frustrated film people to make their “masterpiece” have all too often ended in disaster. But with Friends with Kids, this is not the case. To make things simple, the writer-director-actress took almost the entire cast of the comedy hit Bridesmaids and gave them a scenario

ipe for happiness, and so start looking for Mr and Ms Right immediately after the child is born. For all the originality of the idea, it could easily have become a flop, but, instead, this young filmmaker has created one of the most easily digestible products of the whole genre.

Open air photo exhibition reveals old Belgrade

Jazz star to sing in Zemun

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concert of local legend Beti Đorđević has been scheduled for July 28th at 9pm at Zemun’s Gardoš tower. Đorđević is one of the most popular Serbian female jazz singers of all time and her concert is part of the annual Summer in Zemun Festival. Tickets for the concert cost 150 dinars [€1.3].

hotographic images of Belgrade, shot several decades ago by the Tanjug News Agency, are being exhibited at six locations around Belgrade until August 17th. The photos depict scenes from Knez Mihailova Street, Trg Republike, Terazije, Trg Nikole Pašića, Kralja Milana Street and Kalemegdan Fortress.

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Westfeldt’s studious approach to the problems of couples mixing romance with having kids in their late thirties is one of the main reasons why the film has succeeded. All the mini-plots, be it the lack of sexual activity among couples with young children, or trying out relationships with new people just after childbirth, are resolved in a convincing, thought-out manner. The director obviously gained most of her film experience within the TV world, which is why Friends with Kids looks like it was made for TV, with long dialogue scenes lacking much in the way of big screen suspense, instead offering a relaxed look into New York apartments and the everyday lives of their residents. As for the direction of her colleagues, there are very few flaws. There is no great acting brilliance, but for this genre none is needed. Faces match characters and while the natural, almost overly relaxed relationship that the actors have with the camera might be a problem for the first few minutes, but you will soon start enjoying it. The only big Hollywood name in the film, Megan Fox, is well cast as the character in all ways opposite to the six friends who, despite shortcomings, are portrayed as decent family people. Fox’s character represents the young 20-something New York yuppie who craves fame and an easy life rather than devotion. This might be an insultingly simplistic comparison when put in words, but on film it works. Because of its strong TV film character, some might be tempted to give Friends with Kids a miss in the cinema and see it at home. This genuine, warm-hearted couch movie is unlikely to give people much profound cinematic pleasures. It’s even less likely to ruin a relaxing evening at home.

Serbian sculptors present their work

Best tango dancers to hold lessons

Exhibition: nature in dry pastels

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elgrade’s best tango dancers will be performing in the unusual setting of Bojčin Forest on August 4th as part of this year’s Bojčin Cultural Summer Festival. The programme commences at 8pm and entrance is free of charge for everyone. Bojčin Forest is located in Belgrade’s Surčin municipality.

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traditional exhibition of the Association of Applied Arts Artists & Designers of Serbia, ULUPUDS, will present the works of Serbian sculptors at the ULUPUDS gallery from August 14th to 24th. The exhibition will present works by Željka Momirov, Đorđe Arnaut, Zoran Maleš and others. ULUPUDS gallery is at 12 Uzun Mirkova Street.

he ‘Green Dream’ exhibition of painted works will run from July 31st to August 10th at Belgrade’s ULUPUDS Gallery. Mirjana MarićKrstevska’s paintings depict scenes of nature in dry pastel techniques. The galley is open from 10am to 8pm weekdays and from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays.

Wishful Drinking - Wine List Reviews

Reset

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. Pavle Golicin

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he gastro club “Reset” in Dorćol is a place with more than a whiff of home atmosphere, somewhat disturbed when someone new like us comes in. But this is just the first impression. Immediately, host Peđa and chef Zeka show you that hospitality is their middle name. I have always had the philosophy to look for what the restaurant offers, including the wine list, and not for what I might want in that very moment. And that kind of thinking saved my day this time. I have my own favourite wines and faithful bottles in the rack back at home, so I easily went with the flow nicely set by the ‘Reset’ kitchen; based on fresh ingredients and a certain twist to the ordinary offer which can be found in most Belgrade restaurants. However, the wine list is not long or well developed here. In fact, it is almost non-existent. You can only find house wine, which at least comes from Mačkov podrum, a well-established Fruška Gora producer whose quality has been proven in the last few years. Following that line, wines are served in “ordinary” glasses, confirming that this is not a place for wine lovers. On the other hand, the local rakija is not to be missed, and you cannot only drink them with appetisers, but I would recommend them with the main dishes as well. Apart from the usual suspects such as plum, quince, apricot or pear, Reset says it offers orange, elderberry and carob rakija as well. However, we ran out of luck as they’d run out of them when we were there, so hopefully we can try them next time. With no intention of taking anything away from the considerable glory of the kitchen, it is rather disappointing not having the possibility to enjoy various bottles which could be nicely combined with the offered food. After all, interesting selection of wines, no matter how short, is something that you have to expect in a place that calls itself a gastro club.

Basic Info

Rating

Overall

Bellow average

Wine selection

Bellow average

Wine service

Good

Wine pricing

Average

Wine and food pairing

Bellow average

Wine Corner

ARTS

Rock ‘n’ roll cuisine hits a few wrong notes

Reset goes against the grain of Belgrade’s conventional food offerings, which is great. Pity, then, that the heavy-duty mains don’t quite live up to the ‘gastro club’ billing. Duda & Vlada

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elgrade’s restaurant scene is colourful, but quite conventional at the same time. Catering for the majority is the order of the day, original points scoring all too rarely. Introducing something new has always been hard and brave, so we were happy to find a place that has one basic goal – going against the grain under a name that says it all: “Reset”. This wild child was conceived by two partners, Peđa and Zeka. They themselves do not call it a restaurant, but a gastro club. Their concept is a mix of a restaurant, a nightclub and an art gallery. All of that packed into a tiny space, tucked away in the central Dorćol area, in a side alley crossing Kralja Petra street. The place is hard to spot from the outside. So, if you are curious about the boundaries they claim to have reset, look for a door with two cows and make a reservation. The place is not hugely popular, but because of its small size booking makes sense. Reset promotes its food as “rockand-roll cuisine” and the interior has a “Rebel Without a Cause” feel. The realisation of this bold idea is a bit dodgy at times, however. It is actually a cross between a simple kafana with standard chequered tablecloths and a stripped-down nightclub, fit for a demo bend and their tipsy teenage crowd. The atmosphere is suitably casual and the staff warm and friendly. Unfortunately, as happens in such places, the ad-hoc approach is also visible on their website – badly structured and not recently updated. It all makes you wonder whether the food is going to be fantastic or a disaster. In a place like this, don’t expect a regular menu. It changes daily, depending on what’s on offer on the markets and the inspiration of chef Zeka. Having lived in France, most of his creations derive from French cuisine. He pays a visit to every table after the drinks arrive, so everyone can negotiate their meal directly with the man in charge. There is also a more conventional daily menu, however, and the possibility of signing up for their email newsletter, which has the menu of the day on it. Part of Reset’s concept is affordable food and it is on the cheap side, although prices have risen ever since

Sexy fare, though slightly strong and heavier than ideal.

they opened. Right now all starters are 350 dinars and all the mains 900. We tried all the starters on offer and they (both) were fantastic. “Sexy” pies with goat’s cheese, figs and aromatic herbs were just as sexy as announced – a thin, fluffy, crispy shell of pastry balancing the contrast between strong goat’s cheese and sweet, sensual figs, with just a hint of hotness from the herbs. Homemade venison pate was also strong, but nicely complemented with fruit chutney. We’d just started to catch the rock-and-roll feel and if only they could keep the rhythm we’d be partying into the night… but it wasn’t meant to be. When we visited there were five or six main dishes to choose from. Our first choice was veal cooked with orange – a one-pot dish, also contain-

Photo by darwin Bell/Flickr

ing new potatoes, carrots and spinach. An interesting and nicely cooked dish, but so dominated by the orange aroma and sweetness that the rest of the flavours were lost. Another main, homemade beef sausages (Zeka’s recipe), served with fried potatoes, was commendable. Veal cutlets were enjoyable, but came topped with a seasonal mushroom sauce that was too dense and buttery. Crème brulée with chocolate was the only sweet thing around. It sounded great, but turned out to be the biggest disappointment of the evening. It was a basic, simple chocolate pudding with an attempt at a caramelised crust on the top – not inedible, but not worthy of a good restaurant, and certainly not living up to the good name of crème brulée.

To sum up, everything we tasted was a little strong and heavy. And while the pies, pâté and sausages benefited from this, the rest of the food could benefit from a more delicate approach. In many ways, Reset is like a talented and rebellious teenager. It has the energy and creativity to bring something new to the Belgrade restaurant scene, but there is still some learning to be done and room for improvement. However, the potential is there, and we will be interested to follow their progress. As for now, Reset is a good choice for some casual food and drinks with old friends. Kralja Petra 70 Tel: 011 3284347, 063 7727344 Price guide: 1,600 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, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012 13

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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. _________________________________ RODA CINEPLEX / Požeška 83A, tel: + 381 11 2545260 The Dark Knight Rises – 2pm, 5pm, 8.15pm, 9.30pm, 10pm Madagascar 3. Europe’s Most Wanted (synchronised) – 3pm Ice Age: Continental Drift (synchronised) – 3.30pm, 5.15pm Ice Age: Continental Drift (3D) – 4.40pm, 6.30pm The Amazing Spider-Man (3D) – 7pm The Intouchables – 8pm _______ __________________________ CINEPLEXX / Delta City, Jurija Gagarina 16, tel: + 381 11 2203400 Madagascar 3. Europe’s Most Wanted – 1pm, 2.50pm, 4pm The Dictator – 1.40pm Prometheus (3D) – 1pm, 10pm The Dark Knight Rises – 1.30pm, 4.30pm, 6pm, 7.30pm, 9pm, 10.30pm Ice Age: Continental Drift (synchronised) – 2.30pm, 6.10pm Ice Age: Continental Drift (3D) – 12.40pm, 2pm, 4.20pm, 6.20pm, 9.10pm Snow White and the Huntsman – 4.40pm, 11pm The Amazing Spider-Man (3D) – 3.20pm, 5.50pm, 8.30pm, 11pm The Intouchables – 3.20pm Ice Age: Continental Drift (subtitles) – 7pm, 8.50pm Babycall – 8pm, 10.40pm _________________________________ TUCKWOOD CINEPLEX / Kneza Miloša 7, tel: + 381 11 3236517 Ice Age: Continental Drift (3D) – 3.20pm 21 Jump Street – 8pm, 10.10pm The Amazing Spider-Man – 5pm, 7.30pm, 10pm Ice Age: Continental Drift (synchronised) – 4.50pm, 6.40pm, 8.30pm The Amazing Spider-Man (3D) – 8.20pm Dark Shadows – 3.40pm, 5.50pm The Dark Knight Rises – 4.10pm, 5.10pm, 7.20pm, 10.30pm, 11pm Clip – 10.15pm

_________________________________ KOLOSEJ CINEMA / Usce Shopping Centre, Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 4, tel: + 381 11 2854495 M adagascar 3. Europe’s Most Wanted (subtitles) – 11.15pm, 1.15pm, 3.15pm, 5.15pm, 7.15pm I ce Age: Continental Drift (3D) – 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm, 11pm The Dictator – 9.15pm, 11pm I ce Age: Continental Drift (subtitles) – 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm, 6.30pm, 8.30pm, 10.30pm P rometheus (3D) – 11.45am, 2.40pm, 11pm The Dark Knight Rises – 11.50pm, 12.50pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5.10pm, 6.10pm, 7.10pm, 8.20pm, 9.20pm, 10.20pm M adagascar 3. Europe’s Most Wanted (synchronised) – 12.15am, 2.15pm, 4.15pm, 6.15pm I ce Age: Continental Drift (synchronised) – 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm I ce Age: Continental Drift (synchronised) (VIP Hall) – 10.30pm The Amazing Spider-Man (3D) – 12.10pm, 2.50pm, 5.30pm, 8.10pm, 10.50pm The Intouchables – 10pm P rometheus –10.15pm The Intouchables (VIP Hall) – 11.20am, 1.50pm, 4.45pm, 7.20pm The Amazing Spider-Man – 11.10am, 2.10pm, 4.50pm, 7.30pm, 10.10pm What to Expect When You’re Expecting – 8.15pm, 10.40pm _________________________________ DOM SINDIKATA Trg Nikole Pašića 5, tel: + 381 11 3234849 I ce Age: Continental Drift (3D) – 4.30pm, 6.15pm I ce Age: Continental Drift (synchronised) – 4.45pm, 6.30pm, 8.15pm, 10pm P rometheus – 6pm, 8.15pm The Amazing Spider-Man (3D) – 8pm D ark Shadows – 10.30pm The Dark Knight Rises – 10.30pm S now White and the Huntsman – 5.45pm, 8pm, 10.15pm

bb, 12am  R e: Load, Republika, bar-club, Pariska 1, 10pm D j Đura – Impossible night, Central Park, Pariska 20, 10pm D j’s Kiza, Bane Paunovicn & Dj Marko, Magacin, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm Live Music:

Friday July 27th Clubbing:  J ust Friday, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 11pm  B ack to the Sound, Sound, Brodarska bb, 11pm  R e: Motion, Republika, bar-club, Pariska 1, 10pm  Dj Groovyman/Most wanted, Central Park, Pariska 20, 10pm D j’s Kiza, Bane Paunovicn & Dj Marko, Magacin, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm D j Ognjen Krstić, Brankow Bar, Crnogorska 10, 10pm  C lub – house, Plastic Light, Brodarska bb, 12am Live music:  B alkan Express, Reka restoran, Kej oslobođenja 73bb  Tamburaši, Kod Bake, Sinđelićeva 31, 9pm M arko Zujović, Akapulko splav, Kej oslobođenja bb, 10pm  B lah Blah Bend, Cantina De Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm  Vesko Vučković, Sindikat, Brodarska bb, 11pm  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2 – 4, 10pm  P ositive Band, Excellent, Vojislava Ilića 86, 11pm Saturday July 28th Clubbing:  I granka, Povetarac, Brodarska bb, 11pm  C lub House DJ Mirko & DJ Meex, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am  S oundilicious, Sound, Brodarska

 B ojan Jevtić & Silver Bend, Akapulko splav, Kej oslobođenja bb 11pm  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm  Vesko Vučković Bend, Cantina De Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm  Tamburaši, Kod Bake Kafana, Sinđelićeva 31, 10pm  P erpetuum Mobile, Bitef Summer Stage, Kalemegdan, tennis court. 10pm G lorius Bend i Tamara Milutinović, Excellent, Vojislava Ilića 86, 11pm Sunday July 30th Clubbing:  S uprise Party DJ Mirko & DJ Meex, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am  F uckin’ famous night, River, Brodarska bb, 11pm  F unk’d, Disco Bar Mladost, Karađorđeva 44, 10pm Live music:  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  L ive Serbian Folk, Acapulco, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm M ia Borisavljević & Davor Jovanović, Time Out, Ada Ciganlija bb, 10pm Monday July 31st Clubbing:  S weet and Rough, BlowUp Barka, Savski Ke bb, 9pm  R e:Lax, Republika bar – club, Pariska 1, 10pm  B rankow Beat. Brankow Bar, Crnogorska 10, 9pm  C hill out Monday, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm Live Music:

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D ie Beste, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  K araoke, Danguba, Ćirila i Metodija 2, 10pm  Ž eljko Šašić, Serbian Folk, Acapulco, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm  That’s it band, Principal, Ušće bb, 9pm  S ensation Party, River, Brodarska bb, 10pm Tuesday August 1st Clubbing:  9 0’s Night DJ Playa, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am  C entral Park Week, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm  R e:Tro, Republika bar – club, Pariska 1, 10pm M alinada, Mladost, Karađorđeva 44, 10pm Live music:  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm D enis & Obule, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  S alsa Night, Abra café, Resavska 76, 9pm Wednesday August 2nd

Clubbing:  B uzzin’ R’n’B & Hip-Hop DJ Ike & DJ Prema, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am D j Sale Funkin’ Blue, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm  R e:Action, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm D isco Sound, Sound, Brodarska BB, 11pm M arko Gangbanger, Povetarac, Brodarska bb, 11pm Live Music:  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  L ibertango Band, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm M arina Visković & Željko Šašić, Time Out, Ada Ciganlija bb, 10pm  I vana Selakov, Acapulko, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm Thursday August 3rd Clubbing:  1 -1 Party DJ Yabba & DJ Nikola, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am  8 0’s night, Sound, Brodarska bb, 11.30pm D j Gagi Kabadajić, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm  R e:Make, Republika bar – club, Pariska 1, 10pm Live Music:  S erbian Folk, Blaywatch, Brodarska bb, 12am G itarsi, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm Friday August 4th Clubbing:  J ust Friday, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 11pm  B ack to the Sound, Sound, Brodarska bb, 11pm  R e: Motion, Republika, bar-club, Pariska 1, 10pm  Dj Groovyman/Most wanted, Central Park, Pariska 20, 10pm D j’s Kiza, Bane Paunovicn & Dj Marko, Magacin, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm  Dj Ognjen Krstić, Brankow Bar, Crnogorska 10, 10pm  C lub – house, Plastic Light, Brodarska bb, 12am Live music:  B alkan Express, Reka restoran, Kej oslobođenja 73 bb  Tamburaši, Kod Bake, Sinđelićeva 3, 9pm M arko Žujović, Akapulko splav, Kej oslobođenja bb, 10pm  B lah Blah Bend, Cantina De Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm  Vesko Vučković, Sindikat, Brodarska bb, 11pm  P ositive Band, Excellent, Vojislava Ilića 86, 11pm Saturday August 5th Clubbing:  I granka, Povetarac, Brodarska bb, 11pm  C lub House DJ Mirko & DJ Meex, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am  S oundilicious, Sound, Brodarska bb, 12am  R e: Load, Republika, bar-club, Pariska 1, 10pm D j Đura – Impossible night, Cen-

tral Park, Pariska 20, 10pm D j’s Kiza, Bane Paunovicn & Dj Marko, Magacin, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm Live Music:  B ojan Jevtić & Silver Bend, Akapulko splav, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm  Vesko Vučković Bend, Cantina De Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 10pm  Tamburaši, Kod Bake Kafana, Sinđelićeva 31,10pm  P erpetuum Mobile, Bitef Summer Stage, Kalemegdan, tennis court. 10pm G lorius Bend i Tamara Milutinović, Excellent, Vojislava Ilića 86, 11pm Sunday August 6th Clubbing:  S uprise Party DJ Mirko & DJ Meex, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am  F uckin’ famous night, River, Brodarska bb, 11pm  F unk’d, Disco Bar Mladost, Karađorđeva 44, 10pm Live music:  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  L ive Serbian Folk, Acapulco, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm M ia Borisavljević & Davor Jovanović, Time Out, Ada Ciganlija bb, 10pm Monday August 7th Clubbing:  S weet and Rough, BlowUp Barka, Savski Kej bb, 9pm  R e:Lax, Republika bar – club, Pariska 1, 10pm  B rankow Beat. Brankow Bar, Crnogorska 10, 9pm  C hill out Monday, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm Live Music: D ie Beste, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  K araoke, Danguba, Ćirila i Metodija 2, 10pm  Ž eljko Šašić, Serbian Folk, Acapulco, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm  That’s it band, Principal, Ušće bb, 9pm  S ensation Party, River, Brodarska bb, 10pm

bar – club, Pariska 1, 10pm M alinada, Mladost, Karađorđeva 44, 10pm Live music:  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  Denis & Obule, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  Central Park Week, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm Wednesday August 9th Clubbing:  B uzzin’ R’n’B & Hip-Hop DJ Ike & DJ Prema, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am  Dj Sale Funkin’ Blue, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm  Re:Action, Republika, Pariska 1, 10pm Live Music:  L ive Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  Libertango Band, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  Marina Visković & Željko Šašić, Time Out, Ada Ciganlija bb, 10pm  Ivana Selakov, Acapulko, Kej oslobođenja bb, 11pm Thursday August 10th Clubbing:

Exh ibition: Snežana Pešić Rančić, Singidunum Gallery, Knez Mihajlova 40, 7pm SUNDAY JULY 28 Per formance: Maja Bekan – P is for Performance, Belgrade Cultural Centre, Kolarčeva 6, 12pm Per formance: Nationalite: Sans (Nationality: Without), Rex, Jevrejska 16, 8pm

Welcome to Event Club! All events in Serbia are now available on www.eventclub.rs. Event categories include culture, sport, music, business, performance, fashion, festivals and so on. Our website is available in Serbian and English and you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We hope you enjoy our site!

Tan go Night with best Belgrade dancers, Bojčin Forest, Progar, 8pm Tan ja Moderato and Friends, Gardoš, Zemun, 9pm SUNDAY AUGUST 5 Mas simo Savić, Bojčin Forest, Progar, 8pm

Live music

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 8 SATURDAY JULY 28 Lad y Sings the Blues: Beti Đorđević and Belgrade Soloists, Gardoš, Zemun, 9pm

Gyp sy Cabaret with Ljilja Stjepanović and Friends, Gardoš, Zemun, 9pm

SUNDAY JULY 29 Mis a Blam Quartet with guests, Bojčin Forest, Progar, 8pm TUESDAY JULY 31 Vic tor Bailey Band, BitefArtCafe, Tennis Courts, Kalemegdan, 10pm THURSDAY AUGUST 2 Coo lares Live, BitefArt-

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Live Music:  S erbian Folk, Blaywatch, Brodarska bb, 12am  Gitarsi, Cantina de Frida, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm  Live Jazz, Iguana, Karađorđeva 2-4, 9pm Programmes may be subject to change. Please check online for more information at http://www.hot-spot.rs/

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 9 0’s Night DJ Playa, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am  C entral Park Week, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm  R e:Tro, Republika

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

FRIDAY JULY 27

TUESDAY AUGUST 7 Exh ibition: ULUPUDS Photo Department exhibition, Singidunum, Knez Mihajlova 40, 7pm

Cafe, Tennis Courts, Kalemedgan, 10pm SATURDAY AUGUST 4

 1 -1 Party DJ Yabba & DJ Nikola, Freestyler, Brodarska bb, 12am  80’s night, Sound, Brodarska bb, 11.30pm  Dj Gagi Kabadajić, Central Park, Pariska 20, 9pm  Re:Make, Republika bar – club, Pariska 1, 10pm

Tuesday August 8th Clubbing:

______________________________

Exhibitions and Events

TUESDAY JULY 31 Exh ibition: Mirjana Marić Krstevska – Green Dream, ULUPUDS Gallery, Uzun Mirkova 12, 7 pm

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


14 Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012

Belgrade Insight, Friday, July 27, 2012 - Thursday, September 6, 2012 15

sport

going out

Passengers Bar: More than just beer and sausages

Partizan Hockey: we’ll have to turn amateur

Bar food and beer may be the basic offering, but this Dorćol bar is much classier than the average city watering hole.

David Galić

T

he message on the sign and logo above the entrance of Passengers Bar makes it pretty clear what this place is all about – “Beer & Food”. That just about sums up this new bar located at the heart of the Dorćol district, though it’s far from the “dive” or “local watering hole” that some might expect from the short and succinct description of the bar’s services emblazoned on the sign. Considering that the main appeal of the bar centres on beer and sausages, it is much nicer and classier than one might anticipate. The bar is located right below Studentski Park in upper Dorćol, in a space that was once home to Lebanese restaurant Beirut, which locals might recall and which has since relocated to Vračar. The interior of the bar is striking. Simplistic and very pub-centric, it manages to look comfy and traditional while maintaining a sophisticated and modern edge. Dark woods make up most of the furnishings, while the central aspect is obviously the large bar and the larger variety of beers on tap than you would usually find in a Belgrade bar. However, in the summer season, Passengers is all about the garden area, which is equally impressive, if not more so. White is the predominant colour in the courtyard, helping to provide the patrons with an atmosphere conducive to cooling down on a hot summer night. It’s also a great place to have a cup of coffee by day, with white umbrellas and canopies offering a healthy amount of shade for the entire yard to enjoy. Serbian film wins top prize in Ireland

As you enter the courtyard, the entire area is lined with wooden chairs, tables and benches with white umbrellas surrounding all of them and there is enough space to turn the spot into a viable nightlife destination for dancing and the like. At the back of the yard is an enclosure that serves as a sort of VIP lounge for the bar, with an attractive white brick wall defining the area and a brick bar in the corner. This spot was one of the most popular places to catch football games during the European Championships as a huge, movie theatre-like screen and projector were set up there for watching the matches. If you are visiting Passengers Bar at night, especially during the weekend, you are going to hear some live music. Most groups that play there are acoustic guitar duos or small bands that play popular music, Serbian and foreign. The selection of tunes is not cutting edge, but it’s definitely not offensive. It’s good background music if you aren’t really there to listen to music, and it’s good enough to sing and dance along to if that’s what you want to do.

Passengers Bar has 12 beers on tap, which is a definite rarity in Belgrade, where not many bars have more than three or four draught varieties at the same time.

Belgrade prog rock group releases debut album

Photos courtesy of Passengers Bar

Then of course, at the end, there’s the beer and the food. As far as beer goes, Passengers Bar has 12 beers on tap, which is a definite rarity in Belgrade, where not many bars have more than three or four draught varieties at the same time. Passengers offers staples like Heineken and Amstel, domestic stalwarts Lav and Jelen, neighbourly favourites Nikšićko and Staropramen, and then a couple more exotic German beers like Erdinger, Bavaria, Paulaner and Leikeim in both their regular and weisbier varieties. Over 15 types of bottle beers are available as well and some of the more exotic brands, by Belgrade’s standards, include Leikeim Schwarzbier, Kilkenny, Sol and Guinness. What about the food? The kitchen offers nothing glamorous, but there is enough to satisfy any hungry custom-

Belgrade concert season to erupt in September after summer lull

er. The breakfast menu offers omelettes, toast and sandwiches. There are also appetisers that go well with beer, like smoked ham dishes and a variety of domestic cheeses. Passengers, however, prides itself most on real “bar food”, like homemade sausages with roast potatoes, chicken wings, veal and pork ribs and a variety of other meat-based snacks. The bar’s kitchen also offers soups and stews, salads and desserts, including ice cream, banana splits and fruit salads. So if you are looking for the full package, it’s hard to go wrong with Passengers Bar. Whether you are looking to drink some non-traditional beers, listen to some live music, watch a football game in good company and on a huge screen, or have a bite to eat, this Dorćol bar is the spot to do any and all of the above.

Metallica officially release recording of Belgrade show

I

Olympians depart for London

S

erbia’s 2012 Olympics’ athletes departed from Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport on a Jat Airways charter flight bound for London on

P

opular Serbian film Parada (The Parade) was named “Best International Feature” at the 24th annual Galway Film Fleadh in Ireland. The comedy, directed by Srđan Dragojević, has enjoyed great cinematic success around the region this year.

E

xperimental progressive rockers Spring & Youth have made their debut album, “Behind the Irony”, available via their webpage. The band also promoted the album at a recent farewell show of sorts that saw them send off their keyboardist, who will be spending the next two years in America while the band is on hiatus.

A

fter a fairly dormant August, the Belgrade concert season will kick back into gear in September. The Warrior’s Dance Festival, headlined by the Prodigy, will be held at Kalemegdan Fortress Park on September 15th. This will be followed by two huge concert events at the Belgrade Arena: famed singing group Il Divo on September 22nd, then American rock icon Lenny Kravitz on September 26th.

H

eavy metal superstars Metallica have officially released a recording of the major Belgrade concert they staged on May 8th. Metallica fans hoping to hear what the concert in the Serbian capital sounded like can download the show for US$10 via the band’s official site.

July 24th. “The feeling is great, because the day of departure for London is finally here after four years. We go in a positive mood, to cheer for each other, represent the country in the best way possible and achieve good results,” Said President of the Serbian Olympic Committee and basketball legend, Vlade Divac, as he prepared to lead the team of nearly 120 athletes. Divac particularly stressed the ex-

cellent atmosphere that awaited the Serbian athletes in London’s Olympic village: “More athletes arrive every day. Any day now it will become the Olympics in the true sense of the word, with a lot of camaraderie, support and fair play. I hope Serbia’s athletes are going to achieve their goals,” Divac underlined. The Serbian Olympic team that is now based in London includes the water polo team, tennis players, men’s and women’s volleyball teams, handball team, swimmers, cyclists, judo fighters, rowers and table tennis players. They are yet to be joined by shooters and other competitors. A day before their departure, Serbian

President Tomislav Nikolić hosted the Olympic team and wished them luck at the games in London. Nikolić presented the athletes with the Serbian national flag, carried by tennis player Novak Đoković at the opening ceremony of the 30th Summer Olympics. “Qualifying for the Olympics is a big success in itself and I hope you will make us happy, as you have in the past. I hope you will bring us medals so we will have something to celebrate. Serbia will watch all your competitions and celebrate your every success. I wish you luck, Serbia is behind you,” said Nikolić.

ce Hockey club Partizan has announced that it has not reached agreement with Pionir Hall as a venue and, due to misunderstandings, will be forced to convert to an amateur team. According to the Black & Whites, this year the club is due to play in a regional competition alongside teams from Hungary, Slovakia and Romania. The condition for competing was for the controller of the league to come to Belgrade on August 20th to determine whether there are conditions for playing games, i.e. whether there is ice at Pionir. “Due to a misunderstanding of the significance for Serbian ice hockey of the performance of Partizan in the MOL League, those in charge set the price for laying ice in that period at 14,922 dinars (+/- €125) per hour (in

Hungary the price of ice is €40 per hour). The second condition was the settling of the old debts of all clubs that use Pionir Hall. We note that Partizan has no outstanding obligations to the hall,” claim Partizan in a club statement. Partizan management notes that the club has functioned without state or city assistance to date, but nevertheless won the ‘SLOhockey’ League title in the previous two seasons. “Partizan is forced to convert a professional team into an amateur one and to languish without serious ambitions on the international level. To date young players were able to identify role models in Partizan players and see the reason why they play and work so hard. A lack of understanding cut that very roughly,” concludes Partizan in its statement.

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