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Serbia Today 96-06-19
Serbia Today
19 June 1996
CONTENTS
[01] OIL INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES RECEIVED BY PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC
[02] KOSOVO AND METOHIJA IS A SERBIAN INTERNAL AFFAIR
[03] THE PROTOCOL BETWEEN "SERBIAN POWER COMPANY" AND SKODA HAS BEEN SIGNED
[04] THE ARMS EMBARGO FOR FORMER SFRY HAS BEEN FORMALLY LIFTED
[05] THE CROATIAN SIDE IS BREACHING THE DAYTON AGREEMENT
[06] TUDJMAN AND IZETBEGOVIC SHOULD BE TRIED
[07] GORAN LAJIC WILL SUE FOR DAMAGES
[08] SLOVENIA IS BECOMING A EUROPEAN COLONY
[01] OIL INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES RECEIVED BY PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC
Starting today the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) will double the refinery production, and this will also activate
the petrol-chemical complex in Pancevo. The representatives of the Serbian Oil Industry informed President Milosevic about
this development during their meeting yesterday. The necessary quantities of crude oil for the operation of the existing
processing plants have been secured, and this will stabilize the market supply with oil derivatives, create the conditions
for the reduction of gasoline prices, and allow a normal production of the chemical industry. Stressing the importance
of the successful operation of the oil industry for the economic development of our country, President Milosevic endorsed
the initiative to lower the prices of gasoline, since this measure will most certainly have a positive effect on the
coherent implementation of the stable-prices policy and strengthen the stability of the national currency. This measure
will also act as an incentive for all other economic entities to realize their development plans. (Politika, June 19,
1996)
[02] KOSOVO AND METOHIJA IS A SERBIAN INTERNAL AFFAIR
Dr. Zoran Vujovic - Federal Minister of Transports and Communication and member of the Executive Council of the
Main Board of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) - stated in Pristina that Kosovo and Metohija is a Serbian and Yugoslav
internal affair and that all controversies ought to be settled through negotiations between the representatives of the
state and the representatives of the Albanian ethnic community. "Numerous speculations about Kos-Met are being made in
order to create a tensions between those that live in the province, thus blocking the process of peaceful settlement of
the conflicts in former Yugoslavia" - said Dr. Vujovic at the session of the Pristina SPS Main Board. Similar speculations
about Kosovo and Metohija are being made by groups and individuals that reject the stabilization of the relations in FR
Yugoslavia and in former Yugoslavia, and they are therefore trying to stay on the political scene by imposing national
strategies. Kosovo and Metohija is a constituent and indivisible part of Srbija and FRY. The constitutional and state
unity which has been achieved - represents a major success by President Milosevic and the SPS, and this is acknowledged
by all international factors - Dr. Vujovic added. He reminded that the international community has a clear stand that Kos-
Met is an integral part of Serbia and that the administration is expected to act with even greater determination in
inducing the ethnic Albanians to accept the dialogue and life in common, since this is the only way to the stabilization
of the situation in the province and in the region. (Borba, June 19, 1996)
[03] THE PROTOCOL BETWEEN "SERBIAN POWER COMPANY" AND SKODA HAS BEEN SIGNED
The Serbian Power Company (Elektroprivreda Srbije) signed the first major protocol after the suspension of the
sanctions, allowing the continuation of the construction of the thermal power and heating plant "Kolubara B". A protocol
on the participation and co-financing by the Czech Skoda concern in the construction of the biggest energy project in
Serbia has been signed in Plzen. The agreement involves some 100 million dollars and the funds will be used to purchase
equipment from Skoda and other Czech firms and for the financing of the production of equipment by Yugoslav companies.
On the same occasion, the determination of Skoda and other Czech firms and banks to partake in the realization of other
similar projects has been confirmed. (Politika, June 19, 1996)
[04] THE ARMS EMBARGO FOR FORMER SFRY HAS BEEN FORMALLY LIFTED
Yesterday the UN Security Council formally abolished the embargo on arms deliveries to countries that have been
created in former Yugoslavia, introduced almost five years ago, when the war broke out. The Security Council decision is
in accordance with the Dayton Agreement, which specifies that the embargo is to be lifted six months after the document
is signed. The signing took place in Paris in mid-December. The decision has been passed immediately after the agreement
on the arms control for countries in ex-Yugoslavia, signed four days ago in Florence. Except for the formal significance,
the abolition of the embargo has practically no major value, because it was not respected even during the fiercest
fighting in Bosnia and when the US was openly asked to fully ensure the ban on arms sales to Bosnia. A US Congress
investigation concerning this issue has been launched several weeks ago, since evidence has been discovered that the
Washington Administration did not respect the embargo at all. What was already known has been publicly revealed - secret
arms shipments from Iran and other countries were sent to Bosnia and Croatia in spite of the embargo and with Washington's
tacit consent. (Politika, June 19, 1996)
[05] THE CROATIAN SIDE IS BREACHING THE DAYTON AGREEMENT
Moslem Radio Sarajevo reports that the Defense Ministry of the Moslem-Croatian Federation stated that the creation
of the new government of Herzeg-Bosnia (Croatian entity in Bosnia) and the renewed appointment of Vladimir Soljic to the
position of Defense Minister, confirmed the suspicions that the Croatian side is breaching the Dayton Agreement and that
the activity of parallel state authorities is being continued. The ministry statement also stresses that this development
is not encouraging for the establishment of federal defense institutions and that it confirms the doubts about the
readiness and sincerity of the Croatian side. This act and other efforts to preserve the para-state purely Croatian
defense system, obstructs the creation of common federal defense institutions and the adoption of the Defense Law. Mr.
Hassan Muratovic - Prime Minister of the pro-Moslem Sarajevo government - informed the foreign news agencies that the
shaping of the new government of Herzeg-Bosnia is nothing but separatism and spiting the federation, adding that this will
be soon dealt with. The office of the High Representative for Bosnia - Mr. Karl Bildt, revealed that it will not establish
contacts with the newly formed government of Herzeg-Bosnia, since this would be contrary tot he Dayton Agreement.
(Ekspres, June 19, 1996)
[06] TUDJMAN AND IZETBEGOVIC SHOULD BE TRIED
The Serbian Unity Congress based in the United States, addressed a letter to the President of the International
Tribunal for Crimes of War in the Hague - Mr. Antonio Casese, asking him that the Tribunal should either indict Croatian
President Franjo Tudjman and Bosnian Moslem leader Alija Izetbegovic and their military commanders or drop the charges
against Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. The letter stresses that the trial against Bosnian Serb leaders would represent
a selective punishment and a collective indictment against the entire Serbian people, which would constitute a precedent
in international law. The Bosnian Serb leaders are not in any way more responsible for the crimes that their men committed
in the brutal Bosnian war than the Croatian and Moslem leaders. Reminding that former UN Envoy for ex-Yugoslavia - Mr.
Yasushi Akashi recently confirmed the existence of a secret report accusing the Moslems for the Markale market massacre
in Sarajevo, the Serbian Unity Congress letter raises the question whether the culprits for that crime should remain
hidden and unpunished. Those responsible for the death of thousands of Serbs in Krajina and Western Slavonija should also
be brought before the court. The Mujahedins and other mercenaries that took part in the operations of the Croatian and
Moslem forces should also be punished - reads the letter signed by Mr. John Delic - Chairman of the Serbian Unity Congress
(Borba, June 19, 1996)
[07] GORAN LAJIC WILL SUE FOR DAMAGES
Goran Lajic - the man that has been slandered by the international media due to an error of the Hague Tribunal
which accused him unfoundedly of committing war crimes, has been finally released after it has been demonstrated that
his was a case of mistaken identity. His legal representatives believe that he has suffered enormous damages and have
announced a law suit. Mr. Milan Vujin and Mr. Toma Fila, that represented Lajic, stated that this is a unique case in the
world. "Lajic either did not exist, or some other Lajic was involved in the crimes that the Tribunal wanted to prosecute.
It is quite certain that Goran Lajic has been arrested without any reason. Even though his identity was not verified, he
was placed in jail. Our client intends to sue the UN and the Security Council for the damages he has suffered, especially
morally." Mr. Vujin added that the Tribunal regulations do not contemplate the possibility of indemnification and that
he and his colleague will insist that the rules of procedure be modified accordingly. (Vecernje novosti, June 19, 1996)
[08] SLOVENIA IS BECOMING A EUROPEAN COLONY
Mr. Zmago Jelincic - Chairman of the Slovenian National Party, stated that the signing of the agreement on EU
associated membership for Slovenia, will practically turn his country into a European colony. The head of the second
largest opposition party in Slovenia stated before the Parliament that "Slovenia paid a high price" and added that the
"only difference now is that in former Yugoslavia was the richest in the village, and now it is the poorest in the poorest
in the town". (Politika, June 19, 1996)
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