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Serbia Today, 97-02-24

Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Serbia Today


CONTENTS

  • [01] NEW MEDIA LAW
  • [02] ORUCEVIC: STATE OF EMERGENCY IN MOSTAR
  • [03] NEVER-ENDING PRESSURES
  • [04] REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA DELEGATION VISIT TO GREAT BRITAIN
  • [05] "SERBS LIKE JEWS"
  • [06] SERBS STILL AREN'T SAFE
  • [07] MISERABLE STATUS OF THE REMAINING SERBS IN KNIN
  • [08] HIGHLY POTENTIAL COOPERATION BETWEEN FRY AND ISRAEL
  • [09] YUGOSLAVIA SUFFERED ENORMOUS DAMAGES DUE TO THE ILLEGAL SECESSION
  • [10] TALKS BETWEEN YUGOSLAV AND FINNISH PARLIAMENTARIANS
  • [11] COMPLETE RENEWAL OF RELATIONS BETWEEN FRY AND ARAB COUNTRIES
  • [12] OSCE AFTER UNTAES
  • [13] ENCOURAGING RESULTS IN THE STABILIZATION OF PRICES AND THE DINAR EXCHANGE RATE

  • [01] NEW MEDIA LAW

    Serbian Minister of Information Radmila Milentijevic stated in an interview for CNN that within 6 weeks at the most she will prepare a draft media law which will be formulated through dialogue with all political parties, registered radio-television stations and newspapers. The new law should remove certain flaws and unclear points in the existing law. "The new regulations will be based on the most liberal law in Western Europe, and adapted to the local conditions" - Ms. Milentijevic stressed. She also announced that state control for the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation will be moderated, to allow SBC to reflect the "rather complex political life in Serbia" The Minister of Information also stated that broad freedom f the press exists in Serbia, and that the opposition newspapers are more numerous than the pro-government publications.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Politika, 1997-02-24

    [02] ORUCEVIC: STATE OF EMERGENCY IN MOSTAR

    Deputy Mayor of Mostar - Safet Orucevic asked the international community to introduce extraordinary police and military measures in the zone of Mostar, to prevent the complete failure of the peace process in the Moslem- Croatian federation - Moslem media report. Orucevic reproached SFOR and international police forces for not responding adequately with military means to the attacks on their vehicles - thus encouraging Croatian terrorists and madmen to continue the climate of terror". In a letter addressed to the Deputy High Representative of the international community for Bosnia and Herzegovina - Mr. Michael Steiner, Orucevic warned that the statements and actions by Croatian representatives are breaches of the February 12th agreement on Mostar, aimed at obstructing the implementation of the document. Meanwhile, Croatian Police in western Mostar filed a report against Mr. Orucevic, due to founded suspicion that on February 10th he headed the Moslem Police SWAT team that planned to storm the carnival procession organized by Croats in the western part of the town. Orucevic responded that this is just another of the well known expedients used by Croatian extremists, and that this is an attack on unitary and integrated Mostar.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Ekspres, 1997-02-24

    [03] NEVER-ENDING PRESSURES

    The Dayton Agreement defines the status of the town of Brcko in a highly equivocal way, allowing - not by chance - greatly differing interpretations. Even the town itself can be interpreted as a controversial and not only the inter-ethnic said major general Pero Colic - Chief-of-Staff of the Republic of Srpska Army. He added that a number of such unclear points have been deliberately included in the Document, allowing subsequent pressure on the Republic of Srpska and extortion of unfavorable concessions by the Serbian, to the point that even military conflicts possible. "The Geo-strategic position of Brcko undoubtedly has vital importance for the Republic of Srpska, whilst for the Moslem-Croatian Federation the town is only a means of pressure on RS, i.e. an excuse to constantly question its state and political identity", general Colic said. He also affirmed that the arbitrated settlement for Brcko practically represents an American occupation of the town, and raised the question: "Isn't this a direct alteration of the border and of the territorial status of the Republic of Srpska?"
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-02-24

    [04] REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA DELEGATION VISIT TO GREAT BRITAIN

    A multi-party delegation of the Republic of Srpska Parliament returned from a five day visit to Great Britain, where it was hosted by the British Government and Foreign Office. Parliament Spokesman - Mr. Dragan Kalinic, that headed the delegation, remarked that the visit was a highly successful one and that it represents the first step in establishing parliamentary cooperation between the Republic of Srpska and Great Britain This was the first independent and official RS delegation, to visit London after the signing of the Dayton Agreement and the return of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Ekspres, 1997-02-22

    [05] "SERBS LIKE JEWS"

    Asked to comment the status of the Serbs in Croatia, in an interview for the Belgrade weekly NIN, Dr. Stipe Suvar - Chairman of the "Returning Home" Civil Committee, stated: "The current Croatian regime is highly restrictive regarding any form of return of Serbs. Croatian President Tudjman publicly called them "optants" i.e. people that have deliberately chosen to live in another country. - leading to the conclusion that they will not be allowed to return." Regarding the situation in Eastern Slavonija, Baranja and Western Srem, Dr. Suvar expressed fears that the events will follow such a path that a large percentage of Serbs living there will give in to fear - which is quite understandable - and leave the region. As a university professor, Dr. Suvar observed that numerous students whose both parents are Serbs now declare themselves Croats. "They are renouncing to their identity to avoid problems in the environment they live in, to avoid being pointed at and called names. Something like the yellow star pinned on Jews." - remarked Dr. Suvar.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-02-22

    [06] SERBS STILL AREN'T SAFE

    Mr. Peter Galbraith - US Ambassador to Croatia, stated that the reintegration of Eastern Slavonija, Baranja and Western Srem will not succeed if full safety of the Serbs is not ensured throughout Croatia. Speaking about the status of citizens of former SFRY at an international meeting in Zagreb, Mr. Galbraith remarked that Croatian authorities are making a serious mistake in not allowing the return of the Serbs that lived in Croatia. "From the American point of view, this represents a major breach of human rights recognized internationally." - Ambassador Galbraith said. He warned Croatia that elections might be postponed if Croatian citizenship documents are not issued to all Serbs entitled to have them. The same American diplomat further remarked that Croatia still did not create favorable security conditions in Krayina even though a year and a half has passed since the military operation in the province. Robberies and murders continue, the remaining population are being harassed and threatened, and the small number of Serbs that manage to return, can't get their homes back. Mr. Galbraith indicated that in Croatia there is a growing evidence stands that Serbs should never return to Croatia since they left of their free will." "It is an unacceptable position. They did not leave Croatia voluntarily - they left after a military operation" - warned the US Ambassador.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Borba, 1997-02-24

    [07] MISERABLE STATUS OF THE REMAINING SERBS IN KNIN

    In her still unofficial report - Special UN Reporter for Human Rights in former Yugoslavia - Elisabeth Renn - indicates that the number of Serbs that have returned to Croatia is unsatisfactory, and that their repatriation is being obstructed, especially due to unsettled property issues. Although she believes that the Letter of Intentions of the Croatian Government is an important step towards a peaceful reintegration, Ms. Renn stressed her grave concern for the possibility of mass exodus of Serbs from Eastern Slavonija. In the light of some recent arrests in Croatia, Ms. Renn expressed a highly critical position concerning the effectiveness of the Croatian Amnesty Law. Ms. Elisabeth Renn also remarked that she has been stricken by the situation of the Serbs that stayed in Knin and added that no true effort have been made by Croatian state authorities to stop the violence occurring constantly.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Politika, 1997-02-23

    [08] HIGHLY POTENTIAL COOPERATION BETWEEN FRY AND ISRAEL

    During the talks between Yugoslav Chamber of Economy Chairman - Mr. Vlajko Stojiljkovic and the Israeli Ambassador to Yugoslavia - Mr. David Sasson, held at the Serbian Chamber of Economy, both sides agreed that agriculture, medicine, tourism and construction are areas that future cooperation between FR Yugoslavia and Israel can be promoted in. According to Mr. Stojiljkovic, business people from both countries should identify fields of cooperation in third markets as well and therefore bilateral agreements should be signed as soon as possible, covering investment protection, tax alleviation and other areas. Stressing similarities between the Israeli and Serbian people, H.E. Sasson remarked that both have small countries located in geographically important positions, and are striving to preserve their economic independence. "I assure you that major interest exists in our country to promote cooperation with your companies", - Mr. Sasson said adding that numerous concrete business deals will be possible as soon as the privatization in our country is given a legal support.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Politika, 1997-02-24

    [09] YUGOSLAVIA SUFFERED ENORMOUS DAMAGES DUE TO THE ILLEGAL SECESSION

    The republics that seceded from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia are trying to use the negotiations on succession to - putting it simply - forge the way they achieved their independence, says Prof. Dr. Dragana Gnjatovic, member of the Yugoslav team negotiating succession affairs. "They insist that the international agreement on succession should state that SFRY broke up and that five new states appeared - including FR Yugoslavia. This would deny the facts regarding secession and civil war, which is unacceptable for Yugoslavia, among other things because of the damages it suffered because of the illegal actions of the secessionist republics", says Dr. Gnjatovic. The Yugoslav team can not approve an agreement that would legitimize an illegal action (secession). This would not only equal FRY to the other four new states, but would make even more determined the unfounded demands for war reparations already advanced by Croatian and Moslem-Croatian Federation officials. Asked whether compromises regarding secession would possibly settle some other problems, Dr. Gnjatovic offered the following example: in 1992, the Yugoslav Government agreed that the SFRY quota at the IMF be divided among "five interested sides" which was allegedly the condition for the solution of the status of FR Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav republics. However, all newly formed states - Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, subsequently established effective relations with the International Monetary Fund, and they have received funding but FR Yugoslavia has not. Now we are expected to make concessions to have the sanctions outer wall lifted. Even if we were to agree to some compromises, this would not warrant the lifting of the sanctions outer wall, because new conditions are constantly brought up, such as Kosovo, the Hague trial and others still - said Dr. Gnjatovic.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Politika, 1997-02-22

    [10] TALKS BETWEEN YUGOSLAV AND FINNISH PARLIAMENTARIANS

    Mixed party delegations of the Yugoslav and Finnish parliament foreign policy committees met at the Federal Parliament and discussed the current events in FR Yugoslavia, in particular the situation in the province of Kosovo and Metohija. Mr. Ljubisa Ristic - Chairman of the Federal Parliament Chamber of Citizens Committee, underscored the traditional friendship between the two countries and the sincere Yugoslav endorsement of peace in the region. Commenting the situation in Kos-Met, Mr. Ristic reiterated the government position that the province is an inalienable part of Serbia and FR Yugoslavia and that secession of that part of the country will not be allowed, contrary to the ambitions of given parties, groups and extremists in Kos-Met. FR Yugoslavia is pursuing a policy of full equality of all citizens, said Mr. Ristic - adding that Kos-Met can not be an exception and that neither Albanians nor Serbs living in the province should enjoy greater privileges that other Yugoslav citizens.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Borba, 1997-02-22

    [11] COMPLETE RENEWAL OF RELATIONS BETWEEN FRY AND ARAB COUNTRIES

    Deputy Federal Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic indicated in a special statement for the most highly circulated Jordanian daily "Shihan" that in the past several years the non-objective presentation of the Yugoslav stands, of the true reasons for the disintegration of former Yugoslavia and the responsibility of given factors, jeopardized the traditionally friendly relations our country had with the Arab world. Underscoring the fact that all international factors agreed that Federal Republic of Yugoslavia gave the greatest contribution to the peace process, Mr. Zivadinovic indicated hope that in the coming period relations and cooperation between Yugoslavia and the Arab countries will quickly be brought back to the level of the past decades.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Politika, 1997-02-24

    [12] OSCE AFTER UNTAES

    After the UNTAES mandate in Croatia expires next January, every Croatian move regarding the Srem-Baranja Region will be strictly monitored by the OSCE. This request has been motioned by the UN Transition Administrator Jacques Klein at an OSCE meeting in Vienna. Member countries of the European Council, European Union and OSCE are highly interested in general Klein's proposal as his deputy Derrick Boudby confirmed. "The supervision will last for some time, maybe even several years, that will be needed for the people here to start living in peace", said Mr. Boudby. He also confirmed the decision that the entire region be demilitarized in the next several years.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-02-24

    [13] ENCOURAGING RESULTS IN THE STABILIZATION OF PRICES AND THE DINAR EXCHANGE RATE

    Having analyzed the results achieved in production, imports, exports and all other economic parameters last year and at the beginning of this year, the Serbian Government concluded that the achievements are generally as expected. Particularly encouraging are the results in the stabilization of the price stabilization and dinar exchange rate. Along with a steady supply of the domestic market, exports have been increased 40 per cent. The somewhat slower production growth - 1,4% is primarily due to seasonal causes and the persistence of the outer wall of sanctions. The Government will expand the set of existing measures for the economic policy implementation adding actions to accelerate industrial production and other sectors, which will allow the realization of ambitious plans for a 14% production increase and a 40% exports growth.
    Serbia Today, 1997-02-24 ; Politika, 1997-02-22

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