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Serbia Today, 97-03-06
Serbia Today
CONTENTS
[01] EU MAKING CONDITIONS FOR CROATIA
[02] CORATS ARE LEAVING TOO!
[03] BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMENTARY OF THE ELISABETH
WREN REPORT
[04] CONCERN FOR THE BOSNIAN FEDERATION MILITARY ACTIVITIES
[05] SOME TEN THOUSAND MOSLEM REFUGEES RETURNED TO THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA
[06] "VICTIMS" ARE ALIVE AND "ASSASSINS" ARE IN JAIL
[07] RUTHLESS ACT OF GERMAN AND CROATIAN COURTS
[08] SHAMEFUL BLESSING
[09] SERBS IN THE SERBIAN BARANJA REGION FOUNDED A PARTY
[10] NEW TERRORIST ATTACKS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
[11] THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL TO BE RAISED IN JOURNALISM
[01] EU MAKING CONDITIONS FOR CROATIA
Yesterday, Danish diplomat - Mr. Per Vinter presented his credentials as
the official EU representative to Croatia. Speaking about the relations
between EU and Croatia, Mr. Vintner remarked: "Without the Operation Storm,
Croatia would now be closer to the European Union." Thus the negotiations
have practically been brought back to the starting point, and the results
depend on Croatian attitude. "The EU has pointed out to the Croatian
Government that before that occurs, it expects progress in numerous areas:
from honest elections in the Danube Basin and peaceful coexistence issues,
to the coherent implementation of the Dayton Accords, the influence of
Croatia on the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the return of exiled
persons to former Krayina and progress in the relations with FR Yugoslavia.
Negotiations might start by the end of the year." - said Mr. Vinter.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Borba, 1997-03-06
[02] CORATS ARE LEAVING TOO!
Msgr. Pero Sudar - Deputy Bishop of the Vrhbosanska bishopric - stated in
an interview published by Sarajevan media that the latest wave of violence
against Croats living in the Moslem part of Sarajevo is aimed at creating a
pure Moslem territory, purged of any other ethnic community. He added that
he is alarmed by this eruption of violence, but that he is by no means
surprised. "It is not possible to sow for years the seed of demonization of
an entire nation, without generating hatred in the souls of the people",
said Msgr. Sudar. The same Catholic prelate added that he is convinced that
all three attacks in the past 11 days directed against Catholic religious
buildings in the Moslem part of Sarajevo, were intended to let the exiled
Croats that they can not return.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-03-06
[03] BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMENTARY OF THE ELISABETH
WREN REPORT
The Permanent Mission of FR Yugoslavia to the UN in Geneva, submitted to
the UN Center for Human Rights (as an official document for the coming 53rd
Session of the Human Rights Committee) the Federal Government Commentary on
parts of two reports prepared by Special Reporter for Human Rights in
former Yugoslavia - Ms. Elisabeth Wren, and dealing with the status of
human rights in former Yugoslavia and the issue of minorities.
The stands and evaluations of the Federal Government contained by the
Commentary, will be an integral part of the official documents that
Committee members will use as a base to analyze the situation in the domain
of human and minority rights in former Yugoslavia. The Federal Government
Commentary points to the general conclusion that - in spite of its
willingness to cooperate - the Yugoslav Government is not completely
satisfied with the reports prepared by Ms. Elisabeth Wren, primarily
because they re-propose previous mistakes and shortcomings.
Such flaws have been observed in view of various issues such as: legal
guarantees for the protection of human rights, personal safety, freedom of
speech and press, refugees, the Law on citizenship, ethnic minorities, the
situation in the Province of Kosovo and Metohija, and the situation in the
Raska region and the Province of Vojvodina. The Commentary prepared by the
Yugoslav Government denies all the incorrect points and flaws of the two
reports drawn by Ms. Wren, using clear counter-arguments and facts, that
will undoubtedly contribute to a more objective and comprehensive
discussion at the coming session of the Human Rights Committee. As far as
the media and the freedom of expression are concerned, the Federal
Government Commentary reminds that in spite of the general decay of the
living standard - caused primarily by the sanctions - the information
system in the Republic of Serbia has been significantly enriched by the
appearance of numerous new dailies, radio and television stations having
different profiles and political orientation. The investment of private
capital, including foreign capital, the high circulation and market
orientation of the new opposition-oriented daily newspapers ensured a broad
audience." - says the Commentary. Ms. Wren's assertions to the effect that
only a small number of people can afford to buy dailies and weeklies is
denied by the fact that the overall circulation of dailies is more than 1.5
million copies. "Data about the price of dailies is also incorrect -
because there are daily newspapers, including those with very high
circulation - that cost half or even a third of what the Special Reporter
stated." As far as radio and television programs are concerned, the
Commentary states among other things, that it is true that RTS (Serbian
Broadcasting Corporation) covers with its programs most of the territory of
the Republic of Serbia, but that it is also a fact that RTV Politika covers
more than 70% of the territory, and that TV BK covers over 50% of the
national territory. These two television stations, just like RTS and many
other, new TV stations, broadcast daily news programs thus ensuring the
diversity of information sources. The Federal Government document also
remarks that Ms. Wren's report omitted the fact that RTS is a public
enterprise founded with a corresponding law by the National Assembly of the
Republic of Serbia. In accordance with this fact, RTS has the obligation to
report on the activities of the Parliament and of the Serbian Government.
Commenting part o Ms. Wren's report concerning the refugees, the Federal
Government document affirms categorically that the assertion that non-
Serbian asylum seekers have been denied entrance into the country and that
they could enter Yugoslavia only with false documents is not true.
"Entering Yugoslavia with the help of false documents was the expedient
used by a certain number of refugees to evade their responsibility for
crimes they have committed in the localities and areas where they fled
from. The Special Reporter's document also falsely affirms that existing
Serbian and Montenegrin laws on refugees involve compulsory military
service for registered refugees. On the contrary, the corresponding Federal
Law, drafting and other forms of military service are applicable only to
Yugoslav citizens. This is in complete contrast with what the Report
states.: says the Federal Government Commentary.
A special part of the Commentary prepared by the Federal Government deals
with the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. It states that the Report
contains erroneous or unacceptable formulations, approaches and stands.
"The remark that the roots of the problem lie in the events that occurred
between 1989 and 1991 is historically incorrect and therefore unacceptable",
stresses the Commentary reminding that after World War II parts of the
ethnic Albanian community and their leaders - supported and aided by
Albania - tried on several occasions to promote the forcible secession of
the province and its annexation to Albania. As far as Kosovo and Metohija
is concerned, the problem does not lie in the breach of human and minority
rights, but rather in the open, continuous and aggressive efforts of the
separatist movement to carry out the secession, prompted by Albania, which
is masking its objectives with propaganda campaigns - including those
before the UN - against the alleged breach of human rights of ethnic
Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija.
Commenting Ms. Wren's conclusions concerning the Province of Vojvodina, the
Federal Government Commentary observes: "It is quite surprising that such
ample space is given to the position of minorities in Vojvodina when it is
well-known that ethnic minorities are enjoying without any restrictions all
human right and freedoms envisaged by the Yugoslav and Serbian
constitutions. Ethnic community members are partaking actively and on equal
footing in the political, social and cultural life in the Province, which
as been repeatedly confirmed both in the encounters with foreign
delegations and by the statements of government officials from neighboring
countries."
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-06
[04] CONCERN FOR THE BOSNIAN FEDERATION MILITARY ACTIVITIES
General Pero Colic - Chief of Staff of the Republic of Srpska Army -
received the Deputy Chief of the OSCE Sarajevo Mission for regional
stabilization, brigadier general Pierre Scova Christensen, and discussed
with him the implementation of the Agreement on trust and security building
in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been conclude at the meeting that the
Republic of Srpska is fulfilling all its obligations defined by the
Agreement. Both sides expressed concern for the military activities of the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina forces, in particular those that are
part of the "Train and Equip" program, which is not subject to control and
supervision decreed by the Dayton Accords and other documents. General
Colic expressed concern for the fact that Republic of Srpska is not being
given information on the status and activities of foreign military
personnel in Federation territory, nor information on the quantities of
arms and equipment received by the Federation as part of the American
"Train and Equip" program. General Christensen has also been told that a
significant number of Moujahedins and mercenaries are still present in
Bosnian Federation territory, and that the Accords have to be implemented
comprehensively in the interest of a lasting peace in Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Borba, 1997-03-06
[05] SOME TEN THOUSAND MOSLEM REFUGEES RETURNED TO THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA
By the end of January 1997, some 2.000 Moslem families have returned to the
Republic of Srpska, i.e., about ten thousand people - said RS Minister of
Interior - Mr. Dragan Kijac. He also revealed that the Moslem leadership is
paying all Moslems that agree to settle in RS territory, although most of
these people did not live in this territory before the war. Minister Kijac
gave the example of the villages of Jusici, Mahala and Dugi Dio in the
Zvornik County where about 800 Moslems have settled in, even though later
verifications revealed that only 160 of them actually lived there before
the war. According to the same Republic of Srpska official, the Ministry of
Interior will prevent any forcible settlement of RS territory by Moslems.
In the localities where settlers have come, major problems have appeared,
because the Moslems reject the authority of the Republic of Srpska and are
very much prone to create incidents, which is supported by international
stabilization forces (SFOR). According to Mr. Kijac, the Moslems plan to
settle the separation zone from Zvornik to Doboj - a belt two kilometers
wide and 1.149 kilometers long - which would practically reduce the RS
territory by 10%. To this purpose, the international community already
revitalized the "Krivaja" factory in Zavidovici, producing prefabricated
houses that are to be erected in the separation zone and settled by
Moslems.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Ekspres Politika, 1997-03-06
[06] "VICTIMS" ARE ALIVE AND "ASSASSINS" ARE IN JAIL
Two years ago, the Association of Prison Camp Inmates interned after 1991,
asked the then Chief Prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal - Mr. Richard
Goldstone - to take over the case of Borislav Herak - a Serb condemned to
death by the Moslem authorities in Sarajevo - but he did not want to do a
thing, said Association Secretary - Ms. Dusica Bojic. Borislav Herak, and
another man - Srecko Damjanovic, were sentenced to death in 1993, for the
alleged murder of two brothers Kasim and Asim Blekic. They are still in
prison, and the Blekic brothers are alive! This "sensational revelation"
made by its reporter, has been published several days ago by The New York
Times. According to Ms. Dusica Bojic, the Documentation Center of the
Serbian Commissioner for Refugees, has signed statements by a number of
witnesses, stating that Moslems forced Herak to learn by heart two dozen
pages of a prefabricated confession of crimes. Dragan Vasiljevic a lawyer
that that spent three months in jail with Herak, testified that Herak was
horribly tortured and that he has become psychologically ill. The "Herak
case" was also presented to the then UN Reporter on Human Rights - Mr.
Tadeusz Masowiecki, but to no avail. "The basic intention of the
international community and the media campaign were aimed at presenting the
Serbs as monstrous criminals and responsible of genocide against Bosnian
Moslems", said Ms. Bojic. Thus, the American reporter "discovered" that the
Blekic brothers are alive, even though this was a known fact for years.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Ekspres Politika, 1997-03-06
[07] RUTHLESS ACT OF GERMAN AND CROATIAN COURTS
Germany extradited to Croatian authorities in Osijek one Milos Horvat, a
metal worker from the Baranja village of Branjina - who spent 20 years
working in Germany and the last five months in the Stuttgart prison,
without any indictment. According to the indictment raised by the County
Court in Osijek, Horvat "took part in the arming of the Serbs in his native
village, set fire to the homes of the Croats that fled from the area, and
beat those that remained". According to the statement given by Horvat's
wife Aranka, in 1991, Milos spent only two weeks in Baranja, and in the
past several years visited relatives and friends bringing aid and
medicines. Reacting to this ruthless act of the German authorities and
Croatian courts - Mr. Vaso Zigic, President of the Executive Council of the
Beli Manastir Municipality, addressed a letter to the US Ambassador to
Croatia - Mr. Peter Galbraith asking him to intervene in favor of the
release of Horvat, because - as he said - there is so much evidence that he
was not present in the region during the war operations, and thus could not
commit the crimes he is accused of.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-03-06
[08] SHAMEFUL BLESSING
Mr. Predrag Matvejevic - a renown Croatian writer that has been living in
Rome for the past several years, addressed an open letter to the Pope -
that Italian newspapers published with the title "Dear Woytilla, don't
Bless the Ustashas". The letter was written just before the Popes voyage to
Sarajevo, and was prompted by a recent event at the "Passion of Christ"
Church in Zagreb. In fact, several days ago - stresses Mr. Matvejevic -
mass was held in the church to commemorate the Ustasha leader Ante Pavelic,
and the Dominican friar that conducted the service rose to Heaven one of
the greatest World War II criminals. "He is now in Heaven, together with
the innocent children and numerous Croatian martyrs, watching over us and
the fate of Croatia." These were the words - says Mr. Matvejevic, used to
celebrate the man during whose rule thousands of people were eliminated:
innocent children, Jews, Christians, Serbs, Romany, but also Croats that
opposed his dictatorship. "I appeal to You, to do everything You can, and
help prevent similar things from occurring again and that undeserving sons
of the Church be removed from it." Says Mr. Matvejevic in his letter to the
Holy Father.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-03-06
[09] SERBS IN THE SERBIAN BARANJA REGION FOUNDED A PARTY
Yesterday in Borovo Naselje, numerous delegates, guests, UNTAES officials,
EU observers, OSCE and international community representatives and Croatian
reporters, attended the founding session of the new political organizations
of the Serbs from Eastern Slavonija, Baranja and Western Srem. The
"Samostalna demokratska srpska stranka - SDSS" (Independent Democratic
Serbian Party). It has been stressed that the party is primarily a
democratic one, but also a national party of the Serbian people, that will
use all available legal state bodies to realize its political program. The
primary principles that will serve as guidelines for the SDSS activity will
include negotiation, autonomy and integration, and these same principles
will be used by the party to articulate the interests and rights of the
Serbian people in the Region and in all Croatia. Honoring democratic
principles, SDSS will oppose all forms of violence and will therefore
endorse demilitarization and disarmament in the region. Furthermore, the
party will develop cultural and personal autonomy of the Serbs throughout
Croatia, as well as local and regional self-government and government of
the Serbs in the Srem-Baranja Region.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Politika, 1997-03-06
[10] NEW TERRORIST ATTACKS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
A bomb exploded yesterday in Pristina, in front of the Philosophy Faculty
building injuring four persons and causing major material damages. Ministry
of Interior teams discovered four kilograms of explosive with a remote
control device hidden by the Vuk Karadzic Monument in front of the Faculty.
Investigators still haven't revealed any details, but the explosion was
most probably authored by the same ethnic Albanian extremists that carried
out a number of attacks on policemen and civilians in the past several
months. No one assumed the responsibility for the terrorist attack yet, but
everything seems to indicate that the organizers and perpetrators come from
the illegal terrorist organization called "Kosovo Liberation Army". It is
believed that the bomb was deliberately planted in front of the university
building in connection with the announcements made by several ethnic
Albanian parties that the University buildings will "liberated". Yesterday
in Prizren, another explosive device has been discovered. The clockwork
that the Police experts deactivated contained 6 kilos of explosive and was
planted on the Tzar Dusan Monument in the center of the town unveiled on
St. Vitus Day in 1995.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-03-06
[11] THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL TO BE RAISED IN JOURNALISM
Serbian Minister of Information - Dr. Radmila Milentijevic talked yesterday
with the Italian Ambassador - Mr. Francesco Bascone about the introduction
of new republican laws on media and stressed that a broad discussion has
been organized regarding this issue involving all society structures and
all political parties. Along with changes in the legal system, it is
important to raise the professional level in our journalism remarked Ms.
Milentijevic, adding that a broad integration in world journalism is also
planned, including the education of young reporters in Europe and the US.
Ambassador Bascone observed that Italy is following with great attention
the democratization process in Serbia, especially in the spheres of
information and privatization, stressing the support of his government to
the dialogue between government and opposition in Serbia.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-06 ; Politika, 1997-03-06
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