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Serbia Today, 97-03-13
Serbia Today
CONTENTS
[01] ENTIRE SERBIA IN A DIALOGUE
[02] PULITZER IS TURNING IN HIS GRAVE
[03] KINKEL AS BERISHA
[04] ANTI-CROAT CAMPAIGN IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA FEDERATION
[05] ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES WITH CROATIA
[06] POOR CONDITIONS FOR THE ELECTIONS
[07] AID OF ITALIAN GOVERNMENT FOR REFUGEES IN THE FR OF YUGOSLAVIA
[08] TALKS ON PROMOTION OF COOPERATION BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND EUROPEAN
UNION
[09] COMPETITION OF QUALITY, NOT A CONFRONTATION OF DIFFERENT POLITICAL
ORIENTATIONS
[10] GOVERNMENT TO TAKE PART IN THE PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE FIRST DRAFT
VERSION OF THE LAW ON INFORMATION
[01] ENTIRE SERBIA IN A DIALOGUE
Her first working visit, after appointment to the post of Minister of
Information of the Republic of Serbia, Prof Dr Radmila Milentijevic started
yesterday in Valjevo, where she had talks with the press about the future
law on public information, which is to be passed soon. The first talks
about the new law have been great encouragement, said Minister Milentijevic,
because the entire Serbia has found itself in the midst of a dialogue and
this is a guarantee that through collective wisdom, the law will be passed
which will contribute towards further democratization of Serbia, both in
the information, and in the political and economic fields. Passing of the
new law is a necessity, because it should express the state of facts in
Serbia today, which is in the process of democratization far removed from
the time when the present law was passed, commented Minister Milentijevic
and specified that the new law is to regulate full freedom of information,
but also of responsibility.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Politika, 1997-03-13
[02] PULITZER IS TURNING IN HIS GRAVE
Under the title "Horror of Media Manipulation", Belgrade newspaper
"Nedeljni telegraf" is publishing the interview with the Frankfurt
journalist Thomas Deihmann about the fraud discovered from TV shots in
Bosnia which have changed the American policy towards Serbs. It is a
question of the shots made by the British TV reporters in August 1992,
within the courtyard of an agricultural storage warehouse fenced with
barbed wire, broadcast throughout the world as alleged material from the
Serbian concentration camp Trnopolje. Deihmann discovered that it is
neither the question here of a prison camp nor of the prison inmates, but
that this forgery "forced President Bush to change his policy towards
Serbs". Deihmann's discovery published in British, Swiss and German
newspapers four weeks ago, caused various reactions, while "Nedeljni
telegraf" writes that a major media scandal is on the horizon. Its
consequences could be the return of prizes which the authors have won for
the falsified shots. Among the prizes is also the Pulitzer Prize, which for
the alleged discovery of Serbian concentration camps was awarded to the
reporter of the American newspaper "News Day" Roy Gatmann. In his interview
for "Nedeljni telegraf" Deihmann says that for a long time now he is
demanding that Gatmann gives back his prize, and points out at the need to
have a discussion about reporting during the latest war in the Balkans.
"Nedeljni telegraf" comments on these media manipulations by writing
"Pulitzer Is Turning in His Grave".
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-13
[03] KINKEL AS BERISHA
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Klaus Kinkel is imitating the
attitude of the Albanian President Sali Berisha - instead of answering the
question asked by the newspaper "Die Welt" about the armed rebellion in
Albania, he is warning that a war could erupt in Kosmet, similar to the one
that was raging in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The blood-spilling events in Albania,
in which the rebelled citizens have already mastered one quarter of the
country, for Kinkel are only a reminder that the south of the Balkans is
unstable and therefore he is warning that the world should turn again its
attention towards Kosovo and Metohija. Kinkel says the following: "It must
not be allowed for the tragedy of Bosnia to repeat itself in the southern
Balkans". Several days before Kinkel, President of Albania in his interview
for "Der Spiegel" pointed out at Kosmet as a potential flash point. On that
occasion he announced "all possible assistance" to the Skypetary
secessionists in the south of Serbia, if they are to take up arms. He has
also on that occasion avoided the answer to the question about the armed
rebellion of the population of Albania. That the situation in Kosmet has
been tense for years - is a well known fact for years. It is also well
known that the main generator of crisis are the efforts of Skypetary
(Albanian) extremists to separate Kosovo and Metohija territory from Serbia
and annex it to Albania. Kinkel's circumventing arms in Albania and turning
of his "concerned look" towards Kosmet, in which he is keeping silent about
the causes of the tensions in this part of Serbia, is only pointing out
that great powers have not yet agreed which side to support: the one of the
Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, or of the
Skypetary secessionists in Kosovo and Metohija i.e. of the creators of
Greater Albania.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Vecernje novosti, 1997-03-13
[04] ANTI-CROAT CAMPAIGN IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA FEDERATION
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Sarajevo has sent a note of protest
to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia-Herzegovina Federation because
of a more and more acute anti-Croat campaign in the media controlled by the
Muslim authorities. In the protest it is underlined that "the new wave of
anti-Croat propaganda in the Federation is unacceptable". Croat Embassy in
Sarajevo over the past few months has sent several warnings to the Muslim
leadership in the Federation because of the anti-Croat campaign in which,
it is stated, also the high Muslim state officials are taking part.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Borba, 1997-03-13
[05] ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES WITH CROATIA
Russia welcomed yesterday the statement by the President of the UN Security
Council on the situation in the Srem and Baranja Region, commenting that
this is an important document which is bearing witness on constant efforts
of the world community to regulate the situation in former Yugoslavia. The
official spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Genady
Tarasov underlined that the Council devoted special attention to the steps
which are to be made by the Government of Croatia, in order to fulfil the
conditions from the Basic Agreement, demands of the UN transitional
administration and its own promises on securing Serbian population during
the preparations for the elections in Eastern Slavonia. "Long-term success
of peaceful reintegration of the Region will depend on the wish of the
Croat Government to pacify Serbian population of Eastern Slavonia and as
citizens of Croatia to provide for them equal rights", said Tarasov.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Borba, 1997-03-13
[06] POOR CONDITIONS FOR THE ELECTIONS
Elections in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem under the UNTAES
control, scheduled by Jacques Klein for April 13, 1997, can not be
considered as regular because many conditions for a good quality execution
of the elections have not been respected. The Regional Executive Council is
of the view that the principle of equality has been violated, because the
elections in the other parts of Croatia were scheduled earlier than in the
area of this Region. In this way the Serbian side in the Region is placed
in an unequitable position. Such a view was supported at today's session by
a number of arguments, among others by the fact that only some 26,000
inhabitants of the Region have obtained Croat documents. Fifteen days until
the conclusion of the elections is too short a term for the other citizens
to obtain documents, which will make it impossible for a large number of
Serbs to vote. Furthermore, more than one thousand citizens who have
submitted their application for the documents, have been refused.
Government of the Region is neither accepting the criteria for formation of
the voting lists according to which the voting right is suppressed for over
10,000 citizens who arrived in the Region after January 15, 1996. The
electoral frontiers are also unacceptable, i.e. the frontiers of the
municipalities as drawn by Klein. Government is of the view that the
elections are irregular also because there are further manipulations with
the list of persons exempt from amnesty. These views and objections were
communicated yesterday to Jacques Klein. He promised to make additional
efforts in order to resolve the dilemma about territorial organization of
the municipalities, but with the remark that only a very small space and a
very short time has remained.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Politika, 1997-03-13
[07] AID OF ITALIAN GOVERNMENT FOR REFUGEES IN THE FR OF YUGOSLAVIA
Commissioner for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia and Minister for Family
Care Bratislava Morina, received chief of the mission of the Humanitarian
Bureau of the Embassy of Italy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,
Rosario Michike, on the occasion of the decision announced by the
Government of Italy to allocate 2.5 billion lira for purchase of food as
aid to refugees in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The supply of food
is to be completed these days and this shipment is only the beginning of
the aid which will in future arrive continuously, said Michike. He recalled
that the Government of Italy several months ago has paid to the UN High
Commissariat for Refugees two billion lira also for the care of refugees in
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Morina thanked for the understanding
which the Government of Italy has shown for the problems in the FR of
Yugoslavia in accommodating more than 650,000 refugees and asked for
assistance in providing lasting solution for a large number of refugees.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Politika ekspres, 1997-03-13
[08] TALKS ON PROMOTION OF COOPERATION BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND EUROPEAN
UNION
Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Milutinovic received ambassadors
and charge d'affaires of all the member-countries of the European Union as
well as the chief of the EU mission in Belgrade, and had extensive working
talks with them. The talks were devoted to cooperation and promotion of the
relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the European Union,
most of all in the sphere of economy and trade, on the principles of mutual
benefit and free circulation of goods, services and capital.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Borba, 1997-03-13
[09] COMPETITION OF QUALITY, NOT A CONFRONTATION OF DIFFERENT POLITICAL
ORIENTATIONS
In his interview about the new draft Law on Public Information, while
answering the remarks that the so-called anti-monopoly provisions are
actually aimed at preserving the state monopoly, Ratomir Vico, minister
without portfolio in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, answered
that all the limitations, all the anti-monopoly provisions, are very
frequent both in European and in the world legislature, and that they do
not mean either in these countries or in our case, preventing the option of
establishing networks of national broadcasting. "On the contrary, in
conceiving the strategy of development of Radio Television Serbia it is our
point of departure that Radio Television Serbia must obtain true
competition in the form of television networks of the national coverage
which would pool together regional programs which are financed from
advertizing and sponsorships. But all of us together must aim at
competition of quality between radio and television channels, and not
competition as confrontation of televisions of different political
orientations". About the attitude of the Government towards the private
sector in the field of radio and television, Minister Vico said: "It is in
the interest of the state to engage capital for the social needs on the
profit-making basis, but with retaining the right to influence the
structure and quality of programs. Commercial radio-television, which is
not owned by the state, in view of the importance that such media are
having, must be treated as a public service, i.e. an activity of public
interest. Thanks to the advertizing, production and broadcasting of
programs can be a profitable business. By making requirements regarding
quality, contents and structure of programs, for granting broadcasting
permits, such programs will be achieved which further to making profit for
their owners, must also satisfy various needs and interests of the broadest
circle of citizens of Serbia, from cultural, educational, informative up to
entertainment ones.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Politika, 1997-03-13
[10] GOVERNMENT TO TAKE PART IN THE PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE FIRST DRAFT
VERSION OF THE LAW ON INFORMATION
"I wish to express my great satisfaction on the occasion of forceful
reactions on the first draft version of the Law on Public Information,
which the Government of the Republic has presented to the local and foreign
public", reads yesterday's statement made by the Minister of Information of
the Republic of Serbia, Prof.Dr. Radmila Milentijevic. "With this first
draft version of the law we wish to confirm that we are a part of Europe,
and this means application of the European standards in force in this
field. Principles applied in accordance with the existing European and
world standards are the following: protection from monopoly in public
information and deregulation in the part pertaining to the liability of
journalists which is not regulated by law but is left to the members of the
press through their code of ethics to define rules of professional work,
therefore, of freedom but of responsibility as well. The first reactions
are convincing me how much it is necessary to have the broadest public
debate through which together with criticism, proposals and suggestions,
the Draft Law will be crystallized, which will be submitted to the National
Assembly of the Republic of Serbia for debate and adoption", stated
Minister Milentijevic. She mentioned that the Government of the Republic of
Serbia has accepted the invitation by the National Assembly to take part in
the panel discussion and expressed hope that representatives of all the
parliamentary parties will participate in the discussion.
Serbia Today, 1997-03-13 ; Politika, 1997-03-13
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