Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-02-17

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT LILIC NOMINATES KONTIC FOR FEDERAL PRIME MIISTER

[02] KRAJISNIK MEETS KORNBLUM AND BILDT

[03] KORNBLUM APPEALS ON BOSNIAN PARTIES TO COOPERATE

[04] CONSTITUTING OF MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLIES UNDER SPECIAL LAW

[05] ADOPTION OF SPECIAL LOW AT THE ASSEMBLY OF SERRBIA

[06] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTRY'S STATEMENT

[07] MINISTER MILENTIJEVIC: MEDIA FREEDOM INVOLVES TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY

[08] YUGOSLAVIA SUBMITS MEMORANDUM TO WORLD COMMISSION ON MISSING PERSONS

[09] YUGOSLAV VICE PREMIER ANNOUNCES REFORMS IN 1997

[10] KONTIC ACCEPTS NOMINATION AS PRIME MINISTER

[11] PRESIDENT LILIC EXPECTS PARLIAMENT TO SUPPORT KONTIC

[01] PRESIDENT LILIC NOMINATES KONTIC FOR FEDERAL PRIME MIISTER

'On the basis of the Article 96, Chapter 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and following consultations with the presidents of political party clubs in the Federal Parliament, inominate Dr. Radoje Kontic as the future Federal Prime Minister.

'Dr. Radoje Kontic was proposed by the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro.

'I present this nomination with the conviction that Dr. Radoje Kontic, thanks to his personal capabilities and his rich political and working experience, will compose a competent and responsible Federal Government and draw up a program expressing the vital state interests of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

'The tasks to be carried out by the future Prime Minister and his Government will require full understanding and support of all political factors in the Federal Parliament and our society.

'I am certain that the Prime Minister and the Government will work efficiently for the affirmation and consolidation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a modern federal state, founded on political pluralism, free market economy and the rule of law, and that they will especially focus their endeavors on the promotion of economic development and our integration in international political and economic institutions'.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-15

[02] KRAJISNIK MEETS KORNBLUM AND BILDT

Kornblum said after talks that no details were discussed regarding the status of Brcko, announced by a U.S. arbiter on Friday. Kornblum said he carried as representative of the Contact Group the assurance of his Government that it would implement in letter and in spirit the decision reached by Roberts Owen. Owen ruled that Brcko be placed under international supervision for a year, when a final solution would be reached.

Kornblum said there was no winner or loser regarding Brcko, and added that the ruling aimed at establishing a structure to enable better implementation of the Dayton Accord, in order to improve cooperation in the region.

Krajisnik said Republika Srpska was informed about the assessments and principled solutions on the status of Brcko, and conveyed its stands to the group's representatives, he said.

Our arbiter, and the arbiter of the Muslim-Croat Federation, did not sign anything, said Krajisnik, as the ruling was unacceptable equally to Republika Srpska and the Federation. Krajisnik said top-level meetings would be held to assess the ruling. Whatever is imposed as an obligation must be received and implemented with a 'cool head,' he added.

Krajisnik said he was convinced the international community would honor its commitments to the end, such as equality of Bosnia's two entities and three peoples, and that economic aid for Brcko would ease tensions, improve cooperation and eliminate the effects of war and the threat of a new hot spot. We do not need a new hot spot, and Mostar can serve as an example, said Krajisnik.

Bildt said the implementation of the ruling would be the cornerstone of the Bosnia peace process this year. Both Republika Srpska and the Federation had pledged to honor the decision. Freedom of movement must be respected and refugees enabled to return to their homes, said Bildt.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-14

[03] KORNBLUM APPEALS ON BOSNIAN PARTIES TO COOPERATE

Kornblum arrived in Sarajevo on Friday afternoon from Rome, accompanied by Contact Group members, to discuss with representatives of both Bosnian entities the need for implementing the decision of the arbitration panel on Brcko.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-14

[04] CONSTITUTING OF MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLIES UNDER SPECIAL LAW

Municipal election commissions in most municipalities listed in the law have announced the results of local elections.

According to the definite results of the Belgrade City Elections Commission the Belgrade Assembly has 67 deputies of the Coalition Zajedno, 24 deputies of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and the Yugoslav Left (Jul), 17 of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS), and two deputies of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS).

In the town of Kraljevo, which has 70 seats, the Commission verified mandates for 36 deputies of the Coalition Zajedno, 19 of the SPS, 11 of the Jul, three of the SRS, and one deputy of the New Democracy.

In the 50-seat Assembly of Pirot the Commission verified 27 seats for the Coalition Zajedno, 21 for the SPS, and two seats for the SRS.

Mandates in the central town of Nis have been given to 48 deputies of the Coalition Zajedno, 21 SPS deputies, and one of the SRS. These results will be verified at the City Assembly session set for Feb. 18, when mandates for another seven Zajedno deputies and 21 SPS deputies will also be verified.

The Zrenjanin Assembly has 27 SPS deputies, 23 Zajedno deputies, seven each of the Coalition Vojvodina and the Vojvodina Party, and two each of the Jul, SRS, and a group of citizens - independent.

The Municipal Elections Commission of the central town of Jagodina verified 34 Zajedno deputy mandates, and the new composition of the Jagodina Assembly will also include 17 SPS deputies, five Jul deputies, three SRS deputies, three independent deputies, and one of the Party of Serb Unity.

The 30-seat Assembly of Soko Banja has 13 Zajedno deputies, 11 SPS deputies, three Jul deputies, two SRSs deputies, and one independent deputy.

Yhe 69-seat Sabac Assembly has 33 SPS deputies, 30 Zajedno deputies, two each of the SRS and the DSS, one Jul deputy, and one indepedent deputy.

The new Pancevo Assembly will have 31 deputies each of the SPS and Zajedno, three indepedent, two each of the Green Party and the SRS, and one of the Democratic Community of Vojvodina Hungarians (DZVM).

The Municipal Elections Commission for the town of Smederevska Palanka verified 48 of the 49 seats in this Municipal Assembly. The Coalition Zajedno has 26 deputies, the SPS 22, and the Commission did not reach a stand on one seat.

In 67-seat Assembly of the town of Uzice has 38 Zajedno deputies and 29 SPS deputies.

Serbian Assembly President Dragan Tomic, as envisaged under Article 3 of the Law proclaiming as final the preliminary municipal election results as set out in the Report of the Mission of the OSCE, has so far called constitutive sessions of the Belgrade Municipal Assemblies of Stari Grad, Palilula, and Vracar, and the municipality of the town of Pirot for Thursday, Feb. 20, and a constitutive session for the City Assembly of Belgrade for Friday, Feb. 21.

Tanjug was told at the Republican Parliament that all 19 municipalities and three towns listed in the OSCE Mission Report, after establishing the election of deputies, will have to call constitutive sessions of the assemblies in agreement with the Special Law. This legal obligation is also valid for those municipalities and towns from the list which have already constituted local organs of authority, in spite of the conflicts over the election results.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-15

[05] ADOPTION OF SPECIAL LOW AT THE ASSEMBLY OF SERRBIA

The deputies of the Serbian Radical Party participated in the debate on the bill to proclaim as final the preliminary results of the elections of 17 November 1996 for deputies of the Assemblies of municipalities and towns in accordance with the report of the OSCE mission, but they left the Assembly hall during the voting. According to the transcript, 131 deputies were present in the Assembly hall (i.e. deputies of the Serbian Socialist Party, New Democracy, Democratic Community of the Vojvodina Hungarians, "1 December", Party for Democratic Action, Democratic Party of Albanians and two deputies previously ousted from the Democratic Party. 128 deputies voted for the bill (126 deputies make a quorum). There were no dissenting or abstentions, while 3 deputies did not vote.

Although adopted under summary procedure, this law was accorded the same treatment during the debate and decision making as other laws adopted in the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. A simple majority of votes of the present deputies was necessary for the adoption of this law.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-15

[06] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTRY'S STATEMENT

'These are insinuations and attempts to damage the prestige and interests of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at a time when it is focusing all its forces on internal socio-economic development and the cementing of peace and stability in its neighbourhood,' said the statement released by the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-15

[07] MINISTER MILENTIJEVIC: MEDIA FREEDOM INVOLVES TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY

'Freedom of media is a process of learning and growth which is an integral part of the process of democratic development,' said Dr.Milentijevic.

Regarding media financing and the issue of their independence inherent there in, Milentijevic said that 'press which is not government or pro- government is considered independent press' in Serbia. However, she said, there is no independent media in the world, since media have to be financed.

Milentijevic underscored that 'reporters, whether they support or criticize the government, must maintain a certain level and have a good ear. They cannot permit themselves to attack or slur ruthlessly, without any grounds, evidence. Citizens cannot learn anything from such journalism.'

Asked to explain her first statement to reporters at the Serbian Assembly session on Feb. 11, when she said 'we lived here under a dictatorship for 50 years,' Milentijevic said that the statement 'certainly did not pertain to the present. With that term I wanted to say that you lived in a one- party system where you did not have the freedom of multi-party choice or media freedom. Now you have a multi-party political system and freedom of choice of candidates for a president, as well as numerous media. In other words, you have great political freedoms and a whole spectrum of political choices,' Milentijevic said.

However, she said, 'in this situation you use your freedoms boundlessly. And democracy implies vast responsibilities. It means the respect of the freedoms of others, non-violation of the freedoms of others, and, above all, respect for the choice of the people.'

Speaking about foreign media, Milentijevic said she believed it was necessary to work more closely with the accredited foreign correspondents, to have more talks, contacts, to provide more information, more explanations, answers to questions.

'Above all, we must hold them responsible for what they write. This means that if they write something which is not true or that is not fact, we must react and demand that untruths are corrected,' she said.

Minister Milentijevic said the greatest victim during the recent war had been the truth about Serbia and that the picture of Serbia and the Serb people in the West was 'quite negative.' This must be changed, she said, underscoring that these changes must be based on several factors.

'One of them will be Serbia's economic development and within this the importance of the transformation of the economy and ownership. Further, we must do everything we can to raise the standard of media to a higher, more professional level. It seems tome that media in Serbia now have rights, but they must also develop responsibilities,' she said.

Listing the steps toward amendments of the existing law on media, she said the weak points of the current law should first be found, then models should be taken from western countries, and the local law brought to that level.

'For instance, I have just learned that there are more than 100 radio stations and about 20 television stations throughout Serbia which are not registered,' she said. Something like that would never be tolerated in other countries, said Milentijevic.

She was asked about her opinion as to what the Zajedno Coalition leaders considered as media freedoms, and whether they were fighting for freedom or control of media, in view of the recent incidents in the town of Nis, where this Coalition tried to prevent a paid TV broadcast by Dr. Vojislav Seselj, and in the town of Uzice where even mass protests were organized against Seselj's speech on a radio station. The occurrence of such incidents 'is not part of the concept of democracy or the freedom of media,' she said.

'There is an abundance of papers, weeklies, monthlies, magazines here, some are pro-government, but very many are against it. There is very much freedom there,' Minister Milentijevic said.

'Perhaps Serbian Radio and Television does not give the opposition the time it would like to have. What it wants in fact is room in the media in order to have an influence on the entire Serbian population through them,' said Information Minister Milentijevic.

The West is lecturing Serbia and issuing various warnings and diplomatic notes because the Zajedno leaders have asked it for help, claiming that Serbia will stand beside it and that a change of power will be carried out in Serbia, Milentijevic said. However, she added, the past three months have shown that President Milosevic has allowed the demonstrations to develop freely, while the Coalition Zajedno has not succeeded in making Serbia rise in the way it expected.

It has turned out that the dissatisfaction demonstrated in Belgrade was not due to any loyalty to the Zajedno leaders but to the difficult economic situation resulting from the deadly effects of war and sanctions, the Minister said.

After all, it is clear that the opposition does not have the strength to take the power in Serbia, and that President Milosevic enjoys the support of the people, as demonstrated by the results of both federal and local elections in which Serbia's citizens gave him over 60 percent of their votes, Milentijevic underlined.

Asked about the constant U.S. emphasis on the Dayton Agreement, Milentijevic said that the U.S. is a great power which has won the cold war and which has global interests. She underlined that the U.S. does not hate the Serbian people, nor does it want war. Peace in the Balkans is in the us interest and it will negotiate on that basis with a leader who guarantees peace, she said. Consequently, not only does the U.S. insist on the Dayton Agreement, the very conclusion of the Agreement was possible thanks to the constructive role President Milosevic had played, and it is precisely Milosevic who today guarantees the implementation of the Dayton Agreement.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-15

[08] YUGOSLAVIA SUBMITS MEMORANDUM TO WORLD COMMISSION ON MISSING PERSONS

Speaking at a news conference in Belgrade, Todorovic said the Memorandum listed Yugoslavia's requests in connection with persons gone missing during hostilities in the former Yugoslavia.

Todorovic said the international commission had been set up last year in order to better trace thousands of persons gone missing in the former Yugoslavia. He said the Commission was headed by Cyrus Vance who he said had called on all parties concerned to present precise data on missing persons after his visit to the region.

'We have submitted six annexes that include a protocol on cooperation with the Croatian Government Commission for captives and missing persons, data on persons gone missing in Krajina and throughout Croatia and our requests in connection with persons gone missing in Bosnia,' Todorovic said.

The Yugoslav side is looking for 956 persons who have disappeared throughout the former Yugoslavia.

Missing persons' families that have supplied the Government Commission with documentation they possess have largely helped the Commission draft the Memorandum. The Veritas Documentation Centre, which is looking for 2,985 persons that have disappeared in Croatia, has also submitted material.

Todorovic said the Yugoslav side had fulfilled all obligations towards the Croatian side stated in the protocol on cooperation and had presented the Croatian Government Commission with lists containing the names of persons gone missing in Vukovar in 1991. Moreover, it is about to present it with lists containing the names of persons who have been killed elsewhere in Croatia, he said.

'A separate section of the Memorandum deals with persons that we know are still held prisoner or persons against whom proceedings have been discontinued but have been arrested again,' Todorovic said.

The identification of the dead poses yet another problem that has to be solved in cooperation with the Croatian side. The Commission also mentioned financial problems encountered by the Serb side, especially in conducting exhumation that costs a great deal of money.

'We have expressed our readiness to cooperate with the International Commission and expect the first meeting to take place in March, probably in Zagreb,' Todorovic said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-14

[09] YUGOSLAV VICE PREMIER ANNOUNCES REFORMS IN 1997

Their most important characteristic, apart from preserving the stability of the national currency, the dinar, and achieving a production growth, is the commitment to open a process of thorough reforms. This primarily means that a practical implementation should begin of systemic laws in the economy and a new law on the restructuring of the socially-owned capital, opening of the Yugoslav market towards the world and liberalisation of economic relations with foreign countries. This means that the country should join the international labour division and financial and trade organisations, Zebic said.

He said that Serbia was preparing amendments to the law on the change of ownership relations in the socially-owned capital, which Montenegro also has, which 'is a serious reform, popularly known as privatisation.'

'Parallel with this, there must be a serious programme on the financial reconstruction of a number of firms and banks' as well as social programmes, which must accompany structural reforms because there 'will be some redundancies' right after them, Zebic said.

However, these reforms must guarantee a perspective to citizens and all the employed, he said and added that until the reforms produce results, the state would have to have intervention social funds.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-15

[10] KONTIC ACCEPTS NOMINATION AS PRIME MINISTER

'It is a great honor for me to be entrusted by the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with composing the new Federal Government. At the same time, I wish to underline that I highly appreciate the proposal for the second time of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro, of which I am a member, to nominate me as candidate for the post of Federal Prime Minister. I also highly appreciate the support of some political parties represented in the Federal Parliament to my nomination. This is why I feel under the obligation to accept once again to compose a new Federal Government'.

'In the coming days, I shall endeavor to compose a Government of professional, competent officials who will, I hope, be able to successfully face the present complex political, economic and social problems, who will be able thanks to their knowledge and capabilities to respond to all challenges of the present time and the coming period'.

The prime minister said the new Government would probably be a coalition, but it is essential that it draw up a program in which deputies from opposition parties would also be interested. This means that the internal policy program will focus on overall economic reforms, the establishment of the rule of law, political and economic democratization and the consolidation of the federal stateas a community of republics and citizens enjoying equal rights, Kontic said.

As regards foreign policy, the new Government will give priority to the reintegration in the international community, that is international political, financial, trade and other organizations, he noted.

The peace process, that is the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, will also be given priority, Kontic said and continued: 'Briefly, the strategic goal of the new Federal Government will be the creation of a prosperous, stable and democratric state which will provide peace, stability and safety to all its citizens.

'I hope these goals will be shared by all parliamentary and non- parliamentary parties and by all citizens of Yugoslavia, and that we shall all exert utmost efforts to achieve these goals.

'I take this opportunity to thank President Lilic for entrusting me with composing the new Government and I hope I shall fulfil his trust', Kontic said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-15

[11] PRESIDENT LILIC EXPECTS PARLIAMENT TO SUPPORT KONTIC

President Lilic told the press after the meeting:

'In accordance with my constitutional prerogatives and in line with the consultations with which you are acquainted, i have just empowered Dr. Radoje Kontic to compose the new Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. 'I hope and believe that Dr. Radoje Kontic and the ministers he will nominate will in this crucial time for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia show strength, knowledge, understanding and inventiveness, and above all the energy to lead the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on a path in the interest of all its citizens - that is the path of economic recovery and further stabilization of the overall political situation.

'I believe this is what will happen and I sincerely wish them success on their not in the least easy path, and I believe that with the help of all competent factors in the state, they will succeed in the coming four years in reaching a point at which the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will be able to meet its internal commitments and move towards integration processes within the international community.

'At the same time, I hope that the Federal Parliament members who will have the opportunity to hear and learn the program of the Prime Minister and to meet the new Federal Ministers will support Dr. Radoje Kontic not in words only, but through an efficient functioning of the Federal Parliament which will enable us to achieve all goals we care about'.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-15

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