DAILY SURVEY
Belgrade, 08. 04. 2008.
C O N T E N T:
SERBIA
- TADIC: ICTY, KOSOVO NOT TO BE MISUSED IN PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN
- TADIC CONGRATULATES VUJANOVIC ON ELECTION VICTORY
- TADIC: FEITH HAS NO MANDATE TO HANDLE ELECTIONS IN SERBIA
- JEREMIC: SERBIA TO SEEK COURT OF JUSTICE OPINION ON KOSOVO
- JEREMIC: SERBIAN HERITAGE IN KOSOVO ENDANGERED
- NEXT ELECTION ABOUT EU, NOT KOSOVO, SAYS JEREMIC
- SAMARDZIC: EU PRESENTS SERBIA WITH NEW CONDITIONS
- SOURCE: NO NEW CONDITIONS FOR SERBIA'S ENTRY INTO EU
- DULIC CONFERS WITH ICTY CHIEF PROSECUTOR BELGRADE/THE
- LONCAR: SOLANA DIRECTLY INTERFERES INTO SERBIAN ELECTIONS
KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
- SAMARDZIC: WE ARE WAITING FOR RUECKER'S ANSWER
- KOSOVO DRAFT CONSTITUTION SIGNED
- FEITH: "EU to decide how to tackle north after vote"
- OSCE DEMANDS INTEGRATION OF ROMA, ASHKALI, ETHNIC EGYPTIANS
- US OPENS EMBASSY IN KOSOVO - METOHIJA ON TUESDAY
- THIRD CONTINGENT OF RUSSIAN HUMANITARIAN AID ARRIVES
SERBIA – ECONOMY
- ONLY TWO COMPANIES HAVE EXPORTS WORTH OVER 100 ML EUROS
- MILOSAVLJEVIC: TARGETED EXPORTS WORTH FIVE BILLION DOLLARS
- MINING MINISTER: LAW SHOULD DECIDE OUTCOME OF RTB BOR TENDER
- ATEC OWNER BLAMES DEUTSCHE BANK FOR MISSING RTB DEADLINE
SERBIA
TADIC: ICTY, KOSOVO NOT TO BE MISUSED IN PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN
BELGRADE, April 8 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic has said that it would be much better for Serbia if neither Kosovo nor cooperation with The Hague were misused in the pre-election rhetoric, and that a revision of the decision on Ramus Haradinaj's acquittal would prove the legitimacy of the ICTY.
"It is not good to make offhand statements in order to obtain votes and refuse to be ready to bear the consequences of what you have said," the Serbian president said in an interview for the Belgrade daily Blic. He underlined that the decision The Hague Tribunal had reached in the Haradinaj case "is totally unjust and Serbia has the right to say that, but it would be good if the politicians restrained from emotional reactions because the interest of the Serbian people is to be threatened in no way whatsoever," and added that slogans could not be a replacement for responsible state policy.
"There are numerous statements of witnesses about the crimes that were committed against Serbs, the Roma and (ethnic) Albanians which Haradinaj took part in and which make one's hair stand on end. I demanded from the Tribunal that the Prosecution lodged an appeal against the verdict, since justice has to be met and the ghastly war crimes properly punished," Tadic said in the interview for the Tuesday issue of the Belgrade daily Blic.
TADIC CONGRATULATES VUJANOVIC ON ELECTION VICTORY
BELGRADE, April 7 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic on Monday congratulated Filip Vujanovic on his victory in the Montenegrin presidential elections and expressed the wish that the two brother countries should continue developing the best possible relations.
"I congratulate you on your victory in the presidential elections with the wishes that you take Montenegro forward along its pathway of European integrations. Serbia and Montenegro are the closest neighbors, friendly and brother countries, and we must continue developing the best possible relations to the welfare of the citizens of both Montenegro and Serbia," President Tadic said.
The election campaign headquarters of Vujanovic's ruling coalition proclaimed a victory in yesterday's first round of the presidential elections in Montenegro. According to the figures of these headquarters, which are in accord with the estimates of the non-governmental organizations Center for Monitoring and Center for Democratic Transition, Vujanovic won more than 52 percent of the cast ballots in the first round of voting, which secures for him a victory over the other rival candidates.
TADIC: FEITH HAS NO MANDATE TO HANDLE ELECTIONS IN SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 8 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic said on Tuesday that EULEX mission chief Pieter Feith has no mandate to be engaged on the elections in Serbia, and underscored that this mission is in Kosovo and Metohija illegally, since there is no relevant United Nations (UN) Security Council decision about its deployment.
Speaking in reaction to Feith's statement that the EULEX mission will wait for the outcome of the Serbian elections before deciding about taking over the mandate of the United Nations in northern Kosovo, Tadic said that Feith has no right to interfere in the internal affairs of Serbia. In a statement distributed to media, president Tadic said that Feith is implementing only the decisions of those EU member-states that have recognized the illegal and unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo.
There are EU countries that do not recognize the illegally proclaimed independence of the southern province, he pointed out. "What Pieter Feith is doing is helping the anti-European forces in Serbia, so that their coming to power would be an alibi for giving independence to Kosovo," the Serbian president said.
JEREMIC: SERBIA TO SEEK COURT OF JUSTICE OPINION ON KOSOVO
BELGRADE, April 07 (Beta) - Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic has said that at the September meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, Serbia will call on the International Court of Justice to give its opinion on the legality of Kosovo's declaration of independence.
"We believe that this initiative would be backed by a majority and that the very fact that we are working on this proposal is deterring some countries from recognizing Kosovo," Jeremic told reporters.
Speaking at an international seminar on foreign policy, Jeremic said that the outgoing cabinet is under no obligation to lay the foundations for action, leaving its successor to decide whether to follow through.
According to Jeremic, Serbia's main foreign policy goal in the short term is to reduce the number of states recognizing Kosovo's secession. "In the long term, we want to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region and EU membership," he said.
Jeremic also stressed that Serbia has braved international pressure and prevented the en masse recognition of Kosovo. This, he said, indicates that it would be best for both sides to return to the negotiating table.
In his speech to representatives of Balkan and central Asian countries, Jeremic said that Kosovo Serbs must not become hostages of international relations, adding that the only way to ensure that is the neutrality of the international peacekeeping force in terms of Kosovo's status.
JEREMIC: SERBIAN HERITAGE IN KOSOVO ENDANGERED
BELGRADE, April 07 (Beta) - Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic on April 7 said that the Serbian cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo is still endangered and described as "cultural cleansing" the attacks on that heritage over the past eight years.
Addressing the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris, Jeremic said "the greatest challenge to human rights in Serbia lies in our southern province of Kosovo and Metohija, under U.N. administration since 1999."
Jeremic recalled that over the past eight years, "more than 150 churches and monasteries, at last count, including those that were built as long ago as the 14th century, were torched by Kosovo Albanian extremists, including 35 during the March 2004 pogrom against the Serbs in Kosovo."
"The purposeful attempt to vandalize, loot, burn, desecrate and destroy what others built long ago, in the conviction that such deeds will contribute to the invention of a historical narrative of one's own, must be condemned in the strongest possible terms and identified clearly for what they are: zealous, fevered, revolting acts of cultural cleansing," the foreign minister stressed.
NEXT ELECTION ABOUT EU, NOT KOSOVO, SAYS JEREMIC
BELGRADE, April 07 (Beta) - On April 7, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that the next general election is a watershed that will decide the fate of Serbia's bid for European integration.
Addressing an international seminar in Belgrade, Jeremic stressed that the election will determine Serbia's course regarding the EU, but not Kosovo, since the country's policy in Kosovo will not change regardless of the outcome.
"Whoever wins the election, Serbian policy on Kosovo and Metohija will not change, which is why the election is about the EU," he added.
Jeremic told officials from Balkan and central Asian foreign ministries that while he supports continued European integration, an U-turn in that regard would be entirely legal if based on the democratic process.
SAMARDZIC: EU PRESENTS SERBIA WITH NEW CONDITIONS
BELGRADE, April 7 (Tanjug) - Kosovo and Metohija Minister Slobodan Samardzic on Monday described as "peculiar in content" an open letter by the current and future EU presidents, Dimitrij Rupel and Bernard Kouchner respectively, which gave new, additional conditions for Serbia's future european integrations.
"In this, there are three new moments which should be noted. The first is that Serbia is being viewed as a unique case, rather than just Kosovo alone. Furthermore, two new conditions for Serbia are being indicated for its integration process: the first is that it should agree to the deployment of the EULEX mission in Kosovo and Metohija, and the second is that it develops and realizes good-neighborly relations with Kosovo as an independent state," Samardzic pointed out. He added that if the second condition were "to be finalized," this would mean that Serbia should recognize Kosovo in the near future.
"This sheds fresh light on relations with the EU. The DSS position is that the EU integrations are something on which Serbia, as a state, has insisted and initiated, but, over the past few months, the EU has changed its policy and started presenting Serbia with conditions that were not put before any other country," Samardzic set out. He underscored that the election campaign should be viewed in this light, because "many parties are running with the stand that integrations should be carried out unconditionally, regardless of what Europe demands from us."
SOURCE: NO NEW CONDITIONS FOR SERBIA'S ENTRY INTO EU
BELGRADE, April 07 (Beta) - There are no additional conditions for Serbia to join the European Union, a source from the staff of Serbian President Boris Tadic told BETA on April 7, in response to a statement by Democratic Party of Serbia official Slobodan Samardzic that two new conditions have been given to Belgrade.
BETA's source said nobody had stated that there were new requirements for Serbia and it would not be good if Samardzic's statement became another of his party's election catch phrases.
DULIC CONFERS WITH ICTY CHIEF PROSECUTOR BELGRADE/THE
HAGUE, April 8 (Tanjug) - Serbian parliament speaker Oliver Dulic conferred in The Hague late on Monday with ICTY Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, the Serbian Radio Television (RTS) has reported on its Web site.
` After the meeting, which lasted for one hour and a half, Dulic did not give any details about his talks with Brammertz. He only announced he would meet with members of the Dutch parliament and have talks with Dutch Minister of European Affairs Franz Timmermans. The Dutch government opposes the idea that the European Union signs the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Serbia as long as official Belgrade does not begin fully cooperating with The Hague Tribunal, RTS reminded.
LONCAR: SOLANA DIRECTLY INTERFERES INTO SERBIAN ELECTIONS
BELGRADE, April 8 (Tanjug) - Minister of Education Zoran Loncar accused on Tuesday EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana of direct interference into the Serbian elections and the country's internal affairs. "Javier Solana says that he is very fond of Serbia and that in the elections he wants to help (Nenad ) Canak, DS, G17.
At the same time, Solana claims that the May 11 elections are very important for him and that the second most important thing is the coming into force of the constitution of the first NATO state, " Loncar told Tanjug. He assessed that in doing that, "Solana is directly interfering into the elections in Serbia," and that "what is even worse, by supporting the constitution of the first NATO state, he is brutally interfering into Serbia's internal affairs."
"We would like to remind Solana that he his decision to bomb our country brought enough harm to Serbia and that it would be necessary that he refrains now. It would also be good if Solana said something about Ramush Haradinaj and Hasim Taci, war criminals and guerilla fighters for the setting up of the first NATO state, who killed Serbs so that they could trade in human organs," Loncar said, wondering whether Solana had any comment on that topic.
KOSOVO AND METOHIJA – SITUATION, REACTIONS
SAMARDZIC: WE ARE WAITING FOR RUECKER'S ANSWER
BELGRADE, April 7 (Tanjug) - Kosovo and Metohija Minister Slobodan Samardzic said Monday that he is still waiting for an answer from the UN envoy for Kosovo, Joachim Ruecker, to a letter in which Serbia requested that the May 11 elections are also held in its province, adding that field preparations for the ballot are already under way.
Speaking at a DSS press conference, Samardzic refused to comment the possibility that Ruecker could reject Serbia's offer for cooperation, noting that "it is necessary to be patient and wait for an answer." He added that preparations for the ballot are being carried out "as if the right decision has been made," underscoring that if Ruecker drags his heels, "this will not have a negative effect" because "in theory, he can make this decision on May 1, and Serbia would easily implement it."
Samardzic recalled that the government has adopted a conclusion on holding elections in Kosovo and Metohija and that he has written to Ruecker informing him about the state's preparations for holding the elections in the province, requesting from him, as the representative of international institutions, to schedule elections in keeping with UN Security Council Resolution 1244.
KOSOVO DRAFT CONSTITUTION SIGNED
PRISTINA, April 07 (Beta) - On April 7, top Kosovo officials signed the draft Constitution, which will be adopted in the next few weeks.
At a ceremony, organized by the Constitutional Commission, the draft Constitution was signed by Kosovo officials, Parliament deputies, ministers, and high international officials.
Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu said Kosovo is getting a modern constitution, which guarantees full equality of citizens and communities and also the implementation of the Martti Ahtisaari plan, as the basis for a resolution of Kosovo's status.
Kosovo Premier Hashim Thaci said the draft Constitution signed on April 7 guarantees freedom for Kosovo that encompasses the past, present, and future.
"This Constitution is the guarantor of freedom. It is the signet of the state of Kosovo. This Constitution ensures dignity to every citizen of Kosovo," Thaci stressed.
The head of the international civil office in Pristina, Pieter Feith, said he signed the document after assessing that the Constitution respects in full the basic principles of the Martti Ahtisaari package.
FEITH: "EU to decide how to tackle north after vote"
PRIŠTINA, April 08 (B92, Beta, Reuters) - Pieter Feith says Brussels will decide on taking over jurisdiction in northern Kosovo after May 11.
The EU's representative to the province was speaking in an interview to Reuters on Monday, when he says that the aim of the EU mission, dubbed EULEX, is to be operational by June 15. "Kosovo's new EU supervisors are watching closely whether proEuropeans defeat nationalists in Serbia's May election, before deciding how to tackle the Belgrade backed Serbs in Kosovo's renegade north," Reuters said.
The reports adds that Serbs in the north "are promising to resist", and says they have the backing of Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica, described as "nationalist".
Asked how his office and the 2,000strong EU police and justice mission planned to take over from the United Nations in the north, Feith told Reuters: "It would be important to see who is coming out of the elections of May 11 as the determining factor for the next government, and we'll take it from there."
"Given the current situation we are in ... we will have to continue to reflect on this and work with Belgrade and the (Kosovo) government on how this is going to be taken forward," he said.
But the Dutch diplomat, a "former NATO mediator in ethnic Albanian insurgencies in neighboring Macedonia and southern Serbia", underlined that Kosovo's Western backers would "not allow Belgrade to compromise the sovereignty of the new state". "I would not like to see Belgrade wielding a permanent veto over what happens to Kosovo," said Feith. "This is an independent, sovereign state, recognized by more than 30 of the most important democracies and economies in the world. We do not see it as a helpful proposition that the sovereignty of Kosovo would be impaired in a way as we see now."
Feith has accused Belgrade of trying to partition Kosovo along ethnic lines, Reuters added.
"To Kosovo Serbs, Feith's Civilian Office and the EU police force are 'occupiers'. A preparatory team from his office has already withdrawn from north Mitrovica, under threat of attack," it continued.
Feith said he "wouldn't exclude" the possibility of UN authorities "playing an extended role in the north", but said he "did not want to speculate". "We are aiming at establishing a modern, multiethnic justice system, a multiethnic police, a single legal space for the whole of Kosovo," said Feith. "For that you need Serb cooperation."
Monday in Priština, Kosovo Albanian leadership signed the "Kosovo constitution", previously approved by Feith. Now the diplomat, who described the document as "consolidating Kosovo as a modern, multiethnic state", called on Serbs "to chose a government in Belgrade that would give priority to its EU perspective rather than "look to the past and focus on the injustices".
"The EU is clear that it does not wish Kosovo to end up as a failed state, or as a frozen conflict," Feith concluded.
OSCE DEMANDS INTEGRATION OF ROMA, ASHKALI, ETHNIC EGYPTIANS
PRISTINA, April 7 (Tanjug) - The OSCE mission in Kosovo and Metohija on Monday called on the corresponding organs to help the integration of the Roma, Ashkali and ethnic Egyptians into the Kosovo society.
The Kosovo Roma, Ashkali and ethnic Egyptians continue facing marginalization and discrimination in the region, OSCE said in a statement expressing support to these communities. The OSCE mission backs the Kosovo authorities in the preparation of a draft strategy for the integration of the Roma, Ashkali and ethnic Egyptians which includes crucial issues, such as education, employment, return, housing, fight against discrimination and participation in the political life.
The OSCE statement concluded that unrealized registration of the citizens and the lack of documents are rife among the Kosovo Roma, Ashkali and ethnic Egyptians.
US OPENS EMBASSY IN KOSOVO - METOHIJA ON TUESDAY
PRISTINA, April 7 (Tanjug) - The office of the United States in Kosovo and Metohija will on Tuesday become that country's embassy, the US media office in Pristina has announced. The event will be marked by a "modest" ceremony in the presence of top Kosovo officials, it was said.
The US was one of the first countries to recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija, and the Serbian government responded by lodging a protest note with the UN embassy in Belgrade and withdrawing Serbia's ambassador from Washington.
So far, Germany and Switzerland also have opened embassies in Kosovo and Metohija.
THIRD CONTINGENT OF RUSSIAN HUMANITARIAN AID ARRIVES
BELGRADE, April 8 (Tanjug) - The third plane carrying humanitarian aid, which the Russian Federation sent to Serb enclaves in Kosovo-Metohija, on the order of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, landed in Belgrade on Tuesday around 10:15 am, Tanjug learned in the Serbian Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija.
The humanitarian aid, containing foods, including food for children and medicines, was sent to Serbia on the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The first shipment of 40 tons of food and medicines that the Russian government sent to Serbs and other non-Albanian population in Kosovo arrived last Wednesday, while the second contingent landed on Friday. Russia will send a total of four contingents of humanitarian aid for Serb enclaves in Kosovo and the total delivery will include 140 tons of food and medicines, worth around USD 1.7 million.
SERBIA – ECONOMY
ONLY TWO COMPANIES HAVE EXPORTS WORTH OVER 100 ML EUROS
BELGRADE, April 8 (Tanjug) - Serbian Deputy Premier Bozidar Djelic said on Tuesday that the situation regarding exports is bad in Serbia because, in spite of a certain increase over the recent years, only two companies have annual exports worth over 100 million euros.
Speaking at a presentation of the draft strategy for increasing exports by the year 2011 at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce in Belgrade, Djelic said only six companies record exports worth over 50 million euros, and 300 export products worth about one million euros. The foreign-trade deficit is stable and amounts to 28 percent of the gross social product, but the deficit in the balance of payments is 17.6 percent of the GSP, Djelic said. There are plans to increase exports at an annual rate of 25 percent in the years to come, with an increase in the participation of finished products from 43 to 65 percent, and with an increase in the number of companies that annually export more than 10 million euros' worth of products from 66 to 120.
MILOSAVLJEVIC: TARGETED EXPORTS WORTH FIVE BILLION DOLLARS
BELGRADE, April 8 (Tanjug) - The goal of the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture is that exports of agricultural products should reach the value of five billion dollars over the next three to five years, Agriculture Minister Slobodan Milosavljevic said on Tuesday.
"That is why the state should adopt a decision on the securing of credits with international institutions for the areas of water management and irrigation, because that is the only way that we can increase yield in agricultural production," Milosavljevic said during a presentation of the draft strategy for increasing exports in Serbia by the year 2011.
The event is taking place at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce in Belgrade. Investments of one billion dollars annually are required for the department of water management, in his estimate, the minister specified, and it is known that Serbia cannot secure such funds itself. Minister Milosavljevic illustrated his statements with the facts that agriculture accounts for one-fifth of the gross social product of Serbia and for 20 percent in the overall exports of Serbia.
MINING MINISTER: LAW SHOULD DECIDE OUTCOME OF RTB BOR TENDER
BELGRADE, April 07 (Beta) - Mining and Energy Minister Aleksandar Popovic said that whether or not Austrian A-Tec's revised offer for RTB Bor is accepted depends solely on legal requirements, as was the case with Romania's Cuprom failed attempt to acquire the copper mining and smelting complex.
"The letter of the law is what matters," Popovic told reporters.
He added that the failure of the ATec and Cuprom bids have nothing to do with the state, cabinet, any ministry or the Privatization Agency.
"Problems caused by the foreign partner are always at issue," he added.
Economy and Regional Development Minister Mladjan Dinkic, however, called RTB a complex issue, adding that it would be best to allow the committee tasked with the privatization and the cabinet to decide the matter.
While visiting the ImpolSeval aluminum rolling plant in Sevojno, Dinkic told reporters that the committee is due to meet on April 9, with the final decision expected on April 10.
Foreign investment adviser Milan Kovacevic said that the cabinet should give ATec the extension it has asked for to make payment for RTB Bor, but only on condition that the company can provide solid banking guarantees.
ATEC OWNER BLAMES DEUTSCHE BANK FOR MISSING RTB DEADLINE
VIENNA, April 07 (Beta) - Mirko Kovac, owner of Austrian firm ATec, has said that his company will have no difficulty in obtaining loans for its purchase of copper producer RTB Bor despite the lastminute withdrawal of Deutsche Bank that caused ATec to miss its payment deadline.
"We're disappointed by Deutsche Bank, which has pulled out of all arrangements in Serbia in 2008. We have found a new bank as quickly as we could, but Deutsche Bank caused us to lose eight weeks," Kovac told BETA.
He added that the new financiers include the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and European Investment Bank. ATec, he said, was able to enlist their support thanks to its pledge to invest in environmental protection in the Bor area.
Kovac also said that ATec will not comment on its financial plan until the privatization deal is completed. However, he added that the information will be made public immediately afterward because ATec, as a publicly traded company, is required to disclose its transactions.
DAILY SURVEY
Belgrade, 07. 04. 2008.
C O N T E N T:
SERBIA
- JEREMIC TALKS WITH BAN KIMOON ON KOSOVO
- UN HEADQUARTERS TO CARRY OUT INVESTIGATION INTO VIOLENCE
- JEREMIC INFORMS KERIM OF SERBIA'S POSITION ON KOSOVO
- SERBIA'S CITIZENS DO NOT NEED VISAS FOR CROATIA
- MEMORY TO VICTIMS OF 1941 NAZI BOMBING OF BELGRADE
- PRESENTATION OF JAPANESE DONATION TO FILM ARCHIVES
Serbia-EU
- DJELIC INVITES EU TO CANCEL VISAS FOR SERBIAN CITIZENS
- DELEVIC: CITIZENS' TRUST IN EU IS DIMINISHING
- SAMARDZIC: RUPEL & KOUCHNER LETTER INSULTING TO SERBIA
- FRENCH AMBASSADOR: SERBIA BELONGS IN EU
- 165-MILLION-EURO NON-REPAYABLE AID FOR SERBIA
HARADINAJ'S ACQUITTAL by the ICTY- REACTIONS
- TADIC: URGENT APPEAL AGAINST HARADINAJ'S ACQUITTAL
- KOSTUNICA: SERBIA WILL NOT IGNORE ICTY'S VERDICT
- LJAJIC: HARADINAJ'S RELEASE IS SCANDALOUS
- GALLACH: EU RESPECTS ICTY VERDICT
- AQUITTAL OF HARADINAJ IS TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE
Kosovo & Metohija - situation
- SAMARDZIC: NOT TRUE THERE ARE SERBIAN POLICEMEN IN KOSOVO
- SAMARDZIC ASKS RUECKER TO COOPERATE ON ELECTIONS
- RUECKER: ONLY UNMIK AUTHORIZED TO ORGANIZE ELECTIONS
- KOSOVO SECESSION ENCOURAGES SEPARATISM IN EUROPE, TITOV
SERBIA
JEREMIC TALKS WITH BAN KIMOON ON KOSOVO
NEW YORK, April 04 (Beta) - In New York on April 4, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic discussed the question of Kosovo with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Serbian state television RTS reported the official confirmation that the U.N. Secretariat General is to start an investigation of the events in Kosovska Mitrovica since March 17.
The TV station learned that Ban Ki Moon expressed concern regarding holding parliamentary and local elections in Kosovo on May 11.
At the meeting, they also discussed relations between Belgrade and UNMIK after the unilateral proclamation of Kosovo's independence.
Jeremic also met with U.N. General Assembly President Srdjan Kerim, as well as the representatives of several U.N. Security Council members, which have not recognized an independent Kosovo. Jeremic told the TV station that he met representatives of countries from South America, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific region, who have sustained from recognizing Kosovo's independence. He added that he does not expect a new wave of the recognition of Kosovo's independence.
UN HEADQUARTERS TO CARRY OUT INVESTIGATION INTO VIOLENCE
NEW YORK, April 5 (Tanjug) - The UN secretary-general has accepted Serbia's request to launch an official investigation into the violence that took place in Kosovska Mitrovica on March 17, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic told Tanjug on Friday, following a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon.
"The most important result of my meeting is that the United Nations Secretariat gave a positive response to our written request of March 18 to launch an official investigation into the events in Mitrovica. The investigation will not be carried out by UNMIK, but directly from the UN headquarters, which is of exceptional importance for its integrity," Jeremic said.
The minister added that the UN is also willing to start a dialogue on the institutionalization of relations between Serbia and UNMIK, which would eventually result in some kind of agreement. Jeremic also said that there is full readiness to cooperate on carrying out of the parliamentary elections in Kosovo on May 11, but he added there are some reserves concerning the holding of local elections.
JEREMIC INFORMS KERIM OF SERBIA'S POSITION ON KOSOVO
NEW YORK, April 5 (Tanjug) - UN General Assembly President Srdjan Kerim has met with Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, who has informed him of Serbia's position on the situation in Kosovo-Metohija (KiM), a spokesman of the UN general assembly president said on Friday.
Kerim and Jeremic also discussed the priorities of the 62nd UN General Assembly, the spokesman said. Jeremic told the Serbian Radio Television (RTS) that his meeting with Kerim was part of Serbia's preparations to propose the General Assembly to ask an opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo.
SERBIA'S CITIZENS DO NOT NEED VISAS FOR CROATIA
ZAGREB, Apr 4 (Tanjug) - Serbia's citizens can continue to travel to Croatia without visas as the temporary suspension is still in effect, while Kosovo residents will need them as of May 1, the Croatian government decided Friday.
The temporary suspension might become permanent depending on Serbia's future moves, especially since the majority of European Union member-states are also introducing such visa regime, the government said. Kosovo, whose independence Croatia recognized on March 19 despite opposition by Serb representatives in its government, has not yet passed the necessary legislation on citizenship and passports, and its residents will therefore need visas from now on. Kosovo residents are still traveling to Croatia and other countries with special passports issued by UNMIK, for which visas are needed.
MEMORY TO VICTIMS OF 1941 NAZI BOMBING OF BELGRADE
BELGRADE, April 6 (Tanjug) - Representatives of the Serbian Army, Serbian Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Affairs, Belgrade City Council and members of the April the 6th Association of Belgrade’s on Sunday laid wreaths at the memorials dedicated to the victims of the 1941 German bombing of Belgrade.
German heavy air strikers dropped their first bombs in World War II on Belgrade on Easter, April 6, 1941 at 6:50 a.m, while the majority of its citizens were still sleeping. The army of Hitler's Third Reich launched the attack without a declaration of war, despite the fact that the government of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia had declared Belgrade an open, undefended city several days earlier. According to the domestic sources, 2,217 citizens of the capital, which then numbered 370,000 citizens, were killed, whereas German sources mention 4,000 victims. The city also sustained inestimable material damage, 714 buildings were completely destroyed, 1,888 buildings were heavily damaged, whereas several thousands of buildings were damaged.
PRESENTATION OF JAPANESE DONATION TO FILM ARCHIVES
BELGRADE, April 4 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav Film Archives on Friday staged a ceremony of the presentation of a donation from the Japanese government which enabled the purchase of equipment for digitalization and viewing footage, worth some 70,000 euros.
Serbian Culture Minister Vojislav Brajovic recalled that the Yugoslav Film Archives is one of the most important cultural institutions in Serbia, and expressed hope that the Japanese support to the Archives would contribute to expanding the cultural exchange and good relations between Japan and Serbia.
Japan's ambassador to Belgrade, Tadashi Nagai, explained he recommended this concrete aid, because he was able to see how much the Serbian people love and appreciate cinematography, adding that the same applies to his own country.
Serbia-EU
DJELIC INVITES EU TO CANCEL VISAS FOR SERBIAN CITIZENS
BELGRADE, April 04 (Beta) - On April 4, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic assessed the first European Commission's report on the improvement of security and the protection of human rights in Serbia as "encouraging," and invited the EU to liberalize the visa regime.
After signing an agreement with the European Commission representatives on the utilization of the EU preaccession funds in Serbia, he pointed out that a positive assessment of the progress is important, because in the next few months, the security domain will greatly influence the decision to cancel EU visas for Serbian citizens.
Djelic said that, at the meeting held on March 4 as a part of the improved constant dialogue on visa regime liberalization, he once again called on the EU ambassadors and the European Commission representatives to cancel visas for Serbia, and to introduce free visas for Serbian citizens as a starting step.
In Belgrade on March 4, Djelic and Head of the European Commission Delegation in Serbia, Josep Lloveras, signed the agreement on the utilization of EUR165 million from preaccession funds intended for Serbia in 2008.
After signing the agreement, Lloveras said that Serbia takes top place on the level of EU aid per resident, which proves the EU's will to share values and prosperity with Serbia.
He reiterated that the EU has earmarked EUR1 billion in preaccession funds for Serbia from 2007 to 2011, granting over EUR2 billion to central Serbia and Vojvodina and EUR1.4 billion to Kosovo since 2000.
DELEVIC: CITIZENS' TRUST IN EU IS DIMINISHING
VIENNA, Apr 4 (Tanjug) - The European Union (EU) should give Serbia an offer which its citizens would understand clearly, through concrete measures such as liberalization of the visa regime and signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, Assistant Foreign Minister Milica Delevic underscored in Vienna on Friday.
At the conference Return to Europe - Talking Balkans, which is held in Vienna on April 3-4, Delevic said that due to vague messages coming from the EU, the citizens are losing their trust in the Union. "There are three types in of states in Europe - member states of the EU, candidate-states and Serbia," clarified Delevic, adding that although citizens greatly support accession in the Union, the Stabilization and Association Agreement has yet to be signed eight years after the political changes in Belgrade.
She underscored that the EU had not always backed leaders in Serbia in the best way, giving the Zoran Djindjic era as an example, during which Serbia had the most resolute government, underscoring that Serbian was admitted in the Council of Europe and Partnership for Peace after his death. "Offers that would prove that those are not hollow words only are needed. Citizens no longer trust their politicians, and they are also losing their trust in the EU," cautioned Delevic.
SAMARDZIC: RUPEL & KOUCHNER LETTER INSULTING TO SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 4 (Tanjug) - Serbia's Kosovo - Metohija Minister Slobodan Samardzic on Friday described as unacceptable and insulting to Serbia an open letter written by the current and future EU presidents - Dmitrij Rupel and Bernard Kouchner.
The open letter by the two ministers, posted on the Slovenian Foreign Ministry's Internet site, says that it is irresponsible of Serbia to strive to join the EU, while at the same time refusing to cooperate with its missions. Samardzic told Tanjug that the letter declared not only Kosovo and Metohija, but Serbia as well, as a unique case. Underscoring that Rupel and Kouchner gave two additional conditions for Serbia's future European integrations, Samardzic explained that the first condition in the letter is that Serbia should accept the EU mission in Kosovo and Metohija.
"The other condition is the development of good regional cooperation with the province, practically meaning acceptance of the independence of Kosovo and Metohija by Serbia," Samardzic added. He underscored that Rupel and Kouchner's open letter is so far the highest degree of the lack of respect of Serbia as an internationally recognized state expressed by the EU leaders. "Since the EU, rather than Serbia, has a problem with its internal and international law, it should reconsider its policy towards Serbia as this policy has over the past months been based on the violation of the law," Samardzic stated. He explained that this is the most important path for Serbia and the EU to begin discussing open issues which have appeared before european Serbia on its way towards european integrations.
FRENCH AMBASSADOR: SERBIA BELONGS IN EU
BELGRADE, April 04 (Beta) - Serbia has a place in the EU and France wants to help it become a candidate for membership as quickly as possible and overcome the obstacles it will encounter on that path, according to French Ambassador Jean François Terral.
"Economic development, reform, and EU membership are crucial to the country and its future. We in France believe that Serbia should reassume its place in the region's backbone that naturally belongs to it and that by resolving these problems, Serbia will progress towards that goal. It is our desire to help it on that path," Terral told BETA in an interview.
Asked if Serbia stands a chance of signing its Stabilization and Association Agreement without extraditing Ratko Mladic, Terral said that France "is naturally devoted to good cooperation with the ICTY."
"However, there are other criteria that need to be taken into consideration. We need to think about what will happen after the elections: the prospects for cooperation with the ICTY will depend on who wins the majority," he added.
The French ambassador also said that he understands the reaction of the Serbian authorities in response to Kosovo's declaration of independence, adding that they should nevertheless consider whether these measures are conducive to Serbian interests and European integration.
Commenting on the effect of France's recognition of Kosovo on relations with Serbia, Terral remarked that "we are obviously going through a delicate period."
"There is no longer any official contact with the ministers, which is why it is difficult to make progress in certain areas that are especially important to us," Terral said. He added that this has led to the postponement of a visit by a delegation of France's top companies.
According to Terral, "this is not hampering everyday ongoing cooperation. I also think that things will clear up after the elections and that our relations will return to normal, maybe even improve. We are working on that," Terral said.
165-MILLION-EURO NON-REPAYABLE AID FOR SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 4 (Tanjug) - Serbian Deputy Premier Bozidar Djelic and European Commission (EC) delegation chief for Serbia, Josep Lloveras, on Friday signed a financial agreement approving 165 million euros for Serbia in the form of non-repayable aid.
The signing was also attended by EC Director for the Western Balkans, Pierre Mirel. After the signing ceremony, Djelic said that in question is the first installment of EU's Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) for Serbia, amounting to one billion euros for the period 2007 - 2011. The close to 170 million euros for 2007 will be distributed among 36 projects that will directly help secure a better life for the citizens of Serbia, Djelic pointed out.
HARADINAJ'S ACQUITTAL by the ICTY- REACTIONS
TADIC: URGENT APPEAL AGAINST HARADINAJ'S ACQUITTAL
BELGRADE, April 5 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic has urged the ICTY Prosecutor's Office to urgently file an appeal against the scandalous and wrong decision by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to acquit Ramus Haradinaj, the president's press service said in a statement on Saturday.
"Haradinaj committed serious crimes and such a decision is shameful above all because of innocent victims. For this reason, I urge the ICTY Prosecutor's Office to file an appeal and to have Haradinaj convicted for the crimes he committed," President Tadic said.
Serbia wants to help the Tribunal in gathering evidence, because Haradinaj, who is a criminal, should be in prison, the Serbian president pointed out and once again recalled that former ICTY chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte had confirmed that witnesses in the trial against Haradinaj were intimidated and even murdered in order to prevent them from testifying about the crimes he committed. All criminals should be in The Hague and that is the only way to satisfy justice and put an end, once and for all, to the issue of war crimes committed in the territory of former Yugoslavia, President Tadic said.
KOSTUNICA: SERBIA WILL NOT IGNORE ICTY'S VERDICT
BELGRADE, Apr 6 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica on Sunday stated that Serbia would not ignore the verdict by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) declaring war criminal Ramus Haradinaj innocent, although the European Union is still silent in regards to the verdict.
"Judging by it all, the EU believes that its right answer is not to say anything about the ICTY verdict acquitting Ramus Haradinaj and that the best thing is to pretend that nothing has happened. But, Serbia will not pass over lightly the ICTY decision to declare war criminal Ramus Haradinaj innocent," underscored Kostunica. In his statement forwarded to Tanjug, Kostunica evaluated that the ICTY had erased the difference between criminals and innocence, thus justifying the horrible crimes committed by Haradinaj. Kostunica said that Serbia does not agree the crimes Haradinaj had committed against innocent Serbs should be justified and it will not allow it all to end as yet another media topic that lasted a couple of days.
"Since the Hague tribunal is to the EU a beacon of European values, we now have to establish in a responsible way, together with the EU, whether the institution that had issued a certificate of innocence to a war criminal deserves at all to be called a court," said Kostunica. "Serbia is fully entitled to continue to persist on establishing whether the Hague tribunal may continue to be a legitimate court, because it is Serbia's obligation towards the innocent victims who had been humiliated with Ramus Haradinaj's proclamation of innocence," underscored Kostunica.
LJAJIC: HARADINAJ'S RELEASE IS SCANDALOUS
BELGRADE, Apr 6 (Tanjug) - President of the National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY Rasim Ljajic has stated that the ICTY's acquittal of former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army Ramus Haradinaj includes a message "that you may kill people, commit crimes, intimidate witnesses and in the end get acquitted of all responsibility."
"It is scandalous!", Ljajic said in a statement published by Politika on Sunday, underscoring that the "reconciliation process, which is advocated by the international community, will never happen after such acts." Ljajic placed UNMIK on the top of his list of those responsible, which is followed by the ICTY trial chamber which gave in to the pressure imposed by the U.N. administration and tolerated threatening of witnesses, the international community "which makes concessions for those who might cause problems to it" and Carla Del Ponte, "who, instead of gathering evidence for the Haradinaj case, had obviously been gathering material for her book."
He evaluated that Haradinaj's acquittal would increase anti-Western mood and radical political structures in the region and will have impact on our citizens who treat the ICTY as a political institution, regardless of their political orientation, because "from the standpoint of the feeling of justice, this is more than just a distasteful message."
GALLACH: EU RESPECTS ICTY VERDICT
BRUSSELS, Apr 4 (Tanjug) - Spokeswoman of the European Union high representative for foreign policy and security Cristina Gallach told Tanjug Friday that the EU fully respects verdicts of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
She was asked to comment the ICTY acquittal of former Kosovo premier and Kosovo Liberation Army commander Ramush Haradinaj. Haradinaj was indicted for murders, torture, abductions and deportations, mainly of Serbs, in Kosovo-Metohija. Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica asked the EU earlier in the day to take an official stand on Haradinaj's acquittal by ICTY.
AQUITTAL OF HARADINAJ IS TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE
BELGRADE, April 4 (Tanjug) - The aquittal of all charges for former Kosovo premier and one of the commanders of the former KLA, Ramush Haradinaj, represents a "travesty of justice" which has brought the tribunal in The Hague to "its historic closure," the spokesman of Serbia's War Crimes Prosecutor's Office, Bruno Vekaric, said on Friday.
"It turns out that Haradinaj has elected the best way to reach an aquittal" by "removing in a Mafia-like manner all witnesses who could testify to his participation in war crimes in Kosovo and Metohija from 1998," Vekaric told the International Radio of Serbia. He stated that now it is of the greatest importance to determine who is responsible that the witnesses failed to show up in court, because, without the relevant witnesses and proof, the court was unable to determine anyone's guilt. Vekaric recalled that the nine witnesses, scheduled to testify against Haradinaj, were killed under mysterious circumstances, although three of them were in the witness protection program in Kosmet. All this goes to show that the Hague tribunal is close to its historic closure, because the quality of its work has been on a downward trend as time passed, Vekaric set out.
According to Vekaric, this sends a totally negative message to national war crimes courts and to their public opinions. Vekaric, however, said that this Hague injustice would be a stimulus for the staff of the War Crimes Presecutor's Office in Belgrade, noting that those who committed war crimes during the war against members of other nations, have thus influcted the biggest moral harm on their own people.
Kosovo & Metohija - situation
SAMARDZIC: NOT TRUE THERE ARE SERBIAN POLICEMEN IN KOSOVO
BELGRADE, Apr 5 (Tanjug) - Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Slobodan Samardzic on Saturday said that it is not true that organs of the Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP) are operating in the Province.
He told Tanjug that special envoy of the U.N. Secretary-General Joachim Ruecker, who has said that MUP organs are operating in Kosovo, has no evidence of that and that the issue should not be discussed without clear evidence. "There have been a number of speculations that members of the Serbian MUP were present in the court building during the protest staged by the court judges and during their stay in the building in Mitrovica.
However, it turned out that on March 17, when the building was stormed by UNMIK and KFOR members and force was used against the judges, not a single policeman was identified there, which is the best proof against Ruecker's theory," said Samardzic. On March 29, Serbian President Boris Tadic also rejected the accusations that MUP forces are present and operating in the Province. Tadic said that people who used to work at the MUP before 1999 live in Kosovo and Metohija and that it is only natural that they are still there, since no one has the right to force them out of their homes.
SAMARDZIC ASKS RUECKER TO COOPERATE ON ELECTIONS
BELGRADE, Apr 5 (Tanjug) - Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Slobodan Samardzic stated late on Saturday that he had forwarded a letter to special envoy of the U.N. Secretary-General Joachim Ruecker asking him to cooperate on the organization of local elections in the Province, in view of his own and UNMIK's competencies.
"After the conclusion on the organization of parliamentary and local elections in Kosovo, adopted by the Serbian government last Thursday, I personally addressed a letter to special representative Rucker, which he received on Friday afternoon," Samardzic told Tanjug. He specified that the Serbian government had addressed UNMIK with a request to cooperate on the organization of the local election, in view of the competencies UNMIK and the special representative have to call such an election.
RUECKER: ONLY UNMIK AUTHORIZED TO ORGANIZE ELECTIONS
PRISTINA, April 5 (Tanjug) - Only UNMIK is authorized to organize elections in Kosovo-Metohija and elections organized in the province by the Serbian authorities will not be valid, UNMIK Chief Joachim Ruecker has said.
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