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Serbia Today, 97-04-09Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Serbia TodayCONTENTS
[01] CLEAR MEDIA RULESAt the sixth panel session held in the National Assembly of Serbia, with the topic the second draft version of the Law on Information, Minister of Information Prof.Dr. Radmila Milentijevic stated that this version is so conceived as to provide comprehensive regulation of this field, which was one of the prevailing requests in the public debates so far. The new draft version is prescribing, as she said, that the problem of monopoly will be regulated in accordance with the Constitution, probably through a separate law. From the new draft version, also the clause imposing the obligation on the mass media to record foreign aid on every copy of the printed press is now deleted, and in its stead the provision is offered which provides for the transparency of the data on the sources of financing of the mass media. The second draft version also contains provisions on the obligation of the state authorities to make possible accessibility of information from the field of their competencies, and there is a complete regulation of publishing of communiques, rebuttals and corrections, as well as the cases when distribution of press and dissemination of information in mass media are prevented. Minister Milentijevic announced that the debate on the second draft version will take place until the middle of next week, when the Ministry of Information shall start work on the final draft of this Law in order to submit it for adoption during May to the Assembly of Serbia.Serbia Today, 1997-04-09 ; Borba, 1997-04-09[02] SUPPLEMENT TO THE NEWS BRIEFS: RE-TAILORING OF YUGOSLAVIAThe so-called 'round table' on Kosovo and Metohija which under the auspices of the American side is taking place in New York, and where are participating Skypetars (Albanians) from Kosmet, coalition "Zajedno" ("Together") and some other opposition parties from Serbia, has all the features of negotiations on re-tailoring of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.This is quite clearly manifested by the statement of Mahmut Bakali made yesterday before the beginning of the 'second round' of negotiations behind strictly closed doors, when he said that it is necessary "to make a reorganization of the state within the space of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia". "Albanians in Kosovo who are participating at the New York meeting are supporting the thesis on the independence of Kosovo", said Bakali who some fifteen years ago had to leave the official functions because of his open support for and cooperation with people who were striving for the independence of Kosmet (Kosovo-Metohija) from Serbia and Yugoslavia. While broadly elaborating on the stand which the Skypetary (Albanian) side is supporting at the 'round table' in New York, Bakali underlined that there is a division into those who wish complete secession, and those, among them himself, who are of the view that Kosmet must become an independent state, but that it is not necessary to draw an international frontier between such a new state and Serbia. Putting together of these two controversies Bakali, who is presenting himself here as 'an independent participant', is reconciling with the phrase on creation of some sort of Union, instead of the present-day Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In this new concoction all the states would be independent - "Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and if it so wishes also Vojvodina", said Bakali. For Serbs in Kosmet Bakali is saying that they would not be a minority, but a nation, just like Albanians, Turks and Montenegrins. Such a stand, as he said, he presented at the 'round table' and in his opinion, it was well received by one number of participants. It is true, says Bakali, that among the Serbian opposition there are those who are "flexible and those who are not", but the view prevails that "Kosovo must be resolved in a peaceful way and that eruption of conflicts must be prevented". Once the Skypetars (Albanians) from Kosmet are to achieve their goal - then they will guarantee the rights to Serbs in Kosovo, and this will mean, according to Bakali, safety and protection of rights of Serbs themselves even in Serbia. With such a protector offer to Serbian people, Bakali reiterated that radical changes are necessary because "the Constitution from Zabljak is illegal". When asked why is the meeting taking place under tight security and in a clandestine way, as if it were some sort of a summit meeting, Bakali answered that organizers have insisted on this. The American private organization "Project for National Relations" and its president Alan Kasoff are not taking much part in the discussion but are from time to time 'streamlining it', says Bakali. "The Americans are totally pragmatic and are only looking at concrete things, so they have several times insisted that at the meeting in New York a decision be made for Albanians to take part at the forthcoming elections in Serbia", also said Bakali. The majority of the participants does not agree either with the proposal to issue at the end of the talks an official joint communique in which everything that was achieved would be summed up. Participants are afraid that such a step could be dangerous for Serbian opposition which is taking part in the meeting in New York. "This would give ammunition to Milosevic in his fight against opposition", says Bakali, which is only confirming some previous stands that at the 'round table' there are actually discussions about the status of Kosovo and Metohija. These are obviously not only consultations, exchange of opinions, as the leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement Vuk Draskovic tried to present the meeting. Namely, he said yesterday that at 'the round table' there will be 'simple talks, and not negotiations'. His coalition partner from coalition "Zajedno" Vesna Pesic also stated while commenting on the reaches of the 'round table' that 'nothing special is expected from these talks'. In New York, however, according to the all the so far available information and statements, behind the closed doors Skypetars from Kosmet and coalition 'Zajedno", whether it wishes to admit or not, with some other opposition parties from Serbia, is actually discussing re-tailoring of the map of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It is appropriate to recall here that actually one of the participants of the New York meeting, the notorious Skypetary separatist Adem Demadji, in early December last year, had sent a letter 'full of love to Serbian people", because it has "finally come out into the streets", to rebel against the regime which, unfortunately, has no understanding for his own compatriots. Demadji on this occasion underlined that he loves Serbian people because in it "a freedom-loving, tolerant, bright and European spirit is being born". After the New York talks it must have become clear what Demadji is understanding under the bright, freedom-loving and so on spirit, and obviously it is all this or perhaps all those who are ready to work for the benefit of others and at the detriment of their own country and its sovereignty. Serbia Today, 1997-04-09 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-09[03] ISLAM PUSHING AWAY CATHOLICSThere are organizations in the world which would like to see Croats leave Bosnia, which are even paying them to immigrate, covering themselves up as humanitarian organizations in order to achieve their purpose. This accusation was stated on the Italian state television channel RAI-UNO by Sarajevo Archbishop Vinko Puljic, in the talks on the eve of the Pope's "historical" visit to Sarajevo which is to take place next Saturday and Sunday. It is true that Puljic is reluctant to name these organizations, but he is pointing out that even the Muslim extremists themselves are making pressure of Catholics to leave, "thinking that they can create their country, all of their own, and wishing even for the Sarajevo church and its faithful to find some other place for themselves'. "We were threatened several times, there were telephone threats that many priests will be killed, and I personally was also threatened, because I am trying to bring back here my faithful", says the Archbishop. Puljic discloses that the aid of the international community is coming into the hand of the Government which is Muslim, and is not subsidizing Catholics either at the public or at the private level.Serbia Today, 1997-04-09 ; Vecernje novosti, 1997-04-09[04] PRESSURE OF CROATS ON SERBS IN DRVAR CONTINUESThe spokesman of the UN international police forces for the Sector West with the seat in Banja Luka, Alun Roberts, stated at the press conference that Croats are continuing with the pressure on Serbs who have remained in Drvar, trying to force them to leave their homes. The latest of such cases was recorded on April 5th in the early morning hours, when the president and the vice president of the Association of the Croat War Veterans tried in an unauthorized way, to search the house of one Serbs, threatening him with eviction if he should allow his compatriots to visit him. Roberts also said that the burning down and arson of Serbian houses in Drvar and its vicinity is continuing. Because of all this, the international police forces and forces for peace stabilization have intensified the security measures, trying to put a stop to arson, said Roberts.Serbia Today, 1997-04-09 ; Politika ekspres, 1997-04-09[05] REN: WAVE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST SERBSSpecial UN rapporteur for human rights in former Yugoslavia, Elizabeth Ren, stated that in Croatia during last month and the beginning of this month there is a new wave of violence against Serbs. In her letter to the Deputy Croat Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mate Granic, she had "expressed her profound concern because of the new wave of violence against Serbs", and drastic violation of human rights. Violence is especially manifested in Krajina, but it is also to be found in other places, said Ren and quoted the latest example from Okucani where Croats have beaten up a number of Serbs who have returned from exile. Recalling that the Croat Government undertook publicly the obligation to respect the right of return of all the refugees and displaced persons to their homes, Ren is stating that the measures which Croatia is undertaking are absolutely inadequate to the present-day situation, and especially when speaking of the rights of Serbs. In her letter to Granic, Elizabeth Ren is stating that the present level of protection of Serbs and a very modest return of Serbian refugees will cause "very serious consequences in the Region of Eastern Slavonia". "I am afraid that the violation of human rights in Eastern Slavonia will initiate a new exodus of Serbs", Elizabeth Ren warns Granic.Serbia Today, 1997-04-09 ; Borba, 1997-04-09[06] ARCHITECTS OF ETHNIC CLEANSINGAt its public presentation, the one before last on the eve of Sunday elections, Serbian National Party (SNS) from Zagreb expressed its suspicions into the legality of the elections, pointing out that neither this time it will be clearly known who is eligible for voting and where the voting is to take place. According to the president of the Party, Milan Djukic, Serbs who have taken refuge in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and are Croat citizens, can not appear at the elections, while on the other side, Croat refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina, who have settled into the Serbian houses throughout Krajina, in these areas will secure the victory of the Croat Democratic Community party. In the Serbian National Party (SNS) they are still skeptical in respect to the possibilities for peaceful reintegration of the UNTAES Region, and such a conclusion is based on the experience with the behavior of the Croat authorities in Krajina. While stating that "not in one of the destroyed municipalities the damage has been evaluated", and that "no where else in the world it can happen that one fifth of the land has disappeared, and it is not known who are the ones who have destroyed it and who are the ones who made that possible", Djukic concludes by saying: "The three architects of ethnic cleansing are ripe for The Hague - Minister for Reconstruction Jure Radic and Deputy Prime Ministers Ivica Kostic and Ljerka Mintas-Hodak. For the Serbian people they are the ones who should be the first to be delivered to The Hague, because they are the ones who are undertaking official steps in the name of the Government in the execution of ethnic cleansing of Serbs from Croatia".Serbia Today, 1997-04-09 ; Politika, 1997-04-09[07] PARTICIPATION AT THE ELECTIONS ON THREE CONDITIONSDeputies of the Assembly of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem Region, at their yesterday's session in Vukovar, supported participation at the elections scheduled for April 13, 1997, if the three conditions are fulfilled until April 11, 1997 at 11.00 hours, when the regional Assembly in Beli Manastir will pass the final decision on participation at the elections. All the deputies, as well the President and the Prime Minister of the Region, agreed that at the moment there are no conditions for participation at the elections. They are requesting from the UN Administrator Jacques Klein to allow the population which lived in the territory of the Region even before the year 1991, to vote at the elections with the existing documents which they are now having, in case they were unable to obtain the Croat documents. The deputies are also requesting that all the refugees living in the Region, with the obtained Croat documents or with the submitted application for Croat documents, who are not listed in the lists of eligible voters, be allowed to vote in places in which they are living, if the local communities are to compile such lists and submit them to the Executive Council (Government) of the Region within 48 hours. The third request was sent to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Deputies are requesting a clear and decisively given guarantee on dual citizenship for the citizens of the Region.Serbia Today, 1997-04-09 ; Politika, 1997-04-09[08] SUPPORT TO ENERGY CONSERVATION PROJECTSCouncil of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for energy management, will soon and until the end of April at the latest, float a new adjudication for granting credits to the projects which, once implemented, will considerably help energy conservation. This was announced yesterday, while opening the consultative meeting "Rational Energy Management in Public Consumption" by Prof.Dr. Milun Babic, republican minister and president of the Council. Government had two years ago established the Council and in its budget allocated funds for instigation to the activities aimed at energy conservation, i.e. rational energy management. Last year some 6 million dinars were allocated for 74 projects which, once implemented, will reduce the total energy consumption in the country for 0.87 percent.Serbia Today, 1997-04-09 ; Borba, 1997-04-09Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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