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Serbia Today 96-09-02Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Serbia Today2 September 1996CONTENTS
[01] FRY AND MACEDONIA ARE GOOD NEIGHBORSCommenting the visit Yugoslav Prime Minister Dr. Radoje Kontic to Skoplje - the first visit on this level ever - the Yugoslav Ambassador to Macedonia - Mr. Zoran Janackovic stated in an interview for the most highly circulated daily "Vecer" stated that this visit will "contribute not only to the enhancement of the Yugoslav-Macedonian bilateral relations, but also to the development of the regional - and especially Balkan - cooperation." The talks between Prime Minister Kontic and his colleague Crvenkovski will - according to the Yugoslav Ambassador "define the long-term objectives, means and instruments for the expansion of mutual relations" and the mark the beginning of a new, more comprehensive and far more successful phase of cooperation. Clarifying the well know Yugoslav stand about cooperation on all levels with the neighboring countries, Ambassador Janackovic said: "We believe that only through the cooperation with the Balkan countries - replacing confrontations and conflicts which were often inspired by foreign factors in the past - this region can and will become an area where peoples, nations and states will live in peace and cooperation, enjoying independence and equal rights." (Politika, September 1, 1996)[02] YUGOSLAVIA DOES NOT WANT TO FORFEIT THE LOANSFederal Minister Vuk Ognjanovic - head of the Yugoslav team negotiating with the London Club of creditor banks, stated that serious preparations are in course for the next round of talks due in Belgrade in two weeks. He expressed satisfaction for the fact that at the last meeting in London "consent has been achieved on the issue that the agreement with FRY must be a specific one because in the past four years its society and economy have gone through specific and tragic events". Mr. Ognjanovic specified that the Yugoslav side proposed that debts be exchanged for stocks, which is - according to the Federal Government - the fastest way to revitalize production and thus allow the creditors to get their finances back. At the same time, FRY is not asking for a forfeiture or pardon of the debts, but rather a reasonable period of grace which will allow the revitalization of the economic activities - Mr. Ognjanovic said. (Borba, August 31, 1996)[03] ELECTIONS WILL DETERMINE WHETHER SERBIA AND FRY WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE PATH OF DEVELOPMENTThe Head Board of the Socialist Party of Serbia decided that the party will take part in the November 3 elections that will determine the deputies for the Federal Parliament Chamber of Citizens, those in the autonomous regions parliaments, and the municipal and county councilors. SPS Secretary General - Ms. Gorica Gajevic stressed that the prime objective of the socialists on all electoral levels is to secure a majority on all administrative levels, thus securing an effective government. As far as international policy is concerned, we are witnessing the triumph of our strategy for a peaceful solution of all problems generated by the disintegration of former Yugoslavia, and the re-admission of Yugoslavia into all international institutions and organizations is an acknowledgment of such a policy we have constantly advocated - said Ms. Gajevic. Today, the political scene is under the overwhelming influence of the forces that endorse peace and a comprehensive economic, cultural, moral and general rebirth of Serbia and its development. "Opposition, right-wing parties, advocating retrograde and conservative ideas, have fallen into ulterior stagnation in the period since the last elections." said Ms. Gorica Gajevic. (Politika, August 31, 1996)[04] PAVLOVIC BRIDGE INAUGURATEDThe bridge on the river Drina in the vicinity of the village of Badovinci, the construction of which started in 1991, has been finally inaugurated. The bridge a quarter of a mile long has been financed for 25% by Mr. and Mrs. Pavlovic from Chicago, and cost about 16 million dinars (around half a million German marks). The Serbian Government provided some 12 million dinars. The cornerstone of a future new town in the vicinity of Badovinci has also been laid yesterday. "Today, the people of the regions of Macva, Semberija, and all the people in Yugoslavia and the Republic of Srpska celebrate the realization of a dream, which is also the realization of a true personal feat for the benefit of the people, the extraordinary legacy Mr. and Ms. Pavlovic will leave to posterity" - said Serbian Minister of Construction Dr. Branislav Ivkovic, at the inauguration ceremony. He also stressed that when it allocated major funds for this project, the Serbian Government was well aware that it will be helping the development of the Republic of Srpska as well, which "...was created by the Bosnian Serbs and represents the foundation for the survival of our co-nationals in that area". "During the dire period of war on the other bank of the Drina, many bridges were laid - promoting understanding, help, and cooperation. And now that peace has cone and we turn to development and the creation of better conditions of life, the cooperation between the people of the Republic of Srpska and their mother-country - the Republic of Serbia and FR Yugoslavia is a neccessity and a natural process endorsed by the full compatibility of the economies and agricultural potentials", stressed Minister Ivkovic. (Politika, September 1, 1996)[05] GOVERNMENT MEASURES ARE YIELDING RESULTSSerbian Deputy Premier - Mr. Svetozar Krstic, stated in an interview for the Novi Sad daily "Dnevnik", that the operational measures within the Serbian Government economic policy are already giving results. Mr. Krstic quoted the July statistics on increase of production and exports, and stressed in particular that the measures for the alleviation of business operation to be introduced on October 1, will alleviate the lack of capital in the companies. According to Government estimates, some 500 million dinars will be left for the companies to use for production improvement and as free capital. The Government will also insist on the coherent application of fiscal discipline for all economic entities. Among other measures prepared by the Serbian Government, Deputy Premier Krstic stressed the ones in agriculture intended to help the state purchase of this year s harvest. "We believe that the preconditions will thus be created for the revitalization of the food processing industry", he remarked. (Politika, September 1, 1996)[06] JOINTLY ON THE EUROPEAN MARKETDuring its two day visit to Hungary the Yugoslav delegation headed by Minister of Agriculture Dr. Tihomir Vrebalov, had very successfull talks with the Hungarian officials. They formulated three major contracts, signed two conventions, and expressed readiness to renew all eight bilateral agreements that existed before the sanctions and strongly linked the agricultural proiduction in the two neighboring countries. The first contract refers to the production of protein fodder, the second involves the processing of Hungarian sugar beet by Yugoslav sugar mills and the third concerns the production of cooking oil from Hungarian maize by the "Vital" company in Zrenjanin. (Borba, September 1, 1996)[07] TRACTOR PRODUCTION RENEWEDThe Bulgarian UKM (United Machinery Company) and the Yugoslav IMT company will renew the joint prduction of field tractors. By the end of the year the tractor factory in the Bulgarian town of Vraci should produce some 2,000 vehicles - said IMT General Manager Mr. Dragan Jovanovic. The newly established joint venture company seated in Vraci will produce tractors and ancillary machinery as well as combines using the technology provided by the Belgrade "Zmaj" company. According to reports diffused by Bulgarian press, IMT plans to open a spare part shop in Vraci next year, and will finance the construction of a shopping center and a service station for Yugoslav made "Zastava" automobiles. (Politika, September 2, 1996)[08] YUGOSLAVIA - A FULL MEMBERMr. Meno Lenstra - Dutch Charge d affaires to FR Yugoslavia, stated for TANJUG news agency that Yugoslavia will soon become a full member of the international community, because this is in the interest of all, especially of the EU member countries. "Yugoslavia was a prominent and reputable member of international associations and organizations, and the world and Europe are well aware of it, and after the war in former Yugoslavia, present Yugoslavia was given certain conditions that it mostly fulfilled, and I see no major obstacles for it becoming a full member of international organizations" said Mr. Lenstra. Yugoslavia has also fulfilled all the technical conditions for the normalization of the relations with the IMF and other financial organizations and no problems exist in this regard, remarked Mr. Lenstra adding that the IMF is not a political institution making political conditions unjustified and unnecessary. (Ekspres Politika, September 2, 1996)[09] LJUBLJANA WANTS RELATIONS WITH BELGRADE TO BE NORMALIZEDSlovenia is prepared to normalize its relations with all post-Yugoslav states that reject the policy of violence and accept equal conditions for the division of the resources owned by the former federation - stated Slovenian President - Mr. Milan Kucan. Hailing the agreement on the normalization of relations between FRY and Croatia in an interview for the Polish daily "Gazetta Wyborcza", Mr. Kucan anticipated for the first time in the past five years a change in the Slovenian foreign policy of persistent isolation from the former Yugoslav area. In fact, he said that "...Slovenia is not erecting a wall on its southern border, nor is it trying to fence out the Balkans". Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek also indicated that his government wants to normalize the relations with FR Yugoslavia, stressing that Slovenia and FRY will soon find a solution for the problems that obstructed the establishment of full bilateral contacts. (Politika, August 31, 1996)[10] THE FATE OF MASS-GRAVES OF SERBS IN CROATIAWe want all the war crimes to be investigated no matter who and no matter when committed them, provided that the chronology of events is respected and that over 100 mass-graves throughout Croatia containing Serbian victims be examined first, and that the crimes committed against Serbian civilians in Vukovar by the Croatian regime before the war broke out in 1991, and later - during the war. These are stands stressed by the protest rally organized in Vukovar by the Croatian Regime Victims Association. "In Vukovar, and throughout Croatia, Serbs were the victims and the only culprit the Croatian state", said Association member Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Vojnovic, adding that only the investigation of the tragedy of the Serbs in Vukovar and other parts of Croatia, before and during the war, will rally reveal who were the victims and who the assassins and criminals. (Politika, September 1, 1996)[11] SPECIAL STATUS FOR SLAVONIJA BARANJA AND WESTERN SREMMr. Vojislav Stanimirovic - premier of the Serbian Region of Slavonija, Baranja and Western Srem, stated that the representatives of the local Serbs are not considering the secession from Croatia, but that proposals for a special status are being considered. In an interview for the Split daily "Slobodna Dalmacija", Mr. Stanimirovic said that "Croatia should accept such proposals on special status, or to promote full democratization and full respect of human rights". He also remarked that it is less important whether the formula used will be special status, autonomous region or some other, but underscored that it is of paramount importance that a complete demilitarization be carried out. Commenting the return of the refugees to their homes, he underlined that two different criteria can not be applied and that all should be treated equally. "On the one hand there is a strong pressure for the return of some 50-60 thousand Croats, and on the other the return of 150 thousand Serbs from former Krajina is obstructed, i.e. the repatriation of some 200 thousand Serbs that left the country individually" - Mr. Stanimirovic underlined. (Vecernje Novosti, September 2, 1996)[12] SUPPLEMENT TO THE NEWS BRIEFS: AGREEMENTSince some years now, the educational system of Kosovo - from elementary schooling to university - does not work in a normal way.By mutual consent the udersigned, Mr. Slobodan Milosevic, President of the Republic of Serbia, and Dr. Ibrahim Rugova have agreed to proceed to the normalization of the educational system of Kosovo for the Albanian children and youth. On this line the agreement reached foresees the return of the Albanian students and teachers back to schools. Because of its social and humanitarian value the present agreement is above any political debate. The concern which both undersigned feel very strongly for the future of the Albanian children and youth of Kosovo has lead them to reach such an agreement. Both undersigned thank their joint friends of the Community of St. Eudigio for the generous commitment, help and support they have given to the dialogue. Both undersigned thank are furthermore certain about the commitment of all those who are in charge in the implementation of the agreement for the normalization of the educational system. There will be mixed group (3 + 3) established for the realization of this agreement. When young people seriously commit themselves to their educational and cultural formation, so to become responsible citizens, the victory of civilization itself will prevail instead of the victory of ones over the others. Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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