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Serbia Today, 97-01-31Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Serbia TodayCONTENTS
[01] LILIC: A TEST OF PATRIOTISM"All responsible people in this country are now faced with an exam involving responsibility, patriotism, and no one has the right to stay deaf and dumb in this situation of growing tensions. Power is gained or lost through elections, and it is enacted through state institutions - at the service of the people and this is how it must be. We all have the obligation, and especially the ruling party in Serbia, to make special efforts to settle the problems in a legitimate way, to reduce tension, to provide a solution. The dissatisfied part of opposition must accept this formula so that the remaining controversies might be solved the only way admissible in democracy and within the institutions everyone is invoking - namely through dialogue." This was stated yesterday at a press conference by Federal President Zoran Lilic after his visit to the Command of the 2nd Army Zone in Podgorica. Speaking about the problems that surfaced after the second round of elections in Serbia, President Lilic remarked: "Due to inadequate election laws in the Republic of Serbia, and also due to dishonorable behavior of given individuals, we are now faced with a situation in a number of constituencies where these individuals helped generate growing political tension in Serbia. Undoubtedly, Serbia will find the strength to bring into the clear the responsibility of these people and take adequate measures." "Our strategic objectives are peace in FRY, freedom, economic reconstruction, stability, unity and integrity of the federal state. These goals require that we rise above all party and individual interests. This is why it is indispensable that the most important political parties, be that the ruling one or opposition parties, immediately seek and find a political solution to overcome and solve the controversies - stressed President Lilic in Podgorica.Serbia Today, 1997-01-31 ; Politika, 1997-01-31[02] BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT: IZETBEGOVIC AND DEMOCRACYTo which extent is the notion of democracy questionable in the United States - the country that claims to be the champion of this political heritage, is probably best illustrated by the fact that the American Center for Democracy gave its annual award to Alija Izetbegovic - current President of Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina - for "outstanding leadership under extremely difficult circumstances".Could it be possible that the award committee ignores or forgets Izetbegovic's radical-Islamic stands expressed in his well-known manifesto "Islamic Declaration" characterized by exclusiveness, aggressiveness and intolerance that can not be related to the principles of democracy. It is a notorious fact that Mr. Izetbegovic advocates - both theoretically and in practice - the most radical fundamentalist wing in the Islamic world, and that during the civil war in Bosnia and Herzegovina he principally relied on aid from the Saudi Court, Iranian Ayatollahs, and other similar regimes famous for their totalitarianism and lack of elementary democracy. "Successful leadership" has been acknowledged to a man that acting illegally proclaimed himself president of B&H and has been trying to rule the country in the past several years without any respect for the interests of the other two nations in Bosnia. Even some Moslem leaders have refused to recognize his office. The credibility of this award will certainly not be enhanced by the fact that Izetbegovic - together with his closest collaborators - has been the mastermind and instigator of numerous mass terrorist attacks (initially ascribed to the Serbs), that were organized and carried out by Bosnian Moslems as independent sources subsequently confirmed. It is also important that the award has been given to a person that is currently being tried in absence by the Banjaluka Court for war crimes against Serbs during the civil war. The Croatian side is about to start a similar process for crimes of war committed by Izetbegovic against Bosnian Croats. The confused evaluation of Izetbegovic's activities is also illustrated by information coming from Washington to the effect that the US Administration is slowly abandoning the policy of unconditioned support to Izetbegovic - primarily due to his Islamic radicalism and the refusal to terminate his "special relations" with fundamentalists - and considering the more moderate and West-oriented Haris Silajdzic as a potential future leader of the Bosnian Moslems. Serbia Today, 1997-01-31 ; Tanjug, 1997-01-31[03] AVOIDING ANOTHER EXODUS OF THE SERBSDuring his meeting with the papal nuncio Francesco Monteriso, Mr. Momcilo Krajisnik - representative of the Republic of Srpska in the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina - indicated the possibility of the Holy See acting as and intermediary with the Republic of Croatia in settling the problem of the Serbs in Eastern Slavonija, in order to prevent another exodus and protect the rights of the Serbs. Mr. Krajisnik stressed that the implementation of the right of integral territory, autonomy, political administration and special ties of Eastern Slavonija Serbs with the Republic of Srpska and FR Yugoslavia would be a sufficient incentive for them to stay and thus avoid the exodus. Acting as a mediator, the Holy See would greatly improve the undermined trust between Orthodox and Catholics throughout former Yugoslavia - reads the statement issued after the meeting. The same communique indicates that an appeal has been made for the immediate release of all prisoners still being held in Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.Serbia Today, 1997-01-31 ; Ekspres Politika, 1997-01-31[04] "WHITE BULLETIN" ON FOREIGN TRADE RELATIONS 25TH "FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS" OPENS TODAY ETHNO - PROGRAM TO LEARN ABOUT THE MOTHER COUNTRY URANIUM-AMMO IN HADZICIYesterday, the Belgrade Foreign Trade Institute promoted its latest edition - "White Bulletin" on trade relations with foreign countries which will be published monthly. The study reveals the basic characteristics of last year's trade and illustrates the various elements obstructing the increase of Yugoslav exports. According to experts, the basic obstacles for an increase of exports this year are the uncertain financing of foreign trade deficit, the unsettled status of Yugoslavia in the World Trade Organization (making our goods 10-12 percent more expensive on foreign markets), the undefined status of FR Yugoslavia in international financial institutions. According to Federal Statistics Institute data, used in the bulletin, most of the Yugoslav exports last year were directed towards transition countries (54,2 %),followed by developed countries (40,4%), the smallest share being to developing countries (5,3%). The most important Yugoslav foreign trade partners were Germany (trade volume 670 million dollars), followed by Italy (616 million dollars trade volume). (Politika, January 31, 1997)The 25th edition of FEST - the "Festival of Festivals" - opens this evening in Belgrade. A short documentary by Mica Milosevic will remind the public about the history of this film festival. The film officially opening the manifestation is "Secrets and Lies" directed by Michael Lee - last years "Golden Palm" winner in Cannes. Mr. Milutin Colic - one of the FEST founders and member of the Festival Council, said that right from the start, this manifestation had a very clear concept - to inform the public about the latest trends in the world of cinema. The public always supported this orientation, which is best confirmed by the fact that the tickets for 53 films from 21 countries have been immediately sold out. (Ekspres Politika, January 31, 1997) According to the curriculum of the Yugoslav Supplementary school in Serbian - realized through the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia, the first of four groups of children from the educational center in Sancte Gallen in Switzerland is currently attending a course on Mt. Kopaonik. Mr. Dragan Acimovic, their teacher, says that this is a prototype for an ethno- program which will be offered not only to children living in Switzerland but all over Western Europe. Along with the direct contact with their country of origin, and with its cultural and historical heritage, the children will have a chance to become friends with children from various parts of Serbia. (Politika, January 31, 1997) The mystery concerning the use of banned radioactive and toxic NATO ammunition in Bosnia is slowly being unraveled. After an epidemic of strange symptoms and alterations registered in people, animals and plants, competent Republic of Srpska institutions and experts initiated an investigation and published the first results. It is now certain that during the bombing of the ordnance center in Hadzici and of the near-by villages, carried out by NATO planes, radio active missiles APIPGU-14/B, containing uranium, were used. In case of direct hits, the victim suffers serious damage of tissue, and if the wound is not lethal, the radiation causes dermatologic, renal and other serious lesions culminating with death. NATO tested weaponry banned by international conventions in a number of other localities in Bosnia. This indicates that Serbs were deliberately shelled with radioactive bombs. Since similar symptoms have been registered not only among local Serbs, but also among Dutch soldiers that were deployed in the vicinity of the bombing sites in the Republic of Srpska, the Dutch Army is conducting an investigation regarding their poisoning. Another investigation is being carried out by the British General HQ because the English have been directly accused of using the banned ammunition. Serbia Today, 1997-01-31 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-01-31[05] OWNERSHIP TRANSFORMATION MUST BE CONTINUEDWe have to continue with the privatization of socially owned property, but we will not make a sale nor can we expect to quickly complete this complex task - in 6 months as some parties affirm." - said Mr. Branislav Vujinovic - Chairman of the Belgrade Chamber of economy at a meeting about the experiences in the privatization of the Yugoslav companies - held yesterday in the Yugoslav Chamber of Economy. At the end of last year, there were 200.370 private companies and 188.596 shops in Yugoslavia, this being almost 80 per cent of all registered firms in our country. Compared to the situation at the end of 1991, the number of private firms has increased four times. The Chairman of the Montenegrin Chamber of Economy - Dr. Vojin Djukanovic - observed, that in Montenegro the first phase of privatization has been completed and that this process is viewed as a way out of the crisis. Reviewing the results of privatization in Serbia, Ms. Nada Mijailovic, Director of the Serbian Agency for the Evaluation of Capital Value, remarked that between 1990. and 1994. some 45% of all socially owned companies have initiated the ownership transformation process.Serbia Today, 1997-01-31 ; Politika, 1997-01-31[06] YUGOSLAV-MACEDONIAN COOPERATION IN TRANSPORTSFederal Minister of Transports and Communications - Dr. Zoran Vujovic, received Mr. Boris Causevski - Under Secretary of the Macedonian Ministry of transport, heading a state delegation visiting Yugoslavia. It has been remarked that the cooperation in the transport sector gave a major contribution to the enhancement of the overall bilateral cooperation between FR Yugoslavia and Macedonia. It has been stressed that there are major possibilities to further improve the relations in this area, and that concrete agreements and contracts will be made in this sense. Due to the great interest for cooperation in Balkan transports, it has been agreed that Yugoslavia and Macedonia will jointly define a strategy regarding Europe and other parts of the world. The two states have the identical interest to ensure a large flow of goods and passengers in both directions and with reduced costs, and they will, therefore, strive to liberalize to the maximum the bilateral transport conditions.Serbia Today, 1997-01-31 ; Borba, 1997-01-31Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |