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Serbia Today, 97-02-26Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Serbia TodayCONTENTS
[01] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DISCUSSED THE YUGOSLAV DEVELOPMENT POLICYAt the meeting between Federal Premier Radoje Kontic, and the representatives of the republican governments, of the National Bank and the Yugoslav Chamber of Economy, issues concerning the stabilization and the development of the Yugoslav economy have been discussed. The basic condition for an dynamic development of the Yugoslav economy in the coming period, is the urgent normalization of the relations with the international trade and financial institutions, primarily with the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade organization. In a situation where no domestic financial accumulation exists, the Yugoslav economy can only rely upon the regulation of its relations with international financial organizations to secure fresh capital indispensable for investment activities leading to better competitiveness of Yugoslav products on the world market. The project for the restructuring of the economy and banks has a crucial role in the implementation of the development policy objectives, because without it the Yugoslav economy can hardly be transformed into a modern and competitive market economy.Serbia Today, 1997-02-26 ; Borba, 1997-02-26[02] BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT: "GERMAN PROSECUTORS, MOSLEM WITNESSES"Yesterday in Munich, the trial against the Bosnian Serb Novislav Djajic (34), accused of alleged war-crimes, started. On Friday, February 28th, the trial against another Serb - Nikola Jorgic (50) indicted of "taking part in genocide" is to begin in Dusseldorf.These two - politically motivated trials - aimed at "re-proposing" to the German public the well-known propaganda thesis that only Serbs committed crimes in Bosnia, have a rather strange legal background. In fact, Djajic's attorney presented a demand that his client be extradited to the Hague Criminal Court, but Munich Public Prosecutor Mr. Walter Hemberger reacted by saying that no such demand came from the Hague and that the German court has the absolute mandate to conduct the trial. Some time ago in that very same Munich, Dusko Tadic was arrested and then extradited to the Hague where a marathon trial against him is still in course. As is well known, the key witness of the prosecution confessed that he gave a false testimony under the pressure of Moslem authorities in Sarajevo, which turned the trial into a farce. Subsequently, another Serb - Goran Lajic - was arrested in Germany and sent to the Hague. However, the International Court found that Lajic did not take part in the war in Bosnia and therefore released him. The German judicial system, seemingly the most zealous today in discovering and arresting Bosnian Serbs suspected of "partaking in genocide", seems to be determined to avoid any further embarrassment at the International Court, and has thus "taken matters into its own hands", scheduling two trials almost simultaneously. German Federal Public Prosecutor Kei Nemm, repeatedly stated in public that his Office is in possession of a list of 50 Bosnian Serbs "potentially war- criminals", living in Germany. German media proudly stress that the trials in Munich and Dusseldorf are "the first war-crime trials on German soil after Nuremberg". Thus, Hitler's gauleiters, responsible for the deaths of millions of people, are to be joined by several Serbs from Bosnia - with very "frail" indictments against them. Yesterday before the Court, Prosecutor Hemberger said that "after the break- up of Yugoslavia and the proclamation of the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina on April 6th 1992, the Serbs in Bosnia conducted a policy of aggression against the Moslem population, exiling them from their areas." He accused Radovan Karadzic of playing the leading role in all this, and added that the accused Djajic "took part in the attacks as a member of a Chetnic unit in the Foca region." The question who is actually being tried can be raised. It should be noted that last night, also in Munich, where Djajic is being tried, furious demonstrations were staged against an exhibition of photographs on war-crimes committed during World War II by regular Wehrmacht units in occupied Serbia, Ukraine and Belorussia. The highly illustrative exhibition has been criticized by protesters claiming that the Wehrmacht conducted a "clean war" and that only Nazis are responsible of crimes. Recently, a young neo-Nazi, ruthlessly murdered one policemen and wounded another using a shotgun. The youth was a member of the "White Aryans Uprising" organization - close to American Ku-Klux-Klan Obviously, Germany has other pressing matters to deal with, regardless of Bosnian Serbs and their "war crimes". Incidentally, testimonies on these "crimes" will be given mainly by Moslem Refugees from Bosnia, determined to extend their stay in Germany, since the Bonn Government decided some time ago to deport them all from Germany. Serbia Today, 1997-02-26 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-26[03] ZAGREB SAYS ONE THING AND DOES ANOTHERConcrete activities of Croatian authorities in Eastern Slavonija and Krayina are in contrast with official statements and numerous existing documents, said the UN Reporter on Human Rights in former Yugoslavia - Ms. Elisabeth Wren at a press conference organized after her latest tour of Slavonija, Krayina, Zagreb and Mostar. "The Serbs in Eastern Slavonija are simply afraid, they do not trust the Croatian authorities, that are not doing what they should, namely building confidence among people", Ms. Wren said. Among the numerous questions raised by the reporters, two were essential, but Ms. Wren was unable to give a precise answer to either of them. Asked whether Serbian refugees will return to Krayina, Ms. Wren said that she repeatedly put the same question to the Croatian officials. "Instead of a definite answer I was given numerous explanations for the dire situation in Krayina. But I am aware that in Krayina, Croats have robbed, burned and demolished a great number of Serbian homes, leading to the one conclusion that the message to Serbian refugees is not to return." Ms. Wren offered another argument for her pessimism, quoting the fact that "the international community has practically forgotten Krayina." The answer to the other question - whether the exodus of the Serbs from Eastern Slavonija can be prevented - was: "I prefer not to use the term exodus, but the fact remains that Serbs have already started leaving the region. Lamentably, Croatian authorities have not shown in practice the determination to prevent the mass departure of the Serbs."Serbia Today, 1997-02-26 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-02-26[04] KOFI ANNAN: EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALLIn a report he submitted to the Security Council, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, invited the Croatian to offer guarantees that all residents of the region of Eastern Slavonija, Baranja and Western Srem will enjoy equal rights regardless of their ethnic origin, since such a step is indispensable in view of the coming elections. Mr. Annan believes that a publicly stated guarantee by the Croatian Government concerning equal rights of all citizens would help reduce the diffidence and the insecurity of the Serbs living in the Srem-Baranja Region. Furthermore, the Croatian Government still hasn't responded to the appeal of the Security Council to confirm the obligations it assumed by signing the Basic Agreement, concerning the guarantees to be issued to the Serbs in the region - says Mr. Annan. He also expressed the belief that such an official guarantee would remove fears and insecurity of the Serbs that intend to leave the Region and the general concern for the exodus of a certain number of Serbs.Serbia Today, 1997-02-26 ; Borba, 1997-02-26[05] DEDICATION TO YUGOSLAVIAReacting to a letter two American congressmen sent to the President of Montenegro - Mr. Momir Bulatovic, expressing their dissatisfaction for the "change of stands" by the Montenegrin President concerning the evolution of democratic process and relations between the Yugoslav republics, they learned about from media reports, Mr. Bulatovic replied with a letter to these congressmen. In it he states among other things: "The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, representing a democratic community of equal- righted republics and citizens, is the expression of the will of the people of Montenegro. As the man representing the Republic of Montenegro according to its Constitution, my most important political task is to cooperate with the President of the Republic of Serbia, regardless of the degree of our mutual consent." In the letter, Mr. Bulatovic also stressed that Mr. Milosevic and himself had a meeting prompted by the letter of the two American congressmen, during which they did not observe that there are no political differences between Serbia and Montenegro, but rather that Serbia and Montenegro want to continue to exist in a common state. "Our Federal Constitution specifies that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is a community of equal righted member republics, nations and citizens. The Republic of Montenegro enjoys a high degree of autonomy in creating its internal and foreign policy. On the federal level we are making constant efforts to promote a more dynamic process of democratization, privatization and strengthening of internal political stability in the Republic of Serbia. We must not forget that the Republic of Serbia is an autonomous and equal-righted entity in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. and that its policy is shaped by the legally elected bodies who base their mandate and legitimacy on the vote of the people of the Republic of Serbia" - wrote President Bulatovic in his letter.Serbia Today, 1997-02-26 ; Politika, 1997-02-26[06] MODERN TOURIST OFFERIn an effort to provide diversified information to all those interested in Belgrade and planning on visiting our capital, the Belgrade Tourist Organization (TOB) prepared an Internet presentation, promoted yesterday by TOB Director Djordje Borotic and the Director of "MOST" Marketing Center - Mr. Aleksandar Drakulic. In the web presentation of the Yugoslav capital, even sound effects have been used, allowing Internet users to hear the pronunciation of most frequently used words in Serbian, and short useful phrases. The site also contains weather and climate information and data on Belgrade's history. Architecture and urban entities, such as the Kalemegdan fortress, the Skadarlija quarter and the Terazije main square are illustrated with appropriate photographs.Serbia Today, 1997-02-26 ; Ekspres Politika, 1997-02-26[07] GROWING COMPETITION AMONG NEWSPAPERSIn the past several years the number of newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations has more than doubled. For example in March 1991. there were 1.020 registered papers and 42 radio and television stations, and today there are 2.319 papers and magazines and 101 radio and TV stations. Legal entities (social, private and mixed capital companies, stock companies, institutions, and religious communities, municipalities, political parties and various societies and associations) are the founders of 2.109 papers and magazines, whilst the remaining publications (210) have been founded by private persons. Mr. Vukoje Lukic - Secretary of the Ministry of Information of Serbia, remarked that such a diversity in forms of ownership is particularly evident regarding dailies: five of the 16 major ones are owned by private firms. Asked about the influence on the editorial policy, Mr. Lukic stressed that it is always done by the owners. The state finances or covers part of the expenses of the newspapers it founded (Borba, Jedinstvo, Magyar Szo and Dnevnik). All other newspapers rely on self-financing and the state provides given conditions for regular publication of all papers, for example in helping them procure printing paper. However, the state can not affect their editorial policy. The media diversity regarding ownership and editorial policy is mirrored by the radio and television stations in accordance with the multi-party reality in the country. In fact, out of 87 radio station in Serbia, nine were founded by the state, 17 by cultural institutions, 43 by socially owned companies, 2 by stock companies, 15 private companies. Out of 14 television stations, the state is the founder of only one - Radio Television Serbia, whilst five TV stations are privately owned.Serbia Today, 1997-02-26 ; Politika, 1997-02-26Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |