Yugoslav Weekly Syrvey 96-01-05

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory

From: ddc@nyquist.bellcore.com (D.D. Chukurov)

05 JANUARY 1996

Yugoslav Weekly Survey

CONTENTS

[A] COMMENTS

[01] EARNINGS OF YUGOSLAVIA FROM FOOD EXPORTS

[02] ON MODERNIZATION OF TRANSPORT IN YUGOSLAVIA

[03] 1995 - A CULTURALLY RICH YEAR

[04] SECESSIONISTS DO NOT SING IN UNISON

[05] UNHCR FACES GREAT CHALLENGE

[B] FROM FOREIGN PRESS

[06] SWISS MEDIA ON 1995 EVENT OF THE YEAR

[07] BELGIAN MEDIA ON 1995 EVENT OF THE YEAR

[08] TUDJMAN'S DREAM OF ETHNIC PURITY

[A] COMMENTS

[01] YUGOSLAVIA MAY EARN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM FOOD EXPORTS

The daily quoted Serbia's agrarian programme, a study by a group of authors, as saying that Yugoslav exports of agricultural products ould amount to as much as five billion dollars.

"Politika" said that these were not groundless estimates, because the Yugoslav food industry would be very busy after the suspension of the May 1992 sanctions against Yugoslavia.

The daily said that cattle should again become the most important export item, because the Yugoslav republic of Serbia had been exporting 150,000 tons of heifers and 6,000-7,000 tonnes of beef before the sanctions were imposed.

Experts believe that Yugoslavia may return to the U.S. and Russian markets and that exports of tinned ham could now increase to an annual 20,000 tonnes from an annual 6,000-7,000 tonnes before the sanctions.

Yugoslavia can export millions of tonnes of wheat and corn, which are large quantities even for world standards.

Experts say that, with its climate, Yugoslavia can make a two-million-tonne surplus, which can be sold in foreign markets.

Authors of the study, which was made for the Serbian government, believe that Yugoslavia has a surplus of about 400,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables of the two million of tonnes it produces.

Analyses confirm that Yugoslavia can also export sugar, because it needs about 300,000 tonnes of sugar, while its 15 sugar refineries an produce twice as much.

Yugoslavia's production of cooking oil of 150,000 tonnes a year exceeds its needs, so that it too can be sold on foreign markets.

"Politika" said that all this could be achieved provided adequate investments were made in the 2.5 million hectares of fields in Yugoslavia by the spring planting season. ("Tanjug's Daily Bulletin", Belgrade, January 4, 1996)

[02] MODERNIZATION OF TRANSPORT, PRIME ECONOMIC GOAL OF THE F.R.Y.

The President of Serbia said this at a meeting with members of the board for the notable economic and scientific event - 115 years of development of scientific thought in the domain of railways - and, as its patron, added that such capital projects at the same time were setting into motion the development of nearly all economic branches in the country.

This, Milosevic stressed, would raise the technological level and the standards of citizens as the framework of the development policy which would enable the F.R.Y. an economic and cultural prosperity in the forthcoming period, said an announcement.

It was the hitherto successful fulfilment of the tasks on the construction of planned projects, comprising one on the modernization of railways in the F.R.Y., that marked this notable economic and scientific event which gathered together prominent Yugoslav scientists, institutions and economic collectives.

Emphasized at the talk was the F.R.Y. success in keeping pace in the realization of the planned development goals as witnessed by significant projects in railway infrastructure which went in operation this year, among which the top place went to the Belgrade railway centre with one of the most up-to-date underground railway stations in Europe. ("Tanjug's Daily Bulletin", Belgrade, December 29, 1995.)

[03] DESPITE SANCTIONS, 1995 WAS CULTURALLY RICH YEAR

Academician Dragoslav Srejovic believes that significant things have happened in Serbia's and Belgrade's life, of which he singled out the Belgrade Musical Festival (BEMUS) and the Belgrade International Theatre Festival (BITEF).

"My choice is the performance at BITEF of Lev Dodin's "Klaustrofobija", by Sankt Petersburg group "Little Theatre", while BEMUS will surely be remembered for the concert of renowned Russian pianist Valery Afanasyav".

Among the events of the year, Srejovic included also the performance of domestic comedy "Kate Kapuralica", directed by Jagos Markovic and performed by the National Theatre of Sombor, as well as the realization of the project "A Century of Film", that was crowned with a representative exhibition.

Painter Mica Popovic was most impressed by the exhibition of the "December Group". "This group marks the beginning of our modern art because its young, ambitious and very talented members emerged at the very time when somethig like this was very important for us here. The exhibition was a precious contribution to our more recent art history and all its members have some time ago become part of the history of Serbian art," said Popovic.

Academician Dejan Medakovic believes that 1995 was not a "dry" year and noted he was expecially impressed by a book of Antonije Isakovic "Master and Servants", published by "Prosveta" publishing house. "It is a superb novel of the prominent and prestigious writer and a testimony of our time, of an epoch we lived in and lived through, in which one great idea crumbled in a way, tragic both for those who were creating it and for those affected and destroyed by its decadence. Here we have a book that is brimming with messages, expecially wise expressions, with a strong sense of historical awareness, which paints a certain atmosphere in a broader context of European drama."

Medakovic especially pointed out the already traditional presentation of books at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts organized by Professor Niksa Stipcevic "in a highly successful manner by way of preparing book reviews through small essays on each particular work. The audience knows it would hear something valuable, and this form of communication with the public is very valuable also for the Academy."

In Medakovic's view, the year was marked also by concerts and exhibitions at the Acadamy's gallery.

Manager of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre Jovan Cirilov set out the significance of suspension of sanctions as this would have a "bearing on our cultural life as a whole and our cultural ties with the rest of the world". Cirilov makes a special note of making a movie from the novel "Pre-Meditated Murder" by Slobodan Selenic, who died recently. "Director Gorcin Stojanovic has rallied together a wonderful generation of the youngest and oldest actors and succeeded in making a film of a highest artistical achievement, thus enabling Selenic to remain among us," said Cirilov.

Director-General and Editor-in-Chief of Belgrade's publishing house "Vreme knjige" Predrag Markovic believes that the cultural event of the year was the success of the Yugoslav film "Underground", directed by Emir Kusturica.For him, the enterprise of the year was also a world success of the novel by Vladimir Arsenijevic, "In the Storage"."In Sweden, this novel had 30 reviews and all of them were in the superlative," said Markovic.

General Manager of the "Prosveta" publishing house Cedomir Mirkovic believes that without dilemma the cultural event of the year was the Belgrade International Book Fair, held during last October.

"The traditional 40th Book Fair has shown just how tough our publishing business, the literary, scientific and overall creative work is, as well as how resistant our culture is to outside troubles and conditions we live in," Markovic said. He added that the largest and most essential social energy of the people here and in this state was being directed and accumulated in the area of literature.

The second place in terms of significant events, in Mirkovic's view, was BEMUS - a brilliantly organized cultural event, with a high livel of performing as could only be expected in the biggest musical centers."

"Jugokoncert" director Eduard Ile set out that for him a "world level cultural event" was the last evening of BEMUS when, before a packed audience at the Sava Conference Center, in Belgrade, the Sofia and Belgrade Philharmonics, soloists and choruses performed the Second Simphony by Gustav Mahler.

("Tanjug's Daily Bulletin", Belgrade, December 29, 1995)

[04] SECESSIONISTS DO NOT SING IN UNISON

(by Djordje Jevtic)

The secessionists in Kosmet have in the past five years been persuading their compatriots that "Kosovo is a neutral and independent state" outside of its parent Serbia.

Albanian President Sali Berisha sent a message from Bonn last week, telling Albanians in Kosmet to "commit themselves to autonomy pursuant to the 1974 constitution."

This constitution of former Yugoslavia virtually gave Kosmet (populated near under 90 per cent by ethnic Albanians) the status of the state within the state, which was the cause of all trouble and moving out of Serbs.

Following Berisha's warning it is clear that Albanian secessionist leader Ibrahim Rugova, despite frequent brotherly hugs, is losing his main support.

The Albanian-language press in Pristina also was placed in a dilemma by the fact that Berisha and Rugova had not met each other altough they were in Bonn at the same time.

The separatist leaders of ethnic Albanians have flooded compatriots with stories saying that those standing behind their policy were Bonn and Washington, whence, however, statements asserting the opposite have been increasingly frequent.

The leaders of the separatist movement of ethnic Albanians do not conceal that their goal is independence for Kosmet and merging of this southern Serbian province with neighbouring Albania.

Kosmet's current autonomy, as defined in the constitution of Serbia, is not accepted by ethnic Albanians, nor is it exercised, although this autonomy ensures them all the minority and national rights.

In the radical Albanian secessionist wing, there are obvious confusions and mutual distrusts while many wonder what Rugova had accepted while in Washington and Bonn recently.

The paper "Zeri" severely criticized Rugova's group for having so far done nothing. It said the group usurped and deadened the Albanian movement.

Another paper, "Bujku", observed with anger that the "Albanian general public in the past few days has been showered with the different statements about the status of Kosovo" and has been disturbed by "announcements of the 1974 autonomy."

("Tanjug's Daily Bulletin", Belgrade, December 29, 1995)

[05] UNHCR FACES GREAT CHALLENGE

(by Vladimir Holovka)

The meeting is to be attended by representatives of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, all former Yugoslav republics and up to 40 other countries, and might be held at ministerial level.

UNHCR is to initiate in a few months the extremely complex operations of repatriating over four million refugees from Rwanda and about three million refugees from the former Yugoslavia.

Sources in Geneva believe this task will not be at all easy, but there can be no lasting peace either in Bosnia or Rwanda if the refugees do not return home.

Under the Dayton agreement, all refugees from the former Yugoslavia must return home, but the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata insists on abidance by the Geneva Convention, i.e. the right to return but also the right to remain.

However, towns such as Mrkonjic Grad and Sipovo that are to be returned to Republika Srpska (R.S. - Bosnian Serb state) under the Dayton agreement, have been nearly completely destroyed by Croatian troops, who looted and burned all they could, and Serb refugees therefore have no place to which they can return.

Ogata is expected to answer all these questions on January 16 in Geneva when she is due to inform the participants of the UNHCR strategy for the mass repatriation in the former Yugoslavia.

The UNCHR is believed to have already worked out this strategy in detail, taking into account its experience in similar actions over the past five years when nine million refugees were repatriated to Burma, Afghanistan, Vietnam, South Africa, Namibia, Cambodia, El Salvador and Mozambique.

Since Croatia seceded by force from the former Yugoslav federation in 1991, about 600,000 Serbs fled from Croatia to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

UNHCR is also facing the problem of about 700,000 refugees from the former Yugoslavia who are staying in Western Europe illegally or with temporary permits.

There are indications that some of these countries intend to get rid of refugees bypassing UNHCR plans and initiating their repatriation by themselves. UNHCR has appealed to them to refrain from such actions, but it remains to be seen to what extent they will heed the call. ("Tanjug's Daily Bulletin", Belgrade, January 4, 1996)

[B] FROM FOREIGN PRESS

[06] SWITZERLAND: 1995 MARKED BY UNITED STATES AND EVENTS LINKED TO FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

Diplomats at the "Palais de Nations" said on Friday that this meeting placed the foundations of the peace agreement reached in Dayton, Ohio, and initialled by the presidents of Serbia and Croatia, Slobodan Milosevic and Franjo Tudjman, and Bosnian Muslim leader Alija Izetbegovic, and which was signed on December 14 in Paris.

The results of numerous polls show that both diplomats and ordinary citizens, as well as the Swiss media, all agree that 1995 was marked by U.S. diplomatic activities.

These assessements primarily refer to the U.S. role in the final stage of the peace process in the territory of the former Yugoslavia and the White House's contribution to the Dayton agreement.

The Swiss media conclude that the United States has definitely taken over from the United Nations the role of arbiter in "this troublesome world."

The Swiss media also asks the rhetorical question whether this is a victory of the New World Order or its end. ("Tanjug's Daily Bulletin", Belgrade, January 3, 1996)

[07] BELGIAN MEDIA: PEACE IN BOSNIA - EVENT OF THE YEAR

In a special eight-page supplement on Friday, the influential "Le Soir" publishes a photograph of Serbian President Slobodoan Milosevic, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Bosnian Muslim leader Alija Izetbegovic shaking hands, and writes that the agreement they reached in Dayton on November 21 was the event of the year as it provided hope for the return of peace to Bosnia.

Another event, as tragic as the fate of the former Yugoslavia, according to the paper, was the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

The list of major events in 1995 continues with the NATO action in Bosnia and European Union endeavors for providing aid to countries created in the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

Belgian sports press lists among outstanding events of 1995 the return of Yugoslav-born American tennis player Monika Seles and the victory of Yugoslav basketball team at the European championship in Athens at the beginning of July, after an absence of over three years due to comprehensive sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for its alleged involvement in the war in Bosnia. ("Tanjug's Daily Bulletin", Belgrade, January 4, 1996)

[08] TUDJMAN'S DREAM OF ETHNIC PURITY

(by Harry Richter)

It is by and large ignored that even before the marathon Dayton negotiations it seemed that Tudjman, contrary to the will of the international community, could use his strengthened army once again to free the region of Eastern Slavonia from the Serbs who have lived there for centuries.

Thus, for example, on the occasion of the Bonn conference on disarmament and confidence-building measures in the former Yugoslavia last Monday, Croatia threatened to leave the negotiations if Serbia and Montenegro continued to refuse mutual recognition as a precondition for the solution of the Eastern Slavonia problem. About 150 000 Serbs live in this region belonging to Croatia and they have controlled it since 1991. Croatia insists on its peaceful reintegration or, as its Foreign Minister said, "new hostilities" would break out.

The Dayton agreement reached in mid-November provides for the transition period of one year (or two years at most) after which it will definitely come under the direct rule of Zagreb. Tudjman threatened already last autumn that he would take Eastern Slavonia from the Serbs by force and promised to have coffee in Vukovar for the Christmas of 1995, the town which became for Croats the symbol of the heroic resistance to the three-month Serbian siege in 1991.

That this territory is a sensitive and disputable issue is evinced by the fact that we had to wait long - ever since last autumn - for the permission to visit Vukovar. Tudjman's extensive threats and the concentration of troops which entered also the demilitarized (buffer) zone between Croatia and the Serb- controlled territories resulted in the preparations for a new war conflict with Croatia in the capital of Vukovar.

For, people were not prepared at all to leave Vukovar to the enemy without any resistance - which happened during the Croatian offensive against Western Slavonia last summer and when Croats defeated rebel Krajina Serbs after which hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes. Besides, the negotiations between Zagreb and the Serbs begun in early October with the mediation of the United Nations and the United States were at the brink of failure because of the demands for almost unconditional reintegration of these territories in the Croatian State.

Moreover, people in Vukovar do not want to hear about reintegration; they stress that the Serbs, already in 1990 when they were a constituent people in this Yugoslav republic, voted against the secession from Yugoslavia. During the first multi- party elections in 1990, Tudjman's party, the Croatian Democratic Community, lost there; Serb Slavo Dokmanovic became the Mayor of Vukovar.

The new Croatia, recognized contrary to international law, has never controlled these regions. Despite the opposition, an agreement in principle was reached in Dayton in mid-November - Tudjman and Serbia's President Milosevic agreed on the question of Eastern Slavonia as one of the first results of the marathon negotiations and this was a great surprise for many. The leader of negotiations on behalf of the Serbian side, Milan Milanovic, has a ready simple explanation:

Unlike the first draft/plan, the Dayton peace agreement guarantees the local Serbs personal safety and the protection of their property, as well as their human rights. Our collocutors told us openly that they did not trust the statements made by Croats. Dokmanovic, mayor and a member of the Serbian negotiating team in Dayton, said: "Croats want this region alone, not its population. They would be happy if we left as early as possible and if their troops marched into uninhabited territory."

Despite everything we knew, we were shocked when we saw Vukovar. Each and every building in this picturesque town on the Danube has wounds of war. Although 30 000 people live in it again and schools, restaurants and improvised markets have been re- opened after a several-week forcible pause it looks somehow lifeless. All hope that peace will hold under the protection of the UN Security Council, but mistrust is deeply rooted. In addition, there are memories of the terrible experience of the World War Two when Baranja and Srem - as these parts of Eastern Slavonia are called - belonged to the Fascist Ustasha State when thousands of Serbs were killed.

However, it was there that on 27 July 1941 the resistance of Serbs (together with Croats) began against the occupier and this day was celebrated as the uprising day against Germany in Tito's Yugoslavia for 50 years. The fact that the first thing Tudjman did was to abolish the celebration of this day arose ominous foreboding among the Serbs. Besides, all our collocutors say that the 1991 war in this region was started by the Croats, not the Serbs: On 2 May 1991, hundreds of elite troops of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior armed to the teeth attacked Borovo Selo in order to impose their authority there contrary to the wish of the population. But, due to the firm resistance of the Serbs, this small town, only 10 km from Vukovar, did not fall. For all that, the fighting in Vukovar was very fierce and lasted until mid-November.

Dokmanovic also says that the international public, despite clear evidence, continues to talk about the "expulsion" of Croats from the region. All who wanted to stay and did not commit any crime could stay. He says that 20 Croats work in the Vukovar local government out of the total of 300 (before the war the ratio was 50:50). Besides, about 15 000 Hungarians and 17 000 Slovaks also live in this region who are not discriminated against in any way.

It is also disregarded that Croatia has so far expelled over half a million Serbs from its territory and that it shows no readiness, despite the provision in the Dayton agreement on "the right to return" of all refugees, to enable their return to their homes. All this shows that Zagreb continues to crave for an ethnically pure Croatia.

However, the Serbs in Eastern Slavonia have not given up their dream of joining Serbia one day. They cannot imagine their life in the present-day Croatia after all that happened in the last four years and after the human rights violations in Western Slavonia and Krajina whence hundreds of thousands of Serbs were expelled last summer without a tear being shed by the international public. The latest Security Council resolution emphasizing once again that Eastern Slavonia belongs to Croatia, although there are no concrete decisions as to the implementation of such an agreement, does not echo much among the Serbian population in Eastern Slavonia.

Our collocutors in Vukovar were of the opinion that a bad peace is better than war. However, inadequate behaviour in the transition period decided upon in Dayton for the purpose of finding a just solution to the problem of Srem and Baranja could easily turn this region into a new and perhaps even more dangerous hotbed in the Balkans.

("Die Wochenzeitung", Zurich, December 22, 1995)