Koštunica: Government signed secret agreement with EULEX

Belgrade, Feb. 19, 2010 (Source: Beta News Agency) – Opposition DSS leader Vojislav Koštunica has once again accused the government of signing a “secret agreement” with EULEX about “recognizing Kosovo”. “The current government has signed a secret agreement with EULEX about the recognition of Kosovo's borders which is being secretly implemented, since it has not been published in the Official Gazette. It is clear that this agreement is anti-constitutional and that is why current authorities have been illegally implementing it,” the DSS leader stated. Speaking to reporters in Belgrade today, he also noted that the past two years showed best that Kosovo was a fake state. “Everything about this creation is false and no state really exists (there), there are only foreign institutions and foreign military bases. There is no state of Kosovo, but there are EULEX and NATO bases,” he said. According to Koštunica, the past two years since the unilateral proclamation of independence by the province's ethnic Albanians provened that the Constitution of Serbia, adopted in a referendum in 2006, "is the strongest defense wall for a long-term protection of Kosovo". “As long as it is written in the Constitution of Serbia that Kosovo is Serbia it will be ours, regardless of all unilateral proclamations of this false state. Despite the damage that current authorities are doing in agreement with international factors, the Serbian people are confirming today that Kosovo is a part of Serbia, as is written in the Constitution of Serbia,” the DSS leader, who was the country's premier for two terms, concluded.

“Cantonal division of Kosovo is solution”

Belgrade, Feb. 18, 2010 (Source: Politika) - Modern Peace and Conflict Studies founder Johan Galtung said that "Serbia, Kosovo and Albania will form a confederation". According to the 79-year-old Norwegian mathematician, sociologists and international mediator in some 40 conflicts around the world, such a scenario will come to pass in the next 50 years, writes Belgrade daily Politika. Galtung said that the future of Kosovo lies arranging the territory according to the cantonal Swiss model. He said that a majority of the cantons would be Albanian, while at least three would be Serb – one around Priština, and two in the north. “In the Serb cantons, the administration would work completely towards the Serbian idiom. If the Serb cantons were to stay within the 'Republic of Kosovo' and start opening themselves towards Serbia, it can be expected that the Albanian cantons would open themselves towards Albania,” he said. “I believe that in the next 50 years, there will be a formation of a confederation of Serbia, Kosovo and Albania in the Balkans, where everyone will be able to join the European Union, like countries of the Benelux, or maybe there will be a group such as the association of the Nordic countries, where some are members of the Brussels family and some are not,” Galtung said. He added that it is "logical for Serbia to join the European Union". “Although Serbia is a European country anyway, it does not have the power and tradition of Switzerland to remain outside the European Union,” this expert believes.

Vojislav Kostunica reelected President of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS)

Belgrade, Feb. 17, 2010 (Serbia Today) – The assembly of the opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) reelected Vojislav Koštunica as the party's president on Sunday evening, reports Serbian News Agency Tanjug..

DSS spokesman Andreja Mladenović told Tanjug that DSS assembly elected Aleksandar Popović, Dragan Jočić, Miloš Aligrudić, Slobodan Samardžić, Nenad Popović, Miroslav Petković, Milica Radović and Milos Jovanović as vice-presidents. Earlier same day, in the part of the assembly open for the media, Koštunica – who was Serbian prime minister for two terms – said that the "position of Brussels on the EU accession of an integral Serbia and on holding of early parliamentary elections in the country are the main issues in the EU integration process and in preventing the country from being destroyed". DSS leader said that the party is asking for support of the Serbian citizens for its state and national policy and the holding of early parliamentary elections. "It is time for elections, it is time to stop the agony and the destruction of Serbia. It is time for a new government which will listen to the voice of the people, stimulate the economy, build a legal country, a country based on social justice and solidarity, stop the separatism and further disintegration of the country and preserve a unified and integral country," Koštunica underscored.

Car bomb goes off in Bujanovac

Belgrade, Feb. 17, 2010 (Serbia Today) – The Ministry of the Interior stated that at around 21.00 Sunday night in Bujanovac an explosive device was placed under a Peugeot vehicle steered by a Ministry employee Bljerim Mustafa.

The statement adds that the car was parked on the pavement and that the bomb went off when Mustafa and his wife got in and started the engine. Mustafa suffered heavy injuries, while his wife and two other persons were not seriously hurt. The injured received medical attention and the wounded police officer was transported to the Emergency Centre in Belgrade. The special police unit will carry out an investigation on site, the statement adds.

Should Serbian Party leaders read religious calendar daily?

Belgrade, Feb. 15, 2010 (Serbia Today) – When Serbian politicians accuse each other of wrongdoings it is usually a serious matter. But recent accusations of the Serbian Radical Party against Aleksandar Vucic, of the Serbian Progressive Party are really comical and could only make observers laugh.

Apparently, by making a sarcastic comment that Radical Party picked a wrong date to celebrate party’s Patron Saint day, or rather that Radical party officials made mistake in the observance of the religious holiday, he insulted not only Radical Party but also the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Because of the adjustments in the religious observances church officials decided that this year some of the holidays will be moved day earlier so it was rather easy for those who constantly don’t check their church calendars to make a mistake and assume that a Radical Party celebrated its Patron Saint day a day earlier .

This innocent mistake of Mr. Vucic didn’t stop Radical Party officials of releasing a statement that the Deputy of the Serbian Progressive Party doesn’t know his own religion, that he is not a good Christian and that he does not respect the decisions of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Like in a Shakespeare’s play “Much ado about Nothing” plot thickens to the level of the insult. So, the lesson of story should be that those interested in being involved in politics in Serbia should read their church calendars daily.

A drop in favorable attitude towards EU and NATO in Serbia

Belgrade, Feb. 13, 2010 ( Source: Tanjug) - TNS Medium Gallup Director Srbobran Branković said on Wednesday that the agency’s latest poll shows a drop in the favorable attitude towards NATO and the EU. The poll, which was conducted between January 28 and February 2, shows that 62 percent of the Serbian citizens would vote in favor of joining the EU in a referendum.
Branković told Tanjug that the number was considerably lower than a year ago, when 65 to 70 percent of Serbians would have voted for EU accession. According to him, the trend is not specific to Serbia, because in all countries that went through European integration, enthusiasm waned as the process went on. “As the countries got closer to the EU, skepticism increased.
The cause were probably the failed, overblown expectations as to the quality of life and living standard. In spite of the drop, in Serbia we still have overwhelming support for joining the EU,” Branković said. When it comes to the support for NATO, which, according to the news agency, "never approached figures over 50 percent", Branković said that the additional drop in popularity was caused by the recent "political campaigns" which "refreshed people's memory about the (1999) bombing and revived old animosities". According to the poll, only 20 percent of Serbian citizens would support NATO accession, which is four percent less than last year.

Construction of a new U.S. Embassy begins in Belgrade

Belgrade, Feb. 12, 2010 (Source: Tanjug, B92) The building of the new U.S. embassy officially began on Wednesday in the Belgrade suburb of Dedinje. It is expected to be completed in 2012. The total value of the project is USD 117mn, and 500 workers have been hired for the project, mostly from Serbia. The complex will be built on an area of about 40,500 square meters, while the building itself will take up about 14,000 square meters.
The symbolic start of construction was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick, Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas, and Environment and Spatial Planning Minister Oliver Dulić. “This new investment of over USD 100mn will benefit the city of Belgrade in many ways. The building and space around it will not only be beautiful, but the entire building saves energy and shows that the American government is dedicated to building in accordance with the protection of the environment,” Warlick said. She added that the new embassy will be built according to the highest standards for protecting the environment in Serbia and the entire region. Warlick said that the citizens of Serbia and the U.S. are better connected today than ever before, and adding that the new embassy will be “a symbol of our dedication to long-term partnership between the two countries.”
Dulić evaluated as very important the decision of the U.S. embassy to invest money in the construction of such a building, which, as he put it, will be built with domestic materials, and where experts and engineers will obtain great knowledge and experience. Dulić reminded that the relations between Serbia and the U.S. have gone through "various phases", but that it was necessary to work on a new type of partnership, as well as on connecting people. The minister also stated that the embassy received the building permit in only two months, "which shows that such a thing is possible in Serbia when the project is good". "I believe that today I am opening the construction of a building that will represent a symbol of a friendly state, that will not be a target of demolition and burning, I hope that decades and centuries of cooperation are ahead of us, just as I hope that our country will not be a target of that same state," Dulić was quoted as saying in news agencies' reports. Mayor Đilas also spoke at the outdoors ceremony, pointing out that Serbia and the America were working together on many issues, especially in the field of security, and expressed his belief that in the next period cooperation elsewhere would also be improved. Đilas expressed his hope that, once the new embassy has opened, in 2012, the citizens of Serbia will not need visas to travel to America.

Dacic meets with Mary Warlick, new US Ambassador to Serbia

Belgrade, Feb. 11, 2010 (Serbia Today) – As it was reported by the Serbian Government Press Service, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic has met on Tuesday with newly appointed US Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick.

Dacic informed Warlick about results of his visit to the United States and plans of the Ministry of the Interior for further cooperation with the US police. One of the topics discussed was the political situation in Serbia. Warlick said that she will do everything to boost cooperation between Serbia and the United States and announced that the US Embassy will support the implementation of plans of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior that were discussed during last week’s visit of the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister to the United States. Warlick expressed satisfaction with the plans for the expansion of the peacekeeping mission of the Serbian Interior Ministry in Haiti and the engagement of Serbian police officers in EU missions in Congo and Afghanistan.

Serbia cannot receive candidate status before 2011

Brussels, Feb. 11, 2010, (Source: WAZ.EU observer) – Serbia cannot receive candidate status before 2011, writes WAZ.EUobserver in an article titled “Serbia's great accession illusion”. In the best case scenario, without political factors slowing down the process, accession talks could start in 2012 and be concluded in 2016, with actual entry in 2018. However, in view of likely complications down the road, 2020 is a much more realistic estimate, the article say. Belgrade handed in its application for membership in December. It will not be processed until the country fully co-operates with the Hague Tribunal, the WAZ.EUobserver pointed out. In practical terms, this means first and foremost arresting and handing over to the Hague Tribunal Ratko Mladić, the former Bosnian Serb military leader allegedly responsible for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. Once Belgrade delivers Mladić, member states will need a few weeks to mandate the European Commission to prepare a formal "opinion" on Serbia's application. Finalization of this assessment will require another year or longer. The assessment will form the basis of a political debate on the merits of the bid for membership, the article reads. Until now, no EU member state has made Serbia's candidate status conditional on Belgrade recognizing the independence of Kosovo. It is, however, clear that Serbia, if it is to become an EU candidate, will have to be more constructive over Kosovo as all decisions related to enlargement are taken by consensus, WAZ.EUoserver emphasized. Before membership talks can begin, the preparatory Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) must come into force. That requires ratification by all 27 member states. On previous experience, the process will take at least two years. According to the analysis, during this phase the Kosovo issue is likely to determine the speed of progress. Member states that have recognized Kosovo's independence could use the SAA ratification to pressure Serbia into concessions on its breakaway province. That need not necessarily lead to a slow-down if Serbia agrees to a solution acceptable to the EU and Priština, Brussels could reward it with an early starting date for accession talks. Even then, they will not begin before 2012, the WAZ.EUobserver warns. It states that Serbia has better administrative capacities than its neighboring countries and that during accessions talks, which will take at least four years, there will be additional opportunities to bring them up to the EU standards. Contrary to previous enlargements, a certain number of criteria have to be fulfilled even before a negotiating chapter on a particular body of legislation is opened. Moreover, many EU states have introduced rules under which the opening and closing of chapters have to be examined and approved by the foreign affairs committees of their national parliaments and application of the "Copenhagen criteria" - a set of requirements dealing mainly with human rights and democracy - for accession has become stricter than ever as a consequence of continuing post-entry problems with Bulgaria and Romania. According to the 2008 enlargement strategy, the EU will not give target dates for accession until near-completion of the negotiations. In the best case scenario, the talks could be concluded and the accession treaty signed in 2017. That would be followed by one and a half years of ratification in all EU member states and the European Parliament, with formal entry taking place in 2018. “Even if Serbia manages to sail through the negotiations without the Kosovo issue being brought to a definitive solution, there can be no doubt that the countries recognizing Kosovo's independence will not give a green light for accession unless a Kosovo deal is struck. No one in the EU is ready to admit another Cyprus,” the analysis concludes.

Deep disagreements over Srebrenica resolution

Belgrade, Feb. 10, 2010 (Serbia Today) – While the MP’s of the Serbian Parliament continues work on the resolution on Srebrenica without significant breakthrough, the United Serbia Party (JS) leader Dragan Markovic Palma announced that his Party will not support the resolution that mention genocide “since genocide did not happen in Srebrenica”. MP’s that are his Party members will accept only a resolution that condemns the crimes committed by all nations at the territory of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY),” Anyway in order for a parliamentary meeting on Srebrenica Resolution to be called, the initiative must be supported by 84 MPs, Parliamentary Speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović explained. She said that the MP groups are working on the resolution actively, and that, even though there was no initiative coming from 84 MPS, the document would probably reach the parliament by early March. Consultations will be held on this week between parliamentary parties regarding the resolution, while opinions still vary greatly from party to party. Đukić-Dejanović, of the ruling SPS, told Belgrade daily Blic that the terminology "was not the problem", and that she expects that the resolution will be adopted in the next 20 days.

The opposition Serb Progressives (SNS) stated that the party would give its decision on whether it will support the resolution once it sees the draft. SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vučić, who took part in a B92 TV talk show on Sunday, would not make it clear whether SNS would support the resolution if the crimes in Srebrenica were deemed genocide in the declaration. He also declined to clarify whether SNS would support a separate resolution condemning crimes committed against Serbs. “We will not say anything until we see the draft. We said that we are open to talks, and that crimes against our people, especially in operations Storm and Flash, Klečak and many other places, must be condemned as well, but we are ready to talk because we believe that it is important to reach a widespread agreement between the parties,” Vučić said. Opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) official Andreja Mladenović said that the party submitted its Srebrenica resolution to parliament back in 2005. “DSS and New Serbia submitted a declaration to parliament for condemning war crimes committed on the territory of the former Yugoslavia. But, today in Serbia, we are in a situation that this is being measured in accordance with European integration, because the mantra today, which was once brotherhood and unity, is to measure who supports EU integration in relation to whether they will back a resolution on Srebrenica,” he said. Opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) official Nenad Prokić, who took part in the same program, .said that the resolution will be supported by his party only if the crimes are deemed genocide. “We are the first country that is entering the EU with genocide in our suitcase, limited territorial genocide. That is a very serious think in a union based on peace. They will also us to solve this, but that is not what is most important. It is most important for use to recommend to our society and enter it into out schooling, so that it will never be able to happen again and so no one will ever do that in our name again,” Prokić said

Vincent Degert says Kosovo not a problem

Belgrade, Feb. 09, 2010, (Serbia Today) - Chief of the EU delegation in Serbia, Vincent Degert, said that Kosovo would not be a problem in Serbia’s EU membership negotiations, Belgrade daily Politika reports. “In all cases, the EU insists on separating the process of European integration, which Serbia is progressing in, from the question of the final status of Kosovo, and this approach has been shown to be effective,” Degert said.
He said that “Kosovo is heading down its own path of European integration, while Serbia is on its own route and has made a lot of progress.” “Until a solution is found, there are many everyday question that have an effect on the lives of the people, which must be solved. For example—the recognition of property, civil and other legal issues, the question of customs and trade. These all call for practical solutions. That is what the EU supports,” he said. Degert said that the European Commission is ready to discuss the Serbian demand for EU candidacy, and that it is waiting to receive the go-ahead for doing so from the Council of Ministers. Degert said that the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) could occur in June after Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz’s new report on Serbia’s cooperation with the Tribunal, but said that he could happen earlier if “something positive” happens in the search for the remaining Hague fugitives. He said that once the Council of Ministers begins the process for candidate status, it could take Serbia “a year, maybe less” to achieve that status. Degert said that the implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement between Serbia and the EU will attract new foreign investments in Serbia. “It is clear that this will happen. Because we now have stable contractual relations between Serbia and the EU. This means transparency and certainty for investors and businesspeople,” Degert said.

Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) claims 300,000 signatures gathered for elections

Belgrade, Feb. 08, 2010, (Serbia Today) - Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) claims that 300,000 signatures have been gathered so far on the petition calling for new parliamentary r elections.
According to SNS Party legal advisor Nikola Selaković, the party expects to gather more than one million signatures, after which the ruling coalition will not be able to ignore the demand of the citizens for change.
“The government does not want new elections, because they are aware that their popularity is falling off, but if they have any political responsibility, the ruling parties will not be able to ignore the demand, which a million Serbian citizens stand behind,” Selaković said.
He said that in the last elections, 4.5 million voters participated, adding that once SNS gets the support of one-forth of the voting public, the demand for new elections will have its full legitimacy.

President Tadić spoke at Democratic Party Convention

Belgrade, Feb. 06, 2010 (Source: B92) - Serbian President and ruling Democratic Party (DS) leader Boris Tadić spoke on Wednesday at a gathering in Belgrade to mark 20 years of the party.
DS was celebrating the anniversary of renewing its activities, when its leader said that it would win in the next elections as well, “because its duty is to realize the idea of a modern, democratic and European Serbia”.A short documentary was shown to those gathered, depicting the party’s struggle against the Milošević regime, wars and poverty and advocating of a multi-party system and building of a modern and democratic Serbia, said our reporter. The central part of the film was dedicated to assassinated former DS leader and Serbian PM Zoran Đinđić. Tadić said that Serbia has never been on a higher level of democratic values and principles than today, but that a society can never have too much democracy and freedom. “Anyone willing to build a European state with the Democratic Party is welcome,” he said, and added that DS would offer reconciliation to those that it was once in dispute. The government and the party as its pillar, said Tadić, will continue to seek friends all over the world, without bringing into question the main strategic goal, membership in the EU. “Never in the history of Serbia have we had such fight against organized crime, we are declaring war on them, a war that we will not finish. We are declaring war to them, peace to everyone else, war to criminals that we will not end until we clean them from Serbia so that we can secure better future for the citizens of Serbia,” Tadić was quoted as telling the gathering. He also said that the party was dedicated to the Serb nation and Serb state. The event was attended by numerous government ministers, coalition partners, MPs, diplomats and public figures. Some of those who 20 years ago took part in founding the party, including Vojislav Koštunica, reportedly did not show up.

Ivica Dacic will attend The National Prayer Breakfast

Washington, Feb. 06, 2010, (Serbia Today) - Ivica Dačić and other representatives of Serbia will attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington hosted by the U.S. President Barack Obama. The traditional event, which serves to gather the U.S. President, congressmen and officials from all over the world in “prayer for America”, will be held at the Hilton Hotel.
About 3,000 guests, among whom Serbia’s Interior Minister Dačić, Leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) Vuk Drašković and his wife Danica Drašković, will attend the gathering which is held on the first Thursday of February each year. Invitations have also been sent to Belgrade Mufti Muhamed Jusuf Spahić and Labor Minister Rasim Ljajić, who will not be going to Washington this time. G17 Plus official Vlajko Senić will also attend the gathering, stating that the Prayer Breakfast was a good opportunity to talk to the representatives of the U.S. administration. “There are wide possibilities for talks due to a large number of guests from other countries. I spoke with representatives in charge of the Balkans and Serbia at the State Department, and I will also meet the Pentagon representatives in charge of Serbia,” Senić said, and added that he was “trying to motivate congressmen and senators to come to Serbia and see that they had a strong and reliable partner there”.
“The most important impression is to see Serbia as a potential leader in the region because this role can be achieved and it depends only on us,” he said. Obama and another speaker will address the participants at the beginning of the event. The tradition of the National Prayer Breakfast was established more than 50 years ago, during U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, who, with a group of congressmen, came up with the idea to organize a gathering which would have a prayer for America as its core.

Ivica Dacic talks with UN Assistant Secretary-General

New York, Feb 05, 2010 (Source: serbia.gov) – First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic met with Dmitry Titov, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
At the meeting, Dacic expressed his condolences to families and colleagues of UN peacekeepers killed in Haiti. Dacic said that he had talked with Titov about increasing the number of Serbian peacekeepers in UN peacekeeping missions. At the present time members of the Serbian police force are taking part in two peacekeeping missions, in Liberia and in Haiti, said Dacic. If there is a need, Serbia could contribute more and even send out smaller police units, said Dacic, adding that the chief duty of UN peacekeepers is to help people and to help with police training. Further capacity building is needed in order to accomplish this and members of the Serbian police force should be able to attend courses at various training centers, as they do in Vicenza, where members of the Serbian police have regularly received training during the past, said Dacic. Titov expressed his gratitude to all Serbian peacekeepers, particularly those in Haiti, for their help and support to the people. He thanked Serbia for the messages of condolence over the death of 90 UN peacekeepers in Haiti. The presence of the UN in Kosovo-Metohija was also discussed with Titov, said Dacic, stressing that it is necessary for the UN mission to function according to Security Council Resolution 1244. Resolution 1244 is a key factor in the preservation of peace, stability and security in Kosovo-Metohija, primarily for non-Albanians, explained Dacic, adding that it guarantees that all international missions in Kosovo-Metohija will maintain a status-neutral position. Later, Dacic travelled to Washington where he attended a reception organized in his honor by Serbian Ambassador to the US Vladimir Petrovic. The reception was also attended by US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Senator George Voinovich and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Stuart Jones. Dacic talked with the US Transportation Secretary about infrastructure projects in Serbia and the possibility of joint work with US experts. Dacic also invited La Hood to visit Serbia. Dacic will continue his visit with meetings with CIA and FBI representatives.

Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) begins petitioning for new elections

Belgrade, Feb. 04, 2010 (Source: Tanjug) - Opposition SNS leader Tomislav Nikolić and his deputy Aleksandar Vučić signed the party’s petition calling for early parliamentary elections.

“Serbia is at a historical crossroads and can choose between the current, or a new, democratic government,” Nikolić said after signing the petition in Belgrade on Tuesday. “SNS has begun this campaign wishing to ask the citizens of Serbia whether they are content with the current government, whether it is true when they tell us that we are living well, that the standard (of living) is growing in Serbia, that Serbia is a peaceful and safe country, that the rule of law exists, that the protection of our interest in Kosovo and the protection of our citizens outside of Serbia is completely secured,” Nikolić stated. He added that Serbia “will have no more referendums” deciding on parties that want to join the EU, that want democracy and the rule of law, “or those who do not”. The SNS leader said that his party is trying to gather a new bloc of “progressive-national parties” that are oriented towards the EU and cooperation with the entire world, and dedicated to routing out corruption, bribery and crime. Nikolić called on all opposition parties to participate in this, and for all citizens who voted for parties in the ruling coalition in the last election to “think hard whether this is the life they fought for and voted for”. He added that SNS is not seeking to gain power, but rather wants new elections, and “for someone to ask the citizens what they think about everything that is happening in Serbia”. SNS announced that it will be opening up a thousand locations country-wide the next week at which the petition can be signed.

NATO backs peace, security, integrations in Kosovo

Brussels, Feb. 03, 2010 (Serbia Today) – As Serbian news Agency Beta reports NATO will support all steps that strengthen peace and security in Kosovo, the alliance’s secretary general has been quoted as saying today. These steps, according to Anders Fogh Rasmussen, include integration of all communities into the Kosovo society,

The news agency specified that this was Rassmusen’s answer to a reporter’s question on whether NATO supported the International Civilian Office (ICO) in Priština in its plan to spread the authority of the Priština (Kosovo Albanian) government to the Serb, northern parts of the province. Rasmussen also confirmed that on Friday in Brussels, he met with ICO and EULEX chiefs Pieter Feith and Yves de Kermabon to discuss this issue. NATO officials at the alliance’s headquarters told Beta that “Atlantic partners have not yet discussed Feith’s plan in the NATO Council”. Meanwhile, EU officials have said that they did not produce the plan. Rasmussen was also quoted as saying that KFOR will consider a further scaling down of its troops from the present 10,200, if the security situation in Kosovo permits for such a move.

Dacic talks with US Justice Department representatives

Belgrade/Washington, Feb 03, 2010 (Serbia Today) - – Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic met with representatives of the US Department of Justice to discuss security and police cooperation, on the third day of his visit to the US.

After talks, Dacic said that at the meeting he spoke with US Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Lanny Breuer and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Bruce Swartz. The US Justice Department is one of the most valuable partners of the Serbian Interior Ministry due to the differences in the political systems of the two countries and because the FBI and other security services are part of it. The Interior Ministry cooperates with the Justice Department on a large number of activities, such as the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program and the witness protection program, said Dacic. He said that cooperation to date has been extremely good and that there are many areas in which cooperation needs to be progressed, adding that a number of capacity building programs are being carried out in the Interior Ministry and the police force and there is huge potential for other joint projects.
One of the future projects is joint assessment of threats posed by organized crime and terrorism in our region, said Dacic.

He said that talks with the US Justice Department will be continued over the next couple of days and meetings will be held with the Director of the FBI and representatives of other agencies, as well as the US Department of Homeland Security. Dacic said that the US Justice Department officials found their cooperation with the Serbian Interior Ministry to be beneficial. The Justice Department has assessed that their cooperation with the Serbian interior and justice ministries is excellent. Major progress was made recently regarding the fight against organized crime, corruption and drug trafficking; several important arrests were made in connection with drug trafficking and large quantities of narcotics were confiscated, said Dacic. Dacic said that Serbia’s progress concerning the implementation of the law on the confiscation of illegally obtained assets was also assessed positively and accordingly it was agreed that cooperation should be continued with the US Marshals Service, which provides witness protection and deals with the confiscation of illegally obtained assets in the US. The assessment by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Serbia had done a great deal in the previous year to combat human trafficking was also conveyed, said Dacic.

New Serbia Party criticizes Belgrade administration

Belgrade, Feb. 01 2010 (Serbia Today) - New Serbia Party (NS) has begun an action for getting a petition signed for holding emergency local elections in Belgrade as Beta News Agency reports.
“The departure of the current government is the only way to end the destruction of the city, stop the financial collapse and protect the citizens of Belgrade,” NS City Council President Borislav Borović said. He said that the government is “incapable and damaging,” but also “dangerous to the physical security of the citizens,” stating that Mayor Dragan Đilas claims that the Gazela Bridge is safe, despite the fact that the main architects of the project said that the bridge could collapse if it is not reconstructed.
Borović said that the municipal councils of his party will be implementing this action every weekend. He said that NS will ask for the support of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), adding that he expects that enough signatures will be gathered by March to “force the government to back down.” NS Vice-President Dubravka Filipovski said that NS will help SNS on the state level, and that the party expects SNS’s support on the local level because of this.

President Boris Tadić says: “Intolerance of differences unacceptable”

Belgrade, Jan. 29, 2010 (Source: Beta) - President Boris Tadić yesterday took part in Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremonies in Belgrade,Beta reports.
He joined representatives of Serbia, Belgrade, the Jewish community and foreign diplomats in placing flowers at the Monument to the Victims of Genocide in World War II at Staro Sajmište, which was a Nazi concentration camp during the war. Speaking about the mass persecution and extermination of Jews in WWII, Tadić said Serbia will never accept the destruction of others who are different or because they belong to other ethnic, national, religious or political group. "No prejudice or odium, which tend to justify and inspire intolerance, can jeopardize our belief that our human identity is above all that and that in others we recognize ourselves and the possibility to expand our human aspect," Tadić said.
“We are witnessing attempts to make us forget those tragic temptations of the Holocaust, revision of the history of the Nazi crimes, and revival of the ideology of intolerance, racism and chauvinism, ethnic, religious and other forms of fascism," the president said, stressing that "this cannot and must not happen in Serbia." Israeli Ambassador Arthur Koll said the Holocaust Remembrance Day is a time to think and realize what can happen unless racism, prejudice and hate are stopped.
Belgrade City Assembly speaker Aleksandar Antić pledged the city will do everything it can to maintain memorial centers and build new ones to keep the memory of the greatest evil in human history alive. He went on to say that everything will be done to make Belgrade a safe city, free of racial and religious intolerance. The possibility of turning Staro Sajmište into a big memorial complex is being debated, according to Antić.

Financing for 10,000 low-cost apartments approved

Belgrade, Jan. 26, 2010, (Serbia Today) -The Government of Serbia has adopted decrees for subsidized financing for the construction of 10,000 apartments. The apartments would range in price from EUR 695 to EUR 1,595 per square meter depending upon location, according to Oliver Dulić, the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, as reported on the Government website on Jan. 21, 2010.

The Minister reported that the price per square meter would be 1,595 EUR in Belgrade‘s second zone, EUR 1,290 in its third zone, EUR 945 in its fourth zone, and EUR 895 in other zones. Low -cost apartments would not be built in Belgrade's first zone and extra zone. The price per square meter in Novi Sad's first zone will be 1,100 EUR, while the price in the second zone will be 895 EUR. For Niš and Kragujevac first zone, prices will be EUR 900,and EUR 695 for second zone. The price in other cities and municipalities in Serbia would be EUR 695. Construction of apartments in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš and Kragujevac should start soon, while construction in other towns of Serbia will depend on the level of interest of citizens.

Dulić said that the Government has secured 2 billion RSD for subsidizing interest on the apartment financing at an annual rate of 7%, as opposed to a normal interest rate of 9% to 10% annually.

Opposition on Srebrenica resolution

Belgrade, Jan. 25, 2010, (Source: B92) - There are still discussions that are ongoing among politicians from various parties in Serbia regarding the resolutions for condemning war crimes of the 1990s.
Even though it is still not known when the drafts for condemning the crimes in Srebrenica and for condemning crimes committed against Serbs will be finished, it is still a very active topic on the political scene.
Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) leader Tomislav Nikolić claims that his party is ready to participate in drafting the Srebrenica resolution, if the government makes its stance clear on the issue.
“I am ready for SNS to participate in that, even if it means that someone will accuse us of cooperating with the government. I think that a normal person would not think that, only someone who has a completely twisted stance on what reality is,” Nikolić said.
“I am ready to immediately accept to begin working on it, to present our own arguments, to back down a little, and have others back down a little and for Serbia to come out with a united stance. In any other circumstances, it is 127 votes for and 123 against, which is not the stance of Serbia,” he said.
The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) said that Serbia should only adopt one resolution in which it will pay respect to all innocent victims and condemn the perpetrators of all crimes.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) accused SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vučić on Saturday of having a hypocritical stance towards the adoption of the Srebrenica resolution.