Tadić still believes in “both EU and Kosovo”

Source: Tanjug
BELGRADE -- Boris Tadić has said that he would never stand behind a decision which would endanger sovereignty, integrity and independence of Serbia.

Tadić addresses the PUPS gathering (Beta)

Addressing a ruling Pensioners Party (PUPS) gathering in Belgrade late on Sunday, the president, and leader of the Democrats (DS) also said he would never support bringing “foreign military bases to the country”.

“A combined goal, including both Europe and Kosovo and Metohija, is the policy that I will believe in by the very last moment, and that policy has no alternative,” Tadić underlined in his address.

Tadić noted that “not all political parties believe in that goal, particularly not the coalition of the (opposition) Serb Progressive Party, the Democratic Party of Serbia and the New Serbia”, that was announced Saturday.

Referring to the messages of the Saturday SNS assembly, Tadić said that this political option was already defeated at the previous elections, because it destabilized Serbia's European program, sent messages of conflict and did not have understanding for the needs of the oldest citizens.

“That political coalition would bring no good and push the country into new conflicts,” Tadić underscored, adding that it is still possible for the coalition to change and for that reason he sent the message of dialogue.

Tadić stated that the Serbian society should not be one of long-lasting conflicts, but a society of dialogue, since that is the only way it will have future.

Disruption of telephone lines in Kosovo must be solved as soon as possible

Belgrade, 24 April 2010 – Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic said today that representatives of Serbia and the international community in Kosovo are in constant communication in order to fix the disruption of telephone lines as soon as possible.

File photo of Goran Bogdanovic
Photo: Tanjug

The Kosovo Regulatory Agency for Telecommunications turned off 14 mobile phone base stations of Telekom Serbia and Telenor yesterday and they have continued doing so today as well.

At the same time, transmitter of the Herc television station from Strpce has been demolished so citizens can no longer watch its programme in the Serbian language.

In a statement to KiM radio from Caglavica, Bogdanovic said that the Serbian authorities contacted EULEX, but they have not been able to provide much assistance.

In the talks with representatives of the international community, Serbian officials are trying to prove that that was an act of vandalism and violation of human rights. The Minister underlined that it is impermissible that in the 21st century people are being deprived without warning of the right to use mobile and fixed phones.

He claimed that the disruption was caused by political reasons and the aim was to make the Serbian community integrate into Kosovo’s society in a forceful way.

Bogdanovic also condemned the stoning of two Serb houses in Kisnica near Gracanica and stoning of tents of Serbian returnees to the village of Zac. That was one more attempt to intimidate Kosovo Serbs.

Tadić: Campaign to restore phones in Kosovo

Source: Tanjug
LESKOVAC -- President Boris Tadić said that Serbia would begin an international action for Serbs in Kosovo to be able to use the services of Serbian mobile phone networks.

Boris Tadić (FoNet archive)

He said that Belgrade would initiate the “broadest possible international action” in order for Serbs in Kosovo to be able to use the services of Serbian mobile phone operators.

He said that Serbia would demand an immediate reaction from international institutions.

“I am horrified by the reaction of EULEX, which is calmly watching the violation of human rights, because EULEX is responsible for the security of the citizens,” Tadić said.

He said that he would be holding a very serious meeting with EULEX officials regarding this issue.

“We will not abandon the Serb population in Kosovo at any moment,” Tadić said.

He said that Telekom Srbija is capable of restoring all of the destroyed and damaged equipment within a week's time.

More Serb phone networks disabled

Source: Beta, Tanjug
PRIŠTINA -- The disabling of the mobile networks of Serbian providers in Kosovo continued on Saturday morning.

Landline networks are also being disabled, leaving Serb villages in Kosovo disconnected from each other.

Transmitters in Štrpce were also demolished for the regional Herc television and radio transmissions. There are 12,000 Serbs living in this municipality.

TV Herc Director Bojan Mladenović did not receive any explanation for this, adding that workers cut cables, violently opened equipment containers and destroyed all the equipment they could.

The 063 mobile network is still operating in Štrpce.

The Kosovo Regulatory Agency for Telecommunications announced that it would continue disabling and demolishing the transmitters of Serbian mobile operators.

On Friday, 14 mobile 063 and 064 network stations were disabled in other parts of the province. Ambulances and medical workers cannot work because they cannot receive calls.

Patients can be treated, therefore, only if they come to the hospital or ambulance building directly.

The Kosovo government supports the disabling of Serbian networks, stating that the action is "establishing legality on the telecommunications market in the Republic of Kosovo."

It also supports the new actions of the Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications (RAT) in “stopping the illegal work of unlicensed and unauthorized mobile operators in the Republic of Kosovo."

“The legal steps are not directed at any specific nationalities or countries, but against all operators that are not respecting the existing laws and norms,” the Kosovo government stated.

11 years since NATO attack on train

Source: Tanjug
GRDELICA -- Monday marks eleven years since the Grdelički Bridge, which had a passenger train on it at the time, was bombed by NATO in 1999.

A file photo of the destroyed train (FoNet)

The international train was hit with four missiles as it was traveling from Belgrade to Thessaloniki, Greece, and the exact number of victims was never determined.

Authorities said that more than 30 people perished, while scores of others were injured. NATO at the time said their deaths were "collateral damage".

Wreaths will be placed at the monument built to honor the victims of train 393, who were killed on April 12, 1999.

Family members of the victims, Serbian Railway officials, as well as those from the nearby town of Leskovac, and various party and union representatives will attend the ceremony today, it was announced.

Zastava Elektro sold to Koreans

Source: Beta
KRAGUJEVAC -- A EUR 3mn sales contract was closed at the electric cable factory Zastava Elektro in Rača, near Kragujevac, on Monday.

The buyer was the Korean Yura Corporation – the first direct investment from a Korean company in Serbia, Beta news agency reports.

The Koreans are due to invest around EUR 8mn and employ 1,000 workers.

The sales contract was signed by Zastava Elektro Director Sonja Veselinović and Yura General Manager Lukas Nam. Serbian Economy Minister Mlađan Dinkić was also present.

Lukas stated that his company's biggest clients were Hyundai and Kia Motors and that over 50 percent of production was for these two manufacturers. "Hyundai and Kia Motors plan to up production, we will match them and I am sure that 1,000 workers will be needed in Rača," Lukas said.

Dinkić confirmed that 1,000 people would get jobs by the end of the year and that Yura would be for Rača what Fiat was for Kragujevac, adding that more than 90 percent of products would be for export. According to him, out of the 280 employees, Yura is ready to take over 200 immediately.

Yura is a global leader in electronic distribution systems, with 50,000 employees in Korea, China, Vietnam, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It manufactures automobile wires and cables, distributor caps, various plastic parts and circuit boards.

Yura's profit in 2008 was EUR 343mn, and EUR 364mn in 2009.

Serbia counting on Jamaica’s support

Source: FoNet
KINGSTON -- FM Vuk Jeremić says Belgrade can count on the continued support of Jamaica for preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia.

Vuk Jeremić (FoNet, file)

“We are entering a crucial phase in our diplomatic and legal efforts in the fight for new negotiations for Kosovo,” Jeremić said after meeting with Jamaican officials.

He added that another battle would be led at the United Nations for every country and every vote, adding that Serbia was happy that it can continue to count on Jamaica’s support.

The foreign minister added that Jamaica was starting its presidency in CARICOM, an association of 15 countries of the Caribbean region, of which only one has recognized the Kosovo Albanian unilateral independence declaration.

In talks with Jamaican officials, Jeremić thanked them for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and the basic principles of international law.

Another topic of discussion was increasing economic cooperation with Jamaica, Jeremić said, especially in the fields of agriculture and tourism.

He said that he talked with Jamaican officials about the coming Non-Aligned Movement conference, which is expected to be held in Belgrade in 2011.

Truth about Kosovo - "The infinite war"

Serbian sport highlights in 2009

Serbia wins two medals at shooting European Championships.

Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC, February 22, 2009 - Andrija Zlatic of Serbia won gold medal at the European Championships Air Weapons in Prague. Zlatic fired 684,6 points to win the first place in the men's 10m air pistol event. Serbian team consisting of Zlatic, Dimitrije Grgic and Damir Mikec took silver medal in the men's 10m air pistol.

Vlade Divac named as president of Serbia's Olympic committee.

Belgrade, February 24, 2009 - Former Serbian basketball star Vlade Divac was Tuesday named as the president of Serbia's Olympic committee. Divac was named president after his opponent, incumbent OC president Ivan Curkovic withdraw his candidacy. Divac won several World and European titles with Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. He also had an prominent career spanning longer than 15 years in the US national basketball association (NBA).

Novak Djokovic wins Dubai Open.

Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, February 28, 2009 - World number three Novak Djokovic of Serbia has won the 12th title of his career and his first title of the season by beating David Ferrer of Spain 7-5, 6-3 in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships. Djokovic had pick up US$383,000 in prize money, as well as 500 ATP Tour points.

Sacramento Kings retire Divac's No. 21 jersey.

Sacramento, USA, April 1, 2009 - Vlade Divac's No. 21 jersey has been retired by the Sacramento Kings in honor of the Serbian center's six successful seasons with the club. He was the starting center on the Kings' back-to-back division champs and the 2002 Western Conference finalists. However, it was Divac the man rather than the basketball player that left a bigger impression on his teammates. He played 16 NBA seasons, including eight with the Los Angeles Lakers and two with the Charlotte Hornets, whose descendants in New Orleans faced the Kings on Tuesday night. Divac's jersey is the second retired this season by the Kings, who honored Chris Webber's No. 4 earlier in the season.

Jelena Jankovic wins in Andalucia tennis tournament.

Marbella, SPAIN, April 12, 2009 - World number four Jelena Jankovic claimed her first title of the season at the Andalucia Tennis Championships on Sunday. The Serbian second seed beat Spain's Carla Suarez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the final match. Jankovic won the first set comfortably before Suarez used one of her five break points to take the second set. But the Spaniard appeared to run out of steam in the third as Jankovic raced to a 5-1 lead and her first title win since October.

Victor Kiplagat Kigen, Sylvester Kipyego win Belgrade Marathon.

Belgrade, April 18, 2009 - Victor Kiplagat Kigen of Kenya won the 22nd Belgrade Marathon on Saturday, ahead of countrymen Sylvester Kipyego and Julius Kiplagat Korir. Kigen finished in 2 hours, 13 minutes, 28 seconds, Kipyego was second in 2:14.25, while Korir was third with a time of 2:14.28. Anne Ajepkemboi Kosgei of Kenya won the women's race, finishing in 2:34.51. Rasa Drazdauskaite of Lithuania was second in 2:34.59 and Maria Ruiz of Spain took third, 2:49.32. Serbian long-distance runner Olivera Jevtic won the women's half-marathon race at 1:12.20, thus triumphing for the sixth time at the Belgrade marathon. About 20,000 participants took part in the five kilometers long "UNICEF Race of pleasure".

Partizan defend NLB League title.

Belgrade, April 18, 2009 - Novica Velickovic scored 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds as Serbian champions Partizan Belgrade reached NLB League title for the third consecutive time by beating Cibona Zagreb 63-49 (17-9, 21-18, 9-16, 16-6).

Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor win in men's doubles at ATP tournament in Monte Carlo.

Monte Carlo, MONACO, April 19, 2009 - Rafael Nadal became the first player to win five straight Monte Carlo Masters titles by beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 on Sunday. The top-ranked Spaniard, however, lost a set at the clay-court tournament for the first time since the 2006 final against Roger Federer. After losing the first set, the 3rd-ranked Djokovic broke twice for a 5-1 lead in the second set. However, the final set was not as exciting as Nadal returned to form and Djokovic seemed unfocused and powerless. Second seeds Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and partner Daniel Nestor of Canada clinched their second ATP World Tour title of the 2009 season in the men's doubles with a 6-4, 6-1 win over top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan at the Monte Carlo Masters tournament.

Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor capture title in Barcelona.

Barcelona, SPAIN, April 26, 2009 - Serb Nenad Zimonjic and Canadian Daniel Nestor defeated Mark Knowles of the Bahamas and India's Mahesh Bhupathi 6-3, 7-6 (9) to win the Barcelona Open doubles title.

Junior team of FMP defends European champions title.

Berlin, GERMANY, May 3, 2009 - FMP Belgrade defeated Lithuania's Lietuvos Rytas 110-123 in the final match to defend the European junior champions' title in basketball.

Nenad Zimonjic, Daniel Nestor win Rome Masters.

Rome, ITALY, May 3, 2009 - Serb Nenad Zimonjic and doubles tennis partner Daniel Nestor of Canada defeated top-ranked Americans Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6, 6-3 at the Rome Masters in Italy.

Novak Djokovic wins Serbia Open in Belgrade.

Belgrade, May 10, 2009 - World number three Novak Djokovic of Serbia has won the 13th ATP title of his career by beating the unseeded Lucacs Kubot of Poland 6-3, 7-6 (0) in the final match of the inaugural Serbia Open tennis tournament, which was held from May 4 to 10 in Belgrade.

Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor capture doubles title at Madrid Open.

Madrid, May 17, 2009 - Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic and Canadian partner Nenad Zimonjic will head to the French Open as the top seeds after beating Swede Simon Aspelin and South African Wesley Moodie in the men's doubles final Sunday at the Madrid Open.

Serbia wins bronze medal in FINA World League.

Podgorica, MONTENEGRO, June 21, 2009 - Serbia won the bronze medal in the FINA Men’s Water Polo World League after defeating USA, 9-7 (2-2, 1-2, 4-2, 2-1), in the third place match.

Nenad Zimonjic, Daniel Nestor defend doubles title in Wimbledon.

London, ENGLAND, July 4, 2009 - Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and Canada's Daniel Nestor won the Wimbledon men's doubles title for the second year in a row with a 7-6 (7), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-3 win over top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States.

Serbia wins nine gold medals at 2009 Mediterranean Games.

Pescara, ITALY, July 5, 2009 - Serbia won 35 medals - 9 gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze - at the 16th Mediterranean Games which were held in Pescara, Italy.

Serbian athletes win 19 medals at Summer Universiade in Belgrade.

Belgrade, July 12, 2009 - Serbia won 19 medals - 5 gold, 5 silver and 9 bronze - at the 25th Summer Universiade in Belgrade.

Serbia takes silver at men's volleyball World League.

Belgrade, July 27, 2009 - Olympic runners-up Brazil beat Serbia 3-2 (22-25, 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12) in a thrilling final match of the FIVB World League. Russia beat Cuba 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-16) for the bronze medal.

Milorad Cavic win gold and silver, Nadja Higl takes gold at World swimming championships.

Rome, ITALY, July 27, 2009 - Serbia's Milorad Cavic won the gold medal in the 50-meter butterfly at the FINA World Championships in Rome. Rome, ITALY, August 1, 2009 - Milorad Cavic of Serbia won the silver medal in the men's 100 meter butterfly at the FINA World Championships in Rome. Rome, ITALY, July 31, 2009 - Serbia's Nadja Higl won the gold medal in the women's 200 meters breaststroke at the 13th FINA World Championships in Rome.

Serbia beats Spain to gain World water polo title.

Rome, ITALY, August 1, 2009 - Serbia beat Spain 7-6 on penalties after drawing 7-7 after extra time to win a men's waterpolo final at the FINA World Championships in Rome.

Serbia takes silver at Eurobasket.

Katowice, POLAND, September 20, 2009 - Serbia was defeated by Spain 63-85 (14-24, 15-28, 15-15, 19-18) in the final match of the men's European basketball championships in Poland.

Serbia beats Romania to qualify for FIFA World Cup.

Belgrade, October 10, 2009 - Milan Jovanovic scored twice as Serbia demolished Romania 5-0 on Saturday to qualify for the football 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Novak Djokovic, Nenad Zimonjic capture Basel crown.

Basel, SWITZERLAND, November 8, 2009 - Top-ranked Roger Federer lost his hometown tournament on Sunday, falling 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the Swiss Indoors final. Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic and his partner Daniel Nestor of Canada won their eighth tournament of 2009 on Sunday at the Swiss Indoors.

Djokovic, Zimonjic win Paris Masters.

Paris, FRANCE, November 15, 2009 - Third-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia has won his first Paris Masters title by defeating Gael Monfils of France 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (3). Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic and his partner Daniel Nestor of Canada won their ninth title of the season, defeating Spaniards Marcello Granollers and Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-4 at the Paris Masters.

Nadja Higl, Ivan Lendjer and Caba Siladji win medals at the European Short Course Swimming Championships.

Istanbul, TURKEY, December 11, 2009 - Serbia's Nadja Higl won silver medal in the women's 200m breaststroke at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. Higl set a new Serbian record with a time of 2:17:52. Ivan Lendjer finished third in the men's 100m butterfly in 49.79. Istanbul, TURKEY, December 12, 2009 - Serbian swimmer Caba Siladji won bronze medal in the men's 50m breaststroke, with a time of 26.31, at the European Short Course Championships in Istanbul.

Swiss arrest K. Albanian heroin traffickers

Source: B92
GENEVA -- Swiss police have cut a large heroin smuggling route, that saw 42 kilograms of the drug transferred from Kosovo to Switzerland in five months.

14 traffickers, including 13 ethnic Albanians and one Austrian citizen "of Kosovo origin" were arrested, along with a Spanish national, Switzerland's state broadcaster TSR is reporting today.

Police said that the heroin came from the town of Peć in western Kosovo and that it was sold in Lausanne, Zurich, and Neuchatel in Switzerland.

During each trip, the report said, the suspects smuggled in more than 12 kilograms of the drug, while one of them was in charge of collecting the money for the bosses of the operation, based in Kosovo.

The purity of the drug was 33 percent, the report said – "three times more than what addicts consume".

Annex to deal with Fiat signed

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic, Fiat Group Vice-President Alfredo Altavilla and Fiat Automobili Srbija CEO Giovanni De Filippis today signed an annex to the Agreement on Joint Investment between Serbia and Fiat, based on which Zastava will become part of the Fiat Group.Photo: Fonet

Following the signing Dinkic said he will issue the motion for the transfer of Zastava’s assets to the joint company Fiat Automobili Srbija.

The Minister announced that the transfer should be completed by December 29, by which time Fiat should also complete the transfer of a portion of its founding capital of around €100 million.

One of the novelties envisaged in the annex is the production of two completely new car models that will be exported to the European and US markets, Dinkic announced.

The production output will be 200,000 vehicles a year, which will bring in around €2 billion from export.

Altavilla noted that President Boris Tadic also played an important role in this matter.

Tadic gave us his support and I am truly grateful to him, Altavilla said and thanked the entire Serbian government as well, especially Deputy Prime Minister Dinkic, for their cooperation and engagement.

Altavilla announced that one half of Fiat’s founding capital of €200 million will be paid by the year’s end and the remaining €100 million during 2010.

Signing of SAA opened new phase of relations between Serbia, the EU

Minister of Trade and Services Slobodan Milosavljevic said today that the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU will bring more investment to Serbia, create new jobs, increase production and improve Serbia's market competitiveness.Speaking at a press conference, held on the occasion of the presentation of the "Information campaign on obligations and advantages of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and EU candidacy" project, Milosavljevic said that Serbia will have a free trade regime which will be impossible to suspend and it will have the opportunity to use funds from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).

The Minister said that, after 20 years, Serbian citizens can travel freely to EU countries, which is a big advantage for businessmen as well, because that saves them time and opens business possibilities.

According to him, the potentials of Serbia's economy exceed its market, and in many areas they even exceed those of the CEFTA region.

Presenting the brochures “Protecting the Competition”, “Product Safety” and “Consumer Protection”, he said that the relevant ministry and the author of the brochures, Professor Tanja Miscevic from the Faculty of Political Sciences, published the three brochures within the SAA context.

Milosavljevic explained that the goal of the brochures is to provide information to businessmen, scientist, experts and Serbian citizens about the progress made in the harmonisation of regulations with the EU.

Miscevic said that with the signing of the SAA a new stage in the relations between Serbia and the EU commenced, adding that one of Serbia’s key tasks will be to implement the regulations, and not just adopt them.

Once we are granted candidate status the European Commission will not only be our partner in the talks, but also a strict opponent, with whom we must fight to prove what we want to achieve with the agreement, she explained.

Miscevic recalled that other EU candidates also underwent the same procedure, adding that in Serbia’s case the European Commission will be increasing controls gradually, which will pose a great challenge to everyone in public administration.

Serbia chooses right moment to apply for EU candidate status

Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said today in Rome that after making the decision to apply for candidate status, Serbia is aware of the fact that it has to work hard to ensure a consensus within the EU for every step that follows towards full membership.Bozidar Djelic, left, and Franco Frattini
Photo: Fonet

After a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, Djelic said that Serbia is ready to do its share of the work and that it showed this readiness by starting the unilateral implementation of the interim trade agreement with the EU.

He said that Serbia’s road to the EU will neither be quick nor easy but plans are being prepared ahead of time, adding that all ministries have been told to prepare a response to EU questionnaires regarding the integration process.

We have started preparing for that which will hopefully await us next year, said Djelic, stressing that Italy’s explicit support has given Serbia the strength and will to struggle on.

Frattini said that Serbia has chosen the right moment to apply for candidate status and after that it will be up to Serbia to work hard to achieve its ambitious goal of acquiring candidate status by the end of next year.

Serbia has made major progress and produced concrete results because of which our friends from the Netherlands allowed the implementation of the interim trade agreement. Now the future is in your hands. That what was conveyed to us by Serbian President Boris Tadic and Serbian officials is indeed a very ambitious plan, said the Italian Foreign Minister.

He said that he was always against sanctions against Serbia and in favour of a positive attitude, adding that it has been proven that this was the right approach.

Frattini said that after submitting the application for candidate status Serbia will have a lot of work to do to reassure the few EU countries who are still doubtful that Serbia deserves positive signals.

Djelic, who is also Minister of Science and Technology, signed with Frattini a memorandum concerning scientific cooperation between the two countries.

After his meeting with Frattini, Djelic travelled to Stockholm where he will join President Boris Tadic tomorrow who will submit Serbia’s application for EU candidacy.