Organ trade report "great victory for Serbia"

Source: Tanjug
BELGRADE -- The report by Council of Europe Special Rapporteur Dick Marty is a great victory for Serbia in the fight for truth and justice, says Bruno Vekarić.

Serbia's Deputy war crimes prosecutor commented thus late on Tuesday on announcement that Marty's still unpublished report accuses Kosovo Albanian leaders of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) for organizing kidnappings of Serbs and others in order to harvest their vital organs.

“Thanks to the help and the authority of Serbian President Boris Tadić and the continuous efforts exerted by judicial bodies, we have achieved the victory and returned hope to the families of kidnapped or missing victims,” Vekarić told Tanjug.

He expressed expectation that the “exceptionally positive” report will launch many investigations into human organs trafficking in Kosovo, and also in Albania, where courts have been "ignoring calls for solving the problem for years".

Vekarić noted that he will be able to comment on Marty's report in greater detail only after it has been officially published and reviewed, which is due to happen at the Thursday session of the CoE Human Rights and Legal Affairs Committee

If the committee adopts the report, the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly will discuss the document in late January.

In a book published upon termination of her office with the Hague Tribunal, former chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte was the first to publicly address the issue of kidnappings and human organs trafficking in northern Albania in 1999. Serbia launched an investigation into the case, which has since been dubbed the Yellow House case.

Thaci, KLA named in human organ trade report

Source: B92, BBC, Tanjug, Guardian.co.uk
STRASBOURG -- The ethnic Albanian leaders of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) were responsible for organizing human organ trafficking.

An areal photo of suspected N. Albania locations (courtesy of the War Crimes Prosecution)

This is according to a report submitted by CoE investigator Dick Marty, that should be discussed in late January 2011.

Members of the KLA kidnapped Serb and other civilians in Kosovo in 1999, to transport them to Albania, where their organs were extracted to be sold in the black market, according to this.

International authorities in Kosovo "did nothing to solve this case even though they had the evidence," the report says.

The Swiss investigator, who previously revealed CIA-operated prisons in Europe, is thus once again in the spotlight, with the revelation concerning the so-called Yellow House case.

According to the report, which B92 has seen, but which is yet to be made public, Hashim Thaci, Kosovo's outgoing prime minister, was the leader of the criminal group that abducted civilians and removed their organs.

Thaci headed the KLA Drenica Group in 1999 and organized kidnappings and the illegal organ trade, said the Marty report compiled after two years of investigating.

Thaci's KLA group is described as "the most extreme".

Marty further implicates the now Kosovo Albanian politician, whose party won most votes in the elections in Kosovo held on Sunday, in heroin trafficking and trade in other narcotics, which he substantiates with numerous intelligence reports from several European countries.

"Our first-hand reports have confirmed for us that Hashim Thaci and his close associates ordered, an in some case oversaw murders, imprisonment, beatings and interrogations in Kosovo, especially in the context of operations that the KLA conducted in the territory of Albania, from 1998 until 2000," the report says.

The document blames the Drenica Group for responsibility for the secret prisons in Albania and the fate of people imprisoned there, "among them many civilians kidnapped in the territory of Kosovo".

Marty's draft resolution to be discussed by the Council of Europe (CoE) states that there are many indications and evidence that confirm that both Serbs and ethnic Albanians were held in secret prisons in northern Albania operated by the KLA.

Although many wintesses to these crimes have been killed themselves, others are alive but afraid to testify.

However, B92 has learned that Marty believes a sufficient amount of evidence has been collected to make sure those responsible for committing the crimes will be brought to justice.

The still-secret report, seen by the BBC in Strasbourg earlier today, shows that prisoners were treated inhumanely and were subjected to humiliation, "before they disappeared".

The draft directly names KLA leaders, and says the crimes took place after the end of the 1999 war, and before international forces could impose order.

The human organ trade, which developed in the "post-war chaos", then took other forms in Kosovo and continued to this day, says the report, noting the Medicus Clinic case investigated by EULEX.

Dick Marty specifies that organs were extracted from prisoners in a clinic in Albania near the town of Fushe Kruje. The organs were then transported via the airport in Tirana to rich clients abroad.

Marty writes in the document that concrete signs that the trade took place were evident in the early 2000, but that international authorities in Kosovo "did not consider it necessary to investigate in detail", or investigated "superficially and unprofessionally".

The Marty report will be discussed by a CoE commission on Thursday. If adopted, the Parliamentary Committee will debate it in late January of next year.

Guardian's take

As the Medicus case trial proceeds in Priština today, guardian.co.uk reports that Marty stated that "Kosovo's guerrilla army" formed "a formidable power base in the organized criminal enterprises" in Kosovo and Albania.

The faction is known as the Drenica Group was led by Hashim Thaci, became the KLA's dominant faction and senior KLA figures from the group hold senior positions in Kosovo's government today, says the newspaper's report.

"In 1999, Thaci was identified as the most dangerous of the KLA's 'criminal bosses' by intelligence reports," according to Marty.

Thaci's KLA group is also said to be the main organization responsible for smuggling prisoners across the porous border. They were held in a network of six detention facilities, converted from warehouses, farm buildings and a disused factory.

The report, which states that it is not a criminal investigation and is unable to pronounce judgments of guilt or innocence, focuses on a key figure said to have played a central role in the organ operation, says the Guardian.

A KLA medical commander based in Albania, Shaip Muja was and remains a close confidante of Thaci's. Muja is currently a political adviser in the office of the prime minister, with responsibility for health.

"We have uncovered numerous convergent indications of Muja's central role [in] international networks, comprising human traffickers, brokers of illicit surgical procedures, and other perpetrators of organized crime," the Marty report states.

Marty estimates that 40 captives survived being held prisoner in Albania, and are alive today. Others are thought to have been killed, including "scores" who he says were taken across the border after the war ended.

Among the makeshift prisons where captives were held, Marty identifies the "famed Yellow House", near the town of Burrel.

Serbia wins Davis Cup

The Serbian tennis team has won the final match of the Davis Cup in the Belgrade Arena, after beating France, the nine-times champions, by 3:2.

Viktor Troicki secured the win with a straight-sets victory over Michael Llodra in the final singles match.

Earlier, Novak Djokovic beat Gaël Monfils to level the tie at 2–2.

Djokovic beat Gilles Simon on Friday by 3:0, but Monfils triumphed over Janko Tipsarevic with the same score. The French had an upper hand on Saturday, with Llodra and Clemont defeating Zimonjic and Troicki in men’s doubles by 3:2.

Tadić apologizes during Vukovar, Croatia visit

Source: B92, Tanjug

VUKOVAR -- Serbian and Croatian presidents Boris Tadić and Ivo Josipović have placed wreaths to honor Croat victims at a memorial in Ovčara, near Vukovar.

The two leaders also visited a memorial for Serb civilians killed in the town of Paulin Dvor. Both towns saw executions of prisoners and civilians during the war in 1991.

"I am here to once again offer words of apology, to express regret and create a possibility for Serbs and Croats, Serbia and Croatia, to turn a new page of history," said Tadić in Ovčara.

According to him, by admitting to crimes, apologizing and expressing regret, possibilities are created for reconciliation.

"Everything that happened to Serbs and Croats in the twentieth century can be put in the book of the past, which in itself would be an act of writing a book of the future," Tadić said.

Josipović said that Ovcara is a place of pain and suffering of the victims of a senseless policy.

"We have come to pay respects to the victims, express our condolences, but also to promise that no crime will go unpunished," he said.

Josipović expressed belief that this event will help boost the efforts in shedding light on the fate of the missing persons and in establishing good neighborly relations, underscoring that a different policy, one of peace and friendship, proves possible. In Paulin Dvor, Josipović said that the victims commemorated there "deserve an apology".

He also noted that there is "no excuse for any crime", and that his country is determined to prosecute criminals.

Tadić was accompanied by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for EU Integration Božidar Đelić, National Assembly General Secretary Veljko Odalović, President of the Vojvodina provincial government Bojan Pajtić, President of Bač municipality Tomislav Bogunović and Ambassador of the Netherlands to Serbia Laurent Stokvis.

Tadić was welcomed by Josipović, Vukovar Mayor Željko Sabo, as well as Dutch and Serbian ambassadors to Croatia, Stella Ronner-Grubačić and Stanimir Vukićević.

President Tadić's visit to Ovčara near Vukovar, the execution site of 261 Croat prisoners of war and civilians, drew the attention of numerous journalists, and security measures have been intensified along the road.

The Ovčara monument is located in the hangar where Croatian captives and civilians were imprisoned. After being shot, they were buried in a mass grave.

200 bodies were recovered, while 61 persons are still missing. 15 persons have been found guilty of committing this crime, and received a total of 207 years in prison in trials conducted in Serbia, and at the Hague Tribunal.

Ahead of the unofficial visit today, most Croatian politicians have welcomed the Serbian president’s visit and assessed that it is a “historical” event, while far-right Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) has announced peaceful protests over the first visit of a high state official from Serbia to places where crimes were committed during the war.

"Uber Life", the first serbian interactive film brings stunning action, mesmerizing fantasy and epic tale

Source: starsinkerala

Now, this is something really fresh and original. Premiering this November in Serbia and the Balkans region, ÜBER LIFE is the first Serbian interactive film and also one of the first ones in the world as well made in that new technology which gives the viewer a sense of being truly involved and able to choose a course of dramatic action and to affect the fate of the hero.

The new interactive way of watching the movie gives a whole new dimension to the classic epic tale. Or to put it more simple - this is a film which you both watch and play like a video game :)
ÜBER LIFE is universal and archetypal tale about the forces of good and evil, love and courage. The main hero, a man who has lost  everything, opposes deviant religious powers of darkness and unexpectedly discovers love, the true motive for the struggle and life. Driven by strong motives and the will to survive he gets into various adventures, in which dream and reality are constantly intertwined. This epic adventure takes place in three different ways, via multiple choices of dramatic flows, where the viewers with their participation and selection decide on the further course and destiny of the hero. Film is full of fiction, special effects, action scenes and a large number of dreamy and surreal scenes.

"EULEX will not take north by force"

Source: Beta
PRIŠTINA -- EULEX head Xavier Bout de Marnhac has said that the EU mission in Kosovo does not plan to take control over northern Kosovo by force.

He however reiterated that the rule of law and more visible presence of international institutions has to be established in the predominantly Serb area.

In an interview with Beta news agency, De Marnhac said violence was not the way to solve problems, elaborating, in the interest of clarity, that he did not believe violence could produce any positive result. He added that there was definitely no intention on the part of EULEX to resort to violence.

De Marnhac, who in 2007 and 2008 as an active French general spearheaded KFOR, added that he understood there was a certain amount of concern among the Serb population in northern Kosovo about international presence there.

However, he pointed out that it was for the benefit of the Serb community that EULEX wanted to establish firmer rule of law there, to ensure economic advancement and other forms of progress in the area.

He reiterated that establishing the rule of law, whose presence in northern Kosovo he did not rate highly, was one of his priorities. De Marnhac went on to say that there were indications that this was what the local community wanted too and that he would therefore visit that part of the territory soon.

Forensic experts accused of destroying evidence

Source: Tanjug
BELGRADE -- The Serbian Justice Ministry backs an investigation of forensic experts who worked on the 2004 case of two soldiers found dead in their barracks in Belgrade.

This is according to Justice Minister Snežana Malović, who spoke on the sixth anniversary of their deaths.

"The motion and all accompanying documentation and evidence will be brought before a commission, which will determine whether there had been any illegal activities. We are going to review it carefully and take any necessary steps," Malović told reporters in Belgrade.

The motion is in line with some other activities by the ministry, said Malović, explaining that the new law on forensic experts that was adopted in June required a new general appointment of experts.

The minister appealed to the authorities to do everything necessary to find out all there is to know about the case.

Soldiers Dragan Jakovljević and Dražen Milovanović were found dead inside the Karakaš base in Belgrade on October 5, 2004. The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain officially unknown even after three forensic investigations, two by Serbian and one by FBI experts.

Legal representative of the soldiers' families Predrag Savić says that Serbian investigators destroyed evidence during the investigation, and he wants the Justice Ministry to ban them from acting as forensic experts in the future. Savić also asked the prosecution to start an all-encompassing effort to find the killer or killers of the soldiers.

Street named after slain journalist

Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- A street nameplate carrying the name of assassinated journalist Slavko Ćuruvija was unveiled in Dedinje, Belgrade, on Tuesday.

On the initiative of the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS), the Belgrade City Council made a decision on September 22 to name the second part of the Baja Pivljanin Street after Slavko Ćuruvija.

Ćuruvija was killed on April 11, 1999 in front of his apartment, and the perpetrators have not been identified to this day.

The ceremony was attended by Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas, UNS President Ljiljana Smajlović, Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) President Vukašin Obradović, members of the Ćuruvija family and President of the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) Vuk Drašković.

Slovak FM: No Kosovo recognition

Source: Tanjug
BELGRADE -- Slovak FM Mikulas Dzurinda stressed at the meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković that the Slovak government will not consider recognizing Kosovo.

He also said that Bratislava supports the initiation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština.

According to a release by the office for cooperation with the media, Cvetković expressed gratitude for Slovakia's support to Serbia on its Eurointegration path, as well as for Slovakia's consistent stand not to recognize Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence.

At the meeting, the officials agreed that the two countries are constantly improving their overall bilateral relations, especially in the domain of economy which gives ample room for further enhancement of cooperation.

During his one-day visit to Serbia, Dzurinda will give a speech on Serbia's EU perspective at the conference "Serbia on the road to Europe - 10 years after". The Slovak official will also confer with Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić.

10 years since fall of Milošević regime

Source: B92, Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Today marks ten years since the fall of Slobodan Milošević's regime, brought about by demonstrations staged on October 5, 2000.

An estimated half a million people from all over Serbia took to the streets that day to protest, led by the 18-party opposition coalition dubbed DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia), in a bid to force Milošević to concede his defeat in the presidential elections held on September 24, 2000.

DSS party leader and DOS candidate Vojislav Koštunica had won that election. In the first round, he received 50.24 percent of votes, but the Federal Election Commission, pressured by Milošević, at the time Yugoslav president, said that Koštunica had won 48 percent and announced a runoff.

DOS decided to organize daily protests and road blocks their reaction to an attempted rigging of election results, and force Milošević to concede and step down.

The election commission said it would announce the exact results on October 5. DOS scheduled a big rally in Belgrade for that day.

Protesters entered the federal parliament building in the late afternoon, after police prevented them from doing so earlier in the day, and later they were also inside the state broadcaster RTS premises.

After a disruption, RTS continued broadcasting with the message, "This is the program of the new RTS".

A while later, DOS leaders announced that the presidential election had been won, thanks to the massive protest of citizens.

After the meeting with Koštunica on October 6, Milošević addressed the citizens via a private Belgrade TV station and admitted his defeat at the presidential elections.

He congratulated Koštunica on his victory.

Milošević was arrested on April 1, 2001 and extradited to the Hague Tribunal on June 28, where he died in detention in March 2006, before his trial was completed.

EU congratulates

The European Union (EU) has congratulated Serbia the 10th anniversary of democratic changes that took place on October 5, 2000, while the office of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton stated that the EU will continue to support Serbia on its EU path, in both political and economic sense.

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of democratic changes, we would like to congratulate the citizens of Serbia on the progress they have made in view of democratic reforms and improvement of economic situation, Ashton's spokesperson Maja Kocijancic stated for the Cologne-based broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

According to her, all these changes laid the foundations of Serbia's EU integration process.

We are aware that this process is lengthy and not easy, but it is the one which will bring real and concrete changes to the citizens, Kocijancic said.

Chairman of the European Parliament's Delegation for South East Europe Eduard Kukan believes that Serbia has done a lot in the previous ten years, but that it could have done more.

Serbia has done a lot in the previous ten years given that it has managed to achieve the position of a future candidate for the EU membership. The country has had difficulties and problems on the way, but now it is accepted by the international community as a future EU member, and that is quite an achievement, Kukan stated for Deutsche Welle.

He stated that the complicated situation in the country's internal policy prevented Serbia from making even better results, and took an example of the Kosovo issue as one of the chief obstacles.

Serbia's place among nations

U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick estimated that Serbia today, 10 years after the democratic changes, is on the road towards integration into European and Western institutions in order to take the place it deserves among other democratic and progressive nations of the world.

We see the day when Serbia will be a force of stability in the Balkans and the leader of regional cooperation, underlined Warlick in an article published in the Belgrade daily Politika.

We see a Serbia which is equal to its American and European partners at the table, which tackles regional and global problems and assists in finding political, economic and scientific solutions.

We see the day in the not so distant future when the promises made on October 5 will be finally fulfilled, the ambassador underscored.

I believe that Serbia will manage to reach all the goals that will bring greater stability, safety and prosperity to Serbia and to the whole region, Warlick concluded.

Serbia has great opportunities in implementation of Danube strategy

Belgrade, 29 Sept 2010 – Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozidar Djelic said today that Serbia has great opportunities in the implementation of the Danube strategy and this is why it should be prepared when a new Pan-European regional strategy on the Danube is adopted in June 2011.

Presenting the results of the four-month campaign ¨Days of Danube 2010¨, Djelic noted that the Danube is not only a natural beauty and link between many countries in Europe, but it is also a huge opportunity for Serbia since 588 kilometres of its length pass through it, which is a quarter of the river´s flow.

For Serbia it is important that a meeting on financing projects of the Danube strategy was held in Belgrade on 27 September, Djelic emphasised and added that this meeting was attended by European Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn and President of the European Investment Bank Philippe Maystadt.

The participants in the meeting agreed to work out a financial instrument which will cover the implementation of more than 1,000 projects from the Danube strategy, Djelic specified and called on everyone who has ideas and projects to apply for the funds.

Serbia’s business presentation at EXPO 2010 in Shanghai

Belgrade/Shanghai, 29 Sept 2010 – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic visited the Serbian pavilion at the World EXPO fair 2010 in Shanghai today where he opened a business presentation "Serbia – Your Business Partner."

Dinkic stressed that the successful performance of Serbia at the fair is a good basis for the increased presence of Serbian products on the Chinese market and that this is a good chance for many visitors of the exhibition to learn more about our country.

We can be proud as two million, 650 thousand visitors have so far visited our pavilion, said the Minister.

He stated that the Serbian pavilion is very attractive and more visited than pavilions of the countries in our neighbourhood.

He pointed out that September in the Serbian pavilion is dedicated to economic issues and activities related to a business presentation of Serbia, entitled "Code of the Economy."

Visitors to the Serbian pavilion in Shanghai have an opportunity to learn about the natural beauties of Serbia, such as Djavolja Varos (Devil's Town), Lake Palic, Stara Planina, our spas, Belgrade, Novi Sad and other cities, as well as the achievements of our famous scientist Milutin Milankovic.

Also, visitors to the Serbian pavilion have the opportunity to see two modern projects for promoting the economy of Serbia.

The first is a virtual fair "efair4U" prepared by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) and is a portal where companies from China can get acquainted with 2,500 companies from Serbia and establish first contacts with our business community.

The second project, an electronic “Serbia Business Network” is an interactive database that provides access to more than 88 projects, products, services and patents that are open to investors or strategic partners.

The database highlights all the good locations in Serbia for investment partners and projects seeking investors.

Dinkic, who is also president of the Serbian part of the Intergovernmental Mixed Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation between Serbia and China was a guest in Shanghai today at the ten-storey Chinese pavilion, worth €300 million.

3-year-old hurt in Kosovo explosion

Source: B92, FoNet, Tanjug

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA -- A three-year-old Serb girl was hurt in an explosion that happened on Tuesday in the northern part of the ethnically divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica. 

The child was hurt inside her home, when the device exploded on the roof of the apartment building.

Doctors said that the child had an injury to her knee and that her life was not threatened.

Kosovo police spokesperson Besim Hoti told Tanjug on Wednesday that the explosion that destroyed a cell site belonging to the mobile carrier Ipko, which services Albanians, was caused by 200 grams of TNT.

The site, located on the roof of an apartment building in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, was destroyed at 20:40 CET on Tuesday, Hoti noted.

The roof space was rented out by a local Serb who works for KPS, it has emerged.

His neighbors, who spent the night out in the street, said that they asked him repeatedly to remove the antenna, but that he refused.

After the blast, the rest of the night in northern Kosovska Mitrovica was quiet. This event continues a series of incidents in northern Kosovo, which began with the murder of doctor Mesud Džeković in northern Kosovska Mitrovica in July.

KPS, EULEX and KFOR all showed up at the scene and blocked this part of the city, according to reports.

Violence condemned

Serbia's State Secretary for Kosovo Oliver Ivanović said Wednesday that people should not speculate about the possible motives for the Tuesday incident in northern Kosovska Mitrovica.

Ivanović told Tanjug that violence was an unacceptable tool in solving any problems.

Every time the Kosovo Albanians used violence to destroy Serbian mobile carriers' towers, there was a reaction, said Ivanović. "Many Serbs in northern Kosovska Mitrovica have relatives south of the city, and the disruption to communications seems frightening at a time like this," he remarked.

Violence breeds more violence, and everyone should refrain from one-sided actions and allow the situation to calm down, so that Serbia and Kosovo could start talking about the issues that are important for everyday life, said the Ministry for Kosovo official.