YUGOSLAV DAILY SURVEY
BELGRADE, 24 June 2001
C O N T E N T S :
FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
- YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT ADOPTS AMENDMENTS TO TAX LAW
- PARLIAMENT: CHAMBER OF REPUBLICS RATIFIES IOM CONSTITUTION
- PARLIAMENT: CHAMBER OF CITIZENS ADOPTS AMENDMENTS TO LAW ON TAX SYSTEM
BASES
- PARLIAMENT: MICUNOVIC SAYS CHAMBER OF CITIZENS PASSED IMPORTANT LAWS
- SVILANOVIC MEETS WITH EVERTS
- YUGOSLAV HEALTH MINISTER MEETS WITH EVERTS
- YUGOSLAVIA SIGNS INSTRUMENTS ON PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
- AID TO YUGOSLAVIA ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
- SWITZERLAND OVER 30 MILLION D MARKS FOR PROJECTS IN YUGOSLAVIA
- BELGRADE MAYOR THANKS VIENNA FOR AID AND SUPPORT
YUGOSLAVIA THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
- YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT ADOPTS DECREE ON COOPERATION WITH THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
- SNP PREMIER, MINISTERS NOT TAKING PART SATURDAY IN WORK OF YUGOSLAV
GOVERNMENT
- DECREE ON YUGOSLAVIA'S COOPERATION WITH THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
TAKES EFFECT ON SUNDAY, LABUS
- SNP, DOS COALITION DOOMED, DJINDJIC
- DECREE DEFINES PROCEDURE FOR
YUGOSLAVIA'S COOPERATION WITH THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL, ZIVKOVIC
- FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL FUNCTION - TADIC
YUGOSLAVIA DONOR CONFERENCE
- EUROPEAN UNION, WORLD BANK PLAN BILLION DOLLARS FOR YUGOSLAVIA
REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
- SERBIAN PM DJINDJIC VISITS FLOODED AREAS
- MIHAJLOVIC RECEIVES OSCE KOSOVO MISSION CHIEF
KOSOVO - METOHIJA
- EVERTS KOSOVO ELECTIONS OPPORTUNITY FOR SERBS
- MAJOR THREAT OF EXTREMISM IN BALKANS ORIGINATES IN KOSOVO, RUSSIAN GENERAL
REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO
- PRESIDENT DJUKANOVIC RECEIVES SLOVAK AMBASSADOR IN FAREWELL VISIT
FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT ADOPTS AMENDMENTS TO TAX LAW
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Parliament Chamber of the
Republics MPs adopted at the beginning of the Friday session a law on
amendments to a tax system law.
The amendments were adopted in order to improve the tax system
within the further reconstruction of the monetary system and the economic
recovery of Yugoslavia.
PARLIAMENT: CHAMBER OF REPUBLICS RATIFIES IOM CONSTITUTION
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) The Chamber of Republics of the
Yugoslav parliament on Friday ended its session after adopting a law
ratifying the Constitution of the International Organization for Migration
IOM.
The accompanying explanation for this bill, tabled by the federal
government, said that numerous migrations of the population took place over
the past 10 years of wars and crises in the territory of the former
Yugoslavia, with as yet unpredictable consequences. This "resulted in
hundreds of thousands of refugees, displaced persons and separated
families, in fact, problems which are of priority importance for
Yugoslavia," the government said.
The Chamber of Republics also passed a law on the ratification of
the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. MPs of the Socialist
Party of Serbia and the Serbian Radical Party voted against the bill.
Under the Statute, the court has the jurisdiction to persecute and
punish crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and acts of
aggression. It also envisages extradition of indicted persons to that court.
The International Criminal Court was founded in Rome on June 17,
1998. Its Statute was also adopted at this time, determining its mandate
and functioning.
PARLIAMENT: CHAMBER OF CITIZENS ADOPTS AMENDMENTS TO LAW ON TAX SYSTEM BASES
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) Deputies of the Chamber of Citizens of
the Yugoslav parliament on Friday adopted a law on changes and amendments
to the law on tax system bases.
The law is necessary in order to supplement the tax system on the
grounds of and within the determined further reconstruction of the monetary
system and Yugoslavia's economic recovery, the government explained. The
tax system should be conceived on the principles of a market economy and
coordinated with the tax system of the European Union.
PARLIAMENT: MICUNOVIC SAYS CHAMBER OF CITIZENS PASSED IMPORTANT LAWS
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) Yugoslav parliament's Chamber of
Citizens Speaker Dragoljub Micunovic said after today's house session that
he believes it adopted "quite important laws."
Parliament worked "all in all, well," so far, even though it was
not convened very often, Micunovic said. If this pace continues, the agenda
of the next session will include a series of weighty laws which pertain to
human rights and criminal proceedings, he said.
The next regular session of the federal parliament will take place
in September, Micunovic said.
SVILANOVIC MEETS WITH EVERTS
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic on Friday received Daan Everts, the chief of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Kosovo and
Metohija province, a federal government statement said.
Svilanovic reiterated the Yugoslav government stand that it is
necessary to create security conditions, enable the onset of the return of
refugees and displaced persons, and to create mechanisms to guarantee the
rights of minority communities in the province, before a final decision can
be made on the participation of Serbs and other nonAlbanians in the
upcoming elections in Kosovo and Metohija.
It was heard during the talks that the Yugoslav authorities have
given support to the registration of voters from Kosovo and Metohija, but
it was underscored that it was necessary to create security conditions for
their definite participation in the elections, the Federal Foreign Ministry
said.
During the talks, views were also exchanged on the security
situation in the northern Kosovo town of Kosovska Mitrovica, the statement
said.
YUGOSLAV HEALTH MINISTER MEETS WITH EVERTS
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Minister of Health and Social
Policy Miodrag Kovac conferred in Belgrade on Friday with Daan Everts, the
head of the OSCE mission in Kosovo and Metohija province, on problems of
refugees and displaced persons, possibilities for their safe return, and
issues in connection with Serbs taking part in the set provincial
elections, a federal government statement said.
The socioeconomic position of refugees and displaced persons is
very bad. Their return is proceeding slowly and with difficulty, and there
is no physical or legal protection for those who would return, Kovac said.
It is necessary for the international community to support projects which
would improve their position, he was quoted as saying in the statement
released by the Federal Secretariat of Information.
YUGOSLAVIA SIGNS INSTRUMENTS ON PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
ROME, June 22 (Tanjug) FR Yugoslavia greatly appreciates the role
of the Central European Initiative (CEI), which contributes to
stabilization in the region, to cooperation between member states and by
its activities helps European integration processes.
This was stated on Friday, at a CEI ministerial meeting in Milan,
by Yugoslav delegation head Jelica Minic, a Foreign Ministry official, at
the signing of instruments for the protection of human rights.
After the signing of instruments on minorities, at the meeting in
Milan opened discussions about possible future forms of cooperation and
integration in Europe.
AID TO YUGOSLAVIA ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
MILAN, June 22 (Tanjug) It is absolutely necessary to extend aid
through all economic institutions to Yugoslavia to overcome the grave
economic situation and successfully continue constructive democratic
changes after the fall of the regime of Slobodan Milosevic, Italian Foreign
Minister Renato Ruggiero said in a closing speech at the ministerial
meeting of the Central European Initiative, held on Saturday in Milan.
Pointing to the need for the strict observance, by all, of
Security Council Resolution 1244 on KosovoMetohija, Ruggiero voiced hope
that the Yugoslav and Serbian authorities and Albanian representatives will
do their utmost to implement concluded agreements.
Speaking about Montenegro, the Italian minister pointed to the
importance of a "constructive and open dialogue," indicating that was "the
only way that can secure an effective autonomy for Montenegro within
Yugoslavia on the way to the European Union."
The Italian foreign minister insisted on cooperation and a
constructive dialogue in the Balkan region, in view of the current very
grave situation in Macedonia, which could, he warned, lead to a
conflagration in the region.
Ruggiero, as other participants in the Central European
Initiative, strongly condemned the violence of Albanian extremists,
pointing out that the efforts of official Skopje will be backed for
achieving a political solution to the Macedonian crisis.
At a plenary session of the Central European Initiative in Milan,
on Saturday also spoke the head of the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry
delegation, Jelica Minic.
She repeated that the Yugoslav authorities were committed to the
democratic development of the country and to resolving all issues by way of
dialogue.
SWITZERLAND OVER 30 MILLION D MARKS FOR PROJECTS IN YUGOSLAVIA
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) The Swiss government has set aside
over 30 million D marks for projects in Yugoslavia, the Swiss Development
and Cooperation office in Belgrade said.
Representatives of the Swiss Embassy, the Swiss Development and
Cooperation office and coordinators of all projects announced at a recent
seminar in Montenegro the beginning of the program of support for the work
of seven municipalities in Serbia and the delivery of the first 20 trams,
donated by Basel to Belgrade.
BELGRADE MAYOR THANKS VIENNA FOR AID AND SUPPORT
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) Belgrade Mayor Radmila Hrustanovic has
expressed gratitude to Vienna Mayor Michael Haupl for the aid and support
given by the Austrian capital to Belgrade, the city Information Secretariat
said on Friday.
During a visit to Vienna, where she attended a seminar on
development and reform of public administration organized by the Austrian
Academy for Public Administration, Hrustanovic underscored in talks with
Haupl that it was in the interest of the two cities to secure unhindered
navigation on the Danube. Hrustanovic said this was also the interest of
all Danube basin countries and a condition for Yugoslavia's integration
into the world, the statement said.
YUGOSLAVIA THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT ADOPTS DECREE ON COOPERATION WITH THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
BELGRADE, June 23 (Tanjug) The Yugoslav government at a session
Saturday, presided by Deputy Premier Miroljub Labus, adopted a decree on
cooperation with the international criminal tribunal, the Yugoslav
Information Secretariat said.
The decree regulates the procedure for cooperation of FR
Yugoslavia with the international criminal tribunal for the criminal
prosecution of persons responsible of serious violations of international
humanitarian law, committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since
1991, and the fulfilment of state international obligations ensuing from
Security Council Resolution 827 from 1993 and the Statue of the
International Criminal Tribunal, whose founder is the United Nations.
The decree takes effect one day after its publication in the
Yugoslav Official Register, the statement said.
SNP PREMIER, MINISTERS NOT TAKING PART SATURDAY IN WORK OF YUGOSLAV
GOVERNMENT
PODGORICA, June 23 (Tanjug) The Socialist People's Party (SNP) of
Montenegro sticks to its stands on cooperation with The Hague tribunal and
that is the reason why the premier and ministers from this party are not
taking part in the work of the federal government, it was concluded at a
SNP meeting in Podgorica.
It has been stated from SNP headquarters that a meeting of the
executive council and of SNP municipal board presidents reviewed the latest
situation that arose following the proposal of the majority partner in the
ruling coalition of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) that the
Federal government defines by decree cooperation of Yugoslavia with The
Hague tribunal.
Yugoslav Premier Zoran Zizic and all SNP ministers informed the
executive board of the party that they are placing their mandates in
federal government at the disposal of the party.
A decision on resignations will be made by SNP main board.
DECREE ON YUGOSLAVIA'S COOPERATION WITH THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
TAKES EFFECT ON SUNDAY, LABUS
BELGRADE, June 23 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Deputy Premier Miroljub Labus
said on Saturday, after the Yugoslav government session at which was
adopted the decree on the procedure for cooperation with the International
Criminal Tribunal, that the decree takes effect on Sunday.
The decree envisages extradition to the tribunal of Yugoslav
nationals indicted for acts of grave violations of the international
humanitarian law, committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since
1991. The coalition government session was not attended by Prime
Minister Zoran Zizic and the ministers of the Socialist People's Party
(SNP) of Montenegro, except for Health Minister Miodrag Kovac who presented
the stands of his party regarding the decree.
Labus explained that at the proposal of seven ministers, Zizic
convened the government session that was attended by nine ministers, adding
that "from the formal legal standpoint the government is in place and
working in full lineup."
"The decision made by the government today is valid," the deputy
premier said and, noting that discussions about whether Yugoslavia should
fulfil its international obligations have been going on for months, he said
that it was high time that a decision was taken.
Labus, asked by a journalists whether there is a possibility that
Slobodan Milosevic, former Yugoslav president against whom the tribunal
issued an indictment in the spring of 1999, be extradited next week to the
tribunal, said that was outside his competency and depended on procedure.
Asked to comment on whether the extradition of others indicted for
war crimes from Yugoslavia was a matter of days, Labus said that ensured
from the decree of the federal government.
The health minister explained that SNP ministers have not
resigned, but put their mandates up for review by the main board of that
party.
Kovac, when asked whether SNP will support the minority
government, in the event that the main board accepts the ministerial
resignations, said that "the answer to that question was in the zone of the
hypothetical."
He repeated the SNP stand that the party was in favour of
cooperation with the international community and with The Hague tribunal
and that it was working with the coalition partner, the Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS), on the preservation of the common state.
Attending the press conference were Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic, Telecommunications Minister Boris Tadic, Minister in charge of
ethnic communities Rasim Ljajic, Minister of Agriculture Sasa Vitosevic and
Information Secretary Slobodan Orlic.
SNP, DOS COALITION DOOMED, DJINDJIC
SUBOTICA, June 23 (Tanjug) Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic told
Tanjug on Saturday that the ruling coalition at the federal level of the
Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) and the Socialist People's Party
(SNP) of Montenegro was doomed.
Djindjic condemned the decision of SNP ministers not to attend the
Saturday session of federal government deciding about Yugoslavia's
cooperation with The Hague tribunal, saying that they should be attending
when serious issues concerning the fate of the county are discussed.
SNP decided early this week that its deputies in federal
parliament vote against the bill on Yugoslavia's cooperation with The Hague
tribunal, so the bill was withdrawn from parliament, and DOS, as the
majority partner in the coalition government, decided that the document on
cooperation be adopted by the federal government, which was done so
Saturday.
Djindjic explained that Yugoslavia as a member of the United
Nations was obliged to cooperate with the criminal tribunal in The Hague
that was founded by the UN.
SNP is neglecting that, Djindjic said, adding that the party has
shown in the past month that it is a federal coalition member lacking the
feeling of historical responsibility.
DECREE DEFINES PROCEDURE FOR
YUGOSLAVIA'S COOPERATION WITH THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL, ZIVKOVIC
BELGRADE, June 23 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Interior Minister Zoran
Zivkovic told Tanjug that the decree about Yugoslavia's cooperation with
The Hague tribunal, adopted on Saturday by the Government, only defines the
procedure of that cooperation in which will take part members of the
federal state.
However, the obligation to cooperate with The Hague tribunal
ensues form the membership of our country in the UN and the decision of the
Security Council that founded the court on the basis of the Charter, as
well as the Dayton accords that were signed by (former Yugoslav president)
Slobodan Milosevic," he recalled.
Asked to comment on claims that the Government decree can be
overturned in Federal parliament if such proceedings were to be opened,
Zivkovic explained that was not possible. "The decree can be overturned
only by the Supreme Court, but I do not believe that will happen," the
federal minister said.
The absence of the Prime Minister and ministers from the Socialist
People's Party (SNP) of Montenegro, coalition partner of the Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS), from the government session that adopted the
decree, Zivkovic assessed, was "not helpful and not in line with the
agreement" of coalition partners.
Asked whether there existed a serious government crisis that could
lead to the breakup of the coalition, he said: "There is a government
crisis, but the presence of one minister (Miodrag) Kovac, shows that SNP
wants it to survive after all."
Zivkovic said that in his opinion the federal government should
exist as long as it fulfils all the obligations towards citizens in the
democratization of the country, political and economic reforms, but also
obligations towards the international community whose member on an equal
footing it wants to be.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL FUNCTION - TADIC
BELGRADE, June 23 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Telecommunications Minister
Boris Tadic said he viewed with optimism the further functioning of the
coalition Federal government.
Tadic said he expected that the resignations tendered by the
ministers from the Socialist People's Party (SNP) of Montenegro will not be
accepted by the party's main board and that the Federal government will
continue to function.
The Prime Minister and ministers of Federal government from SNP
placed their mandates at the disposal of the party leadership, following
the Saturday decision of SNP, minority partner in the ruling coalition, not
to take part in the government session at which was adopted the decree on
the cooperation of Yugoslavia with The Hague tribunal.
Tadic considered that the adoption of the decree by the federal
government on the cooperation of Yugoslavia with international tribunal for
war crimes in The Hague was the institutionalization of cooperation with
the tribunal.
"It is not the level of cooperation that DOS (Democratic
Opposition of Serbia) wished for," Tadic said, pointing out that the decree
was adopted due to the impossibility that the bill on cooperation with the
tribunal be passed in federal parliament because SNP was against it.
YUGOSLAVIA DONOR CONFERENCE
EUROPEAN UNION, WORLD BANK PLAN BILLION DOLLARS FOR YUGOSLAVIA
BRUSSELS, June 22 (Tanjug) The European Union and World Bank
intend to collect up to 1.2 billion euros (about a billion dollars) of
international aid for Yugoslavia at the donor conference in Brussels on
June 29, E.U. officials said in Brussels on Friday.
The donor conference will take place in spite of a decision by the
Belgrade authorities to withdraw from parliamentary procedure a draft law
on Yugoslavia's cooperation with The Hague tribunal, members of the E.U.
Foreign Affairs Commission said.
The extradition of former Yugoslav and Serbian president Slobodan
Milosevic to The Hague tribunal is not a condition for holding the
conference, Commission spokesman Gunar Wiegand said.
However, Yugoslavia's moves in that direction (cooperation with
this tribunal) would induce donors to be much more generous in their help
to Yugoslavia, Wiegand said.
Yugoslavia needs about 3.9 billion euros for comprehensive
reconstruction over the next few years.
REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
SERBIAN PM DJINDJIC VISITS FLOODED AREAS
LOZNICA, June 22 (Tanjug) Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic
said on Friday, visiting several flooded villages in the western Serbian
municipality of Loznica, that the Government would consider at a session on
Tuesday the possibility of exempting all persons threatened by floods from
paying taxes.
Funds will be earmarked from the republican budget for regulating
water courses in critical areas, he said.
A heavy rainfall over the past few days left 27 villages in four
western Serbian municipalities under water Loznica, Sabac, Ljubovija and
Krupanj. An estimated 10,000 hectares of arable land are believed to be
flooded and about 10,000 people have been evacuated.
MIHAJLOVIC RECEIVES OSCE KOSOVO MISSION CHIEF
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) Serbian Deputy Premier and Interior
Minister Dusan Mihajlovic conferred in Belgrade on Friday with OSCE Kosovo
mission chief, Ambassador Daan Everts on the upcoming elections in Kosovo
and Metohija province, and modes of cooperation between his ministry and
the mission in the process of voter registration, Mihajlovic's office said.
KOSOVO - METOHIJA
EVERTS KOSOVO ELECTIONS OPPORTUNITY FOR SERBS
BELGRADE, June 22 (Tanjug) OSCE Kosovo and Metohija mission chief
and UNMIK deputy chief Daan Everts on Friday urged Kosovo Serbs to register
for the provincial elections and go to the polls, because failure to do so
would be their tragic historic mistake.
This is the key phase, of limited selfgovernment in Kosovo, as
envisaged under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244, which implies that a
government and parliament are formed after the elections, with threeyear
mandates. It would be tragic if Serbs did not take part in that process,
because the OSCE has constructed a special system to protect minorities,
Everts told a press conference.
If Serbs do not take advantage of the present opportunity and cast
their votes, who knows what Kosovo will be like in three years' time, but
things will definitely be taking place without the participation of Serbs,
he said.
MAJOR THREAT OF EXTREMISM IN BALKANS ORIGINATES IN KOSOVO, RUSSIAN GENERAL
MOSCOW, June 22 (Tanjug) The major threat of extremism in the
Balkans originates in Kosovo, Gen. Georgy Shpak, the commander of Russia's
airborne forces said on Friday.
Formations of bandits are still active in Kosovo, where there are
structures that prepare extremists for infiltrating Macedonia, and
obviously, training centres and arms depots, the ItarTass agency quoted
Shpak as saying.
"It all originates in Kosovo," he noted.
REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO
PRESIDENT DJUKANOVIC RECEIVES SLOVAK AMBASSADOR IN FAREWELL VISIT
PODGORICA, June 22 (Tanjug) Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic
received Slovak Ambassador to Yugoslavia Miroslav Mojzita in a farewell
visit on Friday.
In an exchange of views on the topical political situation in the
region, Djukanovic underscored that Montenegro wants further
democratization, reforms, good and stable relations with Serbia, and to
become a part of Europe, the Montenegrin Secretariat of Information said.
Montenegrin Prime Minister Filip Vujanovic also received
Ambassador Mojzita in a farewell visit today.
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