FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
- SVILANOVIC CONFIDENT CRISIS WILL BE RESOLVED AT DOS PRESIDENCY SESSION
- DJINDJIC: DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SERBIA LEAVES GOVERNMENT TO EVADE DEBATE
ON CRIME
- NBJ GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES 1000-DINAR BILL SOON
- EUROPEAN UNION EARMARKS 540 ML EUROS FOR YUGOSLAVIA THIS YEAR
- YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR PROTIC SAYS USA INTERESTED IN KOSOVO ELECTIONS
- HUNGARY OPENS CONSULATE IN SUBOTICA
KOSOVO - METOHIJA
- KFOR STEPS UP SECURITY OF KOSOVO SERBS IN ENCLAVES
- KOSOVO CRASH SPARKS VIOLENCE
FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
SVILANOVIC CONFIDENT CRISIS WILL BE RESOLVED AT DOS PRESIDENCY SESSION
BELGRADE, Aug 20 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav Foreign Minister and
Serbian
Civic Alliance (GSS) President Goran Svilanovic has said he hopes all
disagreements in the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) bloc will be
resolved at its Presidency session and that Serbian parliament will not
put
the government to a vote of confidence.
In a statement to the Belgrade daily Blic on Monday, Svilanovic said the
arguments which will be presented at the DOS Presidency session will
determine whether the GSS will support the Serbian government.
"I expect that we will hold really open talks at the DOS Presidency
session and find a solution which will prevent any further crisis.
Nevertheless, if we fail to find a solution, and a demand for a debate
on
confidence in the Serbian government reaches parliament, the GSS will
decide whether it will support the government on the grounds of the
DOS
Presidency arguments and decisions, and also (depending) on the form
in
which such a demand will be sent," Svilanovic said.
DJINDJIC: DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SERBIA LEAVES GOVERNMENT TO EVADE DEBATE
ON CRIME
BELGRADE, Aug 20 ( Beta) - Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic has said that
the
underlying reason for the Democratic Party of Serbia's leaving the
Serbian
government was "to avoid a debate to clarify a series of accusations
hurled
at the Serbian government over the past twenty days, in which, without
any
arguments and facts, the cabinet was described as deeply involved in
corruption and crime."
In an Aug. 19 interview with Vecernje Novosti, Djindjic sad that "those
willing to clarify the situation and establish institutional and
individual
responsibility in accordance with the facts would have stayed in the
government."
"Clearly, the maneuver is aimed at avoiding all that and, probably,
creating a political crisis that would push to the background everything
that has upset our public in the past twenty days," said the Serbian
premier.
Asked to explain what sparked the events that seriously disturbed the
DOS
ruling coalition in the past ten days, he said it was "a virtual
election
campaign."
"We had an agreement within the DOS bloc that elections would take place
when the Serbian and Yugoslav constitutions were changed, meaning not so
soon. Until then, everyone should have done their own jobs," said
Djindjic.
He added that, in the meantime, "some people and some parties, believing
that they now have a chance and a high rating, clearly decided that this
is
a chance for them to portray the government and their rivals in the
elections as dishonest, corrupt people so as to make elections, whenever
they take place, an easy job for themselves."
Djindjic, however, said that there is still plenty of time for resolving
the situation.
NBJ GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES 1000-DINAR BILL SOON
LESKOVAC, Aug 19 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav National Bank (NBJ) Governor
Mladjan
Dinkic has said a new banknote was expected by the end of September this
year - of 1000 dinars.
Speaking in an interview to the latest edition of the local weekly Nasa
rec
(Our Word) of the southern Serbian town of Leskovac, Dinkic said "it
will
be absolutely clear at the end of September which banks will remain and
which will be closed down."
The national foreign currency reserves are constantly growing and
currently
amount to 930 million dollars, the central bank governor said.
"We started with 360 million dollars' worth of hard currency reserves.
Black marketers had announced in December last year that the dinar would
go
bust in a few months, but that is just not happening," Dinkic said.
EUROPEAN UNION EARMARKS 540 ML EUROS FOR YUGOSLAVIA THIS YEAR
BELGRADE, Aug 19 (Tanjug) - The European Union (EU) this
year approved about 540 million euros for Yugoslavia in the form
of donations or long-term credits for restoring its
economy, strengthening reserves, maintaining the balance of payments,
and reforms of the country's judicial system, the Yugoslav Foreign
Trade
Ministry has said.
The EU Commission approved the first installment of financial aid for
Yugoslavia this year on April 10 - 150.8 million euros, which is part
of
the pledged 240 million, and the EU Council in mid-July decided to
approve an additional 300 million euros of macro-financial aid as
long-term credits and donations.
Eighty million of this sum is for spare parts for the electric power
system, 26.5 million for the health system and production
of pharmaceuticals, 20 million for stimulating agricultural
development,
10 million for the development of small and medium-sized companies,
five
million for the reorganization of the judicial system and Yugoslavia's
preparing to join the World Trade Organization, and two million for
technical and administrative aid.
The EU Council on July 16 decided to approve 300 million
euros macro-financial aid as long-term credits and donations aimed
at maintaining the balance of payments and strengthening national
reserves.
Under this decision, the credits would amount to a maximum of 225
million
euros with a 15-year grace period, and donations within this package
would
be about 75 million euros, the Ministry said.
YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR PROTIC SAYS USA INTERESTED IN KOSOVO ELECTIONS
BELGRADE, Aug 19 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav Ambassador to the United States
Milan St. Protic said Sunday the United States is interested that
elections
in Kosovo and Metohija are held, that everyone participates in them,
and
that they result in authentic organs of authority.
It is the objective of the United States that the elections
demonstrate
whether ethnic Albanians are capable of running the authorities in a
democratic and civilized manner, whether they are capable of living in
harmony with non-Albanian ethnic groups and their neighbors, Protic
said
in a live broadcast on private Belgrade television BKTV.
Protic said figures from the local reformist-democratic wing had the
greatest influence in the United States, those who seem to have made
the
key moves also in ousting Slobodan Milosevic and meeting international
contracts. Protic singled out Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and
Yugoslav Foreign Trade Minister Miroljub Labus.
Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica's visit to the United States had
the
greatest impact, especially in public, but big powers have different
criteria on placing formal or essential importance,
he said.
Protic rejected accusations of Yugoslav Foreign Ministry officials that
he
was implementing his private policy in the United States, and
underscored
he had not disrupted the policy of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia
(DOS) in any way.
HUNGARY OPENS CONSULATE IN SUBOTICA
SUBOTICA, Aug 20 ( Beta) - Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic and Hungarian
Prime Minister Viktor Orban opened a Hungarian general consulate in
Subotica on Aug. 17.
Before the opening ceremony, Djindjic and Orban discussed relations
between
the two countries in Palic, especially Danube river tourism and the
construction of a highway between Belgrade and Budapest.
"The Hungarian side believes we can obtain very favorable international
loans to complete the highway," Djindjic said after meeting with Orban.
In a speech, Djindjic praised the Hungarian community in Yugoslavia for
its
important role in establishing democracy in the country.
The opening ceremony was attended by 2,000 people. Hungarian Ambassador
in
Yugoslavia Joseph Pandur, Serbian Deputy Premiers Zarko Korac and Josef
Kasa, and Yugoslav Minorities Minister Rasim Ljajic were also present.
Husar Janos will be Hungarian consul in Subotica.
KOSOVO-METOHIJA
KFOR STEPS UP SECURITY OF KOSOVO SERBS IN ENCLAVES
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, Aug 20 (Tanjug) - KFOR Brigade
North commander-in-chief, Gen. Alain Constantini told Tanjug Monday
KFOR French troops had stepped up security measures for the
greatest possible protection of the population of northern Kosovo,
in particular Serbs in villages which are enclosed by an ethnic
Albanian
environment.
Four hundred French troops are on daily patrol in Kosovska Mitrovica,
and
they have been backed also by members of other multi-national brigades
since July, Gen. Constantini said. However, the level of protection of
Serb populations residing in areas enclosed by an ethnic Albanian
environment in the zone of responsibility of Brigade North is not the
very
best, when compared with other Serb enclaves in Kosovo, he said.
For the past three months, the situation in the region has been quiet,
thanks not only to the KFOR mission, but also to the good will of the
people who are here ready to live in peace, Gen.
Constantini said.
KOSOVO CRASH SPARKS VIOLENCE
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, Aug 20. (Srna) - Three KFOR soldiers and a Serb
civilian are in hospital after a brawl which broke out following a
traffic
accident in the village of Donji Suvi Do near Kosovska Mitrovica
yesterday.
After two cars, one driven by a Serb and one by an Albanian,
crashed, dozens of Albanians from the southern part of Kosovska
Mitrovica
joined the ensuing argument between the drivers.
UNMIK police joined the fray, firing into the air in an attempt to
control
the crowd.
In the early evening a mob of about two hundred Albanians began
attacking
Serb houses, setting fire to one.
The mob was dispersed after KFOR sent ten tanks to the village.
Serb residents of Kosovska Mitrovica last night gathered in the
northern part of the town in protest over the incident.
Serbian News Network - SNN
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http://www.antic.org/
