FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
- FUTURE STATE - FEDERATION BASED ON SOVEREIGN WILL OF CITIZENS
- DJINDJIC: THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT, PRETEND TO BE
OPPOSITION
- HYPOCRITES
- DJINDJIC: DSS ACTED WITH ILL-INTENT
- VOJVODINA PARTIES ADOPT PLATFORM ON PROVINCE'S AUTONOMY
- YUGOSLAVIA, GERMANY PROMOTE TIES IN SMALL, MEDIUM FIRM DEVELOPMENT
- FOREIGNERS SHOW GREAT INTEREST IN PRIVATIZATION IN SERBIA
KOSOVO - METOHIJA - SOUTHERN SERBIA
- HEAD OF YUGOSLAV COMMITTEE FOR KOSOVO, METOHIJA CALLS ON SERBS TO
REGISTER
- SERB INMATES STOP HUNGER STRIKE
- KFOR SETS UP CHECKPOINT IN GROUND SAFETY ZONE IN SOUTHERN SERBIA
- FORMER ETHNIC ALBANIAN PARAMILITARY COMMANDER THREATENS WITH ARMS
REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO
- SOCIALIST PEOPLE'S PARTY WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN REFERENDUM
PREPARATIONS,
SAYS BULATOVIC
- STATE & LEGAL STATUS OF MONTENEGRO MAJOR TOPIC, SAYS MONTENEGRIN
RULING PARTY
FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
FUTURE STATE - FEDERATION BASED ON SOVEREIGN WILL OF CITIZENS BELGRADE,
Aug 20 (Tanjug) - The platform on the
constitutional reorganization of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
envisages that the future state community - based on the sovereign will
of
the citizens of Serbia and Montenegro, historical tradition and
ancestral
ties - has the form of a federation comprising two member-states with
the
status of federal units, said a document available to Tanjug.
Representatives of the coalitions Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS)
and Montenegro's Together for Yugoslavia coordinated the elements for a
common platform at a meeting in the Montenegrin resort of Budva this
weekend. They proposed that the common state have authorities in the
area
of basic rights and freedoms and protection of special rights of
national
minorities, and a unique foreign policy with each member-state able to
realize separate international cooperation.
The platform elements also envisage a unique defense and control of the
state border, with parliamentary control of the defense forces, a
single
market, customs, monetary and foreign trade systems, and unique traffic
and communications in keeping with the defense system and international
conventions.
The federation authorities are divided into exclusive and mixed.
Exclusive authorities are foreign policy, defense, monetary
and cystoms systems, traffic and communications, obligation rights
and stocks and bonds. Mixed authorities are basic rights and freedoms
and
minority protection, property relations, the tax, banking and foreign
trade systems, pensions, and life and property insurance.
Under the platform, the institutions of the state community are the
federal parliament, the president of the republic, the federal
government,
the federal court, National Bank, and an ombudsman.
As expected, the platform will be sent to the parliaments of
Yugoslavia,
Serbia and Montenegro, all political parties and other institutions.
All
three governments - the federal, Serbian and Montenegrin, will hold
debates on the platform.
DJINDJIC: THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT, PRETEND TO BE OPPOSITION
-
HYPOCRITES
BELGRADE, Aug 21 ( Beta) - Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic on Aug. 20
demanded that the Democratic Party of Serbia prove the serious
accusations it sent to the government's addresses or take them back and
make a public apology.
"I approach the matter this way - either you be the government and take
all
responsibility that comes with it, or be the opposition and then talk
like
one. It is very hypocritical of you to participate in the government and
act like the opposition," Djindjic said at a press conference at the
Belgrade Machines and Tractors Factory IMT.
He said that "a whole line of strikes on the main points of economic and
civilization development" of Serbia has been made, stressing that it was
up
to the Democratic Opposition of Serbia to choose between the two options
he
has offered them and then schedule a session of the leadership of the
Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS).
"The Serbian government does not have a problem, the Democratic Party of
Serbia does," Serbian Premier pointed out, adding that, in principle, he
was satisfied with the speed at which the government was realizing its
plans. Djindjic also said that several European prime ministers have
told him that
the world trusted the Serbian overnment and that the current political
crisis will not jeopardize negotiations with the Paris club of creditors
on
writing off Yugoslavia's debts.
He added that he was warned in talks with ministers that "things will
get
critical" if the crisis lasted longer.
Negotiations with the Paris club, rescheduling debts, the value of the
companies being privatized, the arrival of money pledged at the donors
conference, all depend exclusively on the government's political
credibility, not on the economy, Djindjic underlined.
DJINDIC: DSS ACTED WITH ILL-INTENT
BELGRADE, Aug 21 ( Beta) - Serbian premier Zoran Djindic said in a late
state TV interview on Aug. 20 that the republican government was stable
and
stressed that the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) never raised the
issue
of corruption at any government session.
"There is extreme ill-intent and a desire to compromise the government
from
the very beginning. We have had numerous government sessions and cabinet
meetings, on not a single occasion did the DOS Serbian Vice-Premier
raise
this issue, " said Djindic in the TV interview.
The DSS, one of the two dominant DOS members, on Saturday decided to
withdraw its representatives from the Serbian government, discontent
with
the way it was working. In the Serbian government the DSS hold the
position
of Vice Premier (Alexander Pravdic) and the health portfolio (Obren
Joksimovic). Djindic said that the DSS had had ample opportunity to
voice these questions within the appropriate legal bodies
and institions, but that it had not done so.
Djindic thus concluded that this party, led by Yugoslav president
Vojislav
Kostunica did not have a sincere intent to participate in the
government.
"The credibility of the state, the international position of the country
and the unity of Serbia have been put at stake as a result of political
positions and party interests, " assessed the Premier, adding that he is
"surprised and revolted" by the behaviour and stand of the DSS. He
assessed that the crisis could jeopardize foreign investments and weaken
Serbia's position in relation to Kosovo and Montenegro.
VOJVODINA PARTIES ADOPT PLATFORM ON PROVINCE'S AUTONOMY
NOVI SAD, Aug 20 (Tanjug) - The 14 so-called autochtonous Vojvodina
parties and non-governmental organisations adopted in Novi Sad on
Monday a
platform on the autonomy of Serbia's northern province in new and
democratic Serbia and Yugoslavia.
The platform says that the political personality of Vojvodina "cannot
be
the subject of haggling" and demands that in Serbia's future
Constitutional organisation Vojvodina be granted legislative, judicial
and
executive powers.
The platform will be presented to DOS at its Presidency session, which
will be called by leaders of the League of Social-Democrats, Vojvodina
Reformists and Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians Nenad Canak, Miodrag
Isakov and Jozef Kasa.
Isakov said that "as equal members of DOS which does not precisely
define
the way for calling Presidency sessions," they had the right to do
this." The document was signed by these three parties as well as the
Democratic
Alliance of Croats, Democratic Alliance of Romanians, Union of
Vojvodina
Socialists, Croat People's Alliance, Banat Forum, Democratic Movement
for
Pancevo, Alliance of Subotica Citizens, Vojvodina Club, Vojvodina
Movement, Sombor Party of Prosperity and the Association of the
Non-Profitable Sector.
YUGOSLAVIA, GERMANY PROMOTE TIES IN SMALL, MEDIUM FIRM DEVELOPMENT
BELGRADE, Aug 20 (Tanjug) - Officials of the Chamber of Trade
of Cologne, Germany, and the Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce saw
good prospects on Monday for promoting cooperation in the development
of small and medium-sized firms and entrepreneurs.
The two countries' economies traditionally maintain cooperation, with
more
than 50 percent of equipment and technology used in Yugoslavia being of
German origin, Yugoslav Chamber Vice-President Miodrag Nikolic said.
Yugoslav standards are mostly based on German standards, and efforts
should be invested towards keeping up this tradition, Nikolic said.
Bernd Krey of the Cologne Chamber said the purpose of the visit was
that
the Chamber, as a service institution, offer specific services to
interested Yugoslav partners.
Here he listed such services as consultations with companies,
collecting
their assistance needs, providing legal advice, personnel training,
etc.
FOREIGNERS SHOW GREAT INTEREST IN PRIVATIZATION IN SERBIA BELGRADE, Aug
21 ( Beta) - Aleksandar Vlahovic, the Serbian minister of
economics and privatization, said on Aug. 20 that 35 top world
investment
banks and consultant companies have already applied for the position of
financial advisor for privatizing the first 16 state companies. At a
press conference held at the Machines and Tractors Factory IMT, he
announced that another international advertisement for the privatization
by
tender of another 11 companies, in cooperation with the World Bank, will
be
launched soon, stressing that the first effects of the privatizations
will
be visible at the end of November or the beginning of December. "The
first group of 40 state companies will be privatized by March 2002. I
expect that we will receive at least 1.2 billion German marks from their
privatization," Vlahovic said, adding that there was huge interest
abroad
in privatization in Serbia.
He stressed that the money will significantly contribute to the
financing
of social programs, crediting the development of small and medium sized
companies, and companies such as the Machines and Tractors Factory IMT.
Vlahovic pointed out that there was also a lot of interest in
privatization
by auction and said that a list of around 20 companies had already been
made. According to him, the first auctions will be organized at the end
of
October or beginning of November.
He also said that the possible prolonging of the political crisis in
Serbia
could decrease the planned effects of privatization, because nobody was
ready to invest money in an unstable country. "I expect the crisis to be
resolved in the next month or two. No more than that," Vlahovic said.
KOSOVO - METOHIJA - SOUTHERN SERBIA
HEAD OF YUGOSLAV COMMITTEE FOR KOSOVO, METOHIJA CALLS ON SERBS TO
REGISTER PRISTINA, Aug 21 ( Beta) - The head of the Yugoslav Committee
for Kosovo
and Metohija, Momcilo Trajkovic, registered at the OSCE center in Laplje
Selo on Aug. 20, and at the same time called on all Kosovo Serbs to
register, in order to convince the international community that the Serb
side respected U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244.
"If the international community meets the already well-known conditions
-
the return of refugees, safety for the remaining Serb population in
Kosovo,
the issue of the kidnapped and missing, and institutional links between
the
Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija and Serbia, i.e. Yugoslavia - the
Serbs will participate in the November elections," Trajkovic said.
Trajkovic stressed that, if this did not happen, "our country will not
give
its consent, nor will it encourage the Serb community to participate in
the
forthcoming elections that could lead to the independence of Kosovo and
Metohija."
In over three weeks since the beginning of the registration, OSCE has
registered a little less than 20,000 Kosovo Serbs. According to the data
by
international organizations, around 75,000 Serbs are still living in
Kosovo, while more than 200,000 were expelled from the province in the
last
two years.
SERB INMATES STOP HUNGER STRIKE
In the afternoon of Aug. 20, a group of 16 Serb inmates in the Kosovska
Mitrovica prison ended their hunger strike. However, they said that the
strike would continue, unless the issue of trials was resolved by late
September.
The majority of the 16 Serbs, who had been on hunger strike since Aug.
7,
were protesting against the slow Kosovo judicial system, many have been
detained for over 15 months, while no proceedings have yet been
initiated
against them.
Three strikers were hospitalized as a result of the hunger strike.
KFOR SETS UP CHECKPOINT IN GROUND SAFETY ZONE IN SOUTHERN SERBIA
BUJANOVAC, Aug 20 (Tanjug) - KFOR has set up a mobile checkpoint and
two
posts at the crossroads of the Novo Selo-Gornje Karacevo road and the
road
to Breznica, some 600 meters into the Ground Safety Zone in southern
Serbia, reporters were told at a news conference at the Bujanovac Press
Centre on Monday.
Reporters were told that in keeping with a conclusion of the south
Serbia
coordination body, a group of Serbian Interior Ministry senior officers
had
established that the point had been set up although no agreement on
this
had been reached.
This is why KFOR had on Sunday received an oral protest and a demand to
remove the point and posts from the Ground Safety Zone. Yugoslav and
KFOR representatives will jointly carry out a recoinnasance
operation on Monday, it was announced.
FORMER ETHNIC ALBANIAN PARAMILITARY COMMANDER THREATENS WITH ARMS
PRISTINA, Aug 21 (Tanjug) - Muhamet Xhemaili, former commander of
ethnic
Albanian extremists in southern Serbia, has threatened that local
ethnic
Albanians would again take up arms unless they see an improvement in
the
living standards of the ethnic Albanian population of the Presevo
valley. "Unless the situation improves and the peace agreement is fully
observed,
we will not leave Serbs alone, but will take up arms again. I will not
tolerate that Serbs do what they wish in our region," Xhemaili told the
AFP news agency in a statement made in Pristina on Monday. Xhemaili
denied any connection with the nebulous Albanian National Army
(ANA), which has taken responsibility for the recent killing of three
Serbian policemen, the AFP said.
REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO
SOCIALIST PEOPLE'S PARTY WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN REFERENDUM
PREPARATIONS,
SAYS BULATOVIC
PODGORICA, Aug 21 ( Beta) - On Aug. 20, Montenegrin Socialist People's
Party leader Predrag Bulatovic told the Democratic Party of socialists
leader and Montenegrin president, Milo Djukanovic, that his party would
not
participate in preparations for the referendum on the state and legal
status of Montenegro.
At a press conference Bulatovic relayed what he told Djukanovic: "There
are
no conditions for holding a referendum until the police are put under
control, until equal conditions for the presentation of opposition and
ruling parties on state-run TV are provided, and until the issue of
voter
lists is resolved."
Bulatovic said that due to the lack of appropriate conditions for a
referendum, the Socialist People's Party would not participate in the
forming and work of the legislature's commission for drafting a law on
the
referendum. The commission will be formed at the Montenegrin
legislature's
session, to begin on Sept. 4.
Bulatovic said that he had told Djukanovic that the current Montenegrin
government "creating an atmosphere for holding a referendum" was out of
question, i.e. they were not capable of it.
In that context, Bulatovic added that they had discussed "concentration
government, but reached no agreement."
Bulatovic also said that the talks between his and Djukanovic's parties
would continue, but on the level of parties' expert teams.
STATE & LEGAL STATUS OF MONTENEGRO MAJOR TOPIC, SAYS MONTENEGRIN RULING
PARTY PODGORICA, Aug 21 ( Beta) - The leaders of the Montenegrin
Democratic Party
of Socialists and the Socialist People's Party, Milo Djukanovic and
Predrag
Bulatovic, met on Aug. 20, mainly discussing the settlement of the state
and legal status of Montenegro, announced Djukanovic's party. Djukanovic
and Bulatovic also discussed "creating as favorable as possible
political and other conditions for conducting economic and political
reforms as a precondition for the development of Montenegro and its
integration into European and broader trends."
During the meeting, Djukanovic and Bulatovic concluded that the
Democratic
Party of Socialists and the Socialist People's Party, as the two
strongest
local parties, bore the biggest responsibility for the realization of
the
mentioned goals. They also concluded that it was necessary to "pay
attention to the interests of citizens, regardless of their political
orientation."
During the meeting, Djukanovic and Bulatovic agreed to continue the
dialog
between the two parties on "the highest level," Djukanovic's party
announced after the meeting.
Serbian News Network - SNN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.antic.org/
