"Karadzic - finally!" titles the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" - indeed, Radovan Karadzic could have been arrested earlier on several occasions (FAZ and ZEIT ), and it is no coincidence that the arrest happens now 2 weeks after the new Serbian pro-European government was sworn in. He could be transfered to the ICTY in the Hague as early as this week-end. Now only two accused are at large: R. Mladic and G. Hadzic. (... more...)

With the signing of the SAA agreement and the upcoming elections, Serbia is in the centre of attention this week. The SAA agreement - although it has only been signed and has not taken effect yet - has sparked a lot of discontent, first and foremoth in Serbia's neighbouring countries: Bosnia which is also waiting to sign an SAA and Albania which signed it in 2006.

There are other voices in Serbia than those voices of violence we are hearing and reading so much about these last days (cf. the Spiegel, cf. also this blog here and there). On 11 and 20 February youth and student associations organised anti-protests and round tables on the theme "There is no alternative to Europe" (cf. B92 article and the blog of Srecko Sekeljic, both in Serbian). The Youth Initiative for Human Rights, which - with offices in Serbia, Kosovo, BiH, and Montenegro - promotes exchange and co-operation between youth of the Balkan region, called for "the society in Serbia to face their errors of judgement, to reconsider the politics of the past few decades, to look back and draw the line underneath the decade of conquest, murder, ethnic cleansing, terror over their own citizens and the inhabitants of the region" and for Serbia's recognition of the independent Kosovo (read an excerpt of their article below): 

Serbia is stepping up pressure on Kosovo and countries who recognised the independence of Kosovo, recalling the Serbian ambassadors from Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Ankara, and Washington. Two border crossing points were set on fire at the border line between Serbia and Kosovo (cf. CNN Video Report) and a big demonstration is planned today in Belgrade. The EU nevertheless, wants to keep the door open for Serbia.

"What sort of solution is it to isolate oneself, to become a kind of Belorussia in the Balkans? What sort of perspective is this, given the spirit of integration that governs our epoch? And what does it say about our compatibility with our neighbours and with a world that is changing so fast?", wonders the historian Latinka Perovic.

In a B92 opinion piece, William Montgomery explains why so many voters in Serbia casted their vote for T. Nikolic (extremist views, but also frustration with the EU and US policies in Kosovo, with the socio-economic situation and the quarrels between DS and DSS), but why B. Tadic won the second round of the presidential elections (fear of isolation such as in the 1990s and wish to become part of the EU). These opposite tendencies in Serbian politics led to a government crisis which becomes apparent in Kostunica's refusal to sign the agreement on political and economic co-operation with the EU - although this agreement does not mention Kosovo (cf. the Standard) and would ease the Schengen visa procedures for Serb citizens.

B92 already published some preliminary results of the NGO Center for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID) which observed the elections: Tomislav Nikolić 39.4 percent, Boris Tadić's 35.4 percent, Velimir Ilić, 7.9 percent, Milutin Mrkonjić, 6.1 percent, Čedomir Jovanović, 5.5 percent. Thus, the run-off on 3 February will oppose Nikolić and Tadić (as expected). More detailed preliminary results are expected tonight - you can consult the CeSID webpage. The EU Observer analyses the consequences for the Serbian EU integration process:

"Es ist zu befürchten, dass Europa in der Frage der Kriegsverbrecher wieder einmal einknickt und die Entscheidung über den Kosovo hinauszögern will. Anstatt durch eine klare Haltung die serbische Gesellschaft zu zwingen, sich von den Geistern der Vergangenheit loszusagen, unterstützt Europa immer wieder Kompromisse gerade mit diesen. Dagegen müsste sich Serbien erst einmal selbst aus den Fesseln der Vergangenheit befreien. Das "neue Serbien" gibt es zwar schon im alten, setzte es sich politisch wirklich durch, würde es in Europa höchst willkommen sein."

Viele Gruppen haben sich bereits von Otpor beraten lassen, darunter welche aus Georgien und der Ukraine, aber auch Chavez-Gegner in Venezuela und Oppositionelle in Simbabwe sollen zu der Kundschaft gehören. An Anfragen mangelt es Otpor nach eigenen Angaben nicht, der Markt ist offenbar groß. Über die Kosten einer eingehenden Revolutionsberatung und ihrer anschließenden Umsetzung schweigen sich die Trainer aus. (tagesschau, 17.3.2006)