Serbia (16)

 Karadzic - finally! 

posted by Julia 15 years ago

"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...)

 

 Reactions to Serbia's SAA agreement 

posted by Julia 15 years ago

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.

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 The other Serbia 

posted by Julia 16 years ago

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): 

 A "kind of Belorussia in the Balkans"?? 

posted by Julia 16 years ago

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.

 Tension rises in Serbia and Kosovo 

posted by Julia 16 years ago

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.

 

 Serbian presidential elections - a "cut-off" from Europe? 

posted by Julia 16 years ago

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:

 

 Divided Sandzak 

posted by Julia 16 years ago
Balkan Insight (which UNFORTUNATELY plans to close most of its content to paying subscribers soon!) has gathered some interesting background articles and comments on what is going on in Sandzak at the moment: Although a region with a huge potential due to its tradition of transit and transborder co-operation, developments in Sandzak are endagered by a deepening rift between the two main political parties SDA and SDP, which affects politics, religious life, but also civil society.

 Serbia - Part 9 

posted by julia 16 years ago
Der deutsche Außenminister Frank-Walter Steinmeier hat in Locarno dem serbischen Präsidenten Boris Tadic den "Europapreis der politischen Kultur" verliehen. "Gerade weil wir wissen, dass die nächsten Monate nicht einfach werden, gerade weil wir wissen, dass die Bestimmung des künftigen Status des Kosovo eine der schwierigsten Fragen für Dein Land sein wird, müssen wir diese Frage im Interesse der gemeinsamen europäischen Zukunft lösen! 120 Tage stehen jetzt für neue Verhandlungen zur Verfügung. Das sind 4 Monate, die ausreichen können für eine einvernehmliche Lösung über den Kosovo, die bisher gescheitert ist. Eine Lösung, die möglich ist, wenn die Verhandlungen auf allen Seiten von mehr Verständnis für das Machbare und größere Flexibilität geprägt sind als bisher. Und eine Lösung, die notwendig ist in der Verantwortung für Frieden und Stabilität nicht nur in der Balkanregion, sondern in ganz Europa." - so Steinmeier in seiner Laudatio. Unten der ganze Text.

 Serbia - Part 8 

posted by julia 16 years ago
Erich Rathefelder (TAZ) thinks that the EU is too lenient on the new Serbian government (cf. Deutsche Welle and this blog):
"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."

 Serbia - Part 7 

posted by julia 17 years ago
Einen Tag nachdem am 14.2.2007 225 der 244 anwesenden Abgeordnete des serbischen Parlaments gegen den Ahtisaari-Vorschlag für eine Lösung des Kosovo-Status gestimmt haben (s. Kurier), publiziert die TAZ ein Interview mit Vladeta Jankovic, dem außenpolitischen Berater des serbischen Premierministers, über die Bedeutung von Kosovo für Serbien (aus Sicht der serbischen Regierung) und einen serbischen "Plan B".

 Serbia - Part 6 

posted by julia 17 years ago
The upcoming parliamentary elections in Serbia are being followed very closely in the region, and especially in Kosovo. According to the SEE Times the results will be crucial for Serbia's EU perspective. The East Ethnia blog offers a first analysis and forecast. ODIHR has just released a first report for the election observation mission.

 Serbia - Part 5 

posted by julia 17 years ago
Yesterday, only 15% of registered voters took part in the referendum on the new Serbian constitution; in Kosovo, 35% of the Kosovo-Serbs voted, accorded to RTK. Today at 2pm, 32.7% of the registered voters had voted, accorded to CeSID (cf. B92). For more information, see Deutsche Welle and die Presse.
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 Serbia - Part 4 

posted by julia 17 years ago
According to Ivana Dulic-Markovic, Deputy PM of Serbia, the main problems of Serbia on its way to the EU are the lack of consensus and of "European optimism" in Serbian society, rule of law (law implementation, depolitization of judicial system), and economic competition. Read her interview in the Standard. And here another Standard-article on Serbian domestic politics: "Einfacher Bürger" vertritt Serbien Kein Außenminister nach Abspaltung Montenegros - Staatskrise.

 Serbia - Part 3 

posted by julia 17 years ago
The authors Biljana Srbljanovic (Belgrade) and Bora Cosic (Rovinj/Berlin) participate in the Handke debate, which intensified after Peter Handke attended the burial of S. Milosevic and was then recently awarded the Heinrich-Heine-prize of the town of Düsseldorf.

 Serbia - Part 2 

posted by julia 18 years ago
An interesting background article by tagesschau-reporter Marina Schmidt on the commercialisation of opposition campaigning skills by organisations such as the Serbian OTPOR:
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)

 Serbia 

posted by julia 18 years ago
Norbert Mappes-Niediek, SEE-correspondant of Die Zeit, analyses the background of the "Mobtel-crisis" one month after the Belgrade government took away the licence of the biggest Serbian mobile network (Die Zeit Nr.6, 2.2.2006, p.14, Austrian edition). In May 2005 the majority of Mobtel shares had been bought by three Austrian investors.

SEE-EU

This weblog is a forum for discussion on the political and social processes linked to EU integration in the Western Balkans. We would also like to use this space to create a virtual network of researchers on this topic. You are most welcome to contribute to this weblog with comments, postings, links, or photos. Please use the "add comment" function at the end of each posting!
All photos by the Photo Arts Collective of Kosovo. First photo by Burim Myftiu (Swimming olympiade in Klina). Second photo by Mimoza. Third photo by Dashmir Izairi.
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