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Anniversary of Milošević Ousting
Opinions on the importance of this anniversary differ – some see it as the key event in Serbia's recent history, while others believe the changes had been much less significant than seemed at first.
"Citizens need to remember what Serbia looked like. This was a mass revolt through which Serbia for the most part redeemed itself for backing Slobodan Milošević in the 1900s," Korać believes. But he added that such an event always creates hopes, while people feel somewhat disappointed afterwards.
"I would add that a huge blow to this Serbia was the murder of Zoran Đinđić." Korać also said that he believes "Milošević would still be in power", if the protest eight years ago never took place.
Meantime, one of the men hailed as heroes of October 5, New Serbia leader Velimir Ilić, believes the changes have been merely cosmetic. He commented on the recent inclusion in the cabinet of the Socialists (SRS), a party Milošević founded and led until his death, by saying, "now we're not sure who has beaten whom on October 5, both are in the government. It's all the same, only Sloba is missing".
The Liberal-Democrats (LDP) have announced they will mark the anniversary today with a campaign dubbed, "I won't give October 5". The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), meanwhile, will honor Jadranka Jovanković, the demonstration's victim, with a ceremony in Belgrade.
Have things changed? Or is it merely a front? I suppose its up for each to decide.
It certainly would help things out if they'd finally turn Mladić in! Opinions on the importance of this anniversary differ – some see it as the key event in Serbia's recent history, while others bel... more -
Country Fast Facts: Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands resisted Nazi Germany's occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945, but fought each other and ethnic opponents as much as the invaders. The military and political movement headed by Josip Tito (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when German and Croatian separatist forces were defeated in 1945. Although Communist, Tito's new government and his successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan Milosevic became president of the Serbian Republic and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines.
In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992, but Serbia continued its - ultimately unsuccessful - campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. Milosevic kept tight control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, a small-scale ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries.
The Milosevic government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and to the eventual withdrawal of Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UNSC Resolution 1244 in June 1999 authorized the stationing of a NATO-led force (KFOR) in Kosovo to provide a safe and secure environment for the region's ethnic communities, created a UN Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to foster self-governing institutions, and reserved the issue of Kosovo's final status for an unspecified date in the future. In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a constitutional framework that allowed Kosovo to establish institutions of self-government and led to Kosovo's first parliamentary election. FRY elections in September 2000 led to the ouster of Milosevic and installed Vojislav Kostunica as president. A broad coalition of democratic reformist parties known as DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia) was subsequently elected to parliament in December 2000 and took control of the government. The arrest of Milosevic by DOS in 2001 allowed for his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity. (Milosevic died at The Hague in March 2006 before the completion of his trial.)
In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted, and it was once more accepted into UN organizations. In 2003, the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level parliament. Violent rioting in Kosovo in 2004 caused the international community to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The referendum was successful, and Montenegro declared itself an independent nation on June 3 2006. Two days later, Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. In October 2006, the Serbian parliament unanimously approved - and a referendum confirmed - a new constitution for the country. The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands ... more -
Photos of the beautiful Christina Vukicevic
The norwegian girl (of Serbian descent) Christina Vukicevic is a hurdle sprinter and athlete.
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Fugative Gen. Ratko Mladic will not surrender, reports say
Reported on September 12, 2008.
Reports say that top war criminal Mladic is heavily guarded by armed men and is not willing to surrender to the U.N war crimes tribunal. He along with Goran Hadzic, a Croatian-Serb, are stil at large.
Click on the link to read more. Reported on September 12, 2008. ... more -
New charges against Radovan Karadzic
This was reported on September 17, 2008. The Prosecutor is said to file a new indictment for the accused war criminal. Click on the link for more. This was reported on September 17, 2008. The Prosecutor is said to file a new indictment for the accused war criminal. Click on the li... more
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5 year old boy steals $105k from his Dad to buy some toys
A five-year-old Serbian boy is likely to be put up for adoption after blowing the equivalent of $105,000 in cash that he found in his father's safe. Djodja Markovic used the money to take a group of pals shopping, buying them clothes, toys, bicycles, candy, computers and games.
His father, Slobodan Markovic, said he only realised what had happened when his son and his friends came home carrying dozens of shopping bags.
"I must have forgotten to lock the safe and he just saw the money and took it," said the elder Markovic. "I have asked the police to investigate because it is unbelievable that the shop owners let such a young boy do this." Police are currently looking into the matter. A five-year-old Serbian boy is likely to be put up for adoption after blowing the equivalent of $105,000 in cash that he found in his ... more -
Karadzic refuses war crimes pleas
Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has refused to enter a plea to charges of war crimes at the United Nations tribunal in The Hague.
A tribunal judge entered a plea of not guilty to all charges on his behalf, in line with the rules of the court. Karadzic faces 11 counts, including genocide, relating to the 1990s Bosnian civil war.
He was arrested in the Serbian capital Belgrade in July after 13 years on the run, living under a false name. Facing the tribunal for the second time since his arrest, and looking calm and composed, Karadzic said it was a "court of Nato" which had as its aim his "liquidation".
The charges against Karadzic include what is regarded as Europe's worst massacre since World War II - the killing of up to 8,000 men and youths in the enclave of Srebrenica.
There will be a further hearing on 17 September. No trial date has been set. Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has refused to enter a plea to charges of war crimes at the United Nations tribunal in The... more -
Karadzic refuses to enter plea, judge pleads "not guily" on behalf
(CNN)- Former Bosnian Serb Leader Radovan Karadzic refused to enter a plea Friday on war crimes and genocide charges, leading the judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to enter a plea of "not guilty" on his behalf.
It was only the second time that Karadzic had appeared in the court at The Hague, Netherlands, since his arrest in July. Karadzic, wearing a dark suit and brown patterned tie, his shock of white hair unruly, waived his right to legal counsel before the judge asked him to enter a plea on each of the 11 counts of the indictment against him.
After Karadzic refused to enter a plea on Count 1, Judge Ian Bonomy asked him whether he would do the same on each of the remaining 10 counts. Karadzic said: "Absolutely."
Bonomy then entered pleas of not guilty to each count, and not guilty to the indictment as a whole.
Then, in a friendly exchange, Karadzic asked the judge, "May I hold you to your word?"
"Which word?" Bonomy replied.
"That I am not guilty," Karadzic said, smiling.
"We shall see in due course, Mr. Karadzic," replied Bonomy, also smiling.
The judge said the court registry would set a date for the start of the trial "in due course." The trial is not expected to begin for at least several months.
The 11 counts against Karadzic, 63, include genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes stemming from the 1992-95 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, when he was president of a breakaway Serb republic.
The tribunal accuses Karadzic of leading a campaign that killed thousands of men, women and children -- mainly Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats who were killed by Serbs as part of a violent effort to rid the region of non-Serbs.
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more at link (CNN)- Former Bosnian Serb Leader Radovan Karadzic refused to enter a plea Friday on war crimes and genocide charges, leading the judg... more -
Serbian town unveils Bob Marley statue for peace
One love ... This story put a smile on my face.
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Radovan Karadzic to enter plea for war crimes next week
A plea in the case of Radovan Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb leader accused of war crimes, will be entered next week, the tribunal at The Hague said on Friday.
Karadzic did not enter a plea during his initial appearance on July 31 but will have to on August 29. And if he doesn't enter a plea, the pre-trial judge will do so, the court said.
Karadzic is being tried by the U.N.'s International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
He is charged with 11 counts including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes stemming from the 1992-95 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, when he was president of a breakaway Serb republic.
The Bosnian war was Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II and the longest of the wars spawned by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.
Backed by the government of then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Bosnian Serb forces seized control of more than half the country and launched a campaign against the Muslim and Croat populations that introduced the term "ethnic cleansing" to the world A plea in the case of Radovan Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb leader accused of war crimes, will be entered next week, the tribunal ... more -
Serbia pulls anti-Islamic book off shelves
Serbia has withdrawn the American writer Sherry Jones's novel from bookstores following protests by the country's Muslim Community.
Belgrade's Beobuk publisher withdrew The Jewel of Medina and confirmed that the book would not be available 'in a single bookstore in the country', B92 reported.
Beobuk's director, Aleksandar Jasic apologized 'for the offense suffered', saying that his company 'had no intention of insulting anyone'.
American publisher Random House also withdrew Jones's book from the US market last month following protests from Muslims. Serbia has withdrawn the American writer Sherry Jones's novel from bookstores following protests by the country's Muslim Com... more -
Michael Palin show criticised on accuracy
The BBC's governing body has partially agreed with a complaint about Michael Palin's New Europe: War and Peace.
One viewer felt the programme gave an "inaccurate" account of the Balkan Wars of the 90s and entered into the realm of "political commentary". The BBC Trust said the programme makers should have taken "greater care to ensure accuracy" but concluded the show had not had a political message. It said non-news shows should remember the importance of checking facts.
The complainant questioned Palin's comments concerning the destruction of the old bridge at Mostar. It was also claimed the commentary suggested that Serbia was unfairly blamed for all the region's troubles. The complaint was partially upheld with regard to accuracy and impartiality. The BBC's governing body has partially agreed with a complaint about Michael Palin's New Europe: War and Peace. ... more -
Fair trial impossible, Karadzic claims
Radovan Karadzic says a fair trial at the war crimes tribunal is impossible due to the "media witch hunt.”
Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb leader, stated that he has already been convicted by the world’s media. Furthermore, he repeated claims regarding an alleged immunity offer by the US.
Do you think Karadzic has a point when it comes to the alleged lack of objectivity regarding his trial? And do you believe he is saying the truth about the supposed US immunity deal? Radovan Karadzic says a fair trial at the war crimes tribunal is impossible due to the "media witch hunt.” ... more -
Tadic vows hunt for war criminals
Serbian President Boris Tadic has said Belgrade will fulfil its international obligations to arrest remaining war crime suspects wanted by a UN tribunal.
It was the first time Mr Tadic had spoke on the issue since the arrest and extradition last month of the former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic.
He vowed to track down Mr Karadzic's military commander, Ratko Mladic, and ex-Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadzic.
They are wanted for their alleged role in war crimes during the Bosnian war.
At a press conference, Mr Tadic said his country would co-operate fully with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, and that there was no need for any "additional pressure".
"All those who have the idea to put additional pressure on Serbia are knocking on open doors, because not only has Serbia shown its will and determination but it also has made concrete steps related to this co-operation," he told reporters.
Read more... Serbian President Boris Tadic has said Belgrade will fulfil its international obligations to arrest remaining war crime suspects wante... more -
Djokovic beats Nadal to set up final with Murray
Serbian number one Novak Djokovic became the first player to beat Rafael Nadal in almost 30 matches, to reach the final of the Cincinnati Tennis Masters.
He will play Britain's Andy Murray, who beat him last week in Toronto, for the title. Serbian number one Novak Djokovic became the first player to beat Rafael Nadal in almost 30 matches, to reach the final of the Cincinn... more -
Radovan Karadzic Makes First Appearance At War Crimes Tribunal!
"A somber Radovan Karadzic appeared before the international war crimes tribunal at The Hague today and announced he would represent himself in his trial on charges of genocide, murder and crimes against humanity.
Karadzic, one of Europe's most notorious war-crimes suspects and who eluded capture for more than a decade, listened impassively as Judge Alphons Orie read a summary of the chilling indictment issued against him in 1995.
Dressed in a dark gray suit and tie, his face clean-shaven and his thick silver hair trimmed and neatly combed, Karadzic smiled when he said he intended to wave his right for counsel. He wiped his dark, arched brows at one point during the reading of the indictment.
Karadzic declined to enter a plea and has 30 days to do so. He revealed that a new indictment was in the works, something that surprised the judge but was confirmed by lead prosecutor Serge Brammertz.
The judge asked Karadzic to state his name and birthdate for the record, and asked if there were family or diplomatic representatives whom he believed need to be informed of his presence at The Hague.
"I don't believe there is anyone who doesn't know I'm in this detention unit," he said to mild laughter.
Karadzic, who was president of the self-declared Bosnian Serb Republic, is accused of individual and "superior" responsibility in the 11-count indictment, which includes the charge of genocide, five charges of crimes against humanity and four other war-crime allegations.
The indictment described actions by Bosnian Serb forces led by Karadzic during the 1991-95 war, including the killing of scores of civilians, the establishing of numerous detention camps where Muslims and Croats were rounded up, the forced deportation of thousands of non-Serbs and the "wanton destruction" of non-Serb property.
"Because of your position and power and the widespread nature of the events described in the indictment," the judge read, it is alleged "that you knew or had reason to know that Bosnian Serb forces under your control were committing these crimes and you failed to take the necessary and reasonable steps to prevent" them.
Asked if he had any comments, Karadzic complained of "numerous irregularities" with the way he was apprehended and transferred to the court. Among other things, he disputes the day of his arrest by Serbian authorities, claiming they detained him three days before acknowledging it.
Orie set the next hearing for Aug. 29."
Also check out USA Today's article for Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Muslims'
reaction to this event http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-07-31-karadzic-... "A somber Radovan Karadzic appeared before the international war crimes tribunal at The Hague today and announced he would repres... more -
War Criminal Karadzic in UN Custody
Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic sat in a U.N. jail cell Wednesday after being flown to the Netherlands in the dead of night to face charges of genocide against Muslims and Croats during the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic sat in a U.N. jail cell Wednesday after being flown to the Netherlands in the dead of nigh... more
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Karadzic extradited to The Hague
The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, has been flown from the Serbian capital Belgrade to the war-crimes tribunal in The Hague.
He was moved from a court building where he had been held since his arrest last week, after 13 years on the run.
He has been indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide relating to the Bosnian conflict of the 1990s.
His transfer comes hours after a rally attended by at least 10,000 supporters to protest at his arrest.
Clashes broke out between police and several hundred protesters during the final speeches at the rally organised by the hardline nationalist Radical Party.
Several people were injured as riot police fired tear gas at protesters armed with rocks and burning flares.
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More at link. The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, has been flown from the Serbian capital Belgrade to the war-crimes tribunal in The H... more -
War Criminal Radovan Karadzic Extradited To The Hague
BELGRADE, Serbia (CNN) -- Former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic was en route from a detention facility in Belgrade, Serbia, to The Hague on Wednesday to answer war crimes charges.
1 of 3 He faces 11 charges, including genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the law of war stemming from the 1992-95 conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina, while he led the breakaway Serb republic after its secession from Yugoslavia.
The onetime psychiatrist and aspiring poet was arrested last week after more than a decade as a fugitive.
Serbian authorities took steps to extradite him around 4 a.m. (10 p.m. ET Tuesday), sending several vehicles into a detention center where the former leader was being held. The vehicles were to take Karadzic to a jet that was to deliver him to The Hague.
Karadzic's extradition came hours after thousands of people rallied in his support, waving flags and chanting nationalist slogans, in Belgrade and decrying the prospect of his transfer to the International War Crimes Tribunal.
"I'm here to support the movement of the people, to defend Karadzic from those cannibals in The Hague -- so-called judges," one man told CNN. "That is not judgment. That is inquisition."
CNN's Alessio Vinci said as many as 10,000 joined the rally but pointed out that earlier this year more than 250,0000 Serbs protested when Kosovo declared its independence.
A few dozen demonstrators clashed with police about a block from the square as the rally broke up, some setting fire to garbage cans. Police used tear gas to disperse them, and no injuries were reported.
Serbian ultranationalists organized the rally and view Karadzic as a hero of the Bosnian war. But Serbian President Boris Tadic reaffirmed his support for Karadzic's extradition, saying his government is "obeying our own laws."
"Those who are organizing and supporting this protest had the opportunity to change the law while they had a majority in parliament," said Tadic, whose government wants closer ties with the West. "They did not change this law because they did not want to or because they did not have enough political courage to change it."
The Bosnian war was Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II and the longest of the wars spawned by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Backed by the government of then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Bosnian Serb forces seized control of more than half the country and launched a campaign against the Muslim and Croat populations that introduced the term "ethnic cleansing" to the world.
Karadzic was removed from power in 1995, when the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war barred anyone accused of war crimes from holding office. Though he portrayed Serbs as victims, Karadzic is accused of responsibility for the massacre at Srebrenica, a U.N. "safe area" Serb troops overran in July 1995. Nearly 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed at Srebrenica, the worst European massacre since World War II.
Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial at The Hague. The highest-ranking figure to remain at large is Gen. Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb military commander during the Bosnian war. BELGRADE, Serbia (CNN) -- Former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic was en route from a detention facility in Belgrade, Serbia, t... more -
Karadzic's Supporters To Rally in Belgrade, Serbia
BELGRADE, Serbia (CNN) -- Riot police were deployed across Belgrade Tuesday as thousands of demonstrators descended on the city from across Serbia to attend a rally in support of former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic, who will soon be sent to The Hague to answer war crime charges.
The radicals and ultra-nationalists who plan to rally view Karadzic as a hero even though an international tribunal has charged him with genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the law of war. The charges relate to his actions during the 1992-1995 civil war that followed Bosnia-Herzegovina's secession from Yugoslavia.
Investigators arrested Karadzic -- one of Europe's most-wanted men -- last week, ending his dozen or so years as a fugitive. A judge has ruled that conditions have been met for his extradition to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at The Hague, but Karadzic's lawyer, Svetozar Vujacic, has the right to appeal.
The lawyer declined to say Monday whether he had filed an appeal. Court officials said Tuesday that they had still to receive the appeal.
If in fact no appeal has been lodged, Serb authorities could transfer Karadzic to The Hague at any time.
Serbian authorities have deployed thousands of riot police throughout Belgrade to guard against possible trouble from demonstrators.
The Associated Press reported that rally organizer -- the right-wing Serbian Radical Party -- said it was busing in Karadzic supporters from all over Serbia and Bosnia, where Karadzic is still revered as a wartime hero for helping to create the Bosnian Serb ministate.
AP quoted Radical Party leader Aleksandar Vucic as saying the protest "is against the treacherous and dictatorial regime" of Serbia's pro-Western President Boris Tadic.
The U.S. embassy in Belgrade issued a warning to its citizens Tuesday to take care in the city.
"Estimates of the number of possible participants [in the rally] range from 25,000 - 100,000. As a safety precaution, it is recommended to avoid the downtown area.
"We remind American citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. American citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations if possible."
The embassy said it would be closing at 3pm because of the rally. In February one person died and 90 were injured after a peaceful protest against Kosovo's independence turned ugly, with rioters setting fire to the U.S. embassy building. Other embassies, including the UK's, were also attacked.
However, analysts said the political parties sympathetic to the nationalist cause have faced setbacks at the polls. In May, for example, the coalition of pro-Western President Boris Tadic received 38 percent of the vote in parliamentary elections, compared with 29 percent for the ultra-nationalists.
"They [the ultra-nationalists] are unsuccessful, so since they have lost their chance, they have lost hope for their political future," said Stevan Niksic, a Serb journalist. "They are now marginalized."
-An excerpt from CNN article BELGRADE, Serbia (CNN) -- Riot police were deployed across Belgrade Tuesday as thousands of demonstrators descended on the city from a... more
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