September 14, 1999

23:56 “Milosevic should be sent to an exile where he would live happily ever after. No, for Milosevic there is no other path but the path leading to The Hague”, said Louis Arbour in her latest interview for SENSE News Agency in a text marked as exclusive and entitled “Prosecutor in a Dreamland”. 

23:47 Spokesman of Nis Committee of JUL (Yugoslav Left) Igor Marinkov accused dailies GLAS JAVNOSTI, BLIC and Podgorica daily VIJESTI of participating in media war against Yugoslavia. “These dailies have flooded our market and attract the attention of public with law prices. It is very indicative that the cost of issuing such a paper is higher than its price, which inevitably brings us to the conclusion that they are financed from abroad. After the diplomatic and armed war, we have the media war against Yugoslavia, the aggression of which is led both from the outside and inside.” sad Marinkov.

13:39 Head of Serb National Council in Kosovska Mitrovica, Oliver Ivanovic denies for British GUARDIAN that “there is any Serb paramilitary organization in Mitrovica region”, and added that “he himself and other Serbs, out of fear of clashes with Albanians, organized themselves in villages and towns into groups for self-defense”.

23: 35 NEZAVISNOST, Independent Syndicate of Pensioners of Kragujevac scheduled protest for Thursday September 16, at 10.00 in the center of the town. The protest’s motto is :”Stop the genocide over pensioners, stop the deceit of issuing coupons instead of delayed payments”.

23:23 According to Serbian Minister of Labor, Social and Veterans’ Issues Tomislav Milenkovic, today began issuing coupons for electric power for pensioners and it will last for two weeks. “Those pensioners who do not want to take coupons, don’t have to. The Pension and Invalid Fund will in that case make the payments of delayed pensions when the conditions for that are set” said minister on today’s pres

23:00 “ What is going on in Russia is the reprise of the events in Kosovo and Metohia . American fascists are on the way to occupy Great Russia. Such an organization of rebels and terrorists can be created by CIA “. This is how the presidential board of Serbian Radical Party seas frequent terrorist attacks in Moscow.

22.56 A delegation of opposition parties and NGO’s from FRY were in a study visit to European Parliament in Strasbourg today. Details on the meeting, the officials opposition representatives met, the conclusions of the meeting etc can be read here..

22:48 A delegation of European Parliament will visit Kosovo on Monday in order to asses the situation in the province, was declared in Strasbourg today. European Parliament should adopt EU budget and make the decision considering EU aid to Kosovo.

22:40 Zoran Andjelkovic, President of Provisional Executive Committee of Kosovo and MEtohija declared today that “ no school for Serb children does not work in Pristina or any other town in the province: and added that he discussed the issue with Natasha Andonovska, Administrator of UNMIK and two thousand citizens of Plametina near Obilic. In Kosovo Polje a solution was found, and a school will be provided for Serb and Montenegrin children, while the other two schools in town will be left for Albanian children”, said Andjelkovic.

22:37 Serbs and Albanians in Kosovska Mitrovica held demonstrations, each ethnical community in its part of the town. Around 100 Serb women requested information regarding their husbands and sons arrested upon riots of the previous week. Albanians protested against the decision that KFOR members settle in the University premises, is the shortest electronic media report on the events in Mitrovica.

22:26 Leonid Ivasov, Head of the Russian ministry of Defense Department for International Military Co-operation said that “the decisions on providing security for all ethnic groups are not being carried out, mainly Serbs, as 80% of them have already left Kosovo”, and added that “the boundaries remain open while without any obstacles, the Albanians who have never lived in Kosovo, as well as drugs and weapons keep on coming to the province”.

20:30 Cacak mayor and the president of New Serbia Party Velimir Ilic rejected the possibility of any conflict between Serbia and Montenegro, because “Serbs do not want any conflict with Montenegro. Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic can draft soldiers and send them to fight against Montenegrins, but the soldiers would take a beer, have fun and sun-bathe” said Ilic in his statement for Montenegrin press.

20:30 As beograd.com reported, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic would be in the official visit to Hungary tomorrow. He will have talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban and other Hungarian officials regarding bilateral relations and the situation in the region. On Thursday Djukanovic leaves for Bratislava, Slovakia for the meeting with high state representatives.

20:24 At the proposal of KLA Headquarters, Kosovo provisional government announced the decision to constitute new defence system according to which Kosovo would be divided into 6 defense regions, that would include all 29 municipalities, with operational and territorial responsibility and authorities.

20:13 According to Zagreb independent weekly NACIONAL, Croatian authorities would rather kill Mladen Naletic Tuta or enable his to escape than let him appear before The Hague Tribunal which would reveal the role of Croatian authorities in the clashes between Croatians and Muslims during B&H war.

20:10 Students’ Movement OTPOR organized today in the center of Nis an event entitled “Culture, here I am” in order to express their discontent with Zorica Brunclik, a folk singer being a candidate for the Minister of Culture. “The regime keeps on injuring Serbian dignity, honor and pride, they are trying to destroy culture and those couple of things left to take pride in”, sad a member of the Movement, Aleksandar Visnjic.

19:55 “I think that the international government in Kosovo has to find a way of protecting everything that represents Serbs and their culture in Kosovo – monuments and monasteries, but I don’t think that Serbs can be expected to remain there, since it is not possible for international forces to defend every single person, while it is obvious that Albanians are seeking revenge”, said Christopher Bennet, president of the Institute for Reporting on War and Peace on the Balkans in his interview for Radio France Internationale.

19:43 In the International Court for War Crimes in The Hague today, Croatian Minister of Justice Zvonimir Separovic gave so called White Book to Dorothee de Sampayo Garrido-Nijgh, Secretary of the Court. This act signifies Croatian intention to prove that “Croatian decision to reject the jurisdiction of The Hague Court signifies intention to prosecute those who have, during the great historic and noble act of liberating Croatia nevertheless commited certain criminal acts in the sovereign state of Croatia”. He added that Yugoslav Army officers should be put on trial for their crimes committed from Vukovar to Dubrovnik. Separovic will tomorrow meet the newly appointed President of the Court Gabrielle Kirk McDonald.

19:41 Mostar mayor Ivan Prskalo talked today to the president of Swedish Institute for Immigrations Christina Hans and the representatives of the citizens of Mostar who had to take the refuge in Sweden on the possibilities of their return. Prskalo pointed out that Mostar was a positive example in terms of 600 Moslems and Serbs having returned to the town.

19:36 Filip Vujanovic, Montenegrin Prime Minister comes to 1 day visit to France upon the invitation of Huber Vedrine.

19:30 Payment of the first part of July pensions began today in Montenegro. The pensions were increased by 8% in comparison to June.

19:17 Environment World Fund declared that “poisonous substances from Yugoslav factories hit by NATO bombs keep on polluting Danube. Chemical Plant in Pancevo and Novi Sad Rafinery are in the focus of the study of the Fund. The experts of the Fund have, in German labs, detected high concentrations of cancerous substances like dioxine and mercury in the specimens taken from air and soil”. It was pointed out that the substances polluted water and soil not only in Yugoslavia but in the neighbouring countries by Philippe Vilair, head of the Fund. He added that “it is difficult to determine the level of pollution before the bombing, but it is clear that the result of bombing is pollution”.

19:02 Mirko Marjanovic, Serbian Primeminister declared that 1993 hyperinflation would never repeat. Explaining the objectives and measures of economic policy for the second half of the year and the programme of the reconstruction of the country, Marjanovic said that there would be no devaluation of dinar, and that black marketeers and speculators had tried to destabilise dinar by raising exchange rate artificially the result of which was green market price increase, emphasised Marjanovic at today’s meeting with the representatives of Serbian Trade Unions.

18:55 Democratic Party Vice-president, Mr. Vuksanovic announced today that donors’ conference for so called “free towns and cities” of Serbia was scheduled for October 7&8 in Belgrade. The meeting is entitled “Energy for Democracy”.

18:50 The Alliance for Changes scheduled a convention for September 16 in Novi Sad. Dragoslav Avramovic, former Governor of National Bank of Yugoslavia, Zoran Djindjic, Democratic Party President, Milan Panic, former Yugoslav Prime-minister, Vuk Obradovic, Social-democratic Party president, Vladan Batic, Demo-Christian Party of Serbia president and other representatives of the Alliance will attend the Convention. Vuk Draskovic, Serbian Renewal Movement President was invited, but said today that he would not participate.

18:45 “The authorities in Tirana are not for creating Great Albania, but for integration of all European countries and creation of united European family for whom the borders would be of symbolic significance” declared the head of Information Agency of Albanian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Sokol Gjoka. “The future of Kosovo depends solely on the will of Kosovo Albanians and the international community”, Gjoka pointed out and asserted that the international protectorate over Kosovo would last more then five years.

17:55 KFOR announced that 2 dead women of Montenegrin nationality (5o and 70 years old) were found in Pec in their home, but no other details are available in the statement. In the village of Precale, another person was found, the missing of which was already reported the day before.

17:50 Representative of Serbian National Council Nikola Kabasic declared that the hunger strike of 13 persons in the prison of Mitrovica was continued. 11 Serbs are on strike, a Macedonian and an Albanian. They were arrested last week by French KFOR members and police under the suspicion that they have committed crimes against Albanians.

17:45 Around a hundred Serb refugees from Kosmet temporarily settled in an elementary school in Odrani near Kraljevo, were prevented to come to Belgrade. The police directed them to the center of Kraljevo where they still remain. The group was given a deadline by the inhabitants of Odrane to leave their village by the mornig, which the refugees did.

17:30 On today’s hearing before The Hague Tribunal, in the process against Goran Jelisic, a Bosnian Serb, an anonymous witness declared that the indicted, known under the nick name of Serbian Adolph, shot his fellow soldier who was helping Bosnians. Last year Jelisic admitted 31 crimes committed against Croatians and Bosnians in the camp Luka near Brcko.

17:00 Alexandra Stiglmayer, spokesman of the Bureau of the High Representative of International Community in B&H, declared that Bosnian Serb authorities promised to put an end to the boycott of B&H Permanent Military Commission. They refused to participate in the activities of the body following the arrest of General Momir Talic.

16:45 Regarding the news that a tribal gathering of the people living in the region of the Moraca river will be organised in front of the Monastery of Moraca near Kolasin, in order to emphase “the loyalty to the united Montenegro and Serbia”, Predrag Popovic, People’s Party high official and the vice-president of Montenegrin Parliament estimated today that tribal gatherings had only one objective – to create unrest, draw the attention from the catastrophe in the country and save Slobodan Milosevic regime.

16:30 In today’s announcement issued by the seat of UNHCR in Geneva, the organisation invited the international community and “the local leaders in Kosovo” to fight violence, especially committed over non-Albanians. The announcement points out that the attacks on Serbs and Roma are committed on daily basis.

16:15 Representatives of Serb refugees from Croatia and B&H, residing in Banja Luka and ordered to leave their temporary accommodation, demanded that the Minister for Refugees and Dislocated Persons in the government of the Republic of Srpska issue by tomorrow 8.00 A.M. a written guarantee that the families without appropriate accommodation cannot be thrown out of their temporary accommodation.

16:00 Vicepresident of Demo-Christian Party of Serbia, Miroslav Savicevic declared that the Alliance for Changes “is preparing to form united opposition block” and that the talks regarding co-operation with the Movement for Democratic Serbia, led by retired general of Yugoslav Army Momcilo Perisic, were in progress. Accoriding to Savicevic, the Alliance still does not reject the idea of co-operating with Vuk Draskovic, but that “it’s up to Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) to make the first step”. An announcement made by SPO spokesman that the party will not participate at the Convention that should adopt a declaration, the author of which is Dragoslav Avramovic, can be treated as the first step.

15:45: On today’s press conference, editor of publication MESECNE ANALIZE I PROGNOZE (Monthly Analyses and Prognoses) issued by the Belgrade Economy Institute, Stojan Stamenkovic declared that the prices in FRY by the end of the year would be increased by 100% in comparison to the previous year, if the National Bank keeps money supply on the level of planned 14 billion dinars.

15:30 Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) spokesman Ivan Kovacevic declared on today’s conference that SPO would not participate at the Convention organized by the Alliance for Changes in Novi Sad, or at the meeting of the Alliance scheduled for September 21 in Belgrade.

15:15 One person died and two more were wounded yesterday when the fire was opened on the convoy of Serbs returning to Kosovo The incident happened in the south-eastern part of Kosovo near the village of Ranilug, stated KFOR Command.

14:50 Croatian Government legal counsel in The Hague International Court of Justice David Rivkin stated that Croatia has good prospects of getting war reparations from FRY, reports Zagreb daily VECERNJI LIST. He pointed out that FRY has a lot of money on various accounts so that the reparations can be covered.

14:40 Education Trade Union NEZAVISNOST (Independence) announced that strike had begun in several schools in Serbia. New protests are the result of educators’ discontent with the payment tempo of delayed payments.

14:30 As the president of municipal assembly of Bujanovac declared, 110 health care workers - refugees from Kosovo would begin to work in out-patient health center in Bujanovac from tomorrow.

14:20 France will send around 300 soldiers from Bezanson armoured division to join KFOR forces during this week. The soldiers should replace armoured divisions from Orleans in Kosovska Mitrovica in the northern part of the province.

14:10 Novi Sad bridge over the Danube should be opened for traffic tomorrow. It is the bridge between two bridges (Varazdinski bridge and railway bridge) destroyed during NATO air campaign on FRY.

14:00 Stanko Stanic, vice-president of Serbian National Alliance of The Republic of Srpska declared that the continuation of talks between the representatives of SLOGA (Unity) Coalition and the Coalition for united and democratic B&H had been postponed due to Milorad Dodig, prime-minister of the Republic of Srpska’s visit to Japan, while the president of SNS, Biljana Plavsic is on holiday. The talks should be held during the following week.

13:50 Dobrica Lazic, president of Kosovo Polje municipality assembly declared today for TANJUG news agency that the talks between Serb and Albanian delegations regarding creating and the modes of functioning of local autonomy in Kosovo Polje, with UNMIK mediation, had been going on for more than 2 months, but had given no results so far. The talks are presided over by Natasa Andonovska, UNMYK administrator for Kosovo Polje. She is assisted by UN expert for local autonomy issues and finances Jay Carter.

13:40 “Russia has the intention to preserve full relations with Yugoslavia, especially its legally elected government” declared today Russian Deputy of Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Avdeyev upon his return from Yugoslavia where he had met Slobodan Milosevic and other representatives of the authorities as well as Serbian opposition leaders.

13:30 UNMIK spokesman declared that in the region of Pristina, police forces had been completed since yesterday. Their number is around 500. UNMIK police is deployed in several police stations on the territory of Pristina with 50 to 80 policemen in each. Their telephone number is the same everywhere – 92. UNMIK traffic police forces have also begun to perform their duties.

13:15 Zdravko Todizic, a soldier from Valjevo hanged himself a military barrack in Podgorica , reports Podgorica daily VIJESTI referring to the statement made by military investigator major Zeljko Vukovic. Todozic was under arrest on the grounds of suspicion that he had been selling weapons.

13:00 President of the Commission for Co-operation between FRY and the Republic of Srpska, Momcilo Krajisnik, accused The Republic of Srpska government in a Jagodina TV PALMA PLUS broadcast of “having isolated the Republic of Srpska from FRY under the influence of their tutors from abroad”. “I am deeply unhappy when I see how strong relations between the Republic of Srpska and Croatia are. I have nothing against them, but it is unnatural that the relations with FRY are frozen”, said Krajisnik.

12:45 Syndicate of pensioners NEZAVISNOST (Independence) announced another protest for September 16, on the occasion of the decision of Serbian government to make the payments of delayed pensions in the form of issuing coupons for electric power and fuel. Payment of regular pensions is scheduled for September 21.

12:30 Milo Djukanovic, Montenegrin President will go to a 2-day working visit to Budapest tomorrow, is announced by the Information Department of Hungarian government.

12:15 Special rights the Albanians seeking political asylum in GB had, will not be valid any longer, ASSOCIATED PRESS reports, as the situation in Kosovo has changed and there are no more threats of their being tormented by Serbian authorities.

12:00 Russia could withdraw the forces from Kosovo unless the tendency of the province towards independence is not stopped, said General Leonid Ivasev, in charge of international relations in Russian Ministry of Defense.

11:45 DNEVNI AVAZ – Sarajevo Housing Council Secretary Matthew Newton said that eviction of those who illegally moved into houses and apartments of refugees. In accordance with Sarajevo Declaration, 20,000 non-Muslim families are to be returned to the city.

11:30 Sarajevo media report that Yugoslav authorities returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina a CESNA business jet, which had been confiscated six years ago, after the beginning of the war in Bosnia.

11:15 “Any speculation about territorial compensations to Republic of Srpska or exchange of territories between two entities in Bosnia is out of question,” said today International Community High Representative for Bosnia Wolfgang Petritsch during a visit to Banjik, where 250 houses for returning Serbs were reconstructed. According to International Community plans, 40,000 refugees should return to their homes until the end of this year.

11:00 An unnamed diplomat from NATO Headquarters in Brussels said today for AFP that certain Serbs coming from Serbia were seen among protesters during recent demonstrations in Kosovska Mitrovica.

10:45 KFOR spokesman Olle Irgens said today that NATO plans to start transit flights over Kosovo and simulations of air attacks on ground targets, but far from inhabited areas.

10:30 Czech Foreign Minister Ian Kavan will visit Kosovo today. He will meet international community representatives and visit Czech KFOR soldiers.

10:10 According to unofficial information, oil supply on Belgrade streets will be soon stabilized. In fact, some of private volunteers have already agreed arrangements and wait for oil tanks to cross the border between Republic of Srpska and FRY.

10:00 VECERNJE NOVOSTI – two journalists, an editor and editor in chief and Company manager of this Belgrade daily were interviewed by police after publishing an article about decrease of black currency market value of YU DIN.

09:50 Railway bridge in Grdelica Gorge which connects Serbia and Southeastern Europe, hit during a NATO air raid, should be reopened today, after reconstruction. In memory of victims from the train destroyed at the bridge, a monument will be erected near the bridge.

09:40 GLAS JAVNOSTI – Freshly printed YU DIN bills were seen last week in circulation in banks and other financial institutions. According to the article in this Belgrade daily, the total value of new bills was estimated to about 2.5 billion YU DIN.

09:30 NATO European Commander in Chief, American General Wesley Clark called, during his visit to Kosovo yesterday, penetration of certain paramilitary groups from Serbia to Kosovo “disturbing and dangerous for the frail peace in the region.”

09:20 According to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, which is this month chairing EU, Tarja Halonen, chief of diplomacy of EU countries decided to invite representatives of Serb opposition to their regular October session in Luxembourg. “The Fifteen” condemned violence in Kosovo and demanded return of all refugees to their homes. The Ministers also pointed out that KLA must be totally demilitarized. Since yesterday, Yugoslav sportsmen are and formally allowed to take part in European cups.

09:10 At 23:05 last evening British KFOR soldiers activated a bomb, believed to be planted, near Grand Hotel in Prishtina. Before detonation, inhabitants of Tomislava Sekulica, Njegoseva and Vidovdanska streets were evacuated for security reasons.

09:00 “It is too early for Yugoslav Army to be permitted to return to Kosovo,” KFOR spokesman Olle Irgens said yesterday.

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