Friday • June 13 • 2008 NEWS NEWS 1

9
771820 833000

ISSN 1820-8339
01
IssueFebruary
Issue No. 85, Friday, No. 1 / Friday, June- 13,
25, 2011 2008 March 10, 2011
Thursday,

Lure of Tadic Alliance Splits Socialists

EDITOR’S WORD
Belgrade Insight is published by
Political Predictability
While younger Socialists support joining a new, pro-EU government, old By Mark R. Pullen

Milosevic loyalists threaten revolt over the prospect.

party over which way to turn. BUSINESS
“The situation in the party seems The departure of Minister of the
extremely complicated, as we try Economy, Mladjan Dinkic came as
to convince the few remaining lag- a shock to many political analysts.
gards that we need to move out of How will the business community
react?
Milosevic’s shadow,” one Socialist Page 8
Party official complained.
“Dacic will eventually side with
OUT & ABOUT
Many of us who have experi-
Tadic in a bid to guide his party into This enced numerousWomen’s
International Serbian Day
elections
why
the European mainstream, but much not takeourselves
rate the women asinpundits
your lifewhen
for anit
of the membership and many offi- icy day outtoonpredicting
comes the Drina! election re-
cials may oppose that move.” sults and post-election moves.
Nikolic agreed: “The question is We feel in-the-know because
will the party split or will the ‘old- our experience of elections in Ser-
timers’ back down,” he noted. bia has shown us that (a.) no single
Fearing they might not cross the party or coalition will ever gain the
5-per-cent threshold to enter parlia- majority required to form a govern-
ment, the Socialists teamed up with ment, and (b.) political negotiations
the Association of Pensioners and the will never be quickly concluded.
United Serbia Party, led by business- Even when the Democrats Page 9
man Dragan Markovic “Palma”.

Serbian’s home
achieved their surprising result at
Pensioners leader, Jovan Krkoba- last month’sARTS general election, it
bic, Palma and Dacic are all pushing quickly became clear that the re-
Burlesque: two hours of uncompli-
for a deal with the Democrats. sult was actually more-or-less the
cated fun from two singing divas
The reported price is the post of says

from Libya Chaos

Socialist leader Ivica Dacic remains the Serbian kingmaker same ouras every other election result
correspondent.
deputy PM, with a brief in charge of in Serbia, i.e. inconclusive.
By Rade Maroevic in Belgrade to Serbia’s late president, Slobodan faces extinction unless it changes. security for the Socialist leader. This is likely to continue as long
Milosevic, and reformists who want However, a strong current also In addition, the Socialists are bar-

T
as Serbia’s politicians form new
ense negotiations on a new gov- the party to become a modern Euro- flows in the opposite direction, led gaining for other ministries, includ- political parties every time they
ernment have divided the ranks pean social democrat organisation. by party
Ivica Dacic, Interior Minister, greeting some of the returnees from one of the flights from Tripoli on Wednesday. veterans enraged by the ing capital investments, Kosovo and disagree with their current party
of the Socialist Party, which holds After eight years of stagnation, prospect of a deal with Tadic. education, Belgrade media reported. leader (there are currently 342 reg-
the balance of power between the the Socialists returned to centre stage Mihajlo Markovic, a founder of Tadic has denied talk of horse- istered political parties in Serbia).
main blocs and has yet to announce after winning 20 of the 250 seats in the party, recently warned of a crisis trading with the Socialists, maintain- Drawn-out negotiations are also
which side they will support.
Hundreds of Serbians have been evacu- parliament in the May 11 elections. sianif Dacic
Railways opts for
should the
get pro-European
on board, ing
They that
haveministries
been would
told thatgo only
the to the norm. One Belgrade-based
“It looks as if the Socialists will With the pro-European and nation- while bloc,in abandoning
Ras Lanufthe ship will“nat-roadsthose
theSocialists’ out of the camptoare
committed not safefor the
working Ambassador recently told me he
ated from Tripoli, but many remain, some evacuate 842 people, among whom and that they shouldn’t leave camp
move towards a government led by alist blocs almost evenly matched, ural” ideological partners. government’s “strategic goal”. was also alarmed by Page 10
the distinct
isolated in camps
the Democrats,” political analyst Mi-
in the oilfields spread
the Socialists now have the final say “The
are 330 Serbs.
Markovic, a prominent
under any circumstances. Howev-
At theatsame
supporterer, the stores time, Dacic seems re- lack of GOING
across third largest group of about the camp are closed OUT Serbian
urgency among
lan Nikolic,the of the Libyan
independent Desert.
Cen- on the fate of the country. 80 of Milosevic
Serbian citizensduring the 1990s, isand luctant
is in Benghazi. food and to call
wateroff reserves
negotiations
are with politicians. “The country is at a
Gerila bar: overcome the cheesy
tre of Policy Studies, said. “But such Nikolic believes the Socialists, led We seen as representative
have reached agreement of thatthe the nationalists.
they“old-running out. standstill and
revolutionary I don’t
themes andunderstand
sink a few
a move might provoke deeper divi- cording by Ivica to plan,
Dacic,about
will 500
comepeople
over to willtimers” in the party
be evacuated who want
by Turkish to stay “I talked
ships “If we to don’t
my father
reachthis
anmorn-
agreement pints theirinlogic. If they
this cosy are haunt.
central so eager to
sions andByeven
Gordana Andric
split the party.”
from Benghazi and Ras Lanuf will be thattrue
Tadic, if only out of a pragmatic de- come to former
to the Benghazi’s harbour
regime’s policies,
ing, so far they are OK, but there
with the DSS and Radicals, the par- progress towards the EU and en-
evacuated in the next couple of days. regularly. We’ll keep working on the is no official information whether,
even though these almost ruined the ty leadership will decide on future

A
Simultaneous negotiations held sire to ensure their political survival.
One of the ships due to evacuate evacuation of smaller groups, which when or how they will be evacu- courage investors, how come they
with the pro-European
bout 400 Serbians and national-
who foreigners “The group
from the of Libyan
youngertowns Socialists
of is more Socialists for good.
complicated, but, as minister ated,”steps”, Dacic announced,
says Vladimir Corbic, thefollowing
son go home at 5pm sharp and don’t
ist blocs have
managed drawnto attention
get throughto a Sirt gathered
and Rasaround
Lanuf Dacic
left theseems Some said,
to be Ivica Dacic
harbour youngerwe’llSocialist
continue officials
un- of one theoffirst session at
the doctors of Marsa
country’s new par-
Brega. work weekends?”
the chaos
deep rift inside at Tripoli air- in in
the Socialists. Bartheinmajority”,
Montenegro on Wednesday
Nikolic said, adding til we have voiced frustration
evacuate over the
the last person thatcon- Inliament
the meantime the government
on Wednesday. Surely the situation is urgent
port have arrived safely evening.
This divides “old-timers” loyal that these reformists believe the party wants to come
tinuing back towithin
impasse Serbia,” saidownis working
their
on evacuation plans for
Source: Balkan Insight (www.balkaninsight.com) enough to warrant a little overtime.
back in Serbia. “In normal circumstances, ships Mirko Stefanovic, secretary at the all those scattered across the desert.
“The situation in Tripoli was not take 30 or 35 hours to get to Libya, ministry of foreign affairs. “We are working on their evacuation
so tense and we had no problems on however because of the bad weather Dozens of Serbs are employed and trying to get them to bigger cen-
our way to THISthe airport,
ISSUE butOFat the air- theBusiness
journey willInsight
take 50 hours. We in camps Neighbourhood
at oil installationsMatters
across tres from where they can be evacu-
port about 10,000 people
Belgrade are waiting expect that the ship will reach Libya the Libyan Desert and many have ated,” said the ministry of foreign
Insight
to get out of the country,” said one of on Saturday morning,” a spokesper- little realistic prospect of leaving in affairs spokesperson. Page 14
IS SUPPORTED BY:
the evacuees. Costs Mounting Football Rebellion
son for the ministry of foreign af- the short term. Fifteen doctors, em- He appealed to the relatives of

E W
There were an estimated 1,000 fairs told Belgrade Insight. ployed by Libyan oil company Sirt those who are still in Libya to tell
-1,500 Serbians living and working conomists
In Sirt are warning
152 Russian, Turkish that
andpro- are trappedhile the football
in Marsa Brega,world
a townwatch-them not to try to leave Libya on
in Libya and if everything goes ac- Serbianlonged uncertainty
citizens employedover by Serbia’s
Rus- 700 kilometres es events
awayunfold at the Euro-their own, but to wait for help.
from Tripoli.
future could scare off investors, lead pean Championships in Austria and
to higher inflation and jeopardise Switzerland, Bosnia is experiencing
DINING prosperity
OUT for years to come. a soccer rebellion, led by fans,SPORT play-
“This year has been lost, from the ers and former stars who are enraged
If your horse has come in, or if you are standpoint of economic policy,” says The by domestic
what theyfootball
see as season
corruptgetsleaders
ordinarily as rich as Croesus, and fish Stojan Stamenkovic of the Econom- underway of the country’s
after thefootball
winter association
break.
is your thing, then you could do worse ics Institute in Belgrade. leaders.
Once again it is certain to be a two-
than Gusti Mora, says Trencherman. page 5 horse race. page 10
Page 11 Page 15 Source: www.accuweather.com
2 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011
Serbia
Asset declarations: slow progress
Some 16,000 offi-
cials were obliged
to declare changes
in their assets in
excess of the equiv-
alent of €3,500 by
January 31st.
A
mong the 2,605 who submitted re-
ports on changes in their assets are
the Prime Minister and his deputy
Bozidar Djelic, the former minis-
ter for the economy Mladjan Dinkic and the
leader of the Serbian Radical Party, SRS.
Although the details are not due to be pub-
lished on the Anti-corruption Agency website
until March, some politicians have already re-
vealed their declarations to the press.
In the main, everything makes pretty mun-
dane reading: Radicals’ leader Dragan Todor-
ovic, has leased a new vehicle: “another truck
with a trailer, worth about €100,000” for his
transport company, he told Vecernje Novosti.
Democratic Party MP, Aleksandar Vlahovic
explained that his salary as a director of the
Economic Institute had increased but that he
was giving his parliamentary salary to a chil-
dren’s home. Deputy Prime Minister, Bozidar
Djelic sold a 66m2 apartment in Zvezdara,
Zorana Markovic has less than ten staff to monitor all the data.
while Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, who
owned 10 per cent of his wife’s bookstore,
gave his shares to his spouse.
Aleksandra Kostic, the agency’s spokes-
person, explained that changes less than
€3,500 should be declared only if they include
changes in the ownership of certain real es-
tate, changes in tenure, salary, jobs or cars.
Officials who have missed the deadline
for submitting their declarations face fines
of between 10,000 and 50,000 dinars (€100
- €500).
Meanwhile, the agency has yet to verify all
the data from last year. About 16,000 officials
submitted their reports by the end of January
2010.
“There is no deadline, it’s not that we
failed to do our job. We are verifying data ac-
cording to our schedule. In 2010, we decided
to start with assets of government officials,
MPs and mayors - about 300 people. This
year we’ll include officials of public compa-
nies,” explained the agency’s director, Zorana
Markovic.
Officials who file incorrect information, by
failing to report their property, who give false
information or who conceal information, risk
being sent to jail for between six months and
five years. To date there have been no such
convictions.
The agency has yet to compile a full list of
the officials that are supposed to declare their
assets, so they are unable to establish if any
official failed to declare their assets last year.
“We believe that there are about 18,000 of-
ficials, but there is no mechanism to help us
establish this number,” the agency’s spokes-
person Aleksandra Kostic said.
The agency, originally trumpeted as one of
the main tools in the fight against corruption,
has less then ten people monitoring and veri-
fying the data.
Putin due in March
Vladimir Putin is
scheduled to arrive
in Belgrade on March
23rd, the day before
Serbia marks the 12th
anniversary of the
NATO bombing.
F
oreign Minister Vuk Jeremic con-
firmed that Prime Minister Putin will
visit Belgrade on a working visit, ex-
plaining that his agenda will include
discussion on economic issues, particularly
those related to energy and infrastructure.
This is the Putin’s first visit to Serbia since
2001. Relations between the two countries
have continued to improve since then, and
it is expected that he will use his time in the
country to sign new deals between Moscow
and Belgrade.
According to Jeremic, President Boris
Tadic is expected to travel to the Russian capi-
tal by the end of June, when an agreement on
strategic co-operation between the two coun-
tries will be signed.
This is not the first time that a Russian
leader has landed in Serbia for an official visit
on a symbolic date. Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev visited Belgrade on October 20,
2009, the day when the Soviet Red Army
liberated Belgrade in 1944, and Putin’s visit
comes one day before the 12th anniversary of
the NATO bombing of Serbia, a particularly
poignant day for many Serbians.
Serbs in key
Kosovo roles
T risk being ‘unfriended’
he new deputy prime minister for
Kosovo and minister for local self-
government is ethnic Serb Slobodan
Petrovic, leader of the Independent
Liberal Party, SLS. The party also heads the
ministries of returns and communities and
labour and social protection.
Asked whether working with Kosovo’s
Prime Minister Hashim Thaci would anger
Kosovo Serbs, following the Marty report
which accused Thaci of trafficking in the
organs of abducted Serbs, Petrovic said his
party’s only aim was to improve the everyday
lives of Kosovo Serbs.
“This is why we got most of votes from
Kosovo Serbs, and we can’t disappoint them,”
Petrovic said, adding that investigations into
the charges against Thaci were the responsibil-
ity of both the Kosovo and Serbian govern-
ments.
However, Rada Trajkovic, also a Kosovo
MP and a leader of another Serb party, United
Serbian List, voted against the new govern-
ment for, as she explained, moral reasons.
Trajkoviceva said that Thaci should not be
prime minister following the allegations raised
by Swiss senator Dick Marty.
The Serbian minister for Kosovo and
Metohija, Goran Bogdanovic said that people
would see no benefits from Serbs taking part in
the Kosovo parliament.
“These are the same ministers who failed
to prevent the abolition of mobile telephony
and who did nothing to stop the obstruction of
the return of the Serbian community or ensure
freedom of movement or all people,” said
Bogdanovic.
The timing of Putin’s visit has led some to
speculate that the aim of his visit is to seek
Serbia’s agreement not to join NATO. Serbia
is currently neutral, and the country’s poten-
tial membership of NATO is a sensitive issue
due to the 1999 bombing, during the conflict
in Kosovo.
Former diplomat Radoslav Stojanovic sees
Putin’s visit as very advantageous for Serbia.
“We get a chance to show the west that
another great power is interested in us, and
to make a decision which will show the EU
that the interests of Serbia guide our policy
and that there is nothing anti-western or anti-
eastern,” Stojanovic told Belgrade daily Blic.
Serbia
Serbian politicians
MPs just ‘don’t get’ new media say analysts.
By Gordana Andric
F
acebook has become one of the
most visited places on the inter-
net and it is hard to find anyone
under the age of forty these days
who does not have a page on
the social network. More than
two million Serbians now regularly ‘like’ and
‘comment’ and ‘post’.
Politicians too are getting in on the act
and President Obama’s facebook campaign is
widely credited with playing no small part in
helping him win the last US election. Obama’s
page has been ‘liked’ by more than 18 million
people. Even the normally staid British Royal
Family have a page and more than 300,000
people have subscribed to receive regular
news updates.
Belgrade’s politicians seem to be a lit-
tle less active. Serbian president Boris Tadic
is one of the most popular politicians in the
country, at least by the number of his face-
book fans, but nevertheless only 44,000 peo-
ple have decided they ‘like’ him. Tadic’s page
tells us, unsurprisingly, that he in turn ‘likes’
the Democratic Party and Zoran Djindjic
and that his favourite books are Antoine de
Saint-Exupery’s Little Prince, Salinger’s The
Catcher in the Rye, Mesa Selimovic’s Death
and the Dervish and Yugoslav Nobel prize
winner, Ivo Andric’s The Bridge on the Drina.
Tadic likes to listen to Frank Sinatra, Arsen
Dedic and Djordje Balasevic and watch Ber-
nardo Bertolucci movies. His favourite quote
is ‘It would be dangerous to say that every-
thing is as it was. Serbia after October 5th is
different, but just not different enough.’
There are many pages and profiles purport-
ing to be that of Serbian Progressives leader,
“They just don’t get
how social networks
work. It’s a give and
take relationship.
People on the web do
not want to interact
with someone whose
profile has been writ-
ten by a PR agency”
Tomislav Nikolic but none of them seem to be
genuine, although from them we learn that he
likes to pick mushrooms and make rakia.
Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic, and
Defence minister, Dragan Sutanovac seem to
be amongst the most active political facebook-
ers, regularly posting articles and pictures and
occasionally responding to comments.
Sutanovic of course ‘likes’ Boris Tadic, al-
though Mr Djelic remains silent on the issue.
Spare a thought however, for the Prime
Minister, Mirko Cvetkovic, who has just 11
‘likes’.
The most popular politician however has
not been active in Parliament for some 31
years - Josip Broz Tito. From his page we
learn that he is (was) gender neutral and that
his political views are liberal. Almost 50,000
people have clicked ‘like’.
Dragana Djermanovic, director of the PR-
pepper Agency, says that most of Serbia’s
politicians don’t understand social networks.
“They just don’t get how social networks
work. It’s a give and take relationship. Peo-
Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011 3
Mladjan
week
Dinkic
Week
of the
of the
Profile
Profile
Playing the ‘B’ Side
Unlike his last departure from pow-
er, this time Mr. Dinkic’s exit has
not left the government in tatters,
but his political future now depends
not on his skills but on President
Tadic’s readiness to forgive.
By Slobodan Georgijev
T
he enfant terrible of Serbian
politics decided to shake up
the sleepy Serbian government
when he said openly on local
TV 5 that key decisions were not taken
within the government building.
“We should stop fooling ourselves -
Prime Minister Cvetkovic does not have
the power to do anything. The decisions
makers are not in government minis-
tries” said Dinkic in a statement that
caused turmoil in Serbian politics.
Prime Minister Cvetkovic reacted
surprisingly quickly, announcing at a
press conference that he had decided
to relieve Mr Dinkic of the positions of
deputy prime minister and minister for
the economy.
“The government can not work
anymore with people like Dinkic” said
Mr Cvetkovic.
Equally surprisingly, Dinkic accepted
ple on the web do not want to interact with that decision and said that he would
someone whose profile has been written by a resign together with Verica Kalanovic,
PR agency and they know how to recognise minister of national investment plan, who
authenticity,” she says.
Miroljub Radojkovic, professor of com-
is also a member of Dinkic’s G17+ party.
“If people think that new investment
munications at Belgrade University says that in the Serbian economy and new jobs for
the people are not enough, then OK, I
Serbian parties are not ready for internet com-
munication. “Just look at their websites, they will go, but we will continue to support
government in order to strengthen the
are dead... Even those who have posted their
platforms or views have written them over 4 process of EU accession” said Dinkic.
or 5 pages. They do not realise that the aver-
age internet reader does not read paragraphs
From 2001, when he became gover-
nor of the National bank of Serbia, Din-
for longer then 5 seconds and that they stay on
kic has been an important figure in all
governments. He formed the G17+ party
a website for about 30 seconds.”
Radojkovic says that one of the reasons
in 2003 and when he was removed as
National Bank Governor, he succeeded
why political parties do not invest in web
communications is the fact that as many as
in bringing down the government. He
did the same thing in 2007 when he left
half of all voters do not use the internet. “The the position of minister of finance.
electorate is split. The average age is 41 and His reaction this time may reflect a
most people older than 45, who are economi- weakening of his power base. Analysts
cally active and believe that it’s their duty to say that he doesn’t have support for his
vote, do not use computers.” ideas among the opposition and that this
Communities on social networks thrive on explains why he continues to support
two way communication and without it, users the current administration. His party too
drift away. During the last election campaign seems to be floundering and would be un-
Boris Tadic promoted a website where he able, according to public opinion surveys,
would be available to the public and answer to garner enough support to make it into
their questions. parliament if elections were held today.
“Soon after it was launched, the website Irrespective of his continued support
was practically dead and commenting on the for the government, his attack on Mr Tad-
YouTube videos was blocked. It is absurd, be- ic’s associates will not be easily forgotten.
cause the point of the web is communication, But whilst he waits for his enemies
dialogue and exchange,” says Djermanovic. to make their next move he can perhaps
“It would take more time than any politi- seek consolation in his music. The
cian has (to answer every question) but they Serbian association of composers an-
could engage a young team to moderate their nounced that Mr Dinkic’s songs, written
profiles and select questions that they should for a range of different singers, were
answer, but for that to happen their mentality among the ten most broadcast in Serbia
has to change and they have to view policy in 2010, earning him around €3,000 in
as a public matter, in the public interest and royalty payments.
remember that they are elected by the public,” “I can not believe it, I’m surprised”
says Radojkovic. Mr Dinkic said when told of the news.
4 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011
Belgrade
Pancevo’s
most loyal
worker
Teaching, many say,
is more of a vocation
than a job and for
Aleksandar Petrovic
this is surely the case.
After retiring some
24 years ago, Petro-
vic, 83, still comes to
work every day.
By Gordana Andric
G
randpa, as everyone at
school calls Aleksandar
Petrovic, has been a teacher
at Pancevo’s Mechanical En-
gineering High school since
1966. Despite retiring in the
80s he comes daily to the school’s workshop
where he has spent his working life.
“This job is what keeps grandpa moving.
I’m sure that he would die if someone told him
that he couldn’t come to school any more,”
says Aleksandar Nikolovski, a colleague and
a former student of Aleksandar Petrovic.
Always well groomed, in a suit and tie,
grandpa comes to ‘work’ by bike and he is usu-
ally the first to arrive. “I have never come to
workshop not wearing a suit and a tie. That’s
how I dress. I wanted to be a good example to
my students and to show them how they should,
not just dress, but behave,” says Petrovic.
His co-workers say they have never seen
Aleksandar in the bad mood, and just once
have they seen him unshaven. “When he had
a heart attack, about a decade ago, doctors
brought him back to life three times. I went
to see him in a hospital and asked how he felt,
he answered ‘good, good, just my chest stings
for some reason. That was the only time I ever
saw him unshaven,” says Nikolovski.
Petrovic lives alone and has never been
married, though in his time, according to some
of his elderly lady colleagues he was quite the
charmer. Alekandar’s co-workers and friends
say that he has perfect manners.
Hidden Belgrade
Few Belgraders are aware of the significance of what appears to
be little more than a pile of rocks in Pionirski Park on the corner
of Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra and Kneza Milosa Street. However,
it is the remains of a watchtower brought to Belgrade from a
World War I battlefield in Kajmakcalan, Macedonia.
Twelve thousand Serbian soldiers lost their lives in the 1916 bat-
tle and the remains of the watchtower were brought to Belgrade
in 1928.
During the eighties metal plaques bearing the faces of the Serbi-
an and French generals who commanded the Thessalonika front
were fixed to the remains.
Aleksandar Petrovic pictured in the school workshop.
“He is one of a kind, you rarely meet such
people. Irrespective of his age, his mind is
sharp and he is always positive, always polite
to everyone,” says Jovan Prazic, the work-
shop manager.
Aleksandar himself admits that he can’t re-
member when he had a dispute with anyone.
“Since the liberation (at the end of World War
II) no one has said a bad word to me, nor did I
have an argument with anyone.”
As he is retired, Aleksandar doesn’t work
directly with the children but spends his days
fixing machines, cleaning them and sharpen-
ing tools. And he is always there when his
younger colleagues need advice.
“Technique has developed since grandpa’s
times, but the basics are the same and when-
ever we need help, he has the perfect answer.
We have all learned so much from him and we
are still learning. Not just about the job,” says
professor Sorin Blagojev.
Although he contributes in every way he
can, the school can’t pay him for his work as
he is no longer an official employee. This,
however, is not a problem for grandpa - he
work just for pleasure.
“This is his second home, he spent his life
here. You know, although he has not one obli-
gation to us - he always calls to say if he is not
coming the next day. Especially, since he had
his heart attack. That day when he didn’t show
up, we were so concerned because we knew
that something had happened. Now he always
calls, so that we don’t worry,” say
FEST
to show
the best
T
he 39 International Film Festival
th
opens on February 25th with Ralph
Fiennes’ Coriolanus, some of which
was shot in Belgrade last year. By
the time the event comes to a close on March
6th FEST will have given about 70 movies
their first Belgrade showing. The event aims
to bring to the audience the best in recent
cinema along with one or two prize winners
from festivals around the region.
Along with Ralph Fiennes’ directorial
debut Coriolanus , FEST will showcase Oscar
nominees such as Tom Hooper’s The Kings’
Speech, the Coen brothers’ remake of True
Grit, Danny Boyle’s 127 hours, Darren Aro-
nofsky’s Black Swan and Charles Ferguson’s
documentary, Inside Job.
The Programme includes Venice winner,
Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere and Cannes
Grand Prix winner, Xavier Beauvois’s Of
Gods and Men, a French drama based on a
true story.
Alongside the main programme, the World
Film Panorama offers 16 titles from outside
the mainstream. This year, the programme
offers Takeshi Kitano’s Outrage, Pablo
Trapero’s Carancho, and Ebrahim Saeedi’s
Mandoo.
The festival covers the genres from
tragedy to comedy. The organisers say that
the festival is striving hard to win back the
pre-eminence that the festival had in the days
of the Former Yugoslavia and selector, Ivan
Karl promises that Fest will be a “trip around
the world in 10 days”.
Along with the usual venues of the Sava
Centar, the Belgrade Cultural Centre and
the Museum of the Yugoslav Film Archive
Kinoteka, this year there will be screenings
in the newly refurbished Dom Omladine. All
will be screening movies from 11 a.m. to 10
p.m.
Ticket sales are already well underway
at the venue box offices and for the films
screened in Sava Centar, at Bilet Centar.
Ticket prices range from 150 to 500 dinars
depending on the show.
The first FEST, opened on January 9th
1971 with Robert Altman’s Mash and the
event soon became among the most impor-
tant festivals on the continent and a pillar of
Belgrade’s cultural life. Since then FEST has
screened about 3,900 international films and
hosted numerous famous artists, among them
Harvey Keitel, Bernardo Bertolucci, Robert
de Niro, Johnny Depp and Wim Wenders.
Belgrade
New exhibition to offer
balanced take on Yugoslavia
Serbian, Croatian
and Bosnian histo-
rians are working
together on the
renovation plan
for the Museum of
Yugoslav History.
By Gordana Andric
I
n the last 30 years about 20 million
people have visited the House of
Flowers at the Museum of Yugoslav
History, the last resting place of Yu-
goslav leader Josip Broz Tito. This
museum is by some margin, the most
visited museum in the country.
At the moment most exhibitions are cen-
tred around the man himself but for the for
last two years museum officials have been
planning the museum’s refurbishment in or-
der to make it a place that presents a fuller
history of Yugoslavia.
At a meeting earlier this month in Bel-
grade, Bosnian and Croatian experts and his-
torians joined local officials to help with the
project’s preparation and put together the final
plan for the future look of the museum dedi-
cated to the country that fell apart in a bloody
civil war.
“The exhibitions will be organised themati-
cally and they will present development of the
Yugoslav idea, creation of the country and its fall.
“The disintegration of the country will
probably be placed at the exit and the space
for that period is small. This has nothing to do
with politics, but with the fact that we want
to present whole and complex history on the
country and there is just not enough space,”
says historian Predrag Markovic.
The museum will present the history of the
country from 1918 to the nineties with special
exhibitions dedicated to the nations that made
Yugoslavia and people who had a crucial in-
fluence on the country - not just Tito, but the
Karadjordjevic royal family as well.
“We can think what ever we want about
Yugoslavia, but that state marked the lives of
Crime
Trucker murdered at the roadside
Predrag Ostojic, a 31 year old lorry driver died in
hospital in Valjevo, after he was stabbed in the chest.
Ostojic was murdered in a field close to the road af-
ter his assailants tried to rob him. Police say that he
was stabbed as he tried to defend himself. Ostojic
managed to call a friend who took him to hospital,
where he died of his injuries. Police have arrested
three men and a woman.
Mother and son found dead
Bozica Nesic, 83 year old and her 61 year old son
Momcilo were found dead in their family house in
Pancevo. Police believe that mother and son were
poisoned. The bodies of the two bore no traces
of violence and there were no obvious signs of a
robbery. The bodies of were found by a Romanian
couple who were caring for the couple.
The museum at the ‘House of Flowers’ will unveil the new exhibition in May.
generations, in a good and in a bad way. Yu-
goslavia wasn’t just the idyllic picture from
propaganda movies where young people were
smiling or hugging Tito, nor just the ‘dun-
geon’ of this or that nation or the country of
persecution and repression,” Croatian histo-
rian, Hrvoje Klasic told daily Jutarnji list.
The current museum was established in
1996 and has 200,000 exhibits displayed in a
16,000m2 space, set in 9 hectares of parkland.
Most pieces in the collection are related to
Tito, including such diverse objects as a rock
from the Moon, a gift from US astronauts, and
Tito’s dentures.
Police seize skunk
Belgrade police arrested six men on suspicion
of drug dealing and seized 83.5kg of skunk and
€10,000. Five of the men are Montenegrin citizens
and police allege that they are linked to a criminal
group that is the main distributor of skunk in East
Europe.
Drunk shoots cousin
A drunken night out led to the death of 23 year old
Goran Belic who was shot by his cousin,19 year
old Aleksandar Perovic. The gun was thrown into a
nearby river. Under questioning, Perovic told police
that he had little memory of what happened but
that the two arrived at Perovic’s house and started
playing with a gun, chasing each other round the
house. Perovic said that he accidentally fired at his
cousin. Perovic is in detention awaiting charges.
Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011
Consumer Watch
The Museum holds a collection of 22,000
batons made from different materials many
with messages inside which were presented
to Tito each year on his birthday by runners
arriving from across the country, 145 medals
from 67 countries that Tito received during
his presidency, along with a huge collection
of photos, movies, negatives, books and let-
ters sent to the President for Life.
The House of flowers is the first in line for
renovation and, if everything goes to plan, the
new exhibition in a restored, contemporary
space will open in May.
Porky Intruder In ‘Pork Theft’
Goran Z was arrested after a bizarre theft attempt
from the Zitopromet farm. The 38 year old allegedly
broke into the farm, killed two pigs with a 60kg
metal bar and slaughtered them. Startled farm dogs
raised the alarm and security guards gave chase. Af-
ter ten minutes, unfit Goran Z stopped running and
told the chasing guards he had heart problems. After
hospital treatment he was taken into custody.
Post office ‘robbers’ arrested
Two hours after a robbery at a post office, police ar-
rested Ivan Vujosevic and Veljko Puzovic and seized
money allegedly stolen in the raid. According to the
witnesses, two masked and armed robbers entered
the post office in the Belgrade suburb of Mirijevo,
disarmed the security guard and took about 9 mil-
lion dinars.
5
*Certain
Conditions
Apply
By Chris Farmer
Wouldn’t it be nice if advertising were
truthful?
Today I had the opportunity, driving around
the city and being bombarded by billboards,
to fly to Europe for ninety-nine euros! To ask
about a personal loan at zero percent inter-
est! To buy a new car for no money down!
Of course, since I was driving, I did not avail
myself of these unbelievable opportunities.
Moreover, as I was driving, I failed to see the
significance of the insidious asterisk behind
each offer.
Generally speaking, the asterisk can mean
only one thing: ‘BEWARE: We are lying to
you.’
But somehow we do not see the little
asterisk after €99* or zero percent interest*
or no money down*. To us they are mere
typographic anomalies interfering with the
tremendous savings we are being offered.
Usually these asterisks are there to apply a
few important conditions in order to get the
good deal. For example, for my plane ticket,
the advert reads: ‘Fly to Europe for EUR 99*’
and when we skip down to the asterisk, we
see how:
*Fare applicable from the Port of Belgrade,
Serbia, which is already a geographical part
of Europe, so we will charge €99 just for
standing next to our counter in the airport
and allow you to buy a ticket to Athens for
€975.50 plus tax.
Asking about a personal loan at zero percent
interest*
*Asking is free and unless we give you any
money - for which you need to have at least
twice the amount requested in your account
and twice as much again in guarantees - we
will not charge you any interest on the time
spent inquiring about our loans (unless you
take too long).
Buying a brand new car for no money down*
*Yeah, OK. Listen up, friend. If you REALLY
think that you are getting a new car for no
money then I seriously wonder how you got
your driving licence to begin with. But if you
truly insist on believing this, then I have a
small property on the moon which you might
also be interested in buying from me.
Sadly, truth in advertising is just another
amusing oxymoron (from the Greek, you-
are-a-moron) with which we must contend
in our daily lives. The asterisk is so useful to
advertisers. I am only sorry we cannot use it
in everyday speech.
Nice to see you!*
The cheque is in the mail.*
Of course you do not look fat in that dress.*
Christen Bradley Farmer, founder and presi-
dent of MACH IV Consulting and co-founder
of Farmer & Spaic, Business and Media
Consulting, has been involved in numerous
writing and publication projects since arriving
in Serbia. Farmer regularly shares his obser-
vations on life Belgrade in Politika and in his
B92 English blog.
6 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011
Regional
Albanian video scandal
takes Hollywood twist
Region in brief
Tirana_A former minister who vide-
otaped his colleague allegedly discuss-
ing corrupt deals now finds himself at
the centre of an allegedly incriminat-
ing film. Former economy minister
Dritan Prifit released a video to local
media earlier this year which allegedly
shows former deputy minister Ilir Meta
discussing corrupt deals, but now pros-
ecutors have announced that IT experts
have found another video on Prifti’s
computer. The new video purports to
show Prifti dividing up €70,000 with
deputy minister of economy Leonard
Beqiraj. The general prosecutor has
requested that parliament strip both
Meta and Prifit of their immunity from
prosecution.
Srebrenica families
to sue Del Ponte
Sarajevo_Two Bosnian NGOs, Women
of Srebrenica and Mothers of Srebreni-
ca, are planning to file a lawsuit against
former Hague Tribunal chief prosecutor
Carla Del Ponte over the destruction of
evidence at the court. The two groups
will ask the court to determine Del Pon-
te’s responsibility for the destruction of
items found in mass graves which were
used as evidence by the Hague Tribunal.
The families claim that personal effects
found with the bodies should have been
returned to them.
Croatian veterans
rally for indicted soldiers
Zagreb_About a thousand war veterans
from across Croatia gathered in Gru-
bisno Polje on Sunday to express their
support for two wartime military leaders
who are in custody abroad on suspicion
of war crimes. The protesters addressed
their demands to the government,
parliament and Croatian President Ivo
Josipovic during their demonstration
in support of Veljko Maric, who is in
custody in Serbia, and Tihomir Purda,
who is in custody in Bosnia, awaiting
extradition to Serbia. Both men are ac-
cused of war crimes committed during
the 1991-1995 conflict.
Minorities quit Macedonian
census commission
Skopje_A walk-out by ethnic Albanian
and Turkish members of the cencus
commission has added to the list of
headaches facing the crisis-hit head
count, due to take place in April. The
row centres on the number of ethnic
minority members appointed to the
8,500-strong force tasked with collect-
ing the data. The six Albanians and two
Turks on the commission said they were
unhappy with the way the Macedo-
nian majority on the commission was
selecting census-takers. The head of the
census commission, Vesna Janevska,
declined to comment on the boycott.
Former Bulgarian
president fined for slap
Sofia_The Sofia City Court has found
former Bulgarian president Petar
Stoyanov guilty for slapping a journalist
and fined him €250. The magistrates
said they issued a light sentence because
of Stoyanov’s otherwise clean record.
The case was filed by a journalist from
the nationalist SKAT TV, Petar Zhekov,
who said the then president Stoyanov
slapped him in September 2009, while
he was filming a report about a cer-
emony commemorating the victims of
Communism.
Macedonian
remains a
dirty word in
Bulgaria
People in southwest Bulgaria are having a
hard time declaring themselves as ethnic
Macedonians in the ongoing census – proof
that this ethnic minority is far from winning
acceptance in the country.
By Boryana Dzhambazova
W
hen Emil Pahler,
from the Bulgar-
ian town of Bla-
goevgrad, said
he wanted to be
counted as an
ethnic Macedo-
nian, the census-
takers visiting his town said no. “There aren’t
any Macedonians in Bulgaria,” one of them told
him.
On February 11th, on the second day of the
population count in the Balkan country, Pahler,
51, welcomed two officials responsible for fill-
ing in the questionnaires for his neighbourhood
into his home. Little did he know that he would
soon find himself having to justify his choice of
ethnic identity to them.
“We were arguing for more than 15 minutes
over the existence of Macedonians, and in the
end I’m not sure which ethnic group the official
put me in,” he told Balkan Insight. “They basi-
cally don’t count us as a people,” he complained,
Future looks dark for Romania’s white witches
Keen to raise money, Romania’s government plans to tax
the country’s many ‘white’ witches, healers and seers -
and even fine them for making inaccurate predictions.
By Marian Chiriac
“B
eware of witches. They are not
allowed to make predictions in
this area”. So reads a poster near
the entrance of Bucharest’s Marie
Curie Children’s Hospital.
Few take the warning seriously. “Almost every
day you see Gypsy women soothsayers casting
spells for the health of the children in hospital here,”
a hospital housekeeper says. “Many people want it
and pay a little money for this service. People need
someone to tell them their little ones will be OK.”
Belief in spells and superstitions is a serious
matter in Romania and witchcraft still plays a part
in the country, where so-called “white” magic
[benign as opposed to malevolent in intention] is
puffing away at his cigarette, still irritated by the
experience.
Pahler shouldn’t have been so surprised.
Since the rise of the Bulgarian nationalist move-
ment in the 1870s, Bulgarians have seen Slavic
Macedonians as a part of their own ethnic family
- as a people with their own regional and local
customs, perhaps, but not as a distinct nationality.
Krasimir Kanev, chair of the Bulgarian Hel-
sinki Committee, a human rights organisation,
says Pahler’s experience with the census-takers
is far from unusual.
It is not the first time that the authorities have
tried to bully ethnic Macedonians in a popula-
tion count, he adds.
“There were similar cases during the previ-
ous census as well,” he continues. “Some offi-
cials are advised to act like this by the authori-
ties while others feel motivated by some kind of
personal pseudo-patriotism”.
Just before the start of the census, last month,
another incident caught the attention of human
rights activists.
Police raided the offices of a printing house
in Blagoevgrad and seized copies of a leaflet that
called on people to register as Macedonians in
the coming census.
While rights activists complained of discrim-
ination, far-right parties reserved their condem-
widely tolerated, even by the Orthodox Church to
which more than 80 per cent of Romanians belong.
Leading politicians too believe in unseen pow-
ers. Last January, Mircea Geoana, leader of the
main opposition Social Democratic Party, PSD,
was quoted as saying that he only lost December’s
presidential election runoff due because he was at-
tacked by ‘negative energy’ channelled by support-
ers of his opponent, President Traian Basescu.
December’s elections were a close run thing.
The final results, giving Basescu enjoying a razor-
thin lead over Geoana, contradicted the exit polls,
all of which showed Geoana on course for victory.
Romania’s centre-right government is now try-
ing to use people’s fondness for superstition to help
the recession-hit country collect more taxes.
Starting this year, the government has changed
the labour laws to officially recognise the centuries-
old practice of fortune telling as a taxable profes-
sion and, as a result, begin taxing seers and witches.
nation for the Macedonian activists, accusing
them of being anti-Bulgarian.
Kanev sees the police raid as a blatant move
to intimidate ethnic Macedonians and says it is
no surprise the raid occurred just before the cen-
sus began.
“It’s a clear sign to the Macedonian com-
munity that the state disapproves of people who
officially declare themselves as ethnic Macedo-
nians,” he told Balkan Insight.
Emil Evtimov, a member of the OMO Ilinden
Pirin Party, from Blagoevgrad, says people are
afraid to say out loud that they feel Macedonian.
“At the dinner table, people have no trouble
identifying themselves as Macedonians but they
don’t state this officially, because they worry it
will cause trouble or even cost them their jobs,”
he said.
While some witches have reacted angry, threat-
ening to use cat excrement and dead dogs to curse
Emil Boc’s government, others have a more nu-
anced attitude.
“As a genuine fortune teller and healer, I’m
against the many false soothsayers who claim to
be professionals - which is why I’m all for pub-
lic recognition of our trade”, Irina Primavara told
Balkan Insight.
That doesn’t mean the self-proclaimed ‘queen
witch’ is keen to pay taxes on her craft, however.
“This recognition should come from the people wish-
ing to use our services, not from the government,” she
adds. “They just want to get more money from us. If
it were possible, they’d tax the very air we breathe”.
Irina Primavara is a quite different from the
classic image of a witch as a scary old woman.
She’s young and dresses in casual clothes with a
lot of gold jewellery.
On the other hand, she is surrounded by po-
tions, charms, holy water and ceramic pots. Irina
speaks directly, using simple terms. Well under-
standing the power of modern communications,
she has a personal website on which she markets
a range of services, from reading cards or crystal
balls to divination and the casting of spells.
Regional
Bulgaria’s “Macedonian question” dates back
to the early 1900s, when Bulgaria, Greece and
Serbia all cast covetous eyes on the Ottoman
province of Macedonia, hoping to claim it as
their own.
The Bulgarians were more successful than
the others in spreading their national cause
among the local Slavic Christian population,
and most Bulgarians thought it just a
matter of time before all or most of
the province fell into their lap.
To their dismay, however, Serbian
and Greek armies seized the bulk of
the territory in the Balkan wars of
1912-13 and only a small portion of
the Ottoman province joined Bulgaria.
Bulgaria was the first country to
recognise the independence of the Re-
public of Macedonia - which comprises the
old Serbian portion of Macedonia - in the
1990s but Sofia still is reluctant to rec-
ognise the existence of a Macedonian
language and a Macedonian minor-
ity in Bulgaria.
While Sofia and Skopje have
had good relations in recent
years, unresolved issues concern-
ing Macedonian nationality still lin-
ger between the two neighbours and
sometimes cause tension.
For more than 20 years,
since the fall of communism,
the Bulgarian state has re-
fused to register OMO Ilin-
den Pirin, an ethnic Macedonian
Many Romanians turn to
witches in times of crisis.
Photo by Sebastian Markovici
Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011
Bulgaria’s ethnic Macedonian
community celebrating in Melnik
by the statue of Macedonian
revolutionary, Jane Sandanski
(pictured below).
“We were argu-
ing for more than
15 minutes over
the existence of
Macedonians, and
in the end I’m not
sure which ethnic
group the official
put me in.”
“I deliver magical help to everyone in need,”
she explains. “Most often, people come to me be-
cause they have problems in love or business. If
they believe in God and come with an open heart, I
can help them,” she says.
Primavara agrees that a practicing witch or
fortune-teller should register for a licence with the
local authority. But she draws the line at new regu-
lations that threaten soothsayers with fines and jail
terms for making inaccurate predictions.
“How can I know if a client has strictly fol-
lowed all my advice?” she asks. “If not, it’s his or
her fault, not mine. My job is like a doctor’s. Have
you ever heard of a doctor being found guilty be-
cause his patient didn’t take his prescription?”
Romania’s upper house of parliament, the sen-
ate, adopted the legislation early this month, but
the law change must still gain the approval of a
committee and the lower house of parliament, the
Chamber of Deputies.
The law will be hard to enforce, as witches are
paid in cash. A standard payment for a witch’s ser-
vices is around €10 to 15, often with some other
goods, such as food, drinks or packs of cigarettes,
thrown in as extras.
For their part, legislators say the new law will
7
party, insisting that its existence was unconsti-
tutional.
Although it has somehow remained active, it
is often the target of attacks by nationalists claim-
ing it is a separatist group and a threat to national
security.
The case reached the European Court on Hu-
man Rights, in Strasbourg, which in 2005 ruled
that the ban on the party was unjustified.
But six years on, OMO Ilinden Pirin’s legal
status remains uncertain as the government has
yet to register the organisation.
Anti-Macedonian rhetoric is still common in
the Bulgarian media, and has its echo in the press
on the other side of the border.
Many ordinary Bulgarians are hostile to-
wards the idea of Macedonia as a distinct na-
tion, saying Macedonian is no more than a dia-
lect of Bulgarian.
Officially, around 5,000 ethnic Macedonians
live in Bulgaria today, 3,000 of whom live in the
Blagoevgrad region, according to the last nation-
al census held ten years ago.
But local observers say that if there was less
official hostility, the declared number of local
Macedonians would be several times higher.
Raina Stamenova, a declared Macedonian
from Krupnik, a village near Blagoevgrad, re-
calls her unpleasant experience with the police a
few years ago when she signed a petition backing
OMO Ilinden Pirin’s right to register.
“Along with some of my neighbours, the po-
lice questioned us just because we’d signed the
petition,” she said.
Kanev says such cases show how little pro-
gress Bulgaria has made on the Macedonian
question. “Discrimination towards the Macedo-
nian minority has been a constant problem and
just last year the courts refused to register another
Macedonian organisation for some ridiculous
reasons,” he said.
Georgi Hristov, editor of Narodna Volia,
(People’s Will), a newspaper devoted to the
Macedonian minority, says he doesn’t un-
derstand what the problem is. The commu-
nity doesn’t cherish any separatist demands or
even ideas. “We just want our rights respected
and the Macedonian minority to be recog-
nised,” he said.
But Kanev is pessimistic that Bulgaria is ready to
take steps in this direction. “I doubt the Macedonian
minority in Bulgaria will be officially recognised
any time soon,” he said. “At least not during the life-
time of the current government, which depends on
the support of the [nationalist] Ataka party.”
Stamenova agrees, and this is why she says
Macedonians should take more pro-active meas-
ures. “We should follow the example of people in
Greece and block the border until they recognise
us,” she told Balkan Insight.
regulate witchcraft as a profession and protect peo-
ple’s rights at the same time.
“All people earning money should be taxed.
That applies to witches as much as anyone else,”
says Ciprian Nica, an MP who supports the bill.
The bill will mandate witches to keep work per-
mits, provide receipts for their services and it also
obliges them to stay away from schools and churches.
Nica admits that it could be difficult to prove
whether they have performed their services or pre-
dicted things accurately.
“There must be signed a contract between the
witches and a client asking for their services. If any
of the soothsayers fail to provide the service they
promised, they will face fines or even jail for offer-
ing inappropriate services,” Nica says.
Most ordinary people however, pour scorn on
the new legislation.
“Certainly, no witches will declare their real in-
come,” says Valentin Stan, a 63-year-old pensioner
who maintains that he has never gone to witches
for rituals or spells.
“If the law is really going to be equally applied,
why not extend it to financial advisors and political
analysts as well,” he jokes.
“They also offer advice and make predictions!”
8 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011
Business
Dinkic’s exit leaves
business as usual
The ousting of Econ-
omy Minister Mladjan
Dinkic last week is
unlikely to frighten off
investors in Serbia any
more than the poor
business environment
loaded with red tape
and overdue reforms
that he has left behind.
By Vera Ovanin
P
rime Minister Mirko
Cvetkovic said on Febru-
ary 14th that he was seek-
ing to replace Dinkic
over policy and person-
nel disputes and follow-
ing Dinkic’s recent statements to local
media that the current coalition gov-
ernment is disjointed and laden with
problems.
Dinkic, the outgoing deputy gov
leader, offered to resign the following
day, adding that conditions would be
unchanged for foreign investors who
receive up to €10,000 for each job cre-
ated.
“It’s the best policy this govern-
ment has put in place,” Bloomberg
quoted Dinkic as telling news broad-
caster B92 in a live broadcast last
week, crediting the incentives as a
reason for Serbia’s 24 per cent in-
crease in exports in 2010. He said his
political party, G17 Plus, would con-
tinue supporting the ruling coalition to
prevent instability or the risk of early
elections.
The subsidies programme, ac-
cording to Miroslav Zdravkovic from
Belgrade-based think-tank ekonomija.
org, will remain on track as planned in
the 2011 budget.
“The (firing of Dinkic) will not
have any major effect in terms of Ser-
bia attracting investors. Our (foreign
direct) investments are already at an
all-time low. This is more or less the
same case scenario worldwide and it
has nothing to do with political chang-
es,” Zdravkovic said.
Dinkic’s dismissal is unlikely to
further affect a business envi-
ronment already beset by red
tape.
Serbia expects to attract about €3.0
billion in foreign direct investment,
FDI, this year, the head of the coun-
try’s investment and export promotion
agency SIEPA, Bozidar Laganin, said
earlier. The nation attracted €1.37 bil-
lion in FDI last year.
According to Goran Nikolic from
the government’s Institute for Eu-
ropean Studies investors will not be
intimidated by the changes as long as
Dinkic’s successor is an equally ag-
gressive type and just as dedicated to
luring in companies.
“What the government needs is to
find someone who is just as agile as
Dinkic - someone who will chase peo-
ple, because that is what Dinkic did,
he literally chased investors to come
here.
“[His successor] should be some-
one who will continue with Dinkic’s
policy of giving subsidies and all
kinds of tidbits to investors. It is obvi-
ously not a good sign when a minister
of this type who has a certain reputa-
tion is fired.
“A small country such as Serbia,
which has really nothing to offer, and
which does not have its legal frame-
work in order, has to offer something.
Investors that will come here already
have established retail chains and es-
tablished distribution and they will
leave something here where people
are on the brink of survival.”
But investment consultant Milan
Kovacevic says Dinkic’s successor
should be someone who will gradu-
ally do away with the subsidies pro-
gramme and focus on reforms that cut
red tape and promote exports.
“It is certain that the government
will continue to subsidise investors
but I hope that it will start to do it in
a more rational way. Rumour has it
that the subsidies were given based on
arbitrary decisions and that there was
a lot of bargaining involved, who will
get how much money etc.” Kovacevic
explained.
“What the government must do is
step up reforms of red tape. Dinkic an-
nounced the now infamous Operation
Guillotine years ago, which we know
yielded no results,” he said. In a bid
to lure investors, Serbia’s government
Business in brief
launched Operation Guillotine in the
summer of 2008, aiming to chop ob-
solete and redundant regulations that
hinder and stall investment, but only
10 per cent of the recommendations
have been adopted so far, Djordje
Vukovic form the task force in charge
of the initiative said in June.
Sasa Djogovic, an economist with
Belgrade-based think-tank IZIT, said
Dinkic’s dismissal could lead to more
changes within the government,
which won’t sit easily with foreign
capital holders.
“Any way you look at it, the gov-
ernment is on its last legs. We have
now entered a period of transition
until elections are called,” he told
SeeNews last week.
“...Existing as well as any poten-
tial investors may postpone their de-
cision-making during this transition
period, which shouldn’t last long,”
Djogovic said.
Cvetkovic said that a replacement
for Dinkic will be announced two
weeks after February 14th.
The Pro-western democratic par-
ty, DS, and the party of Serbia’s for-
mer strongman Slobodan Milosevic,
SPS, alongside G17 Plus and several
smaller parties, make up the ruling
government coalition. Serbia is due
to hold general elections in the spring
of 2012.
Vera Ovanin covers Serbian econ-
omy and business for corporate
wire SeeNews.
Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011 9
Out & About
$200 million potential
exports to Turkey
Exports to Turkey are
currently running at $50
million (€37 million), but
have the potential to reach
$200 million (€147 mil-
lion) according to Turkish
Ambassador to Serbia Ali
Riza Colak. At the opening
of the second Serbia-
Tukey business forum, he
revealed that Serbian Prime
Minister Mirko Cvetkovic
is to visit Turkey on March
10th to discuss economic
co-operation between the
two countries. A trade
agreement between Serbia
and Turkey, put in place in
September last year opened
up new business opportuni-
ties and reduced customs
tariffs planned for 2015 will
It’s a regatta Jim...
add impetus.
Alpha rejects
NBG takeover
Alpha Bank, one Greece’s
leading operators has
rejected a merger with its Although regattas elsewhere are usually reserved for the There are also a number of ‘ethno villages’ in control. The Turks called it ‘Sultan’s Bride’.
biggest competitor, the warm summer months, Serbians are made of sterner stuff. the area. These take many forms but will usually However, the region’s true potential lies in its
So if you are keen on the water and nature, or just need to feature cottages or apartments built in a tradition- nature. There are several places that you shouldn’t
National Bank of Greece,
al and rustic manner with restaurants serving tra- miss. The little Ljubovija River has carved out
NBG. The NBG offer of get out of your routine, head for the Drina regatta. ditional cuisine. One of the most popular of these a canyon near the town and it is spanned by a
eight shares of the new ‘ethno’ villages is actually located at the regatta’s rare Ottoman bridge that has managed to resist
entity for every 11 shares in gatta is not so much about competing in a class destination - Vrhopolje. the ravages of time. The Tresnjica river has also
Alpha Bank was described By Gordana Andric or size of boat, but a more family thing. It’s about The Drina River has for millennia formed carved its way down through the rocks, leaving
I
as “inadequate”. Previous families and friends, packed in boats that could a boundary - between the Western and Eastern behind small islands in its stream as it descends
merger plans collapsed be generously called modest, just spending some Roman Empires and later the Austro Hungarian some 800 metres.
in late 2001. Both banks time together. Empire and Ottoman Empire and more recently Above Ljubovija rises the Bobija mountain, a
f you didn’t grow up in a former the river has at least in part separated Serbia from perfect place for mountain climbing, hiking and
have been present in Serbia The event starts at 11 a.m. in the small vil-
communist country, you might need lage of Gornja Tresnjica and lasts for about three Bosnia. mountain biking and paragliding. The mountain
since 2002. Alpha acquired a reminder that on March 8th much
hours, until the boats reach Vrhopolje. Between In 1914, when the river formed the border be- hosts more than a hundred cold springs of which
Yubanka AD Beograd in of Eastern Europe celebrates Inter-
the two villages the winding Drina River is at tween Austria-Hungary and Serbia, major mili- the most famous is Dobra Voda (Good water).
2005, while NBG took national Women’s Day. And what tary operations were mounted along its length. The Dobre Vode church is one of 12 in the re-
its most beautiful and wild. The Drina’s erratic
over Vojvodjanska Bank in better way to tell the women in your course here is remembered in the local saying, Mackov kamen (literally ‘cat’s rock’) was the gion built in honour of the Twelve Apostles. In the
2006. life that you love them that to take ‘Who can straighten the crooked Drina?’ used to site of a major battle. In the honour of the 2,000 churchyard there is a small canon that is fired eve-
them on a trip in an inflatable dingy refer to any task considered futile. soldiers who lost their lives there, in 1932 the ry Christmas Eve. In days past, a local man who
Airport profits fly on the icy waters of the Drina. In the spirit of The Ljubovija region is about 150 kilome- state built a memorial where their remains were wanted to get married had to lift the canon above
emancipation envisaged by the originators of tres away from Belgrade, near the border with buried. his head to prove he was ready for marriage.
Nikola Tesla Airport turned the celebration, you might even suggest that Bosnia. Three hours drive will get you to this In recent years, another historical site - Soko- On your way back to Belgrade, stop by the
they do the rowing. untouristed destination. Although there is not grad has become a famous pilgrimage and excur- town Osecina, about 40 kilometres away from
in profit of 2.24 billion
In general however Regattas usually have a commercial tourist industry, there are many sion site. The town, few kilometres away from Ljubovija - you’ll be passing through it anyway
dinars in 2010, its best ever very little to do with women’s rights, so perhaps
holiday homes for rent or private houses of- Ljubovija, was once a Roman military fortress. on your way home. Osecina and its surroundings
performance. A total of 2.7 it’s best not to try to understand why the locals
fering rooms at very affordable prices and it Today, among the town’s ruins there is a gold- are famous for producing plums, raspberries and
million passengers were from Ljubovija choose March 8th to organise their en cross and the ten chapels representing the Ten blackberries and much of the fruit grown here is
is likely that your host will welcome you in
served, 13.2 per cent more Regatta and just go with the flow. a traditional Serbian manner - with slatko (a Commandments, which line the town’s hillside. At used to make high quality rakijas and wines, so
than in 2009”, a statement Cast all thoughts of the Americas Cup or the thick fruit syrup), a glass of water and some one time, several armies sought to control this bor- don’t miss the opportunity to taste some - pas-
from the company said. Isle of Wight Regatta from your mind. This re- home made rakija. der town, which became prosperous under Turkish sengers only, of course.
Some 300 million of the
profits will be used for
the development of the
Konstantin Veliki Airport in
Nis and the renovation and
adaptation of the military
airport in Ladjevci for pas-
senger transport.
Komercijalna Banka
to open in Germany
The Managing Board of
Komercijalna Banka has Le Molière and guitar duo ‘Yovan & Serge’ invite you to
drawn up plans to open join us for an evening of French songs every Friday night
a subsidiary operation in
Germany. The plans will
Yovan & Serge have put together an unforgettable and
be presented to an extraor- romantic set of classic Parisien songs and all you need to
dinary general meeting of do is come along, sing, dance and simply enjoy yourselves.
shareholders scheduled
for March 7th. Shares in
Komercijalna Banka have
gained 15.2 per cent in
recent trading.
10 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011 11

Arts Dining Out

Burlesque Gusti Mora

Belgrade has few
really good fish
restaurants, but,
says Trencherman,

FEST 2011
An unchallenging couple Gusti Mora is one
of hours with two of pop’s
biggest divas. of them. Just be
prepared for the bill
Musicals tend to be un- It’s that time of the year again, when you There are times when when it arrives.
challenging events and can see the best of the previous year’s
Trencherman grows wistful
in Burlesque, Cher and films at the 39th FEST film festival.
This time, the festival will be screening for his home by the sea.
Christina Aguilera help 70 films, with Coriolanus, shot largely in Armed with a well packed
you spend two relax- Belgrade, opening the festival. Aside from
wallet, on just such an
Ralph Fiennes’ modern take on Shake-
ing hours in the cinema, speare’s work, FEST welcomes some of occasion, he set out for
focusing more on cos- the Oscar contenders which have yet to
Gusti Mora.
tumes and settings than hit Belgrade cinemas.

on the story itself. The Kings Speech

What happens when a King of England
who has a pronounced stutter, must de-
liver a key radio address to soldiers leav-
By Andrej Klemencic

T
ing for war? He resorts to an extravagant
speech therapist who must transform a
shy ruler into a solid king. Stars Geoffrey
Rush and Colin Firth.
he story itself is no literary
gem. An Idaho girl goes to Black Swan
California where she sees
a special club, and decides Director Darren Arronofsky takes us on a
she wants to become a spe- voyage to the dark side of a New York City
cial act. The naive storyline Ballet star who cannot play edgy roles and
in this glitzy produc- introduces to her to her alter ego. With
tion bothered me not the By Trencherman
elements of horror and heavily relying on

slightest, because it gave so much more time
to analyse the costumes, shiny dresses and of
course the lack of thereof.
Burlesque is not a film about a small-town
girl meeting an aged star of a once legendary
club. It is also not a film about a venue in the
middle of LA’s Sunset Boulevard, but a film
about Cher and Christina Aguilera who simply
wanted to sing in the same film.
For this ambition to become flesh, they
needed an experienced crew who had previ-
ously been involved with making musicals and
to convince the money men that the audience
would like it. Both were achieved but the film
which opened in the US in late November will
leave the financiers with a very sour taste, hop-
ing that DVD sales might just recoup some of
the estimated $55 million spent on making it.
Cher sings at the beginning of the film, and
from the outset we see that even in her 60’s she
still has the voice that made her famous. Her
acting skills that won her an Oscar for Moon-
struck in 1987 seem however to be on vacation
when she sings. When Cher is in ‘her element’,
one wonders if the strange grimace coupled
Forthcoming movie highlights
with a lack of any other facial expression are a
consequence of plastic surgery or if she is just
overplaying the role. When the music stops she
becomes more natural and if the screenplay
had just a little bit of extra weight one might
just engage with her character.
Christina Aguilera as Ali is a different
story. Her ‘acting’ is based mostly on her girly
appearance and she is, primarily, a singer
with some talent for acting. With the slightly
artificial, ‘plastic’ tone to her voice, recognis-
able among many American divas that curve
their keys beyond recognition, Aguilera glides
through an array of familiar melodies with
determination, but little excitement. She is
unassertive, if one can be with such a power-
ful voice, and at times seems little more than
a clothes horse for some fairly spectacular
costumes.
From the first moments of the film, you
can sense that the Director of Photography has
done a good job. I tried hard to find a mistake
in the work of Montenegrin cinematographer
Bojan Bazelli and eventually, I succeeded. He
allowed some strong whites to burn the screen
during one of Aguilera’s solos. A good sense of
colour and clear sharp scenes in dark locations
are Bazelli’s strong points and it would be hard
to imagine that this man will not soon become
one of Hollywood’s star cinematographers.
The editing is sharp and some may find this
rhythm to be a bit too intense, but it is well
synchronised with as many as ten songs which
the cast members play and sing. The set and
costumes makes for a truly European feeling of
an underground 1930’s Paris club.
You are unlikely to leave the cinema in a
state of exhilaration, but by the same token you
are also unlikely to regret spending some 200
or so dinars on a ticket. With close-to-perfect
visual elements and some nice songs, this is a
light feel-good movie which offers the viewer
few challenges and which is unlikely to stay in
your memory much beyond the theatre door.
the erotic and mysterious, this film has
been widely praised as a masterpiece.
Stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis.
Somewhere
Sofia Coppola takes us to the alienated
world of a promising Hollywood star ana-
lysing his relationship with his daughter
and himself. A very intimate look into the
world of Hollywood, earned the film a
Golden Lion in Venice. Stars Stephen Doff
and Elle Fanning.
True Grit
After No Country for Old Men, Joel and
Ethan Cohen go to the American prairies
again - this time to re-discover the genre
of the classical western. Jeff Bridges and
Matt Damon star in a story about a girl
seeking the help of an ex US Marshall to
help her hunt down the man who killed
her family
W
hilst it may only
be a few hundred
kilometres away,
anyone who has ever
made the drive to the
Adriatic will tes-
tify that it’s a lengthy
journey nevertheless.
Anyone who has had to import anything into Serbia
will confirm that this too can be difficult, costly
and time-consuming. It’s not surprising perhaps
then that good fish restaurants are both few and
far between and very expensive. Gusti Mora was
recommended to me with the firm caveat that it was
very, very, expensive, and so it proved, but of that
more later.
Unprepossessing from the outside, the inside has
been made extensively and expensively rustic, all
pine and ironwork, barrels and sepia photographs.
We had the restaurant almost to ourselves; two other
diners were lingering over coffee.
The menu is, of course, both fishy and Italian,
and if you’ve come to eat the fish, largely superflu-
ous other than as a guide to pricing. A selection of
fresh fish arrived on ice at the table for us to choose
from - mussels, clams, scallops, some big Dublin
Bay Prawns, sea bream, a large monkfish tail, and
a number of other fish that our waiter’s English and
my aquatic knowledge were unable to describe. We
picked scallops to start, cooked as recommended
by our waiter, with goat’s cheese and parmesan. As
main dishes we chose the monkfish for two, with
roasted vegetables, and, from the menu, spaghetti
with prawns.
The wine list is safe rather than spectacular.
Everything you’d expect to see is there but very
little that pushes out the boundaries. Our choice was
a Marco Polo Posip from Croatia, which was also
safe - rounded ripe pear and peach fruit and a dry
almond finish. A nice wine but not one to send me
into raptures.
The scallops, were well cooked, still juicy in the
middle, but were overpowered by the cheese which
sat in a toasted layer over the top. Each portion was
just two queen scallops with a little salad garnish
and so was not an overly generous plateful.
A large portion of spaghetti came in a great, well
balanced, sweet tomato sauce with fresh herbs, and
a good helping of tiny prawns.
The monkfish gave up two good sized fillets,
which had been roasted alongside some potatoes,
onion, aubergine, courgette and tomato in a little
white wine. The fish was firm, flavoursome and well
cooked. Simple and delicious.
A chocolate souffle was perfect, hot sponge out-
side and oozing with chocolate when the spoon cut
into it. A panna cotta was less good. Too firm, it had
the consistency of an English blancmange and it was
also under-flavoured, relying on a sticky raspberry
topping to give it life.
In all then, a fairly successful outing, but as I had
been warned in advance, not an inexpensive trip.
Two small scallops with a salad garnish came in at
1,500 dinars and the monkfish and roasted vegeta-
bles, great though it was, 2,400 per portion.
If you absolutely have to have sea fish, then
Gusti Mora will not disappoint, and is up there with
any local alternative, but consider perhaps avoiding
the overpriced scallops and make sure that someone
else pays the bill.
Gusti Mora
Radnicka 27
Tel: 011 3551268
Price guide: 4,000 – 5,000 dinars per person for
three courses with a modest wine.

THE BOWEN TECHNIQUE

Drive Angry 3D
Director: Patrick Lussier
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner,
Katy Mixon
Nicolas Cage stars as Milton, a hardened felon who
has broken out of hell intent on finding a vicious cult
who brutally murdered his daughter and kidnapped her
baby. He joins forces with Piper, a sexy tough-as-nails
waitress, who’s also seeking redemption of her own. The
two of them are hot on the trail of the deadly leader of
the cult, all while being pursued by an enigmatic killer
who has been sent by the devil to retrieve Milton and
deliver him back to hell.
Fair Game
Director: Doug Liman
Cast: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Sonya Davison,
Michael Kelly
As a covert officer in the CIA’s Counter-Proliferation
Division, Valerie Plame leads an investigation into the
existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Her
husband, diplomat Joe Wilson is drawn into the investiga-
tion to substantiate an alleged sale of enriched uranium
from Niger. But when administration ignores his findings
and uses the issue to support its call for war, Joe writes
a New York Times editorial outlining his conclusions and
ignites a firestorm of controversy. Based on a true story.
Hell Pass
Directors: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Cast: Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate,
Jenna Fischer
Best friends Rick and Fred have both been married for
many years. When they begin to show signs of restlessness
at home, their wives take a bold approach to revitalise their
marriages: they grant the guys a ‘hell pass’, one week of
freedom to do whatever they want. No questions asked.
Rick and Fred soon discover that things are not quite as
they remember and their expectations of the single life -
and themselves - are completely and hilariously out of sync
with reality.
Hereafter
Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Matt Damon, Cecile De France,
Bryce Dallas Howard, Jay Mohr
Hereafter tells the story of three people who are haunted
by mortality in different ways. Matt Damon stars as
George, a blue-collar American who has a special con-
nection with the afterlife. On the other side of the world,
Marie, a French journalist, has a near death experience
that shakes her perception of reality. And when Marcus,
a London schoolboy, loses the person closest to him,
he desperately needs answers. Each is set on a path in
search of the truth, which will see their lives intersect.
What is it?
The Bowen Technique allows the body to reset and heal
itself. A Bowen treatment consists of a series of gentle
moves on skin (or through light clothing), with the client
lying on a treatment couch. A treatment session usually
lasts from 30 to 45 minutes and frequently results in
a deep sense of overall relaxation, allowing the body
to recharge and balance itself. The Bowen Technique
encourages a gentle response which empowers the
body’s own resources to heal itself. Bowen moves are
light, gentle and very precise. Frequent pauses between
moves give the body time to respond and benefit.
Simple and effective, the Bowen Technique is one of the
gentlest ‘hands on’ complimentary therapies available in
www.bowtech.com the world today.
Who will benefit?
Some of the wide range of conditions that may respond
well to a Bowen treatment are: Sports injuries, Stress
& Tension symptoms, Migraines & Headaches, Back
pain and Sciatica, RSI & Tennis Elbow, Neck & Shoulder
problems, Knee & Ankle problems, Asthma & Hayfever,
Menstrual irregularities, Chronic viral fatigue syndrome,
Childhood disorders, etc.
CONTACT:
Dr. Aleksandra Dragaš
Psihološko savetovalište ‘KUĆNI PRIJATELJ’
Filipa Filipovića (Sazonova) 71, Belgrade
Phone: +381 11 28 37 164
Mob. +381 64 471 23 29
12 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011 13

What’s on
CINEMAS
Belgrade’s cinemas only pub-
lish their schedules one week in
advance. Listings for future weeks
are available from the cinemas. All
provide information in English.
Roda Cineplex
Pozeska 83A, tel: 011 2545260
Rapunzel and the Bandit (3D): 15:15
Rapunzel and the Bandit: 16:00
Yogi Bear: 15:00, 16:30
Montevideo, Bog te Video (in Ser-
bian): 17:15, 20:00, 22:40
No Strings Attached: 18:10, 22:20
Burlesque: 20:100
Dom sindikata
Trg Nikole Pasica 5, tel: 011 3234849
The Tourist: 16:00, 18:00, 20:00,
22:00
Rapunzel and the Bandit (3D): 15:30,
17:15
Montevideo, Bog te Video (in Ser-
bian): 13:30, 15:15, 16:15, 17:45,
18:45, 19:15,
20:15, 21:15
Green Hornet (3D): 21:45
Tilva Ros: 22:30
Ster City Cinema
Delta City, Jurija Gagarina 16
(Blok 67), tel: 011 2203400
The Tourist: 15:40
Montevideo, Bog te Video (in Ser-
bian): 14:00, 16:50, 19:50, 22:40
Yogi Bear: 14:20, 16:00
Once Brothers: 14:40
No Strings Attached: 17:50, 20:00,
22:10
The Dilemma: 17:20, 21:20
Cinema Komunisto: 16:20
Burelsque (cut - suitable for children)
:17:40
Burlesque: 21:00, 23:20
Tuckwood Cineplex
Kneza Milosa 7, tel: 011 3236517
Green Hornet (3D): 15:45
No Strings Attached: 20:00, 22:15
Montevideo, Bog te Video (in Ser-
bian): 16:15, 19:15, 22:10
Tilva Ros: 21:05
The Tourist: 23:00
Burlesque: 17:15, 19:30, 21:50
Cinema Komunisto: 18:00
Rapunzel and the Bandits (3D):
15:10, 17:00
Green Hornet: 15:45, 20:15, 22:30
Yogi Bear: 15:30, 17:15
KOLOSEJ CINEMA
Usce Shopping Centre,
Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 4
tel: 011 2854495
The Chornicles of Narnia, The Voyage
of the Dawn Treader: 17:50
The Tempest: 20:05
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Part 1: 17:10
Magic Journey to Africa (3D): 17:20
OceanWorld 3D: 15:50
Due Date: 22:05
Gulliver’s Travels: 15:30, 18:40,
20:30
Once Brothers: 21:10, 23:00
Yogi Bear: 15:40, 17:30, 19:20
Tilva Ros: 22:20
Montevideo, Bog te Video (in Ser-
bian): 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00,
19:00, 20:00,
21:00, 22:00, 23:00
Montevideo, Bog te Video (VIP Hall -
in Serbian): 16:00, 19:00, 22:00
Gulliver’s Travels (3D) – 15:30,
18:40, 20:30
Burlesque: 17:15, 19:45, 22:15
The Mechanic: 16:10, 18:10, 20:10,
22:10
CLUBBING
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25
Paolo Mojo, Plastic, Takovska 36,
23:00
All Stars Belgrade Party, GRAD
Cultural Centre, Brace Krsmanovic
4, 22:00
Vatra-Biskoteka, Felony, Grasshopper
& Byp, Energija, Nusiceva 8, 22:00
TGIF, Francuska Sobarica, Francuska
12, 22:00
Absolute Party, The Tube, Simina 21,
23:00
Can’t Stop the Rock, KST, Bulevar
Kralja Aleksandra 76, 22:00
Power on Full, Namaste, Budimska
16, 22:00
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26
Rainbow Warriors, Dom Omladine,
Decanska 22, 22:00
Evidence, Kinnetik, Timmy, Treo and
Codex, Francuska Sobarica, Fran-
cuska 12, 22:00
El Divertido, Energija, Nusiceva 8,
22:00
Ladies Night, KST, Bulevar Kralja
Aleksandra 76, 22:00
Pookie & Dave Floyd, The Tube,
Simina 10, 23:00
Toulouse Low Track and Vladimir Ivko-
vic, 20/44, boat on Sava, 23:00
Retro Progressive Trance, Namaste,
Budimska 16, 22:00
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27
Daree, Bordel DJ Bar, Gospodar
Jevremova 6, 22:00
TUESDAY MARCH 1
Rebel B, Francuska Sobarica, Fran-
cuska 12, 22:00
WEDNESDAY MARCH 2
Positive Wednesday, Energija, Nu-
siceva 8, 23:00
Marko Gangbanger, Francuska So-
barica, Francuska 12, 22:00
What’s on
THURSDAY MARCH 3 Hermit and Friends, Namaste, Budim- THURSDAY MARCH 10 Doeyon Kim, viola Ilija M. Kolarac SATURDAY MARCH 5 TUESDAY MARCH 1
ska 16, 22:00 Endowment, Studentski Trg 5, 20:00
Vicious Thursdays, Energija, Nusiceva Codex, Francuska Sobarica, Fran- Gregorian, Sava Centre, Milentija Merry-Go-Round (Schnitzler), Atelje Exhibition: Sonja Briski Uzelac- Het-
8, 23:00 cuska 12, 22:00 Popovica 9, 20:30 SATURDAY MARCH 5 212, Svetogorska 21, 20:00 erotopia, FLU Gallery, Knez Mihajlova
Ales, Bordel DJ Bar, Gospodar Jevre- Ales, Bordel DJ Bar, Gospodar Jevre- 53, 19:00
mova 6, 22:00 mova 6, 22:00 SUNDAY MARCH 6 Exhibition: Andreja Prokopijevic,
Opera: The Marriage of Figaro, The
Codex, Francuska Sobarica, Fran- National Theatre, Francuska 1, 19:00 sculptures, ULUPUDS Gallery, Uzun
cuska 12, 22:00 OPERA, Spring Awakening (Wedekind), Mirkova 12, 19:00
FRIDAY MARCH 4
BALLET AND THURSDAY MARCH 10 Belgrade Drama Theatre, Milesevska
64, 20:00 THURSDAY MARCH 3
LIVE MUSIC CLASSICAL
Third Spring Piano Festivity, piano Exhibition: Lomo Wall, Parobrod,
Lucky Records Showcase, Energija, WEDNESDAY MARCH 9
duos: Carlos Lama with Sofia Cabruja Kapetan Misina 6, 20:00
Nusiceva 8, 23:00
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25 and Jeno Jando and Karoly Mocsari,
Retro Trance, Namaste, Budimska 10th International Theatre Festival
16, 22:00 FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25 Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Student- Slavija 2011: The Omission of the FRIDAY MARCH 4
Ballet: Impure Blood, The national ski Trg 5, 19:00
Can’t Stop the Rock, KST, Bulevar Coleman Family (Tolkachir), Slavija
VIP, Dom Omladine, Decanska 22, Theatre, Francuska 1, 19:30 Dancing City: Master Classes by Roro
Kralja Aleksandra 76, 22:00 Theatre, Svetog Save 16, 20:00
21:00 Belgrade Philharmonic with Muhai Tabor, Ambra Succi and Nick Bass,
TGIF, Francuska Sobarica, Francuska
Tang, conductor and Sarah Chang, Dom Omladine, Decanska 22, from
12, 22:00 SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26 THURSDAY MARCH 10
violin, Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, 12:00 to 17:00
SATURDAY MARCH 5 Zona B and Point Blank, Gun Club,
Studentski Trg 5, 20:00 THEATRE Norway Today (Bauresima), Belgrade
SUNDAY MARCH 6
Milosa Pocerca 10, 22:00 Drama Theatre, Milesevska 64,
B Squad, Lollobrigida, Lira Vega, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26
Girly Night with Gently Men, Namaste, 20:30
SARS, Sevdah Baby...Students Cul- Dance spectacle: Troy- Fire of
Budimska 16, 23:00
tural Centre, Kralja Milana 48, 21:00 Opera: The Barber of Seville, The FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25 Anatolia, Belgrade Arena, Arsenija
Ana D and Peppe, The Tube, Simina
The Pontiacs, Panic Room Zica, National Theatre, Francuska 1, 19:00
21, 23:00 Kraljevica Marka 5, 22:00 As You Like It (Shakespeare), Yugo-
exhibitions Carnojevica 58, 20:00
Mouse and Drca, KST, Bulevar Kralja
Aleksandra 76, 22:00 MONDAY FEBRUARY 28 slav Drama Theatre, Kralja Milana AND EVENTS TUESDAY MARCH 8
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27
Petko & Akioki, Bordel DJ Bar, Gosp- 50, 20:00
Vanessa Mae, Belgrade Arena, Music Academy- Chamber Music De- Exhibition: Leonora Vekic and
odar Jevremova 6, 22:00
Arsenija Carnojevica 58, 22:00 partment in concert, Yugoslav Drama SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26 Miodrag Rogan- Fascinators, Singi-
Theatre, Kralja Milana 50, 20:30 dunum Gallery, Knez Mihajlova 40.
SUNDAY MARCH 6 FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25
MONDAY FEBRUARY 28 19:00
Premiere: Producers (Brooks, Mee-
TUESDAY MARCH 1
Daree, Bordel DJ Bar, Gospodar Ossa Jazz Quartet, Studentski Grad, han), Terazije Theatre, Terazije 29, FEST- International Film Festival,
Jevremova 6, 22:00 Bulevar Zorana Djindjica 179, 21:00 20:00 opening: Coriolanus, Sava Centre,
Ballet: Don Quixote, The National
Milentija Popovica 9, 19:00
TUESDAY MARCH 1 Theatre, Francuska 1, 19:30
TUESDAY MARCH 8 SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27 Exhibition: Smilja Jovanovic, Rako-
Marko Josifoski, violin and Zarifa
vica Cultural Centre, Miska Kranjca
Euterpa and guests, Bitef Art Café, Alizade, piano, City Hall, Dragoslava
Rebel B, Francuska Sobarica, Fran- Play it again, Sam (Allen), Belgrade 7, 19:00
Mira Trailovic Square 1, 22:00 Jovanovica 2, 20:00
cuska 12, 22:00 Drama Theatre, Milesevska 64,
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26
FRIDAY MARCH 4 WEDNESDAY MARCH 2 20:00
WEDNESDAY MARCH 9
Slam poetry- Pesnicenje, Rex, Jevre-
Combichrist, Mortiis, Students Cul- Opera: Il Trovatore, The National MONDAY FEBRUARY 28
Positive Wednesday, Energija, Nu- tural Centre, Kralja Milana 48, 21:30 jska 16, 20:00
Teski Zulum, Povetarac, boat on Theatre, Francuska 1, 19:00
siceva 8, 22:00
Sava, 22:00 Long Day’s Journey Into Night SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27
Dada Selektah, Bordel DJ Bar, Gosp-
THURSDAY MARCH 3 (O’Neill), Atelje 212, Svetogorska 21,
odar Jevremova 6, 22:00
MONDAY MARCH 7 20:00 Hartefakt- Bazaar of arts and crafts,
Ex Yu music, KST, Bulevar Kralja
Ballet: Who is singing over there? The Rex, Jevrejska 16, 14:00
Aleksandra 76, 22:00 Kemal Monteno, Sava Centre, Milen-
National Theatre, Francuska 1, 19:30 WEDNESDAY MARCH 2
tija Popovica 9, 20:30
MONDAY FEBRUARY 28
THURSDAY MARCH 10
FRIDAY MARCH 4 The Merchant of Venice (Shake-
WEDNESDAY MARCH 9
Internet Performance: Sex on trains
Vicious Thursdays, Energija, Nusiceva speare), Yugoslav Drama Theatre,
Death Before Dishonor, Gun Club, Belgrade Philharmonic with Luiz and Rights of Lefthanders, Magacin,
8, 22:00 Kralja Milana 50, 20:00 Kraljevica Marka 6, 19:00
Milosa Pocerca 10, 22:00 Fernando Malheiro, conductor and

Vanessa Mae
This famous violinist began as a child classical music
prodigy and has morphed into a pop star over the years.
Vanessa was the youngest person ever to record both
Beethoven and Tchaikovsky violin concertos, at the
age of 13. As she grew older, she started to show inter-
est in more modern music and found greater success.
Her first pop album, The Violin Player, was released in
1995, and her career has really taken off since.
These day known for her good looks and at times risque
outfits, as much as for her playing, Vanessa has be-
come a bona fide pop star all over the world, grossing
over $64 million and selling over 10 million albums
worldwide. Sunday, February 27, Belgrade Arena, Ar-
senija Carnojevica 58
FEST- International Death Before Dishonor Dancing City: Master Classes
Film Festival
The band are one of the leaders of the tough New York hard-
It’s time once again for FEST, Serbia’s most popular international film festival. core scene along with bands such as Agnostic Front and Ter- Dancing City is Serbia’s most ambitious dance-related festival to date
and it will feature master classes with some top choreographers from
The 39th festival will once again feature some of the most exiting and talked- ror. They have made a name for themselves by staying on the
around the world, including Roro Tabor, Ambra Succi and Nick Bass.
about films from the last year. The festival opens on Friday with a screening of road throughout their careers and playing on every tour they
Friday, March 4, Dom Omladine, Decanska 22
the movie Coriolanus. Friday, February 25, Sava Centar, Milentija Popovica 9 possibly could.
After gaining fame and notoriety as a touring act, the band
were signed to one of the most prestigious metal labels in the
world, Century Media, who brought them to new crowds and
Paolo Mojo made them many new fans outside of the hardcore scene.
Belgrade Philharmonic with guests
They have continued to do what they do best, touring non-
This London-based DJ has been at the forefront of the house music circuit for a long stop since signing to Century Media in 2007, and have been This week the philharmonic will continue this seasons streak of exceptional
time and has garnered a reputation as one of the hardest working producers in the on the road with all of the heavyweights of their genre, includ- guests with the famous Brazilian conductor Luiz Fernando Malheiro who has
industry, remixing for dozens of artists looking for his signature tech house sound. ing Hatebreed and Ignite. Wednesday, March 9, Gun Club, conducted the most prestigious orchestras both South America and Europe
Friday, February 25, Plastic, Takovska 36 Milosa Pocerca 10 too. He will be joined by viola soloist Doeyon Kim. Friday, March 4, Ilija M.
Kolarac Endowment, Studentski Trg 5

VIP Rainbow Warriors Combichrist Third Spring Piano

Probably the most influential hip-hop group from Belgrade, VIP don’t put
albums out or play concerts very often, but when they do, they make an
impact. After their highly successful 2002 debut, the duo didn’t release
a second album until 2010. The new album is sure to be the mainstay of
their set this Friday. Friday, February 25, Dom Omladine, Decanska 22
Belgrade LGBT group Loud & Queer is organising this party, featuring a duo of
DJs from Barcelona – Messy Boy and Rumblefish. The two play very fun sets,
mixing classic electronic beats with vintage jungle melodies and an 80s pop
atmosphere that really gets the crowds moving. Saturday, February 26, Dom
Omladine, Decanska 22
Combichrist are a Norwegian group that specialises in a very intense
and aggressive form of electronic music that stems from harsh industrial
sounds and a gothic overtone, a genre they call aggrotech. Opening will
be fellow Norwegian, Mortiis who is perhaps best known for dressing like
a troll – fake ear and nose extensions included. Friday, March 4, Students
Cultural Centre, Kralja Milana 48
Festivity: Piano Duos
This traditional piano event will feature the duos of Carlos Lama and Sofia
Cabruja, along with Jeno Jando and Karoly Mocsari, playing a wide array of
classical favorites. Thursday, March 10, Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Stu-
dentski Trg 5
14 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011
Going Out
Gerila Bar
Pictures of Che and
Fidel on the walls will
fast bring you to the
realisation that the
management at Gerila
may be lacking a little
imagination, but it is
nevertheless a good
place to grab a couple
of pints in a warm and
pleasant atmosphere.
By David Galic
G
erila is rather tucked away but at the same
time in the centre of the city. Its previous
incarnation was as ‘Stek’, which is a Ser-
bian slang term for “hide out” or “hiding
place,” and it really does give off this vibe,
because although it’s located only a few
metres from Dom Omladine, it is hidden
away at the end of an alley surrounded by
residential buildings and stores.
The whole “guerilla” theme with pictures of Che Guevara,
Fidel Castro and silhouettes of armed militant groups is just about
the most played out of ideas - whether its being used to decorate
a club or a t-shirt.
The events are also lacking in imagination – there’s an Italian
Night scheduled for this week, and the only information I could
find out was that the night would feature a promotion of the club’s
own ‘Godfather’ cocktails. Beer is available for under a euro on
Tuesday nights for those of us that have to get by on a budget,
but other than that, the promotions and events this bar offers are
unlikely to draw you in if you are looking to do something new
and interesting.
Peekaboo Bilingual Kindergarten - The place for birthdays and events
Come visit us at Peekaboo! We’ll explore a real Our team of skilled and experience staff provide a cur-
castle alongside knights in shining armor, sail with riculum that is based on exploration, play and practical
pirates aboard a real pirate ship and dress up hands-on experience. Learning and teaching is conduct-
in costume to hunt for lost treasure, swim with ed through teacher-led and child-initiated activities.
mermaids and dance with princesses... Peekaboo
brings fairytale characters to life. Every day is spe- We guide and support each child’s holistic develop-
cial at Peekaboo!!! ment by inculcating a creative and enquiring mind.
Peekaboo is also a bilingual kindergarten We work in harmony with our parents and other
(English – Serbian), a uniquely creative and enriching specialists for the positive development, progress and
environment where children can stretch their imagi- continuity of each and every child in our care.
nation. We welcome children of all nationalities and
cultures aged 2 to 7. See you soon!
Leaving aside the slightly tacky revolutionary images on the
walls, the bar ticks most of the right boxes for a rock club. The
decor is warm and inviting, brick walls and rich wood with low
lighting. It’s not that big, but it’s definitely less cramped than the
majority of such ‘rock bars’ in Belgrade.
Most people will mingle in the spacious bar area unless they
have reserved a table somewhere in one of the corners of the club.
Over to the left, there is a smaller area with a couple of tables in
the corners and a tiny stage for the band to perform. I was there
on a night that a local cover band was performing and I felt pretty
sorry for the guys, especially the unusually tall guitarist who had
no room to manoeuvre and was restricted to playing in an area the
size of the cardboard box that your refrigerator came in.
Further on is another small section to the right where there
are a couple of tables, but even there, about two metres from the
stage, you’re sitting at such a bad angle that it’s almost impossible
to see the band.
Overall, I’d say that it is one of the best bars in Belgrade for
just chilling out and grabbing some drinks with friends. It’s not
cramped, it’s very clean and the drinks are very sensibly priced.
However, if your intention was to go and check out a cover band
The revolutionary symbolism is
a little cheesy, but nevertheless
Gerila is a good place to see off a
few well-priced beers.
and maybe do some dancing, there are a bunch of places that will
offer you a better night out than Gerilla Bar.
The small stage, cut off from the rest of the bar and the sound
which is routed into unimpressive PA speakers that are located
around the bar means that you’re not going to get the true ‘live’
experience, unless you are standing right in front of the band,
where, realistically, there is room enough for about 20 people tops
to stand comfortably. So unless you are early, lucky or have active
elbows you probably won’t be getting a very good vibe from the
music being played by the band.
Other than that, it’s hard to complain about the Gerila Bar. The
staff are cordial and fast, the bathrooms and the club in general are
very neat and tidy and the drink prices are just right for such a pub.
The visitors will probably depend on the age and skill-level of
the band that is playing that night - expect a younger and rowdier
crowd if there’s a Red Hot Chili Peppers or Rage Against the
Machine cover band playing and more subdued 30-somethings on
most other nights.
It’s nothing new or inventive, but Guerilla Bar is a fine place
to have some drinks and have an enjoyable night out for a good
price in the dead centre of Belgrade.
Uzun Mirkova 5/II
Beograd, Stari Grad
Tel/fax: 011 328 60 56
Mob.069 745 228
063 239 598
E-mail:peekaboobgd@gmail.com
www.peekaboo-igraonica.com
Sport
Belgrade rivals resume
two-horse league title race
Champions Partizan
and their city foes
Red Star are the only
two candidates for the
Serbian league title,
when the 16-team
first division resumes
after its three-month
winter break in the
first week of March.
By Zoran Milosavljevic
A
lthough Serbia’s champions
Partizan Belgrade have lost
their talismanic striker Cleo
and once influential playmaker
Almami Moreira during the De-
cember-February winter break,
their excellent new signings promise a smooth
run to a record fourth successive league title.
Ghanaian forwards Prince Tagoe and Domi-
nic Adiyiah, who have both joined Partizan on
loan, have been in impressive form during the
build-up for the second half of the season. Their
performances in several friendlies suggest that
the club’s board has made all the right moves
during the transfer window.
Cleo, who scored 20 goals for Partizan dur-
ing the first half of the season, 10 of them in the
Champions League, was offloaded to Guangzhou
Evergrande for a reported fee of €3.5 million,
while Moreira joined their Chinese rivals Dalian
Shide on a free transfer after falling out with Par-
tizan’s board.
Both made a huge impact at Partizan and
while they will be missed by the club’s die-hard
fans, the board has cashed in on Cleo’s lethal
finishing at just the right time, while the ageing
Moreira had little left to offer.
The new arrivals, on the other hand, have
shown the kind of quality needed to keep the
league leaders in pole position. Partizan are five
points ahead of their city rivals Red Star - a very
comfortable cushion in Serbia’s 16-team league
which is devoid of top quality opposition.
Having signed their 1991 European Cup win-
ner Robert Prosinecki as coach, Red Star will have
Holders Inter staring at early Champions League elimination
C
hampions League holders Inter Milan
will have to fight an uphill battle to
stay in the competition after a late goal
by Mario Gomez gave Bayern Munich
a 1-0 win at the San Siro on Wednesday, in their
round of 16 first leg match. Bayern, beaten by In-
ter 2-0 in last season’s final, deserved their sweet
revenge after outplaying the Italians and hitting
the woodwork twice in a highly entertaining
match in front of 80,000 fans.
In Wednesday evening’s other fixture, Man-
chester United were held to a goalless stalemate
at Marseille and face a tricky second leg at Old
Partizan beat Red Star 1-0 in October’s derby and will be strong favourites to win a record fourth successive
league title when the championship resumes on March 5th.
Serbian Superleague
Standings
1. Partizan Belgrade 40 European competition before the winter break.
2. Red Star Belgrade 35
3. Vojvodina Novi Sad 32
4. Rad Belgrade 28
5. Sloboda Point Sevojno 23
6. Spartak Subotica 21
7. Javor Ivanjica 21
8. Smederevo 20
9. Jagodina 20
10. OFK Belgrade 19
11. BSK Borca 17
12. Indjija 13
13. Borac Cacak 13
14. Metalac Gornji Milanovac 9
15. Hajduk Kula 8
16. Cukaricki Belgrade 4
huge expectations as they aim to wrestle the sil-
verware away from Partizan and give their long-
suffering fans something to cheer about. Prosi-
necki became the first Croatian to coach a Serbian
Trafford, where a score draw would send the
French side through.
Real Madrid, aiming for their 10th European Cup
title, earned a 1-1 draw at Lyon, a venue which has
not been a happy hunting ground for the Spanish
giants. It looked like Real would finally break their
jinx and beat Lyon after three successive defeats at
the Gerland Stadium, when Karim Benzema scored
against his former club to fire the Spaniards ahead,
but Bafetimbi Gomis struck in the closing stages to
set up an intriguing return leg at the Bernabeu.
A Nicolas Anelka brace gave Chelsea a 2-0
win at surprise package Copenhagen to ease
Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011 15
In brief
club when he took over at Red Star in January
and he faces a mammoth task in his first season
in charge. Once a mighty team, boasting world-
famous players including Prosinecki himself, Red
Star are a modest side nowadays with an embar-
rassing record of making 18 successive exits from
Perennial underachievers Vojvodina Novi
Sad, who last won the league in 1989 when
Serbia was still a part of the former Yugosla-
via, seem destined for another third-place finish,
while promoted Rad Belgrade are in a good posi-
tion to cross the line fourth and clinch a Europa
League qualifying berth.
Bad weather has forced the league’s resump-
tion, originally scheduled for this weekend, to be
postponed to the first week of March. Partizan
will make a short trip to struggling newcommers
Indjija, Red Star are at home to Smederevo while
Vojvodina are away to Jagodina in the top three
fixtures on March 5th. Four days later, Partizan
visit second-bottom Hajduk Kula, Vojvodina will
be at home to BSK Borca and Red Star entertain
Indjija, in Prosinecki’s competitive debut at Bel-
grade’s Marakana stadium. The first real test of
his coaching credentials will come on March 16th,
when Partizan are at home to Red Star in the first
leg of their Cup semi-final clash.
Zoran Milosavljevic is Belgrade Insight’s sports
writer and also a regional sports correspondent
for Reuters.
the pressure on their Italian manager Carlo
Ancelotti, who came under pressure after a
series of poor results in the Premier League
and last week’s FA Cup defeat on penalties to
Everton.
With Tottenham snatching a smash-and-grab
win at AC Milan in mid-February, when their
north London rivals Arsenal came from behind to
beat Barcelona, all four English teams are well-
placed to reach the quarter-finals. In contrast,
both giants from Milan are looking at an early
exit, as are Italy’s other contenders Roma after a
3-2 home loss to Shakhtar Donetsk.
TENNIS – Serbia start their Davis
Cup title defence with a first-round
tie at home to India in Novi Sad, on
March 4th. Coach Bogdan Obradovic
has named the quartet which beat
France 3-2 in a memorable 2010
final in December to face India in the
SPENS Arena, with the 6,500-seater
stadium likely to draw a capac-
ity crowd for the tie. While Viktor
Troicki, Janko Tipsarevic and Nenad
Zimonjic are assured of playing for
Serbia in what should be a fairly easy
match for the defending champions,
world number three Novak Djokovic
is likely to join them only if fatigue
doesn’t force him to take a rest after
the ongoing Dubai Open, where he is
defending his title. Should Serbia go
through, they will meet the winner of
the Sweden v Russia tie in the quarter-
finals.
ICE HOCKEY – Slovenia’s Olimpija
Ljubljana beat Partizan Belgrade 3-2
in the first game of their best-of-five
series in the regional league final. Par-
tizan, playing in their second succes-
sive final after they finished runners-up
last season, fell two goals behind in
the opening period but stormed back to
force overtime through Patrick Ouel-
let and Marko Kovacevic. Olimpija
nosed ahead in the series when Ken
Ograjensek scored in overtime to send
the capacity home crowd into raptures.
The victory was sweet revenge for
Olimpija after they were handed an
8-2 drubbing by Partizan at the same
venue in the final game of the regular
season. Game 2 of the finals is sched-
uled for Belgrade’s Pionir Ice Arena
on Friday, February 25th, at 7.30 p.m.
BASKETBALL – Serbian contenders
Hemofarm Vrsac have lost any hopes
of reaching the Eurocup quarter-
finals with a 73-71 defeat at Cedevita
Zagreb. Hemofarm led throughout
the opening half but the Croatian
side swung the match their way after
the interval, leading 63-54 at the end
of the third quarter after a barrage
of three-pointers. Hemofarm rallied
in the closing stages and missed a
chance to win the game at the buzzer,
when American guard Mustafa Abdul
Hamid’s long-range shot came off the
rim. Corsley Edwards led the win-
ners with 17 points, Dontaye Draper
had 15 and Vedran Princ added 14,
shooting 4 of 6 from three-point range.
Mladen Jeremic was Hemofarm’s top
scorer with 15 points, Miljan Pavkovic
scored 14 and Milos Borisov added 10.
In the regional NLB League, holders
Partizan Belgrade strolled to a 76-68
win over Red Star to stay top and keep
their arch-rivals rooted to the bottom
of the 14-team league.
Champions League Round
of 16, First Leg Results
AC Milan v Tottenham 0-1
FC Copenhagen v Chelsea 0-2
Olympique Lyon v Real Madrid 1-1
Arsenal v Barcelona 2-1
AS Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk 2-3
Valencia v Schalke 04 1-1
Inter Milan v Bayern Munich 0-1
Marseille v Manchester United 0-0
16 Belgrade Insight, Friday, February 25, 2011 - Thursday, March 10, 2011

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