Ruthless Murder

Patrick

A Croatian man named Mladen Sloger was convicted of "ruthless" murder of a young lawyer in 2008. The prosecution alleged that Sloger, who was homeless at the time, killed the 26 year old daughter of a prominent lawyer in retaliation for a job denial. Sloger committed the murder in broad daylight in downtown Zagreb. He obviously was not to concerned about being caught.

Croatia will hold the Davis Cup Quarter Finals against Serbia

According to a news search engine, Earth Times, Croatia will host the Davis cup quarter finals against Serbia, in four months. Both sides have already heated up the pressure over the venue of the match.
Headlines of some news papers include: "Croats: hell is waiting for you; Serbs: we will not play in Split," the Belgrade daily.

Croatia's 2nd largest city and Adriatic port is home of the nation's most intimidating and often violent fans. Serbia's coach Bogdan Obradovic said that he will ask the international Tennis Federation to appoint Zegrab as the venue.

Hina Latif

Croatia Retries Soldiers For War Crimes Against Serbs

By: Erica McCauley

Croatia has decided to retry two former soldiers accused of killing seven Croatian Serb civilians. These civilians were brutally murdered in the town of Novska in 1991, when the Yugoslav National Army was running rampant killing Croatian Serbs. The civilians' murders were described as killings done in their homes. Some of them were tortured and mutilated before their death. The courts claim that these soldiers were seeking revenge upon Croats for the genocide of the Serbs during World War II.
These soldiers have been previously tried in 1992; however, when they were tried, their crimes were not considered war crimes. They were pardoned by the Croatian judge at the time.
Croatia has taken a lot of initiative in trying former war criminals, yet human-rights activists claim that the courts are not putting their full effort into completing these trials, seeing as most trials begin and are never finished. Interestingly, Zoran Pusic of the Citizens Committee for Human Rights witnessed some of the trial, and was quoted, "Two former Tigers who had been present [at the time of the killings] testified today but they said they were outside the house. As usual in cases like this one, there is 'total amnesia.' They heard nothing and saw nothing, although there must have been shooting."
It is interesting that soldiers are still claiming that they had no idea that these crimes were happening, or they claim they were brainwashed. Still, c'mon people, its 2010.

Croatians happy with their current president

According to Croatian Times, 68% of Croatians are satisfied with their new president, Ivo Josipovic. a suvery of 1000 people showed that a majoirty of the contented citizens are from northern part of Croatia and 19% who are not satisfied live mostly in the Captial, Zagreb and Dalmatia. Remember the president was elected in January with a 60.3% popular vote.




Hina Latif

Roncevic, Former Croat Minister, charged for Corruption

Soch Mel

The Former Defense Minister Roncevic and his aid are charged with embezzling 1.4 million euros, about two million US dollars.

Back in 2004, 76 trucks were about to be purchased from Fiat; however the purchase wasn't made. There was not enough funds to purchase all the trucks. Later, it was discovered that the ministry purchased 39 trucks worth 4.7 million euros, 7 million US dollars.

Roncevic was later fired from his post in October of 2008; some mafia-style murders took place in Zagreb.

This small step in fighting corruption will help Croatia's chances of getting into the EU.

Croatia and Macedonia

Jenica Alsip

Croatian and Macedonian foreign ministers report that the two countries political relations are cooperating excellently. Croatia is supporting Macedonia in its attempt to become a member of Nato and is encouraging them to join the EU as well. Both countries view the memberships as being beneficial for themselves as well as the entire balkan area. The only thing that Macedonia and Croatia need to improve is their economical partnerships, which could benefit both countries economies enormously.




http://bsanna-news.ukrinform.ua/newsitem.php?id=12509&lang=en

Forgot the Article

Patrick

http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=386205

We May Have Problems

Patrick

Croatia is all set to hold the Davis Cup in 4 months. However, the cup will be a competition between Croatia and Serbia, most likely in the town of Split, home to the most notoriously violent fans. The article is interesting in the wake of our conversation with Ivanna, Vessna, and Ida (I hope I got their names right) because it just demonstrates that they were not exaggerating. Although this is tennis not soccer, the coach of Serbia's team has already appealed the International Tennis Federation to appointed Zagreb the location. The article is quoted as saying "serbs are afraid of Split." If I were a Serb I might be too

Rent a Croatian Husband!!

By: Gina Fazio

A man recently sacked from his job as a carpenter has put out a personal ad in the paper in Zagreb advertising himself as a "husband for rent". In explaining this he said many women do not have a husband and don't know what to do about fixing things around the house, need help carrying things from the store, or watering the flowers. He did not explain whether or not these services as a husband for rent included other things husbands do.

Serbia and Croatia set for a Davis Cup clash

Nikki Pilic has had a unique history in professional tennis. He refused to play Davis Cup for Yugoslavia in 1973- which he was suspended for. This Pilic Affair turned into the Wimbledon boycott. He then moved to Munich and became, first, coach and then captain of the German Davis Cup team. After the break up of Yugoslavia, he played for his home country, Croatia. Now, Pilic has assumed the role of Supremo on the Serbian Davis Cup squad. In the quarterfinals Serbs play Croatia. This is going to be a very political game.

By: Liz Hasseld

PMs meet Serbian President

According to a Slovenian source, this past Friday Slovenia and Croatia's Prime Ministers (Borut Pahor and Jadranka Kosor) were planned to meet with President of Serbia Boris Tadic to discuss a previously planned conference on EU integration of Balkan states. The conference was devised in January by Croatia and Slovenia to be held March 20 in Ptuj, a Slovenian city near the border of Croatia.

[How comfortable will this placement make Kosovo and Serbia feel? One could suppose the conference is placed there due to the proximity to Europe]

However, problems arose when both Tadic and Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu were both expected to attend the meeting. Serbia's official possition is that if Sejdiu appears as President, it could not be in attendence. But, if Sejdiu comes as a representative of the United Nations' administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), Serbia would be present.

Serbia reported Sejdiu would attend as President. According to Slovenia, it was still up for debate whether Serbia would attend the meeting.

Is this claim true? Or, is Serbia just stirring up trouble . . . as always.


by: Calaya

Trying to "bury the hatchet" between Croatia and Serbia

Jenica Alsip

Croatia's new president looks to "bury the hatchet" with Serbia saying that it is the responsibility of the current generation to not pass on bad thoughts to the next generation.

Both Croatia and Serbia still have complaints filed against eachother for acts of genocide in 1995, but there may be a possibility that those complaints could be withdrawn if both countries can work out a plan of action together.

Josipovic believes that it is in Croatia as well as the other nations best interests to have all the balkans be accepted in to the EU and hopes that all nations will cooperate and work together in order to accomplish that.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/7376587/Croatian-president-wants-to-bury-hatchet-with-Serbia.html

Ex-Bosnian Leader Returned to UK Jail

Monday at London's Heathrow International Airport, former President of the Muslim-Croat Federation in Bosnia Ejup Ganic was arrested on request of Serbia; BBC reports. He has traveled freely to and from the country in the recent past, but was arrested on attempt to leave the country Monday.

Ganic is one of 19 people for whom arrests where sent to Interpol last November.

He is currently president at the University of Sarajevo school of science and technology which has a partnership with the University of Buckingham. Ganic's visit to the UK was to attend a degree ceremony at the University.

Although the 63 year old is a friend of Thatcher, his application for bail today was postponed by the High Court. Serbia is after Ganic for murder and war crimes related to the Yugoslav forces siege of Sarajevo during the 1992-1995 Yugoslav war.

"Serbia claims more than 40 soldiers were killed in the so-called Dobrovoljacka Street attack, after Bosnia had declared independence from the Serb-led former Yugoslavia.The soldiers were allegedly withdrawing from Sarajevo in a convoy at the time."

According to family members, Ganic was held for three days with out contact to family, a lawyer, the ambassador and was denied the basic privileged of a phone call. His daughter states, "He had no clue what was going on. We continue to be surprised at the ability of Serbia to have my father arrested and held in prison on a provisional arrest warrant that has no merit."

From March 3, Serbia has 45 days to provide adequate evidence for their claims. Until then, Ganic will remain behind bars--unless Thatcher can work her magic.

by: Calaya

Karadzic's Trial Postponed

By: Erica McCauley

On Tuesday, former leader of Bosnian Serbs, Radovan Karadzic, pleaded before the Hague for a postponement of his trial to further prepare his defense. It is postponed until further notice according to ICTY judge, O-Gon Kwon. When first accused last October, Karadzic worked hard for a postponement of his trial. Karadzic insists on defending himself, yet seems to be struggling with formulating a worthy defense to 11 counts of genocide, war crimes, and general crimes against the people in Bosnia. There was a lawyer appointed to Karadzic in case he decided not to attend his trial. Instead Karadzic decided to define his defense over a two day span, and asked for a further extension of his trial until June 17th. At first the tribunal refused this request, and told Karadzic to be prepared for the first witness to be called to the stand on Wednesday. Diplomatically, judge Kwon allowed Karadzic to appeal this decision, while emphasizing the fairness that this tribunal needs to maintain.

One last gem:
"Arrested on a Belgrade bus in July 2008 after 13 years on the run, Karadzic is charged for his role in the 1992-95 Bosnian war that killed 100,000 people and displaced 2.2 million."

Croatia to sell ten year bonds in euros

Patrick
Croatia plans to sell over 250 euros in ten year bonds. Not much else in the article. Just a bunch of words I don't understand. Just thought it was interesting.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-02/croatia-plans-to-sell-10-year-bonds-in-euros-kuna-banker-says.html

Stone age in Croatia

The Neanderthal Museum was opened last week In Krapina, Croatia. This new museum is introducing new computer simulations and other high tech tools to explain one branch of the evolutionary tree. The museum was built on the site where scientists have found the greatest concentration in Europe of Neanderthal remains, bones, skulls, and tools. The museum has a unique concept, summing up evolution in a 24-hour period. Visitors to the museum can reach out and touch parts of a digital Neanderthal body to get a response of an explanation of their diseases and ailments.

The main display in the museum even recreates the smell of sweat and burning meat to give visitors of taste of what the stone age was really like.

By: Liz Hasseld

Karadzic's trial

Former president of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Karadzic has denied before the Hague Tribunal Serbs’ guilt for the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina; while reminding that before the beginning of the conflict they were the only ones killed. He has rejected the charges that Sarajevo was under the siege by Serbs. The Muslims and Croats were firing at the Serbs from many facilities. Karadzic has also stated that the number of victims in Srebrenica was much smaller.


Hina Latif

Croatia agrees to support Russian backed pipeline

by Jeff Gimm

This week Croatia has signed on to a pipeline originating in Russia that will run under the Black Sea. Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece and Italy have already signed on to the deal. This deal is a boon for Croatia, as it imports 40% of its gas from Russia according to the Business Week article. Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying "The project's benefits to its participants are obvious," Putin said. "First of all, this means stable energy supply for Europe and purely financial gains." The project awaits approval from Turkey before it can begin in earnest.
This is an interesting move for Croatia, as the Croats generally try to portray themselves as European rather than Slavic. However, considering that several European nations have already signed on to the deal, it is not the large of a jump. Also, economically this deal makes sense and may have pushed to the side any concerns about appearing "Slavic".

Croatia Relaxes Visa Rules

Angela Hager

During this summer (2010), Croatia will allow citizens from Russian, Ukrainian and Kazakhstan to enter into Croatia without a visa. They will also be allowed to stay for 90 days. This is a part of Croatia's "Anti-Crisis measures" to help stimulate the economy.

This is not the first time Croatia has done this. Last summer, Croatia allowed Russians Visa-free tourist packages. The tourist sector of the economy had an 11% decline in 2009.

Turkey has already seen results with a looser visa regime, and saw a 7% growth in tourism. Turkey has visa relaxations with Syria, Libya, Lebanon and Jordan.

Karadzic calls Bosnian Serb cause Holy

Radovan Karadzic ceased his boycott of the ICTY Court and resumed trial in the Hague, arguing that the Bosnian Serbs were only acting in defense according to the BBC. Karadzic said that a small group of Muslims, then and now, want all the power, and that the Bosnian Serbs were acting in defense. He claimed his innocence of all eleven charges. In his translated arguments, Karadzic stated "I will defend that nation of ours and their cause that is just and holy." His defense strategy is to attempt to prove that the Bosnians Serbs were only acting in response to the "aggression" of the Bosnian Muslims. Karadzic claimed that the Seige of Sarajevo was nothing more than a trick constructed by enemies to the Bosnian Serbs, and that the Serbs had nothing do with it.

-Jacob