BELGRADE -- Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said on Thursday that "the ministers' conversation with Tony Blair in Belgrade" yesterday was "not secret."
Minister breaks silence on "talk over coffee" with Blair
BELGRADE -- Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said on Thursday that "the ministers' conversation with Tony Blair in Belgrade" yesterday was "not secret."
Source: B92, Beta, Tanjug
Close the entire text of the article here
"I am completely certain he was not, because this was really a conversation over coffee," Mihajlovic said, when asked by reporters at the Chamber of Commerce.
"For that reason, during that meeting with Blair the talk was mostly about the Serbian government not losing its first year, but instead passing reform laws, reaching an arrangement with the IMF, and now moving into capital investments," said Mihajlovic.
She added that "Blair is not the only person with whom the Serbian government exchanges experiences on reform processes," something that, according to this high ranking official of the ruling SNS party, "sometimes happens in the limelight, and sometimes not."
She added that the government "will continue to have discussions about the experiences of other countries in reforms, reforms of health care and the economy."
Noting that the meeting has caused "various reactions, primarily from the opposition," Mihajlovic said that "currently there is no difference between Bojan Pajtic (DS) and Vjerica Radeta (SRS)" and that it "actually shows that the SNS is the only party that opens the door of Serbia".
According to the minister, "it is normal that Blair coming to Serbia has caused a great deal of attention."
The controversy stems from the fact Blair was an advocate of NATO's attacks on Serbia in 1999, and the minister, asked to comment on that, replied: "Other politicians did it as well, including former French President Jacques Chirac, but that did stop him from becoming 'the first guest in Serbia' in 2001."
"I do not think it's bad to talk with everyone and I think it is wrong for Serbia to have permanent enemies or friends. We as a country are open and the whole world sees us that way and I think that's an advantage," said she.
The minister was also asked whether it was true that Blair's lecture was financed by the United Arab Emirates. She said she "did not know, and for that reason could not talk about it."
"We know that we do not know everything and we try to talk to everyone in order to find appropriate solutions and accelerate reforms," said Mihajlovic.
She then noted that Serbia in December hosted "the Chinese summit," attended by prime ministers of many countries, and that the country has been visited by statesmen "from Hollande to Putin" in the previous period.
Earlier in the day, Minister of Labor Aleksandar Vulin, who attended Wednesday's lecture along with Mihajlovic and several other ministers, told reporters he had "nothing to say about it."
"You're asking me about something that the gutter press tried to present as some great wonder. Today, I will speak only about the young people and employment."
Culture Minister Ivan Tasovac, who also attended, said the meeting went well, but was "presented in our country in a tabloid manner." "It's enough to say that we had that meeting," Tasovac was quoted.
Earlier this month, Transparency Serbia pointed out that the public should learned about "the rules" under which the government of Serbia hires and pays consultants.
Ari says:
Truth is, Yugoslavia was heavily subsidized by the West and when Tito died there was no need for a buffer to the USSR so the $ dried up.
So are you saying that the money poured into Kosovo was actually subsidized by the west and not really Serbia and the rest of Yugo having to pay Kosovo's way???? That seems to be a major claim from your camp.
(Are you sure?, 2 March 2015 15:47)
Ari, it is hard sometimes to figure out if you are playing dumb or that is just you.
"What exactly did Serbia do to the other exYu countries to cause the split? I mean specifically. Saying "because of Milosevic" is stupid and not an answer. I want specific acts of oppression, not just rhetoric"
One of the first things Milosevic did was to revoke the two provinces autonomy thus claiming their voting shares in the Yugo govt as Serbian increasing the Serbian power immediately to three of the 8 votes.
There was one common denominator in the separate Yugo wars-Serbia.
"Initially the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) sought to preserve the unity of the whole of Yugoslavia by crushing the secessionist governments; however the JNA increasingly came under the influence of the Serbian government of Slobodan Milošević that evoked Serbian nationalist rhetoric and was willing to support the Yugoslav state insofar as using it to preserve the unity of Serbs in one state; as a result the JNA began to lose Slovenes, Croats, Kosovar Albanians, Bosniaks, and ethnic Macedonians, and effectively became a Serb army.[5] According to the 1994 United Nations report, the Serb side did not aim to restore Yugoslavia, but to create a "Greater Serbia" from parts of Croatia and Bosnia.[6]"
A quote from Wikipedia on the Yugoslav Wars.
For individual acts of oppression, I will refer you to the ICTY transcripts. Of course you believe neither so it is not to convince you but an answer to your question.
(Get over it, 2 March 2015 12:22)
What exactly did Serbia do to the other exYu countries to cause the split? I mean specifically. Saying "because of Milosevic" is stupid and not an answer. I want specific acts of oppression, not just rhetoric
Truth is, Yugoslavia was heavily subsidized by the West and when Tito died there was no need for a buffer to the USSR so the $ dried up.
Muslims and Croats thought a prosperous future was waiting for them. They were wrong. And there is plenty of evidence whether it's organs, sex slaves or heroin to at least prosecute Thaci. The reason he hasn't even been indicted is because of his political protection.
Same with milo djukanovic in Montenegro. Another criminal protected by NATO. So no, all these guys were just as bad as Slobo. Alija the radical Jihadist and Thaci the organ extractor are worse.
(Ari Gold, 1 March 2015 05:50)
What exactly did Serbia do to the other exYu countries to cause the split? I mean specifically. Saying "because of Milosevic" is stupid and not an answer. I want specific acts of oppression, not just rhetoric
Truth is, Yugoslavia was heavily subsidized by the West and when Tito died there was no need for a buffer to the USSR so the $ dried up.
Muslims and Croats thought a prosperous future was waiting for them. They were wrong. And there is plenty of evidence whether it's organs, sex slaves or heroin to at least prosecute Thaci. The reason he hasn't even been indicted is because of his political protection.
Same with milo djukanovic in Montenegro. Another criminal protected by NATO. So no, all these guys were just as bad as Slobo. Alija the radical Jihadist and Thaci the organ extractor are worse.
(Ari Gold, 1 March 2015 05:38)
I am proud that they all have to subdue Serbia to control the Balkans. Serbia has always been the beacon of freedom in the region.
And Slobo wasn't great. But you must be ignorant of Tudjman the Nazi, Alija the Islamic extremist & Thaci the organ/narco trafficker.
(Ari Gold, 27 February 2015 18:47)
I think you meant beacon of oppression in the region, the whole breakup of Yugoslavia was due to Serbia wanted to control it for Serbs and make EVERYONE else a sub culture of Serbs.
And saying Slobo wasn't great is a huge understatement.
As far as Thaci being a narco/organ trader. If there have been 4 investigations into the organ trading claims by Serbia and no one can find any true evidence, it is time to delete that from you list.
(Get over it, 28 February 2015 03:35)
much more bruised your Serbian pride. But that is the course your leader(Milosevic) chose for your country and in the end it boils down to the fact that you deserved it, so its time to get over it.
(Get over it, 27 February 2015 00:53)
Doesn't bruise my pride. Serbia has always been in the crosshairs of empires. Ottomans, Austro-Hungary, Nazi Germany. I am proud that they all have to subdue Serbia to control the Balkans. Serbia has always been the beacon of freedom in the region.
And Slobo wasn't great. But you must be ignorant of Tudjman the Nazi, Alija the Islamic extremist & Thaci the organ/narco trafficker.
(Ari Gold, 27 February 2015 18:47)
not that I like this current government, but when I see the usual nationalist low life compatriots criticizing it so virulently, I think to myself: maybe they are doing smth right after all.
(boom, 27 February 2015 17:08)
This is beautiful, so funny and sad at the same time. Vulin and co create a public opinion monster with their rhetoric and propaganda, and then have to hide from it in bar basements. The absurdity of Serbia's politics.
(Reader, 27 February 2015 15:20)
I would really love to see Dmitry Medvedev replace Vucic as PM of Serbia; I'm sure he could learn to speak Serbian fairly quickly.
(The voice of Reason, 27 February 2015 03:11)
Blair doing something for nothing? Come on give us a break no one's going to believe that fairytale! That individual is about as welcome in Serbia as an outbreak of Black Death.
(Keep him out, 27 February 2015 01:57)
I can understand why you dislike Blair, after all he bombed your country, destroyed your infrastructure, broke up families and much more bruised your Serbian pride. But that is the course your leader(Milosevic) chose for your country and in the end it boils down to the fact that you deserved it, so its time to get over it.
(Get over it, 27 February 2015 00:53)
This is like having tea with Hitler,when are the people of Serbia going to stand up and say enough of these quislings.
(Englishman, 26 February 2015 23:00)
Shameless! I guess there is no red line for SNS ministers & thankfully Hitler, Goebbels, Ante Pavelic,Starcevic, et al are dead else SNS party would suggest SNS more ministers had something worthwhile to learn from them over a cup of coffee!
Tragic what has become of SNS - irony not lost in the topic of " how not to lose a year" only in hearing this message its likely SNS have lost not just a year but all credibility!
Can imagine the opposition election posters - bLIAR shaking hands with SNS ministers or a image of a romantic couple over coffee only on closer inspection its bLIAR and an SNS minister saying what's the harm in innocent chit chat while bombs fall all around.
(Principa, 26 February 2015 21:23)
The Serbian Government is openly and proudly demonstrating how much it hates Serbia and especially Serbian victims. It not only doesn't care about Serbian victims, the gov't holds them in complete contempt and despises them.
It's so sad after everything those people back home go through to have such a slimy, piece of shit gov't like it has today. There was an expose in the Serbian media of this Zorana Mihajlovic woman walking around with $4,000 Chanel purses. To not only be corrupt and using Serbian tax payer money to fund your luxurious lifestyle, but to sit there and openly disrespect and spit on Serbian victims is truly sickening.
May God help Serbia. And to Milica Rakic, on behalf of all Serbs- I am so sorry. [link]
(Ari Gold, 26 February 2015 19:26)
Serbia's elite have sold out [link] to who ever pats them on the head and gives them a pretentious wink nod. I'm sure Serb "politicians" pocket much of the investments and kick backs. Business as usual in Serbia before it goes totally bankrupt in every way. At least the elite will not suffer just rule over you as usual. The blind leading the blind watch for the cliff.
(Lenard, 26 February 2015 19:14)
The Serbian government is acting really stupid if they do not believe that Great Britain is only still great in their British minds. I' ve been living in the west for more than 30 years. The Brits and Washington don' t like anyone of us who is not Western. So get it in your heads Serbians in power: uBlair still despises you. My English neighbor, famous soccer player, on my son's question " Would you ever play in Serbia" answered: "Normal folks never go to Serbia for any
reason ". So you think Blair or Biden respect you, are really willing to help you? Think again.
(sarah, 26 February 2015 18:59)
Let's get one thing perfectly clear: Tony Blair has no advice which can improve the life of Serbs or the security of Serbia. Blair is, and always has been, an agent of the New World Order, the Banksters, George Soros, call them what you like but they are the rich elite that control the EU, America, Japan and many smaller nations around the world. The only thing Blair could tell the Serbian government is how to behave when they are given orders by this elite. When Soros gives advice, the Serbian government should implement this "advice" in full, without delay and without comment. Slaves do not question their Masters. Vucic is making Serbia into a nation of Slaves and is taking "advice" from Blair to make this happen. At times like this one yearns for Princip.
(Michael Thomas, 26 February 2015 18:25)
I see Tony Blair has the Serbs on a short leash. Good, it's the way it should be. Vucic and company join a long list of toadies.
(EU Citizen, 26 February 2015 17:32)
Has Serbia such a weak mind that it already after only a short blink of an eye in time totally forgot March 24, 1999? Has Serbia forgotten Hitlers reserection of the Final Solutuion that lasted for Christian Serbian Eastern Orthodox people with out mercy for 78 consecutive punishing days and continues today with economic destruction of a once positive Jugoslavian economy? Has Serbia forgotten the reserection of Hitlers massive world wide hate propagana campaign to demonize Serbia and all Christian Eastern Orthodox people in the world? Has Serbia totally forgotten what evil damage to Eastern Orthodox Christianity Bill Clinton and Tony Blair did less than two decades ago? How can we Serbians ever forget that our Fathers who died many ages ago on our sacred and holy grounds of Kosovo only that our most sacred Krsna Slava be preserved for eternity! Our dear Serbian Brothers and Sisters who were murdered during the 1990's, their innocent lives lost for ever never again to walk and live amoung us and now Satan invited to Beograd to be wined and dined, SHAME! All I can say is that any Serbian who greeted Blair may his hand rott off! Who will be invited to Beograd next, will it be Satan? Is this the direction that Serbia is heading? I understand that I am only dust, my spirit in the gentle wind above Tikhvin, for ever the beautiful melody in my heart that my dear Sisters sing for Serbia!
(Dragoljub Djurkovic, 26 February 2015 16:21)
(Andy UK, 26 February 2015 13:34)
--
And if you do get together, do it somewhere else! That mass murderer and war criminal should have never been allowed to set foot in Serbia! He should have been arrested and the world and British public would have applaud us for doing so!
BTW, I was one of those two million who marched in London against the invasion of Iraq.
(Zoran, 26 February 2015 15:22)
If you and Tony get together again, please can you pass on a message to him for me:
Tony, the British people despise you for ignoring the majority of the electorate in order to keep America happy and initiate a total bloodbath in Iraq. Your foreign policy was a total self-serving disater, from Serbia onwards
If you and Tony get together again, please can you pass on a message to him for me:
Tony, the British people despise you for ignoring the majority of the electorate in order to keep America happy and initiate a total bloodbath in Iraq. Your foreign policy was a total self-serving disater, from Serbia onwards
(Andy UK, 26 February 2015 13:34)
--
And if you do get together, do it somewhere else! That mass murderer and war criminal should have never been allowed to set foot in Serbia! He should have been arrested and the world and British public would have applaud us for doing so!
BTW, I was one of those two million who marched in London against the invasion of Iraq.
(Zoran, 26 February 2015 15:22)
This is like having tea with Hitler,when are the people of Serbia going to stand up and say enough of these quislings.
(Englishman, 26 February 2015 23:00)
The Serbian Government is openly and proudly demonstrating how much it hates Serbia and especially Serbian victims. It not only doesn't care about Serbian victims, the gov't holds them in complete contempt and despises them.
It's so sad after everything those people back home go through to have such a slimy, piece of shit gov't like it has today. There was an expose in the Serbian media of this Zorana Mihajlovic woman walking around with $4,000 Chanel purses. To not only be corrupt and using Serbian tax payer money to fund your luxurious lifestyle, but to sit there and openly disrespect and spit on Serbian victims is truly sickening.
May God help Serbia. And to Milica Rakic, on behalf of all Serbs- I am so sorry. [link]
(Ari Gold, 26 February 2015 19:26)
Has Serbia such a weak mind that it already after only a short blink of an eye in time totally forgot March 24, 1999? Has Serbia forgotten Hitlers reserection of the Final Solutuion that lasted for Christian Serbian Eastern Orthodox people with out mercy for 78 consecutive punishing days and continues today with economic destruction of a once positive Jugoslavian economy? Has Serbia forgotten the reserection of Hitlers massive world wide hate propagana campaign to demonize Serbia and all Christian Eastern Orthodox people in the world? Has Serbia totally forgotten what evil damage to Eastern Orthodox Christianity Bill Clinton and Tony Blair did less than two decades ago? How can we Serbians ever forget that our Fathers who died many ages ago on our sacred and holy grounds of Kosovo only that our most sacred Krsna Slava be preserved for eternity! Our dear Serbian Brothers and Sisters who were murdered during the 1990's, their innocent lives lost for ever never again to walk and live amoung us and now Satan invited to Beograd to be wined and dined, SHAME! All I can say is that any Serbian who greeted Blair may his hand rott off! Who will be invited to Beograd next, will it be Satan? Is this the direction that Serbia is heading? I understand that I am only dust, my spirit in the gentle wind above Tikhvin, for ever the beautiful melody in my heart that my dear Sisters sing for Serbia!
(Dragoljub Djurkovic, 26 February 2015 16:21)
Let's get one thing perfectly clear: Tony Blair has no advice which can improve the life of Serbs or the security of Serbia. Blair is, and always has been, an agent of the New World Order, the Banksters, George Soros, call them what you like but they are the rich elite that control the EU, America, Japan and many smaller nations around the world. The only thing Blair could tell the Serbian government is how to behave when they are given orders by this elite. When Soros gives advice, the Serbian government should implement this "advice" in full, without delay and without comment. Slaves do not question their Masters. Vucic is making Serbia into a nation of Slaves and is taking "advice" from Blair to make this happen. At times like this one yearns for Princip.
(Michael Thomas, 26 February 2015 18:25)
Shameless! I guess there is no red line for SNS ministers & thankfully Hitler, Goebbels, Ante Pavelic,Starcevic, et al are dead else SNS party would suggest SNS more ministers had something worthwhile to learn from them over a cup of coffee!
Tragic what has become of SNS - irony not lost in the topic of " how not to lose a year" only in hearing this message its likely SNS have lost not just a year but all credibility!
Can imagine the opposition election posters - bLIAR shaking hands with SNS ministers or a image of a romantic couple over coffee only on closer inspection its bLIAR and an SNS minister saying what's the harm in innocent chit chat while bombs fall all around.
(Principa, 26 February 2015 21:23)
The Serbian government is acting really stupid if they do not believe that Great Britain is only still great in their British minds. I' ve been living in the west for more than 30 years. The Brits and Washington don' t like anyone of us who is not Western. So get it in your heads Serbians in power: uBlair still despises you. My English neighbor, famous soccer player, on my son's question " Would you ever play in Serbia" answered: "Normal folks never go to Serbia for any
reason ". So you think Blair or Biden respect you, are really willing to help you? Think again.
(sarah, 26 February 2015 18:59)
Serbia's elite have sold out [link] to who ever pats them on the head and gives them a pretentious wink nod. I'm sure Serb "politicians" pocket much of the investments and kick backs. Business as usual in Serbia before it goes totally bankrupt in every way. At least the elite will not suffer just rule over you as usual. The blind leading the blind watch for the cliff.
(Lenard, 26 February 2015 19:14)
Blair doing something for nothing? Come on give us a break no one's going to believe that fairytale! That individual is about as welcome in Serbia as an outbreak of Black Death.
(Keep him out, 27 February 2015 01:57)
I would really love to see Dmitry Medvedev replace Vucic as PM of Serbia; I'm sure he could learn to speak Serbian fairly quickly.
(The voice of Reason, 27 February 2015 03:11)
I am proud that they all have to subdue Serbia to control the Balkans. Serbia has always been the beacon of freedom in the region.
And Slobo wasn't great. But you must be ignorant of Tudjman the Nazi, Alija the Islamic extremist & Thaci the organ/narco trafficker.
(Ari Gold, 27 February 2015 18:47)
I think you meant beacon of oppression in the region, the whole breakup of Yugoslavia was due to Serbia wanted to control it for Serbs and make EVERYONE else a sub culture of Serbs.
And saying Slobo wasn't great is a huge understatement.
As far as Thaci being a narco/organ trader. If there have been 4 investigations into the organ trading claims by Serbia and no one can find any true evidence, it is time to delete that from you list.
(Get over it, 28 February 2015 03:35)
Ari, it is hard sometimes to figure out if you are playing dumb or that is just you.
"What exactly did Serbia do to the other exYu countries to cause the split? I mean specifically. Saying "because of Milosevic" is stupid and not an answer. I want specific acts of oppression, not just rhetoric"
One of the first things Milosevic did was to revoke the two provinces autonomy thus claiming their voting shares in the Yugo govt as Serbian increasing the Serbian power immediately to three of the 8 votes.
There was one common denominator in the separate Yugo wars-Serbia.
"Initially the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) sought to preserve the unity of the whole of Yugoslavia by crushing the secessionist governments; however the JNA increasingly came under the influence of the Serbian government of Slobodan Milošević that evoked Serbian nationalist rhetoric and was willing to support the Yugoslav state insofar as using it to preserve the unity of Serbs in one state; as a result the JNA began to lose Slovenes, Croats, Kosovar Albanians, Bosniaks, and ethnic Macedonians, and effectively became a Serb army.[5] According to the 1994 United Nations report, the Serb side did not aim to restore Yugoslavia, but to create a "Greater Serbia" from parts of Croatia and Bosnia.[6]"
A quote from Wikipedia on the Yugoslav Wars.
For individual acts of oppression, I will refer you to the ICTY transcripts. Of course you believe neither so it is not to convince you but an answer to your question.
(Get over it, 2 March 2015 12:22)
I see Tony Blair has the Serbs on a short leash. Good, it's the way it should be. Vucic and company join a long list of toadies.
(EU Citizen, 26 February 2015 17:32)
much more bruised your Serbian pride. But that is the course your leader(Milosevic) chose for your country and in the end it boils down to the fact that you deserved it, so its time to get over it.
(Get over it, 27 February 2015 00:53)
Doesn't bruise my pride. Serbia has always been in the crosshairs of empires. Ottomans, Austro-Hungary, Nazi Germany. I am proud that they all have to subdue Serbia to control the Balkans. Serbia has always been the beacon of freedom in the region.
And Slobo wasn't great. But you must be ignorant of Tudjman the Nazi, Alija the Islamic extremist & Thaci the organ/narco trafficker.
(Ari Gold, 27 February 2015 18:47)
I can understand why you dislike Blair, after all he bombed your country, destroyed your infrastructure, broke up families and much more bruised your Serbian pride. But that is the course your leader(Milosevic) chose for your country and in the end it boils down to the fact that you deserved it, so its time to get over it.
(Get over it, 27 February 2015 00:53)
Ari says:
Truth is, Yugoslavia was heavily subsidized by the West and when Tito died there was no need for a buffer to the USSR so the $ dried up.
So are you saying that the money poured into Kosovo was actually subsidized by the west and not really Serbia and the rest of Yugo having to pay Kosovo's way???? That seems to be a major claim from your camp.
(Are you sure?, 2 March 2015 15:47)
This is beautiful, so funny and sad at the same time. Vulin and co create a public opinion monster with their rhetoric and propaganda, and then have to hide from it in bar basements. The absurdity of Serbia's politics.
(Reader, 27 February 2015 15:20)
What exactly did Serbia do to the other exYu countries to cause the split? I mean specifically. Saying "because of Milosevic" is stupid and not an answer. I want specific acts of oppression, not just rhetoric
Truth is, Yugoslavia was heavily subsidized by the West and when Tito died there was no need for a buffer to the USSR so the $ dried up.
Muslims and Croats thought a prosperous future was waiting for them. They were wrong. And there is plenty of evidence whether it's organs, sex slaves or heroin to at least prosecute Thaci. The reason he hasn't even been indicted is because of his political protection.
Same with milo djukanovic in Montenegro. Another criminal protected by NATO. So no, all these guys were just as bad as Slobo. Alija the radical Jihadist and Thaci the organ extractor are worse.
(Ari Gold, 1 March 2015 05:38)
not that I like this current government, but when I see the usual nationalist low life compatriots criticizing it so virulently, I think to myself: maybe they are doing smth right after all.
(boom, 27 February 2015 17:08)
What exactly did Serbia do to the other exYu countries to cause the split? I mean specifically. Saying "because of Milosevic" is stupid and not an answer. I want specific acts of oppression, not just rhetoric
Truth is, Yugoslavia was heavily subsidized by the West and when Tito died there was no need for a buffer to the USSR so the $ dried up.
Muslims and Croats thought a prosperous future was waiting for them. They were wrong. And there is plenty of evidence whether it's organs, sex slaves or heroin to at least prosecute Thaci. The reason he hasn't even been indicted is because of his political protection.
Same with milo djukanovic in Montenegro. Another criminal protected by NATO. So no, all these guys were just as bad as Slobo. Alija the radical Jihadist and Thaci the organ extractor are worse.
(Ari Gold, 1 March 2015 05:50)
I can understand why you dislike Blair, after all he bombed your country, destroyed your infrastructure, broke up families and much more bruised your Serbian pride. But that is the course your leader(Milosevic) chose for your country and in the end it boils down to the fact that you deserved it, so its time to get over it.
(Get over it, 27 February 2015 00:53)
Has Serbia such a weak mind that it already after only a short blink of an eye in time totally forgot March 24, 1999? Has Serbia forgotten Hitlers reserection of the Final Solutuion that lasted for Christian Serbian Eastern Orthodox people with out mercy for 78 consecutive punishing days and continues today with economic destruction of a once positive Jugoslavian economy? Has Serbia forgotten the reserection of Hitlers massive world wide hate propagana campaign to demonize Serbia and all Christian Eastern Orthodox people in the world? Has Serbia totally forgotten what evil damage to Eastern Orthodox Christianity Bill Clinton and Tony Blair did less than two decades ago? How can we Serbians ever forget that our Fathers who died many ages ago on our sacred and holy grounds of Kosovo only that our most sacred Krsna Slava be preserved for eternity! Our dear Serbian Brothers and Sisters who were murdered during the 1990's, their innocent lives lost for ever never again to walk and live amoung us and now Satan invited to Beograd to be wined and dined, SHAME! All I can say is that any Serbian who greeted Blair may his hand rott off! Who will be invited to Beograd next, will it be Satan? Is this the direction that Serbia is heading? I understand that I am only dust, my spirit in the gentle wind above Tikhvin, for ever the beautiful melody in my heart that my dear Sisters sing for Serbia!
(Dragoljub Djurkovic, 26 February 2015 16:21)
much more bruised your Serbian pride. But that is the course your leader(Milosevic) chose for your country and in the end it boils down to the fact that you deserved it, so its time to get over it.
(Get over it, 27 February 2015 00:53)
Doesn't bruise my pride. Serbia has always been in the crosshairs of empires. Ottomans, Austro-Hungary, Nazi Germany. I am proud that they all have to subdue Serbia to control the Balkans. Serbia has always been the beacon of freedom in the region.
And Slobo wasn't great. But you must be ignorant of Tudjman the Nazi, Alija the Islamic extremist & Thaci the organ/narco trafficker.
(Ari Gold, 27 February 2015 18:47)
What exactly did Serbia do to the other exYu countries to cause the split? I mean specifically. Saying "because of Milosevic" is stupid and not an answer. I want specific acts of oppression, not just rhetoric
Truth is, Yugoslavia was heavily subsidized by the West and when Tito died there was no need for a buffer to the USSR so the $ dried up.
Muslims and Croats thought a prosperous future was waiting for them. They were wrong. And there is plenty of evidence whether it's organs, sex slaves or heroin to at least prosecute Thaci. The reason he hasn't even been indicted is because of his political protection.
Same with milo djukanovic in Montenegro. Another criminal protected by NATO. So no, all these guys were just as bad as Slobo. Alija the radical Jihadist and Thaci the organ extractor are worse.
(Ari Gold, 1 March 2015 05:50)
What exactly did Serbia do to the other exYu countries to cause the split? I mean specifically. Saying "because of Milosevic" is stupid and not an answer. I want specific acts of oppression, not just rhetoric
Truth is, Yugoslavia was heavily subsidized by the West and when Tito died there was no need for a buffer to the USSR so the $ dried up.
Muslims and Croats thought a prosperous future was waiting for them. They were wrong. And there is plenty of evidence whether it's organs, sex slaves or heroin to at least prosecute Thaci. The reason he hasn't even been indicted is because of his political protection.
Same with milo djukanovic in Montenegro. Another criminal protected by NATO. So no, all these guys were just as bad as Slobo. Alija the radical Jihadist and Thaci the organ extractor are worse.
(Ari Gold, 1 March 2015 05:38)
not that I like this current government, but when I see the usual nationalist low life compatriots criticizing it so virulently, I think to myself: maybe they are doing smth right after all.
(boom, 27 February 2015 17:08)
This is beautiful, so funny and sad at the same time. Vulin and co create a public opinion monster with their rhetoric and propaganda, and then have to hide from it in bar basements. The absurdity of Serbia's politics.
(Reader, 27 February 2015 15:20)
Serbia's elite have sold out [link] to who ever pats them on the head and gives them a pretentious wink nod. I'm sure Serb "politicians" pocket much of the investments and kick backs. Business as usual in Serbia before it goes totally bankrupt in every way. At least the elite will not suffer just rule over you as usual. The blind leading the blind watch for the cliff.
(Lenard, 26 February 2015 19:14)
If you and Tony get together again, please can you pass on a message to him for me:
Tony, the British people despise you for ignoring the majority of the electorate in order to keep America happy and initiate a total bloodbath in Iraq. Your foreign policy was a total self-serving disater, from Serbia onwards
I see Tony Blair has the Serbs on a short leash. Good, it's the way it should be. Vucic and company join a long list of toadies.
(EU Citizen, 26 February 2015 17:32)
Let's get one thing perfectly clear: Tony Blair has no advice which can improve the life of Serbs or the security of Serbia. Blair is, and always has been, an agent of the New World Order, the Banksters, George Soros, call them what you like but they are the rich elite that control the EU, America, Japan and many smaller nations around the world. The only thing Blair could tell the Serbian government is how to behave when they are given orders by this elite. When Soros gives advice, the Serbian government should implement this "advice" in full, without delay and without comment. Slaves do not question their Masters. Vucic is making Serbia into a nation of Slaves and is taking "advice" from Blair to make this happen. At times like this one yearns for Princip.
(Michael Thomas, 26 February 2015 18:25)
(Andy UK, 26 February 2015 13:34)
--
And if you do get together, do it somewhere else! That mass murderer and war criminal should have never been allowed to set foot in Serbia! He should have been arrested and the world and British public would have applaud us for doing so!
BTW, I was one of those two million who marched in London against the invasion of Iraq.
(Zoran, 26 February 2015 15:22)
This is like having tea with Hitler,when are the people of Serbia going to stand up and say enough of these quislings.
(Englishman, 26 February 2015 23:00)
The Serbian Government is openly and proudly demonstrating how much it hates Serbia and especially Serbian victims. It not only doesn't care about Serbian victims, the gov't holds them in complete contempt and despises them.
It's so sad after everything those people back home go through to have such a slimy, piece of shit gov't like it has today. There was an expose in the Serbian media of this Zorana Mihajlovic woman walking around with $4,000 Chanel purses. To not only be corrupt and using Serbian tax payer money to fund your luxurious lifestyle, but to sit there and openly disrespect and spit on Serbian victims is truly sickening.
May God help Serbia. And to Milica Rakic, on behalf of all Serbs- I am so sorry. [link]
(Ari Gold, 26 February 2015 19:26)
Shameless! I guess there is no red line for SNS ministers & thankfully Hitler, Goebbels, Ante Pavelic,Starcevic, et al are dead else SNS party would suggest SNS more ministers had something worthwhile to learn from them over a cup of coffee!
Tragic what has become of SNS - irony not lost in the topic of " how not to lose a year" only in hearing this message its likely SNS have lost not just a year but all credibility!
Can imagine the opposition election posters - bLIAR shaking hands with SNS ministers or a image of a romantic couple over coffee only on closer inspection its bLIAR and an SNS minister saying what's the harm in innocent chit chat while bombs fall all around.
(Principa, 26 February 2015 21:23)
I am proud that they all have to subdue Serbia to control the Balkans. Serbia has always been the beacon of freedom in the region.
And Slobo wasn't great. But you must be ignorant of Tudjman the Nazi, Alija the Islamic extremist & Thaci the organ/narco trafficker.
(Ari Gold, 27 February 2015 18:47)
I think you meant beacon of oppression in the region, the whole breakup of Yugoslavia was due to Serbia wanted to control it for Serbs and make EVERYONE else a sub culture of Serbs.
And saying Slobo wasn't great is a huge understatement.
As far as Thaci being a narco/organ trader. If there have been 4 investigations into the organ trading claims by Serbia and no one can find any true evidence, it is time to delete that from you list.
(Get over it, 28 February 2015 03:35)
The Serbian government is acting really stupid if they do not believe that Great Britain is only still great in their British minds. I' ve been living in the west for more than 30 years. The Brits and Washington don' t like anyone of us who is not Western. So get it in your heads Serbians in power: uBlair still despises you. My English neighbor, famous soccer player, on my son's question " Would you ever play in Serbia" answered: "Normal folks never go to Serbia for any
reason ". So you think Blair or Biden respect you, are really willing to help you? Think again.
(sarah, 26 February 2015 18:59)
I would really love to see Dmitry Medvedev replace Vucic as PM of Serbia; I'm sure he could learn to speak Serbian fairly quickly.
(The voice of Reason, 27 February 2015 03:11)
Blair doing something for nothing? Come on give us a break no one's going to believe that fairytale! That individual is about as welcome in Serbia as an outbreak of Black Death.
(Keep him out, 27 February 2015 01:57)
Ari, it is hard sometimes to figure out if you are playing dumb or that is just you.
"What exactly did Serbia do to the other exYu countries to cause the split? I mean specifically. Saying "because of Milosevic" is stupid and not an answer. I want specific acts of oppression, not just rhetoric"
One of the first things Milosevic did was to revoke the two provinces autonomy thus claiming their voting shares in the Yugo govt as Serbian increasing the Serbian power immediately to three of the 8 votes.
There was one common denominator in the separate Yugo wars-Serbia.
"Initially the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) sought to preserve the unity of the whole of Yugoslavia by crushing the secessionist governments; however the JNA increasingly came under the influence of the Serbian government of Slobodan Milošević that evoked Serbian nationalist rhetoric and was willing to support the Yugoslav state insofar as using it to preserve the unity of Serbs in one state; as a result the JNA began to lose Slovenes, Croats, Kosovar Albanians, Bosniaks, and ethnic Macedonians, and effectively became a Serb army.[5] According to the 1994 United Nations report, the Serb side did not aim to restore Yugoslavia, but to create a "Greater Serbia" from parts of Croatia and Bosnia.[6]"
A quote from Wikipedia on the Yugoslav Wars.
For individual acts of oppression, I will refer you to the ICTY transcripts. Of course you believe neither so it is not to convince you but an answer to your question.
(Get over it, 2 March 2015 12:22)
Ari says:
Truth is, Yugoslavia was heavily subsidized by the West and when Tito died there was no need for a buffer to the USSR so the $ dried up.
So are you saying that the money poured into Kosovo was actually subsidized by the west and not really Serbia and the rest of Yugo having to pay Kosovo's way???? That seems to be a major claim from your camp.
(Are you sure?, 2 March 2015 15:47)